Tidbits - April 24, 2014

Reader Comments - 2014 Moral Freedom Summer Organizer Fellowship (Correction); Jews Speak Out against censorship bans; Auto Parts Strike; Carl Bloice remembered; Charlie Chaplin Legacy; Chris Christie; Announcements - Harlem Celebrates-Duke Ellington's 115th; May Day Rally in New York; Third Annual NYC Film Festival - Global Labor Solidarity; Cuba travel; Volunteer opportunities in El Salvador

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Reader Comments and Announcements - April 24, 2014,Portside

CORRECTION - Job Announcement: 2014 Moral Freedom Summer Organizer Fellowship

Correct link for application which is due by May 2 is:
http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/naacpnc/pages/360/attachments/original/1396979121/2014_MFS_Field_Organizer_Application.pdf?1396979121

Re: Jewish Educator Speaks Out - Why Jews Must Oppose Muzzling of Palestine Solidarity Activists

I wish there were more responses of this nature. The recent offensive against American Studies program around the country in the light of the ASA convention support of a boycott of Israel speaks against the "rights of minorities," specifically representatives of college programs.

John Crawford
Posted on Portside's Facebook page


Re: Auto Parts Workers Strike for Recognition, Strategy Is to Shut Down Assembly Plant
(posted on Portside Labor)

As a former resident of Toledo (from 1996-2007) I'm very glad to see this news. In many respects the UAW was born in a strike by Toledo auto parts workers - the dramatic Electric Autolite Strike of 1934.

Alan Hart
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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You've gotta love Toledo, grandparent to the UAW -- thanks in part to organizer Bob Travis!

Jim Young
Harrisburg, PA

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This is the way to organize the auto industry - strike the parts plants. These workers are auto workers as much as the workers in the assembly plants - in fact there are more workers involved in the manufacture of components than in the plant where they are shipped to be assembled into an automobile. Take the VW plant in Tennessee where the UAW lost the election by a few votes, 712 to 626. Total voters = 1338. A good guess at how many workers make the engines, transmissions, axles, shocks, dashboards, seats, etc. that are shipped to the Tennessee plant: at least 3,000 and probably twice that. Most of the plants making components are not in Tennessee, of course, many are across the border in Mexico. Strike a few of those plants, while simultaneously striking the VW plant for recognition - you've just shut them down.

Jeffery Hermanson
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

Re: Carl Bloice remembered, 1939-2014

Sadness, sympathy to Portside friends on passing of Carl Bloice.

Sincerely

Anne Sadowski Cassidy
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Dear Comrades at Portside,

I am sending you all my deepest regrets for the loss of our dear comrade Carl Bloice and all the solidarity I can muster to honor his example.

I was less fortunate than those who knew Carl very personally and up close over the decades. It has only been in the last few years that we actually got to speak. He posed sharp questions as well as encouragement for my writing, much like the role of the good editor that seemed to come naturally to him.

Up to then, I only knew Carl from afar as the editor of the People's World in the early 1970s. I thought it had the best labor coverage in the country, a view in my political circles at the time that was considered apostasy.

I didn't care then nor now for sectarians who could not recognize a genuine and devoted rebel thinker and activist.

It is all too rare that a person can be so respected and make such an impact on those who otherwise disagree over some very fundamental and important issues - Carl was one of those.

Thank You for continuing his work,

Carl Finamore
San Francisco

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Just wanted to add my name to those saddened by the news of Carl's passing.  I worked at the People's World for over four years with Carl as editor.  I'll always remember him as a serious and dedicated fighter.  We had our differences from time to time, but he was always ready to listen to a logical argument. The world has lost an important voice for peace and freedom.

Lincoln Smith

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His death is a great loss.

Diane Laison
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

Re: Carl Bloice: 1939-2014 Goodnight Sweet Poet

I'm sending this to my GLBT list because I note that Carl left the CP for several reasons, one being the failure of the CP to move on the issues of gays and feminism.

When CCDS was formed, I joined it, and over the years have enjoyed the many cartoons and jokes which Carl sent out, daily, to the CCDS list serve and which some of you, who may be on my joke list, will have seen.

He was, among many other things, a man with a sense of humor - and for that reason alone (but among many others) will be missed.

David McReynolds

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Thanks to all for the wonderful tributes to Carl Bloice.

John Case

Re: Charlie Chaplin's Legacy Looms Large - He would have been 125 April 16

He was banned from the US as the article notes. America's most beloved film persona was banned. I remember they let him return in 1973. THe Oscars celebrated him in a most disgusting fashion. They sang Hello Charlie, Welcome Back Charlie to the tune of Hello Dolly.

But noi reference was made to HUAC and the silent complicity of Hollywood. No apology was given. It was all as if it did not happen--as if he was returning after a long vacation. It was disgusting. Did you see it? HE should not have participated but he was old and glad to be accepted.

Seth Farber

Re: The Mysterious Disappearance

The full correct translation of the Greek word democracy is = the people rule.  And up to now, this has not happened.  Not here, not anywhere. But it does remain a great aspiration.

Matthew Borenstein

Re: Chris Christie's $300m Pension Proposal Broke State Anti-Corruption Laws

Now there's someone in NJ who needs to be prosecuted!!

Nancy Holmstrom

Harlem Outdoor Celebration-Duke Ellington's 115th Birthday! - April 27

Sunday, April 27 (Rain or Shine)
12:45 - 3:30 PM at the Duke Ellington Statue,
Fifth Avenue at 110th Street
Bands, Dancers & Vocalists
FREE!

The mission of THE DUKE ELLINGTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS is to preserve, promote and further the music and philosophy of this American genius through performance and education.

Please see us at www.thedukeellingtoncenter.org and Like us on Face Book

May Day Rally in New York

RALLY at CITY HALL - 5:00 - Thursday, May 1

Labor Rights, Immigrant Rights, Jobs for All

* Raise the Minimum Wage
* Defend the Scaffolding Law and on the Job Safety
* Pass the NYS Dream Act
* Universal Pre-K for all NY families
* Tax Wall Street - Make them pay their fair share


credit - Eric Drooker

Fair Contracts, Fair Wages for All Working People --
Together We Fight - Together We Win

For more information:
Labor Rights, Immigrant Rights, Jobs for All
30 Cliff Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10038
(917) 488-2515
LCMWF2@aol.com


Third Annual NYC Celebration of Global Labor Solidarity May 9th to May 19th, 2014  in NYC

Our focus this season is on income inequality and how workers by organizing and uniting into unions can fight back against this widening income gap. The Workers Unite Film Festival team has been hard at work previewing films, setting up new venues, organizing partnerships and building the best worker/labor film festival we can for our third season.

Our themes of equal pay for equal work for women, dignity and legal status for immigrant workers, a living wage for all, including fast-food workers and workplace rights and justice for every employed person every type, be they on a shop floor, driving a taxi or working in the old and deadly garment sweatshops of Bangladesh, or the new high-tech sweatshops of the social media industry. We are all in this fight together!

We have forged partnerships with The School of Visual Arts and their MFA in Social Documentary Film program in an effort to recognize the next generation of filmmakers who choose to film stories about the lives of workers and their struggles.  We continue to partner with the Murphy Institute of CUNY to help build the next generation of union leaders.

We are working with several unions and workers centers to bring stories relevant to their struggles into the festival. We are sponsoring a short doc about NYC theater that highlights worker's lives (including our friends at The Working Theater), with the goal of screening the short doc in May. Over 45 films, & poetry and music events about workers, their lives, struggles and successes!

Please go to our website and see what we have done this past year, the stories we have been able to showcase to the community.


Cuba travel option: Multicultural Cuba: July 7 - July 17, 2014

This is Anya Achtenberg, of Arts Focus on Cuba. I wanted to let you know about a multicultural arts and history trip to Cuba. Please see the information below on this stunning itinerary with its important vision of Cuba. There is a great deal of interest and support for a trip for us to learn about and interact with the deeper multicultural roots of Cuban identity, both in the US and in Cuba itself. This is a licensed People-to-People trip. We will be travel by way of Marazul Charter Company, serving Cuba travelers for many years.

Download brochure here.

Please contact me on this and other Cuba journeys, including ones you would like me to custom-make, at my email below.

Many thanks!

Anya Achtenberg
aachtenberg@gmail.com

Volunteer opportunities in El Salvador

I'm putting information below about the need for longer term volunteers (3 months - Jan-Mar 2015) and short term observers (Feb. 23-Mar3, 2015) for next year's elections in El Salvador.  If you have students who have Spanish fluency and are interested in election reforms, etc. the volunteer option is a great learning experience.  This year we had a multi-national team of volunteers from Lithuania, Finland, USA and Canada working with Salvadorans - a mix of younger recent grads and retirees.

This year's presidential election was highly contested - the left of center FMLN candidates won by about 6000 votes out of over 3 million cast.  And next year is similar to mid-terms in the USA - the right-wing is already organizing furiously for the congressional seats. There will be also be new, more complicated but fairer, processes in place in 2015 that will allow for multi-party municipal governments.  We need many observers.

CIS also always needs people to teach English using popular education methods and social justice themes.  There are four cycles of 10 weeks each year - and we especially need people for the September to November 2015 cycle.

For More information or an application write to electionmission@cis-elsalvador.org  
 
Election Dates:

March 1, 2015 - Congressional and Municipal Elections

Volunteer Dates:

*Start Date:  January 4, 2015 (arrive on January 4th, training starts January 5th)

*End Date: March 28, 2015 (departure date)

*Note- short term Election observers are also needed February 23 - March 3, 2015 and no Spanish is required for election observers.

As a volunteer you will receive an intense training the first week you arrive.  From the first week you will work closely with the coordinator and the other volunteers.  Some of your responsibilities prior to the elections include: coordinate one or more municipalities, including visits, meetings with local elections authorities, writing a profile, logistical preparation for the weekend of the elections; coordinate the weekend of the elections in the municipality, translate for a small group of observers, be a guide for observers; prepare training material for the observer mission; press work etc.  After the elections, you will systematize your group's observations.

We also recommend living with one of the families in our host family network. It costs $80 per week, which includes both breakfast and dinner, plus it's a great way to practice your Spanish. Most of the families are located fairly close to the CIS office and offer a safe environment.

Cathy Howell
 
El Salvador - 7089-5910  (country code 503)
USA - 503-339-5779 or computer phone 503-877-6634 (best for messages)

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