Peaceworks

Add Your Name for Ending War, Pursuing Nuclear Disarmament and Creating a Peace Economy.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:20:00 +0000

Here in mid-Missouri the Peace Community has a tradition that dates back to 1961. Every year, on August 6, the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, we publish an ad in the Columbia Tribune calling for peace with justice and disarmament. This effort was initiated and sustained for decades by John Schuder, who recently passed away, and the local Fellowship of Reconciliation. Peaceworks has shared responsibility for putting the ad together for the past 26 years.

Each year, in recent times, more than 1,000 people have asked to have their names included. And, while no specific contribution is required, signers have been generous enough to allow us to purchase a full page ad in the paper.

This year, we will once again publish such a statement. We would really appreciate you adding your name and perhaps giving what you can to help fund this effort. You can sign by stopping by the Peace Nook. Alternatively, you can download and print out a petition form, put your name on it, collect the signatures of family members, friends, co-workers, etc. and then return the petition form to us.

The form is available to be printed on either 11" (letter size) or 14" (legal size) paper. The latter allows for collecting more names on a sheet, but many people don't have this size paper, so we make both available.

To download the 14-inch version, please CLICK HERE.

To download the 11-inch version, please CLICK HERE.

Please return these to us ASAP and absolutely no later than July 25. They can be dropped off at the Peace Nook or mailed to Mid-Missouri Peaceworks, 804-C E. Broadway, Columbia, MO 65201. Checks can be made to Peaceworks. Please note "signature ad" on the memo line. Sorry, but we cannot take names for the ad by phone or e-mail.

Peace Economy Now

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 22:51:00 +0000

On April 17, Tax Day, Peaceworks activists held a noon-hour Speakout for a Peace Economy at the Columbia Post Office. We were also present from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. giving out many hundreds of leaflets to folks who'd come to the Post Office to file their taxes.

Our message was not anti-tax, but rather Fair Taxes in the context of an economy that works for all, a Peace Economy.

We discussed the benefits of investing in people and infrastructure, making our economy more productive. We also pointed out the negative impacts on the economy of virtually permanent war.

We also discussed distribution, pointing out that virtually all the gains in the economy over the past three decades have gone to the wealthy, leaving us with the most skewed distribution of income and wealth since the 1920s. This is not just unfair, it's also bad economics.

Finally, we spoke out clearly regarding the impacts of imposing austerity. We pointed out that not only does this unfairly punish the majority of our population, but it is also a prescription for a prolonged stagnant economy.

Clearly, there is a need for activism to promote ending the wars and building a prosperous, sustainable future for us and our children. This is what a Peace Economy is all about.

Watch Videos of Our Speakout!

You can watch six short videos of our Tax Day event. Start with Part 1 by clicking here:

You can access the other five parts on our YouTube page if you CLICK HERE.

Prosperity, Not Austerity--Peace Economy Campaign Kicks into Higher Gear.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 19:53:00 +0000

Peaceworks is gearing up our "2012, Year of the Peace Economy" campaign, reaching out to our fellow citizens with a major push to raise concerns both on Tax Day and Earth Day. We aim to enhance the public's understanding of what a Peace Economy is and why redirecting and restructuring our economy is essential to our economic recovery and future prosperity.

In tandem, we are pressing for a rejection of the largely bipartisan push for austerity. Rather, we favor adequate, progressive taxation and full funding of programs that benefit and invest in our people, as well as infrastructure investments.

Making deep cuts in the bloated Pentagon budget, ensuring we are spending for our defense, not for global hegemony, and targeting spending to where it does the most good, we can move forward to build a strong, full-employment Peace Economy.

Want to learn more? We encourage you to CLICK HERE to download a copy of our new Peace Economy leaflet. Feel free, even encouraged, to print copies of this to share with friends. If you need a quantity, feel free to contact us, and we can supply you.

We also have, thanks to the work of our very talented Graphic Design Coordinator, Kim Dill, produced a five-panel (each 11" x 17") Peace Economy display for use at events. We are also posting this where you can access it. Just CLICK HERE to get to a PDF including all five panels. Anyone who shares our Peace Economy goals and would like to display this is most welcome to print copies and use them in outreach efforts.

If you'd like to get more involved in our Peace Economy advocacy, we invite your participation. Contact us by phone at 573-875-0539 or write us at mail@midmopeaceworks.org.

Join Us! Become a Peaceworks Member or Renew Your Membership Now

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:54:00 +0000

It's membership time for Peaceworks. We urge you to consider the importance of the work we do and to give as generously as you can. Please take just a minute to CLICK HERE and download a PDF of our new membership letter. Great pics and it really let's you know a lot more about what we stand for and the work we do.

People's Economics? What's That?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:06:00 +0000

Get beyond the hype and in the know.

Peaceworks will be offering an 8-week People's Economics course on Tuesday evenings, 7:15-9 p.m., beginning Feb. 28.

Our goal: Empowering the 99%

Join us for this if you’d like to be able to effectively challenge the rightwing myths. Conversations with your Sean Hannity-loving uncle will never be the same again.

This weekly class is designed for a general audience, without any background in economics. We want you to gain a greater understanding of how the economy really works and we’ll emphasize information you can use to promote progressive social change.

In the first few sessions, you will learn the basics of economics. The remaining sessions will allow us to explore in greater depth specific topics relevant to the current economic crisis and the decisions we face today.

Registration is required. There is a nominal fee of $20 general/$10 student and low-income for the entire course. Limited scholarships available. More info and registration forms at the Peace Nook. Or you can download the info and form if you CLICK HERE. Then opt for "download original."

Show Me a Peace Economy

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:42:00 +0000

Peace Economy? What is it? Why do we need one? How do we get there? These are some of the questions Peaceworks is out to explore in 2012. We encourage you to join us in working for a sustainable economy that puts all to work with meaningful, productive employment.

Today’s economy is highly militarized, but it wasn’t always so. Prior to World War II, the United States demobilized after each war. For the past seven decades, however, our economy has been on a permanent wartime footing. We’ve squandered tax dollars like a drunken sailor on shore leave. While our population is only 4.5 percent of humanity, we pay for nearly half of the planet’s military expenditures. U.S. bases ring the world—more

than a thousand of them—with a presence on every continent, on every ocean, in the skies and outer space.

Hundreds of billions expended each year on the Pentagon has led to under-investment in other areas. We see crumbling infrastructure, failing schools, and a nation falling far behind Europe or China in efforts to transition to sustainable energy technologies. And our wars and weapons are not making us more secure.

Overall military spending, not counting interest on the debt, is now in the range of $870 billion a year. When we factor out the $117 billion earmarked for the Afghan and Iraq wars, our non-war 2012 military spending level, inflation adjusted, is higher than all military spending during the peak of the Vietnam War (when we had more than half a million troops deployed in southeast Asia). For more info, visit National Priorities Project and War Resisters League.

