Dec 8, 2001

WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warned Nov. 28 that the Bush administration has unleashed a “breathtakingly broad” assault on civil liberties in the past 10 weeks, violating a wide range of “due process” legal rights protected by the Constitution and jailing more than 1,200 people in the most massive preventive detention program since the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

LAS VEGAS – Just as these are no ordinary times, the AFL-CIO’s 24th Convention, held here Dec. 3-6, was no ordinary convention.

Cientos de Carabineros (policía nacional), armados con vehículos con cañones de agua y bombas de gas lacrimógeno atacaron la sede del Partido Comunista de Chile (PCCh) el 28 de noviembre.

Talk of war from Washington? People afraid to communicate through the mail? Writers and editors threatened? Dissenters harassed? Foreigners attacked? We are not talking 2001 here – each of these things happened in the early days of our country.

CLEVELAND – United as never before, the people here are holding rallies, marches and vigils to block LTV Steel’s plans to close its mills here along with other plants in East Chicago, Ind., Hennepin, Ill. and Warren, Ohio.

JEFFERSON, Ohio – A community rally of 300 people was held here Dec. 1 to support public workers on strike in Ashtabula County. Jefferson is the county seat and a main center of strike activity by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 14 and Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE) Local 419.

The holiday season is a time of joy, happiness and celebration for most of us. Yet many people find depression a more common feeling than joy during this season.

LAS VEGAS – Joseph Nkiso, first vice president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), attended a workshop on global justice after Sept. 11 at the AFL-CIO convention here Dec. 3.

As of Dec. 3, the People’s Weekly World web site (www.pww.org) is able to accept donations paid by credit card.

While the national drug movement and voter reform efforts move toward humane, effective strategies, John Walters, President Bush’s choice for drug czar is a giant step backwards.