Many students at high schools in Indianapolis and at Ball State University here have rejected the imperialist war in Afghanistan and government assaults on workers' rights that have accelerated since September 11. In the past few months they have participated in events to discuss opposition to the U.S. war, socialist classes, and communist literature tables, and have hosted speaking events with leaders of the Young Socialists.

The Young Socialists Weekend in Chicago will feature a talk November 17 by Socialist Workers Party leader Norton Sandler on "The working-class and the struggle against imperialism today: Expanding opportunities to build the communist movement." There will also be a panel discussion of young socialists who have been campaigning against imperialism and its war, supporting union struggles, and defending immigrant rights.

Mike Italie, the SWP's candidate for mayor in the recent election in Miami, will also speak. The YS has joined a nationwide fight organized out of Miami to defend First Amendment rights, by protesting the political firing of Italie by Goodwill Industries for speaking out against the imperialist war and in defense of the Cuban Revolution.

A Young Socialists National Leadership Council meeting is also planned for the weekend. Young people from across the country are making plans to attend the two days of meetings, including a number from Muncie and Indianapolis.

The November 8–12 speaking tour included Jack Willey, a staff writer for the Militant, and Arrin Hawkins, a leader of the Young Socialists from Chicago. Both speakers had participated in the World Festival of Youth and Students in Algeria and the Cuba-U.S. Youth Exchange in Havana this past summer.

After setting up a literature table for several hours at a college hangout in Indianapolis, nine youths, mainly high school students, got together at a coffee shop.  
 
Cuban Revolution
In his talk Jack Willey pointed to Cuba's socialist revolution as an example for working people in the United States and worldwide. He quoted from the Second Declaration of Havana, a declaration read by Fidel Castro to a mass rally in 1962. At the rally, Castro explained the Yankee imperialists' fear of Cuba's example, which shows a socialist revolution can be made and defended, right under the nose of the world's mightiest power.

Under capitalist rule, Willey said, the antagonisms between the working class and big business won't end. In fact, the superwealthy U.S. ruling class has stepped up its attacks on working and living conditions over the past two decades. Washington's imperialist war against Afghanistan is aimed, in part, at gaining a military foothold in Central Asia and using military force to try to gain stability for capitalist exploitation of the natural resources of the region.

Arrin Hawkins reported on the importance of the anti-imperialist gathering of 6,500 youth and students in Algeria. She pointed to the people she met, who were part of the struggles for independence of Puerto Rico and for the self-determination of Palestine and Western Sahara, who exchanged experiences and discussed how to most effectively fight imperialism. The festival is one reflection of an international anti-imperialist movement, with a communist component that is beginning to take shape.

Students attending the event asked what role youth can play as revolutionaries. One student explained that his school forces students to pledge allegiance to the flag. He asked, "How can I stand up in my refusal and explain why I'm against saluting an imperialist nation?" He also pointed to the lack of civil rights in the United States.

There was quite a bit of discussion about the threat posed by government attacks on workers' rights, including the detention of more than 1,000 people under the guise of investigating the attacks in New York and Washington. One student said friends of hers were hesitant to speak out against the war out of fear of persecution by the government.  
 
A lively day of political events
The next day the Ball State University Young Socialists, a student group on campus, hosted a number of events in Muncie. Fifteen students and young workers, including a high school student from Indianapolis, participated in a class on the Pathfinder book Socialism on Trial by James P. Cannon. They discussed the opening sections of testimony by Cannon, the national secretary of the Socialist Workers Party at that time.

In the book, Cannon describes the history and heritage of the Socialist Workers Party. He defines what capitalism is, the social forces pushing U.S. imperialism to war, prerequisites for social revolution, and the fundamental aim of the party. Those at the class discussed the difference between Stalinism and Bolshevism; whether or not there is a halfway step between capitalism and socialism, as in some countries in Europe that have greater social welfare programs, such as heath care; and whether or not there are class divisions in Cuba.

After the class, several students purchased books from a large selection of new and used Pathfinder titles and discussed the glass workers strike. Several had been to the picket lines the previous day and had read an article in the Militant about the strike. They pointed to the company's "offer" to attack seniority rights, to have the right to mandate workers to work up to eight hours overtime, and slash wages after company "evaluations" of workers.

Everyone then went to Dunkirk where they met with union officials and visited the picket line to learn more about the fight. The students wrapped up the day with several more hours of political discussion over a chili dinner. A number of students picked up a copy of the "truth kit" about the firing of Mike Italie and began discussing how to join the campaign to defend freedom of speech.

Several Ball State young socialists set up an all-day literature table November 12 that featured a sign: "Stop the imperialist war on Afghanistan! No to attacks on workers' rights! Defend Mike Italie, garment worker fired for speaking out. Come to Young Socialists weekend in Chicago." It became a lively center for political discussion and drew much interest in a speaking event that evening.

Many who stopped by had met the Ball State Young Socialists earlier when the group held a bake sale to raise funds for the speaking tour. At the sale they handed out flyers with the political principles adopted at the Second National Convention of the Young Socialists and signed up about 50 people interested in the Ball State group.

Twenty students came to the evening meeting featuring Willey that included a 45-minute question-and-answer period after the presentation (see related article below).

The speaking tour also included a meeting at DePaul University and a Militant Labor Forum in Chicago. A young garment worker who attended the forum met with Willey and others for several hours after the forum.
 
 
Related article:
Socialist encourages students to back cause  
 
 
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