peace action supports groundbreaking iran...

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

The American-Iranian Friendship Picnic. (Photo: Michael Passarini)

Ofelia Cohen-Odiaga, Arlington

On July 14, world leaders reached agroundbreaking agreement with Iran.Iran has promised to dramatically cutback its nuclear program, in exchange forthe elimination of the sanctions placedon the country. Now it is up to Congressto approve or disapprove the deal bySeptember 17. In case they vote no, Con-gress will vote again inearly October on whetherto override an expectedveto by President Obama.

The deal will prevent theUS and Israel from tryingto stop Iran's nuclear dev-elopment by force, whichwould lead to a disastrouswar. On the contrary, thedeal would guarantee thatIran's nuclear activitiesremain peaceful.

The deal will cap Iran'suranium stockpile at 300kg for 15 years and elim-inate 97 percent of its cur-rent stockpile of enriched uranium.

Moreover, the deal will put intrusive,advanced, high-tech monitoring and ins-pections in place so that Iran could notpossibly build a nuclear weapon.

The Iran deal will benefit the US ec-onomy through trade with Iran. The dealwill also open the way for possible co-operation between Iran, the US and oth-er countries on other issues; for example,Iran opposes extremist groups such asISIS and al-Qaeda, and can be helpful innegotiating an end to the Syrian civil war.

Peace Action has been working intensive-ly for diplomacy, not war, with Iran forover eight years and this agreement is amajor victory for us. This summer, wecirculated a petition with other organ-izations that had over 400,000 signaturesas we go to press. Our members havecalled and visited Congress, urging a yesvote on the deal, and passed outthousands of flyers at subway stationsand a Red Sox game. We also held twodifferent events this summer relating toIran.

A PICNIC FOR PEACE

As the final negotiations heated up,MAPA collaborated with the NationalIranian-American Council (NIAC) andWatertown Citizens for Peace, Justice,and the Environment to stage an Amer-

ican-Iranian Friendship Picnic in Water-town on June 14th. The picnic featuredmusic, dancing, and Iranian food, bring-ing members of peace groups togetherwith Iranian-Americans.

HOW DO YOU SEE IRAN?

Rashin Khosravibavandpouri, an Iranian-born journalist, M.S. student in inter-

national relations at SuffolkUniversity, and member ofMassachusetts PeaceAction’s Middle East Work-ing Group, gave a talk onJune 23 intended to dispelmisconceptions about Iran.

In the U.S. media, Iran isoften portrayed as a fright-ening, evil nation: terrorists,bent on Israel’s destruction,the ones who are building anuclear bomb sure to headour way. The Iran nucleardeal, the scare mongers tellus, is dangerous; how canwe possibly trust the Ir-

anians to keep their end ofthe bargain (even if U.N. inspectors willbe monitoring Iran more intensively thanany nation on earth)? Rashin remindedus that the U.S. has been hostile to Iranfor years.

Peaceful negotiations, no matter whatthe context, are always better thanbombs. As our colleague, Mary Popeo,said: “I support the Iran Deal because it isone step closer to a nuclear-free future.”Javad Zarif, the Foreign Minister of Iran,who negotiated the deal, said the samething in a July 31 article (bit.ly/zarif-mideast-wmd-free). There’s somethingto that.

Call Congress today and ask them to voteYES on the Iran nuclear deal. (202) 224-3121

Interns’ Corner 2Presidential Race 3

Fair Share Tax Campaign 4

Accounting for Gaza 4

This Web of Racism 5Peace Calendar 6

Fall 2015

Peace Action Supports Groundbreaking Iran Deal

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MASSACHUSETTS PEACE ACTION

11 Garden St, Cambridge, MA 02138617-354-2169

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Abigail StraitBrandeis Heller School

I came to MAPA’sfundraising internposition this summerwith previous grant

writing experience in my back pocket,thinking I knew exactly what to expect.Of course - as with many situations yougo into “knowing” what will happen - Iwas wrong.

My previous experiences were working inlarge fundraising departments full ofgrant-writers with years of institutionalknowledge and pre-set procedures. Thisended up being a very different setupthan at MAPA; some grant-writing hadalready been done when I came onboard, but it hadn’t been the mostenergy-efficient method for MAPA’ssmall staff to fundraise.

So I learned pretty quickly I was in adifferent situation than I was used to!And while adapting to those newcircumstances was a challenge, it wasalso fun. I found myself getting my handsinto some of those other fundraisingmethods, instead of just focusing ongrant-writing as I had in the past. I got tostart some of those grant systems myselfand write new copy for grants fromscratch. I learned a lot about peaceissues - even in the areas I thought I’dknown a lot about before - and lovedlearning about different parts of thepeace movement and MAPA’s workthrough the other interns, staff, andmembers who stopped by to visit.

It ended up being a much more edu-cational time than I’d expected - and alsomuch more interesting than the one I’denvisioned at the start of the summer!

Ofelia Cohen-OdiagaCommonwealth School

I still remember theday I walked into theMAPA office for myinterview. I was really

nervous because this was my firstinterview ever -- and I knew very littleabout politics. I knew how to useFacebook and Twitter, how to do flyersand posters, how to write, but politics?That was what I didn’t know. At all. I’mpleased to say that that has changedgreatly. Since coming to MAPA, I’velearned a lot about the current state ofthe world’s affairs, from the Syrianattacks in Yemen using Americanresources to the sanctions on Iran, fromthe mismanagement of our money to thefact that we have thousands of nuclearmissiles on our soil. My eyes have beenopened in so many ways, and I can’tpossibly be more grateful.

But more than anything else, more thanthe Middle East or Israel and Palestine ornuclear weapons or our own foreignpolicy and budget, I’ve learned how I,Ofelia Cohen-Odiaga, can be a moreconscious citizen of the earth. I saw thispost online that really struck me. Theoriginal post was (with grammar correct-ed): “A teenager? With political opin-ions? No, politics are for adults. Thisdoes not affect you. Go sit at the kids’table.” Then another person comment-ed, “(5 min later) This new generation ofteenagers doesn’t care about anythingbesides parties and the internet.”

Okay, a little snarky (and by the way,both posters were mocking the adultssaying these things), but the pointstands. Teenagers are stigmatized asshallow, as careless, as only thinkingabout their own little worlds which don’tinclude anything of actual importance.But that’s not all teenagers, and that’snot all teenagers’ fault, either. Teenagersaren’t always given the opportunity to beconscious, active citizens because adultsunderestimate them. At MAPA, I wasnever underestimated, not once. I wastreated the same as the adults were, andbecause of that, I was able to learn so

much about the world around me.Because of MAPA, I am a far moreinteresting human being. And I hope Ican use this experience as a model tobecome an even more interesting humanbeing in the future.

Sophie MakiTufts University

This summer, I haveworked as the politicaland legislative internfor MassachusettsPeace Action. I was

drawn to MAPA because of what it stoodfor: its values of supporting peace andworking against militarization, im-perialism, racism, and climate changewere all in line with my own. Beforestarting my work with MAPA, I felt ratherdisheartened by the political systemwithin the United States. I questionedhow a system that seemed to be basedmore on money and power than on the“will of the people” would ever be ableto support the values that are importantto me. Because of these thoughts, I tookmy activism elsewhere. I looked tochange the policies at my school, furthersupport movements of rallies and boy-cotts, and to challenge the thinking of mypeers.

Working with MAPA has been instrum-ental in developing my understanding ofthe power a collective group can have ona government. Phone calls, letters, andcoalition building are all small steps thatcan have real impacts on the lives ofpeople around the world because in largeenough numbers, these actions haveinfluence on politicians, perhaps evenmore than money and nepotism. Myresolve to create a fundamentally diff-erent system of societal rule that rep-resents the interests of even the leastpowerful and privileged in our societystill exists. The restructuring of the sys-tem will hopefully happen eventually,but important legislative decisions arehappening right now. Although workingfor peace may be an uphill battle in thispolitical system, I believe that it is oneworth fighting.

