CCLEFT's Journal

What's Wrong with CCLeft? How do We Fix it Before It's Too Late?

2007-04-19T03:32:21Z

Here's the message that I sent out to everybody on the email list. Much discussion is encouraged.

What’s Wrong with CCLeft? How Do We Fix it Before It’s Too Late?
By Tristan
While I wrote this essay alone, it would not have been possible without an extensive conversation with Iwi.
Comments, questions, suggestions and howls of outrage are all encouraged. While I have put a lot of thought into how to change CCLeft, in no way do I believe that this is the definitive answer to CCLeft’s problems, rather, this is my attempt to start a discussion towards creating solutions.

The meetings in Smith have become progressively smaller, with only a handful people showing up from week to week. Production of SpeakLeft! has sputtered, and now grinds to a halt. Events are planned but never held. Changes to campus policy or culture are suggested, but never followed. Something dreadfully wrong has happened. It is imperative that we not only examine what went wrong, but also begin actively discussing how we want to rebuild CCLeft for next semester. The need for CCLeft has not abated, but CCLeft must change itself in order for it to meet those needs. There are arguably outside conditions that had an adverse effect on CCLeft. But rather than focus on them, we should plan how to change ourselves to meet those challenges. I will discuss what I see as multiple of the internal failures of CCLeft and attempt to suggests changes we make to them.

Conduct During Meetings

Some people talk a lot at meetings, some people don’t. This is true. But everyone should feel comfortable in voicing their concerns during meetings and should not be silenced due to fear. CCLeft has mentioned on multiple occasions for the need of a facilitator, but often they have been ignored due to the small size of the present group. While it is true that often CCLeft meetings have the natural flow of a conversation, this brings the incredible drawback of excluding people from the conversation, a tendency to meander, an inability to stick to an agenda and to lengthen meetings.
The only solution to this is to require a facilitator at a meeting, no matter how small. Also that people give respect to those who are not usually inclined to speak. I would also suggest that an agenda be presented to those gathered prior to the meeting. The agenda would then be modified to the needs of those present.

Nostalgia

The Old Guard knows that 05-06 was a good year for CCLeft. We need to get over this. While it is important that we remember the history of our organization, when we look back we need to make sure that we remember both the good and the bad, both the events and the planning they took. A SDSer that I very much admire, Josh “Brownies” Russell, once gave an excellent metaphor “ A hawk will circle for hours in the air, three or more, before it plunges and attempts to kill its prey. One of the most dangerous things we can do is look back and see only the swoop and not the hours of planning that went into it.” So whenever we think, “Hey, in fall ‘05, we were putting out SpeakLeft! every two weeks!(fortnightly in fact)” we should remember that that did not happen magically. We put out SpeakLeft! that often because people were willing to put in a lot of time and sweat. Nostalgia can also trap us, prevent us from doing something new. I think that nostalgia is the real reason that we have never had a true facilitator in our groups; the number of people there really had nothing to do with it.

Division of Labor

Throughout the year, much of the work for CCLeft has continuously fallen on the same group of people. While continuing to volunteer for tasks is essential, this has had the negative effect of giving a sense of mistrust to new CCLefters and over time it has given the Old Guard CCLefters the feeling that no one else can do the tasks. Tasks given during the meeting, such as secretary, facilitator, etc., are supposed to be rotated but often end up falling on the same people over and over again.
There should be some sort of partnership of Old Guard with New CCLefters to ensure that the young bloods do not have to revisit the failures that the Old Guard knows to avoid. For tasks that integral for each meeting, such as secretary, facilitator, etc., there should either be training offered to everybody at the beginning of the semester so that everybody is comfortable fulfilling the roles or they should be mandated to a single person, like the role of Treasurer currently is. Equality does not prohibit specialization. But we should keep in mind that power might begin to concentrate in roles such as secretary if we do decide to make it a permanent position.

Accountability Outside of Meetings

Over the year, CCLeft has become less of a club and more an association of individuals. The identity of a group, rather than individuals, is important. As we became only individuals, the importance of our tasks was diminished: the purpose of finishing tasks was only to avoid criticism and anger of another member. We should be completing tasks for the purpose of reaching towards a goal that we all, as an organization, agreed on. While people may not necessarily enjoy doing their tasks, they should understand the purpose behind them and how both the organization as a whole and the individual will benefit.

