Joelle Fishman

From KeyWiki

Joelle Fishman chairs the Connecticut Communist Party USA. She is a Commissioner on the City of New Haven Peace Commission, serves on the executive board of the Alliance of Retired Americans in Connecticut and is an active member of many economic rights and social justice organizations.

She was a candidate for Congress from 1973 to 1982, maintaining minor-party ballot status for the Communist Party in Connecticut's Third Congressional District. As chair of the CPUSA Political Action Commission^[1].

...she has played an active role in the broad labor and people's alliance that defeated the ultra-right in the 2008 elections and continues to mobilize for health care, worker rights and peace.

She is married to Art Perlo, the son of late Soviet spy Victor Perlo.

Communist Party Labor Day call

The Communist Party USA paper People's Weekly World issued a statement to mark Labor Day 1995, entitled "We honor the dead and fight like hell for the living."

Of the more than 100 endorsers listed, almost all were identified members of the Communist Party USA.

Joelle Fishman, Connecticut, was on the list.^[2]

Endorsed Communist Party Call

On March 30 2002 the Communist Party USA paper People’s Weekly World called for a national holiday in honor of late Farm Workers Union leader Cesar Chavez. The article was followed by a long list of endorsers^[3]including Joelle Fishman, Almost all endorsers were confirmed members of the Communist Party USA.

Joelle Fishman is a prominent Connecticut Communist Party USA activist and chair of the CPUSA’s Political Action Commission.

In January 31 2004 Fishman addressed the addressed^[4] the Communist Party's conference on the 2004 elections in New York City.

The all-out mobilization to defeat Bush on Nov. 2 is not an end-point. It is a critical and necessary step along the way to much bigger change. There is need for a labor and people’s party in this country that is not beholden to corporate dollars, but rather is people powered and in a position to challenge corporate monopoly head-on.

This intensive year of activity should be carried out in a way that builds a lasting movement able to take on issues of war, poverty and inequality no matter who wins. Such a development would open many new doors for local, state and national independent politics and candidates.

Supporting Obama in '08

Joelle Fishman's role in the Communist Party USA's Political Action Commission gives her responsibility for organising party support for "progressive" Democratic Party candidates at the state, congressional, senate and presidential level.

Like virtually all Communist Party USA members, Joelle Fishman personally campaigned for Barack Obama.

Joelle Fishman writing in the Connecticut Communist Party's CT People Before Profits Blog November 2 2008.^[5];

It was enjoyable to knock on doors and find voters who were enthusiastic and inspired by Obama’s historic candidacy, like the teacher who said her whole family was spreading the word. There were several families of divided opinion and others who declined to say. The most challenging conversations were with voters who did not want to support Obama because they were caught up in the lies and rumors undermining his integrity and patriotism. Those who were ready to discuss appreciated the comparison of McCain’s anti-worker record with Obama’s near perfect score.

It was exciting to be part of the quarter million union volunteers across the country, the biggest election mobilization in labor’s history, which has influenced the political climate in working class swing states and districts, laying the basis for a much larger labor movement.

The example set by labor’s top leaders talking directly with white sisters and brothers about how Obama represents their best chance for a secure future will have a lasting impact...

This year the chance to uproot ultra-right corporate political dominance is much greater. Voters want to be part of history. They see that the policies of the Bush administration, which McCain-Palin would continue, are bankrupting the country and endangering the world.

Labor’s giant effort along with massive organizing by African American, Latino, women’s and youth groups has turned historically Republican states’ House and Senate seats into battlegrounds, including the Senate seat in New Hampshire.

A landslide victory for Obama and Congress will open the door for big new struggles to organize workers into unions and place the needs of working families front and center in this economic crisis.

Speech at Amistad Awards

On December 6, 2009, Fishman spoke at the 2009 Amistad Awards which was held at the New Haven People's Center.

Peace Commission

The City of New Haven Peace Commission is an organ of the City of Hartford Connecticut. It was organized in the 1980s by Communist Party USA leader Alfred Marder and has been infiltrated by local communists ever since.

Members in 2009;^[6]

• Green Hon. Allan Brisson - 12/31/2009
• Dem. Frank Cochran - 2/1/2011
• Dem. Hon. Dolores Colon - NH Board of Alderman 12/31/2009
• Dem. Celestino Cordova - 2/1/2011
• Unaff. Joelle Fishman - 2/1/2012
• Dem. Seth Godfrey - 2/1/2011
• Ind. Emanuel Gomez - 2/1/2011
• Dem. Aaron Goode - 2/1/2010
• Dem. Bishop Colon Haywood, Sr. - 1/1/2010
• Unaff. Rev. Sara Lamar-Sterling - 2/1/2011
• Unaff. John J. Lugo - 2/1/2010
• Rep. Alfred Marder Chairman 2/1/2011

Latinos for Peace

On October 31 2009, Latinos For Peace issued a statement calling for “no escalation of the war in Afghanistan and for expedited withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan as well as an end to the coup government in Honduras”.

More than 100 activists endorsed the call, including Joelle Fishman.^[7]

References