J20 Washington DC - Shut Down Trump's Inauguration

[ckaihatsu]

We march for women worldwide


We march because women’s rights are human rights...

Stand With IPPF/WHR

Dear Chris,

We march because women’s rights are human rights.
We march because we are stronger together.
We march because women and girls in the Americas and Caribbean deserve better.

And we do it every day because we know the fight for reproductive health and rights doesn’t end–or begin–with one person or event.

For more than 60 years, the International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF/WHR) has shown up and spoken up when human rights are under attack. That is why we are proud to stand with our sisters in the US and throughout the world at the Women’s March on Washington on January 21. Will you join us?

Here are three ways you can support the global effort to raise the voices of women:

Find out information about local marches near you or the national march in DC here: www.womensmarch.com/

Not in the US? Find out about actions taking place around the world: www.womensmarch.com/global/

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #IDecide to send messages to our network in the Americas and Caribbean. Let them know that you stand for the right of every woman to make decisions about her own body–and you won’t back down.

We face oppositional forces each and every day in our region, forces that try to undermine the dignity and human rights of millions. We know the coming years will be tough, but we have no doubt that together, we can—and will—achieve justice for all.

In solidarity,



Giselle Carino
Regional Director


Donate


International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region
125 Maiden Lane, 9th Fl | New York, NY 10038
212.248.6400 | [email protected]




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[ckaihatsu]

Rise, Love, Resist in Chicago!





Dear Chris,

Join us as we Rise, Love and Resist in Chicago!

We will march together for the protection of our rights, safety, health, communities, and families, and as accomplices with the most vulnerable among us, who have been threatened by this new Administration - immigrants of all statuses, Muslims and those of diverse religious faiths, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with different abilities, women, survivors of sexual assault. We will send a bold message to the Trump administration on their first day in office, and to the world, that Women Say No to War and Militarism and that we stand for peace and justice, and for all oppressed people.

WHEN: Saturday, January 21st @ 10:00AM
WHERE: Petrillo Bandshell in Chicago’s Grant Park

RSVP here for more information and updates.

At the Women’s March we have the opportunity to stand for our visions and call out the violent systems we work to transform. Our work is to is to create conditions conducive for life. We won't give Trump more legitimacy or power. We will "turn back on hate," using humor and audacity. We will put our bodies on the line with intention and vision.

Check out our visuals and messaging!

We bring many messages to this historic moment: Build Bridges Not Walls, Love & Support Each Other, Divest From The War Economy, Grow Local Peace Economies, Arms Are For Hugging, Love Our Muslim Neighbors, Welcome Refugees, Divest From Bloody Fossil Fuels and Human Rights for All. Share yours with us! Post a photo on our Facebook of your message and where you are carrying it. Some of us are writing what we are marching for on our hands, on tunics, cardboard hearts, or long banners we plan to hold high. We want to share the creativity of this amazing community and inspire each other to stay engaged in growing our activism and our local power. Use the hashtag #riseloveresist as you rise in truth, power and love.

We will not only go march and resist, we will rise and love, and keep organizing and mobilizing people for change; we will connect with people, building bridges, not walls.

Join us as we Rise, Love and Resist in Chicago!

Rising,
The CODEPINK team

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CODEPINK

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[ckaihatsu]

Urgent: STAY In The Streets


There Is An Urgent Need — And There IS Still Time In These Next Few Days — To Prevent This Fascist Regime From Ruling

On January 20, despite the protests of thousands and the anguish and anger stretching all around the world, the powers-that-be intend to inaugurate the Trump-Pence regime of fascism.

The Trump-Pence regime would be more than the sum of the many abuses and outrages it plans to perpetrate. If not prevented from ruling, it will be, as a regime, FASCIST — a blatant dictatorship relying on open terror and violence, committing atrocities against groups of people identified as “enemies,” “undesirables,” or “dangers to society.” A Trump-Pence regime would not only be illegitimate; if allowed to go forward it could be catastrophic for humanity.

