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MIWON still covering for LAPD mayday attack

by jubilee shine Wednesday, May. 09, 2007 at 8:17 PM
jubileeshine@hotmail.com

MIWON march 'leaders' still backing lapd statements blaming activists for the designed police assault.

Mayday march organizer MIWON (Multi-ethnic Immigrant Workers Organizing Network comprised of: Chirla, Gwc, Idespca, Kiwa & Pwa) held a low key meeting at L.A. Kiwa offices a full week after their debacle in mangling the march & vicious lapd assault. A Chirla spokeswoman issued a late, reluctant, and limited “apology” for publicly attributing the cause of the brutal police attack to community members, though MIWON.org webpage still blames the community for the police actions (quoted below) She refused to explain why such remarks were originally made, though it is clear that MIWON leaders readily accepted lapd’s initial position & only after massive community pressure altered this stance, following the politically-sensitive drifting of Mayor Villaraigosa & Chief Bratton. When challenged to issue a public statement of retraction & responsibility for her group’s slanders of other activists, she would go no further than promising private “discussions” with these groups, as well as private “meetings” with the mayor & police chief of unstated objective. When pressed, the MIWON leaders closed the speaker’s list to “break into smaller groups.”

The damage by MIWON statements was not merely in openly slandering community activists as being “outside agitators” & “provocateurs”. The greatest damage was that, in parroting official lapd propaganda, the immediate, worldwide media reports failed to clearly place responsibility for the organized, militaristic police violence on the highest levels of lapd brass, principally Chief Bratton. The mayday community which came under attack was abandoned by MIWON & its advisors, and only after undeniable video, witness, & victim statements emerged did these supposed community leaders & officials begin to shift their stories.

MIWON spokespersons also refused to acknowledge responsibility for the organized physical force used by its commissioned “security” agents during the march against the demonstration, which were in concert with, and precipitated the violence by the police. MIWON security, many wearing labor union shirts from the scab “change to win” aflcio splitters, of which L.A. County Labor Federation leader Maria Elena Durazo is an official (& a signee to the MIWON anti-activist slanders), worked with police to muscle marchers from the street although there clearly was not room on the sidewalk for the thousands present & expected (MIWON attempted to physically enforce a “sidewalk only” permit). There is video of MIWON security strong-arming peaceful demonstrators as early as 5:10pm, an hour before the full police onslaught.

There are many elements in the activist circuit which claim to represent the interests of the people, but who actually are self-interested & will mechanically align with “official” law enforcement, or government, or “proper” monied conventions when push comes to shove, as it did on May 1. These elements can be cooperated with under certain, generally calm conditions, but true representatives of the community must always be clear & make clear that these are variable, wavering & suspect. The greatest danger is encouraging uneducated & inexperienced workers to fall under unguarded influence of smooth-talking opportunists. Ultimately these forces will sell out and the bullets won’t always be plastic.

Jubilee Shine, Mayday Defense Committee

Check the official MIWON.org position which remains on their website:

[There WERE thousand of people marching with us but sadly a group cause problem and got many hurt…

As the event was nearing its end, a very small number individuals, not associated with the otherwise peaceful, family-themed rally engaged in a scuffle with police, which resulted…

Angelica Salas, executive director of CHIRLA, had the following to say: “…I would like to express my deep disappointment that the actions of a small number of individuals … put the safety of my children and hundreds of others at risk.

Angelica Salas, Executive Director, Coalition for Humane and Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA)
Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
Kimi Lee, Garment Worker Center, MIWON
Angela Sanbrano, Executive Director, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)
Victor Narro, UCLA Labor Center, Attorney]
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In defense of MIWON

by worker's advocate Thursday, May. 10, 2007 at 8:49 AM

Since “Jubilee Shine” of the previously unheard of “Mayday Defense Committee” sees fit to verbally attack long established and respected immigrant rights organizations without identifying his or herself; I will also take advantage of anonymity - however, I will not use anonymity to slander and malign honest activists who have been advocates for and defenders of L.A. immigrant community. My words are not designed to drive a wedge into the forces working to defend the rights of immigrant workers, but they are meant to strike down the rumors, allegations and outright lies promulgated by “Jubilee Shine.”


First off, “Jubilee Shine” alleges that the organizers of the Mayday march, the Multi-ethnic Immigrant Workers Organizing Network (MIWON), were responsible for a “debacle in mangling the march.” It appears that “Jubilee Shine” is the first to make such a statement, a declaration that has not, as yet, been verified or supported by a single progressive organization in Los Angeles. “Jubilee Shine”

“Jubilee Shine” states that MIWON organizers initially placed blame for the Mayday police attacks on the violent behavior of “community members,” and that MIWON has since backpedaled to offer a “late, reluctant, and limited ‘apology’” for that initial assessment. MIWON should be congratulated, rather than criticized, for reassessing their public statements and offering an apology. In light of the video taped evidence showing a police force totally out of control to the extent that it beat - in broad daylight - members of the corporate press, obviously “community members” could not be blamed for what could only be characterized as a police riot.

However, the quotes that “Jubilee Shine” attributes to MIWON activists can hardly be seen as damning. The MIWON statement that “as the event was nearing its end, a very small number individuals, not associated with the otherwise peaceful, family-themed rally, engaged in a scuffle with police,” is not wholly inaccurate, nor an attack upon any other progressive group in L.A. Examining the video taken prior to the clearing of the park by police forces, one can see water bottles being lobbed at the police. That in no way provides a justification for the police violence that followed, but it does beg the question - who was throwing the water bottles. MIWON simply stated the facts, but in so doing they were not attempting to place the blame on those who tossed the water bottles.

“Jubilee Shine” alleges that MIWON statements have openly slandered “community activists as being ‘outside agitators’ & ‘provocateurs.’” If that is so, then please tell us which activist groups or individuals MIWON mentioned by name. “Jubilee Shine” cannot give us such a list because MIWON made no such accusations against activists. Were there provocateurs in the crowd, it would be naïve to think otherwise, but accepting that fact is not the same as saying that other activist groups were “provocateurs.”

“Jubilee Shine” really goes overboard in attacking MIWON in stating that, “The greatest damage was that, in parroting official lapd propaganda, the immediate, worldwide media reports failed to clearly place responsibility for the organized, militaristic police violence on the highest levels of lapd brass, principally Chief Bratton.” Realizing the corporate nature of the news media and how its “news” is more an attempt to shore up the status quo than anything designed to actually inform people - is it really fair to blame MIWON for the news media’s failure to place the blame squarely on the LAPD? It seems to me that the corporate news media was fairly shocked and outraged over how they were bullied and manhandled by the police - with several of them actually filing legal suits against the LAPD. Regardless… if MIWON had held a press conference in which they roundly condemned the police and placed full blame on them, do you think that would have convinced the corporate press to cover in full such a press conference? “Jubilee Shine” maliciously contends that MIWON “abandoned” workers celebrating Mayday, a claim that can only drive a wedge between those who should be closing ranks in defense of L.A. immigrant community.

“Jubilee Shine” closed the attack on MIWON with the following; “There are many elements in the activist circuit which claim to represent the interests of the people, but who actually are self-interested & will mechanically align with ‘official’ law enforcement, or government, or ‘proper’ monied conventions when push comes to shove, as it did on May 1.” Naturally the reader is to assume that the nameless and faceless “Jubilee Shine” represents the interests of the people. And what grass roots organization does “Jubilee Shine” belong to? We are to believe in the credibility of a totally unknown individual who mounts a verbal attack against the very organizations who for decades have been stalwart advocates of immigrant workers? Would “Jubilee Shine” sneers about MIWON being aligned “with ‘official’ law enforcement,” what exactly is being said… that MIWON should not apply for a march permit? That it shouldn’t work with any governmental department so as to assure the rights of assembly for L.A.’s population.

With the closing remarks made by “Jubilee Shine,” I think it’s fairly obvious he or she subscribes to the philosophy of anarchism, and so it should not be surprising that the secretive author would mount an attack against these immigrant’s rights organizations - who after all are working to protect the rights of immigrants. Rights imply the workings of state, as does citizenship - concepts that anarchists are in opposition to. It seems that every single actor in the “Mayday melee” has now held a press conference or published a press release statement. From all of the major immigrant rights organizations to the ANSWER coalition, the LAPD, and members of the press. The only group not to have held a press conference is the so-called “anarchist movement,” which points to the absolute worthlessness, disarray, and political cowardice of L.A.’s purported anarchists.

This would have been the perfect time for anarchists to take advantage of the nation’s news media spotlight being directed upon them. LAPD Chief Bratton openly and brazenly blamed “anarchists” for the Mayday riot. Anarchists should have responded by holding a press conference of their own to deny the accusations and refocus the story to that of defending immigrant workers. Instead of actually participation in a historic movement for change in a meaningful way, instead of cooperating with and forming working alliances with L.A’s immigrant’s rights groups - anarchists have chosen to remain aloof, isolated and shrouded in mystery. If the anarchists want to assist immigrant workers, then they should do so not from the shadows, but in the full light of day and under the scrutiny of the entire community. The immigrants themselves, who face unspeakable violence, fear, poverty, exploitation, and deportation - are brave enough to organize and stand up for their rights in full public view, those who want to work with them must do the same.
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MIWON screwed up.

by Secret Shopper Thursday, May. 10, 2007 at 1:52 PM

MIWON made a huge error in swallowing and regurgitating the LAPD's argument that bad protesters in the crowd caused the problems. It's that simple. Lengthy ad hominem attacks on people who point this out won't change the situation.
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MIWON: Make a public apology!

by Fight2Win Thursday, May. 10, 2007 at 4:39 PM

MIWON acted inappropritely at teh May 1st march but this is not the first time MIWON or the union leaders for that matter have.

* Sided with the cops in physically assualting protestors who did not want to get out of the street ( I personally was shoved by event organizers while they called for "unidad")

* Red baiting anarchists and the youth for the police violence. Its bullshit and they discredited themselves.

I agree with Jubilee on these points. MIWON Just erased their statement on their website about agitators( a week late) but they have yet to make an apology public. NEthing besides that is lipservice.
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THREE CHEERS FOR MIWON!

by Bad Wolf Friday, May. 11, 2007 at 7:49 AM

It is interesting to note that the article by “Jubilee Shine” titled, “MIWON still covering for the LAPD mayday attack,” had originally been posted by IMC staff as a front page feature article. After a defense of MIWON was posted, titled “In defense of MIWON,” Indymedia changed its mind and removed the anti-MIWON tirade from its dominant front page position. Then, Indymedia did not even post the article under the voluminous listings of Mayday events reports, preferring instead to shunt the story to the side column of “Local News.” It is an interesting editorial decision that indicates embarrassment over having published a slanderous and indefensible attack against the immigrants rights organizations that organized the Mayday protest and continue to press for just and equitable immigration reform.

On the other hand, so-called “anarchists” are pressing their verbal assaults against MIWON, accusing them of siding “with the cops in physically assaulting protestors.”

The subhead of Jubilee Shine’s original article reveals the backward politics inherent in anarchist attacks on immigrant rights organizations, it reads “MIWON march ‘leaders’ still backing lapd statements blaming activists for the designed police assault.” Note that the word, leaders, is put in quotation marks - inferring that they are not leaders at all. Now tell me… if MIWON did all of the work in organizing the Mayday march and rally, doing the grass roots outreach, printing and distributing thousands of bilingual flyers, organizing committees, arranging permits, contacting media, etc. - are they not then the leaders of that particular effort? Who can logically challenge MIWON’s leadership position in having organized what ultimately was a successful Mayday march… despite the police violence?

Anarchists played absolutely no role in pulling off the Mayday march in Los Angeles, but they have become a loud “peanut gallery” of critics who lambaste and slander the people who actually organized L.A.’s Mayday. If anarchists can only be detractors and opponents to any non-anarchist political movement - then perhaps they should make plans for their own exclusively anarchist Mayday celebration next year. That is a challenge I’m sure the mighty L.A. “anarchist movement” is totally incapable of pulling off - being totally isolated and self-possessed as it is. I’m not talking about organizing a party for three dozen black-bloc freakazoids dressed up for Halloween and congratulating themselves over how radical they are… I’m talking about an actual democratic people’s movement involving tens of thousands. Either get out there and do the necessary work, or shut up.

Anarchist critics of MIWON do not come from the respective communities represented by that organization. MIWON is a large coalition/network composed of immigrant Latino and Asian workers - and the group has organized Latino, Korean, Chinese and Filipino immigrant workers in L.A. Can L.A.’s so-called “anarchists” make the same claim? If L.A.’s self-styled “anarchist movement” has not organized among immigrant communities to establish committees in defense of workers - one can only ask, “how come?”

