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Progressive Action Roundtable: A forum for progressive groups in the Greater New Haven Area where actions and ideas may be publicized so that others are aware of peace, health, justice, energy, environmental and other issues for the common good.

Archive for category Peace

A (Very) Short History Of A (Very) Long War

Jan 29

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By Joan Cavanagh, CT Peace Coalition/ New Haven

Despite unprecedented global anti-war mobilization, the U.S. invaded Iraq in March of 2003. Eight years later with no end in sight, we cannot yet begin to count the dead or assess the toll on the living.

What do U.S. citizens today remember or know of the much longer history of this war which is waged in our names?  

On Aug. 2, 1990, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait because of a complicated dispute over oil resources. U.S. President George Herbert Walker Bush built up a large military presence in the Persian Gulf, but activists mobilized in massive numbers to try to stop the massacre of innocent people.

On Jan. 16, 1991, White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater announced that “the liberation of Kuwait has begun.” What actually began on that day 20 years ago was a near total war spanning four U.S. administrations, two Republican, and two Democrat: Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama.

The New Haven Coalition Against War in the Gulf organized letter writing, street demonstrations and teach-ins to try to stop the war—and nonviolent civil disobedience at the Federal Building when the 1991 invasion began. Over one hundred citizens were arrested there. Thousands more marched on our city streets and joined demonstrations in New York and Washington.

Between 1991 and 2003, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis died because of economic sanctions initiated and zealously enforced by the U.S. government. U.N. Humanitarian Aid Coordinator Denis Halliday resigned his position in protest, stating, “We are in the process of destroying an entire society.”

Protest against the sanctions, muted at first, grew as citizens became increasingly aware of their totality and genocidal impact. Elected representatives, however, did nothing to end them. Should this have been a surprise?

Today, after nearly eight years of war in Iraq and nine in Afghanistan, and the emergence of a new, clinical warfare that involves no actual human agents but infinite human victims—the “drone bombings”—protests are smaller and more fragmented.

But it is important that we continue to raise our voices in this bleak winter. Since 1999, there has been a “Resist this Endless War” vigil every Sunday at Broadway, Park and Elm Streets from 12-1 p.m. Many PAR readers were participants. You are needed again.

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Peace Council At The Peabody

Jan 29

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By Mary Compton, GNH Peace Council

As part of an activity for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy of Environmental and Social Justice event held the weekend of Jan. 16 and 17 at the Peabody Museum, forty-two Peace Message cards were sent to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, forty-three to Mayor DeStefano and two to Congressman Jim Himes, mainly from small children. The cards included quotes from Dr. King and a peace message from participants. This activity encouraged citizen participation and involvement in the many issues Dr. King advocated for: nonviolence, equality, cooperation, hope and citizen participation and action.

While creating their peace message, participants had to take a moment to reflect on the quotes of Dr. King and select one meaningful to them. Parents had an opportunity to engage their children in discussions of themes suggested by the quotes. Some children chose to take their cards home. Cards were collected and envelopes were addressed and stamped by volunteers from the Greater New Haven Peace Council. Throughout these two days, volunteers, parents and children had an opportunity to converse on social justice issues through the words of Dr. King and send a message of peace to express citizen concern to elected officials.

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Dr. King’s Legacy Of Environmental And Social Justice 2011

Dec 29

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— Josue Irizarry, Events Coordinator, Peabody Museum

The Yale Peabody Museum will open its doors for a FREE, two-day festival in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his efforts to ensure environmental and social justice among all people. The Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Avenue, will host its 15th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy of Environmental and Social Justice from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, and from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 17, 2011.

In his tireless efforts to work toward equality for, and harmony between, all people, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. strove to raise awareness about public health concerns and urban environmental issues that disproportionately affect minority and low-income communities. We now refer to this as environmental justice, a term coined long after Dr. King’s death. In recognition of the progress that has been achieved in these areas, and with optimism for the future, we will celebrate with music, dance, children’s storytelling, teen diversity workshops, a community open mic and our annual poetry slams.

From 12:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, teens from the Yale Peabody Museum’s EVOLUTIONS After School Program will host “Stop the Violence: Teens Standing Up For Change.” This interactive session, focused around a message of non-violence and intended for all high school students in the greater New Haven area, will include exciting performances, dynamic presentations, and teen-run workshops. All students who participate for the full event are invited to an after party from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., where there will be free food, music and dancing. Come be a part of something great!

