Our Platform – for 2010 and Beyond

Unity  – without Conformity.
Diversity - without Divisiveness.

We all want a peaceful, safe, just, and healthy world for ourselves, our children and our children’s children. Waynepeace will reach across political lines and personal differences to work on these interconnected issues:

Peace – Waynepeace seeks non-violent solutions to all conflict – international, national, local, and personal. We call for an end to conflicts throughout the world, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. We call for immediate plans to bring our troops home safely. We work toward economic justice as a basic prerequisite for peace.

Support for Our Troops – We believe that continuing to send troops to unjust wars, begun under false pretenses, with no exit strategy and unconscionable damage to civilian lives is dishonorable and possibly illegal.  We believe that the government officials responsible for these acts should be held accountable, and face investigations into their actions.  

We support our troops by holding our government responsible for its promises to the veterans of these wars, for the services they need and the support they deserve for the sacrifices they have made. We support education for all draft-age adults, so that they can make informed choices about national service. We support expanding other forms of national service for young people.

Democracy – Waynepeace works to counter two serious threats to our democracy: media consolidation and manipulation, and election corruption.

1. Media reform: People need reliable information to be good citizens in a functioning democracy. News is compromised by concentrated corporate control of the media and by a political culture that withholds and obscures information. Waynepeace holds educational events to provide alternatives to mainstream news information.
2. Election reform: Money corrupts our politicians, and electronic voting threatens our right to have our votes count. Waynepeace supports amending the Constitution to specify that corporations are not “persons,” and ending the corrupting influence these institutions have over our political and economic life.  Waynepeace supports verifiable voting methods.

Sustainability – Waynepeace recognizes the connections between unsustainable energy policies, environmental degradation, huge inequities in the distribution of wealth, profit-driven health care, and senseless deregulation of commerce.  We promote living within our means, taking good care of the weakest among us, and being careful stewards of our world, for ourselves and all life to come. Waynepeace supports effective political action and education to bring the concept of sustainability to the public.

 

“Corporate Personhood and Corporate Power” – Discussion at WCPL, Tuesday 2/2

The recent Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United v. FEC case has finally brought the issue of “corporate personhood” to the front of the public consciousness – but this issue has actually been problematic for quite some time.  As part of its ongoing concern with threats to American democracy, Waynepeace will sponsor a discussion of ”Corporate Personhood and Corporate Power” at the Wayne County Public Library, 1106 Main St., Honesdale, on Tuesday, February 2nd, at 5 PM.  Waynepeace co-founder Skip Mendler will facilitate the discussion.  All are welcome to attend, and refreshments will be served.

Note: Use of the Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not imply endorsement by WCPL of Waynepeace’s activities or beliefs.

 

Monthly March/Vigil/Meeting, January 29

Waynepeace’s monthly march and vigil will begin in Honesdale’s Central Park at 5:00 PM (note earlier time, which will be in effect through the coming winter months).  Participants will march to the Miller Pavilion on Main Street, where the names of this month’s casualties in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will be read at 5:30.  Afterwards, a dinner meeting will be held at 6 PM at a location to be announced.

 

A Marine Tells His Story in a Film to Be Shown January 5th

The public is invited to view the film “From Mills River to Babylon and Back: the Jimmy Massey Story.” It will be shown at the Wayne County Public Library on Tuesday, January 5^th at 5 PM.

This documentary relates the story of Sgt. Jimmy Massey, a Marine who served in Iraq. He sought help for what he had experienced – but instead of being treated for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), he was labeled a Conscientious Objector (CO). He challenged the assessment and went public. This put him on a journey to tell the truth about what was happening as a result of the war, including unscrupulous recruiting practices and the use of uranium-tipped weapons by the U.S. He has been outspoken against the war since being honorably discharged.

“We owe it to our soldiers to listen to their stories,” says Katharine Dodge of Waynepeace. “After all, our government sent them to Iraq, and in a democracy we are responsible for what our government does. So, we need to know the truth in order to make informed choices about our nation’s policies.”

In 2010, Waynepeace will continue to present monthly forums on issues involving peace and justice. These forums are free and open to all.

Note: The use of the Wayne County Public Library by Waynepeace does not constitute an endorsement by the library of the policies and beliefs of Waynepeace.

 

WAYNEPEACE PRESENTS DOCUMENTARY ABOUT RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE

“Talking Through Walls: How the Struggle to Build a Mosque United A Community” to be Shown at Wayne County Public Library, Nov. 3

As part of their ongoing series of discussions, Waynepeace will be screening the documentary “Talking Through Walls: How the Struggle to Build a Mosque United A Community” on Tuesday, November 3, at 6 PM, at the Wayne County Public Library on Main Street in Honesdale.

The documentary, produced by the Unity Productions Foundation, follows events in Voorhees, New Jersey, beginning in late 2001 when local resident Zia Rahman attempted to purchase a vacant building and renovate it to create a mosque.  With the attacks of 9/11 still a recent memory, resistance in the community was high.  The resulting controversy led another resident, Liz Volpe, to create a “Coalition for a Multi-faith Democracy” that included members off several different religious groups, including Quakers, Unitarians, Catholics, Jews, and Protestants.  Through a process of ongoing and patient dialogue, the Voorhees community overcame its fears, and the mosque was approved and built.  “Talking through Walls” tells a story of old faiths, the creation of new friendships, and how democracy still works even when put to the test in challenging times.

The one-hour screening will be followed by discussion.  Refreshments will be served.

Note: Use of Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not imply an endorsement of Waynepeace positions by WCPL.

 

Forum on Health Care at Wayne County Library, Tuesday, 9/1, 6 PM

Waynepeace invites the public to participate in an open forum about health care reform on Tuesday, September 1st at 6 PM at the Wayne County Public Library, 1106 Main St., in Honesdale.

This is a hot topic in all the United States because there is a dire need for reform due to the rising cost of health care, and because the current system is deeply flawed. Many don’t have insurance or their coverage is inadequate with no guarantee they can keep that coverage. The overflow turnout for Congressman Carney’s recent town hall meeting in Honesdale demonstrates the magnitude of people’s frustrations.

During his campaign for president, Barack Obama promised health care for all if he was elected; something like Medicare which is offered to all people over 65. This idea seemed highly popular, but, misinformation and misconceptions have corrupted the health care discussion, leaving it in disarray.

Waynepeace would like to give folks an opportunity to discuss the matter thoroughly, to express fears and frustrations, to uncover the misconceptions and help clear the misunderstandings. This forum is designed to contribute to a national consensus, to let our government know where the citizens stand on this matter.

This event is one in a series of monthly forums offered to the community by Waynepeace in its effort to bring people together to discuss issues affecting our community and the world. All are welcome to this free program. Refreshments will be served.

Use of the Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not imply endorsement by the library of Waynepeace’s activities or beliefs.

 

Local Author to Talk about Bombing of Hiroshima – August 4, WCPL

August 6th will mark the 64th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Gene Tagle, author of the book The Atomic Bombing: An Analysis of Moral Collapse, Government Deception, Diplomatic Bungling will discuss the bombing on Tuesday, August 4th, at 6:00 pm at the Wayne County Public Library in Honesdale. The event is sponsored by Waynepeace. The book is available in the Honesdale and Hawley Libraries and University of Scranton Library.

Gene served in World War II as a cryptographer. He was on the North Pacific island of Shemya in the Aleutians the day Hiroshima was A-bombed.

An excerpt from his book reads:

Dehumanization on both sides led to the Pacific War becoming far more savage than the European War. Atrocities inflamed an already existing racial hatred; racial hatred caused worse atrocities. It became a war without mercy, and, in the end, with the use of atomic bombs, a war without morals.

After the war, Mr. Tagle worked for 50 years in the printing and publishing business, and was also a union negotiator and organizer. He has been a Honesdale resident for 47 years, and has been very active in the community. Gene is former chair of the Wayne Health Advisory Council, a member of Honesdale’s Center Stage Theatre, Friends of the Wayne County Library and its Men’s Book Discussion Group, the Maple City Poetry Club, and the St. John the Evangelist Church and its Social Concerns Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree and a MA in history from the University of Scranton, where he was awarded the Frank O’Hara Medal for excellence in Humanities in the University’s Graduate School.  He now serves as a Guest Lecturer for the University of Scranton’s Modern Japan class.  Gene has also authored the book The Early Irish Experience in Wayne County.

This event is one in a series of monthly forums offered to the community by Waynepeace in its effort to bring people together to discuss issues affecting our community and the world. All are welcome to this free program. Refreshments will be served.

Note: Use of the Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not imply endorsement by the library of Waynepeace’s activities or viewpoints.

 

“Economic Justice” discussion, WCPL, 6/2

On Tuesday, June 2, at 6 PM, Waynepeace will sponsor a discussion entitled “Creating Economic Justice – Community-Based Responses to the Financial Crisis” at the Wayne County Public Library in Honesdale. The program will include a brief presentation by local writer, activist, and Waynepeace co-founder Skip Mendler.

“The financial meltdown was caused by systemic failures at national and international levels, among other things – but its effects are being felt on every Main Street and in every living room,” says Mendler. “Fortunately, we have the ability to take action in our own lives and in our communities, in ways that can affect these larger systems and help to bring about positive transformation in the entire way our society does business.”

Refreshments will be served. For more information, see www.waynepeace. org.

 

Video “Palestine is Still the Issue,” May 5 at WCPL

On Tuesday evening, May 5, Waynepeace’s Middle East Study Group will present a showing of the award-winning 2002 video “Palestine is Still the Issue.” The showing will be at the Wayne County Public Library on Main Street in Honesdale, beginning at 6 PM. Discussion will follow.

Created by journalist and filmmaker John Pilger, the film includes interviews with both Israelis and Palestinians, the families of suicide bombers and their victims. “The fate and struggle of the Palestinians,” says Pilger, “are not just critical to the overdue recognition of their basic human rights, but are also central to whether the region, and the wider world, are plunged into war. Israel is now one of the biggest military powers in the world. While nothing changes, the dangers become greater. This is a film about a nation of people, traumatized, humiliated and yet resilient. In trying to liberate less than a quarter of historic Palestine, they have had no army, no air force, and no powerful friends — and have fought back with slingshots and now with the terrorism of the suicide bombers.”

Michael J. Coffta of Bloomsburg University said the film is “highly recommended for its bold analysis of the Palestine problem…crucial viewing for those interested in challenging their assumptions.”

More information about the video can be found at www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/pisi.html. More information about Waynepeace can be found at www.waynepeace.org.

Use of Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not imply endorsement by WCPL of Waynepeace positions or policies.

 

April Library Event – “The Middle East: Some Facts” with Lee Scanlon, 4/7/09, 6 PM

Local resident Lee Scanlon, who lived in the Middle East for 5 years and has worked as an Arabic translator, will lead a discussion entitled “The Middle East: Some Facts” at the Wayne County Public Library on Main Street in Honesdale on Tuesday, April 7, beginning at 6 PM.

Here is Mr. Scanlon’s statement describing his presentation:

“United States foreign policy for the Middle East region, especially with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is designed to perpetuate war. It has not failed, but on the contrary, has succeeded in that aim for many years. Yet that conflict is the major obstacle both to peace in the region and to world peace. It is also by far the greatest cause of what is called ‘terrorism’ and of the consequent loss of our freedom and our civil rights. Do we not have better things to do with our time, our energy and our resources than support this habit? As a first step toward changing this situation, it is essential to understand the facts. I would like to talk about some of those facts.”

Refreshments will be served. Use of Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not imply any endorsement by WCPL of Waynepeace’s opinions or policies.