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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
JOIN THE YCL IN DC FOR OBAMA'S INAUGURATION
IN THE NEWS: "GAZA CRISIS"
DEMAND ELECTED OFFICIALS FIGHT FOR CEASE-FIRE
IN GAZA!
ATTENTION COLLEGE YCLers!!
VENCEREMOS BRIGADE TO CUBA:GET APPLICATIONS
NOW!
YCL
CLUBS WORK ON ANNUAL PLANS THIS MONTH!
JOIN
THE YCL IN DC FOR OBAMA'S INAUGURATION
YCLers from across the
country will joining the millions of others in
celebrating the swearing of Obama in DC on Jan. 20th. Be part of the
history and people's celebration by letting us know if you will be in
DC. Email y...@yclusa.org with your
contact information and we will let you know where we will be meeting
up.
IN THE
NEWS: "GAZA CRISIS"
Gaza Crisis: Challenge and Opportunity for Obama to Turn the Page
Toward Peace
By Sue Webb
Israel has maintained a punitive military and economic grip on Gaza,
keeping the population in what is internationally condemned as a
deepening humanitarian crisis. Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement)
seized power there in 2007, and began its "resistance" policy of firing
rockets into southern Israel. A tenuous six-month ceasefire ended in
early December despite reported behind-the-scenes initiatives to extend
it, and now we have the horrible spectacle of a massive aerial
bombardment of this densely populated strip by Israel, with the
civilian toll mounting daily...
For the rest of the story please go to: www.PWW.org
Discussion Questions:
1) The writer notes that that the reactionary Islamist
regimes of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have all "used
the Israel-Palestinian conflict and the suppression of Palestinian
national aspirations as an opportunity to claim the mantle of
leadership by wielding militant anti-imperialist and/or Arab
nationalist rhetoric, while suppressing their own democratic and
working class movements."
She further continues: "The rise of extremist Islamic movements is due
in large part to the
bloody repression and even extermination of communist, left, working
class and other democratic currents in all these countries (as in
others such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and Indonesia), promoted and
abetted by the U.S. as part of its global Cold War strategy."
Why
then, are there still a large number of Western leftists and
"intellectuals" who defend these conservative, right-wing Islamic
regimes and movements as part of an "anti-imperialist" movement?
2) In conclusion the article calls for the incoming Obama
administration to pursue a "realist, peace-oriented" policy of
diplomacy to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What do you think
this will "realistically" consist of in terms of policy?
What specific changes should be made? What obstacles do you foresee
the new administration facing? Should the US completely relinquish
support for Israel? Why or Why Not?
DEMAND
ELECTED OFFICIALS FIGHT FOR CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA!
The
US Campaign To End the Israeli Occupation is asking for everyone to
send
letters to Bush, the State Department, your Congressperson and Senators
urging
them to call for 1) an unconditional and immediate cease-fire; 2)
complete
access of humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip and a lifting of
Israel's siege;
and 3) accountability for Israel's misuse of U.S. weapons as required
by the
Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act.
Sign
and Send the Letter Here
ATTENTION COLLEGE YCLers!!
On Thursday January 15th at 7 pm central time, we
will have the first
Young Communist League College Call of 2009 complete with legislative
updates from the United States Student Association, and a chance to
review, discuss and organize around the YCL educational action plan,
and learn more with College YCLers from around the country! Lets start
our
work in the new year towards affordable and qualitative post-secondary
education off right! Interested?
Email Ursula at urs...@yclusa.org
for the call in number and full agenda.
VENCEREMOS
BRIGADE TO CUBA:GET APPLICATIONS NOW!
The Venceremos Brigade is a solidarity travel
challenge to Cuba.
This year is the 40th anniversary of the Venceremos Brigade, and the
50th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. The YCL has particiapted in
the Venceremos Brigade for the last 2 years and we are already getting
our application in for this year!
If you are interested in
participating in the Venceremos Brigade email cu...@yclusa.org for
an application.
YCL CLUBS WORK ON
ANNUAL PLANS THIS MONTH!
YCL clubs across the country are working on their
plans for the
year. They are figuring out the issues, and campaigns that they will be
working on, their club structure and meeting times, and their budgets
and fund raising goals for the year. If you would like a sample Annual
Planning Meeting Agenda to use with your club email do...@yclusa.org.
www.yclusa.org
www.dynamicmag.org
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