Vol. 77/No. 37      October 21, 2013

“Washington refuses to free the Five because of its hatred for the Cuban Revolution and its fear of the example it provides for toilers worldwide,” Baumann said.

Pages purchased a subscription to the Militant and the Spanish edition of two Pathfinder books: Cuba and Angola: Fighting for Africa’s Freedom and Our Own and The Cuban Five: Who They Are, Why They Were Framed, Why They Should Be Free.

Supporters of the socialist candidate brought four others to participate in the caravan protest, including two who were joining an action on behalf of the Five for the first time.

Baumann, a 27-year-old warehouse worker, has been active in solidarity with taxi drivers fighting attacks on their livelihood and dignity. Drivers organized by the New Vision Taxi Drivers Association turned out at a “Budget Town Hall” meeting in Little Haiti Aug. 27 to protest proposals by Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez that would force them to install credit card machines in their cabs, obey stricter dress codes and jump out and open doors for all passengers in order to work at the city’s air and sea ports.

“I support the struggle of the taxi drivers, who have to pay a fee every time they leave the airport, work long hours and are continually abused by the police,” Baumann told the meeting.

“The county is not issuing the medallions they’re required to,” allowing the owners to keep a tight monopoly, driver Joseph Bessard told Baumann when the socialist candidate visited the cab lot at Miami International Airport Sept. 25.

“The most important message of the SWP campaign is that we working people need to organize independent of the bosses and their twin parties, the Democrats and Republicans, to advance our interests,” Baumann said when some drivers asked why he was running.

Baumann and campaign supporters have joined protests demanding action against the Miami Beach police who killed Israel Hernández, 18, with a Taser shot Aug. 6, after catching him spraying graffiti on an empty building.

“Police brutality is endemic to capitalist society. We should fight for the arrest and prosecution of cops who kill and abuse working people,” Baumann told the Militant. “As I campaign, I urge workers to join with me Oct. 6 in a protest march called for the two-month anniversary of Hernández’s killing.”

Sixteen people came to a meeting at the SWP campaign hall Sept. 27 to celebrate Baumann getting on the ballot and learn more about the campaign. For most, it was their first time there.

“What would you do as mayor?” asked Santiago Cely, who works at a nonprofit agency.

“I’d use the office to build solidarity with workers’ struggles and press for anything that would help break down divisions between workers fostered by the bosses and their government, and strengthen the confidence and mobilization of working people,” Baumann said. “We urge workers to fight for a big raise in the minimum wage and a government-funded public works program to provide millions of jobs for those thrown out of work as a result of the capitalist crisis.”

Georgia Griffin-Rolle, a laid-off pharmaceutical worker who has been reading the Militant for a couple months, volunteered to join the effort to reach working people with the campaign and sell the paper.

“It’s important for working people here to see their common interests with toilers around the world,” Baumann said. “In opposing any U.S. intervention in Syria, for example, we explain that Washington’s political and economic interests are diametrically opposed to those of fellow toilers there who have been pressing for political space, more rights and freedom under the murderous regime of Bashar al-Assad.”
 
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