[O29] Proposal for 4th? 5th? Demand
R Miller
millerz at mindspring.com
Sat Oct 8 15:10:34 PDT 2005
You challenge me to come up with something? I already came up with
something, Amee.
I said the demand (or slogan) should be to "stop the racist rhetoric,"
which not only matches the rest of the demands, but is HIGHLY relevant
in terms of the most recent Bush speech AND is a good starting point
for raising people's consciousness. Someone mentioned scapegoating.
"Stop the racist scapegoating" or "Resist Racist Scapegoating!" would
be another good slogan.
I agree with you on sexism...but you've just raised a HUGE number of
issues. Each of which deserve to be at the forefront of the national
discussion. Unfortunately, this rally is not about those issues.
In fact, I feel you have barely scraped the surface of sexism. Last
spring the NOW march on DC garnered OVER a million people. No one ever
talks about it, even after raving about under a half million showing up
for the antiwar march in DC last month. Even worse, when I brought it
up while I was in DC, a socialist group sneered that the women were
mostly "Democrats." So much for anti-sexism on the left, huh? And I
wonder who's going to show up for The Revolution with that kind of
bridge-burning. A million women, dismissed.
I think the subjugation of women is at the CORE of this entire putrid
global struggle. That is what really sets these religious freaks of
all stripes off. I detest every religion out there...radical Islam no
more or less than the fundie Christians, patriarchal Judaism, or
lunatic fringe cults such as Moonies, Mormons, Scientologists,
LaRouchies, you name it. It makes me sick to compromise my detestation
of religion and cults just so we can try to educate people not to
scapegoat Muslims. But it would be counterproductive to push such an
agenda...it offends people too much to sneer at their religion, even if
you detest all of them equally.
Same thing with the military. Broad strokes against the military are a
bad idea for the very same reason...and the military families are
coming out against this war even MORE than any of the religions!
You know, no one has mentioned nuclear proliferation and THAT is a HUGE
and, sadly enough, ever more pressing issue. In fact, there is an
upcoming symposium on it and we ought to BE there, with whatever fliers
we end up with...and I hope after the lonnnnng debate on how much to
include, people have time for two things....making the rally FUN so
people WANT to come...and planning actions so the people who do come
will have something to do.
In fact, do the fliers speak at ALL as to what people can expect to
see, hear and DO at the rally?
On Oct 8, 2005, at 2:18 PM, Huibin Amelia Chew wrote:
> sorry for all the spam. I'd rather have a slogan than nothing at all,
> and a slogan along these themes rather than a one-sided 4th demand.
> gender and patriarchy are important components to the war, and I'm
> talking about economic sexism, not just how the military treats
> people. and I'd rather see a slogan on this than just "another world
> is possible."
>
> a flyer is just to provide publiciy, demonstrate common ground, and
> motivate. slogans on the flyer can do that as well as demands.
>
> moreover, since the rally is rather symbolic, the purpose of auxiliary
> demands is not necessarily to see that they're all won (when there are
> multiple demands they always come in a hierarchy, implicit or
> explicit), but to *raise consciousness* of those we advertize to and
> who attend. people may not be ready to connect the war to racism,
> sexism etc in many specific manifestations, but at least this starts
> to put it on the map.
>
> but if you disagree like the oblique way slogans sound, which is
> aesthetically valid, I challenge you to come up with something better
> that handles these themes -- of militarism and violence against women,
> of poor women being disproportionately impacted by budget cuts,
> women's unpaid labor being increased, increased sexual commodification
> and militarism, Iraqi women as collateral damage being ignored by US
> media and policy.
>
> this is again a *political* project that should trump concerns of
> aesthetics and process as reaons to override it.
>
> peace,
> -Amee
>
>> On 10/8/05, R Miller <millerz at mindspring.com> wrote:
>>> "Militarism reinforces racism, sexism, & homophobia" is not a demand.
>>>
>>> "US out of Iraq now" is a demand.
>>>
>>> "Militarism reinforces racism, sexism and homophobia" sounds like a
>>> topic of discussion. Or even a lecture series! Way too broad.
>>> Wording and specificity is important here.
>>>
>>> We could make it a demand if we pinpoint the most overt racism
>>> involved
>>> in this war --- the tarring of Muslims and "those people." (meaning
>>> brown middle-easterners)
>>> If we want to directly relate the matter to the war in Iraq, we
>>> should
>>> make it specific and make it match the other demands:
>>>
>>> from Ty de Pass, the list so far.... and his question about "clutter"
>>>
>>> ======================
>>> "directly related" to the conduct of the US war in Iraq as the
>>> existing
>>> 4—
>>> *Out Now;
>>> *End the Occupation;
>>> *Military Recruiters Out of Schools; and
>>> *Fund Human Needs, Not War and Occupation
>>> —so anything more is…clutter?
>>> =======================
>>>
>>> Given Bush's latest fearmongering hate speech, that particularly
>>> virulent form of racism could be the focus of an antiwar demand.
>>>
>>> *Stop the Racist Rhetoric.* (Start there and refine and expand the
>>> demand as needed.)
>>>
>>> If we want only 4 demands "Out now, End the Occupation" sounds like
>>> one
>>> demand.
>>> Or "End the Occupation of Iraq and Bring the Troops Home." Either
>>> way,
>>> one demand.
>>>
>>> The fourth demand, then, becomes denouncing the campaign against
>>> Muslims and middle eastern people. "Racist Rhetoric" could be
>>> replaced
>>> with "Racist Hate Speech" or "Race Baiting" or "Hate Campaign against
>>> an entire people." Or some even better wording. But the point is
>>> that
>>> it's directly related to this war, not all war and all military and
>>> all
>>> racism, and all sexism, etc, and it links directly back to Bush's
>>> current "justification" for the war.
>>>
>>> I know it leaves out torture, and unjust detentions, and many things,
>>> but it's something people can grasp instantly, and do something about
>>> themselves...it raises the issue of resisting the rhetoric and takes
>>> no
>>> greater effort than to learn to recognize it, speak out against it,
>>> and inform oneself and others.
>>>
>>> And it is a serious problem underlying what support there is for this
>>> war...the supporters really think they are "protecting" us from
>>> hordes
>>> of violent brown Muslims, and that they ALL drape their women and
>>> suicide bomb. So I think stopping the racist rhetoric should be a
>>> demand.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Oct 8, 2005, at 3:12 AM, Huibin Amelia Chew wrote:
>>>
>>>> on following my train of thoughts to the end, one idea for a 4th
>>>> demand/slogan is:
>>>>
>>>> "MILITARISM REINFORCES RACISM, SEXISM, & HOMOPHOBIA"
>>>>
>>>> the purpose of this slogan, while not concrete, would be to set the
>>>> stage for the job of the event's speakers, who would then elaborate
>>>> and help explain this theme. it would serve to set the tone and
>>>> point
>>>> direction of thought for the audience, while appealing to those who
>>>> 'get it.' it would not be an outright "demand" and perhaps not
>>>> such a
>>>> cause of division or turning people away. the last bit is
>>>> particularly appropriate given the queer rights protest we're
>>>> allying
>>>> with.
>>>>
>>>> unless it's so vague it's incomprehensible -- and if so, I invite
>>>> creative suggestions for revision ("militarism reinforces racism,
>>>> VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, & homophobia")
>>>>
>>>> the other option of handling these dimensions of analysis is a small
>>>> grouping of more specific demands.
>>>>
>>>> really... must... sleep.
>>>>
>>>> -Amee
>>>>
>>>>> An action coalition does not present an analysis through its
>>>>> demands.
>>>>> O29 is so diverse, to take one example, that it seems unlikely
>>>>> that it
>>>>> can present a coherent analysis of anything. It exists simply to
>>>>> organize an action. Its job is not analysis.
>>>>
>>>> this is hypocrisy. why do we bother to put out "statements" and
>>>> "calls to action" then? why did we include an allusion linking
>>>> Katrina to the war in a demand? I guess this is somehow not
>>>> analytical, but empirical??!? all that for positivist
>>>> "objectivity."
