Category: Peace

West River Peace Garden News

by Friends of the West River Peace Garden

The West River Peace Garden hosted a special gathering and planting on May 9, the day before Mother’s Day, to pay homage to mothers who have passed on. You can read about it here: bit.ly/4f63Bde.

We are planning to have another gathering on August 6 by the Gingko tree in our garden to commemorate the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to remember the victims, and to publicly call for peace, an end to all war, and for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Email us at friendsofwestriverpeacegarden@gmail.com for updates on this gathering, or check our Facebook page Friends of the West River Peace Garden or our website westriverpeacegarden.org.

Interested in volunteering in the garden? Email us with the time and day you’d like to join us each week, and we’ll schedule a volunteer shift for others to join you then!

The West River Peace Garden is by Ella Grasso Blvd. between Legion Ave. and MLK Blvd.

SCSU Rally Calls For ICE-Detained Student’s Release

Thomas Breen, April 6, 2026, New Haven Independent

More than 100 students, teachers, and immigrant rights advocates gathered outside of Southern Connecticut State University’s (SCSU) Buley Library Monday [April 6] to speak up for a classmate who was detained by federal immigration agents off campus last week.

photo: Thomas Breen

photo: Thomas Breen

Speaker after speaker on Monday — including co-emcees Justin Farmer and Sam Morrison, students and faculty from SCSU, and organizers from UNITE HERE 217, the New Haven Immigrants Coalition, and Unidad Latina en Acción, among other groups — called for the detained student to be released, for the university to support undocumented students, and for a mass mobilization against the Trump administration in response to the federal government’s immigration crackdown.

[More at https://bit.ly/4tpkTpM.]

 

 

Mother’s Day Tribute Garden News

by Paula Panzarella, West River Peace Garden

On Saturday, May 9 at 11 a.m., we invite you to take part in the first Mother’s Day Tribute in the expanded area of the West River Peace Garden. In case of rain, the gathering will be on Sunday, May 17, at 2 p.m.

The West River Peace Garden features blooming native perennials, a magnolia tree, and a Ginkgo tree (grown from a cutting of a Ginkgo that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945). Now we have a circular garden to the north side (near MLK Blvd.), developed through the initiative of a neighbor who felt the need for Mother’s Day to include paying homage to mothers who have passed on.

We hope you’ll bring a plant for the garden in memory of your mother. Share a story about your mom, listen to music, decorate a stone to put in the garden, and meet the neighbors.

The West River Peace Garden is by Ella Grasso Blvd. between Legion Ave. and MLK Blvd. We work in the garden every Friday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and welcome all volunteers. For info, call 203-350-3795. Our website is westriverpeacegarden.org.

An Urgent Call to PAR Newsletter Readers

by Ann Froines, Back from the Brink

Are you concerned, even frightened, that the regional wars involving nuclear powers in these perilous times could spark an exchange of nuclear weapons? The result of such an exchange could result in the deaths of millions over time—from the explosions themselves, radiation contamination, and a “nuclear winter” resulting in vastly lowered food production. Prominent scientists and medical personnel have warned for decades of this possibility because nuclear weapons are on hair-trigger alerts. One mistake in a complicated system could result in devastation to the planet.

You can help avert this catastrophe by participating as an individual in the grassroots campaign launched by the coalition Back from the Brink. (See preventnuclearwar.org.) At this readable website you will find this campaign’s common sense approach to nuclear policies that will secure a safer future for all the world. You can easily join as an individual, provide financial support, and use its advocacy tools to help prevent a nuclear war.

The approach argues for actively pursuing through diplomacy verifiable agreements among nuclear powers to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons. Furthermore, it advocates, among several other measures, the cancellation of the one trillion dollar plan to replace the current U.S. nuclear arsenal with “enhanced weapons.” Such expenditures will not make us safer but instead prioritize an arms race that deprives our nation of much needed programs for health care, housing and education.

Fifty members of the House of Representatives, including three of the five Connecticut representatives, have endorsed House Resolution 317, a bill that describes Back from the Brink’s objectives (Reps. DeLauro, Hayes, and Larson). Connecticut citizens are also trying to arrange a meeting with Senator Chris Murphy, who would be an important voice advocating for the companion resolution, Senate Resolution 323.

Please won’t you consider joining in the citizens’ campaign for a sane nuclear policy and the eventual elimination of nuclear weapons?

Sincerely, Ann Froines, Hamden, CT

In Memoriam: Cal Robertson

 

Many PAR readers who, from the 1980s on, attended peace rallies and demonstrations in Groton and New London against war, nuclear weapons, and the production of the nuclear submarines, met Cal Robertson, who earned their admiration and respect. Stephen Vincent Kobasa, New Haven writer and activist, wrote this article originally for the Hartford Catholic Worker at https://bit.ly/4t9c6YJ.

Cal Robertson: Persistent Witness for Nonviolence ¡Presente!

by Stephen Vincent Kobasa

(Htfd Catholic Worker ed. note: Cal Robertson was born unto eternity on January 3. Cal was universally known to residents of southeastern CT for his decades long daily vigil for nonviolence at the Sub base in Groton, the Sailor and Soldiers monument in New London, and elsewhere. Cal was a soft-spoken man of very few words – in part because of a head injury, but more so out of humility. If you ever met him he undoubtedly greeted you with “solidarity in the struggle,” and handed you a poem. Cal vigiled for peace in penance for his time in the Vietnam War.)

“Purity of heart is to will one thing” was a claim made by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. Until my first encounter with Cal Robertson, I never had a clear proof that anyone I knew possessed that quality. But Cal did, passionately.

