Tucson, AZ – On Tax Day, April 15, more than a dozen organizations in Tucson united against Trump’s war on Iran. Organized by the Tucson Anti-War Committee (TAWC), the rally outside the Federal Building downtown drew a crowd of around 80 people and lots of honks in support.

TAWC is part of the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN), which called for a national day of action on Tax Day. Cities participating so far include New York City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Tucson, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Washington D.C., Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth, Tulsa, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Grand Rapids.

Protesters held signs that read “Stop Trump’s war on Iran!” “Money for human needs, not for war!” and “U.S. out of Iran.” A TAWC organizer led the chants, “No more money for working moms, you spent it all on building bombs!” and “Israel bombs, USA pays, how many kids did you kill today?”

The group first heard from Dr. Mario Acosta, a member of Common Defense, a progressive veteran’s organization, who stated, “People are dying as a result of what is going on. I am a psychologist and I spoke to a patient today who lost his Affordable Care coverage. He has a heart condition, and now he can’t afford his medication. You know what will happen to him? He will probably die because of the cuts to healthcare coverage that are now going to this war. We need to stop this war!”

Arlee Garcia, an organizer with TAWC stated, “At the same time that the government is spending such unfathomable amounts of money on war crimes, we can’t fund our schools. People are living on the streets. Parents skip meals to feed their kids. When we are sick, we have to seriously think about whether we can afford a hospital visit or afford an ambulance in an emergency. So today, while the government demands we pay our taxes while they are spending an average of $2 billion every single day on the war on Iran, it is up to us to seize this moment and work together to build a broad and united anti-war movement.”

Cosponsors of the action were Common Defense, Deflock Tucson, and the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance with endorsing support from Veterans for Peace Local 13, Nuclear Resister, Fluxx, Desert Rising, FRSO Tucson, Tucson Safety Team, RCA Tucson, CPUSA Tucson, and AZ ACTS.

#TusconAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #TaxDay #Iran #AntiWarActionNetwork #TAWC

Tucson was a part of mobilizations across the U.S., Venezuela and the world in solidarity with the democratically-elected President Maduro and Bolivarian Revolution leader Cilia Flores, who is also an elected deputy in the Venezuelan National Assembly.

Maduro was a bus driver and trade union leader and Flores was the lawyer who built the case for Hugo Chavez to be freed from prison in the 1990s. Since the illegal bombing of Venezuela and kidnapping of these leaders on January 3, Venezuelans have constantly taken the streets demanding the return of their leaders.

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #TAWC

Tucson, AZ – As part of the March 15 No U.S. War on Iran National Day of Action called by the Anti-War Action Network, the Tucson Anti-War Committee (TAWC) and others answered the call. Organizers quickly identified an important location for their action: the Tucson Festival of Books.

“Not only does this event see tens of thousands of people all weekend, we know that weapons manufacturer Raytheon is a sponsor,” said TAWC organizer Maria Sohn Hasman.

“Even local TV news covered the fact that Raytheon’s Tomahawk is being used by the U.S. in their war against Iran. And despite Trump’s lies, we know the U.S. is guilty of killing more than 170 people at the Iranian girls’ school and Raytheon’s Tomahawk missile is responsible. It is beyond disgusting to see Raytheon’s booth have a child-oriented ‘Build a Rocket’ activity. We’re here to publicly shame Raytheon as a merchant of death, their profit gains from Trump’s war on Iran, and to call on the Festival of Books to end their partnership with Raytheon,” roared Sohn Hasman to the crowd.

A group of over 30 people marched to Raytheon’s booth. In addition to protest signs, organizers made a model missile with Raytheon’s logo aimed at the iconic pink backpack covered in blood found in the rubble of the bombed girls school.

University of Arizona police attempted to keep the protesters moving but the large group held their ground to deliver their message. Chants of “Raytheon Raytheon shame on you! The missiles you build kill children too!” echoed across the University of Arizona mall as attendees of the festival read signs with “Deadly rockets fill Raytheon’s pockets” and “Hands off Iran!”

“It is clear that Raytheon got the message that we were coming for them because they took down all signage with their name on it. We need to keep building this anti-war movement as Trump and Israel see bombings as the only way to achieve their agenda,” added Sohn Hasman.

Co-sponsors of the action included progressive veteran organization Common Defense, Tempest Collective, the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Coalicion de Derechos Humanos, Revolutionary Communists of America, Veterans for Peace Local 13, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization-Tucson.

#TusconAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement

Tucson, AZ – As part of the National Week of Action against Howmet Aerospace, March 1 to 8, the Tucson Anti War Committee (TAWC) led a protest on March 7 outside of a Howmet facility that makes fasteners for Lockheed Martin’s F-35.

In an industrial area of Tucson unaccustomed to political protests, passing cars honked enthusiastically against Israel’s genocide of Palestine. Israel purchases a version of the F-35 that it has used to drop “bunker busters” that have murdered Palestinians and leveled homes as part of the Zionist genocide.

Most Tucsonans know Raytheon, RTX, as the local war profiteer, but the outreach by TAWC raised awareness about Howmet as another manufacturer that profits off of U.S. wars and destruction.

Before the protest, TAWC hosted a community teach-in and followed up with months of flyering and canvassing neighborhoods, small businesses, and community events.

Protesters held Palestinian flags and a big banner that read, “Howmet cut ties with genocide” along with signs stating “Tucson stands against genocide” and “Israel kills, Howmet profits.”

Melissa Cordero, a progressive, anti-war veteran and organizer with Common Defense stated, “We must hold corporations like Howmet accountable for their role in perpetuating this cycle of violence and neglect of our veterans. We need a shift in our national priorities where our resources are directed to supporting those who have served.”

This was the first protest TAWC has held outside the Howmet facility in Tucson. A member of TAWC stated, “The majority of Howmet’s products are engines and wheels made for commercial vehicles and planes, and only about 17% of their business comes from making parts for the F-35 fighter jet for Lockheed Martin. The F-35 is a lethal fighter jet capable of carrying tens of thousands of pounds of bombs and moving faster than the speed of sound. They are a critical component in the U.S.-funded Israeli genocide of Palestinians.” He also explained these F-35 fighter jets are being used by the U.S. around the world in Venezuela and Iran.

TAWC took on the campaign with co-sponsors Common Defense, Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance (APSA), PSL, Nuclear Resistors, Veterans for Peace, and the local Tempest Collective branch.

Speakers at the action echoed the campaign’s demands that Howmet permanently stop their production of parts for F-35s and cut all ties with Lockheed Martin. The protest ended with a TAWC member leading chants like, “Howmet, Howmet you will see, Palestine will be free!” and “Howmet can keep Gaza alive, just stop making the F-35!”

#TusconAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Howmet

Tucson, AZ – On February 28, around 100 people rallied outside the Davis – Monthan Air Force Base on only a few hours’ notice to protest the deadly missile strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran. The Tucson Anti-War Committee (TAWC) activated an emergency action plan that it built with progressive veteran organization Common Defense, the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance, and the Nuclear Resistors.

TAWC is one of 20 organizations across the country in the Anti-War Action Network to have held an emergency protest within 24 hours of the strikes.

TAWC organizer Maria Sohn Hasman led chants and told the crowd “We want to make it clear that we oppose any and all U.S. interventions. Trump is lashing out around the world in a desperate attempt to assert U.S. dominance – we see it in the illegal kidnapping of democratically-elected President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, the threats to Cuba's government, and the missile strikes on Iran and the assassination of Iran's supreme leader. U.S. hands off Iran!”

Dozens of vehicles honked their horns in solidarity with the action, a sign that Trump’s wars are unpopular.

“Trump’s actions abroad are bold and brazen. We need to be bold and build a bigger anti-war movement! We need to challenge ourselves to reach out to co-workers, neighbors, friends, centers of faith, labor and more to build the kind of power that can stop this war machine,” added TAWC organizer Jim Byrne.

The Tucson Anti-War Committee will be participating in the International Day of Action on March 3 in solidarity with Cuba, Venezuela and Iran.

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Iran

Tucson, AZ – The Tucson Anti-War Committee (TAWC) led an anti-war contingent in a march of around 3000 people in downtown Tucson on January 20. The action was called by a coalition of organizations in Tucson to protest the first anniversary of Trump’s second term. The call brought out hundreds of high school students who walked out of school around the city in the early afternoon. 

The crowd disrupted downtown Tucson banging on pots, pans and drums and blowing whistles. They started with a rally outside the Federal Building, but the crowd quickly filled the sidewalks for many blocks until they began marching and shut down streets for hours. 

Anti-war activists joined protesters as they took the streets with signs in their hands that read, “Hands off Venezuela” and “Free President Maduro!” People chanted “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go!” as they made their way throughout downtown with people on the sidewalks and in restaurants cheering on. 

Once the march returned to the Federal Building, a speaking program began. TAWC organizer Maria Sohn Hasman spoke to the crowd, “It has never been more clear that Trump and the United States are grasping for straws as they fail to maintain power on a global stage. We see this in the attacks and threats against Palestine and Venezuela and now Iran and Greenland.”

Sohn Hasman continued, “We also see it here at home in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Portland as the same forces send out ICE agents to kill us and threaten the Insurrection Act!” 

The event ended with a performance of The Internationale by James Jordan of the Alliance for Global Justice as the crowd sang along.

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #TAWC

Tucson, AZ – Tucson joined nearly 100 cities across North America in mobilizing against the illegal bombing of Venezuela and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Around 200 people rallied at the entrance of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, constituting the largest protest in solidarity with Venezuela in Tucson’s history.

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is the home of Air Force South (AFSOUTH), the air wing of the U.S. SOUTHCOM. AFSOUTH has been carrying out Trump’s extrajudicial killing over 100 people in the Caribbean and now the illegal bombing and killing of civilians and capture of a democratically elected president.

The Tucson Anti War Committee (TAWC) called for the emergency action in the early hours of January 3 when the world learned of the actions of President Trump against a peaceful, sovereign nation. Sponsoring organizations quickly came aboard as endorsements from the Alliance for Global Justice, Common Defense, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization – Tucson, and the Venezuelan Solidarity Network.

Protesters filled out the four corners of the intersection outside the base with signs reading “No blood for oil,” “No war on Venezuela,” and “Hands off Venezuela.” Tucson Anti War Committee organizer Maria Sohn Hasman led spirited chants of “No coup, no sanctions, U.S. out of Venezuela!” and “Air Force, CIA, you’re not welcome, go away!”

A press release from TAWC yielded multiple local news outlets attending to get footage and interviews. While the sound of the passing traffic created recording challenges, the reporters also battled the honks of solidarity frequently as people demonstrated their rejection of Trump’s war.

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela

Tucson, AZ – On November 22, The Tucson Anti War Committee (TAWC) and a host of organizations wanted to let the thousands of bicyclists in the annual El Tour de Tucson know that, as they passed the Air Force base, people with a conscience demand “Hands off Venezuela!”

“With a race of nearly 10,000 and 40% registered from out of state, we saw this as a great opportunity to let as many people know this beautiful landscape is also the HQ for Trump’s war crimes in the Caribbean. People need to know that we can stand up to Trump and stand with Venezuela,” said TAWC organizer Maria Sohn Hasman, addressing the race onlookers.

Riders signaled their support for the signs reading “No war on Venezuela” and “no blood for oil!” A handful of riders even yelled “Viva Venezuela!”

Tucson participated in the international week of action which saw commitments for actions in over 50 U.S. cities and dozens more internationally.

The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson is the brain center for Trump’s war crimes in the Caribbean. It is here generals and officers plan the coordination of all U.S. SOUTHCOM air forces in its “area of responsibility” of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Trump ordered SOUTHCOM to carry out missile strikes on 21 different boats with a death toll at 83. Trump is the judge, Rubio the jury, and AFSOUTH at Davis-Monthan is the executioner. These extrajudicial killings of people from five different nations constitute war crimes. The primary target is Venezuela, as Trump has brought 15,000 troops and an excessive amount of force to their door.

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #TAWC #AWAN

Tucson, AZ – Cities all across the U.S. and world are mobilizing for “Hands Off Venezuela “rallies – an International Call for a Week of Action endorsed by hundreds of organizations is taking place November 15-23.

In Venezuela, the youth, the neighborhoods, and the armed popular militias are rallying to defend their country and support President Maduro. A march of tens of thousands, with Maduro in the crowd, was part of the Communal Youth day, November 14, in which the president announced the plan to grow the commune movement from 4000 to 6000 by 2027. A commune is a democratic, participatory body in neighborhoods in cities and small towns, where youth decide what happens in their area and what projects need to be funded and carried out. They are currently activated to defend their homeland from Trump’s threats of war. November 23 will be a national vote for such – a “popular consultation.”

