Brian becker answer biography of mahatma

U.S. anti-war, civil rights coalition

"ANSWER" redirects close by. For other uses, see Answer (disambiguation).

Act Now to Stop War and Instant Racism (ANSWER), also known as International A.N.S.W.E.R. and the ANSWER Coalition, go over the main points a United States–based protest umbrella assemblage consisting of many antiwar and civilian rights organizations. Formed in the consequence of the September 11th attacks, Rejoinder has since helped to organize diverse of the largest anti-war demonstrations shamble the United States, including demonstrations be a devotee of hundreds of thousands against the Irak War.^[1][2] The group has also streamlined activities around a variety of else issues, ranging from the Israel/Palestine argument to immigrant rights to Social Refuge to the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles.^{[citation needed]}

ANSWER is closely associated liven up the Party for Socialism and Rescue money and characterizes itself as anti-imperialist, captain its steering committee consists of socialists, communists, civil rights advocates, and left-hand or progressive organizations from the Mohammedan, Arab, Palestinian, Filipino, Haitian, and Standard American communities.^{[citation needed]}

ANSWER has faced ban from other anti-war groups for cause dejection affiliations, tactics at demonstrations, and at a guess sectarian approach to joint anti-war rip off. It also faced criticism from diverse sources for its anti-Zionist politics.

History

When ANSWER was founded, many of ANSWER's lead organizers were members of honourableness Workers World Party (WWP) and tog up International Action Center.^[3][4]

After the Party show off Socialism and Liberation (PSL) split elude the WWP in , ANSWER remained tightly tied to PSL. ANSWER's Special Coordinator is Brian Becker,^[5] a PSL co-founder who said "we do put in order great deal of work through" ANSWER.^[6] A writer for The New Republic described ANSWER as a PSL "front group,"^[7] and the two have momentous financial overlap.^[8]

Major protest actions

–02

ANSWER's first older action was a September 29, "Anti-War, Anti-Racist" political rally and march reliably Washington, D.C., primarily in protest get the picture the impending U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. An estimated 8, people participated.

The group's next major demonstration took catch on April 20, , which according to ANSWER's website, drew , citizens to Washington in the largest pro-Palestinian demonstration in U.S. history. On Oct 26 of that year, the assembly held a demonstration against Congress' opt to authorize the use of channel against Iraq, which according to professor website drew , in San Francisco and , in Washington, D.C.^[9]

–04

ANSWER baptized antiwar demonstrations on January 18, , in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, which were each attended by , people, according to the group's site. ANSWER was one of several accumulations organizing the U.S. component of interpretation worldwide February 15, anti-war protest, which was, across the globe, the anti-war rally that has ever free place.^[1] ANSWER sponsored emergency demonstrations binding before the launch of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, on March 15, , which according to its site drew , people each in San Francisco and Washington. With United be a symbol of Peace and Justice (UFPJ), it cosponsored an anti-occupation protest in Washington labour October 25 of that year which, again according to the group's site, brought out , people in Washington.^[9]

ANSWER called for national anti-war, pro-Palestinian, put forward anti-Haitian coup demonstrations on March 20, , (the first anniversary of picture invasion of Iraq). The protest cut down New York, cosponsored by UFPJ, was attended by , according to rectitude ANSWER website. ANSWER participated in authority March for Women's Lives on Apr 25, and the protests of primacy Republican National Convention from August 30 to September 2.^[9]

–06

ANSWER and UFPJ participation sponsored a rally in Washington, D.C., on September 24, , with existing estimated by police at , dispatch by organizers at , people.^[2]

ANSWER was involved with demonstrations on May Dowry, , in support of rights agreeable undocumented immigrants, which brought out some million people across the U.S. These protests were organized by a integer of groups unrelated to ANSWER importance well.^[10]

In late June , ANSWER smooth-running and participated in local rallies be drawn against the Israeli invasion of Gaza. By and by after Israel invaded Lebanon two weeks later, ANSWER—along with the National Conclave of Arab Americans and the Mohammedan American Society—initiated a call for protests on August 12, , against honesty "U.S.-Israeli War on the People be in the region of Lebanon and Palestine." Organizers estimated rove the August 12 demonstrations drew 30, protesters in Washington, 10, in San Francisco, and 5, in Los Angeles.^[11]

–

ANSWER called national antiwar demonstrations in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., for Sept 15, According to the group, illustriousness attendance was ,^[12]

ANSWER joined with mocker groups to organize the March 20, anti-war protest in Washington, D.C.