Diverting so much money, year after year, away from productive investment is deeply problematic. It’s clearly not our only economic problem, however. A Peace Economy needs to be a Just Economy. Currently, we face a seriously flawed tax code and a structural deficit. Tax cuts for the wealthy leave us with too little revenue to pay our bills. We face growing inequality, with the growth in income over the past three decades going overwhelmingly to the richest Americans. Meanwhile, working class and middle income citizens face mountains of debt and, if they are lucky enough to be employed, a paycheck that barely keeps pace with inflation.

A movement for a Peace Economy would address these concerns and reject the bipartisan push for austerity. While selective cuts in spending, particularly in the military budget, are desirable, the effect of general spending cuts, at a time when the economy is already severely depressed, is a prolonged period of profound dislocation and real suffering for tens of millions of people.

As Sen. Bernie Sanders said recently in a Senate Budget Committee hearing, “This country does in fact have a serious deficit problem, but the reality is that the deficit was caused by two wars — unpaid for. It was caused by huge tax breaks for the wealthiest people in this country. It was caused by a recession as result of the greed, recklessness and illegal behavior on Wall Street. And if those are the causes of the deficit, I will be damned if we’re going to balance the budget on backs of the elderly, the sick, the children, and the poor. That’s wrong.”

We invite you to join Peaceworks in our work for a more peaceful, just and sustainable economy. Please check out our upcoming Peace Economy Film Series and our People’s Economics class. Consider joining our Peace & Justice Committee. Please contact us for more info. Positive change will only come when enough of us seriously engage the system in a sustained way. Join us.

BUY NOTHING? BUY SOME THINGS? BUY ETHICALLY.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:17:00 +0000

As almost everyone knows, this Friday, Nov. 25, is "Black Friday," the day that kicks off the orgy of American consumerism known as the "Holiday Season." It's a day of "door-buster" sales and stampedes at malls and big box stores around the country.

Many are rightly critical of the excesses of seemingly mindless consumption. Some, led by the Adbusters Foundation, have attempted to remake "Black Friday" into "Buy Nothing Day," a day to take a holiday from consuming. For more info on BND please see http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day

We, here at Peaceworks and the Peace Nook, respect the sentiment of BND. We also recognize that the answer is not to avoid all shopping on one day of the year, but rather to change our relationship with consumption more thoroughly. And to do so year round, rather than on one particular day.

We all need to consume some things. Most of us certainly can consume less. And most can make changes in the mix of what we consume, as well as reexamine our attitude towards consuming, so that it's a more deliberate process, rather than one that is spurred on by advertising and the manipulation of our desires.

It seems to us that we each need to find our own healthy balance. Some of the general suggestions we might offer regarding gifts and the holiday season include:

Buy local, when possible. Support your community.
Buy durable goods that are produced in a sustainable fashion. Avoid excessive packaging and products whose production involves significant environmental pollution.
Buy things that are made using fair labor practices, and, when buying imported goods from developing countries, look for Fair Trade items.
Support non-profits and organizations doing good work (this includes making donations in the name of a loved one in lieu of buying things, especially for folks who might already have more things than they need)
Give of yourself. This can include making at least some of your gifts yourself and also giving services (e.g. babysitting, massage, help with chores, etc.).

SUPPORT THE PEACE NOOK: The Peace Nook, the non-profit store operated by Peaceworks, meets a number of these criteria. We are local and non-profit. We offer Fair Trade imports and environmentally friendly products.

We are here for you, our community. We wouldn't be here without your support. We really hope you will choose to patronize the Nook during the holiday season, as your purchases at this time of year are critical to our financial health and therefore to Peaceworks ability to do educational and advocacy work.

If you are observing BND, we respect this choice. We hope to see you when it works for you to come down to visit the Nook on a different day.

If you are not observing BND, and would like to visit us this Friday, we will be open. No, we won't have any 4 a.m. door-busters, but we'll be keeping our usual 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours.

We thank you, our community, for 21 years of support and are hopeful that your support will continue and grow. In many ways, shopping at the Peace Nook is a gift to the community.

Sunday: Join the Peace Contingent in Holiday Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 04:48:00 +0000

Here's an opportunity to come out for peace doing something fun and social. It's this Sunday afternoon, Nov. 20, gathering at 2:30 p.m. Bring friends. Bring family. Bring anyone you know who's for peace and loves a parade, especially not just watching, but being in one.

Join Peaceworks and our Columbia Peace Coalition peace advocates in a walking and cycling contingent in Columbia's annual Holiday Parade. This is a wonderful, positive way to put our desire for peace before our community.

We welcome participants of all ages. We are especially e ncouraging parents and grandparents to bring children, as they represent our hopes for a peaceful, just future. Strollers and wagons are most appropriate.

We should aim to gather by 2:30 p.m. The parade starts at 3 and, as the route is short, less than 3/4 mile, we should be done by 3:30. Our contingent is the parade is #4-D. We are to form up just west of the Doctors' Park Building on the corner of E. B'way & William on the south side of Broadway, about three blocks east of College Ave. If this is at all confusing, please give us a call at 573-875-0539.

Invite friends. This is a fun event and the more the merrier. You can use our Facebook event to invite your FB friends at http://www.facebook.com/events/310803062265064/

SUPER COMMITTEE? WHAT’S THE STORY? WHAT CAN WE DO?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:33:00 +0000

BASIC BACKGROUND: As part of the agreement this past summer to lift the debt ceiling, Congress and the Obama administration agreed to a seriously flawed deficit reduction process. They established a Super Committee (formally, the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction), and charged this small group with coming up with a plan to cut at least $1.5 trillion out of the projected deficit over the next decade.

There are 12 committee members, three Democrats and three Republicans from each house of Congress. They are supposed to come up with a plan that at least seven of the twelve can agree to by Nov. 23. If such a plan is agreed to, this will then be sent to Congress for straight up or down votes (no amendments) in both houses. If either the committee cannot come to agreement, or if their proposal is not supported by both houses, then an automatic cut of $1.2 trillion, half from the military and half from non-military spending will go into effect. (More on the committee at www.deficitreduction.gov)

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? There are several serious flaws in the process:

1) The economy is in the midst of a deep economic downturn, with real unemployment and underemployment close to 20%. Cuts in government spending now, putting more people out of work, would seriously hurt the chances for economic recovery, prolonging the misery so many are now living through.

2) Due to repeated tax cuts, benefiting primarily the most well to do and large corporations, we have what economists call a “structural deficit,” meaning that even at full employment, we fail to collect sufficient taxes to cover our expenses.

3) While there is some wasteful spending, primarily in the area of wars and bloated military budgets, as well as subsidies for dirty energy, most of our government’s programs serve the interests of the vast majority of citizens. Social insurance programs, environmental and consumer protection, education, transportation, nutrition, housing and more should not be on the chopping block.

4) Balancing the budget, at full employment, should be a priority, but this entails increasing revenues. It can be easily done by rolling back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, eliminating tax loopholes benefiting corporations, treating unearned income as income, taxing capital gains at the rate that wages or salaries are taxed, and/or putting a tax on financial transactions. Unfortunately, the six GOP members of the Super Committee have all signed a pledge not to support any tax increases, period.

5) This means that the committee, should it agree on anything, will be coming back with a recommendation that relies entirely, or almost entirely, on cuts, most of these to essential programs and services. The GOP is reportedly looking for $2.2 trillion in cuts, significantly more than is mandated, much of this to essential programs. Those who are now hurting—virtually all of us, working people, the elderly, students, the unemployed—all will be hurting more if these draconian cuts are passed.

5) It’s not just the Republicans who are putting social insurance and other essential programs on the chopping block. According to our friends at NOW, “Not to be seen as tax-and-spenders, the Democratic members are reportedly proposing a whopping $3 trillion spending cut. The Democrats' plan would cut the Social Security COLA, make deep Medicare and Medicaid cuts, and not raise close to enough revenues to even have a balance between budget cuts and new revenues.

“Super committee members are reportedly ready to shrink your Social Security retirement and disability benefits by reducing the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and are proposing to carve a big chunk out of Medicare, placing a higher burden on seniors to pay for increasing health care cuts. A Medicare cut would also be imposed on health care providers, meaning that fewer doctors would want to care for seniors.”

THE 99% or THE 1%? TIME TO OCCUPY OUR CONGRESS?

Over the past three decades, almost all the growth in real income has gone to the most wealthy among us. Wealth and power are both now more concentrated in the hands of a few than at any time since the Gilded Age. It is this trend, brought into sharp relief by the financial collapse, that has spurred the emergence of the Occupy Movement.

There are many threads that tie together the broad dissatisfaction so many are feeling. It is not just that the big banks were deemed “too big to fail” while working people—the little guys—were foreclosed upon. It’s not just that not a single top bank, brokerage or insurance executive has been convicted of anything, despite their obvious deception and manipulation, all of which fueled the bubble and the crash. It’s not just that tens of millions are underwater, deeply in debt due to untenable mortgages and home equity loans. Nor is it simply that tens of millions more are buried under a mountain of student loan debt even decades after finishing school.

Besides all of this, many millions of us are aware that the political system is a stacked deck. Who gets nominated and who gets elected is largely determined by money. With the well heeled doing most of the giving, they’re getting most of the access. So, when Congress is preparing to make major cuts that will affect all of us who make up the 99%, it is outrageous, albeit not shocking, that the 1% end up with far more input than the rest of us put together do.

(It is no surprise that the Super Committee is listening more to powerful corporate leaders than they are to us. Forbes magazine published an interesting piece, “Who's Buttering Up Deficit Super Committee Members With Donations” showing just how much this select group of legislators has been raking in. See: http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2011/08/16/how-much-and-from-who-have-deficit-super-committee-members-received-donations/)

WE NEED YOU TO JOIN IN SHIFTING THE BALANCE TO THE PEOPLE:

It doesn’t have to be this way, but for it to change, we all need to make some noise. We might not all need to physically “occupy” Congressional offices, but it sure is a help when we show up there regularly, and in significant numbers. That’s why Peaceworks and our Peace Coalition allies have been turning out daily, for nearly four weeks now, for noon-hour “Deliver a Message” meetings with the staffs of Sen. Claire McCaskill and Sen. Roy Blunt.

We’ve been urging our senators to call on their Super Committee colleagues to pursue a much different, more progressive, agenda that includes significant additional taxation levied on those who can afford it, ending the wars and making deep cuts in other wasteful military spending, cutting subsidies to polluters, and keeping their hands off our needed programs.

WE NEED YOU TO JOIN US: Now, as the Super Committee moves into the home stretch, it’s imperative that we crank up the volume. We need many more people to join us for the 45 minutes it takes (noon to 12:45 p.m.) to make these daily visits. It would really help for the numbers to increase daily, right up until Nov. 22.

It would be great if you could contact us in advance at 573-875-0539 or mail@midmopeaceworks.orgto let us know you’re coming, but it’s also fine to just show up any weekday you can between 12 and 12:05 at the Wabash Bus Station at 10^th and Ash in downtown Columbia. (Note: Friday, Nov. 11 is a federal holiday, so the offices will be closed.)

IF YOU CAN’T ATTEND IN PERSON: We urge everyone to communicate with our elected officials. You will find addresses, phone numbers and web links for both Missouri U.S. senators, and all three House members who represent mid-Missouri at http://blog.midmopeaceworks.org/p/resources.html Please call and write to them today.

CONTACT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS DIRECTLY: None of the 12 Super Committee members are from Missouri, but given their central role in making decisions that impact everyone in this country, it’s a good idea for all of us to be calling and writing them too.

Super Committee Members and Contact Links for Senators:

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate co-chair http://murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX-5), House co-chair
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) www.baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) www.kerry.senate.gov/contact/
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) www.kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) http://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=contact-form
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) www.toomey.senate.gov/?p=contact
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA-31)
Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI-4)
Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC-6)
Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI-6)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD-8)

House members do not take e-comments from people living outside their districts. They can, however, be called by phone and all their numbers are available at http://house.gov/representatives/

BECOME A MESSAGE AMPLIFIER: Share this message with friends, family, neighbors, work colleagues, co-parishioners, fellow students, friends on Facebook, etc. Urge everyone you know to recognize our common interest in stopping this awful assault on everything that our government does that’s good.

We urge you to remind folks that we’re talking about clean water and safe food, national parks, school lunches, housing for the needy, social insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare for all of us, and so much more.

Some want to shrink government so small they can “drown it in a bathtub.” Most of us in the 99% recognize that this serves powerful corporations, and harms the rest of us. Time to say “No Way!” and put Congress on notice that they can vote to gut all these programs only at their own peril. If they want to be reelected, they need to start listening to the people who elected them, not just their wealthy contributors.

Join Us Saturday, Nov. 12 for the Peaceworks Annual Dinner.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:15:00 +0000

On Saturday, Nov. 12 we will gather at 6 p.m. at Missouri United Methodist Church for Mid-Missouri Peaceworks 25th Annual Dinner, a potluck feast and a wonderful celebration of the work being done in mid-Missouri to promote a more peaceful, just and sustainable future.

All are invited and encouraged to attend this free event. Details below. Please RSVP, if you would, by sending an e-mail to mail@midmopeaceworks.org

You are invited to attend

Peaceworks’ 25^th Annual Dinner

Saturday, November 12^th 6 p.m.

at Missouri United Methodist Church in the Multipurpose Room (Ninth & Elm streets)

Hors d’oeuvres will be served at 6 o’clock.

Join us in celebrating our commitment to a peaceful, just and sustainable future. And to have some fun, too!

Music will be performed by Lee Ruth.

Awards will be presented to John Betz, Christina Mattson,

Lee Ruth and Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture.

We suggest you bring something from the following

categories, based on the initial of your last name:

A-B: appetizers* C-D: beverage+ E-G: dessert

H-L: salad or vegetable M-Z: main dish

*Guests bringing hors d’oeuvres or beverages should arrive by 5:50.

+Please, no alcoholic beverages. Free parking is available one block east in the Hitt Street Garage. R.S.V.P. to 573-875-0539 or mail@midmopeaceworks.org.

Deliver a Message--Join in Daily Senate Office Visits

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:04:00 +0000

We are at a critical juncture. Congress has enacted legislation mandating major deficit reductions and has established a Super Committee to move this process forward. We, here at Peaceworks, question the basic premise that—given the economic crisis we’re in—this is an appropriate time to be pushing deficit reduction.

