Boston prepares for March 18 rally

Following the historic Dec. 1 Rosa Parks Human Rights Day march of nearly 2,000 people through Roxbury and downtown Boston, the Boston Rosa Parks Committee is providing the leadership and focus for organizing Boston’s participation in the global days of action on the 3rd anniversary of the criminal U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.

The rally/march will begin at 11 a.m. on March 18 at the Dudley Common, Blue Hill Avenue & Dudley Street, in Roxbury and move through the Downtown Crossing shopping district of Boston to the Statehouse.

Following the call for global actions on March 18-19, the Boston Rosa Parks Committee issued the following call for an action in Boston:

“It is not enough to just focus on the war in Iraq, we must address the root causes of violence in our communities and point the finger at the real perpetrators of this violence— state, local and federal government and their policies of racism and lethal hostility towards poor and working people.

“Unemployment, the use of racial profiling and police brutality against the youth in the communities of color has become an epidemic... The $500 billion Pentagon budget and the $200 billion spent on the war is money that has been stolen from our communities. This money is needed for union jobs, housing, youth centers & programs, education, daycare centers, AIDS and healthcare. This money is needed to rebuild the Gulf Coast and compensate the survivors of Katrina for the criminal and racist neglect of the government.

“There is an epidemic of violence against women and increasingly abortion rights are under attack. Let’s be clear, we are fighting to stop two wars— the war abroad and the war at home against racism and poverty.”

Dec. 1 launched
new anti-war movement

The Dec. 1 Rosa Parks Day march represented the birth of a new anti-war movement in Boston, based in the oppressed communities and organically linked to the struggle against racism and poverty. The movement’s leadership represents the broadest level of involvement from communities throughout Boston. It includes City Councilor Chuck Turner; Prof. Tony Van Der Meer; Askia Toure; Puerto Rican activist Dorotea Manuela; Clemencia Lee of the Cultural Cafe; Bishop Felipe Tiexera; USW L. 8751 Boston School Bus Drivers; Women’s Fightback Network and the Boston Troops Out Now Coalition (TONC).

At the first organizing meeting for March 18 Tony Van Der Meer put it in perspective when he said, “It is significant that the Boston Rosa Parks Human Rights Day Committee is organizing for March 18 because it is making the connection bet ween the struggle against national oppression and the struggle against imperialist war.”

Organizations and individuals that have endorsed and are actively organizing include: Committee to Defend the Somer ville 5; Young Cape Verdean Club, Inc.; New England Human Rights Organi za tion for Haiti; MLK Jr. Bolivarian Circle; International Action Center; Angolan Asso c iation of Mass., Inc.; Immigration Pas toral Center, Inc; Franciscan Order of Saint Joseph Cupertino; Saint Martin De Porres Catholic Church of the Americas; Disabled Peoples Liberation Front; Stone wall Warriors; United American Indians of New England; Northeastern Diocese of Saint Francis of Assisi, Catholic Church of the Americas; Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition; Rule 19; QueerToday.com; Boston Mobilization; United for Justice with Peace; Lucy Parsons Center; Dor ches ter People for Peace; Brookline Peace works; Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom.

In the spirit of
International Women’s Day

Under the banner of “Stop Poverty, Racism, Sexism & War!” The Women’s Fightback Network and the Cambridge Women’s Center have announced plans for a Women and Girls Contingent to take part in the March 18 protest. This announce ment has generated a lot of enthusiasm, especially in light of the recent confirmation of the right-wing Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court and the new round of budget cuts that will have a dramatically negative impact on women, children and the poor.

According to Rachel Nasca of the Women’s Fightback Network, “This year for International Women’s Day it was decided that, given the current political climate of war and budget cuts, it would be important for women and girls to take to the streets of Boston on March 18 to stand in solidarity with our sisters around the world and begin the process of organizing a militant mass movement to defend our rights.”

For more information or to get involved, contact either the Women’s Fightback Net work at 617-522-6626; [email protected] or the Cam bridge Women’s Center at 617-354-6394.

In addition to the Women and Girls contingent www.QueerToday.com has announced plans for an LGBTQ contingent and USW L. 8751, Boston School Bus Drivers is organizing a labor contingent.

Boston organizers invite readers who want to get involved to join planning meetings for the March 18 action, taking place every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Cultural Cafe, 76 Atherton St., Jamaica Plain. The Boston Rosa Parks Committee can be reached at 617-524-3507, [email protected] or via the web at www.brphrd.com