Member organizations in MIWON include the Garment Worker Center (GWC), the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), the Pilipino Workers’ Center (PWC), the Koreatown Immigrant Worker Alliance (KIWA), and the Institute of Popular Education of Southern California (IDEPSCA). The thousands of workers who have joined MIWON, have invested their time, energy, and belief in the political programs, events, and yes… the LEADERSHIP of MIWON. The tens of thousands of workers and their families who have come out to support MIWON actions illustrates the trust and confidence the people have in their organizations.

No doubt there are individual anarchists involved in the immigrant rights movement who are sincere about extending assistance to immigrant workers - but as a contemporary “movement,” anarchism has failed miserably in reaching out to, supporting, organizing, and defending immigrant workers and their organizations. Earnest activists involved in anarchist philosophy must admit to and address this failing, anything less will doom you to your present irrelevancy.
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Let's Keep in Mind

by X Friday, May. 11, 2007 at 8:44 AM

Let's keep in mind that the origins of May Day (International Labor Day) have to do with the death of Anarchist activist and organizers who were killed by the police via the State. It's a bit of an irony to denounce Anarchists and Anarchism in the fall out of police violence on May Day even in the year 2007. And if it wasn't for the strength in numbers and organizing efforts of such Anarchist organizations like the International Workers of the World (IWW) back in the early 1900’s then there likely wouldn't have been such important gains made by Labor in this country like the eight hour day, the weekend and minimum wage.....

With that in mind, I believe that "Jubilee Shine" was pointing out that MIWON as an organization (not individual such as "Jubilee Shine") was driving a wedge in the activist community by there acceptance of the LAPD's accounting of events. To respond to that by accusing "Jubilee Shine" of driving a wedge in the activist community is begging the question (responding to a pointed out problem in one’s position by accusing another of the same problem) and fails to address the initial claim from "Jubilee Shine" that MIWON has driven a wedge due to their statements (and possible actions) during and after the protest. Further, one need not be representing an organization to point out the kind of things that "Jubilee Shine" has pointed out and his/her/xe’s comments should be dealt with according to reason and critical thought not whether she/he/xe is someone that represents an organization. I will admit that there is a way of engaging in a critique of a person or organization that is more provoking of open dialogue then defensive posturing and "Jubilee Shine"'s comments seemed geared a little more towards the later than the former but much of what "Jubilee Shine" writes i can take Solidarity with....

As an aside to the main topic of this article and comment trail but not irrelevant by any means, I think it important to take issue with “workers advocate”’s position on MIWON’s stating of the “facts”…; they write: “MIWON simply stated the facts, but in so doing they were not attempting to place the blame on those who tossed the water bottles.” Well…, I think that phrases like: “a very small number individuals, not associated with the otherwise peaceful, family-themed rally, engaged in a scuffle with police,”, have a lot more going on in them than just a listing of facts. For instance, what exactly does “not associated with” mean? Weren’t these people there in with the other marchers and folks at the rally? If they were there in with the other people marching for the cause of immigrants rights then how are they not associated? What about “engaged in a scuffle”? All the reports that I’ve heard have the police doing things like driving their motorcycles into the crowd for apparently no reason but to provoke a fight! Do people throwing plastic bottles at cops in riot gear (something meaningless in many European countries) as a response to such improprieties really conjure up the image of a scuffle (like two boys on the play ground fighting over a ball)? And I don’t know about all the families that were there but I’m sure whoever those folks were throwing the plastic bottles, they belong to families as do Anarchists. And quite frankly, I wouldn’t want to be part of a family that took that kind of pre cop riot abuse from anyone, including cops, without some kind of response. There are all different kinds of families in this world, probably as many as the various strategies and tactics that get employed in the struggle for liberation. Point being, I know families that might have been throwing some plastic bottles as well (even if it’s a bad idea tactically in that context; a point not to be taken lightly and one to think about seriously in the real world where there are cop agent provocateurs).

Having said all that, "workers advocate" writes something that is definitely true about the response of the Anarchist "community" in LA to this police riot. A real opportunity has been missed it seems to give a coherent response to the activist community and the media not only as a critique of the police actions and the subsequent response of some people and organizations in the activist community but further, to provide the theoretical tools by way of analysis such that people can see these kinds of issues and contexts in the class war with a clearer understanding of what's at stake and how we as a community should build Solidarity in response.....