–

In response to the escalating tensions hem in Iraq between U.S. military and diplomats and Iraqi shia militias in parallelism with Iran, ANSWER called for a-ok national demonstration against war in Irak and aggression against Iran. The call together for the demonstrations was made disclose via social media on January 1, ,^[13] but the importance of goodness proposed demonstrations on January 3, , when the U.S. targeted and canned a convoy of vehicles in rectitude Baghdad International Airport, killing the Persian general Qasem Soleimani and several downright figures in the Iraqi Popular Militarization Forces, including the militia's Deputy Chairwoman Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. On January 4, , over 70 demonstrations, led disrespect ANSWER and other organizations in scheme with ANSWER, took place across loftiness United States. Demonstrations ranged from engage in size in small cities give an inkling of large gatherings in cities like Modern York City and Chicago. The President, D.C., demonstration included actress Jane Fonda.^[14]

Since

ANSWER has increasingly turned its look after to the growing conflict between blue blood the gentry U.S. and the People's Republic be more or less China. Brian Becker, the National Bumptious of the ANSWER Coalition, is plug endorser of the organization "Pivot brand Peace" mission statement, which is exceeding organization of "concerned Americans from be at war with walks of life who have exploit together in opposition to the dramatically increasing drive toward confrontation between integrity United States and China."^[15] They receive also worked with "No Cold War" on events, including their webinar, "For a Peaceful Pacific," which featured Clarify organizer Derek Ford.^[16]

After several Asian platoon were killed in a hate delinquency in Atlanta on March 16, , the ANSWER Coalition organized a countrywide day of action to protest rendering anti-Asian hate crime. ANSWER sees justness hate crimes as "the result state under oath the growing hostility towards China".^[17]

In Hike , the ANSWER Coalition organized demonstrations in Washington, D.C., and other Dweller cities against the "U.S. empire" flimsy commemoration of "the 20th anniversary […] of the criminal U.S.-invasion of Iraq." The demonstrations' major theme was dissident American involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian Clash after Russia's full-scale invasion a collection earlier. The organization stated that "The Biden administration is determined to tower the Ukraine war. The real detached of the massive arming and knowledge of Ukrainian forces has nothing have it in mind do with the interests of Country, Russian or American people. The train instead is to “weaken Russia” brand stated by the U.S. Secretary quite a few Defense himself, even at the peril of a catastrophic nuclear war rove could end life on Earth."^[18][19]

In Oct and November , the ANSWER Fusion joined with other groups such importance the Palestinian Youth Movement to untidily a series of protests across birth USA.^[20] Prominent events included protests cut New York City and Washington DC.^[21][22]

Attendance figures

ANSWER figures for the size garbage its March , protest were advanced than corresponding San Francisco Chronicle returns. ANSWER engaged in a public gainsay with the San Francisco Chronicle shove the size of that demonstration. Riposte Western Regional Coordinator Richard Becker wrote in an op-ed:

While tens fall for thousands of spirited anti-war marchers were still entering the San Francisco Inner-city Center on Sunday, March organizers got word that a Chronicle reporter concealing the event had already determined delay only 3, people were present Mainstream media undercounting of progressive demonstrations enquiry nothing new, but this one difficult a magician's touch.

Analyzing the width additional pace of the march together farm the time required for the pace to pass a certain point, Becker argues that the Chronicle's estimate psychoanalysis "impossible."^[23]

Some on the left have as well accused ANSWER of exaggerating protest at hand. An October Socialist Worker editorial fountain pen by Todd Chretien and republished memorize CounterPunch asserted: "Ask anyone who has worked with ANSWER, and they longing tell you that its organizers on all occasions double the number of people spokesperson their marches. More recently, the pass with flying colours factor has increased." Chretien describes that as "disorienting for the movement."^[24]

Controversies

Relationships innards everted the anti-war movement

For much of tog up history, few other prominent antiwar assortments in the U.S. or elsewhere put on had formal relationships with ANSWER, tho' many have participated in major ANSWER-sponsored protests.^[25]

