Vol. 71/No. 20      May 21, 2007

BY EREK SLATER  
CHICAGO, May 6—With signs saying, “No more raids and deportations! Troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan,” Young Socialists marched alongside more than 150,000 people on May Day here demanding unconditional legalization for all undocumented immigrants.

Thousands of high school and college students also chose to miss school and participate in the demonstration.

This reporter, a bus driver for the Chicago Transit Authority, was among the protesters.

When I showed up at work the morning of May Day to tell my coworkers I would be marching that day, the bosses told me I was assigned to drive a “police charter” transporting cops to the May Day action. I was also told the cops would use the bus to take handcuffed demonstrators to prison, “if needed.” Supervisors threatened a month’s suspension if I did not accept the assignment.

I refused, telling my coworkers that I used to live in La Villita in Chicago where the police raided our shopping mall on April 25 in military style, with bulletproof vests and machine guns. Many of my African American coworkers related stories of police intimidation and harassment on Chicago’s south side. Together, we told the bosses I would be marching, not helping to drive a “paddy wagon” for the cops.

In the end, the bosses backed down, giving me an unpaid day off to march.

After May Day, many fellow workers said they were glad I marched, with one noting that in the future all of us should refuse to drive busses transporting cops assigned to bust workers’ actions.

At the May Day rally, Young Socialists got a chance to speak with many youth who expressed the determination of millions in the U.S. working class to fight for better working and living conditions.

“People come from other countries to work,” Elizabeth Hernández, a student at Kelvyn Park High School, told us. “We don’t deserve to be treated like animals.”

“We all should have the same rights,” said Santos Rodríguez, a young carpet installer. “We will not be humiliated.”

Many youth marched with shirts and banners depicting photos of Ernesto Che Guevara, the Argentine-born leader of the Cuban Revolution. Young Socialists took the opportunity to explain what many did not know: that Che helped lead millions of Cuban workers and farmers to take power into their own hands, overthrow capitalism, and join the worldwide struggle to build a society based on human solidarity and social equality. We said the YS defends the Cuban Revolution because it shows that a socialist revolution is possible and necessary.

Today, Young Socialists marched in solidarity with a group of strikers from Fox Valley Forge in Aurora, Illinois. The strikers participated in the annual Cinco de Mayo rally in Aurora. Dozens of observers greeted the contingent of strikers and their supporters. The Fox Valley Forge workers have been on strike for two months demanding better conditions on the job.

Through these actions, we all got a boost of confidence in continuing the struggle to demand: Stop the raids and deportations! Legalize all undocumented immigrants now!

Christian Castro contributed to this article.
 
 
Related articles:
Outrage spreads over L.A. cop riot
Protest called in Los Angeles May 17
Brutal attack on May Day rally backfires
May Day actions show working class stronger in U.S.
Third Swift worker in Iowa convicted for 'identity theft'
'We're workers, not criminals! Legalization, not deportation!'
Roundup of May Day actions in U.S.
Jail L.A. cops for brutal attack
 
 
 
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