Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

CLIMATE SUMMIT WITH BERNIE SANDERS, KSHAMA SAWANT, NAOMI KLEIN, BILL MCKIBBEN, AND CHRIS HEDGES On September 20th, on the eve of the largest climate march in world history, several of the most prominent voices on the US left held a panel discussion on how to build a movement to combat climate change. Sawant and other panelists deal with central question facing the environmental movement: How can we challenge capitalism and replace it with a political and economic system that ensures sustainability and social justice?   If you agree with Kshama Sawant and the need to build popular support for democratic socialist solutions to climate change, please lend your support.  Donate to Socialist Alternative today!   The Real News: Hedges, Klein, McKibben, Sanders and Sawant Call for Urgent Action         Stay connected with Socialist Alternative:     Join Socialist Alternative today!

Forward this email

Chelsea Manning speaks out in Guardian Op-Ed Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Manning critical of Obama war policy in new Guardian OpEd Last Tuesday, September 16th, Chelsea Manning crtically responded to Obama's ISIS stratgey with a powerful Guradian Op-Ed. Chelsea explains that, "ISIS cannot be defeated by bombs and bullets," but rather, "a very focused and consistent strategy of containment can be effective in reducing the growth and effectieness of ISIS as a threat." Manning's article calls on her experience and observations as an all-source analyst in Iraq, and received attention from several media outlets. Chelsea Manning, Guardian OpEd. Sept 16, 2014 The Islamic State (Isis) is without question a very brutal extremist group with origins in the insurgency of the United States occupation of Iraq. It has rapidly ascended to global attention by taking control of swaths of territory in western and northern Iraq, including Mosul and other major cities. Based on my experience as an all-source analyst in Iraq during the organization’s relative infancy, Isis cannot be defeated by bombs and bullets - even as the fight is taken to Syria, even if it is conducted by non-Western forces with air support... Attacking Isis directly, by air strikes or special operations forces, is a very tempting option available to policymakers, with immediate (but not always good) results. Unfortunately, when the west fights fire with fire, we feed into a cycle of outrage, recruitment, organizing and even more fighting that goes back decades. This is exactly what happened in Iraq during the height of a civil war in 2006 and 2007, and it can only be expected to occur again... Click here to read the complete op-ed Chelsea can continue to be a powerful voice for reform, but we need your help to make that happen. Your support maximizes Chelsea's voice in the media, continues public education, funds her legal appeals team, and builds a powerful movement for presidential pardon > > > Please donate today! < < <

follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend unsubscribe from this list| view email in browser

---

Unsubscribe / Change Email
Powered by YMLP

Mon, Sep 22, 2014 04:30 PM

Sept 30: Iran, the Bomb, and Nuclear Disarmament Understanding the Call to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons When: Tuesday, September 30, 2014, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Where: MIT Stata Center - Room 32-155 • 32 Vassar St • Kendall T • Cambridge In November 2013, the UN Disarmament Committee passed a resolution establishing the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.  This event is held in answer to that call. Jim Walsh is a Research Associate in MIT’s Security Studies Program.  He is an expert in international security and has been to both Iran and North Korea to discuss nuclear issues. He has testified in Congress and written many articles and books about nuclear weapons. He will talk about his recent meeting with Iran’s President Rouhani, the current situation of the nuclear weapons states, and the challenges and opportunities facing disarmament. Elaine Scarry is the Walter M. Cabot Professor of Aesthetics and the General Theory of Value at Harvard University. Scarry is the author of eight books, most recently Thermonuclear Monarchy. In it, she contends that nuclear weapons eliminate the citizenry and the legislature from the sphere of decision-making about war. Scarry shows how elements of the US Constitution can be used as tools to abolish nuclear weapons. Sponsored by Massachusetts Peace Action and the Technology and Culture Forum at MIT United for Justice with Peace is a coalition of peace and justice organizations and community peace groups in the Greater Boston region. The UJP Coalition, formed after September 11th, seeks global peace through social and economic justice. Help us continue to do this critical work! Make a donation to UJP today. info@justicewithpeace.org 617-383-4857 www.justicewithpeace.org Upcoming Events:  Iran, the Bomb, and Nuclear Disarmament Tue Sep 30 7:00pm MIT Stata Center - Room 32-155 Cambridge

Reply To : peaceact@reply.salsalabs.com Tue, Sep 23, 2014 03:39 PM

Dear All, As you know, last night the U.S. bombed Syria in what is likely to become another long war in the Middle East.  Last year, we forced the Obama administration to rightfully ask Congress for authorization to bomb Syria.  That authorization never came because of staunch public and congressional opposition.  Now there is a new target and mission. Yet, there are three reasons to pause and oppose these bombings.  First, it is unclear whether these bombings are legal under international law.  Second, the Obama Administration claims it has Constitutional authorization from the 2001 congressional vote after 9/11, but not all in Congress agree.  And lastly, expert upon expert say that military escalation will fail to solve these problems in the long run (even the CIA is skeptical). Please take a few moments and call your Representative and both Senators at (202) 224-3121 and say: “I am a constituent and I want Congress to fully debate a new authorization (AUMF) that deals with Syria, Iraq and ISIS.  And when the vote comes, I want you to vote no.” Under Article 51 of the UN Charter, a country under attack has the right of self-defense, but that only applies to actual or imminent armed attacks, not potential or possible attacks.  The U.S. claims it was thwarting terrorists from the Khorasan Group from a plot on America. Yet we don’t know the details of this so-called imminent attack.  What was the weapon?  When were they going to use it, and where? Pick up the phone and call your Representative and both Senators at (202) 224-3121 and use the script above. Congress has not voted on a war authorization regarding terrorism since 2001.  Things have changed and many members in Congress agree it is time to have a full and fair debate and for Congress to take back its Constitutional authority to declare war.  This debate and vote should happen ASAP. Your calls to your Representative and both Senators at (202) 224-3121 can make a difference.  Use the script above. President Obama is right when he says that there is no military solution to ISIS.  Yet it seems that most of the U.S. energy is directed towards a failed military strategy.  Already there are reports of innocent women and children being killed in the U.S. attack last night.  We know this tends to create more enmity toward our country.  Regional diplomacy that includes the UN and efforts to end the Syrian civil war, cutting off ISIS’s oil revenues and access to weapons, and humanitarian aid to refugees in Iraq and Syria will be far more effective in dealing with ISIS and other terrorists than military escalation. Make three calls to your Representative and both Senators at (202) 224-3121.  Use the script above. Finally, we need to take a step back and get at the root of terrorism by supporting tolerance, education, poverty alleviation and justice.  Additionally, limiting the amount of lethal weapons that end up being used by the wrong people will remove some of the fuel from the terrorist fire. Humbly for Peace, Kevin Martin Executive Director Peace Action P.S. - Make your voice heard to your Representative and both Senators at (202) 224-3121 and tell them: “I am a constituent and I want Congress to fully debate a new authorization (AUMF) that deals with Syria, Iraq and ISIS.  And when the vote comes, I want you to vote no.” Take Action: Call Your Rep Now to Stop the Bombing (202) 224-3121 CONNECT TO US:  Find us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  Read our blog  Contact us You are subscribed to Peace Action's Action Alert Network. You can unsubscribe here.

Tue, Sep 23, 2014 06:15 PM

A Foreign Policy for All Re-Thinking U.S. Foreign Policy for the 21st Century Saturday, November 8, 2014, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm MIT Room 34-101, 50 Vassar St, Cambridge - Kendall T Confirmed Speakers Noam Chomsky, MIT Institute Professor, author,Profit Over People: Neoliberalism and Global Order Bill Fletcher, former president, Trans Africa Forum; ; author, They’re Bankrupting Us! And 20 other Myths about Unions Phyllis Bennis, director, New Internationalism Project, Institute for Policy Studies Stephen Kinzer, Boston Globe columnist;  author,The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War Judith Leblanc, Field Director, Peace Action; former co-chair, UFPJ; member of the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma After over a decade of costly military engagements in overseas wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States still maintains an interventionist, military-first foreign policy. Weary of this unsustainable status quo, growing numbers of Americans are engaging in a wide-ranging debate about the values and goals of U.S. foreign policy, the necessary levels of military spending, and the appropriate role for the U.S. in the world in the 21st century. As a result, there is now a unique window of opportunity for deep and critical reflection over the key priorities of U.S. foreign policy going forward. In this one-day conference to be held immediately after the midterm election, we will both critique current foreign policy approaches that exacerbate global insecurity, and attempt to outline a more positive vision of U.S. global engagement. This vision is one that meets the actual security needs of people around the world, and is consistent with the principles of peace and justice for all. We will also explore the actions needed to make the changes we seek. The discussion will respond to a draft paper, prepared by a working group and to be published approximately October 1. Read a summary of the Foreign Policy for All project. Conference fee: $25 before Oct. 29 for members of sponsoring organizations, $30 for others, $35 at the door, $10 for students and low income; free to MIT students.  Fee includes morning coffee and lunch.  Register at fp4a-conf.bpt.me/ or mail check to Massachusetts Peace Action, 11 Garden St, Cambridge, MA 02138; write "FP4A" on memo line.  Info: 617 354 2169 Host: MIT Technology and Culture Forum Co-Sponsors: Massachusetts Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee, MIT Western Hemisphere Association, United for Justice with Peace United for Justice with Peace is a coalition of peace and justice organizations and community peace groups in the Greater Boston region. The UJP Coalition, formed after September 11th, seeks global peace through social and economic justice. Help us continue to do this critical work! Make a donation to UJP today.

Tue, Sep 23, 2014 10:30 PM

“There Is No Military Solution” – But Obama Launches a New U.S. War in Syria President Obama’s decision to bomb Syria stands in stark violation of international law, the UN Charter, and the requirements of the U.S. Constitution. 23 September 2014 by Phyllis Bennis President Obama’s decision to bomb Syria stands in stark violation of international law, the UN Charter, and the requirements of the U.S. Constitution. It contradicts his own commitment, stated a year ago in the UN General Assembly, to reverse Washington’s “perpetual war footing.” And it portends disaster for the people of Syria, the region, and much of the world. The White House stated goal is to destroy the headquarters of the violent and extremist ISIS militia. But you can’t bomb extremism out of existence. The U.S. bombs do not fall on “extremism,” they are falling on Raqqah, a 2,000 year-old Syrian city with a population of more than a quarter of a million people – men, women and children who had no say in the take-over of their city by ISIS. The Pentagon is bombing targets like the post office and the governor’s compound, and the likelihood of large number of civilian casualties as well as devastation of the ancient city, is almost certain. President Obama was right when he said there is no military solution to the ISIS crisis. Bombing Syria, without Congressional authorization, without United Nations approval, in direct opposition to the stated position of Syria’s government, will only make that crisis worse. It will give ISIS and its allies a new basis for recruitment, it will strengthen the repressive Syrian government, it will undermine Syria’s struggling non-violent opposition movement, and it will further tighten the links between ISIS supporters in Syria and in Iraq. The bombing should stop immediately, and be replaced with a U.S. policy based on  Supporting an intensive new UN-based diplomatic initiative involving all parties in the region Opening direct talks with Iran and Russia based on shared opposition to ISIS – with Iran to jointly push for ending anti-Sunni sectarianism in the Iraqi government, and with Russia to work towards ending the multi-party civil war in Syria Pressuring U.S. allies in the region to stop their governments and people from arming and facilitating the movement of ISIS fighters Shifting the war funds to a massive increase in humanitarian assistance http://www.ips-dc.org/military-solution-obama-launches-new-u-s-war-syria/ United for Justice with Peace is a coalition of peace and justice organizations and community peace groups in the Greater Boston region. The UJP Coalition, formed after September 11th, seeks global peace through social and economic justice. Help us continue to do this critical work! Make a donation to UJP today. info@justicewithpeace.org 617-383-4857 www.justicewithpeace.org Upcoming Events:  Iran, the Bomb, and Nuclear Disarmament Tue Sep 30 7:00pm MIT Stata Center - Room 32-155 Cambridge

Fourth Friday CCA Open Mic

On the Third Friday in November 2014 !!!

