Audio by artist pejmaan_fallah

Fallah said though this demonstration is in Columbus Ohio, it is part of a movement to improve the lives of workers all over the world.

“In my opinion, all these issues are interconnected…although we’re standing here today to support the rights of farm workers which happen to be mostly immigrants, the rights of American farmers are also being violated.”

He said the corporatist attack on workers is systematic and has been going on for a long time.

Fallah is from Iran.

“ I come from a land of oppression. It used to be oppressive before the Islamic Revolution and more oppressive even after the revolution. Ever since I can remember, I have been sensitive to the issues of poverty, injustice, human rights violations, and civil rights.”

Fallah agreed activists in the US have options that our counterparts in many other countries don’t.

“I think it’s the responsibility of everybody to stand up for the rights of others…If there are people who are not in a position to stand up for their rights (such as immigrant farm laborers who don’t speak English), then we’re responsible to stand up for their rights.”

“The fact that we can be here (in the shopping center where a Kroger store is located) is a good right, although it gets ignored because, unfortunately, a lot of people here are very disconnected.

“ I don’t mean to say they’re insensitive, but their lack of reaction (to the demonstration) may indicate there’s some degree of insensitivity. Also there’s a degree of comfort here which you may not find in other countries.

“Because ‘as long as I get my tomatoes for the lowest price and I get my clothing, I don’t care whether the sweatshop workers in Syria are getting raped, or if in Indonesia and other countries there’s abuse and slavery going on.’ Whether it’s in this country, which is happening, or in other countries there’s that attitude which is like ‘hey, as long as I’m ok and getting my stuff, then let it be.’”