Since September, the Trump administration has used missile strikes to hit 21 boats, with the death toll now at 83 people. With the arrival of the $8 million a day USS Gerald Ford, there are now 16,000 U.S. troops and dozens of destroyers in the Caribbean. Multiple aircraft carriers with loads of aircraft hawk the Venezuelan coast, while U.S. missiles rain down on small vessels.

In the past two months, Trump, Rubio, and Hegseth have yet to produce one shred of evidence that those boats were carrying drugs. These are extrajudicial killings; an attack on civilians of one nation by another nation constitutes a war crime. So far citizens of five nations have been killed.

While there is no evidence that the boats struck by U.S. missiles are carrying drugs, there is also no evidence to back up Trump’s lies about Venezuela and Maduro’s connection to drugs. International and even U.S. intelligence reports show that Venezuela is not a producer of illegal drugs, is not a major trafficking route, and that government programs have largely eradicated drug cartels.

Venezuela is certainly not home to the “Cartel of the Suns.” That is because it does not exist. It is a CIA fabrication. Just ask the former U.S. Green Beret and mercenary, Jordan Goudreau, hired to carry out Operation Gideon, a failed coup attempt on Maduro in 2020.

That coup attempt, like the one against President Chavez, and all the other coup attempts, was thwarted and overcome by the immense power of the civic-military union in Venezuela. The military is united and patriotic, ideologically aligned to serve its people and their national democratic revolution. The people are united, organized, mobilized, and 5 million more have joined their popular militias, bringing the total to 9 million, out of a nation of 30 million.

So, it would be hard for one to see a path forward for the plan recently proposed by the Venezuelan opposition, headed by so-called Peace Prize winner Maria Machado. Venezuelan official Jorge Rodriguez ripped apart this neoliberal project that would undo nearly every gain of the Bolivarian Revolution. From privatizing major nationalized assets like oil and minerals, handing over control of banks, and rewriting labor laws in favor of companies, Machado’s plan will be resisted by those 9 million militia members and many more.

It is no mystery what Trump, Rubio, and traitorous elites like Machado want to do with Venezuela: lie, murder and steal. They want a U.S. war so they can take over and profit.

Transnational mining companies, U.S. oil corporations, lithium hounds like Elon Musk, and Wall Street banks will swoop in like vultures if Venezuela falls to U.S. intimidation or war.

The U.S. empire is declining quickly, and another major economic downturn will shake the core. It is clear that Trump and Hegseth want to change U.S. strategy to gunboat diplomacy in an attempt to stay competitive with China. Chinese mutual trade agreements and investments have clear benefits to the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean as China invests in ports, roads, infrastructure and is a market for agricultural goods.

Trump is saying he will talk with President Maduro. Trump is still using excessive force and deadly violence in an attempt to have leverage at the bargaining table with Maduro.

It is safe to say that for Trump, all options remain on the table, and the Venezuelans are prepared to fight. Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio also stated that he intends to designate the fictitious “Cartel de los Soles,” and Tren de Araguas and Mexican Sinaloa cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. This would provide the Trump administration more latitude and access to a U.S. legal apparatus to use the military. This designation can also be used against the peace and international solidarity movements in the U.S.

Trump’s approval rating is sinking, millions march against him, he’s been forced to walk back his tariff strategy month after month. It is clear that he is in crisis. The Venezuelan people stand united against Trump and his war plans. A similar movement is growing in the U.S., and we need to grow it and lead it!

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela #Trump #AWAN #International

Tucson, AZ – Three progressive Veterans organizations and others joined the Tucson Anti-War Committee outside the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on Veterans Day, November 11, to protest the Trump administration’s war escalations on Venezuela. The group of nearly two dozen protesters received many more supportive honks from passing cars than in previous years – a sign that the tide has shifted as more Americans are fed up with the endless war machine.

With signs reading “No blood for oil” and “Hands off Venezuela,” the group heard from veterans and anti-war organizers.

Melissa Cordero, an organizer with Common Defense, shared that she’s a veteran of three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, stating, “I still don’t know what we were allegedly doing there. For what? And here we go again.”

Cordero added, “I’m from Guam and there are only two options to get off the island and one of them is the military. Guam puts more people to the U.S. military than any other U.S. city. They don’t give a damn about that island, it’s just strategic.”

Jim Driscoll, a Vietnam War veteran and member of Veterans for Peace Local 13, said “war is not helpful for any living thing and we should avoid it.” Driscoll added “to have the advances like Cuba in the hemisphere, the United States just can’t stand it.”

James Jordan from the Alliance for Global Justice and Venezuela Solidarity Network said, “the United States is working overdrive to overturn the governments of South America to the center-right and far-right and they’ve already achieved that in Perú. When it comes to Venezuela, we can’t let a flip flopper set the agenda. We can stop this war and this happening all over the country and world. Together, we stop this empire.”

“Davis-Monthan is home to the U.S. SOUTHCOM, which claims its ‘Area of Responsibility’ as all 31 nations of the Caribbean and Latin America. The SOUTHCOM Air Command leads the coordination of these murderous missile strikes on hardworking fishing people in the Caribbean. Tucson has a direct connection to Trump’s escalating threats on Venezuela,” said Jim Byrne, an organizer with the Tucson Anti-War Committee.

As part of the International Call for a Week of Action against the War on Venezuela, the Tucson Anti-War Committee and others will be holding an action outside of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on November 22 to continue to raise awareness that the base is home for the missile strikes on fishing boats and the air war on Venezuela.

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela

Tucson, AZ – On Veterans Day, the progressive veterans’ organizations Common Defense, VetsFWD, and Veterans for Peace Local 13 will join with the Tucson Anti War Committee for a rally against Trump’s missile attacks and U.S. threats to go to war with Venezuela.

The rally will be from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. outside the entrance of the Davis-Monthan Air Force base. This base is home to the Air Force portion of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). SOUTHCOM claims that its “Area of Responsibility” is the whole of the Caribbean, the southern half of Central American and all of South America. Since Trump moved U.S. military ships, aircraft and troops off the coast of Venezuela, there have been 16 U.S. missile attacks on fishing boats with 70-plus people dead. As the USS Ford aircraft carrier moves to threaten Venezuela, the rally will highlight veterans’ opposition to another U.S. war for oil and empire.

No U.S. war on Venezuela!

Stop Trump’s attacks on boats and fishermen!

No U.S. war for oil and gold!

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Veterans #Venezuela

Tucson, AZ – The Tucson Anti War Committee (TAWC) organized a rally on September 24 as part of the Anti-War Action Network National Week of Action. The call was to mobilize while war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu attended the United Nations General Assembly.

A small but spirited multi-generational crowd took a street corner just north of downtown and received countless honks and waves in solidarity with Palestine.

An organizer with TAWC, Maria Sohn Hasman, kicked off the event, stating, “So while Netanyahu speaks at the UN spouting his lies about what is happening in Palestine, we in Tucson know that a two-state solution determined by the UN is not enough. TAWC says free Palestine! End U.S. aid to Israel!”

The crowd also heard from Mohyeddin Abdualaziz, founder of the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance, who spoke about the increased level of solidarity and the growing size of the Palestine Solidarity movement in the U.S.

The AWAN has nearly two dozen affiliated cities participating in this week of action and is planning actions for the anniversary of October 7.

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #TAWC #AWAN

Gaza City is the last major population center in the Gaza Strip with any form of infrastructure. A ground invasion into Gaza City means the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands who are already reeling from the genocidal forced starvation that Israel has imposed by its siege. The bombs landing on Gaza City to pave the way for Israel’s ground invasion are U.S.-made and U.S.-paid.

The Zionist regime has called up 60,000 reservists for its September plans to invade the neighborhoods of Gaza City.

The Tucson Anti War Committee will have its next meeting on September 15.

#TucsonAZ #AZ #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #TAWC #AWAN

Tucson, AZ – On March 30, educators, labor unions and community members marched in downtown Tucson to tell the Trump administration, “Hands off the Department of Education!” The crowd gathered outside Davis Elementary, which is renowned for its bilingual education and mariachi, then headed toward the Federal and State buildings for a speaking program.

Union educators from Sunnyside and Flowing Wells spoke about the catastrophic impact that the dismantling of the Department of Education would have on Title I funding for low-income schools and Title III funding for English Language learners and the loss of special education rights.

Jennifer Cardenas, a school psychologist in the Sunnyside School District, said, “If we allow these cuts to happen, we send a message to children that their future is negotiable. But we have a choice. We can stand up and fight for these resources.”

