‘Charles Barron is a fighter’

Charles Barron has been a Black revolutionary and anti-imperialist fighter for many years. He was a member of the Black Panther Party and the Black United Front.

Larry Holmes speaks at New York City Hall Aug. 8 next to Charles Barron, in dark suit. WW photo: Monica Moorehead

Barron is presently a New York City Council member. He held a media conference/rally Aug. 8 to announce that he will be running a grassroots campaign in hopes of being elected to the U.S. Congress to represent the 10th District in Brooklyn. The primary will take place on Sept. 12.

Barron made this announcement on the steps of City Hall, surrounded by a majority of Black political activists, family and friends. Paul Washington, a long-time friend and associate of Barron’s, moderated the press conference.

Speaker after speaker talked about the radical positions that Barron has taken over the years, in many cases going against the tide of political reaction inside and outside City Hall. These positions include demanding freedom for political prisoners like Mumia Abu-Jamal; reparations for the descendants of African slaves; low-cost affordable housing; immigrant rights; a living wage for all; affirmative action for firefighters of color and an end to police brutality and to the rampant unemployment gripping the oppressed communities.

Some of the speakers at the press conference included labor activist Brenda Stokely; Ron Daniels, Institute of the Black World; Panamá Alba, Laborers Local 108; Holly McQueen, advocate for the African Burial Grounds; Charles King, candidate for New York attorney general; artists Rosa Clemente and Tylibah; Queens City Coun cil member James Sanders; Suzanne Ross, Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition; Larry Holmes, Troops Out Now Coalition; Omo wale Clay, December 12th Movement; Martha Pérez, widow of Puerto Rican activist Richie Pérez; Herman Ferguson, Jericho Movement; Brooklyn activist Lucy Koteen and Rev. Mark Taylor.

Barron talked about how the Senate needs to be abolished because “white men have too much power.” He mentioned that radical changes need to be made when a government spends $374 billion on the Pentagon war budget and only $50 billion for education. He slammed the U.S. government for not taking care of the Katrina survivors and added that Hurricane Katrina should be renamed “Hurricane FEMA/Bush.”

Regarding the current crisis in the Middle East, Barron stated, “Free Pales tine. Free Lebanon. Israel is dropping the bombs, but it is America’s war.” Larry Holmes stated that “Barron is a leader of the anti-war movement” and that the anti-war movement will be brought into the Barron campaign.

Barron remarked that Africa should be relieved of all foreign debt, saying, “It is the IMF and World Bank that owe Africa.” He also talked about the war in Congo and noted that mass starvation and preventable diseases have taken the lives of millions in that mineral-rich but extremely underdeveloped country.

Barron concluded his remarks by reminding everyone why he is running for Congress: “We need to launch a movement for revolutionary change because the people need it.”

Call 718-289-3173 or go to www.barronforcongress.com for more information.