Published on Portside (https://portside.org/)

Tidbits-Mar 26-Reader Comments: No Kings, No War-Largest Demonstrations in U.S. History; Treason in Futures Markets; ICE in Airports: What Could Go Wrong-Everything; Filipino & Women Labor Leaders in Farmworkers Movement; Iran War Global Implications

https://portside.org/2026-03-26/tidbits-mar-26-reader-comments-no-kings-no-war-largest-demonstrations-us-history-treason
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We Will Make History This Saturday  --  Meme


 



 

Re: Treason in the Futures Markets
 

So it seems as though Trump &/or his co-conspirators are using the war on Iranians as a way to cash in by buying and selling stock and oil futures ahead of Trump war announcements. What a way to monetize state power! A link, in the comments, via Portside to Paul Krugman's substack is accompanied by other reports. Somebody -- guess who -- is trading on insider information and making out like a bandit.

Daniel Millstone
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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They were doing this from the inception and laughing about it in the Oval Office. Isn’t this illegal?

Jennifer Benepe
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Question: whats congress going to do about this obvious insider trading?
Answer: NOTHING

Harold Silverman
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Doesn’t surprise me in the least. He and his family/team are grifters, all.

Jan Olson
Posted on Portside's Facebook page




 

ICE on Duty at Nation's Airports - What Could Go Wrong  --  Cartoon by Bill Bramhall

 



Bill Bramhall
March 23, 2026
New York Daily News
 




 

Airports on ICE  --  Cartoon by Nick Anderson

 

ICE is assisting the TSA with airport security? What could go wrong?

Nick Anderson
March 23, 2026
Pen Strokes
 




 

Re: American Jewish Organizations Are Making a Dangerous Mistake
 

Why is MAGA splitting over the war? It's not as if MTG, Schmucker and Joe Kent have turned peacenik. For them Palestine is a means to an end: choosing paleoconservatism against neoconservatism.

These 80's labels represent actual tendencies on the right, including MAGA. Neocons, like the blessedly late Kissinger, advocate a belligerent foreign policy to go after presumed enemies of liberal democracy with merciless force. After the Soviet collapse the #1 bad guy became militant Islamic states. The current White House stance in the Middle East is the realization of neocon goals. They agree with Bibi that there is a 'civilizational' conflict between Israel and Iran.

Paleoconservatism came about in response to this tendency. Paleocons, starting with far right onetime Nixon flunkey Pat Buchanan, uphold the nationalist opposition to 'foreign entanglements.' They point to George Washington for credence, but their actual roots are in the massive movement of 30's radio demagog Father Chas. Coughlin, a fervent antisemite and Hitler admirer. The wartime Popular Front drove the Coughlinites into the shadows, but as the memory of the Third Reich waned, they mounted their chargers again by seeking to link Reagan conservatism to the cause of 'America First' -- for protectionism, against foreign aid and, more quietly, cautioning against too much 'foreign influence.' By which, Coughlin openly meant Jews.

Both the neo- and the paleo- brands are rooted in distinct racist premises. As they have evolved, neo- has come to see Islam as the enemy (though friendly authoritarians like Saudi Arabia and UAE are ok for now), while paleo- have looked darkly on the influence of the Jewish State. The paleocon goal is to get Jews out of the club.

This all speaks to the conflict between those on the right who oppose Israel not out of solidarity with Palestine, but based on the view that a Jewish state is by definition the world headquarters of a sinister conspiracy that predates Israel and Zionism itself, based on racial loyalties. Too many on the left, furious over Israel's slaughter of neighboring populations, buy into this. In doing so, they buy into the myth that Jews and Judaism = Zionism.

Ethan Young
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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sharp description. I would add to the history that 'neo conservative' while having antecedents is really an expression of art after 9-11 to describe the hawks, many Jewish, in the Bush II administration which launched the global war on terror and invaded Iraq; PNAC, Kristol, Wolfowitz, Feith, Pearle, Kagan, 'The Rise of the Vulcans'; that they had a kind of ex left nyc background was elaborated by Steinfels two decades earlier though. The paleo conservative tag - figures such as weirdo marginal 'alt right' Paul Gottfried - evolved in reaction to the neos.

John Ely
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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sadly, of course, the neocons have vast resources to assert that Zionism IS Jewishness. They speak well to the senior generation of Jewish Americans, in part because the progressive generations linked to the New Deal's legacy are....now gone. My pals.

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Kissinger was not a neocon. He was a so-called "realist," and the neocons of the 70s positioned themselves primarily against him.

John Lacny
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Conflating Israel with Jews is the life work of the Zionists. Their policies and actions are the greatest catalyst for anti Semitism at this time in history. The left’s role is to distinguish between Judaism and Zionism and prosecute the war against the fascist settler ideology and regime. Encouraging splits within MAGA over their support of the Zionists is integral to bringing down Zionism. MTJ gets points for defending the innocent Palestinians slaughtered and wanting to withdraw US military and financial support for ‘Israel’.

John Jernegan
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Do leftists really conflate Judaism with Zionism? I certainly don’t but maybe that’s because I am a secular Jew.

Nora Lapin
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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It’s no mystery why they’re splitting over this—it’s the shoe you’ve been warning would drop for a long time.

Bill Kransdorf
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Not only American Jewish Organizations. The movement itself has done a lot to confuse matters. The enemy isn't specific Israeli political factions, or even the Israeli government, but Zionism. What is Zionism? Is it the goal of an ethnically cleansed state? Or a Jewish presence of any sort in Palestine? It's not clear. The next move is to regard Zionists as the enemy. Are Zionists advocates of an ethnically cleansed Israel? Or anyone who has some affinity for the Israeli Jewish population? Or even anyone concerned with parsing the difference between anti-semitism and anti-Zionism? Because the next step is to basically move from Its not antisemitic to be anti-Zionist to Nothing done or said in the name of anti-Zionism is anti-Semitic.

Steven Sherman
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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This is the best diagnosis of the immense backlash that the use of Jewish people to support the Zionist cause is going to further produce. I recommend everyone read this to actually deeply perceive the problem causes, and how it arises out of understandable but misguided sentiments and fear.

Craig Pyes
Posted on Portside's Facebook page




 

Re: Who Bankrolled the American Revolution?
 

how about Haym Solomon ?

Ronald Reosti




 

Re: War Dollars, Care Dollars (and No Sense)
 

Billions of dollars for war but nothing for health care __ that’s the so called (not by anyone I know) greatest country in the world

Kathy Gannon
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Seems like this would be the time to encourage everyone to withhold their tax dollars from war: Our government should not be allowed to spend our money on genocide or any actions against Iran, Lebanon, Cuba or anywhere else!!

Karen Lee Wald




 

Wishful Thinking...  --  Meme
 




 

Re: Language Matters: There Are No “Wars of Choice”
 

"The noble Lord must excuse me, if I assert, in direct contradiction to his opinion that the war was not a war of necessity on our part, but a war of choice; and I am astonished to find, that the Right Honorable Gentleman himself (Mr. Pitt) does not feel it necessary to his own dignity to own the fact; I wonder that he does not feel shame at the notion of calling it a war of necessity."

That was the oldest reference I found, possibly its original coinage, but it caught on, and newspapers have been using "war of choice" ever since. Persuading pundits to eschew it won't be easy.

Ken Lawrence
Spring Mills, Pennsylvania




 

Pay No Attention to that Grifter Behind the Curtain  --  Cartoon and Commentary by Dennis Goris

 



There have been reports of many large stock trades in the minutes prior to key announcements regarding the Iran war by Donald Trump, resulting in windfalls for the traders.

Dennis Goris
March 25, 2026
Cartoon Movement
https://www.cartoonmovement.com/cartoon/pay-no-attention-grifter-behind…




 

Re: The Underground Movement To Spark Union Organizing From the Inside
 

Just for your info, the term "salting" was used to denote firing fragments of gold into the walls of a depleted mine to get unsuspecting buyers that the mine was still productive. This is probably the origin of the term for labor organizing. I think the term is relatively recent. Back in the day we called it "industrializing," although this work, which was done to "infiltrate" established unions by us loathsome lefties.

David Berger

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I worked in a shipyard as a welder for 9 years.  There was a union there but a right wing one.  So we were constantly organizing actions and having discussions.  I became more committed over time to explaining to my friends in the shipyard why I originally came there.  The shipyard closed ultimately, but not before an international campaign against the closing that linked peace and labor activists in demanding economic conversion.

I developed extensive relationships that were both genuine friendships and a political network.  For instance, I crawled around the ships delivering copies of Labor Notes.


Lessons learned.  Be bold but understanding of all the pressure workers are under.  Engage wherever possible in political discussions and trainings.  If we are going to grow, the networks that salts develop must survive firings and plant closings.

Stephen Meacham




 

Re: Fighting Cancer Has Given Me New Insights on the Anti-Fascist Challenge We Face
 

Dear Amisha:  As a fellow cancer patient and long term Movement "activist," I read your article with great enthusiasm.  And yes, the tumors on my body inspire me to play the most effective  possible role in fighting against the fascism of MAGA and their billionaires and against white supremacy and all the rest of the hatreds being generated every day. Your article was an inspiration which will help me to take care of my body and mind so that I can play a role in our struggle for change.

Thank you so much for all the work you do.

Mahalo.    Go Well

Noel Kent
Honolulu, Hawai'i




 

The Filipino & Women Labor Leaders Coming Out of Cesar Chavez's Shadow
 

By Angelo Lopez

March 26, 2026
Cartoon Movement
 



I've felt sad about the recent revelations about Cesar Chavez and deep sorrow at the trauma experienced by Dolores Huerta and the other victims.

After the revelations, I read various Facebook posts by Filipino American activists reminding people of the struggle for recognition of the contributions of Filipino American farm workers and labor leaders to the Delano grape strike and the United Farm Workers. Over the decades, the media focused solely on Cesar Chavez and ignored the contributions of Filipino American labor leaders like Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz, Al Rojas, Andy Imutan, and Peter Velasco.

I have to admit that I have been guilty of hero worship of Cesar Chavez. The first criticisms that I heard of Chavez were from Filipino American activists during the release of a movie of Chavez. These FilAm activists criticized the movie's marginalization of the Filipino farm workers and leaders.

