St. Vincent Nurses Strike Against Systemic Racist Healthcare

 

 

 St. Vincent Nurses Strike Against Systemic Racist Healthcare.

The nurse’s strike against St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester MA is objectively a strike for safety and against systemic racist healthcare.  The strike is for a smaller number of patients for each nurse. This safety issue is magnified in the intensive care unit.

“The outlier, California, became the first state to pass a law mandating an average nurse-to-patient ratio in 2004 (Mark et al., 2013). Their standard is one nurse for every five patients on average in medical-surgical units” 

Please note that the ratios are higher among the hospitals that are poorly funded or in Black and Brown neighborhoods. The St. Vincent nurses are striking for 4 patients to each nurse.

This racial disparity is one the reasons that the Progressive Labor Party supports the striking nurses and encourages them to make racist systemic health care more of an issue. Black and Brown people do not trust organization that do not expressly fight racism. 

When I worked as an orderly in Philadelphia, I had to care for 8 patients and then lift patients out of bed on the entire floor. Many times, I worked through my lunch.

Black and Brown people and organizations should also support the St. Vincent nurses. This support is needed to win better healthcare, striking a blow against racist systemic racism and for good health for everyone. Racism can be defeated with multi-racial unity. Fighting against racism helps everyone.

The Struggle Against Systemic Racism

The fight against racist police terror has gone on for a long time.

1966 

The Killing of George and the Fight Against Systemic Racism

The Tale of Three Demonstrations

On Saturday May 30,2020 the Progressive Labor Party, Massachusetts Human Rights Commission, and others organized a protest of  200 people against the racist lynching of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and systemic racism that caused their murder.  

The speaker for the Progressive Labor Party told or it long history of fight against police terror and misconduct. In the 1990s it led the Justice for Cristino Hernandez struggle. Mr. Hernandez was suffocated by two policemen who sat on him while he was handcuffed. The PLP speaker told of the Blacklives Matter protests after Michael Brown was killed in 2014.

The speaker from PLP said that the system is rigged so that there will be racism, inequities, and poverty, Multiracial unity of working people is a key to obtaining justice.

The speaker from Massachusetts Human Rights  spoke about police accountability and the culture of systemic racism.  The City of Worcester has no known way of filing a discrimination complaint. The police data on complaints against police officer is inadequate. The police in the school lend itself to the perception that the students are “dangerous” or “thugs”.

Idempotent Socialist Group said that a workers' party is needed. 

The second protest was on May 31, 2020 by Blacklives Matter. Possibly 500 people came out. The speakers were young and spoke in general about the special adversities of racism against people of color. The condemned the murder of George Floyd.

Instead of multiracial unity based on the principle that racism hurts everyone, people of color more than Whites, they spoke of “white privilege “. This thinking led to the concept of allies among White people.  The logic of racism hurting White people too escaped their thinking.  Eventually the organizers muddled thinking led them to befriend the police, instead of working to make the police accountable.

The third protest rally was organized by City Councillor and a group called Amplify Black Voices. The speaker here either worked with government or were government. Each said good things about fight racism, but it rang hollow as they were ingrained in the systemic racist government in one way or another. None spoke of any concrete changes.

After the rally protesters marched up Main St. where they were confronted by the City police. The police arrested 21 protesters. According to witness accounts the arrest were unprovoked and unnecessary.  It is ironic that just hours before the police chief said the Worcester police force was not part of the problem.

A message from Clive McFarland

A message from Clive McFarland

Written by Clive McFarland

Remember, You Are Still Unemployed.

When one door is closed another is opened.

I am not speaking of the privilege afforded the politically connected, those who can leave one job voluntarily or involuntarily and get another without a break in their employment status.

I am speaking of the attitude I embraced when after 27 years working for Worcester Telegram & Gazette, I was deemed expendable.

It was a wonderful job, and not just because I cherished the media’s role in protecting our constitutional republic, but because I was also fascinated by the stories of regular people who through their life experiences constantly affirmed our capacity to live heroic lives.

