Saint Paul, MN – Immigrant rights activists protested outside Senator Franken's campaign office Sept. 11, to send the message, “No more deportations, no more delays, no more excuses.” After demonstrating outside, they marched into the office and presented their demands to three Franken campaign staff members. Several community members spoke passionately to the Franken representatives. They said Franken should make a public statement reversing himself and calling for Obama to take executive action now to stop deportations. The Franken staff members said they would pass what people said on to the senator.

The protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC). They protested Franken, a Democratic Party senator, because last week he and a few other Democratic senators publicly told Obama to delay taking executive action to stop deportation of immigrants. Because of the inability to move any pro-immigrant legislation through Congress and mounting immigrant rights protests around the country, Obama had promised to take executive action by the end the summer. But because of the Democratic senators' statements at the 11th hour, presumably prompted by election-season jitters, Obama announced he would once again delay action needed to stop deportations at least until after the November election.

MIRAC member Brad Sigal said, “You can always come up with reasons to delay taking action for justice. If it’s not elections, it’s something else. But the time is now to stop deportations – no more delays, no more excuses. More than 1000 people are deported every day, so this delay means 60,000 more people will be deported, on top of the 2 million people already deported under this administration. Minnesota can’t wait. We call on Senator Franken to join us in telling President Obama to take executive action to stop the deportations now.”

#SaintPaulMN #deportations #AlFranken #MIRAc #BarackObama #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCommittee

Obama has committed up to 300 special operations troops. Navy Seals, Green Berets and Army Rangers are likely to end up in conflict zones to advise and train the local Iraqi security forces. Obama also stated that “potential targets” are being sought for “targeted and precise military actions.” Having already positioned military assets into that region, there’s a distinct possibility that the U.S. will bring drone warfare to the Iraqi people.

Obama hailed the role the U.S. is playing in Yemen, where drone strikes are already massacring the civilian population. Should we expect the U.S. to begin targeting Iraqi weddings like the Yemen massacre last December?

Much of the president's speech was coded in vague statements about “national security interests,” “humanitarian interests,” and “counterterrorism interests.” One should characterize the situation in Iraq as a direct result of U.S. intervention. The previous wars in Iraq were fought to enrich U.S. corporations at the costs of millions of Iraqi lives lost. Obama was quick to forget the Iraqi cost when he invoked the 4500 “American patriots” who were sacrificed for the U.S. empire. Actions taken by the U.S. in the present period are taken only to protect what they have plundered, take control of the land, labor, or natural resources of others.

The U.S. government has a long history of justifying military intervention in other countries by presenting itself as a beacon of morality. This is a lie. The disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are a clear example of what happens when the U.S. invades and occupies.

Anti-war activists in cities around the country are preparing protests to oppose to more U.S. intervention. Progressive people should join together and respond with a loud and clear voice. Hands off Iraq!

#ProvoUT #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #BarackObama #MiddleEast

While the President’s speech focused on how the U.S. is changing its operation in Afghanistan, many in the anti-war movement see the speech as a political smokescreen for the U.S. continuing its war and occupation of the country.

Sarah Martin, an activist with Women Against Military Madness reacted to the president’s speech, “Make no mistake about it, these troops will be seen as a continuation of the US/NATO occupation of Afghanistan. Life for the Afghan people especially women and girls will continue to be dangerous. The Afghans will be able to get on with their lives when there are zero troops in Afghanistan.”

Sophia Hansen-Day from the Anti-War Committee agreed, “With his declaration that almost 10,000 U.S. troops will remain on the ground in Afghanistan after 2014, President Obama yet again proves his steadfast commitment to empire building. Once again, his initial calls for change ring hollow in favor of the hypocrisy of Washington.”

Military Families Speak Out has called for protests in response to the president’s announcement. So far there have been protests in Kansas City, California and New Jersey. There will be a picket at in Minneapolis, Minnesota at Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office on Friday, May 30, at 4:30 PM to show opposition to the continuation of a U.S. presence in Afghanistan. The protest is organized by the MN Peace Action Coalition.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #BarackObama #Asia

But the reality is that the Republicans will block any legalization bill, while business interests will push the passage of expanding temporary worker and employment based visas. In the meantime immigrants are facing a wave of repression, with the Obama administration having deported a record 2 million undocumented people. So the piecemeal approach is most likely to end up being more of the same for the undocumented: more deportations, no legalization and a temporary reprieve for undocumented who came as children and qualify under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

So why is Obama retreating in the face of Republican opposition to immigration reform? One reason may be a partisan consideration. By making this concession, Obama is trying to keep the immigration issue in the media, hoping to benefit in next year’s election by looking ‘reasonable’ in the face of Republican opposition to immigration reform, even if this means doing little to nothing to advance any immigration reform. But another factor is that many of Obama’s policies are, in fact, moderate Republican ones. Take a look at his Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Two of the most controversial parts of the ACA, the insurance exchanges and the individual mandate, were both Republican ideas that were embodied in the Massachusetts health care reform under Republican governor Mitt Romney.

Fundamentally, this reflects the fact that both the Democratic and the Republican parties represent the 1%, the tiny minority who own half the total wealth in the U.S. and control the large corporations that dominate the economy. While the two parties have their differences, with the Republicans wanting more repression of immigrants with militarization at the border, and the Democrats are more interested in meeting the needs of business through expanding temporary and guest worker programs, they serve the same interests.

