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P.O. Box 201 St. George Station, Staten Island NY 10301 pasi.eblast@gmail.com 718-989-2881 |
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Dear Peace Action Members and Friends, Thanks to everyone who came out to the Potluck and general membership meeting Saturday, April 3rd at the Unitarian Parish Hall. For about an hour we caught up with friends in small groups and sampled salads, yummy ziti, cheeses, bread and a wide array of sweets. When we got down to business, we passed the bylaws, received the report of the nomination committee and took additional nominations from the floor for the PASI Board of Directors. On the home page are links to the minutes, approved bylaws and the list of candidates. The election is planned for the June 5th meeting. If you are not yet a member & pay PASI dues by May 5th ($26-regular, $10-senior, student, fixed income), you can vote in June elections. If you have any questions, please contact me at 718-989-2881 or email me at sjones1@si.rr.com. Thank you, Sally Jones President, Peace Action of Staten Island April 13, 2003 Dear Friends of Peace Action, (1) Sunday afternnon (4/13), Peace Action of Staten Island held a general membership meeting at the St. Paul's Church cafeteria (129 Clinton) with an excellent turnout. Everyone present was eager to discuss what's next for the anti-war movement. Peace Action of New York State President Carol Husten spoke to us about the history of our parent group, Peace Action, and about how pleased and impressed the state group is with the work of its youngest chapter, Staten Island. Executive Director Ken Estey discussed Peace Action's national Campaign for a New Foreign Policy. This was followed by an intensely interesting series of insightful questions, comments, and statements of concern from the group. (Watch out, Chuck Schumer!) Ken explained that the Campaign is one tool that can be used by us to organize locally and make connections with constituences affected adversely by this war-based foreign policy, which is increasing military spending at the same time that health care, job training, education, and environmental spending is being drastically cut. We will be seeking endorsements for the Campaign from groups that we can then use to influence the 2004 elections. We want a foreign policy based on human rights and democracy, reducing the threat of weapons of mass destruction, and cooperation with the world community, and we intend to have this be part of the national debate in 2004 and beyond. For more background on the Campaign for a New Foreign Policy go the following website: Campaign for a New Nuclear Policy. (2) PASI committees are meeting and participating in the next steps our organization is going to take. Please reply to me if you are not yet signed up for one of the following committees: Communications/Media, Speakers Bureau, Action, Membership, or By-Laws. (4) The Silent Peace Vigil continues at Borough Hall, every Monday evening, 5:30-6:30 PM. We are committed to standing there every Monday night and spreading a message of peace. This is followed by a Holy Hour every Monday evening at 8 PM at St. Paul's Church, 129 Clinton Ave., which includes prayers for peace. (5) Those who can, please watch the PBS series "Avoiding Armageddon," 9-11 PM, from April 14-1, which explores the intersection between terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. See the following website for information: (6) If you are interested in joining Pax Christi in their annual "Stations of the Cross" event begining at the Dag Hammaskjöld Plaza at the UN on Good Friday, April 18th, please contact Charlie Kitts at 718-447-3464 for more information. (7) A contingent from Peace Action of Staten Island drove by car down to Washington DC on Saturday (4/12) and marched along with the PASI banner in the "Occupation is not Liberation" march around the White House. Soggy rain turned to spring sunshine in the capital city, and we were happy to see we were joined by 30,000 other people who felt that it was important to note resistance to this administration's foreign policy with our physical presence. We stood near the speakers' stage and heard speeches from Reverend Dr. Herbert Daughtry (Pastor of the House of the Lord Pentecostal Church), Damu Smith (Black Voices for Peace), former Attorney General Ramsey Clark, and activists from campuses, labor unions, the American Indian movement, as well as from San Salvador, Korea, Palestine. It was a well-organized, peaceful, and lively rally and march that energized us. Below is a link to a page from International Answer's site that has links to the Washington Post article about the event and a yahoo photo gallery showing the all the April 12th protests from around the globe, including the simultaneous pro-war rally in DC. I like the pictures from Rome where the Circus Maximum was wrapped in a peace flag 500 meters long. Occupation is not Liberation Rally and March Thank you, Sally Jones March 25, 2003 A week ago, on March 16th, Peace Action of Staten Island held a general membership meeting to start the process of organizing for the work ahead of us. Briefly, the Nominating Committee gave its report about the results of the recent elections for new officers and the new elected officers of PASI were introduced by John Bostrom, Acting President. The new officers are: President - Sally Jones, Vice President - Ruth Benson, Treasurer - Jim Clark, and Secretary - John Bostrom. Ruth Benson presented and led a discussion about the new national Peace Action Campaign for a New Foreign Policy and how it would apply to Staten Island. We also formed Committees. These Committees are the key to PASI's success and their chairs are members of the executive committee. Since we know that not all our members and friends were able to attend the meeting, we would like invite, welcome, and encourage each you to sign up for one of the following committees. Just email me back a quick note with the committee name you are interested in. The committees will set up a time and place to meet and begin their work. Someone from the committee will get back to you. COMMUNICATIONS/MEDIA COMMITTEE - Prepare mailings, emails, press releases, literature, flyers, brochures, web content. Provide photo, audio, and video support for events. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE - Maintain accurate membership list, welcome and stay in contact with members, encourage participation, manage the telephone tree, and increase membership. SPEAKERS BUREAU COMMITTEE - Prepare and give presentations, organize teach-ins, coordinate speakers. ACTION COMMITTEE - Help organize actions. Coordinate actions with other groups. Actions may include events, letters to editor, leafletting, outreach to veterans, women, seniors, student, labor, art, and other civic groups, etc. ADHOC BYLAWS COMMITTEE - Review and revise draft by-laws for presentation and approval by Peace Action of New York State and general membership of Peace Action of Staten Island. Thank you, Sally Jones March 24, 2003 Dear Friends of Peace Action, We had a wonderful, warm, sunny day yesterday in Manhattan, singing, chanting, walking for peace with who knows how many hundreds of thousands other people down Broadway to Washington Square Park. The 11 AM ferry was crowded with people headed to the march. Charlie Kitts, our logistics guy, had the folks marching with the Staten Island contingent take the #1 subway to 34th Street, where we entered into the colorful, festive human river of protestors just in front of a band of drummers backing up what seemed to be the universal call for "Peace.....Now!" About 2:30 PM, we entered the northeast corner of Washington Square Park, where the police announced the march was over and called on everyone to disperse. But the human river from 42nd Street was still marching down. It felt like a million strong. One Staten Island marcher, who was with students at 59th Street and entered the march after a long wait at 42nd street, did not make it down to Washington Square Park until 6:30 PM! Thank you, Staten Islanders, for coming out in such large numbers to protest what to much of the world and to many, many Americans is an illegal war that puts at risk so much we have worked for in the pursuit of peaceful, diplomatic, and humanitarian solutions to political conflicts. This day gave us courage and strength. Your protests and vigils, emails, letters to the editor, calls to elected officials and speaking out in every venue continue to put pressure on the Bush Administration. It lets them know that we are watching, we will not be silent, and we will continue to call for a stop to this war and the loss of innocent lives. It also lets them know that we will continue our work to put our country on the path towards a new foreign policy that supports human rights and democracy, reduces the threat from weapons of mass destruction, and cooperates with the world community. Sally Jones February 24, 2003 In the past four months, there's been a tremendous amount of "peace action" on Staten Island. In November, the UU Forum on Iraq and Vietnam with Vietnam Vet Ben Chitty. In December, the Middle East Teach In at CSI, the second Honk for Peace Rally and Candlelight Vigil at New Dorp and Hyland, the UU Forum on War & the Economy, and the Speakers Bureau Kiwanis Club engagement. In January, the March on Washington on the 18th; the next day, the UU service with Frankie Adams, powerfully recreating Martin Luther KIng Jr's speech against the Vietnam War; the Vets Speak Out at Wagner; and the tremendously successful third Honk For Peace rally at Forest Avenue Pathmark. In February, the Peace Teach In at CSI, the beginning of the Monday Evening Candlelight Vigils, and of course our participation in the Feb 15 The World Says No To War event. This onslaught of activity, together with numerous letters to the Editor from our members and friends, finally broke through the wall of silence in the Advance, which ran two front-page articles on our activities in the Sunday February 6 paper. The peace movement is alive and well on Staten Island. The path we need to take from here is clear. Above all we need to keep up our efforts in the cause of peace. The declaration of war with Iraq is imminent. We must be prepared for it, and for the onslaught of a tidal wave of pro-war administration propaganda from the media. The social climate will change. The Post will no doubt run even more horrifying, jingogistic headlines. In the face of this, our basic message - Stop This War - will not change. If anything, it will deepen. As a chapter of Peace Action national, we have just been provided with a tremendously effective tool for putting the War on Iraq in the perspective of a sane, peace-oriented long-term viewpoint - the Campaign for a New Nuclear Policy. Please click on the link to become familiar with the basics of this this campaign and its three basic planks: 1) opposing the policies of international human rights abusers, not rewarding them with weapons; 2) leading by example in the abolition of all weapons of mass destruction, not demanding that only the US and its allies may posess them; and 3) respecting international law as a participating member of the world community, not its most selfish bully. Please, become so familiar with of these three points that you can speak on them easily, and ensure that your every cry of "NO" to the war is balanced with a "YES" for the positive, peaceful alternative. Keep coming back to the words, "We need a new foreign policy." If we all do this, the cumulative effect will be very positive. The momentum of our movement will shift from simply reacting to the negatives of war to proactively acting for the workable positive alternative of peace. That is the intention of this two-year campaign - to reshape the entire character of the national debate, and bring the possibility of a truly sane foreign policy into the forefront of public discussion about where America is headed. Peace. John November 7, 2002 If you're tempted to feel blue about the elections, consider this: two out of three eligible Americans didn't even vote. The media spin on this is generally that it's a shame most Americans are so apathetic. But when I hear people say something like "What difference will my vote make?" what I hear is generally not so much apathy as disgust at the general corruptness of the political system. My sense is that the vast silent non-voting majority don't really want war. They just don't trust politicians to give them anything else, and they think it's futile to buck "the system.". These are the people we have to reach. Peace Action is a grassroots movement. Though we do keep tabs on policiticans and attempt to influence them, our primary work is with ordinary citizens like ourselves. The recent "Honk for Peace" rally outside Fossella's offices was a great example. Fossella wasn't even there, but thousands of people honked their horns in support of us. We made a great impact that day. At the demo, I walked into a furniture store and gave out leaflets to the three workers/owners, and one of them engaged me in a long and serious discussion - we talked for at least ten minutes. He really wanted to talk about the war, he seriously wanted to hear what I had to say, and the two others were hanging on our every word. That's what we need to keep doing. That kind of reaching out is the first and most important thing we can do to build our community. By speaking out, we get people thinking, show them that it's OK to speak up, and to set a good example of how to it with grace, conviction, and good humor. That's our task, simply to be witnesses for peace in whatever time we have left in this mad world. Thanks to everyone who is doing this. Don't stop now. Keep it up. Peace, John October 14, 2002 Last week's congressional vote unfortunately brings us closer to the brink of war, but it's important not to be discouraged. In fact, anti-war teach-ins and rallies are now stronger than ever, particularly on the West Coast. Remember that opposition to the Vietnam War only grew stronger the longer it continued. As the reality of war starts to sink in, the media illusions start to fall apart and people realize the truth. Efforts for peace are worthile in and of themselves,regardless of the outcome. .As Zen monks would say, "Don't be attached to outcomes." Why do we raise our voices for peace and sanity? Simply because our cause is right, in and of itself. Abolition of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons is the world's best, and perhaps only, hope. So we "do the right thing," whatever that may be. The coming week is chock full of peace activities to participate in. And don't forget to write a letter to the editor. Peace, John October 8, 2002 The Central Park rally was inspiring. Now, please, take that energy and put it into practice. After a big rally like that, it's natural, especially if you've worked hard on it, to relax and take a breather. But we can't afford that now. We have to push on with calls and letters to the editor. Keep calling senators and congresspeople. Call often. And please, everyone, sit down and write a letter to the editor. I should apologize that I've only written one letter so far - the piece about "my conversation with Jack" - which is going to be published in next week's Register. I've frankly been a bit overwhelmed by the challenge of writing to the Advance, But I'm starting the letter today, and I promise it will be in the mail by tomorrow. We have almost 200 people on our mailing list. Fifty of us came to the Central Park rally. If every one of us wrote the Advance, it would make a big impact on public opinion here. Please do it if you can. Don't worry.about how it sounds. Just say what is in your heart. Peace - John September 28, 2002 Last Sunday's Forum with Reverend Billy was phenomenal. As I prepare to survive on thrift store and yard sale items over the next year, I've been thinking about the ideas that came up. | |
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Phone calls: The Rev. felt that our politicians are
already so corrupt that phone calls to them are a waste of time. He has a
very valid point. I don't think we should expect phone calls to Schumer,
Clinton, or Fossella to turn the tide immediately. It's a last-ditch
effort, and we just don't have the numbers to justify any such
expectations. But you know, I'm going to do it anyway, and I hope you'll
join me, in the Zen spirit of not being attached to outcomes. Just
because, dammit, someone has to speak up for sanity. October 6: The Central Park Peace Rally is only two weeks away this Sunday. Let's celebrate peace while we still have it. Let's have a good time, let's do some outrageous stuff, in that Nuclear Free Zone. Make banners, and posters. I'm looking forward to chanting the Pledge of Resistance with 10,000 people. I'm going to chant very loud. Teach-ins: Please check the Calendar for upcoming teach-ins and debates at CSI and Wagner.. Creative action: Like the Rev said, we have to break out of the "handwringing liberal mindset" and find ways to bring the message of peace to people in a fresh new way. All I can say is, do whatever the spirit moves you to do - get friends together and just do it. Letters to the editor: Perhaps the most effective thing you can do is to write letters to the editor for our local papers -the Advance, of course, but send copies to the Register, and any other papers you know of as well. Express yourself! Say what's on your mind and in your heart. Be creative. The Abolition movement: You may nave noticed the new image link at the top of the page. There are a lot of new links in the menu as well. Three of these are particularly useful and I strongly recommend that everyone become familiar with what is on these sites for our long-range strategy. We need to be for something, and univeral abolition is the only workable alterenative I can see. • Nuclear Weapons Abolition Project The Global Resource Action Center for the Environment has a terrific section on nuclear abolition • Abolition 2000 Network The Abolition 2000 Network was the pioneering force in getting the global nuclear abolition going through the UN and maintains remains an important force. • Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Waging Peace is an extremely sophisticated, intelligent group with a wonderfully informative handbook that can be printed out from PDF Peace, John Bostrom Acting President |
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