Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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Mao Zedong.

To mark the 132nd anniversary of the birth of Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong, December 26, Fight Back News Service is circulating quotes from some of his writings on the United States and its role in the world.

“Chiang Kai-shek and his supporters, the U.S. reactionaries, are all paper tigers too. Speaking of U.S. imperialism, people seem to feel that it is terrifically strong. Chinese reactionaries are using the ‘strength’ of the United States to frighten the Chinese people. But it will be proved that the U.S. reactionaries, like all the reactionaries in history, do not have much strength. In the United States there are others who are really strong – the American people.”

— Talk with the American correspondent Anna Louise Strong, August 1946

“Apart from those who are deliberately deceiving the people or are utterly naive, no one will believe that a treaty can make U.S. imperialism lay down its butcher’s knife and suddenly become a Buddha, or even behave itself a little better.”

— Statement Opposing Aggression Against Southern Vietnam and Slaughter of Its People by the U.S. – Ngo Dinh Diem clique, August, 1963

“The United States has all along attempted to control the Congo. It used the United Nations forces to carry out every sort of evil deed there. It murdered the Congolese national hero Lumumba, it subverted the lawful Congolese government. It imposed the puppet Tshombe on the Congolese people, and dispatched mercenary troops to suppress the Congolese national liberation movement. And now, it is carrying out direct armed intervention in the Congo in collusion with Belgium and Britain. In so doing, the purpose of U.S. imperialism is not only to control the Congo, but also to enmesh the whole of Africa, particularly the newly independent African countries, in the toils of U.S. neo-colonialism once again. U.S. aggression has encountered heroic resistance from the Congolese people and aroused the indignation of the people of Africa and of the whole world.”

— Declaration of Support of the People of the Congo, December 1964

“The speedy development of the struggle of the American Negroes is a manifestation of sharpening class struggle and sharpening national struggle within the United States; it has been causing increasing anxiety among U.S. ruling circles. The Kennedy Administration is insidiously using dual tactics. On the one hand, it continues to connive at and take part in discrimination against Negroes and their persecution, and it even sends troops to suppress them. On the other hand, in the attempt to numb the fighting will of the Negro people and deceive the masses of the country, the Kennedy Administration is parading as an advocate of ‘the defense of human rights’ and ‘the protection of the civil rights of Negroes,’ calling upon the Negro people to exercise ‘restraint’ and proposing the ‘civil rights legislation’ to Congress. But more and more Negroes are seeing through these tactics of the Kennedy Administration. The fascist atrocities of the U.S. imperialists against the Negro people have exposed the true nature of so-called American democracy and freedom and revealed the inner link between the reactionary policies pursued by the U.S. Government at home and its policies of aggression abroad.”

— Statement Supporting the American Negroes in Their Just Struggle Against Racial Discrimination by U.S. Imperialism, August 8, 1963

“The Afro-American struggle is not only a struggle waged by the exploited and oppressed Black people for freedom and emancipation, it is also a new clarion call to all the exploited and oppressed people of the United States to fight against the barbarous rule of the monopoly capitalist class. It is a tremendous aid and inspiration to the struggle of the people throughout the world against U.S. imperialism and to the struggle of the Vietnamese people against U.S. imperialism. On behalf of the Chinese people, I hereby express resolute support for the just struggle of the Black people in the United States.”

— Statement by Comrade Mao Tse-tung, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, in Support of the Afro-American Struggle Against Violent Repression, April 16, 1968

“The Black masses and the masses of white working people in the United States have common interests and common objectives to struggle for. Therefore, the Afro-American struggle is winning sympathy and support from increasing numbers of white working people and progressives in the United States. The struggle of the Black people in the United States is bound to merge with the American workers’ movement, and this will eventually end the criminal rule of the U.S. monopoly capitalist class.”

— Statement by Comrade Mao Tse-tung, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, in Support of the Afro-American Struggle Against Violent Repression, April 16, 1968

“A new upsurge in the struggle against U.S. imperialism is now emerging throughout the world. Ever since the Second World War, U.S. imperialism and its followers have been continuously launching wars of aggression and the people in various countries have been continuously waging revolutionary wars to defeat the aggressors. The danger of a new world war still exists, and the people of all countries must get prepared. But revolution is the main trend in the world today.

“Unable to win in Vietnam and Laos, the U.S. aggressors treacherously engineered the reactionary coup d’etat by the Lon Nol Sirik Matak clique, brazenly dispatched their troops to invade Cambodia and resumed the bombing of North Vietnam, and this has aroused the furious resistance of the three Indo Chinese peoples. I warmly support the fighting spirit of Samdech Norodom Sihanouk, Head of State of Cambodia, in opposing U.S. imperialism and its lackeys. I warmly support the Joint Declaration of the Summit Conference of the Indo Chinese Peoples. I warmly support the establishment of the Royal Government of National Union under the Leadership of the National United Front of Kampuchea. Strengthening their unity, supporting each other and persevering in a protracted people’s war, the three Indo-Chinese peoples will certainly overcome all difficulties and win complete victory.

“While massacring the people in other countries, U.S. imperialism is slaughtering the white and black people in its own country. Nixon’s fascist atrocities have kindled the raging flames of the revolutionary mass movement in the United States. The Chinese people firmly support the revolutionary struggle of the American people. I am convinced that the American people who are fighting valiantly will ultimately win victory and that the fascist rule in the United States will inevitably be defeated.”

— People of the World, Unite and Defeat the U.S. Aggressors and All Their Running Dogs, May 23, 1970

#RevolutionaryTheory #Mao #Socialism #MarxismLeninism

By staff

Protesta exige que ICE salga de los hospitales de L.A.  | Gabriel Quiroz Jr./ Noticiero ¡Lucha y Resiste!

Los Angeles, CA – A principios de octubre, los informantes en White Memorial, un hospital adventista de Boyle Heights, filtraron información invaluable. Los informantes afirmaron que los agentes de ICE estaban llevando a los detenidos de una instalación inadecuada de ICE llamada “B-18” ubicada dentro del Metropolitan Detention Center en el centro de Los Ángeles, al hospital del barrio Chicano.

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By staff

Worker - President Nicolas Maduro and Maria Griman, spokeswoman of the National Commission of Council of Productive Workers. | Central Bolivariana Socialista de Trabajadores \[CBST\]

Caracas, Venezuela – Dozens of Venezuelan trade unions representing public and private sectors ranging from national oil company workers to educators to motorcycle taxistas joined together in the Constituent Congress of the Working Class on December 15-17 in Caracas. They gathered as the culmination of over 22,000 assemblies of workers throughout the country involving nearly 67,000 elected delegates from October to December.

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By staff

NYC rally demands justice for Eudes Pierre.

Brooklyn, NY — Dozens of community members gathered at the NYPD’s 71st Precinct in Brooklyn on December 20. Four years before, Officers Peter Lan and Conrado Abreu-Gerez from the 71st Precinct shot and killed 26-year-old Haitian American Eudes Pierre while he was experiencing a mental health crisis.

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By staff

Protest demand Minneapolis end its contract with Zencity, an Israeli tech company that specializes in surveillance on people.

Minneapolis, MN – After a year of community pressure, Minneapolis cut funding for its contract with Zencity, an Israeli tech company whose surveillance technology emerged from Israel’s military intelligence center, Unit 8200, notorious for development of surveillance and phone hacking technology.

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By staff

Tania Diaz

Caracas, Venezuela – Venezuelan trade unions gathered on December 15 to discuss plans and proposals to expand their participation in the defense of the country and the goals of the working class. The Congress of the Working Class invited international delegates to join them in solidarity.

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By staff

Denver protest demands end to deportation flights.

Denver, CO – Organizers in Denver are continuing the fight against local airline Key Lime Air, responsible for deportation flights.

Over the last week, the campaign to stop Key Lime Air from operating deportation flights has expanded. Organizers from Aurora Unidos CSO, Immigrant Partnership Teams, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, and Casa de Paz gathered outside of the Denver City Council meeting on December 15. The city councilors were scheduled to vote on Key Lime Air’s presence at Denver International Airport. If passed, the bill would expand Key Lime Air’s contract with the airport by increasing its operating space there.

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By staff

Families impacted  by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office killings and brutality demand justice for loved ones.

Jacksonville, FL – In a powerful show of solidarity, nearly a dozen families directly harmed by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) united at Café Resistance on Thursday, December 19.

The “Justice for the Holidays” event was standing room only, organized by the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC), transforming a space of shared grief into a rallying point for organized action against a sheriff’s office with a notorious record of excessive force. The gathering highlighted many cases and struggles.

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By staff

San Jose march for International Human Rights Day.

San Jose, CA – On December 14, San Jose Against War gathered dozens of people to commemorate International Human Rights Day. The U.S. has been a primary facilitator of human rights violations, including selling weapons to Israel, bombing fisherpeople off the coast of Venezuela, and a host of sanctions imposed on countries striving for national sovereignty.

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By staff

United flight attendants picket for a decent contract at Tampa International Airport.