Anthony Lovio, a 6th grade teacher in Flowing Wells, added, “Some 15% of all students in the U.S. require special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Eliminating the Department of Education would have a detrimental impact on my students, families, and the broader community.”

Parents of children in public schools also spoke about the need to protect students by maintaining services, staff and funding as well as being inclusive to all students, especially LGBTQ children to combat Trump’s bigoted agenda on gender.

As the chair of the Pima Area Labor Federation and member of CWA 7026, Cecilia Valdez spoke about the need to defend all workers and specifically those under attack like VA hospital workers and postal workers. She mentioned the recent rallies of the American Post Workers Union to fight the efforts for privatization of the mail service, stating, “We know these are union-busting tactics and an effort to make the rich richer.”

Educators from the AZ Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (AZACTS) at Arizona’s only unionized charter school, Basis Tucson North, shared their struggles in getting transparency on where the funding goes and how to get the resources their students need.

“We need to fight to defend the Department of Education so our students get the resources they need because the states will not make sure that happens. And a for-profit corporation sure as hell is not going to make sure that happens for our students,” added Duncan Sohn Hasman, vice president of the Arizona affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers.

The event received endorsements from five Arizona Education Association locals, Flowing Wells, Sunnyside, Marana, Amphi, and Tucson and the AFT affiliate AZACTS. Local labor unions also endorsed including, AFSCME 449, IBEW 570, CWA 7026, UFCW 99, and the Pima Area Labor Federation joined the call to defend public workers. From the community, LUCHA and ScholarshipsAZ also supported the protest with endorsements as they push for a halt to deportations, support for DACA students and a People’s Budget at the state level.

#TusconAZ #AZ #Labor

Tucson, AZ – On March 4, more than 50 K-12 educators and union members rallied outside the federal building to protest the Trump administration’s plans to destroy the federal Department of Education. The National Day of Action – “Protect our Kids” – was supported by the American Federal of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) and targeted March 4 to reject the confirmation of Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon.

 The national unions and their locals vowed to defend immigrant and LGBTQ students from the Trump administration’s reactionary attacks. Destroying the Department of Education would also gut funding to support students with disabilities and limit protections offered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

 Local affiliates of NEA from Tucson, Sunnyside, Flowing Wells, Amphi and Marana school districts united with teachers at BASIS Tucson North, Arizona’s first unionized charter school. A Latino and indigenous-led community organization, LUCHA, joined the rally to make it clear that Arizonan educators are willing to fight back against education cuts, privatization and profiteering so that every student gets the education they deserve.

 Speakers at the rally emphasized the need to fight back at both the state and the federal level.

 Jim Byrne, president of the Tucson Education Association, reminded the crowd that “during Trump’s first term, West Virginia, then Oklahoma, and then Arizona saw historic educator strikes that pushed the needle toward more funding to schools. We did it before and we can do it again!”

 American Federation of Teachers Local 8002 Vice President Duncan Sohn Hasman shared the sentiment, saying, “Charter school teachers at this particular moment have found ourselves a new voice and a new way to fight back. We are ready to fight, we are ready to work with our public co-educators within Arizona to make sure that we are ready to fight back.”

#TucsonAZ #AZ #Labor #Education #Techers #AFT #NEA #McMahon #Trump

Fight Back! interview with the president of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 937 Alex Terrazas.

Fight Back!: How have negotiations with Asarco gone so far?

Terrazas: After ten years without a raise, and four years without a new contract, our members voted overwhelmingly to strike. Day 1 began at midnight on October 13 and only after a full month of shutting down the majority of production did Asarco decide to come to the table on November 14. They did not bring a new proposal, nor change their stance. They are unwilling to actually negotiate. They are not taking us seriously. After the one day of so-called negotiations, there haven’t been any further negotiations and no date set. It was super clear that they only did this to try to make themselves look good. All we want is a fair, equitable contract, but this is a very greedy company.

Fight Back!: What has given the strike its longevity?

Terrazas: Our members understand exactly the importance of this fight. They are willing to do what it takes to win. Some people think that striking workers are lazy. Well, this is exactly the opposite. Some members and officers are sacrificing 12, 13 hours a day to help out. They are working jobs and still coming to the picket line to help out. There’s nothing lazy about them they are working three times as much as before the strike. They are so dedicated.

Fight Back!: What kind of support have you all received?

