The peace movement is definitely alive and well in New York State. Here’s the latest.
Guantanamo Vigils
Vigils to close the detention center at Guantanamo, Cuba continue the first Wednesday of every month outside the main branch of the New York Public Library in NYC. Rosemarie Pace, PCNYS Coordinator, often is one of the speakers at the Vigil. Most recently she raised these haunting questions: Why do we seem never to learn, never to stop using the same ineffective and violent strategies to deal with what we oppose? Why can’t we see the other as a fellow human who bleeds, cries, hurts, mourns as we do? Why can’t we recognize that we all simply want to live our lives, loving our families, going to work or school, celebrating special occasions, shopping, cooking, eating, playing, worshipping? How much better would the world be if we could only allow each other to live!
Celebrating the Original Meaning of Mother’s Day
On the eve of Mother’s Day, Jack Gilroy of Pax Christi Upstate New York-Ben Salmon Chapter (PCUNY) joined Peace Action of Broome County and Veterans for Peace, Chapter 90, in celebrating the original peace message of Mother’s Day with a reading of the Mother’s Day Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe in the Children’s Garden at Otsiningo Park. Besides hearing this poignant appeal for peace from one mother to another across the globe, children received free flowers to plant for their mothers.
Children’s Peace Fair
On May 16th, 2024, Friends of Peace and Justice, Broome County NY and Peace Action/Veterans for Peace held a children’s peace fair at the Horace Mann School in Binghamton, NY. Fourth and Fifth Graders participated, enjoying multiple activities with a magician and a balloon “sculptor” some of whose balloon sculptures were the peace sign. Each child also received stickers to display the antinuclear symbol going back to 1958. Jack Gilroy of PCUNY is a key organizer of this event. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFusxOP-KW0.
Peace Vigil at Jones Beach, Long Island
On Saturday, May 25, Pax Christi Long Island (PCLI) held its annual Peace Vigil at Jones Beach during the 20th anniversary of the Bethpage Federal Credit Union Air Show. PCLI was joined by a representative from Pax Christi Metro New York (PCMNY) and the South Country Peace Group. The group was present at the Central Mall holding pictures and publicly reciting the names of Long Island soldiers killed in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. They distributed about 450 leaflets which reminded beachgoers of the purpose of Memorial Day and the fact the Air Show is used to recruit young people for the armed services. They lamented how the Air Show showcases weapons of war, urged all to work for peace so no more soldiers need to sacrifice their lives, and engaged in numerous interactions with beachgoers some of whom were grateful for their witness.
Memorial Day Parade, Albany, NY
Veterans For Peace, Chapter 10, Albany NY marched in the Memorial Day Parade on May 27, 2024 calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. John Amidon of PC Upstate New York provided us with this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJjm_xXujbY.
Clergy Day at Hancock Air Field, Syracuse, NY
In anticipation of Clergy Day at the Hancock Air Field in Syracuse, NY, Jim Clune and Jack Gilroy of Pax Christi Upstate New York (PCUNY) enacted “The War Prayer” by Mark Twain at All Saints Church in Syracuse on Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2nd. If you are not familiar with “The War Prayer,” please read it here: https://warprayer.org/. The Pax Christi banner was front and center on the altar. Presenters informed the congregation of Pax Christi and Ben Salmon (https://www.bensalmon.org/) and, of course, a bit about Mark Twain.
June 4th was the actual Clergy Day at the drone base of Hancock’s 174th Attack Wing. Maj. Matthew Hallenbeck, 174th wing chaplain, explained the purpose of the Day as an invitation to
local area clergy to learn about what is done at the base and to thank the clergy for their ministries to folks in the community. Hallenbeck added “This will hopefully build relationships between us and them, and maybe inspire them to join the chaplain corps or to talk about the opportunities with the guard with members of their congregations.” The event started with a mission brief and included a tour of the 174th Attack Wing hangar, 174th Formal Training unit (FTU) and to the 274th Air Operations Squadron (ASOS). It ended with lunch and a question and answer session from the 174th recruiters and the 174th chaplains.
