At the Crossroads:
Come to New York to Oppose the Republican National Convention
By Starhawk

This is a letter for anyone who is swearing at your TV every night, sickened by the images of torture in the newspaper, disgusted by the lies, fuming after viewing Fahrenheit 911, and waking up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night feeling helpless and wondering what the hell you can do about it all:

Come to New York. Come at the end of August to join the marches, demonstrations, and nonviolent direct actions protesting the Republican National Convention.

There are strong moral and strategic reasons to come, to mount a powerful and big opposition to the policies of the Bush administration. And although one progressive magazine recently suggested we confine ourselves to candlelight vigils, there are important reasons for taking stronger actions,
that directly, nonviolently, confront the institutions and architects of that power, including the corporations that fund and direct it, the agencies that enforce it’s policies, and the media that colludes in the lies.

Our country stands at a crossroads. Democracy in the United States has always been an imperfect experiment, leaving out many, many groups, conducted on stolen land. It’s never lived up to the ideals we pledged allegiance to as kids in school, of liberty and justice for all. But those ideals are still worth striving for. Now we must decide whether we will continue the struggle to broaden and extend democracy, or whether we will abandon it entirely to the rule of lies, brute force and fear.

Democracy has never been extended through timidity. It has been carried forward only when individuals and movements have risked themselves to actively confront abusive power, withdraw consent from its functioning, and challenge the legitimacy of abusive institutions.

The Bush forces have maintained power because the legitimacy of their policies has been tacitly accepted even by those who disagree with them. They have set the framework of discussion, and the Democrats, the media, the groups who are supposed to function as counterforces have accepted their frame.

We must form a counterforce on the streets, the only place where social movements that challenge power have ever been carried forward. We will act
nonviolently, to embody the values we stand for of compassion and liberation, and to make clear where the violence in society stems from: those same policies of lies, brute force and fear and their enforcement on those unwilling to collude with them.

In taking action in New York, we join that tradition of nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience, that has carried forward every social movement in this country that has sought to broaden the base of democracy, from the abolition of slavery to suffrage for women to the rights of labor to the civil rights movement.
We set a new frame. We make clear that Bush’s power does not rest on the consent of the governed. He was not elected legitimately. His pre-emptive war, are justified by lies, and his assaults on civil liberties are not legitimate.

Our actions will send a strong message out to five key groups:

The Republicans
We need to make it clear that the current policies do not have popular support, and that the people of this country will not stand by passively and let another coup take place.

The Other Politicians, Democrats, Miscellaneous Media, etc.
We need to make it clear that we want more than a choice between Republicans and the republican elite, that if Kerry and the Democrats will not challenge Bush’s framework, we will. We are a force to be reckoned with, and they need to start tuning their policies to us.

The World
We need to show all those international allies that Bush has offended or jettisoned, all those former friends he has alienated, all the threatened nations on his enemy list and all the victims of his policies that vast numbers of us oppose his actions and everything he stands for.

Ourselves.
You’ll feel good about yourself if you come. You’ll have done something. You’ll have refused to be merely a passive victim, and asserted your right to be an active shaper of the future. You’ll be able to look at yourself in the mirror with pride.

Each other.
We need to know we’re not alone in this. We need to see each other, to see the masses and crowds of us who say that this country and the world deserve something better. We need to look each other in the face and hear our voices joined in thunderous chants and feel the linked rhythm of our marching feet shake the fortresses of power.

If we don’t take action, if we limit ourselves to mild expressions of discontent, we will undoubtedly be safer in the moment. But we will have moved further into a huge, longterm danger, of continuing the slide into tacit acceptance that we are not the people we thought we were, not the liberators of the world but its jailors, not the defenders of human rights but the torturers of Abu Ghraib.

If we do take action, we can win three key vitally important strategic goals:

We can set a new frame, taking the media focus away from the coronation ceremonies inside the convention and out onto the streets, to our opposition and our demands and our alternative vision.

We can delegitimize Bush and his policies by showing the breadth and depth of our opposition.

We can offer an alternative: embodying in our organizing and our actions the values we stand for: compassion, diversity, nonviolence, freedom, creativity and love, embodying a vision of a society based on real democracy, on liberty and justice, not for a privileged few, but for all.

In short, we can turn away from the road to Abu Ghraib and set our country on a new direction. I think that’s worth the risk, and I invite you to join the joyful and courageous company of those who will march, demonstrate, and take nonviolent direct action in New York City during the Republican National Convention this August.


