Workers Resistance

Author: Fight Back

  • Gainesville Stands with Rasmea Odeh

    Gainesville, FL – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Florida held a sign holding on Wednesday, November 13, to demand that the U.S. government drop the charges against Rasmea Odeh. Odeh is a Palestinian-American organizer and an international solidarity activist. Despite holding U.S. citizenship for the past 20 years, the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and the FBI arrested her on October 22, and on the allegations of immigration fraud.

    Members of SDS and allies chanted, “Drop the charges now!” and “Solidarity is not a Crime” at the major intersection of University and 13th in Gainesville at the height of rush hour. People walking by were supportive and took flyers detailing Odeh’s case and the link to the online petition.

    As Robbey Hayes, a lead organizer with SDS, said, “Unfortunately, Odeh’s case is something we’ve seen before and activists in this country continue to feel repression for being organizers.”

    UF Students for a Democratic Society will continue to stand in solidarity with Rasmea Odeh and the national campaign to drop the charges and end the targeted repression of Palestinian-American leaders.

  • Florida Students Advance Tuition Equity Campaign

    Gainesville, FL — Students at the University of Florida successfully advanced their campaign of tuition equity for undocumented students. Leading student organizations joined together to pass a resolution through Student Government in favor of tuition equality.

    Currently, an undocumented immigrant student who grows up in Florida must pay out-of-state tuition to take classes at the Florida institution, despite graduating from a Florida high school. Out-of-state tuition costs three times that of in-state tuition, a hefty price to pay.

    University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) members joined by members of CHISPAS, Hispanic Student Association, Asian Student Union and Black Student Union all spoke on behalf of the resolution during public debate.

    Conor Munro, a lead organizer of SDS and author of the resolution, spoke persuasively to the student senators on the issue, “These students have worked just as hard as any student graduating from high school, they deserve the chance to continue to seek higher education.”

    The resolution passed with an overwhelming 73-3 vote count.

    With student support on their side, UF SDS now looks forward to approaching the Board of Trustees, with the power to change tuition policy and make it fair. SDS plans to mobilize for the Board meeting, demanding, “Tuition Equity for Undocumented Students!”

  • Salt Lake City stands with Rasmea Odeh

    Salt Lake City, UT – On Nov. 13, the October 7th Anti-War Committee hosted a rally joined by Workers World Party and the Revolutionary Students Union to demand the U.S. government drop the charges against Rasmea Odeh. Rasmea Odeh is a Palestinian-American community organizer and international solidarity activist who has held U.S. citizenship for over 20 years. The U.S. government charged Odeh with an immigration violation, alleging she violated the law by not identifying her arrest by the Israeli army more than 40 years ago. The U.S. government is engaging in clear political repression.

    The Committee’s protest brought together people to stand with Rasmea Odeh and received support from numerous people on the street. They held signs in front of Salt Lake’s federal building that read, “Stop FBI repression” and “Support Rasmea Odeh.” Ian de Oliveria of the October 7th Committee said, “Rasema’s story touches a lot of people personally because of her
    struggle as a woman and an immigrant.”

    The October 7th Committee Anti-War Committee has promised to join with activists locally and around the country in support of Rasmea Odeh and demand a stop to political repression.

  • The U.S. government is engaged in disaster interventionism in the Philippines

    Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Nov. 14 Statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

    Denounce the US military for using tragedy to justify increased warships deployment

    The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) denounces the US government for using the grave human tragedy wrought by the recent supertyphoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) in order to justify its operations to further increase the presence of its military warships and armed troops in the Philippines.

    “The US government is engaged in disaster interventionism, exploiting the supine state of the Philippines after it was struck by super typhoon Yolanda, in order to justify its deployment of armed, nuclear-powered and interventionist military warships and armed troops in the Philippines,” said the CPP.

    “The CPP and the Filipino people denounce the Aquino government for shamelessly welcoming the US military troops with open arms.”

    Citing news reports, the CPP pointed out that the US has deployed to the Philippines no less than six warships including US flagship aircraft carrier USS George Washington, that has with it at least 80 jet fighters as well as war helicopters and 5,000 naval soldiers. It will be accompanied to the Philippines by the USS Antietam, USS Cowpens, USS Mustin, USS Lasses guided missile cruisers, and the USS Charles Drew supply ship. Meanwhile, the British government is also sending the HMS Daring warship and a Boeing C-17 military transport aircraft.

