Voices in the Wilderness and Justice Not Vengeance are initiating the “Counter Terror: Build Justice” campaign to challenge nonviolently the ongoing occupation of Iraq and the so-called “war on terror”. We invite you to join us in this campaign by 1) endorsing the following statement; and 2) organizing an action during the Month of Action, March 19 to April 19, 2005. To endorse the action or for more information, send an email to the campaign at luo at vitw.org

• View endorsements from US organizations.
• View endorsements from UK organizations.
• View Individual Endorsements.
• Read the campaign’s Background Paper

‘Counter Terror: Build Justice’

In the face of global terrorism, we believe that our community, our nation, and our world, must choose the path of peace, human rights, and justice. We believe that what is presented to us as ‘the war on terrorism’ is a campaign of violence and repression that actually generates more anti-Western terrorism.

We believe that the world needs a different agenda in order to end the terrorism of the weak and halt the terrorism of the powerful. We reject the logic of war and invasion, the erosion of basic rights, and the demonisation of Muslims and Arab communities.

ROTC directly benefits a foreign policy that is imperialistic and advocates preemptive war.

Choosing to have ROTC on campus is not a politically neutral choice. It is a choice which supports the current aggressive foreign policy. The pre emptive policy is not limited to Iraq; it will be extended elsewhere.

A campaign to end ROTC is not an attack on students in the ROTC program. They may join the military after graduation or attend West Point if that is their goal. They need not pursue officer training at a non military academy. The students may choose to form a club of individuals interested in the military, but there need not be an institutionally sponsored ROTC program.

If students are choosing ROTC for financial reasons then we are essentially asking them to risk their lives to pay for school. Moreover, we are asking them to put themselves in situations where they cannot think critically or follow their conscience because they must follow orders. Rather than sponsoring ROTC, colleges should develop financial aid programs to ensure that all are able to attend college, regardless of their economic class. Colleges should also lobby our government to increase federal financial aid in the form of grants to ensure that all students are able to attend college regardless of economic class.

The ideal of political neutrality may well be unattainable. Decisions of hiring, research, and funding of faculty all are political decisions. Given this reality, each institution must choose if it is willing to actively support pre emptive war or if it would prefer to allow the military to do its wars on its own. Neutrality is assent to the status quo.

For more information on counter recruitment and anti ROTC campaigns, contact Voices in the Wilderness, 773.784.8065, or luo@vitw.org.

Divestment

Divestment is a political tool that was developed during the anti-apartheid student movement. In the 80s, students protested their universities’ relationship to the racist South African economy and government. They discovered that their universities were investing in companies that both had racist hiring policies in South Africa and funded the white South African government in its attacks on blacks. The divestment campaign became a way to galvanize student support and challenged big corporations that were financing and benefiting from the exploitation and oppression of blacks. (Source: ucdivest.org)

What was apartheid?

Following independence from England, an uneasy power-sharing between the two groups held sway until the 1940’s, when the Afrikaner National Party was able to gain a strong majority. Strategists in the National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the economic and social system. Initially, aim of the apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation. Starting in the 60’s, a plan of “Grand Apartheid” was executed, emphasizing territorial separation and police repression. Race laws touched every aspect of social life, including a prohibition of marriage between non-whites and whites, and the sanctioning of “white-only” jobs. The Department of Home Affairs (a government bureau) was responsible for the classification of the citizenry. Non-compliance with the race laws were dealt with harshly. All blacks were required to carry “pass books” containing fingerprints, photo and information on access to non-black areas. (Source: www.students.stanford.edu)

Direct Divestment vs. Indirect Divestment

Direct divestment campaigns asks only those investors, groups, and corporations that are directly invested in the target corporation or country to divest. Indirect divestment campaigns asks that those investing in investment pools like mutual funds that include the target corporation or country to also divest.

Wholesale Divestment Campaign vs. Arms Divestment Campaign

Wholesale divestment asks investers and investment groups to completely withdraw all investments in a particular country. This is the type of campaign that was conducted against South Africa in the 1980s, asking that all companies doing business in the country to withdraw. Arms Divestment is not country-specific and instead advocates divesting from all corporations involved in developing and distributing weapons. Voices in the Wilderness is calling for Arms Divestment Campaigns across the country.

What is the INFACT campaign? Since 1977, Infact has been exposing life-threatening abuses by transnational corporations and organizing successful grassroots campaigns to hold corporations accountable to consumers and society at large. Infact started taking on the deadly nuclear weapons industry in 1984. The Nuclear Weaponmakers Campaign targeted industry leader and trendsetter General Electric for its role in promoting and producing nuclear weapons. Over four million people actively participated in the Campaign by boycotting GE. In 1991, Infact released a hard-hitting documentary video that contrasts GE’s “We Bring Good Things to Life” image with real-life stories of people harmed by radiation and toxic pollution from GE’s nuclear weapons work. Deadly Deception: General Electric, Nuclear Weapons and Our Environment won the Academy Award for Best Documentary: Short Subject in 1992, spreading the Boycott to over one billion TV viewers worldwide. This caused a publicity nightmare for GE. Growing pressure from the Boycott and over $75 million in lost medical equipment sales culminated on April 2, 1993, when Infact called off the boycott after GE bowed to overwhelming public demand and moved out of the nuclear weapons business. (Source: www.infact.org)

What are shareholder campaigns?

Shareholder activism is a way that shareholders can claim their power as company owners to influence a corporation’s behavior. A shareholder proposal is a shareholder’s (or group of shareholders’) recommendation or request that a company and/or its Board of Directors take a particular action relevant to company policy. In the United States, securities laws govern a process by which a shareholder has a right to introduce formal proposals, have the proposal circulated to all of the company’s shareholders, vote upon the resolution, and present it in person at company annual meetings. Shareholder rights and the ability of shareholders to offer proposals differ from country to country. Historically, the shareholder activism process is an attempt by investors to get information out of a firm and points of view into a firm that otherwise wouldn’t be there. Through shareholder activity, investors are constantly demanding more information from companies, and building on past efforts to gain greater transparency, democracy, and responsibility in Corporate America. (Source: www.foe.org)

The successes of Divestment campaigns

Between 1977 and October 1985, 55 universities and colleges across the U.S. had partially or fully divested from South Africa. 30 of those divested between April and October of 1985 due to protest actions. (Source: ucdivest.org). The fall of the apartheid regime took place in 1994. Currently, some groups are engaged in wholesale divestment campaigns from Israel.

The advantages of divestment campaigns

Divestment campaigns are more practical and direct than some more symbolic actions. Because universities depend on their reputation and integrity, a campaign that seeks to reveal a university’s allegiance to big weapons manufacturers will likely draw attention. The best place to start may be with the university’s mission statement, in order to see what ideals weapons investing might violate. For students interested in “getting their hands dirty” divestment campaigns may be the way to go.

The obstacles in a divestment campaign: Gathering information about your university’s investment policies and procedures can be difficult. Very large and very wealthy universities tend to be more forthcoming with such information, while smaller universities tend not to publicize it. Because of the bureaucratic procedures generally inherent in institutional investment, divestment campaigns tend to be long struggles. While they do not require a large number of people, divestment campaigns do usually require a few very committed people over several years in order to be successful.

Getting Started

The first step in a divestment campaign is to learn more about the big weapons manufacturers, your school’s investments, and your allies in the cause. Begin asking sympathetic students, faculty, Board of Trustees members, and alumni, what they think a divestment campaign on your campus might look like. Faculty could be helpful in answering historical questions about divestment campaigns against apartheid. Alumni can be helpful in building a sustainable divestment campaign and exerting pressure on the Board of Trustees to divest. Contact alumni involved in past apartheid campaigns to learn from history.

Keep In Touch!

Let Voices in the Wilderness know your plans for divestment and we will try to assist you with information and publicity. 773-784-8065 or luo@vitw.org.

The Wheels of Justice Tour started again. Read about the tour below and then get involved! Also, visit the website for updates and new photos.

Nonviolent education and action against war and occupation in Iraq and Palestine for justice and universal human rights

Since July, 2003, the Wheels of Justice tour has brought its witness of war and occupation to more than twenty states. Traveling by Biodiesel-powered school bus, the WoJ has carried its message of peace more than 20,000 miles across the United States.

Having seen and lived with war, terror, and occupation in Iraq and Palestine, participants in the Wheels of Justice tour offer first-hand experience irrespective of partisan politics and media sound bites.

Our tour does many things, but its primary focus is education. Not everyone has the option to witness unfolding events thousands of miles away; not everyone has the means or time to find first-hand stories of life under occupation and war. We are a resource. Offering these perspectives to your campus, class, or school community is the way we can be most effective.

Direct Action

The Activist Handbook: a resource for budding activists and a good primer for people wanting an introduction to activism.

Nonviolence.org: ‘Direct Action’ is a term which is often misunderstood. It has the cachet of dramatic zealotry, yet in essence, it is often quieter and more powerful than this stereotype.

Just Law Collective: a legal handbook with useful terminology, flow charts, and preparatory materials for direct action and potential legal consequences.

American Civil Liberties Union: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is our nation’s guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.

Nonviolence Education & Curriculum

The Bruderhof Peacemakers Guide
Anyone can be a peacemaker. The Bruderhof Peacemakers Guide was created to inspire and empower you to work for peace, and to arm you with living proof of the power of nonviolence to effect change and resolve conflicts. Some of the peacemakers featured on this website are famous, others obscure, but all have dedicated their lives to building a more peaceful and just world through nonviolent means. For each you will find a short biography, an original portrait, and links to further reading.

Gene Sharp Resources: a comprehensive list of 198 methods of resistance and organizing strategies.

Youth Activism: stories from the global uprising.

Fellowship of Reconciliation: “Deepening the Roots” is a two-part training program offering first a holistic approach to the foundation of nonviolence, followed by more specific and specialized training and resources.

Sustainability And Simple Living

Permaculture: In 2004,The Permaculture Activist magazine celebrates its 20th year promoting the design of sustainable community. The Activist is North America’s leading permaculture periodical offering articles on permaculture design, edible landscaping, bioregionalism, aquaculture, natural building, earthworks, renewable energy, and much more. It provides a current listing of upcoming permaculture design courses and serves as an valuable global networking tool linking students to teachers and information, homeowners to designers and consultants, homeseekers to community, organisms to habitats, life to soil, and hope and help for all who imagine a culture that cares for the Earth AND people.

Catholic Worker: The Catholic Worker Movement, founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in 1933, is grounded in a firm belief in the God-given dignity of every human person. Today over 185 Catholic Worker communities remain committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, prayer, and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry, and foresaken. Catholic Workers continue to protest injustice, war, racism, and violence of all forms.