San Jose, CA – On June 26, around 35 people gathered at Willow Street Frank Bramhall Park in San Jose to honor political prisoner and American Indian Movement leader Leonard Peltier. The event was organized by Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley and Indian Health Center Silicon Valley on the 48th anniversary of the historic shootout at Oglala on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The rally was emceed by Donna Wallach, chair of Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley and longtime community organizer.

Julie Dominguez, Muwékma Ohlone Tribal Ambassador, commenced the event with a tribal land acknowledgment on behalf of the Muwékma Ohlone Tribe. Dominguez spoke about the Muwékma Ohlone’s relationship with the land of the South Bay area and its spiritual significance for her people. She also noted that the Muwékma Ohlone people are not merely a relic of the past, but are alive and thriving today in the San Jose. She reported that Muwékma Ohlone Tribal Chairwoman Charlene C. Nijmeh recently visited Washington D.C. to advocate for federal acknowledgment of the Muwékma Ohlone Tribe, but there is currently no path forward to achieve that demand.

California Spirit Ride Team members who recently participated in the 500 Mile American Indian Spiritual Marathon then led the crowd in an inspiring performance of the Leonard Peltier Honor Song.

The next speaker was Carol Robideau, White Earth Chippewa and Leonard Peltier's aunt. She spoke about how she was one of the legions of indigenous children forcibly separated from her family and tribe via predatory adoption practices in 1949. She did not even realize she was Leonard Peltier’s aunt until she reconnected with her family and tribe in 1994. Robideau recounted her fear that she may never be able to reunite with Peltier in-person, saying, “The horrible truth is, to me, that no matter which party has been in power over all of these years, there is no justice, no matter who is in charge.”

Brian Smith then read a statement written by Leonard Peltier in 2022. Donna Wallach reported that she was unable to contact Peltier to receive his annual statement for 2023, and that she assumes that he is most likely in lockdown in prison. In his 2022 statement, Peltier wrote about the importance of the next generation stepping up and becoming leaders. He also praised the Standing Rock movement for defending the right to clean, safe water for everyone and continuing the legacy of the American Indian Movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

Next, Manu Tonantzin read the names of 55 of the Lakota people who were killed during the Reign of Terror on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota between 1973 and 1976, noting that there were even more people killed whose names we do not know. Local organizer and peace activist Sharat Lin then performed his “Dance of Peace” to the song Reclamation by indigenous musician Lotus Sky. Trujillo Miguel Angel Vasquez and Patricia Vasquez then recited original poetry and songs in both English and Spanish, in honor of Wounded Knee and Leonard Peltier.

Finally, David Almeida from the San Jose State University chapter of Students for a Democratic Society spoke about the national campaign to defend the Tampa 5. The Tampa 5 are five student activists in Florida who are currently facing up to ten years in prison for protesting against Governor Ron DeSantis’ attacks on diversity, equality, inclusion (DEI) and multicultural programs. Almeida spoke about the importance of uniting to free all political prisoners. He stated that SDS stands in solidarity with Leonard Peltier and the movement to free him from wrongful imprisonment, saying, “We understand that political repression of one of us is political repression of all us.” He spoke about the importance of building a national campaign to support the Tampa 5, and noted how the case may set a precedent for further escalation of political repression nationwide if we do not unite to defend the democratic right to protest. He urged attendants to sign the petition (https://peoplespetitions.org/tampa5) and support their GoFundMe (https://gofund.me/5765e559). He also informed the crowd about an upcoming rally in support of the Tampa 5 at San Jose City Hall on July 9 at 2 p.m.

After the program, the crowd gathered to write postcards to President Biden demanding Leonard Peltier’s release and letters to Leonard Peltier in prison expressing their support and solidarity. There was a strong spirit of unity and mobilization in carrying on the fight to free Leonard Peltier, stand in solidarity with indigenous communities everywhere, and resist political repression at every turn.

#SanJoseCA #SDS #LeonardPeltier #SanJosé #PoliticalPrisoners

San José, CA – While most Americans won’t have a ‘white Christmas’ this year, many of us will be looking forward to the displays of lights on many homes and businesses. Now the Trump administration’s escalating trade war with China threatens to dim this coming holiday celebrations – or at least make them more expensive.

On July 10 the Trump administration began another round of escalation of its trade war with China. Trump announced a 10% tariff on an additional $200 billion of Chinese-made goods. While the initial 25% tariff on $34 billion of imports from China had very few consumer goods, this broader list, which is almost 200 pages long with some 7000 types of goods, does.

One of those listed are Christmas lights. The U.S. imports over $500 million of these lights each year from China. These lights make up over 90% of the total light imports, meaning that U.S. buyers will not be able to switch to other countries to avoid the tariffs. If these tariffs go through they would raise the cost of holiday lighting.

There are a number of imports where the U.S. gets 90% or more of its imports from China. At the top of this list are laptop computers, which are valued at almost $40 billion. With 93% of all imported laptops coming from China, and almost no laptops being made in the U.S. (ironically, the only U.S.-made laptops are made by Lenovo, a Chinese company), another round of U.S. escalation is bound to hit more expensive items such as laptops and cell phones.

This is exactly what the Trump administration has promised to do when the Chinese government responds to the latest round of U.S. tariffs. China only imports about $150 billion of goods from the U.S., and is already placing tariffs on $50 billion of them in response to U.S. tariffs. But China also imports services such as U.S. movies (half the top-selling movies in China in the first half of this year have been U.S. films) and education (China is the single largest country of origin for international students and about a third of foreign students in the United States). U.S. corporations also have major investments in China, usually with a Chinese partner. General Motors actually sells more cars in China than in the U.S. under this arrangement (China is the world’s largest car market in terms of number of vehicles sold). China could use a variety of so-called “non-tariff barriers” to hit back at the U.S. tariffs.

Not only are prices on consumer goods likely to go higher as Trump escalates the trade war with China, but prices of U.S. exports to China are already heading down. Prices of soybeans are near a ten-year low and fell 15% last month alone. China is the single largest market for U.S. farmers exporting soybeans, taking about a third of all exports. The pain for U.S. workers and businesses is growing in the wake of Trump’s trade war.

#SanJosé #CapitalismAndEconomy #China #Trump #tariffs #tradeWar #holidays #Asia

San Jose, CA – On May 1, more than 500 people marched from the Chicano/Mexicano community on the eastside of San Jose to downtown, where they rallied at City Hall. A broad range of community, labor, and student groups participated.

#SanJoseCA #MayDay #PeoplesStruggles #CA #SanJosé

San José, Costa Rica – Con motivo de la celebración de los 91 años del nacimiento del Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz un grupo de organizaciones costarricenses se reunieron por la tarde el pasado 12 de agosto, en la sede del sindicato UNDECA, en el centro de la capital, San José. La actividad fue convocada por la Embajada de Cuba en Costa Rica y por el Comité Costarricense de Solidaridad con Cuba.

Se contó con una participación de 100 personas, entre los que se encontraban miembros de organizaciones amigas de Cuba, residentes cubanos y diplomáticos de las embajadas de Cuba, Venezuela y Bolivia.

La actividad contó con diferentes momentos, inicio con las palabras del coordinador del Comité Costarricense de Solidaridad con Cuba, compañero Bruno Coto, el cual dirigido un saludo a la revolución Cubana y su principal dirigente Fidel Castro Ruz. Posteriormente, el exdiputado Sergio Erick Ardón, en el discurso central de la actividad, se refirió a su experiencia y amistad con la revolución cubana. También dirigió unas palabras el señor Michel Ravelo, como representante de la Embajada de Cuba en Costa Rica, agradeciendo las muestras de solidaridad y compromiso con la revolución Cubana y contra el bloqueo económico a su país.

Como parte central de este acto, las compañeras Magda Solís y Ana Robles, ambas del Comité Costarricense de Solidaridad con Cuba, hicieron entrega de una placa que identificará a la Biblioteca Fidel Castro Ruz del Liceo de Poas, una institución pública rural de segunda enseñanza, que logró gracias a la iniciativa de su bibliotecario, Vladimir Murillo, que la biblioteca lleve el nombre del Comandante en Jefe de la Revolución Cubana.

Finalmente, la actividad concluyó como toda una fiesta, donde el pastel con velitas y el canto de “feliz cumpleaños Fidel”, unieron a todas y a todos los participantes compartiendo diferentes muestras de cariño y solidaridad entre los pueblos de América Latina.

#SanJoséCostaRica #SanJosé #Cuba #FidelCastro #CostaRica #Americas

San José, Costa Rica – A group of organizations gathered at the office of the UNDECA union in the center of the capital San José on the evening of August 12 to celebrate Fidel Castro Ruz’s 91st birthday. The Cuban Embassy in Costa Rica and the Costa Rican Committee in Solidarity with Cuba organized the event.

100 people participated in the celebration. Among them were members of pro-Cuba organizations, Cubans who live in Costa Rica, and diplomats from Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia.

The activity began with words from Bruno Coto, the coordinator of the Costa Rican Committee in Solidarity with Cuba, who saluted the Cuban revolution and its principal leader Fidel Castro Ruz. Then former Deputy Sergio Erick Ardón spoke, referring to his experiences and friendship with the Cuban revolution. Michel Ravelo also shared some words as representative of the Cuban embassy in Costa Rica, thanking people for their solidarity and commitment to the Cuban revolution and against the economic blockade of his country.

As part of the celebration, Magda Solís and Ana Robles, both members of the Costa Rican Committee in Solidarity with Cuba, presented a plaque for the Fidel Castro Ruz Library at the Liceo de Poas rural public secondary school. Due to the initiative of its librarian Vladimir Murillo, the library there will now be named after the commander in chief of the Cuban revolution.

Finally the activity ended with a party with cake and candles and singing “Happy birthday Fidel”, bringing together all the participants in showing affection and solidarity among all the peoples of Latin America.

#SanJoséCostaRica #SanJosé #Cuba #FidelCastro #CostaRica #Americas

an José, CA – On Thursday, March 16, President Donald Trump presented his first budget proposal to Congress. That proposal, combined with his backing of the House Republican American Health Care Act (AHCA) proposed the week before, add up massive cuts to programs that help the poor and working class, together with large tax cuts for the rich. Trump’s budget director, Mick Mulvaney, told the press with a straight face that the budget proposal was “compassionate” even though those facing the biggest cuts are children, seniors and the disabled.

The biggest single hit is the AHCA cuts to Medicaid, the federal health program for poor Americans. Over the next ten years, the federal government will spend $880 billion less on Medicaid. States, which operate the program, must pay more and/or cut health care for the poor. The bipartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that this will lead to 14 million poor Americans losing their health insurance. About two thirds of Medicaid spending goes to children, seniors and people with disabilities. The AHCA would also eliminate more than $300 billion from subsidies for working class individuals to buy health care. Last, but not least the AHCA repeal of the mandate that larger companies provide health care benefits for their workers would lead to 7 million more workers and their families losing their health care over the next ten years.

Trump’s budget proposal entirely cuts federal funding for 19 agencies and 61 more programs to save $54 billion next year alone. This money would go to the U.S. military to fund the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq started under the Bush administration, and the third war being started by Trump in Syria with the introduction of U.S. combat forces. In addition to the programs and agencies being cut entirely such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, many other federal programs that help protect the environment, fund transportation and infrastructure, nutrition aid for pregnant women and children (WIC), weatherization of homes to conserve on energy, health research and education, would face steep cuts as high as 30% next year.

Many of the programs that the Trump budget proposal would mainly hurt are programs that benefit poor and working-class Americans. One of these would be the elimination of all $385 million in funding for the Legal Services Corporation, which is a major source of money for Legal Aid in 134 counties across the country. This will lead in large cuts in legal support for poor and working-class Americans, who will be even more at the mercy of unscrupulous bosses and landlords who try to cheat their workers and tenants. 70% of Legal Aid clients are women and a majority are white.

Another program that would be eliminated is the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP, that helps poor and working-class households pay for expensive energy bills in the winter. In 2014, the LIHEAP gave aid to 5.7 million households to pay for heating, 673,000 for air conditioning, and 1.7 million more households whose power was about to be turned off. 90% of the households getting help from LIHEAP include children, seniors or disabled people. In households getting aid from LIHEAP, one-third reported going without food, and 40% sacrificed medical care to keep warm and the lights on. In fact, the main problem with LIHEAP is that it is underfunded, as only about 20% of eligible households are able to aid before the annual budget of $3 billion.

The poor and working class in rural areas that largely voted for Trump would take a hit from the budget proposal to eliminate $180 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Delta Regional Authority, and the Northern Border Regional Commission. These agencies help fund roads and bridges, water and sewer projects, and job training in some of the poorest rural areas along the border with Canada, Appalachia, and the Mississippi delta.

Last but not least, the ACHA would totally eliminate Federal funding for Planned Parenthood next year. Right now, Planned Parenthood provides services to about 2.5 million women and men each year. Most of their centers are in rural or poor urban areas that lack health care resources. The cuts in funding for Planned Parenthood are part of the large cut to funding Medicaid.

The Trump administration has not yet made its tax proposal for next year, which is expected to have large tax cuts for the rich, by eliminating the estate tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax, that helps to prevent millionaires and billionaires such as Trump from paying any taxes by limiting tax breaks for high-income taxpayers.

But the ACHA does cut taxes for the rich by eliminating the taxes used to fund the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare). These taxes targeted for elimination include an investment income tax, and a Medicare surcharge for high income households that reward the rich with almost $300 billion in tax cuts over ten years. Health insurance companies would get another $150 billion in tax cuts during this time.

#SanJoséCA #SanJosé #US #Healthcare #DonaldTrump