UFPJ decides to no longer coordinate with A.N.S.W.E.R. at national level

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=51&ItemID=9313

Ending the War in Iraq, Building a Broad Movement for Peace and Justice, And Our Experience with A.N.S.W.E.R.

United for Peace and Justice aims to build the broadest, most diverse movement for an immediate and complete end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. We see this as our immediate priority in the long-term effort to build a durable peace and justice movement that connects domestic and international issues. We are committed to working in a way that makes it possible for the widest array of people to come together around common aims, including communities of color, military families, Iraq war veterans and other veterans, the labor movement, youth, religious community, the women's and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender movements, professional organizations and community groups.

As our coalition moves forward, we try to evaluate our experiences in order to strengthen our efforts and overcome our shortcomings. In recent months, a difficult and controversial aspect of our work has been our engagement with International A.N.S.W.E.R in co-sponsoring the September 24, 2005 Washington, D.C. Rally and March. Following this experience, and after thorough discussion, the national steering committee of United for Peace and Justice has decided not to coordinate work with ANSWER again on a national level. Here we want to share with all UFPJ member groups our summary of this experience and the decisions we have made as a result.

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But there were many negative results as well.

First, ANSWER violated the terms of our agreement in ways that substantially and negatively impacted September 24's message and impact:

(1) ANSWER did not honor the agreed-upon time limits for its sections of the pre-march Rally, going more than an hour over in one section. The time was to be evenly divided in 30 minutes segments alternating between the two coalitions. Besides the impact in terms of disrespect to other speakers and the attendees in Washington, DC, this meant that the C-SPAN broadcast of the rally presented a one-sided picture of the antiwar movement to the U.S. public. In the extended ANSWER section broadcast on C-SPAN, there was in fact very little focus on, or explanation of, the central demand motivating hundreds of thousands of people to attend the demonstration: U.S. Out of Iraq Now.

(2) ANSWER delayed the start of the March for an hour past the agreed upon time. We learned that morning that while our agreement with ANSWER was to begin the march at 12:30, the permit ANSWER had negotiated with the police had the march starting at 1:30. This led to confusion, which in turn prevented the agreed-upon lead contingent carrying the agreed-upon lead banner ("End the War in Iraq, Bring the Troops Home Now, Justice for Hurricane Victims") from actually leading the March. This diluted the March's message -- especially in terms of media images of the March's front rank. It also jeopardized relationships between UFPJ and the representatives of several organizations whom we asked be part of the lead contingent of the March. An antiwar movement still not as strong as we need to be when compared to the tasks before us, in which developing relationships of mutual trust and accountability is of vital importance, can ill afford such short-sighted and narrow-minded practice.

more...

I traded some emails with the ANSWER gang several months ago. Their steadfast refusal to focus on uniting issues, and their dragging Mumia and Palestine into the anti-war protests, do nothing but sidetrack the movement. Others here may disagree, but ANSWER was the main reason why I have not been as mobilized as I would like to be.

Jettisoning those stalinoid creeps is a real step forward.

but they have some skeletons as well; problemattic.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

Read all this stuff right here 9/24

:thumbsup:

Read all this stuff right here 9/24"


There were a few DUers who were Anti-Answer and their were the DUers who were labeling the Anti-Answer folks as Mccarthyists, red baiters (because of the DUers who were pointing out ANSWERs pro-stalinist views), right wingers......... etc.

There was actually a post PRIOR to the march by weeks: "The Problem with Answer" detailing all this shit right here in B/W.PREDICTING all the problems you just read. Now thats ahead of the curve

The day of, and the days after the March, were all get out up in ANSWERS bogusness.

there was....... and when other anti-answer folks chimed in to the debate....... there were a lot of DUers who labeled them redbaiters, and mccarthyists.......... There is at least one I know of ModDemNY (moddemny) who was later banned, it seems for bringing up the ANSWER debate again.......

http://www.geocities.com/moddemny/

The marches/rallies prior to the US invasion of Iraq run by ANSWER on CSpan got me into trouble with some here. I actually agree with many of ANSWER's issues but I knew it would not sit well with most Americans at the time. If the war is the focus, why dilute it with all the other stuff? Glad UFPJ is going to organize their own events.

I don't recall being called a McCarthyist nor a red baiter but my point of view wasn't well liked by many. But I wasn't a shrinking violet before and I'm not going to start being one with my fellow DUers. Have I mentioned lately that A.N.S.W.E.R. sucks?

This needed to be done.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll march anywhere with UFPJ, and have before, but I was massively disillusioned with what happened on 9/24. I'll gladly march with them again now that they've finally broken with A.N.S.W.E.R.

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

This move is wa-a-a-ay past due. IMHO

appealing to the masses is what works.. and concentration on bread & butter issues..

The fringe stuff will get attention .but first you must win.

It takes time to build up trust between people and individuals. It must be earned, and communications between individuals must be clear and concise. If ANSWER cannot meet that standard, if they violate agreed upon terms and make decisions without communicating with other relevant parties such as UFPJ, how can any plan of action be implemented?

but the article still includes:

(2) the connections between the Iraq war and Washington's overall empire building, the U.S. support of the illegal occupation of Palestinian land, racism, repression and injustice at home would be articulated in accessible and creative ways, not only via rally speakers, but also at an interactive two day peace and justice festival, and throughout a 12 hour concert.

Not all Americans believe in the concept of America as an "empire".

--military outposts in. Wotthehell else would you call that other than being an empire?

wholeheartedly accepted them, at least in the beginning and sometime thereafter. After World War II, the U.S. was for the most part a source of stability for the rest world of the world. That is, until Bush came to power.

--"stability." You can make a case for bases in Western Europe to guard against a possible massive invasion by Soviets, but that's about it. Any intervention in poor countries has been for the cause of making them safe for ten cents an hour virtual slave labor.

While the Soviets were still an empire, you could argue that we had to be as well. Of course the Soviets, like the Brits before them, had to give up imperialism on the grounds of expense. We will too, eventually. The only question is whether or not we'll destroy ourselves internally first. NOLA is not a very good omen in that regard.

I think it's the right decision, especially in light of the C-Span portion. That was just wrong and smacks of the kind of intentional sabatoging that I've suspected of ANSWER for a while now. I think this is going to make a huge difference for the future.

who insist that the only reason they aren't going to DC is because of ANSWER will attend the next big march?

Y'all got no more excuses to get up off your asses and go :)

march.

:thumbsup:

and I will be there for the next large rally and I hope to never run into those A.N.S.W.E.R. yahoos again. I probably won't be that lucky but this decision is a good start for UFPJ.

I remember meeting you :hi:

I did. Being with the DUers was great. Waiting for A.N.S.W.E.R. to STFU not so much. :hi:

Mike Malloy even read an email of mine on the air concerning Answer.

They are BAD for the anti-war movement.

NO FOCUS.

The confusion was readily apparent to all of us marching on Sept 24th. Although we all came away with the feeling that we had participated in something inspiring and special this was not conveyed to the American public. This was a missed opportunity and I think that ANSWER had a lot to do with that. I hope that this means that UFPJ will be moving forward with plans for large-scale marches and rallies in collaboration with more reasonable partners.

The reasons cited are logisitical when we all know the the real issue is ideological. They are right the anti-war movement "can ill afford such short-sighted and narrow-minded practice."

Whaaa My banner was not in the lead.

Sorry but this stinks.

Bring on the red-baiters. You know the ones that confuse links to communism for the support of stalinism. E.g. a handful of posts above. Then before posting google the names Gramsci and Trotsky. Read. Reformulate. then respond.

but I never, ever want them at the podium again. They sucked at it and I don't think they have a fucking clue what they did wrong. No thanks. They are not helpful to our movement and they are downright detrimental when they are placed in a leadership position.

You know the ones that confuse links to communism for the support of stalinism. E.g. a handful of posts above. Then before posting google the names Gramsci and Trotsky. Read. Reformulate. then respond."