I still cling to those stories. They continue to counteract the crassness of the times and reaffirm our capacity to be better than we are at the moment.

The stories I wrote about ordinary people overcoming personal and physical challenges, people dedicating a lifetime to community service; people fighting unrelentingly on behalf the most vulnerable among us; people putting their lives on the line to protect our democracy kept at bay my creeping cynicism about who we are as a country and a community.

And if there is a recurring theme in all those stories, it is that life’s setbacks are potential opportunities for physical and mental growth, and even a new awakening. But that growth and awakening require reflection and for most laid-off American workers, particularly older workers, three is seldom time for that.

To continue making ends meet, the laid off worker must find a job first and reflect later.

Older workers are not exempted from this work grind. Many are being forced to work well beyond traditional retirement years.

This was why my adventurous side’s attitude that “when one door is closed another is opened” was quickly challenged by my practical side.

“Sure,” it said.

“Another door might be opened, but you need to find it fast. Remember, you’ve got to think about getting medical coverage, or you might be paying a healthcare fee at the end of year.

“Remember you still have your children tuition and other bills to pay. And you know you will have to fork up some serious dough, if you intend to keep your life insurance plan.”

I really had no time to manage the psychological impact of transitioning from the workforce to the unemployment line, according to my practical side, no time for the simple pleasures I had always enjoyed.

Every time I picked up a book or my guitar, thought about visiting my local watering hole, watching a movie or going to the park, my practical side would whisper in my ear, “Remember, you are still unemployed.”

But that was the side of me that had worked some 38-plus continuous years being unaccustomed and uncomfortable with my laid-off status. So I tuned it out, took time to reflect, and in the end decided that doing what I have been doing all these years– telling my community’s stories–was the most practical path forward.

So, here I am.

Hello again, friends.

Clive

Clive can be found at Woostachat.com 

--

Edward G.  Robinson

Worcester Unit, NAACP

4 East Central St., #484

Worcester, MA  01613

www.worcesternaacp.org

naacpworcester2058@gmail.com

(508) 756-6639

BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL IN WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS

BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL IN WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS

Written by Dr. Thomas Doughton

Worcester Black History Trail Priority Sites
City Properties; Additional Priority Sites to Be Marked With Assistance of Community Partners

The Worcester Fire Department: Main South Station
424 Park Ave., Worcester 01610

City property: Occupies the site between Park Ave. and Westfield St., location of Hemenway homestead

https://www.google.com/maps/place/424+Park+Ave,+Worcester,+MA+01610/@42.256517,-71.8263987,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e4069c802bcd31:0x9a2ed8e6cc1571e5!8m2!3d42.256517!4d-71.82421

Beaver Brook Park
300 Chandler St., Worcester
City Property: At the southeastern end of the park, at what would be the corner of Mayfield & Parker Streets, on private property now fenced off, was 69 Parker St., for a quarter of a century location of the Home for Aged Colored; marker for the home and the Beaver Brook community
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=108m3xs8qbmA0bFEFV24GclnqNAk&ll=42.27176145332702%2C-71.83404258823248&z=12
On Beaver Brook community: https://flashbak.com/american-community-color-beaver-brook-massachusetts-1897-1917-396444/

Elm Park Community School
23 N. Ashland St., Worcester 01609
City property: This extensive parcel of land bounded by N. Ashland St., John St., West St., & Ormond was a significant enclave of people of color dating from the 1850s; suggested kiosks on West or N. Ashland Sts. Starting in the 1850s southern blacks began moving to Worcester and settled at North Ashland Street, off Highland Street, then an edge of the city’s residential development. Property west of stream running from Institute Park towards Beaver Brooks, as bounded by Pleasant and Highland Streets, was undeveloped land part of the sizeable Lincoln estate, only later in the century a residential district. But here at the edge of town formed a “clustered” community of African Americans on Worcester’s West Side. Several residents owned their homes and operated successful businesses. By the late 1880s the city’s fourth black congregation, Mt. Olivet, later John Street Baptist Church organized in this area.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir//42.2690426,-71.8073823/@42.2690193,-71.8774175,12z

