The Peace Race
By Katrina vanden Heuvel
06/17/06 "The Nation" -- -- The peace majority is real.
A CBS poll finds that 80 percent of Democrats believe the United States
should have stayed out of Iraq, and more than 60 percent want US troops home
as soon as possible. A Washington Post/ABC poll finds that 70 percent of
Independents feel the war was not worth it, and 33 percent of Republicans
agree. Even 72 percent of our troops believe US forces should leave Iraq in
the next year.
So what are so many Democratic politicians so afraid of? And how do we
translate this majority into a politics of change for the 2006 elections and
beyond? How do we send a message from the grassroots - the people outside of
the beltway - that ending this war matters, and that the time to show moxie
and conviction is right now?
VotersForPeace has initiated the Peace Voter Pledge along with 18 other
antiwar organizations - including United for Peace and Justice, itself a
coalition of 1,400 local groups.
The pledge is focused on the Iraq war as well as potential armed conflicts
such as that with Iran, and - using language crafted by The Nation in its
cover editorial last November - it reads: "I will not vote for or support
any candidate for Congress or President who does not make a speedy end to
the war in Iraq, and preventing any future war of aggression, a public
position in his or her campaign." www.unitedforpeace.org
Linda Schade, spokesperson for Voters For Peace, points to a nationwide poll
indicating that 67 percent of Democratic voters support or strongly support
the wording of the pledge; 59 percent of Independents and a stunning 25
percent of Republicans support it as well.
"The Peace Majority is now here. Peace Voters are the new Soccer Moms,"
Schade said.
Peace Voters see how the war is undermining our security and causing a
tragically unnecessary loss of life, while also depleting needed resources
for healthcare, education, and the rebuilding of America.
Kevin Martin, Executive Director of Peace Action, expects hundreds of other
groups to join in the Peace Voter Pledge effort. The goal is to obtain two
million signatures in 2006 and Peace Action is aggressively promoting it
online, while chapters and affiliates circulate it at local community events
across the nation.
"Support for this war, or unwillingness to speak out against it, are both
morally unacceptable," Martin said. "Democrats can't beat Karl Rove by
offering no real alternative on this."
Which is exactly the point Sen. Russell Feingold made in a recent interview
with Dan Balz and Chris Cilizza of the Washington Post: "If we don't show
that we have a strong vision of how to complete that mission, bring the
troops home, and refocus in a positive way in the fight against terrorism,
I'm afraid people will once again by default, you know, hedge it and maybe
allow Republicans to stay in power."
One Democrat who understands the painful consequences of hedging is Senator
John Kerry. On Tuesday, the former Presidential candidate spoke at the
fourth annual Take Back America conference and announced that he will soon
sponsor an amendment to the defense spending bill demanding a withdrawal of
all US troops from Iraq by the end of 2006.
As the death toll has increased--more than 2,500 US troops have been killed
to date--and voters have become increasingly disgusted with the war and the
lack of Democratic action in opposing it, antiwar candidates have emerged as
challengers to the status quo.
In Connecticut, where over 60 percent of voters oppose the war, Bush's
favorite Democrat, Joe Lieberman, is receiving a surprisingly stiff
challenge from Ned Lamont. Lamont needed the support of 15 percent of the
delegates at the state convention to secure a place on the August 8 primary
ballot - he doubled that.
Even in instances where a challenger falls short - as occurred in last
Tuesday's California primary between Marcy Winograd and hawkish incumbent,
Jane Harman - these contests are forcing Democratic strategists who would
water-down any position on Iraq to confront the depth and power of the
antiwar sentiment. "The voters are sending a clear message to the party,"
Schade says.
In New York, writer and labor organizer Jonathan Tasini is challenging
Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary - a David and Goliath contest in
which Tasini has no delusions about winning. But Tasini recently proved that
Senator Clinton could not dictate Iraq policy at her own state convention,
where he led a successful effort to pass a resolution labeling the decision
to go to war an "error" and urging "a safe and orderly withdrawal of US
forces."
Peace Action's Kevin Martin says, "In the end, we want politicians to know
the power of the peace voters. Even in the so-called 'safe districts.' We
want them to see the political potential of our constituency."