    The CPP further pointed out that aside from the warships that are sailing from Hong Kong and elsewhere, US armed personnel and equipment were already prepositioned in Manila and other parts of the country, indicating the continuing presence of armed US troops in the national capital. There are also news reports indicating that the facilities of the Tacloban airport have been taken over by the US military. The US military has also taken advantage of the disaster in order to gain access to the Mactan airport and seaport which has long been a subject of negotiations for increased US rotational presence in the Philippines.

    Over the past three years since declaring its “Asia pivot”, the US government has been increasing its “rotational presence” in various countries in the Asia-Pacific region resulting in the militarization of territorial disputes and diplomatic relations among countries in the region and in outright violation of the territorial sovereignty of the Philippines and other countries.

    “The US government is militarizing disaster response in the Philippines, in much the same way that the US militarized disaster response in Haiti in the 2010 earthquake,” said the CPP. The high-handed presence of US armed troops in Haiti has been widely renounced. The US government has since maintained its presence in Haiti.

    “The Filipino people seek and welcome international support in the face of the terrible devastation brought about by Yolanda in a wide corridor across the Philippine islands,” said the CPP. “However, though devastated, the Filipino people has preserved their sense of national dignity and will continue to defend their sovereignty against foreign military interventionism.”

    “What the disaster victims need urgently are food, water and medical attention, not US warships bringing in emergency rations to justifty their armed presence in Philippine sovereign waters,” pointed out the CPP. “If the US government were really interested in providing assistance to countries who have suffered from calamities, then it should increase its funds to civilian agencies that deal in disaster response and emergency relief, not in fattening its international military forces and taking advantage of the people’s miseries to justify their presence,” added the CPP.

  • Milwaukee stands with Rasmea Odeh

    Milwaukee, WI – About 20 people rallied in frigid wind and cold downtown here, Nov. 13, to participate in the national day of action in solidarity with Rasmea Odeh. Protesters held signs reading “Drop the charges,” and “Stop FBI targeting.” Odeh was arrested in retaliation for her years of activism and leadership in the Palestinian community of Chicago. The rally was organized by the Milwaukee Palestine Solidarity Coalition, U.S. Palestinian Community Network, Milwaukee Anti-war Committee, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Friends of Palestine, and others.

  • South Florida students support in-state tuition for undocumented students

    Tampa, FL – The Student Government Senate at the University of South Florida (USF) passed a resolution supporting in-state tuition for undocumented immigrant students from Florida, Nov. 12. Out-of-state tuition is three times more than in-state tuition. Currently, undocumented immigrant students who graduate from Florida high schools have to pay the higher, out-of-state tuition.

    Tampa Bay SDS came out in full force to support the resolution along with a host of representatives from other organizations also sympathetic to the cause. The Student Government Senate was largely supportive of the measure, but there were student senators who sought to prevent the vote from happening.

    Cindy Ibarra, a Chicana student at USF said, “In-state tuition for students at the University of South Florida needs to pass. Student government is concerning itself with the details when this is simply a resolution of general support. The details can be done by us, the students.”

    The in-state tuition proposition is part of a larger struggle by undocumented students to gain access to the educational facilities that they help fund through paying taxes. Florida students are leading the way in building a national movement for equality on campus.

    The USF Board of Trustees will be meeting Dec. 5 and discussing this student motion. Tampa Bay SDS plans to pack the meeting, showing public support for this reform.

  • Tampa Bay stands with Rasmea Odeh

    Tampa, FL – A dozen activists from Tampa Bay SDS and the community protested near the University of South Florida (USF) in solidarity with Palestinian community leader Rasmea Odeh. Protesters held signs at a major intersection saying, “Drop the charges,” and “Stop arresting Muslim activists.” The protest was part of a national action coinciding with Odeh’s Nov. 13 court date.

    Organizer Jared Hamil spoke, “Around the country we must stand up against the attacks on Palestinian and Muslim activists. Rasmea Odeh is only being charged because she stands against the attacks by the U.S. and Israel on the Palestinian people. We must stand with Rasmea Odeh. That is why we are here to say, ‘Drop the charges! Free Palestine! Rasmea Odeh committed no crime!’”

    Tampa Bay SDS is planning to table, gather petition signatures and to organize another rally for Rasmea Odeh’s next court date.

  • Big Detroit rally for Rasmea Odeh’s day in court

    Detroit, MI – More than 100 people joined a rally in solidarity with Palestinian women’s leader Rasmea Odeh as she went to court here Nov.13. Agents of the Department of Homeland Security arrested Odeh on Oct. 22 at her home in Evergreen Park, a suburb of Chicago. Odeh is charged with immigration fraud. Allegedly, in her application for citizenship, she did not mention that she was arrested in Palestine 45 years ago, by an Israeli military court that detains Palestinians without charge – a court that has over 200 children in prison today and does not recognize the rights of Palestinians to due process.

