“No change for the good ever happens without it being imagined first, even if that change seems hopeless or impossible in the present.” Martin Espada
I asked the questions about why we are not rising up like many people around the world to the current political climate and I looked at some of the reasons why we might not be collectively engaged in an uprising in Part I.
In today’s article I want to look at some examples of real resistance and how people have organized in ways to bring about collective liberation, which is a constant struggle.
One way to think about collective liberation is from an excellent article by Stephen Darcy, Environmentalism as if Winning Mattered: A Self-Organization Strategy. Darcy suggests we need a two-pronged strategy of Resistance and Transition. Darcy argues that while we resist oppressive structures and systems, we need to simultaneously work to create autonomous systems and practices that reflect the kind of world we want to live in.
As a way to talk about creating the kind of world we want to live in I want to use a recent meme I saw (here above), which reflects a very limited vision and ultimately a false narrative, since it is premised on the idea that we can achieve systemic change by simply voting. I want to juxtapose the list in this meme with concrete ways we can work towards collective liberation.
Vote because groceries and gas cost too much – Government policy does not determine the cost of food or gas. While I recognize that the recent tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration have had an impact on the cost of basic items like groceries and gas, those costs are primarily determined by our economic system of capitalism.
Gas costs – The US government needs to stop providing subsidies to the fossil fuel corporations, end US military interventions that are driven by accessing oil and gas resources around the world and radically shift to mass transit systems that are truly sustainable.
Cost of groceries –
- We do need more people to question the existing food system and learn food growing and food preserving skills. More people growing and preserving food is an important step, but it is only a first step and not the end goal.
- We need large, fully functional farmers markets in a sectors of the Grand Rapids area, which will make it easier for more people to access fresh food that is in their neighborhood.
- We need to guarantee that people have access to land to grow food, particularly to grow food collectively. I support people turing their lawns into spaces of food production, but this is often a privileged response, since many people do not have lawns. Vacant lots, church property, green space that exists at commercial facilities, all need to be made available for people to collectively grow food.
- Right now, a great deal of food that is grown in West Michigan, does not stay in West Michigan. Many of the area farms grow mono-crops, like corn and apples, which are either used for animal feed (in the case of corn) or the food is sent abroad to be used in the creation of highly processed foods. Current, the food system is not bio-regional and this also means that the average food item grown will travel 1,000 miles before it is consumed. This is not sustainable, nor should it be desirable. More farmers would use a CSA model (Community Supported Agriculture), but this requires that thousands more need to join a CSA.
- Food waste is built in to the current food system. Food that goes bad before it gets to consumers is expected and used as a write-off in the current food system. Then there is the amount of food that grocery stores throw away because it has expired and all the food that is thrown away by restaurants and other institutions that prepare thousands of pounds of food every day. So much food ends up in a landfill, food that could be used to meet the nutritional needs of so many people.
- We need to rethink how we access food and move beyond supporting the large grocery chains, moving to other food distribution models. We need more food coops, food buying clubs, more CSAs and more neighborhood-based farmers markets. 75% of the food sold in Grocery store chains is highly processed foods that we don’t need, and if fact, the highly processed foods is what has led to a major health crisis, especially for those experiencing poverty.
- The Slaughterhouse industry has also now being exposed to its brutal and dysfunctional nature. For years we have know that a meat-centric diet in the current food system is a major contributor to climate change. Moving forward we need to come to terms with the fact we need to significantly reduce animal consumption to truly have a just and sustainable food system.
- Right now it is apparent that agricultural workers/migrant workers are “essential workers.” However, agricultural workers/migrant workers have always been essential to the current food system, despite the fact that they are exploited on a massive scale. Food worker demands should be met, which includes a livable wage, safe working conditions, just housing conditions and the elimination of the threat of ICE arrest, detention and deportation, since many workers in the food system are undocumented. Farmworker unions should be a priority.
- Farmworker labor improvements are a good first step, but it would still not do much to challenge the existing food system. We need massive land reform, which includes a longstanding tradition, particularly in the Global South, where those who work the land should own the land.
- We also need to challenge the massive subsidization of the current food system, also known as the Farm Bill. Billions of dollars of taxpayer money is used to support a dysfunctional, exploitative and unjust food system.
- Instead of ending the Farm Bill, maybe we need to radically re-imagine a new Farm Bill that would redistribute the billions going to support the agribusiness sector and redistribute that money to fund all of the other ideas listed above.
Vote to End ICE cruelty – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was created in 2003 as part of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE has always been cruel, just as the history of US Immigration Policy. According to the book Unbuild Walls: Why Immigrant Justice needs Abolition, the Obama Administration made the immigration system bigger and more effective, but not in a good way. His administration created new programs and partnerships and increased family detentions and creating the Secure Communities program, which got county sheriff departments involved in immigration enforcement, like what happened in Kent County in 2012.
The Obama Administration was referred to as the “Deporter in Chief”, since he deported more immigrants (3.5 million) during his tenure, which was the most at that time for any administration.
