BLOGGING:

EDITING MOLLY'S BLOG:

There are some changes that will be happening in our Links Section here at Molly's Blog over the next little while. Some have commented on the "comprehensive" nature of our links in the past. The problem is that the huge number of links has made navigation amongst them unwieldy for the readers. Thus we are beginning to divide various sections up into sub-sections. The start of this is to divide such areas as "Links", "Blogs", "Liens En Français", "Anarchist Music", etc. into "Canadian" and "Other" sections.

To say the least this will be a long process, but it is also an opportunity for editing. Dead links will be removed. Inactive ones will be transferred to our "Zombie" section. Alphabetical order will be restored. The process is long because it involves checking each and every link, retyping it into the new section and eliminating it from the old. So far I've only begun with the letter "A" in the general Links section. If the Links list still seems unwieldy it will be further subdivided in the future.

This is also the time for a note on "language". In general Molly has only listed links that have at least some content in either English, French or Spanish because these are the only languages that I can read and judge as to content. There are some exceptions, especially for special sections such as "Anarcho-Syndicalist Links" or "Platformist and Especifista Links" and for some sites in Czech and Greek with which I have a passing acquaintance or Italian and Portuguese where I can "guess" my way through via cognates. Perhaps this policy will change in the future, especially in regards to such languages as Italian and Portuguese, but for now I find that it is hard enough to keep up with new sites in the 3 languages mentioned. One can sincerely hope for a situation where anarchist sites in Mandarin , Cantonese, Arabic , Hindi or others would be numerous enough to deserve a special section, but that is for the distant future. For now this is the best I can do. As I said, exceptions are sometimes made.

I beg the reader's indulgence as I slowly edit the links. Don't be disconcerted by duplications. They are only temporary as I plow through the list.

AMERICAN POLITICS:

STILL MORE ON THE ELECTION OF OBAMA:

As part of her effort to present intelligent anarchist and left socialist comment on the recent American elections Molly presents the following from the Anarchist Federation Blog via the A-Infos site. The AF is the British section of the International of Anarchist Federations.

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Britain, Anarchist Federation on Obama - the Second Coming?:

Below is a collectively produced statement on the election of Barack Obama by Manchester AF.

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Make no mistake, Barrack Obama's victory in the United States does not mean black liberation any more than Margaret Thatcher's government was a victory for women's liberation. Neither does it herald a new dawn for the world.

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We firmly expect that the 130 million Americans who voted in the election will soon be sorely disappointed. Obama looks good because he is young, handsome and above all not George Bush. It was becoming clear to many in the USA and the world that George W stole the 2000 elections by fraud and cheating. The wars he has led the US into are increasingly unpopular with over 4000 troops dead and 100,000 injured in Iraq alone.

The press almost all supported him in the election, even the normally right-wing Murdoch empire. Obama is presented as a Mr Clean who will sweep away the stench of corruption that haunts US politics. They say he will save the world from the current economic crisis, the “credit crunch” and recession. Mr Clean he may be, but he spent over $200 million to get elected – more than $40 million a month. Clearly that money is not coming from the poor – a quarter of African Americans live below the poverty line - or the quarter of the workforce in low paid jobs in a country where the minimum wage is $6.55 an hour (just over £4). It is coming from wealthy donors like bankers and financiers Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and companies like Microsoft, whose founder Bill Gates is worth $45 billion.

Clearly these press barons and big companies are going to expect something in exchange.

We expect the wars to continue. Although he promises to pull out of Iraq eventually, the US will need to keep the government there friendly. Troops will be replaced by advisers and security guards, who are in reality heavily armed thugs. He promises to send yet more troops into Afghanistan. Although we expect him to close the hell that is Guantanamo Bay, we doubt he'll do much for the 2.5 million (mostly black and Hispanic) Americans who rot in prison. We doubt the USA will stop bankrolling the racist Israeli regime and its persecution of the Palestinians.

Most of all capitalism is in another of its economic crises. Obama has the backing of the rich and powerful because he will be better able to inflict pain and hard times on the working people in the States and the rest of the world. He has been elected not to bring change. He will stop change happening.

Elections come and elections go. The faces of our rulers come and go. But the need to struggle and fight against the bosses and the state goes on every day. Whoever the Americans voted for, the government got in. We need to be building a fighting alternative, a massive wave of class struggle to finally sweep these parasites off the face of the earth.

ANARCHIST CONFERENCES:

CONFERENCE ON MARXISM AND ANARCHISM:

Here's a little bit of an early bird call for those of you who are academics or academics-at-heart. Next September the Institute for Anarchist Studies in Britain will be holding a conference on 'Anarchism and Marxism'. Molly has to say that she has little interest in such things. Her opinions on the matter have only changed since the 1970s insofar as Marxism is no longer anything like a serious contender for power as it was then and is now very much a joke or an antiquarian curiosity. But I'll hold myself back for now before I travel down the road of lengthy denunciations of something that becomes more like the Flat Earth Society every day.. Here's the callout.

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Conference On Marxism and Anarchism:
Is Black and Red Dead?

- Conference, University of Nottingham, 7-8/09/09

CALL FOR PAPERS - PLEASE CIRCULATE

APPEL A CONTRIBUTIONS - PRIERE DE FAIRE CIRCULER

An academic conference organized and supported by the PSA Anarchist Studies Network, the PSA Marxism Specialist Group, Anarchist Studies, Capital & Class, Critique-Journal of Socialist Theory and Historical Materialism.(I can't help it. Here comes my hairball...gack,gack,gack- Molly)

Hosted By:

The Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice

University of Nottingham

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What is the political relevance of the ideological labels "anarchist" and "Marxist" in the contemporary geo-political climate? Despite recurrent crisis, the costs typically borne by the people, neoliberal capitalism continues to colonize the globe in a never-ending quest for profit and new enclosures. Meanwhile, an effective political response from the left to the wars, ecological destruction, financial collapse and social problems created by capital and state has so far failed to garner the widespread support and influence it needs. Indeed, the sectarianism of the left may well have contributed to this failure.(or maybe mindless sympathy and refusal to criticize anything that is fashionably "left" has ??????-Molly)

Still, despite fracture, there have always been borrowings across the left. Most recently, post-'68 radicalisms have contributed to a blurring of the divisions between the anarchist and Marxist traditions. Traditionally regarded as hostile and irreconcilable, many of these ideas find expression in the "newest social movements", taking inspiration from the Situationists, left communists, and social anarchist traditions. The anti-statist, libertarian currents within the socialist movement have repeatedly emerged during periods of acute political and economic crisis, from the council communists to revolutionary anarchism. Is this one such historical juncture in which dynamic reconciliation is not only welcomed but vital?

