[Imc-newsroom] Fwd: Speakers on "Bush's 'war on terroism' will be a war on civil liberties and the poor"

[Paul Riismandel]

Some of these folks could be useful when producing features or even short 
pieces.

>X-Sender: speakers at pop3.internetconnect.net
>Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2001 14:21:47 -0500
>To: speakers at icnt.net
>From: speakers at icnt.net
>Subject: Speakers on "Bush's 'war on terroism' will be a war on civil
>  liberties and the poor"
>
>
>Speakers for a New America
>PO Box 3524, Chicago IL 60654-3524
>http://www.lrna.org/speakers
>1-800-691-6888 * speakers at noc.org
>___________________________________________________
>
>September 19, 2001
>
>"Why Bush's 'war on on terroism' will be a war on civil liberties and the 
>poor."
>Speakers from the League of Revolutionaries for a New America comment on 
>this, and why the poor can be a force for freedom and democracy. Read 
>LRNA's statement at http://www.lrna.org
>
>___________________________________________________
>
>
>ROBERT LEE, http://www.lrna.org/2-pt/pt.html, is a journalist and 
>editorial board member of the People's Tribune/Tribuno del Pueblo 
>newspaper. Today he said, "Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones 
>in this attack. We condemn this attack, as we condemn all forms of 
>terrorism, no matter its stated purpose or goal. None of those who were 
>killed was responsible for the policies or actions of any government, and 
>the slaughter of American workers will contribute nothing to the 
>resolution of the terrible problems faced by the oppressed people of the 
>world. But, the so-called war on terroism will ultimately be a war on 
>civil liberties and the world's poor, including the poor of the United 
>States. We should understand where the real interests of the majority of 
>the people lie. The real interests of the American people will not be 
>served by war or by surrendering democracy. War will not win justice for 
>those who died, and it will only invite more violence. War will not 
>replace the one million jobs that have been lost, provide health care, or 
>education or housing for one person; indeed, it will take resources away 
>from these things. The American people's interests will be served only by 
>building a society that uses its power and resources to help end the 
>poverty and injustice that afflicts the great mass of humanity."
>
>
>CHRIS MAHIN, http://homepages.internetconnect.net/~speakers8/chris.html, 
>is  a writer on historical subjects for the People's Tribune newspaper. He 
>said today, "One of my brothers was in the north tower of the World Trade 
>Center when it was hit. My family was lucky: my brother made it out alive. 
>My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones in the terrible 
>tradegy of September 11. Every one of us has struggled with how to 
>respond. I have seen fear in the eyes of the Muslim family which owns the 
>grocery store across the street from the Chicago apartment building that I 
>live in. I have heard a former co-worker describe having to call the 
>police when some young thugs came to attack a mosque across the street 
>from his home. I have heard the calls for war and vengeance mount. I have 
>spent my life participating in politics and studying the meaning of the 
>political history of the United States. I have taken many visitors to 
>Chicago to the scene of another terrible tragedy -- Haymarket Square. 
>There, a bomb exploded in 1886 and lives were lost. The nation was in 
>shock. After the Haymarket tragedy there were cries for vengeance -- and a 
>"war on terroism." That campaign was marked by attacks on immigrants, 
>political dissidents, and the poor. Today, with the perspective afforded 
>by time, we regard the attacks on civil liberties which followed the 
>Haymarket bombing and the bombing of Pearl Harbor as terrible wrongs. 
>Today, we have to learn from history. I do not believe that justice will 
>be served by a war today. It will only spill more innocent blood; far to 
>much of that has been spilt already."
>
>
>BROOKE HEAGERTY, PH.D.,is co-author of "Moving Onward: From Racial 
>Division to Class Unity," 
>(http://www.lrna.org/texts/movingon/movingon.preface.html/)
>a book that discusses how the material foundation for the ideology of race 
>is being destroyed today, and why it is possible for the poor to unite. 
>Today she said, "The real interests of the majority of Americans do not 
>lie with war. The interests of the majority of Americans lie with the 
>poor, not only of America, but of the whole world. This must be our 
>guiding principle. This is so because the poor - whether in New York City 
>or in Gaza - are forced to fight for a new kind of society, a cooperative 
>society that provides for every member's well-being. This must be 
>America's program."
>
>For more information, or to book speakers, contact Speakers for a New 
>America at 1-800-691-6888 or e-mail speakers at noc.org