November 30, 2006 Issue                                       

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©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Local activists to join DC march

The Northwest Peace and Justice Movement met on Nov. 14 in the Parish Center behind Saint Vincent’s Church in Germantown. The meeting endorsed a national demonstration in Washington, DC, on Jan. 27, 2007. They plan to join thousands of people who want the new Congress to end the occupation of Iraq and to bring the troops home now.

The guest speaker was The Reverend Dr. Beverly Dale, who is a campus minister at the University of Pennsylvania. Dale was invited to help Northwest Peace and Justice Movement understand the recent election. According to Dale, the General Election on Nov. 7 was a vote against Republican policies. However since the Democrats did not present an alternative during the campaign, the election was not a vote for the Democrats. As a result, the election can not be seen as a guide to what should be done by Congress.

Dale sees this situation as a great opportunity for those who have an alternative, such as the peace movement, to present their case and shift attitudes of the voters during the next two years. Hopefully, this will create a progressive agenda for the national election in 2008 that takes seriously peacemaking and long term global sustainability for the entire planet. She suggested that the peace movement in the US must do what, according to one activist, it has always done; “Take one big dollop of Moral Compassion and another of Truth and stir vigorously.”

If this is done correctly, the result will be a new U.S. culture which can replace the current ineffective policies which voters have rejected.

“Using fear to maintain an electoral majority always results in more militarism and myopic, short term policies that are devastating for our children and our environment,” Dale said. Believing that any national policy which objectifies humans as “terrorist,” or “enemy,” or “foreigner” only reinforces our fears, she suggested we build an alternative vision of an egalitarian democracy that is based on respect, tolerance and freedom. “When we build a U.S. culture that chooses policies with a careful consideration of their long-term consequences for our children and that of our neighbors, then we will assume our rightful place as a moral global leader. But until citizens start demanding these priorities from our leadership, we will get more of the same regardless of which party is in power.”

To help organize the Jan. 27 peace demonstration in Washington, DC, attend the next meeting of Northwest Peace and Justice Movement at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, in the Parish Center behind Saint Vincent’s Church, 109 East Price Stree.

For information, call 215-843-4256 or email nwgreens@yahoo.com.