Education and Strategy Conference on US Militarism

Washington, DC – April 8-10, 2011
INVITATION TO ENDORSE AND TO PLAN
Sponsored by: Latin America Solidarity Coalition in Conjunction with School of the Americas Watch Days of Action (April 4-11, 2011)

Many movements and organizations have concluded that the United States is at a crossroads. Down one road lies permanent war, a stagnant economy and loss of liberty. Down the other lies a new world of cooperation, prosperity and freedom. The Latin America Solidarity Coalition and School of the Americas Watch share with the vast majority of Latin Americans and people of the world the desire to travel on the road to a new and better world.

We invite your organization to partner with us to plan a conference to bring together Latin America solidarity activists, people of faith, academics, youth and students, anti-war activists, labor, women, and all sectors which are working to build a better world. A major obstacle to that better world is the militarization of US relations with the world and the bankrupting of our economy under the weight of a nearly $1 trillion budget for war and preparation for war.

Please join us to help plan a weekend of plenaries and workshops to educate and inspire each other and to plan actions, strategies, and organizing tools to build a greater movement to overcome US militarism. Participate in SOA Watch’s Days of Action including lobbying and direct action to shut down the Western Hemisphere
Institute for Security Cooperation, better known as the School of the Americas at Ft. Benning, for the closing of US military bases in Latin America, and for an end to US militarization throughout the Americas.

We recognize that US militarism affects both the entire world and everything about our daily lives. If your group is working to end the wars, has a moral stand in favor of peace, stands in solidarity with the oppressed, is working to end racism and the criminalization of immigrants, stands solidly in favor of our First Amendment freedoms, or is working to create new economic models that defend the interests of workers and farmers over those of corporations and bankers – then we would like to partner with you both to plan this conference and to build a strong and unified movement against US militarism.

Some topics covered by this conference will include: US military bases, military spending, immigration and border militarization, coups, war profiteers, privatization of war, closing the School of the Americas, foreign military and police aid, growing our skills in media, research, and other organizing, counter recruitment and support for active duty resisters, US relations with Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti, Mexico, Honduras, etc., organizing within sectors to resist militarism, cross movement organizing, domestic costs of militarism, direct action, and much more.

Endorsing organizations are expected to promote the conference to their base and participate in one or more committees (Outreach, Program, Logistics, and Action) and/or a Sector Working Group. We invite endorsing organizations to submit educational, skills-building, or strategy workshop proposals and to participate in an initial conference organizing teleconference on January 18, 2011 at 5pm EST.

To add your organization to the endorsers of the conference, to learn more, or to obtain the phone number and access code for the Jan. 18 teleconference, send an email to [email protected]. Endorsing organizations can submit workshop proposals to [email protected].

LASC web page: www.lasolidarity.org
SOA Watch Days of Action web page: www.soaw.org/take-action/lobby-days

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