Northland Anti-War Coalition

Weekly Antiwar Pickets - Every Friday

2012-01-15T18:17:00.000-06:00

While it may have fallen from the news headlines, the bloody U.S. war in Afghanistan continues, and is regularly spilling into neighboring countries like Pakistan. To keep the anti-war flag flying, the Northland Anti-War Coalition holds "Stand for Peace" pickets every Friday from 5-6pm at the corner of Lake Ave. & Superior Street in downtown Duluth. Join us in holding signs and talking to people about the urgent need to bring the troops home now! Feel free to make and bring your own sign, though we always have a few extras on hand. And be sure to bring a friend!

Attend the United National Antiwar Conference!

2012-01-15T18:09:00.004-06:00

Say No! to the NATO/G8 Wars and Poverty Agenda

A Conference to Challenge the Wars of the 1% Against the 99% Abroad and at Home.

March 23-25, 2012 – Stamford Hilton Hotel, CT

Next spring, international military, financial, and political leaders who serve the 1% at home and abroad will meet in Chicago to discuss their economic and military strategies for the planet for the coming period.

At the invitation of the White House, the 28-nation US-commanded and largely US-financed North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the G-8 world economic powers are meeting in Chicago, May 15-22, 2012.

The NATO generals and G8 heads of state and finance ministers are the team that is imposing austerity on the working people of the world in the interest of expanding profits. In many places, economic “reform” is enforced at the point of a gun – by drones, armies, and police.

In May, those of us struggling against the tyranny of the banks and the corporate elite, those of us fighting against job loss, foreclosure, cuts to education, and the restriction of our democratic rights, will march in Chicago. The authorities intend to deny us our constitutional rights to peacefully and legally protest. We must challenge them and bring thousands to Chicago to stand in solidarity with all those fighting US-backed austerity and war around the globe.

To plan these actions and further actions against the program of endless war that necessarily accompanies the austerity drives of the global elite, we will meet in a large national conference March 23-25 in Stamford CT. This conference will bring together activists from the occupy movements, the antiwar movement, and all the constituencies representing the 99% engaged in struggle for economic equality. We will demand that Washington Bring Our War Dollars Home Now! and use these trillions immediately for human needs.

The conference program will feature movement leaders, educators, grassroots activists, 40 workshops, and discussion/voting sessions on an action program.

Workshop topics include: Occupy Wall St. Movement ∞ Global Economic Crisis, Climate Crisis, and War ∞ Women and War ∞ War at Home on Black Community and the Role of Mass Incarceration ∞ War on the U.S.-Mexico Border ∞ Islamophobia as a Tool of War ∞ War and the Labor’s Fight Back ∞ The Truth about Iran ∞ Afghanistan after Ten Years of Occupation ∞ Is the U.S. Really Withdrawing from Iraq? ∞ Pakistan: How US Wars Hurt the Movements of Workers, Farmers, and Women ∞ Updates on Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, and Yemen ∞ What Next for the Arab Spring ∞ Occupation of Haiti ∞ U.S. Intervention in Honduras, Colombia, and the rest of Latin America ∞ Drone War and Weapons in Space ∞ Fight for Our Right to Protest ∞ Civil Liberties ∞ Guantanamo ∞ Torture and Rendition ∞ New Scramble for Africa ∞ Why Are U.S. Combat Troops in Central Africa? ∞ Somalia ∞ Control of Media ∞ Imperialism ∞ Nonviolence & Direct Action ∞ Palestine: UN Recognized Statehood or Civil Resistance ∞ Breaking the Siege of Gaza ∞ Veterans Rights ∞ Immigrant Rights and War

A conference highlight will be the relationship between the Wars Abroad and the racist War at Home on the Black Community. Speakers will address the massive unemployment and the New Jim Crow of mass incarceration, 24/7 surveillance, entrapment, police brutality, the prison industry, and the racist death penalty, as well as the way in which mobilizing around these issues are central to effective movement building.
To register for the conference, click here.

Sleeping room reservations.

Go directly to the special convention page put up by the hotel. Click here.

http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/B/BDRSTHF-UNA-20120320/index.jhtml.

To submit a resolution for the conference voting sessions, please sent it to UNACpeace@gmail.com. Put "Conference Resolution" in the subject line of the email

To submit a proposal for a workshop, please click here.

Original Child Bomb - August 6

2011-08-03T21:51:00.000-05:00

by the Just Peace Committee of Peace UCC

In remembrance of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Just Peace Committee of Peace United Church of Christ, together with the Community of the 3rd Way, invite you to a showing of the film Original Child Bomb on Sunday, August 6th at 7pm at Peace UCC (1111 N 11th Ave E).

Inspired by Thomas Merton's poem, Original Child Bomb shows the human cost of nuclear weapons. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are depicted through declassified footage, photographs, drawings and testimonies of mothers, brothers and soldiers. Ordinary people gaze upon the nuclear past and its terrifying present. They expose the political rhetoric surrounding "security" and "weapons of mass destruction." The film is a wake-up call and an invitation to action.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Penny at 218-727-2972.

Cuba caravan visits Twin Ports July 6

2011-06-24T08:48:00.002-05:00

Pastors for Peace will roll through the Twin Ports on Wednesday, July 6 as part of their 22nd caravan to Cuba. Caravan volunteers are visiting 130 cities in Canada, the US and Mexico before delivering hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba in nonviolent defiance of the US blockade.

Loaves and Fishes Community is hosting a gathering to welcome the caravan to Duluth. Potluck starts at 6pm at Dorothy Day House (1712 Jefferson Street), followed by a short presentation about the caravan by Rev. Luis Barrios, associate priest at St Mary's Episcopal Church in West Harlem and member of the Pastors for Peace board of directors. Freewill cash donations to support the caravan will be accepted.

All are welcome, but RSVP to Loaves and Fishes at duluthcatholicworker(at)gmail(dot)com or by calling 218-724-2054.

Colombian musician and human rights campaigner visits Duluth

2011-06-20T16:13:00.001-05:00

This summer, Witness for Peace -- Upper Midwest is hosting a visit to Duluth by Colombian musician and community organizer Daira Quiñones Preciado. Daira is a singer, dancer, and poet who has directly suffered from Colombia's civil war, and who now works to help others who have been similarly victimized by privileged, armed sectors of Colombian society. Daira is among 4.9 million Colombians displaced by violence and she works with displaced people in Bogotá, focusing on their need for food, shelter, and clothing, as well as organizing workshops on dance, music, identity, and human rights. Daira is one of the founders of FUNDARTECP, the Foundation for Art and Culture of the Pacific.

Daira will take part in two public events in June and July:

Women Leading the Way to Justice and Peace

Thursday, June 23

10am to noon

Center for Nonviolence (202 E Superior St, Duluth)

Daira will join local human rights activists for a report from an all-women Witness for Peace delegation to Colombia, looking at the role of women in transforming Colombian society and resisting war.

Conversations in Song

Friday, July 8

Peace Church (1111 N 11th Ave E, Duluth)

6pm refreshments, 7pm performance

Daira will team up with local talents Sara Thomsen, Beth Bartlett, Steve Horner and Ritchie Townsend for an evening of music and art. Freewill donations to benefit Witness for Peace.

MN Senators call for troop drawdown in Afghanistan

2011-06-20T10:54:00.003-05:00

On June 15, a bi-partisan group of 27 US Senators - including Minnesota's Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar - sent a letter to President Obama demanding an accelerated withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. In a press release issued the same day, Sen. Franken is quoted as saying: "When we started the surge in Afghanistan, the President said we would start drawing down our troops this July and we're holding him to that. Today we call for a sizable and sustained drawdown of our troops starting this summer."

"the President said we would start drawing down our troops this July and we're holding him to that"

Al Franken

The Northland Anti-War Coalition calls for nothing short of an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all US troops and military contractors from Afghanistan. Still, the Senators' letter is a step in the right direction and reflects growing public frustration with endless US wars. Daniel Fanning, the northeast Minnesota Regional Outreach Representative for Sen. Franken, explained in a letter to NAWC and other organizations that Sen. Franken's office has heard from veterans, labor and faith groups across the state "and overall the message we've been hearing has been very consistent" for troop withdrawal.

People power works, so keep it up! Contact Senators Klobuchar and Franken today. Thank them for signing the letter to Obama and urge them to work for complete US military withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq NOW.

Continue reading for the full text of the letter.

June 15, 2011

The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write to express our strong support for a shift in strategy and the beginning of a sizable and sustained reduction of U.S. military forces in Afghanistan, beginning in July 2011.

In 2001 the United States rightfully and successfully intervened in Afghanistan with the goals of destroying al Qaeda's safe haven, removing the Taliban government that sheltered al Qaeda, and pursuing those who planned the September 11 attacks on the United States. Those original goalshave been largely met and today, as CIA Director Leon Panetta noted last June, "I think at most, we're looking at maybe 50 to 100, maybe less" al Qaeda members remaining in Afghanistan.

In addition, over the past few years, U.S. forces have killed or captured dozens of significant al Qaeda leaders. Then, on May 2, 2011, American Special Forces acting under your direction located and killed Osama bin Laden. The death of the founder of al Qaeda is a major blow that further weakens the terrorist organization.

From the initial authorization of military force through your most recent State of the Union speech, combating al Qaeda has always been the rationale for our military presence in Afghanistan. Given our successes, it is the right moment to initiate a sizable and sustained reduction in forces, with the goal of steadily redeploying all regular combat troops.

There are those who argue that rather than reduce our forces, we should maintain a significant number of troops in order to support a lengthy counter-insurgency and nation building effort. This is misguided. We will never be able to secure and police every town and village in Afghanistan. Nor will we be able to build Afghanistan from the ground up into a Western-style democracy.

Endemic corruption in Afghanistan diverts resourcesintended to build roads, schools, and clinics, and some of these funds end up in the hands of the insurgents. Appointments of provincial and local officials on the basis of personal alliances and graft leads to deep mistrust by the Afghan population. While it is a laudable objective to attempt to build newcivic institutions in Afghanistan, this goal does not justify the loss of American lives or the investment of hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars.

Instead of continuing to be embroiled in ancient local and regional conflicts in Afghanistan, we must accelerate the transfer of responsibility for Afghanistan's development to the Afghan people and their government. We should maintain our capacity to eliminate any new terrorist threats, continue to train the Afghan National Security Forces, and maintain our diplomatic and humanitarian efforts. However, these objectives do not require the presence of over 100,000 American troops engaged in intensive combat operations.

Mr. President, according to our own intelligence officials, al Qaeda no longer has a large presence in Afghanistan, and, as the strike against bin Laden demonstrated, we have the capacity to confront ourterrorist enemies with a dramatically smaller footprint. The costs of prolonging the war far outweigh the benefits. It is time for the United States to shift course in Afghanistan.

We urge you to follow through on the pledge you made to the American people to begin the redeployment of U.S. forces from Afghanistan this summer, and to do so in a manner that is sizable and sustained, and includes combat troops as well as logistical and support forces.

We look forward to working with you to pursue a strategy in Afghanistan that makes our nation stronger and more secure.

Sincerely,

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)
Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM)
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Government escalates crackdown on Midwest activists

2011-05-09T19:29:00.002-05:00

According to the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, the bank accounts of a Chicago-area human rights activist Hatem Abudayyeh and his wife Naima were frozen on May 6. Abudayyeh is one of 23 Midwest activists ordered to appear before a federal grand jury, and his home was among those raided by the FBI in September. The Abudayyehs have a 5 year old daughter.

Take action Tuesday:
Call the Office of Foreign Assets Control at 202-622-2410 or 202-622-1651.

Demand:
--Unfreeze the bank accounts of the Abudayyeh family
--Stop repression against Palestinian, anti-war and international solidarity activists.

For more information, visit stopfbi.net

UPDATE 5/10/11: Victory, sort of... TCF Bank appears to have illegally frozen the accounts, and today promised to issue a check for their value. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression reports:

Michael Deutsch, attorney for the family, said, “In my opinion, the bank did not act out of the blue. I suspect that the FBI and U.S Attorney investigation caused the bank to overreact and illegally freeze the Abudayyehs’ banking accounts that had been there for over a decade.”

In response to the seizing of the couple’s accounts, people across the country called the offices of US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago, and those of the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) demanding the return of their money and an end to the repression.

A Code Pink activist from Washington, D.C., called Fitzgerald’s office and was told, “We’ve received hundreds of calls.” The OFAC office was bombarded as well, and journalists from a National Public Radio affiliate, Al Jazeera and other agencies contacted them for an explanation.

TCF is well known for having links to the right-wing think tank the Center for the American Experiment.

Coleen Rowley: Obama is not listening

2011-04-26T10:34:00.007-05:00

On April 12, FBI whistle-blower Coleen Rowley visited Duluth to rally support for Bradley Manning, the Army intelligence specialist accused of leaking evidence of US war crimes to Wikileaks. Representatives of NAWC and Veterans for Peace joined Rowley for a noon press conference at the Duluth Civic Center, which was covered by local television stations and KUWS radio.

“Disclosing fraud, waste, abuse, a risk to public safety or an illegal act is heroic."
Coleen Rowley

Tom Palumbo, a 12-year veteran of the US Army and registered nurse, told members of the media that the conditions of Manning's pre-trial confinement - including sleep deprivation and extreme isolation - were unethical and could lead to long-term physical and mental health problems for the 23-year-old private.

Rowley spoke about her experience exposing both the failure of US intelligence agencies to follow leads on the planned 9/11 attack and the increased risk of terrorism that would result from an invasion of Iraq. She said that after 24 years in the FBI she is convinced that transparency is vital to democracy and national security. “Disclosing fraud, waste, abuse, a risk to public safety or an illegal act is heroic," she said, but added that "it’s very difficult to do,” especially for members of the military who have "no ability to speak up." Unfortunately, whistle-blower protection laws have little chance of clearing Congress, she said, and Obama appears more eager than Bush to prosecute people who expose wrong-doing, as evidenced by Manning's case.

Check out local coverage of the press conference here:

Later that evening, Rowley delivered the final lecture in the Terrorism and Human Rights series at the College of St Scholastica. If you missed it, here's the full lecture. You can watch other speakers in the series at St Scholastica's YouTube channel.

Rally for Bradley Manning - April 12 in Duluth

2011-04-08T19:01:00.005-05:00

Stand with Brad!

Blowing the whistle on war crimes is not a crime!

Tuesday, April 12

12 noon

Duluth Federal Building

Join Veterans for Peace and FBI whistle-blower Coleen Rowley for a rally in support 23-year old Pfc Bradley Manning, the Army intelligence specialist accused of leaking footage of US war crimes in Iraq. While the perpetrators of those crimes walk free, Manning is enduring brutal pre-trial punishment at the Quantico Marine base in Virginia, including 23-hour a day isolation and forced nudity. Among dozens of charges filed against Manning is "aiding the enemy" - a capital offense.

The UK government and the UN have moved to intervene in Manning's case, and former State Department spokesman PJ Crowley called Manning's treatment "stupid and counter-productive" - an opinion that cost him his job. Two hundred and fifty legal scholars, including Obama's former advisor Laurence Tribe, recently signed a petition condemning Manning's treatment as unconstitutional.

President Obama's response? He defends Manning's abuse as "appropriate and meeting our basic standards."

Exposing war crimes is not a crime. Stand up for Manning and your right to know. To learn more, visit bradleymanning.org.

Military Math

2011-04-06T13:51:00.000-05:00

Thanks to markfiore.com

Rep. Hilty introduces priorities resolution to Minnesota House of Representatives

2011-04-03T22:12:00.002-05:00

On March 21, state representative Bill Hilty (8A) introduced a resolution to the Minnesota House urging the federal government to cut military spending and re-invest the savings into cash-strapped states. House File 1249 calls on President Obama and the Minnesota congressional delegation "to shift federal funding priorities from war and the interests of the few, to meeting the essential needs of us all."

Current MN budget shortfall:
$5,028,000,000
MN taxpayers' projected contribution to the military budget over the next 2 years:
$26,000,000,000

HF1249 is co-authored by Kerry Gauthier, Mary Murphy and Tom Huntley of Duluth, and Range representatives Tom Rukavina and Tom Anzelc. A companion resolution has also been introduced to the Senate.

You can read the full text here.

Please help NAWC build support for HF1249 and educate our community about the cost of war. NAWC would like to bring this resolution to unions, faith communities and other civic groups around our region and ask for their endorsement. If we can come to the next meeting of your organization, please contact Joel at northlandantiwar[AT]gmail[DOT]com, or by phone at 218-340-4356.

Coleen Rowley at St Scholastica 3/22

2011-03-16T10:26:00.105-05:00

UPDATE 3/22: Coleen Rowley's lecture has been POSTPONED on account of the blizzard. It has been rescheduled to TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 7:30pm

Tuesday, ~~March 22~~ April 12

7:30 pm

College of St Scholastica - Mitchell Auditorium

"Obama's Response to Terrorism"

with Coleen Rowley

Free and open to the public

Duluthian reports on protest in Iraq

2011-03-08T16:21:00.004-06:00

While the corporate media in the U.S. have offered some coverage of the uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East, they have almost completely ignored the massive protests sweeping Iraq, led by ordinary people fed up with government corruption and repression. U.S.-backed security forces have responded violently, with dozens of deaths reported. Duluthian Michele Naar-Obed is currently in the Kurdish north with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) and has been able to send home regular reports. Below is a recent summary of events. You can read more and see photos from the protests on the CPT website.

The Voices of Iraqi Kurdistan Will Not Be Silenced

By Michele Naar-Obed

Neither military forces firing indiscriminately into crowds of unarmed demonstrators, nor arrests, torture and disappearances of protest organizers nor empty promises made by government leaders have deterred the Kurdish people from continuing their demonstrations demanding an end to what they call a corrupt government run primarily by tribal parties.

Having watched the people of Tunisia, Sudan and Egypt force the step down of dictators, the people of the Kurdish north of Iraq are following their example and the wave of uprisings has washed over this land. Since 17 February, 2011, thousands of people flood the city center of Suleimaniya now dubbed “Freedom Square”, for daily demonstrations.

Since the demonstrations began there have been deaths and injuries of unarmed civilians by military and security forces, imposed curfew, armed militias positioned throughout the city of Suleimaniya and surrounding Freedom Square, an independent television station burned to the ground, hundreds of organizers arrested and disappeared, Suleimaniya students studying in Erbil universities sent back to Suleianiya, roadblocks set up around the city of Erbil not allowing Suleimaniya cars to enter, KRG Parliament emergency sessions to negotiate the demands of the people, assassination attempts against religious leaders who advocate for this nonviolent revolution, five unidentified people assumed to be terrorists, shot dead by Kurdish security forces outside of Suleimaniya city. and scores of demonstrations occurring regularly in the sub districts throughout the Suleimaniya governorate.

The White Group formed consisting of unarmed individuals forming a human peace wall standing between the thousands of soldiers and the thousands of demonstrators in order to create a safe environment for both demonstrator and soldier.

Both the Erbil and Dohuk governorates have banned demonstrations. Both of these governorates are KDP party controlled. Most people there appear too frightened to break the ban.

The people who have found their voice are not willing to be silenced again. The demonstrators talk of a hunger strike followed by a general strike to force Mr. Barzani to step down from his position as KRG president and to force immediate elections for an interim government. Nobody knows how long this will take or what new efforts will arise to drive out this current government if these demands aren't met.

It is clear that the current government and party leaders are feeling threatened of losing their positions of power that they have held since 1991. They have been fighting, often with dirty tactics, to regain control. If they do, the opposition people are sure that they will be killed, tortured, disappeared, arrested, and broken. The stakes are high.

There has been little reporting outside of the highly controlled local media outlets and there is a plea to not let this struggle die in vain.

Tell Congress: Close the SOA!

2011-03-07T10:40:00.004-06:00

by Twin Ports SOA Watch

If the federal budget is out of balance, why are we paying to train Latin American soldiers to make war on their own people? That's what Twin Ports-area students will be asking members of Congress when they travel to DC in April to take part in SOA Watch lobby days.

The School of the Americas, now officially known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), has graduated the worst human rights abusers and despots in our hemisphere. Our former representatives Jim Oberstar (MN-8) and Dave Obey (WI-7) were among the strongest congressional critics of the SOA/WHINSEC and worked for decades to close it down.

Now we need to make sure our new Congressmen get it right.

We need your help!

