Report from the Anti-War Summit of United for Peace and Justice....

[KoKo]

Published on Saturday, February 26, 2005 by The Nation
Peace Activists in the War Room
by Karen Houppert

At an antiwar summit called by United for Peace and Justice, 400 leaders from progressive organizations across the country gathered to hash out a plan to end the war in Iraq. UFPW is a two-year-old coalition made up of more than 1,000 organizations across the country. The umbrella group organized the February 2003 march against the war in New York City, which drew more than 500,000 people, and spearheaded the battle for the Central Park lawn during the Republican National Convention last year ...SNIP.....

(Tom Hayden's thoughts) ...SNIP..

To his mind, progressives need to knock down four pillars. First, they need to work with the troops to project a realistic picture of the war and to support the soldiers and families that are already dissenting and questioning the US occupation. (For more on this campaign, see *The Nation*'s upcoming article in the March 28 issue.) Second, they need to work with other countries, especially peace movements in Britain, Italy and Germany, to chip away at Bush's "coalition of the willing." Third, they need to keep up direct action against and Congressional pressure on the Halliburtons and ChevronTexaco's of the world, which are getting rich off the occupation. And finally, they need to force Congress to defund the war.

Interestingly, this last proposal was one of the few that sparked controversy. While many in attendance thought a combination of direct action, street heat and legislative pressure was required, many of the young people bristled at what they considered the mainstreaming of UFPJ's grassroots base by playing with electoral politics. As a plan for UFPJ's upcoming legislative strategy was introduced, tempers rose. In a time-honored debate over whether to work from inside the system or attack from the outside, proponents seemed to break down neatly-and predictably-by age: The older folks believed it was essential to play the game in the courts, in the voting booth and with local resolutions and referendums; the college students recognized that they'd have an easier time organizing their friends to block a recruiter from coming on campus than persuading them to e-mail their Congresswoman. (Where's the fun in that?) In the end, the old folks won, garnering 68 percent of the vote.

Still, there was something almost comforting about the fact that the greatest schism at the conference turned out to be between the young and the old-compared with, say, the deeper schisms of race, gender and sexual preference that have haunted so many of this movement's predecessors. After all, most of the older generation looked upon the younger one's angry demands for speedy action fondly: That was them some forty years ago. And the college students were doing what young people do best-providing an energetic and contrapuntal radical voice.


http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0226-30.htm

[cyberpj]

1. That third pillar -

"Third, they need to keep up direct action against and Congressional pressure on the Halliburtons and ChevronTexaco's of the world, which are getting rich off the occupation."

Honestly, that's the one I see as getting the least amount of attention right now. I just read about Halliburton getting yet another NEW contract. Seems between the corporate media, the stockholders, the Pentagon and the employees working there -- nothing gets OUT about the massive corruption going on with these war profiteers.

I'm really glad to see the younger people getting more involved, organized, and educating themselves though. I feel that's a huge part of what we've been needing since BushCo led the country into Iraq on lies.

Thanks for this info.

[KoKo]

2. As Bush's poll numbers go down it seems the coverage of anything

to do with Iraqi corruption by Bush's buddies get's less. In fact anything to do with what are justifiable questions about this "Crime Syndicate" seems to be in "lock down." It's amazing to me! I can't believe in just 7 years (including the Lewinski time) that we have such lock step collusion between Wall Street, Every Major Corporation, Broadcast Media and the Government and Courts.

And, we have so few voices willing to speak out because the lock down is a threat to anyone's career. We have to hope that the "underground movement" of all of us out there will grow into a mighty resistence and that they can't contain us all. It's still disheartening,though.

I liked the idea of linking with the other "Peace Movements" around the world. Anything we can do to connect worldwide is the best hope for change. Any country is a target for these Thugs...because he's spread terrorism around the globe and his posturing grows with what he thinks is his "mandate," and his new SOS, Condi is not going to help.

[cyberpj]

3. worldwide - yes, I agree -

"I liked the idea of linking with the other "Peace Movements" around the world. Anything we can do to connect worldwide is the best hope for change."

It gives us more power in numbers but most of all the worldwide press is not under USA corporate ownership and more free to print the truth.

You know, a friend says bullets are the only answer for Bush but I have to remind him that would be worse...then they would make him a martyr! I want him taken down AND exposed.

[no name no slogan]

4. Great Report-- recommend it!

this deserves a :kick: and a recommendation for the Greatest page!

[KoKo]

5. Kick............