Terrazas: Our union’s strike defense funds have helped our members a lot. There has also been support from the AFL-CIO and Pima Area Labor Federation in terms of connecting our members to food donations collected at the city ward offices, donations from the Community Food Bank, donated dental services, resource fairs, and wood for fires. State Representative Andres Cano helped members get connected with state healthcare benefits. Another huge piece for us has been the connection with One Stop that has found jobs for our members so that they can have some income and more importantly not cross the picket line. We have had great community support, RedForEd has been down here a couple of times. We are starting a campaign to get local businesses to support us by putting signs in their windows. We have had good coverage in the media so far to expose Asarco’s greed.

Fight Back!: What kind of leverage do you have in a unfair labor practices strike?

Terrazas: So of the four mines in Arizona, the Hayden site is a smelting operation and we had that shut down by week two of the strike and the Amarillo, Texas smelting site is shut down as well. This has forced Asarco to load up railcars and sent them to Mexico, which we know if costing them lots of money in transportation costs. We have shut down operations and crippled production by more than half! We also know that we have the majority of skilled labor out on strike and that costs Asarco a lot of money because the scabs don’t know how to fix the machines and how to operate all the equipment. At the north mill at the Mission mine, there aren’t even one-quarter of the shovel drivers, so this too is causing the company to lose a lot in profits. As I said before, this is a very greedy company and we’re gonna screw them by hitting them in the pocketbooks.

#Arizona #AZ #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #Strikes #Asarco #USWLocal937 #AlexTerrazas

Typically, the gathering commemorates important events like the historic struggle that began back in the late 1920s with national hero Augusto Sandino’s army’s successful expulsion of U.S. Marines; the toppling of the vicious Somoza family dictatorship, and the inspiring accomplishments of the Sandinista era in the 1980s. Oftentimes, there are international guests, like in 2007, when the Sandinistas returned to power, attendees were then-Presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Manuel Zelaya of Honduras. Ironically, at that gathering of an anti-imperialist political party like the FSLN, on stage with Daniel Ortega were a survivor a U.S.-coordinated coup d’etat in 2002, Hugo Chavez, and a future victim of a U.S.-supported coup, Mel Zelaya, in 2009. Since Zelaya’s forced removal, Honduras has had some of the highest levels of violence in the Americas that has driven many Hondurans to migrate to the U.S., only to face repression from ICE. And now, in 2018, it is Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega who is under threat from a U.S.-supported ‘soft coup.’

Like the rescue of Venezuela President Hugo Chavez from the hands of the golpistas in April 2002, it is the masses who are the primary actor in the maintenance of Nicaraguan sovereignty amid a U.S. -backed ‘regime change’ push. Since mid-April, the country has been embroiled in violence created and maintained by opposition forces seeking the removal of democratically-elected President Ortega. One of their tactics has been the use of tranques (roadblocks) in order to create chaos and disorder through economic and social destabilization and provoking the National Police into shootouts.

Amid this disorder is the opposition media that manipulates imagery and stories in order to make it appear that the National Police are responsible for heavy-handed, bloody repression. Then, they make the call for President Ortega to step down and for the U.S. to intervene if necessary. This resembles the U.S. intervention playbook from Venezuela 2002 and 2014, when the corporate-controlled media manipulated imagery and messaging to make it appear the leftist government is ‘authoritarian’ and ‘unpopular.’

Despite the claims that Ortega is ‘unpopular,’ although he was re-elected with 72% of the vote in 2016, it is clear the opposition and, specifically their violence, is unpopular. For example, the opposition has used gang members from not only Nicaragua, but also from El Salvador as foot soldiers to carry out their violent political mission, because they cannot find ordinary Nicaraguans willing to destroy their own country. Second, since the character of the violence by the opposition has had a very clear, very vicious political character, attacking regular, rank-and-file Sandinistas, there has been a massive demonstration of support for the FSLN and President Ortega in the last few weeks, culminating in the weekend’s festivities.

The FSLN, its many organizations, and rank-and-file members have started to combat the opposition’s two fronts of struggle: the tranques and social media. In town after town, city after city, Nicaraguans have demonstrated their resolve and commitment to a peaceful, sovereign country by running off the delincuentes, disassembling the tranques, and rebuilding the roads. The heightened political level of this ‘soft coup’ is not lost on proud, patriotic Sandinistas who call their reclaimed city or town ‘liberated territory.’ All of these stories are promoted through a counter-offensive on social media by popular, revolutionary forces because the corporate-controlled, pro-opposition media does not report them on the whole. That media instead manipulates images of two different people and yet shares the story that the person was abducted and tortured by the National Police and paramilitaries. False narratives like this dominate the landscape and its impact is disastrous.