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John Ratliff, Cambridge

What are the prospects that the 2016 contest will advance thecause of peace and begin a shift from the failed policies ofendless conflict? The answer to this question may depend onthe energy that the peace activists put into the race. Duringpresidential contests people pay attention to the issues ofpeace and war, so the election is an opportunity for peaceactivists to advance our issues. Some have organized efforts inearly primary states to attend candidate forums and press thecandidates on issues important to war and peace. Many think

there is a strong peace candidate in the Democratic field ofcandidates and are throwing all their energies into the Sanders“political revolution”. Still other peace activists have engagedin efforts to shift the political culture away from the two partysystem to one of a number of third parties, most prominentlythe Greens. All of these efforts will have an effect bendingtoward peace. It is critical that we each find our way to makean effort. Below is some information on candidates. For moreinformation, go to the Massachusetts Peace Action website.

Democratic Candidates

All the Democratic candidates except Sen. Webb of Virginia support the Iran nuclear deal. All of them except Sen. Sanders supportspending at least as much on the military industrial complex.

Former Secretary ofState and Senator Hil-lary Clinton touts herexperience in foreignpolicy and her tough-ness. She advocates a

hugely powerful military posted through-out the world. She voted for the Iraq warand supported attacking Libya in 2011.She declines to take a position on theTPP.

As a former mayor,congressman, and cur-rent U.S. Senator on thebudget and Veterans'committee, Bernie San-ders is far better knownfor his domestic poli-

cy than for his foreign policy. He advo-cates drastically cutting the military, re-ducing foreign bases, and has votedagainst every foreign war. He is for takingwealth and power from the billionaires

and moving it to the people. He led thefight against the TPP.

Former Governor MartinO'Malley has not takenpart in any previous voteson the wars but main-tained a consistant vocalopposition to foreign ad-

ventures. He has not called for cuttingthe military budget but is a strongadvocate of increased domestic spend-ing. He opposes the TPP.

Former Governor, Sen-ator, and Secretary of theNavy Lincoln Chafeebecame a Democrat in2007. He was the onlyRepublican Senator tovote against the Iraq war.

He speaks of more reliance on the UNsystem, and a cooperative approach toRussia and China. He supports the TPP.

Former Senator JimWebb had a military car-eer, retiring as a MarineColonel, and then servedas Secretary of the Navybefore running for

Senate in 2006. He resigned as Secretaryof the Navy rather than agree to reducethe navy to below 600 vessels. Heopposed the Iraq war and the TPP.

Vice-president Joe Bidenwas chair of the SenateForeign Policy Committeebefore being electedvice-president in 2008.He has not yet ann-ounced himself as a

candidate but rumors abound that hemay join the race if the front-runnerlacks momentum. He strongly supportscurrent policies and would continuesupporting the policies he has helpedshape in the administration.

Republican Candidates

There are now 17 Republican candidates. In their first debate, Aug. 6, they were all against the Iran deal and all pledged to be morehawkish than President Obama. Sen. Rand Paul, once considered more pro-peace, has become much more hawkish than in thepast, joining his peers in supporting military spending and war efforts.

Green Party Options

Lexington physician Jill Stein is a declared candidate for the Green Party nomination, and Cynthia McKinney isalso considered by some to be a potential Green candidate. The Green political platform is stridently propeace, and many activists will attempt to utilize the Green Party, which received less than 1% of the vote in2012 but was able to present the issues strongly, as a vehicle to advance the campaign for peace in thebroader debate.

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Massachusetts Peace Action is a memberof RaiseUp Massachusetts, a coalition oflabor, faith, and community groups thatis building an economy that supportsworkers and their families. We helpedRaiseUp win the highest state minimumwage in the nation in June 2014 andearned sick leave for Massachusettsworkers in November 2014.

Now, RaiseUp is calling on millionaires topay their fair share of taxes, in a stateconstitutional amendment that wouldraise more than $1 billion a year, themoney earmarked for public transport-ation and education.

Although the Massachusetts income taxis a flat 5% rate, the highest income res-idents pay the least in state and localtaxes, thanks to sales and property taxeswhich fall most heavily on lower-incomeearners and to huge tax deductions that

go to the people with the highest in-comes. The Fair Share Tax will requirethose earning over $1 million income inMassachusetts to pay an additional 4%in taxes, which moves them closer topaying their fair share. For this we willneed to amend the Commonwealth’sconstitution, which is an elaborate butdoable process.

To move forward, the campaign plans to

gather 150,000 signatures this year in acampaign beginning in early Septemberthrough mid November 2015.

Massachusetts Peace Action is doing itspart! Join us for an educational andtraining session on the Fair Share Tax andthe petitioning process on Saturday,September 12 at 11am. After thissession, we will have 6 weeks to gathersignatures for the campaign. Pleasecontact the office if you can helpcirculate petitions, so we can get youyour petition papers when they comeout. After signatures are collected, theFair Share Tax will continue with a 3-yearcampaign, having to secure at least 50votes in the state Legislature in twospecial legislative sessions, calledconstitutional conventions, one in 2016and one in 2017. The campaign willculminate in 2018 when the Fair ShareTax will be on the November ballotduring the gubernatorial election.

David Zackon,Wakefield

In June the US administration reactedwith calculated scorn to the report of theCommission of Inquiry (COI) establishedby the United Nations Human RightsCouncil (UNHRC) to investigate lastsummer’s attack on Gaza by the IsraeliDefense Forces (IDF).

“We’re not going to have a readout ofthis.… We’re not going to take it apartand do a point-by-point rebuttal,” theState Department‘s John Kirby announ-ced. Israel’s “best friend” did not evenattempt a refutation because of “ourconcerns about the mechanism of usingthe [COI] on this…; we challenge the verymechanism which created it.”

Kirby cited “the bias against Israel that isimparted in that mechanism,” and IsraeliAmbassador Ron Prosor claimed that“the Human Rights Council serves as thesoldiers of the Palestinians and Hamas….The UN has been taken hostage by ter-rorist organizations.”

Whenever the US wants to avoidconfronting the serial crimes of the IDF, itposits “Bias.” Last December, membersof Congress (even including progressivesBarbara Lee, Keith Ellison and JimMcGovern) sent Ban Ki-moon a com-plaint linking anti-Semitic violence inEurope to “biases present within theUnited Nations.”

To dismiss a lengthy, carefully-producedreport commissioned at the behest ofgovernments around the world and ledby Justice Mary McGowan-Davis, anAmerican jurist of unchallenged cre-dentials; to deem its contents – thesubstantial evidence and findings – irrel-evant because of the “mechanism”: thatis overt bias.

The complete isolation of the US positionwas inescapable when the 47-memberUNHCR voted 41-1 (with 5 abstentions)to endorse McGowan-Davis’s recommen-dations. Compare that with the 2009vote accepting Judge Goldstone’s reporton Israel’s “violations of international

human rights and humanitarian law” in“Operation Cast Lead,” an earlier assaulton Gaza, when 5 European allies joinedthe US in dissent. In 2015, only the USvoted no. Britain, France, Netherlands –who had opposed Goldstone – have nowjoined the majority.

The COI was blunt in decrying the“impunity” with which the IDF violatesinternational humanitarian and humanrights law. In an Israeli press interviewfollowing the release of her report,McGowan-Davis declared that “it is notOK to drop a one-ton bomb in themiddle of a neighborhood.” Does thatstatement reflect “bias” or simple hu-manity?

US officials, especially those who takeinternational humanitarian law seriously,surely understand that there are neitherbias nor shaky “facts” or logic in theMcGowan-Davis report. But in May, theState Department approved $1.9 billionin arms to replenish the stock Israelexpended in Gaza last summer.

