Our only hope today lies in our ability to recapture the revolutionary spirit and go out into a sometimes hostile world declaring eternal hostility to poverty, racism, and militarism. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence"
This April 4: Organize a Participatory Reading of Dr. King's "Beyond Vietnam" Speech in Your Community On April 4, 1967, exactly one year before he was killed, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. declared in his prophetic speech, "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence": "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death." King's speech laid bare the relationship between U.S. wars abroad and the racism and poverty being challenged by the civil rights movement at home, and called for a "revolution of values."The Poor People's Campaign has picked up Dr. King's unfinished work. We encourage you to organize a participatory reading of the speech in your community this April 4, to build momentum for the Poor People's Campaign Third Reconstruction Agenda to Heal the Nation: End Poverty and Low Wages From the Bottom Up. Download UFPJ's toolkit on organizing a reading. Read more.
Attacks on ESG Investment and What They Mean for our Movements to Divest--TONIGHT March 27--5pm PT/8pm ET Please join CODEPINK, World BEYOND War, and As You Sow TONIGHT, 3/27 at 5pm PT/8pm ETfor a powerful discussion on the mounting controversy surrounding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, and how this impacts divestment from weapons, fossil fuels, and other extractive industries. Earlier this month, Congress passed a resolution to overturn a federal rule permitting ESG investment. Biden used his first veto on this resolution last week, but nationwide lawsuits and statewide anti-ESG legislation remain. Join us as we talk with experts on what these legislative and legal battles mean, and how they may impact our divestment movements! RSVP here.
End Women's Poverty: Invest in Caring Not Killing - International Women's Day Event Now Online It's Still Women's History Month! Here's a way celebrate any time this week. Watch the just-releasedvideoof a March 8 International Women's Day online event, "End Women's Poverty: Invest in Caring Not Killing." Spearheaded by the California Poor People's Campaign (PPC), in coordination with dozens of cosponsors and endorsers, including UFPJ, the event drew over 200 people to honor women, acknowledge their contributions, and recognize the challenges they continue to face. We heard the painful and powerful stories of women struggling to survive and fighting back. We also heard from two of our champions in Congress--Rep. Gwen Moore (WI) and Rep. Barbara Lee (CA)--along with national PPC leaders Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis and Shailly Gupta Barnes.You can watch a recording if you missed the event or would like to be inspired again. Read more.
Biden Releases Record-High Pentagon Budget Request On March 9th, the White House released President Biden's budget request, which included anastonishing request for $886 billion for the Department of Defense. This "defense" budget request is $26 billion higher than last year's, and follows the bipartisan tradition of inflating military spending and divesting from the needs of the people. Almost half of this budget will go to military contractors. While constituents live paycheck to paycheck and drown in debt, Congress will debate, change, and likely inflate the budget request that Biden and the Pentagon submitted as we move into the spring and summer. Read the National Priority Project's analysis on this initial budget request here for more details.
Is Congress Captured by the Arms Industry? – Webinar Recording Earlier this year the New York Times did a thorough case study of the successful effort by key members of Congress to prevent the Navy from retiring a number of copies of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a vessel that was so flawed that it couldn't carry out its basic missions. The effort was spearheaded by corporations that stood to make billions repairing and maintaining the ships, joined by members of Congress with LCS-related work in their areas. It was a case study of a broken budgetary process that puts special interests above the national interest. On March 15 the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft hosted an eye-opening webinar, asking, "Is Congress Captured by the Arms Industry?" Panelists included former Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA) and military spending analyst William Hartung. Watch the recording.
The Coming War with China The United States and China have entered a period of intensified economic, political, and military competition that can only be characterized as a New Cold War. Michael Klare, professor emeritus of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College and defense correspondent for The Nation magazine, discussed the sources of U.S.-China tensions, the dangers of the approach the U.S. government is currently taking, and how grassroots peace groups can address these issues in a webinar sponsored by Brooklyn For Peace on March 2. A recording of the webinar is now available.Klare is also the co-founder of the Committee for a Sane U.S.-China Policy, which seeks to prevent a war between the U.S. and China, promote climate cooperation, and protect human rights in the U.S. and China. On Wednesday, Mar 29, 7:00-8:30 P.M.(EDT) Klare will moderate a discussion between Professor Zhiqun Zhu of Bucknell University and Professor Mike Mochizuki of George Washington University focused on U.S.-Chinese military operations and tensions over Taiwan and how they can be defused. Learn more and register here.
Urge Your Representative to Show Leadership on Nuclear Disarmament by Cosponsoring H. Res. 77 In January, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved their iconic Doomsday Clock ahead to 90 seconds before midnight, the closest it's ever come to symbolic global apocalypse. It's time for action and leadership--especially from members of Congress whose voice and votes help shape U.S. nuclear weapons policies and the decisions of the Executive Branch. Write to your Congressional representative todayand urge them to co-sponsor H. Res 77, a resolution introduced by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) that calls on the United States to embrace the goals and provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and to adopt Back from the Brink's common sense policies for preventing nuclear war. Learn more.
