“The problem isn’t Trump,” said Martin in discussions after the rally,
“it’s the capitalist system."
Violence begets violence. What more proof do we need, other than
generations of being taught to hate? Instead of learning to kill one
another, we must begin finding ways of living together. But in order
to do that, we must throw off our Capitalist Masters, and take charge
of our own destiny. Peaceful rallies are a beginning, but peaceful
resistance must follow. Peaceful work stoppages and peaceful
interference with government's daily functions. Defiance of the Laws
of the Oligarchy, and issuing new or altered Laws that advance and
protect the needs of the Working Class.
Of course one of the most effective methods of gaining a foot in the
door is to stop buying with our credit cards. Then, stop buying
anything for two or three days, with the promise that the next time it
will be at least a week.
But such peaceful actions must be accompanied with a list of well
thought out demands for change.
This means that we must review our entire System and determine where
we have lost control, and what we must do to regain it. Especially,
how do we regain our self respect.
Carl Jarvis
On 3/14/17, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
http://themilitant.com/2017/8111/811102.html
The Militant (logo)
Vol. 81/No. 11 March 20, 2017
(front page)
No to Jew-hatred, attacks on mosques, immigrants!
Socialist Workers Party in Seattle speaks out
Militant photos by Edwin Fruit
Mary Martin, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor of Seattle,
speaking, inset, at rally in Bellevue, Washington, March 5, against
attacks on South Asian immigrants, and above, discussing the party’s
call for amnesty for all immigrants with rally participants.
Protest condemns racist attacks on Indians, Sikhs
BY EDWIN FRUIT
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Several hundred people came together here for a vigil
and rally at Crossroads Park March 5 to honor the life of Srinivas
Kuchibhotla, an Indian immigrant killed in a racist attack Feb. 22 in
Olathe, Kansas; to protest the shooting of Deep Rai, a Sikh, in Kent,
Washington, March 3; and to show solidarity for the South Asian
community in the area. Many South Asians live here and work at companies
like Microsoft, Google and Amazon.
Rita Meher of Tasveer, one of the South Asian groups that helped
organize the event, welcomed everyone, explaining the gathering was put
together to oppose attacks on South Asians and other immigrants.
Kuchibhotla was killed in a bar in Kansas by an assailant who yelled he
should go back where he came from. His friend Alok Madasani, also from
India, was shot but survived the attack.
A number of people at the rally knew Madasani, who previously lived in
the Seattle area. Some had been co-workers and others had played cricket
with him.
Deep Rai was shot in the arm while working on his car in his driveway.
The shooter, a Caucasian man with a mask over the lower part of his
face, told Rai “go back to your own country.”
And on March 2, Harnish Patel, a small business owner originally from
India, was shot and killed in South Carolina.
Speakers represented a number of South Asian organizations; the mayor
and police chief of Bellevue; Democratic Party politicians, including
7th Congressional District Democratic Party Rep. Pramila Jayapal; Mary
Martin, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor of Seattle; Kshama
Sawant, a Socialist Alternative member and city councilwoman in Seattle;
and members of various religious groups.
A number of speakers argued that President Donald Trump was responsible
for the attacks. “The Trump administration has fostered a climate of
fear and hatred,” Sawant told the crowd. Kings County Executive Dow
Constantine, a Democrat, said the attacks were the product of the
“atmosphere” created by Trump.
“We think it is important to remember the names of those attacked and
killed,” SWP mayoral candidate Martin told the rally, pointing to her
sign that listed the four names of Indian immigrants attacked over the
last week. “The Socialist Workers Party demands the perpetrators of
these attacks be arrested, prosecuted and jailed. We call on all working
people and the labor movement to protest these assaults, to speak out
against scapegoating of immigrant workers living here and to oppose the
recent attacks and threats directed at Jews and Muslims.
“All of these acts are attempts to divide the working class,” said
Martin. “To address these divisions we call for amnesty for all
immigrants living in this country, no matter where you came from or how
you got here. We demand an end to the raids and deportations. We say, an
injury to one is an injury to all!”
“The problem isn’t Trump,” said Martin in discussions after the rally,
“it’s the capitalist system. From Clinton to Bush, Obama to Trump, the
propertied rulers turn immigration on and off as they need cheap labor.
They use undocumented labor to divide the working class, to drive down
wages for all.
“But the rulers have found they have a problem,” she continued. “They
wanted workers, but they got people. And those people are demanding
their rights. Their fight is in the interest of all workers.”
*****
Letter to Stroum Jewish Community Center
On Feb. 27, the Stroum Jewish Community Center in Mercer Island,
Washington, received a bomb threat, one of dozens of anti-Semitic
threats and attacks over the last couple of months across the country.
The following letter of solidarity was hand-delivered the next day to
Dana Weiner, the center’s director of community connections, by Mary
Martin, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor of Seattle. Martin
met Weiner and they discussed the fight against Jew-hatred.
On behalf of the Socialist Workers Party in Washington state, I am
writing to add our voice in protest against the Feb. 27 bomb threat
against the center. We condemn this action in the strongest possible way
and demand that the perpetrators be arrested, prosecuted and jailed.
We further call on all working people and the unions to speak out
against this and all acts of Jew-hatred taking place across the country,
including the vandalism of cemeteries in Philadelphia and St. Louis. We
urge defense of anyone scapegoated and victimized — including Muslims
and immigrants living in this country — in an effort to divide and
weaken the working class. An Injury to One Is an Injury to All!
Please do not hesitate to call on the Socialist Workers Party if you
hold any public meetings concerning this attack or for any assistance
you may need.
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