Up to now, there have been three views of immigration reform. On the one hand, there were advocates for the undocumented, family reunification and workers, who supported legalization and stopping deportations. They also opposed more militarization of the border, more workplace enforcement, more temporary and guest workers, cuts in family reunification and diversity visas and criminalization of the undocumented and expansion of using local police and sheriffs to crack down on immigrants. More and more of these forces are uniting behind a demand that the president issue a ‘Deferred Action For All’ that expands the DACA program to all the undocumented. This would allow the undocumented to come out of the shadows and be able to work and drive legally, while laying the basis for a stronger push for legalization in the future.

Then there were the right-wing Republicans in the House of Representatives, who opposed legalization, and wanted more militarization, more workplace enforcement, more temporary, guest and employment visas and supported criminalization of the undocumented and expansion of ICE-local police programs, as seen in the SAFE act that passed a House committee on a straight party line vote. The House Republicans also support a piecemeal approach so that they can pass what they want (more repression of immigrants) and block what they don’t want (legalization).

In between was the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” or CIR approach, as seen in the Senate immigration reform bill. CIR tried to combine the other two opposing views on immigration reform, as a way of getting Republican support. But with the overall atmosphere of repression, the Senate bill got steadily worse, with a lot more militarization of the border. The House bipartisan bill was widely known to be even worse, but it never got off the ground as the House Republicans pulled support for any bill with legalization and rallied around a piecemeal approach in opposition to CIR. With Obama’s concession to the House Republicans, the CIR approach is basically dead for now.

Backers of the CIR approach have two choices: they can go along with the President’s approach, either openly or trying to hide behind the fiction that CIR is still possible in the House. This will end up with some pro-business changes, such as more temporary worker and employment-based visas, but no legalization and the continuing deportation of record numbers of the undocumented. Or they can join with advocates of legalization and stopping the deportations by backing the Deferred Action For All or DAFA, which would both benefit the undocumented and put pressure on the House to deal with legalization.

Masao Suzuki is a supporter of the Legalization for All network and a regular contributor to Fight Back! newspaper on the economy and the immigrant rights movement.

#SanJoséCA #RepublicanAgenda #BarackObama #immigrationRights #comprehensiveImmigrationReform #AffordableCareAct #DACA

Commenting on the speech, Bruce Nestor, a Minneapolis attorney and member of the National Lawyers Guild said, “We question the intelligence findings and do not believe the U.S. has the moral authority to act or is motivated to protect the people of Syria. We know that bombs and war will not promote human rights. We call on Congress to follow the will of the people and vote no, whether it’s this week or a month from now.”

Meredith Aby of the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee states, “If this was really about chemical weapons Obama would call off these threats, but instead he is calling for a continuation of threatening Syria minus the ‘reason.’ In reality this plan to attack is about going after Iran and Syria, because they are a hurdle to U.S. plans for domination of the Middle East.”

Aby continued, “It is a victory for the anti-war movement that Obama is being pressured into taking Russia's deal. If the president had the support of the public he'd go to war without congressional approval. But he can't do that. We have helped lead a public and loud movement of people demanding that they be listened to.

“The point of this speech was to sell war to the American people, but hours before the speech Congress called off its vote. However, Obama made it clear tonight he's having a hard time campaigning for war on Syria. Please come out Saturday [Sept. 14] at 3:00 p.m. to say no to war with Syria! Our work isn't done until the troops and ships threatening Syria are out of the Middle East.”

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Syria #BarackObama #USImperialism #chemicalWeapons #destroyers #Congress

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, often referred to as the Taliban, stated, “Now the time has come for the American president Obama and other head of states of invading countries to understand the realities of this futile war and instead of tactical efforts, troop reductions and gradual withdrawals, focus on the conditions, calls and needs of its own people and immediately extract all its troops from our country.”

In recent years the U.S. and its NATO partners have faced numerous setbacks in Afghanistan.

Large portions of Afghanistan are outside the control of the foreign-dominated government headquartered in Kabul. While the U.S. has spent billions to buy legitimacy for the corrupt puppet government headed by Hamid Karzai – as it represents foreign powers, ignores the needs of the Afghan people and engages in torture as a matter of policy – that regime never gained popular support.

A rising tide of ‘green on blue’ attacks, where patriotic Afghanis who are members of the government’s military or police go up against occupation troops, have made practical cooperation between U.S./NATO and the puppet troops difficult to impossible.

Given this situation, there is now a debate in the White House and Pentagon about how to deal with the growing defeat.

#Afghanistan #USOccupation #taliban #BarackObama #antiimperialism #Asia

Pero hay mucha esperanza que viene de las luchas populares que han surgido en los últimos 10 años. Primero surgió el movimiento anti-guerra en contra de las guerras de Bush en Irak y Afganistan. Entonces el primero de mayo 2006 los inmigrantes salieron a las calles en megamarchas en numeros historicos, con millones de chicanos, mexicanos, centroamericanos y otros inmigrantes marchando en las calles en todo el país. Estudiantes que participaron en estos dos movimientos después empezaron a exigir derechos educacionales en sus campus, organizando en contra de los crecientes costos de la matrícula y la creciente deuda estudiantil. Los afro-americanos salieron a votar en los números más altos en la historia y salieron a celebrar la elección de Barack Obama in 2008, mientras el movimiento en contra de la brutalidad policial alcanzó altos niveles exigiendo justicia para Trayvon Martin. Los trabajadores en Wisconsin, Ohio y otros estados se movilizaron en contra de los ataques de los republicanos en contra de los trabajadores públicos y los sindicatos. Inspirados por la Primavera Árabe, el movimiento Ocupar Wall Street surgió para echarle la culpa de la crisis económica justo en el 1% de los más ricos y exigir reformas democráticas. El movimiento Ocupar ganó el apoyo de las masas hasta que una campaña nacional de represión policial corrió el movimiento de las calles.

