As the Jan. 27 deadline approaches for a report from weapons inspectors in Iraq, people of conscience must recognize that inspections are worse than a sham, and more than a pretext for war. The inspections are a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. In building a strong anti-war movement, activists must stand up for Iraqi self-determination, and say no to these inspections.

George Bush is throwing sand in our eyes. Folks in other countries have created organizations and political parties to fight for a decent way of life. Bush has put those groups on the State Department's 'terrorist list.' He is calling that the good 'the evil.' He is trying to exploit Americans' fears about attacks on civilians to justify sending guns and money to some of the world's most repressive regimes.

By every indication, the anti-war demonstrations scheduled for April 20 in Washington D.C. and San Francisco promise to be a great success. In communities and campuses across the country, buses are being rented, tickets are being purchased, and the message of “no to war and racism,” is reaching millions of people.

Make no mistake about it: the Bush administration is waging a war at home and abroad. While bombs rain down on Afghanistan, destroying homes, hospitals and mosques, the White House is presiding over an assault on the rights and on the standard of living of working and oppressed peoples at home.

Following the tragic loss of life at the World Trade Center, we saw real acts of heroism by the working people of New York, and an outpouring of concern and generosity on the part of people across the country. The emergency medical technicians and fire fighters who rushed to ground zero and made the ultimate sacrifice typify what is best in the American working class. The same applies to others – such as the Ironworkers who rushed to the scene to do all that they could. All of us can and should learn from these heroes.

On May 1, hundreds of millions of working people will stand up and say NO to exploitation, poverty, and oppression. In every country on the globe, women and men, employed and unemployed, will come together to celebrate May Day, International Workers Day.

In February of 1999, four New York City cops murdered an innocent, unarmed man, named Amadou Diallo. The cops shot him with 41 bullets in the entryway of his Bronx apartment building. One year later a jury in upstate New York acquitted those same cops of his murder.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson recently put Decatur, Illinois, back on the front line of struggle. In the early 1990s, Jesse rallied to support the heroic fight of locked-out Staley workers. Decatur had been war zone headquarters for the working class with big strikes by Caterpillar and Firestone workers. This time racism in education was the issue.

A shortage of affordable housing has turned the lives of millions into a nightmare. Emergency shelters are occupied by an army of the homeless. Many more people are living on the streets. In New York City, the wait for public housing is 8 years.

With this issue of Fight Back!, we begin our second year of publication. In our very first issue, we said; “this paper exists to build the people's struggle.” We have done everything in our power to make that commitment a reality.