Lack of Discussion

In our meetings and events this year there has been a lack of discussion on both events historical and contemporary, and political theory. This makes no sense; we are a political organization. We should talk about politics and history, we should argue with each other over anarchist, communist, socialist, feminist, anti-racist, queer, environmental issues. None of us know everything and we should foster discussion, not merely plan events. Or if we do only plan events, we should encourage discussion and debate at those events. But I can completely understand people not being interested in returning to CCLeft. They came to a political group that didn’t discuss politics; how incredibly lame is that?
This lack of discussion is probably tied into people not being comfortable in the presence of others. Hopefully once this trust is restored, the discussion will follow.

-Tristan

Notes from 3/27/07

2007-03-29T20:54:56Z

Notes:
-Activism Conference Recap
-Upcoming Events:
-Swedish Guy April 12th, 1941, 5:30
-Feminist Philosopher next Wed?

-SpeakLeft:
-Will: Article on San Francisco 8
-Iwi: Article on Bison
-Advertisements for Events?

-San Fransisco 8
-Tristan has ordered Documentary
-We'll show it in Olin 014 and have stuff so people can send letters

-Activism Conference: What should CCLeft present on?
-Immingrants Rights
-Iraq War
-Unions
-Globization from Below
-Bison

See everybody next week!

Report Back from Brown SDS Anti-Textron Action

2007-03-19T22:54:27Z

So this Monday (the 19th) I went down to Providence to go to Brown SDS's die in at Textron. Textron is a weapons manufactorior that just recently procured $93 million contract with the US government to produce cluster bombs.

I arrived around noon, grabed some lunch from the awesome Falffel place on Thayer St. and then wandered around until I found the Brown SDS kids. It was around 40 people, mainly Brown students, but also some SDSers from URI and RIC and others just there for solidarity. We gathered together around a block away from the Textron site and discussed the plans for the aciton. Then we took the streets as we walked there, chanting and holding banners and signs. When we arrived in front of the Textron building, we took the street in front of it. Then several SDSers, dressed in business suits and posing as the executives of Textron, broke from the crowd, and in stage whispers talked about their nefarious plans to build cluster bombs that would be used against innocent civilians. Then they threw their cluster bombs into the crowd, and we all fell to the ground, writhing as "blood" (strawberry jelly) frothed from our mouths and covered our hands. There were several news cameras around, the ones I noticed were from NBC and Boston Indymedia.
The "innocent civlians" then roused themselves and stood with the evil executives and chanted against Textron. Then, after a rousing speak by one of the Brown SDSers, we approached the building and smeared the white marble with "bloody" hand prints. Unfortunately, some of crowd were roughly turned away by the cops present, but still an impressive array of hand prints made it to the wall.
Then we took the streets again and marched back to the Brown campus, leaving our comrade Vall to continue talking to the reporters (this was a big mistake). We walked back to the campus chanting, receiving much support from pedestarians on the sidewalk; but unfortunately they did not join us. When we reached Brown campus , still being followed by the cops, we had a short shout-out to everybody who came and then dispersed. But then we realized that Vall had never caught up with us. Eventually it came out that he was arrested. So around 15 of us walked over to the "Providence Correctional Facility Complex" also known as the Police Station to give jail solidarity to our comrade. After around 2 hours and much fuss by the police, he was released with a misconduct charge (they originally tried to charge him with malicious defacement, but that was dropped, probably when they realized that we had used jam rather than paint).
So all in all, the action went pretty well, espicially as I managed to leave Providence before rush hour.

-Tristan

Proposed Letter of Solidarity to NW SDS

2007-03-13T20:15:11Z

Hey all,
As you may or may not be aware, during this past weekend there was major resestiance by Olympia SDS, Tacoma SDS and the Port Military Resistance when another stryker brigade was loaded at Tacoma. Last year there was a similar protest at Olympia, following which Lt. Watada became the first officer to refuse duty to serve in Iraq. Also, the military was chased out of Olympia, as they are now trying to load in Tacoma. I have drafted a proposed letter of solidarity to the NorthWest region for this action.

