Gainesville, FL – On Dec. 12, students and community members blocked the entrances to a basketball game between the University of Florida (UF) and Texas Southern University. The action was called as part of a growing movement to protest police killings of African Americans and Latinos in the U.S. This follows the failures to indict police officer Darren Wilson, who shot Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, as well as NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, who choked Eric Garner to death.

Around 130 people gathered at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center before the basketball game and held a die-in at the entrance as the doors opened. Then, the group moved to the student gate, blocking the entrance doors and the sidewalks leading to the other doors. Despite university personnel opening and closing certain entrances based on the location of the protesters, the group was able to finalize its position at the student entrance.

Trenton Brooks of the UF Dream Defenders explained, “Our action today was to show that people cannot just go about their lives as if it's simply business as usual. There are systemic problems in this country and ignoring them just isn't an option.”

Chants included “No justice! No peace! No racist police!” and one specifically for the occasion “You only care about us when we are in jerseys!”

Farah Khan, of UF Students for a Democratic Society, talked about the impact the protest had on the game, “It definitely shook people up and left both attendants of the game and administration completely disoriented. Not a single person at that game could ignore us.”

#GainesvilleFl #PeoplesStruggles #UniversityOfFlorida #Antiracism #UF #EricGarner #Ferguson #MikeBrown #BlackLivesMatter

Gainesville, FL – 150 students participated in a die-in, called for by the University of Florida’s chapter of Dream Defenders, Dec. 5, to protest ongoing police brutality in the U.S. After the decision to not indict the NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo who murdered Eric Garner, protests gained speed all over the U.S.

The Gainesville action demanded an end to racist police violence and justice for Eric Garner, Mike Brown, and other African American people killed and brutalized by the police.

Protesters wore all black and met in the campus’s busiest area, Turlington Plaza, at 12:35 p.m. on Dec. 5 to stage a die-in during class change. Two Dream Defenders shouted out in unison, “I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!” before dropping to the ground, with everyone else falling down around them. It was a powerful visual that caused everyone to stop and stare, blocking off Turlington plaza.

After four and a half minutes, Trenton Brooks from Dream Defenders gave an emotional speech, standing up and addressing the gathering crowd, “We can’t breathe like we’re in the eye of a hurricane, but we know FEMA isn’t coming…We can’t breathe, because we can’t stand the injustice…bodies are falling day after day, night after night. Every 28 hours a Black human being is killed by the police. If you’re still breathing, you better hold your breath.”

After all the participants in the die-in stood up, Azaari Mason of UF Dream Defenders urged protesters, “Keep the fight up! The struggle is not over. It is just beginning.”

#GainesvilleFL #PoliceBrutality #UniversityOfFlorida #EricGarner #DieIn

Gainesville, FL – On Nov. 10 the University of Florida’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) held a corner sign-holding protest in support of Rasmea Odeh. Odeh is a 67-year-old Palestinian woman activist from Chicago who is now being held in a Detroit jail. The U.S. government is targeting her because she is a powerful leader who speaks out against U.S. complicity in Israeli war crimes.

Two dozen students showed up at a busy campus intersection during rush hour to publicly declare they stand with Rasmea Odeh against the unfair justice system. The action took place just hours after Odeh was found guilty of “unlawful procurement of citizenship” in a Detroit courtroom. Adding insult to injury, Odeh had her bond revoked and was led away in handcuffs just hours after the verdict was read. The news hit students at the University of Florida very hard. However, like other anti-war and international solidarity activists across the country organizing for Rasmea Odeh for months, they sprang into action.

Florida students showed their shock and anger thru their action. People stayed at the protest for almost two hours chanting, giving speeches and demanding that justice for this prominent community organizer, Rasmea Odeh. Jonathan Waring of UF Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) said, “We have to show the U.S. government that activists will not be intimidated by illegitimate trials directed at the pro-Palestine movement.”

UF students are not intimidated by the U.S. government campaign of repression. If anything this verdict has amped up the sentiment for more education and actions to show solidarity with Rasmea Odeh and the Palestinian struggle that she embodies. This campus protest comes after a months-long campaign involving education, protests and call-in days. The issue is far from dying down and Florida students are ready to show support. Students for Justice in Palestine will continue to organize in solidarity with Rasmea until she is free, until all political prisoners are free and until Palestine is free.

As Eric Brown, a lead organizer with both SJP and SDS stated, “One day the settler colonial entity know as Israel will be found guilty by the people it has oppressed since its existence. On that day we will have people like Rasmea to look up to as those who have been pillars in the movement. This system has not only failed Rasmea but on every level has failed oppressed nationalities and there needs to be a serious movement for liberation that creates a completely new paradigm. Power to Rasmea and to all those facing political oppression!”

#GainesvilleFL #Palestine #Israel #UniversityOfFlorida #politicalRepression #Florida #RasmeaOdeh #SJP #StudentsForJusticeInPalestine

Gainesville, FL — On July 16, sixty University of Florida students and Gainesville activists marched from the Alachua County Courthouse to Gainesville City Hall to protest the recent US-backed Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Rami Okasha of UF Students for Justice in Palestine started the march saying, “Despite what Zionists say, Palestinians do exist and have been doing their part in resisting a slow genocide of their people. It is time we do ours.”

The protesters took to the streets during rush hour, blocking traffic, loudly chanting “Free, Free Palestine” and “”Netanyahu you can't hide, we charge you with genocide”. They gathered at the steps of City Hall to hear a round of speeches.

Jonathan Waring, of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said in his speech, “As long as Palestinians are being oppressed by a US puppet state, we cannot sit idly by and allow them to suffer at the hands of the US and Israel.”

The demonstration concluded with a reading of the names of the 197 victims of Israeli air strikes in Gaza. The crowd held a moment of silence for the Palestinian dead. The protesters tried to symbolically tape the name of the victims to City Hall but police officers stopped them. These actions were greeted by jeers and “Shame on you, City Hall!” The protesters then delivered the list of names to the City and demanded that Gainesville stand with the people of Palestine.

At the end of the rally, Michela Martinazzi of UF Students for a Democratic Society said “It’s important to show solidarity with Palestine in their daily fight against US Imperialism and today’s action proved that the people of Gainesville are standing tall with them.”

#GainesvilleFL #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #Palestine #PeoplesStruggles #Israel #UniversityOfFlorida #Florida #UFSDS #SJP #StudentsForJusticeInPalestine #MiddleEast

Gainesville, FL – University of Florida Students for Justice in Palestine (UF SJP) held a solidarity protest July 7 for Palestinian teens under attack by the Israeli state. Around 35 students and community activists held signs and chanted on the corner of the busy street of University and 13th Street near the campus. Protesters chanted, “Viva viva Palestina! Viva the Intifada!” and “Justice for Tariq!”

Last week the Israeli state launched a violent campaign against Palestinians in Gaza. They used the Israeli air force to bomb over a dozen areas, tear-gassed demonstrators, arrested over 600 people, carried out home demolitions and more.

The Gainesville student protest was in solidarity with Mohammed Abu Khdeir of Jerusalem and his cousin Tariq Khdeir of Tampa, Florida. Mohammed Khdeir, a 16-year-old Palestinian, was kidnapped and burned alive on July 2. Tariq Khdeir, his 15-year-old Palestinian American cousin was protesting the violent campaign waged by the Israeli state. Tariq Khdeir was restrained by an Israeli police intelligence unit and brutally beaten to unconsciousness.

Eric Brown, a member of UF SJP said, “Seeing the pictures of Tariq's disfigured face really brought home to me the connection between the brutality Palestinians face from the Israeli state and the police brutality that Black men deal with in the U.S. In both cases the U.S. allows the brutality because of the state-sanctioned dehumanization of both groups. The imprisonment of both is done to further stifle resistance.”

Brown continued, “We’re here today to send a clear message that collective punishment is wrong and that not only should those who beat Tariq be investigated and brought to justice but also that Tariq being under house arrest is absurd.”

Gainesville Students for a Democratic Society plans to follow up by petitioning in solidarity with Rasmea Odeh, a Palestinian American women’s leader who is going to court on Sept. 8 in Detroit. Now 67 years old, Odeh was the first women to speak publicly about being physically and sexually tortured by the Israeli military back in 1969. Though living in the U.S. for 20 years, ten of them as a U.S. citizen, Odeh is facing trumped-up charges in a Detroit courtroom concerning her immigration paperwork. The whole world will be watching as the U.S. government puts a torture victim on trial.

