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NEWS
Post date: Wed, 10/08/2014 - 06:37
Vermont WILPF activists Robin Lloyd and Charlotte Dennett, creators of the performance piece Talking with our Grandmothers: World War 1 and the Women’s Peace Movement, will embark on a California ‘Centennial’ tour in mid October, funded in part by a WILPF mini-grant. Using dialogue, letters and images (and a bust of Robin’s grandmother Lola Maverick Lloyd) they recreate the heroic efforts of women on both sides of the conflict to meet together and propose initiatives to stop the war. In addition, a conversation with Charlotte’s grandmother Elizabeth Redfern, who worked in Turkey as a teacher missionary before the war, leads to an understanding that competition among male national leaders for access to resources was a major factor in keeping the war going.
The women’s meeting that took place at The Hague in 1915 was the founding meeting of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. A Celebration of our 100th anniversary as the longest lasting international women’s peace organization will take place next year at The Hague on April 22-29, 2015.
Other organizations that were founded during or shortly after the cataclysm of World War 1, and that are still extant, are the Fellowship of Reconciliation (1914), the American Civil Liberties Union (1920), and the War Resister’s League (1923). Please invite members of those organizations in your area, plus Veterans for Peace, World Without War, and Code Pink.
Was WW1 “the war to end all war” or the war that started a century of war? Are we now entering a state of endless war? Following the exchange between grandmothers and granddaughters, we hope to engage the audience in a discussion of how war and militarism have affected our families, and the importance of women (and people) in understanding power in order to be effective in stopping war.
Tour schedule
Wednesday, Oct. 15: leave Vermont for San Diego
Thursday, Oct 16 at 7:30 pm: The Women's Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Road, 103, San Diego. (619) 233-7963. Co-sponsored by San Diego WILPF and the Women’s Museum. info@womensmuseumca.org
Friday, Oct. 17, at 4:10 – 5:30pm: One of many workshops at the Peace and Justice Studies Association Annual Conference at the University of San Diego
Sunday, Oct. 19, 10:30 am: South Bay labor center, 2102 Almaden Road, San Jose. Hosted by Ethical Culture with San Jose WILPF and Silicon Valley United Nations Association. Contact: Joan Bazar
Tuesday, Oct 21, 7-9 pm: the Center for Spiritual Living – 1818 Felt St. , in the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz. Sponsored by the Santa Cruz WILPF Branch. Free. Contact: 831-464-8442; cell: 860-882-2533 or Marcia Heath.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 1:30 pm: North Berkeley Senior Center. 1901 Hearst Ave (corner of MLK), Berkeley, CA . Sponsored by Berkeley WILPF and the Berkeley Gray Panthers. Contact: 510- 981-5190 or Margot Smith, 510-486-8010, margots999@aol.com
Wednesday, Oct. 22, pm: Red eye flight back to Vermont.
Post date: Mon, 10/06/2014 - 12:51
Now is the moment to seize the day to converge and build a movement of movements for people, planet and peace over profit. In New York, six Earth Democracy team members and friends converged for the NYC Climate Summit, September 19-20, to hear exciting speakers, attend inspirational workshops, and march on Sunday 9/21, under the Earth Democracy banner – Randa Solick and Judy Geer, Santa Cruz, CA and Randa’s friend Epi Bodhi from Amherst, MA; Lib Hutchby from Chapel Hill, NC and her friend Martha Girolami, from Chatham County, NC, who is researching fracking and pipelines, and Nancy Price from Davis, CA. See Randa Solnick’s notes below on the experience, with information on groups you will want to know are working. Many could use your participation.
Where were you Sunday, September 21 –– the day of climate marches nationwide and across the world? In New York City almost 400,000 people marched together in the most colorful assemblage of diverse groups, messages, music and chants. As reported people in 162 countries in more than 2,600 rallies and marches took to the streets to demand action on climate as time runs out to lower green-house gas emissions, end our dependence on dirty carbon fuels, expose false solutions, and save ourselves and the earth from disaster.
You’ve probably listened and read many reports, but here’s Jill Stein acknowledging that “When We Act Together We’re Unstoppable” and read Rachel Smolker’s “Corporations Are Not Going to Save Us From Climate Disruption” –– and the article that points out that while Secretary General Ban-ki Moon called on world leaders at the UN Climate Summit to take action, “Not Just Any Action Will Do.”
You’ve probably read critics of the march: too much money spent, no list of demands, or need more direct action, but here’s an antidote to those criticisms: “What’s Wrong With the Radical Critique of the People’s Climate March”
A movement to stop climate change needs both mass mobilizations and direct action. Here are upcoming events –– find one near you:
October 11: Global Frackdown
November 1: A week of action in D.C. Beyond Extreme Energy: People Taking Action to Retire Fossil Fuels
November 5: After the Nov. 4 elections, efforts to stop Fast Track and the TPP (TransPacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement) move into high gear. This is a climate-busting trade agreement for the Pac-Rim countries.
Here are some of Randa Solick’s gleanings from the Climate Summit, for your action and sharing:
- From Fix Fukushima: There should be an international response to any nuclear accident that rises above a certain level or category and threatens the environment of the entire planet. Sign three petitions to help mobilize a global response. Ask your local, regional, and national leadership to support the effort to declare an international emergency, and call for directing the necessary expertise, resources, and funds to fix Fukushima.
- March from Ohio to DC Sept. 23 – Nov. 1. Beyond Extreme Energy Coalition week of nonviolent direct action Nov 1 – 7 in DC.
- Instead of stopping air pollution and global warming, the UN, the US, Wall Street and climate criminals like BP, Shell, Chevron and Rio Tinto are pushing a false solution to climate change called REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation). REDD is a stealth attack against indigenous peoples, farmers, women and youth. It is the largest land grab in history. REDD is a carbon offset mechanism that pretends to save the climate and protect the environment but really destroys forest and farms and replaces them with industrial tree plantations, GMO trees and ‘Climate Smart Agriculture’. REDD-type projects are already resulting in violent forced evictions of tens of thousands of people, multigenerational carbon slavery, threats to cultural survival, and a new form of colonialism. REDD is a market-based mechanism that enriches Wall Street speculators while robbing indigenous peoples and peasants of their land… Tell Obama, your elected officials and the UN that the only way to save the climate is to keep fossil fuels in the ground, drastically cut emissions at source, and not use climate scams like REDD, cap and trade, and ‘decarbonization’ (offsetting). Indigenous Environmental Network, No REDD in Africa Network and Global Alliance Against REDD.
- United for Peace and Justice: UFPJ. Stop the Wars, Stop the Warming! “UFPJ brings together groups with diverse political perspectives to strategize and collaborate on common work for peace with justice… We make connections among many issues…”
- The next US Social Forum will take place in several sites. Preparatory meetings are happening in three areas.
- More future, less capitalism. System Change not Climate Change. No more fossil fuel development; environmental justice and indigenous sovereignty; public ownership and workers’ control of energy; just transition and full employment; a democratically planned economy; tax the rich / defund the Pentagon/ ecosocialism.
- Call to action from the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, who have been courageously and successfully defending their rivers and farm lands against the Pacific Rim Mining Corporation now owned by Oceana Gold. In 2009 after the Salvadoran government refused to grant permits to Pacific Rim to mine in the northern region of Cabanas, the company sued for hundreds of millions of dollars at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) a private tribunal housed at the World Bank.
- One of the most devastating aspects of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other free trade agreements is that of the ‘investor-state dispute resolution’ –– a provision that allows corporations to sue governments for public policies that could interfere with their profits. Countless suits have been filed under agreements including NAFTA and CAFTA, and a World Bank tribunal began final consideration of a suit against El Salvador on September 15. To learn more about the investor-state dispute resolution and the dangers of unjust trade agreements, visit Flush the TPP .
- Alliance for Democracy – TPP-Free zone model legislation.
- US Labor Against the War: 20 propositions about economic conversion and just transition by Michael Eisenscher, USLAW National Coordinator at Labor Notes Conference 4/6/14.
Author: Nancy Price, for Earth Democracy Leadership Team
Photo: Randa Solick, Judy Geer and Epi Bodhi on Climate March.
Post date: Mon, 10/06/2014 - 12:28
Photo by Misa Shikuma. Participants in lesbian and allies meeting in Santa Clara, Cuba.
Author: Cindy Domingo, Cuban and the Bolivarian Alliance Issue Committee
Gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender Cubans have been actively organizing for their human rights under the leadership of Mariela Castro, executive director of the National Center for Sexual Education (Cenesex) and the daughter of President Raul Castro. Last month, WILPF Cuban and the Bolivarian Alliance Issue Committee members, Cindy Domingo and Judith Vazquez, co-organized a ground breaking meeting with representatives of lesbian organizations from six Cuban provinces and US lesbians and women allies. Together the women discussed a new project, US/Cuba Lesbian and Allies Project, and made plans for future work.
Over the last three years, Cuba has been undergoing dramatic economic and social reforms in response to the world economic crisis and demands of Cuban people to further expand the revolution’s democratic process. Economic changes have grabbed headlines as small businesses and cooperatives flourish.
Lesser media attention has been focused on the struggle against racism led by the National Union of Writers and Artists in Cuba (UNEAC) and the struggle against homophobia led by CENESEX. The US/Cuba Lesbian and Allies Project was formed in an attempt to educate people in the US about the history of the struggle against homophobia in Cuba, to find ways to build people to people ties between the LGBTQ communities in both countries and to exchange experiences and strategies in advancing human rights for the LGBTQ community.
As part of this work, WILPF’s Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance is planning a tour of a leading Cuban lesbian from Santiago, Cuba in 2015. Please contact Cindy Domingo at cindydomingo@gmail.com if you are interested in this tour.
Post date: Mon, 10/06/2014 - 11:25
Author: Robin Lloyd, Development Committee chair
Help choose the outstanding WILPF US women to represent us on the walls of the Peace Palace next April! The International Planning Committee for the Centennial Congress, Celebration and Conference has invited all sections to submit photos and biographies of a few of their most notable foremothers.
Please send your nominations ASAP to Heather Wellman.
Include a few lines as to why you think your nominee should represent us. Nominations will end Oct 30. Shortly thereafter, we will send out a survey inviting all members to vote amongst those nominated.
Please share this information with older WILPF members who are not online; they may have special memories of notable WILPF women!
If you need some inspiration please visit the Swarthmore Peace Collection or (not as user friendly) New York Public Library or read:
- Women for all Seasons, the story of WILPF by Catherine Foster, or
- Peace As a Women's Issue: A History of the U.S. Movement for World Peace and Women's Rights by Harriet Alonso, or
- Intelligent Compassion: Feminist Critical Methodology in the WILPF by Catia Confortini
(Due to lack of space only 3 - or maybe 5 - will be on the wall, but the top 10 will be displayed at our WILPF US table.)
PHOTO: Jane Addams, from photo with Chrystal Macmillan, probably in 1919. Courtesy of the Jane Addams Collection, Swarthmore College Peace Collection.
Post date: Mon, 10/06/2014 - 10:53
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Opening night panel
Edith Ballantyne, Adilia Caravaca and Medea Benjamin -
Detroit activists panel
Maureen Taylor, Michigan Welfare Rights Organization; Gloria House, civil rights activist and retired Wayne State University professor; Dianne Feeley, Detroit Evictions Defense; Michele Martinez, environmental justice activist; Claudette Wilson, D15 minimum wage campaign; and moderator Harriet Saperstein. -
Concert
One Race Human (hip-hop emcee 'Mizzion' and 'Mr. Peace' ), 'Nique LoveRhodes (hip-hop artist), Mike Fall aka 'Strats' (beat boxer extraordinaire). Darrin Breil (Breilstyle sound of roots, rhythm, rural, urban, country, modern and classic) and Ruby Woods (circle songs, goddess chants and original songs a cappella)
Thanks to Ellen Thomas for the Detroit activists panel and to Kevin “Mr. Peace” for the other two videos.
WILPF Congress protests water shutoff in Detroit.
Video: by Ellen Thomas
Montage photos: Joan Bazar
Post date: Fri, 09/19/2014 - 08:01
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Post date: Mon, 09/08/2014 - 10:52
Author: Heather Wellman
As the 100th Anniversary of WILPF approaches, branches and individuals around the world are celebrating this historic event. In the United States, some branches are honoring their founding mothers while others are hosting peace walks or showcasing their archives. Individuals are participating in women’s equality events in partnership with other organizations and hosting parties.
