Statement

Amid calls for more weapons to win battlefield victories, we affirm the enduring power of building peace through peaceful means. We urge robust, persistent, and creative diplomacy and peacebuilding to bring about a just and durable solution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Dismantling racism and militarism in our police system means changing the fundamentals of how we approach public safety.

We are heartbroken over the Monterey Park violence. We grieve as we hold in the Light all those who were killed and wounded in yet another mass shooting in our country.

As we commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are reminded of what the nonviolent icon said 56 years ago: “The Triple Evils of poverty, racism, and militarism are forms of violence that exist in a vicious cycle. They are interrelated, all-inclusive, and stand as barriers to our living in the Beloved Community. When we work to remedy one evil, we affect all evils.’

We may not know all the winners of the November 8 elections – or even which party will control the House and Senate — for several days, even weeks. Yet so far, the election has been a victory for the democratic process.

The collective power of our voting process is a remarkable achievement for democracy every election year.

Quakers are a people who follow after peace, love and unity. Our peace testimony is our witness to the Truth as we experience it. We continue to support peacebuilding measures. We call on the governments of Ukraine, Russia, neighboring countries, the United States, NATO and the European Union, to explore all avenues—whether public or private—for a renewed conversation to address the human security needs of all the peoples and countries in the region, to help provide the basis for long term peace.

Today marks the 2022 International Day of Peace. The United Nations General Assembly unanimously established this day in 1981 as a day of non-violence and universal cease-fire. It offers a moment each year to reflect on the state of peace in the world and recommit ourselves to building a just and non-violent global community.

FCNL has always opposed—and continues to oppose—the expansion of this military alliance.

One of the tenets of Quaker faith is to always be open to new revelation, to change. Sometimes the revelation comes quickly, but more often, it comes through ongoing collective discernment.