Collective Resistance San Diego
The New Indicator Collective supports Collective Resistance San Diego (CRSD). This page contains material approved by the member organizations of CRSD.
CRSD Letter to Organizations in the San Diego region
Collective Resistance San Diego (CRSD) is a new coalition of left groups and individuals in the greater San Diego area, which has formed in response to a political moment characterized simultaneously by rapid growth in the left sensibilities among the mass populous and growth in the organized Left, but also the growth of deeply reactionary and dangerous right-wing movements and the election of Trump to president. We would like to introduce ourselves to the Left community in our region in our hope that we can expand participation in this alliance organization.
We would like to begin a conversation with your organization about the work you do and about ideas for greater cooperation, collaboration, mutual aid and solidarity. On November 9, 2016, one local group, Democratic Autonomy Federation (DAF) sent out an invitation for a potluck to many other organizations and individuals to discuss “how those interested can “defend each other and struggle together,” while developing “a closer relationship of solidarity and mutual aid” to prevent organizational isolation, which could prove to be dangerous.
Following that first coalition building meeting on November 19, 2016, a series of meetings and potlucks brought together a wide spectrum of the left groups in San Diego. We first loosely called the project a ‘left alliance’. We worked on a one-person, one-vote basis to think through and vote on what sort of inter-organizational arrangements would enable us to (1) strengthen communication and collaboration; (2) preserve and respect the autonomy of each participating organization; (3) bolster mutual defense when any of us are under attack; (4) foster the work of building a new majority capable not only of resisting right-wing attacks but also capable of promoting our shared values and goals, and winning!
A mission statement, points of unity, a structure document, and related documents were submitted to organizations that participated in the planning meetings. These founding documents make clear that CRSD is explicitly anti-capitalist, anti-heteropatriarchy, anti-white supremacy, and anti-imperialist, but is also a multi-tendency non-sectarian alliance. Five organizations ratified these founding documents and we began implementing our inter-organizational Delegates Council. Those five ratifying organizations were: Colectivo Zapatista; Democratic Autonomy Federation; Industrial Workers of the World; Party for Socialism and Liberation; and Redneck Revolt.
Many people in the community are not aware we are still at it, after nearly two years of quiet work behind the scenes. It is time for us to reach out and greet the community.
We hope more organizations will directly join CRSD and take a seat on the Delegates Council. We hope many other organizations will team up with us to build effective public campaign committees to promote causes and goals we share. We are reaching out to organizations, which share these anti-capitalist, anti-heteropatriarchy, anti-white supremacy, and anti-imperialist values and goals and we hope you may be interested in participating in CRSD either through joining us directly or working with us in our shared struggle. We also want to bring our energies to struggle along side your members in the righteous and necessary struggles you all are already engaged in. At the very least, we hope your organization will let us know whenever you are sponsoring an event or activity, and invite the CRSD community to show up and show our support.
Join us and let’s build a mass and united Left in San Diego! CRSD would like to have one of our representatives meet with you or representatives of your organization to discuss it further. Please contact CRSD via IWW San Diego at (619) 630-5537 or write to info@newindicator.org.
Solidarity,
Collective Resistance San Diego
MISSION STATEMENT of COLLECTIVE RESISTANCE SAN DIEGO
The fundamental needs and rights of the people of our communities
are under attack by a tiny elite that hoards resources and authority. We
cannot trust or respect any government that claims to protect us but instead
ruthlessly protects the elite. We are an alliance of organizations, collectives,
and individuals of various identities and perspectives working in
collaboration to stop this attack. Collectively, we are anti-racist,
anti-capitalist, and anti-imperialist. We are revolutionary, intersectional
feminists. This alliance is non-sectarian: we welcome those who want to
fight exploitation and oppression.
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We seek to prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable and the voices
of the oppressed and the marginalized and build trust through joint work.
We are committed to organizing, mobilizing, supporting and defending our
communities. We work in solidarity to unify our struggles to dismantle the
systems that harm us and the environment.
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In addition to resisting attacks, we will work together for a just and
cooperative future for San Diego and beyond. This will be accomplished by
building powerful community-based movements around a shared platform
for advancing political, economic, and social liberation and
self-determination for all oppressed peoples. We work for concrete goals
today that build toward a revolutionary future.
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Our movement is based in love for each other, and the assertion that
we must fight for liberation. In the words of Assata Shakur, “It is our duty to
fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and
support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”
POINTS OF UNITY of COLLECTIVE RESISTANCE SAN DIEGO
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1. We are anti-racist, anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, anti-war, and anti-fascist.
2. We are revolutionary. Our membership subscribes to a broad range of radical left ideologies.
3. We believe in practical action to defend all oppressed people by any means necessary, through a diversity of tactics.
4. We stand for climate and environmental justice. We see the need for a local and global transition to sustainable modes of living. We oppose the cruel and destructive treatment of animals.
5. We believe access to healthy food, clean water, clothing, safe housing, healthcare, equitable education, and transit is a basic human right.
6. We support and defend the self-determination and liberation of people of color including those from colonized continents, nations, communities and peoples.
7. We support and defend the self-determination and liberation of queer and intersex folx, and all those of marginalized gender identities and orientations.
8. We support and defend the self-determination and liberation of all workers including undocumented, incarcerated, subsistence, sex, and household laborers.
9. We support and defend the self-determination and liberation of migrants. We assert that no human being is illegal.
10. We support and defend the self-determination and liberation of the physically and/or mentally differently-abled and will work to make our movement and society supportive to their needs.
11. We are intersectional feminists; we support and defend the self-determination and liberation of womxn and trans-womxn including their right to bodily autonomy.
12. We value and respect our elders, youth and children and believe it is a shared responsibility to assure their health and well-being.
13. We support and defend the freedoms of oppressed spiritual and religious groups, including Indigenous, Jewish and Muslim peoples, and of non-believers.
14. We are pro-abolition; we demand the immediate abolishment of the enslavement and exploitation implemented through the Prison Industrial Complex and supported by the 13th Amendment.*
15. We oppose and fight national and state-sanctioned violence against all people, especially the marginalized. We actively resist the oppressive efforts of the Border Patrol, ICE, police forces and extra-state actors.
16. We hold political, civic, and community leaders responsible when they cause or permit the people and the planet to be harmed.
17. Love is and must remain the reason for our revolution and at the center of our intentions.
* “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
