Aquesta és una carta per a qualsevol persona que insulti a la teva televisió cada nit, emmalalteix per les imatges de tortura al diari, disgustat per les mentides, fumant després de veure Fahrenheit 911 i despertar-se amb una suor freda enmig de la sensació de nit. impotent i preguntant-se què dimonis pots fer amb tot això:
Come to New York. Come at the end of August to join the marches, demonstrations, and nonviolent direct actions protesting the Republican National Convention.
There are strong moral and strategic reasons to come, to mount a powerful and big opposition to the policies of the Bush administration. And although one progressive magazine recently suggested we confine ourselves to candlelight vigils, there are important reasons for taking stronger actions, that directly, nonviolently, confront the institutions and architects of that power, including the corporations that fund and direct it, the agencies that enforce it’s policies, and the media that colludes in the lies.
Our country stands at a crossroads. Democracy in the United States has always been an imperfect experiment, leaving out many, many groups, conducted on stolen land. It’s never lived up to the ideals we pledged allegiance to as kids in school, of liberty and justice for all. But those ideals are still worth striving for. Now we must decide whether we will continue the struggle to broaden and extend democracy, or whether we will abandon it entirely to the rule of lies, brute force and fear.
La democràcia no s'ha estès mai a través de la timidesa. Només s'ha portat endavant quan els individus i els moviments s'han arriscat per enfrontar-se activament al poder abusiu, retirar el consentiment del seu funcionament i desafiar la legitimitat de les institucions abusives.
The Bush forces have maintained power because the legitimacy of their policies has been tacitly accepted even by those who disagree with them. They have set the framework of discussion, and the Democrats, the media, the groups who are supposed to function as counterforces have accepted their frame.
We must form a counterforce on the streets, the only place where social movements that challenge power have ever been carried forward. We will act
nonviolently, to embody the values we stand for of compassion and liberation, and to make clear where the violence in society stems from: those same policies of lies, brute force and fear and their enforcement on those unwilling to collude with them.
In taking action in New York, we join that tradition of nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience, that has carried forward every social movement in this country that has sought to broaden the base of democracy, from the abolition of slavery to suffrage for women to the rights of labor to the civil rights movement. We set a new frame. We make clear that Bush’s power does not rest on the consent of the governed. He was not elected legitimately. His pre-emptive war, are justified by lies, and his assaults on civil liberties are not legitimate.
Les nostres accions enviaran un missatge fort a cinc grups clau:
Els republicans
Hem de deixar clar que les polítiques actuals no tenen el suport popular, i que la gent d'aquest país no es quedarà passivament i deixarà que es produeixi un altre cop d'estat.
Els altres polítics, demòcrates, mitjans diversos, etc.
We need to make it clear that we want more than a choice between Republicans and the republican elite, that if Kerry and the Democrats will not challenge Bush’s framework, we will. We are a force to be reckoned with, and they need to start tuning their policies to us.
El món
Hem de mostrar a tots aquells aliats internacionals que Bush ha ofès o expulsat, a tots aquells antics amics que ha alienat, a totes les nacions amenaçades de la seva llista d'enemics i a totes les víctimes de la seva política que un gran nombre de nosaltres ens oposem a les seves accions i a tot el que és. per.
A nosaltres mateixos.
You’ll feel good about yourself if you come. You’ll have done something. You’ll have refused to be merely a passive victim, and asserted your right to be an active shaper of the future. You’ll be able to look at yourself in the mirror with pride.
Un altre.
We need to know we’re not alone in this. We need to see each other, to see the masses and crowds of us who say that this country and the world deserve something better. We need to look each other in the face and hear our voices joined in thunderous chants and feel the linked rhythm of our marching feet shake the fortresses of power.
If we don’t take action, if we limit ourselves to mild expressions of discontent, we will undoubtedly be safer in the moment. But we will have moved further into a huge, longterm danger, of continuing the slide into tacit acceptance that we are not the people we thought we were, not the liberators of the world but its jailors, not the defenders of human rights but the torturers of Abu Ghraib.
