Call for National Conference Feb 3 & 4, 2007 – Organize The Great American Boycott II

Call for National Conference Feb 3 & 4, 2007 – Organize The Great American Boycott II

The International Action Center invites you to endorse the call below.

On February 3, a National Conference will take place in Los Angeles California to discuss plans for the Great American Boycott II. The IAC is supporting this conference as part and parcel of its support of the struggle to defend immigrant rights. Labor activists, immigrants and immigrant advocates, students, anti-war activists as well as many progressives will converge in L.A. in Feb. to discuss strategy to make May 1 2007 another resounding demonstration to demand legalization for undocumented immigrants and in defense of all immigrant and workers rights.

The IAC wants to send a delegation of immigrant activists and their supporters. We need your help! Please donate http://iacenter.org/iacdonate.shtml to help us raise money for airfare to send as large a delegation as possible. To endorse or for more information visit www.march25coalition.org or call 323.228.2753

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A Call for a National Conference on Feb 3 & 4, 2007 in Los Angeles to Organize

The Great American Boycott II May 1, 2007

On Election Day, Nov 7, 2006, the Iraq war, corruption and a lack of immigration reform took center stage. The electorate spoke and the extreme right lost control of congress and the Democrats are the new majority. The correlation of forces has changed and there is a new political reality, but as history tells, the democrats are part of the "Empire". They will not end the war. Corruption and record profits will continue to soar. An inclusive pro-immigrant non-corporate immigration reform will not be addressed unless we march and boycott as we have in 2006.

On May Day 2006 history was made. The world watched as millions marched and boycotted the economy. We shut down the economy in several key cities, states and border entries. In Los Angeles alone we shut down the ports, trucking, taxis, construction, public transportation, agriculture, gardening, home-care and day-care work, small and chain restaurants and stores, factories, garment, meat industry, offices, etc. In the Midwest meat packing and auto parts plants were shut, in Florida, agriculture and construction. In El Paso Texas 40,000 migrants refused to cross the border. In New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Oakland, Phoenix, Tucson, San Jose, San Antonio, Orange County, and San Diego and in many other cities the boycott succeeded. Students walked out, Businesses closed and the people refused to buy. In Mexico, Central America and many other countries US corporations were targeted by millions of workers. It was truly a Day without Immigrants.

We have begun to debate and plan for new round protests and a nationwide boycott starting May 1, 2007. This time, we hope to protest not just one day but more. Why? To assure the immigrant rights forces give voice to and empower the tens of millions of immigrants in the U.S. it is imperative to have broad-based representation from all immigrant groups in order to move the immigration reform agenda: unconditional legalization for all immigrants. We represent the Central and South American, the Mexican, the South Asian, Pacific, East Asian, Caribbean, and African immigrant communities, the undocumented Irish, Eastern European, Muslim and Middle Eastern immigrants and stand with the Native Americans, the victims of Katrina, the women, youth, students, unionists, anti-war activists and clergy who are together demanding a better country where all can live decent lives, free of fear and deprivation.

To plan this effort, to decide the demands, the preparation, and the plan of action, we are calling activists to a May Day Planning Conference in Los Angeles. We will assess what we have done, debate how to broaden the movement, educate ourselves on the situation facing us and democratically make decisions. We intend to put this effort in the context of the history of the immigrant and workers movements in this country, to link it to allies internationally, and to address the root causes of mass migration in the policies of globalization. Join with us in this effort and make May Day another truly historical day.

ENDORSERS (list in formation):

March 25th Coalition LA
May 1st Coalition-New York
Border Social Forum (100 organizations on both sides of the border, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington State,
Colorado, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sinaloa, Sonora, Baja California, etc.) Southwest Workers Union-San Antonio
International Action Center
NALAAC-National NGO Florida Convention
Hermandad Mexicana
Nacional-California-Nevada
Elvira Arellano in Sanctuary Adalberto
Church Chicago
Emma Lozano-Centro Sin Fronteras
California Peace & Freedom Party
LUUM-Latinos Unidos de Michigan
BAYAN National
International Workers of the World
Centro Obrero, Michigan
US-Cuba Labor Exchange
Freeport Workers Center
Justice for Filipino Workers
Pachamama Ecuadorian Immigrant Organization
Million Worker March