Muste Notes Winter 2004

4 • Muste Notes Vol. 11/No. 2 ESSAY SERIES ON NONVIOLENCE

A. J. Muste Memorial Institute A. J. Muste Memorial Institute A. J. Muste Memorial Institute ESSAY SERIES #2: Barbara Deming— ESSAY SERIES #9:Aldous Huxley — ESSAY SERIES

No. the feminist connection Twentieth Century visionary 15 Peace Agitator: to nonviolence—On and prolific writer—Science, the story of Revolution and Equilibrium Liberty and Peace A.J. Muste,

qty: ______qty: ______DAVID by Nat Hentoff. McREYNOLDS A. J. Muste Memorial Institute ESSAY SERIES A. J. Muste Memorial Institute An activist writer A. J. Muste Memorial Institute #10: Paul Goodman — #3: Henry David ESSAY SERIES A No. ESSAY SERIES 14 pacifist, anarchist, activist— Philosophy chronicles the Thoreau—the original of architect of resistance—On The Morality of Scientific Nonviolence ‘grandfather’ of the the Duty of Civil Disobedience Technology; The Psychology of current U.S. peace Being Powerless JEANNETTE qty: ______RANKIN movement— qty: ______“Two Votes minister, labor Against #4: Jessie Wallace War” and activist, pacifist and #11: Some Writings on Other Hughan—suffragist, peace Writings War Tax Resistance— on Peace resister.This 1982 activist, founder of the War thoughts, poems, tales from edition contains Resisters League—Pacifism resisters, including Juanita and Invasion; On Duelling many photographs Nelson,Allen Ginsberg and and an introduction qty: ______Pete Seeger #15: David by Larry Gara, a qty: ______McReynolds—longtime leading historian of #1: Martin Luther King, #5: Emma Goldman — activist with the War Jr.—America’s leading fiery orator, anarchist, #7:A. J. Muste—foremost #12: Sidney Lens—peace Resisters League, Socialist the nonviolence apostle of human dignity— agitator for peace and Century pacifist theoretician and labor activist, socialist, Party presidential candidate movement. Loving Your Enemies; Letter liberation—Preparedness: and activist, minister, occasional political candi- —A Philosophy of Nonviolence from a Birmingham Jail; The Road to Universal socialist—Who Has the date—six articles spanning qty: ______qty: ______Declaration of Independence Slaughter; The Individual, Spiritual Atom Bomb? three decades on the state from the War in Vietnam Society and the State qty: ______of the U.S. labor movement qty: ______qty: ______qty: ______#8: On Wars of The Muste Institute has t-shirts for sale, too! The #1-Spanish (#13): Martin #6: Rosa Luxemburg — Liberation—three essays #14: Jeannette Rankin shirts are black cotton with a four-color geometric Luther King, Jr.—Spanish courageous leader of on pacifist responses to —first woman in Congress, design and the words: “There is no way to peace, language translation of Germany’s democratic armed freedom struggles, suffragist, pacifist—“Two peace is the way - A.J. Muste” Available in large and Loving Your Enemies and socialist movement— including analysis of Votes Against War” and Other extra large (please specify) for $15 each. Letter from a Birmingham Jail Prison Letters Gandhi’s position Writings on Peace” qty: (L) ______(XL) ______qty: ______qty: ______qty: ______qty: ______

The Essays of A.J. Muste The Essays of Edited by Nat Hentoff, preface by Jo Ann O. Robinson. Originally issued in 1967, this new edition includes Muste’s A.J.Muste “Notes for an Autobiography,” plus essays on pacifism, civil rights, trade unionism and foreign policy.Written between E D I T E D B Y Nat Hentoff 1905 and 1966, the essays stand as an extraordinary companion to our everyday work for peace and social justice. P R E F A C E B Y Jo Ann O. Robinson qty:______

SPECIAL OFFER: FREE SHIPPING!! 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: = $ ______

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Please make check or money order payable to the A.J. Muste Memorial Institute and send with this form to: More information about our literature— A.J. Muste Memorial Institute including excerpts from many of our Essay 339 Lafayette St. • New York, NY 10012 Series pamphlets—can be found on our web site at www.ajmuste.org. * for bulk rates, contact the Muste Institute office November 23, 2003 Dear Friends,

We started this year with the largest peace demonstrations in recent memory NewsMUSTE from the A.J. Muste Memorial Institute as the United States prepared to launch the war in Iraq. Unfortunately, the mobilization of millions of people all over the world was not enough to pre- vent this tragic conflict. NOTES Protests and actions continue in VOL. 11, NUMBER 2 WINTER 2004 cities and communities across the coun- try and around the world. The war New Sponsored Group: drags on: soldiers and Iraqi citizens die and suffer daily, and the consequences United for Peace and Justice of this criminal action reverberate UFPJ joined across the Middle East. We are paying with organized the costs, literally, of this war right labor for the here, as human services and educa- trade protests in Miami.

tional programs are cut back to feed the TIM RUSSO BY PHOTO This photo rising demands of our military. shows Jobs As we approach the end of 2003, you with Justice might feel discouraged by current members and other activists events. Here at the Muste Institute, we at the main are encouraged by the growing num- rally on Oct. bers of people who are joining forces to 20. oppose this continuing madness. We are working hard to provide more fund- ing and more support for these efforts. To paraphrase an ancient Chinese The Muste Institute welcomes our making the links between movements proverb, with danger comes opportu- newest sponsored organization, United opposing war and those demanding nity. Please read this issue of Muste for Peace and Justice (UFPJ). Formed as global economic justice. an umbrella peace coalition in the fall of UFPJ organized a bus to take New York Notes and the enclosed letter to learn 2002 as the U.S. government was area activists (including Muste Institute more about our work and how your preparing its war on Iraq, UFPJ now administrative assistant Jeanne Strole) to contributions can help us build the includes over 600 member groups Miami for protests from November 19-22 movement to end this war, develop a nationwide. The coalition produces edu- against the Free Trade Area of the Americas cational materials, maintains an active (FTAA), a hemisphere-wide trade plan new generation of activists and create website and organizes marches and ral- which the US government hopes will new resources for nonviolence in lies, among other activities. On February become an expanded version of NAFTA. today’s world. 15, 2003, UFPJ made history by bringing UFPJ helped coordinate, raised funds, and 500,000 people to an anti-war demon- offered bus tickets on a sliding scale to help In peace, stration near the United Nations in New activists get to Miami from New York, York City, coordinated as part of a global Ithaca, Boston and other northeastern cities. day of protest. On March 22, just two UFPJ contingents joined other fair trade days after the bombs began falling on activists, union representatives, human Baghdad, UFPJ turned out 300,000 peo- rights and environmental organizers from Murray Rosenblith ple for a march down Broadway. around the country and from all over the In June, UFPJ held its first national western hemisphere, coming together to Executive Director conference, where over 500 delegates demand global economic justice at the 8th from 325 member organizations met, ministerial talks for the FTAA. elected a national steering committee UFPJ is now working on organizing a and set the direction and priorities for worldwide day of protest for March 20, PLEASE NOTE OUR the work of the coalition during the the first anniversary of the start of the NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: coming year. UFPJ’s primary campaigns current U.S. military assault on Iraq. For [email protected] involve continued efforts to end the U.S. more information about United for Peace occupation of Iraq, defense of immi- and Justice: go to unitedforpeace.org or grant rights and civil liberties, and call 212-868-5545. 2 • Muste Notes Vol. 11/No. 2 Institute Screens Zinn Documentary On the evening of November 12, and work as an inspiring example of 2003, more than 75 people gathered at how people can make change, and suc- the Puffin Room in lower Manhattan to cessfully captures his contagious attend the screening of You Can’t Be enthusiasm for nonviolent activism. The Neutral on a Moving Train, a documen- film got an overwhelmingly positive tary about “people’s historian” Howard reaction from the audience, which Zinn. Deb Ellis, the film’s co-director, included Puffin Room regulars, Muste introduced it and answered questions Institute board members and supporters, from the audience. and students and activists of all ages. This was the New York area debut The Muste Institute contributed to screening of the film, which chronicles the creation of the documentary with a the evolution of Zinn’s life, work and $1,000 grant last December. The Puffin political perspective from his early Room donated its space for the screen- experience as an industrial worker and ing; the Puffin Foundation, which is then as a bombardier in World War II linked to the gallery, also helped fund (and his resultant awakening to the hor- the film. rors of war), to his early activism on the The Muste Institute thanks Deb Ellis, faculty at Spellman College (where he the Puffin Room, and all our supporters encouraged his students’ involvement who attended in this debut screening. If

PHOTO BY JEANNE STROLE PHOTO in the civil rights movement), to his you live in the New York City area and Muste Institute Executive Director Murray work at Boston University against the missed the event, but would like to see Rosenblith welcomes the audience at the US war in Vietnam. the film, please contact us about possible Howard Zinn documentary screening. The documentary lays out Zinn’s life future screenings. New Developments An update on projects funded by the Muste Institute

Brandywine Peace Community, a Military Families Speak Out! Then 200- Philadelphia-based pacifist organiza- plus marchers wound their way tion which received a Muste Institute through the center of Philadelphia for grant in 1998, helped organize a suc- an interfaith ceremony at the 30th St. cessful Veterans Day memorial peace Bridge. The demonstration was pulled demonstration in Philadelphia on together by a local network of veter- November 11, 2003. The event began ans’ groups, unions, religious with a moment of silence in memory of organizations and pacifist groups– all victims of war, followed by a rally in including another former Muste

front of Philadelphia’s City Hall which grantee, SOA Watch Northeast, as well BY MIKE OF PHILADELPHIA INDEPENDENT PHOTO MEDIA CENTER (PHILLYIMC.ORG) featured speakers including young as the local Philadelphia branches of Soldiers, veterans and anti-war activists conscientious objector Diedre Cobb War Resisters League and Women’s marched in the Veterans Day memorial peace and Linda Dann, mother of a U.S. International League for Peace and demonstration in Philadelphia on November Army reservist and member of Freedom. 11, 2003. Institute Welcomes New Board Members

The Muste Institute is pleased to and a half years as the office director at justice and environmental movements introduce the newest members of our War Resisters League; from 1993 to on a local and national level. She is the Board of Directors: 2000 she served on WRL’s Executive founder and creative director of Albot James Cole works as a teacher of sci- Committee while working as an advo- and Albot, a public relations and special ence, math and geography at Crossroads cacy counselor at Lenox Hill events company which has worked on Middle School, a small, progressive Neighborhood House, a settlement many progressive campaigns. Nina also New York City public school. He is a house in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. volunteers her services as a public rela- longtime environmental educator who She is also active locally with tions expert and fundraiser for activist has organized youth and adult pro- Kairos/Plowshares NY, a Muste events, including this year’s February grams and activities in a number of Institute sponsored group, and has 15 anti-war march in New York. She settings. Jim brings to the Board a been a volunteer at the Catholic Worker specializes in film and video work, and wealth of knowledge and experience in community. is also a board member of Manhattan environmental issues and education. Nina Streich has been an activist for Neighborhood Network (MNN), public Melissa Jameson worked for two over 30 years in disarmament, social access TV. Winter 2004 Muste Notes • 3 New Grants, September-October 2003