RaiseUp Massachusetts Calls for Wealthy to Pay Their “Fair Share”

Accounting for Gaza 2014: Balance and Bias

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Rosemary Kean, Dorchester

Video records of murders of un-armed black people by the police,the massacre of 9 black people at achurch prayer meeting by anavowed white supremacist, andthe arrest on video and sub-sequent death in jail of SandraBland following her failure tosignal a lane change are some ofthe events of the past year thathave demonstrated the brutality ofracism in the United States.

Many of us are stunned by theseevents and many are organizingagainst institutional racism. TheBlack Lives Matter movement, born afterthe killing of 17 year old Trayvon Martinin 2013, is organizing with increasingeffectiveness to demand human and civilrights for black people and recognition oftheir platform by presidential candidates.

At February’s Annual Meeting, Massa-chusetts Peace Action members heardfrom Rev. Osagyefo Sekou about hiswork with young Black Lives Matterleaders and from Carl Williams, ACLUStaff Attorney, and Lizzie Jean Padgett,organizer with Deep Abiding Love, wholed a workshop on institutional racism inour criminal justice system.

Since the Annual Meeting, interestedmembers of Peace Action have formeda reading group, which is focusing onthe topic “Racism and Peace.” Readingshave focused on the history of AfricanAmerican organization for peace, anti-racism, and white privilege. The group isreading African Americans Against theBomb, by Vincent Intondi, has read anarticle by Michael McPhearson, ExecutiveDirector of Veterans for Peace, “Deep-ening Anti-racism Work in the PeaceMovement,” and two articles by PeggyMcIntosh: “White People FacingRace,” and “White Privilege, Color, andCrime: a Personal Account.”

The use of racism to manipulate peoplearound economic and political outcomes,including war, in North America stemsfrom the establishment by law of white

privilege in the British colonies; this laidthe foundation for white supremacist

thinking. Howard Zinn, in his piece “TheBombs of August”, noted the “500 yearassault on colored people of the world”by western powers including, amongothers, the British, King Leopold ofBelgium, and the atomic bombings of theUnited States with its atomic bombingsof Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Peggy McIntosh, in examining evidenceof white privilege, notes racism operatingduring WW 2 when Japanese Americanswere forced into internment camps andGerman Americans were not.

“This web of racism” is a phrase used byblack poet Claudia Rankine in talking

Over 500 people attended 19 differentevents held across Massachusetts duringHiroshima and Nagasaki Week, August 3to 9, this year, diverse in form but with acommon message: No More Hiroshimas!No More Nagasakis! Abolish NuclearWeaopns Now!Led by Buddhist drummers, 150 peopleformed a procession through the BostonPublic Garden, followed by a ceremonyincluding Japanese dancers, music, andseveral speakers.

27 attended a sunrise ceremony inMartha’s Vineyard. 60 joined the 70 Days4 Peace vigil and a presentation aboutNagasaki’s Hibaku Maria statue at Uni-versity Lutheran in Cambridge. Two newanti-nuclear films premiered.

about her 2015 book Citizen, whichaddresses interpersonal racism. It is a

lyrical recounting of daily con-versational microaggressionsexperienced by Rankine and otherpeople of color. While notevidence of hatred or bigotry,such microagressions thoughtles-sly send demeaning messages to aperson because of color. Rankinepoints out that anyone of any skincolor can commit these verbalaggressions and she gives us theremedy: to apologize.MAPA has set the goal ofintegrating racial justice work intoits peace movement and of

building a more diverse membership.Hopefully our Racism and Peace readinggroup is a step in developing a learningcommunity in MAPA that will, in anongoing way, address interpersonal, in-stitutional, and structural racism andfoster a flourishing, multi-racial, anti-racist peace movement.

Such a broad and vital foundation couldhelp to build the power needed torestructure our political and economicsystem and to support a Foreign Policyfor All and a Budget for All, so that peaceis, indeed, possible.

