Memorial Day and al Nakba

Dear Friends,

This last week was the 61st commemoration of “al Nakba”, Arabic for “the catastrophe”. It refers to the time in 1948 when the state of Israel was founded. In Palestine, the Nakba is viewed as their holocaust, the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians to make room for Israel and they lament as they commemorate because the displacement and the killing continue. Not surprisingly, some parts of the Israeli government want to ban any commemoration or even mention of the Palestinian Nakba, in the same way, ironically, some people deny that a Jewish holocaust occurred.

It is not easy to look and really see people whose opinions differ from ours. But we must try to see each side’s reality. Denying either perspective will not bring peace. I recently sent out an email to local veteran organizations to see if we could organize a joint event with an Iraq veteran who will be in Missoula in July on an anti-war bicycle tour. The sad responses I am getting indicate the veteran groups would rather not know or acknowledge the existence of anti-war veterans. We cannot hope or wish the opposition opinion away – it is equally real. To be helpful, we must create a safe place for both “sides” to co-exist and then begin the work of building bridges. The tendency for humans to create conflict and war is not over. It exists in every corner of every land around the world – even Missoula.

Please do not let your efforts to create peace go silent or be put on hold as other issues become important. Do not become complacent and believe your voice is not important. And do not ever let the possibility of disagreement from someone else stop you from speaking up. We cannot deny that people around the world are struggling for survival under conditions of dispossession, apartheid, poverty, disease and occupation. Our silence is a denial of sorts, and a bridge to peace will never be possible. We must, as peacemakers, take advantage of every opportunity we have to build a bridge, however small or large.

Next Monday, Memorial Day, we must all remember the real tragedies of war – all of them. But as we remember, let us also act! This is a most critical time in our country for us to be in dialog with our elected officials about funding the future – whether that is diplomacy rather than war or health care rather than bailouts. Let our memories and our dialogs have room for every different perspective and, rather than denying other ways exist, let us reflect on how we can all seek a more peaceful way.

In hope and memory,

Betsy

Avoiding Fear

Dear peace community,

It seems you wake up every day to be presented a question. What would you like to fear today? With so much to fear, had it been a stock, it would have been up multiple times this decade. Take the case of Dick Cheney! He spent most of his 8 years in an undisclosed location. When he shows up, he predicts ominous future or ominous things he allowed to “safeguard” our future. For him it is a ground hog “doomsday” everyday! Present VP seems to be playing his part with flu. Some think Al Gore had his own “warm up” session and Dan Quayle was his own hot “potato”! Do VP’s play a part in fear propaganda? The main reason we have this office is to soothe us from a different kind of fear! So far our “fear” strides made tame wars, depression, colonialism, polio, flu, and inflation of last century. Should we call this a fear century or a decade of great fear? Afghanistan makes 90% of the opium used. We generate that much in fear and consume both in copious amounts! Our politicians and 24 hour news cycles want us to be fear addicts. They want us to cower instead of analyzing the big picture. There is always someone or something to blame. We have 5% of world population, but 25% of world prisoners. Guns and ammunition are selling at a brisk pace and stores are out of stock. With our frayed nerves, paranoia has no limits!

Take this recent example and our excessive preoccupation with it. The swine flu (or its new name influenza H1N1) has a few thousand confirmed cases in the world. The total number of deaths in US is three so far. We will find more, but most are recovering fine. While three is still tragic, if you compare that with 36,000 American deaths a year from regular flu, this new “pandemic” is nowhere near as scary in comparison. Should we be taking precautions (wash hands) or panic? With our limited attention span and expert imagination from the media, we take normal dangers and convert them to extreme fears. It sounds cliché, but once again we have to fear the fear itself. Otherwise, we cannot come up with proper solutions.

Here in Missoula look at the positive side. Enjoy spring blossoms, hike, go to the farmers market, meet friends, take your kids camping, help someone or do something you like to do. Ignore the constant doom and gloom. Come see us build a stone amphitheater at the Peace Park. Find ways to bury this draining emotion and live normal, happy and peaceful lives.

Srini Mondava

Coordinating Council chair

World Fair Trade Day

Dear peace community,
May 9 is World Fair Trade Day (WFTD).  Fair Trade is about social and corporate responsibility – a way of guaranteeing justice for all around the world.  There are suppliers, wholesalers, and producers practicing the demanding values that structure the forefront of fair trade, even in this volatile economy.  Take a few minutes during your daily buying practices and ask yourself the following: How are the items I am buying being produced? Whose hands produced this item and how did it come to be in my hands — for only $4.99? What does the facility look like where this item was produced?  If you can’t answer any of these questions or simply answer “I don’t know” then exercise your power as a consumer and find out.  Then ask yourself these questions:   Do I want to support goods where the producers are seen as a vital branch of the business? …where business practices have a transparency? …where people are willing to put the producer first? …where the culture is preserved? …where sustaining the land is a principle of the production practices and of the culture?    If your answers are “yes” to these questions then you’re ready to take the next step toward fair trade.  Please ask your local merchants to carry more Fair Trade goods. If you don’t know where to start, you can email Katie@jrpc.org or call 406-543-3955.  You the consumer have the power to make this change. It is your demands that drive the market place. If you demand Fair Trade it will come. Please understand this power and take your turn to make a difference in this world.

And as always, you can find lots of fair trade goods at JRPC.  We’ll be kicking off the World Fair Trade Day party Friday, May 8 from 1 to 4 pm in the JRPC Library with a Fair Trade Peace Crane Party:  a day of discussion about Fair Trade, Peace Crane making using recycled magazines and Bead For Life Fair Trade Beads.  We’ll be serving Fair Trade Chocolate, Tea, and Coffee.    Come make the world a little fairer.  Then, on Saturday, May 9th enjoy a free sample of fair trade coffee break at one of the Missoula coffee vendors who are donating their coffee for the day – see the list below in the calendar listing!  And remember, everything is better when it’s fair!

Thanks for doing your part,

Betsy and Katie

Peace and Justice Film Series

Dear Peace Community,

Don’t miss this week’s installment of the Peace and Justice Film Series.  We will take an in-depth look at women’s suffrage by showing the HBO documentary “Iron Jawed Angels”.  This film recounts a key chapter in U.S. history: in this case, the struggle of suffragists who fought for the passage of the 19th Amendment.  Focusing on the two defiant women, Alice Paul (Hilary Swank) and Lucy Burns (Frances O’Connor), the film shows how these activists broke from the mainstream women’s-rights movement and created a more radical wing, daring to push the boundaries of political protest to secure women’s voting rights in 1920.

Speaking of radical boundary pushing, come and show your solidarity this Friday (May 1st) at 1:00 PM in the University of Montana Oval, where we will celebrate May Day International Workers Day.  After the rally on the Oval, demonstrators will march downtown.  Lend your voice to demand real change based on equity, solidarity and self-management!

Solidarity,

Sean Gibbons, coordinating council member