OPPOSING War, Empire and Imperialism
at the 2007 Midwest Socialist Conference

November 3-4, University of Illinois-Chicago, 750 S. Halsted

****SPECIAL Plenary: Confronting U.S. Empire & The Struggle for Self-Determination (7:30pm, Saturday, Nov. 3)

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW)* National Chair Camilo Mejía and Sherry Wolf of the International Socialist Review* discuss organizing against war and empire—and Venezuelan Consul for Chicago* Martin Sanchez discusses Venezuela’s struggle for self-determination. (*for identification only)

MIDWEST Socialist Conference Workshops on War and Empire:

Soldiers Against War from Vietnam to Iraq * The Democrats: The Other War Party? * The Struggle for Palestine * What do Socialists Say About Political Islam? * Where is Venezuela Headed? * The Rise and Fall of the 1960s Students for a Democratic Society * Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism

WORKSHOP Information:

***Soldiers Against War from Vietnam to Iraq (4pm, Saturday, Nov. 3)

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW)* members Eugene Cherry, Camilo Mejía and Martin Smith speak on the history of soldiers organizing against war—from the successful movement to end the Vietnam War to today’s struggles of antiwar Iraq War soldiers and veterans. (*for identification only)

***The Democrats: The Other War Party? (9:30am, Saturday, Nov. 3)

Antiwar sentiment helped put Democrats over the top in the 2006 mid-term elections. But since then, most elected Democrats have repeatedly voted for war funding and raised the level of war rhetoric against Iran and Pakistan. Socialist Worker reporter Nicole Colson will argue that a strategy of supporting pro-war Democrats holds the antiwar movement hostage to politicians.

***The Struggle for Palestine (9:30am, Saturday, Nov. 3)

This workshop will discuss the ongoing struggle for Palestinian freedom and for justice in the Middle East. Paul Heideman argues that the only solution is the creation of a secular, democratic state in all of Palestine.

***What Do Socialists Say About Political Islam? (4pm, Saturday, Nov. 3)

It has become commonplace to argue that Islam is an inherently violent religion and that the growth of political Islam is the logical result of the teachings of the Koran. This racist logic underpins much of the “War on Terror.” Bezhad looks into the actual history of political Islam as a response to Western imperialism in the Middle East.

***Where is Venezuela Headed? (9:30am, Saturday, Nov. 3)

Venezuela’s “Bolivarian Revolution” is moving ahead fast and Venezuela has quickly become one of the biggest thorns in the side of the U.S. in Latin America. Socialist Worker reporter, and author of a forthcoming book on Venezuela, Lee Sustar asks where is Venezuela headed?

***The Rise and Fall of the 1960s Students for a Democratic Society (11:30am, Saturday, Nov. 3)

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was formed in 1960, and emerged as an organizing center for young people rejecting the stultifying conservatism of the Cold War period, the constant threat of war, and Jim Crow apartheid in the U.S. south. Bob Quellos discusses the lessons of the rise and eventual decline of SDS.

***Imperialism: The Highest State of Capitalism (12:30pm, Sunday, Nov. 4)

The Marxist approach to understanding war, as a product of economic rivalries spilling over into political and military conflicts, is often dismissed as out of date. Veteran antiwar activist and socialist Bill Roberts explains why the theory of imperialism remains relevant today.

FOR more information:

Call 773-370-4575 or e-mail chicago_socialists (at) yahoo.com

SPONSORED by:

The conference is sponsored by the International Socialist Organization, publishers of Socialist Worker newspaper.

REGISTRATION:

Sliding scale: $10-30. On-site registration will be available.