It's a United Movement
Second
only to "End the wars" among peace activists has always been the demand
"Unite the organizations." Check out that list of organizations a few
paragraphs above. It may be twice as long very soon. Your organization
can get involved
too. This just might be that long-sought holy grail of unity. Let's not
miss it! In fact, let's expand on it by inviting and including environmental organizations, economic justice organizations, student groups, civil liberties and human rights groups, and opponents of racism and every other injustice that serves the cause of war.
It's Pro-Peace and Antiwar
I've
already had peace activists tell me they refuse to go to these events
on principle because the word "antiwar" has been used. Had the word
"pro-peace" been used, others would have said the same. But here's the
deal, we're pro-peace AND antiwar. The elimination of war is a
beautiful, ennobling, gloriously positive event. The establishment of
peace requires the elimination of war. We can't fail to point out that
we're antiwar because even the Pentagon claims to be pro-peace. We must
distinguish ourselves as in favor of peace through means other than war.
We also can't fail to state that we are pro-peace, because war will not
be eliminated unless all the systems that support it are replaced by
the construction of peaceful ones. We need legal, governmental,
economic, and cultural structures that facilitate peace. But we won't
build them if the wars rage on unopposed, and peace in our hearts won't
prevent a single death unless it achieves some external expression.
It Meets the Standard of the Simplistiphiles
As we've all been told -- very slowly -- Thomas Jefferson had way too many complaints in the Declaration of Independence for it to have any sort of impact. We British subjects must have one simple demand if we are to be heard at all.
O.K. You want one simple demand? I've got your one simple demand :-)
/ / / / /
END ALL THE WARS
/ / / / /
It's Weekday and Weekend in Every Sense
This series of events has got lobbying Congress and protesting Congress. It's got weekday disruption and weekend crowd maximization. And if there's something it's lacking, you can add it.
Obama's Has Just About Settled In -- Finally
When President Obama was first elected there was still a sort of structure -- albeit defunded -- of a significant peace movement that turned out to have actually been a movement against Republican wars. This structure was simply crawling with people who had arrived at the considered opinion that it was too early to protest Obama. We needed to let him settle in first. After a while it was still too early. A bit later it was still too early. By the time the White House was trumpeting to the New York Times that Obama picked men, women, and children to murder each Tuesday, the movement was pretty well gone.
Well, here's a good moment in which to bring it back. I dare say Obama has pretty well settled in. The Occupy movement that took off after the last midterm elections is primed for a new start. And the next 18-month election "season" hasn't really kicked in yet. Once it does, all useful action will have two arms and a leg tied behind its back.
The moment is now.
There is, as a great one said, such a thing as being too late.
I'll see you in Washington." title=-- class="">
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