Anti-Racist Action (ARA-Net) ARA started in Minneapolis in 1988. It sprung from earlier ant racist groups that had been active off and on throughout the continent, In 1993, the chapters collected into a network, entitled appropriately enough, ARA-Net. It’s mainly a midwest phenomenon with strong chapters in Columbus, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Kent, Louisville, Indianapolis, Minncapolis, and Toronto. Active chapters are also to be found in California, in the south, east and throughout Canada. Let me read a few descriptions of some of the chapters from a zine called Introducing the ARA-Network, Fall 1998 Columbus ARA Detroit ARA has boan arcund since 1989 when nacl bonehaads 1 8 class conscious, mull-racil drect acton g1oup ‘wore prasent around tha Ohio Stal campus dicaled 1 ighing wht supremacy. ascism, sexsm, nelghborhoods. omophobia, cutbacks and gecaton ARA News was st published n 1994 wih 3 pint Wo are organized on Geecty damocraic b U0 of 800, an our latlsue r3n 76,000 opies. | Wo ancourage everyons o b a ieade and o one ‘Shory afle, wo bogan going fo musk shows and lolowsr” Out g10up has hea crews ha ocus o 3pa- 1ab4ng Wit ARA News and bulding our malng sl el projecs: ‘ch s now over 20000 song and growing everydayl _ The “Whose Delok” crow chalanges th facht ‘Our presenc ot Mighiy Mighty Bossonos and ohar and it redevelopment ofthe . We've rganied 3 hows around the U.S. and Canada has lad o ur ~ peotet againat a new youlh s bing busl domiown chapier being e do faclo naonsl ofic. Thishas and 3 campaign demanding fobs and sppreniceshios afwed us 0 help network & be an normaton orcy reskonts rasoutcafo new and current chaplers. Our“AntF” crow monios ascss and oganizes ‘ Sinca 1995, wo have organzed AntFost; our ;10 conlfnt and dsrupt thei acthibes. We 330 send ‘nnua, o day,culdoor musk fsthal, Contgents 1 jin at-Kianralies cioss the Kwest (Copwatch becama project of ARA Columbs whan _The fighing sexism. homaphobia and e reigous 2 polce ol arupied on theIlamous E. 120 Ava in . ght crew s st p 1 change the bove mentoned 1996. Since than we have been roguady palclng our Maniestaionson afocal levl (.. Delot Right o Lfe) ‘communies wih video cameras. We have sufred don a nalonal scle (Promise Keepars) S0m rests - soma vicen, cthers not — bt have won e have pul outa paper, The Delrod O, 3nd very case 50 far. Wo continve 10 have (he support o ope 10 o 30 more rgulaly. We ae aiso staing our the commurity. own ofica 1 coordinal ourcrews 33 we 3 1o cresle We would ka0 se0 ou chaplr & he ARA 2 base o cuiside arganizing. Natwork dovelop stronger communicaion networks wih ARA Derat olher anfascslgroups. We would k o see 8 more 0. Box 321211 Inlonsefocus o femine ssues; such a roproducive Dol M1 48232 unedom and suppor o lamiles wikin ARA, W have 131 7203555 ‘worked on soma Native Amarican laauss bul we wous ke o make hal svongor focus 33w, Wo pian 1o Continue the hard work necessry fo buid a stong, Kent ARA rosd based ant-tscist moveman n Nodh Americs, Founded in Ocober 1996, ARA Ken emcioscommited ac o cion i he Fight ogoint appresionn o commny £0. box 82097 and hoing sdrty i b svgglerofShec Ctombo, OH 43202 Commeiien wherevet ond henews posble W o bie 16144249074 ora@coil.com sromple of vich wy'vs dons: KX catrber dercashobions [ v P in Coumbon ond Pborgh; demanrid ogi oo Couny ighTo e damomaraed in wppert of borkon dic polet in Cleelond; evied he Kert Abchd o Suics Dalanss Comiten Hong e @ policol pivonar o 1t e n Aprll; prosevd o Joca Fikd i Clevlond wilh ALM. oo th 300 Yoors Comites int 1ot ma1cet o teom nome of e Cloelond touies h sivge sgainsi cooratam and impar atam. Wo crganized kocal scidarty work ot the ineh nAfzona: he Zapaistas n Chiapes; the pecple of Higera who have sioad up aganst he corpoals Gestncton of e fand and he milary itaorshi: he i cao, oy sHscked with genocidal aciics by 1ha U tne Eas Temresa sufleig unds butl col- il e b Indonesta; and more e nave adopled ur own polis of uny. holding a1 he gl four o, ot axpanding them.. They staia that we baleve I droct cton and ha we 5 raciam on i frots - both n the organized fascis moveman and nshutonal racm. Out polns also ale Tt W [.] acknowledpe hl acam and imper- tam go hand n hanc” Wo have slo acopled 8 point. 