August 23, 2004 Dear Friends, I want to offer sincere thanks to all of you who responded so generously to Howard Zinn’s recent letter. Your contribu- MUSTE tions have helped us meet the urgent News from the A.J. Muste Memorial Institute demands put on the A.J. Muste Memorial Institute’s resources by the current crisis. As Howard pointed out in his letter, we cannot expect the presidential election to bring social justice and peace. At the Muste NOTES Institute, we are preparing for beyond VOL. 12, NUMBER 1 FALL 2004 November, to step up our support of the grassroots movement as it faces new chal- lenges in opposing war and injustice. As A.J Goes to South Vietnam the “Stop the Merchants of Death” cam- paign makes clear (see profile on page 2), In April 1966, President Lyndon With all that going on, A.J. decided a companies like Halliburton, Bechtel, and Johnson was building up American pacifist team should visit Saigon to Lockheed Martin have the power and moti- forces in South Vietnam and expanding “know more first hand” about the vation to keep endless war on the agenda, the war at an alarming rate. At the same Vietnamese and initiate dialogue with time, the peace movement in this coun- regardless of who is in the White House. U.S. personnel in Vietnam. He also try was finally showing the increasing wanted to stage an act of protest so the If you haven’t contributed lately, please vitality and strength that would lead to Vietnamese would know that some do so now. This month we are reprinting massive antiwar protests within two Americans did not support the war. A.J. several of our Essay Series pamphlets, years. A.J. Muste—then 81 years old and entered South Vietnam on April 15, including the Spanish-language Martin supposedly long into retirement—was accompanied by Barbara Deming, Luther King pamphlet, this time incorpo- at the center of all this activity. William Davidon, Brad Lyttle, Karl rating a never-before-published Spanish After addressing one of the first Meyer and others. translation of King’s famous speech at major demonstrations against the war At first, authorities paid little atten- Riverside Church against the Vietnam war. in December 1964, A.J. followed up tion to the delegation, which spent the You can use the envelope enclosed with with a public “speak out” on the steps week meeting with American AID our last appeal to send in your donation, or of the Pentagon on June 16, 1965. Next workers, the press, Buddhist monks, go to our website at www.ajmuste.org and he organized a three-day “Assembly of Catholic priests and students. A.J. and click on the JustGive “button” at the top of Unrepresented People” in Washington his associates soon learned that virtually the main page. Join us now to turn back the in August that culminated with a sit-in no one wanted the U.S. to stay in at the Capitol where 350 people were Vietnam. Even if they did not support tide of war and militarism. arrested. On the heels of this action, the National Liberation Front (the “Viet A.J. was instrumental in creating the Cong”), there was a universal sense that In peace, Fifth Avenue Peace Parade Committee, the Vietnamese should be left to resolve which brought out over 25,000 people the situation themselves. They also came on October 15, and organized another to realize that, contrary to the informa- Murray Rosenblith large demonstration in Central Park in tion reported in the U.S., there was very Executive Director March 1966. continued on page 2

