November is Native American Heritage Month. It is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures of Native people. It is also a time to rectify harm and to advocate for equity. From 1778 to 1871, the United States government entered into more than 500 treaties with sovereign tribes; these treaties have been violated or broken by the US government. Native Americans and First Nations Peoples still fight for their treaty rights in federal courts and in the UN. Current court cases include: U.S. Supreme Court expands state power over Native American tribes. Article from Reuters. There are challenges to the 43 year-old Indian Child Welfare Act. Article from Native American Rights Fund Check out the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change. And a statement of reconciliation from member group Madison Friends Meeting (Quakers).

Hello friend of Madison War Abolition Walks! Since April, we have held 22 walks in Madison to call for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and for war abolition. We are moving to an email platform called Action Network. Please join if you want to get notices of our events in Madison. Of course, you can unsubscribe at any time. Join here! How do you want to act here in Madison to oppose war and militarism? We are planning to continue our war abolition walks this winter. We’re planning for walks downtown with a focus on visiting elected officials. We’ll be asking our Congressional representatives to stop showering the military with money, vote no to the proposed $37 billion more for the war in Ukraine, and push for negotiations to end the war. And we’ll ask city and state officials to halt F-35 warplanes coming to Truax. Our October 14 action at Mark Pocan's office. Photo by Paul McMahon We have become a chapter of the amazing international anti-war group World BEYOND War. Please check out World BEYOND War’s website to learn about this global movement to end all wars. We love their huge wealth of trainings, actions and resources. We’ve learned so much from web meetings with their board member Yurii Sheliazhenko, a brave Kyiv-based pacifist. In September, World BEYOND War awarded a War Abolisher Award to two Italian dock workers unions, Collettivo Autonomo Lavoratori Portuali (CALP) and Unione Sindacale di Base Lavoro Privato (USB), in recognition of their blocking of weapons shipments to a number of wars in recent years. Can you join us, with World BEYOND War, to be part of a public presence here in Madison for war abolition? Click here to join the email list. madisonpeacewalk@gmail.com War Abolition Walks Madison for a World BEYOND War

WNPJ Board member, Dena Eakles of Echo Valley Hope in SW Wisconsin has a weekly blog post: Check it out. dena.eakles@gmail.com Stop Doing Harm Nov 17 The Climate Summit is underway. The gathering is supposed to allow all countries equal footing to negotiate the perils of climate change. Once again the fossil fuel industry is driving the agenda to continue the abusive use of coal, gas and oil. And once again governments, who are the greatest emitters of greenhouse gasses, are refusing to wind down. Climate justice groups are given little space to talk about the need to stop harmful polluting, while fossil fuel industries set up elaborate booths to sell their products. It’s more than a conflict of interest; it’s death by greed. The request for financial help to repair the damage caused by large polluters is being sidestepped. The request to “stop doing harm” is going unheard. The summit is called COP 27. That means for the past 27 years this spin has continued while our overuse of fossil fuels impacts the climate and adversely affects our health. So when I learned about our school district receiving grants and loans to do a makeover, I looked to see if there were plans to use renewable energy. There were none. The plans are for larger spaces that will require more energy. And energy costs are rising and will continue to. Taxpayers will foot the bill for the construction AND for the operational costs. That figure was left out the planning as well. The Inflation Reduction Act is ready and waiting for makeovers like this one. Switching to renewables in this moment makes total sense. I can’t be at COP 27, but I can make my voice heard and I did. I will not be voting to approve the plans for the school makeover unless renewable energy is used. It’s time to stop doing harm. We can. Photo from an article Misconceptions about solar energy. Thanks to Edward Kimmel via Wikipedia Commons for the image of the sign from the 2017 Climate March in Washington, DC. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Why do we keep allowing the fossil fuel industry to call the shots? VANESSA NAKATE to Democracy Now: Well, apparently, we have more than 600 fossil fuel lobbyists at this COP, and yet so many communities and activists from the frontlines of the climate crisis weren’t able to make it here. There is a quote that I read recently that said, “If you’re going to discuss about malaria, do not invite the mosquitoes.” So, for me, it’s a worry that we have over 600 fossil fuel lobbyists in this place. It’s a worry for our future. It’s a worry for our planet. It’s a worry for the people.

November 14, 2022 Dear Friends, We’re writing to ask your help for young Afghans who face deeply troubling circumstances and may be able to resettle in Portugal in the very near future. In Kabul, they were part of a group which has now disbanded for security reasons and cannot even be named in public documents. The group welcomed internationals to live with them and become part of their efforts for peacemaking. Onlookers watched them pursue remarkable altruism. They agreed to reject all wars, worked hard to share resources, overcame ethnic differences, emphasized equality, and participated eagerly in permaculture courses. For six years, they maintained cooperative projects to assist street kids, refugees within Kabul, single mothers struggling to feed their children, and communities in extreme poverty. Sadly, their voluntary work, coupled with their idealism and the fact that many are from an ethnic and religious minority - Hazara Shi’a - jeopardized their lives after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. 18 of the activists from this group (and one child under the age of 2) have looked for safety in Pakistan. Yet they now face precarious conditions there and are at great risk. The Pakistani government, overwhelmed by economic collapse and devastating floods, appears very reluctant to host Afghan refugees. Newly arrived Afghan refugees who are part of the Hazara ethnic group experience severe discrimination in the country. Young women remain indoors. Twelve of the young people living in Quetta, Pakistan were recently evicted by their landlord. They are currently living in a Safe House in Islamabad. They are not allowed to work in Pakistan, and once their visas expire, they cannot receive money from abroad. They live in constant fear of being picked up by Pakistani police and turned over to the ISI intelligence. We’ve recently learned that the Portuguese government says it will most likely be possible to issue visas for 19 Afghans who have sought refuge beyond Afghanistan to resettle in Portugal. Following this good news, we learned that refugee resettlement professionals in Leiria, a city in the Central Region of Portugal, are willing to partner with us. They have already begun to design a resettlement project based on the model developed in Mértola, a small southern Portuguese city which, in March of 2022, welcomed eight young Afghans from the activist group. The Mértola project’s success has made it a model for humane and holistic resettlement efforts. The government of Portugal clarified that our circle of internationals would be responsible for all airfares and for at least one year of funds to support resettlement in Leiria for 19 Afghans. We’ve also learned about a possibility for getting visas to resettle an additional group of young Afghans, possibly as many as 20, in another European country. We are working hard to pursue this possibility. Anyone wishing to make a tax-deductible donation to assist with airfares and resettlement expenses can write checks payable to the Fellowship of Reconciliation, with “Afghan Generations” written in the memo. Checks can be sent to this address: Fellowship of Reconciliation CHICAGO AREA CHAPTER 705 11 th St., #205 Wilmette IL 60091 This message comes from Kathy Kelly and Sarah Ball- on behalf of an ad hoc committee of internationals assisting young Afghans since August, 2021 Ed McManus, Chair, Chicago Chapter, Fellowship of Reconciliation Kathy Kelly is well known to WNPJ members - with a history of speaking at our statewide meetings - and leading walks for peace across Wisconsin over the last ~15 years. Kathy has lived and worked in Afghanistan - providing support for youth - and has brought their stories back to us. Her previous group, Voices for Creative Nonviolence in Chicago was a member group of WNPJ.

Leonard Peltier’s "Walk To Justice" began in the Twin Cities - and now the walkers have reached Washington DC ....over 1,000 miles! They will ask President Biden for clemency for political prisoner, Leonard Peltier. A political prisoner is someone who is out fighting for his or her people's rights and freedom and is imprisoned for that alone. Learn more here: https://www.facebook.com/LeonardPeltierWalkToJustice/ https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/leonard-peltier-imprisoned-native-american-activist-new-message-biden-rcna19731 Let #JoeBiden know that you support granting clemency for #LeonardPeltier Data has shown that an excellent way for Peltier supporters to communicate with the White House is by telephone call the White House comment line at 202-456-1111. If the lines are busy, try the White House switchboard at (202) 456-1414. Ask for the comment line. #FreeLeonardPeltier #PoliticalPrisoner #AmericanIndianMovement #FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners Leonard Peltier still stands strong and defiant against injustice. Send our brother some love and Humility: Leonard Peltier, 89637-132, USP Coleman I, P.O. Box 1033, Coleman FL 33521. White paper and envelope only. leonardpeltierwalktojustice@gmail.com

On Tuesday, July 26, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPA) of 2022 with a strong bipartisan vote of 401-20. The bill reauthorizes the historic Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and provides more than $1 billion over five years to strengthen both the domestic and international response to the second largest criminal enterprise in the world – human trafficking. It now awaits consideration by the Senate. Take Action - Let Your Voice Be Heard! Action Alert sent to WNPJ by Congregation of St. Agnes (CSA) www.csasisters.org www.facebook.com/csasisters tabler@csasisters.org ​ Contact: Tracy Abler 920-907-2315 320 County Road K, Fond du Lac, WI 54937

Last month, the MMSD School Board in Madison voted to give $5/hr raises to educational assistants, clerical staff, security, and food service, but not our 200+ custodial, maintenance, and grounds workers. Excluding these short-staffed, already underpaid employees from such a significant wage increase is unfair. It devalues the dedicated staff who remain in these positions and step up to shoulder the load, knowing that they could leave and be better off working somewhere else, as the district is unable to attract people to fill all of the open positions in our schools. Please sign on to send this letter to the Madison Metropolitan School Board asking to include them in the raise. www.workerjustice.org www.facebook.com/workerjusticewi info@workerjustice.org ​ Contact: Rebecca Meier-Rao 608-255-0376 1602 S. Park St. #116, Madison, WI 53715 ​ We are a non-profit organization that focuses on the education and empowerment of workers and laborers. We help ensure fairness, dignity and equality in the workplace through collective action and education.

From: La Crosse Tribune letters , October 26. 2022 Ashland Daily Press letters, October 27, 2022 During the only gubernatorial debate, Republican challenger Tim Michels was asked about climate change and the evidence that more frequent extreme weather events tied to climate change are disrupting the wild rice beds, a source of food and culture for the Ojibwe people in northern Wisconsin. Wild rice, also called manoomin, grows in water, and Wisconsin’s Great Lakes region holds part of the largest and last remaining extensive coastal wild rice beds in the world. Michels, a multi-millionaire businessman who owns a construction company that routinely does work on major oil pipelines, said he had never heard of it. Despite never hearing about it, he said he was sure it was not because of climate change. Michels’ denial is at odds with more than 99% of scientists who say that human-caused carbon emissions from fossil fuels are causing climate change. This would be an inconvenient admission, given that Michels’ company is currently the mainline contractor to reroute Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline that would go through northern Wisconsin carrying up to 23 million gallons of oil and natural gas liquids per day. The Bad River Ojibwe and environmental groups say this project further threatens the wild rice beds. It’s no surprise that Michels has pledged to “make sure Line 5 gets built” if he becomes governor. He also suggested breaking up the Department of Natural Resources into separate agencies: one for business regulations and the other for hunting and fishing. A climate denier should not be entrusted with protecting Wisconsin’s natural resources. Al Gedicks, Executive Secretary Wisconsin Resources Protection Council, WNPJ member group www.wrpc.net www.facebook.com/WisconsinResourcesProtectionCouncil/ agedicks@eagle.uwlax.edu