To Tacoma SDS, Olympia SDS, Port Military Resistance and their allies,
We, Connecticut College SDS, would like to congratulate you on your persistent actions during the weekend of March 9th at the port of Tacoma during the loading of the strykers. We hope that your actions will continue to build in force and multitude, just as this action was built upon the actions in Olympia last year. Your organizing and direct action in the face of direct police retaliation and infiltration is an inspiration for SDS chapters and the anti-war movement across the country. We all look forward to the day when this foolish war is over.
Yours in solidarity,
CCLeft, Connecticut College SDS

So I'm planning on emailing and snail mailing them a copy of this letter at the end of the week. Tell me if you want me to include your name on it.
Thanks,
Tristan

Notes for 2/28/07

2007-03-01T02:40:11Z

Let me just preface this by saying that the only thing more annoying than typing up meetings notes is when you realize that people haven't posted the notes for the past two meetings (and that one of them, Alex, still has my little stand in notebook).

Notes for Wed.
-CCDems and CCR are having a "debate" keg and want us to come. CCLeft fails to endorse this, but individuals will likely turn up
-Peacetrust Guy (Plowshares and World Social Forum guy) changed his date to April 12th
-Referendum thing on Mon. It will be at 7. NL Greens and NL Dems and maybe NL R? will be there. CCDems is doing most of the organizing for this, but people should come and get their absentee ballots there
-SpeakLeft this Friday!!!
Articles so far:
Herbal Abortives
Recyclemania and Concert for Conservation tips
Events at Conn for April
SDS Convention Reportback
Any thing else?
Articles due at 8 pm tomorrow
-May Day Stuff:
We should contact local unions as Centro is contacting faith community
-For Border wall, should we use cardbord child's bricks?
-Have a sign saying when the wall will be torn down and also the Si Se puede banner so people don't get confused
-We'll show Confederate States of America on April 6th, early in the evening before the Fair Trade fashion show, as something cool to do when we get back

-States resolution to impeach Bush and Cheney? More info will be coming soon.

-Notes taken and typed by Tristan

Follow Up from Wednesday Meeting

2007-02-16T15:21:14Z

So on Wed. we talked a little bit about the referendum that's going on the ballot in New London soon. So I sent Bob Stuller an email about it and he said that the NL Greens are supporting the referendum and that they would be willing to organize a talk on campus on exactly what the changes will mean. They support the referndum and hope that it will be a start of some ohter things that they want to see happen in New London, like redestricting and Instant Run-Off voting.
Also, I've been trying to email Centro de la Comunida about May Day stuff, but their email isn't working. I'll try to call them sometime soon.
-Tristan, who is trying to figure out how to get to NYC

ccleft @ 2007-02-14T14:37:00

2007-02-14T19:36:25Z

Link

-- Will

Report Back from CT SDS Meeting

2007-02-11T22:24:31Z

So on Sunday, Feb. 11th I went up to Wesleyan to the Third CT SDS meeting. There were six others there, three from Wesleyan, 2 from Quinebaug Community College and Matt from Capitol Community College in Hartford. Neither the Wesleyan people nor the Quinepaug had a SDS chapter so we talked a bit about starting up a chapter, how to get people interested, actions that we had done in the past, what we were planning on doing etc. We talked about what other SDS chapters have done and are planning on doing. Another topic was the pamphlet that Matt and I are working on that explains some of the ideologies within SDS, what it has formed, how to start a chapter and how to plan actions and events. A number of people present were planning on going to both the NE Convention and NCOR, so it will be cool to meet up with them there.
Next CT SDS meeting: Sunday, March 4th, Hartford. Precise location TBA.

Tristan

2/7/07

2007-02-08T03:13:43Z

2/7/07
Staff- student relations
Scott will talk to Sarah Barr about student/staff stuff
Staff is concerned about parking
We want to help the staff with issues like parking in order to create a relationship with them, and then if they need something later on they know they have to students’ support
Perhaps we should create a forum in which students and staff can talk
But would the staff even come?
Do they have the time?
We can’t start to have serious conversations with the staff unless they can trust us to help the with smaller issues
We should have an anti-inappropriate behaviors campaign
Send out a survey to find out more about staff, working conditions, etc.
Should work it out with Staff council
There is a difference between staff who clean, cook, etc and staff in the offices
Yearly, biannual “state of the staff” survey. Committee…?
Which would involve whoever
We will try to start this us…
First by Scott talking to Sarah Barr and Staff council

Budget went fine

Speak Left
We have four articles
Out on Friday
We need to get the word out that there is a new issue out
Put an add in the contact bottom of the page

Banner
On Friday making banner for Divestment committee
“Invest responsibly”
“Invest resp: the money you invest can affect millions of people worldwide”
Holding the school accountable for what it is doing
Would we use the help of the investment club?
Banner: invest resp… take the survey on…

Concert
With Gabe Chandler--ask him
Crow’s Nest
No matter what we should have a concert
Plan B?