>>>>
>>>>> For the action it needs a limited set of demands. The more demands
>>>>> there are and the wider their scope, the less focus the action will
>>>>> have.
>>>>
>>>> not necessarily. it depends how well the additional demands
>>>> reinforce
>>>> the central focus.
>>>>
>>>>> To seek for the action coalition to develop an analysis of sexism
>>>>> and
>>>>> racism, for example, goes against its purpose as an action
>>>>> coalition.
>>>>
>>>> hypocrisy! and why do we bother to have any analysis at all then,
>>>> for
>>>> instance that the troops must be brought home now, that funds for
>>>> war
>>>> come at the expense of human needs?
>>>>
>>>>> I have told you that I admire the clarity of your thinking. What I
>>>>> forgot to say was that no person's thinking can be perfectly clear
>>>>> all
>>>>> the time.
>>>>
>>>> I never asked you to judge my intellect. have I judged yours?
>>>>
>>>> it is true real demands are concrete not abstract, but how
>>>> "concrete"
>>>> is funding human needs? there are different levels of concreteness
>>>> that can apply in different situations. I sense a lack of effort
>>>> and
>>>> experience in creatively thinking on how to grapple with minority
>>>> experiences.
>>>>
>>>> -Amee
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Neither the O29 coalition, nor groups of people reading emails,
>>>>> nor a
>>>>> repro rights coalition, can develop an analysis as clear as can be
>>>>> developed by one clear-thinking person. That is the task of
>>>>> clear-thinking people. The result of a clear analysis will not be
>>>>> just
>>>>> some coalition or group of email readers, but a new political
>>>>> party.
>>>>> That party will have a program to eliminate institutional racism
>>>>> and
>>>>> sexism, imperialist war, every kind of oppression, and the material
>>>>> foundations of these things. That party will pose its demands in
>>>>> relation to the state and the ruling class. It will laugh at
>>>>> pseudo-demands like, "Stop racism."
>>>>>
>>>>> "Stop racism"? How? What kind of racism, institutional or
>>>>> attitudinal?
>>>>> Anyone can talk loosely about racism and oppose it in the abstract.
>>>>> Such a "demand" exposes nothing about the racism that pervades the
>>>>> society. It offers itself as a medal to anyone ready to wear it. It
>>>>> hardly presents an analysis.
>>>>>
>>>>> A real demand against racism is concrete, not abstract. Fund the
>>>>> schools. Restrain the police. Community control. Enforce
>>>>> affirmative
>>>>> action. Stop the profiling. Stop the threats to wiretap mosques.
>>>>> Stop
>>>>> the war. End the death penalty. End language discrimination. Open
>>>>> the
>>>>> books of the corporations to see how racist they are in their daily
>>>>> behavior. Expropriate corporations guilty of racist crimes.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have no problem adopting a muddled demand Monday, if the majority
>>>>> wants it. I will vote no. I hope you will be there to argue for
>>>>> whatever position you support.
>>>>>
>>>>> David
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> O29 mailing list
>>>> O29 at massglobalaction.org
>>>> http://massglobalaction.org/mailman/listinfo/
>>>> o29_massglobalaction.org
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> "There are plenty of women in Fallujah who have testified they were
>> raped by American soldiers... They are nearby the secondary school for
>> girls inside Fallujah. When people came back to Fallujah the first
>> time they found so many girls who were totally naked and they had been
>> killed."
>>
>> -- Mohammed Abdulla, executive director of the Study Center for
>> Human Rights and Democracy in Fallujah, quoted in
>> http://www.dahrjamailiraq.com/hard_news/archives/newscommentary/
>> 000251.php
>>
>
>
> --
> "There are plenty of women in Fallujah who have testified they were
> raped by American soldiers... They are nearby the secondary school for
> girls inside Fallujah. When people came back to Fallujah the first
> time they found so many girls who were totally naked and they had been
> killed."
>
> -- Mohammed Abdulla, executive director of the Study Center for
> Human Rights and Democracy in Fallujah, quoted in
> http://www.dahrjamailiraq.com/hard_news/archives/newscommentary/
> 000251.php
More information about the O29
mailing list