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Dec 29, 18

This Is America #49: Yellow Vests Hit the US, Report on Haiti, & Trump Crisis Grows

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Welcome, to This Is America, December 29th, 2018.

Amidst the excitement of the holidays, both a economic crisis is growing as is one of State legitimacy, as the Trump administration continues to break apart. On Christmas Eve, the second indigenous Guatemalan child in few weeks time has tragically died while in ICE custody, both seemed to be suffering from fever, flu, and cold like symptoms. Migrants due to border militarization, must make journeys of thousands of miles, often through dangerous terrain, to avoid being captured by border patrol. If they are caught, they face being locked within detention facilities where people are cramped together and conditions are poor. Migrants describe the facilities as “ice boxes,” where children are often the most susceptible to disease. Private prisons, which now are housing thousands of underage children across the US, were big backers of the Trump campaign, donating millions in the lead up to the election.

With anger and protests continuing against ICE and the colonial border, Trump continues to push for funding for his broadly unpopular “Wall,” which will cost billions, and has even initiated a government shut down in an effort to secure funding for the Wall. This means that many government workers are now not receiving any pay, and many programs will not be allotted funding until a new budget deal can be worked out. This situation has sent ripple effects throughout financial markets as well as brought down Trump’s approval ratings back into the 30’s.

In today’s episode, we talk about this growing crisis, its historic precedent, as well as what this means for anarchists and autonomists and the outbreak for potential autonomous revolt and collective action. We also are joined by a comrade out of the Twin Cities, who talks about a recent autonomous anti-capitalist demonstration that utilized the meme of the Yellow Vests. During our discussion we talk about the importance of the Yellow Vest movement as well as the need to confront and drive out the far-Right from within it. We then are joined by someone from the Salish Sea Black Autonomists, who discusses their organization as well as their recent article on revolt and self-organized struggle in Haiti over the past six months.

All this and more, but first, let’s get to the news!

Living and Fighting

  • People have been going hard against both Identity Evropa and Patriot Front, removing their stickers, posters, and banners wherever they pop-up. Shout out to folks in Chicago, Evansville, Southern Colorado, and beyond who have been taking them down.

  • People are showing solidarity with the Rojavan Revolution and against a possible invasion by Turkish and Jhadi forces. A banner was dropped in solidarity in Minneapolis and in Portland, Oregon, people with Demand Utopia held a solidarity demonstration.

  • In Chicago, actions by the Autonomous Tenants Union continue, with home demonstrations taking place against a local landlord who had attempted to evict families during the holidays.
  • Speaking of home demonstrations, people projected the image of Jakelin Caal onto the home of Border Patrol Commissioner Kevin McAleenan.

  • The CEO of Burgerville called police on Burgerville Workers Union supporters from holding “donate to workers in need” signs outside of his church. BWU wrote in an update:

Last weekend, BVWU supporters stood outside of the church of Burgerville CEO Tom Mears, and spoke to churchgoers about how many Burgerville workers experience houselessness and food insecurity, even as they work full time hours. They shared how, despite its reputation, Burgerville continues to pay its workers poverty wages and still hasn’t responded to workers’ proposals for basic needs. They also spoke to Pastor Fitz Neal, whom many local faith leaders have tried to contact in the past on behalf of the BVWU. Neal refused to shake their hand and immediately called the police.

https://twitter.com/TurdyMcFergy/status/1076983416665636864

  • Repression of Water Protectors continues as the State continues to put people in jail for years. Check out the latest update from Unicorn Riot on those still facing charges.
  • Appalachians Against Pipelines is celebrating ongoing resistance throughout 2018 with a year end celebration. They wrote online:

Aerial blockades prevented pipeline construction for much of 2018. As a new year on the calendar begins, we’re still here! Let’s take a moment to celebrate a year of collective struggle and mourn all the destruction the pipelines and their world have wrought, even as we prepare for the fight ahead. Let’s reflect on this fight as one fire of resistance among countless across the world.

A new analysis by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Energy Institute finds [Water Protectors] prevented at least $91.9 billion in domestic economic activity…Activists have attempted to derail energy projects with countless lawsuits, protests and even vandalizing property, with the goal of delaying or killing energy projects, the report says. Taken together, the $91.9 billion in lost economic opportunity is larger than the economies of 12 states, the report says.

  • In another update the group wrote:

Mountain Valley Pipeline filed legal papers this week against the tree sits outside of Elliston, which have now defended the steep hillside where they stand for 115 days, since early September. MVP added “Tree-Sitter 1” and “Tree-Sitter 2” to their ongoing eminent domain case, however it is yet to be seen if MVP lackeys will make it up the hill to serve them papers.

  • Water protectors and indigenous land defenders continue to defend their territory at the Unist’ot’en Camp. In a recent update they wrote:

We are doing our best to keep the road to camp open with our trusty snow plow truck. Conditions change by the day. We are asking only 4×4’s with good winter tires and drivers that are experienced in snow driving conditions attempt to drive out. 

  • In so-called Hamilton, IWW members continue to hold down picket lines as part of the Post Strike. Recently, people shot off fireworks, as seen in the video below.

Shift Change at Millen Sorting Plant

Shift change at the Millen Road distribution center was looking a little more exciting! Despite the rain we thought we would brighten up the barricades with some fireworks this time! Solidarity with CUPW STTP and all the workers who are holding down the lines at Canada Post! #WeveGotYourBack #CUPW #Canlab

由 Hamilton IWW 发布于 2018年12月28日周五

That’s gonna do it for us in terms of news, enjoy the interviews and the discussion and we will see you in 2019!

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In search of new forms of life. It's Going Down is a digital community center and media platform featuring news, opinion, podcasts, and reporting on autonomous social movements and revolt across so-called North America from an anarchist perspective.

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