Strategies for Peace (formerly known as ‘a blog peace project’)

Protest Theory: Submissions Call Out
The AntiWar Movement and its Discontents,
A reader on social movement theory and practice.

Four years into the Iraq war public opinion is dead-set against it.
Yet does the antiwar movement really deserve the credit? Some of the movement’s discontents say that it is “toothless behemoth”, a farce of spectacle actions and ineffectiveness, racked with the baggage of
party politics and isolated-issue activism. Others suggest that the
movement’s preference for tightly scripted and permitted marches and top-down organizing has come at the expense of youth self-empowerment, diversity of tactics, decentralization, participatory democracy or
other successful models of mass actions and movements.
The purpose of this reader is to stimulate a discussion on movement
theory and practice because a better movement is possible. We
 especially want to hear the voices of activists on the front lines as
we combine theory, politics, analysis, and stories of experience and
application of various movement principles to form a body of work that
can move us foreword.

We are calling for articles on any of the following:

1. Centralization vs. de-centralization in social movement organizing.
2. Transparency, openness and accountability in coalitions and networks.
3. Bureaucracy and hierarchy in national coalitions.
4. The antiwar movement’s relationship to socialist and communist
parties and vice-versa.
5. The effect the mainstream antiwar movement has had on the global
justice movement and vice-versa.
6. The meaning of “mass” and its implications.
7. Movement strategy and tactics, as well as antiwar stories and experiences.

Other related topics are welcome.
Deadline: June 1, 2007
Submissions should be between 1,000 and 4,000 words and include a
brief bio (around 75-100 words). Send your submissions to
antiwarmovement@ gmail.com

Here are our efforts.

‘Strategies for Peace: Locations Theory’

1. Centralization vs. de-centralization in social movement organizing

Regional groups are to be formally created which will be dedicated to local and international peace initiatives and opposed to any movement that infringes upon the basic human rights of any person as those rights are defined in the charter of the U.N. The regional groups are to be gathered in a supra-regional assembly where each and every component will have exactly the same rights and obligations in accordance with the final conclusions mutually created and incorporated in a definitive wording by the various proponents.

2. Transparency, openness and accountability in coalitions and networks.

‘Transparency and Openness’ are the concepts to highlight as keystones of an organization’s mandate. Accountability pre-supposes corrupt leadership. If there is equal and participatory membership in a de-centralized coalition, in theory, there should be no person or group that would exercise a lack of accountability.
The ideal organization is one with clear motives and objectives in which all subject matter is discussed and debated in an open and transparent manner. All topical information is ‘public’ to all members of the organization in a spirit of honesty and full disclosure so as to be an advantage for the whole of the movement and its objectives.
The ’spirit’ of the the peace movement is to promote honesty and open discussion. Without transparency and openness of objectives and theories within this movement there is no hope to realize cohesion and strong solidarity.

3. Bureaucracy and hierarchy in national coalitions.

Fair and balanced hierarchy is to be administered through an elected ‘cyber’ round table and a rotating moderator post. The whole concentrated in a forum which will hold the archives and where the discussions will take place. All members are free to intervene in the discussions. Bureaucracy is to be assumed by all the components of the round table, depending on the issues being discussed and agreed upon by them. A copy of everything is to be kept at one or two other forums.

4. The antiwar movement’s relationship to socialist and communist
parties and vice-versa.

Peace is the plan, a plan that can be incorporated and encouraged by all stripes equally.
There are as many variations on the theme of the socialist and communist party as there are variations on Goldberg’s theme by Bach. Promote one agenda of peace and non-violence that will inspire cohesion between all parties and spin offs, sign the Declaration of Peace and Humphrey’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and pledge to uphold the objectives stated there in and ALL are united.

We must stress that it is peace, not pacifism, that must be pursued.

5. The effect the mainstream antiwar movement has had on the global justice movement and vice-versa.

A massive and united citizen anti-war movement with focused and explicit criteria which demands of international justice organizations such as the U.N. to effectively uphold its charter language and spirit must be developed. Not surprisingly the separate public anti-war movements all across the world have a difficult time perceiving tangible solidarity support from large justice organizations such as the U.N. but that doesn’t mean that support is not there.

The challenge for today’s broad and disjunct peace movement is multi-layered. How does the anti-war movement persuade bodies like the U.N. to enforce its charter’s language effectively and demand that it hold western leaders to the same standards as third world leaders? And, how do the representatives of justice organizations effectively communicate with the greater anti-war movement? The solution is to create a powerful and legitimate and formalized public peace movement with elected representatives that can put real pressure on bodies like the U.N. when they don’t hold up their end of the deal.

Large organizations such as the ACLU, Amnesty International, Human Rights First and Human Rights Watch offer legal support and guidance for anti-war protesters and victims of human rights violations however when we have peaceful dissidents all over the world being plucked out of demonstrations by riot police and hauled off to jail and held without access to counsel it creates nothing but disillusionment in the mind of the average peaceful citizen wanting to make a difference through non-viloent protest and puts into question the actual effectiveness and objectives of the groups such as the ACLU.

The goal is to successfully establish fluid networking and accessibility between all these different groups and organizations which hold similar desires and fight for similar causes so as to promote fair and peaceful foreign policy measures and demand stronger multi-lateral negotiation. It should be clearly understood that there are many groups and individuals that work tirelessly to disrupt these connections and these groups and individuals must be brought out into the spotlight with more regularity.

6. The meaning of “mass” and its implications.

Easy, nothing to do with wine and wafers, matter and energy, and everything to do with you, you and me and our grandkids’ grandkids.
If the great unwashed, rabble, mass of humanity, and citizens of all stripes can’t come together under a common anti-war banner in, I dare say, today’s age of reason, enlightenment and globalization through technologies like the internet there will be no “mass” to speak of in 100 years.
“Mass” implies, in this instance, humanity and its salvation.

7. Movement strategy and tactics, as well as antiwar stories and experiences.

In regard to practical strategy and tactics which promote the ambitions of the anti-war movement’s ethos; nothing can be left off of the table. It is necessary to clearly state that all options, from demonstrations/protests of all sorts to boycotts to withholding taxes to occupying the halls of government to support of conscientious objection to general abstinence of local and federal elections, must be ready to be performed to achieve the goal of a world without war. Mandela never thought violence was necessary but he also never ruled it out.

The more elusive and most important strategy is the one which develops a “better anti-war movement” and unites all people who oppose those who support and promote the concept of war. That strategy is pragmatic communication and open discussion in the mainstream media outlets of the topics discussed here in this reader.

This effort was created by a group of multi-national citizens concerned with the state of the global anti-war movement.
While working on these topics this Declaration Against Violence was also created.