| Bring
'em home On March 19th, 2008, Communist Party USA districts, clubs, and members joined tens of thousands of Americans in marking the 5th anniversary of the war with protest and vigil. We are an active party, involved in the day-to-day struggles of the American working class, but with a long-term vision for socialism and a strategy for getting there. If you feel inspired to get involved, please fill out our application for membership. Video: CPUSA: End The Iraq War Club Reports:
 South Bend stands for peaceNearly 200 residents of South Bend, Indiana braved the cold weather to raise awareness about all the lives needlessly lost in the US invasion and occupation of Iraq. The South Bend club, working with other local peace and community groups through the Michiana Peace and Justice Coalition, helped organize the rally and garner media coverage, including 3 local channels: Fox 28, WNDU, and WSJV. Check out their video here. (back to top)  Tucson
members lay the heat onA many as 600 people turned out to protest the Bush/McCain War at the Tucson Federal Building for a 5 pm rally. The Tucson Club CPUSA was one of 21 organizations sponsoring this event spearheaded by the Tucson Peace Action Coalition. About 400 marched there from Armory Park and were joined by folks getting off work downtown. The open mic rally featured talks by City Councilwoman Nina Trasoff, poetry from anti-war high school kids, musicians, and comments from others. A high point were two songs from the Raging Grannies. The action was not only commemorative. There was a demand for change. Speakers were cheered when they talked of struggle and the need to make regime change here in the US. (back to top) Phoenix Party joins chorus In Phoenix several hundred turned out for a protest at Senator McCain's office. Members of the East Valley club have been active in the End the War Coalition, and the Arizona Alliance for Peace and Justice. (back to top)  Ben Davis club
remembers those lostThe Ben Davis (Harlem) club of the CPUSA joined with the Uptown Young Communist League club, the Uptown Youth for Peace and Justice Coalition, the Black Radical Congress, and neighborhood members of MoveOn.org in Central Harlem to remember all the lives lost in this tragic war. Despite the pouring rain, 30 people joined the vigil. (back to top) Willamette Reds struggle on different fronts This weekend past a group of us participated in the Portland antiwar rally. We had a tent and we distributed about 150 PWWs and several boxes of literature. So far we have had two inquiries—one from an artist and one from the editor of a nearby student newspaper.  This was the
first time in many, many years that there was a Communist Party
presence at a Portland antiwar rally.Most of the people who stopped
were young people. There were times when we had as many as 9 people at
the booth at once and we kept up a steady stream of folks all day.See http://willamettereds.blogspot.com/ for more information about Party activities in Portland. (back to top) Bay Area surges for peace Members of East Bay clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area were among hundreds of community members participating in the March 15 Surge for Peace at Walnut Creek’s Civic Park. It was the third annual anniversary protest at the park. Demonstrators carried their banners and home-made signs from the BART station to the park for a rally that featured remarks by Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier and a message from Congressman George Miller. The People’s Weekly World tabled at the event. The same day, in nearby Richmond, Calif., other East Bay club members joined with hundreds who combined anti-war action with a protest against Chevron Corporation’s war profiteering and its plans to expand refinery operations that have polluted Richmond neighborhoods for decades. A rally was followed by a spirited march to the refinery gates where about 50 people formed human chains while others held banners, chanted and sang. Some 24 demonstrators were arrested for trespassing when they entered refinery property. (back to top) Chicago stands vigil  Party clubs in
Chicago helped initiate and
participated in three Moveon.org vigils on March 19. The South Side
club organized a street corner vigil on March 18. Other comrades joined
a march in downtown. The photo is from a vigil in Wells Park and
community walk that drew over 80 people. The Oak Park club also helped
initiate and participated in a rally and march in the western suburbs.(back to top) Baltimore party builds unity The Baltimore club helped organize a rally of about 200 people at a local church Mar. 19 co-sponsored by Veterans for Peace (VFP) and Baltimore United for Peace and Justice (BUFPJ). Ryan Mason of the Algebra Project said there is a "war raging in the streets of Baltimore" because the city is starved of funds to rebuild. Gold Star mother, Tracy Miller, spoke about the pain she suffers from the death of her son, Nick, in Fallujah. A member of our club, reminded the crowd that Maryland voters just voted for Congress, Donna Edwards, a staunch anti-war activist, in a primary landslide. He pointed out that Tracy Miller, ran for the legislature in 2006 with support of the anti-war movement. (back to top) Lone Stars not alone  Dallas peace
activists, Party
members, and MoveOn.org members stood vigil against the war at the
historic "Dealy Plaza" where JFK was assassinated. (back to top) Rio Rancho fed up with war In the small city of Rio Rancho, NM, CPUSA members joined approximately 100 residents and converged on a busy city intersection; they had an array of signs about impeaching Bush, ending torture, and bringing our troops home, and were greeted with a steady of stream of enthusiastic honks from members of their community passing by. It brought together veterans, children, and both the Anglo and hispanic communities. One party member noted, "It was very impressive, and brought home to me that progressive sentiments are alive and well all over the country, and only have to be elicited and made known." (back to top) |
Tucson, AZ activists commemorate the 5th anniversary with protest