Category Archives: antiwar

antiwar, Peace, Royal Family, Royal Rants: Critiques of the monarchy, Social Justice

For peace and more democracy: An alternative to the royal, Diamond Jubilee

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Our humble thoughts as Americans who are peace and justice activists is below.

For those readers who are subjects of the Queen, and/or understand the monarchy better than we do, you may want to attend the Occupy London event on June 3rd, and/or read these articles from the English press:

from The Newser
Anti-Monarchists Gear Up to Derail Queen’s Jubilee

from The Independent UK
The case for a republic is as strong now as it has always been

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On this Diamond Jubilee weekend, the (whimsical) Duke and Duchess of Peace call for an alternative to monarchy

The Peace Couple contemplate The Peace Pole
The Duke and Duchess of Peace

Peace Couple was born partly out of this idea: In our current culture of war and militarism, institutions such as the monarchy are used to gloss over war, and to co-opt the powerful energy of community story-telling towards a constant background banter for accumulated wealth and constant war.

So, while we wish Queen Elizabeth well as a person, we are not excited to see the English Monarchy — an institution of royalty, power, and privilege descending from the happenstance of birth — still existing in our world. Continue reading For peace and more democracy: An alternative to the royal, Diamond Jubilee →

antiwar, Holiday, Music, Nonviolence, Peace, Video

Memorial Day Weekend: Thoughts for peace

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Two thoughts:

One way to change the ch’i energy is with music. So, two videos below. One with the peaceful, joyful energy of friends drumming, and the other with the peaceful, soulful energy of meditation music.

The second video also reminds us of this Memorial Day idea: If we honor those who gave their lives for war, when do we honor those who gave their lives (and time, and energy, and heart and soul) for peace?

Hope you will be attending some Memorial Day events in you neighborhood, and bringing a message of peace and no more war. On Long Island, you can attend the Memorial Day Parade in Bellport*, and be present with the South Country Peace Group.

Continue reading Memorial Day Weekend: Thoughts for peace →

antiwar, Music, Nonviolence, Peace, Royal Song of The Day

5/20: The Peace Song of the Day is “Peace Is Possible”

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“Peace Is Possible” is the Peace Song of the Day for May 20, 2012. This song was created by Fre Atlast and Victoria Christgau.

The Duke and Duchess would like to dedicate this song to NATO, the NATO demonstrators, and the people of Chicago on this dramatic day of discussions about war and peace. The big march for today, Sunday May 20th, started at 2pm from Grant Park/Chicago. Info and details at Occupy Chicago: here.

More about the video and the NATO summit in Chicago at the readmore… Continue reading 5/20: The Peace Song of the Day is “Peace Is Possible” →

antiwar, Music, Occupy Wall Street, Peace, Royal Song of The Day

Thinking about NATO: Peace Song of the Day for 5/16/2012

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Jello Biafra‘s “Attack of the Peacekeepers” is the Peace Song of the Day for May 16th.

This choice is somewhat unusual for our Peace Couple daily project, because it is punk rock, a little too fast for most campfire singers, and has quite an edge of sarcasm. Though, NATO will meet in Chicago, and this song is an interesting way to think about the facts of peace, war, and military strategy.

This song is from the 1980’s. It alludes to the way that NATO made us believe we needed their bombs and military might to ward off the Soviets and East Germany. It is interesting to realize how the Soviet and East German threats truly faded away. And, it might be interesting to update this song with verses about the fake war on terrorism.

Sample lyrics and more info on the Chicago demonstrations at the readmore… Continue reading Thinking about NATO: Peace Song of the Day for 5/16/2012 →

antiwar, Nonviolence, Occupy Wall Street, Peace, Social Justice

How do people who cherish peace respond to the NATO summit in Chicago?

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A collection of links and articles related to work being done by activists in Chicago, to nurture peace and nonviolence, as NATO meets in Chicago, on May 20th and 21st.

The big march will be:
5/20/2012 Sunday starting at 2pm from Grant Park/Chicago
(with cultural and lead-up activities starting at 11am)

at OccupyWallSt.org
#ChicagoSpring: Occupy NATO May 12-21 Full Schedule

commentary at In These Times
As Chicago Prepares For NATO, Four Ways That Demonstrators Can Win
(including very specific comments and strategies for the peace movement) Continue reading How do people who cherish peace respond to the NATO summit in Chicago? →

antiwar, Nonviolence, Peace, Royal Book of the Week, Social Justice

Merton: The Root of War is Fear

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The Power of Nonviolence: Writings by Advocates of PeaceThe fourteenth chapter of The Power of Nonviolence: Writings by Advocates of Peace contains Thomas Merton‘s 1962 essay  The Root of War is Fear.  As we have seen in the essays by Muste, Day, Addams, Gandhi, and Penn, religious conviction can be a great motivator to speak out for pacifism. Adopting the contemplative life of a monk, seems to have propelled Merton outward into addressing war and violence.

The title of Merton’s essay remind me of what the Duchess always says, “That which is not love, is fear.”   Like Fromm’s essay of the prior week, Merton diagnoses the especially American idea that the only way to peace is through nuclear war as being a form of mental illness.

Merton immediately questions what is a Christian to do in a world where violence is considered to be the only answer. He quickly turns aside the choices of resigning oneself to the inevitability of the situation, using it as a reason to preach Apocalypse, or celebrating a nuclear victory over Atheist Communism. Merton finds there is only one appropriate response for a Christian:

That task is to work for the total abolition of war.

Continue reading Merton: The Root of War is Fear →

antiwar, Holiday, Peace, Royal Book of the Week, Shopping

A Peaceful Mother’s Day: Thoughts, Gift Ideas, and The Proclamation

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In the US, Mother’s Day started out as a holiday about peace. Initially mothers of soldiers who died in both sides of the Civil War would meet to try to reconcile.  The most famous example of the peaceful intent of Mother’s Day is the Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe.  She is best remembered as the abolitionist, pacifist, and suffragist poet who penned the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The proclamation is at the bottom of this post. In between are some peaceful gift suggestions for your mother,

Let’s start with a peaceful way to wrap your present:

Flowering gift wrapping paper that can be planted after it wraps a gift!  Continue reading A Peaceful Mother’s Day: Thoughts, Gift Ideas, and The Proclamation →