[O29] I think gus & gary have good points...

Thu Oct 6 16:04:31 PDT 2005

Amatul here - hi folks! I placed myself on a paper
list yet never got any e-mail at all, so Im writing to
y'all 
via the website.

we need each other, 
and we need to stop the long winded infighting. 
Go out and meet over a beer dudes, try to talk it out
in person. its kinda late to change the way this group
is at work, the event is almost here and personalities
seem to be too diverse to agree on methidology
quickly. 

Note for next time: If Arab/ Middle-Eastern/ diverse
folk of color are not in the room _at the beginning of
planning_ you cannot fake it and pull 'em in late. 
Folk of color need to be in LEADERSHIP for more folk
of color to want to come to the table, and folk need
to be trusted and be empowered to run stuff, and to
speak for themselves.

Sometime the leadership could be female, or of-color,
or truely poor, and the white folks and middle class
could quietly, respectfully, listen and learn from a
world of diverse wisdom. That would be good.

Personally, 
I never do like being in the room when folks are
non-joyful about the work and just sitting around
messing with each other (like as if what we may say in
a small room of folks matters to the REAL PEOPLE dying
and hungry TONIGHT all over the world, including right
here in Boston Ma) 

Selfindulgent Theory Talk really stinks 
where is the LOVE? 
Soul Force Rocks!

The roberts-rules thing, and the white-men-dominating
the-left's-conversation thing, always invite me to
leave and go hang out with other people - like the
Black Hip-Hop community KATRINA benifit at the
MilkyWay Lounge last night, a good lil event that
raised $1,200. 

Yet I really would love to support this EVENT of Oct
29th!!!, even if I get bored in loooooong-ass
sometimes confrontational, and sometimes fun,
meetings, 
THE CAUSE IS GOOD.

back on Oct1 GaryHicks said:
--------
.."the key thing for me is how does the left and 
"progressives" get better at talking WITH folks
outside of our ranks. and not only in the antiwar
movement, but in the much broader movement for peace
and justice. that broader movement where antiwar meets
up with everything else that we stand for up to and
including consigning capitalism/imperialism to the
dustheaps of history. a revolutionary project that
demands of all of us that we get really creative,
really good at talking WITH folks, not AT folks." 
in struggle,
gary hicks
----------

today gus said:
-----------
..."it would be great if the sectarian bickering could
for once give way to a spirit of unity and defiance. 
Who cares what the flyers say--there won't be a
picture of them in the paper the next day and few
people who don't already agree with what they say are
going to read them, in my humble opinion.   As long as
people know there's something big against the war
happening that day we'll be OK--as long as we don't
expect everyone who shows up to be enthralled by the
bands and speakers.  By all means have a program, but
also leave time and space for shit to happen on its
own, and it will.  You may not score any new members
for your pet organization but if people have a good
time they will come out again and again."
----------

HMMMMMM... Gus, much is to be said for PLANNING, much
to be said for the fact that total control _is_ hard
to pull off (and who likes Control anyway, say our
anarchist friends)- 
but alas, we cannot "just let shit happen", as its a
Permitted event, yes right? and folks names are on the
legal organising paperwork, and those responsible
folks that we could be greatful to can get hurt or
sued if shit happins thats illegal or dangerious or
incites Riot on Oct 29th.

Staying reasonable and focused, yet free and
peacefully open to all comers, what can be done? 

- how to WORK TOGETHER AND HAVE FUN, TOO?

- who has heard from their granny the old saying
"you will catch more flys with Honey than with
Vinegar"

Not to be too sour myself, I'll say that I sm looking
forward to FULLY supporting the !JOY! and the !LOVE!
and the !ART! on Oct 8th and 29th, and I say !poop! on
bullshit like in-fighting or ignoring people of color
if they say you need to think about racism or
inclusion.

People of Color always need to say it, not white
people advocating for "people of color" but actual
folks of color voicing personally their concerns. And
the white people/all of us in the melting pot need to
LISTEN.

More Musing: 
as I heard last night in friends conversational
testimony about New Orleans, The heat is really ON all
up under the pot, and baby we will all be *cooked
alive* together in this american melting pot if we
dont figure out that the WATER of justice, peace, and
equality needs to flow freely here.

Yes, lets focus on the event(S) sure ok
- Who is even talking to the press? 
- Wheres the PR at for the 29th, IE wheres our PSA
professionally written in a one page, faxable,  WHAT/
WHY/ WHERE/ WHEN/ WHO format? 

I was told Id be put on the list, I was told Id get
sent a PSA, and nothing happened, so maybe someone
couldnt read my rotten handwriting

I'll still help y'all

Then, the next event that I will support and work on
and perform at needs to be ORGANIZED and PLANNED BY
women and people of color, and SUPPORTED FULLY by
white men and all the rest of us LISTENING to and
being LED BY folk of color and our sisters.

Who's in on that idea?
* * * * * * *

anyway, 
love and PEACE and see you this Sat in JP! 
Lets be there to support all our awesome performers!

Amatul

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