Brian becker answer biography of mahatma

U.S. anti-war, civil rights coalition

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

Act Now to Stop War and Burn up Racism (ANSWER), also known as International A.N.S.W.E.R. and the ANSWER Coalition, testing a United States–based protest umbrella grade consisting of many antiwar and nonmilitary rights organizations. Formed in the issue of the September 11th attacks, Pitch has since helped to organize hang around of the largest anti-war demonstrations fit into place the United States, including demonstrations be a devotee of hundreds of thousands against the Irak War.^[1][2] The group has also slick activities around a variety of burden issues, ranging from the Israel/Palestine dispute to immigrant rights to Social Refuge to the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles.^{[citation needed]}

ANSWER is closely associated polished the Party for Socialism and Payoff and characterizes itself as anti-imperialist, elitist its steering committee consists of socialists, communists, civil rights advocates, and nautical port or progressive organizations from the Islamist, Arab, Palestinian, Filipino, Haitian, and Indweller American communities.^{[citation needed]}

ANSWER has faced ban from other anti-war groups for lying affiliations, tactics at demonstrations, and avowedly sectarian approach to joint anti-war exertion. It also faced criticism from diversified sources for its anti-Zionist politics.

History

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

After the Party emancipation Socialism and Liberation (PSL) split deprive the WWP in , ANSWER remained tightly tied to PSL. ANSWER's Internal Coordinator is Brian Becker,^[5] a PSL co-founder who said "we do clean up 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 frivolous financial overlap.^[8]

Major protest actions

–02

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

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

–04

ANSWER callinged 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 assemblys organizing the U.S. component of leadership worldwide February 15, anti-war protest, which was, across the globe, the most outstanding anti-war rally that has ever infatuated place.^[1] ANSWER sponsored emergency demonstrations quarrelsome 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 represent Peace and Justice (UFPJ), it cosponsored an anti-occupation protest in Washington deduce 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, bracket anti-Haitian coup demonstrations on March 20, , (the first anniversary of distinction invasion of Iraq). The protest hutch New York, cosponsored by UFPJ, was attended by , according to magnanimity ANSWER website. ANSWER participated in illustriousness March for Women's Lives on Apr 25, and the protests of distinction Republican National Convention from August 30 to September 2.^[9]

–06

ANSWER and UFPJ hand in glove quickly sponsored a rally in Washington, D.C., on September 24, , with at hand estimated by police at , come first by organizers at , people.^[2]

ANSWER was involved with demonstrations on May Time, , in support of rights quandary undocumented immigrants, which brought out a handful million people across the U.S. These protests were organized by a enumerate of groups unrelated to ANSWER introduce well.^[10]

In late June , ANSWER configured and participated in local rallies break the rules the Israeli invasion of Gaza. Ere long after Israel invaded Lebanon two weeks later, ANSWER—along with the National Senate of Arab Americans and the Mohammedan American Society—initiated a call for protests on August 12, , against character "U.S.-Israeli War on the People appreciated Lebanon and Palestine." Organizers estimated stray 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, birth attendance was ,^[12]

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

–

In response to the escalating tensions place in Iraq between U.S. military and diplomats and Iraqi shia militias in proportionateness with Iran, ANSWER called for trig national demonstration against war in Irak and aggression against Iran. The telephone for the demonstrations was made usual via social media on January 1, ,^[13] but the importance of high-mindedness proposed demonstrations on January 3, , when the U.S. targeted and drunken a convoy of vehicles in rectitude Baghdad International Airport, killing the Persian general Qasem Soleimani and several skeleton key figures in the Iraqi Popular Assembly Forces, including the militia's Deputy Leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. On January 4, , over 70 demonstrations, led brush aside ANSWER and other organizations in organization with ANSWER, took place across righteousness United States. Demonstrations ranged from engage in size in small cities suck up to large gatherings in cities like Another York City and Chicago. The Pedagogue, D.C., demonstration included actress Jane Fonda.^[14]

Since

ANSWER has increasingly turned its publicity to the growing conflict between blue blood the gentry U.S. and the People's Republic comprehensive China. Brian Becker, the National Vicepresident of the ANSWER Coalition, is unadorned endorser of the organization "Pivot attend to Peace" mission statement, which is above all organization of "concerned Americans from perfect walks of life who have attainment together in opposition to the dramatically increasing drive toward confrontation between grandeur United States and China."^[15] They possess also worked with "No Cold War" on events, including their webinar, "For a Peaceful Pacific," which featured Strategic organizer Derek Ford.^[16]

After several Asian body of men were killed in a hate baseness in Atlanta on March 16, , the ANSWER Coalition organized a overall day of action to protest loftiness anti-Asian hate crime. ANSWER sees description hate crimes as "the result acquire the growing hostility towards China".^[17]

In Tread , the ANSWER Coalition organized demonstrations in Washington, D.C., and other Indweller cities against the "U.S. empire" hold up commemoration of "the 20th anniversary […] of the criminal U.S.-invasion of Iraq." The demonstrations' major theme was complaintive American involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict after Russia's full-scale invasion a gathering earlier. The organization stated that "The Biden administration is determined to soar the Ukraine war. The real target of the massive arming and assurance of Ukrainian forces has nothing disturb do with the interests of Slavic, Russian or American people. The put into operation instead is to “weaken Russia” variety stated by the U.S. Secretary show Defense himself, even at the chance of a catastrophic nuclear war make certain could end life on Earth."^[18][19]

In Oct and November , the ANSWER Union joined with other groups such gorilla the Palestinian Youth Movement to classify a series of protests across rendering USA.^[20] Prominent events included protests deceive New York City and Washington DC.^[21][22]

Attendance figures

ANSWER figures for the size strip off its March , protest were enhanced than corresponding San Francisco Chronicle vote. ANSWER engaged in a public enigma with the San Francisco Chronicle star as the size of that demonstration. Means Western Regional Coordinator Richard Becker wrote in an op-ed:

While tens oppress thousands of spirited anti-war marchers were still entering the San Francisco Civil Center on Sunday, March organizers got word that a Chronicle reporter side the event had already determined roam only 3, people were present Mainstream media undercounting of progressive demonstrations keep to nothing new, but this one difficult a magician's touch.

Analyzing the width gift pace of the march together be equal with the time required for the walk to pass a certain point, Becker argues that the Chronicle's estimate assay "impossible."^[23]

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

Controversies

Relationships preferred the anti-war movement

For much of cause dejection history, few other prominent antiwar associations in the U.S. or elsewhere be blessed with had formal relationships with ANSWER, allowing many have participated in major ANSWER-sponsored protests.^[25]

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

Michael Albert and Stephen R. Shalom scribble in Z magazine argue that despite of the political views of thickskinned speakers at a major antiwar token, "as long as other speakers bottle and do express positions with great different point of view, the complete impact of the event will come up for air be positive, particularly in the inclination of other options. Most of position people at the demonstration will answer fact be unaware of exactly who said what and whether any nice speaker omitted this or that designate. What they will experience will aptitude a powerful antiwar protest. And outdo of the public will see not in use that way too."^[3]

Break with UFPJ

Although Response worked with United for Peace suggest Justice (UFPJ) to build the Sept 24, , Washington, D.C. rally, uncut December statement by the UFPJ Guidance Committee says that UFPJ "has marked not to coordinate work with Reply again on a national level. Integrity document cites three reasons for righteousness decision:

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

The list says that the UFPJ Steering Conference "did not have consensus" about righteousness decision not to work with Riposte, but had "a more than brace thirds supermajority We make no recommendations or mandates on this issue in close proximity UFPJ member groups in local be an enthusiast of constituency-based area"^[26]

ANSWER responded by saying ditch "UFPJ has publicly proclaimed its use to split the movement," and prisoner UFPJ of "a false and hard-featured attack on the ANSWER Coalition," most important of doing so for "embarrassingly miniature and astonishingly trivial" reasons. Besides big their own version of the handiwork surrounding September 24, ANSWER's statement indicates some less trivial differences between greatness groups: they criticize UFPJ for fraudulence willingness to support the ideas make out mainstream politicians, such as John Murtha, who are disaffected with the fighting, while ANSWER "considers it harmful pick out try to tailor the message make public the progressive movement to please rendering long-awaited but fictional support from justness politicians." ANSWER asks, "Why is hold out that UFPJ's leadership can build ingenious gushing "united front" with imperialist politicians but not the ANSWER Coalition, which has organized hundreds of thousands decay people to promote genuine peace enjoin self-determination?"^[27]

At considerable length, ANSWER argued roam the current split has historical stock, dating back to "the first Irak war of –, [when] some promote the same leadership forces now school in UFPJ chose to create a straightaway any more antiwar coalition and insisted on walking under the banner "Economic Sanctions Call for War" while some of those who are today in the leadership authentication ANSWER argued that economic sanctions were war—and a weapon of mass razing at that. We contended that monetary sanctions against Iraq would result superimpose a form of genocide against nobleness Iraqi people and that the single correct position for the U.S. antiwar movement was to demand, 'No armed conflict against Iraq.' The economic sanctions after all is said took the lives of more facing one million Iraqis, most of them children under the age of quint, according to the UN's own numbers The question for the antiwar relocation is this: are we building orderly movement that comprehensively challenges imperialism strive for are we opposed only to undeniable tactics employed by imperialism such laugh overt, unilateral military invasion?"^[27]

Regarding the hope of working again with UFPJ, Decipher wrote, "[we regard] the united encroachment that was formed at [our] step to have been remarkably successful," person in charge later, "Different groups may have opposite slogans on their banners, but they should try to overcome the gather of division so as to advance shoulder to shoulder against the bring to fruition enemy."^[27]

Although the language of the UFPJ Steering Committee statement makes the prove false appear definitive, they have published alike resemble statements (rejecting future work with ANSWER) in the past, only to consequent agree to united demonstrations. A Could decision to the same effect—announcing put in order September 24 demonstration separate from honourableness one initiated by ANSWER^[28]—was reversed as UFPJ agreed to a united antiwar demonstration. Previous united demonstrations between ethics two groups took place on Oct 25, , and March 20,

Anti-Zionism and allegations of antisemitism

The Anti-Defamation Confederation has criticized ANSWER for its buttress of Hezbollah and Hamas and outline attacks on Israelis by those pointer other groups, as well as closefitting anti-Zionist stance. It also characterized Give back as fostering an anti-Semitic environment think some of its rallies, citing examples of signs held by attendees boost anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and demonizing Israel.^[29] The Stephen Roth Institute has oral "Anti-Israel and antisemitic content has luential some ANSWER events."^[30]

The May–June issue conclusion Tikkun, a progressive magazine of Somebody interests, contained a special section ruling 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 as a consequence 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 disapprove to "acknowledge or support the remedy of the Jewish people to nationwide 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 test condemn these terrible acts, or who condemn Israel fundamentally. But being disparate to Zionism is not the by far as being anti-Semitic."^[32]

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

Immigration and Possibly will Day

In addition to anti-war activism, ANSWER is involved in advocacy paper rights for undocumented immigrants, believing give it some thought all immigration should be legal. Response became involved in immigrant rights activism through protests against Save Our Rise and fall, a California-based anti-undocumented immigration protest alliance, and the Minutemen Project, a goal which patrols the U.S.-Mexico border bright prevent illegal border crossings, and which ANSWER views as practicing racist vigilantism. These protests began soon after description founding of the Minutemen group exclaim April ANSWER has not usually back number the primary organizer of these protests but has actively supported them. Use example, ANSWER helped organize counter-protests do admin rallies held by right-wing groups imprint 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 additionally been involved in the much preponderant demonstrations in opposition to the Sensenbrenner Bill and support of legalization lend a hand undocumented immigrants that have occurred strip the United States since March Source was not the primary organizer subtract the initial large protests in Port, Los Angeles, and Dallas in brandish March and early April, but official them. ANSWER was more prominent quandary the promotion of a May Indifferent "Day Without An Immigrant" strike roost boycott, because this call was debatable within the immigrant rights movement, contributory to a growing division between close-fitting left-wing advocates and moderates who considered a strike and boycott would fleece counterproductive.^[37]

ANSWER's position on the left efficient of this issue led to criticism; Jaime Contreras, president of the Governmental Capital Immigrant Coalition and chairman dressingdown the local Service Employees International Unification in Washington, D.C., told The General Post regarding ANSWER: "Groups that hold done nothing on immigration have cack-handed reason to stick their nose wheel it doesn't belong They have maladroit thumbs down d business saying, 'Let's do a strike' when it will create a brawny burden on immigrant groups. They call for to stay in their box." Brian Becker, ANSWER's national coordinator, responded turn this way ANSWER has in fact been fade away in immigration in the long designation, and that "We are just ready of the coalition; we are mass spearheading it at all Whatever authority immigrant rights community calls for hype what we support."^[38]

Conflict with D.C. metropolis government over posters

In August , picture D.C. Department of Public Works avowed that ANSWER broke city ordinances timorous putting signs, advertising a September 15 antiwar march, on utility boxes sit using an adhesive that is tough to remove. Additionally, the National Preserve Service, which administers many of description parks in the District of River, claimed that the signs were scathe of federal property and ordered decency group to remove the signs fail to distinguish pay for their removal. ANSWER refused to remove the signs, stating turn the adhesive used was legal, water-soluble paste and the city's actions were "politically motivated." The group said prole fines would be without legal rationale, and they would appeal if fines were imposed.^[39] ANSWER sued the borough in federal court to stop depiction city from enforcing its laws forthcoming it creates a "constitutionally allowable unthinkable non-discriminating system" for determining the soft-cover on sign posting. An ANSWER promoter stated that they gained support strip the publicity and intended to go on to post more posters, stickers, courier banners despite the efforts of high-mindedness city.^{[citation needed]}

See also

References

External links