By James Thompson
Today A. Shaw and James Thompson presented a dozen red roses and a letter expressing our condolences to the Russian Consul General in Houston. The letter was as follows:
“December 29, 2016
Alexander Zakharov
Consul General, Russia
1333 West Loop South, Ste. 1300
Houston, TX 77027
Dear Alexander Zakharov:
The Houston Communist Party, Houston Peace Council and Houston Socialist Movement want to express our deepest condolences. We are very sad to learn of the tragic recent events. The crash of the airliner in the Black Sea and the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey cause us much sorrow.
Many of us are admirers of the Red Army Choir/Alexandrov Ensemble.
We are also concerned about the tensions between our two great nations and want to express our opposition to further conflict. We are hopeful that the President-elect of the United States will maintain his campaign positions in support of peace with Russia. Any sensible person can easily recognize that a major war between Russia and the US would reduce us all to cockroach food. As Pete Seeger sang many years ago “We can all be cremated equally.”
We applaud Russia’s efforts to establish peace in Syria and hope the next President of the US will work with Russia in an honest atmosphere of cooperation and dialogue in order to neutralize the terrorists who have done so much damage.
Peaceful coexistence rather than delusional allegations should be our one and only goal.
Peace and solidarity,
Houston Communist Party
Houston Peace Council
Houston Socialist Movement”
The consulate staff who received the letter were very gracious and professional. They showed us a display they had organized on a small table. It had flowers and a picture of the assassinated Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov. Needless to say, it was quite moving.
As we were leaving, the consulate staff member, Dmitri, called for better relations between our two countries. We replied simply, “We need peace!” Hopefully, 2017, the 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution which ended the Czarist monarchy and marked the beginning of a socialist government, will bring better relations between the U.S. and the Russian Federation.
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Last month’s raid on the Espiga De Oro tortilla factory in Houston by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement/Department of Labor/Harris County Sheriff’s Office/Houston Police Department was very disturbing. It is alarming to see such a raid conducted under the pretense of concern for the treatment of the workers; to see the collusion of the Department of Labor, HPD, and HCSO with ICE; to see the government’s approval of deferred action and work authorization for detained workers only for as long as they can be used as witnesses against the employer; and to see some of the media deny this was a raid.
Immigration raids and deportations must stop. Families are being destroyed, people are living in fear, and those who are deported and try to return are dying in the desert or being put in hellish detention centers. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office not only participated in the recent raid at the Espiga de Oro tortilla factory but also reports that about 1000 immigrants are deported from Harris County every month. Harris County has deported nearly 25,000 immigrants since 2008, the 4th largest number in the entire U.S. Â
Only the mobilization of the community, the support of pro-immigrant groups and the unity of working people can stop this attack on immigrants. We cannot depend on self-serving politicians and unjust laws. Together, we must demand an end to raids and deportations. We must demand an end to neighborhood and workplace “sweeps†which look for immigrants to deport. We must demand an end to HCSO and HPD involvement in immigration law enforcement. We must support the human right to freedom of movement and demand an end to migrant deaths.
Please join us for a demonstration demanding “Stop the Raids and Deportations!†at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, 1200 Baker Street, Houston, 77002, on Saturday, October 10, at 3 pm. This demonstration is organized by the Houston Socialist Movement (713-478-6657), Fe y Justicia Centro de Trabajadores (713- 862-8222), End Mass Incarceration (832-338-9393), Workers World Party (713-503-2633) (list in formation). For more information, please call.
In Solidarity,
Houston Socialist Movement  Â
Queridos hermanos y hermanas,
El ataque del mes pasado en la fábrica de tortillas Espiga de Oro en Houston por Inmigración y Control de Aduanas / Departamento del Trabajo/ Oficina del Alguacil del Condado Harris/ Departamento de PolicÃa de Houston / Houston fue muy preocupante. Es alarmante ver una redada llevada a cabo bajo el pretexto de su preocupación por el trato a los trabajadores; es alarmante ver la confabulación del Departamento de Trabajo, HPD y HCSO con ICE; es alarmante ver la aprobación del gobierno de la acción diferida y la autorización de trabajo para los trabajadores detenidos solo por el tiempo que puedan ser usados como testigos en contra del empleador; es alarmante ver como los medios de comunicación niegan que eso fue una redada.
Las redadas de inmigración y las deportaciones deben parar. Las familias están siendo destrozadas, la agente vive con miedo, y aquellos que son deportados y tratan de regresar están muriendo en el desierto o son puestos en celdas infernales en los centros de detención. La Oficina del Alguacil del Condado Harris no solo participó en la más reciente redada en la fábrica de tortilla La Espiga de Oro sino que además reporta que alrededor de 1000 inmigrantes son deportados cada mes por el Condado Harris. El condado Harris ha deportado cerca de 25,000 inmigrantes desde el 2008, el 4º número más grande en todo los Estados Unidos.
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Solo la movilización de la comunidad, el apoyo de grupos pro-inmigrantes y la unidad de la clase trabajadora pueden parar este ataque contra los inmigrantes. No podemos depender de los polÃticos y de leyes injustas. Juntos, podemos demandar un alto a las redadas y deportaciones. Debemos demandar alto a las pesquisas y husmeos en los vecindarios buscando inmigrantes para deportar. Debemos demandar alto a la intromisión de la HCSO y HPD en la aplicación de la ley de inmigración. Debemos apoyar el derecho humano de libertad de movilidad y exigir el fin de la muerte de inmigrantes.
Únase a la demostración en demanda a “Alto a las redadas y deportaciones†enfrente de la oficina del Alguacil del Condado Harris, 1200 Baker St., Houston, 77002, el sábado 10 de octubre a las 3pm. Esta demostración es organizada por el Movimiento Socialista de Houston (713-478-6657), Fe y Justicia Centro de Trabajadores (713-862-8222), Fin a la Encarcelación Masiva (832-338-9393), y Partido Mundial de Trabajadores (713-503-2633) (lista en la información). Para más información, por favor hable por teléfono.
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En solidaridad,
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Movimiento Socialista de Houston Â
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
The criminalization of migrants and militarization of the border have led to deadly results during the past two decades. An article in yesterday’s Houston Chronicle pointed out that more than 6300 migrants have died near the border since 1998. During the past year, Texas newspapers have reported that numerous migrants’ remains have been buried in mass graves and identified Houston-based Service Corporation International  (SCI) and its funeral homes as responsible for some of these actions. However, the Texas Rangers and other state officials have denied that SCI violated Texas law or did anything wrong.
Yesterday an article by John Carlos Frey in the Texas Observer confirmed that migrants’ remains have been placed in plastic bags or containers like milk crates and then buried in mass graves, emphasized the responsibility of SCI for these actions, and revealed that Texas laws concerning burials have indeed been violated. Frey’s article is well worth reading and can be found at http://www.texasobserver.org/illegal-mass-graves-of-migrant-remains-found-in-south-texas/. SCI should be condemned for their treatment of migrants’ remains, and it is no surprise that Texas officials have covered up this corporation’s complicity. As Frey’s article reveals, SCI’s CEO, Robert Waltrip, is a friend of former Governor Rick Perry and donated $310,000 to his campaigns from 2001 to 2010. SCI’s director of security, Robert Madeira, is a former Texas Ranger lieutenant.
The Houston Socialist Movement is outraged by SCI’s immoral and illegal treatment of migrants’ remains and by Texas officials’ cover-up of these crimes. We are calling for a protest against SCI and its friends in the state government on Saturday, July 18, 5-7 pm, on the sidewalks in front of Service Corporation International at 1920 Allen Parkway in Houston. The SCI building is right next to KHOU TV-11. Please join us in demanding humanitarian, compassionate handling of migrants’ remains, full compliance with state laws concerning burials, and an end to the criminalization of migrants and militarization of the border that have contributed to the large number of migrant deaths. Please join us on July 18. For more information, please call (713) 213-1678, (713) 530-8999, or (832) 692-2306.
In Solidarity,
Houston Socialist Movement
https://www.facebook.com/events/1424805014499116/
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
The Houston Socialist Movement invites you to participate in a May Day International Workers Day Speak-Out at 6 pm on Friday, May 1, at City Hall in Houston, 901 Bagby Street. We will assemble on the side of the building facing Bagby Street. Together, we will raise our voices against the growing assault on the rights of workers, women, people of color, immigrants, and LGBT communities here in Texas and throughout the country. Together, we will condemn the Texas Legislature’s plans to pass draconian anti-immigrant laws and cut taxes on wealthy property owners while ignoring the needs of Texas schoolchildren, workers, veterans, and the disabled. Together, we will speak out in opposition to continuing US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; the threat of US wars against Iran and Syria; US support for fascist forces in Ukraine; and US efforts to overthrow revolutionary governments in Cuba and Venezuela.
The Houston Socialist Movement believes that capitalism is inexorably linked to class exploitation, poverty, economic insecurity, social inequality, racism, imperialism and national oppression, the oppression of women, anti-LGBT chauvinism, fascism, the destruction of the environment and many other social ills. We believe that only the abolition of capitalism can end these grave threats to humanity. The bourgeois political parties in the United States hold no promise for the working class majority. We are united in our commitment to independent working class political action as the key to fighting for vital, immediate reforms today and for socialist revolution tomorrow. May Day, the International Workers Day, is a great time for all of us to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and raise our voices on behalf of our collective liberation. There will be an open microphone for all supporters and allies of the working class at the Speak-Out, and we hope you will join us.
For more information, please call (832) 692-2306, (713) 530-8999 (se habla espanol), or (713) 213-1678 (se habla espanol).
 In Solidarity,
Houston Socialist Movement
You can view the videos of the Rally against Republicans held on 2/28/2015 in Houston which was organized by the Houston Socialist Movement at the following links: