el participante

U. Of A. Immigration Week Connects Arizona To Palestine Through Largest Mock Border Wall In U.S.

2011-03-27T14:54:00.004-04:00

Students at the University of Arizona constructed the largest mock border wall in U.S. history, as a part of the school's immigration week. Lucha has displayed a similar spectacle during Columbia's immigration week in semesters past (though much smaller in scale and funding while no less in heart!) in an attempt to engage the student bodies of both institutions with the ongoing struggles of the

LUCHA IMMIGRATION WEEK!!

2010-10-03T16:18:00.004-04:00

MONDAY-THE BORDER WALL, Lowe Plaza, all day Monday (postponed until later in the week for weather)-VIGIL, Sundial, 6pm, we will begin a candle-lit vigil for those who have losttheir lives and been deeply affected by immigration and crossing the border. Wewill be reading off names and invite others to share stories ofthemselves/others they know.-ROOTed Discussion on Border Policing, 9pm,

Radical Right Update

2010-03-19T11:51:00.003-04:00

The radical right is seething at the moment as they try to run against the tides of an increasingly different political landscape. The anger seething amongst many on the right stems from an increasingly different racial makeup, the state of the economy (loss of jobs, bailout of bankers and elites), and the passing of many liberal policies that have been termed as “socialist

Gay Marriage Legal in U.S. Capital

2010-03-03T23:49:00.010-05:00

Same-sex marriage was legalized in our nations capital to the displeasure of many. Washington, D.C. became the sixth place in our nation (the other being the states of Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire) to legalize same-sex unions. Although the law was signed by D.C. mayor Adrian M. Fenty in December, it had to undergo congressional review, which ended Tuesday. With

National Day of Action to Defend Education

2010-03-03T10:34:00.005-05:00

On October 24th students, teachers, workers and community members in the California Statewide Mobilizing Conference called for a National Day of Action to Defend Education on March 4, 2010 to respond to the tuition hikes, budget cuts, school closings and other attacks on education. More information available here.IN NEW YORK:JOIN the National Day of Action to Defend EducationRally on Thursday,

Right to Rebel

2010-02-17T21:59:00.011-05:00

"I'm scared America. I'm scared for you and your children and for the sanctity of the American life we have all enjoyed until now." This is something that Glenn Beck says on an almost nightly basis. The eminent destruction of the United States has been coming for the last two years and the fear mongering seems to grow worse everyday. Beck, however, has become an

Event: The Myth of a Post-Racial Society

2010-02-16T13:09:00.002-05:00

Check out this event this Saturday, Feb 20th, 7pm: The Myth of a Post-Racial Society.Post-Obama, has America become colorblind-and is that even a worthy or achievable goal in this country? How does the supposed "post-racial" society measure up to the reality of poor and working people's lives, 60 years after the Black civil rights movement? Join a freewheeling discussion and celebrate the ongoing

Blackwater Ordered Out of Iraq

2010-02-11T02:14:00.004-05:00

The Iraqi government has ordered hundreds of private security personnel linked to Blackwater Worldwide to leave the country. This decision came after a U.S. judge dismissed the case against five Blackwater employees for killing 17 Iraqis in September 2007; many of those killed were women and children. This decision to dismiss a criminal case of this magnitude does nothing but further tarnish

Food Stamps Find New Acceptance

2010-02-11T01:56:00.002-05:00

In recent years the government has been trying to enroll more and more people in the Food Stamps program. Up through the late 1990's the Food Stamp program faced many cuts, as it was seen as part of the welfare system. The notion that Food Stamps would make the poor dependent was propagated amongst conservative circles and many people, who actually needed the aid, were turned away. After 1999,

Sarah Palin Cheating?

2010-02-08T21:01:00.004-05:00

When then Presidential hopeful John McCain announced his decision to choose Sarah Palin as his vice-president, predictions of her political importance ran high. Would she represent the success or the failure of the Republican Party? Today, the question still remains unanswered. Even after a series of political (and personal) blunders, an embarrassingly rambling Katie Couric interview, a lost

Stephen Fry talks about imprisonment in the United States

2010-02-07T23:34:00.004-05:00

This is a short clip outlining some of the major shortcoming of the prison system of the United States. The United States has just over four percent of the world's population, and yet we house more than twenty-five percent of the world's prison population. We are consistently touting the merits of democracy, and yet we manage to imprison more people than the "socialist" Chinese. The prison

Haiti and New Orleans

2010-02-05T13:02:00.003-05:00

When I think of political commentary, Lil Wayne isn't the first to pop into my mind. However, I stumbled upon this, and while short, it's very true. The parallels between the situation in Haiti and New Orleans abound -- which leads one to wonder what will happen to Haiti in the long term. Once the media is "over it" and Haiti will need true support to rebuild infrastructure, will help be

Super Bowl Anti-Choice Ad

2010-02-04T12:03:00.003-05:00

Recently there has been a lot about the Superbowl accepting an anti-choice ad. The Superbowl has generally not taken any issue advocacy ads and also turned down a gay men's dating site advertisement. Check out this article @ The Nation Also, check out this video! <3 Raging grannies!

New Steering Committee

2010-02-03T16:58:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to the new steering committee for 2010! Chair – Malena Arnaud Vice Chair – Zoe Willmott Treasurer – Nora Searle Secretary – Anna Folkens Publicity Chair – Amanda Torres El Participante Editor – Paco Martin del Campo Blogmaster -- Melquiades Fernandez Blogmistress – Tanea Lunsford Campus Liaison – Cara Buchanan Campus Liaison --- Lis Castro Alumni Relations

Prisoners of the Census

2010-02-02T08:22:00.002-05:00

People advocating for the Census often cite its importance in the allocation of resources. At stake is how more than $400 billion will be spent. As it stands, inmates are not counted as part of the communities they come from, even if they are serving relatively short prison terms. In attesting to the failures of the prison system, the census is acknowledging that many of these inmates will

Teen Violist Beat by Police Over Mountain Dew Bottle

2010-01-29T13:13:00.002-05:00

In an apparent case of racial profiling an 18-year-old violist was savagely beaten by Pittsburgh police after they suspected him of carrying a gun. The plainclothes officers believed the teen to be carrying "something heavy in his jacket," the "something heavy" being a bottle of Mountain Dew. If these officers wanted to inquire about the teens alleged suspicious activity, they could have done

Top Priorities for American in 2010

2010-01-27T00:01:00.003-05:00

It seems that the economy, jobs, and terrorism are the main issues that will worry the average American in 2010. The fact that the economy and jobs are at the top of the list should come as no surprise, since we are in the midst of a recession that has given way to double-digit unemployment rates. And with a constant dose of fear from various media outlets, unfortunately, terrorism is also

UC Santa Cruz

2009-09-26T11:19:00.003-04:00

This past Thursday students, faculty, and staff at UC Santa Cruz decided that enough was enough. They gathered to protest the budget cuts that have been plaguing the UC system,and what once was considered an affordable education, has become anything but as tuition fees rose to over $10,000 this year. When the banks were facing a crisis-a whole they themselves dug-the government was kind enough

9.12 DC TEA PARTY

2009-09-20T18:54:00.006-04:00

Tea Party ProtestI love seeing well informed protesters marching on Washington, D.C. And in case you've been hiding under a rock, apparently the United States is on its way to becoming a third world communist-socialist-fascist wasteland. But seriously folks, lets please get informed first.These people were being led by a man who is directly benefiting from the tax-supported health care he so

Volume 2, Issue 1

2009-09-12T18:56:00.004-04:00

The new back-to-school issue of el participante has just been released, with new editors Daniela Garcia and Melquiades Fernandez! Click on "link to PDF" under Volume 2, Issue 1 on the right hand side, and be sure to browse our other issues too.

Academic freedom? Not if you mention divesting from Israel.

2009-08-25T18:11:00.008-04:00

The response to any criticism of Israel continues to border on hysteria. As featured in The Nation, Neve Gordon, an Israeli professor at Ben-Gurion University, released an Op-Ed in favor of international divestment and soon received "death threats" and demands for his "exile." University President Rivka Carmi told Gordon to "consider another professional and personal home," stating the Op-Ed was

Why We Need Singlepayer!

2009-07-27T14:39:00.002-04:00

Check out this article on Single-payer. The reality is private health insurance is inefficient. The article covers the various defects of this defunct system and why single-payer is the way to go!

"Whites Only" in 2009!?

2009-07-12T16:18:00.002-04:00

Supposedly segregation is a thing of the past, but unfortunately it is alive and well. In a town outside of Philadelphia, 65 children attending summer camp tried to go swimming at a club. The camp had a contract with this club for the use of their facility, but when the club realized that the majority of these 65 children are Black, they terminated the contract. The club's leader cited change

Judith Warner and Male Gender -Policing "Fags"

2009-04-23T16:11:00.004-04:00

Judith Warner has an excellent post on the New York Times that should be read in full. An excerpt: It’s weird, isn’t it, that in an age in which the definition of acceptable girlhood has expanded, so that desirable femininity now encompasses school success and athleticism, the bounds of boyhood have remained so tightly constrained? And so staunchly defended: Boys avail themselves most frequently

Winning CCSC Party Uses Offensive Poster

2009-04-23T14:00:00.001-04:00

Take from the BLAAAG:If you haven't seen it already, there is a flyer circulating Columbia's campus, created and distributed by the Clear Party in lieu of CCSC elections. Read further for an image and some of the e-mails that have been circulating in response to this flyer:Hey lovely people,Some of you might have found out about this already, but there's a flyer for the student council campaign

UNC Students Protest Anti-Immigrant Racism

2009-04-21T11:46:00.003-04:00

Students at the University of North Carolina have received attention for their protest against Tom Tancredo, anti-immigrant activist, former congressmen, and brief contender for the Republican presidential nomination. Lucha, as a student organization to dedicated to defending undocumented workers, and promoting the interests of all working people, stands behind the brave actions of the UNC

Demonstration Against NYPD Police Tactics at New School

2009-04-14T20:33:00.001-04:00

Student Action Defense CommitteeWednesday, April 15, 200911:40am - 5:00pmLang Courtyard, 66 w.12th st“We take police brutality sitting down”Shocked, terrified, or just plain pissed off about the administration’s use of the NYPD during a student protest? Horrified at the wanton acts of police brutality perpetrated on our campus? So speak up! We’re having a sit-in in the Lang courtyard on Wednesday

MoveOn Health Care Petition

2009-04-14T17:52:00.003-04:00

If Congress passes Obama's plan and Americans are given the choice of a public health insurance option similar to Medicare, we could all save up to 30% on our health care premiums.1 That's a huge savings, and we'd still get high-quality coverage and be able to choose our doctors. And even if you choose to keep your current insurance, you'd save anyway. You see, HMOs and big insurance companies

2009-04-14T09:33:00.012-04:00

Plan to Change Student Lending Sets Up a FightAs large private lenders are being kept afloat by taxpayer money, many see Mr. Obama's proposed expansion to the direct loan program long overdue. Political opposition, however, may be hard to overcome.(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/us/politics/13student.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&hp)

Negrita Closes

2009-04-09T11:32:00.009-04:00

Spec and Bwog have been covering this for some time now, and I've only started going this semester. Lets try for a different takeTwo years ago, Joanna Eng at Racialicious wrote "There is something extremely disheartening about walking into a bar called “La Negrita” to find it full of white people, and white people only. I already cringe when someone brings me to a bar in New York City where I’m

Economic Crisis, Anti-Immigrant Violence

2009-04-03T14:43:00.003-04:00

As Professor Eric Foner noted at a panel on "Capitalism, Crisis and Politics" last week, during times of economic crisis or transformation, racist ideologies can crystalize and come to the fore, citing the 1890s as a period for the solidifcation of white supremacist ideology in the United States. The news of today makes the same argument quite strikingly. First, unemployment has reached it

Rally Next Tuesday!

2009-03-27T11:22:00.001-04:00

NOT ON OUR BACKS! PROTEST PATERSON'S BUDGET CUTS AND TIMID TAX PLAN! Tuesday March 31 5:30 In Front of the governor NYC office 633 3rd Avenue (at 40th Street)Every solution coming out of Albany balances the new budget on thebacks of working and poor people in New York. Yet simply raisingtaxes on the richest New Yorkers could close the projected budget gapcompletely. All the plans currently

Support the DREAM Act!

2009-03-24T23:50:00.002-04:00

It's anticipated that the DREAM Act will be introduced to Congress in the next few days. Support it in whatever way you can!Sign an online petition!Email or fax your Representative!THURSDAY. 3/26 @ 4pm. * ACTION at Senator Schumer's Office * 4pm at 757 Third Avenue (Btwn 47th & 48th Street)

Dream Act 2009

2009-03-20T12:44:00.002-04:00

Take a minute to check out this online petition for the Dream Act. The Dream Act would provide a path towards citizenship for undocumented students who were brought to this country as children. Please support and sign!

Lucha Elections

2009-03-15T20:29:00.002-04:00

The new steering committee has been elected. The positions are as follows:Chair: Johanna OcañaVice Chair: Jessica MedinaSecretary: Anna FolkensTreasurer: Fayette ColonPublic Relations Coordinator: Iliana FelizPublicity Chair: Zoe WillmottGroup Liason: Nora SearleEl Participante Print Editor: Daniela GarciaEl Participante Blog Editor: Melquiades FernandezAlum Liason: Yadira Alvarez

Hunter Walkout and CUNY-Wide Rally

2009-03-03T02:59:00.001-05:00

New York State is cutting +$50M to the City University of New York.Whose education are they cutting?45.5% of CUNY students work more than 20 hours/week53.5% of CUNY students have a household income of less than $30,00037.3% of CUNY students were not born in the US72.8% of CUNY students self-identify as students of color(http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/UnderinvestmentPublicHigherEd.html)NO BUDGET CUTS

NYU Students Occupy Building

2009-02-19T02:08:00.008-05:00

Students at New York University have taken over a building. Show your support!DemandsWe, the students of NYU, declare an occupation of this space. This occupation is the culmination of a two-year campaign by the Take Back NYU! coalition, and of campaigns from years past, in whose footsteps we follow.In order to create a more accountable, democratic and socially responsible university, we demand

Boycott NY Post until Sean Delonas is Fired

2009-02-18T16:52:00.003-05:00

The Huffington Post recently drew attention to this shocking cartoon published in the NY Post today. The cartoon, although reputedly playing off a chimp rampage in Connecticut, the deeper meaning is clear. Obama, as a black man, is the chimp who wrote the stimulus bill, and in the cartoon, has apparently been mistakenly shot by two police officers. What point could be conveyed, other than drawing