While politicians convene in Boston and New York this summer, September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows is making a dramatic statement of solidarity with the victims of ter- rorism, violence and war around the world. From July 26 through September 2, Peaceful Tomorrows members are walking from the Democratic National Convention in Boston to the Republican National Convention in New York, pulling a 1,400-pound granite memorial PHOTO FROM WWW.STONEWALK.ORG FROM PHOTO honoring “Unknown Civilians Killed in War.” In the photo, walkers push the memo- rial en route from Mendon to Milville, Massachusetts, on August 3rd. The Muste Institute supported “Stonewalk 2004” with a $1,000 grant to Peaceful Tomorrows in April of this year. For more photos, press coverage and daily reports from Stonewalk 2004, see the website at www.stonewalk.org. 2 • Muste Notes Vol. 12/No. 1 Grantee Profile: David Dellinger Stop the Merchants of Death! Memorial The Muste Institute granted $1,500 to ground in Iraq—houses bulldozed, fam- There will be a public memorial the War Resisters League (WRL) in April of ilies kidnapped by US soldiers—people service in New York City to cele- this year for outreach and publicity for the are just stunned. And amazed, when brate the life of longtime nonviolent “Stop the Merchants of Death” campaign. they learn about the massive nonviolent activist David Dellinger on This article is by G. Simon Harak, WRL’s protests in Iraq. Here in the US, people Saturday, October 23 at 6:30pm. The Anti-Militarism Coordinator. tell me, we never hear how widespread event, which is being organized by nonviolent resistance is among Iraqis. David’s family and friends, will In my work with the national “Stop For that, we can thank the corporate take place at the Cathedral of St. the Merchants of Death” campaign, I media. General Electric (GE), for exam- John the Divine at 112th Street and have spoken to dozens of audiences— ple, owns the NBC television network. Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan. students, activists and faith groups— And GE this year will manufacture $2.8 The Muste Institute is sponsoring about the role of corporations in making billion worth of weapons for the US gov- the event. Tax-deductible contribu- war for profit. Yes, ernment. Those women and men on the tions in Dave’s honor should be you heard right: NBC nightly news are not working to made out to A.J. Muste Memorial these companies defend our first amendment rights— Institute and sent to our office at 339 do not just profit they are working to make money for a Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012, from war. With weapons manufacturer. So they’re cer- earmarked for the “Dellinger their vast influ- tainly not going to report on the Memorial Fund.” ence, they make struggles and successes of nonviolent wars for profit, movements. Because they’re required by in effect com- corporate interests to “sell” people on the these folks, we have an action plan to mandeering the need for more and more weapons. And if help them start organizing in their com- U.S. military for they don’t do a good job of it, they’ll be munities. corporate takeovers of entire countries. fired. So the media coverage on NBC If you wish to join the “Stop the War profiteers influence government becomes advertising for the war. Merchants of Death” campaign as an decisions on what weapons systems to After the shock comes anger. Some organizer or a speaker, or you want a buy, what countries to invade, and what are angry at me for saying it, because speaker to address your group, contact lands to occupy. Campaign contributions they don’t want to believe we aren’t me—G. Simon Harak—at 212-228-0450, create a “revolving door” between poli- really fighting for democracy and free- ext. 104, or [email protected]. For tics and the business of war profiteering. dom. Others are angry because they more information about the campaign, The first reaction from audiences finally understand the responsibility of go to the “programs” section of WRL’s when I explain all this is shock. When I the corporations in all this bloodshed, website at warresisters.org. show people what’s happening on the and they want to put an end to it. For —G. Simon Harak

South Vietnam in early 1967, for the final trip of his life.) continued from page 1 On April 21, the day they were told they had to leave, A.J. and the others little support for the South Vietnamese decided they would try one last time to government among the people. demonstrate at the U.S. Embassy. They Near the end of the week, the group gathered up signs and leaflets and headed was picked up by the police and told off on foot. After being stopped several their visas were expiring and they times by security police, A.J. and the rest would have to leave. First, authorities were gently picked up and loaded into PHOTO:ARCHIVES MUSTE INSTITUTE let them hold a press conference at police vans. Driven to the airport, they Saigon City Hall. Before reporters could were held in a detention room for several ask any questions, a group of “stu- hours and put on a plane out of the coun- dents” began shouting at the pacifists try. They returned on April 24 to Kennedy and throwing eggs and tomatoes at airport in New York, where A.J. held a them. Later, one of the young men who well-attended press conference and said disrupted the press conference came to he felt the trip had accomplished its pur- A.J. and admitted that they were secu- pose. Despite his frail health, A.J. rity agents and had been instructed to returned from this trip with renewed Barbara Deming and A. J. Muste in detention break things up. He apologized and energy for antiwar organizing. The year at Tan Son Nhut Airport, Saigon, Vietnam, said he hoped they would come back to ahead would turn out to be one of his April 21, 1966 pending imminent expulsion Vietnam in the future. (A.J. did indeed busiest ever, and also his last. from South Vietnam. return, but this time to North Vietnam, —Murray Rosenblith Fall 2004 Muste Notes • 3 New Grants, June 2004

