[Peace-discuss] discussion please

[Alfred Kagan]

Jim noted that he has missed some of our conversations. In our 
meetings, it seems like almost everyone agreed that our candlelight 
vigil was a failure, and that we didn't get our message across. We 
were clear that we didn't want that to happen again. We agreed that 
some of us might want to join  the labyrinth peace walk, but that it 
was certainly no substitute for our protest, especially since we 
could not bring signs to it.

We do need to keep a serious focus and I think Lisa, Jim and Peter 
are right that we need to focus more on that.  We should skip the 
idea of calling it a picnic and parade. Maybe we should leave out 
puppets and sheep and just stick serious political signs and speech.

It looks like we will not get a speaker from the Families for 
Peaceful Tomorrows for the 11th, but if we did get one, that person 
would be able to speak seriously about the need to protest to honor 
the victims. Let's keep this idea in mind.  And yes, let's use the 
slogan, "Another World is Possible."


>Thanks Lisa. I too am happy to see discussion growing on-list about 
>this. Although I initially just sent my message to you individually 
>last night, I'll go ahead and post it to the whole list now. I agree 
>with both you and Peter that joviality is the last thing we want to 
>convey on the 11th itself. Even defiance is somewhat tricky on the 
>day, although it would be wholly appropriate the weekend before or 
>the weekend after, I think. This is also what's suggested by the 
>folks running www.unitedforpeace.org (a Global Exchange action), who 
>are compiling a national clearinghouse of events - they have lots of 
>good ideas.
>
>Anyway, all, here's what I'd written.
>
>peace,
>jb
>
>>Hi Lisa,
>>
>>It's been quite some time since I've attended an AWARE meeting - 
>>the Greens, Estabrook for Congress, and a toddler in the house 
>>leave little time for additional action - but I've been continuing 
>>to read the peace list postings regularly and interact with AWARE 
>>members in other settings.
>>
>>I'm writing you in reference to AWARE's plans for Sept. 11. I'm 
>>speaking only for myself, and out of confusion mainly, but I do 
>>want to express what I'm thinking. It strikes me that the AWARE 
>>9/11 plans show a great deal of anger against what our nation's 
>>political leaders are doing - and that anger is entirely justified 
>>- yet I'm worried that expressions of sorrow, regret and sadness 
>>are entirely missing. Those of you planning the local events may be 
>>losing sight of the fact that many people who don't understand 
>>nearly as much as AWARE members do about how last Sept. 11 came 
>>about (we have after all been studying it intensively for the 
>>better part of a year, and many supporters came into the group with 
>>an already well-honed understanding of how US power really 
>>operates) and about how little justification there actually is for 
>>the actions our nation's government has undertaken since that time. 
>>That continues to be a matter for education and action, over the 
>>long haul. But I'm not at all certain that the one-year anniversary 
>>of the suicide attacks is the proper venue for in-your-face kinds 
>>of actions. I'm afraid that if AWARE's remembrance of the thousands 
>>who died in the trade center and Pentagon on September prominently 
>>features things like mock-up coffins, a mass turn-in at the FBI 
>>office (I'm guessing all government offices will be closed anyway), 
>>people dressed as sheep, giant puppets, etc., it will look very 
>>much as if AWARE is mocking victims and using the occasion to make 
>>sarcastic comments about leadership and follower-ship. I just don't 
>>think it's going to do us much good, either in the eyes of the 
>>wider public or even in our own hearts.
>>
>>On the occasion of the six-month anniversary of the attack, AWARE 
>>put together a very moving candlelight vigil on the Quad, with an 
>>open mike and the stated goal of commemorating all victims, Afghani 
>>as well as U.S. Now, sadly, the list of victims has grown much 
>>greater, with the US-approved Israeli invasions of Palestinian 
>>camps, continued bombings in Afghanistan, still-simmering tensions 
>>over Kashmir, and the daily rush toward war in Iraq. Something on 
>>this order is also, I think, very much in the spirit of what the 
>>national ad-hoc group "United For Peace" (sponsored by Global 
>>Exchange, Medea Benjamin's organization) is recommending for 
>>actions around the country on Sept. 11 - their advice is that more 
>>confrontational or energetic actions be saved for other days, e.g. 
>>the weekend before or after the 11th. (And perhaps this would be a 
>>more suitable timing than the 11th itself for the Peace Parade and 
>>Protest as well.) They've got lots of good information on their 
>>website - www.unitedforpeace.org . Also, week or so back, Peter 
>>Miller posted out a suggested service from Shalom, a 
>>Jewish-affiliated peace action group, that set a tone more like 
>>what I'm hoping the peace community can pull together next month.
>>
>>Channing-Murray (where I'm president of the board) will be 
>>participating along with other religious groups around town in the 
>>labyrinth peace walk set up for the 11th. I saw your mention that 
>>the organizers of that event seem to have told you that they wish 
>>for the event to remain nonpoliticized. I don't have any ties to 
>>the organizing group, but I'm sure they would be happy to see AWARE 
>>members take part in the walk. Again, speaking only for myself, I 
>>wonder if the community might best be served by AWARE holding its 
>>event on a date other than the 11th, and participating in something 
>>like the walk - or possibly holding a simple candlelight vigil, on 
>>the 11th itself. It might also be worth contacting the UI 
>>Chancellor's office to find out what, if anything, the university 
>>has scheduled for the 11th - Nancy Cantor has, I think, been a 
>>fairly strong voice for community on this campus since last 
>>September, and I'm guessing their may be plans for some sort of 
>>commemoration coming from their office that AWARE members would be 
>>interested in.
>>
>>Consider this note very much in the spirit of friendly criticism. I 
>>may just be overly concerned, but I think we who are working for 
>>peace need to always be thinking about not only the justice and 
>>justification for our actions, but about how those actions are 
>>likely to be received by the community as a whole. I will 
>>unfortunately be out of town this weekend, or I'd attend AWARE this 
>>Sunday to express these concerns in person. If you like, you're 
>>welcome to contact me.
>>
>>yours in the struggle for peace,
>>Jim
>
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-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu