http://wallstsouth.org/

3 Weeks to Go! March on Wall Street South Organizing Meeting
Saturday, August 11 // 10am-4pm

UNC Charlotte, Fretwell 113
(corner of Mary Alexander Rd & McEniry Ln, Charlotte, NC 28262)

With just three weeks left until the March on Wall Street South and the other actions before and during the DNC, the Coalition to March on Wall Street South will be convening an organizing meeting on Saturday, August 11, beginning at 10am. The meeting will take place on UNC Charlotte’s main campus in the Fretwell Building (near the corner of Mary Alexander Rd and McEniry Lane) in room 113.At the meeting on Saturday, we’ll:
> share reports on the progress of our work — from outreach, to media & communications, language access & accessibility, and much more
> identify the main tasks and how folks can get more involved as we move into the final three weeks
> hold an Anti-Oppression Training: How to address racism, sexism, heterosexism, and oppression within our movements with Imani Henry
> hold an Anti-Repression/Know Your Rights training: What do if the police knock on your door with Abi Hassen from the National Lawyers GuildEven if you haven’t been involved before now, there’s lots to do and many, many opportunities to get involved!

We will also serve lunch and snacks. Please bring a small donation to help cover food costs if you are able, though no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

On to the March on Wall Street South, Sunday Sept 2!

Tommy Cavanaugh of WI BOPM left, Ed Childs, center, UNITE HERE Local 26 Boston and Antoine James, right, of the Rainforest Action Network hitting the streets August 4, 2012 to mobilize for the March on Wall Street South.

Please join us in commemorating the recent tragedy at the Sikh Temple as we discuss the needs of our diverse communities in looking to the future.

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5:00 pm
Oak Creek High School

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http://www.facebook.com/events/401825793199844/

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., along with local grassroots and faith-based organizations, will host a candlelit “vigil against violence” in commemoration of the recent tragedy at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek.

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., will lead the vigil, bringing a message of unity, healing, and hope to those gathered in the wake of this deeply troubling incident.  It is important that people of all faiths and convictions stand together with the victims and families affected by this violence.

Co-sponsors of this event include:  Peace Action-WI, Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope, Summer of Peace, Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, and Milwaukee Matters.  Special thank you to Natty Nation.

Rev. Jesse Jackson marching with postal workers in Detroit August 2010.

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http://www.facebook.com/events/481259711902795/?notif_t=plan_user_invited

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Flyer: http://tinyurl.com/cezny85

Jasiri X Bio: http://tinyurl.com/9dwv9tm

GarveyFest 2012 Flier: http://tinyurl.com/95uppxj

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Vigil for Sikh victims, their families and communities in Oak Creek, Wisconsin August 7, 2012. (Photo Credit: Occupy Riverwest)

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http://www.drumnyc.org/DRUM/Home.html

PDF of Statement: http://tinyurl.com/8eba3v4

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Unity and Accountability in the Wake of the Wisconsin Gurudwara Shootings

Statement by DRUM- Desis Rising Up & Moving

The members of DRUM-Desis Rising Up & Moving express our deepest sympathy and solidarity with our sisters and brothers of the Sikh community after Sunday’s shootings in the Oak Creek Gurudwara in Wisconsin. The shootings have been followed closely by an arson that burned down a mosque in Joplin, Missouri.

While the shootings have shocked us all, it is unfortunately part of a history of targeting of communities of color that all too often goes unchecked and remains rooted in a national climate bolstered by state policies. This climate of racism and intolerance targeting Sikhs, South Asians, Muslims, Arabs, and Middle Easterners, particularly since 9/11, has been fueled by frequent media distortions, governmental policies of racial and religious profiling, and the rise in hate groups. Yet, the media and public discourse mistakenly puts the Sikh and other religions on the hot seat rather than the vast network of organized hate groups whose impacts have been severe-from attacks on Sikhs and Muslims to crafting of anti-people of color and anti-immigrant legislation like SB1070 in Arizona.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has stated that it had been monitoring the alleged gunman, Wade Michael Page, for over 10 years for his ties to white supremacist groups, attempts to purchase weapons from them, and use of violent lyrics about murdering Jews, black people, gay people, and other communities of color, through his membership in racist skinhead bands. Since the use of racial and religious profiling by law enforcement agencies focuses on identity as a marker of threat, rather than actual acts, (leading to the broad profiling of communities of color, religious minorities, and activist groups), organized white supremacist and hate groups remain largely unchecked. In 2009, when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) put out a report on the dangers of right-wing extremism in the US, it received severe backlash from many conservative policy makers. As a result of the criticism, the DHS dismantled and cut funding for the intelligence team that monitored such threats.

As communities of color, we face the double targeting of having our race and religion being used as the basis for state policies of surveillance and policing, as well as the unchecked racist violence and terrorism of organized hate groups.

Our membership will continue to organize among South Asian and all communities of color to hold government policies accountable towards genuine safety, including the ending of racial profiling policies and dismantling of organized racist hate networks.  We extend our support to our Sikh community members and stand in unity with all people who value human rights.

Suggested Readings:

Hate Crimes Always Have A Logic: On The Oak Creek Gurudwara Shootings – Harsha Walia

The Sense of White Supremacy – Vijay Prashad

Not Senseless, Not Random: The Deadly Mix of Race, Guns & Madness – Rinku Sen

Organizational Links:

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/

http://www.sikhcoalition.org/

http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/


http://unitedsikhs.org/

http://www.saldef.org/

http://www.saalt.org/

DRUM is a membership-based organization of over 1,400 low-income South Asian workers and youth across New York City.  Our mission is to organize low-income South Asian immigrants in solidarity with all communities for social, economic, and racial justice.

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http://nato5.occupychi.org/

Anti-NATO march in Chicago May 20, 2012.

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