Agenda for a public assembly to discuss what is needed
to Drive Out The Bush Regime
October 12-14 in cities where October 5 protests were
held
Opening: Olympia
Dukakis reading the Call. Download MP3 here.
In preparation read the message
from the World Can’t Wait Steering Committee. We know some people have seen this; but very
few have had the chance to think about and discuss the political message and the
concrete proposals. Have copies available at the meeting.
Part 1: What did we
accomplish and what is still urgently needed?
Discuss what we achieved and
did not achieve on October 5. We set out very specific goals and objectives for
October 5. In an important mission
statement and vision for the 5th we said:
“Think of all the people who are deeply distressed
over the direction in which the Bush regime is dragging the country–and the
world…..All these people, who make up a very large part of the population of this country–and whose basic
sentiments are shared by the majority of people throughout the world. Imagine
if, from out of this huge reservoir of people, a great wave were unleashed,
moving together on the same occasion, making, through their firm stand and
their massive numbers, a powerful political statement that could not be
ignored: refusing that day to work, or walking out from work, taking off from
school or walking out of school — joining together, rallying and marching,
drawing forward many more with them, and in many and varied forms of creative
and meaningful political protest throughout the day, letting it be known that
they are determined to bring this whole disastrous course to a halt by driving
out the Bush Regime through the mobilization of massive political opposition.
If that were done, then
the possibility of turning things around and onto a much more favorable
direction would take on a whole new dimension of reality.
It would go from something only vaguely hoped for, by
millions of isolated individuals, and acted on by thousands so far, to
something that had undeniable moral force and unprecedented political impact.”
The following initial
summation should be engaged and deepened at the upcoming meeting:
We have to measure what we
accomplished with our stated objectives, honestly and objectively. The assessment of the national staff is that
thousands of people acted on October 5 with a tremendous sense of
urgency and responsibility for what this government is doing to the world and
the fascist direction it is headed. We acted with an understanding there is
time, but very little time, to reverse this direction, and that it is becoming
clearer with every passing day that the Democrats are not doing this and that
there will be no savior and that the people must act to change the course of
history. This really marked the spirit and content of the day, from the
speeches given on the stage to the
homemade signs and the commitment people showed to both take off work and
school and in calling on others to join us.
This was extremely inspiring and a glimpse of what is possible. We know
each person who came represents hundreds, even thousands, more like them and that
this movement is supercharged with electricity, imagination and potential and
that the world is anxiously awaiting our success. (See
international press accounts)
But we also must recognize
and analyze more deeply why we were not able to bring into the streets with us
the tens of thousands in the major cities and more on college campuses that
would have been required to actually put a political force on the ground that
has the capacity to radically change the political terms from the ones
presently confining and suffocating politics in this country.
In these meetings we must
confirm the sentiments of those who acted and who have decided not to be complicit
with a government engaging in war crimes which is now giving this the sanction
and mandate of legislation. We have to understand more deeply what is keeping
people and organizations on the sidelines and objectively complicit in this
direction. Our orientation is not to blame, but to change – to prepare to go
out and make the arguments more effectively, really challenging people to step
up and step out – because the future depends on whether they do.
Why did the many people who
knew about October 5 and wished us well not act themselves? What is holding
them back? How do we change this? How do
we sharply put before people the truth that many are still too reluctant, too
scared or too comfortable to confront, that
if you have the basis to know about the horrors your government is
committing, but refuse to recognize or acknowledge this…or if you do
recognize and acknowledge this but do not take meaning action to oppose it,
then, you are complicit?
As part of active social
investigation, the thousands of us who did participate should go among the people
– among friends and family, colleagues and classmates and ask why people came,
and why those who didn’t, did not. Even
if you can’t make it to the meeting, make this the topic of discussion this week
and let us know what you have learned from this.
An organizer in Olympia Washington
sent this: “If we put this first
impression and motivation for creating WCW together, we”ll be better able to
continue WCW’s national and international momentum. WCW was introduced individually to each one
of us as a “vehicle” we felt we needed to drive. How did that happen to you? How did you see
the vehicle and who “gave you the keys” to drive it?
Was it a national ad then
you?
Was it a flyer you saw or a
poster and then you?
Was it somebody you talked
to or did you receive an email?
Did you see it on the web?
Did you see it reported in
the news?
Did you meet someone who
talked about WCW to you?
How did you initially get
introduced to WCW and why did you continue to help?”
Conversely, why have others,
who very much want this regime driven out, not chosen to get active yet? What questions do we need to answer to
mobilize the millions it will take, and how do we answer?
Part 2: Next Steps
Our Call says “We must, and
can, aim to create a political situation where the Bush regime’s program is
repudiated, where Bush himself is driven from office, and where the whole
direction he has been taking society is reversed.”
1. National “teach-ins” by
authoritative voices on all the 7 “your government” indictments in our Call, between
Thursday October 26 and Monday October 30.
A syllabus for these is being drawn up now.2. World Can’t Wait made the
most significant national protest of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (the
torture bill) with the New York Times on October 4. Since the secret photos of torture at Abu
Ghraib, to the U.S. Congress making torture legal, we need to represent to the
world that “we are not a nation of torturers!” and we”ll be making that visible
through wearing ORANGE.3. Staying in the streets regularly-so that the idea
that the Bush regime should be DRIVEN OUT is all around the public, and so that
we are in a position to respond should any October or November “surprise” happen. How can this be accomplished best in your
town?