"I've
come to the conclusion that if we don't change from a value system
based on love of money and power to one based on love of compassion and
generosity we will be extinct this century. We need a brief earthquake
to wake up humanity. Addicted to War is such an earthquake." Patch
Adams, M.D. Founder of Gesundheit Institute, Vietnam War-era
conscientious objector.
The
ACLU is our nation's guardian of liberty. We work daily in courts,
legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual
rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the
Constitution and laws of the United States. Our job is to conserve
America's original civic values - the Constitution and the Bill of
Rights. more
Increase
funding to meet the needs of our children and children around the world
(at no additional taxpayer expense) by reducing money spent on the
Pentagon for Cold War weapons systems no longer needed to protect
America. more
An
independent think tank that offers analysis and alternative views on
strengthing security through international cooperation; reduced
reliance on unilateral miliraty power to resolve conflict; and reduced
reliance on nuclear weapons.
Participate in an historic citizen lobbying effort to create a U.S. Department of Peace. This legislation was introduced into the U.S. Senate (S. 1756) and re-introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 3760) in September of 2005. The primary function of a Department of Peace will be to research, articulate and facilitate nonviolent solutions to domestic and international conflict. The Department will focus on peaceful conflict resolutions, prevent violence and promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights.
The
Fourth Freedom Forum is working to create a more civilized world based
on the force of law rather than the law of force. We believe that
economic power is greater than military might, and that the effective
use of economic incentives and sanctions offers the greatest hope for
creating a more secure and peaceful future. more
A
progressive source for a more just and democratic society, including
alternative views on foreign policy, global justice, and nonviolent
conflict resolution. Its "Peace and Security Cluster" project looks
specifically at U.S. foreign policy, internationalism, and global
conflicts.
The National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund, a national non-profit organization located in Washington, D.C., advocates for US federal legislation enabling conscientious objectors to war to have their federal income taxes directed to a special fund which could be used for non-military purposes only. This fund would be called the Peace Tax Fund and the bill we seek to pass is called the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act.
The
National Priorities Project (NPP) offers citizen and community groups
tools and resources to shape federal budget and policy priorities which
promote social and economic justice
Physicians
for Social Responsibility (PSR) is a non-profit educational
organization committed to the elimination of nuclear and other weapons
of mass destruction, the achievement of a healthy and sustainable
environment, and the reduction of violence and its causes. PSR is the
US affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear
War, recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize.
Physicians
for Social Responsibility is committed to the elimination of nuclear
and other weapons of mass destruction, the achievement of a sustainable
environment, and the reduction of violence and its causes.
School
of the Americas Watch is an independent organization that seeks to
close the US Army School of the Americas, under whatever name it is
called, through vigils and fasts, demonstrations and nonviolent
protest, as well as media and legislative work.
Our
mission is very ambitious: to transform the way the world deals with
conflict. We emphasize cooperative solutions, pursued on a realistic
scale and with practical means. Current problems - whether ethnic,
environmental, or economic - are simply too complex and interconnected
to be settled on an adversarial basis.
The United States Institute of Peace is an independent nonpartisan national institution established and funded by Congress. Our mission is to help prevent, manage, and resolve international conflicts by empowering others with knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as by our direct involvement in peacebuilding efforts around the world.
Across the political spectrum
left, right and center, everyone says they want peace. Too often they
also want a gun, an army, or a bomb to ensure they get the "right kind
of peace." War Resisters League is unique because we believe, to quote
the late A.J. Muste, "There is no way to peace — peace is the way." We
reject the use of violence for national defense or for revolutionary
change. Deeply influenced by the teachings of the Indian leader,
Mohandas Gandhi, as well as Thoreau, Tolstoy, King, Deming, and others,
War Resisters League believes war is a crime against humanity. We use
peaceful means to create a society that is democratic, free of
economic, racial, and sexual oppression. The methods we use range from
education to demonstrations to lobbying to nonviolent direct action-at
all times trying to see those we oppose not as enemies, but as sisters
and brothers. more
WILPF
envisions a transformed world at peace, where there is racial, social,
and economic justice for all people everywhere - a world in which:
• The needs of all people are met in a fair and equitable manner,
• All people equally participate in making the decisions that affect them,
• The interconnected web of life is acknowledged and celebrated in diverse ways and communities, and
• Human societies are designed and organized for sustainable existence.
The mission of the Forum is to create a global culture of peace. This is how we propose to implement our mission:
1. Publish a World Peace Forum statement, “Building a Culture of Peace and Sustainability,” for the global community, outlining what individuals, communities, cities, groups, and nations can do locally to create a culture of peace and sustainability.
2. Create an ongoing legacy of bi-annual World Peace Forums, in cities around the world, to refine, promote, and expand the culture of peace and sustainability.
3. Encourage communities and nations to plan for peace, for example, by inaugurating Departments of Peace at city, regional, and national levels of government.
4. Celebrate and protect diversity of culture locally and globally.
5. Make war abhorrent, peace popular, and the restoration and protection of our global ecosystems a priority.
