Lou & Mexican Women Workers

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mine:

>Everybody knows that Lou is _involved_ in political organizing in
>Central America as well as in leftist politics in the United States.

I know that Lou used to be very active in Central American solidarity
work, for instance, organizing a contingent of computer programmers &
other technicians for the Sandinista Revolution.  He probably has
been somewhat active in organizing against NATO, etc. in recent
years, I believe.  I ran into him when I went to a demo against NATO
bombings of Yugoslavia in Washington D.C.  Lou has tried to help Jim
Craven & the Blackfoot nation, as well as some Native American
activists, in helping them solve technological difficulties.

In Columbus, Ohio, remnants of old Central American solidarity
networks are still alive.  For instance, we have an active chapter of
_Pastors for Peace_.  We've got a chapter of students against
sweatshops here also.  Greg, Joe, Mark, & I are trying to invite
Michael Parenti to speak here on the poverty of so-called
globalization.  Also, we'll be hosting a forum on humanitarian
imperialism in January.  The PAN (Prisoners Advocacy Network) is
going strong, as well.  A lot is going on here, though Columbus is by
no means a hospitable place for left-wing politics.

>I don't
>think that he needs a graduate student to be instructed on what it means to be
>politically organized in maquiladoras.

I normally don't counsel folks for undertaking specific tasks, for I
do not think that I am in a position to do so.  However, in Lou's
case, it would help him probably to understand the contradictory
aspects of Maquila labor better were he deeply immersed into
solidarity work with Maquila women workers.  For instance, he would
have more chances to speak with women workers in Maquilas, Mexican &
other organizers of various political persuasions, etc. and have
productive discussions with them.  He will be free to say to Mexican
women workers, "In general I have a strong belief that the most
deeply felt need of both men and women of Mexico and Central America
is to grow up and flourish in their home villages."  Likewise,
Mexican women workers will be free to agree or disagree with Lou.  To
treat Mexican women workers as mainly passive victims will be
impossible once you get involved in solidarity work.

Yoshie