Walpole Peace & Justice Group

Peace Vigil, Saturday, November 5, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

2011-11-03T11:38:00.001-04:00

We are holding a vigil this coming Saturday to speak out for economic justice and against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The vigil will be held on Saturday, November 5, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the corner of Main St. and West St. across from the Walpole Coop Bank.

Any deals to solve the “debt crisis” in Congress must preserve the social programs that are essential to so many people in these difficult economic times. We urge our political leaders to look for other cuts and revenue sources instead of cutting social programs. For example, cutting the military budget and increasing taxes on those who can well afford it. Corporate loop holes should be closed and the Bush tax cuts left to expire. The United States spends almost as much on the military as all the other countries of the world combined. More than half of all US annual discretionary spending goes to the military and war fighting. We also call for an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Peace and Justice Group serving dinner at Breaking Bread, Monday, Nov 7

2011-10-26T11:43:00.003-04:00

“Breaking Bread”, a community meal program in Walpole, is sponsored by Walpole Families of Faith, an ecumenical group comprised of members from six local churches. The weekly meal is open to all, served every Monday night between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. at United Church, 30 Common St., next to the Post Office.

Many community groups help put on these meals and the Walpole Peace and Justice Group has volunteered to do the job on Monday, November 7. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join us in this endeavor. Setting up, cooking, serving, cleaning up are the tasks. If you would like to help anytime between ~4 and 7:30PM, please be in touch.

Thanks

Lois C., the Walpole Peace and Justice Group

Walpole Peace and Justice Group Peace Vigil, Saturday, October 15, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

2011-10-13T10:23:00.000-04:00

We are holding a vigil this coming Saturday to speak out for economic justice and against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The vigil will be held on Saturday, October 15, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the corner of Main St. and West St. across from the Walpole Coop Bank.

Any deals to solve the “debt crisis” in Congress must preserve the social programs that are essential to so many people in these difficult economic times. We urge our political leaders to look for other cuts and revenue sources instead of cutting social programs. For example, cutting the military budget and increasing taxes on those who can well afford it. Corporate loop holes should be closed and the Bush tax cuts left to expire. The United States spends almost as much on the military as all the other countries of the world combined. More than half of all US annual discretionary spending goes to the military and war fighting. We also call for an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Walpole Peace Group Meeting on Wednesday, Sep. 7 at 7:30 PM; Showing of 'Beyond Belief' on Sunday Sep. 11, 2011 at 7:00 PM

2011-09-06T11:24:00.002-04:00

The next meeting of the Walpole Peace and Justice Group is on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 7:30 PM at United Church. The public is invited.

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group and United Church in Walpole are sponsoring a showing of the documentary, ‘Beyond Belief’ on September 11, 2011 at the United Church at 7:00 PM. In remembrance of 9/11, the award winning documentary ‘Beyond Belief’ is a about two 9/11 widows from the Boston area. Susan Retik and Patti Quigley are two ordinary soccer moms until tragedy strikes. Rather than turning inwards, grief compels them to reach out to widows in Afghanistan. Over the course of two years, as they cope with loss and struggle to raise their families as single mothers, these women dedicate themselves to empowering Afghan women whose lives have been ravaged by decades of war, poverty, and oppression. From the ruins of the World Trade Center to those of Kabul and back, theirs is a remarkable story, a journey of personal strength and international reconciliation, a testament to the vision that peace can be forged… one woman at a time. There will be a brief discussion following the film. People may park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education, and enter the church by the side door.

Walpole Peace and Justice Group Peace Vigil, Saturday, Sept 3, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Cut miltary spending - Not Social Security, Close Corporate Tax L

2011-08-29T11:27:00.001-04:00

We are holding a vigil this coming Saturday to speak out for economic justice. The vigil will be held on Saturday, Sept 3, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the corner of Main St. and West St. across from the Walpole Coop Bank.

Any deals to solve the “debt crisis” in Congress must preserve the social programs that are essential to so many people in these difficult economic times. We urge our political leaders to look for other cuts and revenue sources instead of cutting social programs. For example, cutting the military budget and increasing taxes on those who can well afford it. Corporate loop holes should be closed and the Bush tax cuts left to expire. The United States spends almost as much on the military as all the other countries of the world combined. More than half of all US annual discretionary spending goes to the military and war fighting. We join with the Massachusetts 25% Solution campaign in urging that military spending be cut by 25% and the funds used for social services and to support our communities.

Walpole Peace and Justice Group Peace Vigil, Saturday, August 20, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Cut miltary spending - Not Social Security, Close Corporate Ta

2011-08-18T14:31:00.001-04:00

We are holding a vigil this coming Saturday to speak out for economic justice. The vigil will be held on Saturday, August 20, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the corner of Main St. and West St. across from the Walpole Coop Bank.

Any deals to solve the “debt crisis” in Congress must preserve the social programs that are essential to so many people in these difficult economic times. We urge our political leaders to look for other cuts and revenue sources instead of cutting social programs. For example, cutting the military budget and increasing taxes on those who can well afford it. Corporate loop holes should be closed and the Bush tax cuts left to expire. The United States spends almost as much on the military as all the other countries of the world combined. More than half of all US annual discretionary spending goes to the military and war fighting. We join with the Massachusetts 25% Solution campaign in urging that military spending be cut by 25% and the funds used for social services and to support our communities.

Walpole Peace and Justice Group Peace Vigil - Cut miltary spending - fund our communities - Saturday, July 30, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

2011-07-29T20:27:00.001-04:00

We are holding a vigil tomorrow to protest the proposed cuts to Social security, Medicare, Medicaid, and social services. Sorry for the late notice but it is very important that people speak out on this issue. The vigil will be held on Saturday, July 30, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the corner of Main St. and West St. across from the Walpole Coop Bank.

Any deal to resolve the debt vote standoff in Congress must preserve the social programs that are essential to so many people in these difficult economic times. We urge our political leaders to look for other cuts and revenue sources instead of cutting social programs. For example, cutting the military budget and increasing taxes on those who can well afford it. Corporate loop holes should be closed and the Bush tax cuts left to expire. The United States spends almost as much on the military as all the other countries of the world combined. More than half of all US annual discretionary spending goes to the military and war fighting. We join with the Massachusetts 25% Solution campaign in urging that military spending be cut by 25% and the funds used for social services and to support our communities.

Peace Vigil - Cut miltary spending - fund our Communities - Saturday, July 2, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

2011-06-30T11:49:00.000-04:00

You are invited to join with the Walpole Peace and Justice Group at a peace vigil this Saturday morning, July 2, to support cutting the military budget and funding our communities. We are calling for a reduction of military spending by 25% and redirection of our tax money to meet human needs. The vigil will be held on Saturday, April 16, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon on the Walpole Common, along Common and Front Streets, across from the Post Office.

The United States spends almost as much on its military as all the other countries of the world combined. More than half of all US annual discretionary spending goes to the military and war fighting. The 25% solution is the focus of a nation-wide campaign to cut military spending and fund urgent needs- jobs in housing, health care, education, clean energy and infrastructure repairs, programs that benefit our communities and vulnerable, hungry, and poor people in the US and abroad. We will be participating in the vigil as part of the Massachusetts 25% Solution campaign.

Walpole Peace and Justice Group Peace Vigil - Cut miltary spending - fund our communities - Saturday, April 16, 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon

2011-04-14T11:43:00.003-04:00

You are invited to join with the Walpole Peace and Justice Group, standing in vigil this Saturday morning, to support cutting the military budget and funding our communities. We will be calling for a reduction of military spending by 25% and redirection of our tax money to meet human needs.
The United States spends almost as much on its military as all the other countries of the world combined. More than half of all US annual discretionary spending goes to the military and war fighting. The 25% solution is the focus of a nation-wide campaign to cut military spending and fund urgent needs- jobs in housing, health care, education, clean energy and infrastructure repairs, programs that benefit our communities and vulnerable, hungry, and poor people in the US and abroad. We will be participating in the vigil as part of the Massachusetts 25% Solution campaign.

The vigil will be held on Saturday, April 16, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon on the Walpole Common, along Common and Front Streets, across from the Post Office. We will be holding a ‘budget banner’ showing the proportional spending across the budgets. We will also be handing out a fact sheet and gathering signatures for a petition. Since the budget banner is so long (due in large part to the lengthy military spending component!) we will need many hands to hold it. Additional people will be needed to distribute the fact sheets and gather signatures. Your help in taking a stand and making this statement will be very much appreciated.

Peace Vigil Saturday, March 5th at 10am

2011-03-02T11:17:00.001-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group is holding a peace vigil on Saturday, March 5th, 10:00 to 11:00 AM at the Walpole Common across from the Walpole Cooperative Bank, or the next corner up depending on snow conditions.

"Broken Promises, Broken Dreams, Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience" on March 8, 2011

2011-02-15T10:44:00.007-05:00

Dr. Alice Rothchild will speak on “Broken Promises, Broken Dreams, Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience” on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 7:30 PM at the United Church in Walpole. Alice Rothchild is a Boston based physician, activist and writer who has worked for many years on public health and human rights issues in Israel and the Occupied Territories.

Having just returned from a January 2011 trip to Israel/Palestine, Dr. Rothchild will share her latest experiences and insights on the region. She will also discuss her book, “Broken Promises, Broken Dreams.” This account of seven visits to Israel is based on hundreds of taped interviews with both Israelis and Palestinians. In her book, Dr. Rothchild grapples with the reality of life in Israel, the complexity of Jewish Israeli attitudes, and the hardship of Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza.

Dr. Rothchild cofounded and co-chairs American Jews for a Just Peace Boston and co-organized the AJJP Health and Human Rights Project. An obstetrician-gynecologist who has worked in the health care reform and women’s movements for many years, Dr. Rothchild was a contributor to the first “Our Bodies, Ourselves.” Medical Director of the Women’s Community Health Center in Cambridge, Mass. from 1977-1979 and co-founder of Urban Woman and Child Health, Inc., Dr. Rothchild is active in a number of social justice organizations.

Rothchild’s talk is being sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group. People may park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education house, and enter the church by the side door (directions here).

Chomsky/Bennis on Economic Crisis, Unending War, Rightwing Resurgence ... and Egypt

2011-02-01T21:24:00.008-05:00

Walpole Peace & Justice Group pleased to sponsor:
Noam Chomsky & Phyllis Bennis in Conversation

Get Your Tickets Now to hear Noam Chomsky and Phyllis Bennis!

Economic Crisis, Unending War, and Rightwing Resurgence
Noam Chomsky & Phyllis Bennis in Conversation
(including analysis of events in Egypt)

Thursday, February 10, 2011, 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15 ($10 student/low income/unemployed)

Pleasant Street Church, Arlington
75 Pleasant Street, out of Arlington Center, MA 02476

Come to part or all of this exciting program!

5:30 – 6:30: Pre-event reception with Noam and Phyllis. tickets $50 (advance reservation requested. Includes admission to the 6:30 talk )
6:30 – 8:15: Main event with Noam Chomsky and Phyllis Bennis
8:30 – 9:30: breakout groups built around specific campaigns or initiatives with introduction by Phyllis Bennis.

For Information call 888-400-1225
Or go to http://www.chomskyspeaks.org for directions to the Church, updates, and to purchase tickets online so you will be guaranteed a seat.

Lead sponsors: Mass. Global Action & the Majority Agenda Project. Other sponsors include Arlington United for Justice with Peace, Watertown Citizens for Environmental Security, Military Families Speak Out, Mass. Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee and United for Justice with Peace

http://www.MassGlobalAction.org & http://www.MajorityAgendaProject.org

Peace Group Talks

2010-11-04T11:20:00.005-04:00

So My Heart Can Speak:
A Story of Courage in Rwanda

Sister M. Juvenal of the Benebikira Sisters of Rwanda and Sister Ann Fox will discuss the time of the genocide in Rwanda during 1994 in which over one million people were killed in 100 days. During this time the Benebikira Sisters provided singular and heroic leadership and courage in sheltering children, women and elders, and boldly facing those responsible for the genocide. They will also discuss their central role in the remarkable recovery and transformation now taking place throughout Rwanda and share their insights about the country, culture and history of Rwanda.

For their outstanding courage and compassion the Benebikira Sisters were presented with the Courage of Conscience Award by The Peace Abbey on September 26, 2010.

Sister M. Juvenal Mukamurama is the former Superior General of the Benebikira Sisters and is currently studying in the graduate programs at Lesley University and Boston College. Sister Ann Fox is the Co-Director of the Paraclete Foundation that has overseen fund-raising and construction of schools for children, as well as many other services and projects in Rwanda.

The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group and is being held on Sunday, November 14, 2010, at 7:00 PM at the United Church in Walpole, 30 Common Street. People should park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education house, and enter the church using the door at the front of the church.

Practices of Peace and Nonviolence

Claude AnShin Thomas, the author of the best selling book “AT HELL'S GATE: A Soldier’s Journey from War to Peace” will speak on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 7:30 PM at the Walpole Public Library. The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group. In this talk Claude AnShin recounts his dramatic coming-of-age story and spiritual odyssey from combat soldier to Zen Buddhist Monk, International Advocate of Nonviolence, and Author. He offers profound insight into ways we can transform suffering and violence in our own lives and therefore in our world. His struggle to deal with the trauma of his childhood and the war in Vietnam and to find personal peace and spiritual insight is a prism through which to view America over the last thirty years – our difficulty in coming to terms with the legacy of Vietnam, our spiritual hunger, and our need to come to terms with our massive power and our use of violence.

“Everyone has their Vietnam,” Claude writes, “everyone has experienced trauma and everyone, if they want, can find healing and peace through looking deeply at the nature of their suffering. War is a collective expression of individual suffering.” The seeds of war and violence are planted early and often, and it is only through our actions and insights personally that we can hope to end war globally. What is startling in these days of the “war on terrorism” is that we rarely hear from the soldiers themselves. As a highly decorated helicopter crew chief who was wounded in battle and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, Claude AnShin speaks with an authenticity and an honesty that is extremely compelling to a wide audience. He can speak with direct experience about the realities of war, about what we are sending young men and women to do, and about the effect that making war has on all of us.

Talk by Benebira Sisters on Rwanda on November 14

2010-11-01T11:45:00.001-04:00

Please join us for a talk by the Benebikira Sisters of Rwanda on their heroic leadership during the time of the genocide and their role in the recovery and transformation afterwards.

So My Heart Can Speak:
A Story of Courage in Rwanda

Sister M. Juvenal of the Benebikira Sisters of Rwanda and Sister Ann Fox will discuss the time of the genocide in Rwanda during 1994 in which over one million people were killed in 100 days. During this time the Benebikira Sisters provided singular and heroic leadership and courage in sheltering children, women and elders, and boldly facing those responsible for the genocide. They will also discuss their central role in the remarkable recovery and transformation now taking place throughout Rwanda and share their insights about the country, culture and history of Rwanda.

For their outstanding courage and compassion the Benebikira Sisters were presented with the Courage of Conscience Award by The Peace Abbey on September 26, 2010.

Sister M. Juvenal Mukamurama is the former Superior General of the Benebikira Sisters and is currently studying in the graduate programs at Lesley University and Boston College. Sister Ann Fox is the Co-Director of the Paraclete Foundation that has overseen fund-raising and construction of schools for children, as well as many other services and projects in Rwanda.

The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group and is being held on Sunday, November 14, 2010, at 7:00 PM at the United Church in Walpole, 30 Common Street. People should park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education house, and enter the church using the door at the front of the church.

Peace Vigil on Saturday, August 7, 10am

2010-08-04T22:03:00.001-04:00

Please join us for a peace vigil on Saturday, August 7 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM as we call for the end of Afghanistan and Iraqi wars and the redirection of funds to human needs. The vigil will be held at the Walpole Common at the corner of Main and West Streets across from the Walpole Cooperative Bank. We are also observing the anniversary of the dropping of atomic bomb on Hiroshima and calling for nuclear disarmament.

Talk by Gaza Freedom Flotilla Filmmaker

2010-07-08T11:26:00.005-04:00

There will be an interesting talk on Friday night by a Gaza Freedom Flotilla Filmmaker. Please see the information at the Justice for Peace web site. An extract is below. It’s an opportunity to hear a first-hand account of what happened.

Gaza Freedom Flotilla Filmmaker Speaks Out

When: Friday, July 9, 2010, 7:00 pm
Where: Calvary Church, 300 Mass. Ave., Arlington

Scott Hamann, 29 year old filmmaker from Portland, Maine, had joined the Gaza Freedom Flotilla to document its mission when it fell victim to a deadly Israeli attack by IDF navy commandos. On July 9th he will speak about his first-hand experiences and show his own footage from the raid.

Nine passengers--among them a nineteen-year-old American citizen--were shot dead by Israeli forces when on May 31st they descended upon the Mavi Marmara passenger vessel in international waters in the dead of night. The flotilla, which carried more than 600 passengers from nearly 40 countries, was attempting to breach the illegal blockade of Gaza and to bring ten tons of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Scott was traveling on the Challenger I, an American-flagged ship, when it was forcibly overtaken by the Israeli military. He was brought to the Israeli port of Ashdod, detained and then deported along with hundreds of other activists, journalists and human rights workers.

Hamann will speak about his personal experience on the flotilla, the illegality of Israel’s actions, his detainment in Be’er Sheva Prison and about the shameless brutality of the Israeli police and Navy that he witnessed firsthand. Despite soldiers’ efforts to confiscate all media taken by flotilla passengers, Scott was able to smuggle out his own video footage of the Israeli raid.

Medical Responder on the Haitian Earthquake Disaster - Tuesday, May 25 at 7:30

2010-05-20T11:03:00.005-04:00

Please join us for a talk by Steven Cohen on his report as a Medical Responder to the Haitian Earthquake Disaster. The talk will be on Tuesday, May 25 at 7:30 PM at The United Church in Walpole. See below for more details.

A Report by a Medical Responder to the Haitian Earthquake Disaster will be given in Walpole on Tuesday, May 25 at 7:30 PM. Steven Cohen, a member of the International Medical Surgical Response Team (IMSURT) will talk about his experience as a medical responder, providing disaster relief in the days immediately following the January 12 earthquake.

Cohen’s description of his work at the Gheskio Clinic in Port Au Prince will give insight into conditions preceding the earthquake, the profound devastation that occurred, and the ongoing needs of the Haitian people. Cohen is a Nurse Anesthetist at Newton Wellesley Hospital. IMSURT is a division ot the US Governments Disaster Team which mobilizes for both national and international disasters.

Sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group, this Report by a Medical Responder to the Haitian Earthquake Disaster will be held at the United Church in Walpole, 30 Common Street, in the chapel. People may park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education house, and enter the church using the right side door.

Please note - that the meeting will be in the chapel, not the Bradford Lewis Hall.

Vigil on Walpole Common, Saturday, May 1, 10:00 - 11:00 AM

2010-04-29T12:30:00.000-04:00

Please join us for a peace vigil on Saturday, May 1 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM as we call for the end of Afghanistan and Iraqi wars and the redirection of funds to human needs. The vigil will be held at the Walpole Common at the corner of Main and West Streets across from the Walpole Cooperative Bank. Tragically, the number of U.S. service personnel killed in Afghanistan since the beginning of the war reached 1,000 on February 23, not to mention the thousands of Afghanistan troops and civilians killed and wounded and the hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled the ongoing fighting.

Talk on U.S. budget on April 29

2010-04-26T21:48:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, 7:00 – 9:00 PM, April 29, at the Natick Public Library, Chris Hellman, Communications liaison from National Priorities Project will present a powerpoint presentation entitled "Out of Balance". The topic will be the US budget and the huge disproportion in military spending vs human needs, with US defense spending almost equaling all other nations. The program is open to the public. Pax Christi Metrowest is organizing the event and Metrowest Peace Action and Military Families Speak Out are cosponsors.

Benjamin Day - The Need for a Massachusetts Single Payer Health Plan

2010-04-16T00:36:00.001-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group is sponsoring a talk by Benjamin Day on The Need for a Massachusetts Single Payer Health Plan on Tuesday, April 27th at 7:30 PM.

The health reform plan just passed by Congress leaves millions of people with no or limited health coverage and does little to control costs. Benjamin Day will speak on the MassCare campaign for a single, publicly financed health insurance plan. This plan will cut costs and provide comprehensive health care to all residents in Massachusetts. Almost all developed nations have some form of universal, publicly financed health care which covers all people while realizing enormous savings. The single payer plan will give the Town of Walpole vital relief, removing the health insurance cost from the town budget, freeing up those funds for other badly needed town services and education.

Benjamin Day is the Executive Director of Mass-Care, the Massachusetts Campaign for Single Payer Health Care. Day's background is in labor research and labor education. He is the co-editor the Encyclopedia of Strikes in American History, and author of a number of articles on labor organizing and health care reform. Benjamin has had the privilege of becoming sick in England, where he lived for a year under socialized medicine. He currently organizes the campaign for single payer health care in Massachusetts and serves part-time as the state coordinator for Massachusetts Physicians for a National Health Program.

The talk is being held at the United Church in Walpole, 30 Common Street, in the Bradford Lewis Hall. People should park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education house, and enter the church using the right side door.

Screening of "View from a Grain of Sand", Tuesday, April 13

2010-04-05T22:02:00.004-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group will be showing the award winning documentary, View from a Grain of Sand, on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 7:30 PM at the United Church in Walpole, 30 Common Street. Filmed by Meena Nanji, View from a Grain of Sand, documents the state of women in Afghanistan through the eyes of three Afghan women: a doctor, a teacher, and a rights activist.

“Illustrated with vérité footage, interviews and archival material, their personal stories lead us through the minefield of Afghanistan’s complex history, and provide illuminating context for Afghanistan’s current situation and the ongoing battle women face, even now, to gain basic human rights. Shot over a four-year period in the sprawling refugee camps of north-western Pakistan and in the war-torn city of Kabul, the documentary constructs a harrowing, thought-provoking, yet intimate portrait of the plight of Afghan women over the last 30 years—from the rule of King Zahir Shah to the current Hamid Karzai government. The women are powerfully moving as they re-define strength and resilience in the face of on-going struggle, and give a full and visceral picture of a still divided and brutalized nation. As world attention has shifted to other crises, this project re-focuses the camera on Afghanistan, remembering the voices of those most vulnerable and most affected by the conflicts: women.”

People may park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education, and enter the church using the right side door.

In Natick, protests on war anniversary low-key this year

2010-03-23T11:08:00.004-04:00

Demonstrators marched in Natick yesterday to protest US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. (John Blanding/Globe Staff)

From boston.com:

“Although our numbers may be small, our voices need to be heard,’’ said Rob Kearns, 43, of Walpole, a former Marine, a member of Veterans for Peace, and a regular attendee at any peace events.

Memorial Vigil / Walk to Natick Army Base March 20

2010-03-18T11:08:00.003-04:00

The MetroWest Peace Group and the Peace Abby are sponsoring a peace walk to mark the 7th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq on March 20.

They will be meeting at Noon at the gasebo on the Common in downtown Natick. Intersection of Rte 135 and 27 (North Main St. ) They will stand for a short while there, then walk up Rte 27 (No. Main) towards the Natick Labs with their signs. They will stand on the corner of No Main and Kansas Street for a while and then walk back to the Natick Common. It is approximately 2 miles total, maybe less.

See the Metro West press release below for more information.

If you would like to participate in this peace walk and want to carpool from Walpole, please be in touch.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Memorial Vigil and Walk to Natick Army Base March 20 is the 7th Anniversary of our country's invasion of Iraq. On Saturday, March 20, there will be a vigil and march to remember that we still occupy Iraq and Afghanistan, and acknowledge the human toll. Any one who would like to join this event should gather at the Natick Common Bandstand at 12:00. We will then walk to the Natick Army Base where we will read the names of those from Massachusetts who have lost their lives in these conflicts. We will also remember in silence the Iraqi and Afghanistan civilians, dead and wounded in this long conflict.

This is a peaceful, but clear message to remind all of us, that we are at war with no real end in sight. The Peace Abbey has offered the use of the memorial stone which honors unknown civilians killed in wars for this occasion. If enough people would like to participate we would push the stone on its caisson from the Peace Abbey in Sherborn to the Natick Common.

Sponsored by MetrowestPeaceAction
If you are interested in these events you can contact the Peace Abbey at info@peaceabbey.org

Peace Group Events

2010-03-04T10:54:00.005-05:00

Next events for the Peace Group are:

Friday, March 5, 7:00 PM, “Follow the Women Tour” at the Peace Abby. See details below courtesy of Madeline. I believe Shelia sent out an email for those looking to car pool.

Saturday, March 6, 10:00 – 11:00 AM – Vigil

Sunday, March 7, 2:00 – 5:00 PM, Peace Group Social and French slides at Czachorowski’s, families, spouses invited

Action Item: Call Congressman Lynch this morning and ask him to support Dennis Kucinich privileged resolution to end the Afghan War, see the attached email from Carol Coakley.

Follow The Women Tour

Friday, March 5th 7PM Collen McGuire will be at The Peace Abbey to make a presentation about the organization that brings over 200 women cyclists every year to the Middle East for peace, solidarity, and empowerment. Colleen, a co- founder and organizer of the tour said,"The tour's purpose is to call attention to the fact that women and children suffer most in regions of conflict-innocent victims of hostile government policies".
Colleen has participated in the tour four times and has met and cycled with some amazing women including the First Lady of Syria and Queen Rania of Jordan.

Colleen will be showing slides and talking about her experiences and inviting American women to join the tour.
Ora McGuire, Coleen's mother, a wonderful peacemaker lives locally in Walpole and will be with us for the evening. All are welcome! We extend the invitation to young people as well.

Walpole Peace and Justice Group on the Walpole Common, Saturday, March 6, 10:00 - 11:00 AM

Please join us for a peace vigil on Saturday, March 6 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM as we call for the end of Afghanistan and Iraqi wars and the redirection of funds to human needs. The vigil will be held at the Walpole Common at the corner of Main and Front Streets across from the Walpole Cooperative Bank. Tragically, the number of U.S. service personnel killed in Afghanistan since the beginning of the war reached 1,000 on February 23, not to mention the thousands of Afghanistan troops and civilians killed and wounded and the thousands of refugees who have fled the ongoing fighting.

Peace vigils are held on the first Saturday of the month from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common.

NEU Conference on Haiti

2010-02-22T11:03:00.005-05:00

The New England United Peace is sponsoring a Conference on Haiti on Saturday, February 27, see below. Please let us know if you are interested in attending.

February 27, 2010
New England United
General Meeting
1:00 - 5:00 pm
Who killed Haiti and why? The US occupation and the fight to rebuild a country free from exploitation.

Hear reports from medical personnel just back from relief efforts, and Ashley Smith, who reported from Haiti during the 1994 occupation. Smith has been active in the Haiti solidarity movement since the 1990's. He has written about Haiti for the International Socialist Review, Znet, and Counterpunch.

This program will be followed by the regular monthly meeting of New England United. Proposed agenda includes:

• the March 20 antiwar march on DC
• new campaigns to end the siege of Gaza
• evaluation of Jan. 30 Conference

Saturday February 27, 1-5 pm
Encuentro 5 , 33 Harrison, Boston, MA

Next Peace Vigil: Saturday, March 6, 10:00 to 11:00 AM

Melba Phelps Belk Skewers the Christian Right

2009-12-06T19:55:00.008-05:00

Melba Phelps Belk Skewers the Christian Right - just in time for Christmas at Tribes (New York City) in December. With music by our own Barry Oremland:

Iraq and Afghanistan: An Accounting

2009-10-14T11:18:00.002-04:00

Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich will give a talk on “Iraq and Afghanistan: An Accounting” on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 7:30 PM. The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group and is open to the public.

