The Communist Party USA is shocked and appalled at North Korea's recent nuclear test, as well as its subsequent test firing of at least two missiles.
We see these acts as incredibly provocative. Even North Korea's most important ally, China, was horrified by, and condemned, the tests.
Of course, North Korea is right to say that it has been, and still is, the victim of imperialist aggression, specifically from the U.S. It is true that the United States has never made reparations for the destruction of the Korean War, has repeatedly threatened North Korea, and encroached upon its right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to peacefully use nuclear power. In addition, the United States has helped to isolate North Korea from the rest of the world, encroaching upon its sovereign rights and hindering its economic development, and therefore providing the basis for the problems afflicting the region. It was the United States that fought the Korean War, and partitioned the nation into two separate states. The line of demarcation between north and south is one of the most militarized in the world. Currently, tens of thousands of U.S. troops remain in South Korea, and the U.S. routinely practices joint military drills with south Korea, simulating a ground invasion of the North.
Nonetheless, we are resolutely opposed to the use or development of any nuclear weapons by any nation.
Nuclear weapons threaten the very existence of humanity itself. The unintended effects of the tests have been to heighten tensions in the region: The sections of Japan's leadership that want to see Japan change its “peace constitution” so that Japan can maintain a standing army have seized upon these provocative tests to push forward the changes they want.
Further, the results of the tests are in direct contradiction to our common aim of battling imperialism. The general direction of the Obama administration's nuclear policy is at odds with that of any administration in the past 30 years, if not longer. While Obama has to navigate the political realities of the U.S., his administration has sought to reduce the nuclear threat, as well as the threat that the U.S. poses to other, oppressed nations. Consequently, powerful sections of the U.S. ruling class have made their aim to derail the Obama administration altogether.
The fight for progressive forces is to make sure that Obama, and the social strata that are part of the Obama movement—the working class, women and the racially and nationally oppressed especially—meets success.
The ultra-right has already seized upon North Korea's nuclear tests to attack Obama, Obama has been forced to respond sharply, and the movement for peace and against imperialism is that much more difficult. We believe peace is possible in today’s world, but this nuclear test, on the contrary, strengthens the ultra-right and imperialism, not the cause of peace.
The Communist Party USA, along with North Korea's neighbors, including socialist China and Vietnam, and many other progressive forces around the world, condemn these tests and urge the North Korean leadership to abandon its policy of brinkmanship.
Further, we urge all parties, including the United States and Japan, to exercise restraint in response. As we have always said, the main way to solve the nuclear issue, as well as the problems of Northeast Asia more generally, is through good-faith dialogue, through the six-party talks or some other mechanism, and not through military saber-rattling and brinkmanship from any quarters.
The new documentary by filmmaker Michal Goldman, "At Home in Utopia" is
a great tribute to the Communist Party, though is not directly about
the Communist Party nor is the assessment of the Party always
favorable.
The film, part of PBS's "Independent Lens series, documents the history
and legacy of the Bronx's United Workers Cooperative Colony, "the
coops." The coops was a collectively owned housing cooperative
developed by Jewish immigrants 80 years ago.
But most of the founders of the coops and many of its residents for
much of the development's history were members of the Communist Party.
"At Home in Utopia" shows a unique glimpse into the lives of communist
activists and members during the Depression, World War II and through
the McCarthy "Red Scare." It documents their ideals, dreams, squabbles,
mistakes and successes. In many ways the trajectory of the coops
mirrored that of the Communist Party itself in that period.
While the documentary ultimately and hastily concludes that adherence
to communism was the the downfall of the coops—which was sold into
private hands after World War II—it reflects a deeper truth: that
membership in the Communist Party never meant unanimity or oppression.
This film helps expose the all-too-common lie that communists were
automatons, unthinking tools who mindlessly carried out Moscow's
orders. In fact, the motivations and actions of the radicals captured
in the film are local and personal.
"At Home in Utopia" shows that communists differ and debate and are
deeply independent and opinionated. Perhaps no better tribute could be
made.
BOULDER, Colorado -– Some may call it Conference-a-palooza. Film critic Roger Ebert calls it “The Conference on Everything Conceivable.” But its more conventional name is "The Conference on World Affairs" and it's hosted by The University of Colorado.
It's a cherished tradition in this Rocky Mountain town. Some 80,000 people are expected to attend 200 panels, plenary sessions, performances, a spectacular jazz concert and “Cinema Interruptus,” an annual event with Ebert.
But one thing this year that won't be traditional. Communist Party Chair Sam Webb is one among the 100-plus panelists. This will be the first time a Communist Party leader is participating in the grand Boulder 61-year tradition.
Webb will be part of nine panels, "ATTENTION: Deficit Disorder!"; "Family Values: Casualties of the Culture War"; "Ethics in Government: LOL"; "Political Candidates: No Room for Non-believers"; "Are We Stimulated Yet?"; "Libertarians, Progressives, Communists: Political Outliers"; "What Makes a Leader" and "We Are All Socialists Now."
Plus he will join other panelists on a live broadcast Wed., April 8 8:30-9:20 on KGNU 88.5 FM/1390 AM discussing "A Public Affair Is Obama's Bipartisanship Sustainable?"
Conference director Jim Palmer said the annual event can only happen because of those enthusiastic volunteers, who every year donate thousands of hours of their time. “There really is nothing like the Conference on World Affairs,” Palmer said. “The Conference on World Affairs is a million-dollar conference that is basically run on a shoestring.”
Journalist Molly Ivins, who was a frequent participant, wrote that the event offers “astonishing, cross-disciplinary insights, whole new ways of looking at old questions and information that can transform the way you look at things.”