Statements from WNPJ groups and affiliates on the War in Ukraine (Feb - October) : · Interfaith Peace Working Group · Veterans for Peace · WILPF · UNA-USA · Democratic Socialists of America · Peace Action WI – Code Pink - Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice · …a statement from WNPJ's Lifetime Achievement Awardee: Bonnie Block. ************************************************************************ From Interfaith Peace Working Group * 10/28/2022 As people of faith and conscience, believing in the sanctity of all life on this planet, we urge our government to take a leadership role in bringing the conflict in Ukraine to an end through a negotiated settlement, before the conflict results in a nuclear war that could devastate the world’s ecosystems and annihilate humankind as well as many other living creatures. www.interfaithpeacewg.org/ 608-514-2811 interfaithpeaceworkinggroup@gmail.com ​ *************************************** From Veterans for Peace * 2/24/2022 Veterans For Peace Encourages Diplomacy Not War Veterans For Peace condemns the invasion of Ukraine. Our mission remains the same. We are committed to a sustainable and just peace. As veterans we know increased violence only fuels extremism. We have watched, and in some cases been firsthand witnesses to how the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, etc. have had their countries and lives destroyed by U.S. and Russian military involvement. For the United States and Russia, the only sane course of action now is a commitment to genuine diplomacy with serious negotiations – without which, conflict could easily spiral out of control to the point of further pushing the world toward nuclear war. Genuine diplomacy is a commitment to compromise and maintaining open lines of communication. We reject punitive sanctions that harshen the lives of people across the region. The sanctions that Biden is proposing are not tools of diplomacy, nor are they nonviolent methods of foreign policy; they do NOT target those responsible for war, but affect vulnerable civilian populations by limiting access to basic necessities. The U.S. has a responsibility to pursue genuine diplomacy to push for an immediate ceasefire and to apply pressure on other nations to do the same. Veterans For Peace recognizes that this current crisis did not just happen in the last few days, but represents decades of policy decisions and government actions that have only contributed to the building of antagonisms and aggressions between countries. We must respond to this current crisis, and continue our focus on addressing the causes of war; by redirecting the military budget towards human needs, pushing for the global abolition of nuclear weapons and eliminating the ability of corporations to profit from war. Local chapters: *Veterans for Peace – Chapter 25 – Madison Address: PO Box 1811, Madison, WI 53701 E-Mail: books24u@aol.com Website: http://madisonvfp.org/ *Veterans for Peace – Chapter 102 – Milwaukee Contact: Mark Foreman Address: 11325 W Daphne St, Milwaukee, WI 53224 Phone: 414-550-8945 E-Mail: vfpchapter102@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeVetsforPeace/ *Veterans for Peace – Chapter 114 – Sheboygan Contact: Chris Kuehnel Address: 2034 N 6th, Sheboygan, WI 53081 E-Mail:cqnel@clevelandwi.net Website: http://vetsforpeacesheboygan.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Veterans-for-Peace-Sheboygan ****************************************************************************** Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom * 2/24/2022 Crisis in Ukraine and its threats for planet and people The crisis in Ukraine has escalated into an all-out war. In addition to the threat to life, the current military build-up and a potential for a broader military conflict in Europe would have devastating impacts on the climate and the environment. We urge climate and environmental youth activists to mobilise for an end to this conflict and the militarisation of our societies. We all need to act to protect the planet, the people, and all the living things from impacts of war, and to work together for environmental justice and peace. Local Chapter: *Women's International League for Peace and Freedom – Madison Branch Contact: Susan Freiss Email: wilpfmadison@gmail.com Website: http://www.wilpf-madison.org ********************************************************** Rachel Bowen Pittman, Executive Director of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA), issued the following statement today on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022: “The United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion and subsequent attacks on Ukraine. Russia’s military offensive on another sovereign nation contradicts the fundamental principles of the United Nations and is a clear violation of the UN charter. We echo the UN Secretary-General’s call for Russia to end its assault