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Some 300 protesters rallied outside when Trump held a rally for Ted Cruz in Houston on October 22. The protesters were forced into the steel-barricaded “protest pen” set up by police. Some were with organizations and many were just outraged individuals or groups of friends, including some passersby who saw the ugly MAGA crowd and felt compelled to stand on our side. Some of the groups there, along with Refuse Fascism, were leftist groups, Black Lives Matter, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Indivisible, FIEL (Immigrant Families and Students in the Struggle) and other immigrants’ rights organizations, Pantsuit Republic, high school students who were part of a group involved in the movement against school violence, transgender folks and more. A significant section of people there were supporting U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke, the liberal Democrat who is running against incumbent Ted Cruz to take his senate seat. Chants included “No Trump! No KKK! No Fascist USA!” Refuse Fascism was in the mix with the message that Trump/Pence Must Go!
Here’s the speech given by a Refuse Fascism organizer at the protest.
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For almost two years now, to the horror of the people of the world, we have seen children ripped from the arms of their mothers at the us/mexico border and put in cages, and just last month, 1600 children were scooped up in the middle of the night from centers around the country and sent to the Tornillo concentration camp. Journalists have been labeled the enemy of the people. A few days ago Trump, in a rally in Montana just like this, praised Congressman Gianforte for assaulting Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs in 2017: “Any guy that can do a body slam, he’s my guy.” And over the past few weeks, Trump and Jeff Sessions have been arguing that Chicago should bring back stop and frisk, a tried and true method of the police to racially profile, brutalize, and incarcerate Black and Brown youth.
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Many of you know this, that’s why you’re out here today, because you’re angry and sick of it. Many of you also know that these Trump rallies around the country are aimed to rally, embolden and incite their fascist mass base. And there’s more. There is a method to this madness. This is a fascist regime in power bludgeoning its way to cement into place a fascist America – a future that threatens the very existence of humanity itself.
Trump’s “Make America Great Again” is a 21st century fascist program of Manifest Destiny – “America First” – wrapped in the flag and Mike Pence’s Bible taken literally, with a program of white supremacy, misogyny, and xenophobia.
Everyone has been talking about how this is not normal. But this has become the new normal, as the traditional norms, protocols, and policies are being ripped up. And yet, from the media pundits to the leaders of the Democratic Party, we are being told to act within the timeworn normal channels of political recourse. That all you can do is vote for the Democrats – the same channels that brought us to where we are now. Fascism can come to power through the normal processes of elections and laws, but it cannot be removed from power in that way.
Fascism can happen and is happening here. This country was founded on genocide and slavery – that is the legacy Trump is here to call forth – and since then, even the most basic civil rights for black people and women have been won through heroic, self-sacrificing actions of the people. Acting outside the normal channels won us the right to abortion, the right to marriage equality, the rights to be free of discrimination – the right for everyone to be treated as human beings has been won by people through struggle. The power to stop this regime lies with us, the millions of people in this country who hate what is happening.
But there IS a way to stop the Trump/Pence regime. A determined struggle of the people that doesn’t yield andwon’t be provoked can create the kind of political crisis that compels their removal from power. We are talking about massive protests that don’t end after one day – but come back day after day after day, growing to millions raising the demand: THIS NIGHTMARE MUST END: THE TRUMP/PENCE REGIME MUST GO!
Refuse Fascism is organizing now to get into position to launch this struggle, After the midterms, join us, whether you voted or not, regardless of who wins, back out in the streets on Nov 7th 10th because you know that this regime will still be in power. Whether you are a revolutionary, or whether you think this system can be reformed, let us all come together and work together to stop this regime. The people of the world are counting on us.
Join me in this pledge:
WE PLEDGE that we will not stand aside while there is still a chance to stop a regime that imperils humanity and the earth itself. Join us. Let’s stand together with conviction and courage, overcoming fear and uncertainty, to struggle with all we’ve got to demand: The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go.
In the Name of Humanity,
We REFUSE to Accept a Fascist America!
This Nightmare Must End: The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go!