May Day\MAY 1st
Build a wall representing between Mexico and US and then destroy it—using recycled materials
Performance with people playing Americans
Call Nick Raybal about costumes
Do it in downtown New London?
Do it on campus but with a press release
On campus it will be easier to make an impact
Contact rally people to see if they are having a rally on May 1st—Tristan
Invite people to help us build the wall rather than doing it in secret

DIE IN FOR DARFUR

POSTERS
If you see something, say something
Put them up
Poster campaign

Is your president responsible enough?

Look into issues of presidential powers and civil liberties
Hang fake security cameras in conspicuous places

SDS statewide mtg. on Sunday in Wesleyan
Next week regional mtg in New York

ccleft @ 2007-02-05T23:33:00

2007-02-06T04:37:08Z

-- Will

...also anti-capitalist propaganda

Budget Proposal Spring '07

2007-02-01T05:00:32Z

Here it is, any suggestions, email thusby. It's due on Friday, so you guys basically have Thursday to make comments.

CCLeft Budget Explanation

CCLeft was founded in October 2003 to balance the political spectrum at Connecticut College.
Last semester our activities included bringing a number of speakers to campus, showing a number of films and publishing SpeakLeft. CCLeft brought Soleil Rodrigue of New Orleans Common Ground Relief to speak on New Orleans' reconstruction, Cliff Thornton, Green Party candidate for Governor to speak on the Drug War and drugs in Connecticut and also Charlie Anderson of Iraq Veterans Against the War to speak on the state of the occupation of Iraq and future solutions. We also helped co-sponsor STAND bringing Eric Reeves to come and speak about the ongoing genocide in Darfur. In addition, CCLeft aided Umoja with the construction of their wall for Black Solidarity Day.
CCLeft is planning to work with the Fair Trade Initiative to make all the coffee served on campus Fair Trade certified and also with STAND on their divestment campaign. For our future endeavors we are requesting funding for:

- Materials including but not limited to environmental friendly
-spray paint
-poster board
-markers
-chalk
-cloth for banners
-X-Acto knives
-white board
The materials are required for promoting our events, meetings, speakers and raising awareness of campaigns. X-acto knives are needed for making stencils for spray painting on our banners. The white board will be used in our meetings to help facilitate discussion of our weekly agenda.

-Photocopies for flyers, pamphlets and newsletters. CCLeft currently writes, edits and makes the lay-out for SpeakLeft, a paper read by the campus community including students, staff and faculty. An issue of SpeakLeft cost $28 for each print run at the campus print shop and we plan on producing 3 issues this semester. Pamphlets and flyers are necessary to promote events and provide the campus with information prior to coming to discussion groups so that the discussion is more focused. CCLeft has extensively used the CONNtact to raise awareness of campaigns and events and plans to continue so in the future.

-Updating the CCLeft library. CCLeft's library is a cornerstone of educating members within the group and college community at large. It contains books, DVDs, spoken word CDs, pamphlets and other such materials. A filing cabinet is required to efficiently organize all the paper materials in the library. Educating ourselves and the entirety of the campus is an essential part of our organization, so that we can effectively take an active stance against social injustices. The SGA has sponsored the expansion of the CCLeft library in the past and it is necessary to do so again.

-Movie Nights. CCLeft holds movie nights as a way to lead into discussions. This money would allow us to purchase documentaries currently not available in the Shain Library, show them to the campus and then add to the CCLeft Library.

-Co-Sponsorship. CCLeft has worked in coordination with numerous groups in the past and plans to in the future. STAND is planning on bringing members of the Lost Boys, men who have survived the genocide in Darfur, to speak on campus and CCLeft would like to help with this even, building on help CCLeft offered STAND in bringing Eric Reeves last semester. SAVE is beginning a Save the Ales campaign to raise awareness on global warming on campus and CCLeft is interested in helping. A coalition of groups is planning to bring the journalist Amy Goodman to campus and CCLeft would like to take part in planning this event.

