September 1, 2006 Dear Friends, As you can see from this issue of Muste Notes, we’ve had a busy summer. On top NewsMUSTE from the A.J. Muste Memorial Institute of a packed cycle of general grants, we made 12 grants from our new Counter- Recruitment Fund and took on a new sponsored project. On a sad note, our friend Norma Becker NOTES died in June. Norma was a longtime member of the Muste Institute board, and her VOL. 14, NUMBER 1 FALL 2006 daughter Diane Tosh was acting executive director during my sabbatical in 2002-03. Norma is remembered here by the Institute’s New Sponsoree: first executive director, Van Zwisohn. Many thanks to all of you who responded International Solidarity Movement to Rebecca Libed’s recent letter by sending generous contributions to the Muste In June, the Muste Institute approved support of international and Israeli Institute. If you didn’t donate yet (or even if fiscal sponsorship for the International activists. Bil’in’s protests have focused a Solidarity Movement’s work supporting spotlight on Israeli government efforts to you did), please take a moment to send us a against the Israeli seize Palestinian land for Wall construc- check or contribute through the JustGive occupation of Palestine. This article is by tion and the expansion of illegal Israeli button on our website. With your help, we Patrick O’Connor, an ISM activist based in settlements. The Wall will annex 10% of will keep expanding our support for the . For updated information, the West Bank to Israel and divide the many groups around the country and the see the ISM website at www.palsolidarity.org rest into a series of disconnected ghettos. world who are using nonviolent action to The International Solidarity Movement Israeli military restrictions on carry out their struggles for social justice. (ISM), founded in 2001, is a Palestinian- entering the Gaza Strip have prevented led movement committed to resisting international activists from maintaining In peace, the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land a continual presence there since 2003, using nonviolent, direct action methods when ISM activist Rachel Corrie was and principles. crushed to death by an Israeli military Murray Rosenblith This past July and August, more than bulldozer, and ISM activist Tom Executive Director 100 international activists traveled to Hurndall was fatally wounded by an Palestine for ISM’s fifth annual Freedom Israeli army sniper. Both incidents took Summer campaign. These activists place in Rafah, Gaza. Israel intensified its joined Palestinian communities in military assault on Gaza in March 2006, the longstanding Israeli government effort resisting the construction of Israel’s Wall and again on June 25 when Palestinians to crush grassroots, nonviolent resistance. on Palestinian land in villages like Bil’in captured an Israeli soldier: from then Since Israel began building its West Bank in Ramallah district. Bil’in has been until the end of August, according to the Wall in 2002, the Israeli military has killed protesting the construction of the Wall Israeli human rights organization ten Palestinian protesters, wounded hun- for almost a year and a half, with the B’Tselem, the Israeli military killed 226 dreds—including four Israeli activists Palestinians in Gaza, 54 of them minors. who were seriously injured—and arrested M S I When the Israeli military expanded hundreds of Palestinian, international and Y B its attacks to Lebanon on July 12, Israeli protesters. Over 100 international O T

O activists associated with ISM joined ISM activists have been denied entry to H P worldwide protests. On July 14 in Israel and tens deported. Stockholm, 100 protesters blocked Despite these challenges, Palestinian, Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, international and Israeli activists are forcing a meeting with the Minister. US- inspired by the leadership of Palestinian based support groups for ISM have organizers like Mohammed Khatib from helped mobilize protests around the Bil’in. In an op-ed in the International country, including a July 30 march by Herald Tribune a year ago, Khatib 1,500 people across the Brooklyn Bridge. explained: “We refuse to be strangled by Rina Klauman, an ISM member from Back in Bil’in, the weekly nonviolent the wall in silence. In a famous Copenhagen (center), joins Palestinian, Israeli protest was greeted on August 11 by Palestinian short story, ‘Men in the Sun,’ and international demonstrators at the weekly cries from an Israeli officer that “This is Palestinian workers suffocate inside a protest in Bil’in on August 11. The Lebanon.” The soldiers then wounded tanker truck. Upon discovering them, demonstrators carried fake bloodied bodies 11 protesters, two seriously. An Israeli the driver screams, ‘Why didn't you symbolizing an entire family killed by the lawyer was shot in the head from 15 bang on the sides of the tank?’… Bil’in is Israeli army. Israeli forces violently attacked the yards with a rubber-coated steel bullet, banging, Bil’in is screaming. Please peaceful protest, and Klauman was hospitalized and a Danish woman was beaten in the stand with us so that we can achieve our with a severe concussion after an Israeli border head with a rifle butt. freedom by peaceful means.” policeman beat her in the head with his gun. The attacks in Bil’in are an example of — Patrick O’Connor 2 • Muste Notes Vol. 14/No. 1 N N A

In Loving Memory: M E D E H

Norma Becker 1930-2006 E C A R G Y

There will be plenty said and written errors of your thinking. But the same B O about our friend and mentor Norma smile was there just to see you and T O H

Becker, and there can’t be enough. It’s include you in what I took as her secret P hard to recognize now the courage it joke: this is good work, righteous work, took for a northern white woman in the but it’s a hell of a lot of fun, too. I recall mid-sixties to go into the racially segre- her explaining to me how it wasn’t alto- gated American South to teach black gether wrong to use slugs in the subway Norma in 1973, at the 50th anniversary children to read as part of the “Freedom turnstiles (I tended toward button-down conference of the in School” program. For Norma, though, it purity) since traveling in Our City Asilomar, California. may not have been that much of a should be free for all, and you couldn’t stretch. Her day job was teaching black use slugs in limousines. It’s them and us. later, in the late 80s, my family came to children to read in Harlem, in the For years the Muste Institute was run know Diane, her husband Steve, and racially segregated north. out of Ralph DiGia’s cubicle at the War their children again in different circum- It’s hard to recognize now the Resisters League, primarily as a stances. We rekindled a relationship with courage it took to be an out-front fundraising program to enable the Norma, seeing her quite often in perhaps activist and organizer in the midst of Institute to purchase the building it her most rewarding role – one of the the Civil Rights movement and in the shares with WRL at 339 Lafayette. world’s great Grandmas. As Norma’s early days of the Vietnam War, When I became the Institute’s first health worsened, she was less a leading founding the Teachers Committee actual Executive Director, I was com- figure in the movement and in politics. Against the War, organizing the Fifth muting from upstate New York a She was and is sorely missed there as Avenue Peace Parade Committee and couple of days a week. For two years or activist, worker, goad, truthsayer, talent, so much more. Norma and her col- so in the late 70s, I almost always had a and friend. But perhaps the greatest tes- leagues put thousands of people on the home at Norma’s Charles Street apart- tament to her is that in her darkest and street in New York City when “You ment. I began to think of the upstairs most fraught days she had the true love Commie, go back to Russia” was heard spare as “my room.” It’s hard to and constant support of her family. If a lot more often than “You go, Girl.” I describe the pleasure of latenight dis- you could hear Norma’s terrific grand- was part of those marches as a partici- cussions, gossip and dinner over those daughter describe her grandmother pant, bussing up from college, evenings I spent between the office during a particularly harrowing time, wondering at the excitement and seri- days. It would be hard to find her equal you would envy Norma as much as ousness and beauty of it all. for generosity of both spirit and things. grieve for her. Small comfort, perhaps for For most of us it’s impossible to com- I was among the many who learned Diane and Steve, Sarah, Nick and prehend the courage it took to go on, as a lot from Norma, all of which stood me Katrina Tosh, Anita Becker and Alicia Norma did, after the death of her in good stead as an organizer. How to Becker, but it may help to know that so beloved son Gene. run a phone bank, how to hire buses to many sorrow for their loss. Nevertheless, hers is an enviable go to unpopular places, to talk to police Norma had a cartoon on her refriger- resume: War Resisters League chair and politicians, to stay calm during con- ator that I particularly liked. It was a woman from 1977-83; many years a tentious meetings (I didn’t learn that domestic scene in a working class valued member of the Muste Institute one too well), that the life is in the kitchen. Dad in his undershirt is sitting Board of Directors; Mobilization for struggle, and how to persevere. at the kitchen table with the children Survival; Village Independent Democrats; I met Norma’s daughter Diane, also a while a frowsy, middle aged woman in always there at the important moments, peace movement activist, at about the Wonder Woman’s costume is ironing ready to push, a tireless worker, a same time I first met Norma. Diane was underneath a bare light bulb. Dad has loving and beloved parent, grand- younger than me as I was younger than turned to the children, and the caption parent, friend and human being. Norma, but I remember so well how that read: “Kids, your mother is a very spe- Norma had a way of tilting her head, very fact made me see that the move- cial person.” eyes twinkling, and a big smile, often ment was a history, not an event. I’ve Good luck, Norma, fine journey. when she was about to point out the always been grateful that some years —Van Zwisohn

Board of Directors David McReynolds Executive Director Superintendent Karl Bissinger Peter Muste A.J. Muste Murray Rosenblith Salvador Suazo Susan Kent Cakars Jill Sternberg James A. Cole Nina Streich Memorial Institute Program Associate Newsletter Designer Jane Guskin Judith Rew Christine Halvorson Robert T. Taylor 339 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012 Melissa Jameson Martha Thomases phone (212) 533-4335 fax (212) 228-6193 Administrative Carol Kalafatic Diane Tosh e-mail: [email protected] Assistant Bernice Lanning John Zirinsky website: www.ajmuste.org Jeanne Strole Printed on Recycled Paper Fall 2006 Muste Notes • 3 New Grants, June 2006 CR Fund Grants The Muste Institute’s Counter- ASSOCIATION FOR UNION 1983. This grant goes for the Colombia Recruitment Fund completed its first DEMOCRACY Peace Presence Bogotá Team, providing grant cycle on August 4. We expe- Brooklyn, NY: $1,500 physical and political accompaniment to dited the first round to allow for Founded in 1969, AUD works to targeted Colombian grassroots nonvio- back-to-school projects, and got 31 advance democratic trade unionism in lent activists. proposals for the July 14 deadline! It the labor movement. This grant goes for NEW JERSEY PEACE ACTION was tough to choose among such the Immigrant Outreach Project, pro- EDUCATION FUND great projects, but in the end the advi- ducing and distributing materials in Montclair, NJ: $1,000* sory committee, made up of activists Spanish and other languages to inform New Jersey Peace Action was a from around the country, approved 12 immigrant workers about their rights founding chapter of Peace Action (then grants: within unions. SANE) in 1957. This grant goes for joint Albany Park, North Park, Mayfair BACK PORCH RADIO efforts with the Plainfield Branch of the Neighbors for Peace & Justice BROADCASTING Peoples’ Organization for Progress to (Chicago, IL): $500 for counter- Madison, WI: $1,500 provide counter-recruitment informa- recruitment work in three Chicago In 1975, Back Porch Radio Broadcasting tion to Plainfield High School students neighborhoods. launched WORT-FM, a member-con- and the community. Center for Justice, Peace and trolled community radio station. This OMNI CENTER FOR PEACE, JUSTICE Environment (Fort Collins, CO): grant goes to bring young volunteer & ECOLOGY $1,000 for the Youth and Militarism radio activists from Radio Victoria in El Fayetteville, AR: $1,000 project. Salvador—WORT’s sister station—to The OMNI Center started operating Madison to meet and share skills and Community Alliance of Lane County in 2000 in northwest Arkansas. This experiences with US-based grassroots (Eugene, OR): $1,000 for the grant goes for a conference of peace radio activists. Committee for Countering Military organizations from Arkansas and nearby Recruitment. BIRTHRIGHT UNPLUGGED areas of Oklahoma and Missouri. Just Don’t Go (Helena, Montana): Glenside, PA: $1,500 “THE VISITORS” DOCUMENTARY $500 for the Montana Youth Network Birthright Unplugged was started in PROJECT for Resistance. 2005 by two activists from the Brooklyn, NY: $2,000 International Women’s Peace Service in NC Choices for Youth (Carrboro, NC): This grant, sponsored by the Prison Palestine. This grant goes for the Re- $500 for counter-recruitment work in Action Network, goes for production plugged project, arranging for children North Carolina. expenses of Melis Birder’s “The in West Bank refugee camps to visit Visitors” documentary, raising aware- NY Veterans Speak Out/ Veterans for Jerusalem, the sea and the places their ness about the impact of incarceration Peace (South Nyack, NY): $1,000 for a grandparents fled in 1948, and to create on prisoners’ families. The film follows a teach-in with war veterans, students, photo exhibits contributing to the histor- group of women who take a weekend parents and community groups. ical memory of their communities. charter bus from New York City to visit Peace Action Wisconsin (Milwaukee, DEEP DISH TV their loved ones in upstate prisons. WI): $1,000 to provide information to New York, NY: $1,500 WAR RESISTERS’ INTERNATIONAL Milwaukee high school students. Deep Dish TV was founded in 1985 as London, England: $2,000 Rochester Against War, RAW the first national grassroots satellite net- WRI was founded in 1921 to promote (Rochester, NY): $500 for counter- work. This grant goes for a campus nonviolent action and support and con- recruitment work in the Rochester outreach program using the video series, nect war resisters around the world. This area. “Shocking and Awful—A Grassroots grant went for interpretation equipment Response to War and Occupation,” to Teen Peace Project (Port Townsend, to allow greater diversity and participa- inform students about the impact of war WA): $500 for Olympic Peninsula tion in Globalizing Nonviolence, the and mobilize them against it. Alternatives to Militarism. 24th WRI triennial conference, held in Truth 2 Youth (Volcano, HI): $1,000 for FELLOWSHIP OF RECONCILIATION Germany in July 2006. TASK FORCE ON LATIN AMERICA Give Peace a Dance, counter-recruit- WAR RESISTERS LEAGUE AND THE CARIBBEAN ment outreach by veterans and high New York, NY: $2,000* San Francisco, CA: $2,000 school students at dances and events. This grant goes for the DMZ The Fellowship of Reconciliation Western Massachusetts American Network, a project of WRL’s Youth & founded the Task Force (FOR-TFLAC) in Friends Service Committee (Florence, Counter Recruitment Program, pro- MA): $500 for the Truth in Recruiting viding resources, training and other program. The A.J. Muste Memorial Institute makes assistance to build the capacity of local small grants for nonviolent education youth organizers around the US to effec- Women Against Military Madness and action for social justice. Our next tively challenge military recruitment. (Minneapolis, MN): $500 to provide deadline for proposals is October 20, information translated into Hmong, *Funded through the Counter-Recruitment 2006. Guidelines are at www.ajmuste.org. Somali and Spanish to young people Fund in Minnesota. 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

A. J. Muste Memorial Institute A. J. Muste Memorial Institute A. J. Muste Memorial Institute A. J. Muste Memorial Institute ESSAY SERIES ESSAY SERIES ESSAY SERIES ESSAY SERIES

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Jr. – America’s leading agitatorA. J. Muste Memorial for Institute peace andA. J. Muste Memorial20th Institute CenturyA. J.Pacifist Muste Memorial Institute #12:A. J. Muste Sidney Memorial Institute Lens – Enemies, Letter from a minister, labor apostle of human dignity – liberationESSAY SERIES – Preparedness:ESSAY SERIEStheoreticianESSAY and activist, SERIES peaceESSAY and SERIES labor activist, Birmingham Jail and activist, pacifist and Loving Your Enemies; Letter The Road to Universal minister, socialist – Who Has socialist, occasional Declaration of resister. Introduction from a Birmingham Jail; Slaughter; The Individual, the Spiritual Atom Bomb? political candidate – six Independence from the by Larry Gara. Declaration of Independence Society and the State articles spanning three #8: On Wars of War in Vietnam. from the War in Vietnam. decades on the state of #6: Rosa Luxemburg – Liberation – three essays #14: Jeannette Rankin Also in Spanish – see #13. the U.S. labor movement Wear Your courageous leader of on pacifist responses to – first woman in Congress, Peace Shirt. Germany’s democratic armed freedom struggles, #13: (Spanish) Martin suffragist, pacifist – “Two Muste Institute t-shirts socialist movement – including analysis of Luther King, Jr. – Votes Against War” and are black cotton with a The Essays of Prison Letters Gandhi’s position Spanish language Other Writings on Peace” four-color geometric A.J.Muste design and the words: E D I T E D B Y “There is no way to peace, Nat Hentoff The Essays of A.J. Muste P R E F A C E B Y peace is the way – A.J. ZZZZZ Edited by Nat Hentoff, preface by Jo Ann O. Robinson. Originally issued in 1967, this new 500-page Muste” Available in large edition includes Muste’s “Notes for an Autobiography,” plus essays on pacifism, civil rights, trade and extra large. Shirts unionism and foreign policy, written between 1905 and 1966. are made in the U.S.A.

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Essay Series Quantity Pamphlets (total qty:) _____ x $2.00 each ($1.40 each for 20 or more) $ ______1 Martin Luther King, Jr. _____ Sampler Pack _____ x $20.00 (one each of all 15 pamphlets) $ ______2 Barbara Deming _____ The Essays of A.J. Muste: _____ x $20.00 * $ ______3 Henry David Thoreau _____ 4 Jessie Wallace Hughan _____ Peace Agitator: _____ x $5.00 * $ ______5 Emma Goldman _____ T-Shirts: (L)_____ (XL) _____ x $15.00 $ ______6 Rosa Luxemburg _____ I am enclosing a tax-deductible contribution for the Muste Institute’s 7 A. J. Muste _____ work promoting active nonviolence and social justice: $ ______8 On Wars of Liberation _____ * for bulk rates, contact the Muste Institute office 9 Aldous Huxley _____ TOTAL ENCLOSED $ ______10 Paul Goodman _____ SHIP TO ______11 War Tax Resistance _____ Please make check or money order 12 Sidney Lens _____ payable to AJMMI and send to: 13 Martin Luther King, Jr. (Spanish) ______A.J. Muste Memorial Institute 339 Lafayette St. 14 Jeannette Rankin _____ NY, NY 10012 15 David McReynolds ______