RAVAGE THE RNC: Take the Streets, Take Control!
Primary tabs
Call for Direct Action at the Republican National Convention in New York City August 29th - September 4th 2004
In over 150 years
of existence, the Republican Party has never had their convention in
New York. But in over 150 years of existence, there have never been
three thousand lives of innocent civilians to exploit all in one major
metropolitan area. And you can bet that they'll be exploiting them
every second that they're in town. Every photo opportunity, every
fundraising dinner, every trinket sold will take full advantage of the
tragedy of September 11th to turn Bush's reign of terror into a two
term affair.
The September 11th
attacks have been used as a pretext for implementing an Orwellian
program of social control at home and abroad. During the last four
years under the Republican administration the US has accelerated its
longstanding policy of bombing, pillaging and terrorizing other nations
of the world, while expanding domestic repression to unprecedented
levels.
Two wars of
aggression have resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 innocent people
and the occupation of two sovereign nations. Thousands of immigrants
and people of color have been secretly detained, some for years, and
many others have been deported. The Bush administration is
systematically gaining control of women's bodies, choices and lives
through legislation, judicial review and redirection of federal funds.
With the passage of the PATRIOT Act and other repressive policies, the
goose-step of imperialism is becoming swifter while ignoring the true
roots of terrorism; war, capitalism and the State.
Beginning on August
29th, the Republican Party will hold its five-day long convention in
New York City. By holding the convention in New York, George W. Bush is
spitting in the face of a city that still bears open wounds, exploiting
the misery of 9-11 for his own political gain. The fear of terrorism
instilled in the American public by the Bush administration will be
used to justify state terrorism in the streets of New York this summer,
as expressions of dissent are met with brutal force.
New York will
represent the biggest opportunity for resistance to empire in decades.
Inspired by mass anger and disillusionment with the policies of the
Bush administration, the potential is incredible, and the authorities
realize this. The response to these protests has already been
determined. Armed with a $25 million donation from the federal
government, the city of New York will attempt to define the terms of
our free speech and right to assemble in ways that will minimize our
impact. The city will use tens of thousands of police in an attempt to
maintain rigid control over the protests.
Despite the use of
such highly militaristic forms of state repression, hope is not lost -
the Bush administration's drive towards the illegal invasion of Iraq
generated the largest worldwide demonstrations in history. Even the
lowest estimates put 500,000 people on the streets of New York City
this summer. The city of New York will be forced to deal with not tens,
but hundreds of thousands of people coming to voice their opposition to
these past four years of war and deceit. In the face of these numbers,
the possibilities will be endless. The streets will be ours, and this
is an opportunity we refuse to miss.
As
anti-authoritarians, we call upon people from around the world to come
to New York City to participate in creative mass direct action, of the
likes not seen in the United States since before the September 11th
attacks. Critics say that our movement is dying; we must regain the
militancy that our movement once had, showing our critics how wrong
they really are, and teaching the ruling elite where the power really
lies in this country.
We must remember
that it is our labor that keeps things functioning: without us, the
cities stop, without our obedience, they have no rule. Only our
absolute refusal will effectively challenge the State. As Mario Savio
said: "There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so
odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part; you can't
even passively take part, and you've got to put your bodies upon the
gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and
you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people
who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free, the
machine will be prevented from working at all!"
The time has come
to move past outmoded and predictable tactics, expanding our strategy
to include innovative tactics that will forever dispel the notion that
the State, in any way, is in control of our lives.
To get involved in creating a direct action framework for the RNC please join this listserve: http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/rnc-da.
The Convention is less than four months away - let's start organizing now!
See you on the streets in August!
In Solidarity,
Midwest Unrest - Chicago, IL
New Jersey Anti-Racist Action - New Brunswick, NJ
Baltimore Homes Not Jails - Baltimore, MD
Stelton (A) Collective, North-Eastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists (NJ NEFAC )
To endorse this call, please email rncda@hushmail.com with "Endorsement" as the subject.