June is gun violence awareness month, a time to honor communities affected by gun violence and to raise awareness to help prevent and, ultimately, end this devastating plague on our country. We are all affected by gun violence, whether we experience shootings in our own communities or not.
Spring and summer are gardening time for many of us in the United States. I love this annual ritual of planting tiny seeds in the ground and watching what emerges. It reminds me that miracles are constantly happening all around us. The growing season, however, is coming earlier and earlier each year. Last year was the hottest on record globally. This is not good news and far from a blessing. The Earth is heating at an unsustainable pace, and we would be loath to sit back and watch this trend grow like a weed.
The Friends Committee on National Legislation has empowered faith-rooted activists to become effective lobbyists for peace. Advocacy Teams across the country meet repeatedly with their representatives, armed with FCNL’s trainings on strategic persuasion.
Last summer, the film “Oppenheimer” captured audiences the world over with its depiction of the creation of the world’s first atomic bomb at New Mexico’s Los Alamos Laboratory. The Oscar-winning blockbuster went to great lengths to show the many moral struggles of those involved. To its credit, it also did not shy away from highlighting those who had no qualms with their work and its inevitable result.
Recent videos from Sudan show women in a refugee camp, eyes shaded as they talk about the bombings that forced them out of their homes, the children lost or family left behind, and the failures of an internationally negotiated ceasefire. Amid growing regional instability and one of the world’s biggest displacement and humanitarian crises, the war in Sudan, which began on April 15, 2023, continues seemingly unabated into its second year.
In this exclusive interview for Truthout, two Yemeni peace activists discuss how Yemenis are perceiving the war on Gaza, the Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, Yemen’s humanitarian crisis and U.S.-Yemen relations more broadly.
As Quakers, we have a responsibility to advocate for the rights of other migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers. It is part of our own history and an expression of our belief in the divine dignity — or that of God — in every person.
The war in Sudan, currently the world’s largest displacement crisis, is approaching its one-year anniversary — April 15. The conflict has exacerbated long-term political instability and economic pressure, while leaving almost 25 million people in need of aid and more than 5.6 million people displaced.
After two years of a military-first response that has failed to secure lasting peace, we know war is not the answer. More support for weapons and war will not bring peace. Now is the time for the US to realign its approach and focus on de-escalation. The United States must seize this opportunity to recalibrate and better support the Ukrainian people and a just, sustainable peace.
The Friends Committee, a Quaker lobbying group, has been pushing in Washington for a cease-fire, going up against more powerful and better-funded groups backing Israel.
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Together, we can respond with moral courage to cruel policies. Support FCNL’s advocacy to defend food assistance, healthcare, and peacebuilding today, while your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar.