PEACEIowa—the Iowa City peace center

Ending the Violence
and Opening our Hearts to Refugees

by Ann Stromquist
President of PEACE Iowa

My heart goes out to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives in the recent attacks in Paris, as well as those in Beirut, Baghdad, the Russian plane, and elsewhere. I abhor the violence perpetrated by ISIS. I can understand the fear that this violence engenders in those who imagine such attacks in our own country. I can understand that an immediate response by some is to want to seek revenge.

When we are angry it’s usually good to stop and take a deep breath before we act. We must take a very deep breath - now - in the face of two huge challenges that our country faces:

How do we respond to the increasing violence perpetrated by ISIS?
How do we respond to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the families - children, women, and men - who are fleeing a civil war in their country as well as violence by ISIS?

Do we really believe that more bombing will destroy ISIS? Do we really believe that more bombing will create stability in Syria and the rest of the Middle East? Do we really believe that more bombing will create more security in our own country?

Isn’t it true that our actions in the Middle East have only served as recruitment tools for ISIS? And to further destabilize the region? Have we learned anything from our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, countries that are LESS stable and LESS secure as a result of our intervention?

When we bomb an ISIS “target,” we bomb civilians, sometimes those attending a wedding, sometimes those praying in their mosque, sometimes those in their own homes. As we increase our violent response we assist ISIS in their recruitment of young, angry people who blame the United States for its role in supporting (and providing weapons to) authoritarian regimes. ISIS gains in membership only increase the instability and insecurity in Syria and elsewhere, and as instability and insecurity increase, ISIS gains volunteers. A vicious cycle.

We must STOP and THINK before we ACT. How can we work to end the violence in the Middle East and in Syria in particular?

The United States must do all it can to break the cycle of violence – STOP OUR OWN VIOLENT RESPONSES! – and address the causes of instability and violence by working with all parties in the region, as well as the international community, toward political solutions that take into consideration the needs of people for jobs and security.

The other challenge we face is the escalating refugee crisis precipitated by the civil war in Syria. We must welcome families who are fleeing the violence. We must allow ourselves to “walk a mile in their shoes” and imagine how we would want our families to be treated if we were fleeing violence and seeking refuge in another country. Let us do the right thing, what we know in our hearts is right, and welcome Syrian refugees into our communities. Let us call upon our representatives in Congress to ease the humanitarian crisis and act generously. Let us call upon our governor to reverse his cruel rejection of helping to resettle Syrian refugees in Iowa. And let us call upon our representatives in the State Legislature and our municipal governments to continue Iowa’s tradition of welcoming strangers to our midst. If we do so, we will be a better community, state, and nation.

First appeared in the Iowa City Press-Citizen on December 4, 2015.

Honor the Victims of 9/11

by Ed Flaherty
PEACE Iowa member

The images of September 11, 2001 are etched in the minds of almost everyone over the age of twenty. However, we need to be more concerned with what we have done with 9-11 than with 9-11 itself. Yes, we mourn the loss of so many innocent victims, we laud the heroes of the firefighters and so many others, and we will always be outraged at the inhumanity of the attackers. But I don't think that the 2,977 victims on 9/11 died to usher in a period of perpetual war.

We must remember that the tragedy of 9/11 was used as an opportunity for war. The Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) was approved just three days after 9/11, with only one dissenting vote in Congress. (The lone dissenter, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, deserves an honored spot in history, along with Vietnam dissenters, Senators Morse & Gruening). We launched war on Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, even though 15 of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Also, how to initiate war on Iraq, which had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks, was on the lips of our leaders the day after 9/11. We need to add to our minds' images the 6,888 US armed services personnel who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, the 52,000+ who bear visible wounds, and the 500,000+ who bear the invisible wounds of PTSD AND TBI. And, yes, the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan dead. We must remember it all if we are to heal.

We must do more than remember. We must honor the victims of 9-11 by proclaiming loudly that the 15-year, $100 million per day war in Afghanistan, the longest in our history, has gone on long enough. Outside of Kabul, the Taliban have more complete control over the country than at any time. The US has spent more in inflation-adjusted dollars to create an alternative to the drug economy in Afghanistan that it spent on the Marshall Plan after WWII. Despite that massive expenditure, poppy production in Afghanistan is booming, providing the resource for 90% of the world's heroin.

We must honor the victims of 9/11 by ending our military involvement in Iraq, which has spilled over into Syria. The visions of starving civilians trying to escape war, the visions of millions of refugees desperately seeking safety and a new life, and the visions of arms dealers with blood-soaked hands should compel us to demand that the US invest its considerable non-military power in an immense, renewed effort to bring about a cease-fire.

Honor the victims of 9-11 by saying NO to a bloated, unaudited U.S. military budget that is nearly equal to that of all other countries combined. By saying NO to drone assassinations. By saying NO to US Special Forces deployed in 134 countries. By demanding that Congress rescind the 2001 AUMF which has used the infamy of 9/11 to justify our perpetual wars.