Palmer says he believes the increasing audiences are a reaction to today’s easy access to information. “In an age when facts and figures are available almost instantaneously via the Internet, people are craving context, background, experience; they want texture and substance, face-to-face encounters and exchanges, to help them interpret all the detailed information we now have so readily at hand. This is one of the things the conference does best. Also, it is moving, wild, unpredictable, and fun.”
The University of Colorado’s Conference on World Affairs was founded in 1948 as a forum on international affairs. It rapidly expanded to encompass a huge range of fields including but not limited to: music, literature, environment, science, journalism, visual arts, diplomacy, technology, spirituality, film politics, business, medicine, and human rights.
Now after the Bush Administration has screwed up
the country
and the world with its economic policies and disastrous wars, the right
wing
wants to blame everybody but themselves for the mess we’re in.
For weeks now, right-wing bloggers and
talk shows have been
trying to paint President Barack Obama as a socialist in order to scare
people away
from his policies. And they have been telling lies about the Communist
Party
USA as well.
Yesterday, Communist Party National
Chairman Sam Webb
accepted an invitation onto conservative television host Glenn Beck’s
Fox News show
in order to give our side of the story.
Sam held his own against Beck despite
being cut off
repeatedly and other gimmicks. Beck’s claim that Hitler was a socialist
doesn’t
hold up to common sense and neither is the idea that “big government”
is the
source of our problems. Obviously Beck and Fox aren’t all that
interested in a
real discussion about the country’s problems.
The CPUSA attended the November 2008 meeting of Communist and Worker's Parties in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Check out this video made by the Party of the Italian Communists about the event:
The Bush Administration has proposed a massive bailout plan of at least $700 billion (maybe as much as $1.7 trillion) to stabilize the financial system amid the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, a Bush appointee, and the President are pushing for the U.S. Congress to rapidly pass the plan this week with little debate and no amendments. The rightwing and the banks want a plan that gives a blank check to Wall Street with no oversight.
Federal agents seized 32 computers from Pastors for Peace as they attempted to cross the Pharr International Bridge early July 3, 2008 at the US-Mexico border.
The caravan was on its way to donating humanitarian aid to Cuba as part of the yearly Friendshipment challenging the US blockade against the Cuban people.
"Red Chicago" author Randi Storch was interviewed June 12 on Chicago Public Radio's (WBEZ), Eight-Forty-Eight program. According to the website:
"Labor activism has deep roots in Chicago. A new book chronicles a particularly lively period – the years of the Great Depression – when the American Communist Party was gathering strength. It’s called Red Chicago: American Communism at its Grassroots, 1928-1935. Author Randi Storch is an associate professor of history at the State University of New York, Cortland. She says Chicago was a natural choice when she was deciding where to focus her research."
Randi dispels myths, discusses CPUSA members such as Claude Lightfoot and the fight against racism.
Libero Della Piana, chair of the Communist Party of New York, featured on Friction.tv. Friction is a debate site where participants can upload their own videos and comments, debating the hottest topics of the day. To view Libero click on the video. To join the debate click here then add your comment - the more people that comment and debate on their site, the more likely the video is to get seen by people visiting the site.
John Bachtell National Board member of the Communist Party USA and Illinois district organizer of the CPUSA is interviewed by Sandy Rios on her conservative talk radio show "The Sandy Rios Show" on WYLL radio. John talks about the economic inequality in America and the health care crisis. While Sandy Rios goes on to say that there is no health care crisis and that there are no poor people in America. Is there now any wonder why the Republicans are in trouble?
Comrades, it takes a fairly strong blow to shake us out of the mid-afternoon doldrums, and this line from greenbuildingsNYC was just what we needed: "Last month, the Communist Party USA unveiled a $1 million green renovation of its headquarters at 235 West 23rd Street in Chelsea.
After years in the wilderness, the Communist Party USA is giving itself a public relations and ideological makeover, and, with its new $1 million office, hopes to be running the US within 50 years.
"Scott Marshall, who chairs the Communist Party's labor commission, discusses the role of the labor movement in the 2008 elections. But first, we talk with Communist Party USA web developer Matt Parker about the new web site of the People's Weekly World."
McClatchy newspapers
guardian.co.uk, Friday May 16 2008
The California Senate yesterday passed legislation that would delete membership in the Communist party as a reason for firing a public employee, a Cold War-era prohibition intended to root out communists.
Democratic Senator Alan Lowenthal called communism a "failed system," and said his bill - Senate Bill 1322 - was intended to protect "the constitutional freedoms that we have fought so valiantly for," including freedom of political affiliation.
You bet your babushka, baby. But now, the red menace is kind of green.
Matt Kennard
Columbia News Service
May 11 2008
NEW YORK -- The decor inside the national headquarters of the Communist Party USA, or CPUSA, is more Macy's than Marx. Glass walls rise from the floor to form state-of-the-art work spaces, nontoxic linseed oil burnishes the work surfaces, and biodegradable blue carpet is underfoot. Colorful paintings by the renowned artists Boris Taslitzky and Alejandro Romero, depicting the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and working-class struggle, dot the walls of the expansive open-plan office. Inside their transparent cubicles, the 21-strong staff tap away on Apple Macs and sip Starbucks coffee.
Elena Mora, Organizing Director of the Communist Party USA, went on CNBC to defend the "nationalization" of the Venezuelan oil industry by Hugo Chavez. This originally aired January 31st, 2007.
"NEW YORK - Trade unionists, housing activists, and residents of New York City public housing gathered at City Hall today to protest the Bush administration's proposed budget cuts to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)."
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