0t a3 ot v stvgole sgeint lemal Herrchios and for acual paricpaton. Finaly, we have ioed that: “TWo inand] 1 do tha hard work nacessary o buld & brosd, suong movement agins raci, sexlm, ant- ‘Semiism, homophobia, heerosexim, cassim, dis- crmasion agaist e dsabled. he odes and he Voungest membars of ot socely. Wa ae acive in Galancing repoducive rght and reedom of elglon” Student Anti-Racist Action — Kent State University: Jut monihs aher ARA-Kant formed, Ko Siata st- ‘Gant n ARA formed a siudent based chaplar, Siudent ‘A Racis Action. SARA. takes a more educational spprosch, focusing on raling the consciousnass of Kent State students and inspiing acton. We share the sama points ofunity with ARA-Keni and most acons ata comined sctons, 1 oddiion 1o he work hal we 60wt ARA Kont, we aiso bing spaskers [0 e KSU campus. Wo have brought Michas Novic, Foyd (Cochvan, Abdul Gahar, Rober Wareham, and obers o 3peak o Targe audiences, and puton a very successhl program kot the Ociober 22 Natlonal Dayof Prolest ‘Against Polce Bratry. “Sdent Ank Rocnt Ackon Kant Sche o Ke S Univerity Ofic o Campus Uia Box 8 Kent O 44202 R boan acaund since March o 1998 We oganized n asponse 1o Kia rally here In Louisile. We ware the ot group in Lovkail 1 got e word out sboul e Kian ray because ofsome forilous access 1o nalk- ‘genca. Al ha we Infisied the rackt Amercan Renaissance coniorence and “outed” e AR orgs- lzedublaher I his nighborhood. We have panict- pated n 8 number of an-Nazi and ant-Kian sctons outside of Louisvtle a3 wel a3 many oher evens, Incluing ant-war demonsiraions, Reconty wa orge- ized a domo aganst & kocalrghiving leader who. prides Himsell on his homophobla and misogyny. We ais0 helpad put ogether a few shows,Incuing an ARA benefl show ard beo e curiew shows. i sdion, we 0y 1o ok wih tha progressive groups i our ares. kst 0 tha o, hone 289 ocal fgh v tak shovs, and genarly spread he word. “Wa'd 1o have bote Enes of communication wit ofher groups n out area, and want 1o ravel 8 ot mare. in suppor of ewer Southem ARA chapiers. We'd ke 10 60 some cutreach wok n our local schoos, and Loioil, Y 40204 502) 569-1780 lovera@homallcom g/ [mambers.ipod com lovera/ ARA Minneapolis s dvac acon antacistgoup. We beleve that poopla acthel engeging n stugsle sgainaloppresson s whet bnga sbou adca socil change. W' not 900 1o wak around for the government 0 o ot us oceus iy banef rom racm and il et foms o oppresion. W have throe mai aren of work: 1) Wo organze agains racs goups e N ki s nd e Kian. Wo organize 1o shutdown Nazi howslevens snd “our” ham e nalghboutoods hoy v n,Wo partcpaten i Kian work by couter- prolsing o i s, 2)We orgnize agin! ihe rcim o govemmeent nstiionstka th potce. Wo have siad up & COP- WATCH, o stot prgram o chalenge andconifond he potce on i i 3) Wo crganizs sgentthe Chvstan Right. We helpdalond sboron clris and organize againtpro- e chuches and fok cins (inica un by Chisian Fight groups fo the purpose o conusing and manipu- Tatiog wamen o oot havingan sboron) W r ntoreted n helping butd & moverment et s arge anough o successily ake n the organizad acittescis roups and th rac of the goven- mant—th rcem et t e foundaon of the devel- cpmant of s couniy ARA Minaopalis 7. box 80239 Hisapoli, MN 53408 1612 649-4585 oramph@homoi.com Western USA Los Angeles Anti Racist Action! Accidn Anti-Racista begen n 1994 wih the Anachist Colecive whch ran i Ou)Cana s Highand Pk n 1994 and 199 wo pariceiod n o suris of mrchesand sl damoniralons sgast e s imigant ltve Fropodion 187 nckdig 8 mtehof over 200000 pacp fom East Los Angelen 1o Dowrlown Los ngees. Wo sponsored tne Ricardo Flres Magon Fim o8 Lachr Sain which ncded T Fr s T’ St o rpresio f e Cov Righs Movement snd Atican Amrcan Communty Organizig od 1o he cre- oo Crp and Blod and he 1992 Gt Unvest InLos Angls, movie s e Phiscephiaack o o MOVE commanty snd presataion by Wi Resisars Losgun, "W hav marced againa poica racsm and abuse 0 ecucale young pecple sboldesing with b polcs e ey ar el a3 “gang snpecs” sy Sacaues ot wey ey rovsand e fockht ey e Lo, Astan o Alcan Areran. Wo hav demonsaied sguns: e Sies Cuis proposal 0 sdopt polcy opposing i, Gatmg s b o 1 amcnment. People Against Racist Terror (PART) 1o southam ol st of 0 ARA Nwork Wo Havsbeen v n Grasefoots s racl nd an ot acton, scalon, tesasich and crganing o St o dote yours. PART s ol Tumig he Tt oumal ofAn- ~Rocit Acha, Resorc and Ecucaon whic s i e on ity asi natonely and ocaly Wo i monty ko a Luna S Cale 1 Los gele.and hav boan v sassona sciay {estvt.Rock Againe Rac concas, potcl ps PO uppon campagn, i dafons, demon. Smdons paine bona hesc, o bty animngran ysert and war ‘Wo werk i the Crack the CIA Casiton hav close ottt it ha e X Gassoas Movement ine iiniaioda Usaacion Nacona Mescano, We o work round Nt Amaican and Havalan Soversigny and Puaro Rican Indepandanca. Wa oppose i by, anAsan elence, and an- Sermts w sppod Plosiolan Wocaon, avkon: i ke, pisoners s, and o end o il exlotaon ad oppressin. o babev he srgol agant whis spramcy. el spremacy and cloiaiam ar cankel 10 eV st sy, o i R Vi o bk an aicaton i a2 cpresors:and il cas g, an. act s and an-aubcrtadan e o o v oo a3 el o bawaan G, Feaple Agaiot Rt v 708 1055 b Cay A 90232 Sio 300 Local mtary recruters gt Labno and Alican Amarican communiies kot recnuing 50 ws helo 1o ducala pogle on how 1 ind a non-miary o, have domonsiraed againsh iry acim st e sonal Aroed Forced Day ity parade In Tonance, CA uch of what 1 Going on has ol been n he orm of dramaticprotests,but n the form o marikey- Wranching snd cover harsssman gl acist skihead gangs i areas ke he ‘and Orangs County, W siso have pickied Viny Sotons Records over 1 sal o Nazi records and organized » boycot of e E1 Rey Theater bacause Boyd Rica ofthe Amarcan Fron was scheduie appear are. On August 28, 1998, we Vavel ‘Vegas f profest ihe execulo-style murderof o A Racit actvist by Naz) skinhesds. Mostofihe pariciaton in ARAJAAR.Los Angeles has boan rom kocal Anachits and Anarchis coec. v, Bocause Souihem Catlomi s 30 5, naces sary for s 10 uze 8 deconirlized 3pprosch 1o organiting. We mainiin n ongoing sducation program wich ncudes organzing sgainst nsfons! (acism which we baave piaya 8 key ol nlegimizing o I the mind of som poope. ARA Los Angeles 20, 8ox 712191 Los Angeles, CA 90071 ARA Winnipeg Since ARA Winnipeg staded i June 1997, we have. et with o of the biggest murder als nvabng Nt skinhaads. Gordon Kuhiey was murdered back n 1950 a0 boneheads were aesed and put on Uil begin- ing May 1997, ARA held rfes In emembrance of the Vit a3 well a3 moniored th Vil Unlorunaiey e charges war stayed. Wo have hekd 3 succassilRock againt Racism concat, Inciucing one aiended by over 800 peope (On March 21, wa held a rally o the ntematonsl Day ot the Eiminaton o Racism, About 60 people allanded. Wo have done posiring campagns st saying End Racism 1 gelour name out and o show ha racss Inthe cy the i racist scone I 5 going stong. We have 8 web page as wel a5 an ARA hiine ans an extansive achive wth picures and bubs on esch Box 31023 . 208393 Portoge Ave Winipeg, M8 RIM K9 12041 989.9930 imed in Seplember 1952. Our bass of uny s we wil posa. oppose and confon organized racsm and the (rght genda ough education, mass aclon, and ppon of broader anacs suvogles. Tvough mian prolest, boycots of nazkn o3, and youh orented communly educatn, we 1pad shut down the Hertage Front I Toroio by the ol 1994 W continve 1o buid an anfascis presence vong young people aspecily ough Rock Against sciam concerts. We ik tha s wihaut some. Yo e leads nrwhere Since our controversial oulh AganstHate”conlrenca i 1996, we have so 13 1t of anergy o working withan-fascists 1 form o gr0up3 n ihar clles nd lowns near s, Wo con- 1 1o axpariment wih new tacics o conroning cal taacst o Emat Zunel,word-nlomovs. clocaust denir and i propagandi. We sciely support community campsigns sgainsl. Jice sy and in soldary withFirs Nations! digencus stugies. Wa have good elalons wit » Jmber of commundy organzatons, inckiding lhe Black clon Dafansa Comrites 3nd the Ontaro Coallon st Povery. We ecucata ourselves sbout conmections between scst movements and tha Chistan Right. e ringe . 3nd movemens o dany First Naions righs and varegoty. W shar ou research vough pamptiets, ‘egula nawsletor On ho Prow, out web-sil, and 3 oy - (ascit mows show ‘Racio Ana” on com- niy adio CKLN 88.1 FM. 'ARA T 70, box 291, Shoens Toonte, ON CANADA MST 212 e 610025 P e [——— s colchunbased au ofOskl,Onai,which ‘1 focuves oncombatig acm, e and Famepbabia st 1 o, e frmed nAugust 1997 8 & eecion 10 e i amoun of i nhass ot area. Wo'waried 104 sometig sbot h hate s ek G s cur s, Wiassacge, Burigion Sarmies, procicsand atbr up Harrs I hopes o e h syes o cut communty, Wo 3esk o angage- e whar we ades (hasassves. Wo o0 - iingha Rl for Eqaly I s 1960, To ‘Gsthut o newslotapamptits,contact sl Yo Agim e 1011 Uppar i Rood Ea, #1314 ok, ON L6H S29 rohOhmubonson ol ewnowheconlyh Kirksville, MO ARA formed i the al f 1997, W were recenty chatared s 3 campus organizaton ol Tnman Stle Unkversty. bt we have not ied ourseives 1 the campus act- es. and our mambarship comes fom the campus and suounding communty. o fa we have targoled severa aea businesses. o have openly racis and hamophobic managamant. We are campaigeing o boycot a booksior and are warko on fnding olhe ways 10 spprosch difarent Dusinessas. I the flre, we wil work on ecogeizing. e ocal hal groups that are prevalen n Norn- Eastern Missour, and stive o counlc thl infusnce I e communty. ARA Kicovill CAOC office -2ub Tromon Skie Univeriy Kikevla O 63501 Today, ARA is a network of over 130 chapters in the U.S. and Canada. Chapters are forming in South Ame , Europe and even Asi It is the North American equivalent of the anti-fascist movement in Europe. We make a point to contest the streets whenever Nazi , fascists, the Klan, homophobic preachers, anti-abortion zealots or any other bigots rear their ugly heads. Just like in Germany in the 20°s and 30°s you can’t let the Nazi's control the streets because if they are victorious, as was Hitler, the new world order is upon us all with mass repression and death. We are on the front line against this growing threat. There are several racist groups out there these days, which are explained in the zine Anti-Racist Action Primer, available through the South Chicago ARA-ABC Distro. First, let me distinguish between the skinheads and the boneheads. on the real front line for the safety of the strecls against the boncheads, who are the racist morons. The racists have tried to appropriate the til of skinheads from the real skinheads. To distinguish between the two, we call the racists, boneheads. ‘The boncheads have gotten strong impetus from such media mouthpieces as Geraldo Rivera and this new movie, American History X. These liberals only serve to advertise and glamourize their evil message, by giving them a platform to preach hate from. Have you eve oy seen a Nazi that was “Hollywood handsome?” Their faces are as ugly & ideas. As disaffected youth sec them being against the governmen bellious” in their confused state, they add to their numbers. Nazis and the Klan should not be given a platform to spew their messag of hate. You wouldn't let a gang of child molesters recruit openly, would you? It's a question of neighborhood saftey - not free specch. Their platform is one of fear, hate, ignorance, lies and death. Recently, we've been disgusted, outraged and horrificd by the grisly murder of James Byrd, down in Jasper, Texas. Aflerwards, the Klan atempted 10 rally to dance on his freshly dug grave. He was murdered because he was black, leaving a grieving wife and children. On July 4th, 1998 two Las Vegas ARA members, Lin “Spit” Newbom and Daniel Shersty, black and white active anti-racist skinheads, were lured into the desert and beaten and executed by Nazis ‘These Nazi scum then tried to “rally” in Vegas. Anti-racists from all over North America came to shut them down, with the warm support of the community, on August 29th. Spit left a two year old son, who can b supported through a fund set up in his name through Las Vegas ARA. Recently, Matthew Shepard was horribly tortured and murdered Laramic, Wyoming for being gay. At his funeral, bigotied Christian troglodytes screamed that he deserved his fate - according to them, a ticket to hell - for being gay! His parents and other family members had to grieve his murder at his gravesite within earshot of this rightwing “Christian” obscenity. More and more abortion providers arc being gunned down by“pro- life” snipers. Schoolgirls are being slaughtered across the