X


P.S. Seeking inclusion in a corrupt, oppressive system tends to make people and organizations corrupt and oppressive as well. It’s the reformists’ dilemma… Really, this whole immigrants’ rights movement is largely a civil rights type of struggle in that it seeks inclusion in the system of white-supremacist-capitalist-patriarchy. Though some in the movement see this as a stepping stone to class/race/sex/hierarchical liberation, many and likely most in this movement see it without the consciousness that might lead one to be demanding much more now or at least planning for more later. The point here is that there is a lot of discourse that needs to happen and a lot of theoretical work to be done…..





Form is to content as Alice is to rabbit hole.
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Jubilee Shine

by johnk Saturday, May. 12, 2007 at 11:34 PM

I'm not friends with JS, but he is a real person, and goes by that name. I met him at a small presentation some months back. He's less anonymous than most people on this site, for sure.

I tend to think that these accusations are distractions. If it can be reasonably proven that the police were the first aggressors, then push that point. Everyone will be forced to retract their statements. If that cannot be proven, then at least the organized @-ist groups should make a statement that they were not aggressors, and go to the mainstream press with it. Even a letter to the editors will help.

Worker's Advocate was harsh, but made some good points at the end, about needing to have a press presence. (Something to work on there...)
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I just would like an explanation.

by Secret Shopper Sunday, May. 13, 2007 at 1:58 AM

I don't know and don't much care who Jubilee Shine is, or who "workers advocate" is. I just would like to hear an explanation from MIWON as to why they insist (or insisted) on parroting Bratton's ludicrous line about "agitators" provoking the police. Anybody who was there and was paying attention knows that it didn't happen like that, and the video evidence will show this to be true.

What were they thinking?

Were they thinking?
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/xxxx

by unknown mad reader Sunday, May. 13, 2007 at 1:42 PM

i posted a comment yestederday with this user name i meant to say to students stand in solidarity with miwon and that i am disguseted the writer who is acussing miwon
XXX
by unknow mad reader Friday, May. 11, 2007 at 10:50 PM
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MIWON cover for LAPD mayday attack unresolved

by jubilee shine Sunday, May. 13, 2007 at 2:50 PM
jubileeshine@hotmail.com

La.indymedia.org reports and Youth Justice Coalition representatives state that “The controversy caused by some of the May 1st organizers [MIWON] repeating the police cover story in interviews with the media appears to have been resolved,” out of concern for “maintaining an alliance in the struggle for immigrant rights.” MIWON, however, has refused to publicly retract its official position that “a very small number individuals, not associated with the otherwise peaceful, family-themed rally engaged in a scuffle with police,…cause problem and got many hurt…put the safety of my children and hundreds of others at risk…” (MIWON.org as of 5/8, since removed from its webpage). This is the position that was immediately broadcast worldwide in answer to “What caused the LAPD attack on the mayday worker’s & immigrant rights march?” It remains the position attributed to MIWON & the basis for LAPD deflection of responsibility for its designed, paramilitary attack.

It is critical to keep the struggle for workers’ & immigrants’ rights at the front of the discussion. It was workers & immigrants, documented & otherwise, who made up the majority of the march, & who suffered the brunt of the paramilitary assault, on their bodies, in the damage done to their public right to assemble, and in their ability to safely conduct their day to day business. When L.A. police units can brazenly execute designed attacks under obvious command direction, and have the “official” leadership of the event promptly confuse & shield the police’s otherwise undisputed responsibility, it is the struggle for workers’ & immigrants’ rights which suffers the most. The “YJC's Statement Regarding Police Attack in MacArthur Park on May 1” makes clear that MIWON’s “accusations” are not only “untrue” and “serve to divide the community” but also ensure “the police who are responsible for the violence and degradation that took place that day are not held accountable”. This is the precisely the greatest damage—not merely in defaming community activists and youth, but in allowing the police and their political commanders to evade public accountability for a direct, open attack on immigrants, workers and their supporters (even reporters!). The harm caused to workers’ & immigrants’ struggle by MIWON’s public position cannot be “resolved” by a quiet, non-public meeting with certain offended organizations. The individual relations between those specific groups may have been smoothed, but the greater harm inflicted upon workers’ & immigrants’ struggle, by enabling the LAPD to cover its tracks, can only begin to be “resolved” by MIWON publicly renouncing their fabricated story, publicly explaining why they made such claims? (who gave them their information?), publicly explaining e.g. who directed their commissioned security agents (wearing union shirts) to assist the police in using physical force against the peaceful assembly?

These public explanations must be demanded not only from MIWON, the permit holder of the event, but equally from those whose signature also appeared below the false statement now missing from MIWON’s webpage:

Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
Angela Sanbrano, Executive Director, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)
Victor Narro, UCLA Labor Center, Attorney

It should be clearly understood that Maria Elena Durazo is widely known as “one of Mayor Villaraigosa’s close advisors”, that it is in Villaraigosa’s best personal interest, as well the best interest of his personally esteemed LAPD chief Bratton, that the LAPD escape legal & public responsibility for its assault. Bratton has carefully maintained that no disciplinary actions have taken place within the LAPD. It should also be clearly understood that the LAPD’s directed exercise occurred before the locally gathered leadership of the national Republican Party in town for the May 3 Republican presidential candidates’ first debate at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, and especially Republican front-runner Rudolf Guiliani, who also held a May 2 campaign fundraiser in Irvine. Once-NYPD chief Bratton & once-NY mayor Guiliani conducted a similar paramilitary assault on the ’98 Harlem Million Youth March, whose leader and New Black Panther Party founder Khalid Muhammad mysteriously turned up dead (officially “aneurysm”) in ’01, soon after the Bush’it selection. Former Executive of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, Miguel Contreras, husband to Durazo, mysteriously turned up dead 11 days before Villaraigosa was elected mayor 17 May 2005 (http://www.laweekly.com/general/features/the-final-hours-of-miguel-contreras/14873/). Contreras had endorsed incumbent Mayor Hahn against Villaraigosa. The vast immigrant community in Los Angeles carries untold strategic importance for any local labor or political amibitions. The “official” leadership of the Mayday march cannot alienate this community, but they also are married to Bratton’s LAPD. This is why the blame for the assault must be thrown onto unnamed “outside” “agitators”. But the emerging truth of the Mayday assault now force MIWON & its advisors to dance around publicly blaming “outsiders” and simultaneously “holding police accountable” LATimes coverage of the May 8 police commission meeting reports: Maria Elena Durazo, head of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and a close advisor to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, said: "We are saddened that on May 1 our rights were not protected."


These groups and others (CARECEN, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), COFEM, Garment Worker Center (GWC), Instituto Popular de Educacion del sur de California (IDEPSCA), Koreatown Immigrant Worker Association (KIWA), Los Angeles Archdiocese Social Justice Committee, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the Multi-ethnic Immigrant Worker Organizing Network (MIWON), Pilipino Worker Center (PWC), SEIU 1877, and the We Are America Coalition) are calling for a “vigil & procession” (not a march) 5/17 for “Justice, Civil Rights, Liberty & Immigration Reform” under a reported “ full street permit by LAPD”. We should expect a carefully staged embrace of vague “worker & immigrant concerns” in full regalia, with representatives from City Hall prancing before news cameras. Bush also claims to support “immigration reform”, “liberty” &c. So it must be defined concretely what is meant. True supporters of workers’ & immigrants' struggle will demand Full Amnesty for all Immigrant Workers! & Community Control Over the Police! & maintain principled community criticisms. Others will pimp the movement.

jubilee shine
mayday defense committee




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re: worker's advocate

by BBB Tuesday, May. 15, 2007 at 4:33 PM

this is a response to the insistence of "worker's advocate" and others that LA anarchists are consistently lurking in the shadows of the immigrant movement and refuse to become a part of that movement because they do not agree with citizenship, etc. it is in my experience working within the LA movement that there are many anarchists who stand by their principles of non-nationalism that are now working and organizing within the mainstream and grassroots immigrant rights orgs. there are fewer purely anarchist orgs because, like other political alignments, there are many diversities and differences within the anarchist community that inhibit this. this is not a negative situation, considering that often more can get done in multiple collectives of conscious people than in just mass orgs of loosely aligned activists and that this principle is basic to anarchism. there have been public repsonses by anti-authoritarian and horizontal groups like Cop Watch and Youth Justice Coalition put out but are ignored due to the fact that they are such kinds of smaller organizations. there can be no real mass statement put out by anarchists (i.e. "we, the anarchists...) because there is no mass org of anarchists like this in LA. anarchists are immigrants, organizers, students, teachers, youth, elders, people of color and any other form of people in the LA movement, therefore WE have and will always be a part of the resistance movement. the point is that the police are a occupying force of the police state that must be resisted by all communities and organizations.
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