Protesters: ‘Muslims are welcomed here’

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On Saturday, June 10, the Islamopho­ bic group ACT (American Congress for Truth) for America held “Marches Against Sharia” in over two dozen cities across the United States. Emboldened by President Donald Trump and his strong anti-Muslim rhetoric, the group that the Southern Poverty Law Center considers one of the top hate groups in the U.S. de­ cided to organize a show of force.

In some places, far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers “guarded” the rallies. Some demonstra­ tors held banners with pro-Trump and anti-immigration slogans.

But in almost every city, the numbers of right-wingers were dwarfed by allies and friends of the Muslim community who came out to say: “No hate, no fear.

Muslims are welcomed here.” In a few areas there were as many as 10 times as many present to show support for the Muslim com­ munity as those who came to denounce Islam, under the pretence that Sharia law poses a threat to “Ameri­ can democracy.”

In the Twin Cities, about 30 terrified bullies gathered in the Capitol Rotunda while over 400 people rallied ... GOP health plan (continued from page 1: “GOP health-care plan threatens Medicaid”)

The proposed law also includes a massive tax cut for the rich, meaning that the cost of Trumpcare will be balanced on the backs of workers and the most vulner­ able. Federal subsidies for coverage would be reduced by $424 billion.

Under the new law, premiums would increase signifi­ cantly, especially for older people. Insurers could charge older people five times as much as younger people for coverage. The bill also eliminates the individual man­ date included in the ACA and also the mandate that com­ panies with more than 50 employees provide insurance.

The measure under consideration includes deep cuts to Medicaid and will leave millions without coverage. Med­ icaid expansion would be ended and funding slashed. Funding for Planned Parenthood also faces elimination.

Some 80 million people depend on Medicaid for their health care. Of these, 31 million are children, 19 million are adults, (mostly low-income wage earners), 9 million are people with disabilities, and 5 million are senior citi­ zens. Medicaid is the largest single health insurer in the United States.

Defending Obamacare?

The ACA is only marginally better than Trumpcare. The ACA keeps for-profit insurance companies at the center of the medical care system. The ACA system is based on a sliding scale of cost tiers referred to as the metal plans—bronze, silver, gold and platinum—in which the costs are managed through differing plans based on varying premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.

For example, the “bronze” plan has lower premiums and higher co-pays while the “gold” plan has higher pre­ miums but offers more coverage options and lower outof-pocket expenses. Lower-income workers are more likely to choose a plan with a lower premium, but their out-of-pocket expenses can be prohibitive if a health cri­ sis occurs.

Premiums continue to rise, with a projected 24% in­ crease in 2017 and health-care costs continuing to rise across the board. The massive overhead due to adminis­ trative costs of private, for-profit, insurance companies continues to contribute to the high cost of health care.

Obamacare amounts to neoliberal health care designed to cut across any movement towards single-payer health care. Candidate Obama had been in favor of single payer, but changed his perspective after receiving millions of dollars in contributions from the insurance industry.

The aspects of the ACA that are progressive, such as extending coverage for children until the age of 26, cov­ erage for pre-existing conditions, and those provisions protecting women’s reproductive health, should be de­ fended. As we build a movement for universal health care, we should make it clear that the price for cutting Medicaid and Medicare will be high for politicians of both capitalist parties.

As the health-care debate rages, socialists should try to redefine the terms of that debate. First, we believe that quality, affordable, health care is a basic human right. We also believe that the profit motive must be removed on the Capitol steps in near hundred-degree heat. Facebook posts beforehand assured the bullies that they had a private parking lot and plenty of security to get them inside safely. The attendees were also en­ couraged to come “armed and ready.”

Meanwhile, outside in the sun, counter-demonstra­ tors heard from speakers who explained what Sharia Marty Goodman / Socialist Action (Left) New York City counter-protest against “anti-Sharia” demonstration.

law really says—something the people inside the Capitol certainly did not learn. An anti-Zionist Jew relayed some of the requirements of Talmudic law for com­ parison.

While the anti-Sharia fanatics imagine a country living under Biblical law, all of the Abrahamic religions contain ele­ ments from times long past that would not translate well into the present day. While condoning slavery, for example, the Bible condemns to death anyone who touches the skin of a pig. Remember that the next time you watch a football game. While Socialist Action does not be­ lieve it is accurate to label these bigots “fascists,” we do recognize the growing threat to communities of color and nonChristians (especially Muslims) posed by the empowering of haters who believe their increas­ ingly violent assaults are sanctioned by God and the U.S. administration currently in power. We stand to­ gether against this rising tide of ignorant hatred and say: “No to bigotry. Yes to freedom of religion. We stand with our Muslim neighbors.” n