war

Kevin Basl had 2 tours of duty in Iraq and in the course of the 2nd he wrote & recorded a CD capturing his frustration, doubts, & anger at the role he played in what he judges to be an illegal war. He currently does healing/empowerment work with 2 veterans' groups, Warrior Writers and Combat Paper NJ.

Three strong men among the thousands led to the confrontation with the DAPL (Dakota Access Pipeline) at Standing Rock. Myron Buchholz was born & raised in North Dakota, and both Ash Kyrie & Kevin Basl felt called to join the Oceti Sakowin Camp for a variety of reasons, including as part of the Veterans Stand.

Iranian-born Fathali Moghaddam is the editor of Peace & Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, from the American Psychological Association.

Anti-war activists and military folks are predisposed to see each other as "the enemy", but even mainstream or conservative folks can have a very difficult time truly welcoming home vets. Zachary Moon is very concerned about treating vets as real people, not political or theological pawns in some game. Relatively few Quakers serve in the military, even as chaplains, as Zachary does, and too few know how to really support our troops when they return home, so he has helped pioneer a way forward.

In writing this book, Chris Tomlinson asks himself the question, "What crimes had my ancestors committed to maintain their power and privilege? Did they know what they did was wrong? As an American and Texan, I wanted to understand the sins of our fathers."

Focusing on the African countries of Burundi & Somalia, Alissa Wilson is AFSC's Public Education & Advocacy Coordinator for Africa. She has served in Americorps, was an election observer in Nigeria, and is co-author of Practical Idealists: Changing the World and Getting Paid.

Featured Music:
Sweet Mother - Prince Nico Mbarga

Bruce Dancis is author of Resister: A Story of Protest and Prison during the Vietnam War, was raised by secular Jewish parents, nurtured at the NY Society for Ethical Culture, and became a passionate advocate for social justice and student leader as a student at Cornell U.

The War Tax Resistance Penalty Fund (WTRPF.org) is a way to help manage the risks of conscientious objectors to paying for war, something to think seriously about as April 15th approaches.

Andrew Tomlinson has been the director of QUNO (Quaker United Nations Office) in New York since 2008. QUNO staff in New York & Geneva advocate for and work behind the scenes on issues like Peacebuilding, the Prevention of Violent Conflict, Climate Change, Food & Sustainability, and Human Rights & Refugees. Raised in the UK but a long-time resident of the USA, Andrew's background anthropology and finance give him the long-range and in-depth perspective needed to nudge the UN toward world-healing and peace.

Comparing how our Federal Income Tax is spent versus how we want it to be spent can be a deep spiritual lesson. Published as a "Matter of Faith" clergy column in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram on September 13, 2008.