First declared by the Socialist Party in 1909, International Women’s Day is our opportunity to come together to speak out for a world where democratic socialist feminist values and programs enable people to live lives in ways they never will be able to under capitalism and patriarchy.
International Women’s Day is about power: theirs and ours. Their power puts courts and legislatures in charge of whether or not a woman can have an abortion. Our power leaves this decision where it belongs: with the woman herself. Their power dictates a profit-driven “managed care” health care system, at the service of the insurance industry and transnational pharmaceutical companies. Our power lies in grassroots organizing, for a national system of universal health care under community control. Their power rests in greedy corporations owned by an ultra-wealthy few that deplete the world’s resources and exploit its people. Our power depends on building a mass movement for a new society rooted in cooperation, equality, and workers’ control.
Their power gets channeled through politicians whose primary allegiance is to the economic requirements of global capitalism. Our power gets exerted through political action completely independent of both mainstream, capitalist parties. Their power resides in exploitation, inequality, domination, violence, and deception. Our power resides in cooperation, compassion, respectful communication, justice, and collective action.
Join members of the Socialist Party of Michigan on International Women’s Day- March 8th at Eastern Michigan University for a forum on Women’s Histories and Challenges Around the World:
Noon – 1:30PM
EMU Porter Building Rm. 301 B/C
Women’s Histories and Challenges Around the World (Drs Dibya Choudhuri and Sõlange Simões, coordinators) — Noontime cross-cultural luncheon and panel discussion by women from a broad range of countries who will describe the challenges facing women in their respective homelands, and the organizations and methods women use to overcome those challenges. The emphasis will be on identifying commonality and difference in women’s experiences and feminist movements cross-nationally. A variety of international foods and refreshments will be provided.