This said, the Super Committee is currently working to put together recommendations that Congress will vote on in late November. This could lead to some very destructive policies that could hurt working and low-income Americans, the environment and the economy at large. We have therefore initiated a campaign to visit the local offices of our two U.S. Senators, over the lunch-hour, daily between now and Nov. 22. We hope a groundswell of concern from the grassroots may influence their positions. You can make a difference by participating in this campaign.

LOGISTICS: Each day, our crew meets at the Wabash Station between 12 and 12:10 and then proceeds to have brief visits at each of the two Senate offices, which are just three blocks apart. We have a point-person and daily topic each day, and would welcome your input in topics to raise. We complete our two visits by approximately 12:40 or 12:45.

SIGN UP: We encourage all to sign up for one or more days. You can do this by calling us at 573-875-0539 or sending an e-mail to us at mail@midmopeaceworks.org Please indicate which day(s) you’d like to participate. Please include your phone number, so our coordinators can contact you prior to the day of the visit.

The more of us who show up for these daily visits, the STRONGER MESSAGE WE DELIVER.

OUR MESSAGE: While our specific issue focus is different each day, some of the general principles we are suggesting the Senators follow include:

1) We need long-run fiscal balance, but we should not, in the midst of the deepest economic downturn in 75 years, be trying to balance our budget now. Instead, we should work to stimulate the economy in the short-run, and adopt taxation and spending policies that, in the long-run, will lead to fiscal balance.

2) There is, however, the potential, in the short-run to attain some significant savings by ending the wars and eliminating unneeded military expenditures. Hundreds of billions per year could be cut from the Pentagon’s budget and we would still have the most powerful and well funded military in the world.

3) There should be no cuts to our social insurance programs, Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.

4) Likewise, other programs that meet human needs or provide environmental protection should not be on the chopping block.

5) We should be investing in the creation of a sustainable energy future and should pull the plug on subsides to all dirty energy sources, including all fossil fuels and nuclear power.

6) Bringing in increased tax revenues from those who can afford to pay is a fair and practical way to balance our budget. This includes individuals and corporations. We should be closing loopholes and repealing the Bush era tax cuts for the wealthy. Overall, we need a more progressive tax code.

Claim the Now—Live for a Peace Economy

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 05:07:00 +0000

On Sunday, October 9, 2011, nearly 200 mid-Missouri residents gathered at Courthouse Square for "ENOUGH! Stand for Peace & Justice," a peace rally marking the 10th anniversary of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. Below are prepared remarks that Peaceworks Steering Committee member and GRO organizer Lily Tinker Fortel delivered at the rally:

Good afternoon. It is good to be with you as we mark this tragic occasion.

Today, I will be talking about the concept of a peace economy and discussing how we can move forward toward our vision of a peaceful and just world –one that puts people before profits in all aspects of life, and builds unity by embracing an understanding of we.

Today, not just in Columbia, people are coming together to mark the tenth anniversary of the War on Afghanistan. We are calling for an end to war and standing together, honoring a vision of a peaceful future. What makes this war anniversary different from others over the course of the past ten years is, of course, the Occupy Movement. Right now and for the past three weeks, people all over the world are standing up together - against corporate control of our political and economic systems – and demanding fundamental change.

It is no wonder that this has happened. For too long now, it has become increasingly clear that the nature of the for-profit, government dominating corporate model is neither sustainable nor peaceful nor just. Here are some of the symptoms that illustrate just how ill our society has become: Cuts to funding of basic domestic programs – education, maintenance of public infrastructure; proposed cuts to social insurance programs – Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid; big box stores ruining local economies and not paying living wages to employees; corporatization and delocalization of food sources; lack of access to quality health care; high jobless rates; the ever-increasing wealth gap between the richest and poorest, high homicide and imprisonment rates, increasing numbers of Americans living in poverty – 43 million, now – And of course, the specific tie-in to this afternoon is that our country is engaging in three active wars – spending nearly $500 million each day, $3.5 billion each week on those wars– and we are still manufacturing weapons and maintaining 865 foreign military bases.

All of these things are failures of a system that places profits before people. The current economy is based on a corporate model, which allows a very, very few to accumulate excessive material wealth and secure political power at the expense of the masses. The “success” of the current economy is based on American Dream consumerism - money and thing accumulation – and denies any concept that the wellbeing of the individual is inherently connected to, and dependent upon, the wellbeing of the collective. This “success” is dependent upon the extent to we see ourselves as divided. Of course, the failures of this “successful” system extend to and are most blatantly exposed in the form of corporate control and dominance of government. So, taking all these things into consideration, we might say this moment – this surge of energy – has been a long time in the making. Click to READ MORE

Ending the Endless War

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:15:00 +0000

Good afternoon, and thank you so much for being here. Your presence, your participation is the essence of our ability, our collective ability, to make the sorts of changes that are really needed right now.

It’s all of us, together, who, if we apply ourselves seriously, can turn this nation from a garrison state that spreads war, death and destruction around the world, into a far more enlightened land, where we live sustainably, care for our neighbors and the Earth, and promote peace and sustainable development around the world.

As you know, Friday marked the 10^th anniversary of the U.S. War in Afghanistan, now the longest war in our history. This war has been nothing but a profound tragedy for all concerned. And, believe it or not, the Obama administration is planning another three years and three months, at least, of what they call “combat operations,” that is actual warfare. And, they are putting plans in place for an additional decade of continued U.S. military presence on the ground in Afghanistan. Essentially, they expect this war to continue at least through 2024.

This is unacceptable to me. I hope it is to you as well. If so, let me hear it. Your part in this chant is just one word, “unacceptable!”:

Afghan War Unacceptable

Civilian Deaths Unacceptable

Drone Strikes Unacceptable

GI Deaths Unacceptable

War Profiteers Unacceptable

PTSD Unacceptable

$2 Billion per Week Unacceptable

Corporate Greed Unacceptable

Permanent War Unacceptable

Very good. Let’s try that again, one more time.

OK, I think we’re on the same page and now I’d like to share a little story with you. Click to READ MORE

10 Years Ago: A Statement We Wish Had Been Heeded.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:13:00 +0000

Within a matter of hours after the horrible, criminal attacks of 9/11, it was clear that there were those in high office who would use this tragedy to advance their own agendas. By noon that day we at Peaceworks had sent a message out calling for people to come together--as more than 300 did that evening--to promote a message "Condemn the Tragedy, Don't Compound It." Within a few days we'd geared up informational forums, rallies, vigils for peace and much more.

One piece of that "much more" was a signature ad. We began collecting names a week after 9/11 and ran a full-page ad in the Tribune, with more than 800 names, on the one-month anniversary. Sadly, four days prior to the ad running, the U.S. began its attack on Afghanistan. Below is the text of that statement, which we believe is still quite relevant today.

Justice, Not Revenge

The horrible events of September 11th 2001, are etched indelibly in all of our minds. We unequivocally condemn the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as crimes

against humanity and extend our condolences to all victims’ loved ones. The perpetrators who are still alive must be brought to justice.

