A big THANK YOU from the Peace Table to the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO and to 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.   They donated printing of thousands of the peace posters, “Jobs Not War” stickers, and flyers which we distributed on October 2!!

King, Belafonte reminded the crowd, “said that America would soon come to realize that the war that we were in at that time that this nation waged in Vietnam, was not only unconscionable, but unwinnable. Fifty-eight thousand Americans died in that cruel adventure, and over two million Vietnamese and Cambodians perished. Now today, almost a half-a-century later, as we gather at this place where Dr. King prayed for the soul of this great nation, tens of thousands of citizens from all walks of life have come here today to rekindle his dream and once again hope that all America will soon come to the realization that the wars that we wage today in far away lands are immoral, unconscionable, and unwinnable.”

It was an extraordinary moment. The first national mobilization in Washington led by civil rights and labor groups in more than a decade was motivated by the economic crisis and energized by the demand for jobs—but reflected the breadth of understanding of a wide range of communities and constituencies who joined One Nation Working Together. The leadership of the coalition began with the NAACP, whose dynamic young president, Ben Jealous, stood as the first of his generation to head one of the fabled early civil rights organizations in the U.S. The SEIU, whose fast-growing service worker sector faces some of the most oppressive conditions, was there at the beginning, and the AFL-CIO as a whole quickly followed suit. Other core sponsors included the National Council of La Raza, Center for Community Change, US Students Association and more. By the time of the rally, hundreds of labor, civil rights, community, immigrant rights, environmental, and peace organizations were on board.

Part of the goal was easy—a massive get out the vote effort ahead of the Nov. 2nd mid-term election. But part of it was much more complicated—the organizations that initiated ONWT included some that had been at the center of the Obama campaign in 2008. So it was very unclear how they would walk that fine line between cheerleading for the president they had helped elect and criticizing the president who continued to disappoint so much of those organizations’ political base.

While jobs were the uniting issue of the march, the ralliers who carried “Jobs Not War” signs were a reminder of the connection between our out of control military budget—particularly the expensive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—and the jobs crisis in the U.S. But the presence of that large, visible, vocal anti-war contingent was not inevitable. The peace movement had not been approached during the initial organizing process. Following very friendly and supportive meetings soon after, national peace and anti-war organizations, led by the United for Peace & Justice network and Peace Action, created the ONWT Peace Table, which was quickly welcomed as part of the steering committee of the broader coalition.

The work was nuanced and complicated. For key ONWT leaders, personal anti-war perspectives vied with the need to keep on board those influential national organizations—especially but not only within parts of the labor movement—whose members perceive their jobs as depending on military spending or whose leadership supports the Iraq and/or Afghanistan wars. Those organizations and individuals, fewer than they used to be but still powerful, wanted to keep the coalition’s overall message away from the critical issue of how war spending destroys jobs. Discussions continued, and by the time the official policy document was finalized, it did include the call for “a future of justice at home and peace abroad.”

The challenge reflected the current political moment. Of course the wars themselves have not ended; Iraq’s war continues with 50,000 re-named U.S. combat troops and 75,000 military contractors still occupying the country, while the U.S. war in Afghanistan has escalated and is causing dramatically higher casualties among the civilian population. But those wars are now being waged in a changed political climate, in which they are no longer the symbolic or strategic centerpiece of the U.S. political trajectory. The economic catastrophe overall, and the urgency of the jobs crisis in particular, have for the past two years superseded the wars as the most urgent issue most Americans face.

Inevitably, that means that the anti-war movement is no longer the centerpiece of U.S. and global opposition to U.S. policies of aggression that continue to assault and undermine lives, health, and prosperity at home and around the world. The anti-war movement itself is now only one stream in a much wider river of protest.

But that anti-war stream was central on the National Mall last Saturday. The Peace Table’s own website and mobilization efforts had led dozens of anti-war organizations to endorse the rally and brought thousands of peace activists to Washington. The official program appeared ambivalent about the war-vs.-jobs issue—despite a consciously inclusive list of artists and activists representing virtually every participating constituency, there was no consultation on program with the Peace Table and no one speaking officially on behalf of an anti-war organization. But nonetheless, the costs of war shaped much of the program. Informal counts indicated that all but two of the speakers mentioned the military budget or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in some context while on stage.

