[antiwar-van] Too-Much-To-Do:Putting it all together Conf.

[Elsie Dean]

May 24 SFU Harbour Centre 7-9pm

Below this message is an outline of the thoughts behind the Mayworks conference “Too-much-to-do” for Friday May 24 at SFU Harbour Centre. (Hastings & Seymour)  7 - 9pm.  Our purpose will be to begin to explore ways we can better focus our energies, work together, and win on all fronts.

1.      Mordecai Briemberg will talk about militarization and war 

2.      and include a look at the role of racism in the arsenal of power

3.      this will be followed by (not confirmed Dave Fairey or Steve McBride economists)  an examination of corporate globalization in the consolidation of power, including the connection to the changing policies in Canada and British Columbia.  

The audience will participate by adding to, differing from or agreeing with the overviews, the prime focus to be on making the links. 

Further information in longer explanation below.

 Elsie Dean
Ph. 604-294-5834  Fax 604-294-5816  
E-mail sbdean at sfu.ca

A TOO-MUCH-TO-DO – LINKING THE ISSUES CONFERENCE
Corporate globalization continues apace.  Militarization and a campaign of permanent war-making are well underway.  Racist profiling and repressive laws that attack minorities and intimidate dissent have been enacted. Corporate globalization continues to consume our planet for the benefit of the few.

For those in power these three fronts of attack are a coordinated strategy.  Our enemy has a lot to do, but his energies are focused.

Can we say the same for ourselves?  Or do we who work for a new, just and sustainable world have “too much to do” and overlook ways to connect our struggles?

The creativity and strength of the anti-globalization movement was developed before Bush declared a policy of permanent war-making.  That was left to an anti-war movement, which burst into existence then almost as quickly dissolved, even though war-making is expanding.

There is state persecution of racially profiled citizens, immigrants and refugees but there is little solidarity with them.  The gains of years and years of anti-racist efforts are being dramatically eroded.  Similarly the hard-won gains of feminism are being battered by a patriarchal militarization of our culture.

And the indispensable confidence we were gaining through anti-globalization actions, confidence that we can build a new world, has unquestionably been shaken by the attacks on new fronts post September 11.

We are now at a time when honest, open, tough-minded thinking is a priority. We still find ourselves dealing with one form of oppression at a time, and in a given setting..

It is time for a “there’s-too-much-to-do” conference.

There we can think together about how to use our energies without exhausting our spirits. Making the links between these different forms of oppression should lead to a better understanding between different groups and movements opposed to domination of the world by capital and imperialism.  Interlinking would help us work together for effective action in creating a world that expresses our humanism – a peaceful, just and sustainable planet.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/antiwar-van/attachments/20020521/a18e528b/attachment.html>