An important component of this celebration is our Zannette Lewis Environmental and Social Justice Community Open Mic and Poetry Slam on Monday,

Jan. 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Community Open Mic is an exciting aspect of our festival that gives people a unique opportunity to honor the spoken word legacy of Dr. King by sharing original poetry and rap or speaking their mind about issues of environmental and social justice our society faces today. The Poetry Slam includes well-known poets from around the United States.

Every poet who registers for the Community Open Mic by Friday, Jan. 7, will have at least three minutes at the mic to speak his or her truth, will receive an MLK Day T-shirt, and will be entered into a drawing for a one-year Yale Peabody Museum membership. Space is limited! To register, contact peabody.events@yale.edu.

For more information on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. festival visit www.peabody.yale.edu/events/mlkday.html.

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Peace By Peace

Dec 1

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By Andrew Kobets, Peace by Peace

Peace by Peace is an organization of Muslim, Jewish and Christian Yale medical students whose mission is to promote understanding and respect between Israelis and Palestinians through the implementation of cooperative medical programs that mutually benefit both populations. We work to improve healthcare in the region with the understanding that healthy minds and bodies, while not free from certain desires and needs, are less likely to turn toward defiance and chaos as a means to solve the problems faced in daily life. Our group functions to support this work and to convey its goals to the community.

During a major event on the New Haven Green in April 2010, we showcased the exceptional work of Dr. Arnold Noyek, an otolaryngologist from the University of Toronto, whose organization CISEPO (Canada International Scientific Exchange Program) has to date screened and treated over 250,000 Israeli and Palestinian infants in the Middle East with congenital deafness. We also advocate on behalf of ERICE (Empowerment and Resilience in Children Everywhere), an organization formed by Dr. James Leckman of the Yale Child Study Center. The following is a letter drafted by Peace by Peace in support of ERICE, sent to Rep. Rosa DeLauro:

“The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics published data in 2008 showing that 46% of the population in the occupied Palestinian territories is under the age of 15. Among this group, 55% experience at least one traumatic life event and 33% suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Palestinian students reported the lowest life-satisfaction scores compared with students from 35 other countries….”
“The ERICE partnership of Israeli and Palestinian professionals aims to promote the well-being of children and families affected by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by: (1) cross border seminars on Arab-Jewish collaboration on mental health issues of mutual concern; (2) school-based interventions to address the aftermath of trauma; and (3) completing the first comprehensive examination of effects of repeated exposure to war on the development of infant and young children, with the aim of providing needed services… “

If you would like to support and strengthen these endeavors, please visit www.peacebypeace.org or contact Andrew.Kobets@Yale.edu for more information.

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War Criminal At Yale

Oct 24

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By Deb Malatesta, CT-ANSWER

Close to 30 antiwar activists and students took to the streets Wednesday, Sept. 1, at Yale University on the first day of classes to demand Stanley McChyrstal be fired from his teaching job and tried for war crimes. Demonstrators also called for an immediate end to the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.

McChrystal, who was a senior military leader of the US/NATO occupation of Afghanistan until he was forced to resign in July, 2010, was hired as a Senior Fellow to teach a graduate seminar in “leadership and globalization” this fall. His appointment outraged many community members and students. The class should more rightly be called, “Occupation and Genocide 101.” Tens or hundreds of thousands of Afghan civilians and 4,500 US troops have died.

 “Why do we want war criminals in the city of New Haven?” said John Lugo of Unidad Latino en Acción. Lugo’s comment referred to others who have been hired to teach at Yale in past years, including former US Ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo who launched brutal attacks on the indigenous liberation movement of the EZLN in Chiapas.

While McChrystal’s salary at Yale has not been released, reports say that he makes $60,000 at other speaking engagements. In the same week that McChrystal’s job was announced, Yale fired 250 workers at a time when Connecticut’s unemployment rate is just below 10%.

Demonstrators shouted “Shame on Yale, Put McChrystal in Jail” and “No Yale, No Bail, Jail McChrystal Now.”  Students and passers-by joined the demonstration when they heard about McChrystal’s teaching position.

The demonstration was organized by the ANSWER coalition and sponsored by the Greater New Haven Peace Council, Unidad Latina en Acción and the Middle East Crisis Committee.

