September/October 2006 – Change Congress on November 7th

In this issue...

Nineteen states are fighting to raise their minimum wage this year. Tony Pecinovsky tells us why a raise is so important and how the fight against the Republicans to win it in November is being carried out in Missouri. Highlighting the decision to keep its socialist orientation, Rémy Herrera traces economic developments in Cuba since the collapse of the Soviet Union. San Francisco poet laureate Jack Hirschman discusses taking on the Bush administration and the role of poetry in social change. Joel Wendland examines the rise of global homophobia and keys on the defeat of the Republicans as a stepping stone in turning the tide. Youth activist Juan Rodriguez looks at the contributions of immigrant workers in US society, poet Luis Tijerina discusses poetry in a time of war, and prison activist Anthony Papa looks at the failure of the “war on drugs” of harsh drug laws to provide proper care for victims of drug addiction. In addition, please find book reviews, commentary, poetry and more inside.


Departments:

04 Letters

06 Commentary
Immigrant Rights, not immigration reform
By David Howard

No human being is illegal
By Juan Rodriguez

No Walk in the Ball Park for Dwight Gooden
By Anthony Papa

The terrorism that terrorism produces
By Chris Stevenson

09 Marxist IQ

11 Nobody Asked Me, But…
By Don Sloan

12 Book Reviews
Terrorist
By Jane M. McCabe

Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero
By Eric Green

14 Poetry
The Black Dog
By Bill Witherup

We the People
By Kristel Irby

Don’t Forget Who Owns You
By Marge Piercy

41 Fiction
Boreas
By Sam Heimer

Features:

16 Poetry in a Time of War
The times call for new songs and a new movement amongst poets. By Luis Tijerina

18 Poetic Justice: an Interview with Jack Hirschman
No apologies: art cannot be separated from politics.

22 Working for Change
Missouri gears up for a historic fight to raise the minimum wage.
By Tony Pecinovsky

26 Vote NO to Save Civil Rights in Michigan
Michigan is ground zero in the struggle to save affirmative action.
By Clara West

30 World Pride
The struggle for rights for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people while having its ups and downs is gaining more attention across the world.
By Joel Wendland

34 How Cuba Survived
In the midst of severe crisis, by means of carefully calibrating their economic policies and putting people first, Cuba saved its socialist system.
By Rémy Herrera

36 What's Wrong with Globalization?
Globalization is not the problem: it’s capitalism that’s at fault.
By Erwin Marquit

38 A Book of Revelations: a Review of Charles Freeman’s The Closing of the Western Mind
Rational thought after initial gains among early humans fell victim to mystical thinking.
By Tom Riggins

44 Trabajando por el cambio
Missouri se prepara para una pelea de subir el salario mínimo que será histórica.
Por Tony Pecinovsky