sponsored
the action. Protesters gathered outside Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago,
then marched to the Israeli consulate to demand an end to the slaughter and
the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands.
Hundreds of Palestinian
flags waved in the air as marchers carried signs and banners. Protesters
carried signs that read, “End the War on Gaza Now” and “Free
Palestine.”
The demonstration was
just the latest in a series of solidarity actions in Chicago since the
beginning of the murderous Israeli military offensive. On Dec. 28, 700
peopled demonstrated with less than 24 hours notice. The day after the
ground invasion, over 400 came out for an emergency protest. On Jan. 6, more
than 200 Palestinian supporters picketed the Israeli consulate accusing Ehud
Olmert, George W. Bush an all supporters of the Israeli onslaught in the
U.S. Government and media as genocidal criminals.
The people must stand
together and defend the Palestinian peoples’ right to peace and self
determination. Without justice there can be no peace. End the illegal
occupation now!
Los Angeles,
Calif.
Los Angeles, CA |
In Los Angeles, 10,000
people participated in a regional mass march and rally to “Let Gaza
live” at the Westwood Federal Building.
Hundreds of Palestinian
flags and signs reading, “Stop bombing Gaza!” and “The real
terrorists: U.S./Israel war machine!” lined all sides of the street and
the lawn in front of the federal government headquarters. It was the largest
protest and the first major march in Southern California since the Israeli
bombing campaign and invasion began.
The Arab-American
community came out in full force. People traveled from San Diego, Orange
County, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Riverside and all over Los Angeles to
attend. The many families and young people at the protest showed intense
outrage at Israel’s bombing of hospitals, schools, homes and mosques.
“Gaza, Gaza don’t you cry—Palestine will never die!” was the most
popular chant of the day.
A funeral procession led
the march with makeshift coffins draped with Palestinian flags, representing
the hundreds of people killed by Israel’s genocidal attack on Gaza.
Hundreds of children followed, along with a huge, hand-made Palestinian
flag, in a contingent organized by the Palestinian American Women’s
Association.
After a militant march
through Westwood near UCLA, the protesters gathered for a rally, which was
kicked off by a symbolic die-in. Mahmud Ahmad of Al-Awda, the Palestine
Right to Return Coalition, led the action. The sound of air-raid sirens,
bombs and gunfire blasted through the sound system to recreate the feeling
of living in Gaza right now. Thousands of people laid down on the ground for
the action. At the end, chants of “Free, free Palestine” from rally
chairs Peta Linday of Youth and Student ANSWER and Rana Sharif of PAWA
brought everyone to their feet with fists in the air.
Other speakers at the
rally included Yousef Abudayyeh, Free Palestine Alliance; Muna Coobtee,
ANSWER Coalition and National Council of Arab Americans; Zahi Damuni, Al-Awda;
Rinad Abdallah, Palestinian American Women’s Association; Dr. Leila El
Marayati, Kinder USA; Hussam Allyoush, Council on American Islamic
Relations; Dr. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, Mada al-Carmel, Haifa; Jim
Lafferty, National Lawyers Guild; Christine Araquel, Alliance for Just and
Lasting Peace in the Philippines; Amanda Martin, GABRIELA Network USA; Blase
Bonpane, Office of the Americas; Shakeel Syed, Islamic Shura Council of
Southern California; Carlos Alvarez, Party for Socialism and Liberation and
candidate for L.A. mayor; Dahir Hertzallah, Muslim Student Association-West;
and Preston Wood, ANSWER Coalition.
The L.A. march and rally
was organized by Free Palestine Alliance, Al-Awda, ANSWER Coalition, PAWA,
NCA, CAIR and the Shura Council. The hundreds of endorsers included Campaign
to End Israeli Apartheid-Southern California, Riverside Area Peace &
Justice Action, KmB Pro-People Youth and Libyan American Community of
Southern California.
San Francisco,
Calif.
San Francisco, CA |
Nearly 10,000 protesters
rallied together at the Civic Center Jan. 10 to demand an immediate end to
the Israeli massacre of the people of Gaza.
Among the numerous
speakers were Palestinian youth who have recently become politically active
in response to ongoing Israeli military offensive. Anti-Zionist members of
the Jewish community spoke in solidarity with the Palestinian people, as did
representatives from several other oppressed communities.
After nearly an hour of
rallying and chanting, demonstrators took to the streets in a militant
march. Israeli flags went up in flames as chants of “Free Palestine!”
echoed down major San Francisco streets. The march returned to the Civic
Center for an equally energetic closing rally.
The steadfastness of
protesters made clear they will not leave the streets until the siege of
Gaza comes to an end.
Orlando, Fla.
Orlando, FL |
A crowd of 2,000
demonstrators confronted a heavy police presence in downtown Orlando for the
“Let Gaza Live: Florida Statewide March for Palestine” called by ANSWER
Florida just six days before. The demonstration is the largest anti-war
demonstration in Florida in more than a decade and certainly the largest
ever protest in Florida calling for a free Palestine.
Police intimidated
protesters by searching bags, forcing protestors to remove sticks from
placards and denying the use of amplified sound until organizers challenged
their scare tactics.
Two buses were organized
out of Miami, while vans and carpools travelled from Jacksonville,
Gainesville, Tallahassee, Tampa and St. Petersburg. Transportation was also
organized from central Florida to the National March in Washington, D.C.
Several organizations
from the Orlando area helped build the demonstration, including the Arab
American Community Center, where work sessions for the protest were held
nearly every night during the week; the Council on American Islamic
Relations; and key university organizations such as Muslim Student
Association Florida Council and Society for a Just Peace in Palestine at
Rollins College.
The march and rally
attracted a new layer of young Arab, Muslim, and other youth from oppressed
nationalities that rose to politically and organizationally to provide
leadership to the crowd. The young organizers were crucial in negotiating
complicated logistical issues with the racist Orlando police, and played a
key role in mobilizing the large numbers of demonstrators.
The rally was chaired by
Tampa student organizers Naveen El-Nawawy and Ahmad Deeb. There was roaring
applause as Emmanuel Lopez of the ANSWER Coalition told the crowd that
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez had expelled the Israeli ambassador.
Lopez noted:
“Venezuela is not extending their solidarity to the people of Palestine
out of charity, but rather, they understand that their struggle against
imperialism and for their freedom is in fact the same struggle as that of
the people of Gaza. Its that real type of solidarity, built through our
common struggles against a common enemy, that we have to recreate here in
the United States.”
Rasha Mubarak tackled
the racist notion that has led to the continuing massacre of the Palestinian
people: “The mourning of an Israeli son’s killing is not more
heartbreaking than a Palestinian son’s killing. An Israeli child’s
shriek of fear is not louder than a Palestinian child’s shriek of fear.
The tear of an Israeli mother is not more dense than a Palestinian
mother’s tear.”
Other mobilizers around
the state included Rise Up Tampa Bay; Florida Peace Action Network; St.
George Greek Orthodox Church, United Muslim Foundation, Islamic Society of
Sarasota and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. St. Pete for Peace and
Refuge Ministries mobilized from the West Coast of Florida and played a big
role in the success of the rally and march.
Seattle, Wash.
Hundreds of
demonstrators came out to the Federal Courthouse on Stewart St. to demand an
end to the U.S.-backed Israeli massacre in Gaza. The demonstration was
called by the Save Gaza Campaign, a coalition of many local organizations
concerned about Palestine, including Voices of Palestine, Palestine
Solidarity Committee, ANSWER Seattle, Arab American Community Coalition,
Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voices for Peace.
Protest:
U.S. Hands off Pakistan!
Saturday, October 11
Report by Stefanie Fisher
On Saturday October 11, ANSWER Chicago volunteers and organizers joined
more than 500 people for an anti-war march and rally
in the Pakistani community. The main slogans of the march were for an
immediate end to the
U.S.
imperialist wars in
Iraq
and
Afghanistan
and hands
off of
Iran
,
Pakistan
and
everywhere! People also came out to protest the now-passed $700 billion bank
bailout bill.
Demonstrators gathered at
2 pm
on the
corner of
Devon
and
Leavitt for an opening rally where speakers from several social justice and
anti-war groups spoke, including Gloria LA Riva, the presidential candidate
of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, a member group of the ANSWER
Coalition. In her speech she expressed solidarity with the Pakistani
community, called on the
U.S.
government to halt all foreclosures on homes and to bail out the workers not
the bankers.
La Riva’s demands were met with loud applause and cheers from the
crowd.
During the march ANSWER and PSL contingent was very militant and
spirited. Young people carried banners that read “Bailout workers not Wall
street” placards that said “Hands of Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and
Everywhere! “ while the contingent chanted “Hands off Pakistan” and
“Troops out now!”
Leading up to the protest ANSWER, along with many other groups, passed
out thousands of leaflets letting people know about the demonstration and
linking the ongoing wars with the looming recession.
Nearly
500,000 take a stand against bigotry at Chicago Pride Weekend
Sat., June 28 & Sun., June
29
By: Suzanne Saba
Almost half a million people took to the streets of
Chicago on June 28 and 29 to celebrate Pride Weekend with resoluteness and
determination in the ongoing struggle for equal rights for all.
On Saturday, June 28, over 400 women and men took part in the
12th Annual Dyke March. Carrying banners and drums, and with great vigor in
their loud voices, they chanted, "Hey hey, ho ho, homophobia has got to
go!"
The chants resonated through the streets, carried far by
the urgency in demanding full rights for LGBT people. The Party for
Socialism and Liberation had a contingent in the march and carried a banner
demanding same-sex marriage rights and equality for LGBT people now.
This very successful event was followed by a mass
mobilization of 450,000 people who hit the streets for the Pride March on
Sunday, June 29. Floats and parade participants were followed by several
Chicago area social justice groups encouraging the crowd to call for
same-sex marriage rights in all 50 states.
At one point in the pride march, the social justice
contingent—including John Beacham and Heather Benno, both PSL candidates
for the State Assembly in Chicago—counter-protested a small anti-LGBT
group who were yelling at the crowd. Everyone joined together in beating
drums and chanting, "Bigots go home!" After an hour of chanting,
the bigots went home!
Pride weekend in Chicago was a strong display of unity
against bigotry. The scores of people that showed up to both events brought
their positive energy and dedication to standing up for the rights of LGBT
and all people.
|
Los Angeles
Photo: Bill Hackwell
|
Emergency
actions protest Cuban 5 court decision
Thursday, June
12, 2008
Court ruling
upholding sentences sparks outrage
In yet another travesty of justice in the case of the
Cuban Five, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the convictions of the
five Cuban heroes on June 4. Emergency protests took place in the United
States and abroad on the days following the announcement of the court’s
decision.
The Cuban Five have been unjustly incarcerated for nearly
10 years after being arrested while monitoring the activities of right-wing
Cuban terrorists operating out of Miami. While the anti-terrorist Cuban
heroes sit in prison, known terrorists, such as Posada Carriles, the
mastermind behind the 1976 bombing of a Cubana flight that took 73 lives,
roam freely in Miami.
The following are reports from some of the protests
against the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision. To find out more
about the Cuban Five, visit www.freethefive.org.
Los Angeles
Dozens of supporters from all over
Southern California—and even some from Northern California—gathered on
Friday, June 6, in front of the CNN building to denounce the outrageous
court decision to uphold the convictions of the Cuban Five.
The demonstration took place at 5 p.m. in the heart of
Hollywood. Many onlookers stopped to find out about the Cuban Five as
protestors chanted, "Jail Posada, Free the Five!" and "Who
are the terrorists in the world today? Bush, Posada and the CIA!"
A short rally brought the vibrant action to a close.
