WOMEN’S SOCCER
Resonates globally
A Brazilian group (Luta Socialists) translated into Portuguese and printed on the back cover Ray Murphy’s article “US Women’s Soccer team closes ranks for equal pay” [Vol. 40, No. 4].
It is an excellent article. It resonates with the feelings of feminists and soccer fans around the world, especially in light of the victory for the women’s team on the field.
Stephen Durham, New York City
OVERALL PAPER
Resistance is key
The newest FS [Vol. 40, No. 4] arrived here on Thursday, July 25. I, relatively quickly, read it cover to cover. In reading the FS, one is put face-to-face with wars and class exploitation that benefit the rich and perpetuate the profit system. It is horrible and disheartening.
But no FS article leaves the reader without inspiring examples of resistance to all of the injustice in the world; a resistance movement that the reader can join.
Ross, Seattle
KURDS IN SYRIA
Freedom in motion
Kurds in movement. Freedoms in movement. And here, news on — and difficult analysis of — an extremely important but all too neglected part of the world, and movement: in terms of the struggle for equality, democracy, justice, and freedom — and for solidarity at a mortal level that most of us never have to face.
With thanks to comrades in the Freedom Socialist Party — who produce the paper from which I have drawn this article [“In Kurdish Rojava: Syria’s imperiled freedom fighters” Vol. 40, No. 2] — for keeping both movement and the international in focus!
Jai Sen, excerpted from open email
HOUSE OF SAUD
Oppressing Arabs
Thank you for the diligent reporting on the anti-Saudi activities in the port of Genoa — city of my family [“European dockworkers disrupt war machine,” Vol. 40, No. 4].
The House of Saud is nothing but a rich family with a flag — not a legitimate nation. A colonial tactic to deny the Arab peoples access to their resources. The Sykes-Picot Agreement must be destroyed.
Leandra Barbieri, via email
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER
Good analysis
I truly enjoyed reading Luma Nichol’s article “The lucrative business of fighting hate: in-house bigotry rocks Southern Poverty Law Center” [Vol. 40, No. 4].
It was a wealth of information. Keep up the good work!
Ricardo, via email
FOR ESPTEIN VICTIMS
Justice now!
[A statement by Radical Women]
As the days and weeks pass since the apparent suicide death of mega-rich sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, the public learns more about the nature of his criminal behavior and about his depraved indifference for the lives of young women whom he manipulated, enslaved, sexually abused, and trafficked.
We are learning too, that Jeffrey Epstein did not act alone. Rather, with the help of a morally corrupt, powerful elite of both men and women, he created a system that recruited and trafficked hundreds of vulnerable and often economically disadvantaged young women to gratify his perverse pleasures.
In 2008, Jeffrey Epstein was given a plea deal by the then-Attorney General of Florida. This deal, which helped Epstein avoid major prison time and resume his criminal activities, was under the watch of a Republican majority in Congress and a Democratic presidency.
The real heroes of this story are the countless women victims themselves who came out to share their narratives and the Miami investigative journalist who reported it.
On a very deep level, this horror story reveals the utter inhumanity that is an outcome of capitalist inequality and patriarchal impunity.
We look to a new era in human relations when socialism restores economic parity and gives a prominent voice to now-silenced women, children and other oppressed people. That day cannot come fast enough.
Meanwhile, we encourage feminists to write letters to the media and to judges assigned to Epstein legal cases to demand:
1) investigation and prosecution of Epstein’s co-conspirators;
2) allocation of his half-billion-dollar estate to his victims, to organizations fighting violence against women and children, to advocates for murdered and missing Indigenous women, and anti-trafficking organizations;
3) an end to the criminal injustice system that protects the powerful and demonizes and destroys the poor.
Charlotte Strauss Swanson, for Radical Women
TRUMP RALLY
Attend or lose pay
For Trump to get workers to his rally at Shell Oil, his corporate cronies paid overtime!
It made my blood boil that union heads okayed letting their members be paid shills for a bullying, sexist, racist, anti-worker rat.
I hope those unionists rise up and fight for union democracy and principled working-class leadership. Otherwise, they’re doomed.
Doreen McGrath, Seattle
The FS welcomes your feedback and opinions. Letters may be edited for length. Please write to 5018 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98118, or email FSnews@socialism.com.
