The Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 military budget is up for a vote in the House this Friday May 18.
It contains more than $642 billion of taxpayer money to pay for a war the majority of Americans oppose; nuclear upgrades that threaten non-proliferation agreements; programs and weapons that even the Pentagon doesn’t want.
The bill also promotes reckless threats on Iran, enables reckless actions by Israel and prohibits the transfer of prisoners from Guantanamo to the United States.
It’s not just the Republicans who are supporting this outrageous bill. The majority of Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee also voted in favor, resulting in a 56-5 vote in the Committee.
Partisan rhetoric should not obscure the reality that if this over-sized military budget passes the Congress, it will be paid for by drastic cuts in programs that affect all of us, espcially the most vulnerable:  food stamps, school lunches, health insurance for low income children, “Meals-on Wheels” for the elderly.
Call the Capitol Switchboard: 1-877-429-0678 (toll-free number provided by FCNL)
Ask your representative to:
*Support the Lee -Nadler amendment (#158) to cut ALL funding from the $88 billion allocated for the Afghanistan war, except for the purpose of bringing all of our troops and defense contractors home.
*Vote NO on the entire Pentagon budget bill (HR 4310) when it comes up for a vote
Please circulate this message widely to family and friends.
Questions? Call 718-624-5921 or e-mail bfp@brooklynpeace.org
Please let us know that you called!

Brooklyn For Peace held its eighth annual Brooklyn Peace Fair on Saturday April 28 at the Brooklyn College Student Center. Attended by hundreds of people from all over the borough and beyond, the Fair featured a wide variety of activities relating to this year’s theme: Ending War, Promoting Peace. Co-sponsors of the event were the Brooklyn College Student Center, Brooklyn Congregations United, and Military Families Speak Out–Metro.

There were tables from other peace and justice groups as well as tables from vendors promoting their wares. There were poetry and musical presentations. Committees belonging to the BFP conducted workshops on various topics. The children were entertained as well: a production of the Lorax was staged by the newly-formed Arts & Culture Committee and the actors were the kids themselves!

Keynote speakers were the noted investigative journalist and author, Jeremy Scahill and Captain Paul K. Chappell, veteran of the Iraq War, author and Peace Leadership Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. Both speeches were followed by a Q & A session and were attended by hundreds that filled the hall to capacity. See the Scahill presentation on America’s Covert Wars on YouTube: jeremy-scahill-americas-covert-wars.html

The Fair ended on wonderfully upbeat note with a parade from the campus out onto the busy shopping street of Flatbush Avenue. The parade was led by a Brooklyn For Peace banner followed by a loud and exuberant Haitian band, Raram of New York.

For photos and videos of the day’s events, click here.

Jeremy Scahill addressed a packed lecture hall at the Peace Fair.

Sign the Iran Pledge of Resistance initiated by United for Peace and Justice.
Brooklyn For Peace is one of the endorsing organizations.

Brooklyn For Peace calls for:
No War Against Iran!
Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East! Read the rest of this entry »

Statement by Brooklyn For Peace on Withdrawal of US Troops from Iraq

Brooklyn For Peace welcomes the removal of all American ground troops from Iraq. We are relieved that thousands of American soldiers will be coming home to their communities, and that the Iraqi people will be free of foreign occupation.

These developments are the long overdue and long awaited result of the persistent work of the international peace movement and the formidable resistance inside Iraq. Read the rest of this entry »

The $662 billion Defense Authorization bill passed in Congress and was signed by President Obama on Saturday, December 31. In addition to $662 billion for the “defense” budget, this bill also includes very dangerous provisions mandating “indefinite detention” for terrorism suspects without formal charges or trial. These gross violations of the constitution and of international law are the logical accompaniment of US militarism.

Read the rest of this entry »

Occupy Brooklyn is a movement of Brooklynites organizing in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.

From Canarsie to Cobble Hill, Bay Ridge to Brownsville, the 99% are uniting against greed and corruption in our nation and neighborhoods.

We’re dismantling social barriers that have turned neighbors into strangers.
We’re rethinking how we live, learn, and work together, and building communities that are fairer and more just.

#Occupy Brooklyn
More info: www.occupybk.org
Work with Peace & Economic Justice Committee, Brooklyn For Peace!

Next meeting: Tuesday, February 28, 7 pm
Email pej@brooklynpeace.org for location and more info on how you can participate!