The Free

Protests/Strikes continue Across Florida as racist Senate Bill 1718 attacks Immigrant Workers

from thefreeonline on 6th July 2023 by UNICORN RIOT

Across Florida, protests have been taking place to mark an immigrant labor stoppage that lasted until at least July 3rd.

Large crowds were being reported in Orlando, Tampa, and various areas in South Florida and as far away as Chicago and California.

As SB 1718 goes into effect, the anger and economic concerns felt by many across the state forced Republican legislators to backpedal (See more about the new law in our last report.)

Despite spin from elected state officials claiming the law “has no teeth,” thousands of undocumented immigrants and mixed-status families have already fled the state, leaving job sites and agricultural fields nearly empty.

The law has attracted the attention of immigrants and their families and many have organized to create a nationwide grassroots movement to protest the racially-motivated laws.

“We didn’t know each other and before you knew it we exchanged phone numbers after we decided we had to do something about SB 1718,” said one organizer who goes by Shevet Bafanifi.

A protest against Florida’s anti-immigrant SB 1718 law on June 1, 2023.

“We’ve been running with each other since and picking up people along the way. I took an Amtrak from Arkansas to San Antonio to help feed the caravan that traveled from San Diego to Tallahassee and next thing you know, I’m in Florida headed to a huge protest.”

Reporting on these organic protests has been a challenge and tracking their results, such as the Latino trucker boycott of the state, is hard to measure. However, the overall impacts of the combined efforts that include immigrants leaving the state are undeniable. As has been reported by residents and elected officials, Florida’s economy appears to be on the brink of a potentially devastating contraction.

The consequences of undeniable white nationalist rhetoric by conservative politicians failed to recognize the consequences of such biased legislation based on racial animus.

This has led not only the immigrant community to bring attention to the issue, but Black people, white people, and organizers from various other ethnicities to show their support for the undocumented community in Florida.

‘The immigrant population have long been ultra exploited Wage Slaves for the toxic right- wing billionaire class of Florida..’

After months of protests, organizers continue to see support grow.
“People have joined this movement from where they’re at by writing ‘Todos Somos Florida’ on their cars,” said Bafanifi.

“Many have also shown their support for HR 1511, HR 1698, and HR 2374 on their vehicles as well. This lets the immigrant community where you live know that their community supports them. I want people to show support in their own communities.”

Members of the movement have also noticed the limited support they have received from politicians in Congress, members of the media, and immigrant rights groups.

Unicorn Riot reached out to the White House and to various members of Congress about these protests and have received no response.

The muted response from the Biden administration against these allegedly unconstitutional laws has also been noted by organizers.

“I want every Latino to own their heritage and use it to find their voice,” said Bafanifi.

“We have an obligation to each other. And while everyone has a right to worship who they want, they don’t have the right to force their beliefs on us.

Religion is the backbone of so much oppression in the United States, including this anti-immigrant fascism. We’re the backbone of this country and we’re here to show the White House and Congress we mean business.”

Some images: Photos by @shevet.bafanifi and Camila Cuevas on Instagram, from a ‘Joyful Resistance Event’ in Jacksonville, Florida.

Arturo is a writer, journalist, and publisher of The Antagonist Magazine and a regular contributor at Latino Rebels and Unicorn Riot. You can find him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Please consider a tax-deductible donation to help sustain our horizontally-organized, non-profit media organization: UNICORN RIOT

The post Protests Erupt Across Florida as Senate Bill 1718 Goes Into Effect appeared first on UNICORN RIOT.

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Big Tough Weird LGBTQ-Bashing American Psycho Guy Wants Your Vote and -What Could Go Wrong?-

by…Abby Zimet Jul 04, 2023 at Common Dreams

Whew. Latest proof the GOP is truly a malignant flaming clown car: A new, screechy, homophobic campaign ad by hateful “faulty robot from Westworld” and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis that’s either the gayest or most bonkers ad ever.

Man wears rainbow-colored "Don't Say DeSantis" t-shirt.

