October 2022
One thing is for sure: when we mobilize poor and low wealth voters, their advocates, and other people who care--that's a power block that can shift the electorate. We will leave no stone unturned, no tool unused, and no voter left behind as we fight to save this impoverished democracy from the bottom up.
--Rev. William J. Barber II
Nuclear Weapons in the New Cold War with Daniel Ellsberg
Watch the recently recorded webinar in which Daniel Ellsberg addresses the current dangers of nuclear weapons, a part of the Brooklyn for Peace speakers series. Daniel Ellsberg is the author of The Doomsday Machine, Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner, and an American political activist. In 1971 Ellsberg released the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Pentagon study of the US government and the Vietnam War, to the New York Times, revealing damaging truths about the War and the U.S. government's actions. As a consequence of this release, Ellsberg was charged under the Espionage Act of 1917, facing 115 years in prison. Because of governmental misconduct and illegal evidence-gathering all charges were dismissed in 1973. Watch this informative webinar.
The Ukraine War Slides Towards an Unstable and Violent Stalemate
Eight months in, the movement of the front lines in Ukraine has slowed again, but the violence of the war is escalating, with the Russian government intensifying attacks on Ukraine's cities and infrastructure. On September 30, Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of four regions in Ukraine's East, declaring that action to be irreversible and non-negotiable. A negotiated peace seems further away than ever. UFPJ continues to maintain its Ukraine resources page with commentary on the war from a variety of perspectives and other materials providing background on the war, including English language materials from critical voices in Ukraine and Russia.
Poor People's Campaign: If We Ever Needed to Vote for Democracy and Justice, We Sure Do Need to Vote Now!
This election season, the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival is intensifying its non-partisan nationwide efforts to educate, mobilize, and encourage voter registration in poor and low-wealth communities. Experience shows that an intentional effort to engage low-wealth voters around an agenda that includes living wages, health care, strong anti-poverty programs, voting rights and policies that fully address injustices of systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, and the war economy can be effective in shifting our nation's policy priorities. It's not too late to join a text bank to reach out to low-income voters. Learn more and be sure to watch the inspiring short video of the June 18, 2022 Mass Poor People's & Low-Wage Workers' Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls. Our votes are demands!
COP27: Stop Excluding Military Pollution from Climate Agreements
COP27, the 27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) will take place this November in Egypt. The annual conference brings together world leaders to accelerate action to reach the goals set out by the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Governments are beginning to hear our demand that military pollution no longer be excluded from climate agreements! World Beyond War's petition is unchanged from that submitted to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021. But that doesn't mean it has had no impact. At COP27 there are three official events planned on the topic of militarism and climate within the conference. That's a result of your efforts! Now is a time to further build the demand for action. Click here to learn more, see new video, find links to resources, and sign and share the petition!
Golden Rule Anti-Nuclear Sailboat Reaching Thousands of People Along Mississippi River
The Golden Rule is a project of Veterans For Peace (VFP), which aims to advance VFP's opposition to nuclear weapons and war, and to do so in a dramatic fashion. VFP has recovered and restored the original peace ship, the Golden Rule, that set sail in 1958 to stop nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands and inspired the many peace makers and peace ships that followed. The reborn Golden Rule is sailing once more, to show that nuclear abolition is possible, and that bravery and tenacity can overcome militarism. On September 26th, the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, the Golden Rule kicked off its 15-month ""Great Loop" voyage, sailing down the Mississippi River. View the full photo essay with highlights from the Golden Rule's Great Loop journey so far!
"Forever War" Continues in Syria, Iraq, and Somalia
In early October, President Biden signed a policy memorandum establishing new rules for counterterrorism drone strikes and commando raids outside of conventional war zones. While the memorandum remains classified, a senior administration official speaking on condition of anonymity revealed key aspects of the policy. Although the policy is presented as intending to reduce civilian harm, in fact many exceptions and loopholes could render it ineffective. Secrecy surrounding the policy and the fact that Congress played no role in its creation undermine democracy and risk further entrenching forever war. Indeed, as the new policy was announced the U.S. conducted drone strikes in Syrian government-held territory against members of ISIS. Syria and Iraq, it turns out are exempted from the new policy, as are airstrikes in Somalia that are considered to be in "collective self-defense."
The Ukraine War and Nuclear Dangers: Webinar Recording Now Available
This webinar, presented by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine and accompanying nuclear threats with reference to the applicable international law, divergent approaches of peace advocates to the war, and whether prevalent geopolitical frames provide an adequate perspective for viewing the war. The speakers were John Burroughs of Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, and Andrew Lichterman and Jackie Cabasso of Western States Legal Foundation. John is the principal author of the paper End the War, Stop the War Crimes; Andrew is the author of the paper The Peace Movement and the Ukraine War: Where to Now?; and Jackie is a key actor in peace and disarmament networks. View the recording here.
