Freedom Socialist • Vol. 29, No. 1 • February-March 2008The Federal government's attempt to whip up hysteria against "homegrown terrorism" suffered an ignominious defeat in December when it failed to convict seven young Black construction workers from the Liberty City district of Miami. The men were accused of conspiracy to commit terrorism. They could have gotten prison sentences of 70 years apiece. Instead, one man was acquitted outright and the other cases ended in mistrial, with the racially mixed jury unable to agree on a verdict. The case was a clear example of entrapment. As Albert Levin, one of the defense attorneys said, "This was all written, directed and produced by the FBI." The FBI paid Two informers to convince the men to take some pictures of downtown federal buildings and videotape a loyalty oath to al-Qaida as part of a supposed plot to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago and other sites. No guns or explosives were ever obtained. After 12,000 intercepted phone calls and miles of government surveillance video, the "conspiracy" consisted entirely of constitutionally protected speech. The informers were paid $130,000 as a group plus expenses, while the seven got jumpsuits and boots for the "operation." The whole thing would be laughable if the lives of these young men of color - and civil liberties in general - were not at stake. Outrageously, the one man acquitted, a legal 20-year-long resident from Haiti, is still in immigration detention. He may be retried in immigration court, where more lax rules of evidence could put him in jeopardy. The six others face retrial - hopefully in front of a jury that will stop the farce and acquit them of all charges. THE Liberty City seven case and other stunning defeats are giving the fear-mongers a hard time. Another notable mistrial was declared in the administration's largest case of alleged terrorism financing. The prosecution of the Muslim charity known as the Holy Land Foundation netted not one guilty verdict out of 197 charges based on secret government "evidence"! Nevertheless, constant vigilance is required to keep the inquisitors in check. Free the Liberty City Seven! Union Fights for friendly skies "The whole system is going to hell in a handbag, and it doesn't seem that anyone cares," stated Patrick Forrey, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). NATCA recently declared that a chronic shortage of experienced air traffic controllers has resulted in a staffing emergency, especially at four major hubs. Safety is compromised in the sky and on runways in Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Southern California. This crisis has been caused by years of abusive work conditions. After failing to sign a contract with NATCA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with Congress' assent, unilaterally imposed wage cuts and mandatory overtime. The speedup has resulted in huge increases in the workweek. In Southern California, overtime expenditures skyrocketed from $261,000 in 2004 to $2.8 million in 2007. The overall rise in close-call incidents is hair-raising. Continuous overwork and fatigue are a recipe for disaster. It's no wonder that controllers are quitting in droves. In 2007, 10 percent of the workforce left and by February 3, another 500 will have retired! The safety concerns raised by NATCA resonate powerfully in these post-Katrina days. The crumbling levees of New Orleans and the collapse of Minnesota's I-35W Bridge underscore how the well-being of working people has been compromised by the insatiable businessmen and politicians who rip off the public while lining their own pockets. As long as we live under the dog-eat-dog imperative of capitalism, this scenario is never going to change. In 1981, Ronald Reagan destroyed the existing union, PATCO, and fired 11,000 striking air traffic controllers who had the audacity to stand up for a shorter workweek and better equipment. The workers knew then, as they know now, what is needed to keep the skies safe. By bringing national attention to these glaring abuses, NATCA hopes to reopen contract negotiations for the benefit of controllers and the public alike. Yes! It's long past time for the FAA to bargain in good faith. In the end, if we really want to keep the skies friendly, we need to nationalize the airline industry under workers' control. Those who do the job know what is needed to keep things running securely and sanely for all! |
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