War, however, is not an appropriate response to the tragedy. Bombing and killing innocent civilians will only compound the horror and feed a cycle of violence.

While some say “this is war,” and “in war we must accept collateral damage,” we believe otherwise. The innocents who would be killed in the bombing or invasion of Afghanistan, or any other country, are just that, innocents. They no more deserve to lose their lives than those in New York and Washington who died in these hideous attacks one month ago.

Some of our fellow citizens are eager for revenge. While we understand your anger and frustration, we suggest a different perspective. In the words of Gandhi, “an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.”

We call instead for seeking justice under law. If we can determine who the perpetrators are, let’s act, as our Constitution and the United Nations Charter prescribe, by the rule of law.

Finally, this tragedy should not be used as a rationale for excessive military spending, an increasingly interventionist foreign policy or limitations of our civil liberties and freedoms. It behooves us, instead, to explore new understandings of the role of our nation in the world community. We must pursue a foreign policy based upon international cooperation, sustainable development, social justice and respect for democracy. Pursuing such a vision may well be the best prescription toward preventing further terrorist violence.

Only by realizing that war will not help us to achieve the peaceful, prosperous and secure world we all long for, can we come together and move forward to create such a future.

ENOUGH! Stand for Peace & Justice, Sun., Oct. 9.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 05:13:00 +0000

Had ENOUGH? Sick and tired of endless war? Are you more than a little disturbed when you hear that our government plans at least three and a half more years of hot war in Afghanistan, and aims for a troop presence there for the next 13+ years? Do you think that there are better uses for the $2 billion we're spending there each week? How about the lives of the war's victims--both combatants and civilians?

If you want to see an end to what some would like to be perpetual war, it's going to take sustained, active involvement. It's easy for the politicians to ignore polls showing more than two-thirds of our citizens want to bring our troops home from Afghanistan, when hardly anyone is making serious noise about this.

As we observe the tenth anniversary of this terrible conflict we all have a responsibility to make our voices heard. And we have that opportunity with "ENOUGH! Stand for Peace & Justice." Plan to join us at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 9 at Courthouse Square.

TAKE ACTION TODAY. SIGN UP NOW: Our first goal is to get 120 people to commit to attending. This number represents the number of months since the start of the Afghanistan War. 120 months of war, 120 months too many!

As of September 22, 54 people have signed up. We're nearly halfway to our initial goal. If you can commit to being one of the remaining 66, please send us an e-mail at mail@midmopeaceworks.org with the subject line "Enough Sign-Up" Please include your name and your phone number.

HELP RECRUIT OTHERS: Getting 120 peace and justice advocates to participate is just the first step. We will be working to get at least twice this number by urging each participant to recruit at least one friend, family member, neighbor, co-parishioner or colleague to also sign up. The first 120 represent the ENOUGH! part, the dark months of war. Those who commit beyond this represent our hope for a peaceful future. We want the hope to exceed the period of darkness and war. Please join in working with us to build a really robust turnout for this important anniversary event.

No More Victims: We Declare Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:50:00 +0000

Please join us for this important event. All are welcome.

Mark the 10th Anniversary of 9/11/01. Gather to memorialize all the lives lost — on that day and in the subsequent wars.

Come together to say: “War No More, We Declare Peace!”

Gather by 1:30 p.m. at the Islamic Center at 5th & Locust, downtown Columbia. Join in a brief interfaith call for peace, followed by a peace procession to Courthouse Square for a short program, including music and readings from the bereaved.

If possible, please bring a flower to carry in the procession. Bring an extra, if you can, to share with someone.

Sponsored by: Columbia Peace Coalition, Central Missouri Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, Columbia Friends Meeting, Democracy for Missouri, GRO - Grass Roots Organizing, Heartland Chapter of Global Action to Prevent War, Islamic Center of Central Missouri, Mid-Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation, Mid-Missouri Peaceworks, Mid-Missouri Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, MU Students for Progressive Action, Native American Support Group, Peace Mennonite Church of Columbia, Rock Bridge Christian Church, St. Francis Catholic Worker Community, Stop Traffic-University of Missouri, UMC Faculty, Students and Staff Concerned About Democracy and Public Knowledge, Unitarian Universalist Social Action Committee and Veterans For Peace-Charlie Atkins Chapter.

Note: Out of respect to our Muslim brothers and sisters and their house of worship, we request that those who plan to come in to the mosque dress modestly, avoiding tank tops, halter tops, short skirts, etc. Also note that those coming in to the mosque will need to remove their shoes in the entrance way. Thanks for understanding and respecting their customs.

Time to Advance, Not Retreat

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:45:00 +0000

“And we’re still marching on the streets

With little victories and big defeats

But there is joy and there is hope and there’s a place for you” — Joan Baez

A question: Are you so infuriated by the state of our body politic that you feel hopeless or nearly so? If so, you’re not alone. Confronting endless obstacles in the fight for what’s right, what’s good and what’s needed leaves many progressives in despair. Tuning out the world, however, is not a viable option.

The reality is that there are politicians, talking heads and corporations set on dismantling Social Security, Medicaid and other social insurance programs. The reality is that our government has gotten us involved in endless wars under the ruse of “fighting terrorism,” and they’re trying to convince us that this is normal and good. The reality is that our environment, already under assault, faces further threats from deregulation and climate-change denial. And the promoters of tar sands oil, “clean coal,” “affordable nuclear power” and other dirty energy choices stink of corporate influence.

This reality, however, is ripe for change. But a key ingredient is missing, something so vital that without it the whole of this working-for-peace-and-justice-and-a-sustainable-future becomes a vast bubbling stew of important but repetitive events and same old, same old. Yes, we’re talking about you. YOU are the needed ingredient to make this organic masterpiece of activism even tastier.

We need fresh ideas. We need new blood. We need the best minds of our progressive generations coming together. We need you.

If you believe in compassion, mutual support and shared responsibility for the common good; if you believe it is in the interest of future generations to work for a clean, sustainable future; if you believe in collective security, a peace economy and global sustainable development that represents a hopeful alternative to what we see on the news every day, then please, step right up. It’s time to advance, not retreat.

What can you possibly do, you might wonder.

Well, what can you do? Can you sew, paint, draw, write, sing, play music, take pictures? Talk to a group of 10 or 20 or 100 people? Think critically? Make phone calls? Attend a peace rally? Hold a sign at a demonstration? Help plan events? Discuss the state of the world in a thoughtful, compassionate way? Write a letter to Congress or to the editor? Sign a petition? Gather signatures on a petition? Attend a meeting? Provide moments of levity in this all-too-serious undertaking? Raise money? Give money? Post fliers? Update websites? Staff a lit table and give out info? Talk to legislators, church groups or civic organizations? Talk to your neighbors and friends? Dance and sing and make merry? If you can do just one of these things, you have the ability to be an essential part of this movement for peace, justice and a sustainable future.