Are you or your branch doing something special to celebrate the anniversary? We want to know. Please let us know about your event. We also want to know about any events you are planning that may not be directly connected to the anniversary (because after all, isn’t our everyday work a celebration of our anniversary?) Do you want to plan an event but don’t know how to get started or need some ideas? We are here to support your efforts. Let us know if you need help so we can support you. Please email Heather Wellman at centennialcoordinator@wilpfus.org
For more information on the anniversary please visit www.womenstopwar.org. Celebrating together on an international scale brings us together as peace builders and helps create an international movement. Let’s celebrate our 100 years together. Please email Heather to let us know about your event or to get support for your event at centennialcoordinator@wilpfus.org.
Post date: Mon, 09/08/2014 - 09:29
Begin October with Keep Space for Peace Week and banning militarized drones, then follow the General Assembly First Committee on Disarmament. Observe United Nations Day October 24, followed by UN Disarmament Week and the new global campaign to get military education out of our schools!
Actually, we begin on October 2 with a day of centering, reflection, deepening and inward preparation. That day marks Gandhi’s birthday and is the UN Day for Nonviolence.
October 4 is the first day of Keep Space for Peace week and is also a day devoted to protests against militarized drones. KS4P ends on October 11 and encompasses the days devoted to UN World Space Week. WILPFers are encouraged to explore their web pages, as well. WILPF has remained wary of this program since it is aimed at school children and seeks to inspire them with a fascination for science fiction and travel in outer space. The problem for us is that military corporations also co-sponsor this week and when these children reach adulthood many will be drawn into careers with Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and similar industries that profit from war, fear, destruction and forceful dominion. This year, for instance, Lockheed Martin is a major sponsor. However, on the other hand, engagement with this program has given us opportunities for thoughtful dialogue with people who accept space militarization in ways that we cannot.
The 69th Session of the General Assembly convened on September 17th and major statements by heads of state and foreign Ministers have already been given. For background to aid in understanding of the important work on disarmament issues that occurs in October and November read the September newsletter of Reaching Critical Will
October 7 to November 5 the First Committee on Disarmament meets and prepares proposals for the General Assembly to vote on in November. Disarm/End Wars Committee will be closely following this.
October 24 is United Nations Day followed by UN Disarmament Week. It is time to begin promoting this powerful document from 1978 This year we can join in the first global week to get the military out of our schools and university research.
DISARM/END WARS ACTION CALENDAR
For last three months of 2014 to help members and Branches plan for actions and events in the final months of the year!
October 2014
October 2: International Day for Non-violence
October 4: Know Drones and Code Pink initiated Global Day for abolition of militarized drones for killings and surveillance http://www.knowdrones.com/global-action-day.html
October 4 - 11: Keep Space for Peace Week via Reaching Critical Will, has co-sponsored this week for at least the past six years and almost half of WILPFUS Branches have been involved since its inception in 2001-02.
October 6 until end of month: General Assembly First Committee on Disarmament. Reaching Critical Will organizes side events and issues newsletters all month. This is where forward action on disarmament now occurs in the UN. Watch for details on Reaching Critical Will which monitors it closely and facilitates NGO action.
October 24: UN Day. Official site and resources for celebration are at http://www.un.org/en/events/unday. The UN General Assembly has recommended that governments make this a public holiday in their own nations.
October 24-30: UN Disarmament Week WILPF US has generally ignored this special week, at least in the last dozen years. Perhaps we should begin experimenting with observing it. Note the resources in the left hand column. Of course many existing WILPF resources could be adapted for use.
October 27-28: Probably anti-drone action at Beale AFB north of Sacramento. Contact macgregoreddy@gmail.com for confirmation.
November 2014
November 11: Ring Bells for Peace Remember Armistice Day and the Kellogg-Briand Pact. Cooperate with Veterans for Peace in reclaiming another Day for Peace from the military. Note the history of the transformation to Veterans’ Day http://www.military.com/veterans-day and the confusion about its observation, but also plans to expand it to a weeklong military observance. Honor veterans by reclaiming this day for ending war!
