Students across the country are taking to direct action this week, taking the streets in the face of global capitalism at the G20, and taking over their schools in the face of capitalist crises in California.
Students at U of P attempt to leave their dorms, confronted by riot police
Here is a dispatch from our UND SDS friends at the G20 in Pittsburgh:
"A march, police escalation, local kindness, and musings. And a woman named Hope
I don’t know where to start. Right now the students of the University of Pittsburgh are being attacked. Students are being held in their dorms by lines of riot cops, and I’m sitting at our friends house, legs up, ankles crossed typing this. What does that mean to anything. I don’t know. I’ll try to touch on what I experienced, what I am thinking now.
It seems indecent to try to explain the day when it is still continuing. While I get messages of what’s happening. (#g20pgh:two more arrests, cops have blocked off student dorms, using weapons) But that was the point of this blog, and I’ll continue its goals. We started the day meeting up with a student feeder march. We left the park marched along sidewalks and chanted our chants. It was hotter than it should of been. Sweat and sore feet, hills and a collecting of people at Arsenal park. A line of riot cops boxed off one side of the park, and people gathered. Seeds of peace showed up again, feed people, and the march started. (#g20pgh police dispersing folks onto forbes against traffic) We met a line of police and ended up being rerouted in the other direction. I was dismayed at the small numbers of folks at first, but the march swelled at this point. With people appearing and joining in from all directions, from house, from apartment buildings and we marched. It was alot of energy and friendly faces. We moved towards downtown and were blocked by police who threatened to use force to disperse the march. It started to break apart. You know.
Let’s move past this.
The things that happened: Gas,LRAD(Long range acoustic device:it basically screams at you, fills your head with their noise)rubber bullets, batons and splintering marches. There was more cops than protesters, there was windows broken. There was a momentary break in a park. People eating and talking, then the LRAD swinging up and being aimmed at the folks sitting in the park.(#G20pgh:student dorms blocked by police with weapons)
Walking away from the first blocade. Local folks offered us water, and their places to sit and rest. They asked us if we needed to use the bathroom. If we were alright. As we walked the local folks clapped for us, and asked us why we were there. And people explained and we thanked them. This is what I think about now. I always asked, and am always asked, what people are fighting about. What are people doing going to places and making noise and getting beat, battoned. Maybe it’s that, maybe it’s for the kindness of a woman holding a child asking us if we need to use the bathroom. And her apologizing because they turned off her power. Maybe there is something there that is being missed. Maybe there is something everywhere that we can no longer see. (#g20pgh units are responding to hotmetal bridge for reports of protesters gathering) I wish I knew.
Right now, it goes on and I’m still on this couch. Thinking about Hope asking us if we needed help. Meeting her children and shaking their hands.
NDFB
I’m tired and need to sleep. Thank you all for reading. I’ll try to write again tomorrow morning to clear somethings up.
9/25/09
G20 Solidarity
California Students Ignite Resistance
Here is some inspiring videos from California students who are demanding education rights!
9/23/09
SDS Action Against War in Afghanistan
SDS MKE will be participating in the national day of action against war in Afghanistan. Students at UWM will be organizing outside the Sandburg Dowms on October 7th at 1130 am. If you are interested in learning more, or getting involved, our next meeting is Monday at 7pm in Union room 240!
Two Events This Thursday
Hi Folks,
This is a quick reminder that tomorrow (Thursday) at 7pm Father Simon Harak will be presenting his outstanding analysis of who profits from war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Also, the Chicana Feminist artist Favianna Rodriguez will be opening an exhibit in the UWM Union art gallery from 5-8pm.
Power to the People
9/15/09
Student Resistance Across The U.S. Today
Students across the country are taking to direct action this week, taking the streets in the face of global capitalism at the G20, and taking over their schools in the face of capitalist crises in California.
Here is a dispatch from our UND SDS friends at the G20 in Pittsburgh:
"A march, police escalation, local kindness, and musings. And a woman named Hope
I don’t know where to start. Right now the students of the University of Pittsburgh are being attacked. Students are being held in their dorms by lines of riot cops, and I’m sitting at our friends house, legs up, ankles crossed typing this. What does that mean to anything. I don’t know. I’ll try to touch on what I experienced, what I am thinking now.
It seems indecent to try to explain the day when it is still continuing. While I get messages of what’s happening. (#g20pgh:two more arrests, cops have blocked off student dorms, using weapons) But that was the point of this blog, and I’ll continue its goals. We started the day meeting up with a student feeder march. We left the park marched along sidewalks and chanted our chants. It was hotter than it should of been. Sweat and sore feet, hills and a collecting of people at Arsenal park. A line of riot cops boxed off one side of the park, and people gathered. Seeds of peace showed up again, feed people, and the march started. (#g20pgh police dispersing folks onto forbes against traffic) We met a line of police and ended up being rerouted in the other direction. I was dismayed at the small numbers of folks at first, but the march swelled at this point. With people appearing and joining in from all directions, from house, from apartment buildings and we marched. It was alot of energy and friendly faces. We moved towards downtown and were blocked by police who threatened to use force to disperse the march. It started to break apart. You know.
Let’s move past this.
The things that happened: Gas,LRAD(Long range acoustic device:it basically screams at you, fills your head with their noise)rubber bullets, batons and splintering marches. There was more cops than protesters, there was windows broken. There was a momentary break in a park. People eating and talking, then the LRAD swinging up and being aimmed at the folks sitting in the park.(#G20pgh:student dorms blocked by police with weapons)
Walking away from the first blocade. Local folks offered us water, and their places to sit and rest. They asked us if we needed to use the bathroom. If we were alright. As we walked the local folks clapped for us, and asked us why we were there. And people explained and we thanked them. This is what I think about now. I always asked, and am always asked, what people are fighting about. What are people doing going to places and making noise and getting beat, battoned. Maybe it’s that, maybe it’s for the kindness of a woman holding a child asking us if we need to use the bathroom. And her apologizing because they turned off her power. Maybe there is something there that is being missed. Maybe there is something everywhere that we can no longer see. (#g20pgh units are responding to hotmetal bridge for reports of protesters gathering) I wish I knew.
Right now, it goes on and I’m still on this couch. Thinking about Hope asking us if we needed help. Meeting her children and shaking their hands.
NDFB
I’m tired and need to sleep. Thank you all for reading. I’ll try to write again tomorrow morning to clear somethings up. (#g20pgh: 20-30 bike cops on 6th ave &6 police vehicles on 5th ave heading towards downtown)"
Student Resistance Across The U.S. Today
Students across the country are taking to direct action this week, taking the streets in the face of global capitalism at the G20, and taking over their schools in the face of capitalist crises in California.
Here is a dispatch from our UND SDS friends at the G20 in Pittsburgh:
"A march, police escalation, local kindness, and musings. And a woman named Hope
I don’t know where to start. Right now the students of the University of Pittsburgh are being attacked. Students are being held in their dorms by lines of riot cops, and I’m sitting at our friends house, legs up, ankles crossed typing this. What does that mean to anything. I don’t know. I’ll try to touch on what I experienced, what I am thinking now.
It seems indecent to try to explain the day when it is still continuing. While I get messages of what’s happening. (#g20pgh:two more arrests, cops have blocked off student dorms, using weapons) But that was the point of this blog, and I’ll continue its goals. We started the day meeting up with a student feeder march. We left the park marched along sidewalks and chanted our chants. It was hotter than it should of been. Sweat and sore feet, hills and a collecting of people at Arsenal park. A line of riot cops boxed off one side of the park, and people gathered. Seeds of peace showed up again, feed people, and the march started. (#g20pgh police dispersing folks onto forbes against traffic) We met a line of police and ended up being rerouted in the other direction. I was dismayed at the small numbers of folks at first, but the march swelled at this point. With people appearing and joining in from all directions, from house, from apartment buildings and we marched. It was alot of energy and friendly faces. We moved towards downtown and were blocked by police who threatened to use force to disperse the march. It started to break apart. You know.
Let’s move past this.
The things that happened: Gas,LRAD(Long range acoustic device:it basically screams at you, fills your head with their noise)rubber bullets, batons and splintering marches. There was more cops than protesters, there was windows broken. There was a momentary break in a park. People eating and talking, then the LRAD swinging up and being aimmed at the folks sitting in the park.(#G20pgh:student dorms blocked by police with weapons)
Walking away from the first blocade. Local folks offered us water, and their places to sit and rest. They asked us if we needed to use the bathroom. If we were alright. As we walked the local folks clapped for us, and asked us why we were there. And people explained and we thanked them. This is what I think about now. I always asked, and am always asked, what people are fighting about. What are people doing going to places and making noise and getting beat, battoned. Maybe it’s that, maybe it’s for the kindness of a woman holding a child asking us if we need to use the bathroom. And her apologizing because they turned off her power. Maybe there is something there that is being missed. Maybe there is something everywhere that we can no longer see. (#g20pgh units are responding to hotmetal bridge for reports of protesters gathering) I wish I knew.
Right now, it goes on and I’m still on this couch. Thinking about Hope asking us if we needed help. Meeting her children and shaking their hands.
NDFB
I’m tired and need to sleep. Thank you all for reading. I’ll try to write again tomorrow morning to clear somethings up. (#g20pgh: 20-30 bike cops on 6th ave &6 police vehicles on 5th ave heading towards downtown)"
Speak Out Success
Thanks to those who showed up and supported the rally against the unjust budget cuts!
We had a good-sized crowd with great speakers ranging from teachers assistant union representatives, Milwaukee SDS, and financially-struggling students.
Three television crews were there to record the event. Here's a couple broadcasts found online:
http://www.cbs58.com/index.php?aid=9168
http://www.wisn.com/video/20912285/index.html
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Let's keep our momentum! Join SDS next Monday, Sept. 21, at 7:00pm in UWM Room 240!
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Other supporters of this rally included Milwaukee Graduate Assistant Association (Mgaa.org), Critical Work (http://www.criticalwork.org/) Milwaukee Network for a Social Change (http://milwaukeenetworkforsocialchange.org/), Students United for Immigrant Rights (http://sufrir.ning.com/), and the English Education Association at UWM.
9/11/09
Students Speak Out This Monday at UWM
STUDENT SPEAK OUT AGAINST UNJUST BUDGET CUTS AT UW-MILWAUKEE
Milwaukee, WI – Sept. 11, 2009 – Students and workers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are holding a rally on Sept. 14th at 12:00pm in Spaights Plaza (between the UWM Union and Library) to demand student, staff, and faculty involvement in the decision making process for the $20 million in budget cuts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
"Our country is in an economic crisis; Students need to fight for higher education, just as workers need to fight for their jobs and benefits, and homeowners need to fight to keep their homes," said Jacob Flom, a UWM student and member of Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society.
Facing $20 million in budget cuts over the next two years, UWM has raised student tuition by 5%, reduce faculty and staff salaries by 5%, and cut every department by 5%. Despite repeated requests, the Chancellor’s office has not met with students or teachers assistants about how the economic crisis is affecting the university.
The three demands of the rally are: (1) Demand the Chancellor and Deans take a pay cut before cutting salaries of faculty and staff; (2) Demand for faculty, staff and students to be part of the decision making process for the budget cuts; and (3) Demand tuition freeze and increased money for need-based financial aid.
The rally organizers are planning to form a coalition of worker and student groups to fight for these demands. A similar coalition was formed last year in the successful campaign to rid UWM of sweatshop goods. The purpose of this rally is to bring about awareness of the demands of many workers and students around the budget cuts, and rally organizers expect dozens of students and workers to attend.
Speakers at the rally will include members of these organizations, financially struggling students, campus workers and teacher assistants. Sponsors of the rally include Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society, Progressive Students of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Graduate Assistant Association, Students United for Immigrant Rights, and Milwaukee Network for a Social Change.
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If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with rally organizers, please call Natasha Morgan at 608-426-4252 or e-mail Natasha at nadashay@gmail.com
9/4/09
SDS MKE Campaign Kick-off
On the first day of classes at The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) kicked off a campaign to raise awareness of unjust budget cuts affecting students and workers at UWM. Students marched through the Union with a twenty-five foot long homemade banner that read "Education is a Right. Students Fight Tuition Hike!" This direct action is part of the build up for the Student Speak Out on Monday, September 14th at noon in UWM's Spaights Plaza.
U of M SDS Launches Campaign with Banner Drops
The University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society organized a direct action this week to raise awareness of cuts to education that are plaguing universities across the country.
SDS Members propped open doors to a closed balcony of the auditorium days before the massive freshman convocation. During the chancellor's speech, SDSers threw fliers about education cuts to students below, encouraging them to get involved in the fight. They also dropped two large school banners which were painted over with facts, and messages about "Campaign Save our School" and SDS. One banner read "We pay Bruininks $700,000 per year to lay off thousands of workers.”
9/1/09
STUDENT SPEAK OUT
Millions of dollars are being cut from UWM's budget while the rich and powerful are lowering employee salaries and skyrocketing our tuition.
Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society is calling for a rally to bring about awareness of the unjust budget cuts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee!
Demands:
CHOP FROM THE TOP!
We want the Chancellor and Deans of the university to take a pay cut from their six-figure salaries before deciding to cut salaries of faculty and staff. Currently, the Chancellor is making $307,000, a 3% pay raise from last year. The Chancellor is also accepting other benefits that include a money stipend for his million-dollar condo, a car, and $20,000 a year from the UWM Foundation. The Chancellor accepts all this and more while cutting all faculty and staff pay by 3%, a net 5% loss due to a stoppage of an annual salary increase.
TRANSPARENCY NOW!
“We will address issues relating to the university’s budget with openness and transparency,” stated Chancellor Santiago on December 1, 2008. So where is the transparency? In his calling for all Deans to cut their departments by five percent, we demand to know exactly what is being cut and who is making these decisions. We demand that staff, students and faculty are part of the decision making process. We demand this information be easily accessible to the public.
STUDENTS AND WORKERS FIRST!
Students are continuing to pay a greater percentage of their educational costs. The university is hiking up our tuition by 5% for the next two years. This leaves thousands of students struggling to figure out a way to remain in school. Students at UW-Milwaukee work the most per hour of any in the Wisconsin university system. We demand a tuition freeze and increased money for need-based students.
