[Peace] [Peace-discuss] Fwd: Proposal for mutual defense/aid/support pact - Feedback requested] (fwd)

[parenti susan rose]

I'm forwarding this from the Peace-Discuss list, as it concerns something
we could discuss and possibly support here in C-U. I'm in favor of it as
it is pro-active, not just defensive.
susan

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2001 09:21:13 -0600
From: Al Kagan <akagan at uiuc.edu>
To: peace-discuss at lists.groogroo.com, sf-talk at prairienet.org
Subject: [Peace-discuss] Fwd: Proposal for mutual defense/aid/support pact
    -  Feedback requested] (fwd)

Here is an idea that we might want to discuss at the AWARE meeting.
Maybe our Civil Liberties working group could coordinate it?

>Delivered-To: akagan at alexia.lis.uiuc.edu
>Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2001 23:34:07 -0500 (EST)
>From: Frederick W Stoss <fstoss at acsu.buffalo.edu>
>To: SRRT Action Council <srrtac-l at ala.org>
>Subject: [SRRTAC-L:7353] [bioregional] FW: Proposal for mutual
>defense/aid/support pact -
>  Feedback requested] (fwd)
>Reply-To: srrtac-l at ala.org
>Sender: owner-srrtac-l at ala.org
>Status:
>
>FYI SRRTers:
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2001 16:32:20 -0800
>From: melissa roberts <getmelissa at circlesys.com>
>To: geovlp at earthlink.net
>Subject: [bioregional] FW: Proposal for mutual defense/aid/support pact -
>     Feedback requested]
>
>Right on Geov! Spread it nationwide!!
>
>I would also want to specifically include this type of support for those
>who are now (or will be) facing violations of their civil right and
>human right to free speech and peaceful assembly.
>
>In peace + solidarity,
>melissa
>______________________________________________________________________
>"Peace is a dirty word. She used to be a painted bird. And war, she's a
>whore. Don't you know we love her more and more." - Ian Astbury 1987
>
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
>prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
>speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
>assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Community Action Network [mailto:can at drizzle.com]
>Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2001 1:57 PM
>To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
>Subject: Proposal for Seattle mutual defense/aid/support pact - Feedback
>requested
>
>Below is a DRAFT of a proposal brought to the meeting last Monday at
>CAMP of groups networking about Sept 11 related activities.  The DRAFT
>proposal provides more detail but the basic idea is to build a commited,
>advance network of support for people who may be targeted and otherwise
>affected by newly increased harrassment and such.
>
>PLEASE check it out, gather comments from others in your organization
>and forward feedback to Geov (see below) ASAP.  A small workgroup is
>meeting on Thursday Dec 27 at the Pearl (on Univ Ave) at noon to plan
>possible next steps and your input is vital. Both feedback with specific
>suggestions and overall interest/support for the idea will help create
>something that meets the interests and needs of more than just the small
>group currently considering this.  Once the proposal takes better shape,
>we'll get back to you about your group and individuals signing on.
>
>Thanks
>
>Erica
>
>PS. I hope it is obvious that if you or someone representing your group
>that would like to join the workgroup on Thursday that would be great.
>The last meeting was fairly small so not too many folks know about it
>yet.  After the prop
>
>===
>
>DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT
>
>12-17-01
>
>(from Geov Parrish, Nonviolent Action Community of Cascadia;
>comments to geovlp at earthlink.net or 206-324-5369)
>
>PROPOSAL FOR A COMMUNITY-BASED MUTUAL DEFENSE PACT
>
>In response to the federal government's raid several weeks ago on
>Somali businesses in the Rainier Valley, a number of community
>groups stepped up to offer both political and financial support
>to the businesses and the Somali community. An enormous amount of
>money was raised; the raids became part of the political agenda
>of a number of groups and political events; and these expressions
>of solidarity were essential in helping the Somali community
>transform what could have been a disempowering loss of civil
>rights and dignity into a powerful expression of community and a
>demand for respect and due process.
>
>Because of the community's response to these raids -- in Seattle
>and elsewhere -- the federal government, in targetting private
>assets for seizure, must also now calculate the political impact
>when they decide whether to take such actions. I propose to take
>the preventative potential of community support for targets of
>anti-terrorist law enforcement harassment a crucial further step,
>by having individuals, community, political, cultural, and
>religious groups, businesses, and any other supporters in the
>Seattle area to commit *in advance* to offer financial,
>political, or other appropriate types of support to any future
>targets of such actions.
>
>I envision a simple pledge, something along the lines of the
>following:
>
>"We, the undersigned, commit to offering financial, political, or
>other appropriate types of support, as requested by the
>recipients, to any individual, business, community group,
>religious group or institution, political group, or other entity
>that is targetted for detainment or arrest, freezing or seizure
>of assets or inventory, closing of business or office, or other
>action taken by law enforcement officals without due process as
>part of anti-terrorist investigations.
>
>"This support is pledged without regard for the prospective
>targets' religion, ethnicity, race, or political beliefs, so long
>as they have been targetted by officials without being convicted
>of any violation of law."
>
>We may wish to be more specific about types of support to be
>offered -- for example, fundraising, or offers of legal help --
>and we may wish to be less inclusive about the types of groups or
>situations in which we express our solidarity. But for public
>consumption, I believe it's important to keep such a pact as
>simple and as broad as possible.
>
>
>Once a sufficient number of signatories are gathered, I propose
>publicizing the pledge and its signatories, and to use that
>publicity to collect further pledges. Such a campaign also has
>the potential to become national and to be replicated locally in
>other cities, but initially I propose exploring the feasibility
>of organizing such an agreement here in Seattle, as a model for
>similar organizing elsewhere.
>
>Organizing such an agreement has a number of advantages:
>
>1) The actual, tangible support it offers individuals, groups,
>and businesses that often do not have the money, political
>connections, or cultural experience to effectively stand up for
>their rights.
>
>2) The additional preventative effect it has, by forcing law
>enforcement officials to consider the broader political impact of
>any proposed action.
>
>3) The creation of political and cultural relationships, between
>both groups and individuals, across class, racial, ethnic,
>religious, and linguistic barriers between a number of
>communities that historically have not worked together.
>
>4) The benefit it brings to signatories by involving them in an
>effective program to stem the practical erosion of civil
>liberties in our community.
>
>5) The precedent it sets for similar agreements nationally,
>regionally, statewide, or in other areas.
>
>If adopted, this proposal will require:
>
>1) A final decision on the wording of the pledge;
>2) Work in outreach and collecting signatures from individuals,
>groups, and businesses;
>3) Record-keeping;
>4) Coordination of publicity; and
>5) Coordination of support should such a future law enforcement
>action take place.
>
>
>Respectfully submitted,
>
>Geov Parrish

-- 


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
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