|
As I watched my younger son (Seth) walk to get his high school diploma in June, I realized not for the first time, how much of ourselves goes into those we love. Here at WILPF US we are at the halfway mark in this turbulent year, and of my role as Co-President. What a time it’s been! I was honored that you elected Shilpa Pandey and I to lead this historic organization and our work has been ongoing, along with our new Executive Director Linda Low. I’ve been staying informed with regular update meetings even while I’m working long days as a legislative aide to a newly-elected Wisconsin Senator, arranging constituent meetings, writing speeches, and helping her oppose the toxic and dangerous policies at both the local and federal levels. Like our work at WILPF, it’s exhausting but also feels fulfilling. We won’t back down and neither will WILPF US!
Our first six months on the job were filled with a deeper realization of how WILPF US works internally, to get a handle on our budget, processes and communications. It’s been a steep learning curve. You haven’t heard much from me and Shilpa, but believe me we’ve been staying busy and working behind the scenes to keep WILPF US moving forward. We made a decision early on not to be in your inbox as frequently as our predecessor was. It’s not our style and we don’t feel the need to be constantly visible especially with our new executive director onboard. But that doesn’t mean we’re not working for WILPF US and to support your organizing efforts and internal communications. We’ve divided up our responsibilities to guide efforts to streamline our processes, to make WILPF more accessible and agile. We drop in to issue committee meetings and other meetings as often as we can, given our full-time work demands.
Our next Board meeting is Sunday, July 31st at 4pm PT/5pm MT/6pm CT/7pm ET and you’re invited! We are collecting agenda items now. We are aiming at sending Board Reports out by July 24th. If you wish to attend and to hear more updates and information, please contact our Board Secretary to get a link to join the meeting at: Secretary@wilpfus.org.
Like you, we’ve been stunned at the sheer number of serious assaults by this corrupt and evil federal administration on our collective human rights, environmental protections, economic justice, and our constitution.
To the question of ‘What is WILPF doing during these attacks on Peace and Freedoms?’, WILPF US strongly supports calls for action and policy reform being called by our mother organization WILPF International, including these specific actions:
- We condemn the Israel and US attacks on Iran and support diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation of violence.
- We call for a two-way arms embargo and comprehensive sanctions on Israel until there is full compliance with international law.
- We demand an end to all military, intelligence, and nuclear cooperation with Israel and hold Israel accountable for committing international crimes and on the grounds that it has failed to comply with its conditions as a UN member state.
- We insist the US must refuse to provide any logistical support for any further illegal attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, including by denying permission for US B-2 or B-52 bombers attacking Iran to transit or refuel in their countries, and hold the US accountable for its unlawful attacks.
- We call on Israel, Iran and the US to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and to join or remain in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and for Israel and the US to eliminate their nuclear weapon programmes.
- We urge the US to reduce military spending and engage in diplomacy for global disarmament and demilitarisation.
WILPF International has issued strong statements calling for an End of Israel’s Aggression, Iranian Repression and the Global Failure to Uphold International Law. International WILPF also explained on June 19th’s blog post how Israel’s attacks against Iran constitute unlawful military aggression, made possible only by the impunity it has so far received from Western states and in a June 27th blog post arguing that war is not a non-proliferation strategy.
Amid widespread marches and protests, many of our allies are holding teach-ins and organizing zooms to address the Iran and Gaza conflicts as well as how this ramped up investment in war and conflict steals money and services from the most vulnerable Americans. We know many of our members are attending and drawing wisdom from these experts. Our issue committees are issuing calls to action, forwarding sign-on requests from allies and working on our own statements.
There are also efforts to convene a strategic gathering of national peace allies in order to develop strategies and plans for effective messaging and innovative action plans in a coordinated and cohesive effort that unites our voices and increases our impact. It is right that WILPF, as the oldest women’s peace organization in the world, volunteers to convene such a gathering. We’ll have more information about it in the coming weeks. The outcome would strengthen united responses to attacks on peace in Iran, Gaza/Palestine, Ukraine and parts of Africa and strengthen our resolve and solidarity. As our US government is the major perpetrator of so many of these dangerous global threats to peace and democracy around the world, it is right that WILPF US helps to marshal the resources of US peace allies to be effective counterweights, to raise compelling voices and make powerful demands for peace and human rights. Stay tuned for more information.
Finally, in these discouraging times for peace women, we hope you are finding strength and resilience where you can – among friends, allies, family and regular selfcare in all its forms. We are all stressed and experiencing the trauma of a world on fire. Let’s draw strength from the knowledge that we’ve come through tough times before, that we are united in our aspirations for peace and in our determination for WILPF never to be silenced.
Look for more occasional updates from Shilpa and I individually. Thank you for all you do for peace, human rights and democracy in your corner of the world.
Onward together, not one step back!
Martha Collins
Co-President at WILPF US
| 
