ANSWER is a PRO-HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION!!!

[Just Me]

Human rights cuts across all political and philosophical and religious lines.

It is RIDICULOUS for anyone to condemn ANSWER to a particular political position (i.e. communist, socialist, "anti-semite" *puh-lease*, anarchy, etc. etc. etc.) when the organization is clearly centered upon establishing human rights for EVERYONE.

ANSWER IS INCLUSIVE, as every pure democratic and humanitarian mission should be. Yet, this incredibly resourceful organization is ATTACKED, by left and right, because of its commitment to allow as many voices as possible, around the world,...to SPEAK ABOUT ABUSES OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

Seriously,...the obsession with "politics" is interfering with the movement of humanity. Y'all who are freakin' about "appearances",...may want to get on board with your fellow human beings who hold EXACTLY the same fundamental passions as you.

STOP the game of political "appearances". BE a part of humanity.

[tocqueville]

1. sure

do a little check on Ramsey Clark

[tocqueville]

7. Interesting links, obviously the anarchists don't like them either

http://www.authoritarianopportunistswhocozyuptogenocidaldictators-forpeace.org/

http://www.infoshop.org/texts/wwp.html

International A.N.S.W.E.R. is not the answer. That is the conclusion which has been reached by the majority of the American anti-war movement after two years of ANSWER's efforts to "lead" the American anti-war and peace movements. ANSWER bills itself as a coalition, but it is nothing of the sort. ANSWER is a front group organized by Stalinists associated with the Workers World Party. ANSWER has led the anti-war movement around in circles for two years, continuing its practice of organizing safe protests which promote the organization, but do nothing to slow down the war or even bring us one day closer to abolishing the U.S. war machine. What's more, scarce movement resources have been diverted into ANSWER's organization, which has only helped promote the authoritarian politics of the WWP. ANSWER has squandered movement resources on symbolic protests in Washington and San Francisco which every seasoned activist can tell you are a waste of time. ANSWER isn't interested in ending any war--they want to be in control of any new social change movements that grow in the United States.

The International Action Center is a prominent Left organization located in New York City which is known for organizing large Left protests. What most people don't know is that an authoritarian Left organization stands behind the IAC, an organization known as the Workers World Party. Both organizations have been criticized by Left activists for supporting unsavory leaders such as Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevic. They support these unsavory rulers because they subscribe to a shallow version of anti-imperialism. Quite simply, they will support any regime, no matter how vile they really are, if that regime is opposed to U.S. imperialism and aggression.

The WWP is an authoritarian organization. Decisions about when and demos are going to be held are made by a small group of leaders. The WWP expects endorsing groups to participate under the banner of one of its front organizations, frequently the International Action Center and currently through the International A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition. This goes clearly against the non-hierarchical and democratic organizing models that have characterized the anti-globalization and anti-capitalist movements. There is no spokescouncil in the IAC.

The IAC is also known for the timidity of its protests, which are typically permitted, symbolic affairs that involve endless hours of speakers and a permitted march. The IAC actively discourages all forms of direct action, including civil disobedience. The IAC actively participates and cooperates with the police at all stages of protest organizing. One of their frequent tactics is to take out permits for all the public spaces that other protest groups might be using for a large mass action. They then play "permit broker" in order to gain influence among other protestors.

[Just Me]

10. I apologize for my inability to comprehend your absolute persecution,...

,...of every member associated with an organization BUILT UPON HUMAN RIGHTS. You can tear Ramsey Clark up, over and over and over again 'cause of his earlier mistakes in life (which reversed his perspective and passion about humanity). You will NEVER convince me that ANSWER is "bad". You will NEVER convince me that ANSWER is anything other than a PURE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION FOR ALL HUMAN BEINGS.

You can spin and spin and position and poli-tic and demean and demure 24/7/365,...and you will NEVER influence my position on ANSWER as a PURE HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION. They don't give a fuck about politics or "political science" or the bullshit divisions IMPOSED upon populations.

They advocate for human rights, period. FUCK the politics and profiteers and power-mongers!!!! HAIL HUMANITY!!!!

Get it?

[tocqueville]

17. that's a neat start for a discussion

or is this flamebait...

[Walt Starr]

18. Tell the guy in this picture how "pro-human rights" these fucks are

Because the FOUNDERS of ANSWER support this shit right here:

http://www.workers.org/ww/tienanmen.html

[Just Me]

22. No, Walt,...they oppose ALL violations of human rights.

Post their support of that military against that man. You can't. Their opposition purely involves the "rule of force" which sacrifices a thousand times more innocents than those who profit off such an endeavor.

[The Magistrate]

26. If You Actually Read That Article, Ma'am

You will find it concentrates on two basic points.

First, a claim that the student movement was a rightist pawn of Western capitalism, which the Chinese Communist Party had to break and should break utterly.

Second, a denial that there was any great number of students killed, and that students attacked a peaceable military force.

These are the positions of a supporter of the Chinese Communist government's actions, and far from support for the man in the street before the tank. The article is, of course, silent on such matters as the summary trials and sentences to terms of slave-labor of those arrested in that time, and other matters that greatly concern advocates for human rights in China.

[Atman]

19. "Get it? "

You clearly don't.

Seriously, we're all friends here, right? Just as you'd probably like a friend to point out that you have a big booger on the tip of your nose, or hunk of brocolli in your teath, your friends here are trying to politely point out that there is a big fat zit on your forehead that needs tending to before you go on that blind date.

Unless, of course, you're actually WITH Answer.

Are you a part of that org?

[rinsd]

20. Drink that koolaid deeply....

"you will NEVER influence my position on ANSWER as a PURE HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION."

Fact are useless against my intense beliefs!

Read David Corn's article. Then look up the WWP's position when it came to Tiannamen tell me about "pure human rights" afterwards.

Early mistakes in life for Ramnsey? How about his defense of Rwandan priest involved in genocide? Or Saddam? Or Milosevic? And after some scanning a Nazi war criminal?

Even more so Ramsey is co-chairman of this group...http://www.icdsm.org/...

yeah Free Slobo! Human rights my ass.

[T Town Jake]

2. ANSWER is a clownish outfit of hateful asshats.

n/t

[sweetheart]

3. viva la revolution

agreed and nominated
The whole thing about answer is questionable, railing on them for not
just being a niche issue organization. It was divisive, ignorant, but
part of our big tent.... and perhaps the royal we learned from it that
we take back the surface of the planet from the reptiles.

[Walt Starr]

4. Check the member organizations and the rhetoric. The facts don't

support you.

Communist and anti-Semitic. Plain and simple.

Please, do some homework. What an organization claims, the rhetoric they spew, and the actions they take are generally very different things.

[Puregonzo1188]

5. ANSWER is/was associated with World Workers Party/WWP Splinter Group

A major part of the steering committing was once members of the WWP and now a party that splintered from them, Socialism & Liberation or some group like that. For the WWP's views on human rights check this out http://www.workers.org/ww/tienanmen.html

[Walt Starr]

15. Man, that's bad. I knew they were violent monsters but this is just sick

This is all I have to say to these violent monsters supporting the Chinese government on what they did in Tienanmen Square:

[rinsd]

23. The Free Slobo campaign isn't much more inspiring....

http://www.icdsm.org/FreeSlobodanMilosevic.htm

Nor his defense of Nazi war criminal that can be summed up as "its all in the past, the man is dying anyway" kind of vibe.

Here's David Corn's article about them, IAC and WWP still list the same LA address.

http://www.laweekly.com/ink/02/50/news-corn.php

[rinsd]

6. Pay no attention to the WWP behind the curtain!

Inclusive? Is that why Michael Lerner got the boot from a rally?

Human rights? From the IAC and Clark? LOL. They care about POWER and are using the shell game and anti-war spirit to fundraise and recruit.

[LynneSin]

8. People were there because of the War and George Bush

and some of their causes go against what many of us support.

IA is going to start bleeding numbers at their protests if they keep doing what they did last weekend. I'm not some radical leftist borderline socialist/communist. I'm a democrat with a good job who votes the partyline and is against the war and George Bush. I wanted to show my anger against this war and the administration. I felt that the travesty in the gulf coast also merited a platform. But why waste my time in all these other subject matters that dilute the purpose of this protest AND gives us a black-eye because of their radical nature.

IA crowded out UPJ from this protest and changed the agenda to fit their needs. If you look at UPJ's site, the speakers were to last for an hour and then the march begain. But instead, IA decided to have the speakers go on for an extra 90+ minutes takingup all of the coverage on C-Span.

International Answer is making us look ridiculous

[Atman]

9. ANSWER is a Stalinist workers party

There is a reason no elected democratic leaders would attend. Being associated with a Stalinist org looks really shitty in your oponent's campaign commercials.

We've done about 2 billion posts on ANSWER since Saturday. Do some research. ANSWER plays "big tent" because they tend not to be able to get permits and attract donations when the reveal what they're really about.

You MUST read this before you go on telling us to accept ANSWER. I do not, I will not, and I will do my best to make sure no one I know gives them the time of day...they came damned close to setting the democrat's anti-war message back 50 years.

---

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4905558#4905600

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rinsd]

13. Really?

Why are the spokespeople for answer and participants in organizing the same as IAC? Which is the same as the WWP?

Is David Corn a liar?

[Walt Starr]

16. Oh yeah? Here's what the FOUNDERS of ANSWER JUSTIFY

Read about how they rewrite Chinese history here:

http://www.workers.org/ww/tienanmen.html

Then come back and tell me how oh so "pro-human rights" these monsters are.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Atman]

21. Be specific about our criticisms? Why bother?

You will NEVER convince me that ANSWER is "bad". You will NEVER convince me that ANSWER is anything other than a PURE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION FOR ALL HUMAN BEINGS.

You seem to have made up your mind.

We might as well lock the thread now before it goes up in flames.

[sendero]

12. ANSWER..

.... is so much like the stereotypical activist organization of the 50's or 60's it is impossible to take them seriously. And I don't.

They really sound like folks frozen in a time warp. No thanks.

[Redstone]

14. I think you're beating a dead horse with a broken stick here, kiddo.

And I don't think that strident lectures are generally successful in influencing people's thinking around DU.

Just a friendly observation.

Redstone

[SlowDownFast]

25. Some folks just refuse to pull their heads from out of the clouds

or out from someplace else.

ANSWER apologists may be well meaning, but they're blinded from reality by their idealism.

The reason why this is such a heated issue, is because it is VERY IMORTANT. Why some just continue their lassie faire or even supportive attitudes towards ANSWER is beyond logic. ANSWER is a serious thorn in todays anti-war, anti-* movement.

[pox americana]

27. This seems right.

Their methods may be debatable, some of their politics too, but this seems to be their overall purpose.

[moddemny]

28. Thank you....

..... Walt Starr, Atman, Magistrate, Puregonzo1188, rinsd, LynneSin and anyone else who carried the sanity in this thread.