Tucson, AZ—“Que vivan los niños! Que Vivan!” Este era el grito de alrededor de 70 mujeres, hombres y niños, en las afuera de la librería publica del centro de Tucson el 30 de Julio. Una de las madres presente expreso: “Estamos aquí para apoyar a los niños de Guatemala, El Salvador y Honduras, que están huyendo de las gangas, de la violencia y de la pobreza”.

Las personas que paseaban en los alrededores no podían evitar leer las pancartas que nombraban las causas que provocan la migración infantil, tales como: “E.U apoya golpes de estado”; “E.U provoca guerras civiles”; E.U apoya la militarización”; y “los tratados de libre comercio arruinan vidas”. Como teatro callejero, las organizadoras de Derechos Humano construyeron una jaula para representar los centros de detención en donde niños y familias son forzados a quedarse mientras esperan ser liberados, enjuiciados o deportados. Detrás de las rejas se encontraban los niños alzando pancartas con los Derechos Universales del niño.

La organizadora Isabel García dijo “Estamos aquí hoy para decirles a las familias y a los niños detenidos que nosotros los apoyamos y que estamos aquí con amor. Estamos aquí para repudiar las políticas del gobierno de los E.U, el cual financia guerras civiles, explota a naciones con tratados de libre comercio y militariza comunidades”.

Tucson ha sido testigo de cómo familias y niños han sido puestos en libertad, debido a que los casos han sido retirados o se han resuelto. De todas formas, las organizadoras y los activistas exigieron que los niños que todavía están detenidos reciban el debido proceso judicial, y que sean puestos bajo protección comunitaria y no deportados.

Aunque el Estado de Arizona protege a las cárceles privadas de corporaciones como CCA y GEO Group; dos grandes patrocinadoras de los políticos racistas que aprobaron la ley de discriminación racial SB1070, muchos todavía mantienen la llama de la esperanza encendida.

El activista Eduardo Cott agrego “Las políticas racistas, como la SB1070 y los programas de deportación, que son llevadas a cabo por extremistas del odio como la Gobernadora Brewer, el Senador John McCain y el Alguacil Joe Arpaio, son ejemplos de la opresión nacional que sufren los Mexicanos, Centro Americanos y otras nacionalidades. Esta demostración de apoyo por la comunidad de Tucson demuestra que existe una fuerte resistencia de las masas oprimidas de Arizona”.

#TucsonAZ #JohnMcCain

Tucson, AZ – On the evening of March 14, despite rainy weather, nearly 40 Tucson activists gathered to protest Senator John McCain’s support for terrorism and fascism around the world, particularly in the Ukraine and Venezuela.

A coalition of groups – Coalicion de Derechos Humanos (Coalition for Human Rights), Alliance for Global Justice, International Action Center, Workers World, Occupy Tucson, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Tucson Students for a Democratic Society – organized the demonstration.

Besides firmly denouncing and demanding an end to U.S. meddling in Ukraine and Venezuela, the protesters called for people to recognize the destructive role of U.S. imperialism across the globe, which is at the expense of U.S. people’s livelihoods.

The crowd braved rain and wind to hold signs outside of City Hall during of Tucson’s rush hour traffic and were greeted with honks of solidarity.

Then, activists marched to John McCain’s office with chants of “Stop John McCain! Nazis leave Ukraine!” Upon arriving at the senator’s office, an indictment of John McCain for ‘material support for terrorism’ was read and posted on his office door.

After the indictment-posting, protesters spoke about the situations in Ukraine and Venezuela.

#TucsonAZ #AntiwarMovement #Venezuela #JohnMcCain #Ukraine #counterrevolution #Antifascism

Llegamos al fin de una época, al fin del reino republicano. Por más de 25 años la agenda racista, derechista y anti-trabajadora de los republicanos dominó la vida política de este país. Desde los años de Reagan, todo lo progresivo y bueno estuvo bajo ataque – el derecho de la mujer al aborto, la educación pública y la seguridad social. Los movimientos sociales siempre estaban a la defensiva y luchando en contra de muchos ataques. Necesitamos seguir avanzado los movimientos para el cambio social, pero el ambiente político esperamos sea diferente.

El cambio para los republicanos se hizo no tanto aquí, sino en Irak. La resistencia iraquí luchó con sus vidas para derrotar los planes de Bush y Cheney hacia la dominación de Irak y el control del petróleo. La resistencia del pueblo iraquí también ayudó a detener la agenda republicana aquí en este país. Ya no intentaron cortar programas como la seguridad social, programas que la gente trabajadora hace décadas ganó. Para las personas dentro y fuera del país, la derrota de McCain representa el rechazo del pueblo norteamericano a ‘la doctrina Bush’ y la ocupación de Irak.

Por todo los Estados Unidos, los afro americanos y muchos más están celebrando con gusto la victoria de Barak Obama, el primer presidente moreno. ¿Vio la celebración de victoria en Chicago? Un gran orgullo se está levantando dentro de la comunidad afro americana y por la tierra del cinturón negro de sur. Los afro americanos no están solos en su celebración; todo tipo de personas están felices con la victoria. Otras nacionalidades oprimidas que sufren del racismo y discriminación – latinos y chicanos, puertorriqueños, nativo americanos y asiáticos comparten el momento. La elección de Obama a la presidencia representa un choque en contra del racismo.

La victoria de Obama es tremenda y beneficia mucho al Partido Demócrata. Hace dos años los demócratas ganaron la mayoría en el Congreso con la derrota de los republicanos. En esta elección se hizo más fuerte la mayoría que tiene el Partido Demócrata. Ahora se entra al reino demócrata – y no se necesita consultar con los republicanos para pasar legislación.

Todavía hay un problema, y no es que un partido sea demasiado fuerte. El problema es que los demócratas son el otro partido de los grandes negocios. En este momento los millonarios y billonarios que realmente controlan el país favorecen a los demócratas. Los ricos controlan a los Estados con el sistema bi-partidario. Es cierto que hay competencia, pero las elecciones se deciden primariamente por quien recibe más dinero de los ricos. La derrota de los republicanos marca un cambio, pero no altera fundamentalmente al sistema ni ofrece un reto al reino de los ricos. Los demócratas son el partido del rescate de $700 mil millones, lo cual subirá los impuestos de la gente trabajadora para salvar a los banqueros. Los demócratas son el partido que podía haber cortado el financiamiento de la guerra y haber sacado las tropas ya. Un millón de iraquíes ya están muertos y los demócratas siguen financiando la ocupación.

Necesitamos seguir el movimiento que derrotó a McCain y puso a Barack Obama en la Casa Blanca. Necesitamos entender que sólo un movimiento anti-guerra que es independiente y activo hará que TODAS las tropas vuelvan ya. Necesitamos hacer crecer el movimiento por los derechos de los inmigrantes otra vez para quitar el miedo y parar las deportaciones que están destruyendo a familias. Necesitamos salir a marchar para ganar legislaciones que hagan posible que los trabajadores formen sindicatos con un proceso democrático sencillo sin intimidación ninguna. Y necesitamos luchar en contra de cada intento de los ricos de imponer el peso de la crisis económica a la gente pobre y trabajadora.

Las elecciones son importantes, pero es el pueblo que hace la historia. No podemos regresar a estar frente a nuestras televisiones viendo el Canal Histórico. Necesitamos construir cada movimiento que exige la paz, justicia, igualdad y la liberación.

#EstadosUnidos #CapitalismAndEconomy #JohnMcCain #Editorials #PeoplesStruggles #BarakObama #Elección2008

Los republicanos están desesperados para parar su caída, después de su gran derrota en la elección del congreso en noviembre 2006. Más recientemente los republicanos perdieron tres elecciones especiales, uno en Mississippi, otro en Louisiana, y otro puesto que antes era del ex-líder de la Casa de Representantes Dennis Hastert de Illinois. El pueblo estadounidense está frustrado con la guerra en Irak, está preocupado con la economía, y está enojado con la corrupción de la administración actual. Ya queda claro que la ocupación militar estadounidense de Irak va a la derrota y los republicanos van a caer junto con la ocupación.

En este contexto surge John McCain para recibir la corona republicana. McCain es el candidato de la guerra y la ocupación. El está empecinado en seguir con la agenda de Bush y está dedicado a la ocupación de Irak por “tal vez 100” años. “Estaría bien conmigo,” dijo McCain en un evento de campaña en enero 2008. Más recientemente McCain cambió su mensaje, presentando un plan para regresar las tropas a casa en 2013 – justo a tiempo para la próxima elección presidencial. Nosotros nos preguntamos a quien está intentando engañar McCain. El representa una continuación de la misma política de Bush – más guerra, represión, desigualdad y recortes de impuestos para los ricos. La misma política ya descartada. Y por cierto ¿han visto a McCain cuando está enojado?

El 4 de noviembre 2008, abogamos por un voto en contra de McCain. El escenario está listo para derrotar a los republicanos y rechazar su agenda reaccionaria de guerra, ataques contra los inmigrantes, ataques contra los derechos de las mujeres, la desigualdad racista, la discriminación en contra del pueblo gay y lesbiana, y la pobreza. Un voto en contra de McCain va a crear mejores condiciones para que los trabajadores y los pueblos oprimidos cambien la sociedad. Aún más importante, estamos abogando por un voto en contra de McCain porque la elección va a ser considerada en el ojo popular como un referendo a favor o en contra de la ocupación estadounidense de Irak. Cuatro años es demasiado para esperar, sin hablar de los cien años que habló McCain.

Barack Obama está en camino de ser el candidato del Partido Demócrata, el otro partido de los grandes negocios. Eso es a pesar de la campaña racista de demonización que hizo Hillary Clinton en contra de Obama y sus partidarios, por ejemplo los ataques distorsionados en contra del reverendo Wright y las ideas de la teología de liberación afro-americana, las falsas campañas de inscripción de voto designadas para confundir a los votantes afro-americanos y restringir su voto, y la proclamación racista de Hillary a favor de los “blancos americanos que son muy trabajadores.” (¡Dejando clara la implicación racista que los trabajadores que no son blancos son perezosos o no trabajan duro!)

Mientras la campaña de Hillary Clinton ha bajado de una manera que da pena, Barack Obama se ha levantado para contestar a los ataques y ha impulsado conversaciones buenas sobre temas difíciles e incómodos en cafés y cafeterías, y en las mesas de cena en casas en todo el país. Estados Unidos fue construido con la opresión nacional: el robo de tierra a los nativo-americanos, la labor robada a través de la esclavitud de los africanos, y la explotación de inmigrantes de Asia y Latinoamérica. La lucha en contra del racismo y a favor de la igualdad no es una lucha del pasado, sino que sigue hoy en día, como podemos ver en la lucha por los derechos de los inmigrantes, la lucha por la justicia para los sobrevivientes de Katrina, y la lucha para parar los ataques contra los árabe-americanos y los americanos musulmanes.

La realidad es clara, hasta cierto punto Obama se diferencia de Clinton en aspectos como la guerra en Irak, los acuerdos de libre comercio y el racismo. Él tiene un mensaje de esperanza con amplio respaldo. Es un hecho que Obama opera dentro de los límites de los demócratas y sus partidarios de las grandes empresas. Pero su elección crearía un mejor clima para el movimiento anti-guerra, el movimiento pro-inmigrante, el movimiento de trabajadores, y los movimientos de las nacionalidades oprimidas. Y sin importar quien este en la Casa Blanca, la cosa importante es que la gente progresista sigue activa, luchando a favor de la agenda que pone las necesidades del pueblo en primer lugar.

¡Digamos un 'No' a la guerra, el racismo, la discriminación y no a los reaccionarios!

¡Votemos en contra de McCain!

#AntiwarMovement #CapitalismAndEconomy #Editorial #JohnMcCain #Editorials #BarakObama #Elección2008

Cedarburg, WI – One day after the protests against the Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Sept. 5, members of the Progressive Students of Milwaukee caught wind that Republican presidential and vice-presidential candidates John McCain and Sarah Palin, were headed to Cedarburg, Wisconsin, a Republican stronghold town of 11,000, for a rally.

Following through with a commitment to bring truth about the McCain/Palin agenda to the people, ten university students from Milwaukee drove up to protest the event, taking with them a number of signs and a banner that read, “Fund education, not occupation.”

There were police at every corner and a double row of fencing surrounded the event. Snipers held rooftop positions and a Secret Service agent approached the students within minutes of them arriving to town. The Republican police state had arrived in small town America.

The students marched down the street despite the official hostility to protesters. They eventually stood with their banner propped up behind the walled-off rally area near the press tent. The students later appeared on two local TV channels and three radio stations, expressing their dissatisfaction with McCain and Palin’s support for the wars and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and the downturn in the economy.

#CedarburgWI #AntiwarMovement #News #Iraq #JohnMcCain #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #antiwarProtest #SarahPalin #ProgressiveStudentsOfMilwaukee

Outside of the church gates, hundreds of demonstrators awaited the candidates. Groups of protesters faced off across the intersection. On one side there were Minutemen, anti-choice, anti-gay marriage fundamentalists and pro-war reactionaries that came to promote McCain’s agenda of racism, sexism and endless war. Opposing this right-wing agenda was a group that came to speak out against McCain’s plans for “100 years” of illegal occupation and war in Iraq.

Tommy, a tenth-grader who attends El Toro high school nearby, said he came to the anti-war demonstration because he wasn’t going to stand for one more year of this war and he wanted to speak out. “I don’t really remember a time without the war, I mean I was in fifth grade when it started.” His friend Samantha echoed his sentiments saying that she was there because she supported, “the guy [a protester in the crowd] holding the ‘Go to hell McCain’ sign.” Another activist, Mike, who stood with the anti-war delegation said that he also had plans to go march at the Republican National Convention Sept. 1 to protest against the nomination of the war criminal John McCain.

During the civil forum McCain reiterated his plans for becoming a war president. When Warren asked McCain if he believed in evil the presidential candidate answered with a resounding, “Of course,” and that, “it must be defeated.” He went on to state that the battlefield in which evil was being fought was in Iraq. Eric Gardner, a member of UCLA’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society responded to that with, “It appears he plans to defeat this evil with the bloodshed of American soldiers and Iraqi civilians. And it is for this reason that I am going join the protesters in Saint Paul, Minnesota to let the Republicans know that we will not stand for this platform of war.”

Charla Schlueter is a member of UNCA-SDS

#LakeForestCA #AntiwarMovement #News #Iraq #JohnMcCain #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #warInIraq #MarchOnTheRNCToStopTheWar

The main thing the Republicans will be doing in Saint Paul is building support for John McCain in his bid to continue Bush’s policies of the past eight years. John McCain has said that the U.S. occupation of Iraq could last for 100 years and that he wants to make sure the rich remain as wealthy as possible by keeping tax cuts and the cuts to healthcare and education that go with them. The Republican National Convention (RNC) will try to shore up support and U.S. national chauvinist fervor for the Iraq occupation throughout the convention. Five years of war is more than long enough. The troops need to come home now so that the Iraqi people can take control of and begin to rebuild their own country. The government needs to stop running up trillions in debt that our children and grandchildren will be paying off and that will lead to even more cuts in health care, education and other human needs in the name of a failed strategy to dominate the Middle East.

All of us know what is wrong with the politics and policies of the Republicans. Sept. 1 is the time to change knowing into doing. Bush, Cheney and the lesser-known but equally powerful will be together on location in Saint Paul. The RNC is a prime opportunity to bring our demands directly to the war-makers. Not only will the architects of the occupation be in Saint Paul, 10,000 journalists from around the world will be there as well. This is one of those rare times when the whole world really will be watching and we cannot allow the only message to be shiny happy Republicans dancing on the dead men, women and children of Iraq for their own political gain. We have a right to march against the war and the Republican agenda. The police are seeking impede that right by issuing a permit that makes it difficult for tens of thousands to march on the Xcel Center. Organizers in Minneapolis and Saint Paul need our support between now and September to win the battle for an acceptable permit.

Many people are planning many different activities that will send powerful messages to both the Republicans and the world. The permitted march on Sept. 1, organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, is a very important event. In the course of the four days of the convention many movements with many tactics will be seeking to challenge the Republican agenda. While there may be differences of emphasis, issues or tactics, organizers are striving for a sense of unity and solidarity. Saint Paul police have already formed a special unit for the purpose of dividing us from each other. We can’t allow them to succeed.

Organizers have come together around a number of important principles. These principles say in part that our solidarity will be based on respect for a diversity of tactics and the plans of other groups. That debates on tactics will stay internal to the movement, avoiding any public or media denunciations of fellow activists and events. Another principle is opposition to state repression of dissent and a refusal to assist law enforcement actions against activists and others. Furthermore, a separation of time or space will be maintained to allow for different kinds of protests to take place. This set of principles is very good and is part of what will allow the largest and strongest demonstrations against the war and occupation.

The Republican Convention will come one week after the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The Denver convention will also see protests against the war. For too long the Democrats have been complicit in carrying out the occupation of Iraq and they should also be held accountable for empty promises to end the war.

Here is a promise that we know will be kept. On Sept. 1 a diverse coalition of activists will gather to March on the RNC. Tens of thousands will march from the State Capitol to the Xcel Center to stop the war and oppose the Republican agenda. Peace activists and anti-imperialists, veterans, trade union members, immigrant workers, low-income families, anti-police brutality and anti-globalization activists, communists and anarchists will march together. We will march to be heard, we will march to stop the war and we will march to show the world that real opposition exists to the Republican agenda.

U.S. out of Iraq now

Money for human needs, not for war

Say no to the Republican agenda

Demand peace, justice and equality

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #ImmigrantRights #PoorPeoplesMovements #StudentMovement #Labor #OppressedNationalities #Iraq #JohnMcCain #Editorials #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #antiimmigrantAttacks #foreclosuresHomelessnessAndUnemployment

The demonstrations that took place on the first and last days of the RNC were of particular importance. The size, scope, militancy and the political clarity – crystallized in the slogan “U.S. out of Iraq now” – helped to create the political context for the entire week of actions against the RNC.

September 1

On Sept. 1, 30,000 people from across the United States participated in the massive anti-war march organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. It was an incredible outpouring against the war and injustice. Low-income people marched under the slogan, “Money for human needs, not for war.” An immigrant rights contingent called for an end to raids and deportations and full equality for the undocumented. Hundreds from the Somali community formed a contingent demanding an end to the U.S-backed Ethiopian occupation of Somalia. Other contingents included supporters of Palestine, veterans, trade unionists and students. Together the contingents made a strong statement that the people of this country reject the war, John McCain and the Republican agenda as whole.

In addition, the Sept. 1 protest stands as positive example of how to unite all who can be united in a down-to-earth and practical manner. The Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War was able to bring together more than 130 organizations for the Sept. 1 march, including the three main anti-war coalitions in the U.S. – United for Peace and Justice, Troops Out Now Coalition and International ANSWER.

Several things made it possible to build this broad front for the Sept. 1 protest. First, the political basis of unity was focused enough to bring forces together, yet general enough to encompass the demands and concerns of other people’s movements. Second, organizers of the Coalition were able to reach an agreement with the organizers of other protests which allowed for a separation of time or space between different forces that had different kinds of actions planned. It was agreed that there would be no public denunciations or criticisms of plans or projects of those on the streets against the RNC. On the organizational level, a flexible and consultative approach was utilized by the march organizers. This served to consolidate the Coalition partners and draw in more forces. And finally, on a tactical level, march organizers waged a determined fight to get permits and promoted a march with a mass character. The word tactical is used here because the decision to get permits is a question of tactics, as opposed to of strategy or principle. In this particular case, obtaining permits was helpful in uniting as many as possible for the largest protest possible.

The huge turnout on Sept. 1 reflects the courage and determination of each and every person who attended. City officials not only created a climate of fear, but as events leading up the convention and over the four days would show, the cops did their best to make sure that there would be something to be afraid of.