Estos movimientos representando diversos sectores y masas oprimidas del país son una amenaza para la clase pequeña de ricos quienes dominan la economía y dictan a los políticos. Los ricos viven en temor del poder del pueblo y activamente utilizan la policía, el FBI y las cortes para aumentar la represión política. Debemos mantenernos firmes en el conocimiento de que la única manera de hacer los cambios fundamentales es seguir construyendo estos movimientos, y que las elecciones nunca han sido y nunca serán el vehículo para hacer cambios fundamentales.

Los partidos del 1% se reunirán

Es en este contexto que los demócratas y los republicanos — los dos partidos del 1% — están convocando sus convenciones para nombrar oficialmente sus candidatos presidenciales para la elección del 6 de noviembre. Nosotros hacemos una llamada al pueblo a construir las luchas populares y a protestar en las calles. SI quieres paz con justicia, si quieres un trabajo, cuidado de salud, la educación y la igualdad, te invitamos a unirte a la protesta afuera de la Convención Nacional Republicana el lunes 27 de agosto en Tampa, Florida. Unos días después de esta protesta, más personas van a unirse a la Marcha Contra el Wall Street del Sur durante la Convención Nacional Demócrata en Charlotte, Carolina del Norte. Hay elecciones cada dos años en que los dos partidos cambian lugares, pero los movimientos populares — particularmente la alianza estratégica del movimiento de la clase trabajadora y los movimientos de las nacionalidades oprimidas (afroamericanos, chicanos, y otras nacionalidades oprimidas) pueden ganar no sólo reformas sino que el cambio radical que ningun politico vendido puede llevar a cabo.

El peor de los dos malos

El presidente Obama va adelante del republicano Mitt Romney en la mayoría de las encuestas y los analistas tienden a pensar que Obama ganara la elección. En el sistema bipartidista en este país, el candidato con más dinero casi siempre gana y Wall Street siempre gana. Podemos ver una muestra de que Wall Street siempre gana con la designación de Obama a Timothy Geithner como el secretario del tesorero del país aun después de la crisis económica del 2008.

Sin embargo eso no significa que la persona que está en la Casa Blanca no tiene impacto real en las condiciones reales de la lucha popular y las condiciones de la vida diaria del pueblo. A veces los movimientos populares están más activos cuando sienten que es posible ganar reformas. Es un hecho que Romney y los republicanos son agresivamente reaccionarios en comparación con Obama y los demócratas. El estado de Wisconsin bajo gobernador Walker o el estado de Florida bajo gobernador Scott comprueban eso.

Los republicanos son los peores de los dos. Representan a la sección más reaccionaria y racista de la clase capitalista — los millonarios y billonarios que tienen el verdadero poder en este país. Romney complace a la base anti-mujer, anti-gay y racista del partido republicano en los asuntos sociales. Mitt Romney quiere más gastos militares, más guerra y más ocupaciones militares, especialmente en el Medio Oriente. Romney quiere privatizar servicios gubernamentales o quiere cortarlos completamente y quiere recortar y dejar más personas sin trabajo como hizo en su compañía Bain Capital.

Cuatro años de Obama: los jóvenes rechazados, los movimientos reprimidos

Cuando McCain fue derrotado en la elección del 2008, un factor grande en su derrota fue el voto de los jóvenes. La gente entre 18 y 29 años de edad que votaron dio su voto en gran número a Obama. Eso ahora es la causa de un dilema para el presidente Obama en la elección del 2012 porque no hizo lo que prometió que iba a hacer para los jóvenes. Aunque líderes del partido demócrata dicen que la mayoría republicana en el congreso bloquea a las iniciativas de Obama, nosotros recordamos que los demócratas tenían mayorías en la Casa de Representantes y en el Senado por los primeros dos años de la presidencia de Obama.

Viendo la situación actual, es claro que aunque la ocupación de Irak ha terminado, la guerra en Afganistan sigue y ataques estadounidenses contra otros países en el Medio Oriente siguen creciendo. La cárcel de torturas en Guantánamo permanece abierta, el Acta de Autorización de Defensa de la Patria (NDAA por sus siglas en inglés) ahora permite la detención militar de ciudadanos estadounidenses, y más inmigrantes están siendo deportados ahora que bajo la administración de Bush y no hay progreso en el congreso sobre una legalización. Inmediatamente después de la elección del 2008, los demócratas desconocieron la propuesta de ley promovido por los sindicatos que hubiera facilitado el proceso de sindicalización para los trabajadores, y la reforma de salud que aprobaron beneficia principalmente a las corporaciones de seguro médico y las compañías de drogas, no a los pacientes.

Los activistas y líderes estudiantiles y juveniles están enojados sobre la represión del gobierno contra el movimiento Ocupar Wall Street cuando sacaron a los activistas de este movimiento de los espacios públicos y de los parques que ocuparon a través del país. Esta represión vino después de la represión contra las protestas de la Convención Nacional Republicana en 2008 y las redadas del FBI el 24 de septiembre 2010 contra los organizadores de las protestas de la convención republicana en 2008 y contra otros activistas anti-guerra. Todo el movimiento está enojado con el creciente uso de tácticas violentas por la policía para lastimar manifestantes como lo que ocurrió en la protesta contra OTAN en Chicago este año. El gobierno está usando tácticas represivas con más frecuencia como las redadas, las citaciones legales y otros procesos legales en las cortes para criminalizar el activismo político y tildarlo como el ‘terrorismo’. Esta represión está alejando los activistas aún más de los demócratas y de las elecciones.

¿Que hacer?

Sabemos que muchos activistas en los sindicatos, mucha gente de los movimientos afro-americano, chicano y de otras nacionalidades oprimidas, y secciones del movimiento anti-guerra y activistas luchando por los derechos de los inmigrantes probablemente van a seguir votando por el candidato menos mal de los dos malos. Pero creemos que las condiciones son buenas en este ciclo electoral para enfatizar que el sistema electoral en este país tiene dos partidos que representan la misma clase dominante y para hablar del hecho de que el sistema actual no es una democracia verdadera y no es suficiente. Creemos que todavía es importante que los progresistas vayamos a las urnas para votar en contra de los ataques sobre los derechos democráticos como las iniciativas en varios estados para restringir el voto a personas que solo tienen cierta forma de identificación, y las iniciativas como enmiendas constitucionales anti-gay. En términos del voto en la elección presidencial, es mejor votar en contra de Romney, especialmente en los estados donde la elección está muy cerrada. En otros estados como California no es probable que los republicanos ganen. En estos casos sería positivo tener un voto fuerte para terceros partidos.

Nuestro mensaje principal es que las elecciones no son el vehículo para lograr un cambio verdadero. La decision legal en el caso de “Citizens United” que las corporaciones pueden libremente y abiertamente comprar los políticos hace más claro que nunca lo que siempre ha sido la realidad — los que tienen el oro hacen las reglas. Durante este ciclo electoral los progresistas debemos enfatizar y hablar de los problemas orgánicos de este sistema y debemos seguir movilizando y exigiendo cambios de los políticos de los dos partidos. Tenemos confianza que es la lucha popular no las urnas que nos traerá un futuro mejor.

#EstadosUnidos #Elections #Editorials #PeoplesStruggles #BarackObama #2012Election #MittRomney

However, there is great hope in the rising struggles of the past ten years. First came the anti-war movement that rose up to oppose Bush’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Then on May Day 2006, the immigrant rights mega-marches made history, with millions of Chicano, Mexicano, Central American and other immigrants marching in the streets of cities across the country. Students who participated in both movements began demanding educational rights on campuses, opposing rising tuition costs and mounting student debt. African-Americans turned out in their greatest numbers ever to vote for and celebrate the election of Barack Obama in 2008, while the nationwide movement against police brutality and police misconduct reached new levels with a campaign demanding justice for Trayvon Martin. Workers in Wisconsin, Ohio and other states rallied to oppose Republican attacks on government workers and labor unions. Inspired by the Arab Spring, the Occupy Wall Street Movement rose up to place the blame for the economic crisis squarely on the richest 1% and demand democratic reforms. Occupy captured the support of the masses until it was driven from the streets by waves of nationally coordinated police repression.

Taken together, these movements – representing diverse sectors and oppressed masses of our country – are threatening to the small class of rich people who dominate the economy and dictate to the politicians. The rich live in fear of the power of the people and are unleashing the police, FBI and courts as political repression grows. We must remain firm in knowing that building on these people’s struggles is the only way to make the fundamental changes that voting never has and never will be able to make.

Parties of the 1% to meet

It is in this context that the Democrats and the Republicans, both parties of the 1%, are holding conventions and nominating their candidates for the Nov. 6 elections. We are calling for people to build the people’s struggles and protest in the streets. If you want peace and justice, if you want a job, healthcare, education and equality, then join us at the Republican National Convention on Monday, August 27, in Tampa, Florida. A few days later more will join the March on the Wall Street South during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Elections come and go, parties change places, but the people’s movements – especially the strategic alliance of the working class movement and the national movements of African-American, Chicanos, and other oppressed nationalities, can bring not just reforms, but radical change that no bought and paid for politician can deliver.

The greater of two evils

President Obama is leading in most polls over Republican Mitt Romney and analysts tend to have Obama winning the election. In the American two-party system, the candidate with the most money is the winner almost all the time and Wall Street is the winner, every time. Obama’s Wall Street appointments like Timothy Geithner, even after the 2008 financial crisis, show this to be true.

However, this doesn’t mean that there is no impact on objective conditions in the people’s struggles and the condition of people’s everyday lives, depending upon who is in the White House. At times, people’s movements are more active when there is a sense that achieving reform is possible. It is a fact that Romney and the Republicans are aggressively reactionary as compared to Obama and the Democrats. Governor Walkers’ Wisconsin or Governor Scott’s Florida are proof of that.

The Republicans are the greater of two evils. They represent the most reactionary and racist section of the capitalist class – the millionaires and billionaires who rule this country. Romney panders to the anti-women, anti-gay and racist base of the Republican Party on social issues. Mitt Romney wants more military spending, more war, and more U.S. occupations, especially in the Middle East. Romney wants to privatize government services or just cut them altogether, to downsize and put more people out of work like he did at Bain Capital.