Andrew J. Bacevich is professor of history and international relations at Boston University. A graduate of the U. S. Military Academy, he received his Ph. D. in American diplomatic history from Princeton. Before joining the faculty of Boston University in 1998, he taught at West Point and at Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Bacevich is the author of several books, including The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism (2008), The New American Militarism: How Americans Are Seduced by War (2005) and American Empire: The Realities and Consequences of U. S. Diplomacy (2002). He is the editor of The Long War: A New History of U. S. National Security Policy since World War II (2007) and Imperial Tense: Problems and Prospects of American Empire (2003). His essays and reviews have appeared in a wide variety of scholarly and general interest publications to include The Atlantic Monthly, The Wilson Quarterly, The London Review of Books, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The Nation, and The New Republic. His op-eds have appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, International Herald Tribune, Boston Globe, and Los Angeles Times among other newspapers. Dr. Bacevich is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

The talk is being held at the United Church in Walpole in the Bradford Lewis Hall. People should park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education, and enter the church using the right side door.

Violence in a Peacemaking World

2009-10-12T10:04:00.001-04:00

Claude AnShin Thomas, the author of the best selling book “AT HELL'S GATE: A Soldier’s Journey from War to Peace” will speak on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 7:30 PM at the United Church in Walpole. The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group. In this talk Claude AnShin recounts his dramatic coming-of-age story and spiritual odyssey from combat soldier to Zen Buddhist Monk, International Advocate of Nonviolence, and Author. He offers profound insight into ways we can transform suffering and violence in our own lives and therefore in our world. His struggle to deal with the trauma of his childhood and the war in Vietnam and to find personal peace and spiritual insight is a prism through which to view America over the last thirty years – our difficulty in coming to terms with the legacy of Vietnam, our spiritual hunger, and our need to come to terms with our massive power and our use of violence.

“Everyone has their Vietnam,” Claude writes, “everyone has experienced trauma and everyone, if they want, can find healing and peace through looking deeply at the nature of their suffering. War is a collective expression of individual suffering.” The seeds of war and violence are planted early and often, and it is only through our actions and insights personally that we can hope to end war globally. What is startling in these days of the “war on terrorism” is that we rarely hear from the soldiers themselves. As a highly decorated helicopter crew chief who was wounded in battle and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, Claude AnShin speaks with an authenticity and an honesty that is extremely compelling to a wide audience. He can speak with direct experience about the realities of war, about what we are sending young men and women to do, and about the effect that making war has on all of us.

The public talk is being held at the United Church in Walpole in the Bradford Lewis Hall. People should park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education, and enter the church using the right side door.

A Critique of Congressional Health Reform Plans

2009-08-31T01:29:00.003-04:00

Dr. Patricia Downs Berger, Co-Chair of Mass-Care, will speak on “A Critique of Congressional Health Reform Plans” on Tuesday, September 8th at 7:30 PM. The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group and is open to the public.

As Congress is deliberating on health care reform, the public is being bombarded with misinformation and outright lies. In this talk, Dr. Berger will explain and compare the various health reform bills being proposed and the health coverage they will provide. She will describe the current state of health coverage in the United States and the impact of the Massachusetts Healthcare Reform Law. She will also describe how a single payer plan would work, which is not being considered even though it would offer the most comprehensive coverage.

Dr. Berger is the Co-Chair of Mass-Care, an umbrella organization with more than 100 member organizations. Their mission is to “establish a single payer health care system in Massachusetts so that all residents of the Commonwealth will have access to comprehensive, quality, affordable and equitable health care.” Dr. Berger has practiced medicine in a variety of settings in Massachusetts. Having seen the inequities in the health care system first hand, she is passionate in her belief “that access to comprehensive, equitable, high quality health care is a human right and is the foundation for a healthy and compassionate society.”

The talk is being held at the United Church in Walpole in the Bradford Lewis Hall. People should park in the parking lot to the right of the church, using the driveway after the Center for Community Counseling and Education house, and enter the church using the right side door.

Metrowest Joint Peace Vigil

2009-08-16T18:28:00.001-04:00

Please join us for a peace vigil sponsored by Metrowest Peace Action and the Walpole Peace and Justice Group on the Walpole Common, at the corner of Main Street and Common Street on Saturday, August 22, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. We are calling for more domestic spending, more diplomacy, more for human needs and not more war, not more weapons.

You are also invited to join in a lunch and Metrowest Peace Action meeting following the vigil at the United Church, from 11:00 to 1:00 PM. You should bring your own lunch but drinks and dessert will be provided. The church is at 30 Common Street, across from the Walpole Common.

The Metrowest Peace Action is a coalition of members from various peace groups from towns in the metro-west area including Maynard, Westborough, Framingham, Natick, Holliston, Sherborn, Millis, Walpole, and Norfolk.

Please join us for this important vigil; having members from the area Peace Groups join together in one place gives our statement more impact.

Speaker series:
* Dr. Berger is confirmed to speak on Tuesday, September 8 on the topic "A Critique of Congressional Health Reform Plans."

Peace Vigil and Talk on Israel/Palestine

2009-05-01T11:01:00.000-04:00

Vigil on Saturday

We will hold the vigil tomorrow, May 2, 2009 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Commons to protest the Afghanistan war. We will stand across from the Walpole Cooperative Bank unless there are political supporters, in which case we will move up to Common-West Streets.

Talk on the Israeli and Palestinian Conflict: The Root Causes on Sunday

On Sunday, May 3, from 11:30 to 1:00 there will be a talk on the Israeli and Palestinian Conflict: The Root Causes, to be held at the United Church in Walpole. You are welcome to attend. A light lunch will be served.

The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians appears to be intractable. Violence continues; both civilian populations are suffering; a political solution seems impossible. The major powers have been ineffective in their efforts to follow through with the so-called “peace process.”

Come and join the Outreach Committee of United Church for a presentation and discussion on Israel and Palestine on Sunday, May 3, 11:30 in the library/ parlor. We will start with a 40 minute presentation by Philip Czachorowski giving a brief history of Israel and Palestine, focusing on the root causes of the conflict and dispelling the many myths that have grown up over the years. While the media covers the current issues and fighting, it tends to ignore the root causes. A solution to the conflict requires a resolution of the underlying issues, like land ownership. Although the issues appear complex they are really fairly simple. The talk will be followed by an open discussion.

Award Winning Documentary, FLOW, at Walpole Library on Tuesday, May 5, at 7:00 PM

2009-04-30T10:57:00.004-04:00

Please join us on Tuesday, May 5, at the Walpole Public Library at 7:00 PM for a screening of FLOW, “For the Love of Water”, the award winning documentary about the world water crisis and the impact of water privatization on developing countries. It will be presented by the Rev. Bob McKetchnie and will be followed by a short talk.

FLOW is Irena Salina's documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis. Of the 6 billion people on earth, 1.1 billion do not have access to safe, clean drinking water.

Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.

Interviews with scientists and activists intelligently reveal the rapidly building crisis, at both the global and human scale, and the film introduces many of the governmental and corporate culprits behind the water grab, while begging the question "can anyone really own water?"

Beyond identifying the problem, FLOW also gives viewers a look at the people and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis and those developing new technologies, which are fast becoming blueprints for a successful global and economic turnaround.

On December 10th, 2008 FLOW was invited to screen at the United Nations as part of the 60th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights

Rev. Bob McKetchnie is the minister at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Medfield. He became interested in the topic of water privatization as a result of visiting Mexico last year while on sabbatical. He went to visit Mexico with a Natick non-profit known as "Project Stretch: Dentistry Reaching Out To Children", for the purpose of helping facilitate dentistry services to the poor. Clean water was a major concern and it opened his eyes to similar problems around the world.

Save Our Library - Thurs Mar 19 09 at 7:30 at the Walpole Library

2009-03-14T11:57:00.000-04:00

Please join us at a meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 7:30 at the Walpole Library to plan how we can save our library. The town is proposing a 36% budget cut that will cripple library services. Jerry Romelczyk, Library Director, and Paul Cesary, Chairman of the Library Trustees, will be present to answer questions regarding the impact of the proposed cuts.

The town is facing a financial crisis and all town departments are having their budgets cut. However, the proposed cut in the library budget is far beyond its fair share and would devastate our library services. A cut of this magnitude would result in a drastic reduction of hours and programs. The budget for purchasing new books and materials would be slashed. The library would lose state certification and annual state aid and would almost certainly have interlibrary loan privileges suspended.

With the financial crisis our library is seeing increased demand for borrowing materials and services. Please join us as we seek ways to keep this essential town service funded at a reasonable level.

Please invite anyone who may be interested.

Multitown Peace Vigil Sat Mar 14 09

2009-03-12T20:47:00.003-04:00

Please join us for a peace vigil sponsored by the Metrowest Peace Action on the Natick Common at the intersection of Routes 27 and 135 on Saturday, March 14, at 12:00 noon. The vigil is calling for a speedy withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, remembrance of the 6 year anniversary of the Iraq war, a cut in the military budget, and respect for Palestinian/Israeli human rights.

The Metrowest Peace Action is a newly formed group consisting of members from various peace groups from towns in the metrowest area including Maynard, Westborough, Framingham, Natick, Holliston, Sherborn, Millis, Walpole, and Norfolk. Having members from the area Peace Groups join together for a vigil will give our statement more impact.

National Priorities: What Does Real Homeland Security Look Like?

2008-11-09T18:58:00.001-05:00

Please join us for a talk by Dr. Barb Chalfonte on “National Priorities: What Does Real Homeland Security Look Like?” at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, November 18, at 7:00 PM. Dr. Chalfonte, a Senior Research Associate at the National Priorities Project, will consider what it really means to be secure at home as a nation. From the perspective of our current federal budget, homeland security primarily means military defense, but what about food, energy, jobs, health care, and housing security? Dr. Chalfonte will look at the role of the federal government in meeting those security needs. She will also talk about tradeoffs between excessive military spending on war and fossil fuel access versus social needs spending. You may be surprised to hear how much the U.S. spends on defense compared to all other developed countries of the world. Dr. Chalfonte will also examine the impact of federal budget priorities on towns like Walpole and discuss how individuals can advocate to make those budget priorities reflect their own.

The National Priorities Project, NPP, is a research organization that analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent. Located in Northampton, MA, since 1983, NPP focuses on the impact of federal spending and other policies at the national, state, congressional district and local levels.

Dr. Chalfonte has a background in science and technology research as well as in organizing for social and economic justice. Prior to joining the NPP, she worked at Bell Communications Research and was on the faculty of Mt. Holyoke College. Dr. Chalfonte has written and lectured on how people understand and remember information and how to design technology to support that understanding. She has also worked on several political campaigns and served on the boards of political action committees. She holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University and a B.A. from Williams College.

People should note that the talk starts at 7:00 PM, which is earlier than the usual time for talks sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group.

Bacevich Dedication Sat Nov 8 10AM

2008-11-07T10:47:00.006-05:00

The Dedication of the Bacevich Memorial on the Walpole Common will take place tomorrow, Saturday, November 8th at 10 AM. The public is invited. Dr. Bacevich will speak. Come if you can.

Updates:

Soldier honored at Walpole fountain rededication
Evangelical foreign policy is over

The Costs of War, Violence, and Denial

2008-10-06T10:06:00.004-04:00

Claude Anshin Thomas, the author of the best selling book “At Hell's Gate: A Soldier’s Journey from War to Peace,” will speak at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 7:30 PM. In this talk Claude recounts his dramatic coming-of-age story and spiritual odyssey from combat soldier to Zen Buddhist monk and advocate of nonviolence. He offers profound insight into ways we can end suffering and violence in our own lives and in our world. His struggle to deal with the trauma of Vietnam and to find personal peace and spiritual insight is a prism through which to view America over the last thirty years – our difficulty in coming to terms with the legacy of Vietnam, our spiritual hunger, and our need to come to terms with our massive power and our use of violence.

“Everyone has their Vietnam,” Claude writes, “everyone has experienced trauma and everyone, if they want, can find healing and peace through looking deeply at the nature of their suffering. War is a collective expression of individual suffering.” The seeds of war and violence are planted early and often, and it is only through our actions and insights personally that we can hope to end war globally. What is startling in these days of the “war on terrorism” is that we rarely hear from the soldiers themselves. As a highly decorated helicopter crew chief who was wounded in battle and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, Claude speaks with an authenticity and an honesty that is extremely compelling to a wide audience. He can speak with direct experience about the realities of war, about what we are sending young men and women to do, and about the effect that making war has on all of us.

Claude Anshin Thomas went to Vietnam at the age of eighteen, where he received numerous medals, including twenty-seven Air Medals, a Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. Today he is a monk in the Soto Zen tradition and an active speaker and Zen teacher, traveling the world speaking about war and teaching meditation. He also leads peace pilgrimages through war-torn and war-scarred places around the world. Claude is the founder of the Zaltho Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes peace and non-violence. The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group and is open to the public.

Boston Peace March October 11th

2008-10-04T11:50:00.002-04:00

Please join members of the Walpole Peace and Justice Group on October 11th in Boston for a peace march and rally to stand up for peace in the Middle East and calling for an end of the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and to bring our troops home now. The march is on the anniversary of the day Congress approved the “Iraq War Resolution” in 2002 that granted the Bush administration authorization to invade Iraq. The march and rally was organized by a broad regional network of anti-war, human rights, and peace and justice groups. It is calling for:

- Stop the wars and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan
- Money for jobs, education, healthcare and housing - not for war and occupation
- No sanctions or attack on Iran
- Stop the racist scapegoating of Arabs and Muslims
- Stop the assault on human rights and civil liberties

The rally starts at 12:00 noon at the Boston Common at the corner of Beacon Street and Charles Street. After a 2 hour program of speakers and musicians, there will be a march to Copley Square and back to the Boston Common. More information can be found at the Oct11 web site, http://www.oct11boston.org

You are invited to join us to go into Boston via the commuter train from Walpole. We will be taking the 11:01 AM train that will arrive at Back Bay Station at 11:38 AM and South Station at 11:45 AM. The fare is $5.75 each way. Trains leave Boston at 5:20 PM, 7:20 PM, 9:20 PM, and 5 minutes later from Back Bay. Parking should be available at the top of the station. Look for us on the platform.

This march and rally is an opportunity for us to speak out against this disastrous “preemptive war” that was started using false pretenses. This war was totally unjustified and has resulted in the deaths of over 4,150 U.S. solders and up to 1,000,000 Iraq civilians and has destroyed much of Iraq.

Next Speaker Series: Claude Anshin Thomas on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at the Walpole Public Library, 7:30 PM

Claude Anshin Thomas is the author of the best selling book “At Hell's Gate.” In this talk Claude recounts his dramatic coming-of-age story and spiritual odyssey as well as offering his profound insights into suffering and violence, and how we can end them in ourselves and in our world. Claude Anshin Thomas went to Vietnam at the age of eighteen, where he received numerous medals, including twenty-seven Air Medals, a Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. Today he is a monk in the Soto Zen tradition and an active speaker and Zen teacher, traveling the world speaking about war and teaching meditation. He also leads peace pilgrimages through war-torn and war-scarred places around the world. Claude is the founder of the Zaltho Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes peace and non-violence.

Documentary Film on School of the Americas

2008-09-15T00:57:00.002-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group will show the documentary film, On The Line, at the Walpole Public Library on September 16th at 7:30 PM. On The Line is an inside look at the people behind one of the largest nonviolent movements in America today: the movement to close the School of the Americas/WHINSEC, a U.S. Army school that trains Latin American soldiers. Why should the school be closed? Many of it's graduates have been involved in some of the worst human rights abuses in Central and South America. The rape and murder of four U.S. nuns, the killing of six priests, and the murder of Archbishop Romero in El Salvador are just some of the more familiar atrocities for which School of America graduates have been responsible.

The movement to close the school of the Americas was started by Fr. Roy Bourgeois in 1990 when he founded the School of the Americas Watch (SOAW) and along with 9 others fasted at the gates of Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia. Since then, over 225 people have been arrested for performing acts of civil disobedience at these demonstrations. They have collectively served more than 95 years in a federal prison and paid thousands of dollars in heavy fines. Many of those arrested are people of faith (ministers, priests, nuns); veterans, college students, grandmothers and grandfathers. In other words, people from all walks of life from all over the country have been moved by their conscience to do what they can to close this school that operates with our tax dollars.

After our country was attacked on 9/11, President Bush said that we need to shut down all terrorist training camps around the world. Come see why Fr. Roy Bourgeois responded that a good place to start would be Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia.

Peace Vigil on Sat Sep 6

2008-09-05T00:57:00.000-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group is holding a peace vigil on Saturday, September 6, 10:00 to 11:00 AM at the Walpole Common across from the Walpole Cooperative Bank, near the water trough. Note that we have moved the location of the vigil. The vigil will be held pending the weather and how tropical storm Hanna tracks.

We thank all those who joined us at the last vigil, especially those who traveled from other towns. We believe it is important to continue holding vigils calling for our country to withdraw all our troops from Iraq and bring them home. This war was started under false pretenses and has caused untold destruction and death. We mourn for all who have been killed in this war. We honor our service men and women and our veterans and believe the best way to support them is to bring them home.

The next speaker series will be on September 16, 2008 at 7:30 PM at the Walpole Public Library.

Bill Moyers Interviews Andrew J. Bacevich

2008-08-16T13:59:00.003-04:00

"As campaign ads urge voters to consider who will be a better "Commander in Chief," Andrew J. Bacevich — Professor of International Relations at Boston University, retired Army colonel, and West Point graduate — joins Bill Moyers on the JOURNAL to encourage viewers to take a step back and connect the dots between U.S. foreign policy, consumerism, politics, and militarism."

Video after the jump ...

Demonstration Not "Out of Bounds"

2008-08-12T14:57:00.003-04:00

An editorial recently posted in the Daily Transcript:

"Walpole Selectmen took a step forward by approving the demonstration, but a step backward by censuring it. It would have been better to stay out of it and simply allow a local group to practice its Constitutional rights. Those who found the display offensive also have the Constitutional right to say so. Freedom of expression is at the heart of what America stands for and a governing body should respect that.

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group’s members only want to stop more of what they see as needless deaths. The last thing they can be called is insensitive towards those whose lives they are trying to protect."

One Mother's Answer

2008-07-10T23:14:00.001-04:00

Board of Selectman
Walpole Town Hall
att: Catherine Winston, Chair

A friend recently showed me a news item from Daily News Transcript written by Jeb Bobseine. The heading read "Selectmen call coffin display 'insensitive.'" Chairwoman of the Selectman, Cathie Winston said the display would 'only heighten the anxieties and fears of those residents with friends and family currently serving in the military.' As the mother of an army reservist who has served one year in Iraq and who will soon leave for another year long deployment in Afghanistan, I would like to disagree. I live with the knowledge of what my son's service in a combat zone as a medic and mental health worker means every minute of the day. I know what it is like to dread the knock on the door or the late night phone call. What is appalling to me is that the American people seem to want to forget this terrible war and the price we have all paid for it in life and treasure. When my son returned from a year in Iraq, he was depressed by the indifference of so many here at home to what was happening to our troops and the Iraqi people. Coffins and memorials to those who have died, a moment of attention paid to those who will never return to family and friends, are not ‘insensitive,’ they are reminders that we are ALL involved in this tragedy.

Every family I know who has lost a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan is disgusted by the executive order which does not allow a flag draped coffin to be shown on the news. I know a mother who was told to wait until after sundown to receive the body of her beloved son, because coffins of dead soldiers may not be off loaded from planes until it is dark!

I applaud Walpole for bringing a few hours of reality to your town common. If the people of Walpole find coffins distasteful, perhaps they should wake up and remember, there IS a war going on and we who shoulder it know what a coffin looks like.

Sarah Fuhro

Statement by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group - July 7, 2008

2008-07-08T18:38:00.006-04:00

As members of the Walpole Peace and Justice Group we were taken aback by the Walpole Board of Selectmen’s public reprimand regarding the “Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq." We were surprised that the Board failed to first contact the Peace Group, instead acting to sensationalize the matter and detract from the serious intent of the Tribute. The Selectmen’s statement, coming from an official town board, represents a disturbing threat to the constitutionally protected exercise of free speech. We object to the Selectmen’s implication that we do not “embrace civility and decency.”

The Tribute consisted of wristbands with the name, rank, age, and date of death of each of the thousands of men and women who have died serving our country in Iraq. The purpose of the tribute was to honor these men and women and it was hoped that, for those who visited and viewed the display, this tribute would “personalize the terrible price in human life and the sacrifice so many families have made.” There were 4,098 wristbands as of the date of the display.

The Selectmen’s issue was what they referred to as the “insensitive inclusion of caskets or coffins.” The wristbands were transported in 82 cardboard boxes, 50 names to a box. After erecting the display we stacked the 82 boxes near the tribute. The visual impact of these stacked boxes reminded those present of coffins, adding to the recognition of the “terrible price in human life.” Black cloths were then draped on the boxes to give greater solemnity to the visual statement. Certainly we intended no disrespect. Families of fallen soldiers stopped by, found the names of their loved ones, and thanked us for the tribute. Other people who walked around the tribute and read the names were moved by it.

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group has great respect for the soldiers and military families who live with fear and loss and the devastating impact of this war. We do hope and pray for an end to the conflict and the return of our troops. It is in their behalf that we seek to raise the awareness and sensitivity of our fellow citizens and work for an end to the Iraq war. We urge people to direct their outrage to those who used deception in leading our country to war and to tell their government representatives to bring about a speedy withdrawal. We support our troops wholeheartedly in the call both to “bring them home” and give desperately needed aid to soldiers and families who have suffered the devastating injuries of war.

Walpole Peace and Justice Group

Madeline Champagne
Lois Czachorowski
Philip Czachorowski
Sheila Harbst
Barry Oremland
Paul Peckham

Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq on Saturday, May 31 at the Walpole Common

2008-06-16T21:51:00.000-04:00

Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites public to view a “Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq" on Saturday, June 21 at the Walpole Common

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites the public to view a “Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq" on Saturday, June 21 at the Walpole Common. The Tribute honors the U.S. service men and women who have been killed in Iraq since March 19, 2003. The names of all 4,000+ service men and women are imprinted on wristbands along with the age, military rank, and date when the person was killed. The wristbands are displayed on a stand over 60 feet long and six feet high.

The Tribute was created by Madeline Champagne, a member of the Walpole Peace and Justice Group. The Tribute is on permanent display at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn.

Regardless of one’s opinion of the Iraq war, we all join in honoring those who have given their lives in the service of our country. Seeing the names of all those killed in the war personalizes the terrible price in human life and the sacrifice so many families have made. The public is invited to visit the tribute to pay their respect and reflect on the human cost of the war. The Tribute will be on display between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM at the Walpole Common across from the U.S. Post Office. In the event of inclement weather the Tribute will be displayed in the United Church from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Peace Vigil, Saturday, June 7

2008-06-05T09:50:00.001-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join us for a peace vigil, Saturday, June 7, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office. Peace vigils are held on the first and third Saturdays of the Month.

Iraqi to speak on Refugee Crisis, Walpole Public Library, Tuesday, June 3

2008-06-02T10:08:00.001-04:00

Dr. Nabeel Khudairi will give a talk entitled, “The Iraqi Refugee Crisis – A Four Million Man March”, at the Walpole Public Library on June 3 at 7:30 pm. Dr. Khudairi was born in Baghdad in 1961. His father, from the southern city of Amara, was the dean of the University of Baghdad College of Agriculture and a PhD graduate of UCLA, while his mother was an ecologist and was from the northern city of Mosul.

In 1966, to escape political harassment created by the newly established Ba’ath Party, his family moved to Boston, where his father taught at Northeastern University. Nabeel returned to Iraq with his family for a few years in the mid 1970’s, but due to another period of instability created when Saddam Hussein forcefully seized the presidency, he and his family returned permanently to the U.S.

Dr. Khudairi is an optometrist with private practices in Norwood and Wellesley. He is active with interfaith dialogues, has lectured to various schools and religious and peace organizations and has been interviewed by major television, radio and print news services about the affairs in Iraq.

The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group and is open to the public.

Also note:

The “Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq", scheduled for this past Saturday, May 31, was postponed due to weather forecast of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. Plans are being made to reschedule the display.

Donations for Bacevich Fountain

2008-05-28T13:07:00.002-04:00

The Bacevich family has made a donation to the town to be used toward the revitalization of the fountain located on the Town Common across from the post office. Although the family does not want the fountain renamed, the donation is in memory of their son who was killed in Iraq. See the link below for an article in the Daily Transcript for more details.

We would like to make a donation in memory of First Lt. Andrew J. Bacevich from the Walpole Peace and Justice Group. It's particularly appropriate since we hold our vigils near by the fountain and our Peace Walk ends there.

Please send donations to Paul if you would like to participate. We will draft a letter signed by everyone and send to the Board of Selectmen, who are coordinating donations.

http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/homepage/x1619314976

Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq on Saturday, May 31 at the Walpole Common

2008-05-27T00:57:00.002-04:00

>> The tribute has been cancelled due to weather <<

We invite you to view a “Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq" on Saturday, May 31 at the Walpole Common. The Tribute honors the U.S. service men and women who have been killed in Iraq since March 19, 2003. The names of all 4,000+ service men and women who have been killed in the war are imprinted on wristbands along with the age, military rank, and date when the person was killed. The wristbands are displayed on a stand over 60 feet long and six feet high.

The Tribute was created by Madeline Champagne, a member of the Walpole Peace and Justice Group. The Tribute is on permanent display at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn.

Regardless of one’s opinion of the Iraq war, we all join in honoring those who have given their lives in the service of our country. Seeing the names of all those killed in the war personalizes the terrible price in human life and the sacrifice so many families have made. The public is invited to visit the tribute to pay their respect and reflect on the human cost of the war. The Tribute will be on display between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM at the Walpole Common across from the U.S. Post Office, weather permitting.

Walpole Peace and Justice Group Peace Vigil Saturday, May 17, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM

2008-05-16T10:09:00.002-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join us for a peace vigil tomorrow morning, Saturday, May 17, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office. Peace vigils are held on the first and third Saturdays of the Month.

Also, from The Walpole Times:

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group is changing the date of its "Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq" from Memorial Day, May 26 to May 31, as requested by the veterans who are organizing the Memorial Day ceremony. Although we believe that the Tribute would be an appropriate part of our town’s Memorial Day observances, we respect the veterans’ request and will ask the Board of Selectmen to change our permit for displaying the Tribute to Saturday, May 31st.

The "Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq" consists of over 4,000 wristbands, one for each of our U.S. service men and women who has been killed in Iraq since March 19, 2003. The count was 4,077 as of the date this letter is being written. Each wristband is imprinted with the name, age, military rank, and the date when the person was killed. The Tribute was created by Madeline Champagne, a member of our group, and is on permanent display at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn.

Regardless of one’s opinion of the Iraq war, we all join in honoring those who have given their lives in the service of our country.

Seeing the names of all those killed in the war personalizes the terrible price in human life and the sacrifice so many have made. We invite the public to visit the memorial and pay their respect and to reflect on the cost of war. The tribute will be on display, barring rain, across from the U.S. Post Office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 31.

Documentary "Why We Fight", Walpole Public Library, Tuesday, May 13

2008-05-12T10:41:00.006-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group will be showing the documentary, “Why We Fight,” at the Walpole public library on May 13 at 7:30 PM. “Why We Fight,” which was a Grand Jury Prize winner at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, is an unflinching look at the anatomy of American war making. Granted unparalleled Pentagon access, the film launches a nonpartisan inquiry into the forces – political, economic, and ideological – that drive America to fight.

The film opens with President Dwight Eisenhower’s 1961 farewell address in which he warned Americans about the dangers of the “military industrial complex”.

Filmmaker, Eugene Jarecki, then goes on to show that the “military industrial complex” has expanded to include Congress and think tanks and has today resulted in all these interests becoming alarmingly entangled in the business of war.

The film interviews both conservatives, such as, William Kristol, Richard Perle and John McCain and liberals, such as Chalmers Johnson and Gore Vidal. John McCain states, among other things, that the “military industrial complex” today “borders on corruption both in industry and the Pentagon” and that, ”our priorities are set by what benefits corporations as opposed to what benefits the country.”

This is a very important topic that has a profound impact on all our lives. For fiscal 2008, defense related spending will exceed $ one trillion! Doing very basic math, this equates to roughly $83 million for the people of Walpole! Our own town budget is roughly $65 million. Every town in the U.S. will continue to struggle financially unless we find a way to get our military spending under control.

Come and bring a neighbor, tell a friend. Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, 7:30 PM, Walpole Library.

Peace Vigil Sat May 3 10AM to 11AM

2008-05-02T10:49:00.001-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join us for a peace vigil tomorrow morning, Saturday, May 3, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office. Peace vigils are held on the first and third Saturdays of the Month.

Peace Vigil Sat Apr 19 10AM to 11AM

2008-04-18T11:05:00.000-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join us for a peace vigil tomorrow morning, Saturday, April 19, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office. Peace vigils are held on the first and third Saturdays of the Month.

The Hidden Story behind Immigration

2008-03-31T01:29:00.000-04:00

Please join us for a talk on "The Hidden Story behind Immigration" at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:30 PM. The two speakers are Lisa Fuller and Laura Embree-Lowry. Lisa is the chapter coordinator for Boston Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES). Laura has worked as a filmmaker since 2002, documenting popular social movements through oral histories. Her work with the People’s History of Texas has included projects on labor struggles, a cooperative underground press and Chilean solidarity organizing. Laura is currently an active member of CISPES, and along with Lisa she is organizing locally to support the Salvadoran popular movement and self-determination in El Salvador.

The talk will focus on the underlying causes of immigration, and use the circumstances in El Salvador as a model. Seven hundred people flee El Salvador every day. One third of all Salvadorans on earth live in the United States. El Salvador has been the playground for policies conceived of and instituted by the United States. Free trade, privatization and sweatshops overrun the country and concentrate wealth in the hands of the Salvadoran elite and their transnational business partners. Popular movements to change the system are met with brutal repression and violence that is sanctioned and funded by the U.S.

The economic situation today is worse than in the 1970’s, when it led to a bloody 12 year civil war. Migration is a means of survival for Salvadorans. And migration equals profits for big business. This is the hidden side of the “immigration problem” that politicians and the corporate media don’t mention.

Next Peace Vigil: Saturday, April 5, 2008 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common across from the Post Office.

Why We Need Single Payer Health Care Reform

2008-03-03T11:07:00.001-05:00

Please join us for a talk by Dr. Patricia Downs Berger, Co-Chair of Mass-Care, on “Why We Need Single Payer Health Care Reform” at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, March 4th at 7:30 pm. In 2006, the Massachusetts legislature passed the Massachusetts Healthcare Reform Law in an effort to provide health coverage by mandating the purchase of insurance with subsidies. The Massachusetts plan has served as the model for health care proposals of many presidential candidates. This talk is especially relevant given the importance of this issue in the upcoming presidential election.

In the talk, Dr. Berger will relate her own experience as a practicing physician to critique the Massachusetts Healthcare Reform Law and show why a single payer health system is needed. She will show how the medical-industrial complex is destroying our health system and why we need true health reform rather than incremental reforms. Dr. Berger will define the basic principles of health insurance, comparing the singer payer system versus a market based system. She will describe the major provisions of the Massachusetts Healthcare Reform Law, and discuss the challenges of cost, complexity, sustainability, and affordability. Dr. Berger will conclude by defining how single payer systems work, showing how they are funded, how they provide quality health services, and how they have been successfully implemented in many countries.

Dr. Berger is the Co-Chair of Mass-Care, an umbrella organization with more than 100 member organizations. Their mission is to “establish a single payer health care system in Massachusetts so that all residents of the Commonwealth will have access to comprehensive, quality, affordable and equitable health care.” Dr. Berger has practiced medicine in a variety of settings in Massachusetts. Having seen the inequities in the health care system first hand, she is committed to working for single payer health care reform. She is passionate in her belief “that access to comprehensive, equitable, high quality health care is a human right and is the foundation for a healthy and compassionate society” and that “a single payer health care system is the best way to achieve affordable, patient centered medical care supported by the broad community.”

March 1 Peace Vigil Cancelled Due to the Snow Storm

2008-02-29T23:11:00.000-05:00

March 1 Peace Vigil Cancelled Due to the Snow Storm

Two Talks - Homeless and Health Reform

2008-02-26T10:50:00.002-05:00

February 27th, 7:30 PM: Talk on the challenges faced by the homeless in the Greater Boston area - St Catherine of Siena Church, Norwood Carrie Eldridge-Dickson, Manager of Volunteer Services and Community Partnerships at Boston Health Care for the Homeless will be talking on the current challenges faced by homeless individuals and families in the Greater Boston area. All are welcome to join us in the discussion of our ability to respond as a vibrant faith community to the needs of our brothers and sisters who are homeless. Sponsored by the St Catherine of Siena Church Social Justice Committee. The meeting will be in the former convent on Nahatan Street.

March 4th at 7:30 pm: Why We Need Single Payer Health Care Reform Dr. Patricia Downs Berger, Co-Chair of Mass-Care, will speak on "Why We Need Single Payer Health Care Reform" at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, March 4th at 7:30 pm. The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group and is open to the public. In 2006, the Massachusetts legislature passed the Massachusetts Healthcare Reform Law in an effort to provide health coverage by mandating the purchase of insurance with subsidies. The Massachusetts plan has served as the model for health care proposals of many presidential candidates.

In the March 4th talk, Dr. Berger will relate her own experience as a practicing physician to critique the Massachusetts Healthcare Reform Law and show why a single payer health system is needed. She will show how the medical-industrial complex is destroying our health system and why we need true health reform rather than incremental reforms. Dr. Berger will define the basic principles of health insurance, comparing the singer payer system versus a market based system. She will describe the major provisions of the Massachusetts Healthcare Reform Law, and discuss the challenges of cost, complexity, sustainability, and affordability. Dr. Berger will conclude by defining how single payer systems work, showing how they are funded, how they provide quality health services, and how they have been successfully implemented in many countries.

Dr. Berger is the Co-Chair of Mass-Care, an umbrella organization with more than 100 member organizations. Their mission is to "establish a single payer health care system in Massachusetts so that all residents of the Commonwealth will have access to comprehensive, quality, affordable and equitable health care." Dr. Berger has practiced medicine in a variety of settings in Massachusetts. Having seen the inequities in the health care system first hand, she is committed to working for single payer health care reform. She is passionate in her belief "that access to comprehensive, equitable, high quality health care is a human right and is the foundation for a healthy and compassionate society" and that "a single payer health care system is the best way to achieve affordable, patient centered medical care supported by the broad community."

Peace Vigil Sat, Feb 16 on Walpole Common

2008-02-15T10:16:00.001-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join us for a peace vigil tomorrow morning, Saturday, February 16, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office. Peace vigils are held on the first and third Saturdays of the Month.

For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group

Philip

Peace Vigil Sat, Feb 2 on Walpole Common

2008-02-01T20:16:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join us for a peace vigil tomorrow morning, Saturday, February 2, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office. Peace vigils are held on the 1st and third Saturdays of the Month. Hope to see you there.

Waterboarding: Is it Torture?

2008-01-21T22:03:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group will hold a presentation and discussion entitled "Waterboarding: Is it Torture?" at the Walpole Public Library on Monday, January 28th at 7:30 pm. The acceptance of waterboarding has been a controversial subject since 9/11. It has apparently been used by the CIA on terrorism suspects. The Military Commissions Act, passed in 2006, permits the use of coerced evidence and gives the President the power to define what torture is. Secret government memos attempt to justify it as an allowable interrogation technique. Congress and the Justice Department are currently investigating the CIA's destruction of tapes documenting the harsh interrogation of two Al Qaeda's suspects in 2002, which appears to have included waterboarding. It has become an election issue with some candidates defining it as torture while others have been unwilling to do so.

Join us for an informative presentation and discussion and make your own decision whether waterboarding and other "harsh interrogation" techniques are torture. The presentation will define what waterboarding is and give a history of its use. A brief segment from the video, "Breaking the Silence - Torture Survivors Speak Out" will be shown, where Carlos, a doctor from Paraguay describes his horrendous experience with waterboarding. A form of water torture was used in the Philippine-American War. Japanese military officers were tried as war criminals following World War II for using waterboarding. The presentation will summarize the applicable U.N and international treaties pertaining to torture as well as summarize U.S. laws. We will also review the moral implications and how the press and churches have responded and then end with an open discussion.

This presentation is a follow-up to Demissie A. Gebremedhin's compelling talk earlier this month about his own experience as a torture survivor and the work that Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC) is doing to stop torture. The talk is open to the public.

Follow-up on TASSC Talk on Torture

2008-01-10T10:01:00.000-05:00

On this past Tuesday, Demissie A. Gebremedhin, director of Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC), gave an informative and sobering talk on torture and the disturbing policy of the Bush administration policy to justify torture as an acceptable interrogation method. The mission of TASSC is to "end the practice of torture wherever it occurs and to empower survivors, their families and communities wherever they are." TASSC is an important moral voice against torture, which can never be justified. You can find additional information about TASSC at their web site, http://www.tassc.org/. The talk was sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group.

January 11 is the 6th year anniversary of Guantanamo and "marks six years of torture, detention and abuse at Guantánamo." We invite you to join with TASSC and other peace groups in calling for shutting down Guantanamo, repealing the Military Commissions Act, restoring Habeas Corpus, and charging or releasing all detainees. The Military Commissions Act (MCA) "rejects the right to a speedy trial and allows a trial to continue in the absence of the accused" and most disturbing, "permits coercive interrogations and torture." Please see the web site http://www.witnesstorture.org/ for more information on the campaign to close Guantanamo. One action you can take is to contact Senator Kennedy, http://kennedy.senate.gov/, Senator Kerry, http://kerry.senate.gov/ , and Representative Lynch, http://www.house.gov/lynch/index.shtml and express your opinion.

Peace Vigil on Walpole Common, Sat Jan 5, 10 AM

2008-01-04T10:52:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join us for the our first peace vigil of the New Year to protest the Iraq war on Saturday, January 5, 2008 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office. We regularly hold a vigil at the Walpole Common on the first and third Saturday of the month.

Next Speaker: January 8 at 7:30 at Walpole Public Library - Demissie A. Gebremedhin, Director of the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International Group (TASSC) will speak on his own personal experiences as a torture survivor, as well as, TASSC’s work in dealing with torture. He will also provide information about the Military Commissions Act that was passed last October by Congress and TASSC’s efforts to repeal it. Demissie is a citizen of Ethiopia who was repeatedly tortured by the Ethiopian government because of his political opinions and race and because of his reporting of the misappropriation of funds by a government run aid organization. TASSC is the only organization founded by and for torture survivors. The mission of TASSC is to end the practice of torture wherever it occurs and to empower survivors, their families and communities. TASSC has created a world-wide network of International Communities of Healing for torture survivors and their families. TASSC tries to influence domestic and international policies regarding torture through advocacy, social action, public testimony and targeted media campaigns.

Peace Vigil on Walpole Common, Sat Dec 29, 10AM

2007-12-28T12:20:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join us for a peace vigil to protest the Iraq war tomorrow morning, Saturday, December 29, 2007 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office. This vigil was changed from our usual schedule because of holidays. We will resume our normal schedule of holding vigils on the first and third Saturday of the month in January.

Next Speaker: January 8 at 7:30 at Walpole Public Library - Demissie A. Gebremedhin, Director of the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International Group (TASSC) will speak on his own personal experiences as a torture survivor, as well as, TASSC’s work in dealing with torture. He will also provide information about the Military Commissions Act that was passed last October by Congress and TASSC’s efforts to repeal it. Demissie is a citizen of Ethiopia who was repeatedly tortured by the Ethiopian government because of his political opinions and race and because of his reporting of the misappropriation of funds by a government run aid organization. TASSC is the only organization founded by and for torture survivors. The mission of TASSC is to end the practice of torture wherever it occurs and to empower survivors, their families and communities. TASSC has created a world-wide network of International Communities of Healing for torture survivors and their families. TASSC tries to influence domestic and international policies regarding torture through advocacy, social action, public testimony and targeted media campaigns.

Peace Vigil on Walpole Common, Saturday December 1, 10:00 to 11:00 AM

2007-11-30T10:06:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join in a peace vigil to protest the Iraq war - tomorrow morning, Saturday, Dec 1, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office. As Congress debates the war funding, it is important to express our opposition to the war. Peace vigils on the Walpole Common are held on the 1st and third Saturdays of the Month. Hope to see you there.

Peace Vigil at Walpole Common 10-11 AM Saturday, Nov 17

2007-11-16T10:04:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join in a peace vigil to protest the Iraq war - tomorrow morning, Saturday, Nov 17, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Commons, across from the Post Office. As casualties and devastation continue to mount, it is important to express our opposition to the war. Peace vigils on Walpole Common are held on the 1st and third Saturdays of the Month. Hope to see you there.

Talk on 'US Foreign Policy after Iraq' by Dr. Andrew Bacevich

2007-10-24T22:21:00.000-04:00

Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich will give a talk on “US Foreign Policy after Iraq” at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 at 7:30 PM. The talk will offer an assessment of the current situation in Iraq along with some thoughts on the longer term implications of the failure of US policy there. Sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group, the talk is part of an ongoing series of speakers on peace issues. The public is invited.

Professor of International Relations and History at Boston University, Dr. Bacevich is a graduate of the U. S. Military Academy. He served as the Director of the Center for International Relations at Boston University up to 2005 and has been the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including the Moncado Prize from the Society for Military History and the Arter-Darby Military History Writing Award. Dr. Bacevich is the author of numerous books including “American Empire: The Realities and Consequences of U. S. Diplomacy,” “The Imperial Tense: Problems and Prospects of American Empire,” and “The New American Militarism: How Americans Are Seduced by War.” He has been a frequent contributor to journals and magazines, including the The Wilson Quarterly, Foreign Affairs, The Nation, The American Conservative, and The New Republic. His opinion pieces on the Iraq war have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today.

Claude Anshin Thomas - Walpole, Oct 23 at 7:30

2007-10-19T10:58:00.000-04:00

Please join us for a talk by Claude Anshin Thomas, the author of the best selling book "At Hell's Gate," at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 7:30 PM. In this talk Claude recounts his dramatic coming-of-age story and spiritual odyssey as well as offering his profound insights into suffering and violence, and how we can end them in ourselves and in our world. We are honored to have Claude speak in Walpole. See the Walpole Times, Daily Transcript, and Walpole Hometown Weekly for recent articles on Claude. Attached is a flyer.

"Everyone has their Vietnam," Claude writes, everyone has experienced trauma and everyone, if they want, can find healing and peace through looking deeply at the nature of their suffering. "War is a collective expression of individual suffering." The seeds of war and violence are planted early and often, and it is only through our actions and insights personally that we can hope to end war globally. What is startling in these days of the "war on terrorism" is that we rarely hear from the soldiers themselves. As a highly decorated helicopter crew chief who was wounded in battle and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, Claude speaks with an authenticity and an honesty that is extremely compelling to a wide audience. He can speak with direct experience about the realities of war, about what we are sending young men and women to do, and about the effects that making war has on all of us.

Claude Anshin Thomas went to Vietnam at the age of eighteen, where he received numerous medals, including twenty-seven Air Medals, a Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. Today he is a monk in the Soto Zen tradition and an active speaker and Zen teacher, traveling the world speaking about war and teaching meditation. He also leads peace pilgrimages through war-torn and war-scarred places around the world. Claude is the founder of the Zaltho Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes peace and non-violence.

Next Walpole Peace Vigil: Saturday, October 20, 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common across fro the Post Office.

Boston Peace Rally: Saturday, October 27, New England Mobilization to End the War in Iraq, Rally at 12:00 Noon at the Boston Common. Speakers include Howard Zinn and Melida Arredondo. Join us at the Walpole Train Station to take the 11:01 AM train in to Boston. See http://www.newenglandunited.org/ for more details.

Next Talk: Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich will give a talk on "US Foreign Policy after Iraq" at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 at 7:30 PM. The talk will offer an assessment of the current situation in Iraq along with some thoughts on the longer term implications of the failure of US policy there.

For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group
Philip Czachorowski

Ending War - Living Peace

2007-10-08T01:03:00.000-04:00

Claude Anshin Thomas, the author of the best selling book “At Hell's Gate,” will speak at the Walpole Library on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 7:30 PM. In this talk Claude recounts his dramatic coming-of-age story and spiritual odyssey as well as offering his profound insights into suffering and violence, and how we can end them in ourselves and in our world.

“Everyone has their Vietnam,” Claude writes, everyone has experienced trauma and everyone, if they want, can find healing and peace through looking deeply at the nature of their suffering. “War is a collective expression of individual suffering.” The seeds of war and violence are planted early and often, and it is only through our actions and insights personally that we can hope to end war globally. What is startling in these days of the “war on terrorism” is that we rarely hear from the soldiers themselves. As a highly decorated helicopter crew chief who was wounded in battle and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, Claude speaks with an authenticity and an honesty that is extremely compelling to a wide audience. He can speak with direct experience about the realities of war, about what we are sending young men and women to do, and about the effects that making war has on all of us.

Claude Anshin Thomas went to Vietnam at the age of eighteen, where he received numerous medals, including twenty-seven Air Medals, a Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. Today he is a monk in the Soto Zen tradition and an active speaker and Zen teacher, traveling the world speaking about war and teaching meditation. He also leads peace pilgrimages through war-torn and war-scarred places around the world. Claude is the founder of the Zaltho Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes peace and non-violence. The talk is sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group and is open to the public.

Peace Vigil Saturday, Oct 6; Claude Anshin Thomas, Tuesday, Oct 23

2007-10-02T10:04:00.000-04:00

Please join us on Saturday, October 6, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM for a peace vigil on the Walpole Commons across from the Post Office to protest the Iraq war. As Congress take little action to end this disastrous war it is important that we publicly demonstrate our opposition. Depending on the weather we will be holding a 60 foot banner with stars representing the first 2,129 U.S. soldiers killed in the war. Tragically the total of U.S soldiers killed is now over 3,800 and the number of Iraq civilians has been estimated as high as 1,000,000. Please join us as we will need additional people to hold the banner.

Next Talk: At Hell's Gate by Claude Anshin Thomas, Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 7:30 PM at the Walpole Public Library. In this talk Claude Anshin Thomas’ recounts his dramatic coming-of-age story and spiritual odyssey as well as an offering of his profound insights into suffering and violence, and how we can end them in ourselves and in our world. “Everyone has their Vietnam,” Claude writes, everyone has experienced trauma and everyone, if they want, can find healing and peace through looking deeply at the nature of their suffering. “War is a collective expression of individual suffering.” The seeds of war and violence are planted early and often, and it is only through our actions and insights personally that we can hope to end war globally. Claude Anshin Thomas went to Vietnam at the age of eighteen, where he received numerous medals, including twenty-seven Air Medals, a Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. Today he is a monk in the Soto Zen tradition and an active speaker and Zen teacher in the United States and Europe. He is also the founder of the Zaltho Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes peace and non-violence.

For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group

Philip Czachorowski

"Start the Music, Stop the War" Event, Holliston, Sun, Sep 23, 5:00 PM

2007-09-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Peace Group Friend,

We want to bring your attention to a special event of music, poetry and protest on Sunday, September 23, at 5:00 PM at the Holliston Town Hall. The event starts with a peace parade at 5:00 PM with the music program starting at 5:30 PM. Sponsored by the Friends of Peace, the proceeds will be given to the American Legion Commander Bobby Blair’s Gulf II Fund. It should be a fun evening!

"Start the Music, Stop the War" event is in Holliston on Sunday, September 23 at 5:00 PM.

Philip Czachorowski

[ click here for details ]

Op-ed Piece by Dr. Bacevich

2007-09-10T09:57:00.000-04:00

A great analysis of the way that Bush is distorting the truth on the lessons of the Vietnam War to justify his Iraq policy. Given the current push to continue to the war, it is so critical to get the truth out.

Vietnam's real lessons

The war is indeed relevant to Iraq -- but not the way Bush thinks.

By Andrew J. Bacevich
August 25, 2007

"The Truth in Military Recruiting" at Walpole Library Sep 12

2007-09-10T09:54:00.000-04:00

Dear Peace Group Friend,

Please join us for an important talk on the truth in military recruiting by Bill Sweet of the American Friends Service Committee. This talk will be particularly important for high school students and their parents.

The Truth in Military Recruiting

Bill Sweet, American Friends Service Committee

Walpole Public Library

Wednesday, September 12 at 7:30 PM

Sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group, Bill Sweet of the American Friends Service Committee will address the concern of military recruiting in the public schools. Falsification and glorification of the terms of enlistment, racial inequities in recruiting, loopholes which negate the “opt-out” provision for our young people, all are the product of a $6 billion budget directed to military recruitment by the Department of Defense. Come see DVDs, used in recruiting. Learn what the recruiters are telling our children in grades K through 12. Discuss the issues these advertising practices raise. Military recruiting dramatically affects our young people as they determine their futures; it has a significant impact on all of us in the militarization of our society. The public is invited to join in discussion and pursuit of the truth in military recruiting.

Next Peace Vigil: Saturday, September 15 at the Walpole Common across from the Post Office from 10:00 to 11:00 AM.

Next Talk: At Hell's Gate by Claude Anshin Thomas, Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 7:30 PM at the Walpole Public Library. In this talk Claude Anshin Thomas’ recounts his dramatic coming-of-age story and spiritual odyssey as well as an offering of his profound insights into suffering and violence, and how we can end them in ourselves and in our world. “Everyone has their Vietnam,” Claude writes, everyone has experienced trauma and everyone, if they want, can find healing and peace through looking deeply at the nature of their suffering. “War is a collective expression of individual suffering.” The seeds of war and violence are planted early and often, and it is only through our actions and insights personally that we can hope to end war globally. Claude Anshin Thomas went to Vietnam at the age of eighteen, where he received numerous medals, including twenty-seven Air Medals, a Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. Today he is a monk in the Soto Zen tradition and an active speaker and Zen teacher in the United States and Europe. He is also the founder of the Zaltho Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes peace and non-violence.

For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group

Philip Czachorowski

Bo Lozoff to speak at the Sharon Unitarian Church on Friday, August 24th at 7:30

2007-08-21T01:10:00.000-04:00

The Sharon Unitarian Church is sponsoring an ‘Evening with Bo Lozoff’ on Friday, August 24, at 7:30 PM in Sharon. Bo is a well know inspirational speaker recognized by the Dalai Lama among others. It’s a great opportunity to have Bo Lozoff speak in our area and we thought people would be interested.

“Bo Lozoff has been doing remarkable work in prisons for 30 years helping prisoners transform their lives and find meaning in that most impossible of situations. He has helped tens of thousands of prisoners through his Human Kindness Foundation and its Prison-Ashram Project which he began in collaboration with Ram Dass over 30 years ago. His wisdom and experience speak just as clearly outside of prison walls. He respects all religious traditions. He stresses simple living, a dedication to service, and a commitment to personal spiritual practice”

Please see the attached document for more details.

Philip Czachorowski
For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group

Walpole Peace Group Update

2007-08-17T00:39:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all who walked in the One World Peace Walk. We had over 40 people walk the 4.6 miles between Norwood and Walpole on what was an extremely hot day. We were honored to have Dr. Bacevich speak at the closing ceremony with over 80 people in attendance. Rev. Kostulias gave an inspirational prayer and Barry and Lois lead songs. It was heartening to see so many people come out for the walk and to call on our government to take bold steps to bring peace to the Middle East through non-violent means. We thank all who supported the walk, especially the Blessed Sacrament Social Justice Committee, the United Church Outreach Committee, and the Peace Abbey.

The next peace vigil will be on Saturday, August 18, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common across from the post office. Please join us as we stand in witness against the continuing Iraq war.

Philip Czachorowski
For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group

One World Peace Walk Saturday on Norwood Common

2007-08-02T11:09:00.000-04:00

One World Peace Walk on Saturday, August 4, starting at 1:45 at Norwood Common

Please join us on Saturday for the One World Peace Walk as we walk to demonstrate our commitment to peace and to call on our government to take bold steps to bring peace to the Middle East through non-violent means. The walk will start at the Norwood Common and proceed 4.6 miles along Route 1A to the Walpole Common. Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor of International Relations and History at Boston University will speak at the closing ceremony in Walpole at 4:30 PM.

1:45 PM - Walkers convene at Norwood Common

2:00 PM - Open ceremony and start of walk

4:15 PM - Walk reaches Walpole Common

4:30 PM - Closing ceremony

The walk will be held rain or shine. Water and a mid-way rest stop will be provided for walkers as well as a support car. The walk will end at approximately 4:30 with Dr. Bacevich’s talk, prayers, and a group sing led by local musicians. Refreshments will be served. Members of the public are invited to participate in the walk or may join for the closing ceremonies.

We will have signs in Norwood if you would like to carry one. To get to Norwood, we recommend parking cars in Walpole and taking the MBTA bus to Norwood. Buses leave in front of the Walpole police station at 1:10 and 1:40 PM.

If you would like to help out we are asking volunteers to bring food for the closing ceremony. We will be serving finger food: cookies, brownies, potato chips, pretzels, watermelon and cantaloupe cubes. Please bring any food you would like to contribute to United Church between 12 and 12:30 pm.

It looks like we will great weather on Saturday. Hope you can come on the walk!

Local Groups Walk for Peace in the Middle East

2007-07-13T12:33:00.000-04:00

Please join us for the One World Peace Walk on Saturday, August 4, 2007 sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group and other peace groups and religious organizations. This walk is an opportunity for each of to express our commitment to peace and to call on our government to take bold steps to bring peace to the Middle East through non-violent means. It is a great experience for families as we walk together. All are welcome.

Local Groups Walk for Peace in the Middle East

Local peace groups and religious organizations are sponsoring the One World Peace Walk on Saturday, August 4, 2007 calling on our government to take bold steps to bring peace to the Middle East through non-violent means. The purpose of the walk is to give people the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to peace in their personal lives, their community, and the world. Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor of International Relations and History at Boston University, will speak at the closing ceremony in Walpole at 4:30 PM.

The walk is from Norwood to Walpole and has been an annual event since it was started in 2003 in Wrentham. Walkers will carry a small replica of the Sherborn Peace Abbey stone honoring the “Unknown Civilians Killed in War”. The full-sized stone and caisson, which together weigh two tons, have been pulled by human power from Sherborn to Washington D.C. and through England, Ireland, and Japan. Sponsors of the walk include the Walpole Peace and Justice Group, the Blessed Sacrament Social Action Committee, the United Church in Walpole Outreach Committee, and the Peace Abbey in Sherborn.

The walk will be held rain or shine. Walkers will convene at the Norwood Common at 1:45 PM for a 2:00 Opening Ceremony. The walk will proceed 4.6 miles along Route 1A to the Walpole Common. Walkers may park their cars in Walpole and take the MBTA Bus to Norwood Center. Buses leave in front of the Walpole police station at 1:10 and 1:40 PM. Water and a mid-way rest stop will be provided for walkers as well as a support car. The walk will end at approximately 4:30 with Dr. Bacevich’s talk, prayers, and a group sing led by local musicians. Refreshments will be served. Members of the public are invited to participate in the walk or may join for the closing ceremonies. People may contact the Walpole Peace and Justice Group at walpole_peace@verizon.net for more information.

For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group,

Philip Czachorowski

Peace Vigil - Saturday, July 7

2007-07-06T13:26:00.001-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group invites you to join in a peace vigil to protest the Iraq war on the Walpole Commons, across from the Post Office, on Saturday, July 7, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. We continue to hold peace vigils the 1st and third Saturday of the Month.

Postcard from Berkeley

2007-06-30T20:16:00.000-04:00

Greetings from Berkeley, CA, to all our friends in Walpole, MA. It has been quite the process getting out here, and dealing with all the things that it took to make it out here. What can I say, but that the Peace and Justice Group gave us the support and friendship needed to be able to make a huge leap. The Group even allowed us to re-connect to our real estate agent, who sold our house in exactly one day.

Our first weekend in Berkeley takes us down to MLK Way and the Civic Center -- there is a Peace Wall made of tiles:

This is also our first trip to the weekend Farmer's Market -- lots of fresh, organic veggies, fruits, and other things grown from the Earth.

Thanks for everything, guys. We will miss the vigils and the immediate company, but you are all always welcome in Berkeley, as I think anyone who loves peace always would be.

