MIM speaks in support of Palestinian self- determination

SAN FRANCISCO -- MIM spoke in support of the Palestinian people's national liberation struggle at a rally organized by the All Peoples' Coalition to Stop U.$. Terror and Occupation on December 6th. Most of those in attendance already belonged to an organization supporting the Palestinian struggle and opposing the war in Afghanistan. However, MIM does not necessarily disparage "preaching to the converted," for the very reason that many of those some would have considered "the converted" six months ago turned around and supported Amerika's mis-named and hypocritical "war on terrorism." MIM appealed to the audience to think carefully about why the majority of Amerikan people support the U.$. and Israel. Unlike one speaker from the International Socialist Organization who proclaimed with confidence that some time in the near future President Bush would find himself with a majority of the Amerikan population opposed to his wars, MIM is willing to face the reality of the material interests of the workers in this country. This is crucial to organizing against these wars of state terror. Here are excerpts from MIM's speech.

Israel's declaration of "war on terrorism" this week is another example of the imperialists stepping up state terror against the oppressed peoples of the world. The Israeli government claims it is battling for peace and "security" for its people... The Palestinian people are facing a campaign of systematic genocide at the hands of Israel, financed and supported by the united states. They are justly fighting back. And until the roots of oppression are dug up, there can be no peace or security in the world. So-called security operations can not bring stability when the empire is built on a mountain of oppression. Both Amerika and it's junior partner Israel will fail to bring peace to the people. We here at this rally know this. But those of us in the United $tates fighting for self-determination for the people of Palestine and oppressed peoples everywhere have to ask ourselves why the majority of the Amerikan people support these wars. This is not just about the pervasive power of the Amerikan propaganda machine. Amerikans see photos of victims on TV and the internet, we can even give them real statistics on who is dying and who is doing the killing, but still they support the U.$. and Israel. Our strategy in this propaganda war here in the u.s. has to reflect the reality of hardened national chauvinism over decades of time. The Amerikan people support their government which brings home the economic benefits of exploitation and national oppression around the globe. We cannot deny that the ruling class has managed to at least temporarily rally the population behind the U.$. Government more than at any time since World War II. Bush feels no qualms about giving complete support to Israel's attacks on Palestine in the current political climate. But we need to make clear to the people that imperialism can not bring peace. Even the Amerikan and the Israeli people, who are so clearly reaping the economic benefits of imperialism, should be able to see now more clearly than ever that peace can only come with an end to imperialism and national oppression. Without internationalism there can be no peace. Long live the struggle of Palestinian people for self-determination! Self-determination for all oppressed peoples of the world!