Solidarity With Immigrants Under Attack: Demonstrate!
Fri., Jan. 10 at 8, 12 & 4:00
INS, Los Angeles & Temple St
Jan. 10 is the next deadline from the INS for fingerprinting and interviews for so-called "visitors" from Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, or Yemen. We just saw with Iranians and others in December, that mass detentions occurred for specious "visa irregularities" by people in
the process of achieving permanent resident status.
These new so-called
>"national security" regulations have nothing to do with combating terrorism. Instead, they serve to demonize immigrants and particularly those from predominantly Muslim countries. They're part of a concerted campaign by the government to promote an atmosphere of fear, division and repression. They're connected to the drive toward war with Iraq as part of Bush's program, supported by Democrats as well, of an "endless war against terrorism." Just as "weapons of mass destruction" are only a pretext for a war for U.S. domination over regions and resources, "terrorism" is a
pretext for stigmatizing immigrant workers as scapegoats for a deepening economic crisis within the US. War and repression are manifestations of
the deepening class and colonial war within the US itself as well as globally; the state has billions for war and repression while driving thousands into hunger and homelessness, slashing healthcare, education and jobs. The US has done this before, importing and then deporting workers from Mexico with Operation Bracero and Operation Wetback, and from Eastern
Europe during the World War I era "Red Scare." Chinese were imported and then "excluded" by KKK-influenced immigration laws. Japanese Americans were illegally interned during World War II.
We cannot allow the government to divide us or intimidate us at this moment, nor can we rely on conventional political methods like petitioning our elected reps to act. They have acted, and legalized all these measures of military aggression and political repression. The time is now for concerted direct action that builds solidarity and courage. The parallels
to the rise of fascism in Europe, reflected in the comments of Rev. Neimoller in Germany -- "First they came for the communists and I did nothing, because I wasn't a communist" -- are very strong. Today they are
coming for the immigrants first. Just as the people of Denmark, under Nazi occupation, responded to a call from their king to put on yellow Jewish "Stars of David" when the Nazis ordered Danish Jews to where such yellow stars, people in the U.S. need to step up against this repression.
On January 10, let a thousand voices proclaim "I am Spartacus" to the demands of the new Empire, as the rebel slaves did to the demands of the Roman Empire.
Anti-Racist Action 310-495-0299 POB 1055 Culver City CA 90232
ara-la@antiracistaction.us