Yesterday, members of the GPBP attended an event on Penn's Landing to welcome the sailboat Golden Rule to Philadelphia. Forty-one years after 1 million activists marched on New York's Central Park to protest Ronald Reagan's nuclear arms race, a few dozen peace activists greeted the the Golden Rule to port in the city of brotherly love. 

In 1958, an intrepid crew of (mainly) Quakers sailed the small ship “Golden Rule” to the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific to try to “get in the way” of massive nuclear tests the United States was planning there. They were arrested in Honolulu, but they left a lasting legacy connecting peace and environmental justice concerns. Now, a new crew from Veterans for Peace is using the same ship to campaign against the MAD-ness [Mutually Assured Destruction] of nuclear weapons.

The Golden Rule, a 34-foot wooden ketch, will visit the Delaware Valley May 9-14th, 2023 as part of a 15-month voyage around the eastern half of the USA, making 100 ports-of-call. This voyage coincides with new legislation, recently introduced in both the United States House and Senate, to establish a 21st century freeze on the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons. The Hastening Arms Limitation Talks (HALT) Act needs the support a massive peace movement harkening back to 41 years ago. Calling all peace activists! The time has come to give up the illusion of safety and the comforts of complacency to speak out and do all we can to prevent nuclear disaster. Mutually assured nuclear destruction will leave our only home, the planet earth, virtually uninhabitable. 

We members of the GPBP, grandmothers and mothers alike, want to preserve the earth for generations to come. We want our children and grandchildren to enjoy the majesty and grandeur of planet earth, as we have enjoyed, throughout our lives. No one wants to believe catastrophe will occur in their lifetime, so we buy the lies corporations sell to us. Nuclear technology is safe and cooler heads will always prevail. But will they? To protect the United State's vital interests around the world and to deter other leaders from aggression, our leaders are perpetrating nuclear proliferation and playing "chicken" with other nuclear powers! This is madness! Deterrence will be fostered by compassionate leadership and acknowledgment of the insanity we have been engaged in for over 40 years! This will inspire other nations to follow in our footsteps. The golden rule, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, really is the simple answer to the age old question of how to change the world. 

“The world continues to move in the wrong direction on nuclear disarmament and arms control. To avert disaster, the United States must urgently lead a multilateral freeze on nuclear weapons testing, production and deployment. Every penny spent on nuclear weapons serves no purpose but to strengthen the hand of evil in the world and bring humanity one stop closer to extinction. We need a 21st century nuclear freeze movement so we can hit the brakes on this dangerous escalation, honor our existing treaty obligations, spend our time and money improving our country and world, and eliminate nuclear weapons before they eliminate us.”
Congressman Jim McGovern

Our politics have become so polarized that we don't always stand up and speak out on important issues, but rather defend our "tribe" at any cost. What is our president doing about defense spending and investment in nuclear weapons? Defense spending is higher than ever and nuclear disarmament appears to be off the table all together. Was the US a proponent of negotiations and talks in the Ukraine/Russia conflict when it first started? Or did President Biden and his cabinet fan the flames of war to teach Russia a lesson and keep the war funds flowing?

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists have the doomsday clock at 90 seconds to midnight stating the following:
The war in Ukraine may enter a second horrifying year, with both sides convinced they can win. Ukraine’s sovereignty and broader European security arrangements that have largely held since the end of World War II are at stake. Also, Russia’s war on Ukraine has raised profound questions about how states interact, eroding norms of international conduct that underpin successful responses to a variety of global risks.
Why have more peace loving Democrats not spoken out? Is it because they fear the disapproval of their tribe? Are we willing to ignore such catastrophic risks to our planet, children, and grandchildren of such an ominous outcome. We hope not. 

Yesterday was the third annual Women's March, the cornerstone of what has come to be called the "me too" movement. Marches were held across the country as women in pink hats flocked in the thousands to lend their support to this progressive movement. Unfortunately, national turnout was low as the march remained shrouded in questionable financial transactions, disputes over the soul the movement, and accusations of anti-Semitism. Such conflicts perpetuate oppression and malignant patriarchy. Getting members of diverse groups to distrust one another, and see each other as the enemy, allows those with power to divert attention from their unethical and illegal actions. Isolated and alone, we lose our strength and render We The People unable to effect real change. 

Let's remember that the people united can never be divided! Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day, so lets turn our eyes to the true prize, and stay focused on our core values. We must unite to achieve common sense goals and defeat those who wield power in the their own self interest. Let's come together as diverse peoples of many creeds, genders, opinions, and ethnicities to build a new world order that truly cares for ALL members of the human family. We shall be heard on fair wages, creating health care for all, affordable education, ending nuclear proliferation and murderous imperialism, and demanding a clean planet. Take a moment to find that place within you where we are all one. Then send a gentle embrace of love and forgiveness to your brothers and sisters, and lets get back to work! United we will not be defeated. ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsKTzFwv16w

Now that the Democratic Party won back the House of Representatives, we can all take some time off from activism and watch more movies on Netflix right? NO! Without significant pressure from below, our representatives, from both parties, will remain beholden to their donors and seek a political agenda that serves the elite, their "owners". We can't let that happen. As we move towards the 2020 presidential/congressional elections, its so important to be affiliated with various progressive groups to push a peace, green, fair wage, health care for all, and non-discriminatory agenda. The progressive agenda is not esoteric or unreasonable.  It is otherwise known as we get to survive on this planet, we get to go to the doctor when sick, we get to pay our rent, we get to send our children to college without having to mortgage our homes, and we get to notice and speak out against shameless acts of greed and ignorance directed towards the voiceless and powerless who cannot protect themselves. 

Today, I had a number of activities planned. In addition to working at my job, there is homework to do and rain boots to purchase for my daughter's field trip tomorrow (forecast is not good). Add to this the every day activities of being a wife and mother and I am not a person looking for more to do! This morning, while enjoying a cup of coffee and still reveling in the 2018 election results, I learned of the obstruction of justice by the Trump White House into the Mueller investigation. Though we had been anticipating this offensive response by the Trump politicos for some time in reaction to any loss of power, watching the actual event turned out to be more grotesque than I imagined. Once again, I will reprioritize my life to show up and stand up to this injustice. Once again, I rushed to the basement to look for a poster board that I will color and design on my lunch break at work. Frantically, I will search out information on the internet about where to go and arrange for child care. This is the life I have been living with so many other people of conscience since the 2016 elections. Mad dashes to Michael's Crafts for markers and poster boards. Endless arrangements with relatives and friends to meet up or help one another with childcare so we can show up for our children, our future, and  our world. This is my life now and I accept it. 

Thinking global but acting local this past month, grannies Lois Durso, Jean Haskell, Reenie Boehm, and Paula Paul met with the legislative representatives of Congressman Dwight Evans to explore ways to further support the No First Strike bill in Congress. They discussed ways to more widely educate people about the No First Strike bill and the dangers of our current nuclear policy. 
 
The group discussed ways to work together in the future to foster awareness of nuclear weapons issues/funding. Pushing for advocacy such as making phone calls and letter writing, we brainstormed ways individual citizens can take action now to prevent catastrophe. As it turned out, Rep Evans' district representative has a strong background in international relations and shares our concern about nuclear weapons and possible nuclear confrontations. 
 
In this same vein, GPBP members initiated a bill with Councilmember Helen Gym in support of a resolution calling on the City of Philadelphia to urge Congress to pass bills in the House and Senate, namely the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017. This resolution, which was passed by city council, prohibits the President of the United States from launching a “nuclear first strike” without a declaration of war by Congress. The Resolution was introduced to Council by Councilmember Helen Gym and Councilmember Derek Greek. It was co-sponsored by Councilmembers Cherelle Parker, Blondell Reynolds-Brown, and William Greenlee.
 
These efforts speak to the now famous quote by Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has". While we may not be able to exert influence on world leaders, we can take action in our own backyard to effect change with likeminded people. While famous leaders grab headlines and "make history" let us not forget the millions of people that no one will ever know about that made their influence possible. We are the thoughtful, committed citizens that will change the world with others of like mind and spirit. 

We are still working for health care as a human right rather than a privilege or a commodity to be sold to those who can pay. Denial of basic human rights is the worst type of violence. It can go unnoticed or justified by lawmakers who claim providing universal coverage would be a step towards socialism. The Pew Research Center reports that 60% of Americans now support a single payer system, while only 39% feel that the government should not be involved in health care. This clear majority has stood firm in this belief since January 2017.

The United States now lags behind  eleven developed countries, ahead of the U.S. in both economic freedom and the achievement of universal coverage. HealthCare 4 All, a Pennsylvania based citizen movement working to ensure health care for all people, is working to reverse this trend. Activists from across the state will be joining together on Saturday, December 2, 2017, from 5-7 PM, in the Chapel of Arch Street Methodist Church (55 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia), to discuss recent victories and plan future efforts. There are victories happening opponents don't want anyone to know about. Check out this website to learn how other states are leading the way in this effort.

Many obstacles remain, most notably the enormous cost of a medicare for all system. Proposals to  tax corporations and the wealthy, or to close tax loopholes are often shut out of the mainstream  political discourse. Most states are implementing a payroll tax to pay for the coverage, which will likely erode support from an already strapped middle class. 

The women's march has come and gone but the work is just beginning. I don't know about you but I feel overwhelmed. Just days after the march, I am inundated with requests to send letters to Congress and call legislators about this or that issue. Every few minutes I see another email or Facebook notification to sign a petition or join a new progressive organization. At one point, I was feeling so overwhelmed, I just sat and stared straight ahead like a deer caught in headlights. 

Then it dawned on me. I can just do one thing at a time! I don't have to do it all! Revelation! I began to feel a flood of relief. So I looked at the first of many emails asking me to take action. I picked up the phone and called my senator and left a message. The next day, I typed up two letters, one to each Senator in my state, with a heart felt plea to consider the progressive people's agenda. On my way home from work today, I will make one more call to the Congress. Tomorrow, I will do one more thing, either a phone call to Congress or another letter to my representatives in the house about women's health care. Later in the week, I will join the protests at the Loews Hotel to stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Center for Popular Democracy against the agenda of billionaires. 

Its important to remember that each of us has a small but important part to play. We don't have to do it all. There are millions of us in the 99% and we all have a part to play if change is going to come.

As Malcolm Gladwell wrote in his New York Times bestseller The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
"In the same way as a virus can spread rapidly through a population, so too can behavior change, particularly within a group. For instance, a small action by one individual within a crowd can influence the actions of other individuals within the crowd, and so on, until the behavior becomes widespread. Thus, small, initial changes have the potential to make significant differences overall."

​As we count down the days to inauguration we are witnessing a huge push forward with the progressive movement. This is a historic opportunity to mobilize and come together to push a progressive agenda for peace and human rights for all. Join us this Saturday 1/21/17 at the Women’s March in Philadelphia to plan our initiatives for the new year. Let us know your thoughts and concerns with the movement and how we can use the current climate to motivate women and men alike to take action.