House passes apology for slavery and segregation bill
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill recently apologizing to African Americans for slavery and segregation. Authored by Steve Cohen, Democrat of Memphis, and co-sponsored by 120 representatives, House Resolution 194 apologizes for the 'fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow' segregation but does not address the issue of reparations.
At La Raza meet, Obama preferred over McCain
Barack Obama’s sizeable opinion-poll lead among Hispanics over John McCain was reflected in the reaction to their speeches to the 5,000 participants in the National Council of La Raza’s annual conference here July 11-15. “Obama spoke to all the important issues to our community. It was a very good speech that helped connect him to the Latino community,” said Raul Yzaguirre, who served as NCLR’s president from 1974 to 2005.
Saving our food and farmland
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still struggling to track the Salmonella SaintPaul food poisoning outbreak that has sickened more than 869 people in 36 states and the District of Columbia since the first reported case in New Mexico April 10.
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and you
The financial crisis that has been sweeping the United States and much of the capitalist world since last summer reached a new phase when mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac moved near insolvency. This unfolding crisis may be the worst threat to the U.S. economy since the Great Depression.
Obama, McCain kick off campaign for Latino vote
John McCain and Barack Obama kicked off their campaigns to reach the Latino community June 28, providing a unique comparative view of their sharply different philosophies and programs.
Lil Feist honored on 100th birthday
SEATTLE — More than 150 family and friends packed the Nordic Heritage Museum hall here June 28 to celebrate Lil Husa Feist’s 100th birthday and to greet her as a warm and caring mother and grandmother and a fighter for working people’s rights.
Health care for all on the horizon
Universal health care moved closer to reality when the U.S. Conference of Mayors upped the ante June 23 by backing HR 676, the National Health Insurance Act. The bill, introduced by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), would expand Medicare to cover everyone in the United States under a single-payer national health insurance system.
Ohio nurses fight for patient rights
CLEVELAND — Patients are dying because nurses are being mistreated and overworked,” stated Adrienne Zurub, a registered nurse from Cleveland, as she kicked off a June 15 rally here by the National Nurses Organizing Committee.
Merrilee Milstein mourned
HARTFORD, Conn. — Labor leaders from across the region, state elected officials, friends and family gathered June 12 at UAW Region 9A headquarters here for a memorial service for Merrilee Milstein, long-time union, civil rights and women’s rights activist.
A small picket line turns into a mass outpouring
CHICAGO — Sixty striking workers who have been taking turns picketing in front of the Congress Hotel here for the past five years could not conceal their joy June 11 as thousands of trade union and community activists joined their ranks.
