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One year into the War in Ukraine, the world has been redivided into two progressively decoupling camps, threatening a New Cold War. Meanwhile each camp is being drawn more tightly together. While the war began suddenly on February 24, 2022, its preconditions were a long time in the making. Was it really unprovoked as is relentlessly claimed? While this is one of a number of globally-televised wars, how is the Ukraine War different from the others? Whose interests does it serve? Dr. Sharat G. Lin examines the root causes of conflict, how peace can be brought about, and how the ...

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Written by 55 of the richest white men, and signed by only 39 of them, the US constitution is the sacred text of American nationalism. Popular perceptions of it are mired in idolatry, myth and misinformation - many Americans have opinions on the constitution but have little idea what it says. Our speaker's new book examines the constitution for what it is – a rulebook for elites to protect capitalism from democracy. Social movements have misplaced faith in the constitution as a tool for achieving justice when it actually impedes social change through the many roadblocks and obstructions we call ...

What does Lenin say on Marx's Works and on Socialism So, what does Lenin take from Marx's vast works and summarize it succinctly? And specifically on Socialism. Some of us thought that last week's discussion on socialism did not deal aqequately with Lenin's scientific concept, so we invited Raj Sahai to lead a Group Discusion on this important topic. Raj will be joined by Gary Hicks and Eugene Ruyle to begin our open discussion. In preparation, folks are invited to read V. I. Lenin's Karl Marx -- a Brief Biographical Sketch with an Exposition of Marxism (1914), available at:  https://libcom.org/library/karl-marx-brief-biographical-sketch-1914-vladimir-lenin Resources: https://libcom.org/library/karl-marx-brief-biographical-sketch-1914-vladimir-lenin ...

This will be an open discussion focusing on these questions and have asked a few of our members to prepare brief introductory comments to start the discussion. Anyone who wants to volunteer to prepare a brief, approximately 5-8 minute presentation, please email Gene at cuyleruyle@mac.com by midnight on Friday. so we can plan accordingly ...

Why the Cuban Revolution has Endured: A Marxist Assessment of Cuba’s Historic Break with Capitalist Rule and its Lessons for Today - Jeff Mackler Sun, September 26, 2021: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm Pacific A young Fidel Castro and his July 26 Movement cadre faced critical questions immediately following their defeat of the Fulgenco Batista Army and Batista’s U.S.-backed dictatorship in 1958-59. Initially, Fidel, previously an attorney from a wealthy family, was characterized as a moderate reformer and past member of one of Cuba’s two main bourgeois parties, the Orthodox Party. Pledged to restoring Cuba’s 1941 constitution that dictator Batista ...

Progressive veterans organizations are working with unions and other allies are organizing against are the parallel threats of privatization of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the US Postal Service, two of the biggest unionized employers of former military personnel.Speakers: Suzanne Gordon and Steve Early, co-authors of “Our Veterans: Winners, Losers, Friends and Enemies on the New Terrain of Veterans Affairs" (Duke University Press, June, 2022). In their new book, "Our Veterans," Richmond-based journalists Suzanne Gordon and Steve Early report on these and other struggles which affect millions of poor and working class people who have served in the ...

In his new book, I'll Burn That Bridge When I Get to It! Heretical Thtoughts on Identity Politics, Cancel Culture, and Academic Freedom, Finkelstein focuses his keen forensic eye on the canonical texts of identity politics. After methodically parsing them, he concludes that they are lacking in intellectual substance, and that the real purpose of identity politics is to derail a class-based movement bent on radical change. Finkelstein recalls his own life in radical politics and his close encounters with the cancel culture, which left him unemployed and unemployable. He situates his personal story within broader debates on academic freedom and poignantly concludes that, ...

working class environmentalism - dave mckee, people's voice Sun, Oct 3, 2021: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm Pacific TResources: ...