Re: AUT: RE: antiwar movement

[Newdem@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 3/22/2004 3:56:11 AM Eastern Standard Time,
pvh@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
there are so many practical things that can be done,
everything from highlighting and supporting struggles in
Iraq/Afghanistan/etc to organising solidarity network (visits, news
exchange, etc) to supporting refugees... its a small world and things are
'over there', 'beyond reach'. There is no need to focus the anti-war
movement solely on 'appealing' to politicians!
Peter--

I strongly agree with your comments here and with the useful activities which
you suggest. Relying on politicians is poison for "the movement," or whatever
we wish to call ourselves; we need to find practical strategies for
undermining the power of the warmakers and building the power of the people.

I believe I posted here a few weeks ago an article calling for
MassRefusal/2004--mass refusal to vote in the 2004 presidential elections (seee
massrefusal.org). New Democracy proposed this as a strategy in which millions of people
can engage together which has little individual risk but which makes a powerful
political statement: that we live in a fake democracy, and that we are
determined to make a real one. We see this as a useful step in building a more
effective and powerful movement.

The elections will be over in November: what about next steps? New Democracy
has proposed a next "refusal" campaign to undermine the armed forces by
discouraging military recruitment on university and high school campuses and by
encouraging returning National Guardsmen and reservists from re-enlisting.

As the strength of antiwar forces grow, we will be able to engage in job
actions--slowdowns and strikes--and other actions which involve more risk but
which undermine the power of the warmakers more.

Dave Stratman
Editor, New Democracy
newdemocracyworld.org
5 Burr Street
Boston, MA 02130
617-524-4073


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