Voice of Revolution

Buffalo Joins Demonstrations on One-Year Anniversary of Trump Presidency

Buffalo is among hundreds of cities demonstrating on the one-year anniversary of the Trump presidency and the Women’s March. The action Sunday, January 21 begins at 2pm with a rally on the steps of City Hall (Niagara Square) with music and a Gnonyoh, an indigenous giving of thanks. The march will begin at about 2:30 and go past the Holding Center and Buffalo Police Department, as part of work to defend the rights of prisoners and reject the militarization of police and policing. A number of other issues, such as the right to education and defense of women’s rights and human rights, will also be addressed. The march will conclude at the Federal Building, where the focus will be on opposing U.S. wars and the general militarization of life, in our public schools and communities (see report and more photos below)

There is also a rally organized on January 20 at Seneca Falls, with buses leaving from Buffalo Saturday morning. An important aspect of the action is the effort to unite the various struggles, with numerous organizations participating and attention given to various fronts of work.

One of the concerns of participants is what is needed for development of common work in the coming year. The anniversary action contributes to bringing people together, but that is only one step. Many more are needed to defend the rights of all. It is also the case that a main direction being put forward for 2018 is to involve people in supporting the existing electoral set-up, whether through voter registration or running candidates, especially women. A problem presenting is that the repeated experience of all is that the existing set-up, by design, excludes the people and their interests and empowers the rich. A main feature of this is the fact that the set up ensures that the people do not decide — do not decide the candidates, do not decide the platforms, do not decide the process, which is generally hated by all for its negative content and billions of dollars wasted. This reality cannot be ignored. Having the aim to defend this old set-up that produced a Trump presidency, a dysfunctional government and an increased danger of war does not favor the people.This is not our president, not our government, not our democracy. The aims of those striving to defend rights and win change that favors the people can best achieve results when directed to the new, a new electoral process, a new direction. We need funding of the process, not the candidates, we need institutions that enable the people to decide the platform and choose their own candidates from among their peers to represent that platform.

Buffalo Forum puts forward that common work that further unites the various struggles and advances the interests of the people can be developed by advancing work for an Anti-War Government and Peace Economy. A demand should be made to all candidates, federal, state and local to advance such a platform. The growing danger of broader war and militarization of life is a grave concern of all, yet it is kept out of the discussion when it comes to elections. In fact it imbues all aspects of life, as increasing control and regimentation of our youth and the workforce indicate. Issues of education, women’s rights, immigrant rights, cannot be separated from the U.S. drive for war and its destructive path, abroad and at home.

It is also the case that organizing for an Anti-War Government is not mainly a matter of electing people at this time. Rather it is a matter of developing collectives and new institutions that put decision making by the people themselves at the center. The drive of the people for political power so as to solve the problems we face can find expression in such common work for political empowerment.

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Buffalo March January 21

Uniting to Strengthen the Resistance

Buffalo joined hundreds of cities across the country to stand against the brutal attacks on rights and threats of war of the Trump presidency and celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Women's March. Large demonstrations also took place in New York City, where more than 200,000 rallied and marched for rights. Thousands participated in the spirited Buffalo, with demonstrators stretching 30 deep from Niagara Square to the Holding Center, where inequality and mass incarceration were firmly denounced. Many young women participated, part of a diverse crowd that chanted and cheered as they marched. Women's rights, immigrant rights, right to education, the struggle for equality and a stand against U.S. wars and militarization of life were all part of the action. Everyone was inspired by the united spirit and the determination expressed to join and build the resistance.

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