Stop the war at home & abroad

March in Newark, N.J. WW photo: G. Dunkel

Even as Pentagon analysts are starting to panic over the sharp drop in military recruiting in Black and Latin@ communities, more than 2,000 protesters braved 100-degree heat and humidity here on Aug. 25 to rally and march against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, coupling them to the U.S. government’s war at home against the poor, oppressed peoples and workers in general.

The Peace and Justice Coalition, initiated by the Newark-based People’s Organization for Progress (POP), called the demonstration. More than 150 organizations and activists endorsed the event.

This protest was historic in this sense: ever since the Iraq war began more than four years ago, the African-American community nationally has been consistently opposed to the war in large numbers but this significant anti-war sentiment has been grossly underrepresented in national and local anti-war demonstrations.

Food and Commercial Workers march for justice and peace. WW photo: Monica Moorehead

The Aug. 25 anti-war demonstration, on the other hand, brought out large numbers of African Americans, not only from Newark but also from other cities in New Jersey such as the Oranges, Passaic and Paterson, in addition to some from New York and other parts of the region.

The main goal of the PJC has been to consciously reach out to Black and other communities of color around the demands of bringing the U.S. troops home and fighting for economic and political justice at home—illustrating that these are two sides of the same fight against the same imperialist system.

Newark is the largest city in New Jersey and also has a majority indigent Black population. Unemployment, underemployment, police terror, lack of decent housing and health care and other inhumane conditions are rampant. Many of these issues and more were raised from the Aug. 25 podium.

Larry Hamm, chairperson of POP and a leader of the PJC, chaired the rally. Community activists read to the crowd a PJC statement that said in part:

“The U.S. war on Iraq must be brought to an end and the U.S. government must begin to concentrate on solving the dire economic and social problems in the United States.

“In the U.S., another type of war is going on, a war on our communities. The Bush administration, while increasing war spending, has decreased domestic spending for education, health care, housing, employment, veterans’ care and other social programs. Racism, racial inequality and police brutality are on the rise.

Earl Williams and family members show photos of loved ones killed by police. WW photo: Monica Moorehead

“The march is being held on Aug. 25 to coincide with the 44th anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and with the second anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe, which killed many and left hundreds of thousands displaced and devastated due to the failure of the federal government to adequately respond to their needs. Marching in Newark enables us to connect this event to the 40th anniversary commemoration of the 1967 Newark Rebellion, a major event in the struggle for racial justice.”

Congressperson John Conyers from Detroit spoke about the current congressional bill calling for universal health care. Remarks from Marilyn Clements, national director of Healthcare Now, and an audiotaped message from Michael Moore, the acclaimed director and producer of “Sicko,” also demanded health care, not warfare.

Earl Williams—whose son, Earl Faison, was fatally shot by East Orange police in 1999—was joined on the stage by other family members, who also spoke on the pain and anguish of losing their loved ones to police brutality.

Alice Craft-Kerney, a Katrina survivor now living in Newark, spoke on the

difficult road many survivors still face in trying to readjust to a new life in other cities following the storm and broken levees in 2005.

James Kelly, whose son was killed in Iraq, blamed Congress for letting the war go on. Maretta Short, president of the New Jersey chapter of the National Organization for Women, spoke on defending reproductive rights and LGBT rights.

Sara Flounders from the International Action Center spoke on the important Sept. 22-29 mobilization in Washington, D.C., initiated by the Troops Out Now Coalition. Other speakers included poet and activist Amiri Baraka, New Jersey Congressperson Donald Payne, a representative from Veterans for Peace and other labor, church, cultural and community organizers.

The march proceeded down Broad Street, the main shopping area, evoking honks and thumbs up of support from many motorists. March contingents included POP, Millions More Movement, Million Worker March, UFCW union members and TONC.

E-mail: mmoorehead@workers.org