[mgj-announce] MGJ Action Date: Sept 28; Minutes from 7/17 meeting

[Robert Weissman]

MGJ Minutes, July 17, 2002

1. Consensus on Date and Action Outline
2. Schedule
3. Goals Discussion
4. Date Discussion
5. Working Groups

1. Consensus on Date and Action Outline

MGJ consensed on a Saturday, September 28 rally, march and direct
action.

The rough outline of the plan is a rally and march, to be followed by a
quarantine action (surrounding the IMF and Bank; quarantining the
instigators of an economic smallpox, as Luke put it) that could run into
the evening. Actions might continue overnight and onto Sunday.

Details will be worked out by the scenario working groups.

2. Schedule of Events Surrounding IMF/Bank meetings

September 25: March for Dignity and Immigrant Rights
September 25-27: Business Week's CEO Summit, at the Ritz-Carlton
September 26 evening: Interfaith vigil (Religious Working Group on the
IMF and World Bank, Jubilee and others)
September 27: People's Strike (Anti-Capitalist Convergence)
***September 28: ***MGJ Protest***; IMF and World Bank meetings
(International Monetary and Financial Committee and Development
Committee)
September 29: IMF and World Bank meetings (Annual meetings)

3. Goals Discussion

Following small group discussion, we discussed the following goals. The
goals were not critiqued or agreed upon. Many overlap. Those with xxx
next to them received multiple airings:

- Promote Global South voices xxx
- Massive numbers into the streets xxx
- Shut down the meeting/ direct action xxx
- Open and attractive action to a wide array of people xxx
- March and rally xxx
- Education events xxx
- Effective media and messaging work
- Strengthen confidence in the movement xxx
- Cause real disruption xxx
- Build long-term links with others, especially labor and local groups;
do solidarity actions with local groups xxx
- Delegitimize further the institutions
- Tie-in current corporate and global crises to IMF and Bank
- Outreach to new constituencies and the unconverted xxx
- Pageantry/Beauty
- Post-event actions; make available ongoing ways to take action and
stay connected to the movement
- Quarantine rather than a shutdown
- Connect to the US budget crisis
- Show better alternatives to IMF/WB policy

4. Date Discussion

There was general agreement on setting the action for Saturday or
Sunday, and then pretty quickly agreement on Saturday.

Reasons expressed included: Conducting the action during the IMF/WB
meetings; and picking a date that is accessible to the most number of
people, including working people and families.

5. Working Groups

The Roundtable working group announced that a first roundtable, intended
to bring together diverse segments of the DC local community, will be
held on Thurs, July 25, at the AFSC office, at 2211 14th St., NW.
Information on the roundtable has been posted to the full lists already.

We agreed on establishing a number of working groups, designated contact
people, and set meeting times for several. This information will be
posted in a subsequent message.

We're moving forward!

6. Next meeting

The next general MGJ meeting will be on July 31, 7:30 at St. Stephens,
1525 Newton St., NW (near 16th and Newton, NW). Facilitators will be Liz
Butler (liz at forestethics.org) and Michael Beer (nonviolence at igc.org)