Invitation to a State Wide Meeting of Massachusetts Peace and Justice Groups
Saturday, February 3, 2018
10am - 3pm
Worcester, MA - Location TBA
The peace and justice movement faces new and difficult conditions in the Trump presidency. Sharply increased military spending, escalated wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan, and threats against North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba, are coupled with increased anti-immigrant, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim rhetoric and racism, and attacks on labor, working people, and the climate. The far right controls the national and most state governments and is on the offensive on every front.
Fortunately, a new progressive movement has risen to resist Trumpism, exemplified by Black Lives Matter, Bernie Sanders campaign of 2016, the Women's March, the wide response to Charlottesville, and the general concern about economic inequality. But too often, progressive groups do not see peace as part of their agenda. In the Trump presidency, even though militarism and war is central to Trumpism, peace is on the sidelines of the progressive movement.
We propose that to respond to this situation, we need a new focus on peace issues as part of the movement for social, economic, and climate justice. We call on Massachusetts organizations committed to peace and justice to come together for a meeting to strengthen our collaboration.
We envision that organizations attending would be limited to those that already share substantial unity on an understanding of the issues, and that the meeting would be devoted to exchanging ideas about campaigning and coordination. We hope that each group will offer its own ideas and that we can come up with a combined agenda. One outcome of a meeting could be formation of a network to keep our organizations in touch as we move forward.
To keep the discussion manageable, we suggest each organization send two representatives, though we won’t turn anyone away if more people want to come. Please let us know if you can make it!
Signed
Cole Harrison, Shelagh Foreman, and Jonathan King: Massachusetts Peace Action
Joseph Gerson: American Friends Service Committee and Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security
Paul Shannon: United for Justice with Peace
Jeff Napolitano: The Resistance Center for Peace and Justice
State Wide Peace Meeting
February 3, 2018
10am-3pm
Worcester - Location TBA
Draft Agenda
Welcome & Goals
Who else is doing what work?
Connect groups to work together
Go - Around - 1 min each
Name and Group Name
What issues is your group working on
Chart paper with dots
Overview panel - 5 min each
US wars and interventions
Nuclear disarmament
Peace economy / War economy
Discussion
Regroup and Evaluate
Who else is doing what work?
Connect groups to work together
Form a Network?
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"Not one step back"
Cole Harrison
Executive Director
Massachusetts Peace Action - the Commonwealth's largest grassroots peace organization
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