Lastly, the author makes the point, stating: “the Obama administration expanded and set up a powerful machinery for Trump to exploit by plugging in the detention and deportation system much more closely to criminal law enforcement across the country.”
The book also discusses why there hasn’t been as much organized opposition to US immigration policy, especially during the Obama and Biden years. One could argue there has only been organized opposition from affected groups, but most white liberals who are now outraged at what the Trump Administration’s treatment of immigrants did not oppose what recent Democratic Party Administrations have done.
If we want to actually end the cruelty of ICE, the people should get involved in the work of GR Rapid Response to ICE and concretely resist ICE and provide Mutual Aid to the families affected by ICE violence.
Vote for Justice for Epstein’s Victims – Let’s be honest for as long as we have known about the heinous crimes of Epstein and those complicit in those crimes NO administration has made any real effort to make the Epstein files public and then do the hard work to actually provide justice for the victims. We need a mass movement to make this happen.
Vote to make sure Billionaires can’t run our country – Members of the Capitalist Class have always run the US. As the first Chief Justice of the United States John Jay said, “Those who own the country ought to govern it.” Again, mass movements are necessary to force the billionaire class to give back the wealth they stole from everyone else. Taxing the rich is just the first step, but we need to abolish the millionaire/billionaire class.
Vote to bring an end to the Iran War – The US has been waging war on the Iranian people since the CIA coup of 1953. The most recent US government assault on Iran is not new and we need to come to terms with that. However, why just stop with ending the war with Iran, why not end the US assault on Cuba, Venezuela, end the billions in military aid that the US provides Israel, or shut down the 170 US military bases around the world. Think of what the nearly trillion dollars the US spends on militarism could be used for. If you want an idea, check out the National Priorities Project Cost of Pentagon and War tracker and the Trade Offs, which shows what we could fund with all the money currently going to militarism.
Vote to Make Healthcare Affordable – see above.
Vote to Fund Our Public Schools – See https://www.nationalpriorities.org/interactive-data/trade-offs/
The rest of the meme regarding public land, yourself, your family and the next generation could all be addressed by redirecting our priorities and moving away from representative democracy to direct democracy. As the Puerto Rican poet Martin Espada said – No change for the good ever happens without it being imagined first, even if that change seems hopeless or impossible in the present.
Follow the Money: Campaign Finances for Grand Rapids City Comptroller is one of the more expensive races for a non-partisan seat
There are two people running for the Grand Rapids City Comptroller position that are on the ballot for the November 3rd election.
I will list the candidates in alphabetical order, as they appear on the ballot, will include the amount they raised, the amount they spent, the number of contributions, any relevant in kind contributions, contributions from out of state and the largest contributors to each candidate.
David Bulkowski
According to campaign finance data from the Kent County Clerk’s office, Bulkowski has raised $12,980 and has spent a total of $12,320.72. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/24973.PDF
For the most recent campaign finance report David Bulkowski had 85 separate contributions, with zero in Kind contributions, There were no out of state contributors.
Here is a list of the larger contributions:
- Kent County Democratic Party – $3,750
- Walter Bulkowski – $500
- Edward Manderfeld – $500
- Richard Kogelshatz – $500
- Vicky Schmidt – $500
- Steve Pestka – $300
- Tony Baker – $250
- Jonathan Greer – $250
- John Helmholdt – $250
- Joe Jones – $250
- Daniel Tietema – $250
Max Frantz
According to campaign finance data from the Kent County Clerk’s office, Frantz has raised $32,017.45 and has spent a total of $33,937.78 https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/26082.PDF
For the most recent campaign finance report Max Frantz had 11 separate contributions, with zero in Kind contributions, There were no out of state contributors.
Here is a list of the larger contributions:
- TGIF Victory Fund – $24,000
- Max Frantz – $5,010.84
- Daniel Hibma – $2,450
Two things stand out about this race between the current City Comptroller Frantz and David Bulkowski. First, Frantz not only raised nearly three times as much money, but he raised his money from just a few contributors. In contrast, Bulkowski had eight times as many contributors with the majority contributing $100 or less.
Second, this is another non-partisan race that is very partisan. Bulkowski got the largest contribution from the Kent County Democratic Party ($3,750), along with contributions from former and current Democratic Party elected officials. Frantz did not receive funds from the Kent County Republican Party, but he did receive two large contributions from: 1) TGIF Victory Fund ($24,000), a fund that has historically supporter Republican candidates, and 2) Daniel Hibma ($2,450), who has traditionally funded Republicans, who’s wife is a former Republican official (Terri Lynn Land), plus Hibma founded the TGIF Victory Fund.
Why are people in the US not engaged in a massive uprising? – Part I
“The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.”
Steve Biko – South African Anti-Apartheid organizer
Right now the majority of people in the US are faced with increased cost of basic necessities like food, gas, health care and utilities.
