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Shared as per the request of the signatories, a coalition of grassroots pro-abortion organizers
RiseUp4AbortionRights / PplsCityCouncil are offshoots of RevCom (Revolutionary Communist Party). Unfortunately they got some air time on MSNBC during last Sunday's march. They used that time to slam Biden and Democrats in an effort to depress the Democratic midterm vote.
Anyone whose message after the Dobbs decision includes mocking Democratic Party efforts to win in November coupled with feigned sighs over "the pointlessness of voting" is working for the opposition.
Link to tweet
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Statement Against RiseUp4AbortionRights
We, a coalition of grassroots pro-abortion organizers, publicly denounce RiseUp for Abortion Rights.
Our movement needs to be strong and united. Most repro groups have turned their backs on RiseUp privately since their inception. It is vital for all repro groups to now unite in discrediting RiseUp publicly.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of our concerns about RiseUp, and why we strongly urge pro-abortion activists to join us in rejecting its leadership and demanding the group step back from pro-abortion spaces:
RiseUp is a cult and pyramid scheme.
RiseUp is an offshoot of the RevCom (Revolutionary Communist Party) group. Over the past few decades, RevCom has emerged as a personality cult revolving around its white male leader Bob Avakian. While RevCom fervently denies accusations of it being a cult, RevCom’s own website claims the only effective way to achieve social change is to follow Avakian’s leadership and teachings. Similar to its parent group RevCom, RiseUp’s only goal appears to be gaining more followers in order to raise more and more money. Both essentially function as pyramid schemes that prey on social movements.
RiseUp diverts money from social and racial justice movements.
RevCom and its fronts — RiseUp and Refuse Fascism — are notorious for raising tens of thousands of dollars and using those funds to pay RevCom leadership, and to purchase marketing materials (to raise even more money). Refuse Fascism exploits civil unrest to recruit followers (as it did during the 2014 and 2020 uprisings), and RiseUp is now repeating the same scheme. The RiseUp website, for instance, features urgent prompts to donate with no information about where this money goes. What we do know is that this money never goes to abortion funds (which they argue are not a strategy to defend abortion access), providers, practical support groups, or anyone actually working to increase abortion access.
RiseUp stigmatizes abortion and perpetuates harmful myths.
RiseUp is currently focused on its ‘Save Roe’ campaign, which involves the wearing of white pants painted with fake blood, die-ins, and coat-hanger imagery. These theatrical tactics further the extremely harmful idea that abortion is a violent procedure and safe self-managed abortion is not possible. In fact, RiseUp has not once raised awareness about medication abortion as a post-Roe tool, and its only aim is “saving Roe”, despite this never having been enough historically.
RiseUp perpetuates anti-Blackness and does not center intersectionality.
RiseUp’s leader, Sunsara Taylor, has been a controversial figure in pro-abortion spaces. She and her followers are known for swooping into town and leeching off of existing BIPOC-led grassroots efforts across the country. Additionally, RiseUp frequently likens abortion bans to “female enslavement,” which is profoundly disrespectful to Black, Indigenous, and POC comrades.
RiseUp has a homophobic past, and remains transphobic.
RiseUp leadership frequently others trans and non-binary folks and excludes them from its speeches, writing, and conversations. In responding to feedback in Instagram comments, RiseUp admitted they focused on “women and girls” and referred to trans and non-binary folks getting abortions as “others” (we have screenshots).
RevCom also has a homophobic past. Up until 2002, the group’s official position was that homosexuality contributed to women’s oppression, amongst other nonsense. While RevCom and its fronts have since begun to include platitudes for the rights of LGBTQ+ peoples, they have yet to apologize for this past or issue a statement or position in defense LGBTQ+ rights.
RiseUp continues to intentionally exclude sex workers.
Sunsara Taylor, the brain behind RiseUp’s grift, is explicitly against sex work and the porn industry (see her prior activism with Stop Patriarchy). Sunsara Taylor’s stance is harmful to the fight for abortion, which we believe must be intersectional.
We urge everyone to share this message widely to prevent fellow organizers and friends from getting further involved with RiseUp and its affiliated fronts.
We, a coalition of grassroots pro-abortion organizers, publicly denounce RiseUp for Abortion Rights.
Our movement needs to be strong and united. Most repro groups have turned their backs on RiseUp privately since their inception. It is vital for all repro groups to now unite in discrediting RiseUp publicly.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of our concerns about RiseUp, and why we strongly urge pro-abortion activists to join us in rejecting its leadership and demanding the group step back from pro-abortion spaces:
RiseUp is a cult and pyramid scheme.
RiseUp is an offshoot of the RevCom (Revolutionary Communist Party) group. Over the past few decades, RevCom has emerged as a personality cult revolving around its white male leader Bob Avakian. While RevCom fervently denies accusations of it being a cult, RevCom’s own website claims the only effective way to achieve social change is to follow Avakian’s leadership and teachings. Similar to its parent group RevCom, RiseUp’s only goal appears to be gaining more followers in order to raise more and more money. Both essentially function as pyramid schemes that prey on social movements.
RiseUp diverts money from social and racial justice movements.
RevCom and its fronts — RiseUp and Refuse Fascism — are notorious for raising tens of thousands of dollars and using those funds to pay RevCom leadership, and to purchase marketing materials (to raise even more money). Refuse Fascism exploits civil unrest to recruit followers (as it did during the 2014 and 2020 uprisings), and RiseUp is now repeating the same scheme. The RiseUp website, for instance, features urgent prompts to donate with no information about where this money goes. What we do know is that this money never goes to abortion funds (which they argue are not a strategy to defend abortion access), providers, practical support groups, or anyone actually working to increase abortion access.
RiseUp stigmatizes abortion and perpetuates harmful myths.
RiseUp is currently focused on its ‘Save Roe’ campaign, which involves the wearing of white pants painted with fake blood, die-ins, and coat-hanger imagery. These theatrical tactics further the extremely harmful idea that abortion is a violent procedure and safe self-managed abortion is not possible. In fact, RiseUp has not once raised awareness about medication abortion as a post-Roe tool, and its only aim is “saving Roe”, despite this never having been enough historically.
RiseUp perpetuates anti-Blackness and does not center intersectionality.
RiseUp’s leader, Sunsara Taylor, has been a controversial figure in pro-abortion spaces. She and her followers are known for swooping into town and leeching off of existing BIPOC-led grassroots efforts across the country. Additionally, RiseUp frequently likens abortion bans to “female enslavement,” which is profoundly disrespectful to Black, Indigenous, and POC comrades.
RiseUp has a homophobic past, and remains transphobic.
RiseUp leadership frequently others trans and non-binary folks and excludes them from its speeches, writing, and conversations. In responding to feedback in Instagram comments, RiseUp admitted they focused on “women and girls” and referred to trans and non-binary folks getting abortions as “others” (we have screenshots).
RevCom also has a homophobic past. Up until 2002, the group’s official position was that homosexuality contributed to women’s oppression, amongst other nonsense. While RevCom and its fronts have since begun to include platitudes for the rights of LGBTQ+ peoples, they have yet to apologize for this past or issue a statement or position in defense LGBTQ+ rights.
RiseUp continues to intentionally exclude sex workers.
Sunsara Taylor, the brain behind RiseUp’s grift, is explicitly against sex work and the porn industry (see her prior activism with Stop Patriarchy). Sunsara Taylor’s stance is harmful to the fight for abortion, which we believe must be intersectional.
We urge everyone to share this message widely to prevent fellow organizers and friends from getting further involved with RiseUp and its affiliated fronts.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTK9_SCexYezxIplFRbQPTn-hNXp7o2kUBJamwXC4-yzeVcfSmDglx9iL3zOfeo66SHX3T9ktjmUAt_/pub
24 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
"We, a coalition of grassroots pro-abortion organizers, publicly denounce RiseUp for Abortion Rights."
How the coalition defines itself is a minor quibble compared to how RiseUp has co-opted the issue and exploited the decision to scam cash and depress the Democratic vote.
Ii see that "pro abortion" I flinch.
We've been over this for years.. is anyone actually "pro abortion".. but Pro Choice because it could be life saving and it's the woman's body so "Pro Choice".
Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!
and Dems" & of Course Depressing the Vote For Democracy in the Midterms!
Link to tweet
Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!
Mahalo, lapucelle, for Exposing the Group of Assholes who aren't don't really want "Pro Choice" Or they wouldn't be Despressing the Vote for Dems.
Please Fight to Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024! further by re-tweeting the video to her 13.1 million followers?
As for PplsCityCouncil, sorry, but many Democrats are not on board with "defund the police" groups, especially when their founders were busy retweeting Marianne Williamson last weekend.
https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/peoples-city-council-los-angeles/
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Booker, Tuberville spar over measure to 'defund the police' in late-night vote-a-rama drama
The Alabama Republican sought to put Senate Democrats on the record on "defunding the police" with a budget amendment that would block federal funds from any municipalities that defunded their police departments. This was an amendment to the $3.5 trillion budget bill, forcing Democrats to vote for or against it. (And it's the type of stuff attack ads are made of.)
The Alabama Republican sought to put Senate Democrats on the record on "defunding the police" with a budget amendment that would block federal funds from any municipalities that defunded their police departments. This was an amendment to the $3.5 trillion budget bill, forcing Democrats to vote for or against it. (And it's the type of stuff attack ads are made of.)
snip============================================================================
Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, responded with a sarcastic speech from the Senate floor
snip============================================================================
Booker responded with a loud, animated, sarcastic speech on the Senate floor calling Tuberville's amendment a "gift" for Democrats to "finally once and for all" put to rest "the lies" that they want to defund the police.
"I am so excited. This is perhaps the highlight of this long and painful and torturous night," the New Jersey Democrat shouted. "This is a gift... because there's some people who have said that there are members of this deliberative body that want to defund the police, to my horror."
He then called on his colleagues to "sashay down there" and vote for the amendment.
All present senators voted for it 99-0. (One senator, Republican Mike Rounds of South Dakota, abstained from the evening's votes because his wife is in cancer treatment.)
"I am so excited. This is perhaps the highlight of this long and painful and torturous night," the New Jersey Democrat shouted. "This is a gift... because there's some people who have said that there are members of this deliberative body that want to defund the police, to my horror."
He then called on his colleagues to "sashay down there" and vote for the amendment.
All present senators voted for it 99-0. (One senator, Republican Mike Rounds of South Dakota, abstained from the evening's votes because his wife is in cancer treatment.)
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/11/politics/booker-tuberville-defund-the-police-senate-democrats/index.html
Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!