1. Donate air miles or money to help UMD and CSS students take part in lobby days. If you can donate miles, contact Margie at mnelson{at}css{dot}edu. Checks can be made out to "CJL at CSS" and mailed to:

Center for Just Living
attn: Jay Newcomb
1200 Kenwood Avenue
Duluth, MN 55811

2. Collect signatures! You can print out petition forms for Duffy here and Cravaack here.

Cravaack defends NASCAR, defunds peace

2011-02-21T15:15:00.080-06:00

On Friday, the House of Representatives passed a temporary government funding bill that included massive cuts to social security, heating and food assistance, infrastructure, environmental protection and non-military foreign aid. But is this really about fiscal restraint in the face of a growing deficit and debt? Consider the antics of Duluth's new Tea Party-backed representative, Chip Cravaack:

Cravaack's contribution to the bill was a amendment to strip all federal support for the U.S. Institute for Peace (USIP). The Reagan-era program is tasked with promoting global conflict resolution. Gutting it would "save taxpayers $42 million," Cravaack touted on his website. (For the record, $42 million is roughly .005% of the Pentagon's annual budget). The measure passed.

But when Cravaack had the opportunity to "save taxpayers" a similar amount of cash by supporting fellow Minnesota Representative Betty McCollum's amendment to stop U.S. military sponsorship of NASCAR, Cravaack all of a sudden got less stingy. Arguing that NASCAR sponsorship was in important recruiting tool, Cravaack, along with the House majority, voted no.

But even when his Tea Party colleagues bucked Speaker Boehner and cut $450 million in funding for a second F-35 engine that the Pentagon didn't want (but happened to be made in Boehner's district by his buddies GE and Rolls Royce), Cravaack again showed his knee-jerk support for all things military and voted to protect Boehner's earmark.

Cravaack's public statements would make it seem like he cares about balancing the federal budget. But his votes to date show a disturbing trend to oppose any funding for programs he ideologically opposes, while lavishly showering arms merchants with hundreds of millions of dollars in handouts. And sadly he has a lot of company on the Hill. The vote on the F-35 engine was a rare victory for common sense: both Obama and House Republican budget bills actually increase military spending while decimating or outright eliminating programs that millions of people depend on. The current budget "debate" between pro-war Democrats and the Tea Party are a ruse. Until people power changes the tide, we'll continue to see resources shifted from common good toward corporate profits and war.

Contact Rep. Chip Cravaack

Take action: Congress to vote on Pentagon cuts

2011-02-14T10:54:00.001-06:00

Within a few weeks Congress must pass what's called a continuing resolution to fund the federal government. If the legislation fails, government will shut down. House Republicans are using this opportunity to push drastic cuts to domestic programs and non-military international relations. Alarmingly, their plans include an increase in military spending. This is only a more draconian version of the budget plan put forward by President Obama in his State of the Union address, in which he called for a 5-year freeze on domestic spending even as his administration put forward the largest military budget in history.

This week, Representative Pete Stark (CA) will introduce an amendment to the continuing resolution that would insist that the Pentagon budget be put on the table. Your Congressman needs to know that you support reining in military spending. If you live in Duluth/NE Minnesota, your representative is Chip Cravaack. If you live in Superior or NW Wisconsin, your representative is Sean Duffy. Urge him to support Rep. Pete Stark's amendment to the continuing resolution requiring immediate cuts in the Pentagon budget.

For more information about the amendment, including a list of 10 reasons why military spending should be dramatically reduced, visit Friends Committee on National Legislation.

UMD faculty union denounces FBI attacks on anti-war movement

2011-02-10T17:38:00.002-06:00

On January 25th, the Executive Committee of the University Education Association-Duluth (UEA-D) adopted a resolution calling for an end to FBI harassment and grand jury investigations of the Midwest anti-war movement. UEA-D represents nearly 500 faculty members at UMD.

This follows an similar statement from the 17,000-member Duluth Central Labor Body in October. The DCLB was one of the first labor councils in the country to take a stand against federal attacks on our movement.

Continue to read the text of the UEA-D resolution.

Resolution adopted by the Executive Committee of the
University Education Association – Duluth (UEA-D) on January 25, 2011

Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted raids in September 2010 at the homes and an office of antiwar and solidarity activists, including union members, in Minnesota and Illinois for their alleged material support of foreign terrorist organizations; and

Whereas the FBI in September 2010 also questioned activists in Michigan and North Carolina; and

Whereas the Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued subpoenas for nearly two dozen antiwar and solidarity activists to appear before a grand jury investigation; and

Whereas the DOJ has not made public any credible evidence of illegal activity by any of the targeted activists; and

Whereas the FBI has a history of violating the civil liberties of activist individuals and organizations, including those violations revealed just days before the September 2010 raids by the inspector general of the Department of Justice, Glenn Fine; and

Whereas the government reportedly infiltrated one of the targeted groups, the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee, with an undercover agent who went by the name “Karen Sullivan”; and

Whereas the government has often incited fears of subversion and terrorism to secure public support for restraints on the free exercise of civil liberties; and

Whereas the government has increasingly defined “material support” of foreign terrorist organizations in a manner that includes legitimate political and humanitarian activities; and
Whereas such a broadened definition of “material support” poses a grave threat to the legitimate political activities of all Americans;

Therefore be it resolved that the University Education Association – Duluth (UEA-D) joins numerous civil liberties, antiwar, and labor organizations in condemning the September 2010 raids on the antiwar and solidarity activists and the issuance of subpoenas to nearly two dozen of them as a dangerous assault on what appears to be lawful and legitimate political activity; and

Be it further resolved that the UEA-D calls on Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken as well as Representative Chip Cravaack to request full and transparent investigations in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the government’s surveillance of lawful political activity and the use of expansive anti-terrorism laws to criminalize political dissent.

Duluth Peace Park in Rania, Iraq

2011-02-08T14:07:00.002-06:00

Here are a few photos of the newly-minted Duluth Peace Park in Rania, Iraq! In the spirit of people-to-people diplomacy, the Duluth-Rania Friendship Exchange has been working to develop a relationship between the two communities since 2009. Last fall, five delegates from Rania visited Duluth as official representatives of their city.

If you live in Duluth and are interested in traveling to Rania with an upcoming delegation, the next planning meeting is this Thursday, February 10, from 7-9pm at the Fireside Room at Peace Church (1111 N 11th Ave E, Duluth).

A gift from the U.S. to the Egyptian police state

2011-01-28T12:45:00.002-06:00

As popular uprisings sweep North Africa and the Middle East, new light is being shed on the U.S. government's role in propping up regional dictators and proliferating weapons around the globe. Egypt in particular has benefited from Washington's war chest, receiving an average of $1.3 billion in military aid every year. That's more than $50 billion since Hosni Mubarak came to power. All the while, State Department officials in Egypt were sending home regular reports that Egyptian security forces routinely tortured members of the political opposition and media, as Wikileaks revealed today.

Congressmen Chip Cravaack and Sean Duffy have called for deep cuts to domestic spending in order to balance the federal budget. Perhaps they should be asking themselves what the people of Egypt are asking today: Why is there always enough money for guns, but never enough for butter?

NAWC Attempts People's Subpoena of FBI

2011-01-25T19:05:00.001-06:00

Today, as Midwest anti-war activists once again defied orders to appear before a grand jury in Chicago, a dozen anti-war and labor activists went to the Duluth Federal Building and attempted to serve People's Subpoenas on the FBI and US attorney's office for "all documents in your possession which evidence violations of citizens' First Amendment rights..."

Building security was friendly, but the FBI didn't answer the door.

Continued FBI and grand jury harassment of the anti-war movement

2011-01-24T09:54:00.007-06:00

Nine activists have been ordered to appear before a federal grand jury in Chicago on Tuesday to testify about ties between the Midwest anti-war movement and foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). This comes on the heels of September 2010 FBI raids on the homes and offices of anti-war and labor organizers in Minneapolis and Chicago.

The witch hunt fits a pattern of increasing politicization of anti-terror laws, including the unlawful surveillance of Duluth's Loaves & Fishes Community and dozens of other community and activist groups around the country.

In a disturbing twist to the current grand jury fiasco, our allies at the Anti War Committee in Minneapolis recently learned that one of their own organizers - who helped plan protests during the RNC in St Paul and a fact-finding mission to Palestine - was in fact an undercover federal agent.

The grand jury investigation appears to rest on the material support provision of the PATRIOT Act, which makes it illegal to have any contact with people who the U.S. State Department considers terrorists, even to negotiate aid delivery or advocate disarmament. (To put the State Department's competency at identifying "terrorists" in context, the African National Congress - the current ruling party in South Africa and leaders in the struggle against Apartheid - once found itself on a list of foreign terrorist organizations).

Under the draconian logic of this provision, and the brutal political realities of countries like Colombia, human rights activists in the U.S. could conceivably be charged with support for terrorism for meeting with human rights activists in other countries. Indeed, it looks like it's already begun.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

1. Rally in solidarity with those facing the grand jury:

Tuesday, January 25, 4pm
Duluth Federal Building
(1st St and 5th Ave W)

2. Contact Attorney General Eric Holder:

202-353-1555
AskDOJ@usdoj.gov

Tell him to stop the grand jury investigation of anti-war activists and return all material confiscated during the September raids in the Twin Cities and Chicago.

Report-back from the SOA protest

2011-01-20T11:14:00.014-06:00

by Twin Ports SOA Watch

(see earlier post for photos from the protest)


10,000 people took part in this year's SOA protest

Bringing the Vigil Home:

Report from the School of the Americas protest

Thursday, January 27
7 PM
Holy Assumption Church
5601 Tower Ave, Superior
(past the fairgrounds)

Since 1946, the US Army's School of the Americas has trained Latin American troops to torture and make war on their own people. And for more than two decades, Twin Ports-area activists and legislators have been at the forefront of efforts to close it.

Please join us for a report from the most recent protest and learn how you can get involved in the movement to close the SOA and transform US policy in the Americas.

Featuring:

- Music with Rachael Kilgour
- Report and photos from the SOA protest at Ft Benning, GA
- Eyewitness account of US military violence in Colombia from Linda Riddle
- Student organizer Flo Matamoros on coming of age as an activist in post-war El Salvador
- Former prisoner of conscience Rev. Brooks Anderson on the local SOA Watch movement
- Petition forms, handouts and other action tools to help put pressure on our new Congressmen

All are welcome. Spanish interpretation available upon request.
For more information or rides from Duluth,
contact soawtwinports(at)riseup(dot)net or call Joel at 218-340-4356

Brandon Clokey @ Duluth MLK Day rally

2011-01-19T11:06:00.007-06:00

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr Day

2011-01-17T15:52:00.005-06:00

(Left: King and Dr Benjamin Spock lead an anti-war march on the UN in 1967).

A true revolution of values will lay hand on the world order and say of war, "This way of settling differences is not just." This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into the veins of peoples normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.

America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing except a tragic death wish to prevent us from reordering our priorities so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war. There is nothing to keep us from molding a recalcitrant status quo with bruised hands until we have fashioned it into a brotherhood

---------------------------------------Martin Luther King, Jr
April 4, 1967 in a speech to Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam
Read the entire speech here.

Pentagon budget cuts? Don't believe it!

2011-01-11T16:02:00.007-06:00

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recently announced plans to trim $78 billion from the Pentagon budget. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives increased the Pentagon's budget to a whopping $725 Billion for 2011! What gives?!?

Here's the scoop: US military spending has surged every year since 2001, including a 65% growth to the Pentagon base budget and more than $1 trillion in additional funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The "cuts" we're hearing about represent a modest slow-down to this trend over a 5-year period. Instead of enjoying a 10% increase to its budget next year, the Pentagon will have to make do with a 3% pay raise. But make no mistake: military spending is going up, not down -- even as spending on roads, schools and other programs that benefit our communities is frozen or slashed.

Take action:

Newly-elected Congressmen Sean Duffy (WI-7) and Chip Cravaack (MN-8) gave a joint press conference in Duluth on November 30th, during which they repeatedly called for cuts to "non-defense" discretionary spending. In other words, they want to balance the war budget on our backs.

Call or write your Congressman today. Tell him to balance the budget by cutting war.

If you live in NE Minnesota, contact:
Congressman Chip Cravaack
6448 Main Street, Suite 6
North Branch, MN 55056
888-563-7390

If you live in NW Wisconsin, contact:
Congressman Sean Duffy
208 Grand Ave
Wausau, WI 54403
715-842-5606

Sr Timothy Kirby 1918-2010

2010-12-30T09:55:00.006-06:00

We're sad to report that Sister Tim Kirby, a moral giant of the Catholic peace movement in Duluth, died just before Christmas at the age of 92. A gifted musician and teacher, Sr Tim was also a committed agitator for justice and peace. She was a long-time chair of the local chapter of Pax Christi, and for 20 years served as a volunteer minister at the Duluth Federal Prison Camp.

Frank Cordaro, an anti-nuclear activist from Des Moines, spent 6 months at the Duluth Federal Prison Camp in 2002 for for an act of civil disobedience. Here's what he had to say about Sr Tim:

On Sunday morning, we have a Catholic communion service lead by Sr. Timothy. Sr. Timothy is a sheer delight. No more than five feet tall and 82 years young, she celebrated her 60th year in the convent while I was in Duluth. A long time member of Pax Christi, she embodies the best of what a Catholic Religious feminist is all about... After each service, I just hugged her and thanked her for her good words. I told her more than once that she was prefiguring what women will be able to do in our church someday.

A wake will be held for Sr Tim at 7 p.m. Jan. 11 in Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel at the St. Scholastica Monastery. The funeral is at 11 a.m. Jan. 12 also at Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel.

MLK Jr weekend events in Duluth

2010-12-21T20:40:00.004-06:00

(click to enlarge)

December 6 NAWC meeting notes

2010-12-13T13:33:00.005-06:00

Held at the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation, 13 members in attendance

Agenda:
Announcements
State repression forums
MLK weekend/Iraq war 20th anniversary
Spring campus campaign
Decision-making and proposed steering committee

Announcements:

Twin Ports Break the Bonds is beginning a legislative campaign to divest state bonds from Israel. Next meeting: Monday, December 7th. Contact Bob rkosuth{at}hotmail{dot}com
January 2nd Socialist Action is hosting a Marxmas Party at 7pm, at Schraufnagel House in Superior. All are invited. Contact Adam wainosunrise{at}yahoo{dot}com
Twin Ports SOA Watch will be holding a community meeting and legislative campaign kick off on January 27 at 7pm at the Holy Assumption Church in Superior.
Citizens in Action , January 29th at UU church. Daylong training on how to talk to elected officials of all levels. Winona LaDuke will be the keynote speaker. Registration required, contact Scot B. earthmannow{at}gmail{dot}com

State repression forums:
Adam R. suggested having forums over the winter months. He will look into a panel discussion on Wiki Leaks in late January.
Joel K, Steve W, and the CSS activists will organize a forum on the FBI Raids in late Feburary inviting subpoenaed activists from the Twin Cities to attend.

MLK Weekend
-We will hold a fundraiser concert on January 14th or 15th for setting up the new website and email list. Goal is to raise $500. Adam will check with possible band. Joel K and Margie N will work on the concert.
-For the 20th anniversary of the first invasion of Iraq, it was agreed that we would have a large contingent in the MLK Day March with banners. March kicks off at 11am at the Washington Center.
-Anyone who is interested in helping to plan the MLK weekend events is invited to attend a planning meeting on December 21st at 5pm at the Central Hillside Community Center. The weekend kick off will be Saturday January 15th at 6pm at the UU Church with readings, soup and bread. For more info: http://www.mlk-duluth.org/home.html

Militarization of our Community
-Michelle O. asked NAWC to endorse a three part series hosted by Pax Christi, Grandmothers for Peace and Veterans for Peace about militarization in our community. Members voted to endorse the following events:
- January 23 from 2-4pm in a TBA room at St. Scholastica showing the video of Dorothy Day – Don't Call Me a Saint
-Sunday February 20 from 2-4pm in a TBA room at St. Scholastica showing of Michael Latsch's video on the expansion of the 148th Air Base in Duluth followed by a panel discussion.
-Saturday March 26 from 7-9pm in Somers Hall at St. Scholastica a member of the DC Catholic Worker will be coming to speak about the militarization of communities on the east coast and how it can affect Duluth in the future.
A discussion of the future of the 148th Air Base in the future was agreed to be moved to next meeting's agenda.

Spring Rally-
-Colleen Rowley will be speaking in St. Scholastica's Peace and Justice lecture series on March 22nd, pm and to classes on Tues and Wed.
-UMD Students for Peace is tabling to support Bradley Manning the week of Jan 17th; holding a weekly film series Wednesdays through February; and hosting a Women in the Peace Movement forum on March 23rd at noon. More details tba.
--We agreed to host a city-wide rally on March 23rd at UMD at 4:30. Coleen Rowley will keynote, theme is money for education not war.

NAWC Restructuring-
-The following is the new structure agreed upon and voted into action at the meeting drafted by Margie N, Joel K, and Steve W

A steering committee of 5 members will be elected by the membership. We will be looking for gender equity. Nominations will be taken until January.
Steering Committee Responsibilities:
-Setting meeting agenda
-Choosing meeting facilitators
-Calling emergency meetings
-Making emergency financial decisions up to $100
-Responsible for website and email communications
-Bring campaign proposals to general membership for voting, with the general membership open to suggesting other ideas.
-Send meeting agenda to general membership prior to meetings by email and snail mail to those without emails
-All decisions will be made of a Quorum of 3 of 5 members
The General Membership will each have a vote if attendance in meetings
At least one annual strategy session will be held following elections of steering committee members.
A separate fundraising committee will be formed at the next meeting.
The first year will be considered a trial year of the new structure with an evaluation held.
Committee members will be up for 1 year terms.

Anyone with nominations for the steering committee (including self-nomination) should send them to Margie N at mnelson4{at}css{dot}edu

The next NAWC meeting will be held January 9th at 2pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church.

Report from Fort Benning

2010-11-30T09:34:00.017-06:00

some of the Twin Ports contingent in sunny Georgia at the SOA protest

photo: Tom Bottolene

Over the weekend of November 19-21, 10,000 human rights activists converged at the gates of Ft Benning, Georgia to protest the US Army-sponsored "counterintelligence" training at the School of the Americas (re-branded the Western Hemispheric Institute for Security Cooperation in 2001). Labor organizers, religious communities, students and human rights workers from Canada to Chile were represented. The Twin Ports contingent included members of 1st Lutheran Church and Peace Church, students and faculty at UMD and the College of St Scholastica, and NAWC steering committee members Joel Kilgour and Coly Wentzlaff.

The 3-day convergence was filled with workshops, cross-border networking sessions, music, labor and religious caucuses, and a colorful street protest. City and military police maintained a heavy presence throughout the entire weekend, filming everyone in attendance and flying surveillance helicopters over the protest as well as hotels, meeting spaces and restaurants in downtown Columbus. Undercover police infiltrated meetings and prayer gatherings. In an move that was strongly condemned by the OSCE and media rights organizations, Columbus police arrested two Russia Today journalists for covering the protest. They were both found guilty of demonstrating without a permit. Dozens of other people were arrested for moving outside a pre-designated protest zone, and UMD students were briefly detained by military police on suspicion of "unlawful political activity on a US military reservation" after their car was deliberately diverted onto Fort Benning by Columbus police.

On the bright side, the movement to close the SOA/WHINSEC and change US policy in Latin America is alive and growing. In the past few years, SOA Watch, the group that has organized 20 years of protests at Ft Benning, has solidified relationships with partner human rights groups in Latin America and expanded its campaign focus to include a new project to monitor US military bases across the hemisphere.

LOCAL PRESS COVERAGE:

Labor World: Area Activists Protest Georgia's SOA (15 Dec 2010)

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Write to SOA Watch political prisoners. Two human rights activists, David Omondi and Fr Louis Vitale, are each serving 6-month prison sentences for walking on to Ft Benning during the protest. Two more will soon face trial. For addresses, visit SOA Watch.
Write to your member of Congress. As him to follow the advice of Amnesty International by closing the School of the Americas/WHINSEC and investigating its infamous torture manuals. Below are addresses for those of you living in NE Minnesota. It's especially important to remind Chip Cravaack that his new constituents expect him to take a strong stand for human rights and to work to close the SOA/WHINSEC:

Representative-elect Chip Cravaack
508 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Senator Al Franken
515 W 1st St
Suite 104
Duluth, MN 55802

Senator Amy Klobuchar
1200 Washington Avenue South
Suite 250
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Team Duluth volunteered to collect money for SOA Watch over the weekend.
Here's Drew Valle and Tressa Erickson charming the cash off the crowd.
photo: Chris LeBlanc

Flo Matamoros and Melissa Marvin (R)
chillin' with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
photo: Chris LeBlanc

Joel Kilgour (L), Coly Wentzlaff and Linda Gokee-Rindal (2nd and 1st from R),
with some of the United Auto Workers contingent
photo: Claire Farmer-Lies

Musicians lead the crowd in song from the protest main stage
photo: Claire Farmer-Lies

Linda (L) and Coly (R) at the entrance to the protest
No marbles, squirt guns or "tools that can be used to defeat a gate."
Seriously, Columbus PD paid money for this.
photo: Claire Farmer-Lies

The unruly crowd, safely contained behind police barricades
photo: Claire Farmer-Lies

Lots more scenes from the weekend, including a big Minnesota group photo. can be found at CircleVision.org.

Grandmas' peaceful toy drive is on!

2010-11-24T08:01:00.007-06:00

The Northland Chapter of Grandmothers for Peace has begun its 25th annual peaceful toy drive! Toys will be accepted until Dec. 18. Decorated boxes will be available at local businesses and organizations for donations of new toys that promote nonviolent play.

Participating locations in Superior: Cathedral of Christ the King Church (1111 Belknap St), the Superior Public Library’s children’s room, Take 2 Consignments (1202 Belknap St), the Superior-Douglas County YMCA (9 21st St), Earth Exchange (1713 Belknap St), WITC’s early childhood education program (600 N. 21st St), and Superior High School’s FBLA group.

Duluth locations: Peace Church (1111 N. 11th Ave E), the Tech Village, Chester Creek Café (1902 E. Eighth St), UMD Women’s Resource and Action Center, Explorations (201 W. Superior St), Green Mercantile (209 E. Superior St), Taste of Saigon restaurant, ECO (400 W. Superior St), and Building for Women (32 W. First St).

Toys are donated to the Loaves and Fishes community and the Center Against Sexual And Domestic Abuse. Please support the toy drive and donate, as well as purchasing items that encourage creativity and peaceful play for all the young people in your life! For more information contact Dorothy Wolden (218) 590-2981 or dwolden(at)aol(dot)com, or Penny Cragun (218) 727-2972 or pcragun(at)d(dot)umn(dot)edu.

In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and four other leading public health organizations issued a joint statement re-affirming a causal connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children. They warned that "prolonged viewing of media violence can lead to emotional desensitization toward violence in real life," and that children "who see a lot of violence are more likely to view violence as an effective way of settling conflicts."

While the toy industry dismisses the concerns of the medical establishment, the US military is seeking to capitalize on them. In recent years every branch of the military has developed a Hollywood liaison office, spending hundreds of millions of dollars to create "militainment" designed to shape social attitudes about war. For its part, the US Army has become a national leader in online gaming, using popular computer games like America's Army not only to influence young people's perceptions of war but also as an invasive recruiting tool.

Last chance to see Colombia art exhibit

2010-11-24T07:45:00.005-06:00

Remember Me: Voices of the Silenced in Colombia is a traveling exhibit created by Lutheran World Relief that combines information about the US-sponsored war in Colombia, original art by victims of the conflict, and political action. Remember Me kicked off its US tour right here in the Twin Ports, and has already visited UMD, UWS, St Scholastica and Peace Church.

This week is your last chance to catch the exhibit before it heads out of town on November 29th. Remember Me is currently on display at First Lutheran Church in Duluth (1100 E Superior Street) in the Parish Hall (London Road entrance). The church is usually open during weekdays and Sundays, but you might want to call the parish office (218-728-3668) to make sure.

Colombia solidarity, from Duluth to Ft Benning

2010-10-30T12:44:00.005-05:00

Area students and human rights activists are gearing up to join a major international protest against the School of the Americas in just three weeks! Carpools are leaving the Twin Ports for Ft Benning, Georgia on Nov 18th and 19th, most returning the evening of the 22nd. If you're interested, check out one of these carpool info sessions:

* CSS students only: Tuesday, Nov 2, 6pm at the Center for Just Living (T25)
* UMD students only: Wednesday, Nov. 3, 6pm K323
* Everyone else: Thursday, Nov 4, 6pm at the Center for Just Living (College of St Scholastica, Tower 25. Enter by Mitchell Auditorium parking lot)

If you can't make the trip, you can still hear one of the protest's keynote speakers, Father Jesus Alberto Franco, right here in the Twin Ports. This courageous Colombian human rights defender is defying threats of death to speak to us about the effect of US meddling in his country:

We Reap What We Sow:
Understanding the Impact of US Involvement in Colombia

with Padre Jesus Alberto Franco
Wednesday, Nov 3
3pm, UW Superior Old Main 316
7pm, College of St Scholastica Science Auditorium
Thursday, Nov 4
noon, UMD Library Rotunda
7pm, Peace United Church of Christ (1111 N 11th Av E)
Free and open to the public. Sponsored by Witness for Peace--Upper Midwest

Iraq war logs: torture, "body counts" and what our government knew but refused to tell

2010-10-25T14:11:00.016-05:00

Photo: Fallujah, 2003, by Christan Peacemaker Teams

Last week, the whistleblower website Wikileaks released nearly 400,000 previously secret US military field reports from Iraq, dated from 2004 to early 2010. Reporters at the UK-based Guardian and the German Der Spiegel are only beginning to sift through the mountainous files, but already a disturbing picture has emerged of torture, deception and a much larger civilian death toll than the US government previously admitted.

Some of the chilling details:

** US commanders ordered troops to ignore reports of torture by Iraqi security forces, and knowingly turned captives over to torture squads;
** Despite Gen. Tommy Franks' insistence that "we don't do body counts," the Pentagon in fact cataloged at least 100,000 violent deaths of Iraqis between 2004 and 2009, including 66,000 civilians;
** Apache helicopter pilots killed insurgents they knew were trying to surrender;
** Frightened and trigger-happy US troops routinely gunned down civilians at checkpoints, and deaths and injury by "friendly fire" were far more common than reported.

This information comes as little surprise to anti-war activists, but provides concrete evidence of torture and lies by US and Iraqi forces. The leaks have sent shock waves across the world, and both UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and the UN's chief investigator on torture have called for investigations of possible war crimes.

But the US media have been largely quiet about the details of the documents, preferring to regurgitate the Pentagon's Orwellian claim that Wikileaks, and not the US military, has "blood on its hands." The Obama Administration, led by a man who once campaigned on an anti-war and transparency platform, has likewise attacked the messenger, calling for prosecution not of US war criminals but of Wikileaks volunteers and brave whistleblowers within the military. Already in May of this year, military police arrested 23-year old Private Bradley Manning for allegedly leaking secret military data. Commanders who okayed torture walk freely, but Pvt. Manning faces 52 years in prison for exposing their crimes.

What you can do:

Read the war logs. You can check out wikileaks.org or read synopses as they become available at the Guardian or Der Spiegel.
Support Bradley Manning. Sign the online petition and make a donation to his legal defense at bradleymanning.org.
Get organizing! The times demand a people's movement for accountability and an end to the bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. NAWC's next monthly meeting is November 7, 2pm at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Duluth (835 W College). All are welcome.

"We Like War" by George Carlin

2010-10-17T10:01:00.003-05:00

Central Labor Body, Duluth DFL condemn government attacks on anti-war movement

2010-10-15T07:22:00.006-05:00

On Thursday, October 14, delegates to the 17,000-member Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body unanimously adopted a resolution of support for Midwest anti-war activists facing FBI and Department of Justice harassment. The resolution calls for a congressional inquiry into government spying and grand jury investigations of US social movements, and will be hand-delivered to US Senators Klobuchar and Franken by DCLB president Dan O'Neill today.

Delegates noted that a large number of the people targeted are longtime labor organizers, among them three members of AFSCME local 3800 and a member of Teamsters local 320 at the UofM and a member of Education Minnesota.

UPDATE: On Tuesday, October 19, the Executive Committee of the Duluth Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party adopted a similar resolution which was forwarded to other DFL party units in the state.

For more information about the case, visit the Anti-War Committee or the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. The National Lawyer's Guild also provides helpful Know Your Rights materials for activists.

Duluth Central Labor Body resolution
in support of Midwest anti-war activists

Whereas on September 24, 2010, the FBI carried out coordinated raids on the homes and offices of anti-war and trade union activists in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan, during which agents confiscated computers, mailing lists, cell phones, passports, political literature, correspondence and children’s drawings; and served subpoenas to 14 people to testify before a federal grand jury about alleged material support for foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs); and

Whereas from the Palmer Raids to J Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO, the FBI and Department of Justice have long histories of exploiting public fears in order to disrupt trade union, civil rights and anti-war organizing; and

Whereas four days prior to the September 24 raids, the Office of the Inspector General of the United States revealed that the FBI has systematically and illegally spied on political activists; that FBI director Robert Mueller lied to Congress about details of the surveillance; and that agents frequently confuse civil disobedience with “domestic terrorism”; and

Whereas on June 20, 2010, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in Holder v Humanitarian Law Project to uphold a provision of the USA Patriot Act that defines material support for FTOs so broadly as to include legitimate humanitarian work, journalism and international solidarity;

Therefore be it resolved that the Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body denounce the September 24 FBI raids and grand jury investigation of Midwest anti-war and trade union activists as a dangerous assault on free speech and association; and

Be it further resolved that the DCLB call on Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken to request a full and transparent Senate investigation of post-9/11 FBI surveillance of social movements and the use of expansive anti-terror laws to criminalize dissent; and

Be it finally resolved that the DCLB forward this resolution to Midwest-area labor councils and the AFL-CIO and urge these organizations to similarly condemn FBI and DOJ attempts to intimidate and disrupt grassroots social movements.

Report on the Oct. 11 Antiwar Protest

2010-10-11T22:10:00.004-05:00

On Monday, October 11, about 60 people gathered for an evening march and rally in Duluth, MN. The theme of the protest was "Bring Our Troops & War Dollars Home NOW!" It was sponsored by the Northland Anti-War Coalition, and held as part of the nation-wide week of actions called by the United National Antiwar Conference for Oct. 7-16.

The event began with a 5 to 6pm "Books Not Bombs" picket in front of the Duluth School District's office at Lake Ave. & 2nd Street. From there the protesters marched down 2nd Street, led by the Twin Ports new radical cheerleader group - the Rah Rah Revolutionaries. The march culminated at a rally on the steps of City Hall. At the rally the Rah Rah Revolutionaries led us in several cheers, we had an awesome series of local poets read war related poems, as well as a performance of the skit, "War Pigs" - where if it weren't for the timely intervention of the audience, Uncle Sam and the War Pigs would have auctioned off Duluth's City Hall to pay for the wars!

All in all it was a VERY lively and spirited event! The level of chanting and cheering, and the overall energy level, was more than we've seen at a Twin Ports protest in quite some time. And we had a lot of new people at the event, both in the program, and in attendance, which is always a good thing!

I'd like to conclude this report with some special thanks to the folks who helped make the event possible. A big thank you to Fatima and Zaynab Alwan for MCing the event! A big thanks also to the Rah Rah Revolutionaries for leading our march, providing the awesome chants, and helping to distribute hundreds of handbills in downtown Duluth the day of the event! Thanks to all the actors in the "War Pigs" skit (Carl, Marcelle, Rose, Heather, Ira, Amanda, Jenny and Joe)! Thanks to Mike Solon for the sound system and Carl Sack for the press work. And of course special thanks to our brave and talented poets - Amanda, Marcelle, Jenny and Ira! And finally, last, but by no means least, thanks to everyone who turned out tonight! It'll probably take a lot more protests, and with much bigger numbers than we had tonight - but if we keep putting our collective shoulder to the wheel, we can and will end these wars! -Adam Ritscher

Terrorism and Human Rights at CSS

2010-10-05T15:26:00.002-05:00

Tonight, the Alworth Center for Peace and Justice at the College of St Scholastica launches its 2010-2011 lecture series. The theme is "Terrorism and Human Rights" and features an incredible lineup of intelligence experts, journalists and authors, including Good Muslim, Bad Muslim author Mahmood Mamdani. NAWC is working with the Center to co-host the final event of the lecture series on March 21 with FBI whistle-blower Coleen Rowley.

	Combating Terror with Intelligence with Michael Sheehan Tuesday, October 5, 2010, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Mitchell Auditorium Free admission
	The Roots of Mideast Terror with Mahmood Mamdani Thursday, October 28, 2010, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Mitchell Auditorium Free admission
	Dying to Drive Foreigners Out with Robert Pape Wednesday, February 2, 2011, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Mitchell Auditorium Free admission
	The War on American Ideals with Jane Mayer Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Mitchell Auditorium Free admission
	Obama’s Response to Terrorism with Coleen Rowley Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Mitchell Auditorium Free admission

Anti-war movement unites against DOJ repression

2010-09-28T12:41:00.006-05:00

Hundreds of people rallied in Minneapolis, Chicago, Duluth and other Midwest cities on Monday to denounce FBI and Department of Justice intimidation of anti-war and Left organizers. At the Duluth Federal Building, World War II combat veteran and longtime activist Andy Anderson read a NAWC statement of solidarity with activists who were targeted in weekend raids in Minneapolis and Chicago (see below); and Rev. John Pegg of Witness for Peace explained how accusations of terrorist ties have been used to discredit peaceful social movements both in Colombia and, increasingly, in the US. NAWC steering committee member Joel Kilgour called on Senators Franken and Klobuchar to intervene with the DOJ on behalf of the Midwest anti-war movement; and for the Duluth police to refuse to cooperate with any federal investigation of local activists. For media coverage of the event, see the Northland News Center and the Duluth News-Tribune.

The weekend raids represent a disturbing trend, initiated under Bush and continued under the Obama Administration, to discredit and criminalize anti-war and justice movements under the guise of combating terror. Key to this strategy, as it was during COINTELPRO and the Palmer Raids, is to divide our movements. While the DOJ under both Bush and Obama have made a habit of surveilling and harassing groups like School of the Americas Watch, the Catholic Worker, PETA and Greenpeace, it has targeted anarchist and socialist organizers with very public smear campaigns designed precisely to push the anti-war movement to the margins.

We must not be intimidated or divided. Whatever political differences we may have -- Republicans, Democrats, Greens, anarchists, socialists, libertarians, pacifists -- we will stand together and fight the erosion of our basic rights to organize, assemble and think freely. Our best next move is to continue our activism, undaunted and undivided.

September 26, 2010
Northland Anti-War Coalition Statement on FBI raids

On Friday, September 24, FBI agents raided four homes of anti-war and social justice activists in Minneapolis, the offices of the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee (AWC), two homes in Chicago, and others in Michigan and North Carolina. All of the activists targeted have been involved in legal, open political work against U.S. wars and for solidarity with the people of Palestine and Latin America. None have yet been charged with any crime. Reports indicate that this raid was more than a year in the making, and it follows on the heels of a U.S. Justice Department investigation revealing that the FBI has been illegally spying on activists in the peace and social justice movements for several years. Activists had their computers, cell phones, other personal effects, and even their children's art work carted away for probing by the Feds.

These raids appear to target activists for their political affiliations and ideas. The fact that an organization very similar to the Northland Anti-War Coalition, in the same state, had its offices raided should give all Northland activists pause. Whether or not we personally agree with the politics of those under investigation, all activists are potential targets, and we must stand in solidarity with those who are victimized, lest we be next.

The FBI says it is looking for ties between the targeted activists and so-called Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). Many local residents in various organizations, secular and religious, have visited the Middle East and Latin America and met with groups that have perspectives at odds with U.S. authorities'. Equating peace and justice solidarity with support for terrorism is false and sets a chilling precedent, betraying the democratic principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

The Northland Anti-War Coalition rejects the criminalization of solidarity, anti-war and social justice activism.

We reject the notion that the United States Government has a right to arbitrarily label foreign organizations "Terrorist" based not on their tactics, but on whether or not their aims conform to U.S. foreign policy.

We demand that the FBI return everything taken from the raided homes and office and that the Obama Administration issue an apology to the targeted activists.

We refuse to be intimidated by the FBI's actions. We call on all people of conscience in the Twin Ports area to join us in a protest for money for jobs and schools, not for war on October 11, 5 p.m. in front of the Historic Old Central High School and 6:15 p.m. in front of City Hall.

FBI targets Midwest anti-war movement!

2010-09-24T18:33:00.009-05:00

This morning, the FBI raided at least four Minneapolis homes and the offices of the Anti-War Committee, purportedly to investigate "activities concerning the material support of terrorism." The targeted activists include organizers with Students for a Democratic Society, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Anti-War Committee -- which only weeks before had announced its intention to march on the 2012 DNC. No one was arrested, but agents seized computers, political literature and financial records.

Take Action:

__ Emergency Rally __
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
4:30 pm
DULUTH FEDERAL BUILDING

__ Contact __
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
202-353-1555 or AskDOJ@usdoj.gov

Senator Amy Klobuchar
(toll free) 888-224-9043

Senator Al Franken
(Duluth office) 218-722-2390

**Stop the repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.
**Immediately return all confiscated materials: computers, cell phones, papers, documents, etc.
**End the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists.

The raids come days after revelations of FBI surveillance of anti-RNC activists in Iowa in 2008 and expansive spying operations targeting environmental and anti-war activists -- including the Duluth Catholic Worker -- during the Bush years.

The raids are part of a year-long investigation of the anti-war movement. At least 13 organizers in Minneapolis, Chicago and elsewhere have been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury. The FBI appears to be targeting the Midwest anti-war movement -- not for any illegal action, but because of the political beliefs and associations of some of its organizers.

No activity up north... so don't be paranoid. But as always, know your rights.

photo: Twin Cities Indymedia

Duluth Antiwar Protest - OCTOBER 11

2010-09-22T14:25:00.003-05:00

PROTEST THE ONGOING WARS! Bring the Troops & War Dollars Home NOW! Money for Jobs & Education - Not War & Occupation!

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 5-7PM

-Part 1: A "Books Not Bombs" picket from 5-6pm in front of the Old Duluth Central High School at Lake Ave. & 2nd Street. After which we'll march to City Hall.

-Part 2: From 6:15 - 7pm we'll hold a rally on the steps of City Hall. There'll be an antiwar poetry reading, and a skit titled "War Pigs" which will feature war profiteers & Uncle Sam attempting to auction off City Hall and gut social programs to pay for their unjust wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

You're invited to join us in a protest against the ongoing wars, and the costs that our local communities are paying for it. While so many are loosing their homes and jobs, and government programs are being cut to the bone, Wall Street and Washington continue to wage these bloody, unjust and unjustified wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are holding this protest on the steps of City Hall on the same evening as a City Council meeting to highlight just how much our communities are paying for this war - in terms of lives and dollars. Enough is enough! Join us in raising our voices for peace! Everyone is welcome, and encouraged to attend!

> Sponsored by the Northland Anti-War Coalition and endorsed by UMD Students for Peace, CSS Center for Just Living, Lake Superior Greens, Socialist Action, Grandmothers for Peace and others TBA.

September Meeting Notes

2010-09-22T14:24:00.003-05:00

NAWC Meeting Minutes, September 12, 2010
Present: Adam R., Steve W., Vern, Ellie, Emily H., Joel K., Carl S., Andy A., Robert J.

October 6, 7, 11
This week is part of a national week of local actions called by the United National Antiwar Conference. Student groups at CSS and UMD are possibly planning to hold anti-war actions on October 6, and CSS students are planning to do an action in support of the National Day to Defend Public Education on the 7th. NAWC will endorse and help build whatever October 6 actions the students come up with. Veterans for Peace is showing a video against militarizing space on the evening of October 7 at the Labor Temple.

The theme of the anti-war protest on October 11 is money for jobs and civil services, not for war. There will be a Books Not Bombs picket starting at 5 pm in front of the Historic Old Central High School on Second Street. At 6:00, the group will march with chants to City Hall. A "War Pigs" skit will start at 6:30 and will feature the auctioning of city hall to pay for the war. The rally will wrap up at 6:50 with announcements and a call for financial contributions by an MC, and people will be asked to go to the City Council meeting and express support for the council taking a stand against military spending.

Joel agreed to recruit people in advance to speak before the council and meet with councilors before hand, with the goal of eventually having a resolution or referendum put before council. He will also bring the big war spending banner and possibly print a professional-looking banner for the podium at CSS. Adam agreed to re-work the graphics on the flier and recruit people as actors and prop-makers for the skit.

Upcoming projects
Remember Fallujah week will be in November. We agreed to discuss plans for it at the next NAWC meeting. Bob K. is putting together presentations on the cost of war to be given to non-conventional audiences, which will start after October 11.

MoveOn
Vern is involved in creating a local chapter of the group MoveOn to better utilize their resources here.

Steering Committee
Joel has yet to send out a proposal for the steering committee, which he will do next week. He is looking for volunteers to serve on a nominating committee.

Immigrant Rights Resolution
Duluth's Immigrant Rights Coalition has formulated a resolution opposing Arizona's SB 1070 immigration law and a copycat bill in Minnesota. NAWC endorsed the resolution.

Announcements
Camp Class Struggle, Socialist Action's annual political camp out and social party, will take place September 18 and 19 on the Kurki Farm in Highbridge, WI. The carpool will leave at 2 PM Saturday from Superior and get back at various times on Sunday.

The CSS Peace and Justice Lecture Series theme this year is Terrorism and Human Rights. NAWC is co-hosting the final event with Colleen Rowley on March 22, and we have been invited to table at all of the events. She will be here two days and also available to speak on the campuses. For a full schedule of the series, see http://www.css.edu/About/Spotlight/Lectures/Alworth-Center-for-Peace-and-Justice-Lectures.html.

There will be a 1-hour meeting with Rep. Oberstar some time in October. Contact Joel for more info.

FBI spied on activist groups; Duluth Catholic Worker mentioned in report

2010-09-21T12:53:00.007-05:00

The Justice Department's office of the inspector general issued a report yesterday criticizing FBI surveillance of anti-war, animal rights and environmental groups under the Bush Administration. The report reveals that from 2001 to 2006, the FBI spied on PETA, Greenpeace, the Thomas Merton Center, individual Quakers and members of the Catholic Worker movement; and it accuses FBI director Robert Mueller of lying (ahem, providing inaccurate information) to Congress about the agency's surveillance of a Pittsburgh anti-war rally. The report further decries a Hoover-like politicization of FBI field reports, including irrelevant details of what agents describe as the "communistic" ideology of the Catholic Worker.

Guess who shows up on page 151 of the report? Our own Duluth Catholic Worker, surveilled along with other activists during a protest at Offut Air Force Base in Omaha in 2003.

Remarkably, the IG downplays the FBI's numerous violations of the 1st Amendment as an "ill-conceived project on a slow work day," and suggests that some civil disobedience actions carried out by both Greenpeace and the Catholic Worker do indeed fit the definition of "domestic terrorism."

In other words: Bush may be gone, but the Constitution hasn't made a comeback.

Charges against 3 of RNC8 dropped!

2010-09-16T17:28:00.006-05:00

Great news today from St Paul via Friends of the RNC8:

The RNC 8 received some surprising news Thursday afternoon - charges against Luce Guillen-Givins, Monica Bicking and Eryn Trimmer have been dropped!

The fact that charges have been dismissed against these three members of what Ramsey County has for two years labeled a “criminal enterprise” exposes the political motivations behind this case. Although today’s news is an amazing development, charges against four of the eight defendants still remain and must continue to be fought with renewed strength.

Thanks to everyone who has struggled alongside the 8 and the RNC 8 Defense Committee to help get these charges dropped - and please join us as we continue to seek justice for Max, Rob, Garrett and Nathanael. We’ll post more information and analysis on this development soon - stay tuned.

Still, one person facing prosecution for the "crime" of feeding and housing activists is one too many. By moving forward with the case, Ramsey County is keeping all political organizers in in its sights.

Trial for the four remaining defendants begins October 25. Mark your calendar and consider making the trip to St Paul to show some Northland solidarity. Carpool details coming soon.

Training for Change is coming to Duluth!

2010-09-14T14:35:00.005-05:00

Training for Change, one of the world's foremost activist training programs, is bringing its Training for Social Action Trainers (TSAT) to Duluth this November.

TSAT is an intensive weekend training designed to build and hone the skills of movement facilitators, educators, and activist trainers -- all within an anti-oppression framework. TSAT open to experienced organizers, up-and-coming activists, teachers, community leaders and anyone else who wants to take their skills to a new level.

The training will take place from Friday, November 12, at 6PM until Sunday, November 14th, 6PM. Food and lodging (for folks coming from out of town) is included and registration is limited. Cost of the workshop is on a sliding scale and scholarships are available. Visit www.trainingforchange.org to register, or keep reading for more details on the training.

Why This Workshop?

Training and facilitation skills are a key element to successful organizing and movement building. People who have these skills support the groups they work with by developing new leaders, transferring skills and knowledge between generations, creating more participation within their
groups, introducing new and transformative concepts, supporting meetings and decision making, resolving conflict and providing training for successful, creative and disciplined actions.

Yet, few people who play the role of educator, trainer or facilitator in their work are offered an opportunity to learn a framework for training that supports their experience or a chance to hone their skills among other trainers. Few organizations commit the time to helping their leaders
learn the craft of training.

With this in mind, The Training for Social Action Trainers (TSAT) is designed to give people the opportunity to develop a stronger sense of the training tools, approaches and choices that will work for them to be most powerful and useful in their role.

As a participant you will:

--Gain greater awareness about yourself and your strengths as a facilitator;
--Get a chance to take risks, experiment and refine skills in a safe and supportive environment;
--Get the stimulation of fresh approaches and increased options;
--Receive personal guidance from experienced trainers in a small group setting ;
--Learn new tools that are easily adapted, principles of workshop design, skills for working with diversity and a better understanding of how to use experiential education methods effectively.

Registration:

You can register online for this workshop at www.trainingforchange.org or if you're having difficulty registering online, just contact us at nico@trainingforchange.org and we will email you a registration form.

Delegation from Rania, Iraq visits Duluth

2010-09-14T14:09:00.009-05:00

by the Duluth-Rania Friendship Exchange Project

The Duluth-Rania Friendship Exchange Project is pleased to announce the arrival of a delegation to Duluth from the Kurdish north or Iraq.

Five delegates from the city of Rania will arrive in Duluth on September 25. They will tour our city, meet with local politicians, visit a variety of schools, learn about our medical system, human services, waste management and local construction projects.

There are two public events planned to which all are invited to meet our new friends. Please join us and spread the word:

Nicaragua report-back 9/19

2010-09-14T13:57:00.013-05:00

by Witness for Peace-Upper Midwest

"Another World IS Possible: Fair Trade and Sustainability"
Sunday, September 19th
12 noon
Peace Church Fellowship Hall
(1111 N 11th Ave E, Duluth)

Eight people from Duluth traveled to Nicaragua last June on a Witness for Peace delegation, "Another World IS Possible: Fair Trade and Sustainability."

They will share their experiences on September 19th in the Fellowship Hall, at noon, following the worship service, with a light lunch and slide presentation.

Hear what we learned about the impact of globalization on families and their communities, and how they have responded with cooperative projects and sustainable development.

Pastors for Peace founder Lucius Walker dies

2010-09-10T16:02:00.002-05:00

by the Cuba Solidarity Committee

Rev. Lucius Walker, longtime agitator and organizer for civil rights and peace, died on September 7 at his home in New Jersey. Walker was the founder of Pastors for Peace, an organization which visited Duluth most recently on July 6 as part of its 21st caravan to Cuba.

NAWC's Cuba Solidarity Committee offers its condolences to Walker's family and co-conspirators for peace. Below is a short video about this year's Pastors for Peace caravan to Cuba, featuring Walker:

800 Attend National Peace Conference in Albany

2010-08-15T14:12:00.005-05:00

The United National Peace Conference in Albany brought together people from around the country and overseas. Although two people from India were denied visas to come to the conference, 520 pre-registered and 256 additional people registered at the door, for a total of 776 participants. Some who pre-registered did not show and some who showed did not register. Therefore, I believe the 776 is an accurate number. I will soon be able to go through the registration forms and give a better breakdown of where people came from.

The Sanctuary for Independent Media provided live-streaming of major segments of the conference to the Internet, provided a place for people to upload pictures and tweets and posted major presentations on Youtube. The day after the conference, the Youtube videos got over 17,000 hits, making them the most viewed videos from a non-profit organization for that day. This enabled thousands who could not physically make it to the conference to nonetheless experience it.

The core leaders of the anti-war movement were all there, including Media Benjamin, Col. Ann Wright, Kathy Kelly, Dahlia Wasfi, Michael McPherson from UFPJ and VFP, Kevin Martin from Peace Action, Blasé Bonpane, Mark Johnson from Fellowship of Reconciliation, Glen Ford from Black Majority Report and Black is Back, Kevin Zeese, Fahima Vorgetts, Mike Ferner, Michael Eisencher from US Labor Against the War, Larry Holmes from the International Action Center, Nada Khader, Debra Sweet, Leila Zand, and others. Cindy Sheehan also came but had to leave immediately when her daughter went into labor back in California. Additionally, Ethan McCord, a former soldier on the ground in Iraq who was seen on the first leaked Wikileaks video, spoke out publicly for the first time. War resisters, GIs who have refused to deploy, skyped into the conference from Canada, since they could not be there in person.

Leaders of other movements were also at the conference; these include leaders of the Labor movement, such as Donna Dewitt, President of the South Carolina AFL-CIO,. Leaders of SEIU/1199 came to ask the peace movement to support their upcoming October 2nd, 2010 march on Washington. The conference was welcomed by Mike Keenan, president of the Troy Area Labor Council. Present were Margaret Flowers and other leaders of the single payer movement, as well as Lynda Cruz, Teresa Gutierrez, and other leaders of the immigrant’s rights movement. Palestinian rights activists played a big role in the conference, as did leaders of the movement against intervention in Iran, Columbia, Honduras, and Haiti. Leaders of the environmental movement were present as were leaders of the Muslim solidarity movement and student leaders like Blanca Missa, one of the central leaders of the recent student protests on the Berkeley campus against California’s cuts to education. Dr. Margaret Flowers, a central leader of the movement for single payer healthcare led a workshop with other healthcare advocates and spoke at the press conference that preceded the conference at which she made a strong connection between the movement for universal healthcare and peace.

Noam Chomsky spoke Saturday morning via video. Following by another keynote address given by Donna Dewitt, President of the South Carolina AFL-CIO, and leading member or the National Assembly and US Labor Against the War. We listened to Mumia Abu-Jamal’s audio taped message to the conference from death row and to the narration of Imam Aref’s, one of the wrongly prosecuted Muslims from Albany from his prison cell. Ralph Poynter, husband of imprisoned civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart, read her message to those assembled. Lynne was a member of the administrative body of the National Assembly to End US Wars and Occupations, the group that had initiated the conference. She was also a founding member of Project Salam, one of the other 31 co-sponsoring groups.

During panels held on Friday night and Saturday, movement leaders discussed the future direction of the anti-war movement. Throughout the weekend, the backdrop to the stage and podium was a beautiful 40 foot mural painted by Mike Alewitz and Jerry Butler, who teach art at Central Connecticut State University. Mike was an anti-war leader at Kent State University 40 years ago, during the period when National Guardsmen killed four student anti-war protestors. Jerry was at Jackson State when, 10 days later, police shot and killed students on that campus.

The conference presented thirty-three workshops on topics related to war and social justice. Presenters came from a range of perspectives, faith-based peace groups, immigrant’s rights advocates, the Palestinian rights movement, the labor movement, active duty GIs and veteran’s movements, and many more. The workshops and presenters are listed on the conference web site (http://www.nationalpeaceconference.org).

The conference operated democratically, with every person in attendance having a voice and a vote. Out of this process came an Action Proposal and a set of resolutions. All of this material will be posted in the near future on the national peace conference web site (www.nationalpeaceconference.org). Basically, the Action Proposal calls for local actions in the fall and bi-coastal demonstrations in New York City and California in the spring. The spring actions will be accompanied by separate and distinct non-violent civil disobedience actions. The proposal also calls for support of and collaboration in building the mobilizations being called by the labor and civil rights movements in the coming months. These include demonstration planned for Washington and Detroit on August 28 and a large October 2nd demonstration being organized by SEIU/1199, AFL-CIO, the NAACP, and others. The action proposal includes a strong stand in support of Palestinian rights and against the threats directed at Iran. It calls for coordinated teach-ins, lobbying efforts, and campaigns to pass city, town, and village resolutions on the issue of war spending and its impacts on the economy.

One theme running throughout the conference was the connection between the anti-war movement and the Muslim solidarity movement. Both the wars and the attacks on Muslims are the products of Washington’s phony war on terror. The wars have been called preemptive wars, and the prosecutions of Muslims have been labeled preemptive prosecution. These concepts are used by the government as theoretical justifications for the wars going on at home and abroad. The Muslim solidarity issue was highlighted at a poignant and symbolic march from the peace conference to the Masjid-Al Salam mosque on Central Avenue where the imprisoned Albany Muslims used to worship. At the Mosque, a rally was held where family member and supporters of the wrongly prosecuted Muslims spoke along with leaders of the anti-war movement such as Kathy Kelly, Medea Benjamin and Sara Flounders of the International Action Center. Also, on Saturday, a lunch time presentation was given by Shamshad Ahmad, the president of the mosque. A statement was read by Imam Aref, the former Imam of the Mosque, now in prison for 15 years

Why Albany? Some people have asked why the conference took place in Albany. My answer is that it could not have happened any where else. On the national level, the peace movement has been weak and unable to capitalize on the fact that the majority opposes the wars and the fact that trillions is being spent on war as education, healthcare and other human needs are being cut. Consequently, the National Assembly to End US Wars and Occupations decided to forgo its own national conference in favor of building a unity conference of the entire anti-war movement, understanding that the lack of unity in the US anti-war movement has been a major factor in the weakness of our movement. The Albany area has a strong peace movement in which all of the groups work together. In addition, when Muslims were attacked in our community, the peace movement and eventually the media and large sections of the non-Muslim community stood behind them. In many other areas of the country, this didn’t happen, as some peace groups felt that being associated with the unjustly prosecuted Muslims might alienate them from the politicians and others in the non-Muslim community. But what people in Albany realized is that the wars and the pre-emptive prosecutions of Muslims are two of the faces of the same phony war on terror. So as we took up the fight against the attacks on Muslims and the racism these attacks have engendered, we undercut the war on terror justification for the wars of occupation while, at the same time, finding new allies in the struggle for peace. Building bridges between the Muslim and the non-Muslim communities is exactly the opposite of what the government wanted, with its use of agent provocateurs and fabricated terror plots,

The conference was the right thing to do at the right time; it came to a close literally hours before the explosive Afghan War Diaries were published by Wikileaks and right before Congress voted for additional funding for the perpetual U.S. wars and occupations. The conference gave our movement a powerful voice at a very critical time. It also succeeded in bringing together thirty-one peace groups with diverse perspectives. We brought together the peace movement with leaders of other movements that have mobilized millions in their own right. In doing so, we took a step forward not only for peace but also for human rights and justice in general.

We also brought together the Albany community with the broader movement nationally. National leaders like Jerry Gordon of the National Assembly, who played a leading role in organizing the National Peace Action Coalition during the Vietnam War era, was a central figure bringing all of this together. The National Assembly put everything it had into this conference. The International Action Center and the Bail Out the Peoples movement, which have a strong base in New York City, also played a major role in the success of our conference. Veterans for Peace, Peace Action, the Fellowship for Reconciliation, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, US Labor Against the War, Progressive Democrats of America, Kathy Kelly and her Voices for Creative Non-Violence, and Project Salam were also the pillars on which the conference was built. Code Pink, World Can’t Wait, National Lawyers Guild, After Downing Street, Black Agenda Report, the Granny Peace Brigade, Office of the Americas, Military Families Speak Out, and others also played a significant role in building the conference.

The involvement of these groups will be very important as we build actions for next spring in New York City and California.

Locally, a contingent of around 40 people put their all into making the conference run smoothly. The incredibly professional work of the Sanctuary for Independent Media gave us an international presence. The Albany media coverage, with the exception of the attacks on the conference by Carl Strock of the Schenectady Gazette, was excellent. The Times Union published four articles and an op-ed piece on the conference. Despite our competing with the opening day of the Saratoga Race Track, the TV and radio news covered us as well.

There also were some shortcomings. Outside of some alternative media, the conference was not covered by the national media, in stark contrast to the coverage of the Tea Party convention which, despite having fewer in attendance, was given prime time live coverage by CNN and other outlets. Maureen Aumand who, along with Mary Finneran, organized the media in Albany alerted the New York Times to the conference on several occasions. The Times tried to explain to her why they would not cover the conference, but the real reason it wasn’t covered is because the powers running the corporate media in the US want to build a right-wing, not a progressive, left-wing movement.

In addition, our audience was mostly older and white. Although polls show anti-war sentiment being greatest among youth and African Americans, we haven’t seen a lot of participation in the anti-war movement from these groups, and this was reflected at the conference, as well.

Finally, there were some tests of our unity at the conference, the most significant one being around the issue of Palestine. Important leaders of the Palestinian movement were in attendance, and a caucus was formed by Palestinian rights activists to discuss how best to integrate the Palestinian issues with the broader peace issues. They put together a resolution and an amendment to the Action Proposal on Palestine, which passed by a large majority. However, some felt that the wording was too strong and therefore fought to change it. This was a serious disagreement, and my hope is that it will not cause any deterioration in our unity.

Pulling together a unity conference with thirty-one different groups, each with its own perspective on how to bring about peace, was a real achievement. However, our true test will be in how united we remain as we build future actions to end the wars. Towards this end, the conference passed a proposal for a continuations committee that will be chaired by Jerry Gordon. It will meet for the first time on August 16th, with the goal of continuing our work and broadening it to include other forces at the local and regional levels.

The peace conference came together at just the right time and place. It happened at the same time when other progressive forces (like the labor and civil rights movements) also are mobilizing (on August 28 and October 2). The labor and civil rights leaders who have called these actions may see them in the context of the mid-term election but they come at a time that millions are being victimized by the wars at home and abroad and are looking for a way to fight back. The unity we attained with the conference was significant. If we can continue and broaden this unity with our allies within and outside of the peace movement we can change the world.

Peace,
Joe Lombardo

Pastors for Peace breaks US blockade of Cuba

2010-07-22T15:40:00.005-05:00

by the Cuba Solidarity Committee

For the 21st time, Pastors for Peace has successfully broken the US blockade of Cuba! More than a hundred PfP volunteers crossed the border at McAllen, Texas on July 21st with hundreds of tons of school, medical and building supplies for the people of Cuba. Despite openly declaring their intention to break the blockade, the group faced no resistance from US border patrol. It seems the agents in charge of enforcing the blockade agree that our Cuba policy it is not only immoral, but too embarrassing to stand by.

Folks in the Twin Ports donated 20 large boxes of building supplies to the effort, and raised over $1000 to support the caravan when it stopped in Duluth on July 6. NAWC gives a special shout-out to the Central Labor Body and Peace Church for helping collect donations; to Carmody Irish Pub, Andrew Turpening, Yazmin and Bruce Bowers, and members of 2one8 for making a successful benefit concert; to Roxanne Johnson and the folks at Loaves & Fishes for cooking up a great soul food meal for the Pastors; and to the speakers who helped welcome Pastors for Peace to Duluth at a July 6 press conference: Rev. Brooks Anderson, Mayor Don Ness, Sister Jean Maher, and Brent Mavick from Congressman Oberstar's office.

Congressman Oberstar took the opportunity of the Pastors for Peace visit to Duluth to sign on as a co-sponsor to the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, which would allow free travel to Cuba and relax the trade embargo. The bill passed the House's Agriculture Committee in June, and is expected to pass both the House and Senate by year's end.

Pastors for Peace Caravan Comes to Duluth!

2010-06-25T08:47:00.010-05:00

by the Cuba Solidarity Committee

On July 6 the annual Pastors for Peace arrived in Duluth to kick off the Midwest arm of their 21st aid caravan and blockade challenge to Cuba.

Washington's cold war with Cuba has been going on for 50 years, causing material shortages in Cuba and an information black out in both of our countries. It's time for a change, and Pastors for Peace are on the forefront of the movement for peace between our countries.

UPDATE JULY 7: To mark the occasion, the Northland Anti-War Coalition held a rally and press conference at the Duluth Civic Center that evening. Among the speakers were Duluth's mayor Don Ness, a spokesperson from Rep. Jim Oberstar, and Rev. Tom Smith of Pastors for Peace.

Later that evening NAWC hosted a fundraising concert at Carmody's Irish Pub that featured Latin and hip hop music.

All told NAWC was able to collect a substantial amount of building and other supplies for the caravan, as well as over $1000. Thanks to everyone who helped make the day a huge success!

Action Proposal to Be Discussed at the United National Antiwar Conference

2010-06-13T11:27:00.005-05:00

On July 23-25 national & local peace groups from around the nation will be gathering in Albany, New York for the United National Antiwar Conference. The goal of the conference is to plan the next step for peace movement. The Northland Anti-War Coalition is an endorser of this conference, and will be sending a delegation. Below is the draft Action Proposal that will be the starting point for the conference's deliberations. If you are interested in attending the conference or have any questions about it, you can check out http://www.nationalpeaceconference.org
----------------------------------

UNAC Action Proposal Submitted by Conference Co-Sponsors

Part 1: Preface

The prerequisites for ending the U.S. wars and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and re-orienting the nation’s priorities from empire building to solving the pressing needs at home are unity in action, massive mobilizations, inclusion of the broadest popular sectors of society, democratic functioning, and the construction of a mass social movement that operates independently of all political parties while seeking to influence their rank and file.

History has demonstrated time and again that the combination of these qualities coupled with an inclusive, collaborative and representative leadership can change the course of history.

This was the case with the massive social movements that were constructed to end the Vietnam War, win formal civil rights for excluded races and peoples, advance the cause of women’s equality, and challenge the prejudice & discrimination against LGBT people. It was this unity in action that brought into being a massive trade union movement that wrested unprecedented victories in the quality of life and culture for working people

Today we face the challenge of perpetual wars abroad becoming part of our national culture as are unceasing attacks on the quality of life and the standard of living at home. We are witness to multi-trillion dollar bailouts of the same institutions that have brought grief and pain to countless millions and obliterated hard won social and economic gains that were a century and longer in the making.

Our youth are subject to an economic draft that places them in harm’s way around the world where poor people fight for their right to self-determination and resist interventions for profit and plunder. Education budgets are slashed while pensions, health care, wages, union rights and civil liberties are under siege.

Trillions are expended to fund increasingly privatized wars fought in large part with mercenary armies and to maintain 865 military bases around the world. Meanwhile veterans -- first place in the statistics of the homeless and unemployed -- are compelled to fight for denied benefits to treat horrific diseases caused by U.S. biological and now radiation-emitting weapons of war while the people of destroyed nations suffer the same, but magnified, and long-term horrors. Moreover, they are subjected to successive incidents of inhuman torture.

We are confronted with imperial wars over control of the very fossil fuel resources whose continued use threatens our future.
Our love of humanity, opposition to expanding wars and occupations unleashed by the Pentagon, and respect for the right of self-determination for all peoples require that we demand of the U.S. government:

1. The allocation of the trillions spent on wars and corporate bailouts to massive programs for jobs, education, health care, housing and the environment. Compensation to be paid to the peoples whose countries the U.S. attacked and occupied for the loss of lives and massive destruction they suffered.
2. The immediate, total & unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. bases from Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. Bring all the Troops and War Dollars Home Now!

3. Reverse and end all foreclosures. Stop the government attacks on trade unions, civil and democratic rights, and immigrant communities.

Part 2: Proposals for United Actions

1. October 6 to 16, 2010 a period of local and regional protests across the country to mark the ninth year of the U.S. war on Afghanistan. Actions to include demonstrations, marches, vigils, teach-ins, etc.

2. Draft antiwar resolutions for city councils, town and village meetings and voter referendums linking astronomical war spending to denial of essential public services at home. Form broad local coalitions to organize support for such resolutions and referendum campaigns. Model resolutions and ballot questions will be circulated for consideration of local groups.

3. Mid-March, 2011 nationally coordinated teach-ins to mark the eighth year of the Iraq War and to prepare for bi-coastal spring demonstrations the following month.

4. Bi-coastal mass spring mobilizations in New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles on April 9, 2011. These will be accompanied by distinct and separate non-violent direct actions on the same day. A prime component of these mobilizations will be major efforts to include broad new forces from youth to veterans to trade unionists to civil and human rights groups to the Arab, Muslim and other oppressed communities to environmental organizations, social justice and faith-based groups. Veterans and military families will be key to these mobilizations with special efforts to organize this community to be the lead contingent.

5. Select a week prior to or after the April actions for local lobbying of elected officials at a time when Congress is not in session. Lobbying to take multiple forms from meeting with local officials to protests at their offices and homes.

6. National tours. Organize over a series of months nationally-coordinated tours of prominent speakers and local activists that link the demands for immediate withdrawal to the demands for funding social programs, as outlined above.

7. In the event of an imminent U.S. government attack on Iran or such an attack, or a U.S.-backed Israeli attack against Iran, or any other major international crisis triggered by U.S. military action, UNAC will mount a rapid, broad and nationally coordinated protest by antiwar and social justice activists.

8. Support actions aimed at dismantling the Cold War nuclear, biological and chemical delivery systems.

9. Support actions, educational efforts and lobbying campaign to promote a transition to a sustainable peace economy.

Support the Pastors for Peace Aid Caravan to Cuba

2010-06-10T10:45:00.009-05:00

by the Cuba Solidarity Committee

As world attention focuses on the devastating blockade of Gaza, it's a good time to remember another economic war closer to home.

For 50 years, the US government has banned travel, trade and donations to Cuba. The policy has caused massive shortages of medicine and other goods across the island and an information black-out for people of both countries.

This summer, volunteers with the NY-based Pastors for Peace will defy the blockade by openly and nonviolently delivering material aid to Cuba.

First they'll travel across North America to collect donations and educate folks about the human cost of this conflict. Making a gift of material aid is a great way to be part of this historic campaign, even if you can't travel to Cuba. As luck has it, the Midwest arm of the caravan is launching from right here in the Twin Ports on July 6th.

NAWC's Cuba Solidarity Committee has already reserved space for donations from our community -- now we need your help to fill it! We're especially looking for materials to help rebuild some 500,000 Cuban homes damaged by hurricanes in 2008. You can make an individual donation, or consider reaching out to your faith community, co-workers or social club. People like to help, and an aid drive is a great way to grow the movement. Several local people have been to Cuba and would be happy to speak to interested groups.

Donations must be NEW or IN EXCELLENT CONDITION and are due by July 4th (so we have time to properly pack and label the boxes). You can either call Joel (218-340-4356) to arrange a pick up or leave donations at Peace Church (1111 N 11th Ave E, Duluth) or the Duluth Labor Temple (2002 London Rd, avenue entrance). Below is a list of some of the items the caravan needs (a longer list can be found here).

We're also looking for financial contributions to cover shipping costs (about $20 per computer-size box -- NAWC has fronted $200 so far) Make checks out to NAWC with "Cuba" in the memo and mail them to:

Northland Anti-War Coalition
PO Box 16853
Duluth, MN 55816

If everyone pitches in a little, we can make a meaningful gift to the people of Cuba and send a strong message to our members of Congress that it's time to make peace with our neighbor.

We're particularly looking for the following building supplies:

--PLUMBING: nuts, bolts, washers and all thread, plastic pipe fittings, toilets, sinks, faucets, PVC plastic fittings, copper fittings and valves, drains and stoppers, pipes, shower fixtures
--CARPENTRY: nails, hammers, screws, drills, flashing, wall anchors, saws and saw blades, banding tools, door hanging tools, ladders, jacks, plaster, sandpaper
--ELECTRICAL: any electrical wiring, fasteners, electrical boxes and covers, electrician tools, solar panels, energy efficient lighting and bulbs, extension cords and adapters, generators, electric line testers, electrical tape, solar panels and equipment
--MASONRY: grouts, sealants, horizontal reinforcing, masonry admixtures, masonry hand tools (floats, trowels), chisels (wood and masonry)
--PAINTING: brushes, rollers, lead-free paint, brush extenders, paint plates
--PROTECTIVE GEAR: dust masks, work gloves, protective eyeglasses

Who gets the donations?
A non-governmental Ecumenical Distribution Committee made up of Cuban religious leaders will receive and distribute the aid to a variety of Cuban organizations and institutions serving the Cuban people on the basis of need.

Is delivery guaranteed?
No. The US government strictly prohibits trade, travel and donations to Cuba. There is always a chance that US authorities will confiscate the aid before it reaches Cuba. But they seem to realize that Pastors for Peace is on the right side of history, because almost all of the aid from 20 previous caravans has made it through to Cuba!

Protest Israeli attack on aid convoy

2010-05-31T08:26:00.008-05:00

At least 10 international activists were killed and dozens injured yesterday by Israeli commandos who violently intercepted an aid convoy to Gaza in international waters. The Israeli government has detained nearly 700 members of the convoy and cut them off from all outside communication. Both the BBC and al-Jazeera are running live blogs with what little information is getting through.

The attack has been met with outrage from governments and civil society around the world, but at the time of writing, the US White House has only mustered "regrets" for the "tragic loss of life."

TAKE ACTION!

Emergency Protest Against
Israeli Attack on Gaza Freedom Convoy
Tuesday, June 1 -- 5pm
Duluth Federal Building
Called by Twin Ports Break the Bonds and NAWC

Call the White House and your members of Congress!

The US is Israel's best ally and donor, and the greatest obstacle to international efforts to hold Israel to account for its violations of international law. Please call the White House and your members of Congress. Tell them that you are outraged by Israel's unprovoked and illegal attack, and ask them to work for:

1. the unconditional release of Free Gaza participants;
2. an immediate end to the devastating Israeli economic blockade of Gaza, which has created a humanitarian crisis affecting 1.5 million people;
3. a halt to all US military cooperation with and aid to Israel.

WHITE HOUSE
202-456-1111

STATE DEPARTMENT
202-647-4000

MINNESOTA
Representative James Oberstar (CD8)
218-727-7474

Senator Al Franken
218-722-2390

Senator Amy Klobuchar
202-224-3244

WISCONSIN
Representative Dave Obey (CD7)
715-398-4426

Senator Herb Kohl
202-224-5653

Senator Russ Feingold
202-224-5323

Send off for Witness for Peace -- June 6

2010-05-27T09:48:00.013-05:00

Delegates from Witness for Peace -- Upper Midwest will soon travel to Nicaragua on a mission of people-to-people diplomacy and fact-finding. In addition to investigating the effects of US and international economic policies on the Nicaraguan people, the delegation will look into the possibilities and practice of sustainable development and fair trade.

Please come and show your support for Witness for Peace! Proceeds will benefit the WfP scholarship fund, enabling more people to take part in this and future WfP delegations.

Celebration Send Off for Witness for Peace!
Sunday, June 6 -- 5:30 to8:30 pm
Peace Church Fellowship Hall
1111 N 11th Ave E, Duluth

--Beans and Rice Dinner--
--Nicaragua Slide Show--
--Music by the Biochemical Characters--
--Multicultural Silent Auction--

Suggested donation: $10/adult, $5/student. $20/family

Letter from Kurdistan

2010-05-25T11:06:00.000-05:00

by Michele Naar-Obed

(photo: Village destroyed by bombing in Pshdar district, courtesy CPT)

May 21, 2010

Dear friends,

It seems like it's been frantic around here for weeks now. So frantic that I completely mixed up my days and missed my plane. So a few updates:

We've had a spate of kidnappings and killings in the two main cities of Suleimaniya and Erbil in the KRG. One of them, the kidnapping and murder of Sardasht Osman the young Kurdish journalist, made international news. Right around the time of Sardasht's kidnapping, the young son of a Sheik was kidnapped, injured and died on route to the hospital in Suleimaniya. 3 days ago, TNT was found under 4 bridges in a subdistrict of Halubja. The explosives were defused without problem. And finally, the local security officers discovered a terrorist ring inside Suleimaniya who may be responsible for some of these incidents. More investigations are underway and some of the members of the alleged terrorist ring are still at large. As for Sardasht's murder, accusations are still being hurled at certain political party members, but investigations are still pending.

With the current power vacuum throughout Iraq, and with no central government formation, there are stories of various groups intent on taking advantage of the situation to create confusion and chaos. Some of those elements have made very public and hateful statements against the Kurds. Others have gone as far to say that it's too bad that Saddam didn't finish the job of wiping the Kurds out.

Up on the northeastern border in the foothills of the Qandil Mountains, Iran has been heavily shelling the villages inside Iraq's border. The pretext is that Iran is after PJAK, the armed Iranian Kurdish liberation group which is related to the PKK. The Iranian regime recently executed 5 political prisoners, 4 of which were Kurdish and there have been nonviolent demonstrations, sit-ins and strikes by the Iranian Kurds close to the border with Iraq.

The villages inside Iraq that sustained the most damage and destruction during this recent round of shelling are the 9 villages that CPT has been working with to develop a new collective village in a safer area. We had hoped to get the village started before there were any further injuries or deaths, but we failed on that count. One woman was injured by a rocket in the village of Maradu. Family members wrapped her in a blanket and carried her over very rough terrain in the midst of the shelling until they got her close enough to an area where she could be evacuated by ambulance to a hospital in Suleimaniya. She is still awaiting surgery.

During the worst of the shelling which went on continuously for about 4 days, the villagers stayed underground in dugouts. Some of the children from the villages took their final exams under these deadly conditions. Meanwhile, many animals were killed and injured, and much of the new spring planting was destroyed. During lulls in the attacks, the families began to flee with their remaining animals to an old tent camp along the river still in the restricted area but in a safer zone for now. Rumor has it that the shelling will continue over these next days and they are afraid that even this tent camp will be hit.

Yesterday, CPT went to visit them at the camp. All they had to offer was a glass of water from the river. One emergency aid organization came to visit them 2 days ago, wrote down their names and their emergency needs and they haven't heard any more from them yet. We saw about 75 people in all, many of them children and babies. More families are expected to arrive in these next days while others will go back to town to stay with relatives for the time being. Some of the children appeared traumatized but still they greeted us with smiles and handshakes and one of them grabbed my hand to lead me down to the rivers edge for a quick dunk in the river. Another family nabbed a couple of chickens, tied their legs together and offered them to our group as a gift. We graciously thanked them, unbound their legs and returned them to the family. Another time, when things are better, we will all sit down together and share a meal. This I know will happen.

The momentum for building this village hasn't slowed even with this crisis. The Mayors along with a member of their provincial council have formed a team to get the families on the list. In some ways, this process is reminiscent of “Shindler's List”. There are now 2 and possibly 3 choices of land for them on which to build this new village. Habitat for Humanity seems seriously hooked, but the main office in Amman still has to approach the donors for the money to build the houses.

We estimate 150 to 200 houses are needed. The local Habitat staff member says each house will cost about $12.000. They expect that the KRG will contribute 30% of the total construction costs and the Habitat donors will take care of the rest. The calculated cost of 200 houses is $2, 400,000 total. The KRG's contribution would be just over $800,000. This is pocket change when you think that this amount of money could provide safe housing and the basis for a sustainable life for over 1,000 people.

So for now, this is where I leave them. It's up to the villagers, the rest of the CPT team, the local NGOs, local government and most importantly, the guidance of the Spirit to keep this thing moving.

Meanwhile, 3 new villages have been destroyed and now there are another 650 or so people displaced and homeless. Up until this point, their villages have remain untouched by the ongoing attacks by Iran and Turkey. This year, they lost. Maybe next year we will be facilitating the development of yet another village.

Any of you that are so inclined, please pray, meditate, think loving thoughts, visualize or do whatever you feel led to do to keep this little movement alive. We will all be very grateful.

I expect to be home on May 26. I think I finally have my days straight now.

Peace, Michele

Michele Naar-Obed is a member of the Loaves & Fishes Community in Duluth and a volunteer with the Christian Peacemaker Teams. She has served multiple deployments with CPT to Iraq, most recently to the northern Kurdish region to work with communities displaced by Turkish bombing raids.

May Meeting Notes

2010-05-23T13:05:00.003-05:00

May 16, 2010 Northland Anti-War Coalition Meeting Notes

Attendance: Scot, Margie, Ron, Tom, Joel, Steve and Adam

1. Tax Day Protest Report: NAWC's April 15 protest against war spending drew about 120 people. We had a rally at the MN Power Plaza, then marched with our signs through the Tea Party event at Bayfront Park and through Canal Park. It was a very high energy event, and it generated great press coverage. However, we were hoping for more people. About three dozen people also attended out forum that evening at UMD featuring former FBI whistle blower Coleen Rowley.

2. Practicing Justice: Scot reported that CHUM is going to be holding a panel on social justice from a religious perspective on May 20 at 7pm at Duluth's Teatro Zucone.

3. Community & Police: Scot reported that there will be a series of community meetings on the possibility of establishing a community review board over the police in Duluth. The meetings are being organized by the Duluth Task Force for the Improvement of Community Police Accountability. For more info go to www.digiterp.com/DTFICPA.

4. Trainings: There are two activist trainings coming up. One is a 2-day conflict resolution training session that'll take place at the Duluth-Superior Friends Meeting House from June 25-27 (see earlier post). To register, contact Bonnie Ambrosi at 218 728-9942 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 218 728-9942 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 218 728-9942 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 218 728-9942 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or grihastashrami{at}gmail{dot}com. There will also be a Training for Change activist leadership event on the weekend of Oct. 17 led by Celia Kutz. Contact Joel Kilgour at jkilgour{at}riseup{dot}net for more details.

5. Fundraising: NAWC will hold a volleyball tournament/fundraising event this summer. Margie will head up a team to develop a more comprehensive plan and present it at the June NAWC meeting for approval.

6. Campus Outreach: NAWC will strive to put together a fall campus campaign that aims to hold a Young Activist Summit, a series of speaking engagements and that culminates in a campus protest. We will apply for grant money to see if we can provide scholarships to some local student activists to work on the project. Joel & Margie will head up a committee to work on this.

-Meeting Chair & Note Taker: Adam

-Next Meeting: Sunday, June 13 at 2pm at the Duluth Unitarian-Universalist Church at 835 College Street.

Conflict Resolution workshop June 25-27

2010-05-17T13:58:00.007-05:00

Founded in 1975 as a collaboration between inmates at a maximum security prison in New York and members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) sought to reduce the level of violence in prison by teaching Gandhian techniques for non-violent conflict resolution. The original project was wildly successful and quickly spread to other prisons, community groups, schools and war zones. AVP International describes its purpose today as "enabling participants to deal with potentially violent situations in new and creative ways."

This summer, the Duluth-Superior Friends Meeting is sponsoring a Basic Community Workshop in Conflict Resolution facilitated by the Friends for a Non-Violent World. The 21-hour hands-on workshop focuses on "new skills to cope with violence, our own and others’, and build and deepen community. AVP workshops emphasize developing peace-building tools for use in homes, the workplace, and the broader community."

The workshop runs from Friday June 25 through Sunday June 27th at the Friends Meeting House (1802 E 1st St, Duluth). Pre-registration is required. For more information, visit the FNVW website (click on events) or contact Bonnie Ambrosi at 218 728-9942 or grihastashrami{at}gmail{dot}com.

Fundraiser for Loaves & Fishes May 7/8

2010-04-26T14:10:00.003-05:00

Faces of the Displaced in Colombia

2010-04-22T08:51:00.003-05:00

by Witness for Peace--Upper Midwest

A Witness for Peace delegation, "Living with Hope in the Context of Violence," traveled to Colombia in February. We will share what we learned about the impact of the internal conflict on the people. We met with rural people - campesinos, indigenous people and Afro-Colombians - civic leaders and human rights defenders, who told us of their nonviolent resistance to displacement and their efforts to build sustainable communities. They also asked us to be in solidarity with them and to advocate for US economic and military policies that are just and peaceful. Come hear their testimony and join us in actions on their behalf.

Sunday, April 25th, 9:30 - 10:30 am, Adult Forum, Peace Church (1111 N 11th Ave E)
Thursday, April 29th, noon - 1 pm, UMD, Kirby Student Center, #268.

Minnesota Peace Project CD8 organizing meeting

2010-04-20T14:21:00.007-05:00

by Minnesota Peace Project-CD8

Would you like to influence US foreign policy for the better? Are you ready to see your member of Congress listen to the anti-war majority for a change?

The Minnesota Peace Project (MPP) is a statewide network of citizen activists in every Congressional District who are trying to influence US policy through our Congressional Representatives. In its short life, the MPP has had remarkable success at building relationships with the Minnesota delegation to Congress. Among other victories, the MPP has convinced both Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken to co-author a bill to ban cluster munitions -- a ban that is opposed by the Obama Administration.

MPP will be holding a District 8 organizing meeting in Duluth on Wednesday, April 28 from 6-8pm in the basement meeting room of the Chester Creek Cafe. MPP co-organizer Mary Hinz will be on hand to speak about the project and its history, and then we will discuss ways to organize an MPP team here in Representative Oberstar's district. The meeting is open to anyone who wants to learn more about the MPP or is interested in volunteering with peace lobbying efforts in District 8.

Report on the Tax Day Anti-War Protest

2010-04-15T21:46:00.012-05:00

by Adam Ritscher

"Bring our war dollars home!" was the message of more than 120 people who participated in the Northland Anti-War Coalition's April 15 Tax Day protest. The event was held to highlight the fact that hundreds of billions of dollars of our tax dollars are being wasted every year on the unjust wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. At the same time this is going on federal, state and local governments are being forced to cut social programs due to budget shortfalls. The NAWC protest called for our tax dollars to be spent on human needs, rather than war.

The protesters who attended represented a broad swath of people - young and old, Black and white, white collar and blue collar workers. And in addition to the Northland Anti-War Coalition, a number of other local groups endorsed the protest and participated in it, including the Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body.

The event began at 4:30pm with a rally at the MN Power Plaza. There were three powerful speakers at the rally - former Wisconsin State Assemblyman Frank Boyle, community activist Brandon Clokey, and FBI whistle blower Coleen Rowley. Singer and song writer Rachael Kilgour shared several songs, and student activists Margaret Nelson and Steve Wick were the co-chairs.

After the rally, the protesters set off on a long march through downtown over to the Bayfront Park - where a Tea Party rally was being held at the same time. Protesters held a 50 foot banner that illustrated the portion of tax dollars that goes to the military, and handed out fliers to the folks attending the Tea Party event. From the Bayfront Park the march continued on through Canal Park, and then back to the MN Power Plaza.

Other coverage of the rally:
Dueling Duluth rallies target taxes -- Duluth News-Tribune
Anti-war rally protests war spending on tax day -- Fox21
War Protesters: Bring the money home! -- DNT and MichaelMoore.com
Report on the Tax Day Anti-War Protest -- Perfect Duluth Day
A common call from a divided nation: we can't afford war -- DNT

Also, following the protest, at 7:30pm, Coleen Rowley gave a presentation up at the University of MN-Duluth about her role as a whistle blower in the FBI who spoke out against torture and the invasion of Iraq. Thirty five people attended this event.

This Tax Day protest was the culmination of a Spring campaign by the Northland Anti-War Coalition to speak out against military spending. Each Wednesday at noon, for the past several weeks, vigils were held in front Congressman Oberstar and Senator Franken's offices, and activists delivered letters and petitions from local activists and organizations on the issue.

Thanks to everyone who participated in these events for helping to keep the issue of the war front and center. Special thanks to all of our speakers, co-chairs and to Rachael. Also, special thanks to Josie Johnson for leading the chants during the march, to Bob Kosuth for leading the collection, to Mike Solon for the sound system, and to Joel Kilgour and Adeline Wright for making the 50 foot banner (and for the 101 other things that Joel did for the protest!). We have a lot of wondering people in this area who have done a lot to keep the local anti-war movement alive and kicking! But the struggle continues, so I hope to see you all at the next NAWC planning meeting, which will be on Sunday, May 9 at 2pm at the Duluth Unitarian-Universalist Congregation. I hope to see you there!

April NAWC Meeting Notes

2010-04-11T17:45:00.004-05:00

Attendance: Steve W., Joel K., Andy A., Ron M., Carl S., Margie N., Scott B., Josie J., Adam R., Bob K., Kathy A., Ellie C.

1. Free Democracy Summit: Carl reported on the Free Democracy Summit, which will be a week long series of events taking place on the last week of April, culminating in a picnic/rally on May 1st at 4:30pm at the Central Hillside Community Center in Duluth. NAWC will have a speaker at this event (Carl) and a table. Email Carl at northlandiguana@gmail.com for more info about the Summit.

2. DFL Convention: Joel reported that the Minnesota Democrats are meeting in Duluth on April 24. To take advantage of this situation there is going to be a healthcare for all rally on April 23 starting at 5:30pm at the MN Power Plaza, and on April 24 there is going to be a noon time press conference calling for a repeal of the Patriot Act. Email Joel at jrkilgour@yahoo.com for more info on these events.

3. March 19 Report: Adam reported that to mark the 7th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq NAWC held three pickets in different neighborhoods of Duluth. The morning picket in West Duluth drew 10 people, the noon time picket by the Coppertop Church drew 10 folks, and the evening picket downtown drew 40. Two TV stations covered our events. We also ran an ad in the Hillsider newspaper before hand.

4. Wednesday Vigils: Joel reported that NAWC has been holding weekly noon time vigils in front of Congressman Oberstar's and Sentator Franken's offices, and delivering letters from local groups and petitions calling on them to vote against the war supplementals. Attendance has been between 6-15 people. The Duluth Central Labor Body has endorsed this project.

5. Tax Day Protest: Joel reported that on Thursday, April 15 NAWC will be holding a protest against war spending starting at 4:30pm at the MN Power Plaza. At the plaza we'll have three speakers - Brandon Clokey, Patrick Doyle and Colleen Rowley. After the speakers we'll be carrying a 50 foot banner down Superior St. to the Bayfront Park, where the Tea Party will be holding a rally. From there we'll march through Canal Park, and then back to the MN Power Plaza. We plan on having drummers, chants, music and leaflets, petitions and collection cans to distribute. The Duluth Central Labor Body has endorsed the protest. That same evening, Colleen Rowley will be giving a presentation titled "Patriotism, Democracy & Common Sense" at 7:30pm at UMD in Room 120 of the Solon Campus Center.

6. Nuclear Disarmament: Kathy reported on the recent news regarding reducing the nation's nuclear weapons stockpiles. She proposed making nuclear weapon abolition a major, ongoing project of NAWC. A committee will be formed to work on this. Contact Kathy at (218) 724-1891 if you are interested.

7. UMD Report: Steve reported that Students for Peace is going to be holding its second annual Young Activist Summit on April 24 in the Garden Room on campus. It will run from 10am to 4pm. The keynote speakers will be from the RNC 8 and will be speaking from 10:30-11:30am. Activist workshops will be held at 10am and at 1:30pm. Students for Peace will also be holding a day long "Expressions of Peace" art exhibit on May 1 from 10am to 4pm at the Lincoln Park facilities of the Duluth Art Institute. Contact Steve for more info about either event at wickx079@d.umn.edu.

8. Strategy/Future Campaigns for NAWC: It was decided to postpone this discussion until a later date.

Announcements:

-The National Assembly is putting together a United National Antiwar Conference in Albany, NY on July 23-24. The website for it is www.nationalpeaceconference.org. NAWC will be sending a delegation. Mark you calendars, and email Adam at wainosunrise@yahoo.com if you are interested in attending.

-The Vagina Monologues will be hosted at UMD in Bohannon 90 on April 16th & 17th at 7pm. $5 for students, $8 for non-students.

-The Duluth City Council will be voting on Monday at 7pm on whether to support a project to get the state of Minnesota to put together a single payer health care system.

-The National Peace Project will be coming to Duluth to recruit local folks to help with their efforts during the last week of April. Email Joel for more info at jrkilgour@yahoo.com

-Jesus Sepulveda, the author of a "transforming" book/essay, The Garden
of Peculiarities, will be at the College of St. Scholastica on April
11-12. Jesus Sepulveda is a Chilean poet, philosopher, and anarchist,
currently a professor at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Email Margie at mnelson4@css.edu for more info.

*meeting notes taken by Adam R.

Labor says Bring Our War Dollars Home

2010-04-09T17:23:00.007-05:00

Knowing that out-of-control military spending bankrupts our communities and kills jobs, delegates to the Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body voted unanimously yesterday to endorse NAWC's tax day march and rally.

DCLB president Dan O'Neill and delegates from across the trades will be marching with us on Thursday. Will you?

BRING OUR WAR DOLLARS HOME
Thursday, April 15, 4:30pm
Gather at the MN Power Plaza
(Lake Ave & Superior St, Duluth)
Featuring FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley; Duluth Fathering Project's Brandon Clokey; singer-songwriter Rachael Kilgour and former WI State Assemblyman Frank Boyle

Join us and help NAWC and the DCLB bring a strong, progressive message to Congress and our neighbors on tax day:

YES to jobs, YES to education, YES to health care, NO to war.

Franken needs to hear from you!

2010-04-09T15:30:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, 50 "Minnesotans for Peace" visited the St Paul offices of Senator Al Franken to ask him to vote NO on the new war supplemental. Franken's staff were courteous, and Franken himself called to speak with the activists. But his answer was disheartening: he supports the escalation of war in Afghanistan and Pakistan and plans to vote YES on the supplemental.

In the end, 6 people were arrested for peacefully refusing to leave his office, including Vicki Andrews of Grand Rapids.

"The common people," reflects Coleen Rowley after the meeting, "seem to be the only ones who remember Vietnam and know the awful truth of being in an 'unwinnable' quagmire."

But we don't have to give up. With a little people power, we can get our representatives on the right track and defeat this war bill. In the coming week, please take a moment to call the offices of your representative and senators. Be polite, and ask the person answering the phone to send a message to their boss to vote NO on the $33 billion war supplemental. Remind them:

--- $708 billion of our tax dollars are already going to the Pentagon in 2011. This is more than enough to keep our nation safe;

--- On the campaign trail, Obama pledged to end the practice of "back-door" war funding. After Congress passed his 2009 back-door war funding package, Obama swore it would be his last. Congress should hold him to it;

--- Our communities and families are suffering the effects of budget cuts and joblessness. We need this money at home, not buried in endless wars.

MINNESOTA
Representative James Oberstar (CD8)
(218) 727-7474

Senator Al Franken
(218) 722-2390

Senator Amy Klobuchar
202-224-3244

WISCONSIN
Representative Dave Obey (CD7)
(715) 398-4426

Senator Herb Kohl
202-224-5653

Senator Russ Feingold
202-224-5323

TIME Person of the Year headlines tax day rally

2010-04-06T09:37:00.005-05:00

NAWC is honored to host FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley as the keynote speaker for our April 15 rally in Duluth.

Coleen Rowley worked with the FBI for more than two decades, assuming the position of Chief Division Counsel for the Minneapolis Division in 1990. In 2002, she blew the whistle on pre-9/11 intelligence lapses, sparking a 2-year Department of Justice investigation of the agency and propelling Rowley to the cover of TIME magazine. You might also remember her as the agent who rankled the Bush Administration in 2003 by repeatedly warning of the dangers of invading Iraq.

Rowley retired from the FBI in 2004, but continues to speak out for transparent and ethical government. On April 15, you'll have two chances to hear her in Duluth. She'll be the keynote speaker at our Bring our War Dollars Home rally, starting at 4:30 pm at the Minnesota Power Plaza in downtown Duluth. Later that evening, she'll give a more in-depth talk on Patriotism, Democracy, and Common Sense: Restoring America's Promise at Home and Abroad at 7:30 pm in room 120 of the UMD Solon Campus Center ("the Wedge"). The talk is sponsored by NAWC, UMD Students for Peace and the UMD Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

April 15 -- mark your calendars

2010-03-29T19:46:00.002-05:00

$33 billion more for war? Don't let it happen!

2010-03-21T15:32:00.013-05:00

On or around tax day, Congress will debate yet another "emergency" supplemental appropriation for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. That's $33 billion in back-door funding on top of a record-breaking $708 billion general budget for the Department of Defense in 2011. If you include non-DoD military programs and interest on war debt, US military spending could hit $1.4 trillion next year -- half of the discretionary budget.

The consequences of endless war are all around us: bankrupt local governments, pared down public services, and decaying infrastructure. In the past decade, our national war addiction has cost more than Bush's tax cuts and corporate bailouts COMBINED.

Last year's war supplemental was nearly defeated in Congress -- that is, until the White House pressured Jim Oberstar and other anti-war Democrats to flip their votes. Let's make sure this doesn't happen again. Please contact your representative TODAY. Remind her that a bloated war budget takes money away from public infrastructure, health care, education and job creation. Ask her to go on record opposing any new war supplemental.

MINNESOTA
Representative James Oberstar (CD8)
(218) 727-7474

Senator Al Franken
(218) 722-2390

Senator Amy Klobuchar
202-224-3244

WISCONSIN
Representative Dave Obey (CD7)
(715) 398-4426

Senator Herb Kohl
202-224-5653

Senator Russ Feingold
202-224-5323

After you've made the call, hit the streets! NAWC will be holding weekly "Jobs not War" pickets at the Duluth Federal Building every Wednesday from now until tax day. Join us on March 24, March 31, April 7, or April 14 from noon to 1pm. Or, if you live in Wisconsin, join Peace North at a "Healthcare not Warfare" vigil in front of Congressman Obey's office (1401 Tower Ave, Superior) on April 21, 12 noon to 1pm.

And mark your calendars now for NAWC's Tax Day march and rally. It starts at 4:30pm on Thursday, April 15 at Lake Ave and Superior St in Duluth. The theme is "Bring Our War Dollars Home," and will feature FBI whistle-blower and 2002 Time magazine Person of the Year Coleen Rowley.

Power to the People -- Report from Kurdistan

2010-03-21T12:39:00.002-05:00

By Michele Naar-Obed

Dear friends,

Today is Nowroze, the traditional Kurdish New Year. The new year was brought in with firework displays which I watched from our kitchen window. To the eye, the sky was ablaze with brilliant colors but to the ear, it was reminiscent of bombs and gunshots that I often heard when CPT worked in Baghdad. The night's events left me feeling torn between joy that the Kurds were celebrating the beginning of a new year filled with hope, and sorrow for all the death that has occurred both here in the north as well as in the south of Iraq.

Freed from a tyrant by default in a war waged by the very country that helped create the tyrant, is enough to wreak havoc on everyones psyche. It's hard to know who to thank, who to blame, who to trust or who to be wary of, as the many facets of these realities have such different meanings and consequences to all the different players in this chapter of history.

Iraq is on the cusp of rebuilding and reshaping its future. With the second national election since 2003 behind them by 2 weeks, Iraqi still waits for the final results which may come in these next days. After that, some speculate it may take months before the new government is formed. It's a precarious time because it leaves the country in somewhat of a power vacuum until the new leaders are seated and the new government takes hold. It's a time of threats and deceit and its a time of coalition building and hope.

Here in the Kurdish north, we have seen some of the worst come out of the two main ruling parties, the PUK and the KDP. Yet, at the same time, its difficult to dismiss these ruling parties since it was those very leaders who kept the Kurds from being totally annihilated by the various occupying tyrants throughout the 20th century. Somewhere along the line, the taste of power for some individuals became more appealing than the taste of freedom and dignity for all.

However, an up and coming new political entity, Gorran, otherwise known as the Change List, has gained momentum in the Kurdish north. A call for democracy, transparency, human rights, and collective growth seems to be pulsing through the veins of many of the Kurdish people following the Gorran platform. Will the leaders of this new political entity nurture that vision or will they, like so many other political leaders become drunk with power and blinded by corruption?

Some members of the PUK/KDP ruling parties have lashed out against this fledgling political entity in tyrannical ways. CPT has been working with some of the victims of this backlash, encouraging them to continue their vow to not fight violence with violence. They insist that they will remain strong, not by the gun but by the power of diplomacy, the power of human decency, and by the support of the people of good will throughout the international community. We will be putting out a video on YouTube soon about this situation.

Iraq is a country seeking to shed its roots of tribal governing in order to embrace the way of democracy. They have a ways to go. And I'm not talking about the acts of terrorism that most people, particularly in the US, think is the dominant method of ruling by the Iraqi people. Iraq is not made up of uncivilized people needing to be “trained” by the West. On the contrary, the people of Iraq, both in the north and the south have shown exemplary humanitarian leadership traits that centuries of occupation, war and devastation have been unable to extinguish. It makes me wonder how we in the US would compare if we were to experience even a few decades of what people here have endured.

Even with all that our country has done and continues to do that flies in the face of humanity, many of the people here look to the West for advice and direction for building a democracy but I wonder what they will find or who they will emulate.

On paper the democracy claimed by the US looks good. But those of us who know our history know our problems. We in the US are lucky to have had great people like Howard Zinn who studied and recorded our history from the peoples perspective. After all, isn't that what our Constitution was supposed to be built on; “We the People...”? From this history, we have an opportunity to learn from our mistakes and hold on to what is good about us for surely there is good in our collective society.

Compared to Kurdish society, maybe the ordinary people in the US feel more empowered to change the course of government when it goes haywire. We see that in our grassroots organizations filled with committed activists who have faced government persecution and loss of a safe and comfortable place in society. Even though we've lived under tyrants, albeit tyrants masked behind a “kinder, gentler” persona, we have taken to the streets or to the jail cells denouncing crimes against humanity whether it be the crime of war or the crime of poverty perpetrated on people by government.

If we can't change it's course, maybe we are more able to separate from government and build our own little communities. Although we have never been able to fully separate from a government that's gone crazy with power, greed and corruption, some of our communities are becoming more adept at providing for each other for the common good as opposed to the good of the individual.

This is the kind of democracy that I hope for the people of Iraq both in the north and the south. Before I can pass that on to another, I need to be damn sure that I practice it myself and I need to thank those that continue to teach me including the people here in Iraq.

I expect these thoughts will bring lots of criticism from people who are threatened by the realization that the US might be less than perfect, so feel free to express your thoughts and send them my way if you'd like. After all, we live in a democracy.

Report on the March 19 Anti-War Protests

2010-03-19T20:07:00.006-05:00

CSS student and Iraqi citizen Zaynab Alwan made
this banner to highlight the terrible human cost of war

By Adam Ritscher

This March 19th marked the 7th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. During these past seven years hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of Americans have needlessly lost their lives - and millions more have had their lives disrupted by physical and psychological injuries, by having their homes demolished, and losing loved ones. And tragically, after the passage of all of this time, there is no real end in sight.

To show that our region is still against this war, and that we continue to demand an immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops from overseas, the Northland Anti-War Coalition marked the occasion with three pickets that took place at different times throughout the day, in different neighborhoods of Duluth. Each picket was an hour long, and all told, 60 people participated in the day's events.

The first picket was held at 7:30am at the corner of Grand & Central in West Duluth. 10 hearty souls were able to roust themselves out of bed that early and hold signs to greet people on their way to work.

The second picket was held at 11:30 at the busy intersection of Central Entrance & Mesaba up by the Coppertop Church. Another 10 activists showed up for this event, which proved especially challenging due to a drop in the temperature, and fierce winds off the lake that even broke some of our picket signs!

And the final picket of the day was held at 4:30pm at the corner of Lake Ave. & Superior St. in downtown Duluth. Forty people attended this event, and like the previous pickets, we were greeted by overwhelmingly positive responses from the many passing motorists and pedestrians.

Both the local ABC and Fox television affiliates covered the actions.

I'd like to thank everyone who participated in today's protests, despite the weather! I especially want to hank our press spokesperson, Zaynab Alwan. I want to thank Fatima Alwan, Cole Maki and Scott Bol for leading us in some boisterous chants; Carl Sack for handling the press work; Joel Kilgour for proposing the pickets; and everyone else who had a hand in today's important event.

Since the war is not over, neither is the need for an anti-war movement! So, mark your calendars for the next NAWC protest, which will be on April 15 - Tax Day. We'll be gathering at 4:30pm at the MN Power Plaza for a colorful march through downtown Duluth, Canal Park and through the Tea Party event that'll be taking place at the same time. Be sure to tell your friends, and I look forward to seeing you there!

March 14 NAWC Meeting Notes

2010-03-14T16:40:00.002-05:00

-Attendance: Vern S., Joel K., Kathy A., Andy A., Ron M., Scott B., Adam R. and a woman whose name I didn't get.

1. March 19: On Friday, March 19 NAWC will be holding three vigils to mark the 7th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. We'll be picketing 7:30-8:30am at Central & Grand; 11:30am-12:30pm at Mesaba & Central Ent; and 4:30-5:30pm at Lake Ave & Superior St. A group of students at St. Scholastica are making two large banners that we'll be holding, and there'll be extra picket signs on hand as well. We agreed to ask Zaynab Alwan to be the press spokesperson for the events, and Carl S. to put out a press release beforehand. We've taken out an ad for the events in the Hillsider newspaper. Fliers are being circulated online and in the community, if you'd like fliers to post up email wainosunrise@yahoo.com. Everyone is urged to spread the word about these pickets, and we especially need folks at the early morning one!

2. Tax Day: A committee of NAWC has put together a Spring campaign calling for the war spending to be brought home. Starting on March 24 we're going to be holding a one hour vigil each Wednesday in front of the Congressman Oberstar's office in the Duluth Federal Building. After the vigils we'll be meeting with his staff to deliver letters from different organizations supporting our campaign and asking Oberstar not to oppose the war supplementals. These vigils will culminate with a protest on Tax Day itself, April 15. We'll be gathering at 4:30pm at the MN Power Plaza. There we'll be forming a human chain where each person will hold one of 50 pieces of a giant sign that highlights how much federal spending goes to war. The plan is for this human chain sign to then march through Canal Park, and through the Tea Party protest that will be taking place at the same time in Bayfront Park. It was decided that we won't be doing the fundraising concert or leafleting at post offices that we had earlier talked about doing. A flier for this event will be ready by March 19, and we're also going to be taking out an ad in the Hillsider newspaper. We voted to allocated up to $100 for sign making and other supplies. Thanks to Joel and the gang at CSS that have been doing such a great job on this!

3. Palestine: The Twin Ports Break the Bonds Campaign - a Palestine solidarity group that is associated with NAWC, held a series of events at LSC, UWS, CSS and UMD last week to highlight the Israeli occupation of Palestine. It was part of a national week of actions called Israeli Apartheid Week. 100 people participated in the Duluth/Superior events. The BBC's next project is to mark the April 9, 1948 Israeli massacre at the Palestinian village of Deir Yassin. People will march from UMD and CSS at noon on April 9 to the intersection of College St. and E. 19th, where there'll be a vigil. Then that evening there will be an educational event at 7pm at the Friends Meeting House featuring Prof. Joel Sipress and a film by Anna Baltzer.

4. National Assembly: The national network of peace groups that NAWC is affiliated to, the National Assembly to End the Iraq & Afghanistan Wars & Occupations, is holding a national conference July 23-25 in Albany, New York. The conference is called the United National Antiwar Conference, and it's gaining a lot of momentum. A number of significant peace groups have agreed to co-sponsor it, including Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace, Progressive Democrats of America, Peace of the Action, U.S. Labor Against the War, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Women's International League for Peace & Freedom, Code Pink, the Campus Antiwar Network, and others. The goal is to get several hundred peace activists from around the county in one room to come up with a joint plan of action. More info as we get closer to the event. In the meantime, the website for the conference is at www.nationalpeaceconference.org

5. SOA: The Twin Ports School of the Americas Watch is going to be sending several CSS students to Washington D.C. for SOA lobby day, and a national strategy session. They're looking for donations to cover their travel expenses. If you can help email Joel at jrkilgour@yahoo.com

6. Brainstorming: We started a preliminary discussion on strategy for the anti-war movement, and the political hurdles we have to overcome to build a more effective movement. We also need to come up with some future action plans for after Tax Day. We decided to devote half of our next meeting to continuing this discussion.

Announcements:

-a speech by Adam R. on fascism has been published. it can be bought as a pamphlet for $2. email Adam at wainosunrise@yahoo.com to reserve a copy.

-there is going to be a fundraising concert for Haiti on March 19 at 7pm at the Duluth Unitarian-Universalist church.

-Ron M. will be tabling after the Friday evening showings of the Amy Goodman/Democracy Now program at the Zinema. he is available afterwards for discussions on ending corporate personhood.

NEXT MEETING: The next NAWC meeting will be on April 11 at 2pm in the library of the Duluth Unitarian-Universalist Church. Mark your calendar!

Celebrate 30 years of Nukewatch

2010-03-11T11:35:00.007-06:00

NAWC coalition partner Nukewatch is 30 years old! The Wisconsin-based nuclear watchdog was formed in the wake of the Progressive magazine's 1979 lawsuit against the federal government for attempted censorship of its story "The H-Bomb secret." Since then, Nukewatch has been exposing all sorts of nuclear secrets and agitating for a nuclear-free world. Among other accomplishments over the years, Nukewatch volunteers:

--Created the first land map of US nuclear missile silos;
--Tracked and mapped secret radioactive waste shipments through US cities and towns;
--Helped lead the 30+ year campaign to shut down the Navy's Project ELF transmitters in Clam Lake, WI and Republic, MI.

To celebrate its anniversary, Nukewatch invites us all to Tennessee over the July 4 weekend for workshops, networking and nonviolent direct action against the US nuclear arsenal at the Y-12 Nuclear Weapons Complex. So mark your calendars now and plan to join hundreds of Nukewatch's closest friends for celebration and resistance!

RESISTANCE for a
NUCLEAR-FREE FUTURE

CELEBRATING 3 DECADES OF
THE NUCLEAR RESISTER AND NUKEWATCH

July 4th weekend, 2010
At Maryville College, Maryville, Tennessee
and the Y-12 Nuclear Weapons Complex, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

The Nuclear Resister, Nukewatch and the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA) invite you to join us for a national gathering, culminating with nonviolent anti-nuclear direct action, July 3-5, 2010, to declare our independence from nuclear weapons and nuclear power. The gathering will be held at Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee, with protest and action at the Y-12 nuclear weapons complex in nearby Oak Ridge, where OREPA has sustained a nonviolent campaign for over 20 years.

At a critical time in the movement for a nuclear-free future, and to mark the 30th anniversaries of Nukewatch and the Nuclear Resister, we are coming together to increase awareness and action around nuclear issues, and advance the role of nonviolent direct action and civil resistance in this movement. We will also be marking the 30th anniversary of the Plowshares movement and the inaugural Plowshares Eight direct disarmament action of September 9, 1980.

Come and meet with hundreds of activists from around the U.S., as we educate and energize ourselves throughout a weekend of networking, music, speakers, celebration, workshops, community, nonviolence training and nonviolent action. Because long-lived radioactive waste makes this a multi-generational campaign, we envision a gathering where new and seasoned activists can meet and strategize for the future - a nuclear-free future!

We will gather two months after the 2010 Nonproliferation Treaty review conference and before the mid-term elections - a time when public attention needs to be focused on nuclear disarmament and a nuclear- and carbon-free energy future. It will also take place on the eve of the 14th anniversary of the July 8, 1996 World Court advisory opinion on nuclear weapons.

Join us:
* Become a sponsoring or endorsing individual or organization
* Pre-register for the gathering
* Volunteer to help
* Help spread the word about the celebration
* Send us your photos of anti-nuclear actions over the years

This gathering is for people who advocate, practice and/or support nonviolent direct action, civil resistance and civil disobedience in the struggle to stop nuclear power and abolish nuclear weapons.

We hope to see you there!

For more information, or to make a donation, please visit http://nukewatch.com/30th/index.htm

Check out our facebook page - Resistance for a Nuclear-Free Future.

Nukewatch has a foundation of investigating and divulging the truth about nuclear weapons and power since 1979. The organization has a strong history of drawing people together -- from the missile silo fields, to H-bomb trucks on the highways, to a 15-year-long nonviolent action campaign shutting down the Navy's nuclear submarine transmitter system Project ELF.

The Nuclear Resister began in 1980 to chronicle anti-nuclear and anti-war civil resistance, with a focus on supporting the men and women imprisoned for these actions. The newsletter publishes writings from prisoners, reports on actions, trials and sentencings, provides addresses of imprisoned activists and publicizes future actions.

The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance works to stop nuclear weapons production at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and to build nonviolent community to sustain a lasting movement for peace and justice.

Contact:
Bonnie Urfer and John LaForge
Nukewatch
(715)472-4185
Email: nukewatch1@lakeland.ws
Website: http://nukewatch.com

Felice and Jack Cohen-Joppa
The Nuclear Resister
(520)323-8697
Email: nukeresister@igc.org
Website: http://nuclearresister.org/

Letter from Kurdistan

2010-03-08T17:35:00.003-06:00

by Michele Naar-Obed

March 5, 2010

Dear friends,

It's been a long and tiring month and a lot has happened here in the Kurdish north of Iraq.

Our long awaited human rights report is now public. "Where there is a promise, there is a tragedy": Cross-border bombings and shellings of the northern village peoples of the Kurdish region of Iraq by the nations of Turkey and Iran, is a 57 page report which documents the impact of an intermittent war waged on an isolated civilian population, the historical context in which the current warfare is occurring, and the international legal implications of decisions taken by various militaries engaged in acts of violence against a vulnerable civilian population in an already-vulnerable and -war-torn country. These are the links for the report in both English and Kurdish. I'll also post the links on my website; www.duluthcpt.net. And if you haven't already checked out the videos, take a look at "hospitality Zharawa IDP camp style". Their stories are included in the report.

My last email painted a rather bleak picture with regards to the 137 families with whom we work closely. They were in pretty deep despair having now been displaced for over 2 years. Some have been living in the tent camp for over one year through pretty harsh weather and in very sparse conditions.

They have seemed to get their resolve back and they feel hopeful again. They contribute much of that hope to us and we contribute much of our feelings of hope to them. It's as if there's an energy that moves between and amongst us and keeps the flame alive.

Two weeks ago, we delivered our human rights report to the Prime Minister's office. The Prime Minister's aide accepted the report and we had quite a long talk about it. At first his reception was a bit cool, but within a short time, he had moved his chair closer and had tea brought in and I knew I had a captive audience. He took lots of notes and asked lots of good questions and then said he wanted this office to make the case of our 137 families their top priority. Now, it's campaign season for the national elections so we know we can be dealing with empty campaign promises and a lot of hot air but nonetheless, we're trying to capitalize on the moment.

The aide asked when we would be going to the camp next. It happened that we were going in 2 days. He asked if he could come. I said sure, not fully counting on it but sure enough he came through at the last minute and I believe he was really shocked at what he saw.

The purpose of our meeting at the camp was to synthesize the plans and visions of 11 different villages into one vision and plan. We anticipated that this task would take days if not longer. But with the help of another good friend from Rania, a beautiful plan was laid out and a letter was drafted and all the village leaders signed their names and presented this letter to the Prime Minister's office manager. He promised to deliver it to the Prime Minister, Mr. Barham Salih. I've heard good things about this guy but I've also heard that his hands are tied by other party members.

Essentially, the plan is to build a large collective village close to their old villages but in a safer location. The villagers also believe that by collecting themselves together in one village instead of being scattered into multiple smaller villages will make them safer. This new village will have land for their animals, bees for honey, agriculture and orchards. This is the work that they love and that they are so good at. Believe me, I've tasted their honey and their fruits and they're pretty incredible. And they want to do this collectively which is a pretty incredible step for them. They have been separated by tribal rivalry and jealousy and the political parties try to further divide them and make them smaller and weaker and more vulnerable. They recognize that and they are ready to work together for the good of all. They've asked us to help them and challenge them with better ways to work together.

The villagers would also like this new collective village to have a CPT presence. They believe that our presence will make them safer.

It will take a lot of work to build this new collective village. Right now the foundation is built on a hope and a prayer. Our job now is to see to it that the KRG government, with the help of the international community, add mortar, brick and stone one house at a time. More importantly, our job is to keep hope alive.
After my last email, many people asked what could they do for the 137 families. I don't have any answers for that question YET. We will be working closely with their government to find out the next steps for building this collective village. Likely, it will require the help of international NGOs and there may be ways for those of you that are interested to help. I will make specific requests as the needs develop.

In the meantime, if you are so inclined, you can keep these families in your prayers and thoughts. Building this village will be a long process and they could use some encouragement along the way. Send them a short email through me if you'd like. I can get them translated and present them to the villagers.

Peace,

Michele

Michele Naar-Obed of Duluth's Loaves & Fishes Community has recently returned to Kurdish region of Iraq with the Christian Peacemaker Teams. The CPT has maintained a presence in Iraq since October of 2002, and is currently focused on accompanying displaced persons in the Kurdish border region and documenting human rights violations against civilian populations. You can read more of her reports at duluthcpt.net.

United National Antiwar Conference - July 23-25 in Albany!

2010-03-07T13:19:00.004-06:00

AN INVITATION FROM: After Downing Street, Arab American Union Members Council, Black Agenda Report, Campaign for Peace and Democracy, Campus Antiwar Network, Code Pink, Iraq Veterans Against the War, National Assembly to End the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupations, Peace of the Action, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Progressive Democrats of America, U.S. Labor Against the War, The Fellowship of Reconciliation, Veterans for Peace, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Announcing…
A National Conference To Bring the Troops Home Now!
July 23-25, 2010, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Albany, New York
The purpose of this conference is to bring together antiwar and social justice activists from across the country to discuss and decide what we can do together to end the wars, occupations, bombing attacks, threats and interventions that are taking place in the Middle East and beyond, which the U.S. government is conducting and promoting. Attend and voice your opinion on where the antiwar movement is today and where we go from here.

Join us in Albany, New York, July 23-25, 2010!
Issued by the United National Antiwar Conference (UNAC) Planning Committee. For more information, write UNAC2010@aol.com or UNAC at P.O. Box 21675, Cleveland, OH 44121 or call 518-227-6947 or visit our website at www.nationalpeaceconference.org

In these deeply troubled times, Washington's two wars and occupations rage on, resulting in an ever increasing number of dead and wounded; more and more civilians killed in drone bombing attacks; misery, deprivation, dislocation and shattered lives for millions; and a suicide rate for U.S. service members soaring to unprecedented heights. At the same time, trillions are spent on these seemingly endless Pentagon conflicts waged in pursuit of profits and global domination while trillions more are lost by working people in the value of their homes, in the loss of their jobs, pensions and health care, and in cuts for public services and vitally needed social programs.

We are witness to the massive bailout of banks and corporations while union contracts are shredded, work is outsourced, jobs are shipped off-shore, workers are evicted from their homes, and our youth and students face a bleak future of rising tuition costs, an ever-declining quality of education, and diminishing employment opportunities. They are offered instead the opportunity to become cannon fodder as the military serves as the employer of last resort while prison awaits many others.

The poor and working people in the U.S. suffer the horrors of unemployment, foreclosures, homelessness, untreated illnesses and unavailable health insurance, crumbling infrastructure, and temporary and part time work at starvation wages. These multiple crises impact communities of color with disproportionate severity. Meanwhile people in a growing number of countries around the world are subjected to death and destruction by the world’s most powerful military machine.

There is another dimension to this tragedy. The U.S. is at war to control and plunder the very fossil fuel resources whose continued use threatens the future of the human race.

We demand the immediate and total withdrawal of U.S. military forces, mercenaries and contractors from Afghanistan and Iraq. Moreover, we recognize that the Middle East cauldron today also encompasses Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Palestine and Israel, while Haiti, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba and other countries in Latin America are targeted for intervention, subversion, occupation and control as a consequence of a militarized U.S. foreign policy. Our challenge is not only to end wars and occupations, but to fundamentally change the aggressive policies that inevitably lead our country to militarism and war.

The fight for better times, for a world of peace, justice and freedom, requires that we join together to make it happen, that we fight for the broad unity within the antiwar movement and across all the movements for social justice that has to date escaped us and that we collaborate to engage the American people in massive and united mobilizations against the warmakers and for the justice we deserve.

We have not forgotten the lessons of the civil rights movement, the struggle against the Vietnam War, the feminist and gay rights movements, and the monumental struggles that paved the way to the organization of American trade unions. History has demonstrated time and again that all critical social change is a product of the direct and massive intervention of the people.

We seek an inclusive conference where antiwar individuals and organizations come together to democratically discuss, debate and approve a plan of action aimed at winning the support and allegiance of the majority who have the power to compel a fundamental re-ordering of priorities.

We announce in advance that our goal is to develop strategies that unite us in action – for mass mobilizations and a variety of other tactics that suit the agendas of the constituent groups and individuals who participate in the conference proceedings. Our method is democracy. One person one vote! Our goal is unity in action while respecting our diversity and differences in political program and orientation.

Palestinian Political Prisoners

2010-03-07T13:18:00.002-06:00

Two bloody milestones in Afghanistan

2010-02-28T11:23:00.014-06:00

According to iCasualties.org, the number of US troops who have died as a result of the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan now stands at 1,007.

At the same time, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has announced that 2009 was the deadliest year in Afghanistan for non-combatants. More than 2,400 unarmed people were killed in the conflict last year, a 14% increase over 2008. Of course, this doesn't count the tens of thousands of wounded and displaced, or the despair felt by Afghans under a corrupt and incompetent government and foreign occupying army. What the UNAMA figures do offer is undeniable evidence that the war is not coming to conclusion, but escalation.

Take action to end the war in Afghanistan!

-- Sign the petition to Senator Amy Klobuchar --

-- Join Women in Black for an anti-war vigil on Wednesday, March 3, 12 noon at the corner of Lake & Superior in Duluth. Men are welcome, please wear black.--

Neither number reflects the true horror of war, nor the suffering of the families left behind. Numbers can't gauge the loss of heart and talent that each of the dead brought with them to their graves. It could be said that reducing people to a number is part of the problem. It's the generals and politicians, after all, who calculate their war strategies based on projections of "acceptable losses."

Yet this number also begs a moment of pause, and forces a nation to ask itself: was it worth it? And how many more? The 1,000th US death in Iraq marked a turning point for media coverage of the war, a national recognition that we had immersed ourselves in quagmire, and a revitalization of the anti-war movement. Today the US population, still firmly anti-war, seems to have accepted this permanent state of conflict, and these grim figures have come and gone with only shallow ripples of discontent.

What happens next is up to us. After what seems like a post-election period of hibernation, the anti-war movement is waking up. Just look at the calendar of events this week: we're taking to the streets and churches and campuses; fundraising and educating and agitating. And we need you!

Week of Palestine Solidarity Events

2010-02-27T13:23:00.003-06:00

A series of public events are planned for the first week of March at Duluth/Superior campuses to raise public awareness about human rights violations in historic Palestine and call for an end to U.S. support for Israel and for Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel. This includes a call for the State of Minnesota to divest itself of Israel bonds.

The events are being held in conjunction with the sixth annual Israel Apartheid Week, which takes place worldwide March 1-7, 2010. The local events are:

* Wednesday, March 3, 3 p.m., University of Wisconsin-Superior Old Main Room 310: Eyewitness Report from Egypt and Palestine: presentation by Sylvia Schwartz.

* Wednesday, March 3, 5 p.m., University of Minnesota-Duluth Montague Room 70: Eyewitness Reports from Egypt and Palestine: presentations by Bret Thiele, Mayra Gomez and Sylvia Schwartz.

* Thursday, March 4, 12:30 p.m., Lake Superior College Room E2046: Eyewitness Reports from Egypt and Palestine: presentations by Bret Thiele, Mayra Gomez and Sylvia Schwartz.

* Thursday, March 4, 5 p.m., College of St. Scholastica Intercultural Center: Film, followed by a Panel Discussion with Bret Thiele, Mayra Gomez, and Sylvia Schwartz. Palestinian food provided by CSS Amnesty International.

The events are sponsored by the Twin Ports Break the Bonds Coalition, College of St. Scholastica Amnesty International, and UMD Students for Peace. For more information, contact Bob Kosuth, (218) 724-4800, rkosuth@hotmail.com.

Speaker Bios:

Bret Thiele is the Litigation Coordinator for the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, an international human-rights NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland. He has traveled to Palestine numerous times, and lives in Duluth.

Mayra Gomez the Coordinator of the Women and Housing Rights Programme with the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions and board member of Amnesty International USA. She has traveled to Palestine numerous times, and lives in Duluth.

Sylvia Schwartz is a member of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network and recently participated in the Gaza Freedom March, an attempt to break the blockade of Gaza from the Egyptian border. She lives in St. Paul.

Background:

The September, 2009 United Nations report on the recent Gaza Conflict, commonly known as the Goldstone Report, accused both Hamas and Israel of war crimes during the three-week war, in which 1400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. Israel has been roundly condemned by human rights groups including Amnesty International for the disproportionate use of violence and repression against Palestinians and the continued Israeli blockade which denies food, medicine and rebuilding materials to the people of Gaza.

Life for Palestinians living both in Israel and the Occupied Territories has been likened to that of South African blacks under Apartheid. In response, Palestinian Civil Society groups and their supporters have called for an international campaign of Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, similar to the grassroots efforts that helped end South African Apartheid regime. The aim of Israel Apartheid Week is to educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build the growing global BDS movement.