Beyond basic necessities we are faced with the ongoing brutality of policing, the cruelty of ICE, the scourge of gun violence in our communities, the structural violence of poverty and the widening gap between the millionaire/billionaire class and everyone else.
The US government continues to practice a foreign policy that is rooted in imperialism, with unconditional support for Israel’s genocide, for the current war against Iran, for global arms trafficking, for maintaining roughly 170 US military bases around the world and for choosing to spend nearly a trillion dollars on militarism while millions of people in this country are just trying to survive.
We continue to avoid dealing with structural racism, the catastrophic climate crisis, a legal system that protects the rich and punishes the poor, and a political system that is controlled by the oligarchy and is designed to ignore the needs of the vast majority of the public.
So, why the hell are we not engaged in a massive uprising? In a recent article about the student protests in France it states:
“How did we get here? Courageous high school students have been protesting for weeks against abominable conditions in schools, the rise of the extreme right, and the bleak prospects they face in a world dominated by technocrats and tech barons. Alongside growing anti-government protests from Albania, Italy, Spain, and beyond in recent days, the French student rebellions may herald the emergence of a new wave of global struggle.”
Why are so many Americans opposed to these kinds of actions and yet so tolerant of the conditions we live in? Is it because we are too comfortable or could it be that we are too afraid of the consequences of rising up? The US certainly has a history of people rising up and confronting the oppressors, like the abolitionist movement, the early labor movement, and the Civil Rights movement, just to name a few. Look what happened all around the US, hell all around the world, with the George Floyd uprisings. (see the excellent book entitled, The George Floyd Uprising)
Unfortunately, the energy of the 2020 uprisings was not sustained, mostly because of the many factors that people are constantly confronted with by systems of power and oppression. I want to look at some of these factors that not only make it hard for movements to sustain themselves, but make it difficult for people to see themselves as agents of radical change.
Internalizing the values of the system – For most of us who have gone through our educational system and especially for those of us who carry lots of privilege, we have been subjected to embracing a narrative about the US and it’s history. We have been told from a very young age that America is the greatest country on the planet or that the US is the land of the free and the home of the brave. We were never taught about how the US was founded on the genocide of indigenous people and the theft of their land. We were never really taught about how the US system of Capitalism was based on the enslavement of Black people or that the system of white supremacy permeates every institution in this country.
We are told that if you work hard and apply yourself you can do anything…..but that was and is a lie. We were told that people are innocent until proven guilty, yet the US leads the world in mass incarceration. We are told that we are a nation of immigrants, yet the history of US immigration policy is rooted in xenophobia, especially for people coming from the Global South.
Too many people have internalized these values, values of the system, the system of power and oppression. This is exactly why Doug DeVos and other people who control the system in Grand Rapids were in charge of the 250th anniversary of the US committee in this city, known as GR250. These people don’t want us to learn or know about any sort of people’s history, since that history does not embrace the dominant narratives about the US or Grand Rapids.
Media and the carpet bombing of our minds – There is so much media content that is produced, with 99.9% of it being produced to sell us products, a way of life, or ideas that prevent us from thinking for ourselves. How much time do we all spend consuming media – news, entertainment media, social media, along with the amount of time we spend texting and checking messages? Our minds are literally being carpet bombed. Even if there is some important messages or relevant news, it is overwhelmed in less than a day because we are now talking about some fucking celebrity or a political candidates that we treat likely celebrities. Media, especially social media alienates us from ourselves and from each other. Plus we spend so much time arguing with people on social media, rather than learning new skills, engaging in care work or actually resisting the systems of power that have created the conditions we live in.
Individualism, alienation and Capitalism – We live in a society that tells us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and to simply get our shit together. We’ll join a fantasy football league, but we won’t join a labor union. We all want to be part of some kind of community and make connections with people, but under a system of Capitalism we are taught that competition is king. We sell our labor for shitty wages, so shitting that we can’t afford rent or we have to chose between paying rent and not having enough to pay the electricity bill. Many people work two jobs and have side hustles, simply because we are just trying not to fall deeper into debt. The wealth gap continues to widen, so much so that a handful for billionaires control a large percentage of the wealth, while working class people are dying from hypertension, stress, depression and work. I retired last year, but can’t live off of my social security, so I am now working part time with goats that eat invasive species just so I have make ends meet. How can we expect people to be involved in social movement work when they have no little or energy because they are literally working to stay alive?
The belief that Elections will save us – We are constantly told that this is the most important election of our lives and that if you want to make things better you need to vote. Voting is a tactic and it is only one tactic, a tactic that historically has not brought about the kind of changes needed to improve people’s lives. We can’t vote ourselves out of this mess. Donald Trump is not the problem, he is the result of a political system that was designed to represent the interests of those with economic, political and social power.
Now, I’m not saying don’t vote, I’m say that regardless of who wins most people will be in the same predicament as before this election. When the Democrats control Congress, the White House or state governments the systems of power and oppression are still in place. Sure there might be some mild relief or mild reforms, but overall the realities of poverty, the wealth gap, mass incarceration, white supremacy, militarism, police brutality, xenophobia, transphobia, the climate crisis will remain. If you think that life is so much better with Democratic Administrations then you just aren’t paying attention.
Over the past 45 years of community organizing I have seen movements come and go and you can almost always bet that when the Democrats control the White House that most white liberals will say we are good and can get back to having Bruch. Ask yourself, where were the Indivisible groups during the Biden Administration? Why weren’t they challenging Democratic Party administration around the ongoing climate crisis, the arrest, detention of deportation of millions of immigrants between 2021-2025, the $900 billion US military budgets, the massive wealth gap, the prison industrial complex, the US funding of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the militarization of the US/Mexican border, then increased funding of cops, gentrification, the housing crisis, etc., etc.
We really need to learn from some of our own history about mass movements an mass uprisings. In addition, we need to learn from uprisings that are happening all around the world, where people are disrupting business as usual and shutting things down. Those uprisings are using direct action tactics and strategies, they are not standing on street corners holding signs and calling it resistance. It’s embarrassing. I have spent enough time in Latin America to see how people organize, rise up and take risks in ways we can’t even imagine. Plus, people in those countries face more severe forms of government repression than we are likely to experience, and yet they take the necessary risks to fight for collective liberation.
In Part II, I will look at some examples of real resistance and how people have organized in ways to bring about collective liberation, which is a constant struggle.
Both of the 2nd Ward Candidates in Grand Rapids have already submitted their campaign finance reports for the upcoming November 3rd election.
I will list the candidates in alphabetical order, as they appear on the ballot, will include the amount the raised, the amount they spent, the number of contributions, any relevant in kind contributions, contributions from out of state and the largest contributors to each candidate. There is no data from the August Primary campaign finance reports, as the candidates did not submit anything for that quarter.
Bryan Cody
According to campaign finance data from the Kent County Clerk’s office, Bryan Cody has raised $48,419.31 and has spent a total of $46,726.31. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/25017.PDF
For the most recent campaign finance report Cory had 157 separate contributions, with eight in Kind contributions, most notably from Mark Secchia. Apart from running the family business, Mark Secchia is a major Republican contributor and is part of the GOP PAC known as Maintain Our Majority, which engaged in a deceptive mailer campaign in 2024 attempting to attack then candidate Alicia Marie Belchak. There were also two out of state contributors, but both were small contributions. Cody did receive more than 50 contributions that were from people who identified as realtors, maybe because Cody himself is a realtor.
Here is a list of the larger contributions:
- Friends of West MI Business/GR Chamber of Commerce – $12,250
- Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters PAC – $5,000
- Realtors Political Action Committee of Michigan – $5,000
- Josh Smith – The Fulton Group LLC – $1,225
- Sam Cummings – CWD Real Estate – $1,225
- Joan Seechia – $1,225
- Justin Sheldon – $1,225
- Patricia Cross – $1,100
- Grand Rapids Firefighters Union PAC – $1,000
- J.C. Huizenga – Huizenga Group – $1,000
- Thomas Sinas – Sinas Dramis Law Firm – $1,000
- Mike VanGessel – CEO and President of Voyage – $1,000
- Mike Murray – Advantage Commercial Real Estate Services – $834
- Mark Ansara – Advantage Commercial Real Estate Services – $833
- Duke Suwyn – Advantage Commercial Real Estate Services – $833
- Mark Murray – Meijer – $500
What stands out in this list are two things. First, there are a number of Grand Rapids Power Structure individuals – Cummings, Seechia, Huizenga, VanGessel and Murray, along with a GR Power Structure organization like the Friends of West MI Business/GR Chamber of Commerce, which has inserted itself in so many Grand Rapids policy issues in recent years.
The second major issue is the fact that there are so many realtors and realtor PACs that have contributed to Cody’s campaign that it would most certainly impact housing and development decisions at the City Commission if he were elected, given that housing is a major issue that is facing Grand Rapids.
Lisa Knight
According to campaign finance data from the Kent County Clerk’s office, Lisa Knight raised $13,953.95 and has spent a total of $10,787.16. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/25056.PDF
For the most recent campaign finance report Knight received 56 separate contributions, with no In Kind contributions and no out of state contributions.
Here is a list of the larger contributions:
- Tiffany Logan – Law Offices of Benjamin Misko – $1,225
- Kerry Verhulst – Spesh Construction – $1,030.26
- Michael Verhulst – Spesh Construction – $1,025
- Tasha Blackmon – President of Cherry Health – $1,015.38
- Kevin Farhat – Garage Bar & Grill – $1,000
- Billy Manns – $1,000
- Brenda Moore – $1,000
- Lynn Heemstra – $800
- Lisa Knight – $679
- Max Gibbs – $500
- Jeffrey Phillips – $500
- Joe Jones – $500
The two things that stand out with Lisa Knight’s contributions is; 1) Tiffany Logan’s address is listed for Grand Rapids, but the Law Office address is New Orleans; and 2) Michael Verhulst as a member of the Grand Rapids Power Structure, with numerous business ventures and the fact that he sits on 18 Boards, including the GR Chamber of Commerce, Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention Arena Authority, ArtPrize and Experience Grand Rapids. People with that kind of economic power and those kind of connections always want to influence public policy.
Both of the 1st Ward Candidates in Grand Rapids have already submitted their campaign finance reports for the upcoming November 3rd election.
I will list the candidates in alphabetical order, as they appear on the ballot, will include the amount the raised, the amount they spent, the number of contributions, any relevant in kind contributions, contributions from out of state and the largest contributors to each candidate. Some of the data will be from the August Primary campaign finance reports, which I wrote about in late July.
Lindsey Perez-Plescher
According to campaign finance data from the Kent County Clerk’s office, Lindsey Perez-Plescher has raised $28,750 and has spent a total of $22,809.94. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/25889.PDF
For the most recent campaign finance report Perez-Plescher had 33 separate contributions, with one In Kind contribution from David LaGrand. There was also one out of state contributor, the IBEW PAC VOLUNTARY FUND, which contributed $500.
Here is a list of the larger contributions:
- Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters PAC – $5,000
- Kent County Democratic Party – $3,250
- Grand Rapids Firefighters Union PAC – $3,000
- Johnny Brann Jr. – $1,225
- Chelsea Brann – $1,225
- Michael Jandernoa – $1,225
- Brent Webster – $1,200
- Maria Webster – $1,200
- Michael Fassbender – $1,000
- Duncan Macleod – $1,000
- Tami Vandenberg – $1,000
- West Michigan Plumbers, Fitters and Service Trades Local Union 174 PAC – $1,000
What stands out in this list are two things. First, the Democratic Party gave a sizable contribution to a non-partisan race, plus the three unions listed also consistently give to the Democratic Party. The second issue is with the number of contributions from people who are CEOs and business owners, one of which are part of the Grand Rapids Power Structure – Michael Jandernoa. In addition, Jandernoa, Johnny and Chelsea Brann have a history of primarily contributing to the Republican Party.
Steve Tibbe
According to campaign finance data from the Kent County Clerk’s office, Steve Tibbe raised $24,181.22 and has spent a total of $11,331.76. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/25891.PDF
For the most recent campaign finance report Tibbe received 13 separate contributions, with no In Kind contributions and no out of state contributions.
Here is a list of the larger contributions:
- TGIF Victory Fund – $6,000
- Grand Rapids Police Officer’s Union – $5,000
- Realtors Political Action Committee of Michigan – $3,000
- The Greater Regional Alliance of Realtors (GRAR) – $2,500
- Ryan Wheeler – $1.250
- Kevin Toler – $1,030
- Tim Maclam – $1,000
- Steve Tibbe – $1,000
TGIF Victory Fund was founded by Dan Hibma, who is the husband of Terri Lynn Land has consistently funded GOP candidates. Like previous 1st ward candidates in recent years Tibbe received a sizable contribution from the police union, plus two different realtor groups and the CEO of a large development group in the person of Ryan Wheeler.
What is unfortunate about both candidates is that they received contributions from PACs and individuals that have a history of purchasing access to the Grand Rapids City Commission and influencing public policy, rarely for the benefit of the majority of those who call Grand Rapids home.
In this edition of deconstructing memes, GRIID takes a look at misinformation from the Democrats, with a meme that was circulating on social media by the group Occupy Democrats.
Occupy Democrats was a group that formed in 2011 in response to the Occupy Wall Street movement that sprung up all over the country, even in Grand Rapids. Occupy Democrats don’t actually promote the same ideas or share the same principles as the Occupy movement, but they were hoping to cash in on the popularity of that movement. A major theme of the Occupy movement was the 99% vs the 1%, which is interesting since this movement took off during the later part of the first term of the Obama Administration.
The text of the meme I am deconstructing today is:
That Darn Obama! He’s given full amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants, banned assault weapons and secretly armed Iran! Just kidding, that was Reagan!
The intent of this meme is to slam the Republican Party. However, the meme is misleading and includes false or misleading statements, all of which I want to deconstruct. The meme claims that the Reagan Administration did these three things, so lets look at them one at a time.
Full Amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants – First off it is worth pointing out that the meme uses racist and xenophobic language, referring to undocumented immigrants and illegal. Second, the meme wants us to believe that granting amnesty to 3 million undocumented immigrants was a bad thing, when in fact it was the last time that in recent decades that any US administration did something positive for undocumented immigrants.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was adopted to provide amnesty to 3 million undocumented immigrants, specifically those who had come to the US prior to 1982. This was not because of a sympathetic Reagan Administration, rather it was because the Central American Solidarity movement was so well organized with thousands of people doing fact finding missions to Central America, the creation of over 400 sanctuaries for people fleeing El Salvador and Guatemala, massive protests, the Pledge of Resistance and the Sister Cities Movement.
In addition, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 did adopt two other important policy positions. First, there was an increase in the budget and activities of the US Border Patrol, plus the policy imposed first time penalties for employers who hired undocumented immigrants.
Banning Assault Weapons – The Reagan Administration did not ban assault weapons, so this statement from Occupy Democrats is just plain false. However, if the Reagan Administration had banned assault weapons wouldn’t that have been a good thing? Don’t the Democrats like to think of themselves as having a more reasonable stance on gun control?
Secretly Arming Iran – The Reagan Administration did secretly provide arms to Iran, it what is best known as the Iran-Contra Affair. According to the group the National Security Archives:
Exactly thirty years ago, President Ronald Reagan announced to the nation – after weeks of denials – that members of his White House staff had engaged in a web of covert intrigue linking illicit U.S. support for a guerrilla war in Central America with an illegal and politically explosive arms-for-hostages bargain with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The revelation quickly led to a new phrase – “Iran-Contra” – which became synonymous with political hubris, government incompetence, and dishonesty in the public sphere.
You can read declassified documents regarding the Iran-Contra Affair at this link.
Thus, of the three claims in this meme, the first one is misleading, the second claim is false and only the third claim is true. Like most memes, this meme from Occupy Democrats doesn’t provide any sources to support its claims, rather it promotes misinformation and partisan bias.
For anyone who could not join the class tonight or who couldn’t find time to be part of this class, I want to share a summary of what was discussed. I also want to provide links and resources for anyone who wants to do their own investigation on the history of US immigration policy.
As with each of the 8 weeks of this class we will rely on the Popular Education resource I created and update regularly. The Popular Education resource provides an important overview of this history, along with a list of books and online resources that can help us with developing a robust analysis of the history of US immigration policy and how to frame it.
In week #1 we relied heavily on the book, No One is Illegal: Fighting Racism and State Violence on the US/Mexican border, which look at the way that Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Jewish and even German immigrants have been treated since the mid-1800s.
In week #2 we the responded to the question about why so many immigrants were coming, especially those who were risking their lives to enter the US/Mexican border at unsanctioned border points.
For week #3 I focused heavily on the anti-immigrant narrative or the xenophobic narrative(s) about immigrants that politicians and US news media companies use when talking about undocumented immigrants.
In week #4 we talked about why people are taking the risk of coming to the US without documentation and what the root causes of displacement are. We all read an overview article on the history of US interventions in Central America and discussed the motives of the US government for their support of US corporate interests and regional control of Central America. We then did a more detailed account of the US History with Guatemala.
For week #5 we continued our discussion on the root causes of why people are fleeing Central America and Mexico and taking the risk to come to the US as undocumented immigrants. In week #4 we talked about the history of US foreign policy in that region, along with economic factors, but for week #5 we discussed Climate Change and the so-called War on Drugs as factors of displacement.
First, we all read part of Todd Miller’s book, Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration and Homeland Security. We also read an interview with Miller about the same topic, but with additional information and analysis.
Second, we read an article from Dawn Paley, an article that beautify summarizes her book, Drug War Capitalism. Paley’s article is entitled, Militarization & Economic Transformation in Colombia & Mexico. In that article she states:
Reconsidering the so-called drug wars requires — in part — evaluating how they have encouraged the expansion of foreign direct investment and extractive industries in Colombia, Mexico and Central America.
Paley discusses how the US used the same model to fight the so-called War on Drugs in Mexico that was used in Colombia.
We ended the class by watching part of the documentary American Drug War: The Last White Hope, which discusses CIA involvement in drug trafficking in order to fund counterinsurgency warfare abroad.
Additional Resources:
Gary Webb Dark Alliance articles https://web.archive.org/web/19961220020436/http://www.sjmercury.com/drugs/stories.htm
National Security Archives – The Contras, Cocaine, and Covert Operations https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB2/index.html
Another example of how the DeVos family uses their power in Grand Rapids to expand their wealth
Last week, Crain’s Grand Rapids Business ran an article entitled, AHC Hospitality brings back longtime leader as its new president.
The article primarily focuses on the fact that George Aquino will replace Richard Winn to lead the DeVos-owned AHC Hospitality. AHC manages a portfolio of 16 hotels with 2,800 rooms and 42 restaurants and lounges in Michigan, Florida and the British Virgin Islands. Four of those hotels are in downtown Grand Rapids – JW Marriot Grand Rapids, AC Hotel Downtown Grand Rapids, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriot Downtown, with another hotel in nearby Ada.
The replacement of Richard Winn by George Aquino isn’t terrible notable, but there are some comments in the article that I believe are more relevant in terms of understanding how power functions in Grand Rapids. The first comment from the article I want to point out is:
“As the Acrisure Amphitheater moved through its first season of shows, downtown saw higher overall hotel occupancy over the summer.”
The second comment was from George Aquino, where he states:
“As far as the demand, we expect really good demand for rooms and also for food and beverage because of the soccer stadium.”
What both of these comments reflect is that the Amphitheater and the soon to be open Amway Soccer Stadium generates a great deal of money for the DeVos family. In addition to the hotels they own in downtown Grand Rapids, they also own or manage the following food & beverage venues in or near their hotels in Grand Rapids:
- AC Lounge
- Allora
- Amway Grand Plaza Catering
- The Bistro
- IDC
- Lumber Baron
- Margaux
- MDRD
- The Placery & Breakfast Bar
- Rendezvous
- Right Bank Wine Selections
- Ruth’s Chris Steak House Grand Rapids
- The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck
- Starbucks JW Marriott
- Woodrow’s Duckpin Grand Rapids
The point is that the DeVos family created Grand Action 2.0 to propose venues like the Amphitheater and the Soccer Stadium, using lots of public funds, in order to expand their wealth through the AHC Hospitality hotels, bars and restaurants located in downtown Grand Rapids. This is exactly why Rick DeVos started ArtPrize, as a tool to expand the family’s wealth.
The DeVos family also has operatives that make up groups like the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority (DDA) the Grand Rapids–Kent County Convention/Arena Authority and Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. to influence what those entities do that will benefit their interests.
Lastly, the DeVos family spends millions annually on state, county and city elections as a means of buying access and to make sure that elected politicians will do their bidding. It is what I like to refer to as an inter-locking system of power. Welcome to the DeVos Oligarchy!
Join the campaign to pressure Mayor LaGrand and the GR City Commission to adopt the Cosecha sanctuary policies
It has been 20 months since Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE began their campaign to get the City of Grand Rapids to adopt sanctuary policies that would prevent city staff and the GRPD from cooperating, collaborating or assisting ICE in any way that would lead to the arrest, detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants living in this community.
Over those 20 months the City of Grand Rapids and especially Mayor LaGrand have not only failed to take action on the sanctuary policies campaign, they have engaged in a misinformation campaign about what the City already does regarding ICE and immigration. The most absurd part of the City’s misinformation campaign is their claim that the GRPD does not cooperate, collaborate or assist ICE. Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE has been documenting concrete examples of GRPD collaboration with ICE, especially the following examples from 2026:
GRPD assists in the arrest of Byron Martinez on February 3rd, which you can see at this link.
On July 28th the GRPD prevented people from stopping the transportation of abducted immigrants from the 517 Ottawa ICE office to the GEO Group van headed for Baldwin, MI, which you can see in this video link.
On September 12 the GRPD coordinated with ICE to allow a GEO Group van to exit the 517 ICE office and escape without interruption from activists, then arrested 5 people in the process. For more details go here.
The most recent example was from October 3, where activists once again attempted to block a GEO Group van from entering the 517 Ottawa ICE office in order to transport undocumented immigrants to the detention facility in Baldwin, MI. For details of that action you can go here.
The most recent efforts with Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE also involve the local chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which includes information you can scan from the graphic below. There is a list of ways to get involved in the ongoing campaign:
- Attend the October 27 City Commission meeting (7pm) to demand the adoption of the sanctuary policies.
- Send a message to the City Commission demanding they adopt these policies, which also includes ending the current Flock contract and banning all future ALPR technology.
- Boycott Long Road Distillers and all of the products they produce. Mayor LaGrand is part owner of Long Road Distillers, along with former City Commission Jon O’Conner.
- Contribute to the family of Mario David Coronado Juarez, the Guatemalan national who died in a car crash while being chased by ICE.
- Contribute to the legal costs of 8 activists who have been arrested in Grand Rapids while resisting ICE terrorism over the past 5 weeks.
History of US Immigration Policy: Summary of GRIID Class week #4 – Why people leave their countries to come to the US
For anyone who could not join the class tonight or who couldn’t find time to be part of this class, I want to share a summary of what was discussed. I also want to provide links and resources for anyone who wants to do their own investigation on the history of US immigration policy.
As with each of the 8 weeks of this class we will rely on the Popular Education resource I created and update regularly. The Popular Education resource provides an important overview of this history, along with a list of books and online resources that can help us with developing a robust analysis of the history of US immigration policy and how to frame it.
In week #1 we relied heavily on the book, No One is Illegal: Fighting Racism and State Violence on the US/Mexican border, which look at the way that Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Jewish and even German immigrants have been treated since the mid-1800s.
In week #2 we the responded to the question about why so many immigrants were coming, especially those who were risking their lives to enter the US/Mexican border at unsanctioned border points.
For week #3 I focused heavily on the anti-immigrant narrative or the xenophobic narrative(s) about immigrants that politicians and US news media companies use when talking about undocumented immigrants.
For week #4 we talked about why people are taking the risk of coming to the US without documentation and what the root causes of displacement are.
We all read an overview article on the history of US interventions in Central America and discussed the motives of the US government for their support of US corporate interests and regional control of Central America. We then did a more detailed account of the US History with Guatemala.
History of US relations with Guatemala
The US government has always had an interest in the rest of the Americas to the south, including Mexico, Central and South America, along with the Caribbean countries. In fact, the Monroe Doctrine adopted in the early part of the 19th century was essentially a policy that said that all of Latin America was the back yard of the US and only the US has a right to what happens in that part of the Americas.
During much of the first half of the 19th century the US was also pressing Latin American countries to maintain a slave system, since the US would also benefit from it, especially after Haiti rose up and defeated the French colonizers and ended slavery. The book, This Vast Southern Empire: Slaveholders at the Helm of American Foreign Policy, documents this dynamic in detail.
However, a major driving force for US interest in Latin America was economic interests. With Guatemala it was coffee, then bananas. The US-based United Fruit Company quickly bought own a great deal of land in Guatemala, quite often the best land. Various Guatemalan leaders from the late 19th century into the 20th century were happy to support United Fruit’s exploitation of the land and the workers of Guatemala. In fact, by the 1930s people were referring to the United Fruit Company as El Pulpo, the octopus, because the company had its tentacles in everything.
However, Guatemalans became increasingly frustrated with being exploited, so in 1944 then they ended the dictatorship of Jorge Ubico (who was a fan of the Nazis) and elected a progressive government that made significant reforms, especially land reforms. The United Fruit Company was so enraged by these policies that the sough assistance from the US government to overthrow the Guatemalan government. In 1954 the CIA organized a coup and Guatemala and put in place another military dictator, since the interest of the United Fruit Company was more important than the people of Guatemala, You can see from the graphic here on the right how integrated the United Fruit Company was in the US government.
During the Cold War Guatemala acted as a proxy for the US, even allowing for US military to use Guatemala as a base for the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961. Beginning in the 1970s, there was a growing insurgency movement throughout Central American and many Guatemalans began to support an armed uprising. Various Guatemalan administrations, beginning in the mid-1970s engaged in massive repression of the civilian population, disappearing tens of thousands, displacing 200,000 and murdering over 100,000, in what Amnesty International referred to as a genocidal campaign during the regime of Rios Montt. Throughout all of this the US was providing millions in weapons sales, training and advisors to the Guatemalan military. (See Aviva Chomsky’s book, Central America’s Forgotten History: Revolution, Violence, and the Roots of Immigration)
Eventually, there was a ceasefire in 1995, followed by internationally observed elections. However, root causes of the conflict were not resolved nor did the military reduce their numbers or end their repressive tactics. Guatemalans are still uncovering clandestine mass graves, plus those seeking justice are being targeted by the Guatemalan authorities.
As soon as the peace accords were signed there were efforts around exposing those responsible for the deaths, disappearance, torture and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Guatemalans. The Guatemalan Catholic Church spent two years interviewing people and in 1998 published a human rights report titled Guatemala: Nunca más (Guatemala: Never Again). This report was built around previous work done by Guatemalan human rights groups, which were targeted by government death squads, groups like Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo (GAM). We know this happened, since the US-based group the National Security Archives gained access to Guatemalan military documents, such as the Death Squad Dossier.
Two days after the Catholic Church’s report Nunca Mas was released, the Bishop who was overseeing this project, Bishop Gerardi, was assassinated. A few years after this assassination it was discovered that a Guatemalan military officer, Colonel Byron Disrael Lima Estrada, orchestrated Gerardi’s assassination. Colonel Byron Disrael Lima Estrada also received extensive training at the US Army School of the Americas, based at Fort Benning, Georgia.
In 2006, Guatemala, along with the rest of Central America, adopted a so-called trade agreement with the US, known as the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA provided easier access for multinational corporations to exploit Guatemalan resources and labor. According to a report entitled, CAFTA’s Tragic Legacy in Central America: Failed Trade Policy That Drove Millions From Their Homes, “from 2005 to 2014, the number of undocumented immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala living in the United States increased 49 percent, 122 percent and 73 percent, respectively.”
The Guatemalan currency has become increasingly devalued over the past several decades and the influence of US and other multinational corporations has been devastating for a large percentage of the Guatemalan population, which has forced thousands of them to flee the country and come to the US to earn a living and be able to support their families.
This is exactly why Mario David Coronado Juarez came to the US. Mario was unable to obtain a visa from his own government, primarily because it is too expensive for most people to afford. Due to limited economic opportunities Mario took the risk to come to the US in order to support his family.
Combined with over a century of US military and economic intervention in Guatemala, using violence and exploitation of land and workers, you can see why people like Mario make the difficult choice to do whatever they can to support their families. Guatemalans like Mario fled state terrorism and exploitation that the US funded only to end up being the target of state violence in the US. This is a reality for most undocumented immigrants and we need to come to terms with this reality if we ever want to have a truly just immigration policy.