Coalition organizers waged a two-year fight to get permits for the march. Saint Paul officials from the mayor and police chief on down did everything in their power to stand in the way. In the months leading up to the RNC, city officials waged a campaign of violence-baiting in order to scare people away from the march. The area around the Xcel Center, the site of the RNC, took on the appearance of a penitentiary.

Then, days before the opening of the convention, cops carried out a series of outrageous raids on the homes and the convergence center of RNC protesters. Eight members of the RNC Welcoming Committee were jailed on phony ‘conspiracy to riot’ charges. In response, leaders of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War did the right thing. Standing by the other groups organizing protests at the RNC, they immediately denounced these attempts to suppress protest at the RNC.

Following the Sept. 1 march, a series of militant actions took place in downtown Saint Paul, with the aim of shutting down the RNC. Freedom Road sees these actions as a good thing that helped make the four days of protest at the RNC a success.

September 4

On the final day of the RNC, hours before John McCain was to accept the nomination of the Republican Party, several thousand gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol Building for a protest initiated by the Twin Cites-based Anti-War Committee. The plan was to march on the Xcel Center under the slogan, “No peace for the war makers.”

From the beginning, police did everything possible to disrupt and stop the protest. Justice Department representatives stood near the stage uttering threats. Cops on bicycles carried out arrests and provocations while a band was playing before the rally. Shortly before the rally ended, more than 100 cops in riot gear massed behind the stage.

Far from being intimidated, leaders of the Anti-War Committee marched towards the Xcel Center, where hundreds of riot cops, some on horse back, others on bicycles and others using snowplows as barricades blocked the way. After a mass arrest that took much of the leadership of the protest out of commission, others from the anti-war, welfare rights and immigrants rights movements stepped forward and kept the march going. The march ended in a barrage of tear gas, concussion grenades and more mass arrests. By the end of the evening almost 400 participants in the Sept. 4 march were jailed.

This demonstration was significant on several counts. First, it was both mass and militant. Organizers made it clear they would march with or without a permit. Second, the protest pulled the spotlight off the pro-war message of McCain. Before and after his speech, TV coverage cut back and forth between the clashes on the streets of Saint Paul and events inside the Xcel Center.

While paling beside the really significant things that happened Sept. 4, it needs to be said that a handful of people failed the test that the RNC provided our movement. The first to fail was the so-called ‘Peace Team.’ Made up of some honest people from the peace movement, its goal of staying ‘neutral’ during the protest led them to go over to the side of the cops. On day four, they repeatedly were the ones who conveyed dispersal orders from the police. The second group that failed was Socialist Alternative, which did everything they could to undermine the day four protest, and are now running around denouncing militancy at the RNC.

Where do we go from here

In the months ahead it is important to build on the successes of the RNC protests. The Republicans and their agenda of war, racism and reaction received a solid blow. More things like this are needed.

There is also the job of defending the nearly 800 protesters who were arrested in the course of the Convention. Of special importance is the RNC 8. The eight face conspiracy changes with enhanced penalties based on the Minnesota version of the Patriot Act. All progressive people should support the demand that charges be dropped against all RNC protesters. Without exception.

The Sept. 1 anti-war protest demonstrated that the possibility exists to build real and principled unity in the anti-war movement with the aim of carrying out joint actions to end U.S. occupations. Sectarianism can be overcome and there is no reason why more actions like this cannot be done in the future.

Constructing a real movement for real change in this country depends on uniting the many to defeat the few.

We also need to take as many people as possible as far as they are willing to go, which means raising the level of struggle and militancy whenever possible.

The rulers of the United States, the monopoly capitalists of Wall Street, now find themselves in the midst of a great crisis. They are waging war on the world’s people abroad and here at home. Now is the time to build our respective movements for peace, justice and equality, and while doing so, expose the nature of the enemy we are up against.

The protests at the RNC were a great victory. The future is bright and there are more victories ahead.

#StPaulMN #AntiwarMovement #ProtestRNC2008 #JohnMcCain #Elections #Editorials #RepublicanNationalConvention2008