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Global Movement Wages Peace
The peace movement is global and may be stronger today than at any other time in history. Many say that the two superpowers in the world now are the United States and global opinion, and global opinion will play a much more important role in the future.
Robert Muller, a former assistant secretary-general of the United Nations, witnessed the UN’s founding and was recently honored for his longtime service. He surprised his audience when he said, “I’m so honored to be alive at such a miraculous time in history. I’m so moved by what’s going on in our world today.”
A writer and teacher of peace, he is now—at age 80—chancellor emeritus of the University of Peace in Costa Rica. He says that the world community is waging peace, and although it is difficult and constant, we must not let up. He believes our efforts are working and that the movement against the war in Iraq marks a “historic milestone of immense proportions.”
“So this is a miracle. This is what ‘waging peace’ looks like.” Leaders are being forced to think about what they are doing, to engage in dialogue, and to allow all nations to participate in the decision to go to war.
Kucinich Calls for Withdrawal from Iraq
On April 1, 2003, Representative Dennis Kucinich (Dem., OH) made a speech on the U.S. House floor calling for immediate withdrawal from Iraq. Kucinich chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus and advocates establishing a Department of Peace. He said, “Stop this war now. Show our wisdom and our humanity to be able to stop it, to bring back the United Nations into the process. Rescue this moment. Rescue this nation from a war that is wrong, that is unjust, that is immoral.”
MoveOn Takes on the Media
MoveOn.org recently launched Media Corps, an effort to ensure that American media outlets cover the war accurately and fully, not simply the way the Bush Administration wants it covered. The first Media Corps action was a letter-writing campaign to the Associated Press (AP) asking them to stop using “pro-troops” to mean “pro-war,” especially in regard to political rallies. This alert generated more than 1,400 email complaints to the AP.
Another effort asked people to contact MSNBC requesting that it stop positioning itself as a right-wing outlet; more than 10,000 responded with calls and letters to MSNBC. The focus was on racist and violent comments by Michael Savage. MoveOn also urged people to write to the New York Times asking them to investigate civilian deaths in Iraq rather than relying on Pentagon information; the effort generated 8,774 letters, and e-mails were continuing to arrive.
MCC Collects Iraqi Relief Kits
The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) has shipped eleven 40-foot containers of relief kits, canned meat, blankets and comforters, and school kits to the Middle East in an effort to “pre-position” humanitarian supplies for the people of Iraq. MCC continues to accept cash and material donations. They are working with partner agencies to collect 16,000 relief kits for displaced Iraqis, many of them families with children living in desperate conditions without access to basic hygiene supplies. In the Twin Cities, more than 1,600 kits have been collected; nationwide some 8,000 kits have been received.
Iraqi Relief Kit Contents:
4 bars of bath soap
1 plastic bottle of shampoo, in a plastic bag
10 cups powdered laundry detergent, packed in double resealable gallon bags
1 squeeze tube toothpaste, minimum 6 oz.
4 adult-sized toothbrushes (in packages)
4 new bath towels, not white, medium weight
1 each: hairbrush, wide-tooth comb,
and fingernail clipper
1 box assorted bandages, minimum 40
1 package sanitary pads (18-24 thin maxi
or ultrathin)
If you would like to contribute a kit, pack the above items in a cardboard box. Go to www.mcc.org or call 877-517-5673 for the address of the closest collection point, then deliver or ship your kit by May 15, 2003. |
