Boston Anarchist Consulta
Submitted by will on Sat, 01/27/2007 - 3:56pm
Please forward widely! From the consulta planning committee
-----------------------------------------------
Calling all Anarchists and Anti-Authoritarians!
Come together in Boston, February 24-25, for the Northeast Anarchist
Consulta to strategize, organize, and prepare for a massive Week of
Resistance this May in defense of migrant workers' rights and in
opposition to the Biotech Convention [coming to Boston 6-9 May].
As Anarchists, we have no choice but to be aware of the ever worsening
conditions that face us, politically and environmentally. While the
struggles of our working poor go largely ignored, our country is waging a
long, illegal war for profit that's easily killed 700,000+ Iraqi civilians,
including an average of 200 children a day. Global climate change is not
only ruining our winter, it's tearing apart ice shelves at the poles and
drowning the indigenous people of the Carteret Islands. While mainstream
environmental organizations blame the impoverished people of colour in
Global South countries for widespread ecological ruin, we place the blame
on the corporations who have raped their resources and made their lives
unsustainable, if not unliveable. While 40,000 children are dying every
day of malnutrition and 5,000 children a day lose their lives to diarrhea,
there's no end to heartless, racist greed and destruction in sight. It's
more important now than ever before that Anarchists unite together and
fight back against the system that is rapidly depredating every aspect of
life.
We all have our individual priorities, be it an abolition of militarism,
racism, misogyny, exploitation of workers, environmental disregard,
religion, capitalism, the state, corporate greed, heteronormativity, the
prison-industrial complex, maltreatment of animals, and so forth. But in
order to effect change, it is essential that we recognize that these
struggles are the same struggle against the same paradigms of oppressive
institutionalized hierarchy. We must realize that while our views and
methods may differ, we, Anarchists, must work with one another to effect
change. This is your opportunity.
1. May Day 2006 saw migrant workers across the country striking and taking
to the streets, displaying the power that they, as workers, have over our
economy and our way of life. Migrant worker activists have called for
another such demonstration for May 2007, as the conditions that spawned
the last one have not ended or abated. Immigrants are still being
mistreated, exploited, deported, legislated and generally discriminated
against. Like the Anarchists of Chicago on the first May Day in 1886, the
Anarchists of the Northeast will take action in solidarity with the
migrant workers in our communities and with working people everywhere.
Solidarity without borders.
2. Biotechnology, along with the agrochemical industry it serves, has made
our air unfit to breathe, has dangerously modified our food, rendering it
unfit to eat, and dumped endless tons of toxins into our water, rendering
it unfit to drink. Bioweapons live in our neighborhoods. There are
chemicals being found in our bodies that didn't even exist a few short
decades ago. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 3 women will
develop cancer along with 1 in 2 men. Fancy corporate charities talk
about 'Finding the Cure!' to disguise the fact that they are the cause of
this plague. Prestigious universities in Boston want to experiment with
Ebola and anthrax in Roxbury. In Lower Allston, they favour cloning and
vivisection at the expense of low-income families' homes. As if
biotechnology hasn't damaged our bodies, our lives and our communities
enough, the Biotechnology Industry Organization's annual convention will
descend upon Boston this May 6-9. So will we, the Anarchists of the
Northeast.
The first weeks of May will be full of popular mobilizations, proclaiming
"No one is illegal: For a world without borders" and "No compromise in
defense of our earth." As anarchists, we will not only participate in each
of these movements, but we will build bridges between them, make the
connections, and make our resistance relevant to our neighborhoods,
workplaces, and communities. We will come together for a Black, Red, and
Green Convergence in Boston this May. We will coordinate our efforts
across the Northeast, and we will make this spring one to remember!
Come to 33 Harrison Ave in Chinatown, Boston, February 24th and 25th, 2007,
to build a united strategy, a network of cooperation, and a plan of action
for our Spring of Resistance, 2007. Also, please RSVP so we know who is
coming. Contact us at [email protected], or visit our website
(coming soon) springofresistance.org
What to do before coming to the Northeast Anarchist Consulta?
- Meet with your collective/union/organization/affinity group etc, or start
one up.
- Meet with other groups in your area.
- Identify places and organizations in your town/city/region/community where
these issues are relevant.
- Identify corporations and other targets that are repressing immigrants and
working people, and/or those that are destroying our communities, animals,
and the environment. Brainstorm ways to bring these issues together.
- Discuss ideas, goals, strategies, and action plans.
- Then, send a delegate, representative, or your whole group to the
consulta. Fellow anarchists, it's time to get organized!
In resistance,
Allston/Brighton Collective for Popular Assemblies
BAAM Boston
Boston Anarchist Black Cross
Boston Animal Defense League
Boston GMB of the Industrial Workers Of the World
Cape Cod Resistance Collective
The Emerson Anti-Authoritarians
The New York Metro Alliance of Anarchists
The P-Block Collective
Info on May Day:
-Immigrant Solidarity Network: http://www.immigrantsolidarity.org/
-Call to Action for May Day 2007: http://www.mayday2007.org
Info on Biotech:
- Biodemocracy Alliance: http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge-free.cfm#mlaws
- Say No to GMO's: http://www.saynotogmos.org/biodemocracy_news.htm
Proposed schedule and agenda (suggestions and coments welcome):
-February 23rd: (Friday) social event at night
Day 1 (Saturday, February 24th)
10:00: Open the space, set up, socialize
10:15: Opening speakers. (5 in total, 5-10 mins each)
*Someone on biotech
*Someone talking about history of local resistance to biotech and social
implications
*Someone on the history of May Day
*Someone to talk about recent Migrant Workers Rights movement and May Day
*Someone to go over security culture
11:00: Ice breakers: learn names, organizations, and goals through
icebreaker games and do two go-arounds to talk about specific connections
and goals we want to achieve.
12:30: Discussion: overview of what pre-made plans people are already
working on. We will ask people to sign up for speaking time in our calls
(asking them to contact us beforehand by email) or to sign up in the
morning at the consulta .
1:30: Work out scheduling conflicts, bring up conflicts in timing
2:00: Lunch (Food Not Bombs + Potluck) socializing
3:00: Brainstorming what we would like to see happen, both large-scale
and specific. Identify targets.
4:00: Decide on what working groups need to be formed, then form them and
have brief working group discussions.
5:00: Go around the room twice to ask how the day went and what should go
differently the next day. Leave an opportunity for relevant announcements.
Night time: social event with entertainment.
Day 2 (Sunday, February 25th)
10:00: Breakfast over an inspirational revolutionary film montage
projected in the background. *Hand out our proposals for a Northeast
Anarchist network*
10:30: Check in for people to vent/talk about hopes for the day
11:00: Break into working groups: identify priorities and needs, lay out
basic goals, coordinate same-day actions in people's own regions, maximize
effectiveness.
12:00: Large group: report back, discuss, work out scheduling conflicts,
bring up needs
2:00: Lunch
3:00: Read and discuss proposal for the Northeast network (Andrew will
write the first draft)
6:00: Possible action: clean-up trash in Chinatown
-----------------------------------------------
Calling all Anarchists and Anti-Authoritarians!
Come together in Boston, February 24-25, for the Northeast Anarchist
Consulta to strategize, organize, and prepare for a massive Week of
Resistance this May in defense of migrant workers' rights and in
opposition to the Biotech Convention [coming to Boston 6-9 May].
As Anarchists, we have no choice but to be aware of the ever worsening
conditions that face us, politically and environmentally. While the
struggles of our working poor go largely ignored, our country is waging a
long, illegal war for profit that's easily killed 700,000+ Iraqi civilians,
including an average of 200 children a day. Global climate change is not
only ruining our winter, it's tearing apart ice shelves at the poles and
drowning the indigenous people of the Carteret Islands. While mainstream
environmental organizations blame the impoverished people of colour in
Global South countries for widespread ecological ruin, we place the blame
on the corporations who have raped their resources and made their lives
unsustainable, if not unliveable. While 40,000 children are dying every
day of malnutrition and 5,000 children a day lose their lives to diarrhea,
there's no end to heartless, racist greed and destruction in sight. It's
more important now than ever before that Anarchists unite together and
fight back against the system that is rapidly depredating every aspect of
life.
We all have our individual priorities, be it an abolition of militarism,
racism, misogyny, exploitation of workers, environmental disregard,
religion, capitalism, the state, corporate greed, heteronormativity, the
prison-industrial complex, maltreatment of animals, and so forth. But in
order to effect change, it is essential that we recognize that these
struggles are the same struggle against the same paradigms of oppressive
institutionalized hierarchy. We must realize that while our views and
methods may differ, we, Anarchists, must work with one another to effect
change. This is your opportunity.
1. May Day 2006 saw migrant workers across the country striking and taking
to the streets, displaying the power that they, as workers, have over our
economy and our way of life. Migrant worker activists have called for
another such demonstration for May 2007, as the conditions that spawned
the last one have not ended or abated. Immigrants are still being
mistreated, exploited, deported, legislated and generally discriminated
against. Like the Anarchists of Chicago on the first May Day in 1886, the
Anarchists of the Northeast will take action in solidarity with the
migrant workers in our communities and with working people everywhere.
Solidarity without borders.