and bring its troops back home. “We know all too well the destructive impact of war, and innocent civilians always pay the highest price. Amid the escalating violence, more than 500,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes to seek refuge in neighboring countries with millions more impacted and expected to be in need of humanitarian assistance in the coming days and months. “As UN partners scale up humanitarian operations on the ground in Ukraine and at its borders, UNA-USA stands committed to helping the Ukrainian people caught in the middle of this conflict. “Our thoughts are with the millions of people in Ukraine impacted by this egregious act of violence. This conflict must come to an end – immediately. ### Take Action Here are three actions you can take right now to support Ukraine: Donate to OCHA’s Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF) and other UN agencies, like UNHCR and UNICEF, working on the ground in Ukraine and at its borders to provide critical support and assistance to people in Ukraine. Ahead of tonight’s State of the Union address, send a message to your Members of Congress urging them to support full funding for the UN and its agencies to ensure they can continue to carry out their life-saving work around the world, including in Ukraine. Participate in a peaceful protest. Find one close to you. United Nations Association of the United States of America 1750 Pennsylvania Ave NW#300 Washington, DC, DC 20006 United States *United Nations Association–Dane County Chapter Contact: Linda Baumann, President Address: PO Box 5155, Madison, WI, 53705 Phone: 608-332-8431 E-Mail: ljbauman@wisc.edu Website: http://www.unadane.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitedNationsDaneCo/ *United Nations Association – Milwaukee Chapter Contact: Dan O'Keefe Address: PO Box 511638, Milwaukee, WI 53203 Phone: 414-688-0694 E-Mail: danok@att.net Website: https://www.unamilwaukee.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNAGreaterMilwaukee/ **************************************** From Democratic Socialists of America On Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine * 2/26/2022 The Democratic Socialists of America condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demands immediate diplomacy and de-escalation to resolve this crisis. We stand in solidarity with the working classes of Ukraine and Russia who will undoubtedly bear the brunt of this war, and with antiwar protestors in both countries and around the world who are calling for a diplomatic resolution. This extreme and asymmetrical escalation is an illegal act under the United Nations Charter and severely threatens the livelihoods and well-being of working-class peoples in Ukraine, Russia, and across the region. We urge an immediate ceasefire and the total withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine. There is no solution through war or further intervention. This crisis requires an immediate international antiwar response demanding de-escalation, international cooperation, and opposition to unilateral coercive measures, militarization, and other forms of economic and military brinkmanship that will only exacerbate the human toll of this conflict. DSA reaffirms our call for the US to withdraw from NATO and to end the imperialist expansionism that set the stage for this conflict. We call on antiwar activists in the US and across the world to oppose violent escalations, demand a lasting diplomatic solution, and stress the crucial need to accept any and all refugees resulting from this crisis. Much of the next ten years are coming into view through this attack. While the failures of neoliberal order are clear to everyone, the ruling class is trying to build a new world, through a dystopic transition grounded in militarism, imperialism, and war. Socialists have a duty to build an alternative. No war but class war. Madison Area Democratic Socialists of America Address: 2645 Milwaukee Street, Madison, WI 53704 E-Mail: DSAmadison@gmail.com Website: www.madison-dsa.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dsamadison ****************************************** Peace Action WI stands with the Code Pink Statement: 2/3/2022 CODEPINK strongly condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where over 350,000 civilians have fled the country in fear of explosive weapons and missile attacks, while remaining residents from eastern to western Ukraine seek refuge in underground subways and bomb shelters. As an international peace organization, we call for an immediate ceasefire, negotiations without preconditions, withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, an end to NATO expansion and a return to the negotiating table to address the security interests of all stakeholders. We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people under vicious attack and with the thousands of