Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube

“We Stand with Portland!”: Statement of Detroit Will Breathe

This statement from Detroit Will Breathe condemning the shooting and killing of protesters in Portland, Oregon, is endorsed by Left Voice.

Detroit Will Breathe

February 23, 2022
Facebook Twitter Share

We stand with Portland!

The killing and shooting of protestors in Portland, Oregon, demanding justice for Amir Locke and Patrick Kimmons, Black men murdered by police, is an outrage that must be condemned.

The murder of June Knightly and the shooting of four other women supporting the protest is a byproduct of the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse, through which the capitalist state gave a green light to further right-wing vigilantism. The killer, Ben Smith, a known fascist sympathizer, was only named by the Portland Police Bureau after being identified by community members and activists on social media. Our greatest enemy is still the state and its violent agents, the police, who seek to use every opportunity to attack us or let us be attacked by right-wing vigilantes. 

Portland officials, who are overwhelmingly Democratic Party members, are trying to spin the murder of protestors as part of the increasing issue of “gun violence.” This whitewashing serves two purposes: 1) to distract from the threat of right-wing violence that the capitalist state not only refuses to deal with seriously, but also seeks to rely on in cases of intense social struggle that challenges the state; and 2) to further justify increased funding of police departments and racist police practices such as the CCW arrests in Detroit. We must steadfastly reject this cynical and dishonest political move by both Democrats and Republicans.  

Our power to keep us safe is based on mass action and the self-organization of the working class and the oppressed, both in the streets and in our communities. When attacks like these occur, we must be prepared to respond with mass action and encourage other organizations — such as unions and social justice organizations — to stand with their siblings in struggle. Whatever tactical decisions and material we use to help keep us safe must be part of the broader movement and thus organized and decided, as much as possible, on a mass, collective basis. In our grief, we must avoid focusing exclusively on individual tactical responses such as body armor or rifles, which do not in and of themselves keep us completely safe. 

Rest in power June, Amir, Patrick, and all those countless victims of white supremacist violence. We will build a new world in your memory.

To give financial support to the victims and their families, you can contribute here.

Facebook Twitter Share

United States

The New Hollywood McCarthyism Emerging Around Palestine

Over the past week, a new Hollywood McCarthyism has emerged: multiple people in Hollywood have jobs and representation over their support of Palestine. We must denounce and fight these attacks which weaken the movement and scare supporters into silence.

Sybil Davis

December 3, 2023
A UAW sign is held next to a "Free Palestine" sign

The UAW Has Called for a Ceasefire. It’s Time for All of Labor to Stand Up.

The UAW International union has joined calls for a ceasefire and is exploring how to divest from Israel. This is a step which should inspire union activists to take up the fight to bring their union into the fight against Israel's attack on Gaza and the struggle against imperialism.

Rose Lemlich

December 2, 2023

A Pause in Genocide Is Not Enough: Jewish Voice for Peace Shuts Down the Manhattan Bridge

Amid a pause in Israel’s offensive on Gaza, Jewish Voice for Peace is showing that the movement for Palestine will continue. Civil disobedience must lead to broad protests which bring all sectors of the movement together.

Samuel Karlin

November 26, 2023
Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdel Hamid, and Tahseen Ahmed wearing Keffiyes. They were shot in Burlington, Vermont, USA.

The Three Palestinians Shot in Burlington Are Victims of Rising Islamophobia

Three Palestinian men were shot in Burlington Vermont while walking down the street. The campaign against Palestine has dehumanized all Palestinians and left them more vulnerable to these types of attacks.

Sybil Davis

November 26, 2023

MOST RECENT

All That's Left, the podcast from Left Voice.

#AllThatsLeftPod: What the Historic UAW Victory Means for the Working Class

In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the historic UAW victory, its shortcomings, and the tasks for the future.

Left Voice

December 5, 2023

Robert Habeck Wrote a Play Praising a Right-Wing Mass Murderer

Germany's Green vice chancellor strikes many as an idealist who has been struggling with the tough realities of government. Yet before he was a national politician, he wrote a play that opens a window into a dark soul.

Nathaniel Flakin

December 1, 2023

The World Kissinger Built Must Die Too

Henry Kissinger died at 100 years old. But his legacy remains in the brutal world system he built and the future generations of imperialist ghouls he inspired. They all must go.

Samuel Karlin

November 30, 2023

Fact Check: Did German Leftists Try to Bomb West Berlin’s Jewish Community Center in 1969?

Answer: No. The bombing was undertaken by West Germany’s domestic secret service, originally founded by Nazis.

Nathaniel Flakin

November 29, 2023