Notes from a presentation to the West Coast Chapter of the International Marxist-Humanist Organization, held at the Westside Peace Center, Los Angeles. Critiques positions of some on the Left and discusses the position on Syria of the International Marxist-Humanist Organization – Editors

As the U.S. rattles its sabers against the Assad regime in Syria in the wake of an apparent attack on civilians with chemical weapons, the situation remains murky. A number of forces — the U.S.-Britain-France, their sometime allies Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, the murderous Assad regime, and equally murderous jihadis — are all seeking to stifle the yearnings of the Syrian people to be free of the domination of both local authoritarians and global imperialism – Editors

A first-hand account of the August 24, 2013 50^th Anniversary March on Washington, this article stresses the intertwining of race and class and the need for the anti-racist movement to ground itself in the critique of capitalism – Editors

Today, thousands of Fast Food workers across the nation are going on strike, protesting the exploitative conditions that are standard practice in the industry. I am one of those workers, existing at the point where the gears of the capitalist profit machine grind together. Today, I am striking with my fellow workers to try and effect change at the Jimmy John’s store where I work, but also to stand in solidarity with fast food workers around the nation who experience a variety of injustices in their work places every day.

Leftist activists continue to be murdered and tortured under liberal President Benigno Aquino III.  This process, which has especially brutal outcomes for women, is viewed in the context of U.S. neocolonial domination. An earlier version appeared in Countercurrents.org, in July – Editors

The Trayvon Martin verdict is viewed in the context of U.S. racialized capitalism. The article focuses on the structures of race/class oppression in Florida, both in the past and today, and the oppositional movements that these structures have engendered – Editors

Dr. Lenore Daniels, a columnist for Black Commentator Magazine, discusses Rosa Luxemburg’s legacy as a an anti-imperialist thinker and  interviews Peter Hudis, co-editor, along with Georg Adler and Annelies Laschitza, of The Letters of Rosa Luxemburg (2011). Originally appeared in OpEdNews – Editors

David Black’s riff on Hegel took place at a fringe meeting of the Association of Musical Marxists during the Marxism 2013 conference in London in July. It was first published on the AMM website on August 6, 2013. A video is also available, HERE  – Editors

The recent rioting in Stockholm over the police killing of a Portuguese immigrant was a manifestation of the growing inequalities in Sweden, a society once seen as synonymous with social democracy – Editors

The acquittal of the murderer of Trayvon Martin shows, “beyond reasonable doubt,” that unconscionable acts of murder and abuse against Black Americans continue to define the social and legal structures of this land, and that racism is more than ever the Achilles heel of American “civilization” – Editors

The overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood government involved an unprecedented level of popular mobilization that has created a new opening for the Egyptian and the worldwide revolutionary movement.  At the same time, the new military-backed government carries with it serious dangers, as do the contradictions within the left itself, including on gender – Editors

This exchange of emails followed a discussion at a public meeting of the Oxford Communist Corresponding Society on the subject of “A beginner’s guide to economic planning” on 30 May 2013. Both authors take part in these meetings but are not members of the OCCS. Richard Abernethy is a member of International Marxist-Humanist Organization and Phil Walden is a member of the Democratic Socialist Alliance  – Editors.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 26 decision represents a crucial leap forward for LGBT rights. However, it takes place at the very time that the Court has pushed the country further backward on race relations – Editors