November 14-16: Three days of strategizing in Washington D.C. on decommissioning nuclear power plants, and next steps on shutting down plants and stopping generation of more waste, uranium mining moratorium and clean up, etc. Watch Sierra Club and NIRS for details. Plans are still in formation.
November 25: UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Celebration of this day is now managed by the new agency, UN Women. The site acknowledges the longer standing NGO development of the 16 Days or Activism against Gender Violence (see below).
November 25- December 10: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. International WILPF urges active participation and an emphasis on the effects of violence of war and militarism on women and their children. WILPF actively participates. View August WILPF Peace Women newsletter for extensive WILPF resources for the 16 days.
December 2014
December 6-9: Civil Society conference on Banning Nuclear Bombs and the governmental conference in Vienna, Austria where we hope negotiations for the treaty can begin. http://www.icanw.org/campaign-news/global/join-us-in-vienna-ican-civil-s...
December 10: Human Rights Day http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday and also culmination of 16 Days. Many WILPF Branches participate in the day which celebrates and educates on the UN Declaration of Human Rights. All of these Human Rights have been codified in six treaties which now are virtually universal and overseen by their individual committees and the Human Rights Council. The US, however, has not yet ratified three of the six including The Rights of the Child (CRC), Rights of Women (CEDAW) and the very basic Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). WILPF maintains we cannot succeed in ensuring these rights for all until we end war.
Human Rights Day also marks the end of the 16 Days of Activism Against gender Violence.
December 10: Jane Addams Day. In Illinois 12/10 is also Jane Addams Day and a state holiday – the first in the country to honor a woman! The best source for the history and current status is our partner organization, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) which has only a “virtual Branch” in Chicago. It seems high time to join them and make Branches there actual and active. http://aauw-il.aauw.net/files/2013/04/ja_chicago.pdf.
All month: Evaluate 2014-Nuclear Weapons Abolition by 2020 Campaign and other DISARM/End War projects including the whole nuclear industry and nuclear chain, and projects on drones.
Also check out the new, constantly updating World Beyond Wars Peace Calendar
Graphic courtesy Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space www.space4peace.org.
Author: Disarm/End Wars Issue Committee
Post date: Mon, 09/08/2014 - 09:08
Author: Nancy Price, Earth Democracy Leadership Team Member.
Join Earth Democracy members September 19-20 for the NYC Climate Convergence and Sept. 21 for the People’s Climate March. The Climate Convergence is co-organized by the Global Climate Convergence: People Planet and Peace over Profit and SCNCC: System Change Not Climate Change.
We’re converging to build the broad climate and social justice movement needed to transform our economy to put people, planet and peace before profit. We’ve had it with the dithering of world leaders who don’t lead, the co-option of environmental groups funded by dirty energy, and the inaction of a UN captured by corporate interests.
Read the schedule for the Friday Night Opening and Saturday Night Closing Plenary speakers; and schedule, description and location of over 100 teach-ins all -day Saturday. Be sure to consult the map.
Make bus or train reservations before September 12 for the march.
Check often for March details and the specific assembly point for each contingent. WILPF is invited to march with the Converge for System Change contingent. Be sure not to have metal or wooden poles for your banners; only cardboard tubes or carry by hand.
If you are not able to come to NYC, look for a solidarity event or organize one yourself and post it here and here.
The NYC Climate Convergence and People’s Climate March coincide with the Tuesday, September 23 UN Climate Summit called by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. The Secretary General hopes to get “pledges” from attending heads of state and negotiators, but, at this point, not all heads of state have even agreed to attend and any “pledges” will be non-binding.
This is just a warm-up for the 20th Conference of Parties (COP) of the UN Climate Change Conference in Lima, Peru, December 1-12, 2014. The final COP 21 meeting, late December 2015, is the agreed-upon deadline for a legally binding global UN agreement on the climate.
The latest UN climate report makes clear – there is no time to dither and waste. Climate change is already happening and getting worse. The report’s authors actually describe the situation as irreversible.
Thanks for all you do for climate justice and to lift up the voice of “We the People” to demand system change now to put people, planet and peace over profit now before it is too late.
Watch the buildup to the NYC events on 350.org’s video Disruption.
