Posted by toto on February 20, 2001 at 17:44:10:
LETTER OF SOLIDARITY AGAINST ANTI-ASIAN ATTACKS:
BAMN salutes the courageous new struggle of Asian American and other
anti-racist students at UC Davis against the recent series of racist mob
attacks against Asian Americans.
On February 8, an integrated crowd of hundreds of students refused to be
intimidated and protested the recent anti-Asian violence at UC Davis
(details of the incidents are below). The new emerging mass civil rights
movement is uniting together and declaring: We will not tolerate racist mob
violence, against Asian Americans or any other minorities.
As an organization committed to the defense of affirmative action by any
means necessary, BAMN stands proudly in solidarity with the UC Davis
students. We recognize the intimate tie between the current attempt by the
resegregationists to attack the gains of the Civil Rights Movement and the
recent rise in violent racist attacks against Asian American and other
minorities. We recognize the need for all of us to band together in a
united, determined struggle against racism.
Open racist attacks against Asian Americans have risen dramatically since
the attack on affirmative action began with the UC Regents' ban in 1995.
Not too long ago, under the iron grip of segregation both North and South,
such open attacks against Asian Americans and other minorities occurred
frequently. Asian Americans and other minorities never ventured to travel
alone at night in predominantly-white areas if it could be avoided. Such
attacks once defended segregation and helped define the social life of the
nation, before the mass struggle of blacks and other anti-racist people
against racism and segregation confronted such attacks and opened up and
transformed the whole society. The current attack on affirmative action and
integration has prompted white racists to believe this is a new day for
them -- that they can once again assert their bigotry openly and claim
these campuses and this society as theirs. Two roads lie before us, and
ONLY TWO -- back towards the type of society that existed under
segregation, or forward towards a society based on integration and equality
for all.
NONE of us can live in a society in which open racist attacks against Asian
Americans occur! In the past several years, the opponents of affirmative
action have never said with a frank honesty that Asian Americans are equal.
Instead, they have stereotyped Asian Americans as a 'model minority' only
as a cynical attempt to use Asian Americans as a vehicle for racist insults
against blacks, Latinos, and other minorities. (Please read the article at
the bottom of this email covering Professor Frank Wu's testimony supporting
affirmative action at the current University of Michigan trial.) They have
attempted to pit us against our natural allies in struggle. In doing so,
they have also set up Asian Americans for more racist attacks. But we will
not be divided and conquered. From this day forward, we struggle only
TOGETHER!
On Thursday, March 8, we have the historic opportunity of turning this tide
of racism around. On that day, thousands of students and over 450
professors across the UC System will take action to demand that the UC
Regents reverse the ban on affirmative action in the UC System now. The new
civil rights movement has already forced the UC Regents to consider
possibly taking up the question at their March 14-15 meeting. On March 8,
we will declare across California: WE WILL NOT GO BACK. Scoring this
victory in defense of the gains of the Civil Rights Movement would be a
devastating blow to the racists across California and nationwide. This
spring will be the dawn of a new period of civil rights struggle.
The new emerging mass civil rights movement declares our unity and
solidarity against all racist attacks.* All of us -- black, Latino, Asian
American, Arab, white -- announce our readiness to come to the defense of
Asian Americans and other minorities against racist violence. From now on,
we declare we will struggle together for a new society based on integration
and equality for all. Together and united, no amount of insults or terror
will ever be able to turn us back.
On March 8 and beyond, we march forward, side by side, for our common
future.
In solidarity,
The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action and Integration
& Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN)
Supported by: Defend Affirmative Action Party (DAAP, ASUC electoral party)
Website: http://www.bamn.com
Phone: (510) 895-3068
Email: DefendAffAction@aol.com