In the words of President Eisenhower, "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." Or earlier words, "wheresoever your treasure is, there your heart is also."

Wars are much easier to start than to end. Let us take up the heavy, sweet burden of waging peace.

In this time of political division and polarization,
more positive, respectful dialogue is needed among those who tend to disagree.
Learning nonviolent communication techniques can increase the chances of such conversations going well.
However, when conversations turn hostile, we need ways to respond respectfully while also setting appropriate boundaries.
The BIFF Response technique is one such approach.

Ideas from PEACE Iowa members ...

Nonviolence as a Way of Life

Chris Klug

Be kind because everyone you meet is carrying a great burden. —Philo

Aligning one's thoughts, words and actions with an ethic of nonharming is a life-long process.

It is motivated by the desire to alleviate pain and suffering, one's own and others, and an ongoing awareness of the countless ways we participate, both individually and collectively, in causing harm. The web of relationships in which each of us finds ourselves is the place this harm occurs, ranging from a simple act of unkind speech, to often deeply ingrained biased and prejudicial attitudes, to complex lifestyle choices (though, for many, there may be few, if any, choices) related to food, clothing, shelter, education, health, leisure, employment, governance, transportation, money/investments, etc.

Awareness of the harm we cause directly and indirectly can be heartbreaking and overwhelming and discouraging and numbing. It can lead to resignation, paralysis, and cynicism, and is often resisted. Yet, it is precisely this awareness that lights up the many places where we can make choices that lead to less and less harm, while at the same time planting the seeds for and/or strengthening less harmful habits. Here are a few examples. Acknowledging feelings of anger and speaking kindly and firmly is possible, and requires practice. Feeling afraid and making a sincere effort to understand and get to know those who are different is possible, and requires practice. Choosing to get from home to work on a bicycle or by bus instead of driving one's own vehicle is possible. Shifting one's investments away from corporations that exploit their employees and the environment and avoid paying their share of taxes, to ones that do not, is possible. Entering into this process more and more completely requires courage, commitment, patience and, especially, a light and wise touch so that efforts to bring about justice and peace don't themselves cause harm in the short term and sow the seeds of injustice and violence for the future; e.g., waging war to bring about peace.

Support from others who are also committed to the path of a less violent way of living and being can be very helpful. Here are some local and not-so-local organizations that could be helpful: PEACE Iowa, Iowa Veterans for Peace, Pax Christi, Living Nonviolence, Buddhist Peace Fellowship.

Campaign for Nonviolence

Ed Flaherty
Excerpts of a speech delivered on behalf of PEACE Iowa, Iowa City pedestrian mall, International Day of Peace, Sept 21, 2014

Campaign Nonviolence is a long-term effort to build a culture of peace, to end war, poverty, and the climate crisis. It's an effort to illuminate the inter-relationship of poverty, racism, militarism & violence, greed and environmental degradation and address them in a unified effort.

I'm an old guy who has not kept up to the musical times, though I love Adele. Some of you have heard Leonard Cohen, and one of his songs, “Everybody Knows.” I believe everybody knows, at some level in their being, that the American flag can stand for liberty and justice for all, and that forever in peace may she wave. It must not belong to those who see it as a symbol of the most exceptional nation in history with the right to impose its will whenever and wherever. Everybody knows that we, all people, have a right to clean air and clean water and food. Everybody knows that wars and domestic violence not only result from people being denied these resources because we do not respect Mother Earth, but also that military activity accelerates environmental degradation, and that the US military is the largest consumer of oil and the largest emitter of CO2 in the world. We know that saying from the Bible, Wheresoever your treasure is, there your heart is also. As a nation, we have invested our treasure in the tools of war, and we need to change our investment policy.

We all have reason to be sad. Our planet's health is deteriorating, income inequality and poverty are soaring, racism persists in old and new forms. We are engaged in the longest war in US history (Afghanistan) and appear to be on the threshold of a new war in Syria. The cloud of nuclear destruction hangs over our heads. Injustice and oppression permeate life here and abroad. Our heroes seem to be athletes, movie stars, CEOs, and the military.

Everybody knows those things, even if we don't act as if we do.

Let us summon the will to act on what we believe, and to take advantage of the wonderful resources around us. Let's work with the 100 Grannies, the Center for Worker Justice, Veterans for Peace, Physicians for Social Responsibility, The Consultation of Religious Communities, PEACE Iowa, and countless other organizations whose daily work is waging peace. Let us celebrate the People's Climate March, Iowa City as a UNESCO City of Literature, and the largest solar farm in Iowa located right here in Johnson County. Let's include folks like Eugene Debs, Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King, William McKibben, and Daniel Ellsberg in our pantheon of heroes. Let's listen to our heart and what we know, and do what we can do to have this wave in peace, with liberty and justice for all.

Peace, salaam, shalom.

Reflections on the Season of Peace on Earth Goodwill Toward . . .

Sven-William Nilsson

It is literally a Hallmark card phrase. But how does one reconcile ubiquitous wishes for peace on earth and goodwill during the holiday season with the reality of endless warfare around the world, violence in the streets of American cities, and systems and cultures that, everywhere, seem to produce or reinforce so much materialism, competition, greed, inequality, and injustice? Many people in Iowa do experience a generous portion of peace, goodwill, security, and comfort. But it is important to reflect upon both extant joys and the struggles faced by people of conscience. The struggle: War seems a constant in the world. Americans participate in many ways. American tax money enables troops on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq and drones overhead in Syria, Pakistan, Yemen, and elsewhere. American bombs destroy schools and their “collateral damage” often includes innocents. “Made in the USA” weapons can be found wherever conflict exists. America spent a trillion dollars in Afghanistan and now “leaves” much of the country in poverty and ruins.

The joy: A courageous young girl is awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace and earns the attention of the world for her message about the right for “beyond basic education,” not only girls, but for all impoverished children in the world. Her unwavering voice was heard admonishing the royal and the powerful even as they honored her. Caring people around the world proclaim, “I am Malala.”

The struggle: The American government abuses its power. Violence of and upon police troubles American cities. The NSA collects information on American citizens and breaks domestic and international laws in doing so. The CIA tortures and abuses prisoners of war and American prisons are packed to overflowing. Guantanamo remains open despite the President's long-standing pledge to close it.

The joy: Heroes, like Edward Snowden, risk everything to reveal the truth and protect civil rights and freedoms. Fearless journalists like Gary Webb investigate and expose abuse of power. Peace activists, like Kathy Kelly, voluntarily go to prison to bring a public accounting to the hidden use and abuse of military power.

The struggle: Greed dominates local, national and international politics. Moneyed interests control political discourse and, ultimately, legislation and policy. Popular culture, in film, games, and social media are replete with violent images, bullying, misogyny, and crass materialism. Economic prosperity is only available to the few, the socio-economic gap is an ever-expanding crevasse, and democracy now seems to be, more and more, a hollow ideal. The joy: There remains, in many, a strong spirit toward non-violence, justice, and morality. Some of the disenfranchised are willing to take their message to the streets in non-violent and constructive protest. True democracy can be heard in the voices that reject materialism and self-interest and promote the common good.

So: Peace on earth, goodwill to . . . all.

Sven-William Nilsson is the pen name of a PEACE Iowa member.

Peace Rallies
Every Friday
4 to 5 pm
UI Pentacrest

The Friday peace vigils are being expanded to hour-long rallies. As we mark the 14th year since the invasion of Iraq (as of Sunday), the POTUS is proposing a $54 billion increase in military spending. Other recent headlines you may not have seen:

March 9th, Army Times, "U.S. is sending 2,500 troops to Kuwait, ready to step up fight in Syria and Iraq"
March 10th, Vice News, "Trump Unleashed 40 Airstrikes over Five Days in Yemen"
March 11th, NPR, "World Faces Largest Humanitarian Crisis Since 1945, UN Official Says"
March 17th, The Guardian, "More Than 40 Somalis Killed in (Apache) Helicopter Attack Off Yemen Coast"
March 17th, Common Dreams, "US Military Bombs Syrian Mosque During Evening Prayers, Killing Dozens"
March 22nd, The Guardian, "At least 33 people killed in coalition strike on school used as refugee centre"
April 6th, LA Times, "Nearly 300 Killed in Mosul Air Strike"—happened on March 17th, US planes

These events are wheelchair accessible. For more information,
including details about available accommodations
please contact us at ( 3l9 ) 354·l925 or E-mail <information[at]PEACEIowa·net>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PEACE Iowa Statement on the President's Executive Order on Immigration
IOWA CITY, IA

January 29, 2017 As a grassroots organization that promotes peace, the Peace Education and Action Center of Eastern Iowa (PEACE Iowa), its Board of Directors and members, is concerned about guarding the human rights of immigrants, refugees, people of color, other marginalized groups, and people of all faiths. We strongly condemn the President’s executive order on immigration, which indefinitely bars Syrian refugees from entering the United States, suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days, and blocks citizens of the following Muslim-majority countries, refugees or otherwise, from entering the United States for 90 days: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

The capricious nature of this ban, without regard for due process, is unjust in its treatment of refugees and other innocent travelers, unnecessarily separates families, and strands both American and foreign workers, impeding them from returning to their homes and workplaces. Moreover, these actions unnecessarily strain international relations and endanger the lives of Americans living abroad. We view the barring of travelers based solely on religion, race, nationality, or country of origin as being contrary to American values, and we call on all Iowans to peacefully protest and resist such laws and regulations, and to support individuals and organizations who are working to defend our nation's values in this area.

Signed,

Ann Stromquist, Board President
Lori Nelson, Director
Karen Nichols, Communications and Outreach Coordinator