Some statements on the campaign against Venezuela

Below are statements on the "Western" imperialists' coup campaign against Venezuela from the Marxist-Leninist Party of Venezuela ( pcmlv.blogspot.com/ ), and Communist Party of Spain (ML) ( www.pceml.info/actual/ ). 

For machine translated statements from the Communist Party of the Workers of France and For the Construction of a Communist Workers' Party in Germany see:  www.facebook.com/groups/312850322214080/permalink/1236323803200056/  and 
www.facebook.com/groups/312850322214080/permalink/1237906876375082/ 

The original documents are at:  www.pcof.net/imperialistes-bas-les-pattes-du-venezuela/ and www.arbeit-zukunft.de/2019/01/28/haende-weg-von-venezuela/

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro speaks directly to the American people, asking for peaceful and neighborly relations, in a 4-minute video (in Spanish, subtitled in English):  www.facebook.com/NicolasMaduro/videos/2069679193125346/ 

The PCMLV Regarding the Complex Scenario of Venezuela and Its Consequences

As the leadership of our party has been stating in various national and international documents and places, the fundamental contradictions are becoming sharper. This has been seen with greater impudence in recent days by the action of the US government and its lackeys. Every moment the imperialist policy becomes clearer, which makes it possible to remove any possible doubt about the effects of the interventionist, aggressive and anti-popular action against the peoples of the world, of the region, and now against the Venezuelan people. This politics has caused serious damage to the economy and the population, relying for its implementation on the native bourgeoisie, the local and regional instrument that affects, in the first place, the working majorities.

The administration of the ultra-reactionary Trump has counted on the support of some sell-out governments that act against the right to self-determination, endorse the condemnable action of the puppet Almagro in the OAS, as well as of all the instruments at the service of the monopolies. Meanwhile they apply anti-people measures designed by the IMF to increase the exploitation and repression against the majorities in their countries. This makes it clearer every day to all revolutionaries on which side we should be at this moment.

The main contradiction in this regional situation is, in general, between imperialist oppression and the struggle for liberation from this dependence. In particular this becomes a struggle between imperialism, mainly US imperialism, which has traditionally maintained its domination, and the interests of the exploited majorities. These sometimes support reformist, revisionist projects and other times support the revolutionary line. This depends in large part on the application of the correct tactics, which for the true communists is the line of the Third International. At 100 years since its foundation, this remains in full force, with the tactic that promotes the unity of forces to confront the great imperialist capital and the embryos of fascism, unifying the proletarians in the march towards the total liberation of the oppressed of the world.

In Venezuela, the struggle against the US-EU imperialist bloc is progressing well, with ever increasing direct struggles involving different social classes. Mainly this is expressed in the major media in the struggle between the traditional pro-Yankee bourgeoisie, which intends to retake control of the government at all costs, and a many-sided tendency, with manifestations of national demands. This has shown itself close to the China-Russia bloc, leaving the objective of the proletariat and the popular masses in second place. But we must state that we are on the street, in the main struggles, in the debate and mobilization. This opens up great possibilities to strengthen the popular line of struggle for national liberation and socialism. It poses an immense challenge to the forces revolutionary; we are working continuously to consolidate higher levels of organization and mobilization of the revolutionary popular movement.

We Marxist-Leninists have the duty to continue gaining the confidence of the people for the consolidation of the political current of class independence. This demands the accumulation of its own forces and in alliances to organize resistance against the US-EU imperialist bloc, as well as in the struggle to improve the living conditions of the popular majorities. This helps them to identify their enemies, capitalism and imperialism as its higher phase, as the cause of their hardship, as well as internal and foreign accomplices. The Venezuelan proletariat is advancing under various difficulties, being clear on the achievement of the strategic objectives of the working class, the peasants and the people, with a position of critical support together with demands on a government under attack by imperialism.

We are adjusting our tactics with the most objective view of the circumstances, and our party, from the very terrain of the struggle, has understood that we are not only living through a complex political situation, marked by the consequences of the economic crisis, an increasing imperialist aggression, by errors of past and present government policy, by weaknesses of the revolutionary movement. Despite this the revolutionary movement has grown over the past 20 years, but in addition to the present situation, there is a structural problem of the bourgeois state. This state has shown a process of decomposition, which can be seen in the inability of the contestants to subdue their opponent and the emergence of a parallel power. This shows us that this conflict of the structural base will not be solved in the short term and that it opens the possibility for fundamental changes. That is why we must also work on the strategic perspective.

The events of these last days affirm our thesis on the decomposition of the State, as well as the role of the US-EU imperialist bloc and its lackeys. Even with contradictions, as a result of their internal struggles, they maintain a line of conduct to take advantage of the economic, political and social disturbances that Venezuela is experiencing, contributing to the process of decomposition of the State. This process is deepening every day, leading to a negotiation to distribute the country's wealth among the imperialist powers, to foreign aggression, a coup d'état or even a revolutionary situation. This is a consequence of the struggle among the different tendencies in conflict and the emergence of popular actors, as happened at other periods in the history of the country.

Faced with these scenarios, which are leading to situations of violence, we call on all revolutionaries, patriots and democrats, on the workers of the world, on the peasants and worthy people, to prepare the conditions of concrete solidarity, being certain that the Venezuelan people are resisting and struggling. They will continue resisting and fighting under any scenario; the working class, we Marxist-Leninists and especially our party are working to organize the defense, based on the legitimacy of the actions that the proletariat will take to safeguard their interests and those of the majorities, convinced that the contradictions present in the region are creating the conditions for a struggle that is expanding, and to work for the unity of the working class and peoples on the basis of tactics of a regional character in order to confront the main and common enemy of our peoples without dispersing the forces by attacking scarecrows.

Socialism Is Only Built with the Worker-Peasant Alliance in Power and the People in Arms

 

Political Bureau of the Marxist-Leninist Part of Venezuela

Caracas, January 2019

 

[ pcmlv.blogspot.com/2019/01/el-pcmlv-ante-el-complejo-escenario-de.html#more ]

 

 

Communiqué of the Communist Party of Spain (M-L), CPE(m-l)

ON THE ATTEMPT OF A COUP D’ETAT IN VENEZUELA

 

Venezuela is experiencing an extremely serious period due to the attempt of its oligarchy to force a coup d'état, openly sponsored by Yankee imperialism and its allies, taking advantage of the deep economic and social crisis that the country is experiencing and the weakness of the Maduro Government.