He was a wounded healer, a veteran, full of grace, who carried memories that most of us would be afraid to imagine. He was one of the few human beings I have ever known who was simply incapable of arrogance. Humility was in every one of his gestures, along with compassion. His laughter was explosive, always accompanied by a single loud clap of his hands, an audible punctuation that was also a sign of both his affirmation and his pleasure.

He had a sincere curiosity about every person he encountered, intent upon finding the questions that would reveal what mattered most about them, and to them. His fidelity to the practice of nonviolence was unfailing, with even his smallest gestures carrying a touch of peace.

There was a kind of penance to his life, but it led him to joy. Everyone who knew him was led there, too. In the traditional Jewish phrase, his memory will always be a blessing.

Time of Chaos, Time for Resistance

by PAR Planning Committee

2026 has begun with many intense challenges for the peace and justice community, locally and nationally. The federal government is out of control. Checks and balances within the government no longer exist as Trump refuses to be reined in even when Congress, the judicial system and states try to do so.

All over the country people have demonstrated against the many horrors and threats to democracy. The US invasion of  Venezuela and kidnapping of its president, the murders of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by ICE in Minneapolis, the threat to implement the Insurrection Act and unleash the military against US citizens who protest, and the approaching dissolution of US-European alliances if Trump follows through with taking over Greenland have made it clear our government does not represent the people or the interests of democracy in the United States.

Greater New Haven-area peace groups have pulled out the stops, sometimes with four demonstrations within four days. We hope in the coming weeks that activists can send PAR reports of their excellent work of resisting fascism. Also welcome are flyers, “talking points,” and transcripts of rally speeches for us to print in future newsletters. Email reports, articles, photos, etc. to parnewhaven@hotmail.com.

New Haven Team in UN Associate Organization

by Manuel Camacho, City of New Haven Peace Commissioner

The United States is now being represented internationally by a team of young people who are engaged in their communities in various ways. Manuel Camacho from New Haven, CT, leads this new team as the U.S. Representative in a larger entity known as the International Federation of Young Citizens. The IFYC is an associate member of the United Nations and engages with local, national, and international institutions. The Federation has teams of young people from over 13 countries, each one titled ActualiTeam(name of town/city in country). For more information on the Federation and its mission, you can visit their website at https://fijc.org/ to learn more about it.

The newly accredited U.S. team titled ActualiTeamNewHaven is currently comprised of 5 members: Manuel Camacho (City of New Haven Peace Commissioner/Vice President of SCSU College Democrats), Adrian Huq (Co-founder of New Haven Youth Climate Movement/Board Member of Sustainable CT), Mark De Lima (Member on Easton, Connecticut’s Commission for the Aging/Current Medical Student), Anthony Fiore (Treasurer of Southern Connecticut State University College Democrats), and Jacqueline Lorthe (City of New Haven Peace Commissioner).

Since its accreditation on Jan. 8, 2026, the team has voted on and proposed language amendments to official proposed international statements/stances regarding the U.S.’s operation in Venezuela and the current state of Gaza. The team has participated in the United Nations’ recent Call for Input on Climate Financing and Human Rights. There is an upcoming Civic Town Hall to be hosted by the UN at its headquarters in New York, towards the end of January, where the team will be attending a discussion with Her Emissary Annalena Baerbock (President of the UN General Assembly). The topic of the town hall: a discussion on how civic societies will contribute to protecting the principles of the United Nations and engaging in the broader reform of the Organization to modernize and make it fit for the 21st century.

This is just the beginning, as the team has much to navigate through as they engage in international dialogue during such uncertain times for the United States, both domestically and internationally. However, these young people are willing to represent the best and most positive parts that their country still has.

Oppose Attacks on Venezuela, Support Socialists There

by Stanley Heller, Administrator, Promoting Enduring Peace

By the time you read this, Trump may have launched an awful attack on the Venezuelan mainland. His Department of War is already killing scores of Venezuelans under the guise of fighting drugs, bombing boats he claims are bringing drugs to America, while making fantastic claims on the number of US lives he’s saving. The idea that you could wipe out crime just by killing “criminals” left and right was shown false long long ago (besides being morally revolting).

Of course, it’s likely part of a plan desensitizing Americans to the plan to invade and seize the assets of another fossil fuel giant (this one having the biggest oil reserves on the planet).

Promoting Enduring Peace came up with this brief statement on its views:

“We condemn the Trump Administration’s bombings of boats supposedly running drugs to the U.S. Criminal activity is not ‘war.’ Alleged criminals should not just be killed nor is this legal under US or international law. All these boats could easily have been stopped by naval authorities.

“As far as the military threats to Venezuela and Colombia, only the citizens of those countries have the right to determine who should be in power, not the US government. We stand in solidarity with Venezuelan socialist and democratic forces who organize for the rights of the Venezuelan people against dictatorship and imperialism.”

If the attack or invasion comes, we hope there will be a massive outpouring of anger all throughout Latin America led by the Left.

One problem is this disastrous idea that Venezuela is a “socialist” country and the blind support many on the Left give to the Maduro regime. He leads a country with the lowest minimum wage in Latin America, a government that enforces extreme austerity measures, and repression of all dissidents. None of the socialist parties were allowed to run in the 2024 presidential election, not even the Communist Party which had been Maduro’s ally until just a few years ago. We can support Venezuelans without supporting Maduro and discrediting ourselves.  Learn more about this from Venezuelans. See PEPeace.org.

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