After the Inauguration protests:
INAUGURATE FOUR DAYS OF MILITANT RESISTANCE
FOR FOUR MORE YEARS OF CULTURAL WAR

Since the Reagan era, the Christian Right has described its strategy as one of "culture war". For too much of that time, the anti-authoritarian movement has ignored this challenge. We have been content to fight the religious right in the context of single issues - reproductive freedom, women's and gay rights, free speech - without recognizing that the gains of fundamentalism in any sphere are inevitably our losses. The irrational cults of morality and authority promoted by religious programming are still the opiate that leads working-class people to reject their own freedom and fear their potential power.

The marriage of christian fundamentalism and neo-conservatism has provided U.S. imperialism with a massive propaganda machine to sell its profit wars to a population which otherwise would be deeply skeptical of its government's motives. And in the third world, the marriage of Islamic fundamentalism and anti-imperialism (promoted and engineered by those same neo-conservatives) has stifled the threat of any liberatory alternatives to capitalism, leaving in their place only quasi-fascist movements that promise even more repressive societies than the current u.s. model. Meanwhile closer to home, "marriage" itself has become the watchword by which the right-wing vows to destroy any power and autonomy the womens and gay movements have built over the past generation.

We see the success of the right wing's culture war in the powerlessness of the liberal left. After running a failed campaign whose only selling points were the attempt to present themselves as more militaristic and better able to use white supremacist code words than the Republicans, the Kerry camp pathetically folded their tails between their legs and quit. And after the elections, the only analysis Democratic Party strategists could make is that they needed to add "more religion" to their platform.

The liberals can't fight this battle, and without winning this battle they will keep losing all their other programs. Civil rights, social welfare, and labor movements are all being marginalized and bullied, divided and conquered; while at the same time the extreme right wing is blessed with unprecedented political power and financial support through cabinet and court appointments, and government handouts laundered through "faith-based" organizations.

And while we have no desire or intention of being shock troops for the liberals, we as anarchists need to step up for the sake of our culture and our future. While we were fighting the neo-liberal trade agreements, the religious right was building a power base strong enough to just sweep them aside. While we were fighting rear-guard battles to crush petty fascist threats, a larger and more sophisticated fascist movement was coalescing in front of us. It's time to give this enemy the attention it deserves.

Our movement has seen real growth and activity since Seattle. We have moved from a marginal subculture of malcontents and intellectuals to something of a community that can pose real challenges organizing in neighborhoods and workplaces, that can defend our cultural space, and can grow from criticism from and dialog with other movements. We can't afford to give up these efforts. At the same time, we need to coordinate ourselves for an organized attack on the forces of religious fundamentalism. Lets open up a new front in the culture wars.

The religious right and its allies are flexing their muscle in DC over the next week with demonstrations, marches, and conferences all centered around the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. We hope to see people join us in challenging and confronting these events.

On January 20th, the anti-fascist bloc will gather at 9:00am at Malcolm X Park to march with the DAWN march. We will join with the Anti-AUthoritarian Bloc at Franklin Square Park at 12:30pm. This is only the beginning. We hope that people stay in town for some of the following events:


Friday, January 21
Training for Clinic Escorts
Escorting for your local reproductive clinic can be a useful ongoing project to stop the anti-choice intimidation of abortion providers and reduce the trauma to women trying to go to the clinic. CBAMN! will be hosting a training by a member of WACDTF (Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force) on being a clinic escort. Location and time TBA (in Baltimore)

Baltimore Roe v. Wade Rally
Baltimore National Organization for Women holds their annual rally and candlelight vigil on the steps of the Mitchell Courthouse to commemorate the Roe v. Wade decision. If you're in town anyway for the clinic escort training, you might as well stay and show your support. 5:30 PM, 111 N. Calvert St., Baltimore

Saturday, January 22
Clinic Escorting (early AM)
This is the day when anti-abortion protesters typically have their largest clinic protests. We encourage anyone who has been trained by WACDTF to volunteer their support as escorts at local women's health clinics.

Students for Life conference
The American Collegians for Life organization is holding a national conference at Catholic University. We will be there to mount a protest of the organization in the early afternoon. Location and time TBA.

Rock for Life concert
At 6 PM in Arlington, there will be a Rock for Life benefit concert. Show up and demonstrate the true spirit of rebel youth culture to the poor sexually-repressed christian straight-edgers. Corner of 20th St. S and S. Clark Pl., Arlington (Crystal City Metro Stop)

Sunday, January 23
Face the Truth Tour
The people famous for displaying their billboard-sized grotesque photos which they claim are aborted fetuses will be picketing in front of the Holocaust Museum, trying to compare the Nazi holocaust of Jews and other minorities with the 'holocaust of the pre-born'. We plan to be there before them to show solidarity with the museum and prevent today's fascist troops from claiming its message as their own. Meet at 2 PM in front of the museum, 14th & C Sts., SW.

Monday, January 24
Defend Life March
This is the annual pro-life march on the Supreme Court, which is expected to draw over 100,000 people this year. A militant counter-protest is called to gather at the Navy Memorial at 10 AM. We are calling people to rally with signs, banners, etc. Later in the day, pro-choice and anti-fundamentalists will converge at the Supreme Court (1st St. & Maryland Ave., NE), where the march is scheduled to end.

Endorsers:
Anti-Racist Action Network - Mid-Atlantic Region; Choice by Any Means Necessary (Baltimore); Baltimore Anarchist Union; Philly RASH (Red & Anarchist Skinheads), SPAR (Skins and Punks Against Racism) - Philly, Nemesis Collective (Baltimore NEFAC), Stelton Collective (NJ NEFAC)

contact: mobtownara-AT-hotmail.com