Build the Power
\r\nNew Revolutionary Organization Gets Off the Ground
\r\nby Kris Roehling and Heather Ajani \r\n<\/p>
\r\n Recently, people from around the country met in Phoenix, Arizona to discuss \r\n the creation of an organization around the \"Bring the Ruckus\" draft \r\n proposal that was distributed nearly two years ago (http:\/\/www.illegalvoices.org\/ruckus). \r\n The meeting drew folks from places like Atlanta, Los Angeles, Portland, Washington, \r\n D.C., and Massachusetts. The purpose of the meeting was to lay the groundwork \r\n for a new revolutionary formation.<\/p>\r\n
Over the past year, Bring the Ruckus \r\n (BTR) has built its current membership through discussion and debate over the \r\n draft proposal as well as through a \"Fight the Power, Build the Power\" \r\n speaking tour in the spring of 2002, which included Washington D.C. and the \r\n West Coast. Through developing interest via face-to-face interactions, we have \r\n managed to slowly build a presence in the cities represented at the meeting.<\/p>\r\n
The meeting took place on November \r\n 9-10, 2002. The first day was committed to political discussion and the second \r\n day to building the organization. The meeting was made up of mostly men, though \r\n people of color and women were represented. There were several people from Phoenix, \r\n but representatives or entire collectives were present from various cities as \r\n well.<\/p>\r\n
The political discussion encompassed \r\n everything from our individual politics and political work to our analysis of \r\n the world. Topics of discussion included the function of whiteness\/race in American \r\n society today and its relation to class, settlerism\/colonialism compared to \r\n the race traitor analysis, feminism\/women's liberation, and intersectionality\/avoiding \r\n laundry list approaches to oppression. We also discussed the significance of \r\n the creation of several new federation-type organizations around the country \r\n as well as the anti-globalization and anti-war movements.
\r\n
\r\n The second day's discussions addressed the formation of an organization. It \r\n began with the participants confirming their political unity based on the previous \r\n day's discussions and figuring out where that discussion would lead us in regards \r\n to building the organization. Based on the first day's discussion, we established \r\n six criteria for political work within this new organization-in-formation. These \r\n criteria are:<\/p>\r\n
When discussing our political work, \r\n we found that a clear majority of us were doing work around police, prison and \r\n immigration issues. Further, we also agreed that these issues most closely fit \r\n the six criteria. We therefore agreed to focus on anti-police and anti-prison \r\n work, with the understanding that a) locals are free to develop their own strategies \r\n and ways of doing this work according to local conditions, as long as it's consistent \r\n with the six criteria; b) other kinds of work that fall outside of these two \r\n areas but meet the six criteria are also welcome; and c) these areas and the \r\n specific work we're doing within them are all subject to critique at the upcoming \r\n national meeting. <\/p>\r\n
Once common criteria and work was \r\n hashed out, a basic structure for the group was agreed upon. It includes a coordinating \r\n committee, locals, and various work groups responsible for organizing the next \r\n meeting, putting together another tour, and editing the discussion bulletin. \r\n Once the committees were formed, the role of each was defined and their accountability \r\n to the larger group established. We then filled the committees with volunteers, \r\n except for the coordinating committee, which was nominated and chosen by the \r\n entire group. There was some concern as to what the committee should look like \r\n in terms of gender and race. We agreed that in filling these positions we would \r\n not let ourselves be bound by stringent requirements based on identity because \r\n that would be unfair to some members, forcing them into a particular role because \r\n they happened to be a woman, of color, etc. We did agree that as the organization \r\n grew we will have to make sure that various identities are represented and not \r\n overlooked. <\/p>\r\n
While BTR is no doubt a \"revolutionary \r\n political organization-in-formation,\" this meeting was a strong beginning. \r\n We left Phoenix with political unity, a structure and a purpose (and a commitment \r\n to coming up with a new name in the future!). We committed to continue engaging \r\n in study and debate in order to expand our analysis and reflect on the intersection \r\n between practice and theory. Other goals include creating new locals, organizing \r\n a national meeting and a speaking tour, and to create a new document to reflect \r\n developing politics. Within the next year, we seek to accomplish all of the \r\n goals and projects we have laid out before us as a result of this meeting and \r\n to officially found this new organization in the fall of 2003. <\/p>\r\n
If you are interested in becoming \r\n part of BTR or want more information, please visit our website at http:\/\/www.illegalvoices.org\/ruckus
\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n\n","contact":"ruckus@illegalvoices.org","link":"http:\/\/www.illegalvoices.org\/ruckus","address":"POB 1543 | Phoenix, AZ-tlan 85001","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/html","summary":"Various people from around the country meet to develop an organization based on the Bring the Ruckus proposal released in April 2001.","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2003\/01\/25304.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}