    Hatem Abudayyeh, who works with Rasmea Odeh and is one of the Anti-War 23 raided by the FBI three years ago, said outside the court, “Rasmea is guilty of nothing and this is a ridiculous charge. She is a 65-year-old leader of Palestinian, Arab-American and Muslim women in this country. The immigration charge is a pretext to go after her. Just as the U.S. government used political repression against African American, labor and other movements in the past, it is now repressing movements for social justice in our country again today. The U.S. and Israeli governments are angry because we are effective at organizing and changing attitudes of the people in this country about war and occupation in the Middle East. The boycott, divest and sanctions movement against Israeli Apartheid is growing and spreading; making a dent. The U.S. government is not able to criminalize the political activity of the Anti-War 23 and they will not be able to do it to Rasmea Odeh either!”

    Another protester, Farah Erzouki, came with 12 students from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Erzouki, who is with Students for Justice in Palestine, said, “We represent the SJP both in Michigan and nationally and came to show solidarity and support for Rasmea Odeh. We oppose the U.S. government targeting people’s political beliefs. It affects groups like SJP on campus, with many chapters and leaders facing disciplinary charges for expressing their free speech or protesting on campus. So we plan to leaflet on campus and do educational forums. We oppose the repression of all people, but especially Palestinians.”

    Students for a Democratic Society in Chicago sent Kait McIntyre to Detroit to speak at the rally: “Rasmea’s dedication to justice is shown by her leadership on the Arab Women’s Committee and leading work in the areas of civil liberties and immigration rights at the Arab American Action Network. We believe her work should be applauded, not condemned!”

    Protesters came from Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Grand Rapids and Detroit, Michigan, as well as from Chicago and Milwaukee. Solidarity rallies also took place in Oakland, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Tampa, Gainesville, Philadelphia and Salt Lake City.

    At today’s arraignment lawyer Jim Fennerty explained that Rasmea Odeh pled not guilty. The lawyers will begin to go through 600 pages of documents and plan for a trial. There will be more protests at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, in Detroit, in the coming months. Detroit is Odeh’s original city of U.S. residence.

    Before travelling home by bus with scores of supporters from Chicago, Rasmea was smiling and in good spirits. She joined the crowd in front of the court building, stating, “Thank you for your support. Thank you from me. It means a lot for me and my people!”

  • Low income women tell Sen. Amy Klobuchar: ‘Undo the Food Stamp cuts!’

    Minneapolis, MN – Members of the Twin Cities-based Welfare Rights Committee held signs and banners during rush-hour, Nov. 12, in front of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office, telling her to undo the November Food Stamp/SNAP cuts, and to stop further cuts to Food Stamps.

    Senator Klobuchar sits on the Agriculture conference committee in Washington D.C. that will decide the fate of the Food Stamp (now known as SNAP) program. Both houses of Congress are proposing cuts to this basic survival program. Now, people across the country are reeling from November’s across the board cuts to Food Stamps (the result of an expiration of a part of the federal stimulus program).

    According to the Welfare Rights Committee’s Loretta VanPelt, “It seems that when budgets need to be ‘balanced’ it is balanced on the backs of the poor and working class, and we are the ones who have to pay the price for these budgets. We ask that Senator Klobuchar, as a member of the Ag Committee, to use her influence to undo all cuts to food stamps.”

  • Low income women tell Sen. Amy Klobuchar: ‘Undo the Food Stamp cuts!’

    Minneapolis, MN – Members of the Twin Cities-based Welfare Rights Committee held signs and banners during rush-hour, Nov. 12, in front of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office, telling her to undo the November Food Stamp/SNAP cuts, and to stop further cuts to Food Stamps.

    Senator Klobuchar sits on the Agriculture conference committee in Washington D.C. that will decide the fate of the Food Stamp (now known as SNAP) program. Both houses of Congress are proposing cuts to this basic survival program. Now, people across the country are reeling from November’s across the board cuts to Food Stamps (the result of an expiration of a part of the federal stimulus program).

    According to the Welfare Rights Committee’s Loretta VanPelt, “It seems that when budgets need to be ‘balanced’ it is balanced on the backs of the poor and working class, and we are the ones who have to pay the price for these budgets. We ask that Senator Klobuchar, as a member of the Ag Committee, to use her influence to undo all cuts to food stamps.”