Faculty Charged Bollinger with Inconsistency on Israel and Palestine

2009-02-16T11:53:00.002-05:00

The Columbia faculty have taken a decisive step in criticizing Bollinger, who led the outcry against a British boycott of Israeli universities, but how has remained starkly silent on how the massacre in Gaza violated every value of academic freedom.Columbia students and alumni should sign the petition here. The Letter to Bollinger:Letter on Academic Freedom in Palestine

Chavez Wins Referendum to End Term Limits

2009-02-16T11:48:00.003-05:00

In a vote closely watched around Latin America and in the United States, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has won a decisive victory in a referendum repealing term limits that would have ended Chavez's presidency in 2013, as the New York Times reports here. The Party for Socialism and Liberation, ardent supporters of Chavez, will be discussing it at their open New York City meeting this Friday.This

Day Laborers Robbed, Beaten and Shot with Impunity in New Orleans

2009-02-16T11:41:00.004-05:00

The Times has an excellent story detailing the problems facing day laborers in New Orleans. Much like the case of Marcelo Lucero, posted earlier, who was murdered on Long Island, the day laborers who are doing much of the work of rebuilding New Orleans face the constant threat of robbery from armed gangs of men, mostly black, exacerbating tensions between Latinos and African Americans in the

Norman Finkelstein speaking at the University of Alberta on January 22, 2009

2009-02-16T11:37:00.003-05:00

Norman Finkelstein recently spoke about the massacre in Gaza. Youtube video of the event and the Q&A following is available here.

Call your Senator!

2009-02-03T14:55:00.002-05:00

Here' some troubling news from some of the U.S. Senate offices in Washington D.C. Apparently there are a number of Senators who are thinking about voting against the economic stimulus legislation if there are higher education funding increases, such as the Pell Grant & Federal Work-Study programs in it. Call your Senator today at 202-224-3121 and tell them that investments like the Pell

NYTimes Editorial On Immigration

2009-02-01T17:24:00.002-05:00

The New York Times publishes an excellent editorial, pointing out that anti-immigrant politics may be one of the primary new directions adopted by the Republican Party. It is posted in full below: EDITORIALThe Nativists Are RestlessPublished: January 31, 2009The relentlessly harsh Republican campaign against immigrants has always hidden a streak of racialist extremism. Now after several

Activists Arrested Protesting AIPAC

2009-01-30T12:20:00.001-05:00

CONTACT:Colin Dillon973 214 0916colinjdillon@ gmail.comBlockade Protest of AIPAC Fundraiser at Times Square Marriott HotelAt 6:30 PM on Thursday, January 29, ten young activists peacefully blocked the two main entrances to the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square to protest the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Fundraising Gala. The action, which lasted just under two

ISO Kick Off-Meeting - Marx was Right

2009-01-28T20:14:00.003-05:00

The International Socialist Organization at Columbia is showing new signs of life. For those interested, Brian Jones, featured at this introductory meeting, is one of the New York's most compelling socialist activists. Time and PlaceDate:Thursday, February 5, 2009Time:7:00pm - 9:00pmLocation:La Pregunta Arts Cafe (1 train to 137th m11, m100, or m101 bus to 136th)Street:1528 Amsterdam Avenue

Columbia University Community Stands with Gaza

2009-01-25T23:53:00.001-05:00

While the international community has been remarkably vocal in condemning the most recent large scale attacks on Gaza's civilian population, the scale of Palestinian death, injury and displacement is largely absent in accounts of the war by US government spokespersons (both the Bush and now the Obama administrations), mainstream media, and even within our own Columbia community.We are planning a

Israel PM Will Protect Military from War Crimes Tribunals

2009-01-25T11:51:00.003-05:00

With mounting complaints from human rights organizations of indiscriminate firing and the use of white phosphorous shells in civilian areas by the the Israeli military, the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered assurance that Israeli military personnel would be protected from any prosecution for war crimes by an international tribunal. The assertion was shocking in that it seemed to both

Israeli "Democracy"

2009-01-12T14:12:00.002-05:00

Israel has long defended its aggressive policies by claiming to be the only democracy in a region dominated by dictatorships and defunct democracies. The overwhelmingly disproportionate share of foriegn aid that Israel receives from the United States is also defended on the grounds of "democracy." To those who love to wax poetic about Israeli democracy, the fundamentally exclusionary and racist

Police Execute Man at Train Station in Oakland

2009-01-09T00:45:00.003-05:00

It seems impossible to explain why an officer for the Bay Area Rapid Transit Police shot and killed Oscar Grant execution style in the early morning of New Years Day. The Oakland community has begun to react with outrage, and clashes with police have escalated.

Police Ignored Pattern of Violence Against Latinos in Long Island

2009-01-09T00:35:00.002-05:00

The attack by a group of teenage boys that led tothe death of Marcelo Lucero, an immigrant from Ecuador, was not simply an isolated incident, but part of a long pattern of violence against Latinos by the young men in the neighborhood. The Times provides an important look into why many believe that the Police failed to notice a clear pattern of racially motivated violence.From the Times article:

Reports of Massive Civilian Casualties in Gaza

2009-01-08T13:51:00.002-05:00

The Telegraph provides a chilling report from a paramedic who witnessed the aftermath of an Israeli attack that left some 70 civilians dead, all from a single family in Gaza. So many seem to believe that this war is complicated, that the issues are intractable. Hamas is a complicated organization, and its tactics and attacks on civilians are certainly deplorable, but the root of this problem is

The Other Side of the Story

2009-01-06T18:30:00.005-05:00

Here's an interesting juxtaposition of images telling the story of Gaza and Israel. Check it out.

2009-01-04T22:06:00.001-05:00

LET GAZA LIVENational March on WashingtonSaturday, January 10Assemble at the White House (north side) at 1:00 PMNew Sponsors ~ Endorse ~ Organize TransportationA man carries his wounded childinto a hospital in Gaza City.A doctor in Gaza's main hospital reported that children make up 30 percent of the casualties, among the dead and wounded, in the second day of the ground invasion. The

"Get him! Get that nigger!"

2009-01-04T00:00:00.003-05:00

In the December 17, 2008 issue of The Nation there appeared an article detailing how whites moved with impunity in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Check it out...

Bombing of Islamic University in Gaza

2009-01-01T13:55:00.002-05:00

Neve Gord and Jeff Halper have written an excellent article focusing on the lack of response among the academic community to the recent bombing of the Islamic University in Gaza. While many American University Presidents, led by Lee Bollinger of Columbia University, were active in denouncing the British boycott of Israeli universities, none have had any thing to say about the Israeli Air forces

2008 Year in Review

2008-12-31T17:49:00.004-05:00

What a year: 2008 will certainly be remembered as a significant moment in American history, but the exact meaning and significance of this last year's events is far from clear. On January 2, the price of a barrell of petroleum hit $100. Oil remained a key political issue. Republicans notoriously chanted "Drill, Baby, Drill" along with "USA" at rallies, and the high price of gas created more

Reminder: TODAY, December 30: National Day of Action Protest in New York City at the Israeli Consulate

2008-12-30T08:25:00.001-05:00

The ANSWER Coalition, Muslim American Society Freedom, Free Palestine Alliance, National Council of Arab Americans, and Al-Awda, International Palestine Right to Return Coalition are calling for Tuesday, December 30 to be a National Day of Action to show solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza and to demand an immediate end to the attacks carried out by the Israeli military against the

Paul Shanklin Parodies: "Star Spanglish Banner"

2008-12-29T00:33:00.004-05:00

Top political operative Chip Saltsman's recent distribution of a collection of songs by Paul Shanklin brought some unwanted attention to the GOP for its inclusion of a track titled "Barack the Magic Negro." Here's another gem from Shanklin, just proving once again how racist the Republican party remains.

Day Two of Massacre in Gaza

2008-12-28T11:48:00.002-05:00

The death toll is quickly approach 300, and again the stark imabalance of casualties that became so appalling during Israel's attack on Lebanon is reappearing. All of this for a Hamas rocket attack that killed on Israeli. The Palestinian people are being collectively punished, and Israel is getting away with it again.

ANSWER Coalition Call for Action

2008-12-27T17:52:00.001-05:00

Stop the Massacre of Palestinians!Tuesday, December 30: National Day of ActionEmergency Demonstrations on Tuesday, December 30 and other days (listed below)The ANSWER Coalition, Muslim American Society Freedom, Free Palestine Alliance, National Council of Arab Americans, and Al-Awda, International Palestine Right to Return Coalition are calling for Tuesday, December 30 to be a National Day of

Israel Massacres Palestinians in Gaza

2008-12-27T13:15:00.004-05:00

More than 200 Palestinians are dead after brutal Israeli air strikes, supposedly targeting Hamas militants. Many had expected an escalation after the end of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but few were prepared for the chaos that the Israeli Air Force brought to Gaza. The BBC provides an interesting collection of world reaction to the Israeli offensive. GORDON JOHNDROE, WHITE HOUSE

Top Republican Defends "Barack the Magic Negro" Song

2008-12-26T18:54:00.003-05:00

It appears that some Republicans are hoping to ride a racist backlash after the election of Obama. A top candidate for the Republican National Committee has come under fire for sending out a "Christmas CD" featuring a song titled "Barack the Magic Negro," first made famous by Rush Limbaugh during the election cycle. This is the songThis is Rush defending his use of the song:

Support the International Immigrant Awareness Day Vigil

2008-12-17T01:28:00.005-05:00

Thursday, December 18, 4:30-6:30 Location: Kossuth Place & Bushwick Avenue(the corner where Jose Sucuzhanay was attacked)On Dec. 7, Ecuadorean immigrant Jose O. Sucuzhanay was brutally beaten with a bottle and baseball bat in Brooklyn by men shouting slurs. He died five days later in the hospital. The attack comes just weeks after another Ecuadorean immigrant, Marcelo Lucero, was brutally beaten

Bush Greeted with Hurled Shoe in Final Iraq Press Conference

2008-12-14T15:52:00.001-05:00

UFCW Unionize North Carolina Plant

2008-12-13T23:40:00.002-05:00

The media has enjoyed bashing the UAW for the problems with the auto-industry in Detroit, and little has been said about the recent victory of the United Food and Commerical Workers at Smithfield pork packing plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina. With 5,000 workers, the plant in the largest meat-packing plant in the world, and the victory for the UFCW marks one of labor's major victories. Although

Comprehending the Financial Crisis

2008-12-13T23:05:00.004-05:00

Two articles from the last year of the New Left Review provide the clearest explanation of the long-term causes of the financial crisis. In current American political discourse, both the right and the left have failed to make a clear public analysis of what is admittedly a very complex situation. While the right's claim that it was over-eager borrowers who took loans beyond the limits of their

Inept Imperialists: Official History of Reconstruction in Iraq

2008-12-13T22:58:00.003-05:00

Though not yet released, the federal government's own history of reconstruction in Iraq over the last five years reveals the gross mismanagement, fraud and lies. The report also reveals how insiders and lobbyist manipulated funding for the war to meet political demands for Bush's re-election in 2004. While all of these revelations should surprise no one who has been paying attention, the level

ELECTION SPECIAL: Volume 1, Issue 5

2008-10-29T11:44:00.002-04:00

Before the election on November 4th, the editors of el participante thought it would be a good idea to examine the state of action and thinking on campus relating to presidential politics. We are very happy to present you these different voices from campus politics on the upcoming election. Jake Grumbach, "Democracy After the Election"Sarah Leonard, "Obama vs. Reagonomics" Johanna Ocana, "The

Volume 1, Issue 4

2008-09-28T23:28:00.004-04:00

The September Issue of el participante is now being distributed. This issue features several issues relating to the emerging controversy over the presence of the ROTC on Columbia's campus, as well as articles dealing with activism and politics in general. The alternative Core Curriculum for radicals goes back to the origins of American radicalism in the writings of Thomas Skidmore, a critic of

War in Georgia - War in Iraq

2008-09-04T12:22:00.003-04:00

Salon has an excellent article by Juan Cole emphasizing how George W. Bush and the American invasion and occupation of Iraq set the stage for Putin to have a free hand intervening in Georgia. Indeed, the precedent of the United Nations sanctioning the American occupation as an established fact indicated to the world that those with power could use it, even in ways that violated international

Immigrant Detainee Dies while in US Custody

2008-09-04T12:13:00.003-04:00

A man from Hong Kong, Hiu Lui Ng, died while imprisoned for overstaying his visa. The American state and police do not just brutalize Latinos and Blacks along the borders and in our cities, all who are poor, weak, and defensless are subject to be swept up. Hiu Lui Ng should be remember with other casualties like Sean Bell and Amadou Diallo.

John McCain calls Vietnamese 'Gooks' - Racism in the Campaign

2008-09-04T12:05:00.004-04:00

And why has Obama's supposed "arrogance" become such a feature of Republican attacks? As Terry M. Neal writes, "when Camp McCain says he's arrogant, they're playing to those who think he's another black man who doesn't know his place" In other words, arrogant is the the new uppity.

Open Letter to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund

2008-09-04T12:02:00.002-04:00

Association of Raza EducatorsSummer 2008Dear Hispanic Scholarship Fund,The Association of Raza Educators (A.R.E.) applauds your efforts at providing scholarships to Hispanic students across the country. We recognize the pre-eminent role the Hispanic Scholarship Fund plays as one of the major funding sources available to students seeking higher education in the Hispanic community. As educators, we

White Students Beat Undocumented Worker to Death

2008-07-31T13:34:00.002-04:00

In Shenandoah Pennsylvania, Luis Ramirez was beaten to death by a group of white high school students who had been out drinking, discovered him on the street, attacked him. The full story is available from CNN here, and is posted below. Although this kind of racist violence occurs everyday in much subtler forms, this incident brings out the violent racism of whites in economically depressed

National Park Service and Immigration

2008-07-31T12:44:00.005-04:00

Who knew that when travelling in Coranado National Park you would be enlisted in the fight to militarize the border. A tipster informs el participante that while making his travel plans, he came across this advice on the National Park Service website:People in distress may ask for food, water or other assistance. It is recommended that you do not make contact. Report the location of the

