[Peace-discuss] A message from the Green Party

[Boyle, Francis A]

Yeah, Phil Berrigan called me up and asked if I would go in with him on a One-Day National General Strike for Peace. I said of course. Phil said he would then do a first draft of the Appeal and send it along to me for my comments. Soon thereafter, Phil was diagnosed with the cancer that would ultimately kill him. Since I was not Phil Berrigan, I did not pursue his idea without him. RIP. But it is still an excellent idea that I would endorse and work for. fab

Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954 (phone)
217-244-1478 (fax)
(personal comments only)

From: Peace [mailto:peace-bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of Karen Aram via Peace
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2017 6:52 AM
To: peace <peace at lists.chambana.net>; peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>; Niloofar Shambayati <niloofar.peace at gmail.com>; Debra Schrishuhn <deb.pdamerica at gmail.com>
Subject: [Peace] A message from the Green Party

It’s not about Party Politics, it’s  simply about time. Let’s join together and do this.
A proposal for consideration: That the Green Party of the United States take the lead in issuing a call for a national mobilization and day of protest against U.S. intervention in Syria, the Middle East and Africa.
There are many political vacuums in America that need to be filled, but one that is practically screaming to be filled right now is an active peace movement, and, in particular, a major national mobilization to oppose our government's disastrous and World War III-threatening intervention in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East and Africa. The peace movement in this country needs a god-damned wake up call. The main national peace coalitions, United For Peace and Justice, and the ANSWER Coalition, oppose U.S. intervention in Syria but UPJ just has a "Call the White House & Congress" post on its main page, from two months ago, and ANSWER seems focused on its "People's Congress of Resistance" gathering to "fight the Trump agenda" in September. That's great but if the U.S. shoots down a Russian plane, or vice-versa, we may not make it 'til September.
There are some great journalists like Robert Parry, Caitlin Johnstone, Mark Crispin Miller and the gang at Counterpunch doing some pushback against our nation's current disastrous course, as are many Greens individually, but online posting and propaganda wars are only going to go so far. What do people think about the national Green Party trying to fill this void by initiating a call for a national day of protest, and then trying to build an ad hoc coalition around a national mobilization for that purpose? If the existing peace organizations aren't going to take the initiative, why not us? The need could hardly be greater, the cause could hardly be more urgent, those committed to the corporate parties clearly aren't going to do it and it's right up our alley. And by us taking the lead, we further publicize a critical distinction between ourselves and those parties, and we help build more effective congressional campaigns in 2018, accentuating our role as the only peace party.
If we were to try, I bet some of the same good journalists would help us get out the word. I bet we could get UPJ and ANSWER affiliates to start signing on, and maybe get the national coalitions behind it. It could snowball. There are plenty of people out there who don't like the dangerous course our nation is on. I think the Green Party should seize the moment and lead the charge. What do you think, David Keith Cobb<https://www.facebook.com/david.k.cobb?fref=mentions>, Jill Stein, Bruce A. Dixon<https://www.facebook.com/bruce.a.dixon.5?fref=mentions>, Chris Blankenhorn<https://www.facebook.com/blankenhorn.chris?fref=mentions>, Scott McLarty<https://www.facebook.com/scott.mclarty.75?fref=mentions>, Paula Densnow<https://www.facebook.com/paula.whowantstoknow?fref=mentions>,Michael J. Harrington<https://www.facebook.com/michael.j.harrington?fref=mentions>, Karen Aram<https://www.facebook.com/karen.aram.1?fref=mentions>, Tamar Byczek Yager<https://www.facebook.com/tamar.byczekyager?fref=mentions>, Zerlina Smith<https://www.facebook.com/CherishIsMyLife?fref=mentions>,Howie Hawkins<https://www.facebook.com/howiehawkins?fref=mentions> and other friends?
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