country by schoolboys who are brainwashed into the glorification of murder as a way to solve their disagreements and unhappiness. ‘The prisons are being stuffed with young black men at an unreal rat. More and more men and women of all colors who are supposedly ‘committing (victimless) “crimes” are being penned into the overcrowded U.S. prison gulag and made to become slave laborers for U.S. companies. The U.S. government is murdering 6,000 Iraqi children, under the age Jf five - EVERY MONTH! in between periodic massive bombing 3 frenzies, as well as causing the deaths of that many more Iragi citizens of All other ages. Their cancer rates are five times they were prior to Desert Storm. Food, drinkable water, even the simplest medicines are denied 1n entire country of 22 million human beings because our government loes not like the way our erstwhile “ally™ Saddum Husscin, is behaving! Clearly, a moral counter of courage, intelligence and outrage is being «creamed for. The ARA acts as the moral conscience of the punk scene. Lalso, in fact, demonstrates much leadership in the way of direct action ind anti-auloritarian education. We believe in solidarity and strongly upport such groups as Voices in the Wildemess, who have sent 19 Iclegations to Baghdad, during this decade of hyper war and sanctions, n defiance of the U.S. government. They have recently been charged vith the “crime™ of providing food, medicine and toys to the dying hildren of Iraq. Their real crime in the eyes of the government, is 1aving the courage and morality 10 bear witness to this major genocide in the century of genocide) and report the facts! Write them at Voices o the Wildemess / Kathy Kelly / 1460 West Carmen Ave. / Chicago, IL 0640/ (773) - 784 - 8065 / FAX (773) - 784 - 8837 / e-mail kelly@ige.ape.org These people deserve total support! Stop killing, raqi babies! End the sanctions, NOW!! Back o our group. ARA has developed four points of unity which a hapter agrees with as part of becoming affiliated with the network. (hese four points are as follows: . WE GO WHERE THEY GO! Whenever the fascists are organizing, x active in public, we're there. We don’t believe in ignoring them or 1a) away from them. We will never let the Nazis have the streets. .. WE DON'T RELY ON THE COPS OR THE COURTS. This loesn’t mean we don’t ever £0 10 court or work with the police. But we nust rely on ourselves 1o protect ourselves and stop the fascisls. . NON-SECTARIAN DEFENSE OF OTHER ANTI-FASCISTS. In ARANET we have lots of groups and individuals, WE don't agree about sverything, and have a right to differ openly. But in this movement an ittack on any one of ug'is an attack on all! We all stand behind each QUEER- POSITIVE other. 4. ARANET INTENDS TO DO THE HARD WORK that is n:cessurz to build a strong, broad movement against racism, sexism, anti-semitism, homophobia, discrimination against the disabled, the oldest, the youngest, and the weakest of our people. We support abortion rights and unrestricted reproductive freedom for all. WE intend to win! ‘This autonomy of each chapter allows for a wide variety of viewpoints, although the strong majority of ARA members consider themselves anarchists, others such as socialists, communists or just people appalled at Nazi/Klan activity are involved in ARA. We believe in and practice solidarity with other groups fighting for social justice. An injury to one is an injury to us all! ARAactually acts as the political glue for the active punk scenes in the U.S. and Canada. Many of the more politically aware bands give their support to ARA by way of free benefit concerls. As a matter of fact, we just had a benefit show for South Chicago ARA - last night! We had six bands who played at Off the Alley juice bar in Homewood, IL. These included Richard Dante (my homey) Authority Abuse, Johnny Underdog, Doctor Murphy, Kung Fu Rick and Race Traitor. Thankyou very much® Those of you who were there can aftest that it was one heliuva sho Other activities of ARA include Copwatches. They are being conducted in Minneapolis, Berkeley, one istarting in Phoenix and elsewhere. This is dangerous activity, but it is needed to reign in police brutality, expose cops and protect neighborhoods. A