Behind this new attempt is the US, which has always considered Latin America and the Caribbean as its back yard. The list of reactionary coups sponsored by Yankee imperialism and its partners is endless. Throughout the second half of the 20th century and up to today, the imperialist hand has been behind a long series of violent protests that have caused countless suffering to the working class and fraternal peoples: Brazil and Bolivia (1964), Peru (1968) , Chile and Uruguay (1973), Argentina (1976), Paraguay (1989), Haiti (2004), etc., are some examples. The imperialist army itself intervened directly in Cuba (Bay of Pigs, 1961), the Dominican Republic (1965-66) and Panama (1989).

Today, the worsening of the capitalist crisis is causing the sharpening of the commercial, political and also military struggle among the great imperialist powers to gain spheres of influence. They have never left Colombia, and in Chile, Argentina, etc., the most reactionary right-wing that is submissive to the Yankee dictates is again occupying the governments, taking advantage of the profound contradictions that have ended up overturning the experiments of social transformation led by the reformist bourgeoisie, which in no case put in question the power of the national oligarchies.

However, despite the serious contradictions of the extensive reformist movement that promised a new direction for the Latin American laboring classes from one end of the subcontinent to the other, without actually changing the power structure in their countries, what is at stake now is the submission of the brotherly peoples to the dictates of US imperialism, their submission to the Yankee boot, and the imposition of the stark dictatorship of capital in all of them.

No, it is not Bolsonaro, Macri, Piñera, Duque or Guaidó who will bring social justice and peace to the region; its objective is different: to put an end to the dreams of the small and middle bourgeoisie and to re-impose the open dictatorship of capital. The example of Cuba proves that it is only possible to sustain social changes when the instruments of control of the economy are snatched from the oligarchy, and only insofar as they are subjected to popular control.

In Spain, monarchist governments have never been neutral in Venezuela: the friendship between Felipe González and the champion of corruption, Carlos Andrés Pérez, who led the privatization of Venezuelan public enterprises causing a social crisis with dramatic consequences, had its continuity in the support of the Aznar Government for the Military Coup attempt that Venezuela suffered in 2002. Nor are they neutral n these dramatic hours that the Venezuelan people are going through.

We Spanish workers cannot, therefore, be neutral. The statement of the reactionary Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, subjecting the position of the monarchist state to the decision of the EU, negates once again the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people and sanctifies the imperialist interference in the affairs of that brother country, in order to leave its people alone to face the forces of reaction and imperialism. For his part, the reactionary national leader Casado, President of the PP [People’s Party, Spain], who a few weeks ago offered Trump the use of Spanish soil as a permanent base for the Southern Command and African Command of the Yankee army, has declared his full support for the reactionary coup in progress, expressly requesting imperialist intervention in the internal affairs of Venezuela. The declarations of these and other servants of capital aim to give a veneer of legitimacy to what is nothing but a new interference by Yankee imperialism.

We must fight this new attempt at a reactionary coup and express our solidarity with the Venezuelan workers and people, whom they want to subject once again to the dictates of imperialism and the open dictatorship of their corrupt oligarchy.

Our Party expresses its full support to the Venezuelan workers, to the revolutionary organizations and, in particular, to our sister party (Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Venezuela – PCMLV), which under the harshest conditions is promoting a real change that guarantees popular control of the State.

 

STOP THE IMPERIALIST INTERFERENCE IN VENEZUELA!

 

STOP THE COUP D’ETAT!

 

SOLIDARITY WITH THE WORKING CLASS AND THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA!

 

January 24, 2019

 

Executive Committee of the PCE (m-l)

[ www.pceml.info/actual/index.php/internacional/internacional/648-sobre-el-intento-de-golpe-de-estado-en-venezuela ]

Some events and notable anniversaries this February

This calendar lists mostly local events of general left interest and cultural events, along with notable historical anniversaries.  More items are usually added during the month. 

Opposition to imperialist plans to overthrow the government of Venezuela

The US, Canada, EU, and others are carrying out a slow motion coup in oil-rich Venezuela, with the aid of supposedly objective and neutral media like NPR and the BBC.  NPR's staff often talk about alleged Russian meddling in American elections (it got a lot of air time as I wrote this post), but here is the Trump and Co. conspiring with Venezuelan politicians and using economic pressure and warmongering to attempt to overthrow an elected government, and NPR sees nothing unusual.  NPR also rarely talks about US actions and other factors that have undermined the Venezuelan economy for years.  In 2011 NPR abetted the overthrow of the Libyan government and Libya is still in chaos. 

There was a protest against regime change at the CCB Plaza in downtown Durham January 27th 1 - 3pm.

The Chapel Hill peace vigil is/was Fridays 4:30 - 5:30pm DST at the corner of East Franklin Street and Elliot Road (the Village Plaza Shopping Center, near University Mall).  It might have stopped,  but all a roadside vigil requires is some time and a sign.

If a major event occurs protests with short notice will probably happen at Durham's CCB Plaza, Chapel Hill's Peace and Justice Plaza (in front of the old Post Office, opposite UNC), or possibly at Village Plaza.  Protests in Raleigh might be at the Terry Sanford Federal Building.  There are also the local Congressional offices.

Very few national level politicians seem to be criticizing Trump's regime change plot, despite all of the talk about "The Resistance" and learning from previous 'mistakes.'  I think Rho Khanna spoke out against [also Ilham Omar and Barbara Lee].  Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii might be the only prominent Democrat running for president in 2020 who has denounced foreign interference in Venezuela.  Bernie Sanders said something critical, but his first statements on Twitter condemned President Maduro.  Some Democrats explicitly support Trump on Venezuela [such as Senator Dick Durban]. 

There is an informative action kit and a petition at:  afgj.org/category/venezuela-2 and a range of articles on Venezuela at:  www.counterpunch.org

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro speaks directly to Americans in this 4-minute video (Spanish with English subtitles):  www.facebook.com/NicolasMaduro/videos/2069679193125346/

There will be a film showing February 17th in Durham and so far demonstrations have been announced February 23rd in Fayetteville and Charlotte (see below). 

There will be a day of action Saturday, February 23rd and a demonstration in Washington, DC Saturday, March 16th:  www.counterpunch.org/2019/02/06/the-latest-coup-attempt/ 

An open letter from President Maduro to the people of the USA:  www.globalresearch.ca/an-open-letter-to-the-people-of-theunited-states-from-president-nicolas-maduro/5668092

New book by Grover Furr on Stalin published

The publisher's description on Amazon:

"In October 2017 Stephen Kotkin, professor of history at Princeton University, published “Stalin.
Waiting for Hitler, 1929 – 1941.” In it, Kotkin accuses Soviet leader Joseph Stalin of dozens of terrible crimes and atrocities.
The appearance of Kotkin’s scholarship is daunting: 909 pages of text, more than 5200 footnotes, and 47 pages of bibliography in tiny, triple-column type. But Grover Furr has carefully and methodically studied every one of the hundreds of allegations of atrocity, crime, and misdeeds of any kind that Kotkin attributes to Stalin and his closest advisers.
Furr has checked every reference, every article and book, that Kotkin cites as evidence. The result: Furr has found that every single “crime” Kotkin alleges is false - a fabrication. Not a single accusation holds up. On the evidence, Stalin committed NO crime, no atrocities – for if he had, Kotkin would surely have uncovered at least one.

Furr’s exhaustive research shows that Soviet history of the 1930s, has been falsified. Furr’s book is a model of meticulous examination of evidence and careful, objective analysis and deduction.

”Stalin. Waiting For … The Truth” exposes the lies and falsehoods behind Soviet history of the 1930s with the same meticulous attention to detail as his previous works: “Khrushchev Lied” (2011), “The Murder of Sergei Kirov” (2013), “Blood Lies” (2014), “Trotsky’s ‘Amalgams’” (2015), “Yezhov vs. Stalin” (2016), “Leon Trotsky’s Collaboration with Germany and Japan” (2017), and “The Mystery of the Katyn Massacre; The Evidence, The Solution” (2018)."

Stalin. Waiting For ... The Truth was put out by Red Star Publishers ( redstarpublishers.org/ ) January 25th and is available from Amazon US ( www.amazon.com/dp/0578445530/ ), Amazon Canada ( www.amazon.ca/dp/0578445530/ ), Amazon UK ( www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0578445530/ ), etc.  Some of his other works are published by:  www.erythrospress.com/

The City of Durham is celebrating its sesquicentennial in 2019 ( durhamnc.gov/238/Boards-Committees-Commissions ). 

Chapel Hill was founded in 1819. 

February is Black / African-American History Month in the USA and apparently also in the UK and Canada, while Ireland and the Netherlands have similar commemorations every October.

The Umstead Coalition is opposing the plan by the RDU Airport Authority (whose Board is appointed by Durham and Wake counties, and the cities of Durham and Raleigh) to sell 105 acres of forested public land originally intended for a runway to Wake Stone, which operates an adjacent rock quarry ( umsteadcoalition.org/StopRDUQuarry/ ) .  I have not looked into the issue, but on the positive side when the quarry is eventually closed it could potentially be a source of water, reducing the need to dam waterways. 

Black Alliance for Peace is petitioning for US Africa Command (AFRICOM) to be abolished: www.change.org/p/house-armed-services-committee-put-an-end-to-the-u-s-africa-command-africom   (in 6 languages).

Solar Panel Leasing in North Carolina

Last year House Bill 589 Competitive Energy Solutions for North Carolina was passed, allowing the leasing of solar panels and making some Duke Energy customers (residential, commercial, and non-profit) eligible for NC Solar Rebates through 2022.  October 15th Eagle Solar and Light became the first company licensed by the NC Utilities Commission to do solar leasing in the State.   

24 Hours of Reality

This streamed documentary on the impact of climate change on human health around the world is online at:  http://www.24hoursofreality.org/

Monthly tours of the South Wake Landfill and Sonoco Recycling Facility

There will be free one hour tours of these facilities near Apex once a month through May on Wednesdays or Saturdays (and private tours for groups with 5 to 14 people can be arranged).  For more information and registration see:  www.wakegov.com/recycling/outreach/Pages/tours.aspx

Library booksales

The Friends of the Durham Library 2019 booksales will be February 2 - 3, April 6 - 7, June 1 - 2, August 3 - 4, October 5 - 6, and December 7 - 8, and the hours for all of these sales will be 10am - 12pm members only and 12 - 4pm open to all on Saturdays and 1 - 4pm $10 paper grocery bag sales open to all on Sundays.  The sales are at a space inside Northgate Mall, right next to Sears (enter through Sears or another Mall entrance).  There are small satellite sales inside the library branches daily ( durhamcountylibrary.org/friends/ ).   

The Friends of the Chapel Hill Public Library 2019 sales will be April 5 - 7, September 13 - 15, and December 6 -8 ( friendschpl.org/FCHPLevents ).

The Wake County Public Libraries' Annual Book Sale will be May 2 - 5 in the Expo Center at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh ( www.wakegov.com/libraries/events/Pages/booksale.aspx ).  More than 11,000 people attended the 2018 sale, buying more than 210,000 books, and generating about $110,000 dollars for Wake County libraries.  This could be the biggest annual booksale in North Carolina. 

Caterpillars Count!, a citizen science project looking at the amount of caterpillars and other arthropods on tree foliage, an important food source for many songbirds, etc., is looking for more locations and volunteers:  caterpillarscount.unc.edu/getStarted/  There is also the older Firefly Watch program, run by the Museum of Science in Boston, projects focused on plants, etc. that contribute to scientific research and give people a reason to go outside (for a little while to a longer time) and examine the natural world more closely. 

Over 100 and possibly a few hundred Shoshone men, women, and children were killed in the Bear River Massacre on bitterly cold January 29, 1863 near what is now Preston, Idaho.  There was a battle, but many Shoshone were killed, others captured, and much of their property destroyed or seized, while only a few Federal soldiers were killed or wounded.