To rephrase the question, what can we learn from 150 years of anti-statist, anti-capitalist social movements, and how might this history inform the formulation of a new social and political current, consciously combining the insights of plural currents of anarchism and Marxism in novel historical junctures? Indeed, to what extent have these traditional fault lines been constitutive of the political imagination? The modern feminist, queer, ecological, anti-racist and postcolonial struggles have all been inspired by and developed out of critiques of the traditional parameters of the old debates, and many preceded them. So, to what extent do capital and the state remain the key sites of struggle?

We welcome papers that engage critically with both the anarchist and the Marxist traditions in a spirit of reconciliation. We welcome historical papers that deal with themes and concepts, movements or individuals. We also welcome theoretical papers with demonstrable historical or political importance. Our criteria for the acceptance of papers will be mutual respect, the usual critical scholarly standards and demonstrable engagement with both traditions of thought.

Please send 350 word abstracts (as word documents), including full contact details, to:Dr Alex Prichard (ESML, University of Bath): a.prichard@bath.ac.uk

Closing date for receipt of abstracts: 1st May, 2009

Dr David Berry,

Department of Politics, International Relations & European Studies, Loughborough University, LE113TU, GB

+44-(0)1509- 222988

Co-ordinator, Postgraduate Research

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/eu/studying/research/index.html

University & College Union, Loughborough University Branch

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/orgs/laut/index.html

Association des Amis de Daniel Guérin

http://www.danielguerin.info/tiki-index.ph

Reviews Editor, Anarchist Studies

http://www.lwbooks.co.uk/journals/anarchiststudies/contents.html

Anarchist Studies Network

http://www.anarchist-studies-network.org.uk/HomePage

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-POLAND:

POLISH WORKERS VERSUS NESTLÉ:

The following article is from the Polish anarchist news site Centrum Informacji Anarchistycznej. It's particularly apt as the trial for unfair dismissal mentioned below began last Monday. A few notes are in order. The Polish Union of Syndicalists is an anarcho-syndicalist union federation affiliated with the AIT-IWA, the anarcho-syndicalist international. There is another anarcho-syndicalist union in Poland, less active (I believe) and not affiliated with the AIt, the Workers' Initiative. In Poland, like most of Europe and unlike here in North America there are often several unions represented at any one workplace.

The Nestlé Corporation, the largest food company in the world, has a particularly long rap sheet. It is the subject of the longest running boycott operating today. Since 1977 it has been subject to a boycott because of its promotion of infant formula over breast feeding. This action is presently coordinated by the International Nestlé Boycott Committee, and their secretariat is the British International Baby Food Action Network. During the recent melamine in milk scandal in China the Nestlé company was implicated (see Molly's Blog Sept. 25, Sept 26, Sept 28 and Oct 1 of this year). During last year's melamine in pet food events Nestlé, under the Nestlé-Purina label was also involved (See Molly`s Blog March 24 and April 19 2007).

The company has also been the target of other labour campaigns for its abuses of workers' rights. These include Russian workers (See Molly's Blog March 28, 2008 and June 9, 2008), and its operations in the Philippines. The later campaign is being found by the Filipino Union Federation the Kilusang Mayo Uno. All tolf a rather long record, and most of it isn't even described here. For further information consult Nestlé Watch.

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Nestle attempts to break trade-unions in Alima Gerber in Poland:

In September this year, Jacek Kotula, the president of the workplace commission of the “Solidarity” trade-union in Alima Gerber S.A. in Rzeszow, Poland (currently owned by Nestle) has been dismissed on disciplinary grounds. This is one of many cases of contempt for workers’s rights by large corporations operating in Poland. It is not the first time that Nestle workers have to fight with Nestle in order to have their basic rights respected in various Nestle factories spread around the world. Russian workers are still in the process of struggling for the right to negotiate wages.

Below, we present an interview with Mr. Jacek, made by a member of the Union of Syndicalists of Poland (ZSP).

ZSP: The official reason given for your dismissal was a conversation you had with a Polish farmer, in which you informed him that Alima Gerber imports apples from Italy instead of buying it from the local farmers. In the opinion of the management, this conversation was detrimental to the interests of the company. Do you think it was the real reason why you got fired?

"Of course, this was just a pretext to get rid of me. The real reason was my activity and the activity of the workplace trade-union commission of “Solidarity” presided by me for 3 years. Let me just mention that since July 2008 our commission grew by 50% and our activity has expanded to Nestle in Warsaw. I have demanded wage raises of about 140 Euro monthly. Currently, a regular employee earns about 350 Euro after tax.

The employer was not interested in negotiations. I have also proposed to sign an agreement about combating stress-related problems. The management falsely claimed that there are no legal grounds to introduce such a program. I have also presented the facts related to the discrimination of our employees in comparison with another Nestle plant in Poland, where workers earn 50% more than the ones in Rzeszow, while performing similar work.

Since there was no reaction, I have sent a letter about the case to the United Nations. I have indicated the many illegal actions of the management of the factory, confirmed many times by the Work Inspectorate. I have asked the president of Nestle Poland to meet me regarding an important issue I have mentioned in writing. Each time, I was faced with a wall of indifference. In the end, they just got rid of me in the most brutal fashion - by way of a dismissal on disciplinary grounds.

The conversation with the president of the union of farmers of Alima Gerber which I had and the alleged encouragement to negotiate high prices for fruit and vegetables was only a sad pretext to get rid of me after 16 years of work there."

ZSP: How did your colleagues and union members react to the management's decision? Did the local commission act in your defence?

"The decision to dismiss me was a shock for everyone. My colleagues from the Solidarity union gathered signatures on a protest against my dismissal. Two thirds of the workforce signed the protest. The union commission, nor the work council, did accept my dismissal. Despite this, the employer knowingly broke the law by dismissing a union representative protected by the law. This is a clear violation of the worker's rights and the Labour Inspectorate in Rzeszow has initiated a proceeding against the management."

