On Mother's Day, thank a mom who has worked for peace. Here are five of the top peace activist moms who have set an example for others to follow.

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Cindy Sheehan

After Cindy Sheehan's son Casey was killed in an illegal war in Iraq, she devoted her life to her son's memory.   She tried to ask President George W. Bush why her son had died but was shunned by the Commander-in-Chief who had sent her son to his death.   She refused to settle for silence.   She camped outside Bush's ranch and made her presence and the need for an answer known.   Former newswoman Bree Walker provided a ranch down the road from Bush's.   There, Cindy created a base for her protests.

Cindy's actions were not limited to her remembering her own son.   She let America know about deaths of thousands of servicemen.   Cindy created a group called Gold Star Families for Peace for those who had lost a loved one in Iraq.   She organized peace rallies and stood against war funding in an effort to save sons who had not yet died. In 2006 she was arrested in the House gallery for wearing an anti-war T-shirt to Bush's State of the Union Address.   It read "2,245 Dead. How many

In 2008, she ran for Congress in San Francisco against Nancy Pelosi.   Pelosi is the Democratic leader considered to be the top enabler of continuation of the wars.    Evidence from the anti-prop 8 campaign indicates that the votes in San Francisco were either not counted or were miscounted.   The Mayor of the San Francisco was related to Nancy Pelosi.   Numerous other events, including break-ins into Sheehan's headquarters with a refusal of the police to properly investigate indicated that her campaign had run afoul of the powers that be in the city.

Cindy has refused to let hunger, sickness and unjust imprisonment deter her from fighting for peace. Cindy continues to be the mother who has inspired a movement and who has encouraged other mothers to follow her lead of working for peace.

Cynthia McKinney

Cynthia McKinney set an example for her son Coy.  She is a mother who has been dedicated to peace and human rights for most of her life.   When she was in the Georgia State Legislature, she stood up against the first Gulf War as haws in the Georgia State legislature walked out.

Cynthia McKinney ran afoul of the pro-war interests when she questioned the events leading up to 9/11/01. She took the lead against the PATRIOT Act and the Iraq War. She was unable to stop the war. So she turned her peace work towards defunding the war and bringing it to a close.   She stood up to Democratic Congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi who was a major force in keeping the wars continuing.  For this, McKinney was punished by Pelosi but this didn't deter McKinney from her course.   Throughout her time in Congress McKinney remained a strong peace and human rights leader.

Her quest for peace resulted in her risking her life more than once to bring medical supplies to the children of Gaza.  Her boat, the Dignity, was rammed and fired upon by the Israeli Government in 2008.   It had to turn back.  This didn't stop her.  She and Mairead Maguire returned on the Spirit of Humanity.  This time these women and others were taken prisoner by the Israeli Government.  Eight days in an Israeli prison didn't deter McKinney from trying again.   Next, she went over land and brought what supplies she could carry into Gaza.

Later she organized a Dignity delegation to Libya to try to end the NATO and US backed genocide.

McKinney was selected as the Green Presidential candidate in 2008 and was considered the real peace candidate for President in the general election that year.

Cynthia's son Coy is very proud of his mom and has spoken about her willingness to do the right thing in Congress and to ask questions about 9/11.   

She taught her son well.   This is what he has to say about war:

  "If we want to live in a world of peace, we must learn from our history and see that war is an unnatural phenomenon; we need to reject it on a philosophical and spiritual level. Removing war from our conscience creates space for dialogue and diplomacy and brings us closer to a shared utopia."   

Ruth Hull-Richter

Ruth Hull-Richter has led the progressive movement in the America's most conservative county: Orange, California.   Ruth is the peace activist who put together the Patrick Henry Democratic Club of America out of the remnants of the 2004 Southern California Kucinich campaign.   She insisted the California Democratic Party call for an end to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.   She fought against the right-wing turn of the party and fought to bring it back to the left.

It has not been an easy road.   Ruth was a long term domestic violence victim who was trapped by the pressures and silence of home schooling her peace activist children into college.   Ruth was not able to stop the beatings she incurred regularly or her own mother's death that resulted in part from retaliation over Ruth's decision to get a restraining order against Ruth's husband.   Despite her tragic losses, Ruth had a major success as her courageous daughter Natasha took over the fight to end war and restore progressive values.  When Natasha applied for colleges, progressive leaders flocked in to provide reference letters to UC Berkeley.   There she is an A student.

Natasha became committed to the cause of peace at a very young age, writing California Democratic Party resolutions in opposition to the death penalty, calling for a voter verifiable paper trail and for the impeachment of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.  Natasha went further.   She convinced California leaders to give the state's voters that paper trail.   She was the inspiration and force behind the founding of the California Democratic Party's Progressive Caucus.  Natasha's mother was master of ceremonies at the first meeting of Natasha's Progressive Caucus and proudly watched as Natasha was elected a founding officer of the caucus.

Ruth and Natasha are working to end the chains of domestic violence.    Domestic violence is the leading cause of death of women between 14 and 44.   This abuse is perpetuated by a justice system that punishes victims for getting restraining orders.  

Colleen Fernald

Colleen Fernald ran against Dianne Feinstein in 2006 on a campaign of peace and protecting the planet.   She collected endorsements from peace groups around California but was unable to gain the support of weapons manufactures who were top donors to politicians in 2006.   Those donations went to her opponent Dianne Feinstein.

Colleen has continued to campaign for peace and the environment.  She has spoken at public meetings about the dangerous aspects of weather modification on America's children.

Like Cindy, Colleen lost a child she loved dearly.  Colleen was an abuse victim who lost custody to her alleged abuser.  The mother accused the father of rape and was backed up on this by her daughter Charlotte Molinari.  The daughter was traumatized over being ripped away from her mother.   Later, Charlotte was found hanging from a tree under mysterious conditions that hinted at foul play.  Charlotte let it be known that she loved her mother and wanted to be with her.  The father tried to prevent the mother from attending the funeral but an special order allowed the mother into the funeral.

Colleen's case is an another symbol of why domestic violence and divorce laws work an injustice against women.  She is working to change the system.

Colleen briefly suspended her 2012 campaign for U.S. Senate after getting word of her daughter's death.  Now she is back fighting for peace, for mothers and for the rights of daughters like Charlotte to be safe and free from abuse.

Susan Sarandon

Susan Sarandon has been setting an example for decades with her host of movies about Social Justice: Dead Man Walking about the wrongfulness of the death penalty; The Other Side of Midnight about violence against women, Thelma and Louise about women's liberation; and more.  

Sarandon and her longtime paramour Tim Robbins have two kids, Miles and Jack, who have watched as their parents have worked for peace over war and mercy over cruelty.

Susan Sarandon has been one of the leading activists against the war, speaking at peace rallies and hinting that she would like to portray Cindy Sheehan in a movie.   See the section on Cindy Sheehan above.

Sarandon's activism has been long and has covered a variety of issues.    She has spoken out against police violence and against the death penalty.    She begged for clemency for Stan "Tookie" Williams and others on death row. In 1983 she was part of a delegation to Nicaragua promoting "social, environmental and economic justice."   In 2004, she called for international monitors to monitor the U.S. elections.  In 2006, she received the Action against Hunger Humanitarian Award.   She led protests against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in 2011.

PEACE MOTHERS EVERYWHERE

Millions of peace activist mothers around the planet are working to create a safer and kinder world for you and the world's children.   You, the reader, know many of these women.   On Mother's Day reach out to mothers who stand up for peace and thank them.   Let them know you appreciate their good work.   Some day their work may save your life.

Authors Bio:
Professor of Political Science. Hobbies include music, art and tennis.