race and the Movement (from ZNet)

[Mark Pavlick]

>>
>>http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=30&ItemID=3100
>>
>>
>>Dear Sisters and Brothers in the anti-war movement,
>>
>>Attached is an open letter raising issues of racism in the anti-war
>>movement. In it, we identify racist practices that have hindered our
>>ability to work together and will continue to do so, unless movement
>>organizers take aggressive steps to overcome these dynamics.
>>
>>We wrote and signed this letter before the recent historic Feb. 15
>>rallies in NYC and around the world.
>>
>>Many of us were active in organizing for the demonstration in NYC.
>>We believe the assertion of the anti-racist politics outlined in our
>>letter was critical to achieving an event with unprecedented
>>inclusion of the majority, people of color, communities in NYC (as
>>well as labor and working class people) in both the leadership, the
>>program and the entire demonstration. These were important steps
>>forward, and we welcome this progress.
>>
>>At the same time, the racist dynamics we discuss in our letter were
>>and remain a powerful factor in our work together, preventing the
>>fullest unity and effectiveness. There are already signs that, with
>>Feb. 15 behind us, long-standing racist patterns of operating are
>>reemerging.
>>
>>In order for future demonstrations and coalitions to build on the
>>advances that were made and increase participation of all of our
>>communities, it is urgent that the issues we raise in our letter be
>>forthrightly addressed by the entire movement.
>>
>>We urge you to give immediate, focused attention to this letter in
>>that spirit.
>>
>>To respond to this letter, please email the signers at:
>><mailto:antiracistmovement at yahoo.com>antiracistmovement at yahoo.com
>>
>>----------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>An Open Letter To Activists Concerning Racism In The Anti-War Movement
>>
>>February 13, 2003
>>
>>Dear Sisters and Brothers:
>>
>>We, the undersigned, are peace and justice activists in New York
>>City. We are organizing to defeat the United States government's
>>offensive of war, racism and repression against the people of the
>>world, both abroad and within the borders of the U.S. We come from
>>many communities, some of us from other nations. We are all colors,
>>multi-generational, workers, students, unemployed, queer and
>>straight. We are writing to you out of concern that destructive
>>patterns of behavior are hindering the growth of the broadest
>>possible long-term movement against war at home and abroad,and
>>preventing the attainment of the social justice we all seek.
>>
>>We have urgent tasks before us: stopping a war against Iraq and
>>others around the world, as well as preventing further attacks on
>>people within the United States. To do this work in a principled
>>way, in ways that address the root causes of oppression, requires
>>that we acknowledge the connection between the forms and
>>institutions of white supremacy embedded in U.S. society and the
>>practice of white supremacy within our movement. As we dig in for
>>the long haul and try to bring together the broadest possible
>>grouping of people, we must be conscious of how our
>>histories-organizational and personal-influence how we work together.
>>
>>Background
>>
>>Since the turn of the year, hundreds of activists have come together
>>in New York City to plan anti-war actions. Along with the work being
>>done for February 15, these gatherings will hopefully lead to more
>>and better coalition-building in the future. However, at least two
>>other promising coordination efforts in this city, since 9/11/2001,
>>also began by involving diverse forces and ended badly. One series
>>of meetings, attended by hundreds, led to the formation of the New
>>York Coalition for Peace and Justice-but only after a disastrous
>>split around the question of calling for the use of "international
>>law" as an alternative to war against Afghanistan.
>>