Si actuem, podem aconseguir tres objectius estratègics clau de vital importància:
Podem establir un nou marc, allunyant els mitjans de comunicació de les cerimònies de coronació dins de la convenció i al carrer, a la nostra oposició i les nostres reivindicacions i la nostra visió alternativa.
Podem deslegitimar a Bush i les seves polítiques mostrant l'amplitud i la profunditat de la nostra oposició.
Podem oferir una alternativa: encarnar en la nostra organització i les nostres accions els valors que defensem: compassió, diversitat, noviolència, llibertat, creativitat i amor, encarnant una visió d'una societat basada en la democràcia real, la llibertat i la justícia, no per un pocs privilegiats, però per a tots.
In short, we can turn away from the road to Abu Ghraib and set our country on a new direction. I think that’s worth the risk, and I invite you to join the joyful and courageous company of those who will march, demonstrate, and take nonviolent direct action in New York City during the Republican National Convention this August.
Un programa d'actes molt aproximat;
August 29 United for Peace and Justice March
30 d’agost Marxa dels Pobres
August 31 Day of Nonviolent Direct Action!
September 1 Labor March
Per a una programació completa d'esdeveniments i enllaços a tots els grups organitzadors, consulteu:
Com serà el dia d'acció:
4 PM: Coordinated nonviolent direct actions focused on oppressive aspects of Bush’s policies, both interfering and making visible our alternatives. Specifics are being decided by clusters and spokescouncils.
7 h Convergir a la Convenció Nacional Republicana per recuperar els nostres espais públics i recuperar la democràcia.
Com participar en l'acció directa:
Nonviolent direct action needs people who will stand on the front lines and take risks—but for every person who does, five to ten others are needed to take on safe and legal support roles: helping to staff the convergence center, staying by the phone to relay messages, helping provide food, water, childcare, medical care, legal support, emotional support and healing. Whatever your age, physical condition, level of experience or ability to take risks, you can make a contribution.
Per participar en l'acció directa noviolenta, podeu:
Formeu un grup d'afinitat: un petit grup d'amics que puguin venir junts a l'acció, donar suport a casa (alimentar el gat, calmar els familiars, etc.), consolar i alimentar-se quan torneu i recolzar-se mútuament a la acció.
Attend a nonviolent direct action training. Trainings will be offered in New York city regularly leading up to the action, many are scheduled in other communities. If you would like to organize one in your own community, contact: For trainings in your community contact Ruby at [protegit per correu electrònic]
Or contact the NY Trainers Collective at 206 333-6448 or [protegit per correu electrònic]
Spokescouncils take place every Tuesday night in New York City. You can attend or send a representative from your group. For schedules and
information, see: www.shoutheardroundtheworld.org
If you can’t come with a group, affinity groups will be formed at trainings and at spokescouncils leading up to the action. Try to at least bring a buddy, or plan to make a new friend. Or join up with one of the clusters already forming.
And if you really can’t come, please donate to help others get there. Check the websites below, or find a young activist in your community and help her or him get there! And be prepared to support the actions with calls, emails, faxes, letters to the editor, etc.
To get Starhawk’s daily updates, check www.starhawk.org or get on the mailing list by emailing
[protegit per correu electrònic] i posant "subscriu-te" a l'assumpte.
Per obtenir una visió general de tots els grups i esdeveniments, consulteu:
www.counterconvention.org
Per al Dia d'Acció del 31 d'agost, consulteu:
www.shoutheardroundtheworld.com/
Alguns clústers organitzant accions:
Clúster de la Costa Oest
www.actagainswar.org
Clúster Pagà
www.pagancluster.org
Escola de les Amèriques
www.soa.org
Lliga de resistències a la guerra
www.warresisters.org/
Per a la marxa i concentració del 29 d'agost, la junta de l'habitatge i molta informació general, consulteu:
www.unitedforpeace.org
Per obtenir informació sobre la formació per a l'acció directa, vegeu:
www.rantcollective.org
Altres llocs web relacionats:
http://www.rncwatch.org
http://www/norc.org
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