2004 - July

Young people, especially young people of color and young workers, have always fought America’s wars. Whether through mandatory service or after being enticed into a professional Army, young people have been killed and done the killing from the US invasion of the Philippines up until the bombardment of Fallujah in Iraq today. US imperialism has always used young people to do its dirty work.

As American soldiers keep dying alongside Iraqi civilians, it seems that the war on Iraq has also turned into a war on youth here in the US. But could the Bush administration launch a full out attack on young people in the US–by authorizing a draft?

Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia Castillo, a National Guardsman, spent six months fighting in Iraq. When Camilo was sent home on leave, he requested conscientious objector status so that he wouldn’t have to return to fight in a war that he didn’t support. His application was rejected. When orders came for him to return to Iraq, Camilo refused to go. He surrendered to military authorities on March 15, 2004. While awaiting court-martial, he was confined to the base at Ft. Stewart, GA. Camilo Mejia Castillo was court-martialed and convicted of desertion on May 19. He is serving a sentence of one year in prison.

Dynamic was able to speak to Camilo on May 13, just a few days before his conviction. We asked Camilo what convinced him to apply for conscientious objector status and then refuse to return to Iraq:

There are so many things!

El Sargento empleado Camilo Mejia Castillo estuvo ordenado en la corte y condenado por desertamient. El 19 de Mayo. Después de pasar seis meses luchando en Iraq, Camilo fue mandado a su casa por rehusar a seguir siriviendo en la milicia. El pidió un estatus de conciencia objetiva el cual fue rechazado. Cuando órdenes vinieron para que regresara a Iraq, Camilo se reusó a ir. Mientras esperaba orden, estuvo confinado a una base en Ft. Stewart, y GA.

El 13 de Mayo, tan solo días antes de su condena Dynamic habló con Camilo. Le preguntamos que le convenció hacer la solicitud para el estatus “objetor concienzudo� y rehusar el regreso a Irak:

Hay tantas cosas!

The consequences of the “war on terrorism� declared by US President George W. Bush and his cronies after September 11, 2001 have taught the world an important lesson. We are reminded that the “New World Order,� which was announced with pomp and circumstance by Bush Sr., did not bring more peace, happiness, liberty, democracy, or a better life for the people of the world. Just the opposite.

In fact, the policies of the main imperialist camp—the United States and its allies— have only aggravated the conditions of life worldwide. The gap between rich and poor is growing every day; and, increasingly, large transnational corporations and monopoly capital run things.

Despite the rhetoric of the ruling powers, the future is not better off because of these policies. The youth of the world strongly rejects living in the 21st century with the rights of the 19th century.

The Inaugural Meeting of the National Committee (NC) of the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) met on 16-17 January 2004 in Johannesburg to discuss the organization’s program of action. At the meeting, the YCLSA saluted to the life of South African radio star DJ Khabzela and explained the importance of voting for the African National Congress. The ANC decisively won the April elections.

IN MEMORY OF DJ KHABZELA: The impact of HIV/AIDS on South Africa’s youth and the will of South African youth to struggle for a better life

Portugal is presently governed by a majority in parliament that is as an obstacle to any progressive legal action regarding the legalization of abortion. At the same time, the current government is trying to impose, at the state level, values that contradict constitutional rights and reproductive rights laws already in place.

After a very well publicized trial last year in the city of Maia, seven women were recently taken to court in Aveiro accused of practicing illegal abortions. This situation is, in our opinion, an attack against women’s rights and dignity and a humiliating exhibition of these women’s private lives by publicly exposing their intimacy and questioning their integrity. The court has declared these women innocent of the charges and the case is being taken to the Superior Court.

Since the beginning of the presidential campaign in 2000, we understood that George Bush, Jr., better known as the Texecutioner, was a real danger to the world. His father’s policy, his ultra-conservative entourage and their related views on abortion, women’s rights and the death penalty, his close ties to the oil industry and the arms industry, and his gruesome background as Governor of Texas, all led us to fear the worst. The worst has happened.

There is of course the war in Iraq. It cannot be said enough how much this war is unjustified, iniquitous, unjust and deadly. Bush looked us in the eye and lied. He has gone beyond all others in flouting international rules. What about the outcome? On a political level, it resulted in an abandonment of multilateralism, in the United Nations being discredited, as well as in abetting the theory of the so-called clash of civilizations.

The Youth of the Communist Party of Turkey (Türkiye Komünist Partisi-TKP) have recently made some big steps and reached important goals in their struggle in universities and high schools. For instance, communist youth have opposed policies imposing education fees or similarly those which create widespread lack of education. We wanted to tell the story of a successful campaign from a couple years ago, and alert readers to what we’re working on right now.

The Campaign Againt McDonald’s

In 1998 McDonalds opened a new restaurant in the Middle East Technical University (METU), which is renowned for anti-imperialist struggle in the 60’s and 70’s. Its stadium is even called “Revolution Stadium.�

The Irish government and right-wing press have both been hard at work trying to portray the movement against Bush in Ireland as extremist and “anti-American.�

This of course is nonsense. The Irish are by far the most pro-American population in Europe. After all, the US gave refuge to millions of Irish immigrants who fled our country escaping famine, poverty, high unemployment, and oppression by the British colonial powers.

This is not to say that Irish attitudes toward the US haven’t shifted somewhat since George W. Bush came to power. Everyone involved with the anti-war movement in Ireland makes a clear distinction between George Bush and the ordinary working people of America. And even the staunchest defenders of US foreign policy here are starting to question the absolute authority the Republican Party seems to have over the world.

Today, the sixteenth of September, the day of independence for all Mexican peoples, I declare my independence of the Selective Service System.

I accuse the government of the United States of America of genocide against the Mexican people. Specifically, I accuse the draft, the entire social, political, and economic system of the United States of America of creating a funnel which shoots Mexican youth into Viet Nam to be killed and to kill innocent men, women and children.

Hoy, 16 de Septiembre, día de independencia para a gente de México, declaró mi independencia del Sistema de Servicio Selectivo.

Acuso al gobierno de los Estado Unidos de genocidio contra la gente de Mexico. Acuso específicamente al sistema de servicio militar, y en su totalidad al sistema social, político y económico de los Estados Unidos de crear un embudo que se encarga de mandar a la juventud Mexicana a Vietnam a ser asesinados o a asesinar a hombres, mujeres y niños inocentes.

It makes sense that many Americans, if given the option, would choose an energy economy that is less expensive and more environmentally friendly than our current profligate use of oil. So, if we could do things differently, and have faith that people would be open to change, then what’s the issue?

Democracy is the issue. The simple fact is that the oil industry is one of the wealthiest, most powerful entities on our planet. And when the voices of Exxon, BP, Shell, Unocal, and Chevron speak in unison, they usually get what they want.

The Welfare Poets are a New York City poetry collective. Founded in 1990 by Hector Rivera and Ray Ramirez, the Welfare Poets continue to perform, record, and be involved in their community.

EN: What’s the Welfare Poets’ history?

HR: Ray Ramirez and I started listening to Last Poets, to Bob Marley, checking out salsa music and socially conscious music from the 70’s and 80’s. These things gave us permission to write and to express our political voice creatively.

In his world famous pamphlet Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism, published in 1916—while the First World War was still raging—the Russian Marxist and revolutionary leader V. I. Lenin presented an extensive analysis of developments within capitalism. Lenin endeavored to show the causes of the war to be conditions that had sprouted as direct results of the inner dynamics of the capitalist system. While some philosophers and politicians of his period scrambled to find particular world leaders or policies to blame for the war, Lenin looked to far more significant factors: economic factors.

A quick and filthy rundown of what the Bush agenda has meant for young people. The main issues at stake come Election Day:

Young Women’s Right to Choose: Bush’s policy on abortion ups the attacks on basic medical services for women, especially young women. He is currently proposing new ways to deny minors reproductive rights and freedoms, including standard medical procedures, without notification of their parents. If re-elected, Bush will likely appoint Supreme Court Justices that will reverse the Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal. The million-plus march in Washington on April 25 proves that the US public demands a right to choose. Go to www.choiceusa.org for more information.

TP: What is the Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition?

JH: Pro-Vote is a labor, community, and electoral coalition founded in 1992. We have adapted different models of organizing from other progressive political organizations across the country. We actively build progressive political power.

TP: What set of criteria do candidates have to meet before Pro-Vote helps in their campaigns?

JH: We look for candidates that are broadly progressive, candidates that have built broad coalitions of constituencies who fight against right-wing gun nuts, social conservatives, environmental polluters, white supremacists, and big business. The right wing has been successful at building a big tent agenda. We too want to build a big tent.

March 20, 2004 millions of people from around the world protested against the US/UK occupation of Iraq and the continued Bush administration policy of unilateralism and preemptive war. The protest marked the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and brought over one million protestors nationwide. In Eureka, a small town in Northern California, 3,000 marched for peace and justice. This speech was delivered there by high school student and YCL member Shane Brinton.

The Washington University Student Worker Alliance (SWA) formed last fall after 36 Nicaraguan service employees were terminated with no explanation, six months prior to their contract expiration date. Then, due to the Bush administration’s racist regulations surrounding the H2B work visa, they were forced to leave the country. Disgusted by the treatment of these and other service employees, SWA began a campus and community-wide campaign to fight for workers’ rights and a living wage.

On March 21st, Schafik Handal, the candidate for the left-wing party FMLN (Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional/Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front), lost the presidential election to the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA). In what was only the fourth presidential election in El Salvador’s history, the rightist ARENA won by a wide margin, enjoying victories in most regions of the country.

The victory of pro-American ARENA candidate Tony Saca was not rendered simply by the will of the Salvadoran people. The party’s votes were secured through a campaign of fear and intimidation. These scare tactics came from party activists, right-wing political interest groups, and the corporate elite. But they also had the support—both tacit and spoken—of the Bush administration. Many critics attribute ARENA’s dominating victory to this American involvement.

On April 28, 1954, a six month federal government investigation of the Labor Youth League (LYL), the US Communist Party’s youth and student group, came to an end. The Subversive Activities Control Board (SACB), a quasi-judicial government agency founded under the Internal Security Act of 1950 (the McCarran Act) and amended in later legislation during what is called the McCarthy era, concluded its case against the LYL, which had been charged with being an agent of a foreign power—the Soviet Union.