ASOCIACION CIVIL CENTRO (CAN), a Northeast regional grassroots and self-determination. This grant goes ESPERANZA anti-nuclear organization. This grant for a month-long delegation of indige- Chiclayo, Peru: $4,000 (SFE) goes for the Nuclear Neighbor nous youth from Canada to visit This neighborhood organization pro- Accountability Campaign, informing indigenous communities in the southern motes citizen participation and people about the dangers of the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca. leadership among women, youth and Fitzpatrick nuclear reactor in Oswego GUSH SHALOM children in the La Victoria district of the and the safety, environmental and labor Tel Aviv, Israel: $1,600 city of Chiclayo, in the northwestern record of its parent company, Entergy. Peruvian department of Lambayeque. Founded in 1993, Gush Shalom seeks CONVERGENCE OF MOVEMENTS This grant from our donor-advised to win over Israeli public opinion for an OF THE PEOPLES OF THE AMERICAS Sheilah’s Fund East goes to build orga- end to Israel’s occupation of the West nizational capacity toward achieving Washington, DC: $1,600 Bank and Gaza, and for acceptance of greater efficiency in trainings for demo- The Convergence of Movements of the right of the Palestinian people to an cratic and ethical leadership. the Peoples of the Americas (COMPA) independent and sovereign state. In was founded in 2000 to bring together 2003, Gush and other groups began a CAMPAIGN TO END THE DEATH grassroots and solidarity organizations campaign to oppose the Israeli govern- PENALTY throughout the Americas in a collabora- ment’s construction of an “apartheid Chicago, IL: $2,000 tion led by those who are most directly wall,” which is cutting off Palestinian Founded in 1995, Campaign to End impacted by corporate-led globalization. communities from their land and enclos- the Death Penalty is a national grass- This grant goes for the First Hemispheric ing them in what Gush calls “the largest roots organization seeking to expose the Assembly of COMPA Women, sched- prison on earth.” This grant goes for out- truth about the racist and unfair use of uled for November 2004 in Nicaragua. reach and educational work. the death penalty. The Campaign also EARTH ACTION SERVICIO PAZ Y JUSTICIA (SERPAJ)- organizes rallies, demonstrations and AMERICA LATINA press conferences to pressure public offi- Prince Edward Island, Canada: $1,000 cials. This grant goes for the Campaign’s (donor-advised) San José, Costa Rica: $10,000 (SFE) fourth annual national convention, “We Earth Action works to draw public This Sheilah’s Fund East donor CAN Stop the Racist Death Penalty,” attention to the health and environmental advised grant goes for the regional coor- scheduled for November 13-14, 2004. threats from pesticides and other pollu- dinating office of SERPAJ (Peace and tants in Prince Edward Island, Canada, Justice Service), a network of nonvio- CENTRAL NEW YORK - CITIZENS where the economy is heavily dependent lence organizations in Latin America. AWARENESS NETWORK on industrial agriculture. This grant, sug- SERPAJ chapters focus on such issues as Oswego, NY: $1,600 gested by an anonymous donor, goes for human rights, the environment, labor In 1997, this coalition of community general support. This year Earth Action rights, women’s rights, indigenous groups came together in response to plans to begin a six-month health survey rights and conscientious objection. news that the internal components of of two of the island’s communities, while THREE CITY ART PROJECT the Nine Mile Point nuclear plant in continuing to organize demonstrations New York, NY: $1,600 Scriba, New York, were cracking apart. and produce educational materials. In 1999, this coalition became a local This grant goes for promotional and ESTACION LIBRE COLLECTIVE chapter of Citizens Awareness Network educational work for “Art Against the Los Angeles, CA: $1,600 Wall,” an exhibit organized in Ramallah Estación Libre, formed in 1998, seeks (Palestine), Tel Aviv (Israel) and New The A.J. Muste Memorial Institute to support and strengthen the struggles York by Palestinian, Israeli and US makes small grants to groups of Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, artists. Accompanied by an educational engaged in nonviolent education and Middle Eastern and Native communi- forum in New York, the show seeks to action for social justice. Our next ties in the US and Canada by promoting create awareness of the “apartheid wall” deadline for proposals is October 22, community organizing inspired by the which Israel is building through 2004. Guidelines are available on our model of Zapatismo, which emphasizes Palestinian land. The project is spon- website at www.ajmuste.org. democracy through dialogue and inclu- sored by ABC No Rio, a collectively-run sion, and justice through accountability center for art and activism in New York.

Board of Directors A.J. Muste Memorial Institute Administrative Assistant Karl Bissinger 339 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012 Jeanne Strole Susan Kent Cakars phone (212) 533-4335 fax (212) 228-6193 Superintendent James A. Cole email: [email protected] Christine Halvorson website: www.ajmuste.org Salvador Suazo Melissa Jameson Carol Kalafatic Nina Streich Executive Director Newsletter Designer Bernice Lanning Robert T. Taylor Murray Rosenblith Judith Rew Rebecca Libed Martha Thomases Elmer Maas Diane Tosh Program Associate David McReynolds John Zirinsky Jane Guskin Printed on Recycled Paper A.J. Muste Memorial Institute NON-PROFIT 339 Lafayette Street ORG. U.S. POSTAGE New York, NY 10012 PAID NEW YORK, NY PERMIT NO. 02030

ESSAY SERIES ON NONVIOLENCE

A. J. Muste Memorial Institute A. J. Muste Memorial Institute ESSAY SERIES #1-Spanish (#13): ESSAY SERIES #6: Rosa Luxemburg — #10: Paul Goodman — #15: David Martin Luther King, courageous leader of pacifist, anarchist, activist— McReynolds—longtime Jr.—Spanish language Germany’s democratic The Morality of Scientific activist with the War translation of Loving Your socialist movement— Technology; The Psychology of Resisters League, Socialist Enemies and Letter from a Prison Letters Being Powerless Party presidential candidate Birmingham Jail —A Philosophy of A. J. Muste Memorial Institute A. J. Muste Memorial Institute qty: ______qty: ______Nonviolence ESSAY SERIES qty: ______ESSAY SERIES No. 14 #7:A. J. Muste—foremost #11: Some Writings on qty: ______#2: Barbara Deming— Century pacifist War Tax Resistance— the feminist connection theoretician and activist, thoughts, poems, tales to nonviolence—On minister, socialist—Who from resisters, including Peace Agitator: JEANNETTE Revolution and Equilibrium RANKIN Has the Spiritual Atom Bomb? Juanita Nelson,Allen the story of Ginsberg and Pete Seeger “Two Votes A.J. Muste, qty: ______Against qty: ______War” and qty: ______by Nat Hentoff. Other #3: Henry David Writings #8: On Wars of on Peace An activist writer Thoreau—the original Liberation—three essays #12: Sidney Lens— chronicles the peace and labor activist, architect of resistance— on pacifist responses to ‘grandfather’ of the On the Duty of Civil armed freedom struggles, socialist, occasional politi- Disobedience including analysis of cal candidate—six articles current U.S. peace Gandhi’s position spanning three decades on movement—minister, #1: Martin Luther King, qty: ______#5: Emma Goldman — the state of the U.S. labor labor activist, pacifist Jr.—America’s leading qty: ______fiery orator, anarchist, movement and resister.This 1982 apostle of human dignity— #4: Jessie Wallace agitator for peace and Loving Your Enemies; Letter Hughan—suffragist, peace liberation—Preparedness: #9:Aldous Huxley — qty: ______edition contains many from a Birmingham Jail; activist, founder of the War The Road to Universal Twentieth Century vision- photographs and an Declaration of Independence Resisters League—Pacifism Slaughter; The Individual, ary and prolific writer— #14: Jeannette Rankin introduction by Larry from the War in Vietnam and Invasion; On Duelling Society and the State Science, Liberty and Peace —first woman in Gara, a leading historian Congress, suffragist, of the nonviolence qty: ______qty: ______qty: ______qty: ______pacifist—“Two Votes Against War” and Other Writings movement. The Essays of A.J. Muste on Peace qty: ______qty: ______The Essays of Edited by Nat Hentoff, preface by Jo Ann O. Robinson. Originally issued in 1967, this new edition includes Muste’s “Notes for an A.J.MusteE D I T E D B Y Muste Institute t-shirts are black cotton with a four-color Nat Hentoff Autobiography,” plus essays on pacifism, civil rights, trade unionism P R E F A C E B Y geometric design and the words: “There is no way to Jo Ann O. Robinson and foreign policy.Written between 1905 and 1966, the essays stand peace, peace is the way - A.J. Muste” Available in large and as an extraordinary companion to our everyday work for peace and extra large (please specify) for $15 each. social justice. qty:______qty: (L) ______(XL) ______

If you use this form to order our Essay Series pamphlets, books or t-shirts, we will provide free shipping (via US mail, book rate). Send in your order today!

Pamphlets (total qty:) _____ x $1.00 each ($0.70 each for 10 or more) = $ ______SHIP TO: The Essays of A.J. Muste: _____ x $20.00 * = $ ______Peace Agitator: _____ x $5.00 * = $ ______T-Shirts: _____ x $15.00 = $ ______I am enclosing a tax-deductible contribution for the Muste Institute’s work promoting active nonviolence and social justice: = $ ______Please make check or money order payable to AJMMI and send to: A.J. Muste Memorial Institute, * for bulk rates, contact the Muste Institute office TOTAL ENCLOSED: = $ ______339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012