Description: We are currently organizing a conference on December 6, 2008 in New Brunswick for students throughout New Jersey in order to create a unifying strategy on how to successfully end the occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to propose a day of action across college campuses in the region. The conference will involve student speakers, educational and organizational workshops, and an environment in which students and student groups throughout New Jersey will be able to share opinions, ideas, etc. We've gotten a very positive response from students here at Rutgers and we're expecting a great turn out.
Location:Rutgers University in New Brunswick
milledoler 100, and scott 102, 104, 105, and 106(on college avenue)
The schedule for 12/6 is as follows:9:00-10:00 AM:
Registration at Milledoler Hall
10:00-10:45 AM: Current State of the Student Movement: SDS, YDS, CAN speakers
10:45-11:45 AM: Building the NJ Student Antiwar Movement open discussion12:00-1:30 PM: Break into student-led educational workshopsIraqi Refugees- The Economy and the War- Organizing on college campuses
1:30-2:30 PM: Lunch
2:30-4:00 PM: Break into student-led organizational workshops- Divestment- Working with veterans- Counter-recruitment-
4:15-6:15 PM: Re-group for discussion on state-wide NJ action in March 2009 (Rutgers presentation of proposal)
6:15-8:00 PM: Dinner (on your own)
8:00- 10:00 PM: Plenary (Iraq Veterans Against the War)
10:00 PM- 2:00 AM: Socializing/Partying
In addition to students taking part in the conference, we would also like to invite any members of your organization that are interested in helping out or organizing workshops! If you are interested, or know someone who is interested, please email us at studentantiwar.njconference@gmail.com. We?ll put you on the listserv so you can send us your ideas.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
RUSA, RAW rock message of ‘drop beats not bombs’
RUSA, RAW rock message of ‘drop beats not bombs’
Daily Targum
Jared Khan / Contributing Writer
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008
The house band Toad played rock music that sounded throughout Room 101 in Hickman Hall on Douglass campus and trailed into the hallway as students, city residents, poets and activists, young and old, filled the auditorium. The band stopped playing as poets took the stage to begin a night of spoken word.On Friday night, Rutgers Against the War and Rutgers University Student Assembly hosted the public event Drop Beats Not Bombs featuring the poet, writer, musician and actor Saul Williams.RAW and RUSA worked with the Justus League, Combat Paper, Verbal Mayhem and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Queer and Questioning People of Color Alliance to organize the event, said Tiffany Cheng, a School of Arts and Sciences senior and a main administrator for the event.
Money from the Rutgers University Student Association helped to fund this event but organizers tried to stay with the lowest budget possible, Cheng said.Cheng said she estimated a total of 19 poets listed to perform along with Williams. This number included but was not limited to poets from RAW and members of the Combat Paper Project, an Iraqi veteran mission that encourages reconciliation for their overseas military experience.The event attracted more than 200 people. This was about three times the amount since last year, said Ian Khadan, a spoken word poet who attended last year’s event.Cheng said the event was located in a smaller venue last year, but this year they expected a larger turnout with Williams speaking. “I’m impressed … I don’t know how they got Saul Williams,” said Annalise Leonelli, a Douglass College senior. “The band’s pretty good, too.”
Cheng said Williams’ appearance was done at the last minute.“We were trying to combine someone who became successful with someone with a socially conscious message,” Cheng said.Williams brought his books “Said the Shotgun to the Head” and “The Dead Emcee Scrolls” to the event and they were available for purchase along with some “Drop Beats Not Bombs” T-shirts near the entrance of the lecture hall.Williams held a question and answer period, where he welcomed attendees to inquire about anything on their minds, including asking for advice.The questions varied in topic, going so far as one student’s question on a conflict of interest between romance and her art.Williams answered that romance is integral to the art experience and without his romances his art would be lost.“It’s a mixture of culture and a political message,” said James Mona, a School of Environmental and Biological Sciences sophomore and member of RAW. “Being an activist isn’t all about marches and stuff. You can have fun too.”
Daily Targum
Jared Khan / Contributing Writer
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008
The house band Toad played rock music that sounded throughout Room 101 in Hickman Hall on Douglass campus and trailed into the hallway as students, city residents, poets and activists, young and old, filled the auditorium. The band stopped playing as poets took the stage to begin a night of spoken word.On Friday night, Rutgers Against the War and Rutgers University Student Assembly hosted the public event Drop Beats Not Bombs featuring the poet, writer, musician and actor Saul Williams.RAW and RUSA worked with the Justus League, Combat Paper, Verbal Mayhem and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Queer and Questioning People of Color Alliance to organize the event, said Tiffany Cheng, a School of Arts and Sciences senior and a main administrator for the event.
