The biggest effort of the Disarm Committee this spring will be the Global Network Space conference in Omaha (April 11-13), where we will be confronting Strat Com, the agency which controls the buttons for both nuclear weapons and war in, from and through space. Rhianna Tyson and Jennifer Nordstrom, both formerly with WILPF Reaching Critical Will, will lead our WILPF workshop on Space Law or Space Warfare. MacGregor Eddy of our DISARM team will be there with her wonderful CD power points on Strat Com and war profiteering corporations pushing space warfare. Yvonne Logan is coming with the Director of the Peace Economy Project based in St. Louis. Hope to see more of you there. We have one feisty member in Omaha, more in nearby Des Moines – and St. Louis, Springfield and Minneapolis—aren’t all that far away.

Visit the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space for more details.

Learn how politicians who represent you vote by calling Project Vote Smart 1-888-VOTE-SMART or entering your zip code on their website, www.vote-smart.org.

Learn how much industries, corporations, unions and individuals contribute to political campaigns by searching the Center for Responsive Politics website, www.opensecrets.org

Download reports on what weapons manufacturers get for their money at www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms

Learn how politicians who represent you vote by calling Project Vote Smart 1-888-VOTE-SMART or entering your zip code on their website, www.vote-smart.org.

Learn how much industries, corporations, unions and individuals contribute to political campaigns by searching the Center for Responsive Politics website, www.opensecrets.org

By Pat Schroeder

Former Congressional Representative from Colorado

With a mandate-less president we women need to watch our elected officials carefully. As a former member of Congress I know what it feels like to be watched, so I can tell you the best way to apply pressure. Gather like-minded friends and form a monitoring cabal....

Here are some watchdog techniques:

If your elected officials aren't to your liking, meet with them as a group and give them the chance to "court" you. All federal representatives have offices in their districts and all are interested in expanding their base. But since they don't read brain waves, you will have to tell them why you didn't support them. This is crucial because "I never knew this was important to you" is a politician's favorite excuse.

 Learn how politicians who represent you vote by calling Project Vote Smart 1-888-VOTE-SMART or entering your zip code on their website, www.vote-smart.org.

    Learn how much industries, corporations, unions and individuals contribute to political campaigns by searching the Center for Responsive Politics website, www.opensecrets.org

    Download reports on what weapons manufacturers get for their money at www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms

    Keep up with the weekly voting records of your senators as well as getting a wealth of information on the military spending, the arms trade, national missile defense and much more at the Council for a Livable World website, www.clw.org

Bills by number and subject, summaries and status http://thomas.loc.gov

Representatives’ websites, contact information, committee rosters www.house.gov

Senators’ websites, contact information, committee rosters www.senate.gov

Interactive site to id your federal, state and local elected representatives by entering your zip code, explore legislative issues and sites www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

MEGAVOTE: Sign up giving your zip code and email address to receive weekly emails reporting your Representative and Senators votes on key issues & what issues are coming up next www.congress.org/congressorg/megavote/

At a time of corporate-owned media conglomerates when multiple viewpoints in mainstream US media are things of the past, we all need alternative information sources.

Check out the online media resources below and share them with friends…one of the most valuable things WILPF members can do is help others become informed! Some of these sites accept editorials from readers. Send them material and say you’re from WILPF!

IMPLEMENT A BRANCH MEDIA CAMPAIGN: find names and contact information for all radio, tv and print media in your area www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/

Branch Mailing

Winter/Spring 2006

“The only tired I was, was tired of giving in”
Rosa Parks

Hello to WILPF Branch Contacts! January 2006

Here is your copy of the winter/spring program update, also known as the branch mailing. Thanks to all who filled out evaluations! As a result of your comments, we in the WILPF office tried to make this mailing a little more “user friendly”. We used plain white paper instead of colored [for ease in photocopying], and tried to scale back the content a bit. There is so much happening right now in WILPF, however, that reducing the number of pages by too much was simply impossible! So, while it may take it bit of time to read through it all, you are certainly encouraged to do so. Please make sure to copy all or most of the pages for your branch members as well.

When you become a member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), you are joining the first international peace organization founded by women in the world. WILPF was organized in Europe in 1915 at the Hague during World War I, and its effect on public policy over the past 89 years has been enormous. In our society, where the root causes of constant international and domestic crises are hard to grasp, WILPF offers analysis and a quick way to join with others in taking action. 

We have sections in 37 countries as well as branches and groups in 100 communities in the United States. If you are yearning for an organization working on both international and domestic issues, with the capability to provide the tools you need for reflection and joint action, then we invite you to join us.