Black Voices United for Peace

Just one year ago, when some Americans were still under the influence of Bush’s lies, believing Iraq may have had weapons of mass destruction, Gallup polls showed that 56 percent of black Americans opposed the war, and only 37 percent approved. It found that Blacks also think they will pay a higher price for this war than anyone, yet come home to suffer the same racial injustices as before. One year later, Black Voices for Peace continues to assert that quickly-growing opposition.

Black Voices for Peace (BVFP) is a national action network of Black people of African Heritage working for justice and peace in the United States and abroad. Founded by human rights, peace and environmental justice activist Damu Smith, BVFP was formed to organize a progressive Black community response to horrific attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001.

On February 28^th, the Pittsburgh chapter of BVFP held a teach-in and discussion on the role of the Black community in the anti-war movement at the Kingsley Center. Gayle Austin, a member of the BVFP organizing committee, emceed the event. She gave an introduction to a video excerpt and audio recording of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1967 speech at the Riverside Church in New York City – "A Time to Break the Silence." She described it as King’s "most militant" speech. Although thirty-five years have passed since King’s assassination, Austin explained, his views on the connection between militarism and racism are more relevant than ever.

Joe Black, a member of the spoken-word trio Liberation, spoke to the youth before his group performed for the crowd, checking periodically to see if the younger members were following. "I don’t want to talk over your heads," he said. "It’s so important that you understand."

He asked why young people are opposed to the war. "We should be opposed to this war because it affects the way we live and the way our country is," said one of the pre-teen boys near the front of the room.

Black agreed and elaborated on those points. "Money is going to war and not to the schools you go to…and it’s a war that is, most importantly, unjust," he said. "[This war] is not about liberating a people, bringing aid to people, helping people – it’s about keeping a people down and so we’ve got to be against it," he said. Black warned of the retaliation that our country will face if we continue to wage war on other countries. "What is the mark we’re making?" he asked, "History has to inform us or we’ll be condemned to repeat it."

Liberation performed a handful of catchy, politically-informed rhymes:

Dennis Brutus, South African poet and professor at the University of Pittsburgh, spoke next on the role of the Black community in international policy issues. Brutus discussed the imperialist role our government takes toward other countries. "US foreign policy should not be telling people how to run their government as we’re doing in Haiti right now," he said stressing the importance of registering dissent.

He talked about the way the military preys on lower-income people. "Young people are going into the army because they oftentimes have no choice," he said. "The army advertises that they’ll teach them all these complex skills, but [the bottom line is that] a soldier’s job is killing. We must take a stand against this war and refuse to be part of it."

Brutus gave other reasons to be against the war. "The war is not something far away and theoretical," he said. "It’s practical because it’s affecting people right here at home," he said, listing the services that have been cut or are no longer available because of our shrinking domestic budget. Brutus talked about the March 20^th one-year anniversary of the official start of the war on Iraq. He encouraged participants to get involved in the local events planned for that day (see page __).

Next, Reverend Tom Smith spoke on the role of the Black church in the anti-war movement. "Our role is to tell people the truth about war and equip them with the tools for reconciliation," he said. Smith shared his memories as a young man during Vietnam. He remembers being very conflicted on the war issue and not agreeing with Dr. King because he thought King was "too soft." He said he’s learned a lot since then.

"We know what the problems are, but do we know what the solution is," he asked. "Church is an institution that can work to our benefit." He advocated the need to develop institutional solutions. "We are confronting systemic problems," he said. "If we just have singular events, we’ll all go home afterwards and that’s it – we’re whistling in the wind."

The event ended with an open discussion session. One woman said she felt uncomfortable listening to Liberation – that the group focused on hate when love is the emotion that needs to be promoted. Brutus responded to her comment asserting that one can hate injustice, racism and oppression and that it’s important to distinguish between those concepts and the accompanying feelings. Reverend Smith emphasized the importance of balance and affirmation of a better way. Another audience member offered that young people are challenging the older generations to come up with new strategies, creating a place for the younger generation to put their energy. Others agreed. "Their message is that we, the older ones, have lost that link with the youth," one man interpreted. "They’re talking about the history that we need to teach and talk about and keep in mind. It’s a reality check in seeing that we need to bridge that gap," he said.

Another member of the audience agreed that institutions are needed but stressed that building a mass movement is imperative as well to bring about fundamental change.

One member of the audience, Betty Penny, exclaimed that we’ve got a war going on right here at home. "The president is wanting to raise the social security age, we’ve got city [budget] cuts here in Pittsburgh," she said, "we’d better find out how we can get more local people from the neighborhoods out here to talk about solutions. We’re not going to have a community if our young people stay angry." She said she had five members of her extended family shot in the last year. "Why are you standing there in your house," she said she oftentimes wants to scream at her neighbors. "Look what’s happening in our city!"

Austin closed the event, pointing out that "we don’t have to agree on everything in this room today," she said. "But if we agree on participating in the March 20^th events, that’s good enough."

- Marie Skoczylas

Gayle Austin, member of BVFP organizing committee. (Photos by Marie Skoczylas)

Liberation, nationally recognized hip-hop and spoken-word artists, perform at the teach-in.

Sidebar: Black Voices for Peace mission statement

BVFP strongly condemns the 9/11 attacks and the murder of innocent civilians by any individual or group. At the same time, we believe that the best defenses against terrorism in all forms are policies which promote and respect human rights and disarmament. BVFP therefore opposes the Bush administration's policies of war, violence, and threats against other nations in response to the attacks. We oppose U.S. support for despotic and repressive regimes which violate human rights in the name of national security. We oppose corporate and governmental policies which deny essential human needs and protections such as affordable housing; food; health care; education; childcare; transportation; a clean, safe environment; a functioning democracy; equal justice; reparations; and safe jobs with union protections and livable wages. We oppose spending trillions of dollars for war, defense and national security while basic human needs for the majority of the earth's people and of millions of the nation's and world's youth and children are not met. The result of such policies has been death, disease, injury, torture and violence against millions of people and children throughout the world.

BVFP believes the domestic and foreign policies of the United States-U.S. military support for Israel's brutal, repressive and illegal occupation of Palestine; sanctions against Iraq, Cuba and Haiti; the bombing of Iraq; the reckless murder of innocent Afghan civilians; the denial of sufficient economic, developmental, trade and health assistance to Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and Latin America; racism, and racial and religious profiling; police brutality; assaults on civil rights, voting rights and the rights of workers to organize and strike; and the denying of basic human needs for all people-help create and encourage domestic social unrest, violence and division. Such U.S. policies also contribute to international economic exploitation and oppression, political disenfranchisement, and environmental degradation, as well as hatred and attacks against the American government and people.

We believe the denial of human rights and human needs in this country are acts of terrorism. Historically and contemporarily, the slave trade, slavery, the massacre of the indigenous people of this hemisphere, lynching, the burning and bombing of Black churches, Jim Crow segregation and racial violence, the criminal justice system, the death penalty, police brutality, rape and sexual violence, and the pain, suffering and deprivations of poverty and unemployment represent acts and systems of terrorism.

BVFP organizes and supports educational forums, training workshops, action campaigns, political protests, and economic development programs to achieve its goals and objectives. We are currently organizing the following BVFP campaigns to accomplish our objectives: end war and militarism, civil liberties and civil rights, economic justice and human needs, and media accountability.

www.bvfp.org