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Why did the September 11 attacks happen?
Where are Iraq's weapons of mass
destruction?
What is the current purpose of the U.S.
war in Iraq?
Must we consider other nations as being a
threat to the U.S. such as Syria, Palestine, Iran, Libya, Cuba, and North
Korea?
What is the best way to interact with
other nations and individuals if they are considered to be a threat?
Must the U.S. proceed with its plans for
possible use of nuclear weapons?
Our answers to these questions can vary
depending on what we hear, see or read from the media. The following is a
list of alternative resources ranging from military to nonviolent
perspectives. They often address hopes and concerns beyond U.S. borders,
mutual security and justice for all people, international efforts and
cooperation, international law and alternatives to war for resolving
conflicts such as dialogue and diplomacy.
These resources can be used to bring
understanding and hope for ourselves and humanity. May consideration and
compassion for all people, outside of U.S. borders as well as within, lead us
to worthy causes for a secure, just, and lasting peace.
National Organizations
- American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
(ADC)
4201
Connecticut Ave., Washington, D.C. 20008
(202) 244-2990 http://www.adc.org
Dedicated to promoting education and encouraging a balanced U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
125
Broad St., 18th Floor, New York, NY 10004-2400 http://www.aclu.org
Dedicated to the preservation of the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Bill of Rights
- Amnesty International USA (AIUSA)
322
Eighth Ave., New York, NY 10001
(212) 807-8400 http://www.amnesty-usa.org
- Center for Defense Information (CDI)
1779
Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-2109
(202) 332-0060 http://www.cdi.org
Gives factual information on problems with U.S. military policies from a military perspective.
- Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)
P.O. Box 6508, Chicago, IL 60680
(312) 455-1199 http://www.cpt.org
Deploys teams of skilled nonviolent activists in places throughout
the world where there is armed conflict.
- Council for a Livable World (CLW)
322 4th
Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
(212) 534-4100 http://www.clw.org
Educates and organizes toward the elimination of nuclear weapons.
- Education for Peace in Iraq (EPIC)
1101 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003
(202) 543-6176 http://www.epicusa.org
Education and advocacy working to improve humanitarian conditions in
Iraq through changes in US policy.
- Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR)
P.O. Box 271, Nyack, NY 10960
(845) 358-4601 http://www.forusa.org
Helps people of faith to commit themselves more deeply to a
nonviolent world of justice, peace and freedom.
- Jubilee Partners
P.O. Box 68, Comer GA 30629
(706) 783-5131 http://www.jubileepartners.org
A beautiful example of compassion as it is a safe haven for refugees
from areas of unrest and violence.
- Food First, Institute for Food and Development
Policy
398 60th
St., Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 654-4400 http://www.foodfirst.org
Empowers people to address the root causes of hunger, poverty and
environmental decline.
- The Interfaith Alliance
1331 H St. NW, 11th Floor, Washington, DC 20005
(202) 639-6370 http://www.interfaithalliance.org
Works to mobilize activists, educate decision-makers, and provide
resources on issues that arise where religion and politics intersect.
- Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)
1875
Connecticut Ave N.W., Suite 1012, Washington, DC 20009
(202) 667-4260 http://www.psr.org
Educates concerning the serious hazards of nuclear weapons and
organizes toward their elimination.
- SOA Watch
PO Box 4566, Washington, DC 20017
(202) 234-3440 http://www.soaw.org
Dedicated to close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security and
Cooperation (formerly the School of the Americas or SOA) which trains
Latin American soldiers in counter-insurgency. Lessons learned are used
against the poor in Latin America.
- Voices in the Wilderness (VitW)
1460 West
Carmen Ave., Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 784-8065 http://www.vitw.org
http://www.iraqpeaceteam.org
Sent more than 50 delegations to Iraq to witness needless suffering and death due
to war and sanctions.
- War Resisters League (WRL)
339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012
(800) 975-9685 http://www.nonviolence.org/wrl
Committed to eliminating the causes for war with programs for
disarmament, anti-racism, feminism, nonviolence and war tax resistance.
- Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom (WILPF)
1213 Race St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 563-7110 http://www.wilpf.org
Since WWI, it has stood for the equality of all people, disarmament,
and a changing of government priorities to meet human needs.
Periodicals
- Extra! - bimonthly
P.O. Box 170, Congers NY 10920-9930
(800) 847-3993 http://www.fair.org
Critiquest the mainstream media to
promote fairness and accuracy.
- Sojourners - bimonthly
2401
15th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
(800) 714-7474 http://www.sojo.net
Rooted in prophetic biblical tradition offering vision for faith in
public life.
- The Nation - weekly
P.O. Box
55149, Boulder CO 80322-5149
(800) 333-8536 http://www.thenation.com
Briefly reports and analyses a wide
variety of current trends in our nation's polictical
stance.
- Washington Report on Middle East Affairs -
nine times yearly
12346
McDougall Ave., Detroit, MI 48212
(313) 366-6800 http://www.wrmea.com
Solid comprehensive information.
Broadcasting
- PBS Evening News Hour with Jim Lehrer - nightly,
commercial-free in-depth analysis and interviews.
- CNN's World Wide News Channel - 24 hours,
from a vast network of reporters.
- MSNBC Donahue - discusses timely issues
from a progressive perspective.
- C-SPAN 1 - 24 hours, live coverage of
hearings from U.S. House, public events and panel discussions. C-Span
2 is similar with hearings from U.S. Senate.
- National Public Radio (NPR) - worldwide
news and views.
- British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) -
worldwide news and views from London.
More Websites
- http://www.alternet.org
- grassroots success stories, hard-hitting policy critiques.
- http://www.commondreams.org - variety of alternative news.
- http://www.moveon.org
- responds to timely issues.
- http://www.smirkingchimp.com - daily gathering of articles with forums
to comment on the stories.
- http://www.buzzflash.com
- another collection of articles, links to
various news sources.
- http://www.zmag.org/weluser.htm - Z-Net is a community of people committed
to social change.
- http://www.truthout.org
- news and commentary.
- http://www.onlinejournal.com - a "new news media, of, by and for
the people."
- http://www.nationalpriorities.org
- http://www.peacemakersguide.org
– Bruderhof Peacemakers Guide – Fighting for
Peace
Local Resources - West Michigan
A. Organizations
- Circle of Peace, c/o Institute for Global
Education
P.O. Box
60839, Grand Rapids, MI 49516
(616) 454-1642
http://www.ipj-ppj.org/favan_new.html
Helps families, classrooms and groups break the cycle of violence.
- Grand Rapids Institute for Information
Democracy (GRIID)
http://www.griid.org
Media watchdog group.
- Grand Rapids Peace Team (GRPT)
P.O. Box 60839, Grand Rapids, MI 49516
(616) 454-1642
http://www.michiganpeaceteam.org/grandrapids
Offers materials briefly showing the depth of nonviolence from
legacies of Jesus of Nazareth, Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King,
Jr., as nonviolent peacemakers.
- Institute for Global Education (IGE)
P.O. Box
60839, Grand Rapids, MI 49516
(616) 454-1642 http://www.iserv.net/~ige
Provides a newsletter, library, programs and resources to think
globally and act locally.
- World Affairs Council of Western Michigan
(WACWM)
1607
Robinson Road S.E.,
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
(616) 776-1721 world@iserv.net
Educates about other countries, cultures and regions and provides a
forum for discussion of critical foreign policy issues facing the U.S.
B. Broadcasting
- FreeSpeech TV - GRTV cable channel 25, Mon., Tues, Wed.
midnight - 2 a.m.
http://www.iserv.net/~positive/fstv.html
Clearinghouse for independently produced documentaries from a
progressive perspective.
- Speaking Out - GRTV cable channel 25, Mon.
8:30 p.m., Wed. 3:30 p.m., Fri 10 a.m.; WKTV cable channel 25, Wed. 10
a.m.
(616) 532-6321
Events concerning Grand Rapids and global issues on peace, justice
and the environment.
- National Public Radio (NPR)
WVGR 104.1 FM, WGVU 88.5 FM, and Blue Lake Public Radio 88.9 FM
Worldwide news and views.
- British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
WVGR 104.1 FM
Worldwide news and views from London.
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