Worcester Housing Authority
40 Belmont St., Worcester 01605
City property: This is the site of Worcester A.M.E. Zion Church, located at this country for 50 years before its demolition in 1959, also the hub of the African American community located in the Laurel Clayton area demolished for 290

In 1889 Congregationalists living in the neighborhood east of Lincoln Square began organizing for creation of a church in their neighborhood. Initially they formed a Sunday school with 28 members. In June 1889 Rev. Albert Bryant resigned as superintendent of the City Missionary Society to serve as pastor of the new enterprise. On July 14, 1889 a lot was purchased at the corner of Belmont and Hanover Streets and ground broke for the church. The structure was completed in 1890 with seating for 500 worshipers. A vestry, kitchen and function rooms were provided for in the basement. The congregation, however, been dwindling. In 1902 it became the third home of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, which by the turn of the century had become surrounded by industrial building at its location near the corner of Union and Exchange Street. While a ‘cluster’ of African American families had begun living in the Exchange Street area near their church, another community began forming near Zion, located at the corner of Belmont and Hanover, later Clayton, Street. Between World War I and its destruction in 1959 as part of urban renewal, Zion Church was an important factor in the lives of the several hundred families of color living in the Laurel Clayton neighborhood."
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worcester+Housing+Authority/@42.2714157,-71.7979563,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e406449c079179:0xae533b652f07b79e!8m2!3d42.2714157!4d-71.7957676

Pleasant Street [Newton Square], farmstead of Rejoice Newton
City Park

Isaac Mason, (1822-1898) who was born in Kent County, Maryland, was a fugitive slave. In 1893, he published his life story, Life of Isaac Mason as a Slave, detailing the harsh conditions of enslavement, his escape, and his search for a safe home. He lived in several places before an Anti-Slavery Society agent sent him to Worcester in 1850. He was supplied with letters of introduction to William Brown, an African-American. After staying with Mr. Brown and his Nipmuc Indian wife the first night, Isaac Mason secured permanent lodging in the home of Ebenezer Hemenway, a Nipmuc Indian whose wife was African-American. Mason found employment as a farmhand for Rejoice Newton, a prominent local attorney and gentleman farmer. Mason and his wife enjoyed only a brief peace before Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Law. In his words, that led to hunting slave fever. Following the advice of Anti-Slavery agents, he fled to Canada for about a year, then returned to Worcester where he remained for the rest of his life.” Worcester Historical Museum  Isaac Mason explained that he found work with “Maj. Newton” on Pleasant Street, Rejoice Newton, [1782-1868] who owned all of the Newton hill area, now part of Elm Park and site of Doherty Memorial High School, between Pleasant and Highland Streets in Worcester, his farmhouse, and barn near the contemporary Newton Square, a mill he operated located at Beaver Brook. He was married to Rebecca Lincoln, a daughter of Levi Lincoln Sr. An attorney in practice with his brother-in-law William Lincoln, Newton had been Worcester County District Attorney, state representative and state senator. He also sold land for the first Catholic burial ground at Worcester. The sizeable estate inherited by his only surviving child Hester Newton and her husband John Wetherell. In 1886, for example, Wetherell’s farm consisted of about 160-170 acres at that time, remaining from the estate of Rejoice Newton. 

