April 2023
It is long past time--but not too late!--for the world's publics at last to challenge and resist the willed moral blindness of their past and current leaders.
Daniel Ellsberg
Daniel Ellsberg Week: April 24--30
During the last few weeks, widespread heartfelt tributes followed Daniel Ellsberg's public letter disclosing that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, with a prognosis that he has only three to six months to live. In the words of the Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy, "America's most famous whistleblower, Ellsberg has devoted his life to the nonviolent struggle for peace, truth, and democracy. In 1971, he risked his freedom by releasing to the press and public a 7,000-page top-secret history of the Vietnam War -- the Pentagon Papers -- exposing decades of government lies and deceit." UFPJ encourages you to participate in Daniel Ellsberg Week, April 24 - 30. No matter where you live, there are many options for how you can be part of this grassroots initiative, launched by the Defuse Nuclear War coalition. Learn more.
Webinar Recording: What Should We Do About the War in Ukraine?
On April 8, Military Families Speak Out presented a panel on the Ukraine war with Medea Benjamin and Bill Fletcher, who provided two contrasting perspectives on the war in Ukraine and answered questions. Bill Fletcher is a co-founder of United for Peace and Justice, a past president of TransAfrica Forum, a longtime trade unionist and a cofounder of the Ukraine Solidarity Network. Benjamin is the co-founder of the women-led peace group CODEPINK. She is also co-founder of the human rights group Global Exchange, the Peace in Ukraine Coalition, Unfreeze Afghanistan (which advocates for returning the $7 billion of Afghan funds frozen in U.S. banks), and ACERE: The Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect. She is the co-author of War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict. Watch the webinar.
Ukraine Resources: The War in Context
UFPJ continues to add to its resource page on the Ukraine War. Items appear in reverse chronological order of publication within categories. Older items of interest are added as we find them, so browse through categories of interest to check for new material. Some recent items on the war in broader context include The Broken Gunsight of Language by Ilya Kalinin, a consideration of the way the language and metaphors deployed by governments invoke images of prior wars; 'It's Stalinist logic' Three experts explain the escalating nature of Russia's political repressions looks at current repression of dissent compared to that in the Soviet era; and Russian colonialism, Eastern Europe and global anti-colonial struggles discusses similarities and differences between the "postcolonial" and the "postsocialist."
Peace in Ukraine Coalition Organizes to Pressure President Biden and Congress
Veterans for Peace, CODEPINK, Massachusetts Peace Action, and the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security, along with other UFPJ member organizations have joined together in a U.S.-based coalition of peace and social justice organizations, Peace in Ukraine, to demand that the U.S. government "support an immediate ceasefire; negotiations, not escalation; and a freeze on weapons shipments that prolong fighting." Organizations can join the coalition here; they can help build support by sending this message to their members. Individuals can sign a petition to Presidents Biden, Putin and Zelensky; they are also asked to consider a donation to place the petition as an ad in a major U.S. newspaper to influence Biden and the Congress. Learn more about the Peace in Ukraine coalition and find information on resources and events here.
Webinar Recordings: Veterans for Peace Ukraine Working Group
Recordings are available for two recent webinars from the Veterans for Peace Ukraine working group. Three speakers from Ukraine offer their insights and analysis in War, Resistance & Ukraine's Future: Alona Liasheva, co-editor of Commons Journal (Lviv/Kyiv Ukraine), Karyna Lazaruk, communications researcher (Lviv, Ukraine/Berlin, Germany), and Yosh, director of Feminist Workshop (Lviv, Ukraine). "Can Russia's Invasion be Justified by Western Expansionism?" features Vladyslav Starodubtsev, Historian, Democratic Socialist, Kyiv, Ukraine; Professor. Stephen Zunes, University of San Francisco; and Yosh, Feminist Workshop, Lviv, Ukraine.
Global Days of Military Action: April 13 -- May 9, 2023
This year of war in Ukraine has meant a huge boost for militarism and military budgets across the world, especially in countries of the Global North. But the Global Campaign on Military Spending (GCOMS) believes the response should be quite the opposite: we should drastically reduce military spending and invest in common and human security instead. The 12th edition of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending will take place from April 13 to May 9, 2023. Join us in protesting military budgets and warmongering and take action for peace and justice! Visit the Campaign's webpage to learn more and to receive the latest updates. Visit the website to learn more on how to engage with the campaign; Read the Appeal and ask your organization to endorse it through the Action Network petition.
Upcoming Webinar: Don't Nuke the Pacific! Saturday, May 6, 2023, 8 pm EDT/5 pm PDT
In response to the Japanese government and TEPCO's unilateral decision to dump radioactive wastewater from Fukushima into the Pacific as early as this summer, we need to deepen our understanding of this issue and engage in actions to stop the discharge. Dr. Arjun Makhijani, President, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, and Dr. Hikaru Amano, former Principal Researcher, Head of Environmental Research Laboratory, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, will hold a study session on May 6 at 8:00 pm EDT/5:00 pm PDT. Those who register for the webinar will receive a copy of the study material, "Expert Panel Memorandum." Please review it in advance. Should you have any questions, please send them to koreumikaigi@gmail.com. Organized by Don't Contaminate the Oceans Anymore! Citizens' Council (KOREUMI). Register here.
