Voices of Third World Resistance
Editor's Note
Dr. King: The Trumpet of Conscience
Michael Simmons Interview
Pan-African Student Youth Movement
Young, Black, and in the Military
Allen Nelson: Crossing National Boundaries for Peace
Aimee Allison: Interview with a Gulf War Resister
Wounded Soldier: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You
STAMP Out Racism!
Who We Are
Donate to CCCO
Military Out of Our Schools Program
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Pan-African Student Youth Movement: Support the King-Muhammad Project!
The Pan-African Student Youth Movement requests your participation in a program to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On April 4, 1998, organizations from around the world, representing different beliefs and ideologies, will gather to pay tribute to our beloved brother. However, as a youth and student organization, we feel that one of the highest tributes that we can pay anyone is to continue the work that they started. Therefore, at this program, PASYM will formally call for the establishment of the "King/Muhammad Project!" While the objectives of this program are listed below, its overall purpose is to expose and smash the repressive forces of the Military Industrial Intelligence Police Complex (MIIPC).
The "King/Muhammad Project" is our contribution to the building of the Anti-Repression Movement, a coalition organized toward smashing one or all arms of the MIIPC. However, as students of history, we recognize that this movement existed well before we did. Examples can be seen through the over 200 slave revolts in North America and the Caribbean; the hundreds of liberation movements in Africa against the Colonial regimes and their local police forces; and today against the military and mercenary regimes supported by the U.S. and its Western allies.
Twin Beacons Against War
While the number of those who have taken a stance against repression are too many for us to list, we are taking this opportunity to highlight the contributions made by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Specifically, both Dr. King (first President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference) and Muhammad (spiritual leader of the Nation of Islam), took a position against the U.S. military establishment and war, and gives us a practical example of how both Christians and Muslims fought against war.
On April 4, 1967, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his most significant and progressive speech entitled "A Time to Break Silence," in which he spoke out against the United States' use of violence abroad to solve its problems. Dr. King's quest for justice, through the organizational efforts of the SCLC, led him to recognize the U.S. as "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world" and to oppose the U.S. war in Vietnam.
Similarly, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was arrested and sentenced to five years in jail on May 8, 1942 for failing to register for the draft. Muhammad said that members of the Nation of Islam had no right to fight for non-believers of Islam who had always denied them justice and equal rights. As a result, hundreds of the followers of Muhammad served two to five year prison sentences for their resistance against the draft, and, throughout this effort, helped to create the social milieu necessary for the era's widespread anti-draft and anti-war activity. Therefore, PASYM is initiating the "King/Muhammad Project!" Its objectives:
- To destabilize the U.S. military recruitment efforts in the African community (i.e. ROTC, Selective Service, Reserves);
- To challenge existing U.S./U.N. travel sanctions and embargoes throughout the world (e.g. Cuba, Libya, North Korea);
- To network with organizations engaging in efforts to remove military bases worldwide;
- To expose past and present U.S. monetary support to repressive governments and military outfits throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America in an attempt to expand the definition of Human Rights, recognized by the international community; and,
- To work with the professional, academic and business communities to identify and create alternate scholarships to those currently offered by the U.S. military on a junior high, high school or collegiate level.
Diverse Visions, Common Goal
The program will take place in Washington, D.C. (location still unconfirmed at press time: for details contact CCCO or PASYM directly, at the number below - Ed.). We are inviting churches, mosques, youth and student groups, prison organizations, shelter homes, women's organizations, political groups and formations, professional organization and other organizations that see the need to speak out against the ever-growing military apparatus.
We recognize that each of these organizations may not take a position against the Military Industrial Intelligence Police Complex for the same reason. For example, Dr. King said the Vietnam war was immoral, while the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) said "Victory to Ho Chi Minh." Both were against the war for different reasons but worked together to call for its end. Similarly, we know that there are some who will take a position against the U.S. military for moral and spiritual reasons; some for economic and social reasons; and others for political reasons. However, none of us will be able to achieve this objective without unifying our efforts and resources for this common goal.
In order to ensure that the people of the world are free to develop and practice the vast cultures that the world has to offer, a united effort against repressive forces is paramount. In unity, we will win. One Unified African People! One Unified Socialist Africa!
Pan-African Student Youth Movement
P.O. Box 4404
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-4404
(301) 369-6053, fax 202-635-5068 |