The purpose of this posting/email is to announce the formation of the Caucus for Grassroots Democracy within IVAW. We hope to reform IVAW based on a national strategy of Chapter Building in support of IVAW's 3 points of unity. IVAW must be for, by, and of the members. We are working towards ensuing that IVAW be responsive to members' needs; increase lateral communication; become more open to debate and discussion; and be built upon and committed to grassroots democracy.

Mission statement:
As members of Iraq Veterans Against the War committed to achieving our goals through democratic representation and grassroots organizing it is our intention to organize fellow members of IVAW to push for a platform of organizational structural changes that we feel will better enable our members, chapters and regions to fulfill our three points of unity.

Motivation:
As concerned members of IVAW, we have noticed that the National Office has been unable to support Chapters and Chapter Building effectively. We are concerned that checks sent in by members are processed too slowly; that membership applications are not sent out in a timely manner; that members have had the National Office lose their membership application and/or proof of service and have had to resend copies multiple times - to include active duty members from the last IVAW bus tour; that banners have taken months to reach chapters; that problems continue with the member database; and that chapter building in general has been inadequately supported.

As well, we are concerned that too much attention has been placed on a media strategy and "messaging" in general, allowing civilian consultants to entrench themselves in paid positions at the National Office. As a result, chapter building has been neglected, censorship has occurred at events like Winter Soldier and in Sit-Rep, and members who are fully qualified have not been considered for employment in key positions of leadership.

Our critics will say that our Caucus is an attempt to divide and split IVAW--that we are "divisive." This is not true. Rather, we are working towards strengthening IVAW and encouraging a much-needed debate about the future direction of our organization. We hope to spark debate and discussion--but more than that, we aim to strengthen IVAW through building the organization as a grassroots social movement that can end the war.

The strength of IVAW is only as strong as its individual components--its chapters. Therefore, we aim to emphasize chapter building as a national strategy--a strategy aimed to increase member participation and strengthen IVAW as the leading edge of the broader Antiwar Movement. We invite you to discuss the issues that we raise in your local chapter meetings and with the members in your area. The future of IVAW depends on all of us working collectively around our 3 points of unity. We invite you to join with us in working on much-needed reform for building grassroots democracy in IVAW.

Proposals:

1. Implement a policy of non-exclusion in IVAW to offer guidance and protection to members in regards to organizing with allies;
2. Enact an open, fair, and transparent hiring practice, with veterans preference, for all paid positions in IVAW;
3. Hiring full-time paid organizers to support chapters and regions beyond the East Coast who are geographically spread throughout the United States and encompass the various IVAW Regions, with broader implementation as more resources become available;
4. Finalizing a Chapter Building Strategy Document, which provides chapters with basic information and ideas on how they can build a successful chapter in their area;
5. Formalize a process for the democratic election of Regional Coordinators, with implementation to occur during the IVAW Convention of 2009.

The Caucus is open to all IVAW members who agree upon the Mission Statement and our five Proposals.

For more information, you can contact either: Chanan Suarezdiaz @ chananivaw@gmail.com or Adrienne Kinne @ adriennej76@gmail.com