Out of Sight, the War in Yemen Threatens to Resume
The ceasefire in Yemen has ended. Anything can happen. Before war starts up again, we must make it clear that the U.S. Congress cannot allow further military support for the Yemen war. The rage in Congress at Saudi Arabia for cutting oil production despite President Biden's pleas opens up possibilities for passage of the Yemen War Powers Resolution, which would pretty much terminate all U.S. involvement in the war. The Yemen War Powers resolution is the best legislative option for ending U.S. support. On October 27th, residents of Greater Boston held a public standout to call for an end to weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the passage of the Yemen War Powers Resolution in Congress to end U.S. participation in the Saudi attack on Yemen.
National Book Tour: War in Ukraine
Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK, released her most recent book this past month and embarked on a national tour to promote the book and engage with local anti-war communities across the United States. War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict, co-authored with Nicolas J.S. Davies, examines the historical and current context of the war in Ukraine, different parties involved in the war, the risks of escalation, and possible pathways to peace. So far, Medea has toured through the Northeast, the Midwest, and is beginning the West Coast leg of her tour soon. See upcoming book tour events, order the book, view the promotional video, and learn more.
Ground the F-35
On Monday, October 17th, a letter led by CODEPINK and signed by 220+ organizations from across the globe was released, calling for a complete cancellation of the F-35 fighter jet program and a reinvestment of its budget into life-affirming and sustainable programs. Groups based in countries that partner with the U.S. F-35 program, such as Germany and the U.K., were signatories to the letter. Signatories also included U.S. groups based in the communities exposed to extreme noise and chemical pollutants from F-35 training programs, such as Burlington, Vermont and Madison, Wisconsin. Since the letter was released, thousands of individuals have signed on in support and the Ground the F-35 International Coalition has held a press conference (view here). You can read the open F-35 letter in English, German, and Arabic here.
President Biden: Listen to the World and End the Cuba Embargo
The UN General Assembly's annual vote on whether or not to end the "Economic, Commercial and Financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba" is fast approaching, and will take place on November 2nd and 3rd. This vote will be the 30th consecutive time where the U.S. is outvoted, and the world community votes against the cruel, unjust, and illegal U.S. blockade against Cuba. Ahead of the vote, CODEPINK will join multiple peace and justice groups in Washington DC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco for days of action calling for the end of the U.S. blockade against Cuba, and Cuba's removal from Washington D.C.'s list of state-sponsored terrorism. View the LA event here; the SF/Bay Area event here; and the DC event here. Sign onto CODEPINK's letter calling for President Biden to end the Cuba embargo here.
Shut Down Creech Week of Action
The week of October 15th -- 22nd marked the 13th national Shut Down Creech week of action at Creech Air Force Base, a key killer drone control base in the Nevada desert. Shut Down Creech, which is partnered with CODEPINK, is a community of like-minded people from across the United States who adamantly oppose the practice of remote-controlled killing, known otherwise as "targeted assassination" or "drone warfare." Three women (including two grandmothers) were arrested during an action on October 18th, carrying life-sized cardboard figures of children killed in a U.S. drone strike in Kabul in August 2021. Read the report-back and view pictures.
Defuse Nuclear War October Action Report
October 16th marked 60 years since the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Right now, the world is the closest it's been to a nuclear war since then. Yet, very few members of the House and Senate have risen to the occasion by speaking out and working for measures to de-escalate tensions between nuclear powers and revive negotiations for nuclear-weapons treaties and disarmament measures. That's why it's so important that people across the country demand that their elected leaders take a stand and work to reduce the risk of nuclear war. On October 14th, the Defuse Nuclear War coalition organized picket lines at Congressional offices in more than 40 cities to demand that their representatives make serious efforts to reduce the current high danger of nuclear war and revive nuclear diplomacy. Read more. Get involved!
"Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist" Now Available as Free Audiobook
David Hartsough's memoir, "Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist," is now available free as an audiobook on the internet. "Waging Peace" is a testament to the difference one person can make. Hartsough's stories inspire, educate, and encourage readers to find ways to work for a more just and peaceful world. Inspired by the examples of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., Hartsough has spent his life experimenting with the power of active nonviolence. It is the story of one man's effort to live as though we were all brothers and sisters. The book continues to be an inspiration to many to become more active in the peace and justice movement. Click here to listen to the free audiobook.
Cancel ALL Debts: IMF Week of Action
The IMF/World Bank held their annual gathering in Washington, DC the week of October 10th. In response, CODEPINK joined a coalition of Washington DC-area and global groups committed to "disrupting business as usual" at the annual meeting. On Tuesday, CODEPINK organizers Olivia DiNucci and Nancy Mancias managed to disrupt a session titled "Debt Restructuring: Why Too Little and Too Late" with a large banner reading "IMF/World Bank: CANCEL ALL DEBTS" and calls to "Cancel all debt, reparations now!" even as they were escorted out of the session by security personnel. In a press release, DiNucci and Mancias contextualized this disruption in the current political moment, when "financial and climate crises are devastating and destroying vulnerable countries in the Global South." Read more.
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