Atlanta Conference Calls for NO BUSINESS AS USUAL April 14 to STOP POLICE MURDER

Updated February 11, 2015 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us

Sunday, February 8. A very important two-day conference in Atlanta drew over 170 people, from different walks of life, different nationalities and ages, to discuss and issue a Call from the Stop Mass Incarceration Network for a day of massive resistance this April 14 as a crucial step to get back on the offensive in the fight to stop police murder.

Carl Dix kicked things off on Saturday, February 7, with a talk, pointing to the real challenges facing the struggle against police murder and the plans that need to be realized for a day of No Business as Usual for April 14.

Sunday afternoon, at the end of the conference, a press release was issued announcing: “April 14, 2015 National Shut Down of Business as Usual to Stop Police Murder of Black and Brown People.”

Finalizing the Call was a very important task of the conference. In the course of the conference, in discussion of the Call and the vision of April 14, people expressed real determination to re-take the initiative in the fight against police murder by going on a mission to shut down business as usual across the country. Discussion included serious wrangling with what is really needed to STOP police murder, in contrast to pulls on sections of those who have been active to settle for solutions short of that. People came out united on working for a day of resistance on April 14, including some who had just heard about it. And everyone threw into the discussion, getting into why such a day is crucial at this moment and why it is so important to have a societywide impact—to, as the Call says, “take our movement to STOP wanton police murder to a whole new level.”

The conference, after discussion in a working group on political repression the movement is facing, heard a proposal from the working group to adopt principles (first proposed by a Revolution/revcom.us reader in a letter February 5) to help resist repression and resist attempts to sow dissension in the movement. The plenary, by acclamation, adopted these principles to be fought for within the movement of resistance:

Differences among people and groups should be struggled out in a principled way.

* There must not be physical threats, let alone physical attacks, against anyone in the movement to end these outrages.

* Do not make accusations that someone or some group is working with the police—being a provocateur or informant—without actual evidence.

* There are times when "working with the police" is necessary to negotiate permits, etc.; but in no instance is it ever permissible for people in struggle to finger, or turn over, others to the police or to speculate to the press—who often work closely with the authorities—about someone else in the movement. Such activity should actually be cause for barring people and individuals from the people's movements, until they renounce and change these practices.

There was a dynamic mix of backgrounds, walks of life, philosophies, and political perspectives at the Conference—Black nationalists, revolutionary communists, people from the faith community, lawyers, artists, and teachers, and members of families of victims of police murder. Two dozen students—mostly college plus a few high school students—brought insight and energy—including a contingent from the Ohio Students Association representing students organizing for justice for John Crawford who have linked up with mobilizations around Eric Garner and Mike Brown, and who are a significant force in the Black Lives Matter movement. They are helping take responsibility for spreading the call for the 14th nationwide among students. Revolution Clubs, including from NYC, Atlanta, Cleveland, Chicago, and LA played important roles in the conference and represented for revolution.

Volunteers Needed... for revcom.us and Revolution

Send us your comments.

If you like this article, subscribe, donate to and sustain Revolution newspaper.