Left Media

2008-07-31T12:24:00.004-04:00

Here is the latest from the New Left Review and the Monthly Review:In NLR, Columbia professor Charles Armstrong provides an interesting analysis of Korean politics under the "center-left" in an article called "Contesting the Peninsula"Also noteworthy, given the recent court ruling on the constitutionality of the (Justice and Development Party) AKP in Turkey, this issue of the NLR features two

New Semester

2008-07-31T12:18:00.002-04:00

el participante online faded off last semester, unfortunately. We are back for a new semester and committed to making this publication and website a critical center for dialog and debate on the left at Columbia. As always, if you would like to contribute, either online or to the print edition, contact editors.el.participante@gmail.com

Times Editorial on Immigration

2008-04-16T23:15:00.003-04:00

iPeople are starting to notice how federal policies and local anti-immigrant scape-goating are creating a functional synthesis. The New York Times provided this surprisingly incisive analysis of the rise of Sheriff vigilantes in Maricopa County, Arizona:Not content to botch immigration policy all by itself, Congress has handed large parts of the job to others to mishandle. It gave the homeland

NYRB: Military Recruitment

2008-04-16T23:10:00.004-04:00

An interesting article from the New York Review of Books about the strategies military recruiters are using, targeting the growing group of minority students who wish to pursue a college education and selling the military as a means of getting this education. As a Defense Department report put it:The most dramatic social force affecting military enlistment is the interest in college attendance.

el participante, volume 1 issue 3

2008-03-08T17:37:00.007-05:00

document.write(''); Read this doc on Scribd: elparticipante-1-3 var scribd_doc = new scribd.Document(2240108, 'key-q1q52r8erz9f6231m4p'); scribd_doc.addParam('height', 525); scribd_doc.addParam('width', 400); scribd_doc.addParam('page', 1); scribd_doc.addParam('mode', 'list'); scribd_doc.write('embedded_flash_2240108_11ss5k');IN THIS ISSUE:

el participante, volume 1 issue 3

2008-03-08T17:31:00.006-05:00

Post-Apartheid South African Politics by Neha Nimmagudda Many charismatic leaders emerged out of the fifty-year struggle to end apartheid in South Africa. African National Congress (ANC) icon Nelson Mandela is perhaps the best known, but student leader Steven Bantu Biko, Walter Sisulu of the ANC, Pan-African Congress party leader Robert Sobukwe, and South African Communist Party

el participante, volume 1 issue 3

2008-03-08T17:30:00.002-05:00

Yanqui, Go Home by Thai Jones I arrived in Cuba with a guilty conscience. When I landed at the Havana airport, I was the only passenger detained by security. This was fine, I knew I had it coming to me. Two hostile guards rifled my bags, watching me with the suspicious glares that I deserved – I was a representative, after all, of the great Imperialist peril to the North. These sentries could

el participante, volume 1 issue 3

2008-03-08T17:28:00.004-05:00

The Wire by Paco Martin Del Campo “It all matters,” Sergeant Ellis Carver says in season 5 of The Wire. “I know we thought it didn’t, but it does.” Sergeant Ellis Carver’s observation about institutional neglect speaks to the success that the series has enjoyed. The Wire isn’t getting the attention at the Emmy’s or in the Nielson ratings, but critics are hailing it as the best show in

el participante, volume 1 issue 3

2008-03-08T17:24:00.004-05:00

Participantes, not Spectators As participantes, we are the ones who are willing to work and struggle for change. In order to achieve equality, one has to leave the comfort of a protected classroom or the complacency of “objective” journalism and move into the reality of the outside world. In a world divided, in which conflict between the powerful the oppressed, the owners and the workers, to be

el participante, volume 1 issue 3

2008-03-08T17:18:00.002-05:00

Women and Private Property by Daniela García Last February, Lucha held an educational on sexism with guest speaker Monica Somocurcio. The discussion-based event addressed attendees’ opinions on gender inequality and women’s oppression and emphasized the historical basis for the sexism rampant in society today. The educational sought to dispel oversimplified understandings of the subjugation

el participante, volume 1 issue 3

2008-03-08T17:16:00.002-05:00

Report Back: "Race and the Democratic Party" On March 4, Lucha joined cultural groups like SOL, Chicano Caucus and AAA in a discussion with the College Democrats entitled “Race and the Democratic Party.” The questions posed by the moderator, Lucha member Malena Arnaud, focused on policies and procedures that disenfranchise groups, and on whether or not the Democratic Party is politically viable

el participante, volume 1 issue 3

2008-03-08T17:14:00.002-05:00

CCAW Reorganized as a CoalitionBY DAVID JUDDThe Columbia Coalition Against the War, which ended the Fall 2007 semester in bad shape, has been re-launched and re-energized.When it was first created, a year ago, CCAW operated as a coalition of campus groups, which came together to organize buses to a January 27 antiwar protest in DC and then to organize a February 15 student strike. Over the next

