Fw: [ANSWER]: WHY WE ARE ORGANIZING THE APRIL 27 NATIONAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON

["Nello Margiotta" <animarg at tin.it>]

From: "A.N.S.W.E.R." <answer.general at action-mail.org>
To: <answer.general at action-mail.org>
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 11:50 PM
Subject: [ANSWER]: WHY WE ARE ORGANIZING THE APRIL 27 NATIONAL MARCH ON
WASHINGTON


WHY WE ARE ORGANIZING THE APRIL 27 NATIONAL MARCH ON
WASHINGTON

 -A message from International A.N.S.W.E.R.-

 (If this message is truncated, the full text can be found
 at
 http://www.internationalanswer.org/news/update/021802whya27.html
 .)

 On January 2, the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition's
 nationally-televised press conference sent a clear, bold
 message: It is only the movement of the
 people--manifesting itself in the streets--that can turn
 the reactionary tide of the Bush Administration and
 corporate ruling elites. That day, a broad representation
 of organizations and activists that have campaigned
 against U.S. intervention in Latin America, the Caribbean,
 the Middle East and Asia, and organizations that have
 campaigned for social and economic justice for poor people
 and civil rights inside the United States, announced that
 on April 27, thousands of anti-war activists, workers,
 students, labor unionists and others would converge in
 Washington DC for a massive march on the White House to
 say:

 * MONEY FOR JOBS AND EDUCATION NOT WAR!
 * STOP THE RACIST ATTACKS!
 * DEFEND CIVIL LIBERTIES AND CIVIL RIGHTS!

 We are happy to announce that the Washington DC-based
 organization Black Voices for Peace has endorsed the April
 27 demonstration and are making preparations for a feeder
 march that will join the main assembly at the White House.

 The Bush administration has made a calculated effort to
 stimulate extreme patriotism, national chauvinism, flag
 waving and "national unity" in order to camouflage the
 true character of the war abroad and at home. They have
 replaced the slogans of the Cold War, namely the "fight
 against communism," with the new slogan of the "war
 against terrorism." The promotion of "Americanism" has
 attained the status of a semi-official religion.

 Many people of courage have seen through and rejected
 these efforts to silence or co-opt them with the use of
 nationalistic fervor and labels like "un-American." This
 includes the tens of thousands of people of conscience who
 converged at the September 29, 2001, A.N.S.W.E.R.
 demonstrations in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, and
 at other demonstrations that have been organized across
 the country. They stood up not only to the
 government-generated hysteria, but replied to sections of
 the progressive movement and even long-time friends and
 allies who said it was inappropriate to demonstrate at
 that time and challenge the policies of the U.S.
 government. Those tens of thousands of people stated that
 they would not be silenced - Not in the face of
 militaristic expansion. Not in the face of intensified
 U.S. threats against the people of Colombia, Venezuela,
 Central American and Haiti. Not in the face of the threat
 of U.S. attacks on civilian populations. Not in the face
 of global conquest for the benefit of corporate
 profiteering, the creation of U.S. proxy governments and
 further occupation of other lands. They said unequivocally
 that they rejected the racist demonization of their Arab
 and Muslim brothers and sisters and attempts to eviscerate
 the Bill of Rights. They honored those who died and were
 injured in the horrible attacks on civilians on September
 11th, and vowed to fight the opportunistic use of that
 terrible event for pre-existing right-wing political goals
 of the Bush Administration and Pentagon.

 September 29 marked the launch of a new progressive
 anti-war and anti-racism movement in the U.S., a movement
 of working people, students and progressive organizations
 who, even at a time of great risk, are standing in
 solidarity with persons under attack in the U.S. and those
 under attack by the U.S. government in other countries.
 This new movement has grown with great momentum as, across
 the country and internationally, many are choosing to
 fight along side one another and actively challenge,
 oppose and stop this new season of exploitation,
 war-mongering, racism and attempts to eliminate human
 freedoms and liberties.

 By announcing his "axis of evil" stratagem at the State of
 the Union message, Bush revealed the imperialist nature of
 the "war against terrorism." Iraq, Iran and North Korea
 had nothing to do with September 11 and yet they have
 become the new targets. The real goal is that the U.S.
 wants to install puppet regimes in these countries that
 are located in oil-rich and strategic regions.

 When we march on April 27 against this new war we are not
 simply protesting a Bush policy. It is noteworthy that Al
 Gore joined Bush in declaring that he wanted a "final
 reckoning" for Iraq. Both political parties are loyal to
 the corporate and banking establishment that is promoting
 and profiting from the new war drive. Both parties are
 responsible for the economic sanctions of the last decade
 on Iraq that have taken the lives of 1.5 million
 civilians--an act of economic terrorism.

 When we march on April 27 we will do so to expose the
 rapid evolution of the "Warfare State." Bush's Budget
 reveals a full scale fleecing of the people. A $48 billion
 increase in military spending this year, amounting to a
 staggering $378 billion, is only the beginning. By the
 year 2007 the annual war budget will rise to $450
 billion-nine times greater than the second largest
 military spender. This fund for war is not merely a form
 of corporate welfare and profiteering, looted from the
 taxes of working people. It represents a vast
 restructuring of the national treasury away from
 education, job training and job safety, housing, health
 care, food stamps and the things that people actually
 need.

 We are marching to stand in solidarity with the
 Arab-American and Muslim communities in the United States
 who are the targets of a new law enforcement form of
 apartheid. Under Ashcroft's reign, racial profiling has
 been legalized. People are stopped, interrogated and
 imprisoned because of race and religion. People of African
 Descent, Latino, Asian and Native communities are directly
 threatened by the incremental re-introduction of apartheid
 standards. We demand the repeal of the USA Patriot Act.
 The evolution of the Warfare State includes an
 unprecedented expansion of police power at home. The
 so-called USA Patriot Act gives dangerous new authority to
 the FBI, Justice Department, CIA and the military to abuse
 the people. Preventive detention, covert searches of homes
 and offices, surveillance and disruption of political
 activity, all without probable cause, is now authorized.
 Intrusion into the private lives of people at home, on the
 telephone or internet, has been granted to the FBI and
 CIA. What J. Edgar Hoover had to do illegally has now been
 codified into law by the Patriot Act. Only the organized
 power of the people can push back this repressive
 apparatus.

 We are building the April 27 demonstration not in the
 naive belief that this demonstration alone can stop the
 trend toward war, racism and repression. We continue to
 build a new grassroots movement that is struggling for a
 profound transformation of society. We are fighting for a
 society that puts people's needs before corporate profits.
 A society that globalizes solidarity between peoples and
 promotes the right to self-determination rather than
 domination. A society prioritizes employment, healthcare,
 education and housing rather than the current corporate
 globalization that plunders the planet in the search of
 maximizing profits. This is the only way to genuine peace.
 We support and stand with all groups, coalitions and
 individuals who are a part of this movement.

  APRIL 27 CALL TO ACTION, point your browser to
 http://www.internationalanswer.org/news/update/042702dccall.html
 .
 To ENDORSE, point your browser to
> http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/a27/a27-endorse.html