Work Develops to Strengthen Movement for Peace and Rights

Summation of Friday Forum at St. Joes (5/16).

Next Forum to be held on 5/30 at St. Joes.

Work Develops to Strengthen Movement for Peace and Rights
Building on the previous week's discussion and enthusiasm, and defying the great pressure from the ruling circles to put the movement for peace and rights on the defensive, activists, women, workers, and students met again on Friday, May 16, at St. Joe's, Rochester, to discuss how to further strengthen the movement.
The two-hour open meeting began with the meeting facilitator, a local activist, summarizing the previous week's discussion and then opening the floor to suggestions for an agenda for on-going work. Together participants decided that a main item for the agenda was working out aims and concrete steps to take. A graduate student brought out that discussion of aims serves to orient the work needed to move forward. Others added that it also assists in blocking pressure from the ruling circles to impose their agenda. It is necessary to decide actions based on the aims we have set, participants said, not by simply reacting to what the ruling circles do
Several related themes emerged in grappling with these issues. Many participants placed great emphasis on the need to expose and oppose the disinformation of the ruling circles by providing the information, education and stands needed to assist people in defending rights. The development of independent media was given as a good example of such work. The question of how to address the upcoming 2004 elections also was raised, with a variety of possibilities for activities raised. So too was the need for strengthening unity on an international level.
An activist with Buffalo Forum brought out that in the course of work and building the movement together we have begun our political education ourselves and have politicized many others. This is a significant achievement to utilize for further advance. In the context of more discussion on the electoral process, he also pointed out that the existing political set-up depoliticizes and excludes people and that we cannot rely on the rich and their system to advance our interests.
Discussion brought out that an important part of work on the electoral front is how to challenge the existing system that excludes the people, with the aim of political empowerment of the people. The stand on the elections was identified as an area for further investigation and discussion in the coming weeks.
The meeting addressed the importance of supporting each other and the various areas of work being done. It also emphasized strengthening international ties during this period when the U.S. is threatening all worldwide. People discussed participating in an upcoming conference in St. Catherine's, Canada, which is being organized as a forum for activists on both sides of the border to come together and discuss their organizing work and experiences. Many expressed appreciation for and interest in this event and plans are going forward to participate in it.
Bringing out the need to take matters into our own hands and to build the kind of politics that serve the people, another activist said that it would be useful to have an activity similar to the World Social Forum (in Brazil), where people exchange experience and elaborate their visions for another world. He suggested having a "Rochester Social Forum."
In concluding the meeting, all reaffirmed the need to meet and discuss regularly. Bi-weekly meetings will be held, with the next meeting at 5pm on Friday, May 30, at St. Joe's (402 South Avenue).