Protest is important, but more than protest is needed.

We must actually go all out, now, to prevent this regime from ruling. We are, this weekend, hundreds of thousands protesting. Through staying in the streets and disrupting business as usual, over the next few days and into next week, we could together grow to millions and bring into being a major political crisis, to which all the factions in the power structure would have to react.



Stay in the streets, in DC and everywhere else.
In the name of humanity, we refuse to accept a fascist America.

RefuseFascism.org
National Office: 917-407-1286
Washington DC: 213-804-1811

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[The Intransigent Faction]

It seems counter-productive to build an entire protest movement solely around rejection of Trump (and/or Pence). If that didn't work for Hillary Clinton, it sure as hell won't work for the radical left and its revolutionary goals.

They were never the heart of the problem. They represent an "alt-right" seizure and misdirection of the masses' anger and misery. I know I'm not the first to say as much, but it seems to bear repeating.

It's not time for some kind of popular front against Trump, with liberals as fickle pseudo-allies. It's time to speak out and call attention to why the "centre-left" is a false alternative which is doomed to failure.

No more posters and placards and chanting of slogans. Liberal masturbation is not a part of the concrete organization needed to start a serious push against capitalism.

Occupation of buildings would do more than aimlessly breaking glass. Organization of alternative meetings to set out a concrete revolutionary program would do more than trying to block Air Force members from entering the inauguration.

/rant

[ckaihatsu]

It seems counter-productive to build an entire protest movement solely around rejection of Trump (and/or Pence). If that didn't work for Hillary Clinton, it sure as hell won't work for the radical left and its revolutionary goals.

They were never the heart of the problem. They represent an "alt-right" seizure and misdirection of the masses' anger and misery. I know I'm not the first to say as much, but it seems to bear repeating.

It's not time for some kind of popular front against Trump, with liberals as fickle pseudo-allies. It's time to speak out and call attention to why the "centre-left" is a false alternative which is doomed to failure.

No more posters and placards and chanting of slogans. Liberal masturbation is not a part of the concrete organization needed to start a serious push against capitalism.

Occupation of buildings would do more than aimlessly breaking glass. Organization of alternative meetings to set out a concrete revolutionary program would do more than trying to block Air Force members from entering the inauguration.

/rant

I don't think the 'tactic' itself would matter much, if there was truly mass antagonism towards the status quo -- in this case, the Trump presidency and the ongoing bourgeois austerity program.

*Something* has to kick-things-off, to take a 'snapshot' of popular political sentiment, the way Occupy did. Given mass support, those who are more proactive could certainly occupy buildings, etc., and know that others were doing things to keep them safe, with plans for *further* political incursions.

Sure, a revolutionary program is important, too -- here's one:


Fight for Socialism! A Program to Defeat Trump

https://www.marxist.com/fight-for-so...feat-trump.htm

[ckaihatsu]

Share this to stand in solidarity with the women’s march


Chris,

I’m at the Women’s March on Washington—a broad grassroots effort to show the incoming administration that working people will continue to march forward on the values that make our families, our communities, our unions and our nation strong.

The event is just getting underway here in Washington, D.C., so before I lose my cell signal, I wanted to share a simple way you can stand in solidarity with the march today.

Share this image on social media now to stand in solidarity with working women.



Even if you can’t join us at the march in Washington, D.C., this weekend, this is a moment to show our strength and solidarity. Sharing this image with your friends and family is a great way to do that wherever you are.

Together we’ll show Donald Trump what we stand for, what we march for and what we will fight for.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”

Stand in solidarity with working women. Click here to share the image above with your friends and family now.

In Solidarity,

Liz
----------------------
Liz Shuler
Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO


AFL-CIO Facebook Twitter
Visit us at www.aflcio.org | Facebook | Twitter
Text WORK to AFLCIO (235246) to join our text action team. (Message and data rates may apply.)

Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address or to stop receiving emails from AFL-CIO, please click here.

[ckaihatsu]

6000 join massive Minnesota protest against Donald Trump inauguration



By Kim DeFranco and staff

Minneapolis, MN - Jan. 20 was a day of national Inauguration Day Anti-Trump protests. The Resist from Day One Coalition, a coalition of over 80 Twin Cities local and grassroots organizations, brought 6000 people to march and rally to reject the Trump administration’s dangerous agenda. The day included a long march with three separate rallying points, until the final stop at the Hennepin County Government Center Plaza, which is also known as People’s Plaza.

As people gathered at Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue, they were greeted by many speakers and chants that hyped up their resolve to be united and fight back as Trump’s policies are rolled out in the coming weeks and months. The people’s chants of “Not our president!” could be heard for miles.

Many groups and individuals spoke out about the threats the new administration poses to Minnesotans and communities of the Twin Cities. Topics covered ranged from immigration; attacks on Muslims; women's issues; foreign policy; students on education; workers and economic attacks; police violence; political repression; Indigenous struggles; racist discrimination; LGBTQ, and the climate crisis.

Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), which spearheaded the coalition said, “We believe that no human being is illegal and no families should be separated by deportation. We pledge to resist Trump’s unjust attacks on immigrants.” That pledge was repeated from the crowd.

Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric has fanned the flames of xenophobia in the U.S. One of the major issues raised as a cornerstone of the new Trump administration is a rabidly anti-immigrant agenda that would do irreparable harm to families across the country, compounding the tragedy of the record numbers of deportations that happened under Obama.

Many programs and agencies stand to lose support and funding under the new administration, including programs that provide critical social services to many people in our local communities. Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee said, “The women of the Welfare Rights Committee have been battling sexism, racism, poor-bashing and bigotry for over 20 years - from both Republicans and Democrats. We have faced off against Trump-like crap before, as we struggle for basic income and dignity for poor families. So, we will not let this orange clown get us down!”

“No Trump, no KKK, no racist USA,” was one chant as the crowd moved from towards the second rallying point. As the marchers passed, many neighbors, workers and customers came out to cheer them on. The numbers of marchers grew every block as more protesters joined in.

As the march continued, many chants filled the air. “Sexist, racist, anti-gay, Donald Trump go away!” “Donald Trump, let’s be clear, refugees are welcome here!” “Trump says ‘go back,’ we say ‘fight back!’”

At the second rallying point, feeder marches joined in. The Black Snake Resistance March and a walkout of students at the University of Minnesota, Augsburg College and various high schools and elementary students merged together and walked to the Peoples’ Plaza.

At People’s Plaza - a nickname earned for the Hennepin County Government Plaza during the 2011 Occupy movement, which took over the space over for weeks - Jess Sundin, member of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar and Freedom Road Socialist Organization, welcomed participants, and spoke of need to build a movement to defeat Trump’s attacks and drive him from office. Other speakers highlighted anti-Muslim attacks, police violence, and students fighting to make their campuses sanctuaries for undocumented students.

Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME 3800, the Clerical Workers Union at the University of Minnesota, spoke, "Trump has already signaled very clearly that it's open season on workers and our unions. President Trump has also made it clear that he is prepared to carry out massive attacks on our immigrant and Muslim co-workers and communities. Our union has always worked to create solidarity across differences, to expand our rights, and to unite all people in our efforts to improve working and living standards.”

“We have been here before and we will get through this,” stated Chauntyll Allen from Black Lives Matter-Saint Paul. She had the crowd repeat, “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support one other. We have nothing to lose but our chains,” a quote from Assata Shakur. She also led the crowd in a remembrance of the names Black and Brown people who were killed police in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

A speaker on indigenous struggles ended with a chant, “We stand with Standing Rock!”

As the rally came to a close, Sundin urged the crowd to be ready to protest on the hundredth day Trump’s presidency stating, “Join us on May 1, International Workers’ Day!” The crowd was asked, “Will you be with us?” They roared back “Yes!” which led into the finally chant, “Dump Trump!”

Sparked by the election of Trump, the Resist From Day One Coalition MN was created to bring together a growing list of Twin Cities groups and individuals to unite in defending the communities against the racist, anti-immigrant, anti-worker, anti-Muslim, anti-woman, anti-environment, anti-LGBTQI agenda of the Trump administration and beyond.

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]

[almost]

Does anyone know anything about the status of the 200+ arrested in DC

[ckaihatsu]

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017.../prot-j21.html

[willowtooth]

2.5 million protested trump worldwide today, the biggest was in L.A. with 750,000 attending. The D.C. protests doubled Trump's inauguration attendance with 500,000 protesting

https://thinkprogress.org/trump-us-p...1bd#.rhuzd0lsm

[ckaihatsu]

J20 ARRESTEES NEED OUR HELP TO GET HOME!

EMERGENCY CALL FOR SUPPORT:

Donate to get twelve
#j20 Arrestees home!

Twelve activists from NYC and Detroit need our support to get home after being arrested for fighting Trump's inauguration. These activists have been teargassed, maced, kettled for hours and now face trumped up charges. They are now stuck in D.C., thanks to the handy work of the police.

Make a donation now.

The resistance, starting in November following the presidential election, culminated into mass and vibrant demonstrations in the streets of D.C. We’ve witnessed hundreds of thousands from all over the world say NO to Trump and the racism, sexism, Islamophobia, and oppression that allowed him to win.

On January 20, the people took the streets and said we would not back down!

We know that we have a long battle ahead but the
URGENT NEED NOW right now is to get these activists home safely. Let’s get these 12 activists back to their communities where they can keep preparing for an administration intent on repressing our fight-back movement!

Donate here.

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[ckaihatsu]

Special report

Massive worldwide protests against Trump presidency

By a WSWS reporting team

22 January 2017

Millions of people participated in demonstrations throughout the United States and the world Saturday in a powerful and unprecedented show of opposition to the administration of US President Donald Trump.

The massive protests were far larger than organizers expected and came as a surprise to the corporate media. They were the biggest globally coordinated demonstrations since the 2003 protests against the invasion of Iraq. Demonstrations took place in over 600 locations on every continent, including at a US research station in Antarctica.

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017.../prot-j22.html

[The Intransigent Faction]

I don't think the 'tactic' itself would matter much, if there was truly mass antagonism towards the status quo -- in this case, the Trump presidency and the ongoing bourgeois austerity program.

*Something* has to kick-things-off, to take a 'snapshot' of popular political sentiment, the way Occupy did. Given mass support, those who are more proactive could certainly occupy buildings, etc., and know that others were doing things to keep them safe, with plans for *further* political incursions.

Sure, a revolutionary program is important, too -- here's one:


Fight for Socialism! A Program to Defeat Trump

https://www.marxist.com/fight-for-so...feat-trump.htm

My initial impressions of this program are positive, in spite of the occasional reformist language. I wonder how big a presence they were at the protests.
There's also a question even the CBC raised: What's next? Was this a one-off, or the first of many such marches in a longer-term movement not just tied to Trump?

[ckaihatsu]

My initial impressions of this program are positive, in spite of the occasional reformist language. I wonder how big a presence they were at the protests.
There's also a question even the CBC raised: What's next? Was this a one-off, or the first of many such marches in a longer-term movement not just tied to Trump?

Ditto.

[ckaihatsu]

5000 protest Trump inauguration in Chicago



By Joe Iosbaker

Chicago, IL - After a day of protests and walkouts on the campuses of DePaul, Loyola and the University of Illinois at Chicago, 5000 people rallied and marched back and forth across Chicago’s Loop, Jan. 20, in opposition to the racist agenda of President Trump.

At one point, about 1000 of the marchers gathered on the bank of the Chicago River, in the shadow of Trump Tower. Kofi Ademola of Black Lives Matter led everyone in turning and raising a middle finger salute to the giant Trump sign.

Nesreen Hassan from the U.S. Palestinian Community Network delivered a statement that read, “We pledge to continue our resistance to the attacks coming from the likes of Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and from the Chicago Police Department.” There were passionate speeches from immigrant activists, as well as the patriotic Filipino youth organization, AnakBayan.

One common theme was to reject the message from the Democratic Party leadership to give Trump ‘the benefit of the doubt.’ Frank Chapman of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression pointed out that Trump’s inaugural address was a call to attack the oppressed, particularly Muslims, but also the Black community. Chapman challenged those gathered to prepare for a great battle, and to defeat the attacks coming down from the administration.

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]

[ckaihatsu]

The way forward in the fight against Trump

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017.../pers-j23.html


Canadian Women Marching in Washington

http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/1360.php

[ckaihatsu]

Unionists and Labor Rights Activists Rally in Front of Carl's Jr. in S.F. to Protest Trump's Anti-Labor Agenda

By Alan Benjamin (*)

SAN FRANCISCO -- An estimated 100 labor activists braved the torrential rain Friday afternoon, January 20 (Inauguration Day), to protest Trump's anti-labor agenda. Fourteen unions were represented at the rally, which was held in front of Carl's Jr. to denounce Trump's nomination of Andrew Puzder as the new Secretary of Labor. (Puzder, the CEO of Carl's Jr., is opposed to an increase in the minimum wage; in fact, he does not believe in the need for any minimum wage.)

The half-hour Labor Rally was held immediately prior to the 5 p.m. mass rally organized by the ANSWER coalition. Many union contingents arrived for the main rally but could not make it to the earlier labor feeder rally, as union members were just getting out of work at that time.

[See attached photos of Labor Rally by labor photo-journalist David Bacon. The photo selection includes a photo of two labor contingents - SEIU Local 1021 and UNITE-HERE Local 2 - taken at other times during the day.]

The Labor Rally was co-sponsored by the San Francisco Labor Council (AFL-CIO) and Jobs with Justice SF. The leaflet calling for the Rally put forward the following demands, all of which were addressed by the rally speakers:

* No to Privatization of Social Security & Medicare!
* No to Right-to-Work (For Less) Laws!
* There Is a Real Solution: Single Payer Now!
* Money for Jobs and Social Services, Not War!
* End All Deportations, Stop All Hate Crimes!
* $15 Minimum Wage and a Union!

The labor rally was chaired by two co-emcees: Alisa Messer, Political Director, AFT 2121; and Kung Feng, Lead Organizer, Jobs with Justice San Francisco. Both highlighted the powerful protest marches, rallies, and actions held earlier in the day throughout downtown San Francisco.

Six speakers addressed the labor gathering. They were:

- Tim Paulson - Executive Director of San Francisco Labor Council

- Fakhra Shah - Mission High School Teacher and member of United Educators of San Francisco

- Raquel Botello - Organizer with La Colectiva, the San Francisco Women's Collective and leader with the California Domestic Workers Coalition

- Lucia Lin - Senior Movement Building Coordinator with the Chinese Progressive Association and leader with the Progressive Workers Alliance

- Jonathan Meade - Chairperson of Campaign for a Healthy California San Francisco Chapter and retired member of SEIU Local 1021

- Michael Gene Sullivan - San Francisco Mime Troup Collective and member of SAG-AFTRA

Following are the presentations from three of the six speakers (Fakhra Shah, Raquel Botello, and Jonathan Meade) who addressed the Labor Rally. These were the only speakers who had prepared written statements. We were not able to tape the other speakers.

- - - - -

(* Alan Benjamin, an OPEIU Local 29 delegate to the S.F. Labor Council, was a co-organizer of the Labor Rally)

* * * * * * * * * *

Presentation by Fakhra Shah

[Note: Fakhra Shah, a social studies teacher at Mission High School and a member of United Educators of San Francisco, is the author of a lesson plan, drafted just hours after Trump's election, to help teachers at her school struggling with how to answer students' questions and concerns about Trump becoming president. The four-page plan's introduction includes this guidance: "Let us please not sidestep the fact that a racist and sexist man has become the president of our country by pandering to a huge racist and sexist base." The lesson plan was posted to the union's website, stirring a huge national debate that was covered widely by the media.]

Good Afternoon!

I said this to you once before, I will say it again: A racist and sexist man has become our president. However in saying that, there are a few things that I left out, I missed: an ABLEIST, xenophobic, and Islamophobic man has become our president -- and we MUST REFUSE to allow ourSELVES, OUR students, OUR YOUTH to be threatened in our schools. WE WILL NOT NORMALIZE bigotry and HATE IN OUR SCHOOLS.

How many here today are educators? How many are educators of color? How many of you have fought oppression your entire lives? It's true, we have always been threatened, but now we are going to be directly assaulted by Trump, by his cabinet, and specifically by Betsy DeVos!

BETSY DEVOS is unqualified to serve as Secretary of Education, and she is an ableist. How can someone be nominated for Secretary of Education and not be familiar with the federal law, specifically with the INDIVIDUALS WITH DIASBILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)?

In the hearing, DeVos did not agree to uphold federal law to protect students with disabilities; as a matter of fact she had no idea that this was a federally mandated law that all schools receiving federal funding must uphold.

We MUST NOT ALLOW someone like Betsy DeVos to become Secretary of Education. Everything that we have ever fought for is at stake. Human rights are at stake.

There are many who are asking us educators to be neutral, Betsy DeVos, is NOT NEUTRAL. TRUMP IS NOT NEUTRAL. They want to dismantle all of the rights we have ever fought for.
As educators, as adults, we must fight to keep ourselves and our communities safe. We must keep fighting, keep speaking out, and remember, when they are asking you to be neutral, that is their only way of disarming us! Will not be disarmed!

Remember the words of Desmond Tutu:

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor."

* * * * * * * * * *

Presentation by Raquel Botello

Good afternoon,

My name is Raquel Botello. I am a member of La Colectiva de Mujeres (Women's Collective) and of the Day Labor coalition. I am a domestic worker.

I thank the organizers of this event for inviting me to speak.

We have enormous challenges ahead with the new president, but we must resist. We must organize and mobilize to demand our rights. We must mobilize to defend and expand our healthcare rights. We need a real healthcare system -- whatever name you call it -- that meets all of our needs as working people.

We must mobilize to demand an end to the deportations of our undocumented immigrant sisters and brothers. Not One More Deportation. We cannot accept the separation of our families, with our children no longer able to live with their parents. We need to return America to its best values and traditions!

We must demand an end to the Border Wall of Shame!

And we must demand an end to the discrimination against women. We women should be valued and respected fully. We must demand equality in all realms. We must demand respect and dignity!

But to do all this we must unite; labor and community must work together. United we will win, because our unity is our strength.

Si Se Puede!

Thank you.

* * * * * * * * * *

Presentation by Jonathan Meade

Good afternoon. My name is Jonathan Meade. I'm with SEIU Local 1021, and I've been with my union for 36 years. It's good to see all of you union members out here today. Because we know what's going on here today is more than a protest. This is the beginning of a fight. And fighting is what we do.

It doesn't matter if it's our employer, Donald Trump and the Republicans in Washington, or corporate democrats in California. You come after me - you come after my family - you come after my grandchildren - these assholes/people do not even know what they're in for.

I've been asked to talk to you about defending Medicare, Medical, and Social Security, but you know, I worked the streets of San Francisco for 30 years as a paramedic, so I know about healthcare. If the Affordable Care Act is dismantled - if Medicare is privatized - if Medical is cut to the bone - if your retirement age is raised and your Social Security benefits are cut - millions of people will be thrown into poverty - and thousands will die. They don't care. And what will happen to our union healthcare benefits? We all know what's going on there. We've been fighting that fight at the bargaining table for the last 20 years, and we are not winning.

