News and Views from the People's Struggle
Asheville, NC - The chant, “U.S. out of Iraq! Let them have their country back!” echoed off the buildings of downtown Asheville as a spirited group of over 100 students, young people, workers and veterans marched through the city to say no to Bush’s war. The protesters chose to mark the three-year anniversary of the invasion by joining millions of others around the world to demand the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
To mark the third anniversary of the war, and now occupation, of Iraq, people around the globe marched, calling for U.S. troops to leave immediately. In Chicago, 10,000 protesters faced off against 1500 police in full riot gear during their evening march on Michigan Avenue on March 18. This was the first time in three years that organizers were able to get a permit to march on Michigan Avenue.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following announcement from the Anti-war Committee for their press conference on Monday August 3:
Atlanta, GA - In one of the largest anti-war rallies in the South, upwards of 4000 protesters – students, Black civil rights activists, trade unionists and military veterans – marched in Atlanta, April 1, demanding, “Peace in Iraq, justice at home!”
For 20 years, Iraqi American Sami Rasouli lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as a peace activist and restaurant owner. He visited Iraq in 2004, and decided to move home and help rebuild his country. He sold his restaurant and returned to Najaf, where he founded the Muslim Peacemakers Team. Fight Back! interviewed him during his three-month U.S. speaking tour about the reality of the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
Sara Rich is an activist and a tireless advocate for her daughter, Army Specialist Suzanne Swift, who is awaiting a court-martial for refusing to return to Iraq under the command of a sergeant who raped her. Today Sara Rich travels around the U.S., speaking out against the war and military sexual violence. Fight Back! interviewed Sara Rich on Oct. 28.
Letter Delivered to Administration Demands Boycott and Divestment
Chapel Hill, NC – A delegation of students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) delivered a letter to Chancellor Thorp's office, Feb. 25, demanding that UNC divest from Israel. Holding a banner that said, “End U.S. aid to Israel!” the students explained their demands to the university administrator who received the letter in place of Chancellor Thorp. “We want our university to stop investing in the murder of Palestinian civilians,” said Maddy Miller, a member of SDS.
Los Angeles, CA – More than 500 students, teachers, union members and parents rallied and marched here, March 17 to demand an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq, that military recruiters get out of schools and to call for a stop to attacks on immigrants. Latinos Against the War organized the action. A statement from the organizers said, “The military recruiters target immigrant Latino youth while their parents are victims of racist legislation like HR 4437 and deportations by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The U.S. military recruits Latino youth for war and the ICE deports their parents.”
#LosAngelesCA #AntiwarMovement #News #Iraq #ChicanoLatino #militaryRecruiters #LatinosAgainstWar #ImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementICE
Los Angeles, CA – More than 500 marched here, Aug. 27, in a mass march and rally demanding an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Other demands included that the U.S. get out of Latin America and an end to U.S. military recruiting of Latino youth in high schools. Organized by Latinos Against War In Iraq, SEIU Local 660, National Chicano Moratorium Committee, Partido Nacional de La Raza Unida, MECHA and other community and labor groups, protesters marched from Belvedere Park in East Los Angeles to a rally at Salazar Park.
Los Angeles, CA – On Aug. 27, Latinos Against War In Iraq, SEIU Local 660, National Chicano Moratorium Committee, Partido Nacional de La Raza Unida, MECHA and other community and labor groups will participate in a mass march and rally to demand an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. The demands also include that the U.S. get out of Latin America and an end to U.S. military recruiting of Latino youth in high schools. The protest will start at 10 a.m. in Belvedere Park, East Los Angeles and will m arch to Salazar Park for rally at noon.
Los Angeles, CA – Students and parents in East Los Angeles want decent schools. Centro CSO has been organizing for over two years to pressure the Los Angeles Unified School District to build a new high school in Boyle Heights to relieve the extremely overcrowded conditions at Roosevelt High School. The L.A. Unified School District will present the preliminary design at a community meeting at the Utah Street School on April 14.
Los Angeles, CA – Fernando Suarez Del Solar, from Escondido, father of Jesus Aleberto Suarez del Solar Navarro, a U.S. Marine killed in Iraq, spoke at a rally Aug. 30, in Hollenbeck Park in the heart of Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles. Mr. Solar has been an active vocal critic of the U.S. war on Iraq and the high casualty rate of Latinos in the war.
Los Angeles, CA – Demanding “Escuelas si, guerra no!” – yes to schools no to war – one hundred parents, students and teachers attended a teach-in and rally, June 4. Latinos Against the War, El Centro CSO and the Roosevelt Revolutionary Students group of East L.A.'s Roosevelt High School sponsored the event.
Los Angeles, CA – The Latino community has taken a strong stand against the Bush war drive and invasion against the people of Iraq. Here in Los Angeles, a new group, named Latinos Against War In Iraq – LAWII – was formed and immediately plunged into a series of demonstrations.
Los Angles, CA – Aug. 29 marks the 32nd anniversary of the historic Chicano Moratorium. A little more than three decades ago, the largest Chicano/a mobilization ever took place to protest the Vietnam War. Large numbers of Chicanos were sent to fight the people of Vietnam. The people's movement challenged U.S. foreign policy, the high casualty rate of Chicanos in Vietnam and the negative effects that the war had on our community at home.
Los Angeles, CA – An important anti-war conference, titled “Community Conference Against The War: Building Community Power and International Solidarity” was held at the Hollenbeck Park Recreation Center on Feb. 23.
The following analyses, was written by two Chicana activists on the 30th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.
Asheville, NC – Over 40 students confronted North Carolina Army National Guard recruiters on the University of North Carolina at Asheville campus during the university’s Career Fair, Feb. 21. The UNCA Socialist Unity League, a progressive and antiwar student group, led the effort for students to protest the recruiters’ presence.
Students and community activists march at University of Illinois-Chicago, Feb. 25. The protest opposed military recruiters and ROTC on campus. Students from area colleges and high schools and veterans of Iraq and Vietnam joined the action. After a conference on the lessons of counter-recruitment efforts in the public schools and colleges in the Chicago area, the group occupied the front of the ROTC building on campus for fifteen minutes.
Chapel Hill, NC – Over 120 students rallied against John Ashcroft at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill campus Sept. 12, disrupting his speech. Ashcroft was Attorney General under Bush. He is responsible for the repressive PATRIOT Act, legislative attacks on women's reproductive rights and policies aimed at criminalizing immigrant workers.