November 21^st 2014

Honoring Veterans for Peace

Featuring Eric Wasileski: Poet/Writer 

 

  

 

Eric Wasileski (M.Div) is a Persian Gulf Veteran of Operation Desert Fox (the forgotten battle of Iraq). He has worked for 8 years in Parish Ministry in the UU and Quaker tradition. He is active with Warrior Writers Boston and on the Executive Committee of the Smedley Butler Brigade Chapter 9 Veterans for Peace and is Clerk of New England Yearly Meeting Peace and Social Concerns Committee. He is expecting his first poetry book to be published by Human Error Publishing to be out before winter. 

 

CHELMSFORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS

1A North Road, opposite Chelmsford Common

(Fully accessible entrance off parking lot at rear of building)

 

WELCOMING

Singers*Songwriters*Instrumentalists*Poets and Storytellers

All Ages and Abilities

 

Sign up 6:30 for 7pm start     $5 at the Door (Rear entrance of CCA)

 

Contact: Ruth Canonico: storyproductions@hotmail.com or www.chelmsfordarts.org for updates

 

Turn Public Opinion Against This War Join Leafleting and Vigils Thurs, Sep 25, 5pm: Harvard Square T Mon, Sep 29, 5pm: Harvard Square T Thurs, Oct 2, 8am: Park Street T Organize your own vigil - Let us know time & place Download the Flyer Dear Al, The U.S. attacks on Syria launched Sept. 22 are a disastrous setback for peace, for the rule of law, and for sound U.S. foreign policy. The CIA and the Department of Homeland Security have said that ISIS is not an imminent threat to the United States.   President Obama told the nation two weeks ago that there is no military solution to the problems posed by ISIS, but he has failed to observe his own words of caution.  Instead of military action, the Administration should be focusing on intensive UN-backed diplomacy with all regional parties at the table (including Iran and Russia), pressing our allies in the region to stop arms shipments to the belligerent parties, and shifting war funds to a massive increase in humanitarian assistance. The US invasion of Iraq has taught us that the more we intervene in the Middle East the worse it gets. Compare Iraq’s stability and security before invasion with the present time. Over a year ago, President Obama rightly asked Congress to vote on whether he could use air strikes in Syria; now, he has ordered them unilaterally.  It is a violation of the U.S. Constitution for the President to order military attacks on a foreign country without explicit Congressional approval.  The claims of the Administration that it has authorization under previous Congressional votes over a decade ago are legally questionable and unacceptable. It is likewise a violation of the UN Charter, a treaty which is the law of the land in the United States, for the United States to wage war on any nation without Security Council authorization.    Call your representative and Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren at (202) 224-3121 and say: “I am a constituent and I want Congress to fully debate a new authorization for use of military force (AUMF) that deals with Syria, Iraq and ISIS.  And when the vote comes, I want you to vote no.” For peace and sanity, Shelagh Foreman Program Director

Join Massachusetts Peace Action - or renew your membership today!   Dues are $40/year for an individual, $65 for a family, or $10 for student/unemployed/low income.  Members vote for leadership and endorsements, receive newsletters and discounts on event admissions.  Donate now and you will be a member in good standing through December 2014!  Your financial support makes this work possible! Massachusetts Peace Action, 11 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 617-354-2169  • info@masspeaceaction.org • Follow us on Facebook or Twitter Click here to unsubscribe

---

Thu, Sep 25, 2014 10:51 AM

Hot off the digital press: A social media round-up and a beautiful new image for 21st century food justice! Clinton Global Citizen Award sparks surge of social media about @CIW and the #FairFoodProgram… Sunday’s Clinton Global Citizen Award ceremony in New York was a truly unforgettable celebration of the remarkable progress achieved in Florida’s fields through the Fair Food Program.  Over 1,000 people squeezed into the Sheraton ballroom in Times Square for an evening line-up that included the Clinton family, Leonardo DiCaprio, Seth Myers, the Roots, Aloe Blacc, Natalie Merchant and hundreds of leading figures in the world working for social, economic, and environmental justice.  But as amazing as the scene was inside the room, the crowd outside was even more impressive.  So strong was the flood of social media attention during the ceremony that at one point the CIW was trending #5 on Twitter!  Indeed, thanks to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, many, many more than the thousand people actually physically at the ceremony were able to join us for one of the most exciting moments in the CIW’s two-decade long history. So today we wanted to share with you just a small sampling of the wonderful messages that poured in on Sunday and Monday, words of support and celebration from a wide range of friends and allies, many of whom have walked many miles alongside farmworkers in the fight for Fair Food. First, the Clinton Global Initiative itself as well as actress Ashley Judd teed up the evening…

Thu, Sep 25, 2014 02:25 PM

ACLU demands Army provide Manning treatment Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Chelsea sues Army for healthcare Yesterday, September 23rd, the ACLU and Chelsea Manning filed a lawsuit against the Army demanding they stop deferring medical treatment for Manning’s previously diagnosed gender dysphoria. By continuing to deny Manning treatment, the Army is directly violating Chelsea’s constitutional rights under the 8th amendment. Chase Strangio, attorney in the ACLU Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender project and co-counsel on Ms. Manning’s case, notes “such clear disregard of well-established medical protocols constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.” The ACLU released the following statement: ACLU Demands Government Provide Chelsea Manning Necessary Medical Care  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 23, 2014 WASHINGTON – Today, Chelsea Manning filed a lawsuit in federal court in the District of Columbia against Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and other Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of the Army officials for their failure to provide necessary medical treatment for her gender dysphoria, a condition with which she was originally diagnosed by Army doctors more than four years ago. Without necessary treatment, gender dysphoria can cause severe psychological distress, anxiety, and suicidality. For this reason, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the American Psychological Association have issued policy statements that support providing treatment to prisoners diagnosed with the condition in accordance with established standards of care, as the Federal Bureau of Prisons and many state corrections agencies are already doing... Click here to read the complete statement Chelsea can continue to be a powerful voice for reform, but we need your help to make that happen. Your support maximizes Chelsea's voice in the media, continues public education, funds her legal appeals team, and builds a powerful movement for presidential pardon > > > Please donate today! < < <     follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend unsubscribe from this list| view email in browser Unsubscribe / Change Email Powered by YMLP

Understanding China & U.S.-Chinese Relations: A Key to World Politics

When: Tuesday, October 21, 2014, 7:00 pm

Where: Encuentro 5 • 9 Hamilton Place • (1 block from Park St. Station, next to old Orpheum Theater) • Boston

With Prof. Robert Ross and Duncan McFarland

"Competitive Interdependence” defines U.S.-Chinese relations. The Pentagon has identified China as is primary “near-peer” competitor in the 21st century, and even as the two powers share many interests (economic, climate, Islamist challenges and more,) the two nations are locked in an arms race, are engaged in competitive diplomacy, and are dealing to manage military tensions.
To learn more about the forces driving U.S. and Chinese policies and ways that we can build toward peaceful common security between these great powers, join us for a public forum with:
Robert Ross: Prrofessor of political science at Boston College associate of the Fairban Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University and  one of the foremost American specialists on Chinese foreign and defense policy and U.S.-China Relations
Duncan McFarland: Member of the planning group of United for Justice with Peace (Boston). He first visited China in 1981 and has since been involved in China tours, journalism and discussion groups.
Initiated by AFSC, Co-sponsored by UJP and MAPA

For more information contact JGerson@afsc.org or phone; 617-661-6130. 

United for Justice with Peace is a coalition of peace and justice organizations and community peace groups in the Greater Boston region. The UJP Coalition, formed after September 11th, seeks global peace through social and economic justice. Help us continue to do this critical work! Make a donation to UJP today.
info@justicewithpeace.org	617-383-4857	www.justicewithpeace.org

Poet's Corner- On T. S. Eliot's Birthday