COMMUNITY ALLIANCE OF LANE and East Timor. The goal of the training shops. This grant goes for the Second COUNTY (CALC) was to help participants understand the Annual Northeast Regional High School Eugene, OR: $1,500 definitions, principles and strategies of Anti-Sweatshop Conference, hosted by In January 2003, CALC joined with active nonviolent resistance to apply in SCALE in New York Oct. 25-26, 2003. Eugene PeaceWorks to form the local activism in their communities. The The conference focused on building ties Committee for Countering Military project also seeks to prepare workshop among high school activists, educating Recruitment, with the goal of educating participants for a future training for train- students about sweatshop issues and students about the realities of military ers, and to help build a regional network teaching organizing skills. service and alternatives to it. This grant of grassroots women activists. SYRACUSE PEACE COUNCIL goes to the Committee’s efforts to get LEHIGH-POCONO COMMITTEE OF counter-recruitment materials in as Syracuse, NY: $1,500 CONCERN (LEPOCO) many Lane County high schools as pos- Syracuse Peace Council is a commu- sible, and to get school districts to do a Bethlehem, PA: $1,500 nity-based, autonomous organization better job of protecting students’ privacy Founded in 1965 to oppose the US founded in 1936 to carry out anti-war from military recruiters. war in Vietnam, LEPOCO now has more and social justice work in central New than 500 members, most of them resi- York. This grant goes for a weekend non- INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S dents of the Lehigh Valley area in violence “training for trainers” PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE AND eastern Pennsylvania. This grant goes workshop, organized in conjunction JUSTICE for the Youth and Militarism Project, with other upstate New York peace and Chiang Mai, Thailand: $3,000 (INTF) reaching out to local high school stu- justice groups. The workshop will pre- This grant from our International dents and their families to educate and pare a group of nonviolent activists from Nonviolence Training Fund (INTF) went inform them about the realities of mili- across central New York to facilitate non- for the Southeast Asia Regional Women’s tary service and the availability of career, violence training sessions for future Active Nonviolence Social Action education and civil service alternatives. actions. Training, held Oct. 28-Nov. 11, 2003, with NICARAGUA SOLIDARITY THOMAS MERTON CENTER 20 participants from Thailand, Burma in COMMITTEE exile, Tibet in exile, Cambodia, Indonesia Pittsburg, PA: $1,500 Chicago, IL: $1,500 The Thomas Merton Center has been The Nicaragua Solidarity Committee linking domestic and international issues founded its Labor Rights Task Force in since 1972, when it started out helping 1995 as part of an effort to redirect activist organize local efforts against the US war QUOTES resources built up during the 1980s into in Vietnam and working with a human “We must indeed resolutely new efforts to connect labor struggles needs coalition on issues of racism and refuse to be tempted to locally and throughout the world. This poverty. This grant goes for the Peace violence: that is the short cut grant goes for the Task Force’s high school Mobilization Campaign, mobilizing and which invariably turns out to and college outreach project, started in organizing people in the Pittsburgh area be the blind alley. But if we 1999, which helps students in the Chicago to take part in interfaith vigils, rallies, leave it at that, then, in effect, area develop their activist skills and lead- teach-ins and other activities promoting as our critics have pointed ership abilities, encourages them to peaceful solutions to world conflicts. out, the disinherited are examine the role of multinational corpo- condemned to the choice rations in the U.S. and abroad, and

MUSTE between acquiescence in tyranny or resorting to involves them in organizing efforts. The A.J. Muste Memorial Institute violence.We pacifists must go STUDENT COMMITTEE AGAINST makes small grants to groups on to show that evil can be LABOR EXPLOITATION (SCALE) doing nonviolent organizing for overcome and a new order New York, NY: $1,500 social change. Our next deadline built in the spirit by the SCALE was founded six years ago by for proposals is February 27, 2004. method of nonviolence.” high school interns at the National Labor Guidelines are available on our (from The World Task of Pacifism, 1941) Committee who wanted to create a space website at www.ajmuste.org. for students to organize against sweat-

Board of Directors Program Associate Karl Bissinger A.J. Muste Memorial Institute 339 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012 Jane Guskin Susan Kent Cakars phone (212) 533-4335 fax (212) 228-6193 Administrative Assistant James A. Cole email: [email protected] Jeanne Strole Christine Halvorson website: www.ajmuste.org Superintendent Melissa Jameson Salvador Suazo Carol Kalafatic Nina Streich Executive Director Bernice Lanning Robert T. Taylor Murray Rosenblith Newsletter Designer Rebecca Libed Martha Thomases Judith Rew Elmer Maas Diane Tosh David McReynolds John Zirinsky Printed on Recycled Paper