Role playing will allow you to be able to tell if your message is going to be articulated well enough to get maximum support and participation for the cause.
Also, simulate past demonstrations to see what went wrong and what went right. Examine successes to see what can be done to reproduce that success again. In addition to figuring out how to achieve success again, figure out what actions could be planned after that success so that the peace movement can pick up momentum and not fritter away after the completion of that success.
TIP #3 – THE PEACE MOVEMENT IS THE IMPEACH BUSH AND CHENEY MOVEMENT
The impeachment of Bush and Cheney could very well be the tipping point needed to end the public’s complicity with this phony “war on terror.”
Impeachment would immediately call into question this illegal war in Iraq and would force politicians to reconsider the continuation of the war.
The peace movement should mobilize for impeachment not only for an end to war but because it would stop the obstruction of government and the abuse of our system of checks and balances, which have caused this war to rage on.
Cite the violation of the U.N. Charter, a treaty, because the Bush administration has violated the charter and thereby violated Article VI of the U.S. Constitution.
Tip #4- LEAVE SOCIALISM, REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNISM, AND OTHER FORMS OF GOVERNMENT AT THE DOOR
We have a capitalist democracy or a corpocracy or a representative democracy that excludes the people from the decision making process. This is a serious problem, but it is one that the peace movement should not attempt to address by offering something other than a democratic system that thrives on capitalism when getting members to join the peace movement. By attempting to address this problem, the peace movement will hinder its success.
With World Can’t Wait having ties to the Revolutionary Communist Party, with A.N.S.W.E.R. having ties to the Workers World Party, a socialist party, and with the potential to have Libertarian supporters of Ron Paul be part of the movement, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of fighting for impeachment and an end to this illegal war now without looking for ways to advance communist, socialist, and any other principles that are not republican or democratic principles that might alienate members of the movement.
The peace movement needs unity and unfortunately, those visions for American government freak people out because the corporate media and the establishment have stigmatized each prospective form of government (communist, socialist, and libertarian).
It’s not just that though. Fusing communist and socialist ideals into the peace movement creates disunity and a fragmented coalition whose members appear to be pursuing the completion of hundreds if not thousands of pet projects all claiming to be worth pursuing in the name of peace. If the majority of Americans disagree with the pet projects, the peace movement loses viable support for an America that is less militaristic.
TIP #4 – FORM COALITIONS AND ALLIANCES FOR ACTIONS
There is around 5 core antiwar or peace groups. But there are also many other groups that can be pulled in for actions like the American Friends Service Committee, IVAW, Peace Action, Students for a Democratic Society, Troops Out Now Coalition, September 11th Families for a Peaceful Tomorrow, etc. Make connections with these groups and organize. The amount of people participating in your action is guaranteed to increase.
Consider having your group in the peace movement endorse the National Assembly Antiwar Conference to be held in Cleveland on June 28-29 this year. Or, consider joining the Peace Action network.
Forming one big peace organization is an option worth trying not because Lawrence S. Wittner, a peace movement historian, has proposed it before but because the peace movement is right now a poorly organized and chaotic club of people clamoring for attention. Strategies and tactics with clear goals and chains of command can only be implemented through a body that includes all organs of the peace movement. Peace Action or something like that would be immensely helpful to the movement.
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