Winter Editorial

As our economy continues to implode, foreclosures, layoffs and precarious employment feed the anger and fear that seem define this moment. Our well-founded anger is being manipulated and exploited by major corporations in their own interest. While robbing the nation and world to the point of anguish Wall Street and major industries work overtime to turn anger away from themselves and to divide and confuse us with nationalism, phony populism and misguided blame.

Across our country we are seeing anger lead to activism, good and bad. The Teabaggers continue to echo their corporate handlers against their own class interests. More importantly there is the real activism of large marches demanding jobs, healthcare and an end to our needless wars. Demonstrations against cuts to education and vital services are happening around the country. There is also a rise in community organizing as people pull together. In our area a Worker's Justice Center is coming together as a resource for worker education and organizing with connections to labor and progressive community organizations.

Because corporations dominating our country define what solutions are "possible" within the present system, we are not getting real health care. We are not getting useful market reform. We are not honestly addressing climate change. From the realization of the contempt our bosses feel for us to our disgust with bad jobs, from the inability of our government to represent anything but the most reactionary interests, to our self-directed anger at our own failings and complicity - our rage and frustration permeate this collection.
As workers, our strength is in our unity. An inestimable aspect of building that unity is the reclamation of our culture and its inherent value of militant class solidarity.

The failing economy and a scarcity of funds affects us as well threatening our ability to continue the cultural work of this journal. You will find our annual fund drive slip in this issue. It is our hope that your support will continue even in these tough times. The contribution of the immeasurable treasure of your powerful writing rooted in our working class reality, along with your support and subscriptions make this journal possible.