It took a little longer this time for the term "red baiter" to be thrown out again. There is not a great amount of confusion between Stalinism and Communism among the critics. A lot of the people who were anti-stalinists (among the critics) aren't exactly the world's greatest trotsky fans either, although trotsky is a great improvement. They simply haven't bought into Marxist theory in general. Dividing the modern world up into the bourgeouise and the proletariat nowadays is a little simplistic don't you think? (considering the American middle class didn't do as badly as Marx predicted they would - and quite a few immigrants came here with nothing but the shirts on their back yet managed to become wealthy) Quite a few American Communists who call them Trotskyites today had no problem supporting Stalin when he was in power and were quite dismayed when Kruschev denounced Stalin. Now that they realize what Stalin really was they run around claiming there weren't Stalinists. There was no reformulation (among the critics). People who lived under Communism in Eastern Euope were quite familiar with Marx, Lenin and other Communist writers...... it was required reading, they don't have to google it. Yet Americans who fall in love with Marxist theories somehow always seem surprised when no one wants to relive the same old revolutionary experiment under a different banner.

Who cares who gets the permits? It's about the people who show up, not the organizers. That said, ANSWER screwed up the last event badly enought so that UFPJ is just as well shut of them.

They just discussed all the things so many of us were screaming about after the rally and march. I was disgusted but I and many others here got trounced for complaining about our "ally" A.N.S.W.E.R. . Let me just repeat as a refresher: A.N.S.W.E.R. is not, nor have they ever been our ally.

and got my share of CRAP from people who were supporting ANSWER at all costs..

Takebackthemedia.com is all about Message/Media and all I was seeing was a lot of BITCHING, Strange people that middle america could NEVER relate to, and even protesters RUNNING from the ANSWER stage..

Of course in their defense, I mean the defense of the folks THERE, that's NOT what they neccessarily SAW.. they didn't see two hours of screeching, bad poetry, bad hair days, and speakers that were indecipherable.. Hate to say it, but I know nothing of Mummia, and I don't give a shit about it/him/her if THOUSANDS of troops are dying and my country is being sold out to Halliburton..

I had been talking about maybe a Bunch of Websites creating a coalition, from DU to Atrios to Takebackthemedia.com, to Bartcop, Buzzflash - what I call the "13 Original Cyber Colonies" and all working toward funding a BIG ASS PARTY with bands that people can relate to from say, Green Day to Joan Bayez (sp?) - some of these guys will play for FREE if we supply a stage and lights,security, etc..

Tho as I recall some folks thought it was ODD that Answer was able to get whatever license it took to be right there so close to the White House, like the Right Wing would say, "Sure commie pinko fags will be GREAT boring the shit out of the protesters which make US look GOOD, so here's your license and take a shower, hippie.."

I wonder if they might get worried if some folks threw a HEP party, a mini Rave, some Rock n Roll, etc instead - bring in Comedians between acts like Will Durst, Janeane Garofalo, show some clips from Michael Moore's latest work or upcoming work.. I mean give the protesters a SHOW baby..

Personally I would LOVE to hear the song "Idiot Son of An Asshole" played with amps turned up to 11 within earshot of the White House..

And there is marketing potential to pay for the gig as well..

I know some people, and I'm not bad at schmoozing - anyone want to give it a GO?

TROOPS OUT, IMPEACHMENT IN?

I'll work my ass off if my costs are covered, and folks that know me here know that I usually do a pretty good job at what I do, or die trying :)

I think it's time for the Web to FLEX it's muscles - I'd like to call in a bunch of favors and see what shakes out of the tree...

Who thinks it's a good idea? Spring is just around the corner :)

This is GREAT NEWS, I feel so fresh and VINDICATED!

at marches now? I hope so. It is time to get the larger social and peace problems out there without frequent punctuations by that Mumia movement.

I'm so pleased about this. It's high time UFPJ kicked them to the curb. They are not a help to our cause and are in fact a hindrance.

We need to have a more focused message that can appeal to the mainstream.