[act-ma] June 16: National Antiwar Strategy Meeting

Boston Troops Out Now Coalition iacboston at iacboston.org
Sat Jun 9 05:27:53 PDT 2007


*JUNE 16*
*National Antiwar Strategy Meeting*
------------------------------------------------------------------------

from *PROTEST* to *RESISTANCE*
to Stop the War at Home and Abroad

in New York City
Saturday, June 16
1 to 5 pm
/at /
the Solidarity Center
55 W. 17th St. 5th Fl.
btw. 5th & 6th Ave. in Manhattan
map here 
<http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&formtype=address&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&cat=&address=55+W.+17th+St.+&city=New+York&state=NY&zipcode=10011>

for information and directions call 212.633.6646


Contact us <http://troopsoutnow.org/cmnt.shtml>  |  Donate 
<http://troopsoutnow.org/donate.shtml>  |  Become a local organizer 
<http://www.troopsoutnow.org/sept2207volunteer.shtml>

This is a very critical moment in the struggle to against the war in 
Iraq --  a phase of tremendous opportunities and challenges.  On one 
hand, opposition to the war is growing.  Every poll shows that over 70%, 
the overwhelming majority, of the people in the U.S. want the war to end 
now.  President Bush's approval ratings are the lowest of any president 
since Richard Nixon at the time of his impeachment.

However, this opposition has not yet become the tidal wave of resistance 
necessary to stop the war, and the Democratic leadership in Congress, 
which was elected with a clear mandate to stop the war, has once again 
betrayed the people and completely capitulated to President Bush.

*Our responsibility now is to build an independent, grassroots movement 
that is actually capable of putting an end to this war *which has cost 
the lives of more than 650,000 Iraqi civilians and 3,500 U.S. troops.

On June 16, activists from across the U.S. are gathering in New York to 
discuss the next phase of united struggle against the war.  *Organizers 
are coming from Los Angeles, Raleigh, Cleveland, Boston, Denver, and 
more.  *Representatives from local and national antiwar and progressive 
organizations have been invited to take part in the discussion.  Student 
activists are coming to present plans for a national *Student Strike*.  
*Labor activists, immigrant rights organizers, and community leaders 
*will present ideas on linking the struggle against the war to struggles 
facing working people here.  *Veterans and active-duty members* of the 
military will discuss the prospects of organizing antiwar resistance 
inside the military.

We know that only an independent grassroots struggle in the streets will 
stop the war.  *We certainly cannot wait for politicians from either 
corporate party to end the war *-- if the Congress had _any_ intention 
of stopping the occupation, they could have already done so.  Even a 
determined congressional minority of Democrats could block the funding 
for the war. They could disrupt and filibuster.  Instead, while posing 
as the "anti-war" majority party, the Democrats have capitulated to Bush 
and the Pentagon.

*Only the people will stop the war - and we need united, militant action 
to do that.*

Please join us for the discussion on June 16.

Some of the proposed topics for discussion include:

    * Assessing the state of the antiwar movement: where do we go from
      here?
    * Congress, Bush and the war funding issue: what's really going on?
    * From antiwar to anti-imperialism: making the connections -  Iran,
      Palestine, the Philippines, Cuba, Venezuela, Africa etc.
    * The war at home: Immigrant Rights, Katrina, Anti-racist organizing
    * Update on the student movement
    * The growing GI antiwar movement

This meeting will be an important opportunity to discuss perspectives 
and plans for the next phase of the antiwar struggle, including the 
draft call from the Troops Out Now Coalition ( see 
http://troopsoutnow.org/sept2207call.html ) for a *National March on 
Washington on September 29 and an Encampment to Stop the War, beginning 
the week of September 22 - 29.*

The call for a National March and Encampment in Washington DC has 
already received wide support.  In the past few weeks, activists and 
organizers from across the U.S. have contacted TONC, demonstrating a 
groundswell of enthusiasm for the call to go from protest to 
resistance.  Some of the proposals we have heard in the past few days 
include:

    * Student organizations in several cities are discussing plans for a
      student strike that would include protests and direct action on
      their campuses, before joining the Encampment and March in DC.
    * Organizers are already planning car caravans and "peace trains" to
      DC for the Encampment.
    * Local organizations are planning to set up their own tents at the
      Encampment, with displays, teach-ins, literature, and protests  to
      highlight various issues, including: immigrant rights,
      counter-recruiting, Katrina, Palestine, and more.

We urge you to read the proposal from the Troops Out Now Coalition - 
located online at *http://troopsoutnow.org/sept2207call.html**.*   
Please consider endorsing 
<http://www.troopsoutnow.org/sept2207encampmentmarchonwashendorse.shtml> 
the call, and email us <http://troopsoutnow.org/cmnt.shtml> with your 
ideas. 

Then, join us on June 16 to continue this discussion and plan for the 
next phase of resistance to the war at home and the war abroad. 

    * *Read the draft call for Sept 22 - 29 :
      *http://troopsoutnow.org/sept2207call.html*
      *

    * *Endorse the call for Sept 22 - 29 :*
      http://www.troopsoutnow.org/sept2207encampmentmarchonwashendorse.shtml


    * *Volunteer :* http://www.troopsoutnow.org/sept2207volunteer.shtml

    * *Become an Organizing Center :*
      http://www.troopsoutnow.org/sept2207volunteer.shtml

    * *Donate : *http://troopsoutnow.org/donate.shtml





-- 
*******************************************
Troops Out Now Coalition

Boston:
617-522-6626
iacboston at iacboston.org
http://www.iacboston.org

National Office:
212-633-6646
http://troopsoutnow.org 


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