Editor,
As one of the key organizers of the Jan. 18 Peace Day, in which more than 5,000 people took part in a number of events throughout the day, I would like to bring your readers attention to the New Mexico Solidarity Network, which was responsible for the day's events.
The turnout and support from passing cars on Saturday suggests that there is a consensus in this country that war is not the answer and that Americans stand for peace in the world. In light of this trend, the New Mexico Solidarity Network invites everybody to unite together in solidarity. By building on the momentum of peace and coming together in coalition we have the means within our grasp to build a better and more peaceful world in which oppression is resisted in all its forms. We can stop the drive to war, and instead focus on the problems at home such as poverty, education, food issues, welfare, jobs, social justice, health care and much, much more.
This administration is spending billions of dollars on amping up its war machine while implementing genocidal policies that the rest of the world is becoming increasingly alarmed about. Americans have a moral responsibility to turn this around and history has shown that that possibility lies at our fingers-tips. It wasn't very long ago that the Civil Rights movement claimed victory against racial injustice and the legacy of people like Martin Luther King can live on through our pro-active actions.
The New Mexico Solidarity Network is a broad-based representative movement working toward a combined vision of equality, justice and dignity for all. We are committed to non-violence. We operate within a horizontal power model, with decisions made through consensus, so that all voices can come to the table. The New Mexico Solidarity Network provides a supportive and constructive environment that fosters dialogue and respect for difference as a means to empower ourselves thus making our differences our strength at this critical moment in time.
We are proud that our diverse network created a space for a diverse array of people to oppose the war in creative ways on Saturday, Jan. 18. We hope to do this again, yet we recognize that the strength to defeat this drive to war lies in numbers and we therefore encourage people to join together and share resources to create the means to resist war and educate for peace and justice.
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The New Mexico Solidarity Network meets in a democratic and open spokescouncil every Monday at 6:30 p.m., Peace & Justice Center, 144 Harvard Boulevard SE, Albuquerque. Call 265-4799 or contact nmsolidarity@yahoo.com.
We encourage UNM students to come join us so we can support each other in our community actions against this war drive.
Fiona Sinclair
UNM instructor