Artists and musicians performed at aBoston concert and at a Cambridge youthpoetry and performance event. Candleboats were floated in Watertown,Cambridge and Northampton. Activistsheld vigils in Amherst, Andover, Fall River,Walpole, Watertown, and Waltham.

This Web of Racism

The nine victims of the shooting at the Emanuel AfricanMethodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina

Hiroshima and Nagasaki: 70 Years – Never Again!

Activists walk through Boston on August 6th.(Photo: Ofelia Cohen-Odiaga)

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11 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138(617) 354-2169www.masspeaceaction.org

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Boston, MAPermit No. 1490

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Join us!Massachusetts Peace Action, or MAPA, is anonpartisan, nonprofit membership organiza-tion working to develop the sustainedpolitical power to foster a more just andpeaceful U.S. foreign policy.We are an affiliate of Peace Action, thenation's largest grassroots peace anddisarmament membership organization, withmore than 18,000 members and 30 stateaffiliates across the country.Our work is funded entirely by donationsfrom our members. Thank you for yoursupport. Member levels:• $65 Family membership• $40 Individual membership• $10 Limited income or student

Make tax-deductible donations in anyamount to the Massachusetts Peace ActionEducation Fund. Mail check to 11 Garden St,Cambridge, MA 02138 or go online tomasspeaceaction.org/donate

What We Do• Mobilize and educate our members to

become active advocates for peace andjustice issues with their elected officialsand within their communities.

• Organize events to educate the public onissues of peace and disarmament.

• Address specific issue areas in ourworking groups

• Make peace a priority in all elections at alllevels by educating voters and candidateson just and peaceful foreign policyoptions.

Mass. Peace Action board of directors: Rosalie Anders, James Babson, Carol Coakley (vice chair),Shelagh Foreman, Subrata Ghoshroy, Bonnie Gorman, So Yeon Jeong, Rosemary Kean, Jeff Klein,Maryellen Kurkulos, John Maher, Eva Moseley, Guntram Mueller (chair), Prasannan Parthasarathi,John Ratliff, Pat Salomon, Denise Simmons, Ken YarbroughEducation Fund board: Rosalie Anders (chair), Christie Dennis, Shelagh Foreman, Gary Goldstein,Eva MoseleyStaff: Cole Harrison, executive director; Carol Coakley, office coordinator; Caitlin Forbes, campusorganizer; Biram Seck, asst. director; Wafaa Arbash, membership outreach. Interns: Ofelia Cohen-Odiaga, Rashin Khosravibavandpouri, Sophie Maki, Serene Murad, Abigail Strait.This Issue’s Editors: Cole Harrison and Ofelia Cohen-Odiaga

Peace and Justice Calendar

Fall 2015 www.masspeaceaction.org/events

Mon Sep 7 Bread and Roses Festival – MAPA Outreach Table12-5pm Campagnone Common, Lawrence

Tue Sept 8 Why Is the Iran Nuclear Deal Important? – Stephen Kinzer;7:00 pm Jimmy Tingle MC. Location TBA.

Sat Sept 12 Fair Share Tax Amendment Training – John Ratliff11:00 am Location TBA - RaiseUp Mass.

Sun Oct 11 HONK/Oktoberfest – MAPA Outreach Table12-5pm Harvard Square, Cambridge

Sat Oct 17 Music for Peace: Music of Schumann and Beethoven – James7:30 pm Buswell, Carol Ou, Mana Tokuno, Victor Rosenbaum. Harvard

Epworth Church, 1555 Mass Ave., Cambridge.

Sat Nov 14 A New Day? Organizing to Change US Policy on Israel and11:00 am Palestine – one day conference. Keynote: Rami Khouri, Palestinian

journalist and Harvard Kennedy School Fellow.

Sat Nov 21 Rising to the Challenge: Building Sustainable Security for All of Us9:00 am conference. Keynotes: Noam Chomsky; Michael McPhearson.

Date TBA Forum: Increasing Federal Investment in Public TransitKeynote: Fred Salvucci. Budget for All

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