The message of the demonstration was clear: wherever the war criminals go, from government to education to the private sector, the people’s anti-war movement will not let them get away with their crimes against our brothers and sisters of any nation.

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Voices For Jobs, Equality & Peace

Oct 24

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By Joelle Fishman, People’s World

“Voices for Jobs, Equality & Peace – A concert for people’s needs, not corporate greed” will be held on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010 at the James Hillhouse High School auditorium at 480 Sherman Parkway in New Haven.  The anniversary event hosted by the People’s World will present Amistad Awards to three outstanding Connecticut leaders.  John Olsen, Carmen Boudier and Juan Figueroa have long been in the forefront for jobs, health care and basic human needs, workers’ rights, equal representation and voting rights.  From the picket line to the voting line they have each exemplified the strength and unity that it takes to keep our country moving forward.

Jazz and Latin music, labor songs and spoken word will be presented by an array of artists including Bill Collins of the Rabble Rousers, Hermanos Son, Jeff Fuller, William Fluker, Richard Hill, Ginny Bales and Baub Bidon among others.

A program book will provide an opportunity to recognize the Amistad awardees and honor those who have gone before.

John Olsen has devoted his life to the cause of working people since he started out as a member of the Plumbers Union. During his tenure as president of the CT AFL-CIO, he has been instrumental in winning legislation, union contracts and elections that have expanded opportunity and raised the quality of life for all workers and their families.

Carmen Boudier, president of New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, first joined the union when she organized the nursing home where she worked. She has led many ground-breaking organizing drives and contract battles including the six month on-going strike against Spectrum health care.

Juan Figueroa has been a pioneer for Latino representation and civil rights law in many capacities at the state and national level. His leadership of the Universal Health Care Foundation put Connecticut in front with the passage of SustiNet. He was the first Puerto Rican candidate for Governor of Connecticut in the 2010 Democratic primaries.

For information about the greeting book (full page $125, half page $65, quarter page $35) and for tickets ($10 each) contact the People’s World at (203) 624-8664 or e-mail to ct-pww@pobox.com.

The concert is hosted by the People’s World on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of the Communist Party USA.

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Speak Out Against 9 Years Of War In Afghanistan Oct. 7

Oct 3

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By Deb Malatesta, CT ANSWER 

Oct. 7, 2010, marks 9 years of illegal occupation of Afghanistan, and over 7 years in Iraq, by the US and NATO. The wars have killed hundreds of thousands of civilians. Instead of providing education, healthcare, housing and jobs when they are desperately needed, both Democrats and Republicans have authorized over $1 trillion to pay for these wars since they began.

While the government bombs our brothers and sisters in the Middle East, Yale has hired former General Stanley McChrystal, who led the war effort in Afghanistan until he was forced to retire this year. McChrystal helped escalate the war last year by requesting even more troops. He has spent hundreds of billions of the Pentagon’s dollars to take over the fifth poorest country in the world. He said this war cannot be won no matter how much money is spent on the war, no matter how many thousands of troops saturate their countryside. McChrystal is a war criminal and has no place at Yale or anywhere but jail. 

Oct. 7 is the national day of actions to defend public education. To honor the day CT Answer Coalition is demanding that quality education should be free and accessible to all. Money should not be spent on illegal wars and occupation but for jobs and education!

Come out on Oct. 7, 2010, and demand: Troops out now! Money for jobs, education, housing and healthcare! Arrest McChrystal for war crimes! The demonstration will be at the corner of Prospect and Grove in New Haven at 6 p.m.  For more information contact ct@answercoalition.org or call (203) 606-0319.

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Caracas Professor Gives Update On Venezuela

Oct 3

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By Nancy Eberg, Henry Lowendorf, GNHPC

Venezuelan University Professor Steve Ellner speaks twice in New Haven on Oct. 12.

At noon, Prof. Ellner will talk at the Yale Whitney Humanities Center (corner of Wall and Church), Room 208, on “Advances and Shortcomings in the Venezuela of Hugo Chavez.” The talk is sponsored by the interdisciplin-ary lecture series of the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies. Please call (203) 432-3422 to confirm.

Prof. Ellner will also speak on the current economic and political climate in Venezuela at the New Haven People’s Center, 37 Howe St., from 7 to 8:30 p.m. He will discuss Chavez’s present status domestically and internationally and the implications of his success to the rest of the world.  “The Bolivarian Revolution: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Role of the U.S.” is an update on a talk Ellner gave in 2008 to the Greater New Haven Peace Council (GNHPC). His talk will follow the GNHPC’s regular meeting. Light refreshments will be provided.

