Socialist Summit takes up today’s struggles

People of all ages and nationalities, mostly from Baltimore but also Maryland’s Prince Georges County and Washington, D.C., spent the afternoon and early evening of Sept. 24 in lively discussion examining the current capitalist economic crisis, its impact and prospects for change.

Larry Holmes, the keynote speaker and a national leader of Workers World Party, noted especially the occupation of Wall Street by young people, many of whom he characterized as youth who would previously have found jobs under capitalism, but who now have no future to look forward to. Holmes discussed the importance of this development in relation to the most oppressed.

He also examined the economics behind this development from a global and socialist perspective, emphasizing the movements in Spain, Greece, Italy and other countries, especially of youth. Holmes also reviewed the banking and debt crisis and its root causes, along with the capitalist crisis of overproduction, breaking the crisis down in a way that was understandable to everyone.

Ben Carroll, a WWP and Fight Imperialism, Stand Together (FIST) organizer from North Carolina, described what was taking place with youth around the world and made a concrete call for protests at the Democratic Party National Convention scheduled for Charlotte, N.C., next summer. Joe Piette, a newly retired postal worker and union member, talked about the attacks on postal workers. Renee Washington, Baltimore All Peoples Congress and Workers World Party organizer, gave a moving account of the fight against the police killing of her fiancé in 2000 that brought her into the struggle.

Other groups made important contributions, including Ujima Peoples Progress Party, which called for support of their independent African worker-led political party, and the Rev. C. D. Witherspoon, president of the Baltimore Southern Christian Leadership Conference, who discussed the fight against racism. Spoken-word artist Ron Kipling Williams filled the hall with drumming and revolutionary poetry.

Participants remained involved in the meeting throughout the day. During the discussions, hands went up and a variety of people asked questions. One worker wanted to know how Holmes viewed Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Students from Johns Hopkins asked about Venezuela. Activists from the Black community explored the contradictions of the Obama administration, the war on Libya and its impact on the movement.

The audience gave its undivided attention to a video from Detroit on the war against Libya featuring Abayomi Azikiwe, contributing editor to Workers World newspaper.

Berta Joubert, an editor of Mundo Obrero, and Theresa Beck, a member of the Venceremos Brigade, spoke on the need for support for revolutionary Cuba and Venezuela and the need to free the Cuban Five. Betsy Oakes, a teacher and WWP member, spoke about the fight for women’s liberation and made a special appeal to recognize the sisters of Troy Davis.

Andre Powell, a leader of Baltimore WWP and also a delegate of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees to the Baltimore Metropolitan Labor Council, chaired the sessions and opened with a tribute to Troy Davis: “This was a historic meeting for Baltimore. To my recollection there has never been an actual summit on socialism here. It’s possible that something similar might have happened in the 30s or some other period, but not in my lifetime, not here. So we are ecstatic!

“Over 50 people came together, half who are brand new to a revolutionary organization. Maybe they were thinking revolutionary thoughts, but now they have a revolutionary organization.”

Steven Ceci, a student at University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a WWP organizer of the summit, said: “Our next task is to set up classes on Marxism. There are many people new to our group, including workers, students and community organizers, who are hungry to learn more. We will also be organizing to take a significantly broad group of activists to the national WWP conference.”

Ceci concluded: “This is just a beginning. This summit tells only a small part of the story. More than 4,500 broadsheets calling for the ‘abolishment of capitalism and for fighting for jobs, education, housing and health care’ and explaining what we are concretely fighting for, from full employment to amnesty for prisoners, were distributed at schools, workplaces and communities.

“Thousands of people have read our message. Capitalism may be in decay, but there is a way out: socialism.”

Both the APC and WWP called the summit. Those in the region near Baltimore interested in classes, activities or a copy of “What we are fighting for” may call 443-909-8964 or email [email protected].