Anti-War Unity Advances at Protest RNC Organizers Conference

Workers, oppressed nationalities, and other progressives in the U.S. and around the world are looking forward to huge antiwar protests at the Republican National Convention, and for organizers this provides a rallying point, in my opinion, for a great leap forward in the growing unity of the U.S. antiwar movement. The organizing conference that took place in Minneapolis, which brought together all of the major antiwar coalitions under one banner, was held only just days after the local coalition won an important part of the battle for permits.

I'm reposting the following article which includes some excellent podcasts from the RNC protest organizing conference that took place recently. And FYI, you can see some video coverage of the conference here.

Voices from the RNC protest organizing conference
Listen to some of the key speeches

Minneapolis, MN - Activists from around the country gathered here Feb. 9-10 for an organizing conference to plan the anti-war protests at the Republican National Convention.

The conference brought together more than 60 organizations and included the major centers of the anti-war movement, including United for Peace and Justice, International ANSWER and the Troops Out Now Coalition. Also present was Carlos Montes of Latinos Against the War.

The event was organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War.

Podcasts available

Click on the names below for the mp3 of that person's speech, or right-click on a name and select 'save as' to save the mp3 on your computer.

Jess Sundin speaking for the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. Sundin is a founding member of the Twin Cites based Anti-War Committee. She has participated in or coordinated solidarity trips to Iraq, El Salvador and Colombia.

Leslie Cagan coordinator of United for Peace and Justice, an anti-war coalition with more than 1400 member groups.

Sara Flounders representing the Troops Out Now Coalition. She is also co-director of the International Action Center.

John Beacham representing International ANSWER, a coalition of hundreds of organizations with organizing centers in scores of cites and towns across the country.

Angel Buechner a leader of the Welfare Rights Committee.

Carlos Montes of Latinos Against the War.

(reprinted from Fight Back! News)