We know you’re busy. You’ve got _____ (a job, school, kids, family, friends, church, carpool, soccer, Chief’s football, other commitments). We understand. But consider: All of these other commitments – family, work, school, etc. – could very well be in jeopardy if we don’t create a peaceful, just, sustainable future in which to cherish and enjoy them. One more thing: There’s no guilt here. You are appreciated for whatever time you contribute.

You are needed to help create the world anew, and Peaceworks invites you to join us in doing just that.

Parking Meters and the Peaceful Economy

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:55:00 +0000

Lily Tinker Fortel, a member of the Peaceworks Steering Committee and Co-Vice President of our organization, gave an insightful and inspiring talk at our August 6 Peace Gathering. We are posting a portion of the talk here, with a link to the full text below. Please feel free and encouraged to share this widely.

Hi. I’m glad to be with you all this evening. This annual gathering is one I approach with a heavy heart. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are among the most tragic, scary events in human history. This commemoration brings real and deep emotions – not only in remembering the past but also in evaluating the present. And it’s not only the challenges of nuclear disarmament or the tragedies of the past that weigh heavy tonight. The present – particularly national and international news of the past few weeks – is discouraging beyond words. From news of the famine in Somalia to the realities of continuing wars and military aggression to the recent debt ceiling sellout. These are heavy times. So I am glad to be with you as we struggle with these realities and as we hold on to the light of a better, different future.

Which brings me to the topic at hand – Parking Meters and the Peaceful Economy. Tonight I will talk about how important it is to incorporate this seemingly out-of-reach idea of a Peace Economy in all aspects of daily life. Let’s start with the big picture.

The concept of a Peace Economy – also referred to as the “New Economy” or as I will call it this evening, a peaceful economy comes out of an acknowledgement that we are currently operating in a war economy. The Peace Economy is a rejection of the prevailing narrative that wars, and other forms of military spending are worthy, exclusive economic stimulants. The truth is a Peace Economy is a viable, practical and superior model to a war economy.

Let me pause here to make a somewhat obvious acknowledgement. Many people have done extensive thinking about this idea of a peace economy and of how to put such a vision into practice. In preparation for tonight’s talk, I have studied David Korten of YES! Magazine and co-chair of the New Economy Working Group; Frida Berrigan, who writes for Foreign Policy in Focusand In These Times; Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!; Senator Bernie Sanders and more. This is a big topic and no 10 minute talk will do justice to the years of thinking that have gone into it.

That said, here is what I hope to accomplish in the next few minutes:

(1) Establish the need for rethinking the current economy. This won’t take long – I suspect we’re all near agreement on the fact that something has got to change.

(2) Propose a vision for components of this New, Peaceful Economy.

(3) Finally, I’d like to move us to a place of thinking about integrating this vision into our daily lives. – i.e. how do parking meters and any number of other issues fit into our work toward a peaceful economy

Read the remainder of Lily's talk by CLICKING HERE.

Fiscal Crisis? Please Join Us in Speaking Out Now on Priorities.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 07:56:00 +0000

The Federal Budget is out of whack. We all can agree on this.

Part of the reason is the deep recession we're in. Whenever the economy tanks, tax revenues decline and expenses go up. In addition, however, repeated tax cuts over the past several decades have left us with what's called a structural deficit. This means that, even at full employment, we aren't taking in sufficient revenue to fund needed government expenditures.

Since the Reagan administration there has been an ongoing push to eliminate taxes--particularly for the wealthy--and to make those we keep less progressive (i.e. having higher rates for those with more income, basing tax policy upon ability to pay). We have cut marginal tax rates for the wealthy, put capital gains in a very low-tax category, and created so many loopholes that many profitable corporations pay no taxes at all. It's no wonder we've had to borrow money every year, even when the economy was much stronger than it is now.

Despite the fact that our tax collections are at virtually unprecedented low rates, the GOP majority in the House is refusing to consider any measure to shore up revenue. Instead, they insist on balancing the budget by making deep cuts in almost every facet of government, from social insurance programs, to environmental safety, sustainable energy, transportation, housing, etc. It seems like the only thing exempt from their budget ax is the Pentagon.

This is just plain WRONG! And it must be stopped.

We, at Peaceworks, are also not at all happy with the approach being taken by President Obama. Saying that everything, even our social insurance programs, including Social Security, are "on the table," is not right. Social Security does not contribute a dime to the deficit. It is funded out of a separate account and is self-funding through payroll taxes. By design, this account has run a surplus for more than two decades in order to prepare for expected outlays as more baby boomers retire. The S.S. Trust Fund holds more than $2.6 trillion in U.S. Treasury bonds. Saying we have to cut Social Security to deal with the deficit is just downright dishonest. What we do need to do is to make sure we have sufficient revenue coming into the government to pay for our current expenditures and service our debt.

This is doable, keeping taxes far below their historic rates. Sadly, the wealthy (not all, but many), who constitute a politically very influential group, and who have received almost all the increase in our national income in recent decades, are pushing hard to keep from paying taxes that they can easily afford. They would rather see programs cut that, among other things, feed the hungry, provide other needed social services, protect the environment, etc.

WE MUST PUSH BACK: Peaceworks urges you to join in visible demonstrations, including one we are co-sponsoring Wednesday, July 20, and to contact both Congress and President Obama. We also urge you to raise your concerns with friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and others, as well as to consider writing letters to the editors of local and regional papers.

OUR MESSAGES: We are urging our elected officials to aim for a balanced budget, once the economy has recovered, and to increase revenues significantly by eliminating tax cuts for those in upper income brackets. Further, we are urging a prompt end to U.S. wars and interventions overseas, and substantial reductions in military spending. Simply ending the Afghanistan War would save more than $2 billion per week. Hundreds of billions more could be cut from Pentagon spending each year and the U.S. would still have the most powerful, capable and expensive military in the world.

We are also pointing out the need to decouple the discussion of Social Security from the question of budget imbalance. Social Security will need additional funding eventually, but shortfalls don't arrive for another 25+ years. This is an entirely separate problem from what to do this decade about our deficit.

PLEASE CONTACT THEM: Please take just a few minutes to contact your two U.S. Senators, the President and your U.S. Representative.

Senators: Our friends at ProVote have provided a toll-free number for calling our Senators: 877-264-4226.

President Obama: The White House Comment Line is 202-456-1111

Representatives: You can get phone numbers for mid-Missouri U.S. Reps, as well as other contact info for the above officials if you CLICK HERE.

If you live somewhere other than mid-Missouri, your Rep's info can be found if you CLICK HERE.

FOR MORE INFO: Anyone interested in learning more about Social Security and the current attack on this critical social insurance program is encouraged to visit the following:

National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare

The Strengthen Social Security Campaign

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

The Economic Policy Institute and two specific articles from their site:
"Debt, Deficit Deal Shouldn't Include Social Security" and
"Social Security and the Federal Deficit."

Staking Out a Sensible Place to Stand

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:09:00 +0000

We, in Peaceworks, like many progressives, often find ourselves hard pressed to find political space when much of the mainstream media defines the Obama administration as the left pole and the GOP/Tea Party as the right. On numerous issues, however, the majority of the people embrace more progressive positions, although this is seldom acknowledged.