To Turn Back the "Doomsday Clock" – Webinar Recording On January 24, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist moved the hands of its iconic Doomsday Clock forward, largely (though not exclusively) because of the mounting dangers of the war in Ukraine. The Clock now stands at 90 seconds to midnight -- the closest to global catastrophe it has ever been. On February 28, the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security and the All Souls Nuclear Disarmament Task Force hosted a panelto discuss actions to begin pulling the world back from the edge of the abyss. The panelists were Jackie Cabasso, Executive Director of Western States Legal Foundation (and UFPJ National Co-convener) and Rene Holbach, a Political Affairs Officer in the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Watch the recording here.
Ukraine Resources United for Peace and Justice continues to maintain and update its web page: The Ukraine crisis: commentary, responses, and background. To facilitate access to this growing collection the page now has subcategories with separate links. Recent additions include a variety of reflections marking the passage of one year since the government of the Russian Federation launched its massive invasion of Ukraine in the Current Crisis: Commentary and Analysis section, recent reports and proceedings concerning violations of human rights and humanitarian law in theInternational Law and the Ukraine Warsection, and new entries in the Russian government statements section, including the recent joint statement on the Ukraine war from the governments of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China.
Saudi-Iranian Normalization: A New Era for China in the Middle East? -- Webinar Recording Iran and Saudi Arabia have announced that they plan to normalize relations after seven years' estrangement. Of particular note: China brokered the deal. The announcement came shortly after Saudi Arabia established the concessions it would require from the U.S. in order to normalize its relations with Israel. What are the implications of both of these developments? Has China supplanted the U.S. role as regional mediator? Is this a threat to the U.S.? Would a greater role for China in the region, given its ties to both Iran and Saudi Arabia, help foster cooperation and peace, after decades of U.S. dominance have primarily yielded arms sales and war? The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft hosted a highly informative webinar on this dramatic development on March 14. Watch the recording here.
Saving the World from Nuclear War -- Webinar Recording Vincent Intondi's new book examines how the June 12, 1982, rally for nuclear disarmament paved the way for a new generation of activists. On June 12, 1982, one million people filled the streets of New York City and rallied in Central Park to show support for the United Nations' Second Special Session on Disarmament. They demanded an end to the nuclear arms race and called for a shift from military funds to money allocated for human needs. In Saving the World from Nuclear War, Vincent J. Intondi draws on archival materials and interviews with rally organizers and activists in Central Park to explore this demonstration from its inception through the months of organizing, recruiting, and planning, to the historic day itself. On March 13, Massachusetts Peace Action hosted a webinar featuring Vincent Intondi. Watch the recording.
The People vs. the F-35 This week, impacted communities are taking action to call for an end to the F-35 fighter jet program. The F-35 is a weapon of war, and has been used to launch airstrikes on Gaza; it's been plagued by numerous design issues; it generates high carbon emissions; it has nuclear capacity; it disrupts the lives of working-class people in the U.S.; AND it's the DoD's most expensive weapon program. The F-35 program steals from our communities and harms the planet! Madison, WI and Burlington, VT will be central to this week of action, but are joined by over 200 orgs from across the globe, who'vesigned onto a letter demanding an end to the F-35. Last week, CODEPINK activists in DC disrupted a Lockheed Martin exec to proclaim that "there's nothing feminist about the F-35!" This week of action will build on this powerful, growing movement. Read more here!
Mass Anti-War Rallies on the Anniversary of the U.S. Invasion of Iraq On the 20th anniversary of the criminal U.S. invasion of Iraq, a mass anti-war rally in front of the White House in Washington, DC and multiple solidarity actions across the U.S. took place. The powerful weekend of actions was cosponsored by CODEPINK, ANSWER Coalition, The People's Forum, and Black Alliance for Peace, and many others, and successfully gathered thousands of people in DC to protest all acts of warfare. Solidarity rallies also took place in Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Washington, Missouri, Illinois, Maine, and all across California. The key demands centered on peace in Ukraine, abolishing NATO, funding people's needs, ending U.S. militarism and sanctions across the world, and more. Read more about the weekend of action here, and watch the powerful recorded livestream here!
CODEPINK Disrupts Anthony Blinken: "You are supposed to be our top diplomat!" Last week, on 3/22, CODEPINK activists interrupted Anthony Blinken at the Foreign Relations Committee Senate Hearing "American Diplomacy and Global Leadership: Review of The FY24 State Department Budget Request." The activists presented five demands to promote diplomacy and peace throughout the world, in contrast to Blinken's approach of military escalation. The demands were as follows: Peace Talks Now for Peace in Ukraine! -- China is Not Our Enemy -- Free Palestine: No $$$ to Israeli Apartheid -- Take Cuba Off the State Sponsors of Terrorism List -- and Lift Sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba. All the activists were arrested by the Capitol Police. Join us in telling Blinken that people want peace, not more militarization. Sign onto our open letter telling Blinken to be a diplomat, not a war hawk!
