[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Call for A United Antiwar Movement-We Must All March Together on Sept. 24!!pp

[Alfred Kagan]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Gauvreau at aol.com
> Date: July 7, 2005 9:10:05 PM CDT
> To: undisclosed-recipients:;
> Subject: Call for A United Antiwar Movement-We Must All March Together 
> on Sept. 24!!pp
>
>
>
>  Call For A United Antiwar Movement - We Must All March Together on
>  September 24!
>
>  [For individuals and organizations wishing to sign this statement,
>  please see below.]
>
>  September 24, 2005 has been set as the date for national
>  demonstrations by the U.S. antiwar movement.  We will return to the
>  streets of the nation's capital, and elsewhere, with a force
>  determined to challenge the continuation of a brutal and immoral war
>  and occupation.  That the Iraqi War is the central issue in world
>  politics today is not in dispute.  Neither is the fact that there is
>  a rapidly growing opposition to this war in the United States and
>  across the globe.  The potential for a truly massive turnout that can
>  open the door wider than ever to our movement's expressing the will
>  of tens of millions is within reach.
>
>  But we have been asked to divide our energies on September 24 between
>  two competing antiwar coalitions, UFPJ and ANSWER.  Both have
>  announced mass mobilizations in Washington, D.C. on that date, but in
>  different locations.
>
>  There can be no justification for such a division.  It is unthinkable
>  that we can most effectively confront the warmakers by marching
>  separately in what will inevitably be portrayed as two rival
>  protests.  People who want to end the war and occupation will never
>  understand.
>
>  Is the destruction of Iraq and its people to rage on while our
>  movement divides its energies?  While billions are spent daily to
>  make Iraq a virtual colony? While the same billions are looted from
>  social programs at home?  While U.S. soldiers die for corporate
>  profits and while the American people are rapidly learning that the
>  war was a lie from start to finish?
>
>  We cannot offer those who oppose the war and occupation a divided
>  house.  The divisions in our movement must give way to united action.
>  There is still time!
>
>  We the undersigned propose that both coalitions join in support of
>  these unifying demands:  Bring the Troops Home Now!  Money for Jobs,
>  Education, Health Care and Housing, Not for War and Occupations!
>
>  This appears to be a sound basis for unity, in accord with what both
>  coalitions have always championed.
>
>  The ANSWER coalition has called for a number of additional demands
>  going beyond Iraq including: End Colonial Occupation from Iraq to
>  Palestine to Haiti; Support the Palestinian People's Right of Return;
>  Stop the Threats Against Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea; and
>  U.S. Out of the Philippines.  The unifying demands in bold above
>  provide the framework for advancing these demands, which can be
>  reinforced by speakers, banners, contingents, signs and leaflets.  It
>  is understood that both ANSWER and UFPJ, through their own
>  coalitions, would be free to express their demands as they see fit.
>
>  We are convinced that new forms must be employed to ensure that we do
>  not constantly repeat the present divisive scenario so that the
>  democratic expression of the ranks of the antiwar movement, which
>  urgently call for unity, can be brought to bear.
>
>  Our differences pale before the power we can marshal with a united,
>  independent and massive movement that visibly expresses our strength
>  and unity.
>
>  We offer our good will and experience to help resolve the differences
>  now and move forward united and stronger.
>
>  We propose to meet as soon as possible with representatives of the
>  national antiwar coalitions to resolve all outstanding issues.  There
>  is no time to waste.
>
>  Issued by the Emergency Ad Hoc Committee For A United Demonstration
>  in Washington, D.C. on September 24, 2005.
>
>  Initiators
>
>  [Titles and organizations for purpose of identification only]
>
>  Kevin Akin - State Chair, California Peace and Freedom Party
>  Mike Alewitz - Labor Art and Mural Project
>  Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma'at - Foundations for Our Nu
>        Alkebulan/Afrikan Millennium (FONAMI)
>  Khalil Barhoum - Palestinian Scholar
>  Patricia Behrend - Co-Chair, National Network on Cuba
>  Alan Benjamin - Member, Office and Professional Employees 
> International
>        Union Local 3;  Member, Executive Board, San Francisco Labor 
> Council
>        AFL-CIO;  Member, Steering Committee, United States Labor 
> Against the
>        War
>  Dennis Bernstein - Producer, Flashpoints, KPFA, Berkeley, CA
>  Peter Camejo - Green Party
>  Dr. Colia Clark - Longtime civil rights activist, co-organizer with 
> Medgar
>        Evers of Mississippi NAACP Voter Project in early 1960s;  
> Fighter for
>        reparations and against war
>  Greg Coleridge - Program Director, Northeast Ohio American Friends
>        Service Committee;  Coordinator, Northeast Ohio Anti-War 
> Coalition
>  Alan Dale - Member, Iraq Peace Action Coalition (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
>  Chris Farrand - President, Graphic Communications Union Local 546M
>  Mike Ferner - Member, Veterans for Peace;  Former Member, Toledo City
>         Council
>  Conny Ford - Secretary-Treasurer, Office and Professional Employees
>        International Union Local 3
>  Christine Gauvreau - Organizing Committee, Connecticut United for 
> Peace
>  Kathleen Geathers - Coordinator, Women for Racial and Economic 
> Equality
>  Paul George - Director, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Palo 
> Alto, CA
>  Jerry Gordon - Former International Representative, United Food and
>        Commercial Workers Union;  Member, Steering Committee, United 
> States
>        Labor Against the War
>  Andy Griggs - Board of Directors, United Teachers Los Angeles;  
> Member,
>        Steering Committee, United States Labor Against the War
>  Milly Guzman - Latinos Contra La Guerra
>  Jeremy Haiken - Organizer, UNITE HERE Local 217
>  Fred Hirsch - Vice President, Plumbers and Fitters Local 393
>  Abdeen Jabara - Past President, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
>        Committee
>  Walter Johnson - Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus, San Francisco Labor
>        Council AFL-CIO
>  Vicki Knight - Convenor, Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice
>  Tom Lacey - Northern State Chair, California Peace and Freedom Party
>  Jeff Mackler - Founder, Mobilization for Peace, Jobs and Justice;  
> West
>        Coast Coordinator, Lynne Stewart Defense Committee
>  Mel Mason - President, Monterey Peninsula Branch-NAACP, CA
>  Justine McCabe - International Committee of the Green Party, US
>  Robert Meeropol - Executive Director, Rosenberg Fund for Children
>  Saladin Muhammad - Black Workers for Justice
>  Hasan Newash - Director, Palestine Office, Michigan
>  Bill Onasch - Retired Vice President, Amalgamated Transit Union Local
>        287;  Chair, Kansas City Labor Against the War
>  Carolyn Park - Member, American Federation of State, County and
>        Municipal Employees Local 1938;  Delegate to the Cincinnati 
> AFL-CIO
>  Jan Pierce - Retired International Vice President, Communications 
> Workers
>        of America
>  Ralph Poynter - New York Community Activist
>  Jack Rasmus - Chair, National Writers Union, San Francisco Bay Area
>        Chapter
>  Don Rojas - Journalist;  Past General Manager, Station WBAI
>  Ed Rosario - Business Agent, Amalgamated Lithographers of America 
> Local
>         #1;  Member, United States Labor Against the War
>  Meg Scata - Organizing Committee, Connecticut United for Peace
>  Dallas Sells - Director, Ohio State Council UNITE HERE Union
>  Chris Silvera - Secretary-Treasurer and Chairman, Teamsters National 
> Black
>         Caucus
>  Michael Smith - New York Chapter, National Lawyers Guild
>  Lynne Stewart - Attorney
>  Clarence Thomas - Co-Chair, Million Worker March Movement
>  Jerry Tucker - Former International Executive Board Member, United 
> Auto
>        Workers Union
>  Nalda Vigezzi - Co-Chair, National Network on Cuba
>  Barbara Walden - Vice Chair, Ohio State Labor Party
>  Leonard Weinglass - Civil Liberties Attorney
>  Kevin Zeese - Director, Democracy Rising
>  Howard Zinn - Professor, Radical Historian, Progressive Political 
> Theorist,
>        Social Activist and Author
>
>  Signers
>
>  [Organizations and individuals wishing to subscribe to the above
>  statement are urged to write <UnityForSept24 at aol.com> no later than
>  July 31 asking that your name be added to the list.  Please be sure
>  to include city and state, phone number and e-mail address.]
>
>
>
>
>


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

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