PACIFIC CALL May-June 2006

Web edition at: www.scn.org/wwfor (may include articles and links that couldn’t fit into the print version).

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I wish that you all had been at the Veterans for Peace (VFP) national convention held in Seattle August 10-13. Seeing all those veterans who have come to be champions of peace was emotional, both inspiring and wrenching. Most moving for me were those from the current war in Iraq. Their experiences are so palpably raw, fresh, horrific; their youth so vital; their passion to stop the war so clear.

Camilo Mejia, sentenced to 1 year in prison for refusing to return to Iraq to participate in an "immoral, oil-driven war," has become a leading voice of conscience. At the opening plenary, he recalled the VFP convention in 2004 when Iraq Veterans Against War (IVAW) was formed with a few people. He asked all those IVAW members present to stand, and three full rows behind me and scattered other young men and women rose.

IVAW was a presence throughout the convention: the IVAW t-shirts stood out, as did their determination. They stood in solidarity behind Ricky Clousing, as did members of Military Families Speak Out and other vets at a press conference. Clousing served as an interrogator attached to tactical infantry units during daily patrol operations and was AWOL for a year because of the "abuses of power" he had witnessed, ranging from daily physical and psychological harassment to baseless incarceration of innocent civilians, including children. His proud, resolute mother said that though her son faces possible prison time, he can now look at himself in the mirror and sleep at night. Clousing turned himself in at Fort Lewis later that day and is now being held at Fort Bragg, NC.

IVAW members stood in solidarity with Lt. Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq, five days before his pretrial hearing for refusing deployment to Iraq. Watada called for "a change of strategy" for the peace movement. "Today, I speak with you about a radical idea ... The idea is this: that to stop an illegal and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fighting it." He received a powerful, standing ovation. [Read the full text at
http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/4952/ or view the video at http://www.truthout.org/multimedia.htm.] The military will shortly decide whether to proceed to court-martial; it is expected to take place in October or November.

Journalist Dahr Jamail, fresh from Beirut and Damascus, spoke about his friends in Iraq who had previously dismissed the notion of leaving their country but are now desperate to get out. And he sounded a clarion call about the current situation in Lebanon. [Read Seattle FOR's statement on Lebanon, Israel, and Gaza at www.scn.org/wwfor.] Dahr described the situation in Lebanon as "the worst I've ever seen," including his time in Fallujah. He warned of the looming possibility of a wider war: U.S. and Israeli attempts to provoke Syria to join the conflict would lead to Iran's involvement and then the likely entrance of both Russia and China. And he challenged his audience: "What do you need to do to be able to sleep at night?" The notion of withdrawal of consent and nonviolent resistance is being talked about more broadly (see article on Declaration of Peace). I urge us all to think carefully about Dahr's question.

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The Declaration pledges nonviolent action to:

• Bring the troops home now,
• By Sept. 21 establish a comprehensive plan to end the war,
• Oppose future US military invasions,
• Shift funds to meet human needs.

You can sign the Declaration of Peace at www.declarationofpeace.org or through local FOR groups. The campaign is endorsed by FOR, Seattle FOR, AFSC, Pax Christi USA, UFPJ, and more than 200 peace and justice organizations nationwide. Initial actions will take place across the country Sept. 21-28.

In the Puget Sound region, you can Declare Peace at Indian Island on Saturday, Sept. 23. Indian Island Naval Weapons Station, off Port Townsend, is the main base on the West Coast used to ship weapons overseas. Many people are unaware of this facility and its tangible connection to the wars in Iraq and elsewhere. Come help expose the base.

Peace and Justice Festival beginning at 11 am at HJ Carroll Park (off Hwy 19 between Chimacum and Port Townsend).

Peace march, starting at 1:30 pm, will progress to Indian Island, where some people will engage in nonviolent resistance, blocking the entrance to the base.

Liz Goldstein (Port Townsend organizer) describes watching ships arrive at Indian Island "high on the water" and leave weighted down "with weapons of death." In your community, you can host a panel talking about Indian Island, depleted uranium, and other related issues, and/or you can arrange a nonviolence training. For more information: www.declarationofpeacewa.blogspot.com or call 206-789-5565. To sign national declaration and additional info: www.declarationofpeace.org. Use the Department of Peace proposal as a way to reinvigorate your community. Come to Indian Island action, visit your Congressperson, have a party (see Wenatchee Valley report), conduct a simple survey talking about the impact of the war, organize a prayer vigil, have a public signing of declaration, be creative!

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Passing on the Torch: 2006 Peace Activist Trainee Program By Mike and Ruth Yarrow

You know the feeling when you take on a challenge, wonder whether you can carry it through, and when you succeed, feel more elated than if it had been easier? That is how four of us felt who led the Peace Activist Trainee (PAT) project this July.

Our five high school junior trainees differed from previous years in being more diverse both racially and in their life experiences. We felt we could work with a more challenging group because the Abe Keller Peace Education Fund made it possible to hire a part-time younger staff person of color. We were very fortunate to have Sarah Augustine, who has been an active member of our Seattle Chapter FOR Racial Justice Committee, take this role. She helped the trainees work through difficult issues around racism and pushed them to process their experiences so they would become more reflective about their lives and work for peace and justice.

The most emotional day was when Sarah and Ellen Finkelstein helped the trainees confront unintentional racism in their group. The trainees also wrested some autonomy from us to work on their street interviews by themselves. Out of their struggles they formed real connections with each other and a joyful sense of accomplishment.

Activities this year included nonviolence and anti-racism training, active listening to people on the street, speaking with military resisters and visiting recruiting stations to experience the recruiters’ pitch, creating and using a survey to get responses from over 100 people downtown on the fairness of the WASL test, visiting tent city, an anti-war rally and Seattle Young People’s Project, meeting with a school board member and a candidate for state legislature, filming and editing a video on racism in Seattle, showing the video and leading discussions at a public event totally planned by the students, and giving soap box speeches at a downtown park.

Here are some of their evaluations:

"It was great how you got us out of the office and around so much."

"[What I found most useful was] the other trainees - being around such inspired, intelligent youth! I love how many people we talked to and came to talk to us. All the actions were good too. The nonviolence trainings, the survey, public speaking."

"I like that it was flexible. I got a lot of organizing and contact information that will help me be more of a group activist. It was a great helpful program."

" I enjoyed all of what they shared and offered. Just keep up the downtown activities talking to people and give more practice on public speaking. Keep doing what you do because I had fun!"

"I found it all extremely useful. The public speaking was a great experience and gave me confidence in myself and my abilities. I absolutely will continue (working for peace and justice). I feel like now I have the means to get things done.  THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

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Parents of high school students can request that their child’s contact information not be shared with the military. In Seattle, fill out and return the "opt-out" form included in the August back-to-school packet. The form is also available from the web at www.seattleschools.org In Seattle, completed "opt-out" forms must be returned to the student’s high school by October 9.

The opt-out form offers three choices:
1. Release the student’s name, address, phone number and other information to the military, colleges, universities, scholarship grantors and other groups.
2. Refuse to release the information to the military only.
3. Refuse to release the information to all groups.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, high schools must release to military recruiters information on juniors and seniors who have not opted out. Schools must give military recruiters the same access as other recruiters, including talking to students on campus even if they have returned an opt-out form for choice #2 or #3. Students in other districts can "opt-out" if you act before your school’s deadline. Contact your school or www.leavemychildalone.org for information.

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Summary Report About Nuclear Weapons, World Peace Forum, July 4 By Bernie Meyer

The 2006 World Peace Forum held in Vancouver BC was actually many conferences within the Forum, e.g., Asia Regional Conference, Youth Day, International Peace Education Conference, etc. The Agenda for Nuclear Weapons & Space contained Plenaries and numerous Workshops. 5000 participants represented 100 nations.

Regarding nuclear abolition, in a nutshell, we were told that we, the people, are on our own. We must abolish nuclear weapons by creating a civil society, which influences the United Nations and world governments.

