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PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 1

Number 77 Summer 2018 ISSN 1350-3006 matters MAGAZINE OF THE

Militarism on our streets

Also in this issue:

Progress in Korea - but a lot more to do

Choosing

The philosophy of Martin Luther King PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 2

Sign the Peace Pledge “ is a crime against and build a culture humanity. I renounce of war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of Join online at www.ppu.org.uk or fill war. I am also in the form below. determined to work for I/we would like to sign the peace pledge (see wording oppo - the removal of all site) and join the Peace Pledge Union. causes of war.” Name ______ISSN 1350 – 3006 Address ______Peace Pledge Union Peaceworks ______1 Peace Passage London N7 0BT Email address ______Phone: 020 7424 9444 Email [email protected] Annual subscription: £21, or £10 if you are on a low income, Website: www.ppu.org.uk or £28 for two at the same address. Or you can subscribe to Peace Matters is published by the Peace Peace Matters without joining the PPU for £6. Pledge Union. Material published in Either: I/we enclose a cheque for £____ Peace Matters does not necessarily reflect PPU policy. Or: debit my/our card for £____

Card type ______Editor: Symon Hill, with help from Annie Bebington Card number ______Typeset and design: PPU Printing: Lithosphere Expiry date ______Security number _ _ _

The Peace Pledge Union is the oldest To: The Manager: Bank secular pacifist organisation in Britain. Address Through War Resisters’ International it links with similar groups around the world. It is one of the original sponsors Your account number Please pay on / /2018 and on the same day each of the Campaign Against Arms Trade, a MONTH / YEAR (delete as appropriate) member of Liberty and a co-operating To: Unity Trust Bank, 9 Brindley Place, organisation of Landmine Action. Birmingham B1 2HB 60-83-01 Peace Pledge Union Main Account no 20386940 the sum of £ ______amount in For information, visit words______www.ppu.org.uk Signature ______Date ______or call 020 7424 9444. PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 3

Peace Matters 3

Building the resistance Symon Hill, PPU Co-ordinator

It was the most bizarre moment of a bizarre day. I was supporting members of Conwy County Peace Group campaigning against Armed Forces Day in Llandudno (pictured opposite), when a police officer asked me not to hand Peace Pledge Union postcards to children. Nearly all the postcards had been given to adults, but one or two had found you could have free activism on the centre their way into the hands of speech!” Do supporters of pages (8-9). We have a children and a parent had free speech assault people range of news items (4- complained to the police. they disagree with? 5), a statement from Opposite us, the armed But there is good news! pacifists in South Korea forces were setting up dis - Armed Forces Day was (6-7) and a reflection plays of weaponry, along met with protests in more from a new PPU member with stalls and posters giv - places than ever before. In about how he came to ing a glamorised image of the run-up to the day, the believe in nonviolence war. Throughout the day, PPU received a steady (10-11). We take a look children as young as six or stream of requests for our back at British pacifists in seven were invited to han - postcards challenging the the dle guns and climb into day’s events, designed to (12-13) and the philoso - tanks and military planes. be given out in local areas. phy of Martin Luther King There were no images As we campaign in local (14). We have a poem by of the victims of these communities, let’s remem - Scottish poet Ashby weapons, no description of ber that we are part of a McGowan (page 15) and the devastation of civilian global community. People lots of ideas on the back populations or the trauma from Russia and India to page for joining in the that afflicts many who fight. the US and Colombia are PPU’s work. In Southampton, resisting militarism in their Now is a good time to activists challenging Armed own countries as we sign the peace pledge, Forces Day were physi - militarism in the UK. join the PPU and cally attacked by people You can read some become part of the shouting, “They died so inspiring examples of local resistance to militarism. PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 4

