Protests Against Palin Bring Out Working Class Rage

Conflict in Turlock
by Sentient

We live in a society that is primarily divided by class. This was made very apparent on June 25th when Sarah Palin spoke at CSUS. The audience was composed of those who can afford to drop 500 dollars to hear some bullshit (the ruling class). The organization responsible for getting Palin to speak is private, although it consists of members of the CSUS administration. Palin recieves around 100,000 dollars per speaking event, and for this particular event, the money came directly from the university. This is a ridiculous misuse of money during any state of the economy, and given the crisis we are currently facing, it really makes you question the motives and sanity of the administration.

The protest that was organized by students of CSUS, teachers, and community members was met by a heavy police force, security guards, and fencing that was reminiscent of G20 summit security. All of this, of course, was paid for by the school and state. The composition of the protest itself was extremely interesting. Of course, there were the typical sign-waving liberals present, with slogans that were apologetic to anti-worker ideas (“Whos country? Our country”). And of course the scum bags in Socialist Organizer were there, too, despite the fact that they seem to be pushed more and more to irrelevance. However, most of the people there were just regular, broke-as-fuck students/teachers/workers. These people did not bring their politics. They didn’t give a shit about the Democrats, and I only heard one instance of someone talking about reforming the administration. No, the only thing these people brought was venom for the system. Pure rage at the fact that a bunch of rich assholes were wasting their money to hear some stupid douche bag talk. It’s interesting to note that while people were open to yelling “Racist, Sexist, Anti-Gay – Sarah Palin Go Away,” they were just as open, if not more-so, to yell “Eat the Rich!” I don’t think this says anything about the intelligence of working people; it really just shows how alien these conflicts are to people in the Central Valley. That a group of 20 regular people were super down to yell “fuck you” and “eat a fucking knife, you scum” at rich people as they parked their fancy SUV’s speaks volumes about the nature of this protest.

The Central Valley is not, however, a bastion of militant workers. There were people present that have an interest in the continuation of a society stratified by class, and there were people there who, regardless of their intentions, helped strengthen the state. The first group of people was the Tea Party Patriots, an extremely silly, but extremely reactionary, group of people whos entire political agenda consists of knee-jerk reactions and a Red-Scare-like obsession with communists. It was extremely enraging to see obviously broke people screaming, rather uncreatively, “Palin Yes!” alongside people who had probably never had to really worry about putting food on the table or not having medical insurance. In fact, the Tea Party is composed primarily of people who don’t actually have to worry about having their jobs “taken” by illegal immigrants (although jobs aren’t taken by “illegals” – they are given away by the bosses who are only looking to turn a profit, not that the sloganeering of the Tea Party and the Right that jobs are being taken is even true on a large scale) or those who almost viciously oppose single-payer healthcare because they have no idea what it’s like to have a family but have no way of insuring their health. These people showed up to counter-protest those that were pissed off at having to see their tax dollars wasted on Sarah Palin. Ironic that people who hate taxes so much would support such a thing. The only thing they accomplished was coming off as total dickheads. The second group of people mentioned are the sort of people who want to direct any resemblence of a movement for their own interests or because they feel they know what’s best. These people, like Socialist Organizer and union reps, only strengthen capital and the state by trying to head off any attempt at effectively resisting. Socialist Organizer were the first to try to tell people to get out of the street when people tried to block cars from entering the campus. Even if these people have good intentions, they are enemies of working people.

What needs to be taken into account here is that this is just another example of how the interests of the administration are in direct conflict with the students and working people. Even if there were a more liberal administration, events like this would still happen at the expence of working people, although they might try to dress it up a little nicer. The education system directly mirrors the sort of society we live in. There are those at the top who are going to make a shit ton of money off of us at the bottom. School administrators, workplace bosses, whatever you want to call them, they are the same people.

We should also look at the police, and what they were doing, which is… their jobs. The notion that police are out on the streets fighting crime and keeping us safe is a farce. The fact of the matter is, crime still happens and is growing, despite the increasing prison population in America. The true role of the police is to protect the social relations that keep us working people as slaves. How much tax dollars were spent on the increased police presence at CSUS on the 25th? Why were there Highway Patrolmen present? Why were people who are justifiably angry subject to intimidation and the threat of arrest for stepping foot on the campus (the same campus, need I remind you, that is paid for almost entirely by working class tax dollars)? The idea that cops are our friends, especially at events like the 25th is a lie.

This protest was a beautiful example of working people acting in their collective class interest. It’s really simple: when something that happens, no matter what it is, that effects our material conditions in a negative way, then there needs to be an immediate response. How much sense would it have made to organize a day of action several weeks down the road, as have happened with the state-wide education crisis? Instead of waiting, people took to the streets when the shit went down.


One last final note, so that our “comrades” in Socialist Organizer and in the unions can’t try to pin anything on us. When people got in the streets and tried to obstruct the flow of traffic and police trying to put up fences, they were at first told by people like Socialist Organizer to stay off the streets. They may try to say that they were only looking out for other people, and that we hooligans are only trying to get people arrested. Neither of this is true. We recognize two things here. First, that if people are truly interested in disrupting things, then standing on the corner yelling boring chants and waving signs isn’t going to accomplish shit. The ruling class does not listen to us when it’s not in their interests to do so. It is time we start acting in our interests. Second, we see the people that come out to these protests as intelligent and mature humans. None of us need the paternalistic behavior of movement cops.

Modesto Police Get Training for Palin Protests

According to KCRA, Modesto police are getting special training that they hope will serve them well at the upcoming protest this Friday against uber conservative former governor Sarah Palin.

Homeland Security officials trained officers with the Modesto Police Department, Stanislaus and San Joaquin County sheriff's departments and other agencies. Police learned how to safely remove protesters who lock themselves to each other.

Authorities didn't mention former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin by name, but they said the techniques could come in handy in a little more than two weeks.

"We have a university just down in Turlock where a protest could go on, so something similar to this can happen. Now we have actually trained people throughout this county who can go out and detach these devices," said Doug Ridenour, with the Modesto Police Department.

There will be protests happening throughout the day, and there will be a rally going on at a nearby park. Info here.

In other words, don't chain yourself down to something. Use your imagination!

Administrators Hand Out Pink Slips, Expand Class Room Sizes

School Board Administrators like these above make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and often get things like their cars paid for - while teachers are laid off and class room sizes get bigger...


Teachers at Fremont Open Plan stand outside a meeting where it is was decided that more teachers will be laid off.

According to the Modesto Bee,

...91 educators in the Modesto City Schools District alone are facing layoffs.

To pare costs, the schools will raise class sizes so fewer teachers are needed. The district also has declining enrollment, which means even fewer teachers are required.

The district also eliminated eight certificated administrative positions, but none of the current administrators lost their jobs. That's because so many managers retired or otherwise left that attrition covered all the reductions.

The fact that no administrators were laid off outraged leaders of the Modesto Teachers Association. Teachers were promised managers would take their fair share of cuts, but that was a misrepresentation, charged Keith Herring, an MTA vice president.

"Hold the administration accountable for that promise," Herring urged trustees.

For more information, check out this downloadable, and printable publication on the crisis in public education in the Modesto area. Download here.

BBQ At Paper Boy Park Against Closure

To read the Modesto Bee article with pictures, go here. More pictures on the way.


Why in a time of drastic budget cuts is the city of Modesto closing down parks simply because they are being used by people? Why in a time of mass foreclosures and job layoffs, where we all live one check away from homelessness, is the city council shutting down public space simply because it is used by the homeless?

On Saturday, June 12th, people responded to those questions, as local residents and homeless people came together for a BBQ in defiance of the City of Modesto declaring Paper Boy Park will be shut down. Throughout the day, over 100 people passed through the small park, grilling hot dogs and corn. Canned food and medical supplies were also offered up for free. Two large banners were hung in the park which read "This Space is for Everyone" and "NO Foreclosure, NO Gentrifying, Defend Public Space!" A table was set up that had copies of the latest Modesto Anarcho and the Revolutionary Hip Hop Report, as well as a flyer that was drafted for the event entitled, "Who Runs Downtown?," which offered analysis on the situation. Police made no attempt to come into the park, although they drove by several times.

In May, when it was announced that the park would be shut down, fenced off, and turned over to the McHenry Mansion (a historic site that hosts weddings and parties), and could only be used if those patronizing the park paid a fee. According to the Modesto Bee, security cameras at the Mansion were brokenn and spray painted messages were left exclaiming, "The Rich Can't Keep Us Out," and "We Kill Yuppies."

The local publication, Modesto Anarcho was quick to point out that those pushing for the park closure were associated with the La Loma Association, a neighborhood group of largely upscale residents that has helped push numerous anti-Homeless ordinances, such as the criminalizing of dumpsterdiving with up to a $500 fine and six months in jail. The group also placed various surveillance cameras throughout local parks, took down bamboo by the river to stop homeless squatters, and called for the punishment of arrested homeless campers to the "fullest extent of the law." Joe Muratore, a city councilman and member of the La Loma Association, and one of those in the committee that pushed for the closure of the park is also invovled in various real estate companies in the local area. People like Muratore stand to profit from the removal of poor and homeless people in the downtown, as the city attempts to liquidate these elements and gentrify the area.

We see this event as a success. Lasting connections were made between working class renters in the downtown and homeless people against common class enemies that seek to shut down public space, push for more police and criminalization, and also gentrify the area. The homeless do not deserve our pity; in fact, they are a part of a contingent of people in the future we hope to organize with. In a time of mass evictions and deportations such assaults on our standards of living demand a response. It must be noted that homeless people greatly helped organize this event by passing out flyers and through word of mouth. Through this struggle, the connections that we have made will be lasting. Together, we are more powerful than we are apart.

NO JOB LAYOFFS!
NO DEPORTATIONS!
NO FORECLOSURES!

CLASS WAR!

More Pictures from Get Up Stay Up Graffiti Fest

Blackbird Raum plays Downtown Photos

We're finally posting up those pics from the Blackbird Raum show at the Firehouse. The best part of the night was when the show was moved to the downtown.

New Photos, Flyers!

Here are some more photos from the Get Up Stay Up Graffiti Fest, taken by the street art peeps at Endless Canvas. View them here.

Also, here is a new flyer about the situation at Paper Boy Park in downtown Modesto. The Modesto Bee interviewed some homeless people in an interview recently about the situation. Watch that here.

View the new flyer here.

Also, for your listening pleasure, we're including an old school NikFuq video from 2001. NikFuq you've probably seen at some of the events we've helped put on, and along with Cob@lt 45, is one of the most respected local MC's, straight from West Modesto.

Photos From Get Up Stay Up Graffiti Fest

On Saturday May 29th, Modesto Anarcho and the Revolutionary Hip Hop Report held the Get Up Stay Up Graffiti Fest at Ceasar Chavez Park in Wesy Side Modesto. The event featured live hip hop and DJs, free BBQ, literature tables, and free walls. Various writers came out, many more came to watch, and various locals came out to check out the event or to grab free magazines and food.

The event also featured skillshares and discussions on lessons learned from people organizing against the arrest of graf writter MFONE from Pittsburg.

For more pictures, go to the RHHR myspace.