A Very Rough Schedule of Events;

August 29 United for Peace and Justice March
August 30 Poor Peoples’ March
August 31 Day of Nonviolent Direct Action!
September 1 Labor March

For a full schedule of events and links to all the groups organizing, see:

 http://www.counterconvention.org

What the Day of Action Will Look Like:

4 PM: Coordinated nonviolent direct actions focused on oppressive aspects of Bush’s policies, both interfering and making visible our alternatives. Specifics are being decided by clusters and spokescouncils.

7 PM Converge on the Republican National Convention to reclaim our public spaces and take back democracry.

How to Get Involved in Direct Action:

Nonviolent direct action needs people who will stand on the front lines and take risks—but for every person who does, five to ten others are needed to take on safe and legal support roles: helping to staff the convergence center, staying by the phone to relay messages, helping provide food, water, childcare, medical care, legal support, emotional support and healing. Whatever your age, physical condition, level of experience or ability to take risks, you can make a contribution.

To participate in nonviolent direct action, you can:
Forman affinity group: a small group of friends who can come to the action together, provide support at home (feed the cat, calm down the relatives, etc.), comfort and nurturing when you come back, and support each other at the action.

Attend a nonviolent direct action training. Trainings will be offered in New York city regularly leading up to the action, many are scheduled in other communities. If you would like to organize one in your own community, contact: For trainings in your community contact Ruby at rubyruth (at)surfglobal.net
Or contact the NY Trainers Collective at 206 333-6448 or trainings-nornc (at)riseup.net

Spokescouncils take place every Tuesday night in New York City. You can attend or send a representative from your group. For schedules and
information, see: www.shoutheardroundtheworld.org

If you can’t come with a group, affinity groups will be formed at trainings and at spokescouncils leading up to the action. Try to at least bring a buddy, or plan to make a new friend. Or join up with one of the clusters already forming.

And if you really can’t come, please donate to help others get there. Check the websites below, or find a young activist in your community and help her or him get there! And be prepared to support the actions with calls, emails, faxes, letters to the editor, etc.

To get Starhawk’s daily updates, check
www.starhawk.org or get on the mailing list by emailing
Starhawk-subscribe (at)lists.riseup.net and putting ‘subscribe’ in the subject line.

For an overview of all groups and events, see:
www.counterconvention.org

For the August 31 Day of Action, see:
www.shoutheardroundtheworld.com/

Some clusters organizing actions:

West Coast Cluster
www.actagainstwar.org

Pagan Cluster
www.pagancluster.org

School of the Americas
www.soa.org

War Resisters League
www.warresisters.org/


For August 29 march and rally, housing board, and much general info, see:
www.unitedforpeace.org

For information on training for direct action, see:
www.rantcollective.org

Other related websites:

 http://www.rncnotwelcome.org
 http://www.rncwatch.org
 http://www/norc.org
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NYC-Gathering of the Tribes
Monday August 16th, 6:30 pm
At the Brecht Forum

The Republicans are invading NYC and the anarchists will be resisting their occupation. If you are an anarchist or anti-authoritarian you are invited to join in pre-RNC resistance get together.

The NYC-Tribes has been gathering irregularly for a number of years. It has been traditonally a place for New York area anarchists to come together and discuss their various projects.

This Tribes gathering will be different, in that it is open to non-NYC area groups to discuss resistance against the RNC. It will be a get together with areas set aside for discussion of particuliar topics (e.g. Chaos on Broadway) regarding direct action at the RNC.
Any group may suggest a topic and an area will be set aside for them to meet with other interested folks - some of these discussions may require particpants to be vouched for before participating. If you are interested in hosting a discussion topic contact us before hand at: nyctribes789 (at)yahoo.com

This will NOT be a meeting- there will be no facilitators or agenda. The entire get together is essentially a break-out session. People are encouraged to attend as many discussions (or none) as they please.
There will be a hosted area set aside for socializing and meeting other folks.

The gathering will follow basic security precautions so that everyone can particpate freely. This is not a public meeting and the press will not be allowed to attend.


Location: Brecht Forum is located at 122 West 27th Street, 10 Floor between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan. The closest subway lines are the 1 or 9 trains at 7th Avenue and 28th Street, the N or R trains at Broadway and 28th Street, the PATH trains at 23rd Street or all 6th Avenue trains (D, B, F) at 23rd or 34th Streets. If you arrive after 7pm you will need to press the buzzer to be let in.
Arrive on time!

