More and more people are questioning the viability of the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Pacifica’s Ann Garrison has more.
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Tens of thousands of trade unionists are demanding their unions support a ceasefire in the Gaza War. This coming Saturday, December 16, Labor For Palestine will rally at Oscar Grant Plaza, outside Oakland City Hall. A similar action is also planned for New York City. Trade unionists throughout the US are organizing on Signal and other social media.
In the Bay Area more than 250 nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers from the CNA, SEIU, CWA UPTE, NUHW have been organizing and have had many actions at hospitals and medical facilities throughout Northern California.
In the CWA NewsGuild, an organizing campaign has taken place to get the NewsGuild executive committee to support a ceasefire. A special meeting was held with over 100 members of the Guild to voice their support for this action.
This growing support within the labor movement is confronting the majority of AFL-CIO top officials who support Zionism and Israel. AFL-CIO president Liz Schuler has sent directives to all labor councils that they are not to take a position on supporting a ceasefire. In 2021 she sent an order to the San Francisco Labor Council that it was forbidden to discuss Palestine and the boycott of Israel.
There is also discussion about a national protest at the AFL-CIO in January.
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Argentina has been in the headlines since the election of President Javier Milei, a right wing, anarcho-capitalist, libertarian politician. Pacifica’s Thomas O’Rourke spoke to Argentinian politician and activist Guillermo Kane days before Milei’s inauguration.
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Japan, like the United States, is now pushing more nuclear power and recently told the world that it sees nuclear power as an important component in fighting to protect the climate. Eileen Mioko Smith of Green Action Japan spoke with Pacifica’s Steve Zeltzer in Osaka at a mass rally against nuclear power.
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According to reports, Fearless Fund founders Arian Simone and Ayana Parsons are not allowing their efforts to combat racial inequality in access to venture capital be derailed by ongoing litigation with the American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), and its conservative founder Edward Blum. They will continue to resist and fight back. Blum’s group filed a lawsuit in August alleging the fund was exercising discriminatory practices by excluding white and Asian women business owners from participating in their investment program, the Fearless Strivers Grant Contest. Blum also led the controversial charge to dismantle affirmative action to the Supreme Court, which resulted in a reversal of the 60-year-old legislation in June.
We hear from Fearless Fund founders Arian Simone, Ayana Parsons and Atty. Benjamin Crump featured on the Breakfast Club, as well as entrepreneur, author and founder of Backstage Capital. Arlan Hamilton and others.
In October, the majority of a three-judge panel from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a previous injunction allowing the Fearless Strivers Grant Contest, which awards $20,000 investments to winners, to continue operating. Their legal team filed a brief in Georgia’s 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Dec. 6, countering claims that their organization violates Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866. The fund’s mission is to bridge the gap between women of color entrepreneurs and capital funding.
And that concludes today’s edition of Capitalism, Race & Democracy. We thank all of Pacifica’s sister stations and affiliates who contribute to the production of this show. Today’s program was produced by the Capitalism, Race, & Democracy collective with contributions from Steve Zeltzer, Ann Garrison, Thomas O’Rourke, Polina Vasiliev, and this week’s host, Akua Holt.
Thanks for listening.
Music:
Grinding All My Life – Nipsey Hussle, Victory Lap
David Rovics, “The Apocalypse Will Be Televised”