I think that's what happens when you silence one group of people. That gives you the power to silence other groups, like those women who were victims of sexual assault.

I hope that the contributions of women leaders and Filipino leaders are taught in American history curriculums.

REFERENCES
 




 

Webinar - The War on Iran and it's Wider Global Implications - March 31  (Asia-Europe People’s Forum  International Peace Bureau (IPB)  Transnational Institute)

 




March 31 2026 -- 11:00 - 12:30 CET

ONLINE

REGISTER Here 


Escalating conflict around Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon is reshaping global power dynamics. What does this mean for energy security, economies, and international politics? This webinar explores the wider impact of war and imperialism, and examines resistance across Asia, Europe, and the Global South.

The United States of America and Israel war of aggression on Iran is an extension of the Zionist genocide in Gaza and the "greater Israel' agenda that combines with the interests of US imperialism.

This is the 2nd time (June 2025- 12-day war) that Iran has been attacked while conducting negotiations on its uranium enrichment with the US. The US-Israel murder of Iranian supreme leader, political leaders, over 160 schoolgirls, and over a 1000 civilians casualties did not succeed in regime change as expected. Instead, Iran has retaliated by targeting American bases across the GCC and closing the Straits of Hormuz through which Asian countries get a large part of their oil. This war has spread regionally and has deep implications on the fossil-fuel economies globally as it threatens energy insecurity, oil price fluctuations, fertiliser and food shortages in West Asia and beyond. It threatens inflations and shutting down daily life in small states.

Israel has launched military operations against South Lebanon and forced over a million people to evacuate, in keeping with their desire to create a greater Israel and destabilize the region to assert Zionist regional hegemony. The US Israel strategy to control oil and gas reserves that Iran sits over; to disembody the state of Iran that has backed the cause of Hamas and Palestinian people and supported a resistance of non-state actors to genocide is a plan that Iran resists. Meanwhile the genocide against Palestinians continues both in Gaza and the West bank.

In their Press Conference of March 9th, Kallas, EU responsible for Security and Foreign Affairs, did not condemn the American-Israeli strikes on Iran as a violation of international law. Instead, EU President Von der Leyen said the EU should move beyond analyses and address "the reality of the situation" and "the world as it actually is". It seems she means to continue  complicity in this US-Israeli genocidal war – that also now extends to Lebanon. Likewise EU member states have failed to make a clear condemnation of the war on Iran, with the exception of Spain. Britain, France and Germany have chosen the language of “defense of national interests” and are saying it is not ‘NATO’s war – but have not ruled out sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz.

This webinar aims to support social movements in Asia and Europe to understand the broader implications of this war for Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, West Asia, for Europe and the Global South. What impact does it have on energy security and political economy of fossil fuel economy, the impact on states within and outside the region. We examine the resistance against wars and naked imperialism.

Speakers and panelists




 

Mazzocchi Centennial Archive, Conference, and Call to Action - Rutgers University Labor Education Center - New Brunswick, NJ - June 4 - 5
 



 

Join us at the Labor Education Center June 4-5, 2026 for an action-oriented program on what would be the 100th birthday of visionary labor leader, health and safety activist, labor party advocate, worker educator, and pioneer of the concept “Just Transition,” Tony Mazzocchi.

This two-day event will explore several interconnected themes from Mazzocchi’s work, both from a historical perspective but also with an eye toward the present and the future. Where are we today and what can we learn from Mazzocchi’s activism? Day one will feature panels and workshops with prominent speakers that worked with Tony or whose current work has been inspired by Mazzocchi. Day two will be an interactive, worker-centered, action-centered day of strategizing, learning from the lessons of day one and applying them to the present.

The Conference will also mark the launch of the official Tony Mazzocchi Archive to be housed in the historic Labor Education Center. In addition to writings and other physical artifacts, the archive will also encompass a large-scale oral history project, capturing the voices of those who knew and worked with Tony as well as workers and leaders who have been influenced by his work or whose work is in the tradition of radical labor unionism that Mazzocchi’s work embodied.

We’ll explore the themes from Mazzocchi’s work from a historical perspective and apply them to the present. We’ll brainstorm next steps for a movement that fights for economic and social justice. We’ll also accept archival materials and collect oral histories for the archive.

Confirmed Speakers

Click here to register for the conference, purchase ads in the program booklet, secure a vendor table, or donate to the archive fund. All proceeds beyond the overhead cost of the conference will be donated to the Tony Mazzocchi Archive fund.

If paying by check, please contact us at learn@work.rutgers.edu.

Please click here to see our travel guide, including directions, public transportation options, local unionized hotels, and more. We anticipate hotels being busier than usual due to World Cup activities, so please book early if you plan to stay at a hotel.

Donate to Support the Tony Mazzocchi Archive

Your financial support will help with the establishment and ongoing maintenance of the Mazzocchi archive, including cataloguing and digitization of materials to increase accessibility.

Source URL: https://portside.org/2026-03-26/tidbits-mar-26-reader-comments-no-kings-no-war-largest-demonstrations-us-history-treason