Effective Action & Safety during the RNC - a free 2-session workshop for activists in self-defense and direct action

WHEN: Tues. Aug 24th & Wed. 25th 6pm - 10pm

CURRICULUM:
Self Defense and Safety during 'Police Controlled' Situations.
Civil Disobedience and Direct Action Strategies (including strategies for
People with Disabilities and their allies).
Demystification of getting the Media's Attention.
Legal Rights (with a focus on People of Color and Transgendered People).

INSTRUCTORS:
Dean Spade-Project Director of Sylvia Rivera Law Project, an organization that works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine our gender identity and expression, regardless of income, and without facing harassment, discrimination or violence.

Mahdis Keshavarz-Vice President of Riptide, a progressive public
relations service committed to social change. Riptide has and continues to design effective and creative media campaigns on various issues including Guantnamo Bay tortures and immigrant and poor people issues.

Ronica Mukerjee-The Center for Anti-Violence Education, a community-based nonprofit organization that works as a catalyst for change in communities especially affected by violence. CAE's programs are designed to develop participants' skills, knowledge and awareness to enable them to heal from, prevent, and counter violence. CAE is an organization dedicated to diversity, cooperation, social justice, and activism as well as the leadership of people affected by gender oppression.

REGISTRATION:
You must call or email receive the registration form.

We offer free childcare.

We'd love for many people to come and we are designing the class to reflect the diverse communities that we live in and therefore the goal is to have the majority of participants be people of color, LGBTSTQ people, immigrants, and former prisoners/current parolees. You are not committed to any sort of action by coming. This is an informational workshop only.

E-mail: effectiveaction (at)cae-bklyn.org
Call: 718.788.1775 ask for Meredith Summs or Ronica Mukerjee

for more info, check out our website:
 http://www.cae-bklyn.org/communityed.html

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JUST FOUR WEEKS UNTIL THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION!
United for Peace and Justice has just re-launched the RNC section of our website, with reorganized and expanded content.

Visit our website at  http://www.unitedforpeace.org for:
* downloadable leaflets in English, Spanish, Chinese and Korean
* information on where to pick up leaflets in the NYC area
* ordering information for stickers, buttons, and posters
* a map of the assembly area, march route, and rally location
* links to ride and housing boards
* news articles about the protest
* an overview of convention week protests and activities
* links to other RNC protest resources, and much, much more.

We will be continually adding more resources and information, including information on bus parking, mass transit, feeder marches, and other key logistical details, so keep checking back.

AUGUST 29, THE WORLD SAYS NO TO THE BUSH AGENDA!
March and Rally at the Republican National Convention, New York City
* Assemble at 10:00AM, Seventh Avenue 14th Street
* March steps off at noon

Visit the RNC mobilizing section of our website for resources and to endorse the August 29 demonstration:
 http://www.unitedforpeace.org/rnc

Interactivist Info Exchange
Collaborative Authorship, Collective Intelligence
 http://info.interactivist.net/

Title Alex Vitale, "What RNC Protesters Can Expect from New York Police"

 http://info.interactivist.net/article.pl?sid=04/08/02/2057249
"What RNC Protesters Can Expect from New York Police"
Alex Vitale

Permits

Permits have been granted for most of the large demonstrations planned before and during the convention, though some disputes over march and rally locations are ongoing. For the latest information you can check www.rncprotestrights.org. In general you only need a permit for an event if it involves a street or sidewalk closure, amplified sound, or includes more than 20 people in a park. During the RNC, however, you can expect more restrictive practices, especially in midtown. It is also possible that the police will refuse to grant any additional permits. The one exception to this is the planned protest area on Eighth Avenue and 31st St. This is the one location where groups may be able to get a permit to rally on short notice.

If you want to do an action without a permit you can try notifying the local precinct ahead of time and it's possible that they will accommodate you with a protest pen. On the other hand, people have had good luck in the past with small events by just showing up and doing their action. Sometimes the police will leave you alone, and even when they don't it often takes them awhile to take any enforcement action. For more information on legal issues around permits and to request a legal observer go to www.nlgnyc.org

Protest Pens

Over the last decade the NYPD has been using metal and wooden barricades to enclose demonstrations both large and small. These pens are usually four sided and segregate demonstrators from traffic and pedestrians. In large events the demonstration is broken up into one block segments leaving crosstown traffic open. There is often an emergency lane on one side as well — allowing police quick access to all parts of the demonstration. This system makes interacting with non demonstrators and sometimes other participants very difficult, if not impossible. People have been forced into pens if they are demonstrating nearby and are often not allowed to move from one pen to another during an event. A recent federal court injunction requires that the police create openings on all four sides of the pens and allow people to exit and enter the pens more easily than in the past. This ruling, however, may be appealed before the convention.