Money from the Rutgers University Student Association helped to fund this event but organizers tried to stay with the lowest budget possible, Cheng said.Cheng said she estimated a total of 19 poets listed to perform along with Williams. This number included but was not limited to poets from RAW and members of the Combat Paper Project, an Iraqi veteran mission that encourages reconciliation for their overseas military experience.The event attracted more than 200 people. This was about three times the amount since last year, said Ian Khadan, a spoken word poet who attended last year’s event.Cheng said the event was located in a smaller venue last year, but this year they expected a larger turnout with Williams speaking. “I’m impressed … I don’t know how they got Saul Williams,” said Annalise Leonelli, a Douglass College senior. “The band’s pretty good, too.”
Cheng said Williams’ appearance was done at the last minute.“We were trying to combine someone who became successful with someone with a socially conscious message,” Cheng said.Williams brought his books “Said the Shotgun to the Head” and “The Dead Emcee Scrolls” to the event and they were available for purchase along with some “Drop Beats Not Bombs” T-shirts near the entrance of the lecture hall.Williams held a question and answer period, where he welcomed attendees to inquire about anything on their minds, including asking for advice.The questions varied in topic, going so far as one student’s question on a conflict of interest between romance and her art.Williams answered that romance is integral to the art experience and without his romances his art would be lost.“It’s a mixture of culture and a political message,” said James Mona, a School of Environmental and Biological Sciences sophomore and member of RAW. “Being an activist isn’t all about marches and stuff. You can have fun too.”
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Rutgers Against the War puts on Drop Beats Not Bombs
"DROP BEATS, NOT BOMBS"--
It means dissent through words, not violence; it means creating not destroying; it means expression not repression.
Come out to a night of politically and socially conscious spoken word and poetry from Saul Williams, Iraq war veterans, and student orgs.
Featuring:SAUL WILLIAMS--world renown poet and musician--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Williams--http://www.saulwilliams.com/
Readings from Warrior Writers of the Combat Paper Project--http://www.combatpaper.org/--Warrior Writers of the Combat Paper Project with members of Iraq Veterans Against the War share their writings
JustUs League--Your friendly neighborhood poets Ion, Ian Khadan, Assasin, and Nate Kostar--http://www.myspace.com/justusleague0
with Rutgers Against the War,Verbal Mayhem, Native Tongue, Radigals, CASAA, Tent State University, and more to come..
Location: Hickman 101 on Douglass Campus at Rutgers University Street: 89 George St City/Town: New Brunswick, NJ at 7:45 PM
More Information: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=33139682950
It means dissent through words, not violence; it means creating not destroying; it means expression not repression.
Come out to a night of politically and socially conscious spoken word and poetry from Saul Williams, Iraq war veterans, and student orgs.
Featuring:SAUL WILLIAMS--world renown poet and musician--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Williams--http://www.saulwilliams.com/
Readings from Warrior Writers of the Combat Paper Project--http://www.combatpaper.org/--Warrior Writers of the Combat Paper Project with members of Iraq Veterans Against the War share their writings
JustUs League--Your friendly neighborhood poets Ion, Ian Khadan, Assasin, and Nate Kostar--http://www.myspace.com/justusleague0
with Rutgers Against the War,Verbal Mayhem, Native Tongue, Radigals, CASAA, Tent State University, and more to come..
Location: Hickman 101 on Douglass Campus at Rutgers University Street: 89 George St City/Town: New Brunswick, NJ at 7:45 PM
More Information: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=33139682950
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Rutgers should cut ties to war profiteers
Home News Tribune Op/Ed
November 6, 2008
By: Ryan Olander
Rutgers students and community members involved with the student organization Rutgers Against the War, or RAW, have undertaken the arduous task of pressuring the Board of Governors to divest from those companies who profit from the illegal and unjust occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
RAW members obtained the list of companies in which Rutgers is invested. It should dismay everyone to know that the state's educational institution paid for its computers, chalk, microscopes and faculty salaries with money that was soaked in the blood of many innocent Iraqis, Afghanis, Pakistanis and Syrians. These companies include: Raytheon, DynCorp, Halliburton, and L-3 Communications.
