Peace Action Maine : Action Committee

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Action Committee 2006

Mission Statement

Our committee is resolved to build a just and peaceful world through the actions of all people committed to disarmament and creative responses to conflict. We will work to educate, to organize individuals, and to maximize the potential of each member to work towards peace and non-violence. We support and work in coalition with diverse groups in our community in order to learn from them, to strengthen each other and share our mutual skills. We seek to attain peace through justice.

Programs For 2006

1. Diversity Networking Project

Making connections with immigrant and refugee groups to give them support in the peace work they are doing in our state. The work often involves immigrants and refugees educating Maine people about wars, oppression, economic injustice, etc. in their homelands and how it connects to the policies of the U.S. government. The work also is making bonds between groups and individuals that will increase the safety and respect for all people living in our state.

Activities/accomplishments in 2005: Wells Staley-Mays and a few others have been involved with: NAACP; Tengo Voz; ASERELA; Fur Cultural Revival; Somali Community Development; Friends of Nuestras Raices (children's art projects in Peru); Equality Maine; POWER; Preble Street's Consumer Education Project; NOW; Center for African Heritage; Maine Haiti Solidarity; Maine Peace and Justice in Israel/Palestine; Immigrant Rights Coalition; East Africa Family Services Project; Bangladesh Children's Fund; Somali Youth of Maine; Art Exchange for a Just Peace; Alternatives to Violence Project; The Committee to Restore the Abyssinian; South Sudanese Nuer Association of Maine; Sudan Community Organization of Maine, Amnesty International.

2006 Goal: Continue working in coalition with other groups to increase our knowledge of other cultures, and provide our help for their projects where possible.

2. Nuclear Abolition - (and other weapons of mass destruction):

This is the core work of Peace Action Maine. The public and the media are becoming more aware every day of the danger of nuclear proliferation. Our assignment is to provide a way for the public voices to join our voices calling for nuclear abolition.

Activities/accomplishments in 2005: Success in defunding nuclear bunker busters. Many of our group attended the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) meeting in New York in May; participated in first peace day in Brunswick with our Shadow Project; held a rally in Portland with Shadows Project that was covered by national public radio.

2006 Goal: Worldwide abolition of nuclear weapons

Action 1: Urge support for the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. (El Baradai, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA], has suggested that we need to rethink this treaty in light of what Iran and North Korea are doing.)
Action 2: Work with Peace Action National on any of their efforts for nuclear abolition.
Action 3: Plan and implement actions around Shadows Project in August.
Action 4: Write articles for newspapers about the dangers of nuclear weapons.
Action 5: Attend editorial board meetings with this as the subject.

3. Disarmament/Budget Priorities

The work focuses on educating people about: our ever-growing defense budget and the shameful decrease in expenditures for human needs; the effects of militarism on our country and what real security means; the connection between corporate globalization and militarism and political power. (NOTE: We received a $20,000 grant from the Coloumbe Foundation for our work on security and nuclear weapons. Physicians for Social Responsibility also received a $20,000 grant for work on the same topics.)

Activities/accomplishments in 2005: Priority polls at Common Ground Fair; Tax Day actions; Raging Grannies events at two recruiting stations; reading the names of killed in many senators/representatives offices; Sally visited Camp Casey in Texas; Town Meeting with Tom Allen; Brunswick Naval Air Station Blue Angels event; several vigils in Monument Square that were covered by the press; meeting with news editor of Portland Press Herald; excellent press coverage all during the year.

2006 Goal: Reorder national priorities to address worldwide human and environmental needs.

Action 1: Plan and implement Tax Day events.
Action 2: Participate in rallies/vigils to stop the Iraqi war and prohibit any further wars.
Action 3: Promote community discussions on possibilities for changing the U.S. culture from one of empire building to one of fostering care for humanity and survival of the Earth.
Action 4: Work with Global Network to oppose missile offense. Plan and implement action during Keep Space for Peace Week.
Action 5: Work with Veterans for Peace to stop military recruiting in the high schools.
Action 6: Plan and implement more Raging Grannies' event at recruiting stations.

4. Sustainable Maine Economy

We're advocating for alternative public investment in clean, safe energy (NOT including nuclear energy) and green manufacturing sectors and diminishing investment in the defense industry. (As well as increasing the chances of planet Earth's survival!)

Activities/accomplishments in 2005: Creating alliances around the state; leading community discussions and presentations; revision of the PAM website; new brochures; speaking engagements on radio; traveling art exhibit; planning conference for March '06; articles in Times Record, the Phoenix and Peace Talk

2006 Goal: Continue to build alliances through our work for Sustainable Maine.

Action: Continue to work and plan for a successful Sustainable Maine Conference in Farmington on March 18th.

5. Artist In Residence Program

Peace Action is committed to partnering with people in the arts in promoting peace and justice.

Activities/accomplishments in 2005: Natasha Mayers has organized the War Flowers: Swords to Plowshares traveling art exhibit. She created a banner for the Brunswick Naval Air Base Blue Angels exhibit.

2006 Goal: Create art that speaks truth to power.

Action: Investigate other artistic venues for collaboration, such as plays, etc.

6. Peace Talk

Our newsletter reaches thousands of people throughout the state. It educates people on the issues and keeps people in touch with what is going on in the peace and justice community in Maine.

Activities/accomplishments in 2005: Continues to produce excellent newspaper for PAM.

2006 Goal: Increase advertising and expand distribution across the state.

Action 1: Seek person(s) to help solicit ads for Peace Talk.
Action 2: Seek ways to have Peace Talk delivered to northern areas of Maine at no extra expense.

7. Nonviolent Communication Workshops:

Activities/accomplishments in 2005: Cosponsored an introductory workshop in June with Peggy Smith of Advancing Teaching Strategies; organizing two more introductory session in February and April of 2006.

2006 Goal: Plan for and hold a successful workshop in 2006.

CIVIL LIBERTIES AND TORTURE: To be discussed at the board meetings in March.

Peace Action is trying to make coalition building inform all the work we do. We believe that it is in making the connections between the various issues and joining together to do the work that we will build a mass movement, powerful enough to change our country's direction.