March 8, 2010

Happy International Women's Day from Radical Women!

Dear Friend,

One hundred years ago, at the Second International Socialist Women's
Conference, participants from 17 countries voted unanimously to create a
day to honor the struggles of workingclass women. International Women's
Day was born, and it's been celebrated in countries across the globe
ever since.

Women now, just as they did one hundred years ago, hold a unique
economic and social position in society -- oppressed in the home and
super-exploited in the workplace. Women suffer more frequently from
poverty; they labor long hours at home, raising the young and nursing the
aged and sick; and they often also perform double-duty outside the home,
working for lower wages than their male counterparts. This harsh reality
makes women the best and toughest leaders of movements fighting for
social and economic justice. In other words, women always have
everything to gain and little to lose by organizing for a better world. As the
South African song proclaims, "When you strike a woman, you strike
a rock!"

Rebellion by women against an unjust global economic order is very much
alive. In Iran, women are revolting against a thoroughly bankrupt,
oppressive regime; in Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinian women are
organizing an international boycott of Israel; in Italy, France and Spain,
immigrant women went on strike against xenophobic racism; in Australia,
feminists convened a national conference to coordinate and re-energize
the abortion rights movement; in Mexico, women staunchly defend striking
mine workers who fight for basic labor and human rights.

In the United States, queers and their allies are agitating for equality in all
aspects of life. On university and college campuses, young women are
organizing strikes and conferences in answer to the draconian cuts and
tuition hikes that politicians of both parties are implementing to balance
shrinking state budgets.

Radical Women in the U.S. and Australia is in the thick of these fights.
Over the past year, members have also campaigned for fully-funded
health care and other human services; helped pass laws to tax the rich
and corporate profits; defended clinics and protested for reproductive
freedom; organized to stop raids by Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE); raised money for our sisters and brothers in Haiti,
who are rebuilding their homeland; and much more.

On this 100th anniversary of the declaration of IWD, the issues may have
changed, but the nature of the struggle remains the same. Like the
socialist women who founded IWD, Radical Women believes the
movements for social and economic justice must be independent and anti-
capitalist to realize their full potential. Independent because it doesn't
matter which political party holds power if they aren't accountable to the
workingclass majority. If women are ever to achieve equality, we must cut
the ties to politicians who demand our votes and hard-earned money, but
give little, if anything, in return.

Our movements must also be anti-capitalist and tackle head-on the
bankrupt economic system that pits nations and peoples against each
other in a dog-eat-dog race to the bottom so that a tiny minority can exploit
the earth's resources and human labor for private gain. The day the
world's peoples turn this "free" market pyramid upside down will be a great
advance along the path of achieving full equality and quality of life for all
of humanity.

So, on this March 8, Radical Women unites in solidarity with all our sisters
and brothers around the world who are marching, protesting, and raising
their voices to win a socialist future where all people have not only bread,
but roses too!

Join with Radical Women in this exciting and fulfilling work of creating a
just world. Check us out at www.RadicalWomen.org. Your ideas and
talents are welcome and needed. Or, make a donation! Every dollar will be
used to fight for the rights of women.

¡Adelante!

Margaret Viggiani
Radical Women
National Executive Committee


National Radical Women
625 Larkin St. Ste 202, San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone 415-864-1278 • Fax 415-864-0778
RadicalWomenUS@gmail.com - www.RadicalWomen.org