After the discovery of Rutgers' profits from the above-named companies and eight other war profiteers, RAW members wasted no time. They began drafting a proposal to present to the Board of Governors imploring the university to divest all monies in these companies, disseminated many petitions for divestment and networked widely with other student unions and organizations, garnering many endorsements for the divestment campaign. It should be noted that the current campaign is modeled after the successful Rutgers South African divestment campaign that gained notoriety in the 1980s. I was astounded to find out that this divestment campaign recently tripled in size with Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-Newark also beginning active divestment work on their campuses.
New Jersey residents should show their disgust for our state university's value of profits over justice, life and liberty — a sad trend engulfing the American political system and its policies and now creeping into its great beacons of learning. Please be prepared to stand in solidarity with Rutgers students throughout their struggle to make their university live up to an ethical standard to which its students and American citizens at large adhere with steadfast dedication.
November 6, 2008
By: Ryan Olander
Rutgers students and community members involved with the student organization Rutgers Against the War, or RAW, have undertaken the arduous task of pressuring the Board of Governors to divest from those companies who profit from the illegal and unjust occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
RAW members obtained the list of companies in which Rutgers is invested. It should dismay everyone to know that the state's educational institution paid for its computers, chalk, microscopes and faculty salaries with money that was soaked in the blood of many innocent Iraqis, Afghanis, Pakistanis and Syrians. These companies include: Raytheon, DynCorp, Halliburton, and L-3 Communications.
After the discovery of Rutgers' profits from the above-named companies and eight other war profiteers, RAW members wasted no time. They began drafting a proposal to present to the Board of Governors imploring the university to divest all monies in these companies, disseminated many petitions for divestment and networked widely with other student unions and organizations, garnering many endorsements for the divestment campaign. It should be noted that the current campaign is modeled after the successful Rutgers South African divestment campaign that gained notoriety in the 1980s. I was astounded to find out that this divestment campaign recently tripled in size with Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-Newark also beginning active divestment work on their campuses.
New Jersey residents should show their disgust for our state university's value of profits over justice, life and liberty — a sad trend engulfing the American political system and its policies and now creeping into its great beacons of learning. Please be prepared to stand in solidarity with Rutgers students throughout their struggle to make their university live up to an ethical standard to which its students and American citizens at large adhere with steadfast dedication.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
In defense of divestment
In defense of divestment
Rutgers Daily Targum
Allie Graham
Published: Sunday, October 26, 2008
Updated: Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Targum published an editorial last Thursday that expressed hesitation at Rutgers Against the War’s divestment campaign. The editorial objected that some of these 12 companies targeted by the campaign, specifically General Electric and Caterpillar are not strictly “military contracting firms.” While these corporations do have many and varied subsidiaries, the editorialists seem to say that this makes the corporations not responsible for their subsidiaries. General Electric builds engines for military aircraft, drones, tanks and ships on a scale that makes it one of the world’s largest arms manufacturers. Caterpillar produces a wide array of military vehicles including the specific adaptable bulldozers that are used in Iraq and Palestine for reprisal attacks on homes. We don’t accept that the people responsible should be able to hide behind complex ownership arrangements, as Haliburton has attempted to do.Not all of these corporations have been consistently profitable. Stock in Boeing, a self-described military contractor, recently fell 38 percent, and Caterpillar has seen its growth slow. We would like very much to be able to give a more definitive answer to this very important question regarding the specifics of divestment, but our hands are tied by the lack of transparency in Rutgers University’s financial arrangements. While we have written a proposal that explains our requests and reasoning, we can’t make concrete proposals without more detailed information and making this information available to the University community and ourselves is also a key element of our campaign. Rutgers has a history of divestment. In the 1980s, Rutgers was one of the first universities to divest from South Africa, and in 2006, Rutgers divested from companies that do business in the Sudan. We think that this experience shows that divestment is a useful and affordable option, and that the situation in Iraq makes it morally imperative as well.
Allie Graham is a School of Communication, Information and Library Studies graduate student and a member of Rutgers Against the War.