In Memory of Bertha Kurki

2010-02-20T16:36:00.006-06:00

by Rick Kurki

Bertha was born the youngest of nine children to Finnish immigrant parents, Heikki and Sanna Maatta, who homesteaded in rural northern Wisconsin.

Bertha's father worked as a dry-driller in the mines of Utah and Michigan's Upper Penisula until he became debilitated by miner's silicosis caused by continued exposure to ore dust, which was common to the negligent working conditions of the time.

After leaving the mining trade, her father built a small farm near Marengo, Wisconsin. Like many Finnish immigrants her parents became involved in the cooperative movement and the Finnish Worker's Hall. Her father and uncle organized a mutual fire insurance company which is still in operation today.

In her youth, Bertha was active in the Worker's Hall participating in plays, dances, and in language and educational programs. The halls were cultural centers for those who felt that their concerns about the economic inequities and exploitation under capitalism were not addressed by the church or in the mainstream culture. The halls hosted political speakers, musical programs, drama productions, athletic events and weekend dances.

Bertha met Alex Kurki while performing in a play together at the local hall. They were married in September 1939. Both Bertha and Alex shared a vision and a commitment to social, political and economic justice. Throughout their lives they involved themselves in a number of political organizations that championed the causes of working class people, the civil rights movement and the need for nuclear and military de-escalation.

As a young mother and housewife Bertha also worked as a secretary and mailer for the Finnish language newspaper Tyomies Eteenpain in Superior, Wisconsin. She worked there for three different periods totaling 15 years and retired as a copy-editor and typesetter in 1989. After retirement she served as the President of the Tyomies Board of Directors for 10 years. In the late 1940's Bertha joined the University of Wisconsin Extension Homemakers and remained a member for over 60 years holding local, county and district offices. Her first active role in partisan politics came in 1948, when she ran for lieutenant-governor on the Progressive Party ticket which represented the hope for maintaining and furthering the goals of the New Deal.

In the atmosphere of paranoia and hysteria that characterized the McCarthy period of the 1950's Bertha and her family (like many others) were subject to suspicion, harassment and even FBI surveillance. In the face of this hostility and political intolerance, Bertha remained true to her ideals and continued to work for positive and peaceful social change.

Her personal kindness and courage were mirrored in her actions and commitments throughout her life. In her later years she participated in a number of activist groups including Stop Project Elf and Grandmother's for Peace. Her compassion and caring were very evident in how she lived her life and in the welcoming and friendly spirit with which she met the world. She passed away on October 14, 2009. She will be sorrowfully missed.

Nukewatch benefit with Rachael Kilgour

2010-02-20T09:13:00.005-06:00

Report on the Feb. 17 Picket at Congressman Obey's Office

2010-02-17T14:03:00.004-06:00

On Wednesday, February 17, a group of about 20 concerned citizens gathered in front of Congressman Dave Obey's office in Superior. The protesters came from Trego, Shell Lake, Spooner, Hayward, Duluth and Superior, and half a dozen came from the University of WI-Superior. After holding signs along Tower Ave. from noon to 1pm, the group went up to Obey's office, and left a letter, signed by the whole group, expressing their opposition to the ongoing funding of the two wars.

The picket was part of a national campaign to protest in front of Congressional offices on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. It's main sponsors were Peace North and the Progressive Democrats of America. The next picket will be on the 3rd Wednesday of March, same time and place.

Where Have All the Billions Gone?

2010-02-16T14:53:00.009-06:00

By Bob Kosuth

The public is justifiably angry about the hundreds and hundreds of billions of tax payer dollars that have gone to bail out the big bankers. Compared to them, honest working people got very little in the way of stimulus dollars to create jobs. Few Americans, however, pay attention to the $700 billion that was recently passed by President Obama and the Congress for current wars and other military spending. More important, this kind of money is being spent every year. That's nearly $2 billion per day and that's a lot of money. Do the math. If your full-time job was to spend $10,000 per day, it would take you 274 years to spend a billion dollars. The military machine does it in a single day, every day.

We often hear that no price is too high to pay for "national defense" but if the US spent this kind of cash to create jobs and improve the livelihood of people at home and abroad, we'd be better off here and we'd have far fewer enemies and lots more friends. Someone might say that a military career is a great opportunity, especially for minorities. Well, I remember when my plane full of draftees took off from Chicago to Fort Polk LA in 1971. It was largely full of inner city Blacks and they were on that plane not because they were particularly patriotic but because like me they had no other options.

Unfortunately, elections don't change much when it comes to military spending and war making. That's something we've learned in the past year. Bush is gone but we still have Bush's wars. The Northland Anti-War Coalition is still around too. Check us out at northlandantiwar.blogspot.com and look at our ad in this issue. Please join us to stop these wars and build a better democracy.

This article above was submitted to the Hillsider newspaper. Be sure to pick up the March issue of the Hillsider to see the NAWC ad inside!

Tell Senator Klobuchar: Troops Out of Afghanistan!

2010-02-16T08:13:00.004-06:00

The Minnesota Peace Project has launched a petition drive calling on US Senator Amy Klobuchar to support troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Sign the petition:
minnesotapeaceproject.org/petition/2

The Minnesota Peace Project was formed last year as a way to coordinate statewide lobbying efforts against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and on other critical foreign policy issues. MPP has been pretty effective so far - bringing two reluctant Senators on board a bill to ban cluster munitions; and convincing Oberstar, McCollum and Ellison to sign a ground-breaking letter to Obama condemning the blockade of Gaza.

NAWC has officially endorsed the MPP. We're still looking for one or a couple people to coordinate MPP efforts in the 8th district. If you're interested in helping with this effort, please contact Joel at 218-340-4356.

Gaza in Plain Language

2010-02-11T13:43:00.000-06:00

Oct. 25 Trial Date for RNC 8 -- and New Video!

2010-02-08T17:24:00.021-06:00

In 2007, a parody video urging people to protest the 2008 Republican National Convention prompted a massive undercover investigation by local police and federal agents on a group of Twin Cities-based organizers: the ironically-named RNC Welcoming Committee. The investigation culminated in armed raids of activist homes and meeting spaces; hysterical press conferences about curtain rods, cans of paint and other "weapons" uncovered during the raids; and the arrest of eight alleged ringleaders of a "criminal anarchist" plot. The eight were initially charged with conspiracy to commit riot in furtherance of terrorism. They aren't accused of committing any violence, nor did they make it to the protests. It appears their crime was to organize food, housing and communications for the thousands of people who converged on St Paul to resist the truly violent policies of the corporate and political elite.

How to respond to this prosecutorial lunacy? Make another parody, of course!

The case was slammed by the Duluth Central Labor Body and Duluth DFL, among others, as a "politically-motivated prosecution" and threat to civil liberties. In response, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner dropped the terrorism enhancement, but added another felony count of conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property. If convicted, Luce Guillen-Givins, Max Specktor, Nathanael Secor, Eryn Trimmer, Monica Bicking, Erik Oseland, Robert Czernik and Garrett Fitzgerald each face years in prison.

A full year and a half after the raids, the RNC 8 have finally been given a trial date of October 25. Please mark your calendars and consider traveling to St Paul to show your support! If the state is successful at prosecuting the RNC 8, any one of us who struggles for justice and peace could be next. For more about the case and to donate to the RNC 8 legal defense, visit rnc8.org.

Report from Kurdish north of Iraq

2010-01-07T14:53:00.005-06:00

by Michele Naar-Obed

A child from the Zharawa IDP tent camp on the Iraq/Turkey border. The families in the Zharawa camp were displaced from their homes by Turkish bombing raids. Photo courtesy CPT.

Amazingly, both me and my luggage arrived safe and sound in Suleimaniya in the early morning hours of January 1. Every connecting flight landed and left on schedule. This is a rare event in my many travels back and forth.

I just wanted to send a few brief updates on what I've seen and learned so far. I visited the IDP tent camp in Zharawa. 6 families have decided to stay at the camp indefinitely. They are too afraid to return to their villages and they have nowhere to go in town. I don't know how many people are in each family but I saw children and elderly at the camp. They have a generator but no money for benzene to run it. The US military dug a well in July but they are still waiting for a pump. They think it will be finished in 2 weeks. Meanwhile, as of December 31, 2009, the UNHCR has stopped bringing in tanks of water. They have not had water brought in for the past 4 days. They are still in tents and not looking forward to snow and ice.

Many families are living in the town of Zharawa either crowding into relatives houses or in very cheap, small rental houses. Don't have those numbers yet.

Some families have returned to their villages and will stay there as long as they are safe. Don't know those numbers yet either. There has been some shelling but that has been limited to the outskirts of the villages. The last time there was extensive shelling inside the villages was August. Schools have reopened in the villages.

We had a long meeting with Kaka Haji. He is hoping to get a meeting with the new Prime Minister, Mr. Barham Salih. He believes Mr. Salih will hear and heed his plea for the needs of the villagers. However, after long discussions, he came to the conclusion that his government really doesn't care about the little people on the bottom. I assured him that this is not a phenomenon unique to the Kurdish government. Kaka Haji recognized the need for the little people to organize in order to make them just a wee bit bigger. CPT is considering offering them trainings in organizing and nonviolence. In the meantime, we are in the end stages of preparing a report for the international community and human rights organizations on the condition of the IDPs.
I had a chance to see Khaled Qader and the folks at the Rania Youth Center. Khaled has been busy preparing the Rania delegation for their trip to Duluth this spring. Still no affirmation from the Kurdistan government regarding their travel funds but they are living in hope which is amazing considering what they have been through.

I have a lot more catching up to do. I'm still taking a lot in and will have more to say as time goes on. That's it for now.

Peace, Michele

Michele Naar-Obed of Duluth's Loaves & Fishes Community has recently returned to Kurdish region of Iraq with the Christian Peacemaker Teams. The CPT has maintained a presence in Iraq since October of 2002, and is currently focused on accompanying displaced persons in the Kurdish border region and documenting human rights violations against civilian populations. You can read more of her reports at duluthcpt.net.

Notes from the December NAWC Meeting

2010-01-02T18:45:00.005-06:00

by Adam Ritscher

Notes from the December 13, 2009 Meeting of the Northland Anti-War Coalition
In attendance was Steve W., Coly W., Scott B., Joel K., Bob K., Margie N., Dan, Adam R., and Ron M.

1. SOA Report: Margie, Steve and Coly reported that 7 activists from UMD, 15 from CSS and several from the community (for a Twin Ports total of three dozen, plus several from Ashland) traveled down to this year's protest against the School of the Americas in Fort Benning, Georgia. There were about 15,000 at the protest. The Duluth Central Labor Body made a generous contribution to help defray travel costs for the Twin Ports delegation. There will be a report back about the SOA protest at the Jan. 14 Central Labor Body meeting, and community report back at a later date.

2. Emergency Protests: NAWC supported an emergency day after protest held on Dec. 2 called by Women in Black to protest Obama's escalation of the Afghan War. Despite being a last minute affair, 25 people showed up for the noon picket. The following Thursday, student activists held a skit protesting Obama's receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize in the morning at CSS, and in the evening at the intersection of Lake Ave. and Superior St. in downtown Duluth. Two dozen participated in the protest.

3. NAWC Fliers: Joel is going to head up an effort to draft some new fliers for NAWC to distribute.

4. Spring Plans: A plan was presented and approved that NAWC try to send a delegation to the next national anti-war protest in Washington D.C. on March 20. We're shooting to send a couple of van loads of local protesters. Leading up to March 20, we're also going to hold a series of Saturday pickets in Ashland, Superior and Duluth, and then a send off event for the D.C. caravan. Side by side with this we want to do a media blitz where we either take out signature ads in a couple of local alternative papers, and/or take out some radio ads. The March 20 protest will tentatively be followed by a year long petition drive to get an anti-war referendum on the ballot in the Twin Ports.

Students for Peace also announced that this Spring they're going to hold a Peace Art Gallery event, and the second of their annual Activist Summits. More info on both events to come.

5. Steering Committee: We decided to establish a new Steering Committee, empowered to make emergency decisions in between our monthly planning meetings. Joel K., Coly W., Ellie C., and Adam R. were elected to the new body.

6. Martin Luther King Project: The Unitarian church is going to be hosting a series of events around MLK weekend, in conjunction with other events around town. The church is also looking to start up an MLK themed book club. For more info contact Scot Bol at earthmannow@gmail.com

NEXT MEETING: Sunday, January 10 at 2pm in the library of the Duluth Unitarian-Universalist Church on College Street.

Anti-war protesters gather in Superior

2009-12-17T14:56:00.008-06:00

By Rich Kremer, 91.3 KUWS
December 17, 2009

Despite freezing temperatures, about 20 demonstrators gathered outside Congressman Dave Obey’s office in Superior today.

Holding signs saying “Healthcare not Warfare” and “End War Now” members of the Progressive Democrats of America picketed along Tower Avenue, outside of Obey’s office. But this wasn’t your typical protest. It was more of a show of support since Obey is opposed to President Obama’s troop escalation in Afghanistan. Progressive Democrats spokesman Steve Carlson of Trego says the Democratic congressman has gone out on a limb on this issue and they’re out to help.

“We really wanted to come out here today primarily to get out the message of healthcare not warfare, to support Obey’s stance on this and to just tell him that we’re with you, we got your back on and keep it up.”

Carlson says Obey’s Share the Sacrifice, war tax is a step in the right direction but he doesn’t think it will pass.

“So what we’re going to need him to do is take it up to the next step and say no to war funding. Congress has the power to make war not the president of the United States.”

Jan Provost of Superior’s Grandmothers for Peace says money for the conflict in Afghanistan should be spent on health care and creating jobs.

“People are suffering in this country. We’re spending all that money on war and it’s just ridiculous, so that’s why we’re here. And it’s kind of a cold day for old ladies to be out but we’re committed.”

Sybela Yarish of Rice Lake has lived in Afghanistan. She says Afghan fighters have crushed empires before so the only winner in this war is the military industrial complex.

“It’s about money. It’s not about anything else but money and I don’t understand Obama with all his promises, why he’s chosen to hook up with that bunch of bandits.”

Obey is on record saying he would feel better if the U.S. begins to withdraw troops in 18 months but without better support from Pakistan and Afghanistan he doesn’t see that happening.

RIP Tess Koenig

2009-12-15T15:55:00.009-06:00

Iron Range native and Veteran for Peace Tess Koenig died in October at her winter home in California. Tess' Northland friends are invited to a memorial service on December 20, 2-4pm at the Friends Meeting House in Duluth (1802 E 1st St).

Tess Koenig, Nurse, Mentor, Activist, Friend
By John Heid
(reprinted from the Winter 2009 Nukewatch Quarterly)

At sunset on a mid October Saturday, Tess Koenig died as she had lived — peacefully. There were no large font headlines in the Los Angeles Times the following morning. Amidst the fray of health care reform, H1N1, the housing market collapse, the World Series and war-withoutend, Tess passed as inconspicuously as a soft autumn breeze through a stand of northern white pine.

Her death gave me pause. Not because it was sudden. It wasn’t. Not because she was young. She wasn’t, except at heart. What provoked me was a simple query. “What is the
value of a singular life?”

In an American Idolized society chock full of air-brushed stars and super heroes, who counts? In a culture that mass markets the pleasure principle and militarizes identity — “be all you can be” — how does one stand?

Tess was one who found her bearings. Born on Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range between world wars, she knew something of modesty and making-do. She left the Range, but it never left her.

The so called “war effort” drew Tess into the service of caring for the wounded and ill as an army nurse and afterward, at the Veteran’s Hospital in West Los Angeles, she continued this work. Tess witnessed war from the vantage point of its victims. She came to understand in a hands-on way how war turns the moral order inside out.

In later years Tess was to become a proud member of Grandmothers For Peace and Veterans For Peace. Post war, she married another veteran later-to-become-peacemaker, Bob Koenig. The two became parents. Stories are told of their dual energies. Bob coached youth basketball and baseball. Tess attended the injured players and kept score. Tess always knew the score on the court and later in the courts.

In their retirement Tess and Bob metamorphosed. Their family widened. They went communal. This was how I came to know her… at the Loaves and Fishes Catholic Worker in Duluth, Minnesota. She prepared meals and faithfully attended peace vigils. Tess had the compassion to serve the hungry and the audacity to challenge the causes of their hunger.

In time I discovered that Tess (and Bob too) were known across the country. From Baltimore to LA, from Clam Lake, Wisconsin to Ft. Benning, Georgia. Tess knew who she was, and what she wasn’t. She lived life fully and by so doing helped others recognize what it means to do justice, to be fully human — warts and all.

Tess Koenig was not my heroine, but rather a mentor and friend. She eschewed the cul-de-sac mentality of the hero/heroine model, a model that panders to narcissism, a model of the impossible, the unattainable, the superfluous, a model antithetical to radical nonviolence.

Tess was down-to-earth, and roll-up-your-sleeves practical. This simplicity kindled a visionary spirit within her. She could delight in a pristine sunset over Lake Vermillion or the diamond in the rough visage of each guest sitting at the dining room table, as clearly as she could decry war.
The last time I called Bob and Tess, their answering machine still had the familiar message in her voice: “The Koenigs say bring ‘em home!” Tess’s last words. A fitting epitaph.

Hey Obama, Yes We Can; Troops Out of Afghanistan!

2009-12-10T18:59:00.024-06:00

Student activists from UMD and CSS were joined by a handful of community members on Thursday in an emergency anti-war march/traffic slow-down at the Lake and Superior intersection in downtown Duluth. The protest was called in response to Obama's reception of the Nobel Peace Prize even as he escalates the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan and threatens to destabilize South America by stationing hundreds of troops in Colombia.

Despite the frigid weather, the crowd kept up their spirits with chants and drumming, circling the intersection for 45 minutes before marching to Canal Park. Channels 3 and 6 covered the protest on their evening newscasts. Keep reading for more pics courtesy Emily Flesch.

In a dramatic re-enactment of Obama's peace prize ceremony, the new Nobel Laureate walked over a human red carpet representing those who have died in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Colombia and Honduras because of his Administration's policies.

Traffic wasn't stopped, but it was forced to slow down as students circled the intersection in two groups, interrupting business as usual and challenging public apathy toward Obama's wars.

March against the wars Thursday in Duluth!

2009-12-08T22:35:00.005-06:00

Tell Obama: You've got your peace prize, now earn it!
NO escalation in Afghanistan, Pakistan or Colombia! Troops home now!
Thursday, December 10 at 4:30 PM
Meet up at the Minnesota Power Plaza in downtown Duluth
(Lake Ave and Superior St, next to the Christmas tree).

Even as he prepares for his Nobel Peace ceremony, President Obama is moving swiftly to escalate the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, okaying both a troop build-up and more deadly drone attacks. Barely noticed but equally alarming are his plans to station hundreds of US troops on the other side of the globe in Colombia - propping up a human rights-abusing regime and heightening chances for a regional conflict.

Student activists at UMD, CSS and LSC have called for an emergency march on Thursday - the day Obama receives his Nobel Peace Prize - to protest these war policies and let the community know that the anti-war movement is alive and well! Bring drums/buckets to help us make some noise, bring reflective gear and lights to keep safe, and bring friends! There won't be any speakers, but a NO BULL PRIZE guerrilla theater along the way. And be prepared to take it to the streets.

Photos from 10/2 vigil

2009-12-03T15:45:00.001-06:00

On December 2, Women in Black and several other local peace groups held a vigil in downtown Duluth to protest Obama's escalation of the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Two dozen people took part. Here are a few photos taken by Richard Thomas.

Protest the Afghan War Escalation

2009-12-01T13:22:00.002-06:00

Judging by the steady leaks coming from the White House, tonight President Obama is going to be announcing a massive escalation of the unjust U.S. war on Afghanistan. Nationally, the anti-war movement is coming together to oppose this. The three main national anti-war groups (the National Assembly, ANSWER and United for Peace & Justice) have all come out for local actions to show that we do not approve of Obama's decision. Dozens of cities and towns have answered that call.

Here in the Twin Ports there is going to be a peace protest on Wednesday (Dec. 2) at 12:15 at the corner of Lake Ave. & Superior Street in downtown Duluth. This protest is being spearheaded by Women in Black, but all groups and activists are welcome.

I urge all of you to stand up for peace, and show that we are not for Obama's troop surge. Bring ALL the Troops Home Now!