This past year, horrifying accidents and the government shutdown have put many of us on alert about travel risks. It’s made more people reflect on how important flight attendants are. Their primary job, after all, is keeping passengers safe. As the year comes to an end, let’s put a spotlight on some working conditions that affect their own safety.

Physical injuries

Despite gendered stereotypes about being a flight attendant, the job causes serious physical strain. Strain manifests in several parts of the body, most consistently in the shoulders and back. The job requires lifting your own luggage, working aircraft doors (many of which are old and have levers that require lots of muscle to push and pull), and maneuvering beverage carts that can weigh up to 300 pounds. Even stepping out of tall crew vans in heels can be a fall or concussion risk.

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By staff

CSO del Condado de Orange atiende una mesa informativa en un evento en honor a La Virgen de Guadalupe.

Santa Ana, CA – En la fría noche del 11 de diciembre, 100 miembros de la comunidad se reunieron para orar y rendir homenaje a la Virgen de Guadalupe, su santa patrona. Oraron bajo cientos de flores y luces brillantes instaladas por Luis Cantabrana. Él es un residente de Santa Ana que lleva 27 años transformando su casa en un hermoso altar dedicado a la Virgen de Guadalupe. Este año, a pesar de las redadas casi semanales del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) en Santa Ana, la tradición se celebró ampliamente.

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By staff

Fight Back! News is circulating the following statement from the New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois Chicago (New SDS at UIC).

New Students for a Democratic Society at UIC is proud to announce that we’ve successfully pushed UIC administration to commit to increasing funding for all seven cultural centers on campus! In the era of Trump 2.0, this is an important victory in the struggle to defend diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. When we dare to struggle, we dare to win!

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By staff

Postal workers march against ICE using post office facilities.

Minneapolis, MN- On December 14, over 100 postal workers and supporters braved subzero temperatures to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) using post office parking lots as staging areas. The action was organized by rank-and-file members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 9, which represents Minneapolis workers.

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By staff

Vanessa Perez, the mother of Joseph Perez speaking at rally.

City of Industry, CA – On Saturday, December 13, the family of Joseph Perez, Centro CSO, and other allies rallied outside the Industry Sheriff’s Station to demand justice for Perez, who narrowly survived a beating by at least five sheriff’s deputies on July 27, 2020. Perez required 17 staples and 19 sutures to close cuts across his face and scalp, served two years in prison for resisting arrest, and is still recovering from the trauma.

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By staff

Miami, Florida protest demands hands off Venezuela.

Doral, FL – On Wednesday, December 10, activists stood across from United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) protesting the escalation of attacks against Venezuela. About a dozen activists came to the protest at 2:30 p.m. to demand that the airstrikes stop, the warships are brought back home, and that the government restore Temporary Protected Status protections for Venezuelans.

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By staff

Orange County CSO tabling at an event honoring La Virgen de Guadalupe.

Santa Ana, CA – On the chilly evening of December 11, 100 community members came together to pray and pay homage to the patron saint la Virgen de Guadalupe. They prayed under hundreds of flowers and bright lights installed by Luis Cantabrana. He is a local Santanero, who has been turning his entire home into a beautiful altar for la Virgen de Guadalupe for 27 years. This year, despite the almost weekly raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Santa Ana, the tradition was celebrated widely.

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By staff

Picket demands justice for Alex-Martinez Sarmiento.

Colorado Springs, CO – On December 11, the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (COSAARPR) gathered outside of the 4th Judicial District attorney’s office to demand justice for Alex-Martinez Sarmiento.

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By staff

Starbucks Workers United baristas and supporters picket for "Red Cup Rebellion" strike in River Ridge.

River Ridge, LA – On December 11, Starbucks workers at the unionized store on River Ridge participated in the nationwide “Red Cup Rebellion” strike. This open-ended strike has expanded to over 180 stores across 130 cities, making it the longest work stoppage in Starbucks history.

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By staff

Anaheim protest demands justice for Albert Arzola.

Anaheim, CA – On Wednesday, December 10, chants of “Justice for Albert Arzola!” filled the streets in Anaheim. Members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) protested with friends of Albert Arzola to demand justice after he was killed by and Anaheim Police Department (APD) gang unit.

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By staff

Rally demands sheriff end collaboration with ICE.

Santa Rosa, CA – On December 9, community members, faith leaders and immigrant rights organizations gathered in Santa Rosa to demand an end to all cooperation between Sonoma County law enforcement and ICE. The rally came amid heightened fear in immigrant communities due to the renewed intensification of deportations.

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