Rutgers Daily Targum
Allie Graham
Published: Sunday, October 26, 2008
Updated: Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Targum published an editorial last Thursday that expressed hesitation at Rutgers Against the War’s divestment campaign. The editorial objected that some of these 12 companies targeted by the campaign, specifically General Electric and Caterpillar are not strictly “military contracting firms.” While these corporations do have many and varied subsidiaries, the editorialists seem to say that this makes the corporations not responsible for their subsidiaries. General Electric builds engines for military aircraft, drones, tanks and ships on a scale that makes it one of the world’s largest arms manufacturers. Caterpillar produces a wide array of military vehicles including the specific adaptable bulldozers that are used in Iraq and Palestine for reprisal attacks on homes. We don’t accept that the people responsible should be able to hide behind complex ownership arrangements, as Haliburton has attempted to do.Not all of these corporations have been consistently profitable. Stock in Boeing, a self-described military contractor, recently fell 38 percent, and Caterpillar has seen its growth slow. We would like very much to be able to give a more definitive answer to this very important question regarding the specifics of divestment, but our hands are tied by the lack of transparency in Rutgers University’s financial arrangements. While we have written a proposal that explains our requests and reasoning, we can’t make concrete proposals without more detailed information and making this information available to the University community and ourselves is also a key element of our campaign. Rutgers has a history of divestment. In the 1980s, Rutgers was one of the first universities to divest from South Africa, and in 2006, Rutgers divested from companies that do business in the Sudan. We think that this experience shows that divestment is a useful and affordable option, and that the situation in Iraq makes it morally imperative as well.
Allie Graham is a School of Communication, Information and Library Studies graduate student and a member of Rutgers Against the War.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Campus Antiwar Network Offers An Alternative Education For Students and Youth In The Streets Of Sector 6
The Republicans have conveniently decided to hold their convention during the first week of school. So to take advantage of the amazing learning opportunity, CAN wants students and youth to converge on Sector 6 of the RNC Welcoming Committee's map to receive an alternate education in a wide array of topics.
Politics: What happens when a large amount of committed young people act as a catalyst for change?
History: Living History on September 1, 2008: The day the Republican National Convention was shut down
Urban Planning 201: Identify infrastructure failings in St Paul and strategically assess them; hands on experience blocking roads. What happens when traffic comes to a stand still?
Engineering: Construction of semi-permanent and permanent structures Drivers Education: yielding to pedestrians in the streets
Theater 101: Guerilla theater Home Economics: Making effective household compounds to nullify pepper spray and other police weapons
Spanish: Discover the meaning of "Ya Basta" Physical Education 101: "Giving the pigs a workout". Make sure to bring your running shoes!!!
Music: Recitation of the "Teargas Song"
Cinema 101: Direct your own film on Police Brutality and People Power
Psychology: Teach the meaning of "Ochlophobia"
Many of these classes are taught through the use of group work, so come ready to learn and participate!
-----------------------------------------------
On Labor Day, the Campus Anti-war Network (CAN) will be sending a mobile blockade brigade to the streets of St. Paul, Minnesota. We are coming to demand an end to the wars waged on Iraq, Afghanistan, and our futures. We are coming to demand that student voices for peace be heard in a political system that excludes us. We are coming in solidarity with the RNC Welcoming Committee. We are coming to crash the convention. Business cannot continue as usual while our futures, and the futures of our brothers and sisters, are condemned for us.
These are their wars-- But We Will Show That We Control the Streets!
We recognize the damage to our futures the current wars are causing and we recognize that both political parties are complicit in them. We refuse to be cannon fodder for the wars of the rich. As tuition and the cost of the wars rise, so do our voices. As our job prospects and the reins on US imperialism fall, so does our patience decline. We encourage all students and youth to join us. The disruption of the RNC is only one part of what we do. We recognize the need to build up as the war machine tears down.
http://www.campusantiwar.net/
http://www.nornc.org/
Politics: What happens when a large amount of committed young people act as a catalyst for change?
History: Living History on September 1, 2008: The day the Republican National Convention was shut down
Urban Planning 201: Identify infrastructure failings in St Paul and strategically assess them; hands on experience blocking roads. What happens when traffic comes to a stand still?
Engineering: Construction of semi-permanent and permanent structures Drivers Education: yielding to pedestrians in the streets
Theater 101: Guerilla theater Home Economics: Making effective household compounds to nullify pepper spray and other police weapons
Spanish: Discover the meaning of "Ya Basta" Physical Education 101: "Giving the pigs a workout". Make sure to bring your running shoes!!!
