Mission Statement (DRAFT)

  1. Tim Cornelis
    Tim Cornelis
    I prepared a draft for a mission statement. Temporarily used the name Provisional Defence Committee-International Brigades (PDC-IB). Evidently, this is not final.

    Any comments, suggestions, amendments, changes, complete rewriting, etc.? I think it's too Eurocentric for starters.

    PART i
    MISSION STATEMENT
    INTRODUCTION
    With disgust the founding members of the Provisional Defence Committee-International Brigades (PDC-IB) have witnessed the rise of the far-right in Europe and repression of working class movements elsewhere. From circa 2006 till 2012 between 150 and 200 people—leftists, migrants, ethnic minorities—have been killed by far-right groups and individuals in countries such as Hungary, Greece, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Italy, and Russia. According to the Institute of Race Relations there have been 96 racist murders in the UK from 1993 till 2012.
    Evidently, such racist violence is not limited to Europe. European people are targeted in South Africa, neo-Nazis in Mongolia have killed Chinese and spouses of Chinese, while racist murders in the US are certainly not unheard of.
    It is clear we cannot stand idly by while the far-right organises and prepares for a race or cultural war. Equally clear is that we cannot rely on police for protection. It is fair to say that the police attract a certain type of person, often patriotic and prone to violence, which—in times of crisis—can turn to ultra-nationalistic sympathies. It is not surprising therefore that in the June 2012 Greek elections, half the police in Greece's capital Athens voted for the far-right Nazi party, Golden Dawn.
    Police may often tolerate or even participate with far-right thugs. It is, additionally, not merely the far-right that threatens individuals, workers, and communities. Police brutality and police action is often excessive and used to suppress working class movements. In South Africa more than a dozen of striking workers were slaughtered by police. Less extreme examples include the violently breaking up of strikes and demonstrations by police.
    The situation in Europe and elsewhere in the world may escalate into a spiral of violence and we need to be prepared and where the European left in the 1930s neglected to do so we need to prevent a far-right seizure of power at all costs. In order to have the muscle power to crush fascism, we need preparation. This organisation serves as a body for that preparation.
    SELF-PROTECTION
    Whether it is migrants harassed by police, ethnic minorities targeted by far-right groups, or strikes being attacked by whomever, we, of the PDC-IB, entitle ourselves to self-defence against these invasions of freedom. We do not expect nor desire for the state to set the parameters of our freedom and safeguard our freedom as it sees fit. We believe in the right to freedom and consequently the right to act upon it. As such we entitle ourselves with the right to self-defence.
    The PDC-IB seeks to create a network that possesses the appropriate muscle power for self-protection from police and far-right thugs. Our primary aims are:
    • Protection of communities and individuals from racist attacks.
    • Protection of workers, striking or otherwise, from police harassment and repression.
    • Protection of demonstrations and occupations from far-right and police.
    • Protection against evictions.
    • Protection of leftists from threats, harassment, and attacks.
    • Self-education and studying tactics as preparation for a possible future social conflict.
    • First aid training and employment.
    • Researching and exposing of far-right groups and police misconduct.
    • Demonstrating against far-right groups and police brutality.
    • Training in self-defence, fighting, stamina, and muscle power.
    • Setting up of a logistical framework for antifascist activity.
    • The creation of self-discipline amongst our members.
    • Mobilising communities and workplaces against fascism.
    • Demobilisation of domestic armed forces preparing to engage or engaging in repressing or fighting of left-wingers abroad.
    • Providing aid other than protection to communities and workers at their request.
    • Informing and educating people about the dangers of fascism and right-wing extremism.

    COMMITMENT
    As organisation we commit ourselves to the socialist values and virtues of social justice, equality, emancipation, democracy, freedom, and the right to self-defence. We oppose fascism, nationalism, and state repression as violations of these values.
    GUIDELINES
    • A member of the PDC-IB is a representative of our organisation and ought to behave in a respectful manner towards communities and workers. Speak politely, do not shout, do not behave in a manner that could be deemed threatening, and do not cuss.
    • Each member of the PDC-IB is expected to uphold a strict security culture. In meetings of columns, all cell phones will be removed from the room, and no member shall disclose activities to the public in advance if this could jeopardise said activities.
    • Respond with openness, kindness, and transparency towards members of the community and workers, but not in a manner such as that it violates security culture.
    • Respect democratic decision-making within PDC-IB structures.
    • The PDC-IB adheres to non-violence, but not pacifism. PDC-IB demonstrations will be non-violent, but not peaceful, that is to say, we will defend ourselves when attacked. No member of the PDC-IB will use unnecessary violence and will not let him or herself get provoked. Our task is protection.
    • The organisation will subjugate itself to the workers and communities.
    • No member of the PDC-IB will conspire against other antifascists or leftists, nor obstruct their activities—even if you disagree with them.
    • No column associated with the PDC-IB will align itself with reactionary forces. The PDC-IB is only allowed to align themselves with organisations that are not homophobic, sexist, racist, or in any other way reactionary.