ZSP: How was the dismissal delivered to you?

"After I was informed about the intention to fire me and after I saw the September 5th letter asking the union to accept my dismissal, I felt very sick on psychosomatic grounds and I have spent a week being treated on the cardiology department. In the meantime, the management of Alima Gerber harassed my family several times. The saddest event occurred on September 13th, at 7 AM. Four of my children, aged from 7 to 13, were alone in the house, while my wife was working on a night shift. My children were woken up by the relentless bell ring. When my 12-year old son opened the door, the manager tried to give him the dismissal document.

My son did not want to accept anything from the manager. The manager demanded that an older son be called. But the older son refused to take anything and locked the door. The manager stood at the door until 9 AM, kept ringing and knocking the windows and door. The children were terrified and informed their parents by phone of what has happened. The youngest son kept crying and asking: "why do they want to put daddy in jail?"

After the manager left, the house was under observation until noon by a man in a red car, at about 50 m away from the house. Our neighbours informed us of this fact. After I left the hospital, I went to Bulgaria on September 16th, for a training organized by the European Trade Union Institute from Brussels. The training was earlier approved by the manager of the plant.

I was the only representative from Poland. At the Okecie airport in Warsaw, after luggage check-in, I saw the manager and the Human Resources director going after me. I was shocked to see them there. I ran to passport control and haven't seen them afterwards. After I returned from the training, I was not let into the plant. It was claimed that I was fired... at the airport!"

ZSP: How did the management portray this case to the employees? Were there any attempts to turn employees against you? If so, were those attempts successful?

"The management informed the employees that I am a criminal, because I have acted to the detriment of the company, allegedly advising the farmers to negotiate the highest possible prices for fruit. The management claimed that this was the reason for falling profits and that is why the employees cannot expect any significant raises. The workplace commission was also threatened that its members will have to participate in court hearings. Was this successful? I believe in some sense, yes."

ZSP: When will the trial begin?

"I have filed the case on September 25th in the Labour Court in Rzeszow. The first court hearing will take place on November 10th. I believe I will win, as I did 6 months earlier, when the employer illegally punished me for entering with a workplace security inspector on a night shift. I did nothing wrong. As a matter of fact, the inspector admitted that I acted in the interest of the plant by informing the president of the farmer's union that apples are being imported from Italy. No one can convince me that apples imported from Italy will be cheaper than the apples from near Rzeszow. Besides, the farmers are shareholders of the company. They are not competitors, but members of a family and the plant could not function without them."

ZSP: Dismissals of active union members are quite common in Poland. The political climate for union activity is quite bad. This year several union members have been dismissed in state owned and private companies. The employers seem to act with impunity. How to reverse this negative trend?

"We must highlight cases when the employers break the law. We need to show people the of meanness of some companies which knowingly break the law by firing protected union members. We also need to change the law in order to give real protection to the union activists who are on the front line of the struggle for workers rights. All unions must act together in this area."

ZSP: Temporary work is a common phenomenon. What kind of difficulties did you encounter while trying to fight for equal treatment of temporary workers employed by temp agencies and workers with permanent contracts?

"Our plant has been hiring temporary workers from the Impel agency for three years. These employees performed the exact same work as the permanent employees, for half the wages. They did not receive compensation for working in noisy conditions, their working clothes were not washed and they did not receive meals.

They were discriminated against, which is not allowed by the law on temporary work agencies. We have reported the issue to the management, but to no avail. Two years ago, we informed the Work Inspectorate about the case. The inspection revealed that our suspicions were right. The plant was forced to employ 70 of the temporary workers on permanent contracts, with the same wages as other Alima Gerber workers. A few of the workers filed suits against Impel for discrimination. Their lawyer estimated their losses to over 3300 Euro a year. The case is still pending."

ZSP: The international character of many corporations doing business in Poland allows for international actions of support in case workers rights are being broken. What are your experiences working with other organizations internationally?

"I have excellent experiences, especially with unions from the so-called "old" European Union. There seems to be quite a different union culture there. For example in 2006 I have written a complaint to the Swiss management about the extremely poor wages in our company. I have argued that an employee of our company cannot sustain himself, let alone his family on the wages he receives. We have received support from the European Confederation of Trade Unions in Brussels, from the IUF (International Union of Food workers) from Geneva, the European Worker’s Council and many unions in France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. A journalist from Basler Zeitung has visited us to write a big feature about the case. Another newspaper, “Input” has written an article about the topic.The western media and organizations are the only real weapon of Polish unionists."

ZSP: Since you have lost your source of income, are you in need of material help? How can union members and people interested in worker's rights help you in your situation?

"I have not received wages since September 16th. I don’t receive any unemployment benefits, since I was fired on disciplinary grounds. Our family subsists on the income of my wife, who is a nurse. I have four children, who still are very much in shock after what happened to me. I have to return a credit from the Social Fund until October 15th. I am in the same situation as many ordinary workers in Alima Gerber, who can only afford some basic necessities despite years of hard work. I believe that the good will prevail. I ask people of good faith only for prayer."

ZSP: Thank you for the interview. We wish you success in your fight for reinstatement in the workplace!

CANADIAN LABOUR-TORONTO:

RALLY IN SUPPORT OF CUPE LOCAL 3903 AT YORK U.:

CUPE Local 3903, representing contract faculty, teaching and graduate assistants at York University in Toronto, has been on strike since November 6. Tomorrow there's a solidarity rally in that burg. Here's the announcement from the Linchpin site.

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Solidarity Rally with CUPE 3903!:
Start: 11/12/2008 - 13:00
Timezone: Etc/GMT-4
Solidarity with CUPE 3903!
Wednesday, November 12th

1PM

at Main Gate of York University — York Boulevard and Keele
Please come out for a Solidarity Rally with striking CUPE 3903 workers at York University.

CUPE 3903, the union of Contract Faculty, Teaching and Graduate Assistants at York University, went out on strike at 12:01am Thursday November 6th, 2008.