Music: Recitation of the "Teargas Song"
Cinema 101: Direct your own film on Police Brutality and People Power
Psychology: Teach the meaning of "Ochlophobia"
Many of these classes are taught through the use of group work, so come ready to learn and participate!
-----------------------------------------------
On Labor Day, the Campus Anti-war Network (CAN) will be sending a mobile blockade brigade to the streets of St. Paul, Minnesota. We are coming to demand an end to the wars waged on Iraq, Afghanistan, and our futures. We are coming to demand that student voices for peace be heard in a political system that excludes us. We are coming in solidarity with the RNC Welcoming Committee. We are coming to crash the convention. Business cannot continue as usual while our futures, and the futures of our brothers and sisters, are condemned for us.
These are their wars-- But We Will Show That We Control the Streets!
We recognize the damage to our futures the current wars are causing and we recognize that both political parties are complicit in them. We refuse to be cannon fodder for the wars of the rich. As tuition and the cost of the wars rise, so do our voices. As our job prospects and the reins on US imperialism fall, so does our patience decline. We encourage all students and youth to join us. The disruption of the RNC is only one part of what we do. We recognize the need to build up as the war machine tears down.
http://www.campusantiwar.net/
http://www.nornc.org/
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The National Assembly to End the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and occupations
By: Ian Chinich
I thought that the conference was a complete success in that we came out of it with the knowledge that there is a broad consensus that we will have local demonstrations in the fall and 2 massive national demonstrations (east and west coast) in the spring. We agreed on the basic tenets of “Troops Out Now”, massive united action, and non subjugation to the Democratic Party. There were obviously disagreements on a lot of other issues (political and structural), but we affirmed out understanding on some very key principles and strategies.
The heads of Answer, UFPJ, and Troops Out Now coalitions were there and spoke Saturday night about working together for a massive mobilization in the spring. The head organizer of the west coast longshoremen who was responsible for the may day strike was also there as was one of the head organizers of the Los Angeles immigrants march in 2006 and the 5 million person general strike of undocumented workers and others in solidarity. Iraq Vets Against the War, Vets For Peace, and Military Families Speak Out had reps there. There was a number of different socialist parties (in addition to a bunch of wackos from the sparticus youth and the internationals). Pro Palestine groups were there as were people from war resisters league, Campus Antiwar Network, Students for a Democratic Society, 3 State AFL CIO leaders, some reps from national unions in Canada, as well as many groups from across the country.
It was also good to see Son of Nun perform for the millionth time.
Over the course of the weekend, we talked to many leaders in the movement. Found that there was One interesting story was we came across a former black panther from Chicago. When asked if he knew Fred Hampton, he replied “Yeah I knew him, I am the one that recruited him….. And if he had listened to me and not picked ______ for security minister, he would not be dead right now.
I met the heads of the March on the RNC group. They are really energetic and confident. The workshop was very informative and I interesting enough sat next to leslie cagan (the head of UFPJ). According to her, they are mobilizing for both the RNC and the DNC.
There was a huge debate about when to do a massive mobilization. A vote for fall local demonstrations are set to happen on December 9-14 (after a vote of something close to 94-112). The debates about mobilization questions took a large part of Saturday. Sunday had all the controversial questions (Palestine and Afghanistan being central demands in the antiwar movement.
Palestine came first. The conferences coordinating committee brought a proposal about educating about Palestine. There was another proposal to include it in central messaging. The central messaging resolution won consideration. Afterwards, there was a proposed amendment to take out the mention of “Christian and Jewish Zionist lobbies and the military industrial complex” it failed by 3 votes. The vote was then taken on the resolution and it passed.
There was then a contentious argument on modifying the name of the group as well as the central joint principles to include Afghanistan in every mention of Iraq. It passed. Lastly there was a debate over taking steps to prevent an assault on Iran. Some argued that this would take away energy from Iraq, but it was eventually agreed upon.
A continuation body was then proposed with member groups being given one vote and an administrative council being made to organize the next conference and to do administrative things during the next meeting (not related to points of principle).
The thing that probably saved the day is that the crazy groups/parties didn’t make proposals or argue for amendments. Though I am not sure their changes and ideas would pass, they still didn’t do that.
