Southern Organizers' Letter to President Obama

Excerpted from a letter to President Obama form Southern Activist

"REMEDY-A SOUTHERN PLAN OF ACTION FOR CHANGE

What we need most is a coordinated approach to attack the causes of poverty in the region ,particularly in rural communities, an approach that helps marshal the vision, talents and energies of grassroots communities by investing in community organizing and networking. The impact of the economic recovery package on our region is limited without addressing these structural arrangements that create and maintain the issues we face. We want to help forge a new economy that sustains all families, communities, and the planet.

 Establishing a Southern Agenda within your administration to work with us to develop and mount on-the-ground strategies and partnerships will help make such potential real by being able to focus on such structural areas as:

 a) Eliminating racial disparities and the human rights abuses of current immigration policies

 b) Establishing uniform voting rights that extend full access to all, and aligning our voting rules with international voting standards, to which our nation already has subscribed

 c) Eliminating right to work laws

 d) Changing the intent doctrine in civil rights to one of effect

e) Developing alternative forms of energy in collaboration with mining communities to assure that the switch away from coal does not mean these communities are sacrificed

 f) Bringing living wage green collar jobs that can lift people out of poverty to rural and urban communities

 Thus, we are asking for a plan, mechanism and opportunity to partner with you, to galvanize intergenerational voices, ideas and priorities from across the region. We think a process that targets young people and grassroots women would be the most strategic-the former because they have energy, inspiration, and skills; the latter because they are the anchors of our families and communities, make up the majority of community organizing and service troops, and have shown themselves to be the most creative in making a way out of no way.

 At the time of his assassination, Dr. King had begun calling attention to the economic underpinnings of structural racism, poverty, political power, war, and other social issues and formulating a massive poor people's campaign. We believe that it was his call for a comprehensive attack on the lingering legacy of slavery and violence that made him too threatening to live. His vision of beloved community re mains before us and is renewed by the hope and excitement your leadership of the nation gives us. Help us sweep away the blockages under your command as we keep our eyes on the prize and actively hold on. We have rolled up our sleeves."

 To see full letter: http://southernstrategies.ning.com/ or dowload attached PDF file