We rejected a concessionary offer and are fighting for job security, decent wages and benefits and accessible education for all! We will be holding a rally at 1pm Wednesday. We are calling on all unions, allies and supporters to please come out to the picket-lines to show your solidarity.
Check out the union’s strike website: http://www.3903strike.ca/

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And here is a report from CUPE on the solidarity rally held yesterday.

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Students and unions back CUPE 3903 :
November 10, 2008 06:15 PM
York university student and campus unions threw their full support behind the 3,400 striking faculty, teaching and graduate assistants of CUPE 3903 at a solidarity rally and joint news conference held this afternoon.

A group of undergraduate students kicked off the rally this morning with a demonstration at the university’s main gate, and eventually joined the strikers on the picket lines.

By noon, the picket lines had grown to ten times their normal size as faculty, clerical staff, security guards and other workers on campus came down to lend support.

“There was a strong presence from faculty today. It was lovely to see them out, they were very spirited,” said Punam Khosla, a teaching assistant with CUPE 3903.

At the press conference, strikers heard words of encouragement from the York Federation of Students, representing undergraduate students; York University Staff Association, representing support and clerical staff; CUPE 1356, representing workers in trades, maintenance, caretaking, housing, grounds, vehicles and security; York University Faculty Association, the York University Graduate Student Association, and CUPE 1281, which represents small non-profit and social justice workers.

The workers of CUPE 3903 have been on strike since last Thursday, after a series of failed bargaining attempts with the university administration.

The university is using a lot of figures to mislead the public. But the administration’s latest offer refers only to proposed wage levels. When wages and benefits are factored together and set against inflation, the proposal is actually a 1.4% reduction. And despite the 28% increase in CUPE 3903 membership, the university has refused to match this with the $600,000 needed to bring benefits and support funds back to 2005 levels.
Online action:

Support CUPE 3903
CUPE 3903 strike video diary

AMERICAN LABOUR:

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR 'GRINCH OF THE YEAR':

Nominations are now open for the 'Jobs With Justice' Grinch of the Year award. For the 7th year running the JwJ coalition is hosting the online nominations for the personage who has done the most harm to workers and their families in the past year. Here's the contest details.

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Nominate for National "Grinch of the Year"‏:
For more than a decade, JwJ coalitions across the country have held local 'Grinch of the Year' elections to determine the most deserving greedy Grinch in their hometowns. This year, national Jobs with Justice will sponsor the seventh annual online Grinch of the Year election to determine the national figure who does the most harm to working families.

Please submit your nomination for the national Grinch of the Year by Friday, November 30th. Be sure to include a few sentences on why you think your nominee is deserving. We will be announcing the nominees and beginning the election soon!

NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE GREEDY GRINCH HERE

http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/up_xDw71CPY-/

Check out past winners & nominees here:

http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/j1_xDw71CPYJ/

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Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.

http://www.unionvoice.org/join-forward.html?domain=jobswithjustice&r=Kp_xDw7qKY32

If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Jobs with Justice at: http://www.unionvoice.org/jobswithjustice/join.html?r=Kp_xDw7qKY32E

HISTORY:

NOVEMBER 11- AN ANARCHIST REMEMBRANCE DAY:

The eleventh hour of the 11th day of the 11th month ! The guns fell silent on the western front in the "war to end wars". Not unexpectedly wars continued as their cause, the division of the planet into nation states continued as well. This day, however, has a place in the memory of those who seek to end the cause of warfare- the anarchists.

Here is what Mollymew published two years ago on the occasion of Remembrance Day.

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Other Things to Remember on November 11th:

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month has since the end of WW1 been set aside for remembrance of the war dead of various countries. Yet this date has a history that extents further back in time to the year 1887, and since then the month of November has figured prominently in the minds of those who want to remember the dead of the "class war", another war that pits humanity against the tyrants who order the wars that have slaughtered millions.

November 11th, 1887 was the date on which 4 of the 8 Chicago anarchists arrested following the 'Haymarket Riot' in 1886 were hanged by the state of Illinois. The so-called riot in which a bomb was thrown at a force of police gathered to disperse a peaceful demonstration in support of the 'Eight Hour Day' movement was followed by a hail of police gunfire. Four members of the crowd of demonstrators were killed and seven policemen were also among the fatalities. Only one of these had been killed by the bomb. The others were likely killed by "friendly fire" as the police began to fire wildly in the dark and had broken formation.

This "riot" followed on a strike movement organized by the Chicago anarchists for May 1st in support of the eight hour day. This movement attracted about 350,000 workers nationwide. On May 3rd Chicago police attacked the strikers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. plant, killing two strikers and wounding several others. A demonstration was called for Haymarket Square in the early evening of May 4th. The anarchists were poorly organized, and a rain had begun so the rally was ill attended. The police attack on the meeting was unnecessary as the crowd was reportedly totally peaceful.

In the aftermath of the events of May 4th union offices were raided across the country. In Chicago itself 8 prominent anarchists were arrested and charged with murder. Absolutely no evidence was ever presented at the trial connecting the detainees with the bomb. The sole charge was that they were the anarchists who had "incited" the bomb thrower. All were found guilty and seven were sentenced to death. One, Oscar Neebe, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The case was appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court and then to the US Supreme Court. After this Illinois Governor Richard James Oglesby commuted the sentences of two of the defendants, Samuel Fielden and Michael Swabb, to life in prison.

On November 10th one of the condemned men, Louis Lingg, managed to commit suicide in his cell via a smuggled blasting cap, depriving the executioner of one of his victims. On November 11th, 1887 August Spies, Albert Parsons, Adolph Fisher and George Engel were hanged for their opinions, not for any crime. They walked to the gallows singing the Marseillaise. August Spies is reported to have said as his last words ;

"The time will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you strangle today."

The Haymarket Martyrs were buried at Waldheim Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois, and Schwabb and Fielden were also buried there when they died later of natural causes. In 1893 the Haymarket Martyrs Monument, by sculptor Albert Weinert, was erected at the grave site. This was later to become the only cemetery memorial to be accorded the 'National Historic Landmark' designation by the US Department of the Interior.

The trial was widely recognized to have been a travesty of justice. The identity of the bomb thrower was never discovered and there has been endless controversy about whether he was indeed an anarchist. Some believe that he was an agent provocateur hired by the steel companies to discredit the strike movement. On June 26th, 1893 Illinois Governor John Peter Atgeld, recognizing the illegality of the trial process, signed full pardons for the three remaining prisoners after having concluded that all 8 were undoubtedly innocent. This ended his political career. In the aftermath of the events international interest was aroused. The Eight Hour Day movement spread and the first Mayday demonstration in Chicago went on to become Mayday, the real Labour Day as recognized by most of the labour movement outside of North America (and to a large extent in NA as well).

To see more about the Haymarket Martyrs look to the following references:

a) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haymarket_Riot

b) http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/haymarket/Haymarket.html

c) http://libcom.org/history/articles/mayday-haymarket-martyrs

d) http://www.kentlaw.edu/ilhs/haymarket.htm

e) http://www.chicagohs.org/hack The latter is the Haymarket Affair Digital Collection, and it is the fullest source.

Other November Deaths:

While the execution of the Chicago anarchists was certainly the event that changed history the most there are also other labour martyrs whose deaths fell in the month of November. one actually occurred on Nov. 11th itself. this was the lynching of IWW member Wesley Everest in Centralia, Washington. Everest was a WW1 veteran and rank and file lumberjack in the American West. On Nov. 11th, 1919 a mob of American Legionares had gather at the local Elks' Hall in Centralia, and, incited by the lumber trusts, they marched on the local IWW hall. When they attacked IWW members fought back, and 4 members of the mob were killed. Everest was arrested, and a second mob later broke into the jail, took him out and lynched him. Nobody was ever charged with Everest's murder, but 11 Wobblies were put on trial for the deaths of members of the mob. Six of them were sentenced to 15 years in prison even though there was no evidence to connect them to the deaths.For the IWW slant on this affair see Ralph Chapman's 'The Centralia Conspiracy" at the official IWW site at

http://www.iww.org/en/culture/library

For the fullest historical treatment see History Link at:

http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?fik_id+5605

For brief summaries see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Everest

http://libcom.org/history/1919-the-murder-of-wesley-everest

November 19th is also the anniversary of the execution of the famous IWW songwriter and poet Joe Hill. He was born in Sweden on Oct 7th, 1879 and emigrated to the USA on in 1902 (but sources vary as to these dates). He joined the IWW around 1910 and was framed for a murder that occurred on January 10th, 1914 in Utah. Despite international pleas for clemency or a new trial from not just labour organizations but also the Swedish government, Helen Keller and even Woodrow Wilson he was executed by firing squad on Nov. 19th, 1915. For more information on Joe Hill see:

a) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe-Hill

b) http://libcom.org/history/articles/murder-joe-hill

On November 20th, 1936 the Spanish anarchist Buenaventura Durruti(July 14th,1896-Nov. 20th,1936) was killed while defending Madrid against Franco's fascist troops. Durruti had had along career as an anarchist and labour militant in both Europe and South America. The 'Iron Column' that he led to Madrid's defence was the best of the anarchist militias. Many suspect that the killer was actually an agent of the Communist Party. For more on Durruti see:

a) http://libcom.org/history/articles/1896-1936-buenaventura-durutti

b) http://134.173.117.152/Anarchist_Archives/bright/durruti/durrubio.html

Finally, lest anyone think all this is a matter of the distant past there is the death of Russian anarchist and musician Timur Kacharava (Aug. 21st, 1985- Nov. 13th, 2005), stabbed to death by neo-fascists in St. Petersburg. This comrade had been active in Food Not Bombs, Critical Mass and the Russian punk rock band 'Sandinista'.For his memorial see:

http://www.musirorecords.com/timur/main.htm

The list of labour's martyrs is, of course, much longer and wider than what has been given above. I've only chosen prominent names from the moth of November to illustrate the point that there is more to remember than the fallen who were connived into armies by the ruling class. Not that I don't appreciate the soldiers of the Second World War, just like I appreciate the soldiers of the Spanish Civil War who fought fascism while the Western Powers were appeasing Hitler and Mussolini and later selling out Czechoslovakia. But almost every other war fought has been for monetary interests, including the present one where Canadians are dying in Afghanistan for the interests of the American Empire.

AMERICAN POLITICS:

WHAT WILL OBAMA DO ON FOREIGN POLICY ?:

The following article from the COAT site tries to extrapolate what the foreign policy of an Obama Administration will be like, given the past pronouncements of the President-Elect. The answer...not that much different from what has gone before. No doubt the "tone" will be different, but the substance will remain the same- the preservation of empire. One has to, of course, take Obama's past positions with the usual wheelbarrow full of salt reserved for the promises of any politician, but there is no reason to doubt that the next US Preident is any more dishonest than others. Thus, what he has said before is likely to be, in general terms, the way he will conduct himself in office. What will this be like ? Read on.

The cartoon above, by the way, is from the Tales of the Iraq War blog by the Brazilian cartoonist Latuff. Also needless to say Molly doesn't agree with the following author's hope that the inevitable disappointment with Obama in power will lead to a "Third Party" in the USA. However realistic or unrealistic this hope may be it is something quite different from what Molly hopes for. It also leads to the inevitable question..."Would a 'Third Party' be any different in power ?". The experience of us colonials who have multiparty systems suggests otherwise.

...........................

A Rough Guide to Obama, on $2.3 billion a day*:
By Richard Sanders, coordinator, Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT)

Did you know that President-elect Obama:
**voted for every one of President Bush's Iraq-War funding increases?
**believes Bush's "surge" in Iraq has "succeeded beyond our wildest dreams" and has proclaimed his "absolute" belief in the "War on Terror"?
**criticized the Iraq War because it is "unwinnable," not because it is illegal, immoral and has killed one million Iraqis?
**will probably leave 140,000 private contractors (mercenaries) and as many as 60,000 to 80,000 regular US troops in Iraq?
**praised President Bush, Sr., and the 1991 Gulf War saying: "I think that when you look back at his foreign policy, it was a wise foreign policy. In how we executed the Gulf War.... I think George H.W. Bush doesn't get enough credit for...his foreign policy team and the way that he...prosecuted the Gulf War. That cost us $20 billion dollars. That's all it cost. It was extremely successful."
**is willing to bomb Iran and that he won't rule out a first strike nuclear attack?
**wants to send an additional 10,000 US troops to fight the war in Afghanistan?
**wants to expand the Afghan war with unilateral air strikes to bomb Pakistan?
**supported Israel's war against Lebanon?
**supports Ballistic Missile Defense?
**favours military expenditures on warplanes that he says "provide the backbone of our ability to extend global power."
**voted for the Patriot Act II, the Wall Street bailout, building a border wall with Mexico and immunity for corporations that conducted electronic eavesdropping on Americans?
**wants continued sanctions against Cuba?
**called President Chavez an "enemy of the US" and wants sanctions against Venezuela?

Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other examples from Obama's statements, his voting records, his financial backers and his selection of advisors and staff that expose very regressive positions on foreign policy and domestic issues. (Check out the links to an initial list of articles below.)

Some rationalize their support for Obama by saying he is less pro-war than McCain or Bush. Others may argue with contention that Obama even is pro-war. At different times, and with different audiences, Obama has taken completely contradictory stands on many important issues. How do we interpret this behaviour? Are we believe all of his progressive-sounding rhetoric on "hope" and change," and simply ignore as inconvenient his many "right-wing," pro-war positions?

As Obama himself has said in his latest book The Audacity of Hope: "I am new enough on the national political scene that I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views." As James Krichick said in the New Republic, "Obama is, in his own words, something of a Rorschach test."

Sam Smith puts it this way in an article called "Can we talk about the Real Obama now?":
"Obama has left the same kind of vacuum. His magic, or con, was that voters could imagine whatever they wanted and he would do nothing to spoil their reverie. He was a handsome actor playing the part of the first black president-to-be and, as in films, he was careful not to muck up the role with real facts or issues that might harm the fantasy. Hence the enormous emphasis on meaningless phrases like hope and change."
(Undernews (online report of the Progressive Review), November 5, 2008.)

Obama's rhetoric on the Iraq War is a case in point. Many mistakenly see him as as anti-war "peace candidate" who will pull the US military out of Iraq. Unfortunately, the truth about his position on this subject is far more complicated.

"In an interview with Amy Goodman, Sen. Obama stated his intention of leaving 140,000 private contractors in Iraq because “we don’t have the troops to replace them.” He also stated the need to keep an additional “strike force in the region … in order to not only protect them, but also potentially to protect their territorial integrity."
Matt Gonzalez, "The Trail of Broken Promises," CounterPunch, October 29, 2008.

Colin Kahl, the coordinator of the Obama campaign’s working group on Iraq policy wrote a paper for Center for a New American Security, saying that between 60,000 and 80,000 US troops should stay in Iraq until the end of 2010.(James Kirchick, "Who has Obama's ear?," Politico, April 15, 2008.)

Another insight into Obama's position on the Iraq war is revealed in his appointment of Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate. Stephen Zunes, in "Biden, Iraq, and Obama's Betrayal," (Foreign Policy In Focus, August 24, 2008) says that

"Obama's selection of Joseph Biden as his running mate constitutes a stunning betrayal of the anti-war constituency who made possible his hard-fought victory in the Democratic primaries and caucuses. "The veteran Delaware senator has been one the leading congressional supporters of U.S. militarization of the Middle East and Eastern Europe, of strict economic sanctions against Cuba, and of Israeli occupation policies.

"Most significantly, however, Biden, who chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the lead-up to the Iraq War during the latter half of 2002, was perhaps the single most important congressional backer of the Bush administrations decision to invade that oil-rich country." (Emphasis added)

Leaving aside the Iraq War there is plenty for peace activists to be concerned about in Obama's overall agenda for the US military. For example, as Obama wrote in an article called "Renewing American Leadership":

"To renew American leadership in the world, we must immediately begin working to revitalize our military. A strong military is, more than anything, necessary to sustain peace. . . . We must use this moment both to rebuild our military and to prepare it for the missions of the future. . . . I will not hesitate to use force, unilaterally if necessary, to protect the American people or our vital interests whenever we are attacked or imminently threatened. We must also consider using military force in circumstances beyond self-defense in order to provide for the common security that underpins global stability..."
(Foreign Affairs, May 31, 2007.)

And, here's what the official website of the Obama-Biden campaign says about what they'll do to when elected to "rebuild the military for 21st century tasks":
***Expand to Meet Military Needs on the Ground: Barack Obama and Joe Biden support plans to increase the size of the Army by 65,000 soldiers and the Marines by 27,000 troops. Increasing our end strength will help units retrain and re-equip properly between deployments and decrease the strain on military families.
**Review Weapons Programs: We must rebalance our capabilities to ensure that our forces have the agility and lethality to succeed in both conventional wars and in stabilization and counter-insurgency operations. Obama and Biden have committed to a review of each major defense program in light of current needs, gaps in the field, and likely future threat scenarios in the post-9/11 world.
**Preserve Global Reach in the Air: We must preserve our unparalleled airpower capabilities to deter and defeat any conventional competitors, swiftly respond to crises across the globe, and support our ground forces. We need greater investment in advanced technology ranging from the revolutionary, like Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and electronic warfare capabilities, to essential systems like the C-17 cargo and KC-X air refueling aircraft, which provide the backbone of our ability to extend global power.
**Maintain Power Projection at Sea: We must recapitalize our naval forces, replacing aging ships and modernizing existing platforms, while adapting them to the 21st century. Obama and Biden will add to the Maritime Pre-Positioning Force Squadrons to support operations ashore and invest in smaller, more capable ships, providing the agility to operate close to shore and the reach to rapidly deploy Marines to global crises.
**National Missile Defense: An Obama-Biden administration will support missile defense, but ensure that it is developed in a way that is pragmatic and cost-effective; and, most importantly, does not divert resources from other national security priorities until we are positive the technology will protect the American public.
A 21st Century Military for America

Particularly revealing is the section above called "Preserve Global Reach in the Air" which concludes with the assertion that the US needs to invest in multi-billion dollar warplane programs because they "provide the backbone of our ability to extend global power."

The idea that Obama is anti-war is a powerful myth that will impede the peace movement's ability to mobilize opposition to the inevitable continuation of US militarism and imperialism. President Obama may then prove to be more of an obstacle to peace than a true agent of change moving the US economy away from a world in which corporations seek profit through predatory wars. Obama's deceitful image as peacemonger will allow him to get away with policies and actions that would not be countenanced for an instant if they had come from the likes of McCain or Bush. This blindspot for Obama's pro-war agenda will not only hamper the ability of US peace activists to speak out, organize and protest, it will also help to dampen the efforts of many others around the world.