The core of this conference track for me was Tuesday morning when "World Hibakusha" gave their testimonies about the human effects of nuclear radiation and weapons. People from Japan and South Korea talked about the effects of the atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Utah downwinders and a Marshall Islands citizen described their suffering from nuclear testing. A Windsor Ontario citizen told about the presence of nuclear radiation in her community. (The numerous large pictures with script were everywhere at the Forum, graphically displaying the horrendous effects.)

This was followed by a workshop about "Resisting Trident: Building Toward a Nuclear Weapons-free World." I represented Ground Zero on a panel organized by representatives from the United Kingdom. The objective is to move the United Kingdom to terminate its commitment to the next generation of Trident. Faslane 365 is organizing groups of 100 to blockade the Faslane Scotland Trident base for two days each, beginning on October 2^nd 2006. Britain’s current nuclear weapon system is designed to be operational well into the 2020’s. It consists of four Vanguard class nuclear-powered submarines, 58 leased US Trident D5 missiles and a stockpile of about 200 warheads. The Government has stated that decisions on Trident’s replacement are likely to be taken in this Parliament. Who is interested in organizing a US delegation to Faslane sometime after October 2nd?

Bruce Gagnon, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, organized "The Space-Military-Industrial: Connecting the Dots and Acting on the Picture" Workshop. After the presentation of a vast amount of information by a strong network of activists, I asked Bruce, "Who is the enemy for all this?" He replied, "China is the long term enemy," then passionately added that ultimately "the people."

Canada’s Mel Hurtig and Senator Doug Roche, Jackie Cabasso and Physicians For Social Responsibility’s Mary Wynne-Ashford, among others, all concurred on the basic conference message: We need grassroots organizing to end nuclear weapons. The Peace Forum’s Opening Plenary featured the Mayors for Peace (20/20 Vision, 20/30 Vision) with Judge Christopher Weeramantry, who was on the 1996 International Court banning nuclear weapons, among others. The mayors postured themselves among the grassroots.

At a last day session former UN Iraq nuclear weapons inspector Hans Blix spoke about the new report, "WEAPONS OF TERROR, Freeing the World of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Arms," by the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (WMDC). This is another tool for grassroots efforts. There was discussion about efforts to revisit the International Court about nuclear weapons. Hans Blix said he just returned from Russia where he observed a difficult "attitude" about nuclear weapons.

Other leaders said that the United States led the world into nuclear weapons and should lead the world away from them. The US is "paranoid" about China.

Coalition organizing: At three separate workshop events, values organizing was recommended, including: nonviolence, democracy, justice, sustainability, sense of humor, social equity, and sustainability. The point is that we need broad coalition across activists’ interests to make the changes we want and need. Labor, environmentalists, peace activists, etc will come together on values.

ADDENDUM: The British American Security Information Council on June 19^th published a new report, "US ‘Prompt Global Strike’ Capability: A New Destabilising Sub-state Deterrent in the Making?", warning of the possible dangers ahead if new US strategy is permitted to go ahead.

"The ‘Prompt Global Strike’ (PGS) concept is an entirely predictable extension of current US ‘preemptive’ strategic thinking. Indeed, its conceptual development from a purely strategic to a viable tactical weapon mirrors the subtle way the Bush doctrine of ‘pre-emption’ has increasingly become one of ‘preemption’", said BASIC Director and co-author Dr. Ian Davis.

This report is too brief to mention all the insights offered. For more info: berniemeyer2001@yahoo.com 360-570-0975

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Wenatchee Valley FOR By Nancy Jarmin

Wenatchee Valley FOR member Peggy Love and her husband Jerry Schlaman organized the Wenatchee viewing of the "Eyes Wide Open" display of National Guardsmen/ women's boots and Iraqi citizen's shoes, in Wenatchee's Memorial Park on July 26. It was viewed, discussed and photographed throughout the day. A large number of people viewed the display at the close of their workday, so the display stayed open for over an hour past scheduled time.

Several members of Wenatchee Valley FOR invited to people of a variety of faith traditions to join together on July 23 for a vegetarian potluck and a discussion centered on five predetermined questions regarding our faiths. All attendees proclaimed it to be something they would like to continue.

In support of the Declaration of Peace, we are planning "Peace Cookie Parties," inviting people to gather for discussion and to write letters urging our elected officials to speak out and Bring Our Troops home. We will also bake, decorate and consume cookies made in a dove pattern and round sugar cookies decorated with peace signs. Copies of the Declaration of Peace will be distributed at each "Peace Cookie Party" and during midweek street corner vigils.

Peggy Love and Jerry Schlaman spent the August 12-13 weekend at the Veteran's for Peace conference in Seattle. We look forward to hearing their report.

Many of us viewed Al Gore's terrific new film "An Inconvenient Truth." We urge you to see it and take action.

Fire Mountain FOR By Larry Kerschner

Fire Mountain chapter continues our weekly vigil at Washington Park in Centralia. We have produced and distributed 400 copies of the CD Be All That You Can Be. On August 1 we hosted the Veterans Ride for Sustainability headed to the Veterans For Peace national convention in Seattle.

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Plants For Peace at Fremont Fair, Seattle By Helen Karr

Many thanks to all who gifted plants and personal time to our Plants For Peace booth at the Fremont Street Fair on June 17-18. We raised $268 toward scholarships for the FOR annual Seabeck regional conference. With your help we are an annual FOR presence, at every Fremont Fair for 35 years!

This year’s WWFOR Fall Retreat in Lacey (near Olympia) will feature segments of the national FOR’s nonviolence training curriculum, "Creating a Culture of Peace." Flyer and registration form enclosed with mailed version of this newsletter and posted at http://www.scn.org/wwfor/fallretreat2006.doc (MS Word document) , or contact WWFOR 206-789-5565 wwfor@connectexpress.com

Stretch your dollars, enjoy a great time with fellow activists and help WWFOR. In addition to a fast paced and fun Live Auction we will once again feature a great Silent Auction, a Dessert Dash, and Door Prizes. Pencil in the date, invite friends, and look for more info in mid-October. To donate new and gently used quality items, contact Mary Savage at 206-522-6201 (evenings).

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Still waging peace all over! Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War Puget Sound & beyond http://www.snowCoalition.org, Olympia plus http://www.OlyFOR.org, Seattle plus http://www.scn.org/activism/calendar, Bellingham http://www.bellinghampeace.org Tacoma http://www.tacomapjh.org, Tri-Cities http://www.tcfn.org/wcp

Ongoing 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 5:15 - 6:15 pm, on Pacific Ave. & S. 19th St. at Union Station, Tacoma; Tacoma Women in Black's Vigil for Peace; No signs please. info Alison 253-678-7053 or arboreal@speakeasy.org

Ongoing Thursdays, 9 p.m. & Mondays 1:30 p.m., TCTV channel 22 in Thurston County, Olympia *FOR* TV monthly program, Sept program on Immigration, Oct on Iran. info Glen 360-491-9093 or http://www.olyfor.org

Ongoing Fridays, 4:30 - 6 p.m., south end of Percival Landing, W 4th & Water, Olympia; Please join Olympia *FOR* in this very friendly peace vigil for all or part of this time. Signs provided or bring your own. info 360-491-9093 or info@olyfor.org

Ongoing Saturdays, noon - 1 p.m., along Pearl St. at Locust, along Washington Park in front of library in Centralia; 3-year old Vigil with focus on Peace and Education by Fire Mountain *FOR*; info June Butler, 360-748-9658 or Larry Kerschner 360-291-3946 or http://www.firemountainfor.org

Ongoing Sundays, 12:30 -1:30 p.m., at the Brackett's Landing sign, Main Street and Railroad Avenue, in downtown Edmonds; Snohomish County Women In Black, Silent Vigil For Peace; Everyone is welcome. info Beth Burrows beb@igc.org

Ongoing Sundays, 2 p.m., at Greenlake, East Greenlake Way N near N 63rd, Seattle; Peace Vigil, all peaceful people invited, bring signs, leaflets, and your friends and dogs, info greenlakepeacevigil@hotmail.com

Ongoing Sundays, 10 p.m., on TCTV channel 22 in Thurston County; Olympia *FOR* sponsors documentaries on peace and social justice, Sept "Fish Can't Fly" about religious gays and lesbians who faced pressure to "change." info Carol 360-866-7645 or carolburns98@comcast.net

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Fri Sept 8, and subsequent 2nd Fridays, Doors open 6:30 pm; film at 7 pm, at Kitsap Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4418 Perry Avenue NE, Bremerton; Second Friday Social Justice Film Series; light refreshments are served; free admission! To arrange childcare or for info SoundPeaceAndJustice@comcast.net

Sat Sept 9, 3 pm, at the Olympia Film Society's Capitol Theater, Olympia; See the movie, The Making of the Mahatma. Gandhi transformed himself in South Africa. Learn from him how to transform our lives to bring sustainability back to the earth. info Bernie Meyer berniemeyer2001@yahoo.com

Sun Sept 10, 1 pm, on the Capitol Steps, Olympia; Truth and love moved Gandhi to inspire the peoples of India to stand up against the oppression of the British Empire by the Salt Walk in 1930. With this Salt Walk re-enactment, we walk with Gandhi (portrayed by Bernie Meyer) to the Port Plaza where we will express our commitment to seek the truth and to work to save the earth. info Bernie Meyer berniemeyer2001@yahoo.com

Sun Sept 10, 2 p.m., at First United Methodist Church, 506 S. Washington, Centralia; Fire Mountain (Centralia-Chehalis area) *FOR* meeting, Bring snacks to share. Send agenda items to the facilitator: Newt, newt@nbtsc.org, info Jessica 360-767-0161, Larry 360-291-3946 or http://www.firemountainfor.org

Mon Sept 11, call to confirm, 7 p.m., at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church, 225 N 70th, Seattle; meeting of SNOW, Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War. info 206-789-2684 or http://www.snowcoalition.org

Weds Sept 13, 7 pm, phone for location in Tumwater; Death penalty abolition committee of Olympia *FOR* meets. info Chuck or Rozanne, 360-705-8520 rozannerants@yahoo.com

Tues Sept 19, 3 - 5 p.m., at Planned Parenthood, 2001 E. Madison, Seattle; Safe Schools Coalition meeting, *WWFOR* is a member, working to help schools become safe places regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, attend in person or by phone; RSVP and info Beth Reis, elizabeth.reis@metrokc.gov, 206-296-4970 or http://www.SafeSchoolsCoalition.org

Thurs Sept 21, gathering at 6 pm at Maritime Heritage Park, 6 - 7 pm peace march, 7pm event, at First Congregational Church, 2401, Cornwall Avenue, Bellingham; The Whatcom Peace & Justice Center observes International Day of Peace with theme 'Cease Fire! Declare Peace'. Featuring speakers Tom Hunter and Doris Kent, mother of local fallen soldier Corporal Jonathan Santos plus The Kulshan Chorus, and a Children's Art Program. This is a family event! info 360-734-0217 or http://www.WhatcomPJC.org

Sat Sept 23, 11 am, start at HJ Carroll Park off Hwy 19 between Chimacum and Port Townsend; Take the Next Big Step to End the Occupation of Iraq. "Sign Me Up!" I am ready to Declare Peace at Indian Island Naval Weapons Depot, the main West Coast port used to ship weapons to Iraq and elsewhere overseas. War crimes are being committed in Iraq. 11 am Peace and Justice Festival, 1:30 pm Peace March to Indian Island Naval Reserve, 3 pm Nonviolent Resistance Action at Indian Island, 5 pm Music concert with David Rovics, Big Whoop and others. This action is coordinated with similar actions nationwide in conjunction with The Declaration of Peace, info http://www.declarationofpeacewa.blogspot.com or liz@teenpeace.org or WWFOR 206-789-5565

Mon Oct 2, and subsequent 1st Mondays, please confirm by phone, 7 p.m. at St. Mark's Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave E, Conference Room, Seattle; Jubilee 2000 NW Coalition meeting, working for debt relief for world's poorest nations, info Mary Margaret Pruitt 206-382-3785 or http://www.jubileenw.org

Tues Oct 3, 7:30 pm, at Town Hall, Eighth Ave at Seneca, Seattle; Town Hall Center for Civic Life presents a program with Peace Mom Cindy Sheehan, who has been speaking out against the US war on Iraq. info http://www.townhallseattle.org

Fri Oct 6, please check website, 6:30 pm, at Cascade People's Center, 309 Pontius Ave N, Seattle; *FOR* affiliate Justice Works! meeting; an organization whose mission is undoing racism in the criminal justice system as experienced by African Americans; info 206-303-7559, http://www.justiceworks.info

Sun Oct 8, 2 p.m., at Centralia Library; Fire Mountain (Centralia-Chehalis area) *FOR* meeting, info Jessica 360-767-0161, Larry 360-291-3946 or http://www.firemountainfor.org

Mon Oct 9, call to confirm, 7 p.m., at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church, 225 N 70th, Seattle; meeting of SNOW, Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War. info 206-789-2684 or http://www.snowcoalition.org

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Fri Oct 13, and subsequent 2nd Fridays, Doors open 6:30 pm; film at 7 pm, at Kitsap Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4418 Perry Avenue NE, Bremerton; Second Friday Social Justice Film Series; light refreshments are served; free admission! To arrange childcare or for info SoundPeaceAndJustice@comcast.net

Oct 15 - 16, at Centralia College; Arlington Northwest, an exhibit of grave markers representing the US military personnel killed in the War in Iraq, info peacepoet@gmail.com

Tues Oct 17, 3 - 5 p.m., at Planned Parenthood, 2001 E. Madison, Seattle; Safe Schools Coalition meeting, *WWFOR* is a member, working to help schools become safe places regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, attend in person or by phone; RSVP and info Beth Reis, elizabeth.reis@metrokc.gov, 206-296-4970 or http://www.SafeSchoolsCoalition.org

Weds Oct 18, 7 pm, phone for location in Tumwater; Death penalty abolition committee of Olympia *FOR* meets. info Chuck or Rozanne, 360-705-8520 rozannerants@yahoo.com

Sat Oct 28, afternoon, in Bellingham; Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! speaks, details TBA, info Whatcom Peace & Justice Center 360-734-0217 or http://www.WhatcomPJC.org

Fri Nov 3, please check website, 6:30 pm, at Cascade People's Center, 309 Pontius Ave N, Seattle; *FOR* affiliate Justice Works! meeting; an organization whose mission is undoing racism in the criminal justice system as experienced by African Americans; info 206-303-7559, http://www.justiceworks.info

Nov 4 - 18, Join Interfaith Peace-Builders, Fellowship of Reconciliation, and the American Friends Service Committee to travel to Israel/ Palestine. Applications accepted until Oct 2. info http://www.forusa.org/programs/ipb/ or 202-244-0821

Mon Nov 6, and subsequent 1st Mondays, please confirm by phone, 7 p.m. at St. Mark's Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave E, Conference Room, Seattle; Jubilee 2000 NW Coalition meeting, working for debt relief for world's poorest nations, info Mary Margaret Pruitt 206-382-3785 or http://www.jubileenw.org

Fri - Mon June 29 - July 2, at Seabeck, Wa; Save the Date for the 49th Annual *FOR* Northwest Regional Conference with participants form Wa, Or, BC, and beyond. info wwfor@connectexpress.com or 206-789-5565

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Western Washington FOR needs your financial support. If you like what we are doing, please donate to: WWFOR, 225 N 70^th, Seattle WA 98103. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. FOR is a 501(c)(3) organization.

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