God bless our brothers in Mexico and best wishes in their struggles.

Phil Polsom
President, CEP Local 890
Esterhazy, Saskatchewan  
 
Rail worker killed on job
Jimmie Lee King Jr., 55, a carman for the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe (BSNF) Railway in Tacoma, Washington, was crushed to death February 7 while attempting to rerail a freight car. He had worked for BNSF for 28 years. His death was shocking to family and friends, and to co-workers, especially carmen, some of whom I was able to talk to in the Seattle BSNF rail yard where I work.

His death is part of the carnage in the rail industry, as major freight railroads press their productivity drive, cutting crew sizes, while trying to move unprecedented volumes on less track with deteriorating equipment. In the last three years, train collisions increased by more than 42 percent and rail worker fatalities were up 17 percent.

I’m sure the close attention paid in our breakroom to the deaths of coal miners mirrors the situation in many rail yards. The miners’ fight for safety and unions will be followed closely.

Chris Rayson
Burien, Washington  
 
Cartoons controversy I
There is a major international debate in Europe and the Middle East around the cartoons of the prophet Muhammad published by a right-wing Danish newspaper. Working people are being really confused by the capitalist media around what is presented as “free speech” vs. “race-hate offences.” The UK government has also very recently passed some scary laws around the “glorification of terrorism” and incitement to “religious hatred,” which are part of this crisis and confusion. I would really like the Militant to comment and help working people think through the political implications.

Helen Colley
Manchester, England  
 
Cartoons controversy II
I have been reading the Militant for 35 years and rarely disagree with its positions. However, I think the Militant has gotten the analysis of the cartoons of Muhammad wrong.

The issue is not one of censorship. The imperialist media want to frame it that way and the Militant has taken the bait. The cartoons are a furthering of the racist and war-mongering attacks on Arabs and Muslims as the imperialists step up their attacks on the Middle East.

The genuine outpouring of rage by Muslims is not a call for censorship but a reply to this demeaning assault.

It used to be common in the U.S. to have overtly racist cartoons, movies and radio/TV shows. Denny’s restaurants were named “Sambos” and were complete with racist murals.

These depictions are no longer acceptable, not because of censorship but because of the gains of the civil rights movement. If an editorial cartoonist depicted Martin Luther King with a Sambo face, the outrage of Black Americans would be well justified. If the paper retracted its racist cartoon, it would be a victory and a reflection of a relationship of class forces.

Similarly, the cartoons of Muhammad must be seen as part of the propaganda war that inflames anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiment. The appropriate response is to take to the streets and denounce it. If the capitalists use this to attack civil liberties, it is not the fault of Muslims (or Blacks) for speaking out.

Eric Huffman
Seattle, Washington  
 
 
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