Our friends are in danger and our own government is increasing the likelihood that they will be harmed. You can help keep them safe  

This country has long claimed that it protects its citizens abroad, even to the point of going to war to do so--remember Granada?  A group of 40 Americans wants to sail their boat, the Audacity of Hope, in international waters--through an illegal blockade--to Gaza. They are being threatened with imprisonment, injury, even death if they attempt to do so. And what is the U.S. government's response to these threats?   Basically, to give Israel a green light to do whatever it wants with these U.S. citizens, whose aims are peaceful and whose tactics are nonviolent.  

This is shocking and despicable. Please tell Hillary Clinton to ensure the safety of the brave Americans on the Audacity of Hope. Sign the petition here.   

Obama Fouls, but Mayors Hit a Home Run

We are deeply disappointed that President Obama decided to bring only a token number of troops home from Afghanistan.  The enormous current deployment there of 250,000 U.S. and allied military forces (100,000 U.S. troops, 50,000 NATO troops and 100,000 Pentagon-paid contractors) will continue, virtually unabated.

Meanwhile, opposition to militarism and war continues to grow. A recent Pew poll showed a strong majority of Americans support bringing troops home from Afghanistan "as soon as possible." And more and more of the "grasstops" are speaking out. For example, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, meeting in Baltimore the weekend of June 18, passed an important resolution that included these words:

The United States Conference of Mayors calls on the U.S. Congress to bring these war dollars home to meet vital human needs, promote job creation, rebuild our infrastructure, aid municipal and state governments, and develop a new economy based upon renewable, sustainable energy.    

The mayors also passed a strong resolution to eliminate nuclear weapons.  

Thanks go to Baltimore members of Fund Our Communities, Bring the War Dollars Home whose hard work helped to ensure passage of these two resolutions. Read more here.   

March at Mayors' Conference in Baltimore

And--BREAKING NEWS--the mayor of Greenbelt has written

a letter to Rep. Steny Hoyer,  asking him to bring the war dollars home!  

How many Maryland mayors can we persuade to go on record to end the wars and use that money in our communities?  

Please ask your mayor to take a stand for peace by asking Congress to cut military spending and redirect those funds to domestic priorities.  

And  remember to keep our friends in the Flotilla in your heart: Ken, Ray, Kathy, Medea, Ann--and all the others. 

In peace and solidarity,