Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Jim Byrne

By Jim Byrne

May Day in Arizona.

Tucson, AZ – As the historic statewide strike of Arizona educators concluded its unprecedented fourth day on May 1, Tucson rallied under the banner #RedForEd. Speakers shared stories connecting economic policies that have destroyed state budgets, foreign countries and working people’s livelihoods and illustrating the bonds between education, immigration and labor.

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By Jim Byrne

Striking teachers in Arizona.

Phoenix, AZ – The historic statewide educator walkout entered its third day Monday, April 30. Tens of thousands filled the capitol once again in order to talk with legislators and pressure Governor Ducey to fully fund public schools.

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By Jim Byrne

Striking Arizona teachers.

Phoenix, AZ – A red tidal wave is washing over downtown Phoenix, April 26, as the #RedForEd movement takes its demands to Governor Ducey and the Republican-dominated legislature. A week ago, 78% of the 57,000 educators who voted chose to walk out as a response to the lack of a realistic proposal from Ducey. His proposal, what he called last night his “final offer” uses a lot of unverified projections and moving monies from important programs such as health care and funds for the disabled and veterans.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – The rapid rise of the #RedForEd and the failure of the Arizona governor and legislature to fully fund public schools will result in a state-wide walk out, Thursday, April 26. Educators have been frustrated with some of the lowest pay and lowest per-pupil funding in the country.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – With over 57,000 votes from across the state, 78% over education workers voted April 19 in favor of a walk out. This historic vote comes on the heels of a proposal from Governor Doug Ducey to fund the demand of a 20% raise by using monies from health care programs, the arts, and programs for the developmentally disabled. This vote is a rejection of Ducey’s lackluster effort to listen to the raging #RedForEd movement.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – Last Thursday, April 12, Arizona Republican Governor Doug Ducey presented his proposal for salary raises to the movement of educators called Arizona Educators United (AEU). It did not take long for teachers and educational support professionals to reject the proposal based on suspicions of a lack of new funding streams and the lack of recognition for classified support staff.

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By Jim Byrne

Arizona teachers march.

Tucson, AZ – Thousands of red-clad educators, parents, youth and community members poured into the downtown area April 4, during rush hour. Several marches from nearby schools convened on the street corners outside of the Arizona State Building to send a message to Governor Doug Ducey and the legislature to increase teacher pay and restore the missing $1 billion from the state public education budget.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – On April 4, educators across Arizona will gather outside their schools before the first bell and walk in together as a sign of unity in their fight for higher pay and equitable funding.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – A dozen anti-war activists gathered at the Federal Building Oct. 5 to demand an end to the 16-year U.S. war in Afghanistan. The protest comes one day before the anniversary of the 2001 invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, which is the longest war the U.S. has been involved in.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ — Close to 10,000 protesters outside of a Trump rally in Phoenix experienced first hand the kind of law and order Trump has promised. Fresh off of his insulting comments in the wake of the white supremacist terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, President Trump visited Phoenix the night of August 22 to rally the Republican base and perhaps pardon the infamous Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ — Close to 10,000 protesters outside of a Trump rally in Phoenix experienced first hand the kind of law and order Trump has promised. Fresh off of his insulting comments in the wake of the white supremacist terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, President Trump visited Phoenix the night of August 22 to rally the Republican base and perhaps pardon the infamous Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – The Tucson Anti-War Committee has called for an emergency rally on Thursday July 27, at 5 p.m. at the Federal Building located at 300 W Congress Street. This is organized to tell the Trump administration and U.S. Senators like Marco Rubio: “Hands off Venezuela! No sanctions!”

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By Jim Byrne

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Tucson, AZ – Nearly a dozen people took to the crosswalks of a busy intersection here, May 13, to create more visibility for the close to 2000 Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. Receiving many more honks in support than Zionist jeers, the group flew Palestinian flags and held signs reading, “Support the Palestinian hunger strike.” Passersby also saw the popular hashtag #DignityStrike, which is being used to spread information on the hunger strike via social media.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – Close to 300 activists took the streets on May 1, International Workers Day, to demand an end to attacks on immigrants and workers. The Tucson May Day Coalition saw participation from immigrant rights groups such as Derechos Humanos and LUPE as well as labor groups such as UFCW, CWA, teachers unions and a host other progressive organizations.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – The Tucson May Day Coalition has been working very hard in the last two months to build for what is expected to be a return to huge May Day rallies from past historic moments.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – Immediately following President Trump’s order to unleash 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Syria, the Tucson Anti War Committee called an emergency rally for April 8. Joined by around 30 Tucsonans, the protest demanded: “Hands off Syria!” and “U.S. out of the Middle East!”

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson protest Muslim Ban.

Tucson, AZ – A couple dozen Tucsonans gathered outside the federal government building to protest the new Muslim ban proposed by Trump. The crowd celebrated the victory over the Trump administration’s Islamophobic executive order, resulting from popular pressure and two federal judge rulings in Hawaii and Maryland.

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By Jim Byrne

The Tucson Anti War Committee has organized an action for Thursday, March 16, at 5 p.m. at the Federal Building in downtown Tucson. The protest is set for the day that Trump’s new Islamophobic executive order against specific Muslim majority countries is to go into effect.

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By Jim Byrne

Tucson, AZ – Since Nicolás Maduro became president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in 2013, the right-wing opposition has been fixated on overthrowing his government. The opposition has never recognized neither the constitution nor the legitimacy of the revolutionary government of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

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By Jim Byrne

Arizona protest against U.S. intervention in Syria

Tucson, AZ – About 35 Tucsonans rallied outside the federal building here, Oct. 21, to demand “Hands off Syria.” The protest was organized by the Tucson Anti-War Committee with participation from the Alliance for Global Justice, Veterans for Peace, and members of the local Green Party. As busy traffic passed by, Chuck Kaufman of the Alliance for Global Justice addressed the crowd, “There is no such thing as a humanitarian intervention. Do you think the U.S. can enforce a ‘no fly zone’ on Syria without going head to head with Russia? Of course not. Our leaders are insane.”

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