copwatch type video blew open the Rodney King case. The police are the most vicious gang to brandish an arsenal! What other gang regularly kidnaps, beats, pepper sprays and maces the citizens, kidnaps them and has an elaborate system where people are incarcerated - some for decades? They kill with impunity on the streets and in the jails, and daily harass and stick- up millions of citizens for petty “violations.” They are the bulldog enforcers of this vile capitalist society. They epitomize “authority.” Food Not Bombs programs are heavily staffed with ARA people. In *Frisco, hundreds of peaple are involved with Food Not Bombs and hungry and the homeless. Animal rights advocates have their number g swelled thanks to ARA members. Some ARA groups have ABC chapters. This is the Anarchist Black Cross which was first developed in Russia, in 1905 to provide support for the political prisoners of Tsarist Russia. Kent ARA has an ABCF. ABCF stands for Anarchist Black Cross Federation which is a group of ABC's who've federated and made it their task to provide consistent support, such as monthly stipends and other assistance to internationally recognized political prisoners and prisoners of war, locked down in U max prisons. If you'd like to get in touch with this group, write Neil, at ABCF /P.O. Box 8532/ Patterson, NJ 07508-8532. South Chicago ARA also has an ABC and does prisoner support work which I will explain more about later. Some ARA chapters print informative journals, zines and books such as the Brat out of Louisville, Active Transformation out of Detroit & Ann Arbor, Fighting Words from Minneapolis, Tumning the Tide out of the PART (People Against Racist Terror) chapter in Culver City California. Michael Novick has also written the book White Terror, White Lies. Tuming the Tide is a comprehensive journal of anti-racist rescarch & education. Also the great zine ARANews comes out of the Columbus chapter. The previous issue has a press run of 75,000 and it’s free! The latest issue is so good, it made me cry with renewed dedication. Of course, I'm no slouch and South Chicago also publishes several zines, as do I'm sure several other chapters that I don’t know about, yet. We have an ARA distro of paraphemalia such as patches, t- shirts, tapes, etc. Wrile to Atitude ARA at P. O. Box 64 / Greencastle, PA 17225 for a volumnous catalog. ARA sponsors yearly music tours, 100. Check in with Columbus ARA at P.0. Box 82097 / Columbus, OHIO 43202 ara@coil.com 614 - 424 - 9074 They actas a sort of clearinghouse of information, organizing and contacts. Some chapters give talks, such as this one at high schools, colleges o civic-minded groups, put on seminars, ., to educate people as to the extent of the threat of racism and related forms of oppression and how it i all tied institutionally to the state. We don’t candy-coat reality. We are heavily involved in other struggles, such as the campaign to free Mumia Abu-Jamal, holed up on deathrow in Pennsylvania after being framed for the murder of a police officer. He's in imminent danger of being executed, mainly because he is a fearless, brilliant, articulate journalist and former Black Panther, who worked in and reported from the virulently racist town of Philadelphia. [, V| Afil.-“lflll!l)l‘-l | B A A LV AN 4 B went 1o Ohio State o try o drum up support for a bombing campaign 9 against the people of Iraq. ARA Columbus and other ARA groups were heavily involved in sabotaging that campaign and exposing her for the the murderess that she is - in effect aborting that campaign of death. Of course, Clinton & Albright did unleash the bombers during last December in a sneak attack which murdered countless thousands. Isn't Amerikka wonderful? What's Christmas without massive genocide amidst an oblivious consumer buying frenzy??? ARA s proud to boast a strong contingent of militant feminists and queers who are in the. front ranks in the fight for womyn's abortion rights as well as gay and lesbian (humyn) rights. 