Despite recently undergoing surgery for colon cancer, 75-year-old James Phipps remains undeterred in his commitment to social activism. He plans to attend the upcoming No Kings protest in Chicago, Illinois this Saturday. Phipps expressed his fervent desire to participate, stating, “I have a burning desire to be a part of the protest because that’s all I’ve done all my life.” His dedication to social justice and civil rights spans decades, rooted in his upbringing in Marks, Mississippi.
Phipps became involved in the civil rights movement at the tender age of 13, playing a pivotal role in the racial integration of his local high school. He was actively engaged with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and by the age of 15, he joined the Mississippi Freedom Labor Union (MFLU). This organization fought for better wages for sharecroppers, particularly cotton pickers who faced grueling conditions for meager pay.
“They were paid 30 cents an hour, working in the hot sun for 10 hours a day, which amounted to just $3 for picking two and a half cents per pound of cotton,” Phipps recalled. “It broke their necks, backs, pelvis, and knees.” He highlighted the lack of medical care available to these workers as a critical issue that still resonates with him today.
Now employed in administrative support within Cook County and a member of SEIU Local 73, Phipps expressed gratitude for having health insurance that covered his recent surgery. However, he is deeply concerned about the ongoing federal government shutdown, particularly the Democrats' insistence that Republicans address harmful Medicaid cuts initiated during the Trump administration and extend critical health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. Without these extensions, approximately 3.1 million Americans could face rising insurance premiums and potential loss of coverage.
“You have greedy men thinking about one thing, and that’s about enhancing their pocketbook, their financial well-being,” Phipps lamented. He also voiced alarm over the aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids occurring in Chicago, which he believes are unjustified. “There’s no reason why you should walk the streets, taking people out of their homes, and they’ve been here for 20 or 30 years,” he stated, sharing his experience with long-time Mexican neighbors who were an integral part of his community.
Phipps draws parallels between the treatment of immigrants today and the discriminatory laws that plagued his youth in Mississippi. “The same struggle that Mexican Americans and people of color are going through, we went through that since 1619,” he explained. “If you dared do anything at that time to confront them about the way you were treated, you would end up being found in the river or lynched somewhere, so I identify with what is going on.”
The upcoming No Kings protests, organized by some of the largest labor unions in the United States, will feature over 2,600 demonstrations across all 50 states. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the American Federation of Teachers are key players in this movement, highlighting the importance of a voice for working people both in the workplace and in democracy.
“Unions understand that a voice at work creates power for regular people,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. “These are two of the main ways that regular folks have any power. Freedom does not come without a voice.”
While some prominent Republicans have framed these protests as “hate America” rallies, contrasting them with Trump’s characterization of January 6 rioters as “patriots,” Weingarten argues that the protests are a necessary response to the abuses of power under the Trump administration. “I love America and I resent anyone attempting to take away my patriotism because I want the promise of America to be real for all Americans,” she asserted.
Jaime Contreras, executive vice-president for SEIU 32 BJ, emphasized the irony of labeling peaceful protesters as “terrorists” while calling those who stormed the Capitol “patriots.” “The real threat to this country isn’t peaceful protesters. It’s politicians shutting down our government to protect billionaires and corporate greed,” he remarked. “On October 18, SEIU members will be in the streets across the country as part of the No Kings protests because America belongs to the people, working people, not to billionaires or a few politicians who think they can rule like kings in a democracy like ours.”
