News Release: Non-Violent Peace Demonstrators Brutalized by Secret Service at White House Today

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Martin, 301-537-8244 (mobile)

Paul Kawika Martin, 951-217-7285 (mobile)

 

NON-VIOLENT PEACE DEMONSTRATORS BRUTALIZED

BY SECRET SERVICE AT WHITE HOUSE TODAY

Activists had sought a meeting with the Obama Administration to urge an end to the war in Afghanistan

 

Washington, D.C. – Twenty-three non-violent peace activists calling for an end to the US war in Afghanistan were violently pushed and dragged away from a White House gate by Secret Service officers this afternoon. The activists, participating in a larger demonstration of over 300 people organized by the National Campaign for Non-Violent Resistance, had sent a letter to President Obama last month requesting a meeting today to discuss their opposition to the war.

After a non-violent “die-in” at the White House gate, the peace activists waited for over three hours while various police departments, including the Washington, DC Metro Police, Park Police and Secret Service, gave conflicting stories about whether the activists would be arrested or not, the group’s request to meet with someone from the Administration having been summarily rebuffed by White House guards.

Suddenly, with no warning and with dozens of other police officers watching, a group of about a dozen Secret Service officers swooped in to push and drag the protesters, who included a number of retirees, away from the White House gate and outside a police perimeter that had been established in the normally public area in front of the White House.

“I wonder how the officers who brought a grandmother to tears with their completely unnecessary, harsh use of force will explain how their day went when they go home to their families at the end of their shift,” asked Kevin Martin, Executive Director of Peace Action. Martin was shoved hard in the back by two Secret Service officers, causing him to fall into National Campaign for Non-Violent Resistance Co-convener Joy First, a grandmother from Wisconsin. First was roughed up by several officers and was still in tears twenty minutes after the incident.

“Clearly, the Obama Administration, which has increased the violence in Afghanistan with its escalation of troops earlier this year, would rather have Secret Service thugs rough up peace activists than to engage in a dialogue with us about Afghanistan,” said Martin. Paul Kawika Martin (no relation), Peace Action’s Policy Director, had just returned from a citizens’ peacemaker delegation to Afghanistan organized by the peace group Code Pink. “But we will not be deterred, and the American people have turned decidedly against this war. We call on Obama to meet with us to discuss Afghanistan and apologize for the brutality of the White House police force, and to begin bringing US troops home so the people of Afghanistan can resolve their country’s problems.”

Peace Action is the country’s largest peace and disarmament group with over 100,000 members nationwide. www.peace-action.org

The National Campaign for Non-Violent Resistance has worked for peace in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002. http://www.iraqpledge.org/

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Afghanistan House Party–Takoma Park Style

I recently participated in my first Afghanistan House Party in Takoma Park, Maryland. Our group of 12 or so people screened the films Rethink Afghanistan and followed it up with a lengthy and intense debate about the films’ content, Obama and his admistration’s approach to this war, and possible mobilizations in response.
First of all, I was not surprised to see that the films’ content was largely appreciated–and unknown prior to the screening. This fact affirmed what I’ve long suspected–in the circles I run in, the people protesting and obstructing the Afghanistan War are a minority.

For the most part, people at our party seemed to tacitly approve of the Obama approach to Afghanistan: increased troops, escalation of violence, the continued replacement of local warlords in “democratic elections” and the furtherance of violence against men, women, children, civilians, “terrorists,” and anyone else who happens to live in or near a strategic point of violence near the Afghan/Pakistani border.

After the films, many expressed confusion as well as a bit of dissonance between what they felt to be true (Obama has to be better than Bush; the war has lessened the Taliban’s oppression of women; Al Qaeda’s presence in Afghanistan-in 01 or any other time–justifies American military presence and violence in the US then and now) and what the films revealed to be a very different reality. The war has not brought significant freedoms to average Afghanis–women or otherwise. It has further undermined the development and rebuilding of a country that has been crippled by 30 years of nearly-continuous conflict–of which the US often seems to be a big partner.

Thus, a large portion of our conversation centered around issues of “soft power” vs. “hard power” or economic development (with strings, of course!) and American military engagement were pitted against one another (can you guess which President is thought to champion which?). However, there were some (myself the loudest) who argued that this is an unfair and unrealistic frame. These powers are not opposed; rather, they are symbiotic. Where one fails, the other accomplishes the goals..and vice versa. Regardless, a free, democratic, healthy Afghan or Pakistani homeland remains a dream.

Finally, we dwelled on what to do now. Given the average response to the films, I personally believe that the focus must, must, must include more educational outreach, such as these parties, film festivals, panels, and everyday conversations.

The oft-repeated myth that our country is “more liberal” than some make it out to be is hardly grounded in reality or good data. It’s a feeling repeated by people who often listen and hear from only people like them. We have no idea whether people are more or less liberal than a general consensus might argue–but we do know that too many so-called peace activities are excusing the use of drones, the indiscriminate detention and deaths of hundreds of thousands, the displacement of millions of refugees–all because it’s no longer Bush’s battle.
It’s the same game, folks. Some new players–a lot of the old still around–and we can’t afford to act like we won already. Who will come out on top is yet to be determined. But there’s nothing like good ol’ fashioned truth-telling to threaten the status quo.

A good first step is Rethinking Afghanistan. I’d encourage more to host their own parties soon.

This blog was written by Peace Action Montgomery member Nik Sushka in response to a local Takoma Park event. The opinions stated here do not necessarily reflect those of Peace Action or Peace Action Montgomery.

ACORN Versus Serious Criminals: Defund Lockheed

Check out this great article by former ACORN communications coordinator David Swanson.

This is context.

Among recipients of government money already convicted of serious misconduct, ACORN (had it been so convicted) wouldn’t make it onto the list of the top 100. In fact, ACORN could receive 100 times the funding it does and still not make it onto the list.

Read more at AfterDowningStreet.org.

Also, check out his latest book “Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union” by Seven Stories Press. You can order it and find out when tour will be in your town: http://davidswanson.org/book.

New Jersey Peace Action Director Madelyn Hoffman in OpEdNews

New Jersey Peace Action Executive Director Madelyn Hoffman just wrote a piece for OpEdNews on the war in Afghanistan. She starts:

After eight long years, the so-called “good war” in Afghanistan has become the “unpopular and high cost war”—and it isbecoming a quagmire.

General Stanley McChrystal recently requested an additional 45,000 troops for Afghanistan , on top of the 21,000 additional troops sent earlier this year. If honored, this request would bring the total number of troops stationed in Afghanistan to approximately 100,000. Even that large number would be less than what the non-public portion of the McChrystal report states as necessary to “win” the war – 500,000 troops.

Check out the rest of “The So-Called “Good War” in Afghanistan is Now “The High Cost War” by Madelyn Hoffman here.

Viva Mexico! Viva la Revolucion!

Yesterday and today, Mexico celebrates its 1810 and 1910 revolutions (so next year will be una fiesta muy grande!). While this is a big generalization to make, my sense from being in Mexico City last week is the people of Mexico take the spirit of revolution and independence much more seriously than we do here in the US, where my sense is we mostly pay lip service to those ideals.

Sure, Mexico has its share of problems, which I won’t attempt to go into here. But last Saturday night, I had the distinct pleasure and blessing of being in the Zocalo, the national square in Mexico City, among a throng of celebrating Mexicans (the Zocalo was decked out in independence regalia starting last Friday). My (US) friends and I found the experience to be very different than July 4th celebrations here. It seemed a very genuine and non-militaristic expression of patriotism for Mexico and its culture. The square was filled mostly with families, there was no drinking going on (though I surely would have appreciated sipping some tequila!), it was a very wholesome display of pride in the country and its rich cultural history. Again, I felt blessed to be there and experience a different kind of Independence Day fiesta.

Mexico City is a phenomenal place (all the hype about pollution and crime is way overblown), with beautiful people, food, music, street life, architecture and historic/cultural institutions. It was a terrific host city for the 62nd annual United Nations Non-Governmental Organizations Conference, with the theme “For Peace and Development, Disarm Now!” The conference was co-chaired by Peace Action, but I and the other staff of the national office can take no credit for that. It was the indefatigable work of the volunteers of the Peace Action International Committee, led by Judy Lerner, Joanne Robinson and others, and especially Chuck Hitchcock, the conference chair, that helped make the gathering of over 1600 participants such a rich experience. We will post more information on the conference, its outcomes and next steps soon.

Paz, Justicia y amor,

Kevin

Peace Action Organizing and Policy Director Paul Kawika Martin points to weapons confiscated by the Mexican government (this display was in the Foreign Ministry right next to our conference!)

Here it is, the Asparagus Missile!

Here is the poster for the inspired Asparagus Missile used by our sister peace group GENSUIKIN for its recent conference and other activities in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Doubt it will become the new symbol of the peace and disarmament movement, but it’s funny and may remind you to eat your vegetables, so that’s good, right?

More Photos from Nagasaki and Hiroshima

The origami peace cranes on the podium are from 4th graders in Wisconsin! (oh yeah that's me speaking at the opening of the GENSUIKIN conference at the Nagasaki Gym)

Panel discussion at the GENSUIKIN international conference in Hiroshima

Dramatic statue at the official city ceremony site in Nagasaki

UN General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto speaks at the Nagasaki commemoration

Children's Chorus at the Nagasaki commemoration

Peace walk to the commemoration in Nagasaki

Photo in the Hiroshima Peace Museum showing the devastation after the bombing

Peace Action Executive Director Kevin Martin (me) speaking at the GENSUIKIN opening rally at the Hiroshima Gymnasium

Peaceprints Camper Speak ‘Truth to Power’ at Buffalo City Hall

Last month, over 30 summer campers met with Mayor Byron Brown at City Hall to present a gift and engage him in a question and answer session. Buffalo Public Radio station WBFO explains:

The kids are part of Camp Peaceprints — a two week long day camp that educates local youth on issues relating to social justice, the environment and community activism. The campers…asked [the Mayor] questions on issues ranging from affordable education to housing demolition.

Elea Mihou, Executive Director of the Western New York Peace Center and Camp Peaceprints Co-Director, says:

The camp provides an opportunity for young people to be exposed to local leaders and understand the importance of “speaking truth to power.”

See footage of the meeting here:

Unlikely Japan: Unusual Car Names, The Hyper Saloon and the Asparagus Missile

–Kevin Martin

I love Japan — the people, the food, the beautiful mountains, rivers and seas. But, and I swear it’s not just the jet lag plaguing me this week, there are many aspects of Japanese life that strike me as very unusual (and I‘m not alone, the following examples were head-scratchers to my Japanese colleagues too).

I’ll start with car names, which are always in English. There are all kinds of shapes and sizes of automobiles here we don’t see in the US among the dependable Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans we get.

During a single ten-minute taxi ride in Nagasaki, here are the names of some of the cars I saw on the road:

Carol (woman’s name or type of song? Both?)
Serena (for tennis players, naturally)
Cedric (my favorite, a solid, boxy taxi, very dependable I‘m sure)
Voxy (the commercial writes itself, with Jimi Hendrix’s “Voxy Lady” overdubbed)
Splash (needs an exclamation point, yes? Splash!)
Cube
El Grand (not that big a car by US standards)
Sienta (huh?)
Latte (the one I saw was a Mediterranean pale olive color, looked cool)
Acty
Vitz
Life (He likes it! Hey, Mikey!)
Bluebird
Familia (a station wagon, naturally)
(My baby, she wrote me) Aletta
California (Dreamin’, though hopefully not while driving)
Logo (which oddly enough lacked one)
Crew (no “J” in front of it)
Fit
Comfort
Rush (another one that needs an exclamation point, and presumably the Canadian art-rock band of the same name gets royalties for every car sold)

Japanese trains are probably the best in the world, always on time, clean, efficient, fast (the Shinkansen “bullet trains“ go 285 kilometers per hour and the regular trains zip along at a fast clip too) — in other words nothing in the least little bit like Amtrak.

So I was shocked (along with my Japanese hosts) to pass a train upon entering the station at Nagasaki called, I kid you not, The Hyper Saloon. Presumably that is just a bar car on the train frequented by stressed-out business travelers and off limits to the crew, but who knows? Could be fun, or really dangerous.

And finally, an Asparagus Missile. Each year, our good friends at the Japanese peace group GENSUIKIN have a new design for t-shirts, posters, buttons and other merchandise and branding for their annual conference around the Hiroshima and Nagasaki commemorations. Evidently this year’s is the product of a famous designer. It’s a missile with leaves on it so it looks like an asparagus. Really, an asparagus missile. I couldn’t make that up. I’ll try to find the image so you can see for yourself.

Photos from Hiroshima

The "A-bomb Dome", the only building in central Hiroshima to survive the US attack on August 6, 1945

Lanterns floating on the river in Hiroshima to commemorate the victims and promote hope for peace

Peace Action Executive Director Kevin Martin (the tall guy in the back) with other international guests at our sister peace group GENSUIKIN's conference