------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Feb. 14, 2002 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
RICHMOND, VA: BLACK, ARAB, WHITE FIGHT NEW RACISM By Sue Kelly Richmond, Va. It's not only in the larger metropolitan centers that people are questioning the Bush administration's aggressive war policies and its repression at home. "What's Really Behind the 'War on Terrorism'?" was the topic of a program in Richmond, Va., on Jan. 27. A lively crowd of about 60 people, nearly half from the African-American community, flowed into the Pace Center to hear Sara Flounders of the International Action Center and others speak to the real issues of terrorism: racism, homelessness, poverty, layoffs and hunger, all right here in the United States. "Racist symbols are in view all the time in Richmond," said Arthur Burton, co-chair of Parents for Life, referring to the many symbols of the Confederacy still on display in the city. Burton spoke of his group's efforts to close two elementary schools built near old landfills in the African- American community. He also spoke of Levester Carter, a young African-American man shot dead last year by Richmond cops. A most severe form of racist profiling took place in Richmond after Sept. 11. Keisha Bardhavens told the group about the case of her fianc�, John Blakely. He was charged with threatening to bomb his workplace, Capital One Financial Corp., the largest private employer in metro Richmond. There was no evidence that Blakely possessed a bomb or had any intention of threatening to use one. His real "crime" was being African-American and Muslim. Saba Abed, a Palestinian-American who is a past president of the Richmond Chapter of the American Arab Anti- Discrimination Committee, spoke of the humiliation, starvation, checkpoints and deadly danger faced by Palestinians every day. Abed said that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Israeli government "are the biggest terrorists in the world, and their ally is the U.S." Keynote speaker Sara Flounders of the IAC and International ANSWER said in her remarks that, since Sept. 11, the U.S. government and the Pentagon have waged a relentless war against one of the poorest countries on earth, using the excuse of a war against terrorism. Afghanistan had no air defense and had endured 23 years of war when the U.S. started bombing. Flounders explained how the U.S. had supported the anti-communist and anti-woman mujahadeen, including the Taliban, when those groups were fighting the Soviets. "Washington paid the salaries of every Taliban official, right up until last year," she said. "The result of the U.S. war on terrorism is tens of thousands of dead Afghanis, 1,200 detainees held in secret, a frenzied racist campaign against Arab and Muslim people at home, and racist profiling now as standard procedure. "It is a war to secure an oil pipeline through Afghanistan; it is a war to attempt to roll back every political and social gain made in the U.S," said Flounders. A number of other speakers gave shorter reports. Alana Wooten spoke on Assata Shakur, now living in exile in Cuba, and the need to defend political prisoners. Welton Terry listed acts of racist terror committed against Black people here in the United States. Shawn O'Hern of Food Not Bombs described the successful struggle to expand the services of the city's "overflow" homeless shelter. A representative of Richmonders Against War and Racism urged participation in the protests the following weekend outside the World Economic Forum in New York City. Lee Robinson of the African Awareness Association recalled the police repression against the political movements of the 1960s and 1970s. The forum was chaired by Rose Lee of Richmonders Against War and Racism, the sponsoring organization. The following Wednesday, many of those who had attended the forum also attended the trial of John Blakely, who was found not guilty in Henrico County Circuit Court, just outside of Richmond. He had been facing up to 10 years in prison. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. To subscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
