A.N.S.W.E.R. Action Plan

from www.answercoalition.org (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism)

The anti-war and progressive movement that is fighting against imperialist war and occupation abroad and the assault against people’s rights at home has reached a critical juncture.

The progressive movement has grown at a dynamic rate all around the world in the last two years primarily in response to the Bush administration’s global assault on people’s rights. This movement has shown powerful collective action on a global scale as all of us have stood together across the U.S. and around the world demonstrating that the power is in the people. This people’s movement represents the only real possibility for change and the only real challenge to militarism and global corporate conquest and exploitation.

The progressive movement in the United States is now confronted with a critical choice. The election campaign is in full swing. Some want to take the anti-war movement and fasten it as a tail to the Democratic Party kite. We believe that this would be a tragic squandering of the historic potential of the movement to create real change. The Democratic and Republican Parties represent the same banking and corporate elites and are both committed to a strategy of global domination. The recent vote in the Senate for the new Pentagon war budget of $416 billion was 98 to 0.

Both Bush and Kerry support and will extend the occupation of Iraq. Both support Israel’s relentless war against the Palestinian people and oppose the right of return. Both parties have supported the criminal blockade of Cuba that has endured for 44 years. Both stand for the overthrow of the elected government in Venezuela. Both represent U.S. oil interests in the attempted redivision of Africa. Both stand for U.S. intervention in Haiti.

And there are literally a hundred other instances where the two parties share a near uniformity on issues.

The next phase in the anti-war movement must include an Action Plan and specific tactics that help the movement grow as a strong and powerful force independent of the two parties of the corporate war machine.

Anti-war activists who have been fighting to end the war and occupation of Iraq are pledging their commitment to redouble their efforts and to turn up the heat – no matter who is elected.

On the first day that the next president takes the oath of office – January 20, 2005 – there will be thousands of people all along the inaugural route in Washington DC demanding “End the occupation of Iraq – Bring the troops home now.” Whether it is Bush or Kerry riding in the limousine, they and the world will hear this message loud and clear from the people of the U.S. The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition has obtained permits for the Counter-Inaugural demonstration.

The A.N.S.W.E.R. Action Plan includes key major national actions taking place over the next seven months. Some of the actions and activities are initiated by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, others are events that A.N.S.W.E.R. supports that are initiated by other groups and coalitions.

Thousands of activists around the country and around the world are committed to continuing to build the movement against the occupation of Iraq as well as the rising tide of public opinion to bring the troops home now. There will be additional educational events and rallies in support of Haiti, Palestine, Cuba and other important actions, as well as mobilizations on an emergency basis depending on political developments, so be sure to check the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition website and subscribe to the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition listserve for future action alerts.

Following are details about these key major national actions:

1) Sunday, July 25: Mass March at the Democratic National Convention in Boston to kick off a week of protests

2) Sunday, August 29: Mass March at the Republican National Convention in August to kick off a week of protests

3) Saturday, October 16 & Sunday, October 17: Marches for immigrant and labor rights in Los Angeles and Washington DC

4) January 20, 2005: Counter-Inaugural Protest in Washington DC demanding from the first day of office, regardless of who is elected: End the Occupation of Iraq and Bring the Troops Home Now!

A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
Act Now to Stop War & End Racism
www.answercoalition.org
info@internationalanswer.org
Washington 202-544-3389
New York 212-633-6646
Los Angeles 323-464-1636