Materials
Spray Paint 25
Posterboard 15
Cloth (approx. $10 per banner) 40
X-Acto Knives 15
Misc. Art Supplies 20

Photocopies
Flyers, Pamphlets 75
SpeakLeft 84
CONNtact Expenses 50

Library
Upkeep 50

Movie Nights
Purchases 50

Co-Sponsorship
STAND's Lost Boys 50
SAVE's Save the Ales 50
Amy Goodman, speaker fees 50

Total 574

Tristan

1/31/07 Notes

2007-02-01T03:55:27Z

Notes for Wed. Meeting:

1. Joanna can run workshops on Friday
2. Will is going to look into who has banner space reserved and when it is avaiable
3. Will spoke to CCDems prez. about Living Wage Campaign and Staff Relations
-CCDems is taking these on as a project, wants other groups to help
-Important things from staff council: Parking and students relations at the top of Staff's mind
-CCdems will host a program about this for students (within next 2 weeks?)
-CCLeft involvement: Survey? Scott will talk to Jen and others about his meeting with the Staff Council
4. SpeakLeft! Need two more articles
-Have: Interview with Jake
-Have: Jake's additional info. about New Orleans
-Possible articles:
-Miriam on Divestment
-Lakshmi on new LGBT resource
-Iwi on BFC
5. Budget
-will posted soon later tonight
-any suggestions email thusby
6. Syriana, Fri. 7:30
-Emmaneul is excited
-Peggy and Kruger will make food at Earth House on Fri
-Miriam and Kruger will facilitate discussion
-Miriam and Melanie will leave tomorrow at 2:30 to get the movie
-Invite people on Facebook!
7. Pizza and Profundity on Accountability
-4:30, Next Mon. Faculty Lounge
-Next Thurs: Hobbes and Hurricane Katrina
8. Possible May Day action:
-Build a wall in New London and then knock/blow it down/up.

Notes by Miriam, typed by Tristan

1/24/07 minutes

2007-01-25T03:01:31Z

Minutes!

(there were 7 of us at the meeting!)

D.C. March THIS SATURDAY
- Rachel Jyllka has a VAN that is going friday night and coming back saturday night
- also a bus that is going (costs $50)
- Brenna has a car in guilford (40 min away, and on the way) if we can get a ride that far
- people interested in going: Will, Tristan, Brenna, Joanna, Soraya, Buzzy and Rachel (?)

RESTRUCTING MEETINGS
- watch the time management of meetings, so decisions can be made
- white board for visual aid
- recap at the beginning of the meeting
- "vibe watcher": keep aware of high energy level/passionate subjects; keep people conscious of how they are talking
- Assign roles at beginning of meeting along with meeting (?)
- Check in at end of meeting

Advertising for CCLeft Meeting
- CONNtact ad - Skinner
- Facebook (Stop the F'n War group, CCLeft Group)
- Banner at Cro
- reserve space (Will will talking to EDNA...hehe..and reserve for as long as possible)

MOVIE NIGHT! YAY!
- "Syriana" (Miriam has a copy) will be shown FRIDAY FEB 2nd, 7:30pm, UNITY
- snacks will be there!
- "The Trials of Henry Kissinger" to be shown the following time, perhaps.
Movie Advertising
- Facebook: Tristan
- CONNtact: Skinner
- Banner- (we want to go to DC Friday so it might not be made this weekend)
- Flyers: Miriam, Skinner, Brenna, Krugar... put them all up on monday.

CCDems: - staff stuff; progressive caucus

thats it.

- brenna

Something not about Daniel (SDS Stuff)

2007-01-18T13:58:29Z

In an effort to reclaim the livejournal from the clutches of the deceased, I'll post something of importance.
As you may or may not remember, when we went to the CT SDS meeting in November, we decided that the next all state SDS meeting would be on the 28th of January. And yippee, that's the same day as that march in DC. Now, we don't need a lot of people at the SDS meeting (isn't delegation wonderful), but still, somebody needs to go. Espicially as the SDS North East convention is in Febuary.
And speaking of things being at the same time, LeftForum is at the same time as NCOR this year. Which wouldn't be a problem, except that SDS is trying to get a panel at both events. But I'll let you guys know more about that when I find out.

Also, everybody should be hastily writing SpeakLeft! articles, cuz I've been (I interviewed Jake about his experiences at CommonGround, as he's been there for the last 8 months or so, so it's really sort of surprising that he hasn't gone insane and is still coherent).