Access to Demonstrations

As part of the system of demonstration pens, the police in the past have limited access to demonstration areas, especially at large events. At these events only one demonstration pen has been open to arriving people at one time. Other side street are often closed forcing people to sometimes walk for several blocks before they find an opening to the demonstration. This has created bottlenecks in the past with demonstrators sometimes being turned away completely from the event. In other instances people have spilled into the streets prompting the police to use force to disperse them. A recent injunction has ordered the police to clearly indicate how demonstrators are supposed to access events through signs, sound trucks, and other means. They have also been told to limit the closure of streets and sidewalks near demonstration areas. This too may be appealed.

Searches

The NYPD has frequently indicated their intention to search demonstrators at high profile events. In practice this has not been done on a wide scale, though the police do often take sticks and other large objects away from demonstrators — even when they are being used to hold banners, etc. A recent court injunction has prohibited the police from engaging in blanket searches, but leaves them room to conduct searches where there is either reasonable suspicion concerning an individual or when there is a specific threat at an event that could reasonably be addressed through mass searches. This too may be appealed.

Police Violence

In general, police use of force at demonstrations in New York has been limited and carried out in an organized manner. Rather than relying on the use of high tech weaponry, the NYPD tends to utilize huge numbers of officer in standard uniforms; sometimes with helmets and night sticks. The also frequently assign police on motor scooters and occasionally horses. The use of bikes at demonstrations is uncommon.

The NYPD tends to view any violation of the law as sufficient pretext for the use of force. This means that individuals wearing masks, standing passively in the street without a permit, or refusing police orders have been subjected to pepper spray, riot formations (with batons and sometimes shields), horse charges, and arrest — even in the absence of any violence or property destruction. In addition, the department owns European-style water cannons, armored jeeps, and a variety of less lethal weapons such as tear gas and rubber bullets. These latter weapons have not been used for many years, and would probably only be used in the event of significant violence or property destruction after more conventional means have failed. In addition, the police often deploy dogs and highly armed anti-terrorism "Hercules" units at large demonstration near "sensitive" locations. These units have never taken part in actual enforcement efforts, and their potential role is unclear. The police
have said that these units are there strictly for the purposes of fighting terrorism. The K-9 units are generally made up of ?sniffer? dogs trained to find weapons and not for the control of crowds.

Other Law Enforcement Agencies

The Secret Service has broad authority over security during the convention. They will be utilizing resources from a variety of agencies including the FBI, National Guard, NYPD, and the Department of Homeland Security. This, however, applies primarily to the convention area and to the movement of delegates and politicians. The handling of demonstrations is likely to be done almost exclusively by the NYPD, which is much larger and more experienced. Demonstrators near different federal and state offices including court buildings, transportation hubs, and bridges and tunnels can expect to see a variety of law enforcement agencies including the Port Authority Police, Federal Protective Service, and New York State Police. In general, these officers are assigned strictly to maintain security at locations under their authority, but they are all free to take enforcement action beyond that. Some of these agencies are trained in riot control, use dogs, and have less lethal weaponry avai
lable. People arrested by these other agencies may end up in separate holding and processing facilities and different courts if prosecuted. It is possible, however, that they will simply be turned over to the NYPD.

Protest Free Zones — States of Emergency

An elaborate system of street and sidewalk closures will be in place during the convention. A map with details can be reviewed here. In general, the area surrounding the convention site will be sealed off and a large swath of 7th Ave. and 8th Ave. from 29th St. to 42nd St. will be closed to cars and possibly pedestrians while the convention is in session.

Legal Support

The National Lawyers Guild (www.nlgnyc.org) in conjunction with the People's Law Collective is providing around the clock legal support beginning on August 26th. Check their web sites for the legal phone number. They will assign legal observes as requested to any demonstration, provide legal advice to those planning demonstrations, and coordinate legal representation for those arrested and prosecuted. The Legal Aid Society is prepared to represent low income defendants and the NLG is arranging volunteer attorneys for others.

The NLG will not be organizing jail solidarity or bail. Groups are encouraged to plan ahead, attend legal trainings, and coordinate jail solidarity and bail with others. The NLG is prepared to provide legal advice and to coordinate with groups doing this work.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (www.rncprotestrights.org) has been helping organizations obtain permits and put pressure on the police through the courts and the City Council to be less intrusive and restrictive. They will be providing legal monitors during the convention to make sure the police abide by the law and recent court rulings. They may also intercede politically or legally if problems develop during the course of the convention. The have a storefront space to take complaints at during the convention at 520 8th Ave at 36th St.

Links
"www.rncprotestrights.org" -  http://www.rncprotestrights.org/
"www.nlgnyc.org" -  http://www.nlgnyc.org/
"here" -  http://www.rncprotestrights.org/map.html
"People's Law Collective" -  http://nycplc.mahost.org/
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Save The Date! August 29, 2004, The World Says No to Bush!!!

MASS WORLDWIDE PROTEST DURING THE 2004 REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN NEW YORK CITY!!!
->->->  http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2503 ->->  http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=1810 ->->  http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=1913 ->->  http://nyc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/99279/index.php ->->
Billionaires for Bush  http://www.billionairesforbush.com
Counter Convention  http://www.CounterConvention.org
National Youth and Student Peace Coalition  http://www.nyspc.net/home.html
Not In Our Name  http://www.notinourname.net/
noRNC Discussion List  http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/nornc-discuss
noRNC Info Page  http://www.mediajumpstart.org/mailman/listinfo/nornc
Not In Our Name  http://www.notinourname.net/index.html
NYC Summer - 6 Weeks of Democracy in Action  http://www.nycsummer.org/
RNC Not Welcome  http://www.RNCNotWelcome.org
RNC Watch  http://rncwatch.typepad.com
SOAW Anti-RNC Actions  http://www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=805
Shout Heard Around the World on August 31  http://www.shoutheardroundtheworld.com
Still We Rise  http://www.stillwerise.org
Times Up!  http://www.times-up.org/rnc_2004.php
United for Peace and Justice  http://www.unitedforpeace.org/rnc
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Anarchists in NYC...
Anarco - NYC  http://www.anarco-nyc.net/
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Anti-Bush Merchandise Top Pun - Anti-Bush Web Store  http://www.toppun.com/
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Bush Out of Office ->->->
Impeach Bush  http://www.impeachbush.org
One Thousand Reasons and more  http://www.thousandreasons.org/
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Feeding Activists->->->
Anti-Capitalist Kitchen  http://ack.interactivist.net/
Food Not Bombs NYC  http://www.abcnorio.org/affiliated/fnb.html
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Housing Activists->->->
Camp Shutdown  http://www.campshutdown.com
Counter Convention Housing Board
 http://www.counterconvention.org/lightningbug/index.php?action=enumerate&board=3
RNC Not Welcome Housing Board  http://www.rncnotwelcome.org/housing.html
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Legal Rights for Activists->->->
American Civil Liberties Union  http://www.aclu.org
National Lawyers Guild/RNC  http://www.nlgnyc.org/RNC.html
New York City Civil Liberties Union  http://www.nyclu.org
People's Law Collective NYC  http://nycplc.mahost.org
RNC Not Welcome Legal Resources  http://rncnotwelcome.org/legal.html
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Medical Advice/Help for Activists->->->
Action-Medical.Net  http://www.action-medical.net
The Medical Activists of New York (MANY)  http://www.aloofhosting.com/medic/outreach.html
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News Reporting -> What's Really Going On->->->
Air America  http://www.airamericaradio.com/pub/globalDefault.htm
Independent Media Center  http://www.indymedia.org
Paper Tiger TV  http://www.papertiger.org/
WBAI  http://www.wbai.org
Youth Channel  http://www.youthchannel.org/
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People's Guide to the National Republican Convention for sale->->->
 http://www.clamormagazine.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BTM&Product_Code=NORNCGUIDE
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Posters of Protest...
No RNC Posters  http://norncposters.com/
Protest Posters  http://www.protestposters.org
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RNC Rideboard->->->
Counter Convention Ride Board
 http://www.counterconvention.org/lightningbug/index.php?action=enumerate&board=4
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RNC 2004 - keep up with their plans of insignificance on their official site  http://www.2004nycgop.org
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LA REVOLUCIÓN ESTÁ VIVA EN LAS CALLES!!!