Hopefully, the Democratic Party leadership will soon follow the lead of
grassroots activists and courageous leaders such as Feingold, Kerry and
Senate candidates, Rep. Sherrod Brown in Ohio, John Tester in Montana, and
Bernie Sanders in Vermont.
As Feingold said, "America knows we have to regroup and refocus on the real
fight against terrorism. So I don't understand why Democrats are so meek
about basically associating themselves with the number one issue in America
which is to find a way to end our huge military involvement in Iraq."
Let the race for peace begin. Sign the Peace Voter Pledge today
www.unitedforpeace.org
***
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Gallegos
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 9:17 PM
Subject: Another firsthand report from teachers' struggle in Oaxaca
What follows is a report from Lois Meyer, a professor from University
of New Mexico who is working on a language project in Oaxaca:
Bill, I'm fine. It is amazing to be in Oaxaca at this
historic time. The fact that I was personally caught up
in the police action was a frightening but also amazing
experience. I feel that my presence here now, precisely
at this time, and my eyewitness experience with the
brutal clearing out of the teachers encampment, obligate
me to send reports as best I can. Especially since friends
tell me there is little report of this in the international
press. The teachers here have told me that my "tequio"
(collaboration on behalf of the community) is to spread
the word. Fortunately, since my closest friends and
colleagues are deeply enmeshed in this struggle, I am
able to confer with them regularly and hear their
perspective on all that is happening.
In about an hour the third "megamarcha" is to begin.
Since the teachers are now firmly in control again of the
historic center of the city, the march is expected to be
massive. The fact that after the first brutal actions
by the police early Wedn. morning the teachers regrouped,
armed themselves with sticks and rocks, and fought back
against the armed police, was never expected by the
government. Within 4 hours the Zocalo was again under
the control of the teachers. According to my friends here,
though there have been violent destructions of teacher
encampments in the past, there has never before been this
kind of teacher resistance and victory. Apparently, during
the police action, teachers used their cellphones to inform
family and friends, and whole neighborhoods of the city
rose up and marched into the Zocalo in support of the teachers.
Shortly thereafter, teachers and parents were marching in
cities around the state and also coming into the city itself.
The police brutality has now created a state of general
uprising by civic groups, parents and communities. Oaxaca
has become the focal point of political and social resistance
in the country. Groups are coming from all over Mexico for
this march. I have heard the rumor, and fully expect that
it is true, that the Zapatistas, and Subcomandante Marcos
himself, will be here.
Bill, the one thing that concerns me is that this kind of
popular uprising, which now has far surpassed a teachers
strike, MUST be met by repression by a repressive government..
The march is now clearly calling for the PRI governor to be
dumped. The national elections are being held in question.
How can the Mexican establishment allow this to go on?
Everyone says that if there is repression now, it will be
massive and brutal and will be met by violent resistance.
So the news from Oaxaca needs to be publicized during
these next days.
I will do what I can to contribute to that effort. My
"granito de arena", as they say here...
***
from www.selfhelpgraphics.com with a
little editing - Thanks, Kay
Self-Help Graphics & Arts Annual Print Sale (tip - come early -
many artists donated/sales benefit SHG)
Sunday, June 25, 2006 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
* UPSTAIRS * Come meet the artists, enjoy the art and take home
one-of-a-kind prints to enliven your spirit!
* DOWNSTAIRS * Opening of Selected Prints from SHG at the
Galeria Otra Vez Atelier 47-Monoprints-Special Projects-Vintage
Prints-Etchings-Linocuts-Woodcuts-Monotypes-Silkscreens
************************************************************
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Reception: Poetas Y Pintores: Artists Conversing with Verse
Poetas Y Pintores: Artists Conversing with Verse is a collaborative project
sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, initiated by the Center
for Women's InterCultural leadership at Saint Mary's College and the
Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame. The
interdisciplinary project will present the work of both established and
emerging poets as inspiration for the creation of original artwork, allowing
Latino/a artists to enter into "dialogue" with the work of Latino/a poets.
The inaugural exhibit opened in South Bend, IN before traveling to New York,
NY. The third stop of the show is Self-Help Graphics and Art in Los Angeles,
CA. For more information please visit:
http://poetasypintores.com
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