The New York Police Department seems likely to be requesting permission from the Federal Aviation Authority to start using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles a/k/a drones as part of its surveillance activities. Certain candidates say that drones should be a significant part of the NYPD’s repertoire.

Do you think this high-tech version of Stop-and-Frisk should be coming to a borough near you? Tell us what you think.

Join us in protesting Henry Kissinger’s appearance at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum. Kissinger , whose government career involved denying people their freedom and democratic rights and is considered a war criminal by many, is slated to receive the Intrepid Freedom Award for “his distinguished career defending the values of freedom and democracy.”

WHERE: Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum, Pier 86 at West 46th St. and the Hudson River.

WHEN: Thursday, 5/23. Protest starts at 5:30 pm.

More at ETAN.org

Close Guantanamo! Hunger strike in 3rd month!

This weekend saw the largest jump in the ‘official’ numbers of men on Hunger Strike in Guantanamo since the Military acknowledged the strike beginning. The Military now confirms 84 men on Hunger Strike, with 16 being force fed and 5 in the hospital. Actual numbers are probably higher. Read testimony of one prisoner in NY Times.

THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. Here’s what YOU can do:

• Download and send this letter to a man detained in Guantanamo.
• Distribute leaflets with information about Guantanamo.
• Call the White House (202-456-1111, 202-456-1414), U.S. Southern Command (305-437-1213) and Department of Defense (703-571-3343) to express concern over the hunger strike and insist on Guantanamo’s closing
• Follow the Witness Against Torture’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/witnesstorture

Learn more! Center for Constitutional Rights & Witness Against Torture.

Let our young people know there are alternatives to the military!

Join the Anti-Militarism Committee to distribute information to families on Parent Teacher Conference night in Brooklyn! 5 to 7 pm on Thursday, March 14.

Choose one of these locations:

1. The School for Legal Studies 850 Grand St,near Bushwick Ave, Bushwick, Brooklyn (Train: G train to Metropolitan, L to Grand St.)
2. Clara Barton High School 901 Classon Ave, Prospect Heights. (Train: 2/3 to Brooklyn Museum, or 4/5 to Franklin; S to Franklin)

Help us plan by letting us know you’ll be coming! E-mail nowar@brooklynpeace.org or call 718-624-5921. We’ll give you the cell-phone number of our committee member who will be there with the materials. Read the rest of this entry »

Drone Warfare? Is it making us safer? Come discuss the pros and cons!

Ann Wright and Nick Mottern will speak. There will be a Q&A period as well.

WHEN: Thursday, February 21, 7 pm WHERE: The Commons, 388 Atlantic Ave at Bond St in Brooklyn

Ann Wright is a former U.S. Army colonel and retired official of the U.S. State Department who is known for her outspoken opposition to the Iraq War. She publicly resigned in direct protest of the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. She recently visited Pakistan to talk with citizens about the impact of drones on their lives.

Nick Mottern is an author and activist who recently embarked on the KNOW DRONES tour, the purpose of which is to inform U.S. citizens on how the U.S. is using drones for fighting undeclared war by remote control.

Sponsored by: Brooklyn For Peace Co-sponsors: Fort Greene Peace, Green Party of Brooklyn, Peace Action Bay Ridge Interfaith Peace Coalition, NYC War Resisters League

List in formation. Please e-mail bfp@brooklynpeace.org if your organization would like to co-sponsor this event.

1000 Days, No Trial, Torture, Solitary = The Price of Truth – It’s time to Free Bradley Manning! – NYC Solidarity Event

Puppeteer extraordinaire Kevin Augustine of Lone Wolf Tribe will be appearing in clown character in cooperation with a Veterans for Peace event to commemorate Bradley Manning’s 1,000 days of imprisonment without a trial.

WHERE: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2pm @ Union Square (14 St. & University Place.)

There will be performances, art, fundraising, speakers, and info to hand out to passer-by. We will be presenting a printed installation of the http://iam.bradleymanning.org/ photo petition – which people from all over the world have contributed to! Bring your signs, enthusiasm, flyers, etc!

See Kevin in action.

Take Action Today! Sign the Bradley Manning petition today!

The Anti-Militarism Committee of Brooklyn For Peace has put together a flyer about drones. The flyer has been circulating at various Brooklyn events, and we continue to work to spread information about the current state of drone usage in the U.S. and internationally.

Check out the flyer–in English and Spanish

Read the rest of this entry »

Did you know that Federal Law Requires all NYC public schools to send your name, birth date, address and telephone number to military recruiters by the last week in October?

Join us to let high school students and their parents know that they can OPT-OUT from having their contact information given to military recruiters. Help them learn about alternatives to the military. We will be passing out this flyer.

Thursday Oct 25, 5–6:30 pm: Parent-Teacher Conference night. Many volunteers needed so we can reach as many parents as possible. Sign up today to help!

As of now, there are 2 locations. If we have more volunteers, we can reach more schools.

• Clara Barton, 901 Classon Ave. (Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum subway)
• Cobble Hill School of American Studies, 347 Baltic Street (Bergen St. G or F).

The opt out form can be found here. Please let us know if you have any questions about the form.

Read the rest of this entry »

The military is not the only option for an education or job training. We have compiled a list of resources, some Brooklyn, some New York City, some national, that can help students apply to college and find financial aid, get vocational training and prepare for job interviews, and learn about paid community service positions. To learn more about alternatives to the military, check out our guide Go to College or Work–Not War!

Please feel free to make and distribute copies of our guide or use the information in your own materials. If you know of additional resources, please let us know.

For more information, Please email nowar@brooklynpeace.org

On September 6, there was a National Action to Free Bradley Manning at Obama Headquarters from 5:30 to 6:30 pm!

Vets for Peace Chp 39 Call: “Since Army PFC Bradley Manning’s arrest in May 2010 for allegedly sharing the “Collateral Murder” video and other evidence of war crimes and government corruption with the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks, many have wondered “Why hasn’t President Obama supported Bradley?”

After all, in May 2011 President Obama declared, “In the 21st Century, information is power; the truth cannot be hidden; and the legitimacy of governments will ultimately depend on active and informed citizens.”

Brooklyn For Peace along with the Bradley Manning Support Network and Veterans For Peace joined others in a nationwide effort to hold actions at many more local Obama campaign offices on September 6th, the day of Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.

President Obama needs to hear loud and clear from veterans and concerned citizens across the country that the American people want amends for the unlawful torture of Bradley Manning, and believe he should be freed.

We want to overwhelm Obama campaign offices with messages of support for Bradley from coast to coast! Please forward and spread the word!

Free Bradley Manning!”