Four years of Obama, young people spurned, movements repressed

When McCain went down in flames, a big factor was the youth vote. Those between 18 and 29 who did vote went big for Obama. This now creates a dilemma for President Obama in the 2012 election, because he did not deliver what the youth were promised. While Democratic Party leaders point to the Republican majority blocking Obama initiatives in the House of Representatives, we remember the Democrats had majorities in both the House and the Senate when President Obama took office.

Taking stock, it is clear that while the U.S. occupation of Iraq ended, the war in Afghanistan continues and U.S. attacks on other countries in the Middle East continue to grow. Guantanamo’s torture prison is still open, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) now allows for military detention of U.S. citizens, and immigrants are being deported at a faster rate than under the Bush administration, with no progress in Congress on legalization. Union card check, making it easier for workers to organize into unions was dropped immediately after the election, and the healthcare law mainly benefits health insurance corporations and drug companies, not patients.

Student and youth activists and leaders are angry about the U.S. government’s treatment of Occupy Wall Street and the clearing of the parks and public spaces. This came after the police repression unleashed at the 2008 Republican National Convention, followed by the FBI raids of RNC protest organizers and anti-war activists’ homes on Sept. 24, 2010. The whole movement is angry about the spreading use of violent police tactics to intimidate and physically hurt demonstrators, as we saw at the anti-NATO protest in Chicago this year. More and more, the government’s use of raids, subpoenas and courts to criminalize political activism and label it as ‘terrorism’ is driving activists away from the Democrats and electoral politics.

What to do?

We know that many activists in unions, the African-American, Chicano and other oppressed nationality movements, and sections of anti-war protesters and immigrant rights activists are likely to continue to vote for the lesser of two evils. However, we think the conditions are right in this electoral cycle to emphasize instead the nature of the two party, one ruling class system and talk about why what we have is not democracy and not good enough. We do think it is still important for progressives to go to the polls to oppose concrete attacks on democratic rights, such as Voter ID and anti-gay amendments. In terms of voting in the presidential election, it is better to vote against Romney, especially in swing states. In other states like California, the Republicans are unlikely to win. In these cases, it would be positive to have a strong third party vote total.

Our main message is that no matter how hopeful we are for change to come through electoral politics, this is not the venue for real change. Citizens United, and its ruling that corporations are free to openly buy the allegiance of politicians, makes more clear what has always been true: those who have the gold, make the rules. During this particular election cycle progressives should emphasize and talk about the problems inherent in the system, while placing demands on politicians from both parties. Our faith and our future are in the people’s struggle, not the ballot box.

#UnitedStates #Elections #Editorials #PeoplesStruggles #BarackObama #2012Election #MittRomney

Minneapolis, MN – More than 75 people gathered here Feb 4 to demonstrate against the growing danger of U.S. war on Iran. The Minneapolis event was a part of an international day of protest that included anti-war actions in over 50 cities in the U.S. and around the world.

The event was organized under the call of “No War on Iran – No Intervention, No Sanctions, No Assassinations, No Covert War.”

A statement issued by organizers says, in part, “There is a growing danger of yet another U.S. war; this time on Iran. A covert war against Iran is underway already, including assassinations of Iranian scientists and economic sanctions. Pro-war propagandists are conjuring up the supposed threat of nuclear weapons and violations of human rights in Iran.

“Recent history shows that when U.S. government officials start talking about ‘weapons of mass destruction’ and ‘human rights’ in a foreign country, the people of the U.S. and the world need to be worried. We heard the same unproven fear mongering about Iraq – all of which were lies and more lies,” the statement says.

“The intensified a campaign of demonization of Iran, along with major new economic sanctions and threats of war are all fueled by the claim that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. There is absolutely no evidence that Iran is doing anything beyond developing nuclear power, a legal act that poses no threat to other nations,” the statement concludes.

The Minnesota Peace Action Coalition initiated the Minneapolis Feb.4 protest. Endorsers included the Anti-War Committee, Military Families Speak Out, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Students for a Democratic Society (U of M), Women Against Military Madness and others.

#Minneapolis #MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #Iran #Israel #BarackObama #MiddleEast

Los Angeles, CA – On Sept. 26, President Obama visited Los Angeles to dip into the pockets of the Hollywood elite for his re-election campaign. His first stop was the famous House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard, where over 100 anti-war activists lined the sidewalks to demand Obama end the wars in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan, “Money for jobs and education! Not for war and occupation!” the crowd chanted. “We are sick of mounting tuition, rising unemployment and most of all the ever-increasing war deficit of this country,” said a student activist from Pasadena Community College.

From House of Blues the President made his way to a fancier affair at the restaurant Fig and Olive on Melrose, where a dinner place cost guests $17,900! This time he was greeted by over 200 demonstrators calling for an end to Obama's Secure Communities policy that has led to mass deportations. “Obama please don't take my Mama!” the demonstrators chanted. Over 1 million immigrants have been deported under Obama's administration. “1 million too many,” a high school student name Sabrine called out in a moving speech about how her mother was deported while working her taco truck. “Us children had to make it on our own for three months with no mother!” She told the crowd.

L.A.'s Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) came out to both demonstrations, highlighting that one year ago the FBI raided the homes of anti-war and international solidarity activists in Chicago and Minneapolis. They called on Obama to put an end to the witch hunts. “FBI repression is nothing new,” L.A. CSFR member Charla Schlueter told the crowd, “but, that does not make it any more acceptable. We must fight back as a community!” She praised the 23 activists in the Midwest who have stood strong against the grand jury summonses. “Carlos Montes is also a target of the FBI and now faces six felonies on trumped-up charges! All because of his political work. Carlos is a veteran activist here in Los Angeles.”

Schlueter went on to say, “He has been active in immigrant and education struggles for over 40 years. Now we must fight for him.” She then called on the crowd to come out to Montes’ preliminary hearing Sept. 29 8:00 a.m. at the Criminal Courts Building, 210 West Temple Avenue in Los Angeles, where demonstrators will be packing the courtroom demanding justice for Montes. “Obama can you hear me?” the crowd called out, “Solidarity is not a crime!”

#LosAngelesCA #AntiwarMovement #SouthernCaliforniaImmigrationCoalition #CarlosMontes #BarackObama #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression

Minneapolis, MN – Responding to President Obama’s June 22 national televised speech on Afghanistan, Meredith Aby of the Twin Cites based Anti War Committee stated, “The U.S. needs to get out of Afghanistan now.” Aby was one of the main organizers of the massive anti-war march on the opening day of the 2008 Republican National Convention and she is one of the 23 peace and international solidarity activists who have been subpoenaed to appear in front of the Chicago grand jury investigating ‘material support for terrorism.’ The grand jury, headed by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, is attempting to criminalize anti-war activism.

Commenting on the president’s speech, Aby stated, “The president has been forced to announce a small withdrawal because the American people are overwhelmingly opposed to the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan. However, just like Obama did with Iraq last year, he is trying to muddle the debate by announcing a ‘withdrawal’ when in fact he is continuing the occupation. The American public does not want to fund death and destruction and instead is concerned about the cost to important social programs at home. We need to continue to protest for all the troops to be brought home.”

Tracy Molm, a member of Students for Democratic Society, said this about the president’s speech, “What the U.S. is doing in Afghanistan is wrong and the people of Afghanistan are suffering because of it. The U.S. and its allies are backing a corrupt puppet government that the Afghan people do not support. On top of that, the U.S. government is responsible for a massive number of civilians being killed and injured.”

Steff Yorek, the Political Secretary of Freedom Road Socialist Organization states, “No one, including the people of Afghanistan, wants to live under occupation of a foreign power, so they have created a massive resistance to that occupation. The announcement that 10,000 out of the 100,000-plus troops in Afghanistan will leave does not cut it. All the troops need to come home now.”

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #AntiWarCommittee #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #BarackObama #MeredithAby #TracyMolm #SteffYorek

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

National Call-In Day to Fitzpatrick, Holder and Obama

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 – all day!

Over 50 cities, hundreds of groups, and thousands of people protested against FBI and U.S. Grand Jury repression on Tuesday January 25. The protests are a response to ongoing and expanding repression originating from U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's office in Chicago. On September 24th, the FBI raided anti-war and solidarity activists' homes and subpoenaed fourteen in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Michigan. All fourteen decided to not appear before the Grand Jury in October. The Grand Jury is a secret and closed inquisition, where the U.S. Attorney controls the entire proceedings, hand picks the jurors, there is no judge, and the activists are not allowed a lawyer.

The following month, three Minneapolis women had their subpoenas reactivated and they are still waiting in limbo. Then nine more Palestine solidarity activists, most Arab-Americans, were subpoenaed to appear at the Grand Jury on January 25, 2011, launching renewed protests.

Now we are asking you to call those in charge of the repression aimed against anti-war leaders and the growing Palestine solidarity movement.

We want your help in promoting the national call in day to demand:

• Call Off the Grand Jury Witch-hunt Against International Solidarity Activists!
• Support Free Speech!
• Support the Right to Organize!
• Stop FBI Repression!
• International Solidarity Is Not a Crime!

Three calls:

1. Call U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald at 312-353-5300. Then dial 0 (zero) for operator and ask to leave a message with the Duty Clerk.
2. Call U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder 202-353-1555
3. Call President Obama at 202-456-1111

Suggested text: “My name is __________, I am from _______(city), in ______(state). I am calling U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald (Eric Holder, President Obama) to demand he call off the Grand Jury and stop FBI repression against the anti-war and Palestine solidarity movements. I oppose U.S. government political repression and support the right to free speech and the right to assembly of the 23 activists subpoenaed. We will not be criminalized. Tell him to stop this McCarthy-type witch hunt against international solidarity activists!

Please sign and circulate our new petition at http://www.stopfbi.net/petition

Visit www.StopFBI.net or write StopFBI@gmail.com or call 612-379-3585.

#UnitedStates #FBI #BarackObama #September24FBIRaids #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #grandJury #PatrickFitzgerald #AttorneyGeneralEricHolder

Under the cover of deficit reduction, the co-chairs’ proposal is really pushing the Republican and Wall Street agenda of cutting Social Security and Medicare while lowering the tax rates for the wealthy and corporations. The proposal to further increase the retirement age would hit lower-income Americans the hardest, as they are falling further and further behind the life span of the well-to-do. Some of the biggest cuts would come from Medicare reimbursements for doctors, which would lead to less access to medical care, as doctors switch to higher reimbursements from private insurance.