Peace Matters 4

Pacifists gather to plan campaigns

Pacifists and other anti-militarists from around Britain gath - ered in London on 12 May 2018 to share ideas, learn from each other and make plans for resisting militarism. The event - entitled 'Remember & Resist: Grassroots action for peace' - formed the annual conference of the Peace Pledge Union (PPU). Leicester-based a school about the Glasgow City Council to poet Ambrose people they are bomb - cancel a so-called "Armed Musiyiwa set the tone ing”. Forces Fun Day". Sahdya with an opening A presentation on the Darr of Quaker Peace & speech on the impact PPU’s work saw an em - Social Witness urged peace of militarism on local phasis on supporting peo - groups to reach out to di - communities. He was ple engaged in grassroots verse communities. Jane cheered as he re - activism in various com - Harries of Cymdeithas y ported on a successful munities, as well as offer - Cymod said that 16 schools campaign to persuade ing solidarity to pacifists in have signed up to the Mayor of Leicester around the world. The be Peace Schools. to back a ban on the PPU forms the British The event ended with a armed forces inviting section of War Resisters' performance by stand-up children to handle International. comedian Sian Docksey. weapons at events in Workshops explored Earlier in the day, the the city. topics including militarism PPU's Annual General Ambrose drew links in schools, nonviolent re - Meeting saw the re-election between militarist atti - sistance at university and of Albert Beale as chair and tudes that promote war the way that issues of Bill Hetherington as treas - and hostility towards gender and sexuality re - urer. Others elected to PPU people seeking refuge late to militarism. Council were John as they flee war. A panel discussion Andrews, Lucy Beck, Amy He also spoke of asked 'How can I chal - Clark-Bryan, Hilary Cornish military visits to lenge militarism in my and Peter Glasgow. Ben schools, saying, "You community?’. Student Jay Copsey was thanked for his won't hear an army re - Sutherland spoke of how work as he stood down cruiter anywhere talk in grassroots campaigns led after two years on Council.. PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 5

Peace Matters 5

Army abuse controversy goes on

The UK army is facing 16 into the army. Military the last decade. In about continuing criticism over leaders insist that the fifteen cases, the allega- its treatment of teenage Army Foundation College tions were declared recruits, following the col - provides a safe and proven. lapse of a court-martial of supportive atmosphere. The figures emerged army instructors. But less than a week following Freedom of In- Sixteen instructors after the trial collapsed, it formation requests by from the Army Founda - was revealed that re - Child Soldiers Interna- tion College in Harrogate cruits at the college had tional and Liz Saville went on trial in February, made fifty allegations of Roberts MP. accused of assaulting abusive and violent be - The Peace Pledge 16- and 17-year-old re - haviour between 2014 Union insisted that it was cruits. They were alleged and 2017. In addition, absurd and dangerous to to have smeared animal there had been around allow the armed forces to faeces into the boys’ fifty investigations by maintain their own police faces, held their heads Royal Military Police into forces and run their own under water and repeat - staff at the College over criminal trials. edly punched them. The trial collapsed on 19 March, with the judge International Conscientious Objectors’ Day putting much of the blame on the Royal On 15 May, people around the world remem - Military Police, who had bered conscientious objectors and offered support made no arrests until to people still locked up for refusing to fight. more than two years after In London, white flowers were laid at a cere - around forty recruits mony organised by the First World War Peace made allegations of Forum. It was addressed by Eritrean anti-conscrip - abuse against army tion activist Selam Kidane, while Hannah Brock of instructors. War Resisters' International read out a statement The Military Police blamed the delay in part from South Korean pacifists (see pages 8-9). on “pressure from other Meanwhile in Leicester, local people drew at - more urgent enquiries”, tention to the fact that many of the city's Eritrean triggering outrage that refugees are conscientious objectors. Events they do not regard were held in British towns and cities including investigating the alleged Bradford, Brighton, Edinburgh, Manchester, Nor - abuse of young people wich, Sheffield and Swansea. The PPU’s Jan as a priority. Melichar took part in a ceremony in Dartmoor, The UK is the only where British conscientious objectors were de - country in Europe to re - tained in a work camp in the First World War. cruit people as young as PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 6

Peace Matters 6 Peace inches forward in Korea

As Kim Jong-un and conscientious objectors This is the statement Donald Trump prepared remain in prison in South released by our allies to meet for peace talks, Korea. The number in North in World Without War, the South Korean paci - Korea is not known. in South Korea: fist group World Without In London, the statement War - allies of the was read at a ceremony in The Korean Peninsula Peace Pledge Union in Tavistock Square. This was is a place where strong Britain - released a followed by a visit to South militarism and different statement welcoming Korea's London embassy to types of violence have moves towards peace hand in signatures urging existed for over sev - but insisting that far Moon Jae-in to act on his enty years since World more is needed to over - election promise of recog - War II. This violence and come militarism in nising the right to conscien - militarism exist primarily Korea. The statement tious objection. Signatures due to the Korean War was read around the were also collected in other and consequent division world on International British cities - including of the two Koreas. Conscientious Objec - Liverpool, Edinburgh and An atmosphere of tors’ Day, 15 May. Cambridge - and around peace is being created Over 250 the world. on the Korean Peninsula for the first time in sev - enty years. Following the inter-Korean summit in April, the U.S.-North Korean summit will be held in May. South Kore - ans and world citizens who want peace hope that the recent truce agreement between the two Koreas will lead to a declaration to end the war. They hope, further - more, for a concluded between North and South Korea and a Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons. The signing of the PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 7

Peace Matters 7

peace treaty and the abolition of North Korea's nuclear weapons are of course very important, but overcoming the violence created by militarism and division on the Korean Peninsula will be more dif - ficult and will require more time and effort than improving relations among the two Koreas and the U.S. government. A poster supporting Korean conscientious objectors (above) A key consequence of and a protest against (opposite). militarism produced by this division is conscien - service system, not who are currently in tious objection. Since only during his days as a prison. Korea’s liberation from human rights lawyer but Recognising the right Japanese colonialism in also during the presiden - to conscientious objec - 1945, more than 19,000 tial candidacy. tion to military service South Korean conscien - However, the Korean does not only involve tious objectors have been government still does not guaranteeing objectors imprisoned, and since recognise the right to the freedom of con - 2000, when this social refuse to perform military science, thought, and issue gained visibility in service. As a result, 258 religion. In addition, Korean society, more than people are still in prison overcoming deep-rooted 9,000 young people have for conscientious objec - violence and militarism been imprisoned for refus - tions (as of February will be possible only ing military service. 2018), which is more than when we acknowledge Many citizens, critical the sum of all imprisoned this right to object. In intellectuals, and the inter - objectors in other coun - order for Korea to make national community have tries around the world. the most of the most pre - asked the South Korean On International Con - cious opportunity for government not to scientious Objectors’ Day, peace that has come in imprison objectors. The we ask the Korean gov - seventy years and to current president Moon ernment to acknowledge become a country of per - Jae-in also spoke several the right to conscientious manent peace, the right times about the necessity objection and the to conscientious objec - of an alternative conscientious objectors tion must be recognised. PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 8

Peace Matters 8 Resisting militarism in local communities As militarism seeps into the festival following “pinkwash” the armed more areas of everyday the parade. forces’ image. life, resistance is growing News of the plans In Glasgow, anti-mili - around the UK. broke only days before tarists are celebrating a In Leicester, local cam - the event took place, on major success. Members paigners had a big suc - 9 June. PPU member of Scotland Against Mili - cess earlier this year, with Rachel Melly, an LGBTQ tarism, the Campaign the city’s mayor agreeing activist who lives in York, Against Arms Trade, the that armed forces should quickly liaised with oth - PPU and other groups not invite anyone under 16 ers in the city to write to challenged the Glasgow to handle weapons on Pride organisers and Arms Fair on 26 June with recruitment stands. plan nonviolent resist - nonviolent But at an event in ance. The army’s recruit - and other protests. Shortly Leicester on 23 June, chil - ment stall was greeted afterwards, the City Coun - dren were repeatedly with LGBTQ activists and cil announced they would invited to handle allies holding banners not allow arms fairs to take weaponry. Members of declaring that they had place in Glasgow again. Leicester for Peace were “No pride in war” (pic - Armed Forces Day on holding a vigil across the tured opposite). 30 June saw resistance to road, but an army officer Like the PPU, they militarism around Britain, called the police to try to were not objecting to with protests, vigils and have them removed. members of the armed similar events in more Attenders at the vigil forces joining Pride as towns and cities than ever asserted their lawful right individuals, but were before to be there and politely challenging the presence At the “national event” refused to move. of uniformed blocs that for the day, held this year “Many passers-by thanked us for being there,” explained Penny Walker, one of the organ - isers, who will be raising the issue of children han - dling guns with the mayor. Meanwhile in York , the organisers of LGBT Pride allowed armed forces to march in uniform for the first time. The army also ran a recruitment stall at PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 9

Peace Matters 9

down and carried on. Many locals agreed with their concerns about the display of military vehi - cles and the effects on children. Although several protests against Armed Forces Day were organ - ised by established peace groups, in many places PPU postcards were handed out by one or two local people who were fed up of militarism in their area and wanted in L landud no, members of veterans, members of to do something about it. Conwy Co unty Peace were We were very happy to Group org anised a string threatened with arrest in give them support. of alternat ive events, from Blackpool when they Armed Forces Day art display s to a protest tried to hand out leaflets next year will be marked march alon g the route of on the promenade chal - on 29 June 2019, with, the military parade. In a lenging military recruit - the “national event” tak - particularly bizarre ment. ing place in Salisbury . moment, t hey were asked In Southampton (pic - The armed forces, politi - by the poli ce not to hand tured opposite), locals cians and royalty will be PPU postc ards to children, were offered not only there. So will we. even though the vast leaflets but free food, as majority of cards were the Southampton group of Do you want support, handed to adults. A few staged advice or resources to yards awa y, children as ‘A bit of sense on the challenge militarism in young as s ix or seven side’, during a celebration your area? We’re happy were invite d to handle of Armed Forces Day. One to help! artillery pieces and sub- member was physically jected to a barrage of mili- assaulted and their dis - You can email tary propa ganda. play table trashed. Well coordinator@ While T heresa May done to the campaigners ppu.org.uk, spoke on A rmed Forces in Southampton, who call 020 7424 9444 Day about her support for brushed themselves or tweet @PPUtoday. PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 10

Peace Matters 10

Choosing active nonviolence

Lee Clarke gives a Many people think that his later “Quit India” cam - personal view of the idea of nonviolence is a paign against the British the history of mythical, unrealistic doc - Empire. nonviolent resist - trine of the East. Indeed, Mohandas Gandhi was ance and how he nonviolence does have the person who inspired me came to believe in it. roots in the Indian religious to adopt nonviolent resist - doctrine of “” mean - ance and I still remember ing “non-violence”. This is a the day that I decided to do part of all four Indian faiths this. My great-grandfather and a primary doctrine in actually had the pleasure of Buddhism and Jainism. meeting Gandhi. He was re - Though the Buddha and sponsible for repairing type - Mahavira were the first to writers for him and told my really talk about and define grandfather that Gandhi a nonviolent doctrine, this was “very kind”. After find - wasn’t political – there was ing out about this very inter - no “resistance” in their doc - esting family connection, I trines. decided to research Gandhi The Western world how - more, his life and philoso - Lee Clarke is a Zen ever, does have a history of phy. Buddhist, writer, linguist, the idea too, dating back Nonviolent resistance believer in nonviolence from at least the nineteenth was something I knew of, and postgraduate century. Percy Bysshe but had never really consid - student. He is based in Shelley in his 1819 poem ered as viable. Then, one the Midlands. day, I was reading about Follow him on Twitter: wrote about the idea of Gandhi and his tactics and I @OneAndOnlyLee05 nonviolent resistance, say - had a sudden “lightbulb mo - ing that people should resist ment”. I realised that nonvi - oppressors, in a way olent resistance was the remarkably similar to way to solve things, that it Gandhi’s . In was morally superior to 1848, US writer Henry using violence and it can be David Thoreau penned his an effective weapon against famous essay Civil Disobe - oppression. But I wanted dience in which he wrote some intellectual backing to that people have a duty to my theory so I began to re - resist a government and un - search it. just laws, if they infringe I picked up the excellent upon one’s conscience and book Nonviolence: The His - morality. Both these prede - tory of a Dangerous Idea by cessors inspired Gandhi in Mark Kurlansky, as well as PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 11

Peace Matters 11

other works. I found out that the first Christians were pacifists, that a Maori leader named Te Whiti had led a nonvio - lent campaign against the British in his native New Zealand and saved thousands by doing so, that the had run what is now the U.S state of Pennsylvania for over 70 years as a pacifist state that refused to kill Native Americans, that (Above) Pacifists take nonviolent direct action to block traffic nonviolence was even entering the DSEI arms fair in London, 2017 used successfully against the Nazis. struct my ideas on vio - regimes to fall in coun - After my conversion to lence intellectually. tries from India to Ukraine Buddhism three years Nonviolent resistance, and Egypt – and will con - ago, I began to research to me, is a way to ad - tinue to do so. the history of “ahimsa”. dress and solve the in - Most importantly, When I reached univer - justice in the world nonviolent resistance pro - sity, I found out about the without having to harm vides a way to solve dis - French-Algerian writer others in order to do so. putes and conflict where who would become one It seeks to remind people nobody has to be harmed of my biggest inspirations that they share a com - or killed. Nonviolent – Albert Camus, and his mon human bond with methods have been ideas on violence in his others, no matter what adopted in the United essay The Rebel , that nation we happen to be Nations and are increas - true rebellion stems from from. By meeting vio - ingly being used to man - realisation of common lence with nonviolence age international humanity in oppressor we meet hate with love disagreements as an al - and oppressed, along and lies with truth. Nonvi - ternative to war. On a with the ideas of Spanish olent civil disobedience is final Utopic note, we can priest, Francisco De Vito - the best response to op - hope for a future where ria who was one of the pression, no oppressive war becomes a thing of only ones to criticise regime can stand when it the past. That day may Spain’s brutal conquest is not held up and sup - not come in my lifetime, of the Americas. This al - ported by the people and but when it does – lowed me to better con - nonviolence has caused humanity will rejoice. PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 12