January 31, 1932 the furnaces at the USSR's massive steel mill in Magnitogorsk, at the south end of the Ural Mountains and far from potential enemies as WWII loomed, are supposed to have been fired up (I'm not completely sure about this date).  John Scott was an American worker at the plant and gives an eyewitness account in his book Behind the Urals.  There is still metal production in Magnitogorsk today.

The Tet Offensive against US and South Vietnamese forces began January 31, 1968

Wikipedia Day 2019

This event, organized by the North Carolina Triangle Wikipedians, celebrates Wikipedia Day (Wikipedia's birthday, technically January 15th) Thursday, January 31st 3 - 7pm at The Frontier (800 Park Offices Drive in RTP).  For more information and RSVP see:  meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Triangle_Wikipedians/Wikipedia-Birthday-Party-2019 

Nguyen Van Lem or Bay Lop, an officer of the National Liberation Front, was captured during the Tet Offensive February 1st in Saigon and summarily executed by Nguyen Ngoc Loan, leader of the South Vietnamese National Police, a famous image captured by NBC and the Associated Press.  Loan later took refuge in the US and lived near Washington, DC.


Escaping from Grid-lock:  Getting to Resilient Electricity film showing

The EcoLounge (2811 Hillsborough Road, by Food Lion) will show this series of short films about energy storage challenges in converting to more use of electricity from solar and wind power Friday, February 1st at 6:30pm.  Donations are requested by not required to attend.

Taíno leader Hatuey fought the Spanish conquistadores in Hispaniola and Cuba, but was burned at the stake February 2, 1512 near what is now Bayamo, Cuba (also near where one of Cuba's 19th century wars for independence began).  Before he was killed, a priest is supposed to have asked Hatuey if he would become a Christian and go to heaven, and he asked if the Spanish went to heaven.  Hearing the answer he said he would rather go to hell where there wouldn't be any Spanish people and their cruelty.  He is a Hero of the Republic of Cuba.   

Germany's 6th Army, occupying Stalingrad, surrendered February 2, 1943. 


Tulsi Gabbard's 2020 presidential campaign officially begins, with a livestreamed speech in Honolulu Saturday, February 2nd at 8pm EST (3pm HST; free with RSVP if you can be there in person):  www.tulsi2020.com/  See also:  www.facebook.com/events/2203763173174000/


ERUUF environmental justice book discussion

The Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship's Common Read for 2019 is Justice on Earth, People of Faith Working at the Intersections of Race, Class, and the Environment, beginning February 3rd:  eruuf.org/event/5728-kickoff-uua-common-read.html
 

 

"Big Bill" Haywood, a founder of the Industrial Workers of the World and at one time a leader of the Socialist Party of America, was born February 4, 1869 in Salt Lake City.  He was charged under the Espionage Act of 1917 and in 1921 sought refuge in the USSR, where he died May 18, 1928.  Half of his ashes are in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis and the other half in the Haymarket Martyr's Monument in Chicago.   

 

Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913 in Tuskgee, Alabama.

 

The Yalta Conference between Churchill, FDR, and Stalin met February 4 - 11, 1945 in Yalta, Crimea.
 

  

Triangle Friends of Farmworkers events in February

 

There will be a VUSE e-cigarette boycott picket in Chapel Hill Tuesday, February 5th 5 - 5:45pm at the Circle K at 201 South Estes Drive.  

The TFF will meet Wednesday, February 6th 5 - 5:45pm [correct time was 7 - 8:30pm] in Durham (130 Hunt Street).

There will be a boycott picket in Durham (location TBA) Wednesday, February 20th 7 - 8:30pm (this time could be incorrect) [correction - 5 - 5:45pm].

There will be a picket in Chapel Hill tentatively scheduled for March 5th 5 - 5:45pm at the 201 South Estes Drive Circle K.

There will be a picket in Durham March 25th (during Farmworker Awareness Week) 5:30 - 6:15pm, location TBA.  TFF will meet afterward (food provided), 6:30 - 8:30pm at 130 Hunt Street.


American revolutionary Harry Haywood was born February 6, 1898 in South Omaha, Nebraska.  He was a leader of the CPUSA, but clashed with the revisionist leadership during the Khrushchev era.  He was a leader in the Comintern during the 20's and wrote Negro Liberation (1948), arguing that the Black Belt was an oppressed nation with the right to self-determination.  After leaving the CPUSA, he was a leader of the Provisional Organizing Committee for a Communist Party and later the Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist).  His known for Black Bolshevik:  Autobiography of an Afro-American Communist (1978).  He fought in WWI, the Spanish Civil War, and WWII, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery after his death January 4, 1985.   

The Seattle General Strike began February 6th and ended February 11th in 1919:  www.counterpunch.org/2019/02/08/the-seattle-general-strike-a-100-year-legacy/

Cuban revolutionary Camilo Cienfuegos, the Hero of Yaguajay, was born February 6, 1932 and is thought to have died in plane crash over the ocean October 28, 1959.  Cuba's Order of Cienfuegos award is named for him. 

Novelist Charles Dickens was born February 7, 1812. 

Albanian revolutionary Nexhmije Xhuglini Hoxha was born February 8, 1921 in Bitolj, today part of Macedonia.  She fought in the war to liberate Albania from Italian and German occupation during WWII and held leading positions in the Party of Labor of Albania, the Democratic Front, the Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies, the Albanian Women's League, the National Assembly of Albania, and other bodies.  She was imprisoned for 5 years after the counterrevolution.  She was married to PLA First Secretary Enver Hoxha and she is supposed to be the oldest living member of the PLA leadership.       

   

The annual HKonJ (Historic Thousands on Jones Street) march in downtown Raleigh will be February 9, 2019 ( www.hkonj.com/ and www.facebook.com/events/2219808744750422/ ).  #MoralMarch2019 

It will begin at the corner of Wilmington and South streets, near Shaw University, with a pre rally/people's assembly at 9am and a Moral March on Raleigh at 10am.  There might be organized NC Green Party, Triangle Friends of Farmworkers, and other contingents.   

Screen Printing Day with SAF

Learn about screenprinting and Student Action with Farmworkers February 9th 2 - 4pm at The Scrap Exchange (2050 Chapel Hill Road, Durham).  SAF needs help screenprinting new t-shirts and volunteers will get free snacks and can bring their own shirt or paper to screenprint as well: www.facebook.com/events/786759781677223/   

Very similar to Tarek el-Tayeb Mohamed Bouazizi in Tunisia, 27-year-old Moroccan street vendor Nourredine Adnane set himself on fire February 11, 2011, following threats of suicide, protesting the seizure of his goods and humiliation in Palmero, Sicily.  Earlier on January 21st an unnamed 65-year-old man died a few days after setting himself on fire in Samtah, Jizan, Saudi Arabia, reportedly a first in Saudi Arabia (according to Wikipedia), and possibly over the barriers to becoming a Saudi national. 


21st Annual Orange County Agricultural Summit:  Growing the Local Market:  Exploring Markets for the Future

There will be a conference on industrial hemp, now legal in North Carolina, Monday, February 11th 8am - 2:30pm at the Cedar Grove Community Center 5800 NC 86 N Hillsborough, NC 27278.  Topics covered include the Farm Bill,  the NC hemp industry, NC Farmlink, and silviculture  To register see:  golinks.ncsu.edu/2019orangecountyagsummit


Charles Darwin was born February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, UK. 

British and American bombers targeted Dresden, capital of the German state of Saxony, February 13 - 15, 1945 with high-explosive and incendiary bombs, causing a firestorm and killing up to 25,000 people.  Kurt Vonnegut witnessed the bombing as a POW. 


Eyewitness Palestine Reportback

From BAJ's announcement [February 13th at 7:30pm]:

"Community Church of Chapel Hill, 106 Purefoy Road

          Balance & Accuracy in Journalism

                           presents

     Desmera Gatewood, Ajamu Dillahunt Jr

                  and Lewis Wallace

                              on

      Eyewitness Palestine Report-Back

In 1967 the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee 

criticized the dispossession and oppression of Palestinians,

seeing parallels to Jim Crow policies in the U.S.

What does a visit to occupied Palestine show people of color today?

Ajamu Dillahunt Jr and Desmera Gatewood traveled on an

Eyewitness Palestine delegation to the West Bank last November. 

Visits included elected leaders, Aida and Dheisheh Refugee camps,

Canaan Fair Trade, and the olive harvest in Nablus.  Founder of 

the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, Omar Barghouti, 

spoke of the role of Black people in the US saying: 

“The black freedom movement in the US is uniquely positioned 

to link the struggles of oppressed people across the world”

Desmera is Director of Legislative and Outreach Strategies for 

Durham-based Coalition for Peace with Justice.  Ajamu is a senior 

at NC Central University. The delegation experience has informed 

several reports for his current studies.

 

Journalist Lewis Wallace of Durham was a member of the delegation 

with Desmera Gatewood and Ajamu Dillahunt Jr, and will join our 

discussion.  A former Marketplace Radio journalist, Lewis is currently 

writing on journalistic objectivity.

 

  [  ]

  for Balance & Accuracy in Journalism

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

We will have related materials for sharing, including

a Jewish Voice for Peace position paper on Zionism,

disks of Rev. William Barber’s "Imago Dei” keynote at the 

US Committee on Palestinian Rights 9/18 conference

and Michelle Alexander’s NYT editorial "Time to 

Break the Silence on Palestine” citing Barber’s 

speech as “riveting."

 

Also, leaked copies on DVD 

of the suppressed Al Jazeera undercover investigations

exposing efforts to bring down UK political leaders who support

equality for Palestinians, and the corresponding USA 

investigation of campaigns to smear as anti-Semitic the

Black Lives Matter movement and campus groups who

support Palestinian rights.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DIRECTIONS TO BAJ MEETING SITE

106 Purefoy Road, Chapel Hill

  Community Church, Unitarian Universalist       

  FROM EITHER DIRECTION ON THE CHAPEL HILL BYPASS:

  take 15-501 [or 54] to the 15-501 Pittsboro exit

  As you exit, TURN at the traffic light toward Chapel Hill.

  Almost immediately TURN RIGHT just short of the convenience store.

  That's PUREFOY ROAD, and you take it almost half a mile,

  passing two stop signs as it curves left  up the hill

  until you can - just - see the third stop sign ahead of you.

  At that point, there is a driveway on the left

  with a subtle, tan sign for the church.

  That driveway takes you to the parking lot and the Community Church.

 

  ~~~~~~~~"

Maurice Audin, a French member of the Algerian Communist Party and a mathematics assistant at the University of Algiers, was born February 14, 1932.  The French Army seized him at his apartment June 11, 1957, during Algeria's war for independence, and then used his home as a trap for others.  He was taken elsewhere and tortured to death, something French President Macron acknowledged last fall.  This was not an isolated case. 

The USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor February 15, 1898, cause unknown, contributing to the start of the Spanish-American War.  In the 1960's the US military discussed blowing up a ship or airplane and other false flag terrorist operations to justify aggression against Cuba (Operation Northwoods).   


Speak for the Trees - 10% Is Not Enough

The massive Chatham Park project wants to preserve at most 10% tree cover and none in the densest sections (even New York City has 22% tree cover,  Chapel Hill has 30 - 40%, and Pittsboro currently has 50%, according to the Haw River Assembly).  The HRA is organizing for more trees to be preserved.  There was a demonstration outside the Pittsboro town board meeting at the Courthouse February 11th, and there will be another demonstration February 15th, and people can sign up to speak at the board meeting on the 25th:  www.facebook.com/hawriverassembly/


Organizing for Democracy :  NC Environmental Redistricting Tour

Voter suppression through gerrymandering, etc. reduces the ability of voters to push for action on environmental problems, and this event will talk about how to fight back for our democratic rights.  It will be February 16th 11am - 1:30pm at Rocky Mount's Braswell Library (727 North Grace Street).  For registration see:  www.facebook.com/events/287996558536596/


Building Political Power Independent of the Democratic Party

 

From the Facebook announcement: 

 

"Join NCGP members at the Chapel Hill Library, room C, for a presentation on the history of effective political parties of the left in the US. Victories for labor and social justice that we all take for granted today were not won by congressional, judicial, or executive action, but by organizations that created unity, developed community, and funded themselves via dues-paying members. Against the amassed power of the corporate state, our only weapon is the ability to organize outside of the two major political parties. For the Left, this means that the Democratic Party must be replaced with new electoral possibilities that do not owe allegiance to the capitalist power structures that demand loyalty from elected officials. Join us for a discussion about making this change come about."

 

The meeting will be Saturday, February 16th 2 - 3:30pm at the Chapel Hill Public Library (100 Library Drive, off of Estes), in meeting room C.  For more information see:  www.facebook.com/events/253770005524760/ 

 

The regional branch of the NC Green Party has a Facebook group at:  www.facebook.com/groups/TriangleGreens/ and there is an NC Green Party Facebook page at:  www.facebook.com/officialncgp


Chapel Hill Public Library's Birds of Winter

The Chapel Hill Public Library will host several talks relating to birding, citizen science projects, and bird conservation February 16th, March 3rd, and March 23rd.  There will be an introduction to the eBird online database 10 - 11am in Meeting Room B on the 16th.  Also on the 16th, wildlife photographer Mary Parker Sonis will talk about bird photography and share photos 2 - 4pm in the same place.  For more information see:  chapelhillpubliclibrary.org/eventscalendar/birds-of-winter/


The History of ICE and Immigrants in Our Community

Sarah Hill McIntyre of the NC Justice Center will discuss how ICE came about and its connections to local police organizations and participants are invited to talk about their experiences with immigration.  This event is being organized by the Eno Friends Meeting of Hillsborough and will be Sunday, February 17th 3:30 - 4:30pm at the Orange County Library (now at 137 West Margaret Lane, next to the Eno; a free parking deck is behind the building):  www.facebook.com/events/2266215550322599/


Film Screening:  The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

The No War on Venezuela Coalition - Triangle will show this documentary about the failed 2002 coup against Hugo Chavez February 17th 5:30 - 8:30pm at the Durham Solidarity Center:  www.facebook.com/events/280420465958906/


Lecturas con Sandra Cisneros
Author Sandra Cisneros will be in the area for the NC Book Festival and the Farm Labor Organizing Committee is hosting a talk February 17th 6 - 7pm at 4354 US-117-ALT in Dudley, North Carolina 28333:  www.facebook.com/events/1181778631972511/


Stop Vote Theft:  Rally for accountability in NC-09

The State Board of Elections will meet Monday, February 18th to discuss the allegations of ballot-tampering and vote theft in NC's 9th Congressional District, and Progress NC Action and other groups will hold a press conference outside at 9am followed by a rally.  The meeting will be at the North Carolina State Bar (217 East Edenton Street, Raleigh):  www.facebook.com/events/615086565598458/


Construction of the Soviet space station Mir (Peace or World in Russian) began February 19, 1986.  Until 2010 the record for longest continuous human presence in space was the habitation of Mir and some individual cosmonauts spent at least a year on the station.  Mir was retired and deorbited into the South Pacific in late March 2001.


Addressing Climate Change in NC

In October 2018 Governor Cooper committed to several steps to reduce NC's greenhouse gas emissions.  Cassie Gavin, Director of Government Relations for the NC Sierra Club will discuss what has been done so far and how the public can push for climate change action at a meeting Wednesday, February 20th 6 - 8pm at the Chapel Hill Public Library.  This is being organized by the Orange-Chatham branch of the Sierra Club.  There will be free pizza, so RSVPs are requested, and people who bring a reuseable water bottle can enter a drawing for a door prize:  www.facebook.com/events/535112633642719/

The last known Carolina parakeet died February 21, 1918 at the Cincinnati Zoo, apparently in the same place where the last captive passenger pigeon, Martha, died September 1, 1914.  He was named Incas and died months after his mate Lady Jane.  The last known wild bird was killed in Okeechobee County, Florida in 1904, though sightings were reported in southern Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp in 1937 and in swamps near the Santee River in South Carolina in 1938, but of course the Santee was dammed the next year.  It would seem like someone could try to clone the species with DNA from preserved specimens.     

A chapter of the Deacons for Defense and Justice was founded February 21, 1965 in Bogalusa, Louisiana. 

Bob Sheldon, founder of leftist Internationalist Books in Chapel Hill, was killed the evening of February 21, 1991, and the case remains unsolved.  The police concluded that this happened during a robbery, but others think it was a political murder.   


North Carolina Conference on Latin American Studies 2019

The first NC/CLAS will be held February 22 - 23rd at UNC - Chapel Hill, with the theme Understanding Complexity in Latin America, and is free and open to the public, with online registration.  It is being organized by the Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at UNC - Chapel Hill and Duke University and the Latin American Studies Program at UNC - Charlotte.  For more information see:  jhfc.duke.edu/latinamericauncduke/nc-clas-conference-2019/

