Community holds anti-war, anti-racist meeting

Unity United Methodist Church, a historic African-American church on Baltimore’s west side was the venue for an important discussion on the Iraq war Sept. 14. It also addressed the outrage over the racist neglect of people in New Orleans and the Delta and the horrific execution of Frances Newton in Texas that took place that very evening.

This event brought together mothers who have had children killed in Iraq; families like the Smoots whose uncle was beaten to death in Baltimore’s City Jail, along with longtime political activists and those new to struggle. It brought young and old, Black and white together to map out plans for fighting back in a city whose poverty rate is the 5th highest in the U.S. The church was filled.

Speakers included: Larry Holmes, a national leader of the Troops Out Now Coalition; Fred Mason, President of the Maryland and D.C. AFL-CIO; Tia Steele, coordinator for the Eyes-wide Open Exhibit /American Friends Service Com mittee, whose son was killed in Iraq; Reverend Kwame O. Abayomi; Doc Cheatham, President of the Baltimore NAACP, and other key community organizers.

Denise Lowery from the All Peoples Congress stated, “We are outraged and in grief over Frances Newton’s execution and about Katrina but we are going to do something about it.”

Lowery was referring to plans to support the 50th anniversary of the day that Rosa Parks sparked the modern civil rights movement with a nationwide strike against poverty, racism and war. The first part of the campaign is a protest scheduled for Sept. 27 at the school board to demand that the board inform every parent and student of his or her right to “opt out” of being recruited along with declaring Dec. 1, 2005, an “honor Rosa Parks day—no school”.

A growing coalition is developing that plans to distribute information at every city high school, community center, and work place to develop creative tactics.

The first protest will be Sept. 27, 4:30 p.m. at North Ave. and Calvert Streets. The group will then attend the School Board meeting to volunteer for this campaign. Call (410) 235-7040 for more information.