OPEN LETTER TO UH COALITION FOR DIVESTMENT

An open letter to the Coalition for Divestment at the University of Hawaii from Joshua Nessen, National Student Coordinator of the American Committee on Africa (ACOA). The letter says Dear Comrades, at the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that a revolutionary is above all guided by the feeling of love; Che Guevara said approximately those words before being tracked down by U.S. imperialism, and in thinking of the time I spent with you all on your barricades the sentiment immediately came to mind; I miss Hawaii not because of the sunsets and beaches but because of those intense (at times even divisive) endless meetings, the leafletting, rallying, marching, and just plain hanging out with you folks. The letter says I have always felt that the main struggle is to organize ourselves and when 350 people flooded into that open hearing and we spooked Simone on Halloween Eve, I felt that whatever the damn Regents did that we had already won; for a "national" organizer like myself it was inspiring to get off the phone and down to the grass-roots and once again the arrogance, racism, and contempt of our enemies (as embodied by Regent Garry and Simone) was driven home to me; after that November 7th "open" hearing, I fully realized why I strongly argued for disregarding formal "Board" procedures and advocated a direct action response on the 10th; I don't think that 15 of us would have been sitting in physical and political isolation on that day; my only regret was that we did not take over control of the 7th meeting--ruling the Chair out of order--and preceding to call our speakers; but they'll certainly be a next time. The letter says of course the Finance Committee did not set a deadline for the implementation of full divestment, and it will be necessary that they specify the companies that are slated for divestment; at Columbia University, in a move that will surely revive a militant movement, the Trustees have moved to exclude IBM, GM, and COCA-COLA from the divestment list on the grounds that they are "disinvesting" from South Africa which is untrue (Anson will surely be passing out some of the material I gave him on this question); it is important that the UH Regents at their November 21 meeting give you the specifics--both deadline and companies; frankly if they do not--and in light of their contemptuous treatment of students and faculty on the 7th--I would advocate taking the action originally planned for the 10th. The letter says divestment is a target, the protest themselves are creating the climate against U.S. investment in South Africa, so if you don't get exactly what you are demanding go for it; you truly have nothing to lose, especially when you throw in the issue of democracy as negated at that open hearing. The letter says well anyway, thank you for the vote of confidence in allowing me to join your coalition, even if all didn't agree with me in style or substance, and since our enemies have doubtless unified the coalition (around my perspective of course) I look forward to joining you all in Bachman Hall where a cigar is doubtless awaiting me; In Solidarity, Friendship and Aloha (I know both meanings). The letter discusses UH (University of Hawaii), Anson Chong, and GM (General Motors).