#GainesvilleFl #GainesvilleFL #Gaza #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #Palestine #PeoplesStruggles #Israel #UniversityOfFlorida #Tampa #Florida #Tariq #UF #SJP #StudentsForJusticeInPalestine #MiddleEast

Gainesville, FL – On Dec. 5, 30 members and allies of the Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Florida (SDS at UF) gathered in front of Emerson Alumni Hall to rally for tuition equity for undocumented students. In other words, to have in-state tuition for all students who graduate from Florida high schools, regardless of immigration documents.

This was the fall semester meeting of the University of Florida Board of Trustees. With the board in charge of tuition policy changes, gaining board support for tuition equity was paramount.This past semester, SDS at UF, CHISPAS and Gators for Tuition Equity gathered over 6000 petition signatures, 200 letters from students and letters of solidarity from 11 campus cultural organizations. Also, the UF student senate passed a resolution, co-authored by Conor Munro of SDS, in support of tuition equity.

SDS at UF won the chance to speak to the board due to the mass campaign and overwhelming positive support from the student body. The board allowed three speakers, each with five minutes, to present arguments for tuition equity to be passed at UF.

The first speaker was Candy Herrera, a member of Graduates Assistants United and a former undocumented student. Herrera shared her experience as an undocumented student aiming for higher education. She brought up how the board speaking positively on this issue would, “be a powerful gesture to people of color...and send a message that immigrants are valued and respected” at UF.

The second speaker was Lianna Guerra, from Gators for Tuition Equity, who spoke on the advantages of implementing tuition equity at the university.

Conor Munro finished the round of presentations by eloquently summarizing the student support for this campaign throughout the semester: “University of Florida has a chance to take part in history; it can either be on the side that lags behind, or it can be a beacon of progress and become the flagship university it was meant to be.”

Once the speakers finished, different board members spoke in support of tuition equity. University of Florida President, Bernie Machen, even stated that he “was proud” of the students who worked to bring this campaign to the forefront.

The Board of Trustees unanimously voted to release a statement of support, positively contributing to the campaign.

#GainesvilleFL #SDS #PeoplesStruggles #UniversityOfFlorida #UFSDS #TuitionEquity #BoardOfTrustees #UniversityOfFloridaStudentsForADemocraticSociety

Gainesville, FL — Students at the University of Florida successfully advanced their campaign of tuition equity for undocumented students. Leading student organizations joined together to pass a resolution through Student Government in favor of tuition equality.

Currently, an undocumented immigrant student who grows up in Florida must pay out-of-state tuition to take classes at the Florida institution, despite graduating from a Florida high school. Out-of-state tuition costs three times that of in-state tuition, a hefty price to pay.

University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) members joined by members of CHISPAS, Hispanic Student Association, Asian Student Union and Black Student Union all spoke on behalf of the resolution during public debate.

Conor Munro, a lead organizer of SDS and author of the resolution, spoke persuasively to the student senators on the issue, “These students have worked just as hard as any student graduating from high school, they deserve the chance to continue to seek higher education.”

The resolution passed with an overwhelming 73-3 vote count.

With student support on their side, UF SDS now looks forward to approaching the Board of Trustees, with the power to change tuition policy and make it fair. SDS plans to mobilize for the Board meeting, demanding, “Tuition Equity for Undocumented Students!”

#GainesvilleFL #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #Capitalism #PublicSchools #UniversityOfFlorida #TuitionEquity

Gainesville, FL – On Oct. 17, student activists at the University of Florida (UF) officially launched their tuition equity campaign by having a demonstration at Tigert Hall, the University of Florida’s administration building. Around 40 students gathered in front of Tigert Hall to demand in-state tuition for undocumented students who have graduated from Florida high schools. The delegation made speeches calling for the university to implement DACA (the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals process) at UF and live up to its claim of being a flagship university and open the door to undocumented students.

Protesters held signs like, “No Gator is illegal,” and “Tuition equity for all.” UF student Conor Munro, an organizer with Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), said, “We can’t wait for the same Florida legislature who has for years tabled tuition equity bills and continually cuts funding to higher education. We must be the example to the legislature by demanding and implementing tuition equity at the UF which our board of trustees can do as seen with FIU this past summer. ”

At the event chants rang out of “¡El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!” and “What do we want? Tuition Equity! When do we want it? Now!” Student after student, including undocumented students, gave testimony on why implementing tuition equity at the university was the just thing to do.

Filipino student Chrisley Carpio, an organizer with SDS, said, “Undocumented students are told in high school that they can work hard and earn their way up, but that hope is shut down as soon as they graduate. The university can’t posit itself as accepting the brightest minds when a community of people are being excluded from its doors because of exorbitant out of state fees.”

Students for a Democratic Society organized the campaign in response to the growing demand from the undocumented community on campus and the recent implementation of DACA by Florida International University. The event had support from an host of organizations like CHISPAS (an immigrants rights group), Institute of Hispanic-Latino Cultures, Hispanic Students Association, Students for Justice in Palestine and the Graduate Assistants United.

After the round of speeches concluded, the administration sent their spokesperson Jeanna Mastrodicasa, who agreed to student’s demands of a meeting concerning tuition equity for undocumented students. University of Florida SDS plans on hosting events in the future with the goal of getting their board of trustees to put tuition equity on the agenda and implement it at the university.

#GainesvilleFL #StudentMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #UniversityOfFlorida #UFSDS #TuitionEquity #NEWSDS

Gainesville, FL – About 40 protesters gathered on the corner of University and SW 13th Street outside of the University of Florida, Aug. 28, to demand no U.S. military intervention in Syria.

The call to action came amidst steadily growing rhetoric from the U.S. government for possible military attack on Syria. Despite ongoing United Nations investigations into Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons with no evidence found thus far, the U.S. is planning a unilateral military intervention into the country.

University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the protest and many other groups were well represented. Groups that participated included University of Florida College Libertarians, Gainesville Vets for Peace, Occupy Gainesville, Students for Justice in Palestine and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Michela Martinazzi, an organizer with University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society, said about the protest, “Military intervention in Syria is completely deplorable and we wanted to demonstrate that the people of Gainesville are united against the government’s prolonged aggression in the Middle East.”

Eric Brown of Students for Justice in Palestine gave a speech and said, “Syria should have the right to self-determination without any intervention from Western powers. We saw the same thing happen in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan; why would this time be any different?”

The action was part of a nationwide effort to stand against U.S. aggression in Syria and the Middle East. Chants included, “No justice, no peace, no more war in the Middle East!” University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society will keep fighting until those words are a reality.

#GainesvilleFL #StudentMovement #SDS #Syria #antiwar #UniversityOfFlorida #AntiIntervention #UFSDS #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #MiddleEast

Gainesville, FL – On April 12 student activists at the University of Florida (UF) held the final event of their anti-drone week of action. 20 students gathered in front of Tigert Hall to demand transparency about UF’s involvement in military-sponsored drone research. The delegation made speeches condemning the use of drones to kill civilians abroad and spy on citizens at home. Students hung a huge banner from the Administration Building reading, “Fund education, not occupation.” Students questioned the need for military funding. Filipino student Chrisley Carpio, an organizer with Students for a Democratic Society, said, “I consider those funds blood money. In my home country, the U.S. military uses drones to terrorize civilians and suppress liberation movements.”

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and UF Libertarians organized the week of action in response to the growing drone research, production and testing on campus, in the community and around the state. In Gainesville alone there are five companies that produce drone technology. This is part of a larger push by state and local government to turn Florida into a hub for drone manufacturing and operations. Students at UF began the fightback with a week of action.

On Monday, April 8, activists painted a huge mural on the 34th Street Wall reading, “4700 murders and counting,” referring to the extrajudicial killings carried out by the U.S. government in countries like Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan. On Tuesday, in Turlington Plaza, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) joined SDS and UF Libertarians to hold a moment of silence and read the names of over 400 children killed by drone strikes in Yemen and Pakistan. On Wednesday and Thursday the students tabled in the Plaza of the Americas with a “Pin the drone” kit. A big pin-board with a map of the Middle East was set up and passers-by were challenged to find a country that the U.S. bombed, invaded or occupied with military bases in the last ten years. Then students were asked to pick one country that the U.S. did not bomb, invade or occupy in the last ten years. Quickly, students realized just how many countries the U.S. is intervening in and how hard it is to find countries where it is not.

After the rally on Friday, April 12, a delegation of students met with administrators to demand that information concerning UF’s relationship with the military and drone companies be made public. After the meeting, SDS organizer Michela Martinazzi said, “We’re not against technology, but we are against U.S. wars and murder. We think that there is some important drone research being done for wildlife monitoring, but UF research needs to be transparent and accountable.”

#GainesvilleFL #AntiwarMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #UniversityOfFlorida #drones #UFLibertarians

Gainesville, FL – At 12:00 p.m. on a cool and rainy day, the voices of 20 students rang through the halls of Emerson Alumni Hall at the University of Florida, “Education is a right! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!” The students rallied at the meeting location for the Board of Governors. The students quickly discovered the Board of Governors had cut the meeting short and fled when they heard students were coming. The Board was set to discuss education cut backs affecting students in the state of Florida, but ran away before any student voices could be heard.

“The higher public education system of Florida is under attack by Florida Governor Rick Scott and his Blue Ribbon Task Force. We are here to demand that the Board of Governors resist the proposals brought to them by Rick Scott's crony task force. We demand our voices be heard,” proclaimed Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organizer Michela Martinazzi.

One of the top tier public universities in the nation, and hosting a student population of over 50,000, UF is facing big cuts. The Blue Ribbon Task Force recently proposed education cuts, very similar to Texas' education “reform”. The Board of Governors is pushing an agenda to further corporatize and privatize public universities. A big item up for elimination is the Florida Bright Futures – a merit scholarship that many students at the University of Florida as well as across the state depend on. Also under consideration is the Florida Prepaid savings program. A third proposal is the implementation of differential tuition—meaning big and unequal increases in tuition for non-STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) majors across the board.

“These legislators are placing the burden of the economic crisis on the backs of students. How is that fair? I depend on both Bright Futures and Florida Prepaid to earn my degree. I can't take out another loan!” stated Andrew Arachikavitz with Tallahassee SDS.

The activists held a round of speeches. Afterwards they marched outside and taped a banner to the entrance of Emerson Hall. “Board of Governors, shame on you, you were once students too!” they sang together.

#GainesvilleFL #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #EducationRights #GovernorRickScott #UniversityOfFlorida

Gainesville, FL – A massive Palestinian flag with the words “Free Palestine” was raised in Turlington Plaza Nov. 15 as 40 students gathered to condemn the massacre in Gaza. Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) organized the protest in response to the latest wave of brutal Israeli attacks, which claimed the lives of dozens of Palestinians.

SDS leaders chanted “Free, free Palestine!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” They carried signs that read, “Stop the massacre in Gaza” and “Occupy Wall Street, not Palestine.” Several protesters wore duct tape over their mouths to symbolize the suppression of Palestinian voices in the corporate media. As crowds of students walked by on their way to class they heard the chants, saw the signs and decided to join the protesters, doubling the size of the demonstration.

Speakers talked about the long history of oppression and brutalization suffered by the Palestinian people. “This is not an isolated incident,” said Pamela Maldonado, an organizer with Students for a Democratic Society. “Palestine has been under occupation for more than half a century. We demand freedom, justice and self-determination for the Palestinian people!”

Other speakers commented on the insidious role played by the U.S. government in providing billions of dollars of funding, weapons and political support for the Zionist regime. Skye Schmelzer from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression said, “Not only does our government provide material support for Israel but they arrest Palestinian solidarity activists here at home.” She cited the case of the Holy Land Five political prisoners and the bogus investigation of Hatem Abudayyeh, one of the 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists raided by the FBI and subpoenaed to a grand jury in Chicago. The 23 solidarity activists refused to testify at the grand jury and have built a broad fight back campaign.

The rally closed with everyone pledging, as the Israeli invasion continues, to make every effort to organize another protest in solidarity with Palestine and oppose U.S. funding for Israel.

#GainesvilleFL #AntiwarMovement #StudentMovement #Gaza #SDS #Palestine #attacksOnGaza #StudentsForJusticeInPalestineSJP #UniversityOfFlorida #MiddleEast

This convention will last a day and a half, ending in the afternoon on Sunday, Oct. 28. Workshops, collective breakouts and plenary sessions, all led primarily by students themselves, will highlight and feature a multitude of issues, including SDS’s primary national campaigns: education rights, ending wars and ending political repression of activists.

“The SDS convention is one of the most important things our organization does in a given year, because it brings young activists together throughout the country to not only consolidate ourselves around our primary national campaigns, but also to learn from our peers about issues we may not know about and become better activists.” Stephanie Taylor of the University of Minnesota SDS chapter explains.

Speaking at the convention will be Noor Elashi, a journalist and award winning author. Noor Elashi is also a longtime advocate for her father Ghassan Elashi, an American Palestinian political prisoner and one of the imprisoned Holy Land Five charity leaders. Also present will be Tom Burke, who is a spokesperson for the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. Burke was a leader of the Progressive Student Network while in college and became a labor and international solidarity activist, launching the Coca-Cola boycott to support Colombian unions in 2003.

Other student organizations and individuals have also been invited to attend this year’s convention. Organizations expected to attend include the Dream Defenders, Student Labor Action Project (SLAP), Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Occupy Colleges and others. Skye Schmelzer of University of Florida- Gainesville SDS says, “In light of our exciting merger with Occupy Colleges, this year’s convention aims to unite various student organizations in hopes of building a stronger, united student movement.”

The SDS convention will be held at the J. Wayne Reitz Union Building in Gainesville. For more information and a full agenda of the events visit www.newsds.org or email gainesvillesds@gmail.com.

#GainesvilleFL #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #UniversityOfFlorida #GainesvilleSDS

Gainesville, FL – On Oct. 8, about three dozen Gainesville activists held a rally to protest the 11th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Florida (UF), Occupy Gainesville and Gainesville Veterans for Peace gave a round of speeches in Turlington Plaza, demanding the withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan and the end of U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and other parts of the Middle East.

The walls surrounding Turlington Plaza rang with the sound of students and Gainesville residents chanting, “Troops out now!” Speakers also addressed the devastating costs of the war and the resulting cuts to public education and social services.

“Every week, Washington spends $2 billion on the occupation of Afghanistan. That's billion with a capital 'B',” said SDS organizer Pamela Maldonado, as protesters chanted, “Up, up with education! Down, down with occupation!”

This action also officially launched Gainesville SDS's campaign to end the expansion of drone manufacturing in Gainesville. The Gainesville-based company Altavian, Inc. revealed in late August that it is officially the first company in U.S. history to receive a federal contract solely for expanding drone production. It is accompanied by Prioria Robotics, also based in Gainesville, which actively hires recently graduated UF students.

This protest occurred a week after a successful student-led discussion of Syria, U.S. intervention, and the human rights atrocities committed by the Syrian rebels. About 40 students filled the room, and before the event was over, a consensus was built around opposing all forms of Western intervention and the U.S.-backed rebels. All students present called for Syrian self-determination instead.

This sentiment reappeared during speeches at Monday's protest of the War in Afghanistan. “Sept. 11 may have been an excuse to go into Afghanistan, but no Afghanis were actually involved in the terrorist attacks,” said Maldonado. “The only reason we invaded was to consolidate the U.S.'s control over the Middle East's resources, and the only people who benefit is the top 1% of this country. Thousands of people are dying, so that a few hundred can live like royalty.”

Speakers also emphasized the importance of staying in the streets and protesting the war from our own country, rather than staying content with the ballot box. The same millionaires who stand to gain from these wars have compromised both the Democrat and Republican parties.

Eric Brown, another SDS organizer, said, “Even though Bush sent in the first troops, the Obama administration has stepped up these unmanned attacks to unprecedented levels and redefined the potential destruction of U.S. imperialism. It is more urgent than ever that Americans protest these wars where they can, locally, here at home.”

#GainesvilleFL #AntiwarMovement #StudentMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #Afghanistan #Syria #AfghanistanWar #UniversityOfFlorida #OccupyGainesville #drones #GainesvilleVeteransForPeace