Gateway Green Alliance • Universal African Peoples Organization

Black & Green Wednesday Forum

The Listening Project

WHEN: 7 pm, Wednesday, September 1, 2004

WHERE: Genesis House, 6018 Delmar, just east of Skinker

What do African Americans have to say about issues of war and peace, security and terrorism?

To find out, some 100 local black people were interviewed recently by The Listening Project, a joint effort between the Organization for Black Struggle (OBS) and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).

This Forum will explore the findings of the Listening Project with a panel of activists, including:

     Jamala Rogers, Black Radical Congress

     Lori Reed, American Friends Service Committee

     Kalimu Endesha, Organization for Black Struggle

Most African-Americans are totally dissatisfied with the Bush administration and were never duped by the claim of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Several polls indicate that the overwhelming majority of blacks were opposed to the US invasion of Iraq, more than their white, Latino or Asian counterparts.

Some Listening Project key findings were:

- Almost 80% felt that US foreign policies and actions since 9-11 made them feel less secure.

- A whopping 96% felt that their tax dollars were being misspent when informed of the $399 billion defense budget.

- About 90% were unwilling to give up their civil liberties to fight terrorism.

- About 43% believed the U.S. government engaged in acts of terrorism at at home and abroad.

Similarly, a recent poll by Black Entertainment Television revealed that over 3/4 of African-Americans marked President Bush's performance poor in handling the economy, the 9/11 attacks, race relations, and the conflict in Iraq.

When billions of dollars are diverted for war, it means less money for health care, education, housing and jobs. Civil and human rights are compromised, leading again to the question: Whose freedom are we fighting for?

Join us for more discussion of The Listening Project. We're listening...What do you have to say?

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For more information:

Contact OBS at 314.367.5959 or at obs_onthemove@yahoo.com

Or visit the Gateway Greens' web site: www.gateway-greens.org

Sponsored by the Gateway Green Alliance and Universal African People's Organization.