courageous Russian anti-war activists risking arrest and imprisonment to protest in the streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg. There is no military solution to the conflict over Ukraine, a country caught in the crossfire between the United States and Russia, the world’s two most heavily armed nuclear nations. While we denounce Putin’s reckless veiled threat to launch nuclear weapons against NATO countries, we also recognize the United States government is culpable in the proliferation and deployment of nuclear weapons, and must reverse course on its decision to pursue nuclear rearmament and instead advance verifiable agreements for global nuclear disarmament. In condemning Putin’s invasion of a sovereign country, the shelling of a Ukrainian hospital, the tanks closing in on Kyiv, we understand the U.S. has played a major role in exacerbating this conflict, facilitating a 2014 coup to overthrow the democratically elected leader of Ukraine and breaking promises not to expand NATO into Eastern Europe, where offensive missiles in Romania and Poland could reach Russia in minutes. Though some will argue NATO is a defensive alliance of 30 countries, we view NATO as a threat to world peace with its military encirclement of Russia and support for U.S. military aggression in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, where an estimated million died under a rain of bombs and millions more were displaced. NATO’s aggressive stance on China, another nuclear-armed nation, also threatens world peace and efforts to unite in the face of existential climate catastrophe. In advance of the NATO summit in June, CODEPINK calls for an international security agreement to protect the interests of all Europeans to remain free from war and occupation. Such an agreement should have been forged after the fall of the Soviet Union and dissolution of the Warsaw Pact; instead the U.S. and NATO sought further militarization in a continuance of the Cold War that spawned multiple hot wars, from Korea to Vietnam. To prevent further fighting in Ukraine, to stop the loss of life, bloodshed and grave environmental degradation from the bombing of munitions plants, let us return to the 2015 Minsk II agreement that established a blueprint for peace and an end to the civil war rocking eastern Ukraine. Ukraine should be a neutral country; its incorporation into NATO should be off the table as a starting point for diplomacy. During this perilous time, when further military escalation could trigger a Chernobyl radioactive meltdown or push us to the brink of nuclear annihilation, we urge President Biden and Congress to stop the flow of weapons to Ukraine, offer humanitarian assistance and safe refuge instead, renew lapsed arms control treaties (Anti-Ballistic Missile, Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces, Open Skies) the U.S. abandoned with Russia, and reject the imposition of massive sanctions that will harm the Russian people who, like us, want peace and security. Blanket sanctions on the entire Russian economy could spread economic and environmental hardship to Europe and potentially the global community with energy price hikes that may reduce energy consumption in the short term but prompt more oil drilling and lethal burning of fossil fuels in the long term. In solidarity with anti-war protesters in Russia and across Europe, we call on the world’s peace-loving people, including conscripted front-line soldiers, to join us in a massive unified response to say: No to War in Ukraine; Yes to Negotiations and Peace. *Peace Action of Wisconsin Address: 1001 E Keefe Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53212 Phone: 414-269-9525 E-mail: info@peaceactionwi.org Contact: Pam Richard, Office Manager ******************************************************* From the Board of the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice: Feb. 26,2022 Global citizens are witnessing a transgression against humanity and a violation of international law as Russian military might continues to roll over the independent nation of Ukraine. Debates over what triggered this moment must now take second place to the very pressing need for peace. There is no debate about the ravages of war, of innocents killed, of destruction of the earth, and of human beings displaced from their homes and their way of life. The Ukrainian people are asking for help. And brave Russian citizens are standing for peace even as the threats of imprisonment and charges of treason are held against them. Let this be the moment when people of goodwill unite and demand a change of course. As a Network we have the opportunity to raise the voice of peace. Peace internationally, as well as peace right here with one another, with each organization, and each community throughout our state. We must be in solidarity for peace in Ukraine, as well as oppose the current trends that weaken voting rights, civil rights and workers’ rights and increase militarism in our own backyard. It is all part of a bigger human rights tapestry. We invite you to stand for peace in whatever way you can, in whatever way calls you. Thank you for all of your efforts. May peace prevail. Sarah Hinkley (she/her/hers) Former Network Coordinator Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice office@wnpj.org ***************************************************** And from Bonnie Block – awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 NO WAR! The current situation in Ukraine is another example of what happens when the dominant operating principle among governments is using military and/or economic force as the means of bringing an end to conflict. It’s not just the Russian troops and tanks currently illegally invading Ukraine. It’s also NATO’s military alliance expanding into former provinces of the Soviet Union in violation of an agreement at the end of the Cold War. As a result member states of NATO now have their weapons and troops on Russia’s borders. The U.S. is a key supporter of NATO (and has engaged in its own multiple invasions) so it is hypocritical to pretend we haven’t engaged in similar power politics. Furthermore, our annual military budget is approaching $800 Billion (which is greater than the combined spending of the next ten countries) and that is hardly a way to world peace and sustainability. Furthermore, the nuclear weapons of Russia, the U.S. and several countries of the European Union heightens the grave danger of this war. Physicians for Social Responsibility has described the unbelievable death and destruction of even a small nuclear exchange. Please see https://www.psr.org/issues/nuclear-weapons-abolition/ Not only are nuclear weapons a danger but so is nuclear power. Ukraine has already had a nuclear reactor meltdown in 1986 in Chernobyl. That meltdown near Ukraine’s northern border, caused the immediate deaths of people nearby, spewed radiation worldwide, increased cancer rates and birth defects, and has made the area uninhabitable for centuries. All of this can happen again if one of the fifteen remaining reactors is bombed or loses electrical power. This makes clear the urgent need for the U.S., Russia, and all other nuclear powers to ratify the 2017 UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons which requires that these countries will abolish their nuclear weapons arsenals. But instead the U.S. plans to spend $500 Billion in the next decade to maintain and upgrade nuclear weapons – money that I think should be used instead to mitigate our other existential threat, namely, climate change. Every single one of us needs to get informed and work diligently to end the stupidity of war and demand our governments find a diplomatic solution to the current crisis. Only then can we honor our shared humanity and protect this beautiful, yet fragile, planet from the death and destruction of militarism and the economic sanctions that mostly end up harming ordinary people. Bonnie Block, Madison 3/1/2022 blb24@earthlink.net

Abolition is a fearful word for those who insist on living in fear. When Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tim Michels spews about maintaining “law and order” he’s actively seeking the fearful, people who have all but forgotten their humanity. The ones who desperately try to erase the historical context of this country. Content to live with division and superiority, they are willing to sacrifice the common good. But our history is not merely in the past; it’s hauntingly in the present. It’s present every time a Black man is brutally killed by police. It’s present in our schools and in the stories we omit to teach. It’s present as the Supreme Court attempts to whittle away the sovereignty of Tribes, and as we ignore the hideous truths of boarding schools. Our lack of accountability for past harm and our care-less approach to reparations of any kind are testaments to our inhumanity. The cry of many politicians, to escalate the police state, is in direct opposition to the voices of Abolition. And while the unyielding word “Abolition” is turned into “All That Should Be Feared”, the truth is this: the more human we become the less tolerant we are of inhumanity. And that is as it should be. The violence of the dominant or those who would be dominant is escalating. They are and have always been the minority. We’ve been taught to believe otherwise and have cowered because of it. Being human is not radical. We have the tools for transformation: clarity, kindness and love. Add conviction to the mix while maintaining the recognition of what is possible and we can begin to make it happen. Let’s have a new beginning. Roll up your sleeves; it’s time to clean it up. *Blog post by Dena Eakles, WNPJ Board member - Oct 26, 2022 Let Kindness Win - is a periodic blog, created by Dena Eakles of Echo Valley Hope https://www.wnpj.org/echo-valley-hope *To learn more and to comment on this post, see https://letkindnesswin.wordpress.com/2022/09/08/books-unite-us/

