From Wall Street to Main Street
Protests demand: Bail out the people!
By
Betsey Piette
Published Oct 29, 2008 2:43 PM
It was a strange sight on Wall Street. In the heart of U.S. finance capital,
stage left of the statue of the wealthy slaveholder George Washington, more
than 100 veterans and youths from unions, housing, civil rights and other
popular movements began a conversation with the U.S. working class from the
steps of the Federal Building. The topics: capitalism and socialism.
Six weeks ago, the speakers might have been whistling in the wind. On Oct. 24,
after the credit collapse and bailout of the banks, their talks at the corner
of Wall and Broad brought many people to a halt. Wall Street workers stayed to
listen for a quarter hour, took literature, asked questions of those
participating and thought about the economic crisis that threatens to disrupt
life as they know it.
Wall Street, NYC.
WW photo: John Catalinotto
|
The speakers represented a cross section of progressive New York. Whether it
was City Councilmember Charles Barron explaining how Bloomberg climbed up the
“wealthiest person” ladder since he became mayor of New York;
housing activist Nellie Bailey chiding the landlord domination of local
politics; Katrina-survivor supporter Brenda Stokely making it clear that
solidarity must begin with the most oppressed; people’s lawyer Lynne
Stewart denouncing capitalism; or FIST youth organizers LeiLani Dowell and
Larry Hales, mobilizing for future struggles; they had an audience.
A rousing speech was presented by a leader of women steelworkers in South
Korea, who have been striking the SIRIUS Corporation for the past three years.
Their example of struggle despite hardship may turn out to be one of the
important lessons of the rally. Teresa Gutierrez from the May 1st Coalition for
Immigrant and Workers Rights; Charles Jenkins, a leader of the Coalition of
Black Trade Unionists; and Bernadette Ellorin from BAYAN-USA spoke on
workers’ unity across all borders.
For those distributing literature, there was constant interaction with
passers-by, most of it friendly questions. A group of Chinese visitors enjoyed
photographing each other beside a sign on the Workers World table that called
capitalism the problem and socialism the solution.
Media from Spain, France, Venezuela and local Spanish-language TV stations
interviewed participants and recorded the rally/street meeting that Bail Out
the People Movement organizer Larry Holmes opened and which kept going for more
than three hours until Monica Moorehead gave an update on the struggles to save
death-row prisoners, Troy Davis and Mumia Abu-Jamal. The final speaker read a
message from a Philippines revolutionary to the U.S. working class. It was a
new day on Wall Street.
John Parker and Gloria Saucedo in Los Angeles.
WW photo: Maggie Vascassenno
|
In Los Angeles, the Labor/Community Coalition to Stop Foreclosures and
Evictions held a “Bailout the Workers, Not the Bankers” forum on
Oct. 24 and a street protest on Oct. 27. The forum was held at Hermandad
Mexicana Nacional, located in Panorama City in Los Angeles County. Led by
Gloria Saucedo, Hermandad services the immigrant community with legal
assistance and was an initiator of the historic Mar. 26 demonstration for
immigrant rights in 2006.
Rosie Martinez, executive board member and chair of the Latino Caucus of
Service Employees International Union Local 721, addressed the forum about the
need for unity and organization to fight for justice and against our wealth
being given away to the banks.
Chito Quijano and Martha Rojas in Los Angeles.
WW photo: Scott Scheffer
|
Chito Quijano, national chair of BAYAN-USA, explained the origins of the
economic crisis and motivated for unity and action as the only means to make
sure the fallout from the crisis does not all land on the shoulders of
workers.
Martha Rojas, co-coordinator of the coalition, spoke about her personal
experience going through foreclosure. One of the demands of the forum was for a
moratorium on foreclosures as well as against the raids targeting
immigrants.
Detroit
WW photo: Alan Pollock
|
In Detroit dozens of people, including many victims of home foreclosures and
evictions, demonstrated outside the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in
downtown Detroit on Oct. 27 to demand the interim mayor declare a state of
economic emergency in the city and formally apply to the governor for a
two-year moratorium on foreclosures. They also demanded a federal bailout for
the people of Detroit, who have the highest poverty and unemployment rates in
the U.S.
Since interim Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. took office in mid-September,
organizers with the Moratorium NOW! Coalition to Stop Foreclosures and
Evictions have sent him three letters demanding a meeting to discuss the state
of emergency facing the city and the action he should take. Cockrel ignored the
letters until coalition activists confronted him at two “meet and
greet” community meetings he hosted on Oct. 21 and 23. Coalition
spokespeople received a tremendous response from the audience and the mayor was
forced to acknowledge that a moratorium was “a good idea.”
Following those meetings and the continued organizing and outreach done by
coalition activists throughout Detroit and beyond, a representative from the
mayor’s office contacted the coalition to arrange a meeting. A
multinational grouping of 16 activists went to the mayor’s office on Oct.
27 after the demonstration, only to find out that the mayor’s
representative was postponing the meeting due to a funeral. The activists were
outraged and a confrontation occurred with city police and members of the
mayor’s security detail. One senior shouted, “You show some
respect! We pay your salary and this is OUR office!”
Coalition members then went to the City Council auditorium and discussed a plan
of further action. Calls were placed to the mayor’s representative, who
finally agreed to come to the coalition’s office on Oct. 28 and meet with
organizers.
Coalition members will present a draft letter for the mayor to send to Gov.
Jennifer Granholm, formally requesting a declaration of a state of emergency in
the city and asking her to use her emergency powers under the law to impose a
two-year moratorium on foreclosures and evictions in the city. Organizers see
this as an important step in getting a statewide moratorium passed by the
legislature.
Buffalo, N.Y.
WW photo: Bev Hiestand
|
On Oct. 24 in Buffalo, N.Y., a “Bail Out the People, Not the Banks” rally
staked out a spot in the heart of the financial district, surrounded by huge
glass-covered banks and the Federal Reserve office. The rally expressed such
clear, intense anger against the rich and against the whole capitalist system
that it drew the interest and attention of all the downtown workers waiting for
the transit trains just inches away. High school and college students stood for
an hour in the cold wind. The banks even sent observers to listen.
One community activist pointed at the windows all around, and said,
“Don’t think this is small, because you can see how many people are
paying attention, even in those windows, and standing over there listening and
reading our signs. The word will be out to a lot more people by
tomorrow.”
The rally and speak-out was endorsed and co-sponsored by Buffalo Forum, Buffalo
State College Students for Peace, Center for a Livable World, Citizen Action of
New York-WNY, Coalition for Economic Justice, Code Pink Buffalo, Green Party of
Erie County, International Action Center (member of the Ad Hoc National Network
to Stop Foreclosures and Evictions) and Western NY Peace Center.
In Baltimore, protesters braved pouring rain to gather at the Federal Reserve
Bank for a speak-out and press conference denouncing the trillion dollar
bailout of the banks and to announce a statewide campaign to demand emergency
measures for workers this winter. The speak-out was widely covered by local
television and C-Span. Speakers included union delegates, community organizers
and student activists.
Among the emergency measures called for are a moratorium on foreclosures and
evictions, a halt to utility shut offs, no layoffs and an extension of
unemployment benefits, and no budget cuts. The City of Baltimore and the State
of Maryland have begun already to announce budget cuts that threaten workers
jobs and services.
The speak-out and protest was called by the Baltimore Chapter of the National
Network to Stop Foreclosures and Evictions.
Several people gathered in front of a midtown Chase Bank in Tucson, Ariz., on
Oct. 26, unfurling a large banner reading “Bailout The People—Not
The Banks!” The busy intersection was active with hoots and hollers of
support, horn-honking and other signs of approval from passersby.
People feel betrayed by the massive handout to the wealthiest bankers while
workers are left to fend for themselves. The state of Arizona needs $2.6
billion to cover its budget shortfall. Less than one-half of 1 percent of the
$850 billion guaranteed to bankers would allow the state to continue providing
the essential services working and poor people need and would also prevent the
planned mass layoffs of state workers. The banks get bailed out and we get
thrown out!
On Oct. 25 in Charlotte, N.C., about 50 people rallied in front of the world
headquarters of Bank of America, one bank which stands to profit from the
deepening economic crisis. A spirited and militant picket included city workers
from the Charlotte chapter of UE Local 150; Raleigh Fight Imperialism, Stand
Together; Atlanta International Action Center; Charlotte Action Center for
Justice; UNC-Charlotte Students for a Democratic Society; and UNC-Chapel Hill
SDS.
Demonstrators demanded a moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions, an end
to cuts in student loans and a moratorium on state budget cuts. The response to
the demonstration was overwhelmingly positive, with many passersby honking
their horns, raising their fists and even joining in the picket. As the crisis
deepens, affecting more and more working people, organizers expressed a
commitment to continue raising these demands against Bank of America and
building a working class fight back against the bailout.
Around 20 youth, workers and community activists converged at the Wachovia
building in downtown Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 24 to protest the fraudulent bailout
of the superrich. Demands to “Bail out the people, not the banks!”
and “Money for jobs and education, not banks and corporations!” as
well as “no” to massive public sector budget cuts, were met with
mixed support from the bankers, but strong support from workers who
occasionally joined the protests.
Representatives from Black Workers for Justice; Raleigh FIST; UNC Chapel Hill
SDS; UE 150, North Carolina’s Public Service Workers Union; and various
community allies picketed Wachovia and marched through the streets to kick off
a weekend of nationwide protests against the nearly one trillion dollar handout
to the gambling bankers.
The Cleveland Chapter of FIST held a protest and speak-out at the national
headquarters of National City Bank, just one day after it had been bought out
by PNC Bank. Protesters went inside the bank, passing unhindered by a lone
security guard. Later FIST members went to the Public Square area in Cleveland
to distribute Workers World newspaper.
Led by youth from FIST and SDS, nearly 30 people gathered for a rally and
speak-out against the bankers’ bailout on Oct. 27 at Philadelphia’s
City Hall, across from Wachovia Bank. Despite its defunct status, Wachovia is
one of many banks responsible for the subprime mortgage scandal and the
subsequent tightening of credit markets, and stands to receive $25 billion of
taxpayer dollars to fund their acquisition by rival Wells Fargo.
Speakers pointed out Wachovia Bank’s origins in profits from slavery in
the U.S. as well as its recent practice of “redlining”
neighborhoods of color to deny loans for development.
More than a thousand fliers were handed out to passersby, many of whom stopped
to sign a petition for a bailout that would provide for programs people really
need. Chants of “Money for health care, not for bankers’
welfare!” went over well with downtown shoppers and drivers honked horns
in support.
The protest was sponsored by the Philadelphia International Action Center;
Brandywine Peace Community; N’COBRA; Code Pink, Delaware River Area;
Justice for Families; Neighbors Against McPenntrification;
RASH—Philadelphia; Philadelphia Socialist Action; and FIST.
Boston
WW photo: Liz Green
|
In Boston about 50 people attended a rally and press conference at Boston City
Hall chaired by Miya Campbell of FIST and featuring Boston’s three city
councilors of color, Chuck Turner, Charles Yancey and Sam Yoon. The councilors
called on the governor and mayor to declare a state of emergency and ensure
that the thousands of people who are facing winter without heat or light have
their utilities service restored. More than 100,000 received shutoff notices
from the Massachusetts utility companies last May.
Nan Genger of the Women’s Fightback Network outlined the group’s
ongoing campaign for an economic state of emergency, linking the shutoffs to
the war budget and the Wall Street bailout. Tony Hernandez, organizer for
District Council 35, Painters and Allied Trades, described how the economic
crisis is affecting poor and working people in every community.
Other speakers included members of USW 8751, Boston School Bus Drivers; Jason
Lyden, pastor of the Community Church of Boston; a representative from Action
for Boston Community Development, which advocates for fuel assistance for low
income families; and a member of New England Human Rights for Haiti.
Campbell told how the economic crisis impacts youth, with homeless youth
attempting to attend school; school closings from recent budget cuts being used
to attack desegregation and the African-American communities’ access to
education; and of the more than one million Black men in prison.
The participants are planning further action and vowed to continue until there
is no one in Massachusetts without heat or lights this winter. The event was
covered by both TV media and the Boston Globe.
June Reyno holds the chain she will use to defy eviction from her San
Diego home.
WW photo: Bob McCubbin
|
An unanticipated but welcome addition to the October 24-27 Call to Action
activities, initially planned by the Ad Hoc National Network to Stop
Foreclosures and Evictions, came when San Diego homeowner June Reyno called the
Ad Hoc Network office to announce her intention to chain herself to her home of
19 years in the Mira Mesa area rather than submit to eviction. She had been
served with an eviction notice, but had been granted an additional 18 days to
vacate. Since Reyno publicly announced her intention to resist, the police were
expected the morning of Oct. 27.
The Network office was able to put her in touch with San Diego activists from
the International Action Center and others who stood with her on Monday
morning, anticipating the arrival of police, and who were instrumental in
bringing out much of the San Diego media to cover her struggle.
Reyno is angry that an offer was made to sell her back the house and then
withdrawn when she and her husband found a willing lender. The bank that now
holds title clearly intends, instead, to sell the home at a bigger profit,
perpetuating the greedy financial feeding frenzy that has produced the present
catastrophe of foreclosures and evictions.
Throughout the country, many thousands of people are being deprived of their
homes because of corporate greed and a system that puts profits first and
people last. By defying the eviction, Reyno is providing an example of
resistance to injustice that will resonate among the millions who have or are
in danger of losing their homes. As of this writing, Monday morning and early
afternoon have passed with no sign of the police.
Sharon Black, Ben Carroll, John Catalinotto, Ellie Dorritie, Kris Hamel,
Caleb Maupin, Bob McCubbin, Monica Moorehead, Frank Neisser, John Parker, Paul Teitelbaum
and Scott Williams contributed to this report.
Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World.
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