[Marxism] McKinney support for ILWU May 1 Action

["Mike Friedman" <mikedf@xxxxxxxx>]

Power to the Committee to Elect Cynthia McKinney for President
Post Office Box 311759 _ Atlanta, GA 31131-1759
Telephone 510-250-0729
www.RunCynthiaRun.org

April 2, 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the ILWU,

Your powerful Longshore Caucus resolution, "For Workers' Action to Stop
the War", and your decision to stop work on the West Coast docks May 1st,
inspires all of us who have taken up the struggle to end the disastrous
war and occupation of Iraq, foisted on us by the Republican
administration, and continually funded without substantial objection by
both the Democratic and Republican parties in Congress. Sadly, the
Bush-Pelosi war policy is a formula for endless global conflict,
deterioration of the rule of law among nations, and growing
impoverishment, indebtedness and evisceration of workers' rights and civil
liberties here at home.

While many unions pass resolution after resolution while doing little to
actually stop the bloodshed, for generations the ILWU has shown that we
can resist the war-mongering corporate politicians, and their profiteering
attempts to divide the labor movement and weaken our
capacity to organize and resist their destructive actions.

Once again, your union is setting a shining example for working people
everywhere-as you did in 1978, when you refused to load bombs for the
Pinochet dictatorship in Chile; in 1984, when you refused to move
South African cargo to protest the racist apartheid government; in 1996,
when you honored the picket line for striking dockworkers in Liverpool,
England; in 1999, when you shut down the Pacific Coast to protest the
World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle; in 2001, when you prepared a
Coast-wide work stoppage in defense of five gallant longshoremen in
Charleston, South Carolina, who were charged with
felonies for walking a picket line; not to mention the numerous times that
you have stopped trade on the West Coast waterfront in support of Black
political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.

I want you and your members to know that at least one 2008
Presidential candidate is proud to stand up publicly in full and
unqualified support of your resolution to celebrate International
Workers Day by protesting the war and occupation where it counts: at the
point of production. My campaign, the Power to the People
Campaign, will stand with you on May 1st, all along the West Coast, and
anyplace where working people take up your call to resist the war. We'll
be with you on the picket line.

With gratitude for the courage and principles of the women and men of the
West Coast docks, I hereby offer my total support for your action. In the
days leading up to May 1st, and beyond, I pledge to make
backing up the ILWU a central goal of my campaign. Please contact me to
discuss how we can best assist in your heroic effort.


In Solidarity,

Cynthia McKinney
Candidate for President of the United States
Power To The People Coalition

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