SNAPSHOT OF 2024 PASI ACTIONS
PASI is over 22 years old! Here's a snapshot of what PASI members and supporters have been doing to wage peace since the Make Food Not War Picnic in October 2023:
Since last November, about every 2 weeks, PASI volunteers have been distributing thousands of fliers at the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal as commuters head home, usually on Wednesdays from 5 pm to 6 pm, calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, Moving Money from War to Our Communities, and highlighting the fruitlessness of endless war.
PASI lobbies Congress in person, by calls and emails to gain support for ending the tragedy in Gaza which has now spread to Lebanon and threatens to widen further. There are currently Joint Resolutions of Disapproval in Congress that would prevent arms sales from advancing that are directly tied to tens of thousands of civilian deaths. Call Congress Hotline 1-202-224-3121 to urge support of these efforts.
PASI members have been in the streets at many demonstrations calling for a Ceasefire Now in Gaza and an end to shipping arms that kill civilians. And also, as part of the Move the Money Coalition, to call on Congress to Move the Money from War to Human Needs.
PASI has organized and co-sponsored zoom sessions to get Jewish and Palestinian perspectives on the tragic events in Palestine, to unravel the confusion between Antisemitism and anti-Zionism, and to educate ourselves about charges of genocide in Gaza. We want to thank Ruth Benson, Ghanim Khalil, Roxanne Mustafa, and Sarah Rachel Walters for their participation in these discussions.
PASI joined the Staten Island 4 Palestine Coalition and supports workshops, fundraisers, and calls to actions. The Coalition uses Instagram, WhatsApp, and Signal to communicate, so PASI helps to amplify the coalition’s activities to the PASI community through email alerts. Go to peacesi.org to sign up for alerts.
On August 11, PASI joined with the Unitarian Church of Staten Island, to sponsor “Lifting Community Voices: 79th Anniversary of the Atom Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” We made origami cranes, wrote haikus, drew pictures, and listened to the beautiful music of the Young Musicians of Staten Island.
PASI’s new board (elected in June) is focused on increasing community engagement and is open to your ideas on how to continue our mission to promote peaceful and just resolutions to conflict. We are all volunteers, but passionate about this work. Join us.
Sincerely,
Peace Action of Staten Island Board
(Eileen Bardel, Chair, Joanna Fredericks, Secretary, Sally Jones, Treasurer, Neil Berry, At Large, Jack Bolembach, At Large, David Jones, At Large, Shahanna Masum, At Large, Mir Masum Ali, At Large, Soji Oluwole, At Large, David Poleshuck, At Large, Debby Poleshuck, At Large, John Stevens, At Large)
End the War in Ukraine
Peace Action of Staten Island wants a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine. PASI understands that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has deep historical roots. PASI also acknowledges that the post-World War II Cold War between the U.S.S.R. and its former allies (the United States of America, England, and France) is a major factor in this current conflict. The collapse of the U.S.S.R. into Russia and several other independent nations, certainly strengthened the power of NATO. The leaders of the U.S., NATO, Russia and the Ukraine need to increase their efforts to seek a peaceful end to this conflict, by decreasing their own saber-rattling and by opening multiple channels of communication and diplomacy.
Ukraine’s huge stockpiles of grain are now exported to feed millions of people in poor countries. Unfortunately, because of this war, inflation is a world-wide problem which affects the ability of the workers to eat and get health care. PASI believes that people need to pressure their leaders to end this conflict quickly and peacefully to avoid the possible use of nuclear weapons.
PETITION: PEACE IN UKRAINE from Brooklyn For Peace
The threat of nuclear war is now more serious than it has been in decades. The antiwar movement needs to be urgently mobilized here in the US, in Europe, and worldwide. Brooklyn For Peace is calling for a ceasefire and diplomacy in Ukraine. Sign the petition to Congress: Use diplomacy, not more weapons! After signing, please call your Congressperson and Senators Schumer and Gillibrand. 202-224-3121.
New York City can't find enough money for housing, healthcare, child care, quality education and infrastructure, but Congress finds plenty of money for weapons makers and endless wars.
Tell our city leadership that we need new thinking about what true security and safety mean. Send an email letter to your Council Member urging them to cosponsor Res. 423: Move the Money from the Pentagon to Our Communities. The coalition got closer to passing a resolution calling on money to be moved from war to our communities last year with an historic Council hearing. We are moving forward to push for the resolution to be passed with the new City Council! Click HERE to begin.