It attacks Trump as (eww) queer-friendly before pivoting to manly-man Ron doing his loud fake laugh amidst oiled bodybuilders, drag queens, disco music, Nazi music, gladiators, more bodybuilders, Brad Pitt’s Achilles and Christan Bale’s psychopath. Yeah, we’re confused too…..

Erdogan denies Women’s Rights as 22 killed by femicide in June in Turkiye with 136 so far this year

ftom thefreeonline on 6th July 2023 by Stockholm Center for Freedom and Turkish Minute

A total of 136 women were murdered by men in Turkey in the first six months of this year, while 114 more died under suspicious circumstances, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported, citing the Birgün daily.

Twenty-two women were murdered by men in Turkey last month, while 27 died under suspicious circumstances, according to data from the We Will Stop Femicide Platform (Kadın Cinayetlerini Durduracağız Platformu).

Among the victims, 12 were killed in their own homes and six were murdered because they wanted to separate from their partners.

According to Gizem Gül Kürekçi from the Left Feminist Movement, there is a clear link between the increase in femicide cases and the government’s paternalistic rhetoric.

“Before the May 14 elections, the Justice, and Development Party [AKP] government aligned with political parties that are openly sexist and that have demanded the repeal of laws that protect women. I believe such political developments are directly linked to the worrying increase in femicide we have witnessed in the last six months,” Kürekçi said.

During the recent presidential election, the People’s Alliance led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan aligned with the New Welfare Party (YRP), a small political party chaired by Fatih Erbakan. The YRP’s condition for joining the alliance was the repeal of Law No. 6284 for protection of the family and the prevention of violence against women.

The Turkish government agreed to consider repealing the law, sparking outrage among activists across the country, who said it was the only legal measure against gender-based violence.

Best Anarchist Movies, Ranked

from thefreeonline on July 5th 2023 by thecollective at anarchistnews

From Movie Web by Jessica Brajer 11 comments

If you’re in the mood for anarchist cine, check out these hit movies. some can be viewed free here or at https://kolektiva.media/videos/local.. others… try torrents

Diving deeper into complex styles and genres of cinema is a goal of every film buff. While politics has its place in cinema, anarchism has often been the subject of great controversy, particularly during the Cold War, with communists being considered criminals in the United States.

Anarchist cinema goes beyond showing a revolution, and uses film as a tool to show it in a new light that audiences will better understand. In a more progressive world, people are unafraid to revisit what was once considered taboo.

Considering that many of the anarchist films were banned shortly after their release, some of the greatest films of this genre have flown under the radar, being forgotten by cinema and Hollywood. Here are my best anarchist movies, ranked.

10 Japanese Summer: Double Suicide

Japanese Summer: Double Suicide is a Japanese film that revolves around a young sex-obsessed woman who meet a suicidal young man on the streets. The two anarchists become trapped in an underground hideout, inspiring the two to bond in a very odd way. The film’s portrayal of anarchism is quite different from most of the others on this list, having a plot outside all the politics within the film, Japanese Summer: Double Suicide is a truly unique addition to this list.

9 Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great revolves around a man nicknamed Alexander the Great, who escapes from prison with his bandits. The bandits kidnap a group of people, taking them to Alexander’s mountain village to live, but this peaceful existence does not last long when the abducted realize their existence is more than just living for Alexander the Great. Based on the Dilesi Massacre of 1870, Alexander the Great was not well-received at the time of its release and has had limited exposure internationally. This hidden anarchist gem from 1980 deserves more attention for the unique story it brings to the genre.

8 Punishment Park

Punishment Park is set during the Vietnam War when U.S. prisons are at capacity and prisoners must decide between finishing their sentences or spending three days in Punishment Park, where they will be hunted for sport. The film sparked a number of debates, with many having initial negative responses due to the portrayal of the American government and authority figures within the film. Despite the initial negative response, Punishment Park saw a revival after a critical reappraisal in 2005, bumping its position critically, earning a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.