The front porch leads to the truth

Latest

PHOTO/DAYMONJHARTLEY.COM

By Maureen Taylor, state chairperson, Michigan Welfare Rights Organization  

DETROIT, MI – The 2nd International Gathering of Social Movements on Water has now passed into history. The Gathering was a great accomplishment and a tremendous success.
This event stretched over four days, brought together some of the best minds, the deepest thinkers, the clearest visionaries all in an effort to analyze and suggest steps to continue a national theme that water is a human right regardless of the capacity to pay for it.
Speakers from Mexico, Liberia, Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil and from states across the nation, including indigenous peoples, convened in sites across Detroit.
Opening Day saw us at Wayne County Community College where the parameters of the issue were laid out. Day 2 was at the Hotel St. Regis main ballroom where our best attorneys and most assertive legislators shared the national details of pending litigation and legislation connected to water issues like making mass shutoffs illegal.
Day 3 was at the Local 58 union hall of the I.B.E.W. Grassroots speakers detailed their efforts, starting with a political analysis of why we are facing this crisis, followed by stories from across the country of water rights of millions of people being violated, often by the same corporate pirates.
The last day, attendees met near the Detroit River to plan strategies and next steps that highlight the Gathering theme.
One major subject that surfaced often was the discussion about the fight on the front porch! This is the place where many visionaries are unable to move past which is the battle of “race” being the only issue at hand. Many of us have spent lifetimes on the porch, fighting that single but powerful fight only to learn that we can’t gain possession of the entire house if we only stop there. People of color can never escape the shadow of the plantation. The “race” struggle is always with us since it has historically been the most effective American tool yet to separate us from each other and to cloud the truth. True revolutionaries have to engage that battle by meeting fighters where they are then open the door to see what’s down the hall. The issue of “class” is what’s being hidden and what we have to conquer if we are to gain control over the entire house! The Gathering is the embodiment of the “low-hanging fruit” that has already galvanized the nation when the word spread that mass shutoffs were occurring at thousands of residents’ homes in Detroit followed by the scandal of the poisoning of Flint. The fight to maintain accessible water and sanitation is critical and serves as an entry point to a much larger and more detailed conflict that has eluded the American working class for decades.
Ours is a strategic battle, long-term but winnable, if we understand the rules of engagement and what we are fighting for! We want ownership of the whole house. We do battle at Point ‘A’ because we have to, but the fight has to expose the class nature of who the enemy is. The enemy is the 1% who would privatize public ownership of municipal water, pollute the air, destroy farms, build dams that threaten entire communities, poison entire cities, attack our quality of life and deliver death in many forms as they seek profit before people. The fight on the front porch has to lead us to the truth which lies down the hall. Let’s make that journey united as a class so we can stop this madness.

+ Articles by this author

Maureen Taylor is a longtime economic justice leader and a leader in fight to stop privitization of water in Detroit, and elsewhere. She is chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization.

The People’s Tribune opens its pages to voices of the movement for change. Our articles are written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Articles entitled “From the Editors” reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: peoplestribune.orgPlease donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement for change. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff. The People’s Tribune is a 501C4 organization.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

Fragile Ceasefire Victory and the Role of the Global Movement

In 2024, 125 nations of the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister. This and countless other unprecedented acts of resistance took place against a “war” that revealed itself daily as outright genocide. The world’s people expressed their common humanity through actions and voices...sustaining this epic unity for the battles that lie ahead is critical for real peace..."

“No Kings” Protests Set to Sweep US Even as Trump Increases Attacks on Activists

Republicans are already smearing the protesters, but their intimidation tactics are out of touch with reality.

ICE Fears Put Pregnant Immigrants and Their Babies at Risk

Fear of deportation is deterring people without permanent legal status from critical care. Doctors are worried for the health of pregnant immigrants, and the health of their pregnancies. This story was originally reported by 19thnews.org.

Government Shutdown and the Blame Game

Using a bold-faced lie President Trump and Vice President Vance blamed immigrants, particularly the undocumented, for the government shutdown now in effect throughout the country. The Republican plan would increase Obamacare payments and make Medicaid cuts.

Emmy-Winning Journalist Deported After Reporting on Anti-Trump Protest

Emmy award-winning journalist Mario Guevara was deported to El Salvador – a country he fled over 20 years ago — in retaliation for filming law enforcement activities, says the Committee to Protect Journalists.

More from the People's Tribune