Bail Out The People!
In honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who passed away Apr 4th, 1968.
"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." MLK
We are inviting you to join our cause for the reasons below stated or for reasons of your own. If you can not attend there are other ways to help or participate.
Part of the legacy of Dr. King is the understanding that no election or president--however historical and inspiring--can be a substitute for a mass movement in the struggle against war or for social and economic rights. There are signs that the workers understand this.
More below the fold.
While facing the defining economic crisis of our age, and a globalized one at that, as well as two wars and multiple problems at home, we as Americans are entering a new age where the internet and other resources allow us to organize in a way that has never been possible before.
Therefore, in following the dream of Martin Luther King Jr, we are called upon to actively fight for our rights, whatever they may be.
Bail Out The People - goals
- Moratorium on Evictions & Foreclosures
- BAILOUT WORKERS
- STOP LAY-OFFS & CUTBACKS
- Money for Education NOT for War & Occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan & Palestine
- Bring the Troops Home
- Housing & Healthcare are a right
- No Transit Fare Hike
- Bail out Students and YOUTH
- STOP THE WAR ON IMMIGRANTS
- END ATTACKS ON WOMEN & LGBT PEOPLE
In addition to supporting EFCA and other initiatives, you can support your own cause with us. Please contact us if there is an issue you would like to support through our protest.
The following draft program is a work in progress. It does not address every issue and concern.
Like the Fightback – it will grow.
• A REAL JOBS PROGRAM that guarantees either a union wage job or income to all; to be established immediately with the involvement of community and labor organizations, including prisoners, organized in such a way that it’s is accessible to all who are in need.
• AN IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM ON FORECLOSURES, EVICTIONS, LAYOFFS, UTILITY SHUT-OFFS AND PRISON CONSTRUCTION
• AN INDEFINITE EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS; EXPAND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE TO ALL WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED
• NO CUTBACKS IN SOCIAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING TUITION HIKES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORATION FARE HIKES
• HEALTHCARE FOR ALL! NO PRIVATIZATION!
• STOP ALL FEDERAL RAIDS, ARRESTS AND DEPORTATIONS OF UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS
• RECONSTRUCTION IN THE GULF COAST; FIGHT FOR RIGHT OF RETURN OF KATRINA/RITA SURVIVORS GUIDED BY A PEOPLE’S ELECTED RECONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY
• PROSECUTE RACIST KILLER POLICE; SET UP CIVILIAN POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARDS
• A CLEAN UP NOW OF COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM; ESTABLISH ELECTED ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AUTHORITIES
• SUPPORT ANTI-WAR GIS AND VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS’ DEMANDS INCLUDING THOSE FOR HEALTHCARE, BENEFITS AND JOBS
bailoutpeople.org
We have 24+ organizing centers in the 5 Boroughs as well as Long Island, New Jersey, Baltimore, and other locations. More are expected to join. Over three dozen organizations representing unions, minority rights, woman's rights and LGBT rights are joining us, and more are joining by every day.
Citizens in San Antonio are also holding a sympathy rally concurrent with the action in New York on Apr 3 & 4. Other cities will be doing the same.
VICTORY!-
The Baltimore Chapter of Bail Out The People have been successful in gaining commitments from 11 of the 14 members of the Baltimore City Council in bringing a motion to the council floor to enact a 1 year moratorium stopping foreclosures and evictions. The vote will hopefully come to pass in the next week or so. If you would like to contribute or live in the Baltimore area contact Sharon Black at her e-mail below
apcbaltimore@pipeline.com
There is a press conference scheduled on March 3rd on Wall St. between Broad St. and Exchange Place. Please attend if you wish or watch for it in the news.
Other future organized actions.
May Day -
As bad as things are today, by mid-to-late spring, unemployment, and foreclosures will be immeasurably worse. It will become evident that the stimulus legislation is not going to have any effect on the crisis. More people will become desperate, angry and ready to stop waiting and start fighting.
If we have done whatever was necessary to forge the kind of alliances and do the kind of grassroots mass organizing around May Day mobilizations, it’s possible that the May 1st mobilizations could be the beginning of the second phase. If we have raised the organizational level of the Fightback and attracted a wider mass base amongst the various sectors of the working class, conditions may be ripe to project more ambitious mobilizations and struggles after May 1st.
March on Washington, D.C. for Jobs/Convening a People’s Assembly -
With worsening social conditions, the summer is not likely to be quiet. The combination of the economic crisis and police repression--which is epidemic and deadly all year round but tends to peak during the summer--could spark rebellions that spread beyond the locality of an incident that provoked the rebellion. The late spring and summer could be a time of intensive organizing and planning for a mass march on Washington, D.C. for jobs and other demands.
If there is wide enough agreement, the convening of a National People’s Assembly in Washington, D.C. in the fall in conjunction with others could help consolidate the base and work of the Fightback, become the meeting where everything is assessed and where the direction and next course of action is set.
If you are in the New York City area and would like to attend, please click the link below for more information.
Bail Out The People!
or email
bailoutpeople@safewebmail.com
If you are unable to attend but would like to learn more or help in some other way, your time and effort is very appreciated.
All blockquotes without links are provided with the permission of The Bail Out The People Movement.
Thank you for your time and good luck to you and yours.