-Tristan

Oh man...

2007-01-16T22:32:31Z

I know I've been posting a lot here recently, and undoubtedly getting in y'all's hair, but this is too delicious to pass up. Cornelius has been immortalized for all time on the cover of the new Black Bloc Papers:

<-- Exhibit A

see that red cloth sign held up by two bamboo poles in the top center of the illustration? That says, "No More Presidents (Anarchy)(Equality) (Peace)(Antifa)" and is being held up by (at least) a Mr. Cornelius Hardenbergh.

Exhibit B --->

I expect he will pre-order the book to show it off at parties. Shit, I'm gonna go do that myself.

~Daniel

Gimme back my shit.

2007-01-08T16:54:21Z

Remember when Lenny borrowed all those CCLeft books to give to his kid?
I think much of that stuff was ccleft's, but some was mine. I really want that Wobblies comic book back, and maybe some of the other stuff.
Has Lenny given back any of it? Can someone ask him to when they get back to school?

~Daniel

January Anti-War Protest

2007-01-05T17:37:40Z

I got a message from the Connecticut Peace and Justice Network about a bus going down to D.C. Hopefully we won't have to use it as by going in our vehicles will give us more freedom about when we're going to come back.

The Northeast Connecticut Coalition for Peace and Justice is sponsoring a bus to the Peace Rally in Washington DC on January 27th. The cost is $50 a seat, this included the tip for the driver. We need to pay for the bus in early January, so get your money in quickly please.
The bus will leave from Jillson Square at 12:15AM on the 27th. We will leave DC at 6PM to come back.
Send checks payable to Max Wentworth to PO Box 200, Scotland, CT 06264. Include how many seats you want and a phone number. If you can give extra to help pay for someone else, great. If you can't afford $50, send what you can.
For more information on the bus email wentworthmax@sbcglobal.net or call 456-1804.
For more information on the rally go to www.http://unitedforpeace.org

Tristan

Olympia, Washington: Student-run infoshop opens

2007-01-02T14:26:18Z

by Peter McCoy
Monday January 01, 2007
evergreeninfoshoppe@riseup.net

Earlier this month, a student-run non-profit infoshop celebrated its grand opening at The Evergreen State College (TESC) in Olympia, Washington, USA. Using the guise of a state funded student group, volunteers of The Evergreen Infoshoppe were allotted over $4,000 to purchase radical books, zines, and videos for their lending library and resource center. After only a few weeks of planning, the Infoshoppe now hosts an ever-growing collection in a permanent, centrally located and nearly autonomous location.

(READ MORE)

~Daniel

CT SDS Stuff

2006-12-22T21:29:43Z

Well M@tt has been plugging away at alot of stuff recently, and I look forward to working with him over break. Here's a call to action that he's proposing that CT SDS adopt for the spring semester:

Call to Action: Days of Resistance to the War - March 19 and 20th, 2007

This call to action comes from a number of different organizations and individuals involved in the anti-war movement. Our organizing experiences have left us feeling disappointed in ourselves and in the movement as a whole. Organizing against the war in Iraq has led us to believe that marching and chanting has not made enough of an impact nor done enough to end the brutal realities of the occupation. This has got to change.

On March 19 and 20th 2007, we call for worldwide days of resistance to the imperialist, racist and senseless war in Iraq. We propose occupations, acts of civil disobedience, and direct action. We propose that these acts of resistance be directed towards governments, military recruitment centers, corporations, and other institutions that perpetuate American empire and war.

We call for the support of any and all actions people take against the war and for people to respect a diversity of tactics. This means standing in solidarity with all forms of resistance to the war. Although people may not always agree upon every course of action, we should not actively oppose other people’s forms of resistance.

We call for people to organize and take action at the local level and to make decisions democratically. We need to be organizing from the bottom up, not putting time and resources into another top-down permitted march in Washington. Anyone involved in this day of action deserves the right to make their own decisions as they are in the best position to know what can and can't work in their own cities and states. By coordinating our efforts through communication, regional consults and statewide meetings we will maintain local autonomy while building important connections and relationships.

We call for this day of action to be used as a catalyst for community outreach and organizing around the war. We need to start talking with people in our neighborhoods, not just the same old crowd. In using
this day as something to build towards, we won't just be taking action for the sake of action; We will be using that action to build a stronger resistance to the war.

It is time to confront the failures of the anti-war movement by planning ahead, taking risks, making demands, and creating consequences. March 20th, 2007 will be a day to show the world that we recognize how deep the blood of imperialism runs in Iraq and to demonstrate that our rising resistance will run deeper!

In struggle,

direct action! – lansing, michigan
Youth Against War and Racism of northern California
ACTIVATE - Grand Rapids, Michigan
The United Resistance – California
Copwatch of Sonoma County (CA)
Petaluma Food Not Bombs – Sonoma County (CA)
Students for a Democratic Workplace
Kansas Mutual Aid – Lawrence, Kansas
Joe Carr - www.loveinrevolution.org
Auckland University Students for Justice in Palestine (NZ)
Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA) – Free States (UK)
Students for a Human Society - Gainesville, Florida - w.studentsforahumansociety.org
Nakba '48 - Gainesville, Florida - www.nakba48.org

To add your organization to the list of endorsers or
to join the listserve for this day of action, contact
da@direct-action.net
for more information: www.direct-action.net

I hope that everybody's breaks are going well.
Tristan

Cool Stuff for Next Semester

2006-12-17T16:42:31Z

January 27th: March and Demonstration against the Occupation in D.C.
Feb. 16th-18th: North East Students for a Democratic Soceity Convention in the New School in New York City
March 9th-11th: National Conference on Organized Resistence (NCOR) in D.C.

Put these down on your calendars and get ready for some road trips!
-Tristan

Great Job Everybody!

2006-12-07T04:55:03Z

So this weeks events were definitely a success!
-We had over a hundred people at Charlie's speech on Tuesday, including faculty, staff and people from New London and Groton
-Charlie talked at 2(or more?) Conn. Coll. classes and a New London High class
-The Voice interviewed Charlie (we have a say in the final print of the interview)
And I want to thank everybody that got money from a department for this, who helped advertise, who drove Charlie somewhere, who hung out with Charlie during down-time. I espicially want to thank Iwi for being the liason between CCLeft and Charlie and for coordinating basically everything. Everybody did a great job and everything went smoothly. Hooray!

On Friday's meeting we'll continue planning our Faculty get together for next semester. Also we'll talk about the CCLeft end of semester party!

-Tristan

11/29/06 Minutes

2006-11-30T02:35:07Z

Joanna: Tuesday workshops, especially for underclassmen
Gwenda: Wants showing of / speakers for the film "The Lost Boys of Darfur"

Tuesday 12/5: Iraq Veterans against the war speaker
-advertising: 1400 army men. attach cards to army men for promotion: location, time, event details and "this represents one of the ______# of soldiers who have died in Iraq."
-powerpoint setup: $175
-Tristan will submit card to printshop
-iRaq posters: Andrew Glen is going to alter poster design to update facts and add event info, then print it out (or if possible, give to office of religious life to print)
-Lakshmi will pick up cards Friday morning
-meet in Smith Common room 1 pm to attach army men to cards. Bring glue/staple guns or anything else that would work

Charlie's visit:
-find more activities for Charlie such as talking in local schools and classes here
-10 pm Sunday: "Sir No Sir!" Smith Common Room (also on iRaq poster)
-set up interview for Charlie Anderson and The Voice
-4pm Tuesday: Set up chairs in Ernst Common room in Blaustein
-follow-up meeting at Wednesday's CCLeft meeting. There will be cookies. Advertise for non-members to come (on iRaq poster)
-Alex will take Charlie to train station Wednesday night

Charlie Anderson When and Where

2006-11-27T20:34:40Z

Ernst Common Room, 4:30 to 6:30, Tuesday Dec. 5th.
Be there!
Tristan

Full list of Sponsors for Charlie Anderson of IVAW

2006-11-21T00:08:12Z

We now have enough money for Charlie Anderson. Here is the full list of Sponsors:
CCLeft
Holleran Center
Gender and Women Studies Department
Amnesty Internation
Department of Religious and Spiritual Life
Student Activities Council

Hurray us! Now we need to advertise the shit out of this.

Tristan

Idea

2006-11-13T16:57:12Z

Today I just got the documentary "Sir! No! Sir!" which is about the GI resistance against the Vietnam War. We should show this as a sunday movie and also use it as build up to Charlie Anderson.
For more info. about the movie:
sirnosir.com

Tristan