Youth Unite For Peace & Justice!

The terrorist attacks of September 11 took thousands of innocent lives; women and men of all races, nationalities, classes, and faiths. Those responsible for this crime against humanity must be brought to justice. But these attacks did more than kill, they created a dangerous atmosphere in the world. Now the US government is unleashing its own terror on the rest of the world in the name of making the world safe.

The terrorist attacks of September 11 took thousands of innocent lives; women and men of all races, nationalities, classes, and faiths. Those responsible for this crime against humanity must be brought to justice. But these attacks did more than kill, they created a dangerous atmosphere in the world. Now the US government is unleashing its own terror on the rest of the world in the name of making the world safe.

More than 4,000 innocent Afghans have died in the US bombing even surpassing the tragic losses of 9/11. A deep humanitarian crisis has arisen in Afghanistan, with millions of refugees who escaped the bombs now live under the violence of disease, starvation, and homelessness.

After all this, we are still no closer to the security the Bush administration promised. The world is less safe today, thanks to the \"war on terrorism.\" Ariel Sharon is mirroring Bush�s militant stance toward terrorism to justify his brutal and illegal occupation of Palestine. India and Pakistan are squaring off along their border, threatening nuclear conflict. Meanwhile the Bush administration and the Pentagon threaten to expand the war to Iraq, Iran, or other countries.

The US now has bases throughout Central Asia, troops in Colombia and the Philippines. The economic embargo of Iraq kills 5,000 children a month. The Bush administration continues to ignore international outcry, steadily driving us toward an era of endless war against a vaguely defined enemy.

Here in the US, racism plagues the air, and hate crimes against Muslim Americans continue. Mosques have received hate mail and have been vandalized. The Bush administration, the FBI, and local police have been given a green light to profile Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Americans, and thousands of them have been held behind bars without due process, guilty until proven innocent. In fall of 2001, Congress passed John Ashcroft�s USA PATRIOT Act. Among other things, this act forces universities to spy on international and immigrant students. These racist law enforcement tactics are now not only legal, but considered a patriotic duty, even though they violate the constitution.

Racist attacks and unfair legislation aren�t the only obstacles we currently face here at home. The Bush administration\'s economic response to the September 11 attacks has worsened the already plummeting economy. Throughout the country, millions of workers are out of a job. On campuses all over the country, students are facing increases in tuition and the cost of textbooks. Federal funding for higher education has been cut drastically, and many young people can no longer afford to attend school. At the same time, job opportunities for youth and students have decreased.

While Bush talks of combating \"violence against innocent civilians,\" he allows the worst kind of violence, poverty, to afflict civilians at home. The needs of the unemployed, youth and students are ignored, as the Bush administration uses our national tragedy as an excuse for decreased spending on social programs, job cuts, taxbreaks for the rich, and increased corporate welfare.

In defiance to the unprecedented attack on civil liberties, people are taking a stand for peace all over the country, activists and students everywhere are organizing vigils and educational events. Hundreds of students at the University of Arizona marched downtown carrying signs and demanding peace. On September 20th, nearly ten thousand marched at University of California at Berkeley. 150 other campuses also staged peace events that day. The National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (NYSPC) has been formed out of this initiative.

The NYSPC is a broad coalition, made up of a diverse group of youth and student organizations such as the United States Students Association, Muslim Student Association, Student Peace Action Network and the Young Communist League.

Together, we will create a united front of youth against the far right�s \"endless war\". On April 20th, tens of thousands converged on Washington DC in response to the student�s call for action.

But to build a stronger movement, and win a real and lasting peace, we need to build locally in our communities at the grassroots. The importance of building a mass movement could not be clearer. Ending this current war is only the beginning.

Capitalism always leads to war. It stirs up resentment and hatred among the people of the world. It has squandered the world�s natural resources. The only way to way to put an end to greedy war, exploitation, and terrorism is to stop the system that creates them. The Young Communist League understands, in the words of Communist Party National Chairman, Sam Webb, \"That socialism is a historical imperative in light of the destructive tendencies of the present system.\" The only way to build lasting peace, at home and abroad, is to build a socialist system.

If you want to join the struggle for peace and socialism, then you belong in the YCL. Join us, and let�s fight together for a peaceful world.