[stop-imf] More on MGJ decision

[Robert Weissman]

For those interested in the details of the Mobilization for Global Justice
decision to cancel its planned protests for the end of September, these
minutes from our decision making meeting may offer some clarity.

Although the decision was very painful for those of us who have been
working for months on the protests -- including hundreds of people in
Washington, not to mention many more outside of the city -- I didn't see
that we had any choice.

-- 
Robert Weissman	<rob@essential.org>
Essential Information
P.O. Box 19405, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: 1-202-387-8030
Fax: 1-202-234-5176
www.essential.org



Notes from the Saturday, Sept. 15, Mobilization
for Global Justice Spokescouncil meeting.

(The Spokescouncil is the formal decision-making
body of the Mobilization for Global Justice and
this Spokescouncil was called by an emergency
Spokescouncil on Tuesday to re-consider the plans
of the Mobilization for Global Justice in light of
the attack on Tuesday on the World Trade Center
and the Pentagon and the aftermath of those
events. The Tuesday Emergency Spokescouncil
consensed on the following statement in response
to the tragedy: "Our thoughts and prayers are with
the victims and their families." No other
statement in response to Tuesday's events
represents the Mobilization for Global Justice,
nor is anyone authorized to make any other
statement on Tuesday's events in the name of the
Mobilization for Global Justice.)

Summary of decisions taken:

- MGJ is canceling its call for street protests
and outdoor events in Washington DC in September
against the IMF and the World Bank. MGJ will
continue to support previously planned indoor
educational events where the people bottom-lining
the events wish to proceed, including teach-ins
and the people's summit.
- MGJ will send out a press release announcing its
decision on Monday.
- Members and supporters of MGJ will support the
peace coalition organized by the Washington Peace
Center and the American Friends Service Committee,
but not in the name of the "Mobilization for
Global Justice" or "MGJ."

---

The following working groups were represented on
the Spokescouncil: permitted scenario, medical,
legal, concert, training, scenario unpermitted,
fundraising, web, logistics, outreach, arts and
action, education, media, office.

Announcements/Reports on what other groups are
doing:

-      LASC is meeting Sunday to discuss options
for their march
-      Washington Peace Center is one of central
organizing bodies working in coalition with other
peace-focused groups in responding to new crisis
-      IAC is reorienting under a new message and
still holding a march
-  IMF/WB is expected to announce cancellation of
meetings on Monday
-  Teach-in tour and Washington teach in to end
global apartheid will still go on
-  AFL-CIO, FOE, Oxfam, others in P11 will not
participate in S30
- DC coalition against the war in Iraq will have
demonstrations soon
- ACT UP breakfast canceled
- Clean Energy March canceled
- Union activities all canceled
- FTAA action canceled, strategy meeting to be
held in October
- Jubilee USA Network not part of street protests
or rallies, but will support interfaith vigil and
teach ins
- 50 Years is Enough Network and Education Working
group will not endorse street protests
- Some groups in MGJ coalition still want to have
street protests
- Immigrant workers rights action canceled
- Free Burma Coalition actions postponed for a
month

PROPOSALS FOR WHAT TO DO WITH ALREADY PLANNED MGJ
EVENTS

- Media proposed canceling street protests planned
in name of MGJ, because: the political moment has
changed, street protests in DC are not appropriate
because the police and DC residents are still
dealing with the aftermath of September 11; people
cannot hear our message on IMF/WB and corporate
globalization now, and while many of us want to
respond to the crisis with a peace message, peace
movement groups are better positioned to do this
than MGJ. Media proposed continuing with indoor
educational events on IMF/WB, and encouraging
peace message.

- Concert proposed having outdoor concert as
planned

- Education proposed having indoor educational
events such as teach ins and People's Summit as
planned.

- Outreach proposed having MGJ as an organization
refocus work to include issues of peace and other
concerns dealing with the present crisis. Outreach
felt it is vitally important to hold rallies,
marches and outdoor events in opposition to the
war, militarization, racism and loss of civil
liberties we are facing --- and that MGJ as an
already organized entity with momentum should take
on this work. .

Working groups convened to decide whether MGJ
should continue planning five activities.
Decisions were as follows:
- convergence space - No, we didn't have a
confirmed space yet anyway
- direct action - No
- permitted march and rally - No - people felt it
was inappropriate for MGJ to continue with street
events such as direct actions, marches and rallies
because of many concerns: timing would be
insensitive to public, especially DC public,
concerns in aftermath of September 11, including
overstretching of police still dealing with
aftermath of September 11; poor time to try to
project our message and information about IMF/WB
and corporate globalization.
- Concert - No, concerns were about lack of
funding, lack of infrastructure, that it was not
appropriate to have an event that could be
perceived as celebratory, that it would conflict
with interfaith service as far as timing.
- People's Summit - Yes, will have financial cap
of $1,000, and will stay within the spectrum of
issues already identified and planned for
previously, including globalization and peace
issues.

Announcement of next meeting for People's Summit
planning: Monday, 6 p.m., Luna Books

PROPOSALS

- Outreach proposed having MGJ march and rallies
go forward with new peace focus in response to
current events. Also proposed that MGJ should
endorse peace events planned by other groups.

- Media proposed using MGJ resources - listservs,
labor, etc. - to assist the Washington Peace
Center, the American Friends Service Committee and
the peace coalition they are building in taking
the lead on peace marches and anti-war work. Media
opposed using MGJ name for this type of work,
since MGJ was created around issues of corporate
globalization and the IMF and World Bank, and b/c
two weeks is not enough time for us to credibly
transform ourselves into an organization working
on peace issues, and many of our supporters would
perceive a quick shift as opportunistic.

- Logistics asked for a decision on whether to
still have a welcome center for people coming into
DC to find housing and get info about events.

- Training proposed a Consulta - a big organized
discussion dealing with the present crisis and/or
where is the movement going.

- Request for money to help settle unpaid bill
from A16

Following a reconvening of the working groups,
Spokescouncil decided the following:

- Not to use MGJ name on peace events, and not to
use MGJ name to endorse other events, such as
peace marches, vigils or street actions the
weekend of Sept. 29-30. Groups felt that since MGJ
is an umbrella organization of 100-plus groups
that formed around specific issues relating to the
IMF and World Bank, it would not be appropriate to
sign on to other events, or host other events
outside that purview without reconvening and
formally refocusing the coalition. Spokes agreed
that MGJ can contact groups in the coalition and
ask them to sign on under their own names as
endorsers of peace activities.

- Yes on using MGJ resources to help the
Washington Peace Center, the American Friends
Service Committee and the coalition being
organized by the Peace Center and AFSC around
peace-related activities. Our first priority will
be to use resources to support the People's
Summit.

- Yes on Welcome Center, provided we can find a
space and the people to do the work, since those
who were originally tasked with this will be
unable to do it. This will operate in the name of
People's Summit Welcome Center, but will be in a
separate location from the People's Summit.

- Yes on making a contribution to settle the
unpaid bill from A16, with amount to be decided by
Fundraising depending on the amount of resources
available.

- Proposal for Consulta was withdrawn, as this is
outside the purview of MGJ.

MEDIA

Spokescouncil agreed to empower the Media group to
send out a press release explaining our decisions,
which will be sent to the media and posted to all
listservs by Monday. The larger group brainstormed
on ideas to include in the press release.

Announcement on Media meeting: All are welcome to
comment on the written press statement at a
meeting Sunday, 5 p.m., at 1015 18th Street suite
200. The Media Working Group will incorporate the
comments and send out the press release.