The polls show nearly two-thirds want to end the Afghanistan War. Obama plans continued combat operations for at least three and a half more years. The administration says balancing the budget requires sweeping cuts, but, when it comes to the Pentagon’s allocation, all they propose cutting is the rate of growth in spending.

Overwhelming majorities want no cuts in Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. The Republicans aim to gut all three. The White House says, in effect, “let’s talk.” The response should be: “These programs were guaranteed to us. Any cuts are off the table. End of discussion.” Likewise, progressive taxation is widely supported, but those in office have extended hundreds of billions in tax cuts for the wealthiest and proposed new tax breaks for corporations.

Vast majorities support strict regulation of polluters and a rapid transition to clean, renewable energy. The administration says “sure,” but then proposes massive subsidies for coal and nuclear power. They support more offshore drilling, more dirty fracking for natural gas and eschew any meaningful action on climate change. And the GOP’s positions are far worse.

As unions are busted and austerity pushed down our throats, we run the risk of seeing the installation of a Twenty-first Century feudalism. Our nation is facing profound challenges against the backdrop of a new Gilded Age. More wealth and power is in the hands of fewer people than any time in nearly a century. In the wake of Citizens United, more political power than ever is in the hands of major corporate interests.

Observing this rightward tilt in politics and media mustn’t take the wind out of our sails. Rather, let’s look to the examples of activists across the nation rallying for progressive agendas, challenging the Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum mindset. Think Wisconsin. By taking bold, principled positions, we have the potential to move both public opinion and the politicians.

As the 2012 election approaches, some fear that any criticism of President Obama will weaken him, making a Republican extremist more likely to win. While Peaceworks does not take positions on candidates or elections, we’d observe that pressure that moves the administration in a progressive direction might actually excite not just Obama’s base, but a broad spectrum of the electorate, perhaps improving his prospects for a second term.

Peace, climate change, sustainability, social and economic justice, these are all too important to be held hostage to lesser-evilism. We must actively challenge assumptions and pursue real, workable solutions. No, we don’t have to live with permanent war, a declining standard of living and an environment going to hell in a hand-basket. If you want a better future, join us as we educate, agitate, organize and persist in fighting for the common good.

Help Continue a 50-Year Local Peace Tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Thu, 19 May 2011 18:51:00 +0000

Here in mid-Missouri the Peace Community has a tradition that dates back to 1961. Every year, on August 6, the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, we publish an ad in the Columbia Tribune calling for peace with justice and disarmament. This effort was initiated and sustained for decades by John Schuder and the local Fellowship of Reconciliation. Peaceworks has shared responsibility for putting the ad together for the past 25 years.

Each year, in recent times, more than 1,000 people have asked to have asked to have their names included. And, while no specific contribution is required, signers have been generous enough to allow us to purchase a full page ad in the paper.

To download the 14-inch version, please CLICK HERE.

To download the 11-inch version, please CLICK HERE.

Prospects for Peace, Post-Osama bin Laden.

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Thu, 05 May 2011 00:14:00 +0000

While many of our fellow Americans are celebrating the fact that U.S. forces have killed Osama bin Laden, we at Peaceworks, while eager to see all who’ve committed heinous crimes brought to justice, will only celebrate steps taken to end the violence that 9/11 has been used to justify.

The crimes of September 11, 2001 were horrific and certainly it was appropriate for our government to seek to apprehend the perpetrators. This said, 9/11 in no way justifies the invasions, occupations or counterinsurgency wars fought in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

Both of these wars have been costly and tragic in every dimension imaginable. And neither effort has reduced terrorism. Rather, we have created more victims, made more enemies and spurred cycles of violence. Hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost, millions of people have been displaced from their homes, and trillions of dollars that could have gone to useful purposes have been squandered. The money has been borrowed, rather than taxed, so future generations have been saddled with the burden of paying for these wars, as well as with the responsibility for caring for the injured, disabled and traumatized.

When the United States attacked Afghanistan, our government said we were there to get bin Laden. Now, Osama bin Laden is no more and we have the opportunity to begin the orderly, but accelerated withdrawal of U.S. forces from that country, as well as Iraq. This should be done in conjunction with all-party talks that bring together all Afghan factions and all neighboring states to discuss an inclusive settlement.

As our government’s actions have led to the destruction of much of Afghanistan’s infrastructure, it would be most appropriate for the United States to provide significant reconstruction aid. This will be both far more helpful, and also far less costly than the war, which is now costing U.S. taxpayers $2 billion each week.

There really is no reasonable justification for a continued U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. This seems like an excellent time to take the advice Senator George Aiken, a Republican from Vermont offered regarding the Vietnam War, “Declare victory and get out.”

We should also note that Peaceworks supports all reasonable efforts to bring those accused of acts of terror to justice. To us this can only be done through the courts and legal system, not by killing an accused criminal. We are disappointed that a concerted effort was not made to arrest Osama bin Laden. This said, it is time to move on.

After nearly ten years, we have a unprecedented opportunity to make a new start. We urge all of our fellow citizens to take action now to encourage both the Obama administration and our elected senators and representatives to embark upon a new path, one that prioritizes cooperation, mutual, verifiable disarmament and sustainable development all around the world. A nation as powerful and influential as ours is uniquely positioned to initiate such an effort. It will take millions of us all across the nation making our voices heard to accomplish this, But what effort is more important or timely? If not now, when? If not us, who?

Not an Easy Call

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:54:00 +0000

By Mark Haim, Director, Mid-Missouri Peaceworks

March 19, 2011

Eight years ago today, March 19, 2003, the U.S. government launched a war of aggression against Iraq. This war was not defensive and it was not sanctioned by the United Nations, therefore it was an illegal war, and those who ordered American troops into battle were guilty of a Crime Against Peace. That is the highest form of war crime according to the Nuremberg Principles, which our government was instrumental in establishing. It was also illegal according to the United Nations Charter, established as a means of ensuring order at the end of World War II, and, as a treaty ratified by the U.S. Senate, the highest law of the land in our nation.

Today, the Obama administration authorized the use of massive force against the military installations of the state of Libya. Tomahawk cruise missiles rained down death and destruction on Libyan bases and the troops stationed there. Was this action legitimate? Justified? Legal? People of good heart and peaceful intentions will come to different conclusions on this.

Clearly, there are significant differences between the current use of force and the “Shock and Awe” assault on Iraq eight years ago. To begin with, Libya is in the midst of a civil conflict, with revolutionaries attempted to unseat the long-ruling Qaddafi dictatorship. And the regime using its military superiority to fight back, with significant loss of life, including civilians.

There is much sympathy around the world, and here in our country, for those throughout North Africa and the Middle East participating what’s being called by some the Arab Spring. We have celebrated the partial victories of the democracy movements in Egypt and Tunisia, and recoiled at the brutal repression of activists in Bahrain and Libya. Certainly none within the ranks of Peaceworks or the peace movement as a whole is a fan of Muammar Qaddafi.

The fact that our sympathies lie with the insurgents does not answer the questions raised above, is U.S. military action against Qaddafi’s military legitimate, justified or legal?

The strongest rationale legitimating the use of force is that it was authorized by the U.N. Security Council. Proponents also point out that the opposition forces have requested the establishment of a no-fly zone, and thus they claim this is not an unwelcome intrusion on Libya’s sovereignty.

On the other side there are some strong counter-arguments. It is not clear that the U.N. has the authority to intervene in civil wars, having been established to deal with international, not intra-national, conflicts. Thus, this use of force is of questionable legal authority. Moreover, it is not at all clear that just war doctrine criteria have been satisfied. Particularly, it seems that not all non-violent alternatives were exhausted.

Further, it appears that this intervention has been orchestrated not primarily to protect the life and limb of civilians, but rather to establish what is referred to as “stability” in a geopolitically strategic, oil-rich nation. Similar steps have not been taken to intervene in similar civil conflicts in other nations such as the Ivory Coast or Sri Lanka.

As a practical matter, it is clearly possible that the use of U.S. and other NATO forces will lead to the loss of life and limb, without leading to a quick resolution to the conflict. It is reasonably likely that Qaddafi’s regime will be able to hold onto power in the western part of Libya, while the rebels maintain control in the east. There then may be a protracted military involvement with the potential for pressure to get involved more deeply, perhaps arming, training and advising the insurgents.

As international relations scholar Phyllis Bennis points out, the U.N. has authorized more than a no-fly zone. The resolution approved calls for taking “all necessary measures… to protect civilian populated areas under threat of attack…” Bennis goes on to say: “The phrase ‘all necessary measures’ is understood to include air strikes, ground, and naval strikes to supplement the call for a no-fly zone designed to keep Qaddafi’s air force out of the skies.” This may well be the first step down a long road.

It should also be noted that U.S. military officials were reported on CNN as saying that attacks would be focused on at least some of Qaddafi’s ground forces as well as air bases and anti-aircraft installations. This means more casualties and likely more civilian lives lost in what the Pentagon calls “collateral damage.”

After the U.N. resolution was passed, Qaddafi’s government announced a cease fire and indicated that it would not use its air force to attack the rebels. It would have been most prudent at this point to press for enforcement of a cease fire by indicating that there would be no use of force on the part of the U.S. and NATO if the Qaddafi regime kept its word. This was an unfortunate, missed opportunity.

Peaceworks urges an immediate ceasefire and efforts to bring all parties to talks for negotiation of an end to the fighting.

We also urge all of our members and supporters to become informed about all aspects of the current situation and to make their voices heard, both by President Obama and other elected officials, as well as by us here at Peaceworks. We know that our members will have very varied opinions and, as we said above, we recognize that people of conscience will reach different conclusions on this. We look forward to hearing your points of view.

Democracy Rising?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 00:06:00 +0000

Over the past month we've observed people in countries throughout the North Africa and the Middle East rising up, primarily non-violently, to oppose entrenched, corrupt and autocratic regimes. They've gone into the streets to bring down governments that have, in many cases, imposed themselves undemocratically for decades. Most of these regimes have been armed and supported by the United States.

To the U.S., the critical lesson these new "people's power" revolts brings home is both the immorality, and, ultimately, the self-defeating nature of a foreign policy based upon maintaining undemocratic client states. American foreign policy for decades has had, at its foundation, the sponsorship of repressive regimes like Egypt's or Saudi Arabia's.

The geopolitical calculus is cynical and runs counter to our declared values. In exchange for profitable entry for U.S.-based transnational corporations, our government arms the clients, trains their security apparatus, provides diplomatic cover for them and more.

The U.S. rarely, if ever, seems to consider the needs or aspirations of the people of these nations. Rather, geopolitical and economic concerns are paramount. Ultimately, however, when the clients fall, we find that we have earned the enmity of the people of these nations for our role in their suffering. If you're looking for examples just think of how the Iranian people responded in 1979, when they finally overthrew the brutal Shah imposed by a U.S.-sponsored coup in 1953, and maintained in office with U.S. backing for 25 years.

Bringing it All Back Home

While the Tunisians, Egyptians and others reached the breaking point and have revolted, unfortunately, far too few Americans are insisting on needed change here in our nation. We certainly need a new foreign policy--one that's no longer based upon domination and militarism. We also need to democratize our economy and establish a much more participatory political culture.

Just how long will our fellow citizens accept an agenda that allows the rich to keep getting richer, without paying anywhere near their fair share? How long will we put up with cuts to everything but the military? When will we, as a society, press forward and insist on clean energy, safe food, health care for all, adequate investment in infrastructure and jobs for all who are able to work? These are all things we can readily afford, if we simply had our priorities straight.

The responsibility for moving this agenda forward is on us, people of conscience and concerned citizens. We are encouraged to see the resistance offered by unions and their allies in Wisconsin. A broader progressive groundswell is needed now, however, and we, here in Missouri, need to do our part.

There is a vicious cycle of disempowerment. When people believe their actions are unlikely to make a difference, most don't bother. And the actions of those who do act, by themselves, are not adequate to bring the desired changes. So, yet more people are left disappointed, disillusioned and withdrawn from activist participation.

What is needed is a virtuous cycle of empowerment. We must take action, achieve at least some positive results, and show others that our efforts do, indeed, make a difference. A participatory social order is essential if we are to create a future that really works. We, here at Peaceworks, invite you to join us in making such a future a reality.

Putting Peace into the Holiday Season

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Haim) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 07:21:00 +0000

We here at Peaceworks wish you and yours joyous, peaceful holidays, whichever ones you might celebrate. We hope, as it grows colder outside, that your home will be filled with the warmth of loving, caring family and friends.

We also hope that the holiday season can be a time of "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All."

We know that our world today is rife with conflict; that massive commitments of money and human lives are continuously turned over to war and the preparation for war. What is saddest is that we have grown to take this for granted. Like a frog in a pot of water that is heated gradually, our society has, to a great extent, come to take an Orwellian state of Permanent War as the norm, even as it is destroying us.

Continuous war not only costs far too many lives and leaves so many more physically and psychologically scarred. It also threatens our very survival.

It does this in part because it makes enemies, and this then feeds a cycle of violence.
It also means failing to come to grips with the nuclear threat. By failing to abolish nuclear weapons in a universal, mutual and verifiable fashion, we make nuclear war, at some time in the future, far more likely.
Throwing many hundreds of billions down a non-productive rat hole is perilous to our economy as well. By failing to invest in people, infrastructure and appropriate technologies, we do a disservice to the nation. By fighting these wars on borrowed money, we run up our children's and grandchildren's credit cards.
Finally, by normalizing aggressive war-making and its tragic consequences for millions of people, we compromise our basic shared ethical framework. By accepting this illegal and immoral behavior on the part of our government, we become collectively complicit in the crimes.

On a more positive note, when we keep the vision of a peaceful future alive, and work for it day-in and day-out, we have a basis for hope. When we go beyond holding the vision to sharing it, we make an even greater difference.

We encourage you to share with others the notion of "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All." And, when you do, in some kind way, let your loved ones know that this is not an idle cliche, but rather a statement of what is needed now for our collective survival and betterment. May this heartfelt affirmation of peace and justice for all spread far and wide.

And, again, make them joyful, peaceful holidays.