National Student Antiwar Conference

Columbia University, February 22-24, 2002

Register at Anti War Conference

Get more information by writing conference@peopleforpeace.org.**

In this update:

1. Why We are Having this Conference!

2. Preliminary Schedule

3. Confirmed Speakers

4. Proposed Workshops

5. Submitting Proposals, Process, Delegate Structure

6. Registration and Housing

7. Still Time to Propose a Workshop or Submit a Proposal

8. How to Reserve a Literature Table

1. WHY WE ARE HAVING THIS CONFERENCE

"2002 will be a war year," George W. Bush declared.



While the US may have scored a quick victory in Afghanistan, the warmongers in Washington have made it clear that the war on terrorism is not over. They are taking this bloody show on the road: First, to the Philippines (where US troops are already deployed), perhaps to Yemen, Somalia, North Korea, Iraq, Iran or any of the other 60 countries where *evil* supposedly lurks. Meanwhile, the war at home continues, with racial profiling of Arabs and Muslims, attacks on civil liberties, and budget cuts to fund the war.


In the current situation, it is crucial for the student antiwar movement to come together and discuss the way forward. What are the real aims or this war? Have the Afghan people been liberated by US tanks and cluster bombs? How do we build a movement to stop Bush's attacks at home and abroad?


People for Peace, the Columbia University coalition against war and racism urges all student antiwar activists to come together on February 22-24 to discuss these questions. We will gather in New York City to send a message to Bush and his cronies: no more war in our name!


All campus, regional, and nation-wide antiwar coalitions, committees, and organizations are invited to send representatives. The planners of this conference realize that there are many regional and national antiwar mobilizations being planned. In this challenging time, we feel it it critical to broaden and unite the antiwar movement, and we support all efforts to do so.


Anyone who needs information or who would who would like to be involved in the planning this event is invited to join the organizing committee by emailing People for Peace at conference@peopleforpeace.org

We cannot predict where the War on Terrorism will strike next, but we can be ready when it does.

2. PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE

Friday, 2/22

9-11 Registration (There will be a $10 registration fee.)

11-1 Opening Panel

1-2:30 Lunch break

2:30-4:30 Process Discussion

5-6:30 Workshops I

evening: party

Saturday, 2/23

10-11:30 Workshops II

11:45-1:30 Points of Unity

1:30-2:30 Lunch break

2:30-5 Discussion and decision-making on proposals

5-7 Dinner Break

7-10 Big exciting panel of amazing antiwar speakers

Sunday, 2/24

11-1 Further discussion/decision-making on proposals

1-2 Lunch

2-4 Building the antiwar movement on campuses (a plenary discussion with student speakers and breakout discussion sessions)

3. CONFIRMED SPEAKERS (Partial list)

Ceylon Mooney, Voices in the Wilderness

Ghassan Andoni, director, Palestinian Center for Rapprochement; founder, International Solidarity Movement

Humberto Brown, Black Radical Congress, International Secretary

Anthony Arnove, International Socialist Organization, editor of "Iraq Under Seige"

Jaggi Singh, Montreal Anti-Capitalist Convergence

Michael Letwin, New York City Labor Against the War

Robert Jensen, Univ. of Texas professor and independent journalist

Rania Masri, Al-Awda, Palestinian Right of Return Coalition

Rita Lasar, September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows (newly formed peace group of family members of people killed in the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks on 9/11)

4. PROPOSED WORKSHOPS (partial list ? sponsors in parentheses)

Lessons of the Movement Against the Vietnam War (Columbia Univ. People for Peace)

The Truth About "Black Hawk Down" with actors Brendan Sexton & Danny Hoch (Hunter Coalition Against War and Racism)

Anarchist Perspectives on the War (POWER)

The Politics of Oil (Univ. of North Carolina at Greensboro)

Media and War (UC Riverside and Univ of Texas)

Labor and War (NYC Labor Against War)

The War at Home (City College of NY Coalition Against War and Racism)

Why McDonald's Needs McDonnell Douglass: Globalization and War (ISO)

Strategies for Coalition Building (Brown University)

How to Stop Imperialist Wars: Strategizing for the New Antiwar Movement (Green Party)

Permaculture and Sustainability (Student Peace Action Network SPAN)

The US and the Philippines (Philippine Forum)

Antiwar Opposition in Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the US (NY News and Letters Cmte.)

5. DELEGATE STRUCTURE, PROCESS, SUBMITTING PROPOSALS

Everyone on the planning committee is committed to making this conference as democratic and possible. In order for the conference to be truly representative of the forces of the student antiwar movement, we feel that the conference must be delegated. The conference is open to anyone, student or non-student. Speaking rights will be given to everyone in decision-making sessions, but only delegates will have voting rights. Delegates must be elected by campus antiwar committees. Each campus may have up to three (3) delegates in the decision-making sessions.

We believe that a small group of people in one city cannot decide the decision-making process of the conference. The process will be decided at the conference by the delegates. However, it would be great if proposals could be submitted BEFORE THE START OF THE CONFERENCE by emailing conference@peopleforpeace.org. Proposals should include your name and the name of your campus antiwar committee.

We will prepare a booklet containing all submitted proposals, to be available at the conference, so that delegates may look over proposals before making decisions. We feel this will streamline the conference process and allow greater participation from people unable to attend. There will be provisions for making emergency proposals from the floor, especially compromise proposals. Examples of proposals are:

1. Proposals for process (ie. simple majority, consensus, 60% supermajority, etc.)

2. Points of unity of the conference

3. Ideas for coordinated national action (either planning a new action or mobilizing for one that has already been called)

4. Resolutions of support for specific campaigns, other conferences, etc.

Please submit any and all of these to
www.antiwarconference.org">Anti War Conference. This is currently the only way to register. If anyone is having trouble with the form, email either the technical assistance link on the webpage, or conference@peopleforpeace.org. All conference participants, delegates or not, must register. This is the only way we know how many people are coming and who needs housing.

If you live in the NYC area and have housing to offer, even space for one person on your dorm room floor, *please* email conference@peopleforpeace.org

8. RESERVE SPACE FOR YOUR INFO/LITERATURE TABLE

We have a beautiful area set up for groups to distribute literature: two big glass rooms and table space on the walkway right near where many of our events are taking place. Any group with an antiwar position is welcome to table, but we need to know who is coming. Please email conference@peopleforpeace.org to let us know you would like to have a table.

Hope to see you all in NYC!

New York City Conference Organizing Committee

Laura Durkay, Jessie Kindig, Sarah Hines, Jeff C., Madiha Tahir (Columbia University)

Hilary Leonard, Luis Manriquez, Candice Amich (New York University)

Alex Torres (Borough of Manhattan Community College)

Alexis Logsdon, Sara Tretter (City College of New York)