Hi everyone:
Here is the unedited version of a letter to the editor in reply to the article "Climate of Mistrust" that appeared in this week's Ottawa X Press. (The original article from last week can be found at
http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/magazine/index.asp?id=352&parution=921

see ya,
Darren

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Re: (Climate of Mistrust, Ottawa X Press, May 30)

This is a response to the recent X Press article "Climate of Mistrust, Police Violence and Divisive Protest Tactics Scar the Anti-Corporate Movements". While we agree with the focus on the brutality of the police and the distrust that has been perpetuated, strong and misguided comments were made concerning the basis of unity of the Take the Capital mobilizing efforts for the events and actions happening in Ottawa this June - including comments about the "division in the movement" and the "progressive mainstream" protesters as being separate from Take the Capital.

For example, Peter Atack accused the groups and individuals involved in Take the Capital of abandoning their best allies by adopting a stance (from the worldwide grassroots network People's Global Action - www.agp.org) of being
distrustful of lobbying of governments.  In our opinion, there is a difference between total rejection and just calling lobbying for what we strongly believe it is: an incomplete way to make true and lasting social change.  While Take the Capital organizing focuses on the vital importance of grassroots mobilizing and building, this does not exclude people who lobby for a living but rather is simply critical of the process.

Critically challenging methods of political organizing and analysis is vital to being effective and creating long lasting change, and is something that all groups do, even the "progressive mainstream".  For example, by calling for an end to world debt rather than just debt "relief", many of the "progressive mainstream" groups could be seen as excluding" more traditional development non- governmental organizations which see ending debt as too radical.  This challenge is what politics is about.  Yet in fact it is not about exclusion, it is often simply about pushing something new that you believe is necessary and effective and seeing if others agree. This type of political challenge, though this time focused in part on the "progressive mainstream" (people and organizations who, to be clear, many in Take the Capital still work with closely and respectfully), is what Take the Capital is all about.

Groups involved in Take the Capital have created a strong political framework to act from. It may seem narrow to some because it is new and it challenges privileges many people take for granted in Canada, including the privilege to choose how exactly we want to protest and to decide how others should.  As organizers with Take the Capital we strongly believe that having a solid political analysis against imperialism and capitalism with a respect for a diversity of tactics is a way of creating a sold and broader scope of resistance and solidarity in the long-term.

In line with the principles of People's Global Action, Take the Capital is about local community building and resistance. It is about challenging one another (including ourselves), learning how to struggle and fight against the oppressive actions and policies of the G8.  It is not about creating divisions in the movement.  It is about learning new ways of making change, learning from each other and acting out!   (To learn more, www.takethecapital.net or 788-3310)

Lisa Freeman and Darren Puscas, (two of the many) Take the Capital organizers