Exchange St. Worcester 01608
This may be a more challenging option: it is the site of the first African American house of worship in Worcester County, A.M.E. Zion Church
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Exchange+St,+Worcester,+MA+01608/@42.266071,-71.8024642,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e40667e4b467c1:0x119b2e9cb516632d!8m2!3d42.266071!4d-71.8002755

A YEAR OF STRUGGLE

A year of Struggle 2018-2019

Opposition to the Separation of children from parents June 2018 Rally

MEJA at State House Fully Funded Schools July 2018

CLC Press Rally for Ball Park August 2018

Catholic Worker rally against global warming October 2018

Progressive Labor Party anti fascism standout Oct. 2018

WEJA forum fully funded schools Nov. 2018

Progressive Labor Party at Worcester City Council fully funded schools, December 2018

Fair Hiring Advisory 2019

Worcester Human Rights Body Cams Spring 2019

Support Stop and Shop Workers
April 2019




PLP Nay 2019

SunRise Discussion Against Climate Warming June 2019

INSURGENT SCHOOL CANDIDATES

The challenge of the non-incumbents

The Worcester Branch of the NAACP is sponsoring an education meet and greet for non-incumbent school committee candidates. The public is invited to meet the new candidates and ask them one on one questions.

The first part of the meet and greet will be the candidates giving their opinion about fully funded schools (Chapter 70) and disparate discipline enforcement (Chapter 222). The NAACP has met with mayor regarding these issues.

The meet and greet will take place

                                           Monday, July 22, 2019, 6 pm

                                          Centro Community Centr
                                          18 Sycamore St.
                                           Worcester MA 01610
The new candidates are:

Cara Lisa Berg

Chantel Berthea

Laura Clancey

Jernah Kamara

Mariah Martinez

Tracy Novick

Ruth Rodriiguez (write-in candidate)

John Tobaugh

NO IMMAGE 

Hermones McConner

Venezuela, Contras, and Imperialism

Venezuela, Contras, and Imperialism

Background to the contraction of the Venezuelan economy

Venezuela lacks sufficient hard currency. A hard currency is a monetary system that is widely accepted around the world as a form of payment for goods and services. A hard currency is expected to remain relatively stable through a short period of time, and to be highly liquid in the forex or foreign exchange. Examples of hard currencies are dollars, euros, and gold.

It did not matter who was president of Venezuela at the time that the price of oil dropped. There would have been a restriction of hard currency as less money came into the country.

Ninety-five percent (95%) of Venezuela hard currency comes from the sale of oil

Since the price of oil has declined over the last five years, the amount of Venezuela’s hard currency has also declined. There is less money to buy food, medicine, and spare parts. The lack of essential goods has been made worse by the sanctions imposed on Venezuela by the United States and other countries.

With the decline in hard currency Venezuela took out loans (hard currency) from IMF and the World Bank. As the price of oil continued to decline the repayment of the loans became harder, leading to a further contraction of the economy.

Venezuela has tried to renegotiate the loans, but the banks have refused to cooperate citing US and EU sanctions.  Because of these sanctions both the EU and the United States are partially responsible for the humanitarian crisis.

Humanitarian Crisis

  Shortages of essential goods have forced many people in Venezuela to seek relief outside the country.  In effect they have become economic refugees. The EU and USA sanctions are partially responsible. Bad policy decisions by Maduro are also to blame. The underlying system of trade for profit is the main disruptive force.

To a certain extent it does not matter who is the president of Venezuela. The people will suffer. Oil price will fluctuate. The banks will make loans. The imperialist powers will send in their militaries and their proxies. War will make the suffering of the people worse. A reasonable person only has to look at Syria and Yemen to see the suffering of the people. Only the bosses win imperialist wars.

Civil War and the Hope for the People

The recent attempt by Guaido to seize power has for the moment failed. He and his allies tried to preempt the May Day rallies. Many people in Venezuela are a part of neighborhood and village collectives and celebrate May Day.

The Guaido media sources all say that Maduro is supported only by the military. The collectives also support him unfortunately. The people of Venezuela need a government that break the controls of the imperialists and their bank over their lives.

Any further attempt to overthrow Maduro will be heavily depended on military aid from the United States. It seems like Guaido will try next to organize militias from the camps of economic refugees. This would be the beginnings a “Contra” army similar to that group who fought the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and was financed by Reagan in the Iran Contra scandal.

Hopefully I am wrong.