Tuesday, March 11: Middle East Event

2008-03-07T12:03:00.000-05:00

5 Years of Occupation: U.S. Policy in the Middle EastRashid Khalidi & Anthony Arnove7:30pm, Tuesday March 11 301 Fayerweather Hall, Columbia University As we approach the 5th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, conflicts grow across the Middle East. Despite the "troop surge", sectarian violence and anti-occupation resistance in Iraq show no signs of ending. Israel steps up its siege of

New Labor Forum Event:

2008-03-05T20:22:00.002-05:00

Is This A Watershed Moment in U.S. Politics?Brought to you by the New Labor Forum.* Katrina vanden Heuvel Editor and Publisher, The Nation * Bill Fletcher, Jr. Author, Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path toward Social Justice * Mae Ngai Author, Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America * Juan Gonzalez Columnist, The New York

New SDS Blog:

2008-03-05T20:17:00.002-05:00

Check out the snazzy new blog that SDS has put together. Very impressive, with very good book reviews and discussions of activism, theory, history. Good work all around.

Vote on Crimes of the Labor Department Against Workers

2008-03-05T20:12:00.002-05:00

American Rights At Work has a new campaign targeting the secretary of labor:What's her worst deed? There are so many choices – we're undecided. Can you help us choose? Take our poll right now to pick your top three misdeeds! So which do you think is worse? Pushing to cut 8 million workers' overtime pay.Actively campaigning against bipartisan legislation that restores the rights of workers to

International Women's Day March Against the War

2008-03-05T20:09:00.000-05:00

Saturday, March 8, 6pm-8pmWashington Square ParkWest 4th St., one block east of 6th Ave.Called by Gabnet and the Mariposa AllianceOpen Declaration for March 8th Against the War (from Gabnet and the Mariposal Alliance):International Women's Day arose from the upsurge of women's activism on both national and international politics. 1913 was a watershed for the women's movement. On March 8th,

"Even Handed"? Pattern of Zionist Bias at Spectator

2008-03-03T00:09:00.005-05:00

A recent article brought in Spectator covering a Zionist event sponsored by the College Republicans, LionPac, Hasbara Fellowship, Israel Alliance, Pro-Israel Progressives featured a correspondent for the Jerusalem Post and Palestinian Affairs producer for NBC.Who ever wrote the headline for this article needs to be fired for atrocious journalism.The headline:Journalist Takes Even Handed to the

Israel Continues to Terrorize Gaza

2008-03-01T13:28:00.004-05:00

It seems like a sickening encore to the systematic terrorism Israel unleashed on the people of Lebanon in the summer of 2006. From today's New York Times:More than 70 Palestinians have died since fighting surged on Wednesday; one Israeli died in Sderot from a rocket, and six Israelis were wounded on Saturday from rocket strikes in Ashkelon.The fighting brought harsh criticism from the

CAN Wins Iraq Student Project Demand

2008-02-27T19:39:00.003-05:00

Check out this article in the Wisconsin Badger Herald. Students at UW-Madison have succeeded in allowing students to make a $1/semester contribution to fund 5 Iraqi students to attend the school. Students have to "opt-out" to remove their dollar contribution. Here's an excerpt:"Campus Antiwar Network members and several others have collected a total of 2,350 signatures from the student body

ANSWER Film Showing: Bastards of the Party

2008-02-27T19:31:00.001-05:00

Film Showing: "Bastards of the Party"The rise of the Bloodz and Cripz This Friday, February 29, 7pm2295 Adam Clayton Powell (on 135th Street)2/3 or B/C to 135th Street Through reading and talking to peers and older members of the community, Sloan, a Blood member since age 12, discovered that "gangs" first appeared in Los Angeles in the late 1940's, when Black people started to move from the

Upcoming Human Rights Events

2008-02-27T19:28:00.002-05:00

Thursday: 2/28What: Counterterrorism and Human Rights ? A panel discussion and report launch addressing the prospects for implementing human rights into national and regional counter-terrorism efforts, focusing on two recent reports by the Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation When: 2/28, 6:30pmWhere: Room 101, Jerome Greene HallWhat: Human Rights Advocacy through Film: a discussion with

Upcoming Events

2008-02-25T20:45:00.003-05:00

Camden 28 Screening, followed by discussion with Alex Gourevitch.Tuesday, February 26th, 501 Hamilton, 8:00pm. How far would you go to stop a war? The Camden 28 recalls a 1971 raid on a Camden, N.J., draft board office by "Catholic Left" activists protesting the Vietnam War and its effects on urban America. Arrested on site in a clearly planned sting, the protesters included four Catholic

Open Meeting on Core Curriculum

2008-02-25T20:32:00.002-05:00

Check out the discussion of the Core Curriculum in the context of Gramsci's writing on culture in the last el participante. Although radicals and activists need to establish their own "Core" of self-education and research, it is important that we are engaged in the process of defining one of Columbia's most distinctive institutions. The core need not be a homage to dead, white reactionaries.