[mgj-discuss] Reminder - MGJ meets tonight!

[Basav Sen]

Come to MGJ on December 13 to plan our involvement in the DC and US Social Forums!

Almost six years ago, the World Social Forum emerged as the global gathering place of social movements, on the premise that "Another World is Possible." Over the years, the forum has grown immensely in size and diversity, and today it represents a powerful new force of resistance to global capitalism and empire. Along with the WSF, there have been social forums at the local, national, regional, and continental levels.

In 2007, the forum comes to the United States. The first ever US Social Forum happens in Altanta, Georgia, at the end of June. In the lead-up to the USSF, there will be local social forums throughout the country, including a DC Social Forum in early March.

MGJ needs to be a presence at both the DC and the US Social Forums, to be able to articulate our vision of resistance to neoliberalism, and to help connect struggles and build a more powerful movement. Please come to our meetings with your ideas and energy to make this possible.

MGJ general meetings are a great place to plug in and get involved, give insight, make suggestions, teach, and learn.

Next General Meeting: Wednesday 12/13/2006 (first meeting in our new once-a-month schedule)
7:00pm – 9:00pm
St. Stephens Church
(16th and Newton St. NW)
>From the Columbia Heights Metro on the Green Line, walk north on 14th, turn left on Newton and walk until you reach 16th. Enter from the parking lot.

The Mobilization for Global Justice is a Washington DC based group that works on issues of global economic and social justice and sustainability. We believe another world is possible and necessary. We envision a world free of corporate domination and crushing debt, particularly in communities of color. We act to expose and change the institutionalized violence wrought by international financial and trade institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organization.

The Mobilization is committed to nonviolence and recognizes militarism as a tool used by the global corporate elite to keep money flowing to the privileged few while restricting the rights of people worldwide. We oppose corporate practice which places short-term profits ahead of human dignity, sustainable development and a healthy earth. We stand for the globalization of our rights to speech, thought, religion, assembly, a clean environment, self-determination, freedom from fear and persecution and freedom from poverty.

We stand for the rights of women, children, elderly, affordable health care, strong labor rights and social and economic policies that put people and the environment before profits. Finally, we are committed to linking the IMF and World Bank policies to similar ones that are being implemented in Washington DC which are resulting in decreased access to vital human services for DC's most needy residents. To that other globalization--the globalization of greed and obscene concentrations of wealth--we say that Another World Is Possible and Necessary.

MGJ is a non-hierarchical nonviolent organization of individuals and organizations that promotes the arts, conducts workshops, facilitates nonviolent direct actions, educates, organizes, campaigns, empowers, and aims to rip injustice from its roots.

The Mobilization for Global Justice is committed to making all events safe spaces that are open, accessible, and accepting of all. We welcome everyone to participate in making this happen. If you have any special needs, please let us know.

OUR DEMANDS OF THE WORLD BANK AND IMF:
Open all World Bank and IMF meetings to the media and the public.

Cancel all impoverished country debt to the World Bank and IMF, using the institutions' own resources.

End all World Bank and IMF policies that hinder people's access to food, clean water, shelter, health care, education, and right to organize. (Such "structural adjustment" policies include user fees, privatization, and so-called economic austerity programs).

Stop all World Bank support for socially and environmentally destructive projects such as oil, gas, and mining activities, and all support for projects such as dams that include forced relocation of people.