    STRUCTURE
    The PDC-IB will be organised from the bottom up.
    The lowest body in the PDC-IB is the column. Each column elects representatives to a regional committee and so on. Representatives may be mandated by each column, but this is not a requirement. Regional committees coordinate the activities described above.
    A new column is admitted to the PDC-IB if a prior group has been organised under the platform described above and upheld the PDC-IB's principles and guidelines for at least six months. All existing columns must democratically verify the admission. A column can also be removed from the PDC-IB by democratic vote.

    PART ii
    What is the 'Provisional Defence Committee-International Brigades'?
    The Provisional Defence Committee-International Brigades (PDC-IB) is an attempt to create an international anti-repression network of collectives that attempt to demobilise fascist and police attacks on workers and communities. As its name suggest, the PDC-IB is provisional and is supposed to be exceeded by the International Brigades eventually.
    What is the aim of the PDC-IB?
    The aim of the PDC-IB is twofold. The PDC-IB aims at protecting socialist and progressive groups to give them the space to operate and defend potential targets of far-right groups and police, as well as defend communities vulnerable to racist abuse. And In so doing the PDC-IB hopes to earn experience in different kinds of fields to smoothen the transition to an International Brigade should the situation demand such a transition.
    What are the International Brigades? What will the International Brigades be?
    The International Brigades were foreign volunteers that fought fascist troops in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Most were communists whom were sympathetic to the Soviet Union, others were anarchists, apolitical, or social-democrats. But all shared a commonality in antifascism. In the 1970s and 80s the Anti-Imperialist International Brigade (AIIB) was active and responsible for horrid attacks on civilians. The PDC-IB denounces these 'tactics' and crimes. Members of the PDC-IB also do not necessarily agree with the actions by the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War whom many allege were 'counter-revolutionary.'
    The PDC-IB realises full well that a rebirth of the International Brigades as a conventional army is not viable in this day and age. The new International Brigades will take shape as the situation demands of them. The International Brigades will need to be formed when left-wingers are targeted on a massive scale in an armed conflict (or something resembling this). It will be formed as the situation develops and its shape, therefore, can't be determined in advance. What we can do is lay the groundwork through the PDC-IB.
    Flag, Symbol, Motto
    The Red-Yellow-Purple flag is the Spanish republican flag. It was flown by the International Brigades and today is a symbol of anti-Francoism (antifascism) and left-wing Republicanism in Spain. The three point star in the middle was used by the popular front, but in today's interpretation stands for socialism, communism, and anarchism--one point for each ideology. The colour of the three-point star, black, is the opposite of white: a colour signifying surrender to a superior force when flown. The black, in contrast, represents no surrender, which is reflective of our commitment to not bow down to fascism.
    The motto “No Pasarán” means 'they shall not pass' and was used by left-wing forces to show their commitment to defeating fascism.
  2. The Cheshire Cat
    The Cheshire Cat
    I have quickly scanned it and it looks good. I will read it more carefully friday to come up with some suggestions.
  3. International_Solidarity
    International_Solidarity
    I read through it thoroughly and it sounds great. This is the type of Left-Wing organization that I have been dreaming of. We can actually take action against the Fascists! It all looks superb to me. If that were a contract, I would sign it, and as a mission statement, I'll adopt it!
  4. Tim Cornelis
    Tim Cornelis
    Additional proposed aim:
    Empowering communities and workers to defend themselves.
    Also, I think we need to include something about LGBT community.
    So I propose instead of:
    Protection of communities and individuals from racist attacks.
    We have this:
    Protection of communities and individuals from racist, xenophobic, sexist, anti-LGBT, and anti-immigrant attacks.
  5. TheRedAnarchist23
    Comment gone wrong...
  6. TheRedAnarchist23
    I prepared a draft for a mission statement. Temporarily used the name Provisional Defence Committee-International Brigades (PDC-IB). Evidently, this is not final.
    Someone had too much free time on his hands.
    Protection of communities and individuals from racist attacks.
    Protection of workers, striking or otherwise, from police harassment and repression.
    Protection of demonstrations and occupations from far-right and police.
    Protection against evictions.
    Protection of leftists from threats, harassment, and attacks.
    Self-education and studying tactics as preparation for a possible future social conflict.
    First aid training and employment.
    Researching and exposing of far-right groups and police misconduct.
    Demonstrating against far-right groups and police brutality.
    Training in self-defence, fighting, stamina, and muscle power.
    Setting up of a logistical framework for antifascist activity.
    The creation of self-discipline amongst our members.
    Mobilising communities and workplaces against fascism.
    Demobilisation of domestic armed forces preparing to engage or engaging in repressing or fighting of left-wingers abroad.
    Providing aid other than protection to communities and workers at their request.
    Informing and educating people about the dangers of fascism and right-wing extremism.
    This all sounds good.

    As organisation we commit ourselves to the socialist values and virtues of social justice, equality, emancipation, democracy, freedom, and the right to self-defence. We oppose fascism, nationalism, and state repression as violations of these values.
    Don't forget we stand against all tipes of discrimination

    • A member of the PDC-IB is a representative of our organisation and ought to behave in a respectful manner towards communities and workers. Speak politely, do not shout, do not behave in a manner that could be deemed threatening, and do not cuss.

    I thought we were going to be liberal about the cussing.


    • No member of the PDC-IB will conspire against other antifascists or leftists, nor obstruct their activities—even if you disagree with them.

    Schism?

    STRUCTURE
    The PDC-IB will be organised from the bottom up.
    The lowest body in the PDC-IB is the column. Each column elects representatives to a regional committee and so on. Representatives may be mandated by each column, but this is not a requirement. Regional committees coordinate the activities described above.
    A new column is admitted to the PDC-IB if a prior group has been organised under the platform described above and upheld the PDC-IB's principles and guidelines for at least six months. All existing columns must democratically verify the admission. A column can also be removed from the PDC-IB by democratic vote.
    So we ARE adopting the complicated platformist system!

    Flag, Symbol, Motto
    The Red-Yellow-Purple flag is the Spanish republican flag. It was flown by the International Brigades and today is a symbol of anti-Francoism (antifascism) and left-wing Republicanism in Spain. The three point star in the middle was used by the popular front, but in today's interpretation stands for socialism, communism, and anarchism--one point for each ideology. The colour of the three-point star, black, is the opposite of white: a colour signifying surrender to a superior force when flown. The black, in contrast, represents no surrender, which is reflective of our commitment to not bow down to fascism.
    The motto “No Pasarán” means 'they shall not pass' and was used by left-wing forces to show their commitment to defeating fascism.
    I like that, easy to grafity.
    We could change the colours so that our flag would not be confused with spanish republican flag.

    More Importantly: Am I a member of the PCD-IB? If so, can I recruit people I trust into the IB?
  7. The Cheshire Cat
    The Cheshire Cat
    More Importantly: Am I a member of the PCD-IB? If so, can I recruit people I trust into the IB?
    I think everyone in this group is a member of the PCD-IB (as we will call it until we have voted for an official name). And I think we could use some more active members, so we should definitely recruit more people. And start talking with already existing organisations. We are already doing the latter here in the Netherlands.
  8. International_Solidarity
    International_Solidarity
    I think we could use some more active members, so we should definitely recruit more people.
    If I get any support, I can attempt to work on getting some people here in the USA, mainly Northern California. My main problem is that I live in a very Conservative community, so finding people devoted to the cause is going to be difficult, but also do-able. If anyone else is in the USA, especially Western, we need to talk. This area really needs some leftist organizations, as there are many immigrants here that are constantly discriminated against and exploited.
  9. The Cheshire Cat
    The Cheshire Cat
    If I get any support, I can attempt to work on getting some people here in the USA, mainly Northern California. My main problem is that I live in a very Conservative community, so finding people devoted to the cause is going to be difficult, but also do-able. If anyone else is in the USA, especially Western, we need to talk. This area really needs some leftist organizations, as there are many immigrants here that are constantly discriminated against and exploited.
    Instead of searching for infividuals in your area, you could also contact existing parties and organisations that are near to you (if there are any at all) to see if these organisations want to join our 'front'. From those organisations, there will probably be some volunteers too that want to help us creating our organisation.

    This is what we are doing in the Netherlands. But we also need people now that help organising from the start to build up this front. So if you can get any individuals to join that would be great too.
  10. TheRedAnarchist23
    I think everyone in this group is a member of the PCD-IB (as we will call it until we have voted for an official name). And I think we could use some more active members, so we should definitely recruit more people. And start talking with already existing organisations. We are already doing the latter here in the Netherlands.
    I could contact the portuguese communist youth, but the only thing I know they do is, every year they go to schools and destribute pamphlets, usualy with crappy propaganda in them. I don't know what that would achieve though.
  11. The Cheshire Cat
    The Cheshire Cat
    I could contact the portuguese communist youth, but the only thing I know they do is, every year they go to schools and destribute pamphlets, usualy with crappy propaganda in them. I don't know what that would achieve though.
    It's worth a shot I think. Even if the party does not want to cooperate, there could be individuals in the party that do.
  12. International_Solidarity
    International_Solidarity
    Instead of searching for individuals in your area, you could also contact existing parties and organisations that are near to you (if there are any at all)
    Ill try that, thanks for the suggestion.
  13. Niall
    Niall
    I like it fellas, and the additional bits that Tim has proposed