Upcoming Latin America and Caribbean Policy Forum: Save the date! CODEPINK's Latin America Team is proud to announce the Latin America and the Caribbean policy forum In Search of a New U.S. Policy For A New Latin America and the Caribbean: Burying 200 Years of the Monroe Doctrine, happening April 28-29 at American University. CODEPINK and over 50 partners will bring together some of the foremost leaders and experts in Latin American and the Caribbean foreign policy and history for a critical discussion about the need for a transformation of U.S. policy to improve relations between the United States and its southern neighbors. The forum will include topics such as Resisting Sanctions and Demanding Sovereignty, Countering Militarism with Peace and Cooperation, Unearthing the Root Causes of Immigration, and more. Learn more about the forum and register here.
Sent via ActionNetwork.org.
To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from United for Peace & Justice, please click here.
March 2023
On April 4, 1967, exactly one year before he was killed, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. declared in his prophetic speech, "
Please join CODEPINK, World BEYOND War, and As You Sow 
It's Still Women's History Month! Here's a way celebrate any time this week. Watch the just-released 
On March 9th, the White House released President Biden's budget request, which included an
Earlier this year the New York Times did a thorough case study of the successful effort by key members of Congress to prevent the Navy from retiring a number of copies of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a vessel that was so flawed that it couldn't carry out its basic missions. The effort was spearheaded by corporations that stood to make billions repairing and maintaining the ships, joined by members of Congress with LCS-related work in their areas. It was a case study of a broken budgetary process that puts special interests above the national interest. On March 15 the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft hosted an eye-opening webinar, asking, "Is Congress Captured by the Arms Industry?" Panelists included former Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA) and military spending analyst William Hartung. 
The United States and China have entered a period of intensified economic, political, and military competition that can only be characterized as a New Cold War. Michael Klare, professor emeritus of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College and defense correspondent for The Nation magazine, discussed the sources of U.S.-China tensions, the dangers of the approach the U.S. government is currently taking, and how grassroots peace groups can address these issues in a webinar sponsored by 
In January, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved their iconic Doomsday Clock ahead to 90 seconds before midnight, the closest it's ever come to symbolic global apocalypse. It's time for action and leadership--especially from members of Congress whose voice and votes help shape U.S. nuclear weapons policies and the decisions of the Executive Branch. 
On January 24, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist moved the hands of its iconic Doomsday Clock forward, largely (though not exclusively) because of the mounting dangers of the war in Ukraine. 
United for Peace and Justice continues to maintain and update its web page: 
Iran and Saudi Arabia have announced that they plan to normalize relations after seven years' estrangement. Of particular note: China brokered the deal. The announcement came shortly after Saudi Arabia established the concessions it would require from the U.S. in order to normalize its relations with Israel. What are the implications of both of these developments? Has China supplanted the U.S. role as regional mediator? Is this a threat to the U.S.? Would a greater role for China in the region, given its ties to both Iran and Saudi Arabia, help foster cooperation and peace, after decades of U.S. dominance have primarily yielded arms sales and war? The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft hosted a highly informative webinar on this dramatic development on March 14. 
Vincent Intondi's new book examines how the June 12, 1982, rally for nuclear disarmament paved the way for a new generation of activists. On June 12, 1982, one million people filled the streets of New York City and rallied in Central Park to show support for the United Nations' Second Special Session on Disarmament. They demanded an end to the nuclear arms race and called for a shift from military funds to money allocated for human needs. In Saving the World from Nuclear War, Vincent J. Intondi draws on archival materials and interviews with rally organizers and activists in Central Park to explore this demonstration from its inception through the months of organizing, recruiting, and planning, to the historic day itself. On March 13, Massachusetts Peace Action hosted a webinar featuring Vincent Intondi. 
This week, impacted communities are taking action to call for an end to the F-35 fighter jet program. The F-35 is a weapon of war, and has been used to launch airstrikes on Gaza; it's been plagued by numerous design issues; it generates high carbon emissions; it has nuclear capacity; it disrupts the lives of working-class people in the U.S.; AND it's the DoD's most expensive weapon program. The F-35 program steals from our communities and harms the planet! Madison, WI and Burlington, VT will be central to this week of action, but are joined by over 200 orgs from across the globe, who've 
On the 20th anniversary of the criminal U.S. invasion of Iraq, a mass anti-war rally in front of the White House in Washington, DC and multiple solidarity actions across the U.S. took place. The powerful weekend of actions was cosponsored by CODEPINK, ANSWER Coalition, The People's Forum, and Black Alliance for Peace, and many others, and successfully gathered thousands of people in DC to protest all acts of warfare. Solidarity rallies also took place in Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Washington, Missouri, Illinois, Maine, and all across California. The key demands centered on peace in Ukraine, abolishing NATO, funding people's needs, ending U.S. militarism and sanctions across the world, and more. 
Last week, on 3/22, 
CODEPINK's Latin America Team is proud to announce the Latin America and the Caribbean policy forum