Judges take the word of doctors that they know are used over and over again to lie. The big companies pay a lot of money to see that injured workers do not receive a dime. The doctors for the injured worker are totally ignored. Elected officials do not care either, or else they would not let this system cheat the workers the way they do. Workers compensation is supposed to mean workers get compensated when they are injured on the job.

The way the system is now the workers do not have a chance. It needs to change. Everybody needs to get together and say, "enough is enough." This includes our union leaders. If we raise enough hell something will happen.

John See Louisa, Kentucky  
 
 
Support for Widows’ Walk
The recently concluded Widows’ Walk for black lung benefits made a big impact among the workers at Flushing Shirt in Jefferson, Pennsylvania. Some of them had fathers who died from black lung, and a few have fathers who are still living with it. Many of them have had relatives in the coal mines.

Several co-workers took leaflets publicizing a meeting for Linda Chapman and Phyllis Tipton that the United Mine Workers hosted in Uniontown. One posted the flier all over nearby Carmichaels. Another took a leaflet to a Shop-n-Save near his home and posted it there. Yet another co-worker took a leaflet home for her husband to take into the Emerald mine where he works.

A woman who runs an automatic machine across the aisle from me took a leaflet and told me her father had died of black lung and her mother "had to fight" to get benefits. Another told me that her father had died from black lung when she was four and that her mother had never received benefits. One co-worker said her father had worked in the mines for 47 years and had his benefits denied after receiving them for three years. He won them back after a seven-year fight, but died shortly after. His widow never received benefits.

After the Uniontown meeting 53 members of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees Local 622 at the plant signed a message of solidarity to the marchers. It said we supported their march, thought they had done a great job in bringing attention to this issue, congratulated them on making it to the end, and explained that many in our plant had family members with black lung.

Chris Remple Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania  
 
 
Thrilled with ‘Militant’
First of all I would like to say that I am thrilled to read your paper. When my friends and I were rallying in Washington, D.C., April 20 we picked up a copy of the paper and were amazed later on what was said. Most of the papers you will read in your life are very one-sided. I was thrilled to see that this was not. It laid out the facts about what the Muslim people really think and believe.

I would just like to say to all the journalists: great work, and stay open minded. You will win many people over that way with your tactic.

Abrar Founas Bloomfield Hills, Michigan  
 
 
Capitalism, workers’ rights
I am a member of a social action group called the Idaho progressive student alliance. I have been very happy with the strides we have made in creating consumer awareness about issues pertaining to capitalism and its inherent flaws. I personally have a deep-seated hatred for violators of human/workers rights and feel something must be done. Until recently I felt that Democrats were better than Republicans and that I would vote for them if need be. But now, two prominent members of Idaho’s Democratic Party have come out with campaign promises stating that they can and will bring in big businesses.

This is not what the people of the world need. Capitalism has never solved a single problem related to workers’ rights! The unions have made great progress, but the concept of unions is in direct opposition to the concept of capitalism. If we can help each other please let me know.

Jamie Bailey Pocatello, Idaho  
 
 
Anti–Le Pen protests
In your May 13 lead article, you seemed to imply that the rallies across France to protest the National Front did not merit the support of communists. If this is not your position, I urge you to clarify it. If it is, it seems to me to be a serious ultraleft error.

I agree strongly with the Militant’s stand against a vote for Chirac in the May 5 runoff. Working people cannot rely on Chirac or anyone else to hold back the advance of fascism--they must do it themselves. However, this does not mean that because the leadership organizing the antifascist mobilizations calls for supporting Chirac, that communists should not take part in them. Instead, communists should be actively encouraging the formation of a broad antifascist front, as they should seek to keep the struggle rooted in the streets and not in the polling booths.

It seems that the correct policy would be to encourage and take part in such struggles, while seizing the opportunity to educate workers and their allies about the dangers of relying on a vote for Chirac or any other policy that compromises the independence of the working class.

Loren Meyer Missoula, Montana 
 

The letters column is an open forum for all viewpoints on subjects of interest to working people.

Please keep your letters brief. Where necessary they will be abridged. Please indicate if you prefer that your initials be used rather than your full name.  
 
 
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