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About Peace Action
Working for Peace and Social
Justice Since 1977
Our Goals
- Abolish Nuclear Weapons and Power
- End Military Intervention
- Stop the International Arms Trade
- Transfer Military Spending to
- Meet Human Needs
Our Tools
- Education
- Legislative Lobbying
- Public Witness
Mission Statement
Peace Action-Wisconsin is a peace and
justice organization which works for a world where human needs
are met, the environment is preserved, and the threats of
war and nuclear weapons have been abolished. We are committed
to non-violence as a way of life and offer our members opportunities
for education, lobbying and public witness.
Our History
Founded as Milwaukee Mobilization for
Survival in March of 1977, we were part of a network of 44
national peace and justice groups organized around the issues
of nuclear weapons, nuclear power, the escalating arms race
and the attendent decline in funding for human needs. National
Mobilization for Survival grew to include over 125 peace and
justice groups before its national office closed in 1992.
In January 1996 we affiliated with National
Peace Action, which had been formed from the merger of SANE
and the Nuclear Freeze Campaign. It is the largest grassroots
peace and disarmament group in the country. In 1999 we became
Peace Action-Wisconsin to reflect our statewide scope and
membership.
The Peace Education
Project of Peace Action Wisconsin (PEP),
the tax-deductible sister organization of Peace Action Wisconsin,
was founded in 1985. Peace Action and PEP have the same goals
and Mission , the only difference being that due to its tax-deductible
status, PEP does not engage in lobbying or legislative advocacy,
or advocating for or against any political parties or candidates.
To make a tax-deductible donation to The Peace Education Project
of Peace Action Wisconsin, mail a check payable to "PEP of PA" to:
1001 E. Keefe Ave. , Milwaukee , WI 53212 .
You will be sent a letter as a receipt for tax purposes.
Peace Action Wisconsin & Peace Education Project’s Highlights of 2006
Victory of the Year: Successful referendum campaigns in Wisconsin to Bring the Troops Home included a 72% win in Milwaukee, and a 61% win for Peace Action affiliate in Racine. 24 of 32 Spring referenda passed in Wisconsin and all 10 referenda passed in the November election.
Education
• Speakers: Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!; Palestinian speakers on health effects of the occupation; Ken Butigan on the national Declaration of Peace; Sri Prasad Gollanapalli on Life Based Development.
• Peace Action staff and volunteers spoke and tabled at countless events throughout Wisconsin.
• Expanded outreach to schools on alternatives to military recruitment.
• Helped organize the 2006 Midwest Social Forum.
• Training for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience.
• Ongoing video series on current political issues.
• Distributed hundreds of yard signs against the war.
• Distributed thousands of Peace Voter Guides before Nov. election.
• Staff appeared on numerous radio and TV interviews and news programs.
Demonstrations
• Locally: Annual Dr. M. L. King, Jr. Commemoration & March for Justice; March 18 - Rally and March Against the War; organized the Call to Action Bring the Troops Home Rally with Cindy Sheehan - drew over 1000 people; International Women’s Day anti-War rally; Freedom from Gun violence Rally; Sept. 23 Regional Anti-War Rally, March & Peacefest.
•Nationally: Organized buses to the April 29 NYC National Anti-War March and the Nov. 18 School of the Americas rally and vigil at Ft. Benning, Georgia.
• Weekly Stands for Peace in Milwaukee and our affiliate chapters.
• Nonviolent civil disobedience actions against the war in front of Sen. Kohl’s Milwaukee office and Cong. Sensenbrenner’s Brookfield office with nine arrested. Five Peace Action members were arrested in a CD action in Washington, DC.
Lobbying
• Sent 20 people to lobby in D.C. to close School of the Americas.
• Organized call-in lobby days on numerous issues.
• Met with Congresspeople and Senators or their staffs concerning the war in Iraq, nuclear weapons, Israel-Palestine, Iran, torture and civil liberties. Had quarterly meetings with Congresswoman Gwen Moore’s staff.
Affiliates
• Peace Action affiliates in Racine, Washington County and Sheboygan sponsored numerous educational events, weekly anti-war vigils and demonstrations. Racine organized a successful referendum campaign to Bring the Troops Home and gathered signatures for a spring 2007 referendum to Impeach Bush and Cheney. Our affiliates’ work continues to grow.
And More
• Annual Lanterns for Peace event commemorating Hiroshima/Nagasaki with speaker Matt Rothschild drew over 800 people in Milwaukee.
• Program Director George Martin continued his peace work nationally and internationally through national Peace Action and United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ). George is national co-chair of UFPJ and spoke at the national anti-war rallies. He also spoke as a representative of the US peace movement at the World Social Forum in Venezuela and the European Social Forum in Greece .
• Three Peace Action delegates traveled to Israel/Palestine for a peace conference in Bethlehem.
• Two staff and several members participated in the World Peace Forum in Vancouver, British Columbia in June.
• Initiated, with the NAACP, the Milwaukee Justice Coalition to respond to police brutality and problems with the criminal justice system. Received an award from NAACP for this work.
• Worked in coalitions on Wisconsin efforts to stop concealed weapons, the death penalty, the ban on gay marriage and civil unions and Election Protection efforts to improve and monitor the electoral process.
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