Westslope Says No ICE, Solidarity with L.A 6/10 Reportback

GRAND JUNCTION By Sasha Gardner On Tuesday, June 10th, members of the wider Grand Junction community stood in solidarity with protesters in Los Angeles. In the aftermath of the Trump-Musk breakup, large ICE raids were carried out throughout the Los Angeles area, prompting largely peaceful protest in support of victims. The militarized Los Angeles Police … Continue reading Westslope Says No ICE, Solidarity with L.A 6/10 Reportback

Finding Hope in the Grand Valley’s History of Resistance

Yet, there are still lessons to be learned about how we can resist in the coming years. There is inspiration to be found in the bravery of those who have fought before us, there is a pattern of direct action and civil disobedience to studied, there are precedents of welcoming Japanese-Americans into our community to strive for, and there is a narrative of perseverance, as even anti-socialist suppression and the rise of the KKK could not keep the socialists or their ideas from moving forward. What will some future historian write about our resistance to MAGA fascism? Will we leave them something to write about? Will some future radical find inspiration in our derring-do, find courage in the stands we make today, or find resolve in our actions in the face of hopelessness?  We hope so.

May News Briefs

Trump has deported 238 migrants, many with legal status, without due process to El Salvador’s super Max CECOT prison where people “never leave.” Even the pro-Trump supreme court has ordered the government to stop the deportations and to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father, a sheet metal apprentice and a member of a union. The MAGA regime is now openly talking about sending Americans to this “concentration camp.” Google Earth satellite images seemed to show a pile of bodies and bloodstains on the ground at CECOT, (13° 32’ 1” N, 88° 48’ 18” W). After the disturbing images made their way around social media, both Google Earth and Apple Maps changed their imagery of CECOT in what appears to many to be an attempt at censorship. We should be asking how they keep putting people into a prison that they say, “one ever leaves?”

Radical History of May Day

In the end, they succeeded, and now instead of International Workers Day, or May Day, Americans celebrate Labor Day. Instead of parades with banners and red flags, we have cookouts and barbecues. The rich and powerful killed five of the Haymarket Eight, and then for good measure they buried their memory. It’s up to us to rediscover the radicals of the past who gave up their lives to try and create a better world. It’s up to us to carry the torch of Liberty, Equality and Solidarity forward into a brighter and better future.

The Invisible Patient: A Q & A with Jhova Films

To me, film/cinema is the highest form of art that humanity has ever devised. It’s the perfect intersection of art and science. The elegance of stage performance, the meticulousness of musical composition, and the innovation of creative technology. It’s just as much an artform as it is a working class craft. It requires distinct expertise in so many different fields, and ultimately the pursuit of filmmaking has led to numerous instances of technological pioneering. The very nature of the craft creates infinite possibilities to tell stories. To have the honor and privilege of pursuing that craft and seeking to make your mark on that sprawling tapestry—there’s something extraordinarily special about that to me.

The Isolation of Suburbia and Car Dependency

Both the physical geography and transportation of the suburbs literally separates us from our neighbors. The large houses and fences create boundaries between family units, and cars insulate us from anyone outside the moment we leave. This recreates a very individualistic culture. More public forms of travel like transit, biking, or even walking are often not even considered options, so drivers are often flagrantly unconcerned with their surroundings. This disregard for safety leads to dangerous driving and speeding. More broadly, these divisions normalize a neglect for your fellow humans and the environment.