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MW Voice FEATURE Letters to the Editor War Mothers news from around the world Did You Know? Corporate War on the People Resistance in the War OTHER FALL 2008 ARTICLES
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Resistance in the War Against the Poor Stop the Checkpoints Protest
By August, increased funding for the Border Patrol resulted in 45 permanently stationed agents in this sparsely populated, economically depressed area. The Patrol, assisted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local police have repeatedly set up unannounced checkpoints at several locations along Highway 101. They detained 25 people—10 for minor drug offenses and 14 for not carrying proper immigration papers. On Aug. 20 the Border Patrol detained two teenagers and deported them to Mexico, despite the fact that they grew up in Forks, WA. Students from their high school organized a protest. Then Lois Danks, who heads a local chapter of Radical Women, organized a Sept. 6 community meeting to plan actions against the checkpoints. Residents of five towns across the Olympic Peninsula attended this meeting. They were family members of deported immigrant workers, Native Americans, small business owners, students, teachers, feminists and civil liberties and peace activists. They formed a committee to organize a Sept. 20 march and rally in Port Angeles. Committee members blanketed the region with a flyer featuring the Statue of Liberty People car-pooled to the Sept. 20 march and rally from throughout the peninsula and from as far away as Seattle and Victoria BC. A contingent of Hoh tribal youth led the diverse group o marchers. There were many speakers at the rally. One of the committee members told of a Costa Rican friend who, although legally in the country, was detained and interrogated for hours. When finally released, immigration agents threatened it would happen “over and over again.” In the days following the rally, offers of help, legal advice and fundraising ideas poured into the Stop the Checkpoints Committee. The Committee is planning follow-up actions. They can be reached at info@stopthecheckpoints.com.
The Fourth Vietnam Agent Orange Justice Tour Vietnamese women came to New York on Oct. 4 as part if the Fourth Vietnam Agent Orange Justice Tour. They called for compensation for millions of Vietnamese suffering from exposure to Agent Orange in the Vietnam war. Dang Hong Nhut said, “Thirty years after the war we give birth to innocent deformed babies. Our hearts are still bleeding.” During the Vietnam war, the US sprayed 82 million liters of dioxin-containing Agent Orange on Vietnam. As a result, between 2.5 and 4 million Vietnamese are afflicted with Agent Orange poisoning. 150,000 children are born with missing limbs. Thousands of former GIs are also afflicted. As part of the peace accords signed when they were driven out of Vietnam, the US agreed to compensate for some of the destruction inflicted on the land and people. But no compensation has been paid. The Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign has filed suit against Dow and Monsanto for profiteering from illegal chemical warfare. For more info go to www.vn-agentorange.org.
Fast for our Future The largest hunger strike in US history began on Oct. 15. One hundred activists encamped at La Placita Olvera in Los Angeles to fast for 21 days before the Nov. 4 election. They were joined by thousands across the country who fasted for at least one day and dedicated themselves to building a massive voter turnout. The fast was a nation-wide pledge/petition effort to gather 1 million people committed to “vote for immigrant rights, fast at least one day, recruit five family and friends to sign the pledge and take action to hold the new administration accountable for our votes.” Fast for our Future was initiated by Rise. This is a movement of immigrants rights leaders and advocates. Rise focuses on nonviolent action to confront the escalation of anti-immigrant raids, deportation and other repressive Bush administration measures. Angelica Salas said at an Oct. 1 press conference, “The raids will continue and will keep on going if we do not unite, do not vote and do not keep putting on pressure. There is one choice: remain silent without taking action, or unite, fast and vote.” The federal Immigration Control and Enforcement agency (ICE) has increased raids and deportations to a record 276,912 in 2007. ICE’s Fugitive Operations Teams have increased for 18 in 2005 to 75 in 2007. The number of anti immigrant hate groups and hate crimes have increased. But the transition of the immigrant rights movement for marching to voting is also on the rise. In this year’s presidential primaries, the Latino vote more than doubled. Massive citizenship and voter registration drives and initiatives like Fast for our Future resulted in over 10 million Latino voters.
Hundreds Attend Anti-Palin Rally in Alaska At least 200 people rallied in the pouring rain outside the Alaska state capital. They were protesting the policies of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. They carried signs which said “Confidence does not equal competence” and “Real women are not lipstick wearing pitbulls.” Former state public health director Peter Nakamura said Palin has done little to insure quality health care for Alaskans. Commercial fisherwoman Paula Terrel described Palin’s record protecting fisheries as “dismal.” Tlingit attorney Tony Strong said Palin was no friend to Alaska Natives.
California State Employees Protest Pay Cut to Minimum Wage On Aug. 7 members of Service Employees Local 1000 rallied on the steps of the California Capital in Sacramento. They were protesting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bid to cut their pay to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour. The carried signs reading “We Inspect Bridges,” ”We Keep Our Roads Safe,” “We Take Care of Our Veterans.” They urged lawmakers to settle on a budget that preserves current salaries. In late July members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees marched through downtown San Francisco protesting the drastic wage cuts. Schwarzenegger said he was forced to cut pay for 150,000 state workers and lay off 10,000 part-time and temporary workers. The California Budget Project says tax cuts inacted since 1993 will cost the state $12 billion this year. But State Controller John Chiang refused to obey the governor’s order to cut wages. The two officials have traded lawsuits back and forth. The 10,000 laid-off workers remain without jobs.
People’s Need, Not Bankers’ Greed ANSWER Coalition, VoteNoBailout.org, ImpeachBush.org and many other organizations held demonstrations on Nov. 14-15 at the White House. The Bush administration was hosting heads of state from around the world, bankers, and the heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and other international institutions. They were holding a summit meeting to coordinate the ongoing transfer of money from working families into the pockets of the richest bankers. Congress has cave in to the Bush administration and provided $2.5 trillion in money and loan guarantees to the bankers. Meanwhile, over 2 million families have been driven from their homes because of foreclosure or are seriously behind in their payments. When people can’t pay the interest on their mortgages, bankers drive them from their homes. But when the richest bankers can’t meet their debts, the government bails them out with taxpayers’ money.
Sources: Workers World; People’s Weekly
World; News From Indian Country; | |
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Fall
2008
On Sept. 20,
over 200 demonstrators took to the streets of Port Angeles, WA. This
was the third and largest protest by residents of this small rural
town in the northwest corner of Washington. The people were
protesting Border Patrol roadblocks that stop >every car and
check drivers’ nationalities.