[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [SRRTAC-L:10094] Fwd: Four Coalitions Respond to Michael Lerner

[Alfred Kagan]

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>From: Mark Rosenzweig <iskra at earthlink.net>
>Subject: [SRRTAC-L:10094] Fwd: Four Coalitions Respond to Michael Lerner
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>>
>>Another response............
>>
>>>Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 10:00:25 -0600 (CST)
>>>From: ANSWER-Boston at iacboston.org
>>>Subject: Four Coalitions Respond to Michael Lerner
>>>Organization: ?
>>>Article: 151795
>>>To: undisclosed-recipients:;
>>>
>>>
>>>FOUR COALITIONS RESPOND TO MICHAEL LERNER
>>>
>>>In the last day, as anti-war forces around the country
>>>have been working together to build for this weekend's
>>>important mobilizations, we at A.N.S.W.E.R. have been
>>>taken by surprise by a campaign initiated by Michael
>>>Lerner and furthered by David Corn (a reporter for the
>>>Nation and Fox News) and others that has sought to deceive
>>>the anti-war movement and to misdirect its energies to
>>>instead focus on fraudulent claims of victimhood by
>>>Michael Lerner because he was not asked to speak at the
>>>San Francisco demonstration this Sunday. This attack has
>>>now been picked up by ultra-right, pro-war forces in an
>>>effort to defame the movement.
>>>
>>>We have heard from many who have been anguished by the
>>>false claims put forth by Lerner. The following is a
>>>statement by the four major anti-war coalitions that are
>>>co-sponsoring the San Francisco rally on Sunday, February
>>>16 that sets the record straight. The four coalitions are
>>>Not in Our Name Project, United for Peace and Justice, the
>>>A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, and the Bay Area United Against
>>>War.
>>>
>>>Please post where necessary to clarify Michael Lerner's
>>>deceptions.
>>>
>>>-----------------------------
>>>
>>>BAY AREA UNITED AGAINST WAR
>>>NOT IN OUR NAME PROJECT
>>>INTERNATIONAL A.N.S.W.E.R. COALITION
>>>UNITED FOR PEACE & JUSTICE
>>>
>>>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
>>>February 11, 2003
>>>
>>>CONTACT PERSON:
>>>Bert Knorr (510) 644-8071, (415) 307-8028 (cell)
>>>
>>>STATEMENT FROM FEBRUARY 16 ANTI-WAR COALITIONS REGARDING
>>>RABBI MICHAEL LERNER
>>>
>>>We would like to clarify the misunderstanding regarding
>>>Rabbi Michael Lerner's perception that he was "banned"
>>>from speaking at the peace rally. His charges are untrue,
>>>and we wish to set the record straight.
>>>
>>>As the Bush Administration continues its relentless drive
>>>toward war, the mass mobilizations in cities around the
>>>world on the weekend of Feb. 15-16 have taken on great
>>>significance. Millions of people are expected to
>>>demonstrate in cities around the world in what may be the
>>>last opportunity to stop a new war on Iraq before it
>>>starts.
>>>
>>>In the San Francisco Bay Area, four coalitions -- each
>>>comprised of many organizations and individuals -- have
>>>come together to sponsor a broad and united anti-war march
>>>and rally on Sunday, Feb. 16. The four coalitions -- Bay
>>>Area United Against War, Not In Our Name project, United
>>>for Peace & Justice, and the International A.N.S.W.E.R.
>>>(Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) Coalition -- have been
>>>working together successfully for the last several weeks
>>>to maximize the turnout on Feb. 16.
>>>
>>>One of the first agreements that was made between the
>>>groups organizing the Feb. 16 anti-war protest was that
>>>none of the coalitions would propose rally speakers who
>>>had publicly attacked or worked to discredit one of the
>>>coalition groups. When members of the Tikkun Community,
>>>who have actively participated in the organizing meetings
>>>for Feb. 16, suggested to Bay Area United for Peace and
>>>Justice that it propose Michael Lerner as a speaker, it
>>>was explained by members of UPJ that since he had publicly
>>>attacked A.N.S.W.E.R. in both the New York Times and
>>>Tikkun community email newsletters, his inclusion in the
>>>program would violate the agreement among the Feb. 16
>>>organizing groups. At that time, Tikkun representatives
>>>expressed that it would not be a problem if Michael Lerner
>>>was not proposed as a speaker.
>>>
>>>It was this issue, Michael Lerner's public attacks against
>>>one of the anti-war coalitions, that resulted in his not
>>>being formally proposed as a speaker on Feb. 16. His views
>>>on Israel and Palestine had nothing to do with it. Within
>>>the anti-war movement, there is a wide spectrum of diverse
>>>and opposing views regarding Israel and Palestine, which
>>>will be expressed on Feb. 16. To reiterate, the fact that
>>>Michael Lerner was not invited to speak on Feb. 16 was not
>>>the consequence of a "veto" by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition.
>>>None of the coalitions have veto power over the Feb. 16
>>>program.
>>>
>>>We strongly abhor all forms of racism and bigotry,
>>>including anti-Semitism. At the same time, we don't
>>>believe that criticism of Israeli government policies
>>>should be labeled as anti-Semitism any more than criticism
>>>of U.S. government policy should be labeled as
>>>anti-American.
>>>
>>>On the eve of a terrible war, we call upon everyone to
>>>join together in making Feb. 15-16 a massive and powerful
>>>statement for peace and justice. We're heartened by the
>>>broad range of participation that is developing for Feb.
>>>16, including within the Jewish community, and invite one
>>>and all to join with us in our efforts to stop the war on
>>>Iraq.
>>>
>>>Issued by: Bay Area United Against War, International
>>>A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) Coalition,
>>>Not In Our Name Project, United for Peace and Justice
>>>
>>>-----------------------------
>>>
>>>Email circulated by:
>>>International A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
>>>http://www.internationalanswer.org
>>>-----------------------------
>>>ANSWER Boston
>>>31 Germania St.
>>>Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
>>>617 522-6626
>>>email: ANSWERBoston at iacboston.org
>>>http://www.iacboston.org/ANSWER
>>>Volunteers Meetings every Friday 6:30 PM
>>>http://www.iacboston.org/directions
>>>International ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism)
>>>http://www.internationalANSWER.org


-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu