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The Continuing Struggle

By Kurt Hilgendorf

When I was asked to speak at VVAW's annual Veterans Day ceremony in Chicago, several things immediately sprang to mind. Lucky for me, since I was asked only about a day before the event.

I decided to talk about how VVAW continues to struggle for justice by providing leadership and guidance to new generations of activists. The Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative (PRC), based in Champaign-Urbana, has received much help from VVAW over the years, and we've become increasingly more effective as an organization due to this assistance.

VVAW led numerous security workshops for the PRC and taught us how to effectively, efficiently and safely organize direct actions. During Champaign's Million Mom March in May 2000, PRC members were able to avoid a potentially serious confrontation. The local chapter of the National Rifle Association staged a counter-protest and attempted to block the sidewalk next to a busy street. Even though we were seriously understaffed and suffered communications problems, the seven PRC security members were able to block the very vocal and agitated NRA members, take the street, and safely allow the nearly 500 marchers to pass. March organizers were ecstatic about our presence and thanked us many times.

The PRC was also asked to provide conference security at a conference on Colombia in early November. Security was tight since Colombian citizens' lives were in danger. The presence of a member of the Colombian consulate made the situation even more tense. Friday night's session went off without a hitch. Saturday morning, however, was hectic, as conference organizers asked the consulate member to leave the conference, and PRC security members were left with the duty of making him leave. He quickly realized that we were organized and serious and left without protest. We also took a Colombian torture survivor to the airport later in the day. As a result of VVAW's leadership and our organization, we were able to avoid any major incidents and the conference was a success. We even received an offer from a conference organizer from Washington, DC to hold security workshops there.

VVAW has also been more than willing to participate in PRC events in Champaign-Urbana and the University of Illinois. Bill Davis came in May to speak on the 30th anniversary of Kent and Jackson State. Barry Romo, with Sister Carolina and Brother Omar, human rights workers in Colombia, spoke at a PRC event on Colombia in September. Audience members overflowed the room, and the event brought in more than $500 to contribute to the struggle for human rights in Colombia.

The struggle for social justice must be lifelong, and by constantly developing new organizers and activists, the struggle will continue. Thank you, VVAW, for providing not just me but scores of student activists with role models and leadership. Thanks for teaching us that we have to keep fighting and struggling for just social change.