More Lawmakers Than Ever Are Supporting Accountability For Israel

 

By:  Bryan Bowman and Greg Williams; written for FCNL’s (Friends Committee for National Legislation) “This Week in the World” Oct. 2, 2026

 

In a historic vote this week (Editor's Note:  this was written three weeks ago), more senators than ever before supported legislation seeking to hold the Israeli government accountable for violence and human rights violations against Palestinians.

The laws of human stupidity and our current state of affairs

 By Jeffrey J Weiss

 

In an essay from an Italian academic half a century ago, Carlos Cipolla argued that every human action – or behavior – can be critiqued by asking two questions:     

 1) Does your action benefit you?   2) Does your action benefit others?

 In “The Five Basic Laws of Human Stupidity” published in 1976, Cipolla argued that human beings fall into four basic categories: “the helpless, the intelligent, the bandit, and the stupid.”  Stupid people behave in a manner that benefits neither themselves nor others.   In the preface to the essay Nassem Nicholas Taleb describes stupid as “someone who harms others without procuring any gain for himself or herself.”

Celebrating International Day of Peace in Des Moines

 By IPN Coordinator

 Monday, September 21, 2026, members of the Des Moines peace community gathered at 5:30 pm at the Capitol Hill Lutheran Church in Des Moines to celebrate the International Day of Peace.  Capitol Hill Lutheran Church was the rain location, but it was a beautiful space.  This celebration has been held for some years now, planned by the Des Moines Faith Committee for Peace.  The International Day of Peace was initiated by the United Nations some years ago.

 

(peace gathering at Capitol Hill Church; Krieg/ AFSC)

Clarity Amidst Tragedy: Working at FCNL on 9/11

 

By Alicia McBride; reprinted with permission; first published for FCNL (Friends Committee on National Legislation); https://www.fcnl.org/updates/2026-09/clarity-amidst-tragedy-working-fcnl-911

 

 Every generation has experiences that divide their lives into “before” and “after.” September 11, 2001 is mine. It came as I was beginning my adult working life, and the people I experienced it with helped shape who I am and what I do today. 

Lessons from providing typhoon relief in the western Pacific | Opinion

 

By David Drake; reprinted with permission; first published in Opinion in the Des  Moines Register August 11,2026

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands ― I had to look at the tiny dots on my world globe to find the U.S. territory of Guam, and its neighboring U.S. commonwealth island of Saipan. After Super Typhoon Bavi struck in July, I was asked along with hundreds of other Red Cross volunteers across the continental U.S. and territories to sign up in our different areas of training to travel to Guam in the Western Pacific, three plane flights from Des Moines.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Never Again; commemoration held in DM August 9, 2026

 by IPN Coordinator

 

Since the late 70’s, Des Moines peace activists have planned a Hiroshima-Nagasaki remembrance program for early August, to remember the atomic bombing in those cities, now 81 years ago.  It was held again this year, at the Japanese Bell of Peace and Friendship on the Iowa State Judicial Grounds.  Persons gathered for a 7 pm service near the bell in the evening of August 9, the anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing.  August 6 was the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing.  Approximately 50 were gathered in lawn chairs and on blankets.

Lead bullets pose a threat to human health at the Fort Ord Dunes State Park

 

By Pat Elder; reprinted with permission; Published for Military Poisons email, July 1, 2026; see also: https://www.militarypoisons.org/latest-news/lead-poses-a-threat-to-human-health-at-the-fort-ord-dunes-state-park 

 

 

 Left - AI-generated illustration depicting a homeless encampment on the Fort Ord coastal dunes. Right – The yellow dots show homeless encampments. - California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2025 Annual Report, Fort Ord Dunes State Park.

America 250 Years Later

 By Bishop Julius C. Tremble

Reprinted with permission from The General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church email, "Justice Takes Courage".  Their website is: https://www.umcjustice.org/

  On the nation's 250th anniversary, white nationalists marched through Washington. Our faith requires us to speak.

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good.” (Romans 12:9)

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

NOTE NEW PO BOX

 Please note that our mailing address changed.  Due to unforeseen circumstances, we had to obtain a different PO Box.

As is noted under our "About" page, the new mailing address is:

Iowa Peace Network

PO Box 13044

Des Moines, IA 50310

Thank you for your donations and correspondence!

Session Held on Conscientious Objection for Concerned Adults 6/15/26

By IPN Coordinator and Editor; information gleaned from On Earth Peace is taken with permission

 

Adults gathered on Zoom from across the U.S. to learn more about conscientious objection from On Earth Peace.  Church of the Brethren and Mennonite members were present, maybe others.  On Earth Peace is a Church of the Brethren agency, working on a range of peace issues for children to adult. This session was a follow-up to a session designed for youth and young adults who might want to register as CO if a draft were to happen.  This has come up because of the automatic registration which will probably start December 2026, for men ages 18-26.  This adult session was for concerned adults who care for youth and young adults who might be affected.