Hosted by Indivisible Tosa Events
Hart Park, 7300 Chesnut Street – 4 P.M.
This is not over! Justice cannot be had in Tosa until Joseph Mensah and Chief Barry Weber are fired from the Tosa Police Department. Join The People’s Revolution and Indivisible Tosa on Sunday November 1. #wakeuptosa #firejosephmensah #firechiefweber
MADISON
Allies for Black Lives – Madison
MILWAUKEE
OSHKOSH
BLM Election Day Protest, Sun Dial, Oshkosh, WI – 5:30 P.M.
Hosted by Brandon Moen, Tillie Schroeder and Carter Pfile
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ORGANIZE PEOPLE’S COMMITTEES TO DEFEND DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
Donald Trump is making it clearer every day that he will not peacefully give up the office of president. Trump may claim victory after instigating massive voter suppression, post office sabotage and attacks on absentee ballots. His right-wing supporters are being encouraged to prevent fair voting from proceeding. If Trump overturns the election, if he refuses to accept the will of the electorate or if his criminal interference is unacceptable to the people, how can he be removed from the Oval Office?
To expect the United States military to intervene should not be our plan. And the Supreme Court of the United States cannot be relied upon to deliver even a semblance of justice. To wait upon the military or the courts to act would be foolish and disastrous. Only the broadest mass movement of the working class and oppressed peoples can protect basic democracy in this period.
What is needed is to organize broad based People’s Committees to Defend Democratic Rights. This must be done very quickly. To be truly representative these committees must extend invitations to any and every progressive groups and labor organization in their locality. These must include churches, women’s groups, the LGBTQ community, immigrant rights groups, people with disabilities organizations, Black Lives Matter groups as well as traditional Civil Rights organizations, Native nations, Latinx associations, Asian & Pacific Islanders groups and all other progressive associations. Local labor unions must take this up as well as central labor councils and labor allies.
The aim of People’s Committees should be very clear. They must prepare to shut the entire country down if Trump tries to steal the election. They must popularize the idea of, and prepare for, a General Strike.
The largest labor organization in the country is the American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) with 12.5 million members. The AFL-CIO should play an important role. The Constitution of the AFL-CIO mandates that it respond to the dangerous situation that is looming. The Preamble says in part:
“We will assemble a broad progressive coalition for social and economic justice. We will create a political force within the labor movement that will speak forcefully and persuasively on the public issues that affect our lives.”
Article II, Objects and Principles, Section 12 instructs the federation:“To protect the labor movement from any and all corrupt influences and from the undermining efforts of authoritarianism, totalitarianism, terrorism and all other forces that suppress individual liberties and freedom of association and oppose the basic principles of our democracy and of free and democratic unionism.”
This gives the AFL-CIO Executive Council, state and local central labor bodies and individual local unions the duty to assist in the formation of People’s Committees to Defend Democratic Rights. A general strike cannot just be called out of the blue. People’s Committees could call upon every union local, every organization and progressive group to discuss the idea and to conduct a vote of their membership asking them to authorize the calling of a general strike if and when it is deemed necessary.
Just imagine the terror felt on Wall Street among the big bankers and corporate bosses as word comes out of one union after another, one community group after another, one church after another, weighing in with a YES vote in favor of a general strike. Every day billionaire support for Donald Trump’s provocations would dry up and his mass right-wing base would become more and more isolated. It might very well be so effective that no actual work stoppage would even be needed.
Initiated by: Moratorium Now Coalition – Detroit; Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement; Peoples Alliance – Bay Area
Michigan contact: Facebook – MoratoriumNowCoalition
Chris Gelardi – October 29, 2020
Under the banner of Detroit Will Breathe, the city’s Black Lives Matter activists have formed a cohesive and lasting local political force.
As perhaps the highest-stakes election in a generation approaches, the widespread protests against racism and policing that defined much of the news cycle this summer have largely faded from national headlines. But the movement has not dissipated.
In Detroit, activists have created one of the most cohesive local movements in the country. Their work shows how the ongoing mobilization can change the landscape of local political organizing, particularly when it comes to the issue of policing.
Since late May, under the banner of Detroit Will Breathe, activists have been identifying pressing local racial, economic, and social justice issues, and mobilizing a diverse array of educational, direct action, and advocacy campaigns. They’ve canvassed for police reforms, organized campaigns to pressure the city council on policy, mobilized in support of neighbors who have experienced racism and police violence, and even sued the Detroit Police Department.
Detroit Will Breathe has taken advantage of the current momentum to rally against what its members see as an abusive police force and a malevolent political establishment, and placed itself at the center of local civic life.
“We’ve already created so much change,” said Sammie Lewis, a Detroit Will Breathe organizer. “We’ve protected each other more than the police could ever protect us. And we know that, because of that, we need to keep up this fight…”
Hosted by Fight for $15 and Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association
5th Street and Michigan Avenue, Milwaukee – 9 P.M.
Join Milwaukee-area voters for a community celebration!Come at 8pm as the results roll in. We’ve fought hard to make sure our voices are heard this November, and we’re ready to do what it takes now and in the following days to make sure all of our votes are counted.
Come to the event, celebrate, and sign up for the fight ahead!COVID-19: Because the health and safety of our community is our top priority, please make sure to only attend if you are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms and have not been exposed to someone infected with the virus within the last 14 days.
Participants must pledge to adhere to 6ft social distancing rules and wear a mask at all times while in attendance. These rules will be enforced.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd. Let’s get ready to VOTE FOR BLACK LIVES with a week of fun pop-up events, phone banking, and testimonials form community members!
Together, we can make sure that #BlackLivesMatter at the polls!Sunday, Nov 1st: BLACK to SCHOOL (part 2!). Stop by the Freedom Inc. office for a drive-thru school supply and gift card giveaway!
2110 Luann Ln from 12pm – 2pm
This is a DRIVE THRU event. Please wear a mask and stay in your car.
October 29, 2020
[SRRT is a body within the American Library Association but does not and should not be taken to speak for the Association as a whole. In this statement SRRT Action Council speaks only on its own behalf.]
During the current presidential campaign, repeated statements have been made indicating an unwillingness to abide by the outcome of the upcoming election. Statements such as these represent a direct challenge to democracy, the Constitution, and the political traditions of the United States—and to the core values of the American Library Association (ALA). The Action Council of the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) of ALA is issuing this statement to express our support for democracy and a free and fair election.
In response to candidate statements this year challenging democracy, one progressive group, Choose Democracy, has appealed for nonviolent street demonstrations if a coup is attempted. Other progressive organizations, including the Moratorium Now Coalition in Detroit, the Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement, and the People’s Alliance—Bay Area have issued a call for a general strike if there is an attempt to overturn the results of the election or refusal to accept the will of the electorate. Similarly, in separate statements various labor organizations, including the 100,000 member MLK Labor Council in Seattle, the 70,000 member Rochester (NY) AFL-CIO Labor Council, union activists with the American Postal Workers Union in Detroit, and the Western Massachusetts Area Labor Federation have pledged to meet any attempt to obstruct, overturn, or reject a fair and complete count of presidential ballots with nonviolent protests and labor actions.
The Action Council of the Social Responsibilities Round Table of ALA supports such initiatives in defense of democracy. Following the lead of the MLK Labor Council we encourage information workers to sign the Coup Preparation pledge issued by Choose Democracy. We also urge information workers to participate actively in peaceful demonstrations and/or strike actions to oppose any coup attempt associated with this election.
Issued September 29, 2020
Donald Trump is making it clearer every day that he will not peacefully give up the office of president. Trump may claim victory after instigating massive voter suppression, post office sabotage and attacks on absentee ballots. His right-wing supporters are being encouraged to prevent fair voting from proceeding. If Trump overturns the election, if he refuses to accept the will of the electorate or if his criminal interference is unacceptable to the people, how can he be removed from the Oval Office?
To expect the United States military to intervene should not be our plan. And the Supreme Court of the United States cannot be relied upon to deliver even a semblance of justice. To wait upon the military or the courts to act would be foolish and disastrous. Only the broadest mass movement of the working class and oppressed peoples can protect basic democracy in this period.
What is needed is to organize broad based People’s Committees to Defend Democratic Rights. This must be done very quickly. To be truly representative these committees must extend invitations to any and every progressive groups and labor organization in their locality. These must include churches, women’s groups, the LGBTQ community, immigrant rights groups, people with disabilities organizations, Black Lives Matter groups as well as traditional Civil Rights organizations, Native nations, Latinx associations, Asian & Pacific Islanders groups and all other progressive associations. Local labor unions must take this up as well as central labor councils and labor allies.
The aim of People’s Committees should be very clear. They must prepare to shut the entire country down if Trump tries to steal the election. They must popularize the idea of, and prepare for, a General Strike.
The largest labor organization in the country is the American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) with 12.5 million members. The AFL-CIO should play an important role. The Constitution of the AFL-CIO mandates that it respond to the dangerous situation that is looming. The Preamble says in part:
“We will assemble a broad progressive coalition for social and economic justice. We will create a political force within the labor movement that will speak forcefully and persuasively on the public issues that affect our lives.”
Article II, Objects and Principles, Section 12 instructs the federation:“To protect the labor movement from any and all corrupt influences and from the undermining efforts of authoritarianism, totalitarianism, terrorism and all other forces that suppress individual liberties and freedom of association and oppose the basic principles of our democracy and of free and democratic unionism.”
This gives the AFL-CIO Executive Council, state and local central labor bodies and individual local unions the duty to assist in the formation of People’s Committees to Defend Democratic Rights. A general strike cannot just be called out of the blue. People’s Committees could call upon every union local, every organization and progressive group to discuss the idea and to conduct a vote of their membership asking them to authorize the calling of a general strike if and when it is deemed necessary.
Just imagine the terror felt on Wall Street among the big bankers and corporate bosses as word comes out of one union after another, one community group after another, one church after another, weighing in with a YES vote in favor of a general strike. Every day billionaire support for Donald Trump’s provocations would dry up and his mass right-wing base would become more and more isolated. It might very well be so effective that no actual work stoppage would even be needed.
Initiated by: Moratorium Now Coalition – Detroit; Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement; Peoples Alliance – Bay Area
Michigan contact: Facebook – MoratoriumNowCoalition
Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement 