The Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) denounces the planned burning of the Qur’an by a racist and reactionary church in Gainesville, Florida. We are outraged. Our organization is united with others, determined to stop this evil act with all the means available. We promise to do all in our power to shut down the Qur’an-burning by Terry Jones and his Dove Church.

Interview with Justin Wooten of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

Gainesville, FL – Fight Back! interviewed Justin Wooten from the Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society about the upcoming protest against the burning of the Qur’an in Gainesville, Florida on Sept. 11.

Members of the Network to Fight for Economic Justice have been leafleting and petitioning at unemployment offices demanding that Congress and state governments take action to extend and expand unemployment benefits.

En todo el país los ricos están agarrando terrenos y desplazando los pobres y la gente de color a los suburbios o a las calles. En Chicago esto ha significado la destrucción de comunidades enteras, la demolición de alojamiento público, violaciones de los derechos de inquilinos, conversión de apartamentos a condominios, y desplazamiento de la clase obrera. Pero, quienes creen que el ciclo de deterioración y desplazamiento es inevitable están despertando por el ruido los pies en marcha y el coro de voces que rechazan el silencio. Los inquilinos del Proyecto de Organización de Inquilinos y Estudiantes (STOP) están tomando acciones en contra la deterioración y el desplazamiento causado por oficiales municipales como el alcalde Daley, empresas privadas como East Lake Management, y grandes instituciones como la Universidad de Chicago.

Milwaukee, WI – 25 student and anti-war activists from Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and Minneapolis attended the Freedom School, a one-day study hosted by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

St Paul, MN – On July 8, members of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) gathered outside the Ramsey County welfare office, holding signs and passing out fliers urging people to hold the candidates for office, especially the governor’s office, accountable to the poor, unemployed and homeless.

Detroit, MI – Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) has an exciting presence here at the U.S. Social Forum (USSF). FRSO members from around the country have helped to organize and are participating in workshops. In Cobo Hall, Freedom Road has tables of revolutionary literature, clothing and merchandise.

Detroit, MI – Supporters and friends of Fight Back! are building towards the U.S. Social Forum in Detroit on June 22-26. There will be thousands of activists, students and organizers for social change. Many are hoping to learn about building the people’s fight back during the current economic crisis. Students will be discussing how to oppose cutbacks to education while the White House spends billions on wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Latin America solidarity leaders from across the country will speak about stopping seven new U.S. bases in Colombia and the spread of U.S. militarism.

Newark, NJ – The Community Coalition against Foreclosure and Homelessness rallied here, May 22, to demand that effective measures be taken by government to help victims of the housing bubble. Coalition members include the People’s Organization for Progress (POP), the Newark Teachers’ Association (NTA) and New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA). In all there were 12 organizational sponsors.

St. Paul, MN – “You need a permit to do that,” the cops told the group of women writing last-minute posters outside Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty’s office, May 17. The posters were in preparation for the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout event on the last day of the Minnesota legislative session.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Twin Cities based Welfare Rights Committee.

“Pawlenty thought he was a king. Now he is just pathetic.”

Fight Back! interviewed Linden Gawboy, a leader of the Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout on the implications of the May 5 Minnesota Supreme Court decision limiting Governor Pawlenty’s power of unallotment. Gawboy has been involved with fighting for low-income people at the Minnesota state legislature for over 15 years.

Irvington, NJ – The People’s Organization for Progress (POP) held a protest at the Irvington, New Jersey branch of Wachovia, a subsidiary of Wells Fargo, April 17. Irvington has been devastated by foreclosures, with many boarded-up houses on every residential block in town.

Newark, NJ – Community forces here, led by the United Front to Defend Public Education (UFDPE) are opposing funding cutbacks and the privatization of public schools. There have been marches and rallies, speakers at public forums and literature distribution to oppose the cutbacks.

St. Paul, MN – Protesters assembled in the rotunda of the Minnesota state capitol here on April 15 for a rally to demand that the state government not “balance the state budget on the backs of working and low-income people.” The rally called on politicians to instead, “tax the rich.”

Minneapolis, MN – Friends, neighbors and other supporters joined the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout at the home of Michel Kidd, April 9. Kidd has been fighting to keep his home for over a year. He has had enough of the mortgage servicer, Aurora Loan Services, stalling, changing terms, ‘forgetting’ about past agreements and items faxed and mailed several times and apparently refusing to negotiate in good faith.

Analysis of health care reform

Passage of President Obama’s health care reform in late March made for great political theater. Here was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, skillfully maneuvering the bill through Congress after many had given it up for lost. Here was House minority leader and Republican point man John Boehner, reduced to ranting about ‘Armageddon’ and predicting the end of civilization as we know it if the bill passed. Here were Republican legislators egging on the mob of teabaggers who massed outside the Capitol, hurling racist and homophobic slurs at Representatives John Lewis and Barney Frank as they went inside.

Minneapolis, MN – We have a social safety net that is nearly gone, and the politicians are stealing the last crumbs from the tables of our state's poorest families. Not only do they ignore our kids when they cut the budget, they try to hide the fact that children make up the majority of impoverished people in this country.