Protest to ‘raise welfare grants’ and Idle No More at State Capitol

St. Paul, MN – Hundreds of people filled the Minnesota State Capitol rotunda here, Jan. 8, the opening day of the state legislature, joining protests to demand justice. The Welfare Rights Committee put forward the demands: “Tax the rich; no more cuts; raise the welfare grants.” Idle No More, which brought together Native Americans and others, drummed and danced in the rotunda under the slogan: “Honor the women, water and land.” Then the North Star Energy Coalition rallied to say no to the planned tar sands oil pipeline.

Minneapolis, MN – Members of the Welfare Rights Committee and others gathered here, Jan. 6, to make signs and banners for the major Jan. 8 protest that will demand, “Raise the welfare grants; no more cuts; tax the rich.”

Newark, NJ – Another mortgage ‘settlement’ between the government and 14 Wall Street banks is being pulled out of the hat. The little that the ‘settlement’ does for homeowners is on terms set by the banks. A few objections, among others, are:

As 2012 comes to an end, we pause to look back at some of the most important Fight Back! stories of the past year. 2012 has been a year full of struggle – and Fight Back! News has been there on the front lines with on-the-spot reporting and timely analysis.

Trenton, NJ, – The people’s struggle against foreclosures took a new turn before the New Jersey Court of Appeals here, Dec. 19.

New Britain, CT – 200-plus anti-war activists, lawyers, religious leaders, labor unionists, journalists and family members of the wrongfully prosecuted and imprisoned met at a civil liberties conference at Central Connecticut State University, Dec. 8. The conference theme was “An injury to one is an injury to all!” Civil rights legal scholar Sahar F. Aziz introduced the keynote speaker, journalist Glenn Greenwald. Tracy Molm of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression also spoke.

Tallahassee, FL – The afternoon clouds were dark, but even the threat of rain couldn't stop students, retirees, and union members from taking a stand against federal budget cuts. About 35 people rallied outside of Republican Congressman Steve Southerland’s office here, Dec.10, demanding no cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.

Chuck D, Brother Ali lead anniversary celebration

Minneapolis, MN – 200 community members successfully took over a vacant home in South Minneapolis the night of Dec. 6, for a veteran made homeless by foreclosure. They are demanding that the house be turned over to community control through a nonprofit, as the Occupy Homes movement marked its first birthday. Internationally renowned hip-hop artists Brother Ali and Chuck D of Public Enemy led the anniversary celebration.

Chicago, IL – The 20th Anniversary of People’s Thanksgiving was held here Dec. 1. Sponsored by Fight Back! newspaper, it included awards to a number of groups and individuals who had played prominent roles or waged big fights in Chicago this past year. 100 activists, including friends of Fight Back! and their families, gathered to celebrate what they are thankful for: another year of struggle and progress for the people. Together they raised almost $2000 to help publish Fight Back!.

Chicago, IL – The 20th Anniversary People’s Thanksgiving will be held here Saturday, Dec. 1. Sponsored by Fight Back! newspaper, the event honors fighters in the people’s struggle. This year, awards will go to:

Ft. Benning, GA – Meredith Aby, an anti-war leader from Minnesota, spoke out against U.S. political repression at the School of the Americas protest. Aby gave a presentation about the FBI raid on her home that happened because of her being an anti-war, Palestine and Colombia solidarity activist. 60 people attended, overflowing the room.

President Obama’s second term will mean more wars, cutbacks at home and attacks on our civil liberties. Obama has expanded U.S. military intervention in the Middle East – with the ongoing war and occupation of Afghanistan, merciless drone attacks killing thousands in Pakistan and Yemen, aggression against Syria and war threats against Iran. U.S. Special Forces and U.S. military advisors have a growing presence from Mexico to Africa, and worryingly there is a ‘pivot’ towards Asia that aims to bolster U.S. military power there.

New Orleans, LA – Community members rallied in front of the closed Louis Armstrong School in the Lower Ninth Ward here, Nov. 10, to save the building from being sold by the Orleans Parish School Board. The event was organized by A Community Voice, a group of community members who want to see the Orleans Parish rebuild and invest in the Lower Ninth Ward.

Newark, NJ – Hurricane Sandy struck the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area with full fury on Oct. 30. The region is the country’s largest and densest concentration of population. Sandy was the worst storm to hit it in recorded history.

Saint Paul, MN – On Nov. 6, Minnesotans voted down two controversial constitutional amendments that conservatives put on the ballot. An amendment that would have made gay marriage unconstitutional was defeated 51.2% to 47.6%. An amendment that would have put restrictive voter ID requirements into the state constitution – an effort to suppress voter turnout – was also defeated, 52.2% to 46.3%.

Tallahassee, FL – The people of Florida dealt a decisive blow to the right-wing agenda of Governor Rick Scott and the Republican legislature on Nov. 6. Voters defeated eight of the eleven constitutional amendments on the Florida ballot. Had they passed, it would have set the stage for more devastating budget cuts and anti-woman laws in the 2013 legislative session.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people, mostly Latino, marched through the Latino community today to encourage people to vote no on the Voter ID amendment and the anti-gay marriage amendment. The two proposed amendments to the state constitution will be on the Minnesota ballot Nov. 6. They are proposed and promoted by the right wing. Polls are very close for both amendments, so mobilizing people to turn out to vote against them is at a fevered pitch.

Oppose budget cuts, privatization and discrimination against women

In the November elections, Florida will be a major battleground in the people’s fight-back against budget cuts, the war on women and the struggle to protect the public education system. Eleven constitutional amendments will appear on the ballot for Florida voters. Every one of these amendments would hurt the people of Florida and help only the wealthy 1%. We urge all Floridians to vote “no” on all the constitutional amendments.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 30 people participated in a Bike Ride Against Political Repression here on a chilly morning Oct. 14. Riders collected pledges and raised over $1700.

Newark, NJ – In the face of ineffective, and even harmful, government measures to assist distressed homeowners, an effort has been launched by the People’s Organization for Progress (POP) and the Coalition to Save Our Homes (C2SOH) to demand criminal investigations of bank wrongdoing during the mortgage bubble. At its Oct. 4 meeting the following motion was passed unanimously: