Building on F15 - repost
stinkbomb | 19.02.2003 15:09
Direct action against war doesn't have to only be part of a national demonstration, direct action can be practised right now by any, and all, of us. Let's build on F15, and target the warmongers now.
Direct action against war doesn't have to only be part of a national demonstration, direct action can be practised right now by any, and all, of us. Let's build on F15, and target the warmongers now.
As part of the build up for F15 Corporatewatch published a list of warmongers which is as valid now as it was Saturday. These warmongers have branches outside of London, so do a search for more local ones and get busy on your own or as a group.
http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/news/warmongerswalk.htm Some of us may not like the idea of writing to our local MP. We don't vote but we're still constituents, like it or not. So why not visit your local MP in person to explain your opposition. Hell, take a few friends along too. We all know these MP's love to see their constituents. If they're not home don't forget to leave a message for them.
In the south activists are targetting RAF/USAF Fairford with plans for a mass action next Sunday. Got anything better to do on a boring Sunday? No, then get yourself along there. Direct action should be organised and carried out independently.
http://www.cynatech.co.uk/gwi//whats-next.htm In the north Menwith Hill is being targetted for a mass action next month. March 22nd, put it in your diaries and make sure you're there.
http://www.now-peace.org.uk/events.htm If Bush, Blair and their cronies think they can ignore the people it's time to let them know they're wrong.
stinkbomb
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Civil disobedience
19.02.2003 20:24
Direct action at places like Fairford etc is great but to really be effective we need some form of mass civil disobedience that everyone who is against the war can take part in where ever they are and regardless of their situation.
The US civil rights movement in the early sixties staged direct action in segregated diners. Hundreds of people took part in these action but along side these full-on scary acts of defiance were consumer boycotts by both blacks and sympathetic whites. These boycotts scared the shit out the companies involved and they came to agrements which ended the segregation.
In South Africa, while the ANC promoted armed struggle against Aprthied, what really hurt the state was mass community organising of consumer boycotts by the townships. Adittionally, foreign companies doing business in South Africa were hit by global boycotts. Needless to say, such economic sanctions hit the system where it really hurts - the bottom line!
Gandhi also promoted similar withdrawl of support for the english regime. From defying the 'salt laws' and the associated Tax, to boycotts of imported British textiles, Gandhi demonstrated the amazing collective power that even the poorest people can present.
So where now?
Can we figure out a way to withhold our taxes from the UK government? It's not easy (see
One way of avoiding paying tax is to avoid paying VAT by reducing purchases of non essential items. This is an idea that could be expanded on. The government would not like an organised campaign that threatened to reduce consumer spending and tax income.
Similar pressure can be applied on the US government via US companies. Many people are promoting a boycott of US companies - and lots of people are already doing this.
We could strengthen this boycott and take it into the mainstream. We had a couple of million people all willing to spend a day and around a tenner to march in London. We should be able to get them to save a few pennies by thinking about what they buy.
Boycotts may not be 'sexy' or 'hardcore' but if the energy is put in, they may well be the most powerful tool at our disposal. Further more, well thought out boycotts are accessable to all and therefore allow for mass participation of a kind we simply can not expect for direct action at military bases etc.
The following are some links to existing boycott US sites...
Roger