Greetings Friends and Family– a short summary on a powerful experience at the Free Palestine Forum.  The US Canada Joint Struggle Delegation hosted a workshop on Settler Colonialism, Apartheid, and Racism.  It was cool to see three delegations from South Africa participate in the discussions.  We touched on Settler Colonialism in the Americas, South Africa, and in Palestine.  We talked about the colonial history of Puerto Rico that has put the people into a state of dependency on the US.  It was acknowledged that this is the 150 year anniversary of the US-Dakota War.  We talked about how in the 1960’s and 1970’s the Liberation Movements in the United States understood a settler/colonial framework but much of that has been lost in our political organizing as our movements were violently attacked, and community activists assassinated and imprisoned.  “If you don’t address the root issues, you will only have solutions that institutionalize inequality"  We talked about this in the context of recent changes with Palestine’s international status.  South African activists told Palestinian comrades "Don’t be pacified like we were in 1994."  A famous Afrikaaner leader was quoted as saying to a US dignitary,  "We can formally end apartheid because we can do with our Blacks what you did with yours.” A Black American Freedom Fighter gave an analysis of the Voting Rights Act that it was a two way contract in which Black folks recieved the right to vote and in return, accepted a role in the US Imperialist Project. 

Lastly we talked about how when settler colonialism is entrenched, the immediate oppressor becomes members of one’s own community.  The so-called leaders are the gatekeepers of the Imperialist way- their role is actually the oppression, subjugation, and pacification of the oppressed communities. We see that in Detroit, where the political leaders often uphold capitalism and the American way instead of proposals that will benefit Detroit’s working class and poor communities, which is its majority by far.  So we must continue our fight in Detroit, and make sure that our analysis goes all the way down to the illegitemate and unjust nature of our State.