In cradle of Confederacy
Groups speak out for social justice
Special to
Workers World
Richmond, Va.
Stirring African music performed by the
anti-youth-violence group Drums No Guns reverberated downtown
here April 9 as nearly 200 people gathered at the Pace Center
for a "Richmond Speak-Out Against Racism and Oppression."
"We're here today to honor the memory of the Rev. Martin
Luther King Jr.," explained Lee Robinson of the All-African
People's Revolutionary Party, who co-chaired the event. The
speak-out also celebrated the role of Black troops in the
defeat of Confederate forces in Richmond on April 3,
1865.
"This isn't just a speak-out against racism and
oppression," said co-chair Susanne Kelly of the Richmond
Action Center, the group that initiated the event. "It's the
Richmond fight-back against racism and oppression!"
Some 20 speakers--Black, Palestinian and white activists
from peace, gay and anti-racist organizations--addressed
various issues affecting the city.
City Council member Sa'ad El-Amin focused on the
continuing tribute the city pays to leaders of the
Confederacy. "As these symbols continue to glorify that which
is indefensible," he said, "we cannot move forward as a
city."
King Salim Khalfani, executive director of the Virginia
NAACP, spoke and performed an original rap song--a veiled
warning to the establishment not to underestimate the anger
of the Black community. The audience shouted its
approval.
Saba Abed, representing Richmond's Palestinian community,
denounced Israeli military attacks on Palestinians in the
West Bank and Gaza.
Nicoile Faina, representing the Richmond
Anti-Globalization Network, urged participation in upcoming
protests outside the Republican Party state convention.
Minister Tracey Muhammad of the Nation of Islam issued a
scathing indictment of the Bush's administration's handling
of the ongoing spy-plane crisis with the People's Republic of
China.
Rev. King was assassinated while supporting striking Black
sanitation workers in Memphis. A highlight of the Richmond
program was a talk given by Todd Christian, spokesperson for
the city's predominantly African American sanitation
workers.
Their recent work stoppage forced city officials to back
down on an attempt to reduce the number of workers assigned
to each refuse truck. "We don't just want the wages and
benefits," said Christian, "we want to be treated with
dignity!" The audience was urged to call City Manager Calvin
D. Jamison and support Christian and his co-workers.
"What we wanted to do," said Kelly, "was to provide a
platform for people from various communities to talk about
their struggles and hopefully find some support and allies,
and I think that happened."
The program was dedicated to the struggle to free Mumia
Abu-Jamal, wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death for
the fatal shooting of a white police officer. A number of
people signed up to attend a major protest in Philadelphia
May 11-13 to demand that he be set free.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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