Speakers representing several Cuba solidarity groups voiced opposition to
the travesty of justice that has kept the five heroes’ behind bars while
real terrorists roam freely throughout the streets of Miami. Participating
organizations included the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End
Racism), the National Committee to Free the Five and the International
Action Committee.
Lucilla Esguerra, PSL candidate for California State
Assembly, called for the immediate release of the Five and highlighted the
hypocrisy of the U.S. war on terror.
Bill Hackwell, speaking for the National Committee to Free
the Cuban Five, delivered a moving and militant message he received from
Gerardo Hernández, one of the Five. In the message, the unjustly imprisoned
Cuban who has been handed two life sentences, sounded the call to remain
vigilant and to continue the fight until victory.
San Francisco
On June 6, an emergency demonstration called by the
National Committee to Free the Cuban Five took place in San Francisco. The
protest happened at Powell and Market streets in the downtown area during
the evening rush hour, and attracted many interested bystanders.
Thousands of workers and tourists in the area heard
speakers and received flyers on the case of the Cuban Five. Many of these
bystanders had never heard of the case or the outrageous injustice committed
by the courts against the Cuban Five.
About 90 people joined in the demonstration. Chants
included "The Five in Prison, Posada Walks Free, That’s What Bush
Calls Democracy!" and "Extradite Posada, Free the Cuban
Five!"
New York City
On June 6, members of the Cuba solidarity movement held a
spirited picket and rally in front of New York City's Federal Plaza. Around
85 people came out to denounce the recent ruling of the 11th Circuit Court
of Appeals and to reaffirm their commitment to struggle on the Five's
behalf.
Among the speakers at the closing rally were Vanessa
Alarcon of ANSWER, who emphasized that the recent ruling "means we need
to organize, organize, organize." Progressive attorney Lynne Stewart
addressed the crowd and called on everyone to use their relative freedom to
do everything they can on behalf of the country's many political prisoners.
Next to the picket, five full-length banners were
stretched out facing the street, with slogans demanding the extradition of
Luis Posada Carriles and the freedom of the Five.
Chicago
|
Chicago
|
In Chicago, over 30 people came out for an emergency picket
at Federal Plaza to protest the latest ruling in the case of the Cuban 5.
During the hour-long action, held at a busy intersection
in downtown Chicago, protesters spoke out for justice and freedom for the
Cuban 5. Hundreds of leaflets explaining the case were handed out.
Protesters chanted, "What do we want? Free the Five!"
The Chicago action was organized by ANSWER Chicago and the
Chicago Committee to Free the Cuban 5.
Seattle
About a dozen Seattle activists in solidarity with the
Cuban Five gathered in front of the "new" federal courthouse on
June 6.
Rain was pouring when the protest began at 4 p.m.
Activists held signs and handed out hundreds of copies of a statement from
the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five to passers-by and people
waiting for the bus.
Organizations represented included the ANSWER Coalition,
Party for Socialism and Liberation, National Lawyer's Guild, Native People's
Alliance with Friends and Allies and the Socialist Workers Party.
Washington, D.C.
A spirited group of about 20 protesters picketed at the U.S.
Justice Department headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C., on Friday,
June 6, in support of the Cuban Five. Chants of "Jail Posada, Free the
Five" rang out, and demonstrators handed out leaflets to rush hour
crowds.
Speakers at the demonstration included Banboshe Shango of
the D.C. Metro Committee to Free the Cuban Five, Nefta Freeman, Sonia
Umanzor of the FMLN, PSL vice presidential candidate Eugene Puryear, and
Seth Dellinger of the Socialist Workers Party.
|
Al-Nakba demonstration, Chicago,
May 23
|
Chicago rallies on anniversary
of Palestinian Nakba
Friday,
May 23, 2008
Protest supports the
right of return
On May 23, over 300 Palestinians and their
supporters rallied on the 60th Anniversary of Al-Nakba in Chicago. The rally
was followed by a spirited march with chants of "Free, free
Palestine" and "Hey, Olmert, you will see, Palestine will be
free."
The protest was organized to support the
right of return for all Palestinians. Other demands included an end to the
occupation of Palestine and a halt to the U.S./Israeli siege of Gaza.
Al-Nakba marks the violent expulsion of
millions of Palestinians from their land following the creation of the state
of Israel.
Sponsors included Al Awda-Chicago; American
Muslims for Palestine, Chicago Islamic Center; DePaul, Northwestern and UIC
Students for Justice in Palestine; Mosque Foundation Community Center;
Muslim American Society; Palestine Solidarity Group; the United States
Palestinian Popular Conference Network; American Friends Service Committee;
ANSWER Coalition; Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism; Chicagoans
Against Apartheid in Palestine; Church Network for Education on Palestine;
Fight Back! Newspaper; and International Solidarity Movement-Chicago.
Suzanne Saba from the Chicago chapter of the
ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) spoke at the rally.
She said, "We extend our unconditional support to the people of
Palestine as they continue to struggle for the right of return."
|
Immigrants and their supporters
protest against Chris Simcox,
Chicago, May 19.
|
Militant protest greets
Minutemen founder
Monday, May
19, 2008
Chicago's immigrants, supporters mobilize against
racism
More than 400 students and immigrant rights activists took to
the streets in Chicago on May 19 to protest racist Minutemen co-founder
Chris Simcox.
Simcox was speaking at DePaul University at the invitation
of a right-wing student group. His Minuteman Civil Defense Corps recruits
armed racists from around the country to "patrol" U.S. border.
Protesters took over four corners of the street and
chanted and rallied for over three hours outside the event.
The energetic crowd included hundreds of young,
multinational college students from all over the state of Illinois. A
central demand of the demonstration was "Money for jobs and education,
not for racist raids and deportation!" The protest also demanded full
rights for all immigrants.
More than 200 students staged a coordinate protest action
inside the event. Students wore names of immigrants who have died crossing
the border on the backs of their shirts. They turned their back on Simcox
while he was speaking.
The protest was organized by dozens of progressive student
groups and social justice groups, including the DePaul Activist Student
Union, the March 10th Movement, Latinos for Latinos and the Chicago chapter
of the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism).
Simcox and the Minutemen reflect the growing
anti-immigrant racism encouraged by the policies of the U.S. government.
Using military-style raids and mass deportations, Homeland Security is
promoting an escalation of attacks against immigrant workers.
Groups that encourage racism and violence against
immigrant workers must be opposed whenever they mobilize to promote their
anti-people agenda.
May 1 demonstrations take
place around the country
Immigrant Rights Now! Stop the War!
Chicago
|
Chicago
|
Over 20,000 immigrants and their supporters marched on
Federal Plaza to demand legalization. Marchers chanted, "Que queremos?
Amnistía!", "Sí, se puede" and "El pueblo unido jamás
será vencido".
Thousands of students, mostly Latino, skipped school to
attend the demonstration. People came out from all over Illinois for the
protest.
Immigrants from many communities participated in the
march. There were contingents from the Puerto Rican, Arab, Filipino, South
Asian, Korean, Nepalese and Polish communities among many others. There was
also a large contingent from the LGBT community.
The spirited and powerful march took place amidst growing
government oppression against immigrants in Chicago and around the country.
The demonstration comes at a time of increasing attacks
against immigrants. On April 30, it was revealed that the government is
threatening to arrest Flor Crisostomo, an immigrant rights activist who is
fighting an ICE deportation order by taking sanctuary in the Aldaberto
United Methodist Church. On April 29—in a much publicized
incident—undocumented immigrant Fernando Lara Flores was arrested at
Chicago’s O’Hare Airport while picking up relatives two days before his
wedding.
Many union members joined the march. There were lively
contingents from UNITE HERE, SEIU, the Teamsters and the United Food and
Commercial Workers among others.
Over 150 immigrant rights, community, labor, social
justice and anti-war organizations endorsed and mobilized for the Chicago
protest.
Los Angeles
|
Los Angeles
|
Los Angeles had the country’s largest immigrant rights
rally on May 1. Tens of thousands of people participated in two marches from
different points across the city, which merged for a united rally near City
Hall.
Speakers included Juan José Gutiérrez, Latino Movement
USA; Raul Murillo, Hermandad Mexicana Nacional; Angelica Salas, CHIRLA;
State Senator Gill Cedillo; Carlos Alvarez, ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to
Stop War and End Racism); and many others. Alvarez called for
unity and mass opposition to racist ICE raids currently terrorizing
immigrant communities. "An injury to one is an injury to all,"
Alvarez said.
ANSWER mobilized for the action with its partners in the
April 7 Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition and brought a massive, lively contingent.
The mood of the crowd was determined, yet festive. People were happy to be
in the streets demanding full equality for undocumented workers.
The day of action was initiated by the Multi-Ethnic
Immigrant Worker Organizing Network, March 25th Coalition and Latino
Movement USA.
San Francisco
|
San Francisco
Photo: Ellen DeWitt
|
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union organized a
protest that met at Mason and Beach streets and marched to a noontime rally
at Justin Herman Plaza. All 29 ports on the U.S. West Coast were shut down
by the ILWU on May 1 to protest the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan. The PSL
had a contingent in the march, and distributed literature on its
presidential campaign.
The ANSWER Coalition participated in a noontime community
march through the Mission district, from 16th Street to 24th Street. The
march was sponsored by Barrio Unido por Amnistia General and demanded
amnesty for all immigrants.
A 2 p.m. rally was organized at Dolores Park, followed by
a march and rally to Civic Center. The ANSWER Coalition participated in the
event and distributed flyers for upcoming events.
ANSWER organizer Gloria La Riva spoke at the event,
enthusiastically echoing the calls for amnesty for all immigrants. Marchers
chanted "Si, se puede" and "Que queremos? Justicia! Cuando?
Ahora!"
Seattle
|
Seattle
Photo: Alliance for a Just and
Lasting Peace - Seattle
|
Over a thousand Longshore workers and their supporters
marched and rallied on the Seattle waterfront demanding an end to the Iraq
war. ILWU workers from Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia participated in the
one-day work stoppage and the Seattle event. Many other unions sent
contingents, including the Service Employees International Union, the
Amalgamated Transit Union and the Teamsters.
The march began in the middle of the port area and
proceeded down Alaska Way past the ferry terminal and through the tourist
recreational section of the Seattle shoreline. "No Peace, No
Work," was one of the most popular chants during the march.
Later in the day, thousands of immigrant workers marched
from Judkins Park in the Central District to the Seattle Center. Spirits
were high as workers chanted "Si, se puede!" and "Aqui
estamos y no nos vamos!"
New Haven
|
New Haven
Photo: Tahnee Stair
|
In New Haven, Conn., hundreds of people gathered on the
downtown Green throughout the day to celebrate May Day with speeches and
cultural performances.
The action culminated in a 5 p.m. immigrants' rights march
that wound through the downtown commercial district and through immigrant
and African American neighborhoods.
Washington, D.C.
Holding signs reading, "Stop the Raids" and
"No Human is Illegal," several hundred people rallied at Malcolm X
Park in Washington, D.C. Demonstrators then took to the streets for a
militant march demanding amnesty for immigrant workers and an end to the
racist repression by federal and local law enforcement.
Immigrant workers in the area have been terrorized by U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation raids and by new local laws
used to harass immigrants and deny them access to services
Anti-war
coalition tours Midwest
April
8-15, 2008
ANSWER coordinator
promotes building mass movement
The ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and
End Racism), a national anti-war organization with offices from coast to
coast, successfully completed its first-ever speaking tour in the Midwest.
|
Richard Becker, Western Regional
Coordinator of the ANSWER
Coalition.
|
For eight days in April, ANSWER activists
traveled to five cities, large and small, to hold meetings and connect with
local organizers. The cities on the tour were Hanover, Ind.; Sioux Falls,
S.D.; Iowa City, Iowa; Chicago, Ill.; and Milwaukee, Wis.
Meetings were held at the following colleges
and universities: Hanover College in southern Indiana; University of Iowa in
Iowa City; Harold Washington College in Chicago; Harper College in Palatine,
Ill..; and University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
The tour, entitled "The War, the Economy
and the Elections," featured Richard Becker, the Western Regional
Coordinator of ANSWER. In total, over 300 people came out to hear Becker
speak and engage in lively discussions about the struggle against the war.
In his presentations, Becker asserted that a
combination of war, economic and environmental crises is preparing the way
for an inevitable rise in mass struggle.
The Iraq war, the U.S.-backed Israeli war
against Lebanon in 2006, the endless assaults against the Palestinian people
and the growing threats against Iran have pitted the U.S. government against
the people of the Middle East. But the confrontation is not simply regional.
Wherever people are trying to create or maintain governments and
institutions that are independent from U.S. domination another front of
anti-imperialist struggle opens.
In their pursuit of greater dominance, U.S.
imperialism is creating increasingly insufferable living conditions for
workers and oppressed peoples around the world. Over the last 17 years, U.S.
imperialism has torn Iraqi society to shreds—it has killed, wounded or
displaced one-third of Iraq’s population for the sole purpose of
colonizing the oil-rich country. The imperialists see Iraq as a lynchpin in
their strategy to discourage independent development in the region and
thwart any potential challenges to their global empire.
However, the Iraq war has not strengthened
the U.S. position in the world. The resistance of the Iraqi people to
occupation has created breathing room for countries such as Venezuela,
Bolivia, Cuba and Iran to pursue a strategy of development outside of the
U.S. controlled orbit.
Some of the looming crises Becker mentioned
include the trillions of dollars spent on war instead of people’s needs;
the deepening capitalist economic crisis; the reckless drive of U.S.
corporations to maximize profit that is the underlying cause of the current
global food and energy crises and many other growing problems; the weakening
of the dollar as the United States continues to borrow billions to fund the
war and bail out the banks; and the environmental crisis.
Becker said that the only way to stop the
Iraq war and wage an effective fight against the root cause of the war,
modern capitalism, is through the struggle of an independent mass movement
and the building of organizations that can facilitate people’s struggle
against the ruling class made up of the banks, oil corporations and the
military-industrial complex.
The presidential candidates and other
politicians, especially the Democrats, must give lip service to progressive
demands and talk about change. However, they must also assure the ruling
elite that they will serve the interests of the most powerful institutions
in society—the banks and corporations—if they are to be elected.
"No movement has ever started in the
White House or Congress," Becker said. "In fact, they always
ridicule mass movements when they arise. Only after a powerful mass movement
has forced change do politicians enact reforms. They then pat themselves on
the back and give themselves credit for progressive laws.
"But history has shown that it is the
people themselves that make change."
At every stop on the tour, people expressed
interest in joining the organizing activities of the ANSWER Coalition.
Women's Forum
March 29, 2008
“Women’s Power is
People’s Power!” That was the title of a very successful March 29
Chicago
forum put on by the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
The meeting was held at the Chicago office of the PSL in the working class, multi-national neighborhood of Albany Park. The meeting room was filled to capacity with a mostly young,
multi-national crowd.
Suzanne Saba, a Palestinian
activist and PSL member, chaired the meeting. Heather Benno, a PSL candidate
for Illinois State Assembly in the 40th District, spoke about
imperialism and the struggle of immigrant women.
Beth Massey, a 40 year
veteran of the women’s struggle for justice, equality and liberation,
talked about the history of women’s struggle against oppression and the
need for socialism.
Stefanie Fisher, PSL
Chicago election campaign coordinator, talked about women’s rights and the
2008 elections.
At the meeting Massey said,
“The capitalist, patriarchal system is rotten. They can bail out Bear
Stearns and the banks with billions of dollars in loans, but when a working
single mother from an African-American neighborhood needs a job or a place
to live or food to feed her children they act as if her needs are criminal. We definitely need a different system.”
The Party for Socialism and
Liberation is a member of the ANSWER Coalition.
4,000
March Against Iraq War in Chicago on 5th Anniversary
Wednesday,
March 19, 2008
Report by Martin Stainthorp, ANSWER Chicago
4,000
people took to the streets of Chicago on March 19 to demand an immediate end to
the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Spirited
chants of "Troops Out Now, Iraq for
Iraqis" echoed throughout downtown as the march made its way through
Chicago's Loop and along Michigan Avenue.
The
5th anniversary action in Chicago was striking in that it was made up
of a majority of young, energetic and militant protestors. There was a
significant turnout of young people from Arab and Muslim communities.
The most popular chants during the march expressed solidarity
with our sisters and brothers struggling against U.S. imperialism in the Middle
East and throughout the world.
At the rally in Federal Plaza prior to the march, A.N.S.W.E.R.
Chicago Coordinator John Beacham
told thousands that "Our enemies are not in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine,
Iran, Cuba, Venezuela or China. They’re in Washington, The Pentagon, and Wall
Street. They want us to fight their wars and fight each other. We must resist
their divide and conquer strategies and fight them. Change will come through a
united struggle against the banks, corporations and the war machine.”
Other speakers at the rally included Iraq Veterans Against
the War, representatives of the Palestinian community, representatives from the
immigrant rights struggle, CODEPink, Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism,
Teamsters Local 743 and Voices for Creative Nonviolence.
With a booming sound system,
banners, signs, petitions and leaflets, A.N.S.W.E.R. volunteers did anti-war
outreach to thousands of people.
Over sixty anti-war and social justice
groups mobilized and participated in the mass action. The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
in Chicago leafleted every day for six weeks before the March 19 protest.
On
March 19, the fifth anniversary of the war, hundreds of protests took place
in cities and towns large and small. On March 19 over 7,000 marched in San
Francisco. On March 15 10,000 marched in Los Angeles.
To
get involved in the Anti-war movement call 773-463-0311.
Some of the tons of
Outreach ANSWER Volunteers are doing for the March 19 Protest
ANSWER Volunteers Make a
Banner
to Advertise March 19 Protest in Chicago
February 14, 2008
|
ANSWER volunteers
march through loop with March 19 banners and pass out 2,000 leaflets
February 23, 2008
|
Protest
to Stop Israeli Siege of Gaza
January 29, 2008
Stefanie Fisher
On Tuesday Jan. 29 over 200 people
came out in Chicago to demand an end to the Israeli siege of Gaza. The
militant picket and rally was held outside a Zionist fundraiser for the
Friends of the Israeli Defense Force.
The
demonstration assembled at 5 pm on a cold and snowy night and lasted for
nearly two hours. Severe winter weather did not prevent people from making
their voices heard loud and clear.
Dozens of Palestinian flags were held
high all along the road. Chants included, “End the siege on Gaza now!”
“Who is the terrorist? Israel is the terrorist!” and “Free, free
Palestine!” The demonstration
was lead by young people from the Palestinian and Arab communities.
Party for Socialism and Liberation
candidate for Illinois State Assembly Heather Benno spoke during the rally.
She said, “We stand with the
people of Palestine and support the right of the Palestinian people to
resist oppression and occupation. We will continue to struggle in the
streets of the U.S. until Palestine, Iraq and the people of the Middle East
are free from U.S. domination.” Speakers
and chants were greeted enthusiastically by many of the young
passers-by.
The demonstration in Chicago was part
of national and worldwide demonstrations against the Israeli siege of Gaza.
In the U.S. large emergency protests were also held in Washington D.C., San
Francisco, Anaheim, New York, and Seattle.
The Chicago demonstration was initiated by the
International Solidarity Movement. It was endorsed by Palestine Solidarity
Group, Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism, American Muslims for
Palestine, ANSWER Chicago and many others.
On
a night when the temperature was -17 in Chicago over 100 people came
out to protest during the 5 pm newscast outside the State Street
studios of ABC. The Demands were ...
