Dear Friends,
At the Rouge Forum Conference in Detroit, we collected a sizeable amount of money to be passed along to our friends engaged in the struggle in Oaxaca. That money has now been received and hearty thanks returned. The news from Oaxaca is, in sum, the struggle continues. The debates that persist in the US (like the need for a centralized organization to confront the government, vs the desire for some personal autonomy, or the role of voting vs direct action, the nature of government as either contested terrain or a mode class rule) continue there, though under much greater pressure. Government repression stepped up, and the resistance movement has grown more sophisticated. Keep an eye on news from Oaxaca. There is a lot to learn. We hope to have a full report from our Oaxaca travelers in June.
The Rouge Forum web page is updated here.
This week, however, we want to draw attention to other work available online.
Workplace journal has a special issue on the long NYU strike which should contain lessons for all in education.
The Radical Unit for Political Economy in India did outstanding work with great insight in regard to the US oil war on Iraq, and this piece on military affairs is equally Cassandra-like.
The Power and Interest Report is carrying a challenging article on the role of Russia in the Caspian Sea region.
Our action in regard to the San Diego City Schools surge to press children and educators into support for the empire’s wars, via a series of “support the troops,” rallies, ice cream parties, and similar contests was fairly successful. We collected more than one thousand of the postcards (complete with war eagle) that were to be sent to troops, but misplaced by activist teachers, and more importantly, we sparked a national debate inside NEA and AFT locals as to just what educators should do, when put on the line ourselves.
Be sure to set aside time (and money) to come to the National Council for the Social Studies conference in San Diego in late November. We will be leading several presentations, workshops, and a clinic that features a nation/class tour of San Diego’s borders.
Thanks to Gil, Sherry W, Candace, Eva, Lila, Ann S, Michael P., Holly, Sharon A., David, Geoff, Garth, John Miller, Paul Schreer, Chuck Ream, Don A, Peter M, Carlson, TC, Amber, Doug S, and Wayne. Congratulations to Ofira’s family on the birth of a beautiful rebel girl.
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