Join us for this history lesson that has political and strategic relevancy for today. Two founding organizers of Anti-Racist Action (ARA) will discuss the fight against fascism beginning with Nazi skinheads in the 1980s' counterculture scene to organizing the militant antiracist movement that became known as ARA, which confronted the klan and white supremacy at the end of the twentieth century.
ARA's original "Four Points of Unity" from 1995:
WE GO WHERE THEY GO: Whenever fascists are organizing or active in public, we're there. We don't believe in ignoring them. Never let the nazis have the streets!
WE DON'T RELY ON THE COPS OR THE COURTS TO DO OUR WORK FOR US: This doesn't mean we never go to court. But we must rely on ourselves to protect ourselves and stop the fascists.
NONSECTARIAN DEFENSE OF OTHER ANTIFASCISTS: In ARA, we have lots of different groups and individuals. We don't agree about everything and we have the right to differ openly. But in this movement, an attack on one is an attack on us all. We stand behind each other.
WE SUPPORT ABORTION RIGHTS AND REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM: ARA intends to do the hard work necessary to build a broad, strong movement against racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, discrimination against the disabled, the oldest, the youngest and the most oppressed people.
WE INTEND TO WIN!