WHEN: August 13, 2005, 3 PM – to no later than 7 PM

WHERE: Washington, DC, The Flemming Center (9th and P Streets NW, at 1426 9th St. NW … 4 blocks from Convention Center – Green and Yellow lines – or 3 blocks from Shaw Metro – Green Line)

WHO: Open to individuals or representatives from affinity groups or organizations interested in or planning for direct actions in September, as well as the necessary logistics. This is a regional consulta, and so people from out of town are especially encouraged to join us. IF YOU CAN, PLEASE BRING FOOD AND DRINK WITH YOU.

WHAT WILL WE TALK ABOUT: We will hear reports about the September mobilization from various groups, discuss both planned and potential actions for Friday through Monday, and identify what resources are needed to make this a successful mobilization. We hope the consultative process helps inform any spokescouncil that develops in DC or other cities. Since this is a national mobilization, input from people across the region is essential. Since phone calls don’t work very well for consultas, we hope that this event, which follows a prison reform protest (see www.journeyforjustice.org/ ), can draw a reasonable number of people.

ALSO: Monday, August 8, from 6:30 – 8:30 PM in MLK Library, Room A-5, DC area locals are encouraged to attend the first consulta on the September mobilization. Please attend this important meeting, if you can.

WHY:
Clean House!
Call to Action: No More Business as Usual on September 23-26, 2005

On September 23 - 26, Washington DC will host a historic demonstration of people power that includes a global justice mobilization to confront the corporate loan sharks at the World Bank/IMF meetings, a massive anti-war mobilization, and a timely protest of Israel's brutal occupation of Palestine.

The septemberACTION Collective sees people taking action to "clean house" of the corporate elites and their political and military cronies as the common thread. We urge people of all colors, cultures, faiths, and walks of life to mobilize in Washington, DC, or in your own town on September 23-26, 2005, to stop business as usual.

Enough business as usual in the U.S. Empire, whose pillars of corporate globalization, militarism and media disinformation subvert democracy, wreak ecological disasters and perpetuate social injustices.

Enough business as usual at the World Bank and the IMF, whose corporate fatcats restructure economies to maximize corporate plunder while robbing the people directly affected by these backroom deals of any meaningful say in the process.

Enough business as usual with the military and corporate occupation of Iraq, a nightmare with no end in sight.

Iraq, however, is typical of wars for Empire all across the globe. The tragedy in Iraq represents the will of an aristocracy in the U.S. who work in concert with elites in other nations to destroy people, cities, and lives for economic and political gain. Their imperial power strives to ignore and repress massive anti-war sentiment and demonstrations by people who live in the aggressor nations. Meanwhile, those who directly suffer from the consequences of war and occupation, whether in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan or Haiti, have even less say.

The Bush Administration, Democrats, Republicans and their corporate bosses want us to believe we are powerless because they control the money, police, military and the corporate media. But People-Power sees power as a fragile relationship. Those in positions of power depend on the compliance of the people they hold power over. When people organize themselves to withdraw their cooperation, the power holders' grasp on power begins to weaken and crumble.

We invite you to assert your power and bring in your ideas, your energy, your actions to Washington, DC and in other cities to say, “No More Business as Usual!” Please use www.septemberACTION.org as your clearinghouse for all the actions, consultas, conference calls and meetings going on as we “Clean House.” Clean out the White House, the
Congress, the World Bank, the IMF, the war profiteers, the neoliberals as well as the neoconservatives! It is our house, our time to be noticed, our time to act!

WHO IS the septemberACTION Collective: The SeptemberACTION Collective is a group of organizers from across the country who are committed to making sure that as many people as possible are empowered to take action during the September 23 - 26 mobilizations. We formed to ensure that everything possible was being done to create space for creative, autonomous direct action by a diverse group of experienced and non-experienced participants, and that basic mobilization logistical and information needs were met.

Most of the members of the collective come from a variety of anti-war or global justice groups, but this effort is entirely independent of those groups. Many members came together while working in a caucus for UFPJ's Nonviolent Direct Action working group, but this effort is not a United for Peace and Justice effort and does not in any way represent UFPJ. We are peace and global justice activists, union organizers and civil rights activists, working as one force committed to direct action in service to peace, people-power, and progress.

We encourage other groups to develop tools and resources for the mobilization and insist radically on the right of autonomy. If you want to do it all yourself, we are here to help in any way we can. We do not claim to speak for you or for the movement. We speak only for ourselves as a collective and simply hope that the resources we provide and the call we have outlined is something that you find empowering, hopeful, and helpful.

As an open collective, we are always open to new members who are committed to promoting space for creative, autonomous direct action for the September mobilization.

ONE LAST THING YOU MIGHT CONSIDER: On August 12, at 8 PM, at DC’s Tivoli Theater, out-of-towners might consider attending a fundraiser for the DC Anti-War Network to support an anti-war adaptation of Aeschylus’s, “The Persians.” Tickets are $25 and will also help support the Scena Theater, which is trying to show that there is an audience for anti-war theater. You will be able to purchase tickets for this fundraiser at www.dawndc.net now or shortly. You will also be able to purchase tickets at the door. The Tivoli Theater is on 14th Street and Park Street NW, one block north of the Columbia Heights Metro. For those going to the prison reform protest, this can be another networking opportunity the night before a day of action.

FOR MORE INFO: Visit www.septemberACTION.org or email consulta (at) septemberaction.org . For more September announcements, send a blank email to announce-subscribe (at) septemberaction.org or discussion send a blank email to discuss-subscribe (at) septemberaction.org .
See also:
www.septemberACTION.org
www.loveandstruggle.net