Northwoods Socialist Collective

We, revolutionary socialist workers’ organizations from Venezuela, Colombia, and the United States, completely condemn the unjustifiable murders of sailors and fishermen from Venezuela, Colombia, and Trinidad by the U.S. Navy. Likewise, we condemn the disgusting, deadly threats and provocations by the Trump administration against the peoples of Venezuela and Colombia, which constitute an imperialist attack and a mortal danger to the entire Latin American region. The Trump administration has acknowledged 14 attacks on vessels suspected of drug smuggling from South America, in which, according to The New York Times, at least 57 people have died, including the attacks on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, which left 14 people dead.

The United States is preparing for war against Venezuela. While President Donald Trump has asserted that the country’s goal is to stop shipments of Venezuelan drugs to the United States, in private conversations U.S. officials have made it clear that Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This forms part of Trump’s goal of reasserting U.S. domination in Latin America such as it exercised in the nineteenth century by gunboats and in the twentieth century by installing friendly governments. The preparations for the war have involved attacks on small boats that began in early September. Trump claims the boats were carrying drugs, though no proof has been provided. Altogether as of this time (Oct. 26), the United States forces have destroyed ten boats and killed 43 people in international waters in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. The Trump administration claims that the United States is engaged in national self-defense because drugs like ...

Social media is filling up with images of what can only be called joyous determination—images of Gazans returning to their devastated city and rebuilding, reconstructing, renewing. I cannot stop watching videos of children hugging their cats, of women and men laying bricks on a bombed-out home, of twins reuniting. All this amidst what the IOF called “finishing touches” to their two-year holocaust: as they were forced to retreat from Gaza, they set fire to food, homes, and a critical water treatment plant in their own version of “festival of the oppressor.” The current ceasefire includes consistent bad faith deals from the usual suspects. The Israeli list of Palestinians to be released as part of the hostage exchange has carefully left out the names of several popular leaders whose release Hamas has insisted upon. Among them are Marwan Barghouti (popular leader, often called the Palestinian Mandela), Ahmad Saadat (Secretary-General of the Marxist group the Popular Front for the Libera...

The Northwoods Socialist Collective is a motley crew of revolutionary socialists based in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. We're always looking for new members.  Here is a quick run down of how you can get involved in our group!   Becoming a Supporter: Anyone is welcome to come our monthly Socialism and a Slice meeting, our protests or any of our other public events.  We have a monthly email list for folks who consider themselves friends or supporters of our group that lists specific ways you can plug in. Being a supporter is a totally informal thing.  Contact us at northwoods.socialists@gmail.com to get signed up for that email list.   Becoming a Member:  Our membership requirements are that you be in general agreement with our Mission Statement (which is posted at the bottom of this page) and that you pay annual dues of $1.   We have a zero tolerance policy towards violence and sexual harassment.  As a group we do not take a position on...

What Happened? On October 3 the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved the sale of ALLETE (the parent company of MN Power) to BlackRock and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.   BlackRock will own 60% of MN Power and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board will own the remaining 40%.   This decision was made “despite concerns by environmental and consumer groups, the state Attorney General’s Office, and an independent judge who scrutinized the proposal,” write Dan Kraker, NPR, Oct. 3. BlackRock Is . . . The largest asset manager in the world.   They control over 10 trillion dollars in assets across the globe.   In addition to major asset management, BlackRock is one of the largest shadow banks in the world.   A shadow bank is a banking system that falls outside   traditional banking regulations.   Shadow banking comes with many risks including major lack of transparency and regulations, hidden leverage, and a system risk of f...

Defend Free Speech and Dr. Tom Alter! Texas State University fired Tom for speaking at a socialist conference in his personal capacity in September.   A judge since ruled that he needed to be reinstated by the University until he is a given a hearing.   That hearing happened yesterday. There's a lot to say, but it boils down to this: they fired him and were ordered to reinstate him because they violated due process. When reinstated, he wasn't allowed to teach. The result of yesterday's hearing was that they will let Tom know "later this week."