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Actions at Republican Convention Reject Racism and Stand for Rights
Unite and Fight for an Anti-War Government


Actions at Republican Convention Reject Racism and Stand for Rights

 

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Block Criminal U.S. Wars and Plans for Broader War

Unite and Fight for An Anti-War Government

A main feature of the presidential elections this year is the almost complete silence on the issue of aggressive U.S. wars and U.S. plans for more war. There is a big effort, by candidates, the monopoly media, and various “experts” to divert attention from the critical issue of U.S. wars and ending them. Focus instead is on blocking the strong antiwar sentiment of the people and dividing those fighting for rights on the basis of who to vote for. And this is taking place in the context of serious U.S. efforts to position and train military forces and develop stronger command and control over the militaries of other countries, all as part of plans for broader U.S. war for empire. The many conferences and actions being organized at the Republican National Convention (RNC) and Democratic National Convention (DNC) can counter this pro-war pressure by bringing the issue of U.S. wars to the fore and discussing the alternative of uniting to Fight for an Anti-War Government.

Here are some of the facts indicating more criminal U.S. aggression is underway:

• President Obama, in releasing a report on deaths of civilians from his drone warfare, did not call for an end to these war crimes. On the contrary, he wants the reports to be done yearly, thus institutionalizing drone warfare and the many civilian deaths, terrorism and crimes it embodies.

• The Senate funding bill for the Pentagon for more than $600 billion, includes an amendment requiring women to register with the military and it criminalizes any who refuse or encourage others to refuse with a $250,000 fine and 5 years in jail.

• The U.S.-led NATO Summit is addressing expanding war preparations, especially to Eastern Europe. This includes the recently activated missile defense system in Romania, and U.S. efforts to incorporate Ukraine and Georgia into NATO. The U.S. has already begun rotating an armored brigade through Eastern Europe — in addition to extra NATO forces to be deployed to Poland and the Baltics. NATO has also launched the largest war games in decades — involving 31,000 troops (14,000 from the U.S.).

• On the eve of the summit the U.S. and south Korea announced that the THAAD missile defense system will be place in south Korea, under U.S. command. This was a direct provocation against Russia and China, who both strongly objected.

• The biggest ever U.S.-South Korea war games were conducted in March and April, targeting the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and including “special operations forces being deployed to border areas adjacent to China and Russia.” The “largest ever military exercises” led by the U.S. Navy were also conducted in the Middle East in April.

• One of the largest maritime exercises, RIMPAC is currently underway, involving 26 countries, under U.S. command, in military war games around Hawai’i and southern California, including “complex war-fighting.”

An Anti-War Government is a Pro-Social Aim

Despite these many indications of the growing threat of increased war by the U.S., Trump and Clinton are for the most part silent, or in support. The entire presidential campaign is being used to divert and further undermine the demands of the people to end U.S. wars and Bring All U.S. Troops Home Now! Far from submitting to the pro-war demands of the rich, let us join in discussing the alternative to Unite and Fight for an Anti-War Government. An Anti-War government is a clear aim that can be promoted, developed and fought for. It is a pro-people and pro-social aim, that provides a direction forward.

Working on the basis of a definite aim and debate on elaborating the content of such an Anti-War government also provides focus. Voice of Revolution puts forward the following content for discussion:

1) Bring All U.S. Troops Home as a contribution to peace and security in the world and an action that unites people in the U.S. with all those fighting abroad. Closing U.S. bases worldwide and removing all the battleships and fleets is a major demand of the world’s peoples as it contributes to ending U.S. aggression, defending sovereignty and upholding the rights of the peoples to determine their own affairs free from U.S. interference.

2) Outlaw any and all U.S. involvement in wars of aggression and U.S. use of force in settling conflicts between nations and peoples and end all U.S. interference in the affairs of other countries. This also includes demilitarizing police at home and making the killing of civilians, by drones, by the military and by police crimes to be punished from the top down.

3) Cancel the Debts of Puerto Rico and all the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America;

4) Pay Reparations Now for all the crimes of slavery and all crimes of the U.S. government, present and past;

5) Dismantle NATO and all military alliances and develop relations of mutual respect and benefit

6) Stop funding war and increase funding for social programs and defending the rights of the people, abroad and at home.

7) End all support for Israel and act to end the occupation of Palestine now, beginning with withdrawal to the 1967 borders;

8) Stop the Raids and Deportations. Legalization for all now

9) Defend and facilitate the right of the people themselves to govern and decide

Fight for an Anti-War Government is a Unifying Force

The Fight for an Anti-War Government is a unifying force as it addresses the many concerns of the people. The Pentagon is the largest single polluter in the world and stopping all its flights and bombings and troop transports, etc. is the single largest means to protect the environment worldwide. Ending the war economy and directing the economy in a new direction to defend the rights of the peoples, abroad and at home, also addresses the problems of poverty, unemployment and the right to a livelihood.

An anti-war government serves as a block to U.S. chauvinism and racism, using war and political and economic interference to impose U.S-style democracy worldwide while maintaining a racist state and inequality at home. Taking a stand against use of force in settling conflicts abroad and at home is a means to counter the racist police violence and provide alternative means to address social problems.

Working together on a common aim also opens space for common activity irrespective of party affiliations or ideological viewpoints.

Steps to Take Now

How then to elect an Anti-War Government? Discussing and promoting the Fight for an Anti-War government as a main aim of the people is one important step that can be taken at the various conference and actions taking place at the RNC, DNC and beyond.

Such a fight is also connected with organizing for a new direction in political affairs, one that empowers the people to decide. It is broadly felt across the country that the existing political set up is dysfunctional. The electoral set up in particular is designed to keep working people out of power and the rich in. It is designed to encourage massive spending on negative and divisive ads and media coverage.

What is needed instead is an electoral set up that guarantees every eligible voter is automatically registered to vote, with no party affiliation required. A set up where the people from set the agenda and require candidates and political parties to present their solutions to the problems identified, such as war and peace, protecting the environment, ending poverty, racism and inequality.

More concretely, funding of the process, not the candidates is needed. And ensuring it is a process that that serves to inform, mobilize and unite the public and serve the public good, rather than dividing and disinforming the public. This includes providing equal access to all candidates, to debates, in the media, etc. It must also be a process where the people themselves set the agenda and select the candidates.

Simply capping funding, or preventing monopolies or PACS from spending so much does nothing to change the character of the existing process, which is anti-people and anti-democratic. Even before Citizens United, the elections served to keep the people out of governance and the rich in. We need a process that puts the people in power and the rich out!

Steps to take now include:

1) Discussing and promoting the Fight for an Anti-War government as a main aim of the people;

2) Discussing and demanding changes to the electoral process to Fund the Process, Not the Candidates and Parties and to Selection of Candidates and Setting of the Agenda by the people themselves

3) Organizing to run Worker Politicians on this platform, selected by the people at their workplaces, schools, seniors' homes, etc.

We urge all concerned to join in this discussion and elaborate the Fight for an Anti-War Government!

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Voice of Revolution
Publication of the U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization

USMLO • 3942 N. Central Ave. • Chicago, IL 60634
www.usmlo.orgoffice@usmlo.org