12-06-2001    

PDF file (34k)

Defend affirmative action and integration!
Fight for equality!
Build the new civil rights movement!
Join BAMN!

The militant, integrated new civil rights movement that has taken to the streets today in Cincinnati is the force that can lead America to more integration, equality and justice. To take this society forward we must continue to build this movement in the high schools, colleges, workplaces and communities of this nation.

Our society is going to move either forward or backward - it can no longer remain where it has been. We must do everything in our collective power to move society forward on this pivotal question of affirmative action.

The federal court decision coming out of today's appeals hearing in the two University of Michigan affirmative action cases is very important, but whichever way the court rules, we must put our confidence only in the strength of our growing mass movement. The courts have been in the past and can be once again compelled to rule for justice, but the way to get the courts to do that is by organizing a broader and broader section of the masses of this country into struggle.

Building the movement now is the surest way to get a favorable ruling from the federal courts. A confident, proud and growing mass movement will, over time, be able to overrule even a reactionary ruling from the US Supreme Court, should that occur. Organized mass struggle against racism is the only thing that can guarantee progress.

Black, Latina/o, Native American, Asian American, Arab American, other minority and white youth, women and men, all standing together as equals, fighting for integration and equality, will awaken in each other the pride and human dignity that comes from standing together for justice. The camaraderie that this struggle creates will be a force to break down the inertia of a society grown too satisfied with inequality and injustice masked by hollow words. The last civil rights movement won equality before the law and outlawed segregation; it won promises from the powers-that-be. Our new movement must win equality and integration in real life.
 

Where do we go from here?

For the students and youth inspired by the opportunity to change this society for the better the next question is "Where do we go from here?" Here are some of BAMN's answers.

* Build for the National Conference of the New Civil Rights Movement January 25-27, 2002 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

A second conference of the new civil rights movement is being organized by BAMN and co-sponsored by Reverend Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Push organization. The first conference at the beginning of June 2001 had representatives from over 20 states and 40 schools. The story of that conference is told in BAMN's journal Liberator #4. The conference was fully integrated and an inspiration to all of us who attended. That conference made the decision to march and rally at this appeals court hearing in Cincinnati. This coming conference must generate and discuss a plan of action to take the movement forward from here, including building and broadening the struggle, fighting the University of Michigan cases to the US Supreme Court and many other issues. The conference will be open and fully democratic, with all decisions made by majority vote. Contact us to let us know you are coming.

* Circulate the National petition for the US Supreme Court hearing of the University of Michigan affirmative action cases.

Since BAMN is a defendant organization, we are going to fight these cases all the way to the US Supreme Court. When we are in front of the Court, we want to have the voice of the nation in the courtroom with our legal team, reminding that elite panel of judges that the overwhelming majority of people in our society stand for integration and equality. Help circulate the petition. We want to have many hundreds of thousands of signatures for the Supreme Court.

* Build the National Day of Action in Defense of Affirmative Action & Integration for Wednesday, February 20, 2002.

On Wednesday, February 20, 2002, there will be a National Day of Action in Defense of Affirmative Action and Integration organized on campuses and at high schools across the country. Hold a march, rally, demonstration, teach-in, or forum on that day. Use the day to raise awareness and take a stand at your school. Use it to circulate the petition. Days of Action in the past have focused on raising black, Latina/o and Native American enrollment and faculty hiring as well as fighting for more resources and ethnic studies among other things.
 Link the struggles! Fight sexism! Fight anti-lesbian/gay bigotry!

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s suffered from sectoralist divisions, sexism and a failure to make adequate political generalizations about the society in which we live and struggle. We are not going to repeat that mistake. Our movement has from is origins, consciously fought sexism in its many forms and has taken up the fight against anti-lesbian/gay bigotry. Women and men must fight and lead side by side as equals. Our movement must build a united leadership.

* Build a BAMN Chapter at your school. Affiliate to BAMN.

Build a BAMN chapter at your school or campus. Discuss the BAMN principles at a meeting, vote to form a chapter. If you are already part of an anti-racist/progressive group, vote to affiliate to BAMN. The NAACP and BAMN have been in a working alliance building today's march and rally. We very much encourage NAACP members to also join BAMN. Get on our national email list. Contact us at letters@bamn.com. Visit our website at www.bamn.com. Help us spread information about struggles in your area of the country.
We must understand that it is mass struggle and mass struggle alone that will change social consciousness, the social norms and the inequality of social relations. Building the new civil rights movement now is the way to move our whole society forward on all of these fronts. Help build the movement.

To set up a stop on the BAMN National Speaking Tour, email us.