No funds for racist occupation!

An exciting lineup of events has been announced to directly confront Congress and its complicity in the wars at home and abroad. As Congress meets to vote on spending billions more on the war in Iraq, people from across the country will be participating in a week-long encampment at its doorstep.

An article in the Sept. 6 New York Times shows exactly why actions directly challenging Congress are so important. Entitled "Democrats Newly Willing to Compromise on Iraq," the article details the Democrats' newest double-cross of the anti-war voters who supported them in November 2006.

Rather than call for a spring deadline for the withdrawal of all troops—which in itself is unsatisfactory to a large part of the U.S. population who want all the troops removed immediately—a new proposal authored by Democratic Senators Carl Levin and Jack Reed would, according to the Times, "order the administration to begin pulling at least some combat troops out of Iraq, probably by the end of the year." The article states that these senators believe that the compromises will somehow allow them to "keep pressure on President Bush."

Apparently the Democrats envision the continuation of the war, which will require troops to go back to Iraq after they have come home. A proposal that is being revisited by Democratic senators would require that troops can be returned to Iraq only after they have spent an equal amount of time in the United States.

Convergence of grassroots forces

Meanwhile, the multinational, anti-imperialist Troops Out Now Coalition (TONC) says in a recent statement: "As Congress debates Bush's new funding request, we must be there to let them know that ... [w]e cannot wait for more phony deadlines—we need to set a deadline and demand that the troops be brought home now."

TONC activists throughout the country have been busy mobilizing and planning for the Sept. 22-29 Encampment to Stop the War at Home and Abroad. Activities include the construction of a giant billboard, on the first day of the encampment, demanding "Congress: stop funding the war—fund peoples' needs."

Sept. 27 is being billed as "Stop the War at Home Day," in which Katrina survivors from New Orleans and their allies will protest the racism and neglect of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and immigrant rights activists will denounce the raids and detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Youth and students have called for a day of action on Sept. 28. A statement explaining the action states: "Youth and students, from the U.S. to Iraq, are underattack. Military recruiters prey on our communities and our campuses, trying to get us and our friends to kill and be killed in a criminal war. Money that should be being spent to make education affordable for everyone and provide scholarships is instead being spent to continue the four-and-a-half year old occupation of Iraq.

"Police harass us for simply being young, for being a person of color, or for being lesbian/gay/bi/trans/queer. Bush's top war adviser, Army Lt.Gen. Douglas Lute, says that 'it makes sense to certainly consider' reinstating the draft. It's time to raise our voices and our fists and fight back."

The cast of "SiCKO"—Michael Moore's movie exposing the depravity of the for-profit health care system—will be present at the encampment, holding a vigil on Sept. 28 for all the victims of that industry, and organizing a "Healthcare, Not Warfare" contingent in the mass march the following day.

Other actions planned include events against U.S. intervention in Latin America, against a new war in Iran, and in solidarity with Cuba and the Cuban 5.

In Los Angeles, a parallel encampment will be taking place, with two tent cities in different areas of the sprawling city. Events there include a 15-mile march between the two tent cities, a protest in support of the Palestinian struggle, a teach-in on the war and labor solidarity, and more. (Workers World, Sept. 9)

Cultural resistance

The encampment will also reflect the important and vital role that culture plays in movements of resistance to capitalist oppression and imperialist rule.

"Rock the Rulers," an evening concert series of culture and resistance, will be held each night of the encampment, featuring hip hop, soul, r&b, funk, visual arts, theater and spoken word from artists throughout the country, including Nana Soul, Spirit Child, Pam Parker, Public Disturbance, Days of Rage, Bojah and the Insurrection, World War III Arts Collective, Not Now Right Now, Enemy Combatant, The Foundation, Nemiss, Hasan Salaam, Kahlil Khan, Phase One, Head-Roc, Rahula Today, Rebel Diaz, Soul Cannon, Strike Anywhere, Songs for Peace, Children United for Peace and more.

On Sept. 28, BAYAN USA, the New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, and TONC will host an outdoor concert billed "Never Again." A flyer for the event states: "Join Filipino-American artists' call for withdrawal of U.S. military aid for Philippine death squads and an end to the undeclared martial law under the Arroyo government. This concert is dedicated to all victims of Philippine martial law past and present."

All these events will culminate with a mass march on Sept. 29 to stop the war at home and abroad, demanding an end to all occupations—from Iraq to Palestine to Haiti and the Philippines—an end to racist police terror, freedom for all political prisoners and money for social services, not war.

For more information on all these activities, visit www.troopsoutnow.org.

E-mail: ldowell@workers.org