Peacewalk Press Release

2007-06-29T13:33:00.001-04:00

One World Peace Walk
August 4, 2007

Local peace groups and religious organizations are sponsoring the One World Peace Walk on Saturday, August 4, 2007 calling on our government to take bold steps to bring peace to the Middle East. The purpose of the walk is to give people the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to peace in their personal lives, their community, and their world. The walk is from Norwood to Walpole and has been an annual event since it was started in 2004 in Wrentham. Walkers will carry a small replica of the Sherborn Peace Abbey stone memorializing the “Unknown Civilians Killed in Wars.” The original stone, weighing 2 tons, has been carried to representative sites including Arlington National Cemetery, Nagasaki, and Hiroshima. Sponsors of the walk include the Walpole Peace and Justice Group, Blessed Sacrament Social Action Committee, and the United Church in Walpole Outreach Committee.

The walk will be held rain or shine. Walkers will convene at the Norwood Common at 1:45 PM for a 2:00 Opening Ceremony. The walk will proceed 4.6 miles along Route 1A to the Walpole Common. Walkers may want to park their cars in Walpole and take the MBTA Bus to Norwood Center. Buses leave in front of the Walpole police station at 1:10 and 1:40 PM. Water and a mid-way rest stop will be provided for walkers as well as a support car. The walk will end at approximately 4:30 with a closing ceremony, prayers, refreshments, and a group sing led by local musicians. Members of the public are invited to participate in the walk and the closing ceremonies.

For more information, contact walpole_peace@verizon.net.

Adam Sacks - Democracy in the US

2007-06-04T15:54:00.000-04:00

Walpole Talk on the State of Democracy in the United States - Tuesday, June 5, 7:30 PM at Walpole Library

Despite all of the extraordinary efforts of people’s movements since the founding of the United States of America, democracy is as fragile as ever. After decades of environmentalism the destruction of nature is accelerating, oil and resource wars are more dangerous than ever, and the gap between the world’s rich and poor is a deepening abyss.

Why do powerful wealthy interests and influential government officials, woefully outnumbered by the rest of us, always prevail in the end (with occasional relatively minor concessions)? What is it that we don’t know about changing the system, changing the culture, that we need to know in order to create a peaceful and livable world?

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group would like to invite you to come to hear Adam Sacks speak to these questions on June 5th at 7:30 pm at the Walpole Public Library. Adam is the director of the Center for Democracy and the Constitution. A non-profit located in Lexington, Mass. He is currently developing a think tank to explore how to change the current paradigm so that people around the world can survive the 21st century.

For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group

Paul Peckham

The War Comes to Walpole

2007-05-21T19:07:00.000-04:00

A touching piece by Emily Rooney on the memorial service for Lt. Andrew J. Bacevich (27), and on the activities in Walpole and Norwood this morning, on Greater Boston: "First Lt. Andrew Bacevich - who was killed in Iraq last week - is buried today. We discuss the impact of the war on Massachusetts".

The video piece preceeds an interesting discussion between Ms. Rooney and two academics (from Tufts and the Kennedy School).

Walpole Mourns Lt. Col. Andrew Bacevich
direct link to vieo

More tributes in the MMS:
Video from WBZ-TV
Video from NECN
Story w/ video on WCVB

Story w/ audio on WBUR
Here and Now on WBUR
OnPoint on WBUR

There are a few articles from the Globe here:
"A somber service in Norwood for a fallen soldier"
"Following war tragedy, son and father revered"
"BU professor creates scholarship fund in memory of son killed in Iraq"
"Rescinding the Bush Doctrine (by Andrew J. Bacevich)"

Offer support here: "Guest Book for Andrew J. Bacevich"

From the National Desk at the New York Times:
Former Soldier, Now a Professor, Loses His Only Son to a War He Actively Opposed"

And coverage from the Herald:
"Hundreds line streets for fallen soldier"

And a few write-ups in The Daily Transcript:

"Hundreds line streets for fallen soldier"
"Mournful morning"
"His father staunch critic of war"

From the blogosphere:
Stram - done that: "They gave it all"
Free Our Fobbits: "Correspondence on Bachevich's death"
Jules Crittenden - Forward Movement: "Beloved Son"
ToughEnough.org: "Lt. Andrew J. Bacevich, 27, of Walpole, Mass."
Jeff Egnaczyk - boonville blog: "RIP, Andrew Bacevich"
Steve Clemons - TMP Cafe: "What is Andrew Bacevich's Son's Life Worth?"

A day of sorrow; a day Walpole will clearly remember for some time. It was amazing to see all the support downtown; obviously, Lt Bacevich's service and sacrifice have touched many. Our condolences to the Bacevich family.

Press Release Joe Gerson Talk May 8th

2007-05-01T18:27:00.000-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group is sponsoring a talk by Joseph Gerson on his new book “Empire and the Bomb: How the U.S. Uses Nuclear Weapons to Dominate the World”. The talk will be held at the Walpole Public Library, May 8th, at 7:30 PM. Joseph Gerson will show how the U.S. has repeatedly used the threat of a first strike nuclear attack to bolster our foreign policy and imperial ambitions. This policy of using nuclear weapons to threaten other countries has only served to drive the proliferation of nuclear weapons with these countries attempting to acquire their own weapons. Every U.S. president since President Truman has used the threat of nuclear weapons. Over 12 of these threats have been made in regard to the Middle East. For example, the U.S. has made implicit threats of using ‘bunker-buster” atomic bombs to destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

In his talk, Joseph Gerson will give a history of the U.S. nuclear weapon policy, from the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the present standoff with North Korea and Iran. He will also give a history of the anti-nuclear movement. He will show the difference between “arms control” and “nuclear weapons abolition” and why it is imperative that nuclear weapons be abolished. The talk is particularly timely given the part that the alleged nuclear weapon threat played in initiating the war with Iraq as well as the current crisis over North Korea’s and Iran’s quest for developing nuclear weapons.

Joseph Gerson is the Director of Programs of the American Friends Service Committee in New England and a leading figure in the U.S. peace movement. He has spoken at over 70 colleges and at international conferences like the World Conference Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs in Hiroshima, the Japan Peace Conference in Sasebo, and the Swedish Peace Council. He is the author of several books and it is a great honor to have him speak in Walpole. The public is invited. There will be a book-signing after the talk.

Philip

WPnJ at the Peace Abbey

2007-04-27T20:27:00.000-04:00

On Monday, the Walpole Peace and Justice Group held a planning meeting at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn. We all took a tour of the Abbey with Madeline:

The Abbey's courtyard features a monument to Emily (the cow) and a series of six walls covered with plaques containing statements of peace. It was a beautiful and warm evening, and we were able to enjoy the place with the setting sun.

An offering left at the monument to Emily.

Emily the cow escaped the slaughter-house by jumping a fence.

Madeline's Iraq War Casualties Project - each link in these paper chains has the name of an American soldier who has lost his or her life in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Links and Books on Israel-Palestine from John Spritzler

2007-04-07T18:23:00.000-04:00

Here are some links to good books about the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Also, click here for links to my articles and books, many of which are about the Israel/Palestine conflict.

--John

BACKGROUND READING: PRO-ZIONIST AND ANTI-ZIONIST AUTHORS DISCUSS A JEWISH STATE

Articles by Pro- Zionist Authors:
Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1881-2001
by BENNY MORRIS

The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited (Cambridge Middle East Studies)
by Benny Morris

Morris describes the Israeli ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, but does not condemn it.

The Jewish State: The Struggle for Israel's Soul
by Yoram Hazony

Hazony explains the anti-democratic foundation of a Jewish state. He also worries that many Israelis don't understand the importance of a Jewish state.

Perfidy
by Ben Hecht

Hecht supports the idea of a Jewish state, but was shocked to learn of the perfidy of Zionist leaders during WWII who betrayed European Jews for it's sake.

1949, The First Israelis
by Tom Segev , Arlen Neal Weinstein

I'm not sure if the authors consider themselves pro- or anti-Zionist, but they were the first to write the history of Israel's origin based on newly obtained archival records, and they challenged the pro-Zionist mythology.

Articles by Anti-Zionist Authors:

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine , by Ilan Pappe "This is a stunning and relentless collection of evidence. Pappe uses things such as military archives (opened in the 1990s), diary entries from Ben-Gurion, and oral histories from Hagana soldiers and Palestinians. He gives lengthy, village-by-village accounts of the destruction of homes and expulsion of residents. The expulsions were guided by files of the Jewish National Fund, which had been gathering intelligence data on the demographics of the villages for decades.

"It is hard to think of a book that is more opposite of a commonly accepted history than this one. According to Pappe, 1948 was not a desperate fight for survival by a surrounded Jewish enclave, it was a Zionist attack on the countryside. Most of the fighting stemmed from the Hagana's systematic destruction of 400 Palestinian villages. Most refugees were driven out BEFORE the main war started on May 15, 1948. Arab armies did intervene in a haphazard attempt to defend Palestinian sections (as set by the UN partition plan), but they were always out gunned, out numbered and out coordinated by the Hagana. Jordan, in particular, had a secret agreement with the Zionists to annex the West Bank in return for not joining an invasion of Israel. So the most effective Arab army, (and a Jordanian also commanded the pan-Arab "Arab Liberation Army") was not trying to destroy Israel, only protect its own designs on the West Bank and East Jerusalem." [a review on Amazon.com]

One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse, by Ali Abunimah "Clear-eyed, sharply reasoned, and compassionate, One Country proposes a radical alternative: to revive an old and neglected idea of one state shared by two peoples. Ali Abunimah shows how the two are by now so intertwined—geographically and economically—that separation cannot lead to the security Israelis need or the rights Palestinians must have. He reveals the bankruptcy of the two-state approach, takes on the objections and taboos that stand in the way of a binational solution, and demonstrates that sharing the territory will bring benefits for all. The absence of other workable options has only lead to ever greater extremism; it is time, Abunimah suggests, for Palestinians and Israelis to imagine a different future and a different relationship" [from Amazon.com]

Sharing the Land of Canaan by Mazin B. Qumsiyeh, who proposes for the region, one single multi-cultural state, in which the rights of all peoples of the region, Muslim, Christian and Jew, are respected and preserved, and those who have been displaced and disenfranchised be granted the right, under the United Nations Charter, and principles of humanitarian justice, to return to their homeland.

The One-State Solution: A Breakthrough for Peace in the Israeli-Palestinian Deadlock, by Virginia Q. Tilley

The One-State Solution by Edward Said (January 10, 1999)

Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Three Thousand Years, by Israel Shahak

Apartheid Israel : Possibilities for the Struggle Within by Uri Davis

Davis describes in detail how the Israeli government officially discriminates against non-Jews and denies them their human rights.

FATEH - Palestinian Liberation Movement Palestine, 1/12/2003

This Palestinian organization position paper rejects the two-state "solution" and calls for "Return First, and Peace for Two Nations in One State"

Karma Nabulsi is a fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford, a former PLO representative and adviser at the peace talks 91-93

Nabulsi reports, "Across the board, from the mainstream political parties as well as from the refugee camps, the petitions and the declarations have flooded in. Just read any half-dozen and you see immediately that they are unequivocal. For the absolute majority of the Palestinian people, the refugee issue is right at the core of the conflict, and it has to be addressed .."

What Price Israel? 50th Anniversary Edition 1953-2003
by Alfred M. Lilienthal

Lilienthal examines the controversial origin of a Jewish state.

51 Documents: Zionist Collaboration With the Nazis
by Lenni Brenner

Brenner has collected primary source documents revealing the collaboration between Zionist leaders and Nazis during WWII, based on their agreement that Jews and non-Jews could not live together in the same nation.

Dignity, Solidarity and the Penal Colony by Edward Said (September 25, 2003)

Zionism is the Issue: Building a Strong Pro-Palestinian Movement In the US By Lana Habash and Noah Cohen

Look Upon Your Works, Ye Israel, And Despair by Anne Gwynne

Sigmund Freud's letter to Dr. Chaim Koffler, 1930

Is Jimmy Carter Right on Israel?

2007-03-28T19:40:00.000-04:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group (WPJG) is sponsoring a talk by John Spritzler, "Is Jimmy Carter Right on Israel?" He will examine former President Carter's controversial book, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid," and address the question: "Does Israel practice apartheid policies?" Mr. Spritzler will describe the history and issues behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and propose avenues for a peaceful solution.

Mr. Spritzler is an author: "The People as Enemy: The Leaders' Hidden Agenda in World War II" and co-author of "On the Public Agenda: Essays for Change". He is also a Research Scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health and a founding member of New Democracy. This WPJG talk will be held at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, April 3rd at 7:30 PM. The public is invited to come and consider an issue that is critical to achievement of peace in the Middle East.

Peace Vigil 4th Anniversary of Iraq War in Walpole

2007-03-13T20:14:00.000-04:00

Please join us for a peace vigil on Saturday, March 17 to mark the 4th Anniversary of the Iraq war and to remember the U.S. and Iraqi dead. We will be joining groups across the country in calling on the U.S. to end this disastrous war and bring our country’s troops home to safety. This war, which should never have been started, has caused four years of death and destruction. A 60-foot banner with the names of many of the more than 3,100 U.S. solders killed in the war will be displayed. We may also have a chain of rings with all 3,100+ names. Seeing the actual names of our dead is sobering as we reflect on the terrible human cost of this war. Over 22,000 other solders have been wounded, many with serious debilitating injuries. Iraqi civilian casualties are estimated to be as high as 600,000. The high financial cost of the war is placing a huge burden on the U.S. budget and will continue to do so for decades, limiting funds available for human needs. The direct cost through 2008 will be over $500 billion just for Iraq or about $1,700 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S. The total cost will exceed $2 trillion.

A moment of silence with prayers will be held along with the reading of representative names of U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians killed in the war. The vigil will be held on the Walpole Common, across from the Post Office, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon. Please attend for all of part of the vigil.

Walpole PnJ Events for March

2007-02-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

Below is a schedule of Walpole Peace and Justice Group Events for March as well as a talk at Blessed Sacrament by Sheila Provencher on her first hand experiences in Baghdad.

March 3, 2007: Walpole Peace and Justice Group Vigil on the Walpole Common to protest the Iraq war, 10:00 to 11:00 AM

March 4, 2007: Sheila Provencher will speak about her experiences working in Baghdad with Christian Peacemaker Teams. Sponsored by Blessed Sacrament Church, the talk will be held in the Blessed Sacrament School Auditorium, Route 27, Walpole, starting at 7:00 PM. Christian Peacemaker Teams is an ecumenical organization dedicated to the reduction of violence and to human rights in areas of armed conflict around the world.

March 6, 2007: Walpole Peace and Justice Group Speaker Series - "Venezuela - What a Real Democracy Looks Like" by Paul Peckham. Paul, a member of the group, has just returned from a Global Exchange Reality Tour and will report on his first hand view of Venezuela and the Hugo Chavez presidency. While the Bush administration has been critical of Venezuela, the Chavez administration has embarked on a program to improve the basic social services for people. Paul’s talk will describe the major areas of social reform such as universal health care, free college education, government support for coops and small businesses, and land reform. He will describe what Venezuelans call "participatory democracy" in which the average citizen is involved in all levels of government, from the local to the national. He will also cover the Bush administration's involvement in the coup in 2002 to oust Hugo Chavez as President and the ongoing campaign by the Bush administration to discredit Chavez’s administration. The public is invited.

March 17, 2007: Walpole Peace and Justice Group Vigil on the Walpole Common marking the 4th Anniversary of the war in Iraq. 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon AM. We will be protesting this disastrous war by observing the 4th anniversary of the start as well as commemorating the American and Iraqi dead.

For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group
Philip

Other Events at the Walpole Library

2007-02-13T22:14:00.000-05:00

The Peace and Justice Group is happy to help spread the word about two seminars on the topics of "The Middle East" and "Climate Change" being organized by the Friends of the Walpole Public Library and the Boston College Lifelong Learning Institute. The seminars will present "compact discussions" from the Great Decisions course offered at the Institute. These are free and open to the public on a first come basis.

The Middle East Pt 1: Thursday, March 15, 7-9pm
The Middle East Pt 2: Thursday, April 5, 7-9pm

Climate Change Pt 1: Thursday, April 12, 7-9pm
Climate Change Pt 2: Thursday, April 26, 7-9pm

You can sign up or get more information at the Main Desk, or call (508) 660-7340.

Links from The Ground Truth Screening

2007-02-13T22:00:00.000-05:00

Here are some links from tonights discussion following the screening of "The Ground Truth". First, here is the article from last Sunday's Globe about the Iraq War veteran who could not get medical services and committed suicide:

Told to wait, a Marine dies

And here is the obituary that Dottie wanted to share with everyone:

Cynthia Foster, at 99; was rebel against war

If you can think of other folks in the area who might want to attend a screening this Thursday, MoveOn is sponsoring a number of events that night:

Search MoveOn for screenings on Feb 15th

Next Peace Vigil on Saturday, February 17

2007-02-10T00:22:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group will hold the next peace vigil on Saturday, February 17, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Walpole Common across from the Post Office. Please join us as we stand in protest of this disastrous war and call upon the return of all of our troops. The president's plan to escalate the war will only bring more violence and death. Over 3,000 U.S. troops have been killed as well as up to 650,000 Iraqi civilians.

We will be holding vigils every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month at the Walpole Common from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. We will supply signs or please bring your own.

Ground Truth Screening Feb 13 in Walpole

2007-02-02T12:08:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group will be hosting a screening of the film "The Ground Truth" on February 13th, at 7:30pm. This is part of the WP&JG's continuing Tuesday Night Speaker Series, and will take place at the Walpole Public Library.

"Hailed as "powerful" and "quietly unflinching," Patricia Foulkrod's searing documentary feature includes exclusive footage that will stir audiences. The filmmaker's subjects are patriotic young Americans - ordinary men and women who heeded the call for military service in Iraq - as they experience recruitment and training, combat, homecoming, and the struggle to reintegrate with families and communities. The terrible conflict in Iraq, depicted with ferocious honesty in the film, is a prelude for the even more challenging battles fought by the soldiers returning home – with personal demons, an uncomprehending public, and an indifferent government. As these battles take shape, each soldier becomes a new kind of hero, bearing witness and giving support to other veterans, and learning to fearlessly wield the most powerful weapon of all - the truth."

Click here to see event details of sign up for the event.

Our Press Release for the event follows:

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group continues its speakers series on February 13, 2007 with a screening of “Ground Truth: After the Killing Ends” at the Walpole Public Library, at 7:30 PM. “Ground Truth” is a powerful, moving documentary about the devastating impact of the Iraqi war on U.S. soldiers. Directed by Patricia Foulkrod, “Ground Truth” has been acclaimed by a wide range of critics. Ty Burr, film critic of the Boston Globe, called it the “documentary any American with an opinion on our involvement in Iraq owes it to his or her conscience to see.” Foulkrod interviews 12 soldiers about their experiences from boot camp to fighting in Iraq and then back at home dealing with their physical and psychological injuries. The film consists entirely of these soldier’s stories through interviews and film footage.

The film has been widely recognized for depicting the Iraqi war as it really is and how it has affected our soldiers. James Verniere of the Boston Herald wrote “Beginning with what many speakers describe as deceptive recruiting techniques and concluding with the government’s alleged attempt to avoid paying for postwar benefits and health care, the film paints a devastating portrait of the war and the wrenching plight of the men and women serving in it.” Stephen Holden of the New York Times wrote “The film also addresses deeper questions about modern methods of creating efficient soldiers and their long-term consequences. It asks: how could anyone imagine that the intensive molding of human beings into killing machines wouldn’t affect the rest of their lives?”

The public is invited to the film. We will have a discussion following the showing. Note that due to language and the violent content, the film is rated “R” and would be unsuitable for children. More information on this and other events, future and past, can be found on the blog for the Walpole Peace and Justice Group (http://walpolepeace.blogspot.com/).

Peace Vigil Feb 3 in Walpole

2007-02-02T12:06:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group will hold a peace vigil on Saturday, February 3, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at the Walpole Common across from the Post Office. Please join us as we stand to protest the escalation of the Iraqi war. We are holding this vigil to call on Congress to ‘act now to end the war.’ We will have signs for your use or you may bring your own. Last week we had 18 people joining us as we held a 60 foot banner honoring the 3000+ U.S. service men and women killed in this tragic war and honoring the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians killed.

We will be holding peace vigils the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month, 10:00 – 11:00 AM on the Walpole Common.

For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group
Philip Czachorowski

Peace Vigil on Walpole Common

2007-01-23T19:23:00.000-05:00

Peace Vigil on Walpole Common, Saturday, January 27, 2007 from 10 to 11 AM

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group is holding a vigil at the Walpole Common on Saturday, January 27, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM to call on the United States government to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home. Weather permitting; the Group will be holding a 60 foot banner honoring the 3,000 plus United States service men and women killed to date in the war. The vigil will be on the part of the Walpole Common across from the Post Office. The public is invited.

Our Exxon Cards Shredded

2007-01-09T23:17:00.000-05:00

Had a great time tonight at the movie screening, and I hope all did enjoy the movie and the talk by Tom Jackson. After the movie, we wanted to chat some more, so Tom and Craig came by the house for tea -- and I promised to shred my ExxonMobil credit cards. So here they are, my card, Donna's card, and the mess afterwards (can it be recycled?):

"Out of Balance" Film Screening Jan 9th

2006-12-29T10:30:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group continues its speakers series on January 9th, 2007, with a screening of Tom Jackson's new film "Out of Balance: ExxonMobil’s Impact on Climate Change" at the Walpole Public Library, at 7:30PM. The screening is open to the public.

This holiday season, as we approached the eighteenth anniversary (March 24th) of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, a decision was handed down from a federal appeals court in San Francisco: the Valdez settlement has been cut in half, from $5 billion to $2.5 billion. Last year, Exxon earned $36.1 billion (the highest amount ever by a US corporation), and has spent more than $3 billion to appeal this case; Exxon believes it owes no more than $25 million in damages to the people affected by the spill.

Mr. Jackson's new film highlights not only Exxon's part in this ecological and economic disaster, but ExxonMobil's deliberate efforts in fabricating a debate around the science of climate change – introducing "junk science" to cast doubt on the unnatural effects of our energy economy on global climate systems. Here is the filmmaker's statement:

"'Out of Balance: ExxonMobil’s Impact on Climate Change' shows the influence that the largest company in the world has on governments, the media and citizens and what can be done about global warming. While the Earth’s climate is pushed further out of balance by increasing use of fossil fuels, ExxonMobil continues to assert undue influence around the world—making record profits while ignoring climate science for which there has been overwhelming consensus for over ten years.

'Out of Balance' does not just critique ExxonMobil, it also offers challenging, large-scale ideas for the global social changes that must take place if there’s any chance of having a livable planet for future generations."

Mr. Jackson's production company, Joe Public Films (http://www.joepublicfilms.com/), is based in Portsmouth, NH. It is an independent video & filmmaking resource that is committed to exposing under-reported human rights-related news stories from around the world, at any and every available level of media, from grassroots screenings to broadcast television.

The film is about an hour, and we hope to have some time after the screening for discussion. It is the second film by Mr. Jackson that the Group has shown; the Group screened "Worlds Apart" in February 2006.

Winston Chou
East Walpole

Peace Vigil in Walpole Dec 30th

2006-12-29T10:26:00.000-05:00

Please join us for a peace vigil on Saturday, December 30th at the Walpole Common from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM as we stand in protest of the Bush administration’s Iraqi war policy. Unbelievably the president is apparently considering a ‘troop surge’ despite all the evidence that the U.S. presence is making the situation worse. The U.S. service dead are approaching 3,000 while Iraqi civilian causalities are estimated as high as 600,000. With the increasing sectarian violence, the U.N. estimates that 1.8 million Iraqis have left the country while hundreds of thousands more have been internally displaced. A May 2006 study by the U.N. World Food Program, ‘Food Security and Vulnerability in Iraq,’ found 15% of Iraqis in ‘dire need of humanitarian assistance’ and 23% of Iraqi’s as being ‘food insecure.’ The U.S. invaded Iraq on blatantly false pretenses that the Bush administration continues to use to justify this tragic war. So please join us if you are able at the start of this New Year as we stand together for peace.

For the Walpole Peace and Justice Group
Philip Czachorowski

The Cost of War

2006-12-22T15:07:00.000-05:00

To the Editor (of the Walpole Times),

After reading Jeffrey Symanski’s letter last week about the need for more money for our schools, I felt compelled to write about one area that is a major cause of the shortage of money in Walpole, namely, the military spending of the U.S. government. The Pentagon currently has a $460 billion budget. With a population of 300 million, that breaks down to $1,533 per person in taxes. For simplicity’s sake, that equals $6,132 for a family of 4 and using a rough figure of 25,000 for the population of Walpole this equals about $39 million that the people of Walpole pay towards our military budget. If you add in the cost of the Iraq war at about $100 billion a year that equals about $8 million more that the people of Walpole are paying towards the military budget. If you factor in the military’s portion of the budget that goes to pay the interest on our debt then there is another $5 million that all of us in Walpole are paying. If you add all of the above, the people of Walpole are paying about $52 million a year on our military.

According to Truemajority.org, there are many former Admirals, Generals and Pentagon officials who agree that we could safely cut the Pentagon’s budget by 13% or $60 billion. This would be a savings of $5 million a year for the people of Walpole and if we weren’t bogged down in Iraq, we would be saving another $8 million. If we had $13 million staying in Walpole, I don’t think we would have any trouble funding our schools or any of the other needs of our town.

To put this military spending in perspective, the United States represents less than 5% of the world’s population but the pentagon’s budget represents about 50% of all the military spending in the world!

The following quote by James Madison, our fourth president, best sums up what is at stake as far as our country’s future is concerned if we don’t get this military spending under control: “Of all the enemies of liberty, war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies: from these proceed debts and taxes ….. known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few …… No nation can preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.”

There are very powerful interests who are making billions in profits off of our war-like military budget while people in communities like Walpole fight amongst themselves to meet their basic needs.

Paul Peckham
Dec. 18, 2006

Peace Vigil in Walpole Dec 16th

2006-12-11T11:02:00.000-05:00

Walpole Peace Group Peace Vigil
Walpole Common
Saturday, December 16th at 10:00 to 11:00 AM

Join us for a Peace Vigil on Saturday, December 16th on the Walpole Common from 10:00 to 11:00 AM as we stand in opposition to the U.S. policy in Iraq. The President continues to distort the truth and persist in following a failed policy while the situation is worst then ever. It is important that we stand in opposition to the war and call for our leaders to be held accountable for this tragic war.

"Hidden in Plain Sight" Date Change

2006-12-04T16:18:00.000-05:00

Please note that the film, "Hidden in Plain Sight", has been moved to Tuesday, 12/12, at 7:30 at the Library. Thanks, Paul

"Hidden In Plain Sight" Screening

2006-11-27T19:46:00.000-05:00

The Walpole Peace and Justice Group is continuing it's speakers series on Dec. 5th with the video, Hidden In Plain Sight. We have choosen this film due to the fact that it documents the history of the infamous School of the Americas at Ft. Benning in Columbus, Georgia which just had 16 people arrested for civil disobedience, out of a crowd of 22,000 that demonstrated on Nov. 17 - 19 to close the school. Since 1990, there have been annual demonstrations to close the school that has grown from a few 100 to around 20,000 in 2005 and 22,000 in 2006. There have been over 170 people arrested who have served more than 78 years in federal prison and local jails. These demonstators come from all over the U.S. and are made up of religous leaders, teachers, veterans, students, grandmothers and torture survivors.

Hidden In Plain Sight

The reason that so many people want to close this school is because it has been training many of the worst human rights violators in many of the countries of Latin America. These people object to the fact that our tax dollars are being used to promote a foreign policy that has supported many oppressive goverments. The film, Hidden In Plain Sight, gives a good overview of this foreign policy and how The School of the Americas has been used as a tool by various governments to control the poor. If you want to see why so many people in Latin America (especially the poor) don't like the U.S., then please come see this very revealing film.

The film will be shown at the Walpoe Public Library at 7:30 on Dec. 5th.