From 1999 to 2014 healthcare premiums across America rose by 191% -- and worker contributions rose by 212%. Many union members and union leaders still think we can protect our healthcare benefits through contract negotiations and fighting our own individual fights. That is dead wrong. The last 20 years have already proved that.

We can't win by just trying to hang on to what we as union members have. If millions of people lose their healthcare coverage in California, you think they are going to care what happens to our benefits? Everyone needs healthcare. Not just union members - everyone deserves healthcare.

The only way to protect our union healthcare benefits from the death of a thousand cuts at a thousand different bargaining tables is to create a healthcare system in California that provides decent healthcare benefits to everyone. Some people call this single payer - some call it Medicare for All, but just like in Canada, in England, in France, in Germany, in Japan, in Taiwan, in Cuba - we can have universal health coverage. Medicare for All covers everyone, costs less than we are spending now, and takes healthcare off the bargaining table. No insurance companies - guess what, we don't need them - they add nothing of value to our healthcare system - by cutting out the middleman, we can save tens of billions of dollars every year.

This is not pie in the sky. We can actually do this. Californians are not going to accept the dismantling of Obamacare, the gutting of Medical, and the privatizing of Medicare. We have an opportunity - to go big and go on the offensive - through the California legislature, or through the ballot initiative process. The only things standing in our way are the insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and ourselves. We know that if all of California labor unites around an issue we can win. We've done it before. It's time to unite - and fight - and win. Thank you. Long live unions.

* * * *



















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[ckaihatsu]

STAY in the Streets Today


Chris --


Stop Mass Incarceration Network is sharing this from RefuseFascism.org, initiated by Carl Dix and Cornel West:



Today is Trumps' first business day in office.

Stay alert for executive orders being signed.

Refuse Fascism calls everyone to stay in the streets:

The world changed this weekend.

First, Donald Trump made clear in an unprecedented inaugural speech and then an equally unprecedented appearance at the CIA that he is moving very rapidly to a fascist reordering of society.

Second, millions of the people in the U.S. and around the world came out in equally unprecedented demonstrations to make clear their abhorrence for everything Trump stands for.

The world changed, but it must change still more. Time is short. Once such a fascist reordering takes place, resistance and change become immeasurably more difficult.

We must not lose the momentum. Act on Monday at Noon, in Washington, DC and all over.

Our Resistance on Monday must call even more people back into the streets. To stop this regime, we must stop business as usual this week. Every faction in the power structure must feel compelled to respond to what we the people do.

This could force a political situation in which the Trump-Pence regime is prevented from consolidating, and could be ousted.

All Out Monday and Every Day this week.

IN DC: Monday, January 23: 12 Noon: Say NO! at the Capitol, East Capitol St. and 1st St NE. (map). On the first business day of the new fascist Trump/Pence Regime, assemble at the Capitol to say NO! We Refuse to accept a Trump/Pence Fascist America! Bring the word "NO!" on signs, shirts, banners and more.

Invite your friends via Facebook.

New York City: 4:00 pm. Union Square
Facebook Event

Los Angeles: Noon. Steps of L.A. City Hall

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[ckaihatsu]

25 campuses hold walkouts on Inauguration Day

Students everywhere say no to Trump’s agenda



By Chrisley Carpio

Tampa, FL - On Jan. 20, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized a nationwide student walkout in protest of President Trump’s inauguration, his racist, xenophobic agenda, and his cabinet choices of millionaires and billionaires. His choices so far promise a four years filled with more war, deportations, the privatization of education, union-busting and threats to the rights of women and LGBTQ people. In over 25 cities around the country, SDS chapters led walkouts of classes and marched under the slogans: “Stop Trump’s Agenda! Education For All! Sanctuary For All!”

These walkouts all differed in size, chants and speakers, but they shared common themes of peace, education, equality and protection from bigotry. SDS members in Chicago, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City pulled hundreds of students out of class and led them to join thousands of protesters in the streets, from 1000 in Salt Lake City to 6000 in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, on large campuses with new SDS chapters, students did the same. They rang in the new year with walkouts and made speeches denouncing President Trump and his agenda of inequality.

At Arizona State University (ASU), SDS members walked out for the preservation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), for protection from deportations for undocumented people, and for ‘direct democracy,’ or the end of the electoral college. According to Fallon Leyba, a leading member of ASU SDS, the protest featured a number of Brown Beret members, undocumented students who rely on DACA to go to school, and mothers of undocumented youth. A group of angry white supremacist counter-protesters attempted to ruin their event, but SDS members and the protest attendees chanted over them, marched and then beat open a Trump-shaped piñata.

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, SDS members at Florida International University (FIU SDS), held their first protest ever, where students also demanded a sanctuary campus. They rallied for four hours and gave speeches about how their campus should protect not only undocumented students but students of all genders, sexual orientations and nationalities. Michelle Perez-Helago, the founder of FIU SDS, then went on to state that the event “was a milestone” in their efforts to get enough members to be officially recognized as a student organization on FIU’s campus.

At the University of New Orleans at Lafayette, yet another SDS chapter held their first event on Jan. 20. Their members called for students to empower themselves through walkouts, demonstrations and other examples of non-compliance with administration, police, and agents of Wall Street. One Lafayette SDS member, Michael Benoit, said, "This right here is what moves history, not Trump, not Obama, not anyone too high to face the people. It is right to rebel, and today we begin a fight for the people of the U.S. against Trump and his policies. If we struggle, we will win."

Lauren Broussard, the founder of Lafayette SDS, spoke in her speech about the failure of investor-driven politicians to solve the problems of students and oppressed people. The answer, she says, lies not in the ballot box, but in the hearts of the people themselves. “Trump is a symptom of a system that has failed us,” Lauren said. “I know this seems small, but every movement starts somewhere. If we unite and persist, we can grow and make real change.”

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]

[ckaihatsu]

Utah SDS leads walkout, 1500 march in Salt Lake City to protest Trump inauguration



By staff

Salt Lake City, UT- On Jan. 19, 50 University of Utah students walked out of their classes at 11:50 a.m. to protest the Trump inauguration. The students marched despite a university-wide memo stating they will “not be excused.” Led by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), they gathered at Library Plaza to speak out against Trump’s bigoted agenda and demand a sanctuary campus for undocumented immigrant students.

“We have the power to take action and organize. The progressive people of Utah, from schools, work places, and communities support the struggle against racism, sexism, ableism and LGBT discrimination. We stand with immigrants to defend their rights!” said Shirley Reyes of SDS.

The students marched through heavy snow and in to the Administration Building chanting loudly, “Trump says go back! We say fight back!” Security was called, while the students delivered a 600-person petition to the university president's desk.

Mass march through heart of SLC

The next day, on the evening of Jan. 20, 1500 people marched through the heart of downtown Salt Lake City to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump. Starting at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, chants echoed through the crowd, “Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Donald Trump go away!” and “Education not deportation!”

“Trump's agenda is absolutely horrifying. His plans for healthcare, foreign policy, immigration and much more are disgusting!” said rally host Abby Stover with the University of Utah SDS.

“Now at the top of Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress’s agenda are ‘Right to work’ laws which force unions to represent all workers, but doesn't require any of them to pay the dues unions need to represent workers effectively. The only hope of killing these laws is our resistance,” said Nick Godfrey, a Teamster at UPS.

The march passed the City Creek Mall, which was heavily guarded by police. The large crowd then occupied Main and South Temple Streets, a busy intersection.

Gabriella Killpack, an anti-war activist and Teamster, took the megaphone and said, "We’re here in the center of downtown, right by the Mormon Temple, to show the country that we won’t bow down to Trump as the Mormon Tabernacle did today.”

“Our call to action for the next four years and for however long the wealthy ruling class is in power is to build strong people’s organizations,” commented Theresa Nielson, a march organizer and member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The march proceeded up State Street to finish at the Utah State Capitol.

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]