Steve Ellner is Professor of General Economic History at the Universidad de Oriente in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela. He has published widely on a variety of topics focused primarily on Venezuelan political economy. His most recent article, “Chávez Pushes the Limits: Radicalization and Discontent in Venezuela,” appears in the July/August NACLA Report on the Americas available at http://nacla.org/node/6633.

At both talks Steve welcomes questions and the community is encouraged to attend. For more information, e-mailgrnhpeacecouncil@gmail.com or call (203) 389-9547.

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5th Annual United Nations International Day Of Peace

Aug 31

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by Kevin Ewing, WRNSC President

The West River Neighborhood Services Corporation (WRNSC) and the City of New Haven Peace Commission are co-sponsoring their Fifth Annual United Nations International Day of Peace event on Sunday, Sept. 19, at the UN-New Haven Peace Garden at West River on Ella Grasso Boulevard and Legion Avenue in New Haven from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The theme of this year’s event is New Haven a Peace Messenger City: Standing Together for Peace.

New Haven was designated as a Peace Messenger City in 1985. The Peace Garden at West River was established in 2000, and is one of only a few places in the world where the United Nations emblem is displayed on land not owned and controlled by the UN. “We are joining millions of people around the world in coming together to call for worldwide peace. We are joining the thousands in our city and our region standing together for peace in our city, in our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our lives,” declared Reverend Kevin Ewing, president of the West River organization.

The Sept. 19 event, which is free and open to the general public, will feature local talent including the Cooperative High School jazz band, Michael Mills and Drums No Guns, Jazz Folks, spoken word artists, gospel, R&B, yoga and meditation exercises, plus activities for children. Free parking will be available on site.

The West River neighborhood is a participant in The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s Neighborhood of Choice initiative.

In case of rain, the event will be held the following Sunday, Sept. 26, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. at the Peace Garden.

For more information, contact Stacy Spell, Event Coordinator at (203) 777-2192.

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Hiroshima And Nagasaki Vigils Call For Nuclear Abolition

Aug 31

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by Joelle Fishman, People’s World

New Haven, Conn Town Green vigil for abolition of nuclear weapons on Nagasaki Day, August 9, 2010. (Photo by Art Perlo)

Marking the 65th year since the first atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, vigils were held on the New Haven Green at the time the bombs were dropped on August 6 and 9.

Al Marder, chair of the City of New Haven Peace Commission, greeted the fact that for the first time the General Secretary of the United Nations and a United States ambassador participated in this year’s remembrances in Hiroshima. The stance of President Barack Obama creates openings, he said, to build a stronger movement against continued and increased funding of nuclear weapons production. He called for movement from symbolism to concrete actions for abolition of nuclear weapons.

Participants held origami cranes given as gifts by the Japanese delegation to the thousands of participants who marched for abolition of nuclear weapons at the United Nations in May. New Haveners traveled to that march on a special peace train.

Linking the need for peace to the economic crisis, Rev. Sarah Lamar-Sterling of First and Summerfield United Methodist Church quoted Dwight D. Eisenhower’s warning that every penny spent on armaments is a penny taken from those who need food, housing and health care. The church’s weekly vigil against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan joined the event on the Green.

Referring to polls showing majority opposition to both wars, Henry Lowendorf, chair of the Greater New Haven Peace Council, called attention to the largest ever vote against funding the Afghanistan war in Congress last month, including Rep. Rosa DeLauro, whose district is centered in New Haven.

Hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians were killed in 1945 when the atomic bombs were dropped by the United States in the closing days of World War II, although Japan was already on the verge of surrender. “Even in war, the killing of innocent women, children and senior citizens is a crime,” Marder said.

On Sunday, a group bicycle ride was held around the
perimeter of the area that would have been obliterated had the bombs been dropped on New Haven.

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Peace Conference For Nuclear Disarmament In NYC Apr. 30-May 2

Jun 1

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by Nancy Eberg, GNH Peace Council

During the weekend of April 29-May 2, a series of incredible events transpired in NYC. On Friday and Saturday, nearly 1000 participants from around the world attended a conference on the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons at Riverside Church. Hoping to influence the UN Review Conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons held the following week, the workshop tracks were abolition, peace, economic justice/human needs, and environmental sustainability. Experts in all fields participated, including locals from the Greater New Haven Peace Council—Henry Lowendorf and Al Marder. Henry, along with leaders of the World and Canadian Peace Councils, spoke about struggles against global imperialism; Al, with Cora Weiss, president of the Hague Appeal for Peace, and former Ambassador Sylvester Rowe of Sierra Leone discussed the Luarca Declaration that peace is a human right.

Three plenaries were held that included such noted speakers as Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General; Terumi Tanaka, head of the organization of bomb survivors; Mayor Akiba of Hiroshima; Princeton professor Zia Mian; noted author on nukes Joseph Gerson; and president of the World Peace Council, Socorro Gomes. The conference hoped to greatly expand the momentum started by Obama’s Prague speech and the negotiations between him and Medvedov for the new START Treaty. Highlights of the conference were Ban Ki-moon’s affirmation that he has proposed a nuclear weapons convention toward nuclear abolition and supports the Japanese timetable of 2020 for total abolition – commitments that should have an energizing effect on abolition proponents.

The Sunday march from Times Square to the UN was aimed in part to deliver the 7 million signatures collected worldwide to abolish nuclear weapons. Since Japan was the only country to experience the devastating bomb effects on an urban population, it sent nearly 2000 marchers. Estimates of total attendance varied from 10-15,000 (American newspapers) to 25,000 (Japanese newspapers). In spite of the unseasonably hot, humid, 90-degree weather and too-long pre-rally, spirits soared. Jubilant marchers sang and chanted, passing out innumerable origami peace cranes. Hope for a world without nuclear weapons permeated the group. It was an unforgettable experience that hopefully will have positive results.

The plenary sessions were live streamed during the conference, and most are now available for viewing (the closing session with Ban Ki-moon will be available soon).

For more on the speech by Ban Ki-moon, see the United Nations’ release.

See pictures taken by New Haven’s Henry Lowendorf here.

Oneworld Progressive Institute

Jun 1

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by N’Zinga Shäni

OneWorld Progressive Institute produces educational programs and community forums for the benefit of the entire community. In 2010 our focus will be mainly on Education and Civic Engagement. Our program “21st Century Conversations” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on Comcast, Chan. 26. Visit: www.nhtv.com/Uverse.html to find us on AT&T U-Verse. We are on all major cable systems. Viewers can order DVD copies through our on-line store. We encourage readers to browse our website.

On CTV, Ch. 26: Political Debate with Debra Hauser and Roland Lemar, Thurs., June 3, 8-9 p.m.

Mondays, 8 p.m. during summer months, watch our new Health Care Information Series with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, President Obama and leading CT health care experts. Our Education Series includes teen forums and workshops with principals, teachers and parents.

We encourage people to watch each broadcast.  Read these New Haven Independent articles about our recent programs.

The Kids Get Their Say by Zak Stone | Apr 28, 2010

Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority

Target: The “Brainwashing Thing”

by Zak Stone | Feb 19, 2010

Samples of comments posted about our April Teen Forum:

Pat on May 5, 2010: This is great! We need more opportunities for teens to show that they are good kids. The bad kids always steal the show. These kids are our hope for the future. Keep up the good work!

Mrs. Robles on May 5, 2010: I think all of these kids did a great job. Students should be asked for their input more frequently—too often, their thoughts and ideas are not taken seriously because many people think they are too young and/or immature to understand or talk intelligently about issues. Unfortunately, people usually gravitate towards the more sensational stories (the hijacked bus). However, if more stories like this are written, maybe this could change some people’s attitudes.

Harold on May 6, 2010: Why wasn’t this on the front page of the New Haven Register? We need to celebrate our good kids more and sessions like this do that. I’m glad I stumbled upon this article.

We encourage a desire for life-long learning; we believe that “21st Century Conversations” offer a unique opportunity to those who watch to learn a great deal about an array of issues. We at OneWorld are encouraging civic engagement and extolling Lighthouses of Knowledge. These can start at the kitchen tables; they can expand to the basement of churches and community centers. We welcome comments and feedback. OneWorld Progressive Institute,P. O. Box 8662, New Haven, CT 06531, (203) 407-0250, oneworldpi@yahoo.com,  www.oneworldpi.org.