2. Biotechnology, along with the agrochemical industry it serves, has made
our air unfit to breathe, has dangerously modified our food, rendering it
unfit to eat, and dumped endless tons of toxins into our water, rendering
it unfit to drink. Bioweapons live in our neighborhoods. There are
chemicals being found in our bodies that didn't even exist a few short
decades ago. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 3 women will
develop cancer along with 1 in 2 men. Fancy corporate charities talk
about 'Finding the Cure!' to disguise the fact that they are the cause of
this plague. Prestigious universities in Boston want to experiment with
Ebola and anthrax in Roxbury. In Lower Allston, they favour cloning and
vivisection at the expense of low-income families' homes. As if
biotechnology hasn't damaged our bodies, our lives and our communities
enough, the Biotechnology Industry Organization's annual convention will
descend upon Boston this May 6-9. So will we, the Anarchists of the
Northeast.
The first weeks of May will be full of popular mobilizations, proclaiming
"No one is illegal: For a world without borders" and "No compromise in
defense of our earth." As anarchists, we will not only participate in each
of these movements, but we will build bridges between them, make the
connections, and make our resistance relevant to our neighborhoods,
workplaces, and communities. We will come together for a Black, Red, and
Green Convergence in Boston this May. We will coordinate our efforts
across the Northeast, and we will make this spring one to remember!
Come to 33 Harrison Ave in Chinatown, Boston, February 24th and 25th, 2007,
to build a united strategy, a network of cooperation, and a plan of action
for our Spring of Resistance, 2007. Also, please RSVP so we know who is
coming. Contact us at [email protected], or visit our website
(coming soon) springofresistance.org
What to do before coming to the Northeast Anarchist Consulta?
- Meet with your collective/union/organization/affinity group etc, or start
one up.
- Meet with other groups in your area.
- Identify places and organizations in your town/city/region/community where
these issues are relevant.
- Identify corporations and other targets that are repressing immigrants and
working people, and/or those that are destroying our communities, animals,
and the environment. Brainstorm ways to bring these issues together.
- Discuss ideas, goals, strategies, and action plans.
- Then, send a delegate, representative, or your whole group to the
consulta. Fellow anarchists, it's time to get organized!
In resistance,
Allston/Brighton Collective for Popular Assemblies
BAAM Boston
Boston Anarchist Black Cross
Boston Animal Defense League
Boston GMB of the Industrial Workers Of the World
Cape Cod Resistance Collective
The Emerson Anti-Authoritarians
The New York Metro Alliance of Anarchists
The P-Block Collective
Info on May Day:
-Immigrant Solidarity Network: http://www.immigrantsolidarity.org/
-Call to Action for May Day 2007: http://www.mayday2007.org
Info on Biotech:
- Biodemocracy Alliance: http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge-free.cfm#mlaws
- Say No to GMO's: http://www.saynotogmos.org/biodemocracy_news.htm
Proposed schedule and agenda (suggestions and coments welcome):
-February 23rd: (Friday) social event at night
Day 1 (Saturday, February 24th)
10:00: Open the space, set up, socialize
10:15: Opening speakers. (5 in total, 5-10 mins each)
*Someone on biotech
*Someone talking about history of local resistance to biotech and social
implications
*Someone on the history of May Day
*Someone to talk about recent Migrant Workers Rights movement and May Day
*Someone to go over security culture
11:00: Ice breakers: learn names, organizations, and goals through
icebreaker games and do two go-arounds to talk about specific connections
and goals we want to achieve.
12:30: Discussion: overview of what pre-made plans people are already
working on. We will ask people to sign up for speaking time in our calls
(asking them to contact us beforehand by email) or to sign up in the
morning at the consulta .
1:30: Work out scheduling conflicts, bring up conflicts in timing
2:00: Lunch (Food Not Bombs + Potluck) socializing
3:00: Brainstorming what we would like to see happen, both large-scale
and specific. Identify targets.
4:00: Decide on what working groups need to be formed, then form them and
have brief working group discussions.
5:00: Go around the room twice to ask how the day went and what should go
differently the next day. Leave an opportunity for relevant announcements.
Night time: social event with entertainment.
Day 2 (Sunday, February 25th)
10:00: Breakfast over an inspirational revolutionary film montage
projected in the background. *Hand out our proposals for a Northeast
Anarchist network*
10:30: Check in for people to vent/talk about hopes for the day
11:00: Break into working groups: identify priorities and needs, lay out
basic goals, coordinate same-day actions in people's own regions, maximize
effectiveness.
12:00: Large group: report back, discuss, work out scheduling conflicts,
bring up needs
2:00: Lunch
3:00: Read and discuss proposal for the Northeast network (Andrew will
write the first draft)
6:00: Possible action: clean-up trash in Chinatown
