Stop the Raids Now!

STOP THE RAIDS NOW!

PARTICIPATE IN THE YOUTH-LED RESISTANCE AGAINST THE IMMIGRATION RAIDS AND DEPORTATIONS!

Photo: Prison camp for Japanese during World War II in Arizona, in the same state where migrants are now imprisoned for profit by private prison corporations which feed on racism and xenophobia generated by the media.

By Stop the Raids Now,

This 2008 year marks the 40th anniversary of the mass mobilizations that were going on globally in 1968. Looking back at the various liberation struggles within the U.S. during that time, we as youth take pride in the organizing efforts of our elders—our communities that paved the way for the present youth to continue that same resistance. We are inspired by the works of freedom fighters from the Black Liberation Movement, the Chicano Movement, the American Indian Movement, in their fight for land, education, justice, peace and self-determination.

Today, we continue fighting to keep what we have won and fight harder for our collective liberation. Giving honor to all those who fought not only for their communities, but for the generations to follow, we have to ask ourselves—Are we justly following in their footsteps? Most of the struggles that our elders fought for are still going on today!!

Through out the history of oppression, from slavery to incarceration, from Japanese internment camps of the 1940s, to the current immigration detention centers, from the Chinese Exclusion Act of the 1920s, to Prop 187, HR4437, SB2611, Patriot Act and other recent bills, the U.S.
government has reinvented waves of hate and discrimination that have scapegoated people of color, the poor and working-class immigrant communities.

We have the power and the opportunity to do something about it! We cannot sit back and watch as the discrimination and racism continues to affect our people right before our very eyes. Think about it ...

Will the future generations look up to us, as we do the freedom fighters of the ‘60s?

Will we be an inspiration, or a disappointment?

Since the nationwide mobilizations of May 1st 2006, the conditions in our communities have worsened. The repercussions of mobilizing have resulted in more I.C.E. raids than ever before, to instill fear and to prevent us from speaking up against these injustices. In 2007 alone, 276,912 U.S. residents were deported. Families continue to be separated and our communities targeted.
Free trade agreements and foreign policies are still in place as more walls continue to be built to define and secure borders. Natural resources continue to be extracted from our countries while the flow of money crosses borders. Our people are prevented from following work opportunities that have been taken from them in their country of origin.

As a society, we all benefit from the fruits of exploited immigrant labor. More importantly, as youth with the privilege to speak up and in comparison to those who risk everything, we have nothing to lose, therefore it is our duty to do something about these injustices. We cannot go on during our life time without standing up and taking action!

We must stop the persecution and criminalization of our people! End the attacks on economic and political refugees!

We cannot allow this government to continue to divide and conquer. We must break down the borders that were set up to divide us.

Young people…our time is NOW! Search deep within your soul and ask yourself—What Am I going to do? With the types of injustices going on in society today, nobody should be at peace or oblivious to the suffering of our communities.

We will not let them intimidate us into silence!

NO ONE IS ILLEGAL!!!