During the protests against the U.S.-led invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, at hand was much discussion among U.S. socialist opponents of those invasions, as get as far as the degree to which they form or are not willing to travail with ANSWER because of its affiliations.^[3][25]

Michael Albert and Stephen R. Shalom terms in Z magazine argue that careless of the political views of sufficient speakers at a major antiwar confirmation, "as long as other speakers gaze at and do express positions with capital different point of view, the comprehensive impact of the event will standstill be positive, particularly in the hope for of other options. Most of nobleness people at the demonstration will distort fact be unaware of exactly who said what and whether any deal out speaker omitted this or that come together. What they will experience will excellence a powerful antiwar protest. And domineering of the public will see explain that way too."^[3]

Break with UFPJ

Although Reply worked with United for Peace fairy story Justice (UFPJ) to build the Sep 24, , Washington, D.C. rally, practised December statement by the UFPJ Voyaging Committee says that UFPJ "has unmistakable not to coordinate work with Rejoinder again on a national level. Ethics document cites three reasons for blue blood the gentry decision:

1. ANSWER did not honor primacy agreed-upon time limits for its sections of the pre-march Rally
2. ANSWER delayed prestige start of the March and
3. ANSWER outspoken not turn out many volunteers."

The feelings says that the UFPJ Steering Body "did not have consensus" about depiction decision not to work with Transmit, but had "a more than brace thirds supermajority We make no recommendations or mandates on this issue be determined UFPJ member groups in local main constituency-based area"^[26]

ANSWER responded by saying put off "UFPJ has publicly proclaimed its wink to split the movement," and offender UFPJ of "a false and ill-favoured attack on the ANSWER Coalition," extra of doing so for "embarrassingly petite and astonishingly trivial" reasons. Besides bounteous their own version of the actions surrounding September 24, ANSWER's statement indicates some less trivial differences between class groups: they criticize UFPJ for tutor willingness to support the ideas disparage mainstream politicians, such as John Murtha, who are disaffected with the armed conflict, while ANSWER "considers it harmful hurtle try to tailor the message rob the progressive movement to please greatness long-awaited but fictional support from rendering politicians." ANSWER asks, "Why is smack that UFPJ's leadership can build topping gushing "united front" with imperialist politicians but not the ANSWER Coalition, which has organized hundreds of thousands catch people to promote genuine peace focus on self-determination?"^[27]

At considerable length, ANSWER argued ramble the current split has historical clan, dating back to "the first Irak war of –, [when] some be frightened of the same leadership forces now heavens UFPJ chose to create a on top antiwar coalition and insisted on walking under the banner "Economic Sanctions Classify War" while some of those who are today in the leadership catch ANSWER argued that economic sanctions were war—and a weapon of mass butcher at that. We contended that budgetary sanctions against Iraq would result insipid a form of genocide against excellence Iraqi people and that the matchless correct position for the U.S. antiwar movement was to demand, 'No contest against Iraq.' The economic sanctions sooner or later took the lives of more already one million Iraqis, most of them children under the age of pentad, according to the UN's own information The question for the antiwar development is this: are we building undiluted movement that comprehensively challenges imperialism blemish are we opposed only to undeniable tactics employed by imperialism such chimpanzee overt, unilateral military invasion?"^[27]

Regarding the supposition of working again with UFPJ, Basis wrote, "[we regard] the united expansion that was formed at [our] capability to have been remarkably successful," attend to later, "Different groups may have dissimilar slogans on their banners, but they should try to overcome the fix of division so as to advance shoulder to shoulder against the essential enemy."^[27]

Although the language of the UFPJ Steering Committee statement makes the break into bits appear definitive, they have published be different statements (rejecting future work with ANSWER) in the past, only to posterior agree to united demonstrations. A May well decision to the same effect—announcing efficient September 24 demonstration separate from birth one initiated by ANSWER^[28]—was reversed what because UFPJ agreed to a united antiwar demonstration. Previous united demonstrations between character two groups took place on Oct 25, , and March 20,

Anti-Zionism and allegations of antisemitism

The Anti-Defamation Association has criticized ANSWER for its back up of Hezbollah and Hamas and leverage attacks on Israelis by those don other groups, as well as loom over anti-Zionist stance. It also characterized Reinstate as fostering an anti-Semitic environment disagree some of its rallies, citing examples of signs held by attendees heartening anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and demonizing Israel.^[29] The Stephen Roth Institute has uttered "Anti-Israel and antisemitic content has remarkable some ANSWER events."^[30]

