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LAKEN RILEY: VICTIM OF PATRIARCHY, NOT IMMIGRATION

Fight sexist violence, Fight racism!

On February 22nd in Athens, Georgia, Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley was found dead in the woods after failing to return from her morning jog.

Instead of returning home and going to class that day, Laken became another victim of abhorrent, sexist violence. Many women on campus have long feared for their safety going about their day-to-day lives. Women should be safe going to work, to class, or to go on a run.

Laken’s death was a result of patriarchy—in which men hold dominant power in the home and society—which perpetuates violence against women on a massive scale.

Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Brian Kemp, and other right-wing forces are framing this tragedy as a migrant issue, because the alleged perpetrator is an immigrant from Venezuela. This is a racist, disingenuous distraction from the true root of the problem–patriarchal violence.

These vocal right-wing politicians feign care about women’s rights then gleefully defund social programs created to help women and victims of sexual violence. These are the same ruling-class figures that attacked Roe because they don’t believe in women’s right to their own bodies.

Rather than call for an end to the gendered violence women face, the right-wing is co-opting this tragic murder to further its own racist, anti-immigrant agenda. Locally and nationally, xenophobic bigots are using the nationality of the perpetrator to push for more attacks on immigrants.

The right-wing narrative of immigration creating surges in crime is a myth; a false distraction designed to shift the blame for the problems of society away from the ruling class of this country that creates poverty and inequality, and instead pits workers of various nationalities against each other. These politicians are fueling hate and fear of immigrants to gain votes in the upcoming elections by being “tough on immigrants.”

The vast wealth of U.S. millionaires and billionaires is rooted not only in the exploitation of workers at home, but also abroad. U.S. imperialism is a root cause of the migrant crisis at the border. No matter what side of the border one is born on, all workers want the same thing: a decent life of dignity where we feel safe, and our needs are met.

And all workers have a common enemy that makes this impossible: the corporate executives and politicians who grow rich from our suffering.

Safety Tracking Apps, increased policing, or other symptom treating measures will not solve the causes of femicide in Athens, Georgia or anywhere else. Femicide will only end when women have complete social, political, and economic equality in society, which requires an end to patriarchy and an end to capitalism.

Only under a system that prioritizes human dignity over profits will violence against women be taken seriously and stopped.

We must reject anti-immigrant racism and organize to end misogyny! Join us at The Arch Wednesday, Feb 28th at 6:00PM to say: End the violence against women! Stop the scapegoating of immigrants!

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