Is Indy Ready for a General Strike?

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called for a General Strike. General Strikes are routinely called for, but what do they entail? There’s a lot of work to be prepare for one but, as Dani Abdullah reminds us by recounting the historic 1919 Seattle General Strike, our ancestors made sure we aren't starting over from scratch. Our Naptown Breakdown starts with the new battleground over ICE, with Todd Rokita inviting "Border Czar" Tom Homan to push for the "Fairness Act" this upcoming general session. The legislation would tie law enforcement agencies to ICE. Rokita tried getting it through last session under HB 1531, but it stalled in the Senate after passing out of the House. Rokita also suffered another blow this week after a St. Joseph County judge dismissed Rokita's lawsuit against Sheriff Bill Redman for allegedly violating state law by implementing policies and practices prohibiting staff from cooperating with immigration officials when undocumented immigrants were arrested. We don’t know whether Rokita will appeal or not, but this is a battle that won’t be won only in the courts. Chicago is a prime example. "Operation Midway Blitz", a campaign launched by the Department of Homeland Security that has so far resulted in over 1,500 arrests in the metropolitan area and multiple deaths in predominantly Latino neighborhoods. Yet the people are fighting back. Business owners are refusing service to ICE and banning them from their restrooms, citizens are following them with microphones and whistles, and school teachers and staff escorting students to and from the building. On October 13, Mirror Indy opened up another dam exposing the wanton corruption of the Hogsett administration, showing how the Democratic Party has taken on the vibe of a cult. Over a year after indisputable evidence emerged that Hogsett fostered and even encouraged a culture of misogyny and sexual abuse and harassment, we're now learning that when he was finally forced to fire his right-hand man, Thomas Cook, the money kept flowing both ways. Cook got a job at a law firm with close ties to Hogsett and worked with a city agency led by Scarlett Andrews (one of Cook's sexual partners) to secure $80 million in public incentives to projects with ties to Cook’s clients. She even threw her support behind developers against widespread neighborhood opposition – again, showing you who these politicians really serve. And she gave luxury apartments loop holes to get out of provisions requiring affordable housing. The money is flowing both ways, as Cook's clients became contributors to Hogsett's reelection campaigns. Meanwhile, only five out of the 25 City-County Councilors have called for Hogsett's resignation. That tells you something: the system, their system, isn’t broken – it’s just slightly embarrassed right now. I’m amazed they’re weathering through it but I am confident that rank-and-file voting Democrats are disgusted and will be open to third-party candidates, ones who don’t bow down to Hogsett or VOP (Voice of the Predators) Osili but stay true to their principles, next election season. But we don’t have to wait for elections to make changes. Change happens when people come together, unite, and take public space. That’s what happened in two powerful displays this past week. The first was a truly inspiring protest against the Metabloks proposed data center in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood where we shut down the intersection of Sherman and 25th for over an hour. Then on Saturday thousands of people came out to protest the Trump Administration’s assault on workers. Signs brought to the protest highlighted a number of issues affecting Indiana today, including the attacks on immigrants from ICE, the global climate crisis being exacerbated by AI, and the gutting of essential services. Shout out to Stuart Mora, a former guest on this show and longtime organizer here, for inviting PSL to table at their activist fair. Because the massive outpouring of outrage against the Trump administration is one step, but what to do when the rally is over? How can we keep the energy, enthusiasm, righteous indignation, and collective desire to not only resist but actually transform the conditions under which we’re forced to live? That is exactly why the PSL exists and why we support the Liberation Center. In our next segment, Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford discuss the history and details of a General Strike. Dani tells the story of the multi-national 1919 Seattle Strike, explaining the particular factors that produced it, how it even resulted in producing pro-Bolshevik sentiment among the masses, and more. Together, Dani and Derek show the General Strike is a powerful weapon because it shows that we have power not only in our ability to withhold our labor but, more importantly, to directly engage in production without the bosses. In this sense, general strikes are socialism in embryonic form. Finally, this week's Circle City Shout Out goes to our comrade Eduardo Luna, who founded Arte Mexicano en Indiana in 2020. As part of the Liberation Center, Arte Mexicano en Indiana powers to Fonseca Du-Bois Gallery and ensures our city's oppressed and marginalized have a dedicated space to show their work and build community.