There is a potential silver lining to this situation. As President Obama and his government begin to carry forward their efforts to "extend global power," liberal activists will hopefully begin to concede that Obama is not the peace president they had expected him to be. As the campaign hype and honeymoon fade away, disappointment in Obama's rhetoric and hypocrisy may transform into a realization that the US is in dire need of a strong "third party" to give voice to the aspirations for peace held by so many millions of Americans. Perhaps this disillusionment in the Democratic Party will begin to open up new possibilities for the election of some future US president who really does stand for peace. But don't hold your breath!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* Under President Obama, the US military budget may well be spending about $2.3 billion a day. The 2008 US military budget is $696 billion. Obama says he will increase military spending and will add 65,000 troops to the Army and 27,000 Marines. Every increase of 1,000 army troops adds about $2 billion per year, while every addition of 1,000 Marines adds $1 billion/year. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,327888,00.html That means Obama's proposal could add $157 billion, bringing the total to $857 billion per year, which means about $2.3 billion per day.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Resources:
^African People's Solidarity Committee, "Obama Exposed" and "Obama Fact Sheet"
^"Quentin Young, Early Supporter of Obama, Now Disappointed and Saddened," Corporate Crime Reporter, January 28, 2008.
^Shaun Booth, "Barack Obama: A Hawk in Dove’s Clothing," Political Lore, January 18th, 2008.
^Michel Chossudovsky, "The Democrats endorse the 'Global War on Terrorism': Obama 'goes after' Osama," Global Research, August 29, 2008.
^August Cole, "Obama Adviser Doesn't Expect Defense Cuts," Wall Street Journal, October 3, 2008.
^Robert Dreyfuss, "Obama's Evolving Foreign Policy," The Nation, July 1, 2008
^Tom Eley, "Barack Obama and the War In Iraq," World Socialist Web, February 14, 2007.
^Glen Ford, "Obama surrenders on military spending," The Progressive, January 15, 2008.
^Chris Floyd, "The Bagman Cometh: Obama Embraces War Criminal's Endorsement," Empire Burlesque, October 19, 2008.
^Chris Floyd, "Surge Protectors: Obama Embraces Bush-McCain Spin on Iraq," Baltimore Chronicle, September 5, 2008.
^Joshua Frank, "It Could be a Long, Hard Struggle: A Look Under the Hood of an Obama Administration," November 6, 2008.
^Matt Gonzalez, "The Trail of Broken Promises," CounterPunch, October 29, 2008.
^Glenn Greenwald, "The bipartisan consensus on U.S. military spending," Jan. 2, 2008.
^William D. Hartung, "Dems: What about the Military Budget?" Foreign Policy In Focus, February 21, 2008
^Joseph Gerson, "Obama's Foreign & Military Policies: Old Wine in a New Bottle?" Common Dreams, April 23, 2007.
^Margaret Kimberley, "Freedom Rider - Obama's Iraq Fairy Tale," Black Agenda Report, July 9, 2008.
^James Kirchick, "Who has Obama's ear?," Politico, April 15, 2008.
^Tom Mackaman, "Democratic keynote speaker Barack Obama calls for missile strikes on Iran," World Socialist Web, October 1, 2004.
^Pam Martens, "Obama's Money Cartel: How Barack Obama Fronted for the Most Vicious Predators on Wall Street," CounterPunch, May 5, 2008.
^"Sen. Barack Obama Speaks Out on the Iraq War, Race, Hillary Clinton and Pastor Jeremiah Wright," CNN Larry King Live, March 20, 2008.
^The Obama Iraq Documentary: Whatever The Politics Demand, John McCain's team. (This contains dozens of contradictory statements made by Obama regarding various aspects of the Iraq war.)
^Ralph Nader, "Open Letter to Senator Barack Obama," November 3, 2008.
^Johnny Peepers, "Obama’s Pro-War Chief of Staff: Rahm “Rahmbo” Emanuel," Dillsnap cogitations, November 2008.
^St. Pete for Peace, "If you voted for Obama, this is what you voted for," November 2008.
^News release, Greens Warn Antiwar Americans Against Wasting Votes on Pro-War Democrats, US Green Party, July 28, 2008.
^Kevin Zeese, "Is It Time for the Peace Movement to Start Protesting Senator Obama?," Voters for Peace, April 2008.

#######
Over the past year, John Pilger has written numerous columns critiquing Obama hawkish policies, including:
1)Bringing down the new Berlin Walls
13 Feb 2008 ... One of Barack Obamas chief whisperers is Zbigniew Brzezinski, architect of Operation Cyclone in Afghanistan, which spawned jihadism, ...
2)The danse macabre of US-style democracy
23 Jan 2008 ... Barack Obama is a glossy Uncle Tom who would bomb Pakistan. Hillary Clinton, another bomber, is anti-feminist. ...
3)In the great tradition, Obama is a hawk
12 Jun 2008 ... The foregone nomination of Barack Obama, which, according to one breathless commentator, "marks a truly exciting and historic moment in US...
4)The invisible government
16 Jun 2007 ... Obama writes that while he wants the troops home, We must not rule out military ...
5)Obama, the prince of bait-and-switch
24 Jul 2008 ... Having declared Afghanistan a "good war", the complicit enablers are now anointing Barack Obama as he tours the bloodfests in Afghanistan ...
6)A murderous theatre of the absurd
11 Sep 2008 ... At home, Obama offers no authentic measure that might ease Americas grotesque inequality, such as basic health care. ...
7)The new world war - the silence is a lie
24 Sep 2008 ... The change candidate for president, Barack Obama, had already called for an invasion and more aircraft and bombs. The ironies are searing. ...
8)The diplomacy of lying
23 Oct 2008 ... The beatification of President Barack Obama is already under way; for it is he who challenges America to rise up [and] summon the better ...

#######
Free sample copy: If you live in Canada and haven't previously received a free sample copy of COAT's magazine, Press for Conversion!, then just send your name, street address and postal code to overcoat@rogers.com and we'll mail you a complimentary copy.

MOUVEMENT ANARCHISTE DU CANADA/CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT:
CONFERENCE DISCUSSION À DRUMMONDVILLE/DISCUSSION MEETING IN DRUMMONDVILLE:
..................................
En venant ce mercredi. La NEFAC parle à Drummondville.
Coming this Wednesday. NEFAC speaks in Drummondville.
.................................
Conference discussion - L'Anarchisme - Drummondville 12 novembre 2008:

La NEFAC en tournée à Drummondville!


Chers et Chères Camarades,


La NEFAC sera à Drummondville mercredi prochain, soit le12 novembre pour faire une conférence sur l'anarchisme suivie d'une discussion sur la pertinence de créer un collectif libertaire à Drummondville.




Ainsi :Conférence de la NEFAC (Fédération des communistes libertaires du Nord-Est)sur l'anarchisme
Mercredi 12 novembre,
19h
Au local 2304 (local d'histoire et de géographie) du Cégep de Drummondville
(960 rue St-Georges)




Suivie d'une discussion sur la création d'un collectif libertaire à Drummondville.




La conférence s'adresse à tous et toutes, peu importe leur degré de militantisme ou de théorie. L'important, c'est d'être intéressé-e par le sujet.




Venez en grand nombre et invitez vos ami-e-s!




Pour plus d'infos: mtl@nefac.net
info reprise du site http://www.nefacmtl.blogspot.com/ ]
..................................
Discussion Meeting-Anarchism-Drummondville November 12 :
--------------
The NEFAC tour in Drummondville!
Dear Comrades,


NEFAC will be in Drummondville next Wednesday , November 12 for a conference on anarchism followed by a discussion on the relevance of creating a libertarian group in Drummondville.



Thus:
Conference of NEFAC (North Eastern Federation of Anarchist Communists ) on anarchism Wednesday November 12, 19h
at 2304 local (local history and Geography) of CEGEP de Drummondville
(960 rue St-Georges)



Followed by a discussion on the creation of a libertarian group in Drummondville.



The conference is open to all, regardless of their level of activism or theory. The important thing is to be interested in the subject.



Come in large numbers and invite your friends!



For more information: mtl@nefac.net
[Info http://www.nefacmtl.blogspot.com/ ]

AMERICAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT:

NORTHEAST ANARCHIST NETWORK GATHERING:

The following item from the Anarkismo website is an announcement of an upcoming general assembly of the Northeast Anarchist Network this November 29. Please consult the website of the NEAN for further details.

..............................

7th Northeast Anarchist Network General Assembly:
north america / mexico anarchist movement anarchist communist event Sunday November Saturday November 29th , Sunday November 30th, 2008
www.NeAnarchist.Net

*Forward widely, tell your friends, bring your comrades*

Calling all Northeast anarchists and anti-authoritarians,Join us at the 7th Northeast Anarchist Network General Assembly Saturday November 29th , Sunday November 30th, 2008.

Northeast Anarchist Network: Gather in assembly in Providence, Rhode Island

NEAN is a Network of anarchist organizations and individuals, formed in February 2007, that stretches from D.C. to Maine. We are glad to announce a finalization of plans to host the general assembly of our network here in Providence. Please come to Providence and join together in two days of meeting, planning, workshops, and conversation and dialogue.

RSVP NOW !

!Housing!

To help us better accommodate everyone, if you are planning on attending will you please email back to me this survey.

**********************

Name

Phone

Email

Do you need sleeping arrangements?

Is couch space okay?

Is floor space okay?

Do you have any allergies?

Do you have any other housing specific needs?

Where are you coming from?

How many days will you be in?

What days?

Do you need travel arrangements/transportation help?

What is your expected time of arrival?

What is your expected time of departure?

Do you need childcare?

Do you have any special needs or requests?

Any additional notes or comments?

***************************

$ AGENDA $

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Do you have ideas or items for discussion on either Saturday or Sunday? The agenda is of course open and to be finalized before our meeting as is our tradition.

*Please respond to the list or avocado@riseup.net with agenda points, and response to the following:

*Would you be interested in a workshop on the strengths of organizing?

(From activism to organizing with Camilo Viverios ,

What is the difference between activism and organizing ? Although our work may incorporate different approaches (self help, service, electoral, advocacy, mobilization) organizing most effectively builds collective power to shift power relations. We need to define the difference between activist strategies and organizing strategies to avoid paternalistic recruitment efforts and ensure our organizing efforts go beyond rhetoric. By exploring different theories of change, we will highlight ways to transition from activism to organizing. )

www.NEAnarchist.Net
Related Link: http://www.NeAnarchist.net

CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-TORONTO:

FUNDRAISER FOR THE LIU FAMILY HOME:

This struggle, undertaken by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) has been mentioned several times before here at Molly's Blog. It's a classic David and Goliath story with the children of Margaret Liu pitted against a wealthy "Christian" charity. The following is an appeal from OCAP for a fundraiser for the Liu family's court case.

...............................

Liu Family Home Fundraiser Friday November 28th‏:
LIU HOME FUNDRAISER FRIDAY,

CINECYCLE,

129 SPADINA AVENUE(Coach House in Laneway)

NOVEMBER 28, 7.30 PM

CASH BAR, FOOD, MUSIC, PRIZE RAFFLE, AUCTION OF SPECIAL DONATED ITEMS

The Liu Family are fighting in court to save their home from the Chinese Christian Herald Crusade and this fundraiser is to help them meet their legal costs.

Margaret Liu was an immigrant from Hong Kong who worked all her life to provide a modest home for her children. When she was in her eighties and had had several strokes, she made out a new will leaving her home to the religious charity. Representatives of the Chinese Gospel Church facilitated the drawing up of the new will. Her daughter, Louise, was not informed that this was going on until the minister of the Church confronted her with this news days after her mother's death.

This wealthy charity does not need the home but Louise and her disabled brother most certainly do. Margaret Liu acted contrary to her life long intentions under circumstances that raise many ethical and legal issues. A committee to defend the Liu home has been formed and this fundraiser is organized to assist the family in their struggle for justice.

Tickets for this event are $10/sliding scale. Pay on the night or contact OCAP for tickets ahead of time. If you have items to donate for the auction or want to help out at the fundraiser, call OCAP at(416) 925-6939.