Peace Matters 12 Under the Oak Tree: the PPU and the Spanish Civil War

Bill Hetherington looks The Peace Pledge ton two days later. back at the Peace Pledge Union was founded in Although the British Union’s support for 1934 primarily to try to pre - government had grudg - refugees in the 1930s. vent a second major 20th ingly permitted the chil - century conflict, but a pe - dren to come, it was ripheral war was the first conditional upon travel organised slaughter it and maintenance of the faced. children - estimated at The 1936 military upris - ten shillings weekly per ing by Francisco Franco head - being borne by against the Spanish gov - donations. The children ernment led many on the went to a tented camp British left to support the outside Southampton, Republican cause, but the while charitable, religious PPU distinguished be - and political groups tween political sympathy arranged care in and taking up arms. “colonies”. Then on 26 April 1937 The PPU saw its Nazi perpetrated peacemaking role as pro - the first saturation bombing viding for some 60 chil - of a town – Guernica, an - dren, using a large house cient Basque capital, and in Langham, near Colch - Bill Hetherington is the now prototype for Coven - ester in Essex. The Oaks PPU’s honourary archivist try, Rotterdam, Dresden… had for a year been the and a member of PPU Wide revulsion among Adelphi Centre, a social - Council. British people coincided ist/pacifist study commu - with an appeal by Basque nity run by John parents, “Take our children Middleton Murry, and the away! Save them, at least, PPU took over the lease from the horrors of this for its new purpose. war.” Remarkably, by 21 On 8 June 1937, with May a Basque Children’s the arrival by charabanc Committee had been set of 53 children from up, and 3,840 children Southampton, it opened sailed that day from Bilbao. as Basque House, and Aged two to late teens, ac - so began a regular col - companied by teachers umn, “Under the Oak and volunteer carers, they Tree”, in , crammed an 800-berth which was then the liner, weathering a storm PPU’s weekly paper. and landing at Southamp - As Dorothy Plowman PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 13

Peace Matters 13

explained, near the house was a majestic oak, counterpoising an ancient oak, almost all that was left in Guernica. She identified both oaks with the tree of life in the Book of Revelation : “and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations”. The children, other in the Basque had a total turnover of expanded to 64 with the House grounds, lan - some £7,000. transfer of “difficult” indi - guage not being the bar - On Franco’s vaunted viduals from other rier it often is for adults. “victory” in March 1939, colonies, were looked By early 1939 the repatriation began, with after by Silvia Dobson, Basques had learned 25 children returning warden (succeeded by enough English to attend home. However, with the Leonard Read), two of the village school, each displacements of war, the Spanish teachers Basque guest being put and some parents being and some of the senori - next to a local child as killed, 15 children were tas who had come on the helpmate during lessons. transferred to a colony at ship. There were also Another form of inte - Margate, Kent, before two Spanish-speaking gration was inviting PPU Basque House closed on British teachers and a members to “foster” a 25 September 1939. British nurse. Basque child, which Twenty-four teenagers The children spoke no involved sending letters, had been placed in English - for some their cards, gifts etc, but also longer-term fostering, for mother tongue was taking them on an outing, training/apprenticeships, Basque - so it was or inviting them to stay a and at least two settled impractical to attend a weekend or even longer. permanently in Britain. local school, and class - After an appeal for The Association for rooms were set up in £2,000 as soon as the UK Basque Children ’37, Basque House. It children arrived, fundrais - covering the whole avoided becoming an ing was a constant shipload (and descen - isolated community, by theme of the column, dants) has kept in touch, village children asking together with requests for and a comment by Felix the Basque children out clothing, bedding, toys, Irazola has come to light: for walks etc. Out of books. During the 28 “Our two years at school hours, groups months the House was Langham were the best came to play with each open, the Basque Fund years of our life”. PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 14

Peace Matters 14 Remembering Martin Luther King

“You may well ask: tered realms of creative On 4 April this year, it ‘Why direct action? Why analysis and objective ap - was 50 years since Mar - sit-ins, marches and so praisal, so must we see tin Luther King was killed forth? Isn't negotiation a the need for nonviolent by a racist’s bullet. He was 39. As an influential better path?’ gadflies to create the kind theorist and practitioner “You are quite right in of tension in society that of nonviolence, King did calling for negotiation. In - will help men rise from the much to dispel the idea deed, this is the very pur - dark depths of prejudice that nonviolence is about pose of direct action. and racism to the majestic doing nothing. Nonviolent direct action heights of understanding seeks to create such a and brotherhood. Here we have an extract crisis and foster such a “The purpose of our di - from King’s most famous tension that a community rect action programme is piece of writing, “Letter which has constantly re - to create a situation so cri - from a Birmingham Jail”, fused to negotiate is sis-packed that it will in - in which he made clear that nonviolent resist - forced to confront the evitably open the door to ance is an alternative to issue. It seeks so to dram - negotiation. I therefore both violence and atize the issue that it can concur with you in your passivity. no longer be ignored. call for negotiation. Too “My citing the creation long has our beloved of tension as part of the Southland been bogged work of the nonviolent re - down in a tragic effort to sister may sound rather live in monologue rather shocking. But I must con - than dialogue... fess that I am not afraid of “The question is not the word ‘tension’. I have whether we will be extrem - earnestly opposed violent ists, but what kind of ex - tension, but there is a type tremists we will be. Will we of constructive, nonviolent be extremists for hate or tension which is neces - for love? Will we be ex - sary for growth. Just as tremists for the preserva - Socrates felt that it was tion of injustice or for the necessary to create a ten - extension of justice?... sion in the mind so that in - “Perhaps the South, the dividuals could rise from nation and the world are in the bondage of myths and dire need of creative half truths to the unfet - extremists...” PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 15

Peace Matters 15

Afterwards

And yes, afterwards Perhaps there shall be what the humans once called, “Weeds” Yet pretty in the ruins Green urgent shoots, they do not know they were once called, “Ugly” There may one day be trees All over the World, surviving Covering the scars. Giving out oxygen for what remains. So much lives on through the radiation Yet still, many species have been cruelly mutated But lichens? Yes, beautiful lichens will survive, Afterwards

The United States of America, Lecanora, The , Lepraria, Israel, Xanthoria, Russia, Parmelia, France, Physcia, China, Hypogymnia

The unquestioning masses are silent now for ever. No longer worried by doubts. The believers are in their heaven - if it exists And the Politicians have fought their war to the best of their abilities But, the cost

Ashby McGowan

Ashby McGowan is a published poet and PPU member living in Glasgow. He performed this poem, along with others, at the Alternative Remembrance Sunday Ceremony in London in 2016. PeaceMatters Summer 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2018 18:02 Page 16

Peace Matters 16 Take action with the Peace Pledge Union

There’s lots of ways to be in - issues of , nonviolence, volved with the PPU, such as militarism or conscientious objec - signing the peace pledge or tion. You’ll find lots of resources reading Peace Matters ! Here are on the PPU website to help you some ideas for other ways to plan your talk. Get in touch with take action and be part of the us if you’d like more information PPU’s work. or advice. Organise a stall in your com - Join a local peace group. Find munity. We can provide you out if there’s a peace group in with leaflets and other materials. your area, or consider setting one You can use the space to dis - up! We’re happy to put you in cuss pacifism and nonviolence touch with others and to give you with your neighbours. If a stall advice about making a start. isn’t your thing, why not get in touch with us to get some Sign the peace pledge and be - leaflets to put in your school, come a member of the Peace university, workplace, library, Pledge Union. You can declare place of worship or community that you don’t want to be part of centre? the war machine and will work against war. You can also play Get active. If you’re thinking of your part as a full member of an doing a sponsored event this active pacifist movement. Turn to summer, why not raise funds for page 2 or check out our website. PPU? Your support will help us to challenge militarism in our so - ciety, and further build the project. Keep up to date with the Peace Pledge Union Host a film screening or event. Another good way to raise funds for the PPU is to www.ppu.org.uk host an event such as a film screening, concert, or party. If [email protected] you have a friendly local venue, ask them about hosting an event to raise money. @PPUtoday

Hold a talk or lecture in your 020 7424 9444 school or university about