June 21, 2009

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. Thoreau

One sixth of the world is suffering unrelenting hunger, yet 2% of the world’s richest adults own more than half the world’s wealth. The richest 10% own more than 85% of the world’s wealth. And it’s getting worse. Why? Because the richest 2% own all the politics, print all the money and make all the rules.

No one is going to change this wholly unequal state of affairs unless people like us take a moment of solitude and think it through – because we have choices. There is the ‘do nothing’ option, or the ‘do something’ option.

COEXISTers choose to live by choice and not by chance; we will have the conversations, join the groups, we will blog and campaign and lobby and join up with others. We are individuals and will make our individual choices.

If you haven't already done it youcould sign up at the Statement of Shared Vision at the Centre for Economic and Social Justice www.cesj.org/about/programs/declarations/sharedvision.htm The remarkable and dedicated Norman Kurland – President of the Campaign for Economic and Social Justice (CESJ) has kindly offered to assist COEXIST members with any questions they might have regarding the Shared Vision Statement or indeed any of the topics on the CESJ website. Please forward any questions to us at the address below and we will do our best to publish the answers in future mailings.

Some members may like to study the 198 methods of Non-Violent Action at the Albert Einstein Institution www.aeinstein.org/organizations103a.html. They are not all legal in every country so check before acting. For example it is forbidden to fly the Tibetan flag in Tibet.

The ministry for peace is an organisation with cross party support working in the UK for the creation of a Ministry of Peace within government. They have had a huge amount of success, but they’re not there yet. Help is still needed, so maybe you could take a look at their website and join up www.ministryforpeace.org The mfp was started by an ordinary person, Diana Basterfield. They are dedicated to transforming violence in all its forms and need ordinary people like us to help move the ‘Make Violence History’ message upwards and outwards.

If you fancy a couple of days under canvas, the Peace News Summer Camp is from 23rd until 27th July . There will be about 40 different courses ranging from Chomsky’s Politics to Anti Arms Trade campaigning in a field 8 miles from Swindon, UK. http://peacenewscamp.wordpress.com. The whole thing will cost £15 - £50 depending on what you feel you can afford. Food costs will be £8 a day for three wholesome meals. It would be folly to leave the wellies behind.

September 21st is the International Day of Peace. One day in the year is not great, but it’s a start, so please put that date in your diary because we will be planning some actions on the preceding weekend. If you have any ideas for ‘Making Peace Happen’ there is still time to include them.

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