H.S. students honor International Women’s Day
As a protest against growing attacks on women’s rights, students in Shrewsbury High School in Massachusetts have built an exhibit to honor International Women’s Day, and to shine a spotlight on the fight for women’s equality.
“I don’t know why, but the U.S. chooses not to acknowledge the day,” said Polina Volfovich, who organized the exhibit.
The exhibit features women leaders, such as NOW President Kim Gandy and union leaders, and an explanation of the holiday’s origins. The theme of the exhibit coincides with the UN’s theme for this year’s Women’s Day: “Women in Decision-Making.”
Volfovich said she is especially fearful of attacks on abortion rights. “My body is the only thing I own, and somebody else controlling that, it’s like Big Brother.”
Czech youth fight ‘thought control’
The Communist Youth Union of the Czech Republic (KSM) has been in a fight for its legal existence since Czech authorities announced that it would be banned because the KSM has refused to renounce Marxism-Leninism. “Talk about thought control!” one outraged observer said. The youth group is also charged with “interfering” in politics, though youth organizations of other Czech political parties operate in the same way, and have not been threatened. A Feb. 27 day of solidarity kicked off a campaign to support KSM. For more information, visit www.wfdy.org.
Campus far-right warps freedom of speech
Under the guise of defending freedom of speech, the right-wing Alliance Defense Fund has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Penn State student, demanding that the university weaken its rules against harassment and discrimination. The current policy bans hate speech and harassment, and aims to stop people from making the life of minority students “a living hell.” College Republicans President Vicky Cangelosi told the student newspaper that policies against intolerance hamper their organizing. “I don’t even know how many events we would consider doing if we weren’t going to be labeled as intolerant.” Defenders of the current policy say that this is part of a national ADF campaign to overturn hard-won rights protection for minority students.
New York event raises $14,000
The Young Communist League held a fundraiser March 4 for its upcoming national convention in Brooklyn. The program highlighted activities in electoral, peace and solidarity work and raised some $14,000 in pledges. With a goal of $65,000 in the month of March, the league had raised $21,000 four days into the month. YCL leader Jessica Marshall said, “That we raised so much was a testament to how much people value the YCL. But we still have another $45,000 to raise.”
The event was part of the Communist Party’s national committee meeting in New York.
— Dan Margolis (dmargolis@pww.org)
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