One was Bob King, head of the United Auto Workers, who called directly for ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another was Bishop Garrison, a young army veteran who had served two year-long deployments in Iraq. He spoke early in the program, focusing on jobs, and he described how “opportunities in the job force were more than simply lacking” when he got out of the military. He spoke of veterans who had reenlisted only because they had no alternative means of providing for their families. And (while trying to give President Obama credit for beginning to bring some troops home from Iraq) Garrison condemned the way the U.S. had “supported wars abroad while the working class pays the bill and the poorest of our society fight for their very well-being.”

Many of the speakers emphasized the November elections—in which Democrats are widely expected to lose significantly in both houses of Congress. But whatever the party count on November 3rd, the elections will change little without massive public mobilization and pressure on whoever wins those seats. The day after the rally, dozens of labor, peace, civil rights, community organizing, and other groups met to plan strategy for moving forward in efforts to cut the military budget and shift U.S. priorities from war to jobs, from drones to mass transit, from building F-16s to building green energy technologies.

As long as we keep spending nearly a trillion dollars on the military annually, as we did this year, there will never be new green union jobs in this country. We will never solve the economic crisis while fighting “immoral, unconscionable, and unwinnable” wars. The Afghanistan escalation alone costs $33 billion—funds that could have paid instead to create 600,000 new green jobs, with three billion left over to begin to repay our huge debt to the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Harry Belafonte reminded us that voting is hugely important. But voting alone is never enough. “Let us vote on November 2nd,” Belafonte called out to 100,000 people, “for jobs, for jobs, for jobs, for peace, for justice, for human rights, for our children and the future of America. And let us put an end to war. Peace is necessary. For justice, it is necessary. For hope, it is necessary. For our future.”

This past Saturday, October 2nd, 175,000 from all walks of life and from all 50 states gathered at the Lincoln Memorial under the umbrella of One Nation Working Together. The Peace Table worked hard to bring peace and antiwar activists to this mobilization and then made sure some of the most pressing issues of the peace movement were visible throughout the day.

We distributed over 5,000 posters with our five slogans:

Jobs, Peace, Justice

Bring Our Troops and War Dollars Home

Funds Jobs, Not War

End War, Rebuild America

End the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Now! – Bring Our War Money Home

We also handed out 25,000 stickers that said Jobs Not War, and almost 15,000 leaflets making the connections between cutting military spending, ending the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the urgent need to revitalize our economy and create new green jobs here at home.

The Peace Table organized one of the several feeder marches of the day. Following our lead banner – Money for Jobs, Not for War: Bring Our Troops Home Now – upwards of 1,000 people carried posters, handed out leaflets and marched to the main rally site with our peace message.

In addition to our visibility efforts throughout the day, we were thrilled that so many of the speakers at the Lincoln Memorial made the same connections we were making! The strongest speech was delivered by Harry Belafonte – we hope you’ll take a moment to listen to his powerful presentation.

Two other presentations that gave antiwar messages were those by the UAW’s Bob King and Green for All’s Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins (at 9:00 into the clip), and by the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. who mentions Afghanistan, veterans and cutting the military budget starting at 8:45 in the clip.

What comes next?

As the One Nation Working Together focuses on the mid-term elections in November, we are already looking further into the future. What we know for sure is that our work to strengthen the peace movement and our alliances with other struggles for economic and social justice must be grounded in our local work. The Peace Table brought together nearly 100 national and local groups – all of which would welcome your involvement. Take a look at the list of organizations in the Peace Table and find one that you want to work with. Most of the groups in our list are linked to their own websites and that’s the quickest way to get more information.

We also have some posters and leaflets left over. The Washington Peace Center is able to ship these out to you and all you have to pay are the shipping costs. Send an email to sonia@washingtonpeacecenter.org to make arrangements.

Also, the posters and leaflet are available on our website for you to download and reproduce. They are all generic and can be used in your ongoing peace activities.

Be sure to check back here for announcements and information about upcoming peace and justice campaigns and activities!

Jobs, Peace, Justice
Bring Our Troops and War Dollars Home
Fund Jobs, Not War
End War, Rebuild America
End the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Now! – Bring Our War Money Home

Momentum is building as hundreds of thousands are preparing to bus, drive and fly to DC to be part of this historic event. You can help in these next two weeks.

Things to do:

• Use our leaflet to encourage people in your community to come to Washington, DC on 10.2.10  http://www.onenationforpeace.org/materials/fliers-posters

• Register your bus. If you are organizing a bus or know of one, please make sure it is registered. It must be registered to get a parking permit. Registered buses are posted on the One Nation website where people can find them so they can Get On The Bus for 10.2.10. Please do so by Friday, September 17. http://www.onenationworkingtogether.org/page/s/bus-info

• Request a Table – The deadline for a free literature table is Friday September 17. http://www.onenationforpeace.org/logistics/literature-tables/

• Visit www.onenationforpeace.org to learn more.

Help us build the peace presence in Washington:

• The Peace Table – a coalition of more than 70 national and local peace groups that has been organizing within the peace and anti-war community for this mobilization – will gather in two places in Washington, DC on 10.2.10.

9:00 am – Volunteers to help distribute thousands of peace posters are needed to gather at the rally site near the Lincoln Memorial. Our volunteers will be in spots that will ensure our peace message is seen by our allies and the media. People who sign up to help out will be sent the details.

10:30 am – Constitution and 14^th, the Peace Table feeder march gather to march to the rally site. Posters will be provided with the above demands.

• We need 300 volunteers. Nothing is more important than getting out our message in support of our allies. Our message and demands strengthens the efforts of our allies to push for jobs and investment in people. We need help to pass out posters to rally attendees at the rally site, in the bus parking lot and metro stops. Read Peace Promotion Plan, Volunteer here!

This is an extremely important moment in our struggle to end U.S. wars and put our nation on a track of peace and prosperity. But it is only the beginning. No matter how many people show up on 10.2.10 there will be much more work to do. But a large and dynamic turnout for Oct 2^nd in DC will help make the path a little smoother and the energy a little higher to do this most crucial work. We look forward to seeing you there.

We need 300 volunteers to help pass out fliers and placards to make our message of peace visible. Sign up now to volunteer!

Join the Peace Contingent!

Meet at 10:30 am at 14th & Constitution Ave NW (just east of the White House, closest to the Federal Triangle Metro)

We will march together as a group, chanting peace slogans through the streets of DC as we make our way to the Lincoln Memorial for the main One Nation Working Together rally.

One Nation Working Together Rally is taking place at the Lincoln Memorial from Noon to 4pm.

Additional Information:

• One Nation Working Together March Details
• Getting to DC
• Staying in DC
• Find local events

Even with the usual challenges of end-of-summer organizing, momentum for the One Nation Working Together mobilization in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 2nd is growing every day. New organizations – both national and local groups – are signing on. New organizing committees in cities big and small are coming together. Buses are being reserved, carpools are being organized, and people are getting ready. Without exaggeration, all signs point to the 10.2.10 mobilization being of historical proportion. To put it simply: This is one you do not want to miss!

With the long Labor Day weekend behind us, now is the time to take our organizing to the next level. What we do – what we all do – in the next few weeks will determine if 10.2.10 is one of the largest and most powerful expressions of the progressive agenda that our nation as ever seen. The peace movement has a tremendous role to play, if we step up now. We know how to turn out people: Remember the massive protests against the war in Iraq that we made happen? Those events were critically important in and of themselves, and they also laid the foundation for the work we are now engaged in.

Our work as a movement goes beyond turning out large numbers of people for an historic event. We have an opportunity to help millions of people understand how the struggle to end the wars and occupation in Afghanistan and Iraq is directly tied to the urgent need to re-direct this nation’s economic and social priorities. We can bring our clear call for cuts in military spending into the efforts to fund the needs of all of our communities, including creating millions of new, green jobs.

Making these connections will only be as strong as our presence within the One Nation Working Together movement. This means being part of the local organizing coalitions that are already in place, or building new ones in the cities where they don’t exist yet. It means turning out massive numbers of people in Washington, DC on 10.2.10. And it means helping us build the peace presence there.

Here’s what you can do:

1) Find out if there’s an organization coalition in your area. Click here to see a list of what’s already in place. http://www.onenationforpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/onwt-field-steering-committees-w-contact-info8-26-2010.pdf

2) If there is not a coalition, start right now to form one. If you need help, let us know by contacting us at onenationforpeace@gmail.com or 973 666-4605.
3) Be sure to add your group’s name to the growing list of groups participating in the 10.2.10 March on Washington. http://www.onenationforpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/MAP-One-Nation-endorsement.pdf

4) Join the Peace Table of the ONWT effort.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/302/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=5410

We are the umbrella structure organizing to make sure the issues the peace movement works on every day are visible on October 2nd and a part of the overall agenda for this new movement.

5) Donate today to help support the work of the Peace Table. With a relatively small budget we can have a tremendous impact, but we need to your help now to make that possible. https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/302/t/11284/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=6535

Mail to: PO Box 607, Times Square Station, NY, NY 10108

We will soon send you more details about what will happen in Washington, DC on October 2, including how the Peace Table will make our messages a visible part of the day and how your group can help make that happen. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us at 973 666-4605.

It should be of no surprise that in an August 13th Gallup poll the economy in general and unemployment/jobs specifically topped the list of public concerns. The economy and jobs grabbed 58% of responses as top issues. War and fear of war lagged way behind in 8th place with only 4%. With millions across the nation struggling to keep their homes, make ends meet and keep or find jobs, the wars and occupations in Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else is not uppermost on people’s minds. Taking care of business at home is first.

But people still care. Poll after poll shows that support for the war in Afghanistan is falling. A majority of people think the invasion of Iraq was a mistake and want U.S. troops to continue to pullout. Even with international issues on the backburner for most people, our efforts continue to be vitally important and effective. We are in a good position to move our work to end these occupations.

The last 18 months have been tough for the anti-war/peace movement. Progressive activism has been muffled and the hundreds of thousands we were able to turn out in the past have stayed home. All of that is about to change!

The rise of the Tea Party movement and profound disappointment with the slow pace of real change has slapped many people in the face. They are waking up from a post election daze to the realization that it takes a movement to make change happen. In this context, a new initiative called One Nation Working Together has emerged.

The NAACP, 1199 SEIU, the National Council of La Raza, Green for All, Center for Community Change and the United States Student Association initiated this campaign, and more than 150 other national and local groups have already signed on. The growing list of participating organizations includes United for Peace and Justice, Veterans For Peace, Peace Action, US Labor Against the War, Code Pink, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Progressive Democrats of America, United National Antiwar Committee, National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance and other peace groups. Labor participation includes the AFL-CIO, AFT, SEIU, CWA, Transport Workers Union, Unite/HERE, UFCW and others. Some of the other national organizations that are part of this effort are: USAction, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Campaign for America’s Future, National Action Network, Center for American Progress, Jewish Funds for Justice.

The effort will kick off on October 2nd with a march in Washington, DC demanding that Congress and the Obama Administration adopt a peoples’ agenda for jobs and economic renewal. The mobilization is intended to be the beginning of an ongoing progressive coalition. With the reach, size and political breadth of the organizing partners, the 10.2.10 mobilization has potential to be huge and the continuing efforts very powerful.

The peace and anti-war movements must take advantage of this unique opportunity to work closely with allies to demand Money for Jobs, Not For War, and Jobs, Peace and Justice. Our work over the past 8 years has set the table for this unprecedented broad coalition to gather and work together.

Our participation in 10.2.10 deepens the antiwar and peace content of the demonstration and ultimately of the coalition that emerges from it. Our signs and voices will make more visible the connections between U.S. militarism, war spending and our nation’s lack of resources to resolve the current economic crisis. This strengthens the message of the mobilization and will help make continued efforts to push for real change successful.

The 10.2.10 mobilization affords us an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.

We urge your group – whether a community group or a national organization – to join us in the effort We encourage you to contact local organizers or if none exist near you, to convene a local coalition to organize as many people from your area as possible to be in Washington, DC on 10.2.10.

And then we hope you will continue efforts after the mobilization. The objective is to organize a coalition in each community that is as broad and diverse as that which is developing nationally – not just to mobilize for the march in DC, but to create the kind of cross-constituency, cross-movement alliance that will give real muscle to our common progressive agenda.

Now is the time to commit to making this mobilization and emerging local and national coalitions a success. It will not be easy, because coalition building is always hard. But the possibilities for advancing our work are great and success worth having never comes easy.

Please endorse the mobilization today. Click here for an endorsement form PDF.

Please contact One Nation Regional Directors for local contacts. Click here for a list of Regional Directors

Partners in the 10.2.10 effort are requested to hold local coalition media events the week of August 28 through September 2 to launch their participation in One Nation Working Together’s massive national effort. Join an existing event or organize your own to tell the media that your community is mobilizing for 10-2-10. Contact onwtcommunications@gmail.com to find an event or to let them know you are organizing one so it can be listed.

For more information about a peace contingent contact Michael T. McPhearson at michaelvfp@gmail.com/973 666-4605.

It’s time to hit the streets again with a strong and vibrant message: Money for Jobs, Not For War; Jobs, Peace and Justice.

This one is going to be big! Be there and help write a new page in the history of social struggle in the U.S.