Waukesha, WI – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), along with other student groups, held a Speak Out Against Racism! demonstration in response to a recent rise of white supremacist graffiti on the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha campus. The graffiti included swastikas and the initials “KKK.” The graffiti had previously been addressed by the university administration only with a mass email warning of a possible “written reprimand, loss of a privilege, or community service” for the perpetrator.
Chapel Hill, NC – Haley Koch and six community activists had their first court date June 1, for their participation in the Tom Tancredo and Virgil Goode protests that took place in April. These protests were in response to a far right-wing organization, Youth for Western Civilization, that brought two anti-immigration speakers, Tom Tancredo and Virgil Goode, to the University of North Carolina campus within a week of each other. Hundreds of students and activists protested the racism, xenophobia and white supremacy that these speakers promoted and seven demonstrators were arrested by campus police in response. They all pleaded not guilty, even after being offered a deal by the district attorney which would lighten their sentence in return for admission of guilt. The seven are standing strong in their belief that they did no wrong in protesting racism and white supremacy on UNC’s campus and will represent themselves in their next court date, Sept. 14.
The Pentagon spends over $2.5 billion a year to recruit low-income youth using commercials, video games, personal visits and slick brochures that promise a better future through the military. Enticed by the promise of free college, many of our youth see the military as the only path to a college education. In fact, two-thirds of all recruits get no college funding from the military. Only 15% actually graduate with a four-year degree.
San Francisco, CA – Bay area Asian American community organizations sponsored a forum in Chinatown that make the link between U.S. imperialism and racism against Asians in the U.S., July 8. Three Chinese American activists, involved in the Asian American movement from the 1960's to today, spoke about the spy-plane drama that unfolded with China earlier this year.