Afghanistan: Five Success Stories; an excerpt

 

By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, August 27, 2021, reprinted with permission

Presented Friday, August 27, 2021, to the Northern Colorado Alliance for a Livable Future;  To see the full powerpoint presentation: https://worldbeyondwar.org/afghanistan-five-success-stories/

1.        The Peace Movement.

The people who spent 20 years largely excluded from the corporate media, lobbying Congress Members well paid not to listen to them, marching and protesting and holding teach-ins, making art, traveling across the globe or staying put on the same street corner for decades

Just Peace Outreach Group Meets near Oxford, IA; Welcome Climate Riders

 By Verna Zook and Roger Farmer; reprinted with permission; first published for JPOG email list

On Wednesday, July 7, 2021, fifteen JPOG’ers and around sixteen climate riders enjoyed watching a presentation of VANG, a drama about immigrant farmers, cosponsored by JPOG and the Land Alliance Folk School at Dave and Anna Geyer’s farm near Oxford, Iowa.

Systemic Racism

By the First United Methodist Church Anti-Racism Task Force, Des Moines, IA; reprinted with permission, first published in the May 2021 issue of The LIGHT, the First UMC newsletter

One of the most difficult things we face as we try to confront and end racism, as individuals and as a community of faith is the fact that it’s so deeply embedded in our systems that we often don’t recognize it. Because it's built into the very foundation of American society, systemic racism occurs in some of our most fundamental structures. 

Here Come the Migrants

 

By Ed Fallon, written 8/5/2021; reprinted with permission; first published for the Fallon Forum -  http://fallonforum.com/here-come-the-migrants/

The highlight of my week occurs every Thursday at 8:00 a.m. Sadly, it’s not a good highlight.

That’s when the National Drought Mitigation Center releases its update about conditions across the US. Sure, I study the map of the Midwest, where things have improved in some areas. But I spend more time analyzing the map of the US West, where drought conditions continue to worsen each week.

Observance of Hiroshima Nagasaki bombings being held August 6 and 8

 

By Christine Sheller, Coordinator IPN

Peace organizations are planning a 2021 observance for the anniversary of the nuclear bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, 76 years ago.  As described below, Des Moines has held an observance of this for four decades.  Thanks to Jeffrey Weiss for writing the press release below.

The Deadly Myth of Net Zero

 

By Ed Fallon, reprinted with permission.  First published for Fallon Forum June 24,2021.  You can check out Fallon’s blog and hear the podcast: http://fallonforum.com.

 

Two months ago, The Conversation published a provocative and timely piece written by three climate experts -- James Dyke, Robert Watson, and Wolfgang Knorr. The authors note that, collectively, they have "spent more than 80 years thinking about climate change. Why has it taken us so long to speak out about the obvious dangers of the concept of net zero? In our defense, the premise of net zero is deceptively simple – and we admit that it deceived us.”

Immigration Policy Must Look Beyond the Border

 

By Marisa León-Gómez Sonet

Reprinted with permission.  Originally published for NACLA. https://nacla.org/news/2021/06/08/immigration-policy-must-look-beyond-border

 

In March 2021, over 18,000 unaccompanied minors arrived at the U.S. southern border fleeing precarious conditions in Central America. Many policymakers seem to view what is taking place at the border as a “crisis” or “surge” due to so-called “open-border” under President Joe Biden’s administration. However, unaccompanied minors coming to the United States searching for safety should never be viewed as any sort of national security threat.

Remember to Forget the Alamo

 

By David Swanson, reprinted with permission; first printed for World Beyond War

https://davidswanson.org/remember-to-forget-the-alamo/

Mexico once had a problem with a local provincial government promoting illegal immigration from the United States into Mexico in order to engage in the illegal slavery of illegally trafficked people. The locality involved was called Texas. For years, Mexico let Texas get away with its lawlessness and immorality, including not paying taxes, and including killing Mexican soldiers.

From Gaza: "I Just Want to Live in Peace"

 

From MennoPin (Mennonite Palestine Israel Network);  Reprinted with permission;  First published for MennoPin email list, May 25, 2021

                    

It was morning for us in the United States, but it was early evening in Gaza City. Last Saturday, members of the Fellowship of Hope and MennoPIN were on a Zoom call to the Gaza City YMCA. The biweekly calls are part of MennoPIN’s Gaza Twinning Initiative where Mennonite congregations “twin” with groups in Gaza to share about each other’s lives and to show Gazans that they are cared for, loved and supported by Christians in the United States.

Apartheid Then and Now

 By Eloise Cranke, Reprinted with permission, first printed for MEPEC (Middle East Peace Education Coalition)

A recent webinar, sponsored by UMKR (United Methodists for Kairos Response) and MFSA (Methodist Federation for Social Action) compared apartheid in South Africa with what’s happening in Palestine today. The similarities were striking.