UJP community groups and others are taking action to fund our communities by reducing the military budget. This is a place to post action reports and ideas - and to see what others are doing.   It is a forum for sharing accomplishments and drawing strength from each other. To see other UJP campaigns or to list your events, please go to http://justicewithpeace.org.

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June 23rd from Barry Rafkind, Somerville-Medford UJP member:

Hi everyone,

Great news! PDS (Progressive Democrats of Somerville) voted unanimously to support this campaign at its meeting last night!

With Abby's encouragement, I presented this campaign which, was placed on the agenda. I was given about 10 minutes to talk and answer questions. I asked everyone to call their ward and at-large aldermen in advance of a resolution we will be presenting to them. The previous agenda item was a recap of the State Dem Convention which passed a resolution in support, so that definitely helped to persuade PDS. I passed out a number of flyers and have 9 left over.

When we figure out when we'll ask the BOA (Board of Algerman) to vote on this, we can let PDS know to try to bring people out in support. Has this been decided yet?

Thanks again to Abby for her leadership on this.

Barry



 


Comments

Carol Coakley

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:03:49

An amendment to the Dem platform was accepted yesterday (June 6) at the MA
State Dem Convention calling for strong diplomacy and cutting military
spending..

Thanks to Nancy Wrenn, Sarah Fuhro, Mary-Ann Greanier, Laurie Taymor-Berry, and Susan Massad for gathering our 250 signatures and especially to Susan for not only being a superb fast signature collector but for running to her car with me to pick up the the 2500
copies of the amendment - all just barely delivered within the
deadlines.

Thanks to Richard Kerver, Murza Musteque and others who spoke in
favor of the amendment. Thanks to Barney Frank for leading the charge
on the 25% cut in military spending. PDA was supportive and helpful
as well, particularly Jesse Gordon with his excellent advice and
encouragement. To the Sargeant at Arms, MarDee Xiafaras, Gus Bickford,
and volunteer Tom Iacobucci many thanks for your help.

Thanks to Kate Donaghue for telling me how to get a workshop on military spending on the schedule for the Convention, Susan Shaer for
her encouragement and support, and to the State Committee staff for
their cooperation in the platform amendment process.

It was watered down language and a close vote, but it won in the end.
It is a small step, but a victory nonetheless. We got people talking
about it, there was debate and it is IN the platform. As Pete Seeger
said, we win by teaspoons.

Here's the text that was added to the preamble:

"We want strong diplomacy and support nonviolent conflict resolution
as a first resort in our domestic and foreign relations and call for a
reduced military budget that allows for investments in human needs"

Thank you Susan Lees for your help throughout this long process. You
did more than you probably know.

Carol Coakley
-

 



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