The co-chairs want to cap tax revenues and propose dropping the top personal tax rate from 35% today (which would rise to almost 40% in January if the Bush tax cut is not extended) to between 23% and 28%. The corporate tax rate would drop from 35% today to 26% to 28% and multinational corporations would not have to pay any taxes on profits from abroad, which can be more than half of their total profits.

One way that the most recent recession differed from the Great Depression is that the rich have done relatively better this time around. During the 1930s, inequality of income went down as the well-to-do suffered relatively more than today. New Deal programs such as the Works Progress Administration jobs program, Social Security and unemployment insurance benefitted working people.

But between 2008 and 2009, the share of income going to the 20% of households who had the highest income (over $100,000) actually went up from 50% to 50.3%, with most of this gain going the top 5% of households (making more than $180,000) who saw their share of income go up from 21.5% to 21.7% of total income. The actual share of income going to the most well-to-do is probably even greater, as capital gains (income from sale of land, businesses, stocks, bonds, etc.) are not counted and non-wage and salary income, such as interest and dividends that mainly go to higher-income households, are more likely to be underreported.

This growing inequality is no surprise, since the government bailed out the big banks while millions of homeowners have been foreclosed. Corporate profits and the stock market are back to levels from before the financial crisis began in September 2008, while there are still 5.8 million fewer jobs, more than a year after the recession officially ended. College administrators are getting big raises while workers and classes get cut and student fees are at record levels. Military spending is up while spending on education is down. The list goes on and on, as the rich try to put the burden of the crisis on working people. This ‘deficit reduction’ proposal is just one more scheme to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

#UnitedStates #EconomicCrisis #SocialSecurity #BarackObama #DeficitCommission

Seattle, WA – The newly formed Seattle United Against FBI Repression organized a protest to coincide with the visit of President Obama, Sept. 21. Groups participating included Veterans for Peace, Voices of Palestine, Raging Grannies, Fellowship of Reconciliation, SNOW, International Socialist Organization, Freedom Socialist Party, Radical Women and many trade unionists.

Protesters condemned the Sept. 24 raids on anti-war and international solidarity activists.

#SeattleWA #AntiwarMovement #FBI #BarackObama #September24FBIRaids

Minneapolis, MN – On Oct. 23, anti-war and free speech activists made their presence felt outside of President Obama's speech at the University of Minnesota. A group of activists held banners on University Avenue, while others handed out more than 6000 flyers and got hundreds of signatures on postcards calling on President Obama to stop the FBI and Grand Jury attacks on the anti-war movement.

President Obama was at the University of Minnesota to speak at a campaign rally for Democratic senatorial candidate Mark Dayton, who is in a tight race against the extreme right-wing Republican Tom Emmer.

Thousands of people stood for hours in a long line that snaked around a large part of the University's East Bank campus, waiting for hours to get in to the free rally featuring President Obama. At first, security guards tried to stop activists from handing out flyers to the people waiting in line, claiming that the blocks-long line of people on public sidewalks at a public university was part of a ‘Secret Service Special Event,’ where normal free speech rights don’t apply. But after activists continued to hand out flyers anyway and confronted security guards with the threat of a free speech lawsuit, Secret Service agents backed down and allowed the leafleting to continue.

Obama ran for president on an anti-war image and now under his watch the FBI is engaged in one of the largest repressive operations against anti-war activists in recent history. On Sept. 24, the FBI raided seven houses and an anti-war office in multiple cities. They subpoenaed 14 anti-war activists to appear before a grand jury fishing expedition in Chicago, allegedly investigating ‘material support for terrorism.’ Those targeted are well-known anti-war activists who say the U.S. government is massively funding violence and terror in other countries, while the only ‘weapon’ they have used is their words and organizing to speak out against militaristic U.S. foreign policy.

All who have been subpoenaed have ‘pleaded the fifth,’ meaning they refused to testify before the Grand Jury. Many have referred to the Grand Jury as a rigged fishing expedition. They insist they have done nothing wrong and are being targeted for being visible critics of U.S. foreign policy. The Grand Jury continues to operate, with new subpoenas and jail time for non-cooperation or indictments possible at any moment. In response, activists are calling on President Obama to stop FBI repression and end the Grand Jury against anti-war activists.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #FBI #BarackObama #September24FBIRaids #grandJury

Minneapolis, MN – Activists in the Twin Cities anti-war movement responded to President Obama’s Aug. 31 nationally televised speech on the U.S. war in Iraq at a press conference immediate following his address. Representatives from Military Families Speak Out, Women Against Military Madness, the Anti-War Committee, the Twin Cities Peace Campaign and others said that the U.S. occupation will continue and that the anti-war movement needs to continue the effort to get U.S. troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

A statement issues by the organizers of the press conference noted, “The occupation of Iraq is being rebranded, but the people of Iraq want an end to foreign interference in their country and the people of the U.S. want an end to the occupation.”

Jenny Eisert of the Anti-War Committee stated, “President Obama tonight has declared that ‘the war is over.’ We disagree. The U.S still has about 50,000 troops in Iraq and is increasing the number of U.S. contractors.”

Mike Perkins of Military Families Speak Out said the war “is not over for families with loved ones currently serving in Iraq whose relatives have changed overnight from ‘combat forces’ to ‘advisors.’”

Marie Braun of Women Against Military Madness and the Twin Cities Peace Campaign condemned the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. She said, “The war in Afghanistan was never legitimate, it was never moral, it was never a ‘good war,’ and it is not going to keep us safe.”

Anti-war groups are planning several protests in the weeks and months ahead. The Anti-War Committee is organizing a Twin Cites protest against wars and occupations on Sept. 11.

National peace and anti-war groups have been invited to join a mass rally for Jobs and Justice called by the NAACP and many labor unions on Oct. 2 in Washington D.C. Plans are also being made for national protests on April 9, 2011.

The statement by organizers of the press conference concludes, “The anti-war movement will be in the streets demanding all U.S. troops be taken out of Iraq and for an end to the war in Afghanistan.”

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #IraqWar #BarackObama #MiddleEast

I think that the all-Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize committee is rewarding President Obama for his turn away from Bush's unilateral foreign policy that alienated European allies, towards a more multilateral approach that embraces the European powers. President Sarkozy of France, a country that had led opposition to the invasion of Iraq in the United Nations, praised the award saying that it reflected “America's return to the hearts of the world's people's.” European governments have been gladdened by the Obama administration's embrace of the need to fight global warming, as well as the “resetting” of relations with Russia, which has reduced tensions in Europe. Obama's emphasis on the war in Afghanistan over Iraq also reflects a multilateral approach where European NATO troops are fighting alongside the United States, in contrast to Iraq where Britain was the only European power to send troops.

The problem is that making peace with European powers does not mean peace for the world’s people. The same European powers that the U.S. is re-embracing under Obama are themselves former colonial powers with a long history of imperial military interventions in other countries. In terms of U.S. policy towards the Third World, the United States is preparing for more wars. The total military budget has increased under Obama from what the Bush administration was spending. The United States is increasing its military involvement in conflicts around the world, from trying to set up military bases in Colombia where the struggle of the FARC guerillas continues, to sending troops in the wake of natural disasters in the Philippines where there is a growing insurgency of the NPA (New People’s Army).

In 1967, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., who had received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965 for his leadership in the U.S. civil rights movement, spoke out against the war in Vietnam. In doing so, he took a stand against a U.S. president, Lyndon Johnson, who had perhaps done more for civil and economic rights than any other single president. Under pressure from the struggle of African American people who inspired Chicanos, workers, students, and others into mass struggle, Johnson signed the Civil Rights act, started Medicare and Medicaid to provide health services for the elderly and poor, and began Head Start, an educational program aimed at low-income preschool children. But King realized that he had to speak out against what he called “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today – my own government.” We need to have the same spirit and courage of King to raise our voices against the war in Afghanistan, the occupation of Iraq, and the military build-up that is putting the United States on the path to even more wars in the future.

#UnitedStates #OpEd #BarackObama #NobelPeacePrize

The Republicans are desperate to turn around their decline, after losing big in the November 2006 congressional elections. More recently they lost three special elections, one each in Mississippi and Louisiana as well as the seat held by former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert of Illinois. The American people are frustrated by the Iraq war, worried about the economy and angry about corruption. The writing is on the wall. It may be in misspelled English, and it may be on the wall of a destroyed house in Iraq, but it is clear that the U.S. occupation is going down and taking the Republicans with it.

So up steps John McCain to receive the Republican crown. McCain is the war and occupation candidate. He is determined to carry forward the Bush agenda and is dedicated to the occupation in Iraq for “maybe 100 years.” “That would be fine with me,” McCain said at a January 2008 campaign stop. More recently McCain changed his tune with a plan to get troops home by 2013 – just in time for the next presidential election. We ask, “Who is he trying to fool?” McCain is more of the same – more war, repression, inequality and tax cuts for the rich. The same tired, worn out politics. Besides, have you seen this man when he gets angry?

On Nov. 4, 2008 we are calling for a vote against McCain. The stage is set to vote out the Republicans and to reject their reactionary agenda of war, immigrant bashing, rolling back the rights of women, racist inequality, discrimination against gays and lesbians and poverty. A vote against McCain will create better conditions for working class and oppressed people to make change in our society. Most importantly, we are calling for a vote against McCain because it will be seen as a referendum on the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Four years, let alone 100 years, is too long to wait.

Barack Obama is on track to be the candidate of the Democratic Party, the other party of big business. This is despite Hillary Clinton’s racist demonization campaign of Obama and his supporters – the distorted attacks on Reverend Wright and the ideas of Black liberation theology, ‘voter registration’ campaigns designed to confuse Black voters and turn them away from the polls and Hillary’s racist appeals to “hard working Americans, white Americans.”

While Hillary Clinton has sunk to her lowest, Barack Obama has risen to answer the attacks and prompted uncomfortable discussions at coffee shops, lunch counters and dinner tables across the country. The United States was built on national oppression: the seizure of land from Native Americans, the slave labor of Africans, the exploitation of immigrants from Asia and Latin America. The struggle against racism and for equality are not just struggles of the past, they continue today, as seen in the fight for immigrant rights, justice for Katrina survivors and against the harassment of Arab Americans and American Muslims.

The facts are plain; Obama parts ways, to a degree, with Clinton on the Iraq War, free trade agreements and racism. He has a message of hope with wide appeal. However, Obama operates well within the confines of the Democrats and their big business backers. That said, his election will create a better political climate for the anti-war, immigrant rights, labor and national movements. And no matter who is in the White House, it is important for progressives to stay active and to fight for an agenda that places the peoples needs first.

Say no to war, racism, discrimination and reaction! Vote against McCain!

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #CapitalismAndEconomy #ProtestRNC2008 #Editorials #2008Election #BarackObama #Elections