This talk at UNC's FedEx Center, "Climate Change and Migration," February 22nd 6 - 7:30pm is probably part of the Conference:  www.facebook.com/events/769734233391655/


February 23rd is a national day of action against Trump's plans to overthrow the Venezuelan government:  www.counterpunch.org/2019/02/06/the-latest-coup-attempt/ 

No War on Venezuela!  March on Ft Bragg:  Saturday, February 23rd 2 - 5pm in Fayetteville:  www.facebook.com/events/1955872737844281/

US and NATO:  Hands Off Venezuela!  will be February 23rd 2 - 3:45pm at Eastway Square (3211 Eastway Drive, Charlotte, 28205):  www.facebook.com/events/393559564525646/  People driving are asked to not block space around businesses to avoid complaints and there is apparently a lot of parking space available in the immediate area.  There will be a carpool from Durham's Lakewood Shopping Center at 11:30am:  www.facebook.com/events/1955872737844281/  The Ft Bragg protest might have been moved to join the protest in Charlotte. 

No Coup, No Arms Shipments: Solidarity with Venezuela - February 23rd 3 - 4pm at the corner of Elm and McGee streets in Greensboro.  According to the Facebook announcement the company 21 Air, based in Greensboro (202 Centreport Drive), has made more than 40 flights to and from Venezuela, and at least one flight was reportedly carrying automatic rifles, ammunition, and military radio equipment (cargo owned by another company, GPS-Air):  www.facebook.com/events/1131139157060684/ and yesweekly.com/venezuela-alleges-greensboro-company-transported-weapons/ and popularresistance.org/act-now-to-stop-war-on-venezuela/

There could be additional planned or ad hoc protests (numbers and location matter for influence, but it is legal for one or more people to hold a sign on the side of a public road without a permit, if they can't join one of the above demonstrations). 

Events in several countries are listed at:  www.nowaronvenezuela.org/23feb/ and popularresistance.org/event/global-day-of-action-to-stop-u-s-war-mobilize-solidarity-with-venezuela/


The Bull City International Film Festival will be February 23rd - 24th at the North Regional Library and is being organized by the Durham Library Foundation:  www.facebook.com/events/312282736158840/

The North Carolina Book Festival will be February 23rd in Raleigh:  ncbookfestival.wordpress.com/schedule/ and www.facebook.com/events/2137344363174189/

Racists Out of UNC:  Rally, Pledge Drive, Re-contextualization February 23rd 12 - 3pm on McCorkle Place at the former site of the Silent Sam statue:  www.facebook.com/events/2374826022745413/ 


Community Forum:  What's Next for Voter ID

Several groups are holding meetings across the state to discuss yet another voter ID law, what voters will need to present at the polls, and how to get what is required.  There will be a meeting in Durham Saturday, February 23rd 10:30 - 12pm at the Monument of Faith Church (900 Simmons Street):  www.facebook.com/events/597727447338746/  There will be a meeting in Greensboro March 14th:  www.facebook.com/events/1987985731508439/


February 25th the International Court of Justice made a non-binding determination that the UK illegally separated the Chagos Archipelago from what was then its colony of Mauritius in the western Indian Ocean:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Garcia  and  www.bbc.com/news/uk-47358602  The Chagossians were driven from their homes, such as by killing their pets, not allowing people who left for medical treatment, limiting vital imports, etc. back in.  The UK gave the islands to the US for military use, such as the base on Diego Garcia, from which the US can carry out its adventures in the Middle East and possibly torture and rendition as well; the US also dumped waste.  In 2010 the UK tried to maintain its control by declaring the ocean around the islands a marine reserve.  Supposedly the UK will return the islands someday, when they are no longer needed by the military, similar to the declaration that the nuclear powers will disarm, at some undetermined time in the future. 

National Invasive Species Awareness Week is February 25th - March 3rd this year (examples of  non-native species running rampant around here include emerald ash borer, Japanese stiltgrass, kudzu, chestnut blight, and Dutch elm disease):  www.nisaw.org/

William Z Foster, the CPUSA's General Secretary between 1945 and 1957, was born February 25, 1881.

Robert Franklin Williams, born February 26, 1925 in Monroe, North Carolina, was president of the local NAACP chapter and formed the NRA-affiliated Black Armed Guard.  He wrote Negroes with Guns (1962).  He spent some time in Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, and China.  He died October 15, 1996 in Baldwin, Michigan. 

There will be several events honoring the beginning of a sit-in at the Colonial Drug Store February 28, 1960:  www.townofchapelhill.org/Home/Components/News/News/14224/22?backlist=%2f  See also:  www.facebook.com/events/327419597899736/

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, remembered for her support for the sanctions that killed many Iraqi civilians, will be at Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy in Durham Thursday, February 28th 5:30 - 7pm:  www.facebook.com/events/2243126779303839/

A discussion with David Roussève and Mandy Carter - February 28th 6:30 - 8pm at VAE Raleigh:  www.facebook.com/events/2278269029055584/

Annual Vigil Against Violence - February 28th 7 - 8pm at Shepherds House UMC in Durham (107 North Driver Street):  www.facebook.com/events/265926944309668/

5th annual NC Climate Justice Conference

March 1 - 3rd at the Haw River State Park Conference Center in Browns Summit ( climatejusticealliance.org/north-carolina-climate-justice-collective/ ).

The Arab-American anti-Discrimination Committee's 39th Annual National Convention will be March 1 - 2 in Washington, DC (register at: support.adc.org/37th-adc-national-convention-sponsorship ) and February 21st is the deadline for the discounted room rate at the hotel. 

Community Event: Support for José Chicas - March 2nd, 9am - 4pm at 923 Onslow Street in Durham:  www.facebook.com/events/328638574444127/

The 3rd annual Korea Fest will be March 2nd 10am - 7:30pm at the NC State Fairgrounds (Kerr Scott Building):  nckoreafest.org and www.facebook.com/events/319489035483333/

Rally Against White Supremacy March 2nd 4:30 - 7:30pm in Raleigh's Nash Square:  www.facebook.com/events/246484482951862/

There will be a march/rally in support of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers' Wendy's boycott March 5th 2 - 4:15pm in Carrboro and Chapel Hill:   www.allianceforfairfood.org/ and www.facebook.com/events/598966007210008/


Nakba Tour 2019

Hear from people driven from their homeland so Israel could be created Thursday, March 7th 7 - 10pm at the Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill (101 North Elliott Road):  www.facebook.com/events/315880448931249/

From the Facebook event page:

"The 2019 North America Nakba Tour
71 Years without a Country
Stateless Palestinians from Lebanon

In some ways time stopped in 1948 for the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Many of them and their descendants are living in the same refugee camps created when the Zionist forces expelled them from Palestine in that year.

Israel expelled most of the majority Palestinian population in 1948, and has prevented them from returning to their homes ever since. Hundreds of towns and villages were leveled to the ground, a crime that Palestinians call al-Nakba (the Catastrophe). But Israel did not stop there. It repeatedly attacked Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, killing thousands more.

Suddenly stateless and without the benefits of citizenship, Palestinian refugees were extremely vulnerable and had very few rights starting in 1948. 71 years later, not much has changed for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, who continue to be denied basic civil rights as well as their most fundamental right: to return to their homeland.

These Palestinians have different experiences than other Palestinians, even as they share a common struggle and identity. They are not living under Israeli occupation. Israel does not allow them to visit their homes, much less live there. As exiles, they have a different perspective from Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza and the part of Palestine that became Israel.

In 2016 the Nakba Tour brought 21-year-old Amena Elashkar and 86-year-old Nakba survivor Mariam Fathalla to 26 venues in North America. In 2017, Amena journeyed with 85-year-old Khawla Ibrahim to another 29 venues. This year, Amena is returning with another stateless Nakba survivor to share her personal story of the most tragic event in Palestinian history.

Co-Hosted by CPWJ and AIME"

International Women's Day is Friday, March 8th.


Anti-torture events from an activist calendar:

"Sun., Feb. 24, 1:30 to 3:30 pm -- Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle; Christina Cowger speaks about the NCCIT report and new developments in the anti-torture effort. Para Drake discusses NC No Torture Project of NC Council of Churches.  Location:  Extraordinary Ventures Conference Center, 200 South Elliott Rd., Chapel Hill.  https://ncethicalsociety.org/event/nc-stop-torture-now-project/

 

Sat., Mar. 9, 9:00 am to noon --  Conference, NC’s Role in Torture: A Faith Response, at Western Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Raleigh.  Keynote:  Rev. Ron Stief, Executive Director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.  Stief is a national leader and faith strategist on ending CIA torture and solitary confinement in U.S. prisons.  The conference will feature both learning and action components.  Other speakers include Rev. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director of the NC Council of Churches, Allyson Caison, and a speaker on the findings of the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture (NCCIT).  There will be an opportunity to experience virtual solitary confinement.  Direct action includes the availability of candles bearing the names of each of the 49 who experienced torture in NC jets, postcards to sign for delivery to elected officials, and petitions calling for a governmental investigation into the activities already examined by NCCIT.  (www.www.nccit.org) A sample resolution, as well as a curriculum, will be available.  Sponsors:  The NC Council of Churches and the Board of Church and Society of the NC Conference of the United Methodist Church. Preregistration by March 6 is required to receive lunch at no charge; on-site child care by certified workers is provided at no charge. Registration:  https://www.ncchurches.org/event-single/justice-and-mercy-a-faith-response-to-torture-in-nc/  [On Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/events/242457013296386/ ]

 

Thurs., Apr. 18, approx. 8:00 am -- Gathering at the gates of Aero Contractors, Johnston County Airport.  Foot-washing as part of the Witness for Peace annual pilgrimage.  

 

Sun. Apr. 28, 2:00 to 5:00 pm:  Faith and Convocation:  A Call for Accountability for Torture is a conference at UNC-Asheville.  Speakers include Bill Ramsey (2005 participant in non-violent civil disobedience at Aero Contractors), Frank Goldsmith, Col. Larry Wilkerson, David Crane, and Christina Cowger.  Join others in community to learn the facts recorded by the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture, to advocate for the release of the full Senate Torture Report and a state investigation of the activities in NC, and to act on behalf of those who have been wrongfully tortured and abused.  

 

Rep. David Price constituents:   sign a post card to Rep. Price, asking him to act in response to the NCCIT report.  For cards, stop by the NC Council of Churches or reply to Christina Cowger, cowgerchristina /at] /gmail period com]"

 

The ACLU is organizing a panel on current voter ID rules in NC March 9th [10:30am - 12:30pm at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh, 3313 Wade Avenue, www.facebook.com/events/483435108851733/ ].

 

UNC is supposed to present a second proposal on what to do with the Silent Sam monument March 15th. 

There will be a demonstration in DC Saturday, March 16th against the Venezuela coup plot:  www.counterpunch.org/2019/02/06/the-latest-coup-attempt/

March 20th is the spring equinox.

March 22nd is Arbor Day in North Carolina (the first Friday after March 15th; www.arborday.org/states/state.cfm?state=nc ).

Creek Weeks in 2019

 

Durham County (March 16 - 23) - keepdurhambeautiful.org/creek-week/

Forsyth County (March 23 - 31) - forsythcreekweek.squarespace.com/
Guilford County (March 23 - 31) - guilfordcreekweek.org/

Alamance County (April 6 - 13) - alamancecreekweek.wordpress.com

There will probably be a week of events around Swift Creek in Wake County (last year's schedule:  soundrivers.org/swift-creek-week/ )

 

The HRA's annual Clean-Up-A-Thon will be March 16th ( www.hawriver.org ). 

The HRA will be doing water testing March 23 - 24th.    

Support Palestine in DC 2019 will be March 24th in Washington ( www.facebook.com/events/322305558560731/ ). 

Farmworker Awareness Week is March 25 - 31st:  www.saf-unite.org/content/partner-saf-farmworker-awareness-week

A Call for a Mass Mobilization to Oppose NATO, War and Racism

Gather in Washington, DC's Lafayette Square, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, at 1pm Saturday, March 30th and there will be other events Wednesday, April 4th at the start of the NATO summit in DC.  For more information or to endorse the United National Antiwar Coalition's call to action, see:  nepajac.org/april4rally.html

Jordan Lake's annual Family Fishing Fiesta (not only about fishing) will be April 7th 11am - 3pm at the White Oak access (north side of NC 64, east of the Lake):  www.ncparks.gov/jordan-lake-state-recreation-area/events-and-programs

The annual Party for the Pine will be April 13 10am - 3pm at Weymouth Woods - Sandhills Nature Preserve in Southern Pines: www.partyforthepine.org/  

The annual Pilgrimage for Peace and Justice will be April 14 - 19th, details to be released soon (Witness for Peace Southeast)

Rivercane Rendezvous 2019 will be April 15 - 21 in Westminster, South Carolina:  www.facebook.com/events/2041772256045247/ 

Pyongyang Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference April 18 - 25 (register by February 10th; this is an international conference and Americans and others are welcome to attend):  www.korea-dpr.com/dprk-blockchain-conference-2019.html

The 2019 National Cannabis Festival will be Saturday, April 20th 12 - 8pm at the RFK Stadium in Washington, DC ( www.facebook.com/events/143259523190795/ ).

Earth Day is April 22nd, also Easter Monday, and VI Lenin was born April 22, 1870. 

International Workers' Day / May Day is Wednesday, May 1st.