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Drone strikes kill 14 civilians in Pakistan
Funding slashed for aid to homeless and working poor in Rogue Valley
Gunman slays 6 adults, 20 children at Connecticut school
Massive US naval deployment seen as veiled threat to China
Threatened Israeli attack on Iran could drag US into all-out war
Faced with these headlines, you have good reason feel outraged. But, by supporting Peace House, you also will have a good reason to hope, and even to celebrate. With your help, Peace House will continue making a difference locally, nationally and worldwide.
You will help build a strong local base for world peace. Yes, the headlines are frightening. Instead of rational negotiations, America’s continued saber-rattling – largely at the behest of powerful Washington lobbies – pushes us toward a catastrophic war with Iran. And now the military-industrial behemoth shifts to a massive and costly “China containment” strategy, which can only be deemed ludicrous considering how China’s economy is intertwined with the West.
But with your support, Peace House will continue to say the Emperor has no clothes. We’ll keep advocating for major cuts in the military budget. We’ll keep working to prevent more wars of choice. Most of all, we’ll promote awareness that war itself, far from advancing any rational interest, actually undermines our national security.
And we don’t just take policy positions. We mobilize citizens and put pressure on elected officials to challenge the entrenched military-industrial complex.
For example, on February 1, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley came to a luncheon meeting with Peace House members. We thanked him for his leadership on accelerated troop withdrawals from Afghanistan. We pressed him on resolving tensions in the Middle East not by belligerence toward Iran but by creating a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone. And we welcomed his stated commitment to economic justice and peaceful approaches to international conflict.
Our private luncheon with Sen. Merkley was only one of our initiatives in the first months of this year. In addition:
- We organized a call-in to Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, urging him to press John Brennan, nominated for CIA Director, on his involvement in the drone assassination program. And with the local chapter of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, we sponsored a well-attended presentation in Ashland on drones by Leah Bolger, national president of Veterans for Peace.
- With the UN Club at SOU and the local Amnesty International chapter, we sponsored a conference called “Debunking the ‘Clash of Civilizations’: Understanding Islam and the Middle East.” More than 150 people attended over two days. Peace House offered a presentation on the nuclear programs of Iran and Israel, and how to resolve tensions peacefully.
You will help support advocacy and services for the homeless. Even as Wall Street comes roaring back, too many of the vulnerable have been left behind. Paralysis in Washington threatens to shred the social safety net. Peace House has stepped in on two fronts. We educate and mobilize advocacy for fair taxes and humane spending. And our signature social service program, Uncle Foods Diner, continues to serve the underserved, averaging more than 400 meals monthly for individuals and families.
You will help fight for a just economy and safer communities. The growing chasm between rich and poor is forcing thousands into medical bankruptcy, while a powerful lobby in Washington dictates gun policy – leaving America awash in lethal weaponry. Peace House is taking action in both arenas.
- We organized a chartered bus to Salem on February 4 for a rally and lobby day on single payer health care in Oregon. In conjunction with Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice and Oregon Action, we almost filled the 47-seat bus and had encouraging meetings with state legislators.
- In 2013, Peace House is launching a vigorous new initiative on implementing effective legislation to curb gun violence. We are coordinating action with other local groups while developing our own creative new strategies for ridding American culture of an addiction to guns.
You will help make peace contagious. Last September, in conjunction with two other groups, Peace House organized a major event to mark the International Day of Peace. Held on the OSF Green Show stage, our local participation in this UN-sponsored global celebration was an inspiring gathering of a community that remains committed to enduring peace, here at home and everywhere on earth.
It’s because Peace House does so much with so little that we are asking for your help in meeting our $60,000 annual budget. Our board, staff, and volunteers are doing work that I know you want done. We welcome your participation, and we need your membership.
Four years after he “read the news,” John Lennon sang, “I hope someday you will join us, and the world will live as one.” Please join us today by with your generous support of Peace House.
To contribute directly with a credit card or via PayPal, click below. Your support is greatly appreciated.
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Purchase Peace House membership $25 |
Also, “like” us on Facebook! Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration.
Sincerely, Herb Rothschild, Chair, on behalf of the Peace House Board
P.S. The average number of people Uncle Foods Diner serves weekly jumped from 68 in 2011 to 97 in 2012. Our expenses have climbed while our support from FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program has remained flat. Sustaining UFD is one of our major financial challenges.
“Give Peace a Chance”
