There were many excellent Fight Back! stories this year that aren’t listed here — you can see them all at thearchive. (Also see the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 retrospectives).

If there were other Fight Back! articles you liked this year that aren’t listed here, let us know in the comments!

Rasmea Odeh

This year Fight Back! gave extensive coverage to the important struggle to stop political repression against Palestinian-American leader Rasmea Odeh. Here is a list of the coverage. The struggle to keep Rasmea Odeh free continues – find out what you can do at stopfbi.net.

Stop racist police brutality! #EricGarner #MichaelBrown

As the movement against racist police killings took off this year, Fight Back! reported from the front lines with extensive coverage on the movements for justice for Eric Garner and Michael Brown.

Fight Back! had several eyewitness accounts from protests that rocked Ferguson, MO (more here, here, here, here, here, and here).

This movement reverberated around the whole country and even internationally, with connections being made to struggles around the world including in Palestine. We covered dozens of protests sparked by the police killings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown from Utah to Florida to Milwaukee.

This year activists in Jacksonville, Florida won a victory in the struggle for justice for Jordan Davis. Fight Back! also covered Milwaukee protests demanding Justice for Corey Stingley, as well as protests from Nashville to New Jersey.

In addition to front line coverage, Fight Back! also provided political analysis, arguing that police and vigilante murders of African Americans are rooted in national oppression, and demanding justice for Michael Brown and for Jordan Davis.

Economy

Fight Back! covered the ongoing struggle to restore Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) for the millions of unemployed. The bill was bottled up in the U.S. Congress. While unemployment compensation was not forthcoming, the welfare rights movement continued to mobilize in Minnesota and other states.

This year Fight Back! analyzed how even though the economy was growing, working people didn’t benefit and income inequality continued to rise while l abor force participation rate continued to decline.

And like usual, government austerity was good for profits, but bad for workers and oppressed people.

Labor movement

In 2014 Fight Back! continued in-depth coverage of workers’ struggles at UPS. In April Fight Back! analyzed how Teamster leadership hammers through UPS contract despite mass opposition by members. We covered how young UPS workers are fighting back, as well as sharp struggles in New York where UPS workers went out on strike to protest an unjust firing, then in retaliation UPS discharged 249 of the NYC strikers until Teamsters Local 804 and other workers around the country forced UPS to rehire the drivers. In Florida, a rank-and-file Teamster's grievance stops illegal UPS low-wage golf cart delivery.

Fight Back! gave in-depth analysis of howUPS and FedEx are owned by most of the same monopoly banks.

In February protests targeted Staples union busting against postal workers .

Nationally, the Supreme Court case Harris v. Quinn was a wake up call for labor. Fight Back! also analyzed an auto parts strike that achieved a major victory – no more two-tier wages at Lear Corporation, and published lessons from the UAW’s defeat at Volkswagen.

Fight Back! covered this year’s Labor Notes Conference as well as this summer’s AFSCME International Convention. This summer there was also a major commemoration in the Twin Cities as labor activists marked the 80th anniversary of the historic 1934 Minneapolis truckers strike.

In Florida, Immokalee workers demanded higher wages from Publix. In Minnesota, St Paul teachers and supporters protested the school board as part of a militant contract campaign that almost ended in a strike and won victories for teachers.

Oppressed nationalities

In Jacksonville Florida, the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition led struggles to successfully change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School, led protests outside the trial of Michael Dunn, the racist vigilante who murdered 17-year-old African-American youth Jordan Davis, and campaigned to demand the resignation of State Attorney Angela Corey after the verdict.

In San Jose, 34th annual Day of Remembrance was commemorated. In Milwaukee, bridges were built as Black and Brown solidarity rally condemned both deportations and police brutality in Milwaukee. In Tennessee, protesters rallied against Nazis.

In North Carolina there was a huge turnout for the Historic Thousands on Jones Street march, while the Moral Monday movement spread to Florida. Also in Florida, the Dream Defenders confronted lawmakers, Governor Scott, at the opening of the legislative session.

The Chicano struggle continued this year, from the 44th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium, to commemorating the 1968 high school walkouts to the ongoing struggle for ethnic studies in California. In December, veteran Chicano movement leader Carlos Montes announced his intention to run for Los Angeles City Council.

Texas’s execution of Mexican national Edgar Tamayo on Jan. 22 sparked worldwide outrage.

Fight Back! took on racist misconceptions and stereotypes while explaining the real significance of Cinco de Mayo.

Indigenous struggles made gains this year as cities such as Minneapolis changed Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day, and the movement against racist sports mascots grew as thousands said “We’re not mascots”.

Immigrant rights

The immigrant rights movement won a major victory (though partial and temporary) when President Obama was forced to defer deportation for up to 5 million undocumented immigrants via executive action. Fight Back! covered the movement demanding executive action all year. The Legalization for All Network analyzed Obama’s executive action and the ongoing struggle to win legalization and full equality for all.

This victory was won through mass movements taking bold action such as when Milwaukee community members disrupted Obama, and when Milwaukee activists shut down ICE.

In addition to this national victory, there were several local victories against deportations this year, including in Tampa and Minneapolis, as well as a statewide victory for tuition equity for undocumented students in Florida.

When thousands of Central American children fleeing poverty and violence and arrived at the U.S.-Mexican border this summer, Fight Back! provided anti-imperialist analysis of the Central American refugee children: Victims of U.S. intervention in Central America, and also covered protests like one in Minneapolis and one in Tampa demanding that these children not be deported.

Student movement

There were many exciting actions in the student movement in 2014. Fight Back! covered the Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Student Commission meeting and plans for 2014.

Florida students won a statewide victory Tuition Equity for undocumented students, while students in Tallahassee organized to prevent FAMU-FSU College of Engineering split. Also in Florida, the Dream Defenders confronted lawmakers, Governor Scott, at the opening of the legislative session.

In California, the ethnic studies fight deepened as the fight for Black, Chicano Studies built at CSULA.

In Minnesota, SDS organized a large protest to confront Bush Administration war criminal Condoleezza Rice, while FSU students disrupted FBI recruitment and Milwaukee students disrupted CIA recruitment.

Anti-war/international solidarity movement

The anti-war movement was active in 2014. In January a South Florida rally demanded the closing of Guantanamo now. In Chicago the Anti-War Committee campaigned against Boeing’s killer drones, including running an anti-war activist for a spot on Boeing’s board of directors, and Minnesota activists also confronted a major drones advocate. Arizona protests targeted joint U.S./Colombia military exercises. Protests around the country protested ongoing U.S. war in Iraq and Syria.

When the mass media went into overdrive to promote U.S. intervention in Nigeria in response to the kidnapping of more than 200 girls, Fight Back! published a mother’s anti-war editorial on #BringBackOurGirls.

Palestine

In 2014 Fight Back! covered the ongoing Palestine solidarity movement, including a huge march for Palestine in Washington DC, the campaign targeting Boeing Company for their role in killing Palestinians, and massive protests around the country protesting Israel’s assault on Gaza. In October, Hatem Abudayyeh analyzed the lessons of Gaza, and the tasks of the U.S. solidarity movement.

Political repression

There were several victories against political repression this year, such as when the Cubans 5 won freedom, when Sami Al-Arian was freed at last, and when Lynne Stewart was freed.

Fight Back! also continued to cover the case of the Anti-war 23, noting the fourth anniversary of the September 2010 FBI raids on anti-war & international solidarity activists, and covering the unsealing of documents used for the 2010 raids on anti-war activists.

Fight Back! also covered the Osmakac trial and a panel featuring Lynne Stewart and CeCe McDonald.

Ukraine

This year Fight Back! covered the U.S./NATO intervention in Ukraine and the anti-war movement as well as resistance movement in Ukraine.

The anti-war movement said no to U.S. intervention in the Ukraine, as Western-backed Ukrainian fascists burned trade union building in Odessa and Ukraine’s phony elections made a billionaire the new president.

Fight Back! analyzed the Crimea reunion with Russia, and how the resistance in Donbas challenges U.S. backed Ukrainian fascists. In December Fight Back! published an exclusive interview with a Donbass resistance fighter.

In covering the anti-war movement from Newark to Tucson, Fight Back! also covered the controversy that erupted at a protest at the Chicago Ukrainian Consulate in March with the International Socialist Organization (ISO).

Syria

As U.S. intervention sharpened in Syria, Fight Back! provided coverage of anti-war protests, and provided eyewitness reporting from the Syrian elections in June and then follow up reporting afterward.

Fight Back! also gave analysis of U.S. imperialist goals in Syria: U.S. trying to oust Assad by any means possible, aims for compliant Syria.

Mexico

As the U.S.-backed Mexican government’s repression and impunity deepened the political crisis in México this year, self-defense movements sprouted up in parts of the country. In late 2014, 43 Mexican student activists were disappeared from the rural teachers college in Ayotzinapa, sparking a massive movement that has rocked México. Fight Back! demanded justice for the Ayotzinapa Teacher College students and covered protests in the U.S. calling for justice for the 43 missing Mexican students.

Presente!

Several important people in our movements passed away in 2014, including Leslie Feinberg, Yuri Kochiyama, Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Chokwe Lumumba, long-time rank-and-file Teamster leader Peter Camarata, Amiri Baraka, and people’s songster Pete Seeger.

Fight Back! also covered the passing this year of Israeli war criminal Ariel Sharon.

Culture

Fight Back! reviewed the new movie Cesar Chavez as well as the movie Stalingrad. A review of House of Cards analyzed how the Netflix series exposes the dictatorship of the 1%.

Socialism

In December Fight Back!published a report on Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s 7th Congress and Main Political Report. In February Fight Back!reported on the FRSO Student Commission meeting and plans to build the student movement in 2014.

As the Ebola crisis quickly spread out of control, Fight Back!covered socialist Cuba’s leading role in the international fight against Ebola. This is a result of socialist Cuba’s world-class medical system, which boasts an infant mortality rate lower than the U.S.

Celebrating International Women’s Day and May Day

Freedom Road Socialist Organization explained the reasons to Celebrate International Women’s Day 2014. Fight Back! covered International Women’s Day events from Gainesville to Chicago to Utah to Miami.

Fight Back! also extensively covered International Workers Day (May Day) again this year, including analysis from FRSO, coverage of immigrant rights and workers rights protests and events from Jacksonville to Gainesville to Utah to Milwaukee to Los Angeles to Minnesota to Tucson to San José.

#UnitedStates #YearInReview

On April 14, 277 girls between the ages of 12 and 17 were kidnapped from their boarding schools by the Boko Haram in Nigeria. 43 girls managed to escape but 234 girls are still missing and have been for weeks. Although the conflict between the Nigerian government and the Boko Haram has been going on since 2009, the massive scale of this atrocity has captured international attention. For weeks the Nigerian government did nothing, at times claimed the girls had been rescued and at other times refused to act. After a growing campaign of protest – first in Nigeria and now across the globe – the issue of #BringBackOurGirls is getting international attention.

This week President Obama sent an interagency team including military and law enforcement to Nigeria. The BBC reported Secretary of State John Kerry saying, “Our inter-agency team is hitting the ground in Nigeria now and they are going to be working in concert with President Goodluck Jonathan's government to do everything that we possibly can to return these girls to their families and their communities. We are also going to do everything possible to counter the menace of Boko Haram.” This week First Lady Michelle Obama sent out her own message on social media with a picture of herself holding a sign #BringBackOurGirls. I’m concerned that even that the girls have not been returned to their families many people falsely feel progress towards justice has been made.

I am deeply concerned that once again the American public is being manipulated to support U.S. imperialism while at the same time ignoring the ways in which the U.S. contributes to the very humanitarian problems it claims to be trying to fight.

For starters, what was a grassroots movement by Nigerian women to hold their own government accountable has turned into a discussion here of what the U.S. government should do to protect women and girls in Nigeria.

By sending in military advisors the U.S. is backing an incredibly repressive government in Nigeria and is giving legitimacy to the Boko Haram’s claims that they are fighting against Western intervention and influence in Nigeria. The last thing Nigeria needs is a foreign military to prop up its corrupt government.

President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry have now pledged the U.S. to the Nigerian fight against Boko Haram, which will further fuel this conflict and ignores the causal factors for how the conflict has developed. Nigerian President Jonathan has been fighting an internal war with incredibly brutal tactics, including burning homes, physical abuse and extrajudicial killing. The Jonathan administration is known for stealing $20 billion from the government, extensive corruption in his government, and for doing relatively little for two-thirds of the population that lives in dire poverty despite Nigeria being one of the most oil rich countries in the world. Sending in military assistance to this government will expand and prolong this conflict.

As a woman, a mother and a peace activist I know that war means rape and violence against women. I think it is important that we say no to all instances of sexual violence.

I sincerely do not understand how the U.S. military can be seen as a vehicle by which to protect women. The Huffington Post reports that the Pentagon estimated there were 26,000 cases of unwanted sexual contact in 2012 and that 62% of sexual assault victims in the U.S. military say they faced retaliation for reporting sexual assault. Internationally – from Japan to Iraq to Colombia – women and girls see the U.S. military not as their protectors but as their rapists. There is a culture of violence in the U.S. armed forces which should not be exported to Nigeria and that must be challenged.

Just last month the White House acknowledged, “1 in 5 women is sexually assaulted while in college, usually in the first two years and usually by someone she knows.” Girls and women aren’t safe at schools in the U.S. either. This issue of sexual assault – both in and outside of war zones – needs to stop. That should be the demand – not to send in the U.S. military!

This is not the first time that I have frustrated compassionate people who watch the news and argue with me, “We must do something!” I would argue it is more important to do something helpful rather than to do something to merely make ourselves in the U.S. feel better.

U.S. intervention is incapable of promoting the needs of the 99%. U.S. intervention is always done hand in glove with corporate interests. U.S. intervention in Nigeria will be done to make sure that Nigeria, the fifth largest oil exporter in the world, is a safe place for investment, which means that the U.S. will help the Jonathan administration continue – even though it has been found to be literally stealing from their people. The Obama administration might use this as an opportunity to expand AFRICOM and to expand its use of drones further into the continent.

With these potential outcomes I don’t see Nigeria as becoming a safer place for children. Between U.S. drone strikes and an escalated internal war I’m worried that Nigeria will be less safe with more U.S. involvement.

So then what’s the answer?

There is a lot of work to be done both at home and abroad to say no to sexual violence. There is a lot of work to do to question U.S. involvement in Africa – from AFRICOM, to drones, to escalating the “war on terrorism,” to destabilizing governments, to propping up undemocratic leaders – we have a lot of activism to do.

Cheering for U.S. intervention will not bring these girls back so please don’t encourage more militarism.

On this Mother’s Day my heart is with the mothers and daughters of Nigeria. I will hug my own little girl and recommit myself to struggling for a safer world for all girls – a world without imperialism and without sexual violence.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #WomensMovement #Africa #BringBackOurGirls #MothersDay #Nigeria