Category Archives: Anti-War

34th Annual Martin Luther Support for Labor Banquet

UntitledOn April 8, 2017 the Black Workers for Justice will hold its 34th annual banquet commemorating Dr. King’s contributions to the Civil Rights and Black Freedom struggles. In light of the new administration of right wing populist and white nationalist, Dr. King’s life and views on workers rights and imperialist war are as important as ever. As we have done over the last 35 years, we honor Dr. King in the context of his fight for the Memphis Sanitation workers and his assassination by the forces of capitalism.

“Today’s Challenge:Organizing Our Struggle on the Front Lines in the South for Peoples Power” is our theme this year. It means continuing the fight against HB2, voter suppression, Islamophobia, anti-immigrant policies and the rise of white supremacist groups like the KKK and similar groups.

Now more than ever, our work to build People’s Assemblies and the Southern Workers Assembly (SWA) is necessary and urgent.

The keynote speaker will be Fred Mason. Mason is a veteran Labor and Black Liberation Mason_t580Movement activist. Mason is the President of the Maryland/DC AFL-CIO. He will speak on the task of labor, the Black movement and allies in fighting for power on the front lines of today’s struggle.

You can buy tickets here on this website. For further information on tickets, etc. call (240) 882-2102.  If you or your organization would like to take out a digital ad you can write us a bwfj@earthlink.net for information. Your financial support is needed.

 

 

They Come for the Anti-War Activist Today; They Will Come for Us Tomorrow!

buildawall_11x14As African American activists engaged in the many struggles for social and economic justice and human rights, we are outraged by the recent FBI raids on anti-war activists in several U.S. cities, alleging they have connections to terrorism.  http://stopfbi.net/about/

We’ve seen these FBI and government raids and attacks on African American leaders and activists during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.  Medger Evers, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of the Black Panther Party, among others, were assassinated, jailed, beaten and driven into political exile for leading demonstrations and speaking out against racism, U.S. wars and other injustices

We are further outraged that these raids are happening under the Obama administration, as his election as the first Black U.S. President, grew out of a history of massive protests against racism and unjust wars.

Those who profit from these wars and U.S. support for oppressive governments like Israel and Colombia hope that by having a Black President, it will discourage African Americans from speaking out in protest against these raids, and against attacks on other social justice fighters.  Dr. King said that during times like these, “We must break our silence!”

We know full well, that these attacks, while starting against antiwar activists, are aimed at all activists that organize and mobilize against the many injustices caused by a system that places profits and domination over human needs.

It’s time for all struggles against injustice and for human rights in the U.S. and internationally, to close ranks against these attacks, and against the rapidly growing attack on all democratic rights, that is shaping the direction of U.S. society.  They come for the anti-war activists today; and they will come for us tomorrow.  Stop the raids!

[gview file=”http://bwfj.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/BWFJ-Statement-on-Raids.pdf”]

President Obama, We Are Very Disappointed in You!

00000afghanistanPresident Obama continues the failed policies of the Bush and Clinton administrations.  Money to bail out the rich corporations and for unending wars, at the expense of the working class, who face massive unemployment, housing foreclosures, cuts in social programs, millions without healthcare, and attacks on democratic and human rights.

After four hundreds of years of slavery, racism and injustice, and sacrifices of beatings, jailing, and deaths struggling for voting rights, democracy and liberation, the hopes and dreams of African Americans and others throughout the US and the world, was that the Obama Presidency would be different from the others.

And while we celebrated the election of Obama; a righteous expression of the unending struggle of African Americans for democracy and liberation, we must also criticize his departure from the aims of our historical struggles for a society and world without racism, oppression, exploitation and for environmental justice and world peace.

Obama’s decision to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan continues the corporate strategy to remain in that region through wars and the establishment of puppet governments and military bases, until it can control the oil and natural resources in an effort to dominate the world.

As Obama sends mainly working class young men and women to this imperialist war, where many will die, while conditions deteriorate at home, the Black Community and all who want peace must say NO to war.

These wars have helped to shaped and encourage a culture of violence in our communities.  If we support wars abroad, it is harder to oppose them at home in our communities.  If war is a must, let the people organize and make war on unemployment, poverty, homelessness, racism, all forms of discrimination and the lack of healthcare for all.

Unlike Bush, the Obama election mobilized a progressive majority; those who oppose wars, discrimination and attacks on worker rights, and who are engaged in the many movements for social justice. The African American Community was the core of this majority, and must take the lead in opposing the actions of the Obama administration that go against the interests of democracy and human rights at home and abroad.

The Black Community must let our voices be heard in opposition to the escalating war in Afghanistan.

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