Euro-March for jobs
* France readibility, without re-examining the construction of the self by others, without a critique of the epistemological and historical facts that are at the root of the social and cultural categories of homosexuality and heterosexuality" This is a good critique of the artificial polarization of sexualities. Yes, we need a strong lesbian/gay movement, as well as a powerful women's movement, just as the undocumented workers' movement is launching a new challenge to the world order. But all these movements ultimately succeed only if they try to transcend themselves, if for example the categories of gay and straight can ultimately disappear in order to make way for simply human beings. The social and sexual divisions of space, the representation of reality, domestic roles and labour must disappear. The very categories of "illegals", "immigrants" ", and "homosexuals" are only transitional forms in the emergence of a world in which, as the state withers away, the classification of "ZOO animals" will no longer apply. Instead of society's being divided into social groups separated from one another, all communities will be able to live out their specific experiences in a nonexclusive way, without hatred of others.
In short, ZOO is also a way of advancing towards the union of the different "species" that constitute it. "Queers are caught between the desire to affirm a new identity-'I am queer'-and the desire to reject any notion of identity that would fence us in—'I don't give a shit about established categories, I don't need your approval, get out of my way:
Doesn't this desire converge with our conception of the revolution? Of course! Everyone should get in touch with the movement, go to the demos, take part in the debates, because now more than ever, the division is not between gays and straights but between those of us who want to fight, and the
Remember when...
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PARTICIPANTS at the September preparation meeting for next year's European Marches against Unemployment, Job Insecurity and Social Exclusion expressed a number of complementary points to the Florence Appeal. These elements have been integrated in this integrated, alongside the Florence appeal, into a Manifesto which will be presented at the Brussels meeting on 1-2 February 1991.
• The final document will need sense, power and clarity, so that it can mobilise the unemployed, people hit by job insecurity and exclusion, and all those who struggle at their side. The document should clearly criticise competition, the search for higher and higher profits, and neo-liberal logic, which, in Europe and the world, is causing a real social, human and ecological disaster. • We would like the Brussels document to develop certain elements of the
Florence Appeal, such as the right to housing, citizenship for those of immigrant origin, the "regularisation" of the situation of the "paper-less" (sanspapiers), the universal right to healthcare, and a decent income, including for young people. It should also pose the question of the environment, and the organisation of work today. It should call for solidarity with the people of the South and the East. This implies refusing any "fortress Europe," closed to the world, • The European March against Unemployment, Job Insecurity and Exclusion will be a social mobilisation, an international struggle which seeks to realise a package of demands. At the
European level, this movement is open to associations, trade union organisations and individuals who see a place for themselves within this project. It will be autonomous of political organisations and institutions. While respecting this autonomy, it will be open to dialogue, and can receive the support of all those movements which struggle against social injustice, unemployment, and exclusion." The Calendar:
Preliminary European meetings on unemployment, job insecurity and social exclusion are scheduled for 1-2 February 1997 in Brussels. Five hundred persons are expected (50-100 for each country).
From March to June 1997 a monthly newspaper will be produced. It will report on the general situation and specific initiatives in each country, and the particular points of view of the participating organisations. The European Secretariat continually updates its files on signatory organisations. We will regularly issue a list, and a one-page description of each group's history and activities. This list will be available in several languages. A list might also be drawn up of individual speakers, specifying the theme of their talks and the languages they speak.
From April to June 1997 organisation committees in each country will organise initiatives: press conferences, seminars, demonstrations, "human chains", concerts, and, of course, the marches. Symbolic actions such as occupying vacant hous occupying unemployment and "temp
"sit-ins" in front of ministries, can be programmed for the same day in differen
The marches get under way on the 15th of April. There will be simultaneous events in each country. Our objective is to gather more than 30 thousand people from different European countries at a demonstration in Amsterdam, probably on Saturday the 14th of June. A series of events is planned to mark the European Union Intergovernmental Conference, which will meet in Amsterdam
In October 1997, an evaluation meeting will be held. We will prepare further Europe-wide initiatives and consolidate the network. Organisation
Until the preliminary meetings in Brussels, the secretariat will be assured by the French Delegation. Mailings will go out directly from the European Secretariat to all Appeal signatories. In return, we ask for a financial contribution to cover mailing expenses until January 1997: small associations: 200 French francs - small trade unions: 500 FFr; big trade unions: 1,000 FFr. Make your cheque payable to "Marches Europeennes 97" * Source: Synthesis of org discussions at the Paris meeting of 21/22 S