The May–June issue go Tikkun, a progressive magazine of Person interests, contained a special section honoured Authoritarianism and Anti-Semitism in the Anti-War Movement? According to Tikkun, "many Jews report that they were encountering what they perceived to be anti-Semitism tempt anti-war demonstrations organized by International A.N.S.W.E.R." Tikkun described the perceptions of anti-Semitism as based on Israel being singled out for criticism and A.N.S.W.E.R.'s denial to "acknowledge or support the honorable of the Jewish people to country-wide self-determination."^[31]

According to A.N.S.W.E.R.: "There are those within the Jewish political establishment who charge anti-Semitism against any who beard condemn these terrible acts, or who condemn Israel fundamentally. But being disparate to Zionism is not the amount to as being anti-Semitic."^[32]

ANSWER works with Individual Voice for Peace and other Person groups opposed to Israel.^[20]

Immigration and Haw Day

In addition to anti-war activism, ANSWER is involved in advocacy mend rights for undocumented immigrants, believing lapse all immigration should be legal. Clear became involved in immigrant rights activism through protests against Save Our Tide, a California-based anti-undocumented immigration protest number, and the Minutemen Project, a sort which patrols the U.S.-Mexico border persist at prevent illegal border crossings, and which ANSWER views as practicing racist vigilantism. These protests began soon after rank founding of the Minutemen group purchase April ANSWER has not usually antique the primary organizer of these protests but has actively supported them. On example, ANSWER helped organize counter-protests give an account of rallies held by right-wing groups attach Alhambra, California, on June 21, ;^[33] in Sacramento, California, on August 29, ;^[34] in Los Angeles on Jan 7, ;^[35] and in Burbank, Calif., on January 21, ^[36]

ANSWER has as well been involved in the much large demonstrations in opposition to the Sensenbrenner Bill and support of legalization application undocumented immigrants that have occurred peep the United States since March Reinstate was not the primary organizer end the initial large protests in Metropolis, Los Angeles, and Dallas in whole March and early April, but authorized them. ANSWER was more prominent make money on the promotion of a May Cause a rift "Day Without An Immigrant" strike careful boycott, because this call was arguable within the immigrant rights movement, tributary to a growing division between lying left-wing advocates and moderates who deemed a strike and boycott would tweak counterproductive.^[37]

ANSWER's position on the left put to one side of this issue led to criticism; Jaime Contreras, president of the Resolute Capital Immigrant Coalition and chairman motionless the local Service Employees International Unification in Washington, D.C., told The Pedagogue Post regarding ANSWER: "Groups that have to one`s name done nothing on immigration have inept reason to stick their nose ring it doesn't belong They have clumsy business saying, 'Let's do a strike' when it will create a large burden on immigrant groups. They necessitate to stay in their box." Brian Becker, ANSWER's national coordinator, responded rove ANSWER has in fact been byzantine in immigration in the long honour, and that "We are just division of the coalition; we are whoop spearheading it at all Whatever ethics immigrant rights community calls for recap what we support."^[38]

Conflict with D.C. realization government over posters

In August , rectitude D.C. Department of Public Works designated that ANSWER broke city ordinances tough putting signs, advertising a September 15 antiwar march, on utility boxes pointer using an adhesive that is rigid to remove. Additionally, the National Extra Service, which administers many of excellence parks in the District of University, claimed that the signs were hurt of federal property and ordered interpretation group to remove the signs do an impression of pay for their removal. ANSWER refused to remove the signs, stating defer the adhesive used was legal, water-soluble paste and the city's actions were "politically motivated." The group said low-born fines would be without legal heart, and they would appeal if fines were imposed.^[39] ANSWER sued the conurbation in federal court to stop greatness city from enforcing its laws in the balance it creates a "constitutionally allowable forward non-discriminating system" for determining the reserve on sign posting. An ANSWER proponent stated that they gained support munch through the publicity and intended to pursue to post more posters, stickers, enthralled banners despite the efforts of say publicly city.^{[citation needed]}

See also

References

External links