It is clear that despite the level of coordination from the comprador bourgeoisie in Nicaragua and the U.S. government, the opposition and their wave of violence is unwanted and unpopular. Whatever political opportunism they attempted after students protested a Social Security proposal by Ortega, has been lost in their bid to undemocratically decide who rules Nicaragua. The tide has turned back in favor of La RojiNegra (FSLN colors red and black) because the call for “Nicaragua Libre!” wasn’t just an 80s thing, it’s here to stay.

#Tucson #AZ #Imperialism #Americas #Socialism #Nicaragua #Sandinista #FSLN

MLB’s racism tarnished the reputations of all the great ballplayers from its early era. Could white hitters like Mel Ott or Stan Musial have hit like the great African American pitcher Satchel Paige? Could a white catcher like Bill Dickey have thrown out a base stealer like the African American speedster Cool Papa Bell? Could African American Josh Gibson hit more home runs than Babe Ruth or Ted Williams? Because of MLB’s racism, we will never know. MLB’s segregation policy prevented them from facing all the best ballplayers of their era.

MLB ignored the demands from the people for equality in the 1930s and 1940s. Communist-led organizations and unions held rallies, gathered petitions and picketed at the MLB ballparks for an end to segregation in baseball. The Daily Worker’s fine sports writer Lester Rodney covered the Negro Leagues as well as MLB. He called for the best ballplayers to be admitted to MLB regardless of race.

MLB has buried this history. The owners want you to think that ‘visionaries like Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey or former MLB Commissioner Ford Frick were the only reason that baseball was integrated. But many MLB owners were hesitant to let the best nonwhite players join their team even after Jackie Robinson in the National League, Larry Doby in the American League and others had broken the color barrier. The first African American ballplayer on Boston Red Sox was Pumpsie Green in 1959. The Red Sox did not have regular nonwhite position players until the mid 1960s.

Fast forward to today’s MLB elite. After years of trying to get everyone to ignore past sins, Commissioner Bud Selig took a new direction. He honored Jackie Robinson by retiring his number 42 from all MLB teams. He embraced the Negro League players, even putting some in the MLB Hall of Fame. Heck that was over 60 years ago. We are more enlightened than that now.

Selig sees new markets for MLB, especially in Japan. Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui and other Japanese players are heavily marketed abroad. Caribbean countries like the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico have produced great MLB players for decades. Now MLB is testing ways to cash in on its new found internationalism.

But how enlightened are they? MLB has scheduled its All-Star game in Phoenix, Arizona. Furthermore, the MLB franchise in Arizona and its owner, Ken Kendrick, have been major financial contributors for the Republicans responsible for SB1070. But unfortunately for them, that darn immigrant rights movement is challenging MLB to step up to the plate.

Like the radical civil rights leaders in the1930s and 1940s, people from MLB cities across the country have started to protest and demand that the 2011 All-Star game be moved. They want MLB to renounce the racism of SB1070. Protests in Milwaukee, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Minneapolis and Washington D.C. have grabbed many fans’ attention.

Some players who are likely to be chosen to play in the All-Star game, like the Milwaukee Brewer pitcher Yovani Gallardo and San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, have said that they would not attend an All-Star game if it is in Arizona. The outspoken manager of the Chicago White Sox has followed suit and said that he would not attend unless the Arizona laws are changed.

While as many as 30% of MLB ballplayer are from other countries or are of Latin ancestry, this is not about them. This is about racist discrimination and national oppression. This is about one set of laws for some people and another set of laws for other people. It is time for sports fans to stand for full equality for all people.

No matter which team you like, you root for all of the players whether they are black, white, brown, Asian or red. Arizona’s SB1070 is wrong, you know it, I know it and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig knows it. The question is, will MLB back its racist buddies in Arizona or will they take a principled stand?

Foster Richards can be reached at leftsportsrev@yahoo.com

#Arizona #AZ #ImmigrantRights #Sports #CivilRights #BoycottArizona #SB1070 #MajorLeagueBaseball #MLB #BudSelig

#Arizona #AZ #ChicanoLatino #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #SB1070