Upcoming Webinar: Warheads to Windmills; Preventing Climate Catastrophe and Nuclear War -- Sunday, May 7, 4pm EDT/1 pm PDT
Climate catastrophe and nuclear war are two existential threats that could end human civilization as we know it. Both of these threats have been exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine, but nuclear war could happen at any moment, whether on purpose or by accident. And global carbon emissions continue to rise despite the many efforts to reduce them. How do we convince the general public to take these threats more seriously? How do we get politicians to address these threats with the urgency and boldness they require? Can we be more effective working together, for instance in pushing for divestment from both fossil fuels and nuclear weapons? This webinar brings together some of the leading organizations and activists to explore these questions and discuss how we can better collaborate in our efforts to save the planet. Register here.
Golden Rule Continues its Cruise for Peace and Disarmament
The Golden Rule anti-nuclear sailboat continues her epic voyage around the "Great Loop" of the eastern United States, with events in over 100 U.S. cities. In January the historic ketch made a "side trip" to Cuba, in remembrance of the 1962 "Cuban Missile Crisis," which brought the world close to nuclear war. A project of Veterans For Peace, the 34-ft. ketch then sailed to towns in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC. Highlights included visits by African American high school students, welcoming proclamations from many mayors, protesting outside the Trident Nuclear Submarine Base at Kings Bay, Georgia, distributing the Veterans For Peace Nuclear Posture Review to the offices of every single U.S. Senator and Representative, and excellent media coverage. Find more info here.
Civil Society Nuclear Disarmament Recommendations to the Hiroshima G7 Summit
In advance of next month's G7 Summit in Hiroshima, civil society organizations are calling on G7 leaders not to squander this opportunity to use the summit to condemn all nuclear weapon threats and act for a nuclear weapons free world. The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal self-selected forum of some of the world's largest economies: Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the United States. Civil7 (C7) is one of the official G7 Engagement Groups, representing international non-governmental organizations. With the G7 meeting being held in Hiroshima, the C7 convened a nuclear disarmament working group for the first time. On April 12, C7 representatives met Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, G7 chair, and handed over the C7 Communiqué, including the recommendations of the nuclear disarmament working group.
Poor People's Campaign "Beyond Vietnam" Readings
On April 4, 2023, the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, the California Poor People's Campaign held public readings of his seminal April 4, 1967 speech, "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence." In the evening they hosted an online reading attended by more than 80 people, with 25 readers including an eight-year-old girl. Other readings took place in Oakland, Alameda, Santa Maria, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and the High Desert. They all featured PPC members and supporters, impacted community members, children, college students, mothers, fathers, grandparents, educators, artists and local community activists. Other readings took place around the country, including in North Carolina. Organize a Public Reading of Dr. King's "Beyond Vietnam" Speech in your Community - United For Peace and Justice.
Urge Your U.S. House Representative to Co-sponsor H. Res. 77
Momentum for H. Res. 77 is building, thanks to 150+ organizations across the country, including United for Peace & Justice, who are supporting this Congressional Back from the Brink (BftB) nuclear disarmament resolution. H. Res. 77 calls on the United States to embrace the goals and provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and to take concrete steps to prevent nuclear war. BftB is using the bill as a key organizing and advocacy tool for us to get Congress talking about nuclear disarmament, and for some members of Congress to show actual leadership. On April 19, BftB organized a National Call-in Day, which yielded four new co-sponsors! H. Res. 77 was introduced in the House on January 31, 2023, by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-2). There are now 17 co-sponsors. Urge your Representative to become a co-sponsor. Click here.
As the Drums for War on China Beat louder, Our Movement Grows Ever Stronger
Earlier this month, U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy met with Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-Wen in another provocation on U.S.-China relations. This visit came just months after McCarthy's predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, violated the joint U.S.-China Shanghai Communique by visiting Taiwan. In response to these visits, protesters from Pivot to Peace, CODEPINK, the ANSWER Coalition, and other groups gathered in Simi Valley, CA to call for peace. These Congressional visits have also coincided with increased Congressional scrutiny of TikTok, with U.S. officials overlooking their own surveillance of the American people. Sign onto CODEPINK's open letter telling Congress to stop using TikTok to drive fear and war towards China! Once you've signed on, watch CODEPINK's recent webinar focused on U.S. foreign policy towards China and its impact on racism nationally.
Webinar Recording: What Should U.S. Policy Toward Taiwan Be?
With the U.S. and China engaged in provocative military operations in and near Taiwan, miscalculation could trigger a catastrophic U.S.-Chinese war. This panel, presented by the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament & Common Security, explores alternative approaches. Speakers: Mike Mochizuki is the Japan-U.S. Relations Chair in Memory at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. Zhiqun Zhu is Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bucknell University. He was inaugural director of the China Institute, and MacArthur Chair in East Asian politics. Michael Klare, webinar Moderator, is Professor Emeritus of peace and world-security studies at Hampshire College and Co-Chair of the Committee for a Sane U.S.-China Policy. Watch the webinar here.
Register for 2003 Korea Peace Advocacy Week, June 5 -- 9, 2003
American Friends Service Committee, Mennonite Central Committee, and Women Cross DMZ are gearing up for this year's Korea Peace Advocacy Week, from June 5-9, and are hoping you'll join them! Every year, Korea Peace Advocacy Week brings together hundreds of people around the country to participate in meetings with their members of Congress to advocate for legislation supporting peace in Korea. During past advocacy weeks, they've engaged hundreds of participants and dozens of congressional offices, securing support for bills like the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act, the Enhancing North Korea Humanitarian Assistance Act, and the Korean War Divided Families Reunification Act. To secure broad support for these measures, we must continue telling our stories and advocating for a peace-first approach. Register for Korea Peace Advocacy Week.
Demilitarize Earth Day 2023
The International Panel on Climate Change's most recent report clearly shows we must act now to address the climate crisis. We know that militarism plays a key role in fueling this crisis. The U.S. military is the planet's top institutional consumer of oil, U.S. military bases pollute and destroy resources that Indigenous communities depend on globally, and the U.S. war budget is 28 times what it is willing to spend on climate solutions. Despite this, calls for demilitarization are rarely heard in the climate movement. That's why this Earth Day, CODEPINK and partners across the globe joined together to say loud and clear: we can't end climate change without ending war! Check this page for updates from folks who brought #EndWarEarthDay to local actions - and watch last week's Earth Day kick-off webinar featuring Keoni DeFranco, Steven Donziger, and Julian Aguon.
End U.S. "Aid" to Israel!
Earlier this month, the Israeli military stormed Al-Aqsa mosque two consecutive nights during the holy month of Ramadan. The military forces entered the mosque before prayer was over, firing rubber bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas at Palestinian worshippers. These events left at least 12 Palestinians injured, and over 400 people were arrested on the first night. While this egregious event has received condemnation by some U.S. politicians, the U.S. government remains the #1 foreign funder of Israel - and that means that those of us living within the U.S. have a responsibility to take action beyond condemnation. Join CODEPINK and tell Congress: STOP funding such blatant violence and human rights violations, and end U.S. "aid" to Israel! Once you've sent a letter, sign onto CODEPINK's petition telling the JNF to stop funding Birthright.
Webinar Recording: March 25 International Rally: Yemen Can't Wait!
To mark the eighth anniversary of the beginning of the Saudi-led coalition's bombing of Yemen on March 25, a coalition of U.S. and international groups including Peace Action, Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation, Action Corps, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Stop the War UK, World Beyond War, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Roots Action, United for Peace & Justice, Code Pink, Michigan Peace Council, and more held an online rally to inspire and enhance education and activism to end the war in Yemen. Speakers included Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Hassan El-Tayyeb (Friends Committee on National Legislation), Dr. Liz Theoharis (Co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign), Chris Nineham (Stop the War UK), and more. Watch the recording here.
This Saturday: Bury the Monroe Doctrine!
It's time to bury the Monroe Doctrine and foster positive relationships across Latin America and the Caribbean! Join CODEPINK and partners this Saturday, April 29, to discuss the current political situation in Latin America and the imperative of framing a new U.S. policy that will improve our relations with the regional community. This forum, "In Search of a New U.S. Policy for a New Latin America: Burying 200 Years of the Monroe Doctrine," will be held in person at American University in DC, and online, on Saturday, April 29th, from 10am to 5:30pm ET. A night of arts and culture will follow the forum. The day before, April 28th, is a Congressional Advocacy Day to promote policies that foster cooperation and mutual respect towards our neighbors in the South. RSVP and learn more here!
Recap: Ground the F-35!
The end of March marked a global week of action against the F-35, an extremely loud, polluting, and faulty weapon of war with nuclear capabilities (you can read more about the terrible F-35 here). Communities protested the F-35 in DC, Wisconsin, Vancouver, Massachusetts, New York City, Burlington, and Philadelphia. CODEPINK Chicago joined Wisconsin organizers to resist the placing of F-35s at their air base by creating a human blockade in front of the entrance and successfully blocking the morning shift change at the Wisconsin Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing! Despite public outcry, President Biden has requested funding for dozens of additional nuclear capable F-35s in his 2024 military budget, even as prospects for nuclear war with Russia over Ukraine grow. Join CODEPINK in calling on your members of Congress to ground the F-35!
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