To Attend or Not Attend Adolph Reed Jr.’s Talk on the Fascist Threat and What It Means for Working-Class Politics in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I debated whether to attend personally the talk by the alleged Marxist Adolph Reed Jr's talk on the fascist threat and its implications for working-class politics. I suspected that it would be posted online on YouTube--and I was right (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2LonZNB1c0&list=LL&index=12&t=2458s). I did not attend. I had heard of Reed from Sam Gindin, a so-called … Continue reading To Attend or Not Attend Adolph Reed Jr.’s Talk on the Fascist Threat and What It Means for Working-Class Politics in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Need to Develop Connections Between the Critique of Daily Life and International Affairs, Part One

Perhaps I am reading too much into the following, but I find it interesting the lack of response to my last intervention. Julius Arscott, union executive for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and member of Socialist Action, recently posted the following on Facebook: Julius Arscott tordseonpSl2fym0tf25it7:uru7fF5188M4r2hm0ueu8fabP17a48ua ·    The following motion was passed at … Continue reading The Need to Develop Connections Between the Critique of Daily Life and International Affairs, Part One

The Police Arrest a Union Leader

John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coaliton Against Poverty (OCAP), posted the following on Facebook recently without comment despite the evident reformist rhetoric of union leaders: “The Ottawa Police Service are using intimidation tactics, plain and simple. And that’s meant to demoralize and discourage striking workers.” From Press Progress. The arrest of a … Continue reading The Police Arrest a Union Leader

Socialists Need to Be Realists and Not Underestimate the Tasks Required–or Overestimate Their Own Efficacy

John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), recently posted the following on Facebook:  As the old three score and ten mark approaches rapidly, I find I get lots of people wanting me to offer appraisals and advice that are based on my experiences in the class struggle. I always warn … Continue reading Socialists Need to Be Realists and Not Underestimate the Tasks Required–or Overestimate Their Own Efficacy

Radical Efforts Are Indeed Required to Create a Society without the Class Power of Employers–But We Need to Be More Definite About How to Do So

John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), recently posted the following on Facebook: When Macron weathered massive protests and strikes to proceed with an attack on the French pension system, it was clear that mass action that would have forced a retreat by those in power was coming up against … Continue reading Radical Efforts Are Indeed Required to Create a Society without the Class Power of Employers–But We Need to Be More Definite About How to Do So

Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Twenty-Seven: Homelessness and the Working Class

This is a continuation of a series of posts on summaries of articles, mainly on education. When I was a French teacher at Ashern Central School, in Ashern, Manitoba, Canada, I started to place critiques, mainly (although not entirely) of the current school system. At first, I merely printed off the articles, but then I … Continue reading Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Twenty-Seven: Homelessness and the Working Class

The Idealization of International Law by the Social-Democratic or Social-Reformist Left: The Case of the Genocide of the Palestinians by the Israeli Government, Part Two

Julius Arscott, union executive for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and member of Socialist Action, recently posted part of a blurb for support for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling concerning Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank from The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), the second largest … Continue reading The Idealization of International Law by the Social-Democratic or Social-Reformist Left: The Case of the Genocide of the Palestinians by the Israeli Government, Part Two

Protesters block road access to Port of Vancouver to Protest Export of Arms to Israel and and Import of Arms from Israel

The following link shows a short video on a protest held at an access point to the port in Vancouver, British Columbia, yesterday (February 2, 2024), to protest the export of arms to Israel and the import of arms from Israel to Canada: Protesters blocked access to the Port of Vancouver on Friday morning, saying … Continue reading Protesters block road access to Port of Vancouver to Protest Export of Arms to Israel and and Import of Arms from Israel

Organizing within Unions to Fight Against the Genocide in Palestine

James Hutt recently published an article in Midnight Sun on unions and resistance to the genocide in Palestine (https://www.midnightsunmag.ca/moving-unions-to-fight-for-a-free-palestine/): 1. 29. 2024 Moving Unions to Fight for a Free Palestine James Hutt On December 12, Canada voted in favour of a United Nations resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. Despite … Continue reading Organizing within Unions to Fight Against the Genocide in Palestine

Exaggeration of the Extent of Conscious Opposition to International Law Does Workers, Citizens, Immigrants and Workers No Good

John Clarke, former major organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), recently posted on Facebook the following: The international rule of law is a cynical lie but having the whole world know it's a lie is a big problem for the people who spout it [my emphasis]. The issue of legitimacy of the genocide taking … Continue reading Exaggeration of the Extent of Conscious Opposition to International Law Does Workers, Citizens, Immigrants and Workers No Good