Criticism: Though CAN and SDS both had speakers, neither came in much force and were unable to largely influence the tone and debate (causing most of the non youth character of the conference in general)
We spent too long with speeches and not enough time actually debating. This became the most clear on the short amount of time we spent debating structure at the end and the fact that we had to vote in the last 5 minutes before the hotels turned people out.
The staff wasn’t strong enough in holding to the rules (allowing once instance where someone from the Internationalists made a point of order and went on a long speech….refusing to get off the mic and pretty much had to be taken out and the mic seized. Another time happened when someone else made a point of order and demanded that the conference was a bourgoise conference and that to prove him wrong we would need to establish that the structure opposed capitalism.
Criticisms aside, it was still really productive, but I guess we will need to see if groups actually do what they said at the conference.
I thought that the conference was a complete success in that we came out of it with the knowledge that there is a broad consensus that we will have local demonstrations in the fall and 2 massive national demonstrations (east and west coast) in the spring. We agreed on the basic tenets of “Troops Out Now”, massive united action, and non subjugation to the Democratic Party. There were obviously disagreements on a lot of other issues (political and structural), but we affirmed out understanding on some very key principles and strategies.
The heads of Answer, UFPJ, and Troops Out Now coalitions were there and spoke Saturday night about working together for a massive mobilization in the spring. The head organizer of the west coast longshoremen who was responsible for the may day strike was also there as was one of the head organizers of the Los Angeles immigrants march in 2006 and the 5 million person general strike of undocumented workers and others in solidarity. Iraq Vets Against the War, Vets For Peace, and Military Families Speak Out had reps there. There was a number of different socialist parties (in addition to a bunch of wackos from the sparticus youth and the internationals). Pro Palestine groups were there as were people from war resisters league, Campus Antiwar Network, Students for a Democratic Society, 3 State AFL CIO leaders, some reps from national unions in Canada, as well as many groups from across the country.
It was also good to see Son of Nun perform for the millionth time.
Over the course of the weekend, we talked to many leaders in the movement. Found that there was One interesting story was we came across a former black panther from Chicago. When asked if he knew Fred Hampton, he replied “Yeah I knew him, I am the one that recruited him….. And if he had listened to me and not picked ______ for security minister, he would not be dead right now.
I met the heads of the March on the RNC group. They are really energetic and confident. The workshop was very informative and I interesting enough sat next to leslie cagan (the head of UFPJ). According to her, they are mobilizing for both the RNC and the DNC.
There was a huge debate about when to do a massive mobilization. A vote for fall local demonstrations are set to happen on December 9-14 (after a vote of something close to 94-112). The debates about mobilization questions took a large part of Saturday. Sunday had all the controversial questions (Palestine and Afghanistan being central demands in the antiwar movement.
Palestine came first. The conferences coordinating committee brought a proposal about educating about Palestine. There was another proposal to include it in central messaging. The central messaging resolution won consideration. Afterwards, there was a proposed amendment to take out the mention of “Christian and Jewish Zionist lobbies and the military industrial complex” it failed by 3 votes. The vote was then taken on the resolution and it passed.
There was then a contentious argument on modifying the name of the group as well as the central joint principles to include Afghanistan in every mention of Iraq. It passed. Lastly there was a debate over taking steps to prevent an assault on Iran. Some argued that this would take away energy from Iraq, but it was eventually agreed upon.
A continuation body was then proposed with member groups being given one vote and an administrative council being made to organize the next conference and to do administrative things during the next meeting (not related to points of principle).
The thing that probably saved the day is that the crazy groups/parties didn’t make proposals or argue for amendments. Though I am not sure their changes and ideas would pass, they still didn’t do that.
Criticism: Though CAN and SDS both had speakers, neither came in much force and were unable to largely influence the tone and debate (causing most of the non youth character of the conference in general)
We spent too long with speeches and not enough time actually debating. This became the most clear on the short amount of time we spent debating structure at the end and the fact that we had to vote in the last 5 minutes before the hotels turned people out.
The staff wasn’t strong enough in holding to the rules (allowing once instance where someone from the Internationalists made a point of order and went on a long speech….refusing to get off the mic and pretty much had to be taken out and the mic seized. Another time happened when someone else made a point of order and demanded that the conference was a bourgoise conference and that to prove him wrong we would need to establish that the structure opposed capitalism.
Criticisms aside, it was still really productive, but I guess we will need to see if groups actually do what they said at the conference.
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