Needless to say, our peacemakers were there to offer a counter perspective on the work of the Base. They held signs at the entrance stating that all was not good with the 174th Attack Wing, and they also had photos of children killed by US drone Hellfire missiles. Two priests among the group made entry and brought up issues during the tour of how the 174th keeps us “safe” from “bad people.” See videos and read an article sharing this counter perspective:
Peace Walk 2024
Also on June 4th, down in New York City some of us joined a Peace Walk that was traveling from Maine to Washington, DC for, as their website says, “peace and planet, justice and democracy.” Our little portion of the Walk began in the Bronx and proceeded to the large field that was once a main Native American village on the Lenape territory of Mannahatta. Owl, a member of the indigenous nation, spoke about the history of the land at the Shorakkopoch Rock, now part of Inwood Hill Park. We then passed through Fort Tryon Park to Fort Washington Collegiate Church where we had an informal program of sharing and solidarity and finally stepped off to cross George Washington Bridge. You can see photos and videos of the day here, including Rosemarie Pace’s tribute to the Walk and Walkers:
Peacemaker Award Reception
PCMNY held its annual Peacemaker Awards Reception on June 8th at Xavier High School in Manhattan. Three of the honorees were our exemplary Pax Christi Upstate New York—Ben Salmon Chapter activists: John Amidon, Jack Gilroy, and Mark Scibilia-Carver. Also honored were David Maloof, a lawyer who has given generously of his time, talent, and resources to PCMNY and Churches for Middle East Peace, among others; and Elaine Chan, a long-time PCMNY member and spiritual guide. The recipient of the Maloof Family Young Peacebuilder Award went to Camryn Mejia of Marymount School of New York.
On Trial
On June 26th, PCMNY Peacemaker Honoree and Veteran for Peace Jack Gilroy faced a trespass charge in Endicott Village Court for participating in Civil Resistance, protesting local BAE Systems weapons used in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Jack was arrested after ringing the BAE Systems doorbell trying to deliver a Five Broken Laws letter. The 11-page letter, written by human rights attorney Terry Lodge, details five federal statutes, including the Leahy Law, an administrative rule violated by the weapons transfers that involve U.S. companies. The action at BAE Systems was one of three actions held on this year’s Tax Day by Veterans for Peace (VFP) and PCUNY. The morning of Tax Day, the VFP letter was left at the iron bar gate of the General Dynamics 155mm shell factory in Scranton, PA, the Lockheed-Martin Paveway I & Paveway II bomb factory, and at BAE Systems, Endicott, NY.
At the trial, the tiny court was packed with 25 people supporting Jack’s simple nonviolent action. There, he submitted an exhaustively documented paper, Genocide in Gaza: Analysis of International Law and Its Application to Israel’s Military Actions Since October 7, 2023, from some of the most prestigious law schools in the U.S., alleging war crimes committed by Israel. Three witnesses testified on Jack’s behalf: PCUNY members Mark Scibilia-Carver, Jim Clune, and John Amidon. Following the trial, the community of 25, including university students, octogenarians, and other seasoned activists, circled outside the courthouse/police station for introductions, naming numerous upstate cities from which people came and sharing comments on the trial. Many articles and videos provide even more information about this action:
An Evening of Prayer for Peace in the Holy Land
Back in New York City, on June 27th at St. Francis of Assisi Church, faith leaders from Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism joined together to offer prayers and reflections for peace in Israel and Palestine. The spirit of unity in our diversity was strong and uplifting in a time of great tension and division. You can watch the whole service here: https://www.youtube.com/live/XSitHvDkeG8?si=r9BbDop5LHWm8AZ5
Christian Peace Coalition and Allies Against Apartheid
Tom Casey of Pax Christi Western New York has been meeting with members of the Christian Peace Coalition (CPC, https://cpcwny.substack.com/) and Allies against Apartheid (https://www.alliesagainstapartheid.org/) in his Buffalo, NY region. He reports that the CPC is a local group spearheaded by a Russian Orthodox church with some very young dynamic leaders. They sponsored a 26-mile Gaza Walk (the length of Gaza) from Buffalo to Niagara Falls and invited Allies Against Apartheid, founded in Cleveland, to come to Buffalo for a meeting at a local park where both Allies and the Jewish Voice for Peace were speakers. Many questions including a couple of aggressive challenges, followed. Another of CPC’s meetings included clergy from many denominations and a man who worked at the UN for 30 years with extensive experience in international peace and genocides. This man said his experience with South Africa was, when the elected officials showed no interest, to go to congregations and offer grassroots education. He recommended adopting that strategy again today because so few people
understand the history of the Israeli-Palestinian situation and the unfortunate roots of the Hamas attack. Consequently, the Pax Christi Social Justice subcommittee at Tom’s parish has decided to have a speaker and bulletin inserts for the month of October and to reach out to other Catholic churches and the bishop. One approach with the bishop is to document the Cathodic and Christian schools Israel has basically destroyed. This is a strategy others might want to imitate.
Fasting for Gospel Nonviolence
On August 9th, 1942, St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein) was killed at Auschwitz; on August 9th, 1943, Blessed Franz Jaegerstatter was beheaded for refusing to serve in Hitler’s army (the army of a “Christian” nation); and on August 9th, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, destroying the largest and oldest Christian community in that country, and killing 140,000 people. From July 1st to August 9th this year, 25 members and friends of PCNYS joined in a 40-Day Fast for Gospel Nonviolence, choosing different days among the 40 and fasting in whatever way they were able. The Fast began and ended with prayers made available via e-mail.
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Memorials
From August 3rd to the 15th,there were several commemorations of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in 1945. The first was organized by PCMNY and held in and around Union Square Park in NYC. The vigil included prayer and distribution of fliers about the anniversary with an explanation of the purpose of the event and action suggestions for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Participants also displayed a “Merchants of Death” banner (referring to the major weapons manufacturers in the U.S.), along with other banners and posters at the Gandhi Statue in the Park, and they processed around the Park as a public witness and reminder to all present.
On August 5th, we joined in coalition with our peace colleagues for the annual visit to the Japanese Consulate in NYC, organized by the Manhattan Project for a Nuclear-Free World. While four members of our group met with staff at the Consulate, delivering our Open Letter to the People of Japan apologizing for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and appealing for nuclear weapons abolition, others of us spoke and sang our calls for peace and nuclear weapons abolition on the sidewalk outside the Consulate. We also read the Letter for all passersby to hear.
Also on August 5th, in the evening, at the exact time of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in Japan, Rev. T.K. Nakagaki of the Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of NY led the first of five memorials, two via Zoom, an interfaith event that included some of the ceremony happening in Hiroshima simultaneous to our gathering. A video of the whole event follows. Rosemarie Pace appears at about 25 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2ITH8Hny8I
On August 9th, the anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki, one of Rev. Nakagaki’s in-person events took place in Dag Hammarksjold Plaza and the Japan Society across the street from the Plaza. In the Plaza, we gathered for music, prayer, and a display of a modern-day mural modeled on the famous Guernica, this one done by children of Ukraine. Rosemarie Pace offered a prayer from the Christian tradition.
Week of Fasting and Action for Gaza
During the Week of Fasting and Action for Gaza, members of Pax Christi joined others to deliver letters to select Missions to the UN that appealed to them to join a “Uniting for Peace Resolution” which calls for member states of the General Assembly to override the Security Council’s (U.S.’s) veto power preventing a ceasefire in Gaza. We also stood in silence at the Isaiah Wall across from the UN and
outside the U.S. Mission to the UN holding signs calling for a ceasefire, an arms embargo, and an end to the killing.
Meeting with Rev. Munther Isaac
Several of us from Pax Christi were privileged to attend a meeting at the UN Church Center to hear Rev. Munther Isaac of Bethlehem, Palestine and to engage in dialogue. Rev. Munther gained fame last Christmas when he related Jesus’s birth to the suffering and deaths of the innocent children of Gaza today, depicting “Christ in the Rubble.” He emphasized that words matter and that we need to use them courageously and honestly, calling genocide genocide, naming Israel’s war crimes, describing apartheid as apartheid, and holding Israel accountable rather than giving it a free pass, as the U.S. is doing.
Support for Students for Peace in Palestine
Some of our PCNYS members have shown their support for various student actions for peace in Palestine and divestment from Israel by briefly entering a campus encampment, standing in support of the encampments outside of the campuses, or engaging in Career Days on campus to discourage students from choosing military-related careers. You can read an article by Jack Gilroy about such actions at SUNY Buffalo here:
https://peaceandplanetnews.org/students-pledge-not-to-interview-or-work-for-a-war-company/
National Day of Action for Gaza Rally & March in NYC
This Labor Day was a National Day of Action for Gaza. Again, many Pax Christi members participated. The Rally began in Union Square with many loud and passionate chants. A March followed uptown as far as 52nd Street (about 30 blocks north and a few avenues east) and ended back at Union Square. Estimates state that 5000 to 7000 people joined in. While some news coverage showed confrontations with counter-protesters and one report indicated there were four arrests (that’s four out of 5k to 7k marchers), our own experience was totally peaceful.
PCNYS Gathering and Kateri Peace Conference
For the second time, PCNYS was welcomed at the St. Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine in Fonda, NY for a Gathering of members. Friend Brian Terrell joined us. From September 12th to the 13th, we had time to pray, share reports of some of our activities, and discuss matters of deep concern, some of which are mentioned above. Not mentioned above, but getting substantial thoughtful attention was the chronic issue of the Just War Theory. Ultimately, we decided to check with Pax Christi USA on the official position of our national parent on this issue and to draft a letter calling for the rejection of this dinosaur and the commitment to a new, emphatic teaching on Just Peace.
Following the PCNYS Gathering was the 26th annual Kateri Peace Conference led by PCUNY’s John Amidon. This year’s theme was “What’s Love Got to Do with It? Our Survival Depends on It.” Addressing this critical theme were Brad Wolf, coordinator of the Merchants of Death Tribunal and Peace Action Network, Lancaster, PA; Martha Hennessy, Catholic Worker, peace activist, and granddaughter of Dorothy Day; Brian Terrell, Catholic Worker, peace activist, and participant in the Nevada Desert Experience; Ann Wright, retired U.S. Colonel, Veteran for Peace, Code Pink member, and Freedom Flotilla Organizer; and Vera Anderson, musician, Board member of Pace e Bene, and participant in the Nevada Desert Experience. Bar Crawl Radio covered the conference. Listen to the podcast of their interview with Ann Wright and a panel discussion with Brian Terrell, Brad Wolf, Vera Anderson and an exceptional poem by Terri Roben.
World Week for Peace in Israel and Palestine (9/16-22/24)
Starting off this important Week was a Press Conference and March that began outside the Mission of South Africa to the UN. There were eloquent speeches by Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, thanking South Africa for its leadership in calling for legal action against the genocide that is happening in Gaza and appealing to all to demand a ceasefire and arms embargo to stop the slaughter. From there, we walked to the Israeli Mission to the UN where the witness for peace continued.
Later in the week, some of us who had met last June gathered again with some newcomers for another Interfaith Prayer Service for Peace in Israel and Palestine. This time we met at a Sufi Lodge where we were welcomed with warm hospitality and light snacks. Once again, the prayers and Sufi hymns celebrated our common desire for peace and reconciliation across all faiths.
UN International Peace Day
Finally, on UN Peace Day, September 21st, PCNYS hosted a Report-back from the Pilgrimage to Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki that took place last March focused on the abolition of nuclear weapons. In addition to the PowerPoint slide show, Alice Slater, a UN NGO Representative of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Board member of World BEYOND War, the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, the Global Council of Abolition 2000, and the Advisory Board of Nuclear Ban-US provided both some history and some up-to-date information on the status of nuclear weapons treaties and the current threat of nuclear war. Ann Suellentrop, fellow pilgrim to Japan, Project Director for Physicians for Social Responsibility Kansas City,
Physicians for Social Responsibility national board member, a member of PeaceWorks KC, and active with the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability offered information about the nuclear weapons parts factory in her hometown, resources, and action suggestions that all of us can do. See the full recording here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/6DwY0dqy1ymx7qmxlcQOeOimsPOkj2eX-lMccimplgoYYwqQEkVVM5IDWPq0.PwEk-Eed27DJiuDr?startTime=1726938014000
Passcode: z6jZ+$4.
Or
Watch the PowerPoint slide show from the beginning.
Pick up Alice at about 35:30.
Pick up Ann at about 57:00.
Also on UN Peace Day, Pax Christi Long Island, along with other groups in the Long Island peace consortium, marked the day by sponsoring the showing of a film about peace at the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington, “Il Cannone della Pace” (The Cannon of Peace). The object at the heart of the documentary is a famous eighteenth-century violin that violinist-composer Niccolò Paganini called “my cannon.” The story includes a modern effort to create a replica of that instrument. But the broader point of the film is the role of art and culture in building a more peaceful world. It has inspired a project whose goal is “building a global network of personalities from the world of culture who can help realize a utopia: a different world, built on harmony among peoples, against violence, weapons and wars.” There was also an opportunity to participate in a Zoom discussion with the director, Paolo Bianchini, and others involved in making the film.
Co-sponsorships/Endorsements/Sign-ons
Over the past few months, PCNYS has co-sponsored, endorsed or signed onto the following:
- A Conversation with Annie Jacobsen, author of Nuclear War: A Scenario
- A Call to G7 Leader to Prioritize Civil Society Peacebuilding at the G7 Summit
- A Letter to President Biden to Act to Protect Civilians in El Fasher, Sudan
- A Letter of Opposition to Renew International for Honoring Congressman Mike Lawler, a Supporter of Capital Punishment
- An Interfaith Coalition against Domestic & Sexual Violence
- A Webinar on Debunking Dangerous Deterrence Theory & Moving toward Global Nuclear Weapons Abolition
- A Statement of Christian Support for Student Ceasefire and Divestment Campaigns
- A Demand to Remove Cuba from the “State-sponsors of Terrorism”
- An Open Letter Opposing Netanyahu’s Address to Congress
- A Joint Interfaith and Values Appeal to the 2024 NPT Prep Com “Pursuing Peace, Security, and Nuclear Disarmament through Our Common Humanity”
- A Call for Sanity, Not Nuclear Production at Los Alamos National Laboratory
- An Urgent Appeal for Stronger Action in Sudan & Addressing Gaps in UNSC Resolution 2736
- A Statement in Solidarity with Political Prisoners in El Salvador
- An Endorsement of Fellowship of Reconciliation’s Summit on Race, Guns, & America’s Love Affair with Killing: Addressing the Madness of Violence since 1915
- A Letter to Congress Calling for an Independent, Thorough, Credible & Transparent Investigation into the Killing of Washingtons State Citizen Aysenur Ezgi Eygi by Israeli Forces 9/6/24