Against Exceptionalism

NOTE: This letter was distributed to participants in the MAWO / International ANSWER joint organized conference that took place in Seattle on March 16, 2008. It was signed by groups and individuals from both Seattle and Vancouver as listed at bottom.

An Open Letter to Participants at the March 16, 2008 Antiwar Conference
organized by Mobilization Against War and Occupation of Vancouver, B.C.

Against Threats, Violence and Coalition Wrecking

in the Antiwar Movement

March 19th will mark the fifth anniversary of the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Despite the work of many thousands of antiwar activists in this country and around the world, U.S. imperialism continues to make life hell for the Iraqi people. This conference’s focus on “prospects for building an effective antiwar movement” is much needed at this time.

However, a discussion along these lines will not be possible unless there is respect for political differences and complete and open democracy. To reach unity in action, it is necessary to first reject using intimidation and violence as substitutes for debate, and sectarian maneuvering as a substitution for coalition building. Unfortunately, the Vancouver, B.C. organization that is hosting this conference has a history of using epithets and intimidation to thwart discussion of strategy and tactics.

We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, call on Mobilization Against War and Occupation to make a public commitment to ending its disruptive behavior and use of destructive macho intimidation tactics in the antiwar movement. Only then can there be a healthy, democratic debate on the critical subject of how activists can work together to end the deadly war in Iraq.

Background to this call

The Vancouver, B.C.-based Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) is led by members of Fire This Time and its affiliate the Youth Third World Alliance (Y3WA). Fire This Time (FTT) was founded in 2003. In the last five years, it has earned an unsavory reputation for using macho, cult-like behavior and violence to sow distrust, fear and ill-will in the progressive movement and the Left.

Rather than building a broad-based movement against war, FTT attempted to sabotage the efforts of the largest antiwar group in Vancouver–StopWar.ca Coalition. Members of FTT disrupted its meetings and hacked into the email correspondence of antiwar leaders, distributing their private messages publicly. When FTT was expelled from StopWar.ca, they formed MAWO.

The FTT’s ultra-sectarian and sometimes violent behavior toward other activists and their own members is outlined in a resignation letter by Ivan Drury, a longtime leader of the group. He and other former members have posted the stories of their misguided actions and/or destructive experiences in FTT at http:/ivandrury.wordpress.com

Groups having to do with the Middle East, Venezuela, Cuba, immigrant and refugee rights, and indigenous rights have all been the targets of MAWO, FTT and Y3WA’s wrath. The latest group to be targeted was the Vancouver International Women’s Day Organizing Committee. While projecting a public image as organizations in which women play central roles, the reality is a gross caricature of women’s leadership. In fact, women and young people are treated as objects to be manipulated by the supreme male leader. It is time for this charade to end.

Signed by:

Organizations

Students for a Democratic Society – University of British Columbia

Jews for a Just Peace

Vancouver Socialist Forum

Cuba Education Tours – Marcel Hatch, Vancouver

New Socialist Group Vancouver

Seattle Radical Women

Freedom Socialist Party

Individuals (organizations listed for identification)

Mable Elmore and Derrick O’Keefe – Co-chairs of StopWar.ca

Sid Shniad – Secretary of StopWar.ca

Tristan Markle – President of Students for a Democratic Society – University of British Columbia 2007-8, Vice
President Administration of UBC’s Student Union 2008-9

Jeff Keighley – Chair of World Peace Forum Society (Vancouver), CAW Canada National Union Representative (Ret.)

Elsie Dean – Longtime organizer of International Women’s Day Vancouver

Veronika Miralles Sanchez – Teaching Support Staff Union and H.I.J.O.S. (Sons and Daughters for Identity and Justice against Oblivion and Silence)

Charles Demers – sevenoaksmag.com

Lawrence Boxall – StopWar.ca and Jews for a Just Peace

Michael Thicke – former member Social Justice Centre, 
University of British Columbia

Nasim Sedaghat – student participant of Iranian revolution 1979, former political prisoner in Iran, founder and former member of Fire This Time, Youth Third World Alliance and MAWO. Current activist with Vancouver Socialist Forum, Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign

Ivan Drury, Vancouver – former member of Fire This Time, Youth Third World Alliance, and MAWO

Mike Krebs – former member of Fire This Time and MAWO, currently on board of directors of Redwire Native Youth Media Society

Ian Beeching – former MAWO and Y3WA member, current activist with Stopwar.Ca, Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign, Communities for Laibar Singh, Canada Bolivia Committee and Vancouver Socialist Forum

Issued in Seattle on 3/15/08