1t's a group of courageous people - mostly young punks who put it on the line for justice, freedom, and humyn dignity against the growing forces of state and street fascism. We have a website! www//coil.com ‘We also have an email list for confirmed, vouched-for ARA members, which provides valuable information on breaking developments throughout the world and serves as a networking forum to exchange ideas, develop tactics, cement contacts and coordinate actions. Last October saw the Fifth Annual ARANET National Conference, a three day event, held in Columbus, October 16 -18. The next conference is supposed to take place in Chicago in the fall. A delegates conference is also held every spring. Each chapter gets two votes. This gathering serves to hammer out inernal issues. This year's delegates conference is set for April in Louisville. As for the chapter I'm involved with, South Chicago ARA, we are a young, but very active group. We having a mailing address, South Chicago ARA P.O. Box 721, Homewood, IL. 60430 and an email address ara_s com We started in May of ‘98. W are composed maily of high school students who are fed up with the filthy atmosphere of racist, sexist and homophobic intimidation they must endure, coupled with the lies being taught as well as the policization of their schools. They insist on a future of hope and human decency and are willing to put their fears aside o stand up and be counted. Again, they are mostly working class punks, many in bands, and I'm damn proud of them* We've held several mectings, gone on nazi grafitti clean-ups, had an all-day event in conjunction with the Blue Island Greens at their river clean-up sitc along the Des Plaines River where we held meetings, held interviews with the local print media and took them on a tour of the area (the polluted remains of the long gone Chicago Gas Lamp Company.) We also planted several fruit trees and had a cookout. We've created leaflets and tred 1o educate other students about /) racism, sexism, homophobia, police repression, student harassment and the lack of legitimate education. We've gone on demonstrations in support of the Cabrini Green residents forced from their admittedly dreadful “apartments" (more like glorified cells!) They've been evicted without any legitimate altemative housing nor any imput from them on how this all came down. We've participated in meetings at the Autonomous Zone, the community resource center in the Wicker Park neighborhood where the Chicago ARA chapter (and many other activists groups work from.) We've their base in Loyola University, sat in on one of their meetings and tabled at a punk show they helped to sponsor. Weve tabled at the Will County Fair in Peotone in August, in conjunction with STAND (Shut This Airport Nightmare Down.) Their address is P.O. Box 433, Monee, IL 60449 email rural_stand@hotmail.com Check ‘em out. I'm active as hell with them, too! The band Situation Normal, a high school ska band (who boast So. Chi. ARA members) played at a STAND rally called Preservation Day in June at the fairgrounds. They made me take back the money I tried to give them! In July, we tabled for iwo days at the Blue Island Fest along with STAND and the Blue Island Greens. Also in July, we produced our first zine, called South Chicago ARA Alert #1, which has gotten an enthusiastic response from throughout the ARANET and elsewhere in the underground. Let me read you a sample poem by Bridget Kevin. ‘That's the kind of calibre of people we have in our group® Tn September, we held our first benefit concert at OfF the Alley juice bar, to help generate funds for our activities. Five bands played, including the Vermicious Kemits, the Deficients, the Gremlinz, Race Traitor and ‘Treason. The first three have South Chicago ARA members, Race Traitor is a nationally known abolitionist band out of the northern suburbs of Chicago and Treason is an asskick high school band from Thomridge High School who comprise Lansing, IL ARA. They came to demonsitrate solidarity with us, as did Race Traitor. THANKYOU ALL In October, some of us went ot the national conference, where we set up a well-stocked literature table. 1also conducted two workshops - one on zinemaking and one on strengthening ARANET. i ANTIHRACIS Yely1g UAni €7, PN o S 3 We ace 2l Yook One in fhe Same destined ab, BICAR to veature Hheagh lice Ugon i+5 unkndun Path TAS Aciumphs, Tes defuts Vike dhe Stacs, althgh