Front page from December 21, 2009

SocialistWorker.org

SocialistWorker.org is taking a two-week break from publishing for the holidays--we'll be back in January. But during the break, we'll feature one of our favorite articles of the year each day, so check back in for our look at 2009.

We're also asking our readers for your help to support SocialistWorker.org. We know times are really tough (unless you're a bankster), but if you can spare a donation to help this site, we appreciate it. Click to find out more. Meanwhile...here's to a new year of struggle!

The road from "Yes we can" to "No we won't"

For people who put their hopes in Obama last year, every month and week--sometimes every day--brings greater disillusionment and anger.

The Senate's health care fiasco

From bad to worse to utterly wretched--that's been the course of so-called health care "reform" in the hands of the U.S. Senate.

A big step for Teamster reform

The victory of a pro-democracy slate of officers in a big Teamster local in New York City will give a boost to those who want a fighting union at UPS.

An escalating war on LA schools

Layoffs, charter schools and attacks on teacher seniority are the latest salvos in the relentless attack on Los Angeles schools.

Out of touch with reality

No matter how much evidence confirms that global warming is real, and the result of carbon emissions, the climate skeptics will carry on disputing it.

Top articles of 2009

A Palestinian father carries his wounded baby daughter into a hospital in Gaza City (Yasser Saymeh | AFP)

Entire families wiped out

Gaza has been plunged into a living nightmare as Israel's war on Palestinians claims more victims every day--men, women and children alike.

For more of our best from 2009, see a list of our favorite 25 or 27 articles (alright, 29) from the last year.


Tank crews in Afghanistan wait for the order to move out (Edward Stewart)

Obama's turn in the "great game"

When Barack Obama says he wants to "finish the job" in Afghanistan, he's talking about ensuring U.S. imperialist interests.

Who's afraid of the big, bad Zinn?

A conservative Web site accused the "people's historian" of perpetrating a distorted "version" of history, but it's the truth that they're scared of.

The revolution will be televised

The People Speak debuts this Sunday--the work of "people's historian" Howard Zinn brought to life by an incredible collection of performers.

Selling out health care reform

Behind the grandstanding about getting the best health care plan possible is the terrible truth--any serious measure to fix the system has been compromised away.

The summit that was designed to fail

The UN Conference on Global Warming in Copenhagen has been marked by bitter rivalries on the inside and police repression of activists on the outside.

The people versus the polluters

The international deal on global warming being cooked up in Copenhagen would punish the world’s poor and reward corporate polluters.

America's new homeless

Homelessness is on the rise across the U.S. (Ed Yourdon)

Hunger and homelessness are reaching all-time highs in cities under the pressure of a crisis that's still hitting hard.

Season's readings (and watchings)

SocialistWorker.org columnists and writers offer their suggestions for books, movies and music for the rabble-rouser on your list.


I'm done defending Obama

When I think of how we can help the soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, I have only three little words: Bring them home.

Going AWOL to get help

With the military health care system overstretched, more soldiers are taking other steps to get treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Blackwater's graymail?

Blackwater founder Erik Prince may be pressuring the Justice Department to protect him by revealing his ties to the CIA through the media.

Our compañero in struggle

Walter Tróchez

Walter Tróchez, a well-known LGBT activist and member of the National Resistance Front in Honduras, was killed December 13.

New battles take shape in Iran

Large and militant student demonstrations in Iran signal a new phase of the pro-democracy struggle amid signs of splits among conservatives.

Rallying to defend our schools

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to close a record number of schools, but he's starting to face a wave of resistance.

Where we go now at SFSU

Last week's occupation was the latest protest against fee hikes and cuts, and it raised questions about how we organize.

Police attack SFSU occupation

Police in full riot gear attacked a peaceful occupation at San Francisco State University that was organized to protest budget cuts, furloughs and fee hikes.

Arizona's war on immigrants

The zealous anti-immigrant sheriff Joe Arpaio has finally suffered a setback in his crusade to demonize and terrorize undocumented workers.

Labor must stand for Palestine

Labor and Palestinian rights activists take issue with Richard Trumka's speech denouncing the movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel.

Ore. teachers demand contract

Portland school board members cowered in a back room after another lively picket by some 700 teachers and their supporters before a board meeting.

Holding the line against Vt. cuts

Members of the Vermont State Employees Association should vote "no" on a contract that cuts deeply into wages and health care benefits.

Labor's sparks of resistance?

Graduate Employees Organization and their supporters march on the first day of the strike (Chris Tuck)

After a grim year for organized labor, those committed to class-struggle unionism can find a few good reasons to be cheerful this holiday season.

Telling Obama "No you can't!"

Antiwar activists across from the White House on December 12 to protest Barack Obama's escalation of the war on Afghanistan.

Queens marriage equality

About 100 activists marched in Queens to show their opposition to a New York state senator who voted against marriage equality.

Protesting their fake clinics

Around 40 people protested in Amherst, Mass. to highlight what so-called "pregnancy help centers" really are: anti-woman centers.

Tiger's fall from grace

After the 24-hour media sleaze fades, I hope we remember that Tiger Woods didn't decide to leave golf until his sponsors left him.

U.S. ties to a Uganda hate law

The proposed law in Uganda that would further criminalize LGBT people is frightening, but that isn't the only disturbing part of the story.

Taking a next step for equality

Rallying for LGBT equality in Washington, D.C., at the National Equality March (Kit Lyons)

We need to build a mass movement for LGBT rights, and to do that, we need you, your friends and co-workers, and thousands more people.

Why I'm going to Gaza

I want to see the damage caused by weapons bought with my tax dollars--and I want it understood that Israel does not kill in my name.

The crime of the century

During 17 years of assault on a defenseless civilian population, more people have died in Iraq than during the peak years of the slave trade.

If we don't speak up, who will?

When we see the policies Barack Obama is continuing in the name of the "war on terror," we cannot and should not stand by in silence.

Too late to unravel the truth?

An Italian journalist wounded by U.S. forces in Iraq asks if the Obama administration will hold her assailant responsible.

Children behind bars for life

The Supreme Court heard two cases that could have major implications for the way juvenile offenders are treated in the criminal justice system.

Global justice not greed

The Yes Men have gained international notoriety

Two new films look in different ways at the effects of the free market around the world, and the prospects for challenging it.

When precious life means little

The movie Precious shines a light on the American welfare state, which punishes the poor and does little to lift families out of poverty.

ISR guide to The People Speak

International Socialist Review magazine provides a list of related historical articles to accompany The People Speak.

Organizing from the bottom up

Tim Costello, a long-time activist in the labor and global justice movement in Boston, passed away on December 4.

GE slashes health benefits

General Electric dropped a bombshell on its non-union employees--their responsibility for health care expenses will go up dramatically next year.

Nothing natural about war

On four separate occasions in his Nobel speech, Barack Obama brought up the false idea that war has been around since the beginning of human history.

Views in brief

The violence of the system | How Wal-Mart stole Christmas | I'm leaving too | Who's covering up torture now? | Why aren't our protests more diverse?

Victim of the "justice" system

My brother, Manuel Teixeira, sits in a maximum-security prison serving a life sentence for a crime he could not have committed.

Building cross-border solidarity

A recently decimated Mexican union that's now struggling to survive is garnering support from its labor compañeros to the North.