TRAGEDY FOR ALL HUMANITY
A Statement by the Communist Party USA
The terrorist attacks that killed and wounded thousands of innocent people
Sept. 11 are crimes that call for universal, worldwide condemnation. At
this writing the toll of dead and wounded is not known but it is certain to
number in the thousands, the deadliest terrorist attack ever.
The Communist Party USA expresses outrage and profound sorrow at this
horrendous assault. We unequivocally condemn terrorism in all its forms.
We extend heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims including the
thousands of office workers at both the World Trade Center and the Pentagon
and those who died in the crashes of the four planes. We mourn the rescue
workers, hundreds of whom died in the line of duty, in the collapse of the
World Trade Center buildings. Amid the carnage and the horror, they
displayed uncommon courage and self sacrifice as they struggled to save the
wounded and dying.
The people have responded generously, from ironworkers in their hardhats,
who raced to the scene to help search through the piles of rubble, to the
doctors and other medical workers who worked through the day and night, to
the thousands across the country who lined up to donate blood. We urge that
everyone who can participate in such efforts.
This tragedy has traumatized the nation. The people understandably are in a
state of shock and anger, and are coming together to mourn just as we
united in sorrow after the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma
City.
We must guard against a rush for military reprisals even before the
perpetrators are known and apprehended. There are calls for more military
spending, more intrusive surveillance both at home and abroad and
curtailment of democratic rights. Innocent Arab people both at home and
abroad and immigrants across the U.S. face a danger of racist and
xenophobic attacks. We call on the Bush Administration, and all state and
local authorities to take measures to guarantee everyone's safety. The
danger is that the cycle of violence will spiral out of control with more
death and destruction.
This moment calls for calm, not hysteria; initiatives for peace, not war;
democracy, not repression. This crisis must be answered by a united world
community of all nations and peoples. The goal must be multilateral
political solutions that eliminate the causes of violence and promote a
just and equitable world, the best and only true memorial to those who have
died.
September 15, 2001
FR: National Board, Communist Party USA
Dear comrades,
Needless to say, the shock of Tuesday's terrible events hasn't worn off.
Everyone is struggling with how to take it in personally, as well as
respond politically.
This memo is to update all of you about what we have done in the national
center, and what we are suggesting be done locally.
First, this week's People's Weekly World contains the Party statement we
emailed to you on Wednesday, as well as a number of other articles. There
will be no bundles, however, due to the delay in the production schedule.
Wherever possible, we should find ways to distribute the statement,
including electronically. Already comrades have reported an excellent
response to it and to the fact that we are out there.
Next week's paper will have extensive coverage and analysis of the events.
We think it will be an excellent edition, and are asking that every club
and district make plans for large distributions. Clubs and districts should
also consider special mailings and distributions to opinion makers, elected
officials and our coalition partners in the people's movements. From the
national office we are planning a mailing to organizations and activists,
which includes a labor list and the members of Congress.
The paper will also contain an op-ed type piece by Sam, which we plan to
send to local newspapers and to post on as many listservs as possible. All
of the articles will be posted on our web site.
As before, we urge comrades to participate in whatever humanitarian aid
efforts are going on in your area, including blood drives and collections,
and to attend vigils and services for those who died. Where possible, we
should try to help shape the character of those events, to promote peaceful
solutions and uphold democratic rights. This can be done by suggesting
speakers and broadening the outreach, among other things. Especially
important are efforts to prevent anti-Arab and anti-immigrant attacks and
rhetoric.
Influencing public opinion on these terrible events and their meaning is
not a simple matter; it will be a long term and complex process, influenced
of course by day to day developments. However, we shouldn't feel helpless;
there's much that we can do to point the discussion in the right direction,
little by little, starting with the most basic steps.
Although at this moment, elected officials are lining up behind the Bush
administration, we should assume that there are differences and that these
will become clearer as days go by. Voices of reason, calls for peaceful,
political solutions, the sentiment that violence will only beget more
violence -- all of these are present, although somewhat muted by the
circumstances. We should find any and all ways to help influence our
elected officials and public opinion with those sentiments.
There is a danger that people feel paralyzed by the scope of the death and
destruction, and by the national mood of sorrow and calls for a military
response. We need to show that there are things that can be done to calm
the atmosphere and promote peace. Although clearly the political situation
in our country has been profoundly affected by Tuesday's catastrophe, the
possibilities for struggle haven't been eliminated. As we have said
already, we must have a thoughtful, careful, approach to everything we do
and say; to the timing of events, their scope, etc.
As we said in our first memo, in addition to conversations with neighbors
and co-workers, we should be talking with those we work with in the labor
and people's movements. We need to be tuned in to and part of that
discussion, and in a position to help shape practical steps that are taken,
whether in response to the terrorist attacks or around ongoing struggles
and issues which are all affected by this national emergency.
Many districts have already planned meetings, and an article on what the
Party is calling for and organizing will be in this week's paper. We are
also setting up a new page on our website which will include the
suggestions we are making from here, as well as experiences from the clubs
and districts.