This resource "PFAS In Your Water Supply? A Quick Guide for Wisconsin Communities" was released and shared on 10/19/22 at the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition conference in Milwaukee, WI at a PFAS-related session that representatives of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network and Wisconsin Green Muslims presented and participated at. https://wisconsingreenmuslims.org/water/ This quick guide was made possible by a small grant from the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network to Wisconsin Green Muslims in collaboration with Midwest Environmental Advocates. Peace/Salam. Huda Alkaff, Founder & Director, Wisconsin Green Muslims interfaith.earth@yahoo.com | info@WisconsinGreenMuslims.org West Bend and Milwaukee, WI | https://WisconsinGreenMuslims.org/ Facebook / Twitter : @WIgreenMuslims Wisconsin Green Muslims (formerly known as the Islamic Environmental Group of Wisconsin), a grassroots environmental justice group formed in 2005, intends to educate the Muslim community and the general public about the Islamic environmental teachings, to apply these teachings in daily life and to form coalitions with others working toward a just, healthy, peaceful and sustainable future. **17 Years .. Connecting Faith, Environmental Justice, Sustainability and Healing through Education & Service**

It's clear: Wisconsin Doesn't Want Line 5! You may remember that last April 15 was not only Tax Day, it was also the end of a four-month comment period on the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) which the Wisconsin DNR (Department of Natural Resources) had commissioned on Enbridge’s Line 5 expansion proposal. (Need a refresher? New to the pipeline fight? Click here for a Dec. 19, 2021 Newsletter explaining the issue.) Enquiring minds wanted to know... On April 16, we knew that a ton of people had commented, but we had no idea how many. We had to wait for the DNR to process them, and it took them months. And when we heard the unprecedented total of over 32,000 comments, we wanted to know more! How many were for and how many against the pipeline? What issues moved people? What did they say? Thanks to our volunteers, we now know the truth. So we assembled a team of 26 volunteers, who read all those comments, and tabulated the details, and yesterday we held a press conference and released our 18-page analysis. It contains the issues, graphics, numbers, percentages, and some of the most eloquent quotes from people who oppose the Line 5 expansion. We hope you’ll use social media, emails, or word of mouth to spread the word. Take a look at it now, then use these links to like and share however you can! Spread the word! It's easy and quick and effective. Read the analysis here. Read the blog, which includes a synopsis of the analysis. Share a social media post On Facebook On Twitter On Instagram You’ll be happy to hear that 63.1% of commenters called on the Wisconsin DNR (Department of Natural Resources) to reject permits for the Line 5 pipeline expansion. This despite a massive and costly campaign that Enbridge ran, sending out “tear and send” postcards to an audience wide enough that some of our supporters received them! The issues that pipeline opponents wrote about included: Concerns of the Bad River Band Hunting, Fishing, and Gathering Rights Climate Change The Line 3 Experience Waterways Lake Superior Wetlands Kakagon and Bad River Sloughs Copper Falls State Park Wildlife Impacts on People and Health The Need for a New DEIS We are extremely grateful to Greg Mikkelson, Ecological Economist at the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy, who led the analysis team and did all the number crunching, and to the 25 volunteers who spent hours reading and tabulating! And a big thank you to all who sent a comment to the DNR. Our actions are making a difference. "I have heard the tremendous roar of horizontal directional drilling in Northern Minnesota. I have seen the ruptured land. I have taken water samples where the drilling mud floated on the surface of the rivers. I have cried for the destroyed forests." – Bernadette Water is essential. Water is life. We need it to physically survive, along with all the other plants and animals on this Earth. But it is also more. Our eyes are fed by its beauty. Our ears, by its soothing music. It has the power to make us clean. Cool us off on a hot day. Carry us to new shores. To be an enemy of water is to be an enemy of ourselves." - Jennifer Thank you for all you have done and will do to preserve our clean water in Wisconsin. Even something as small as writing a comment, doing a phonebanking shift, or liking our posts to spread the word (see above!) adds up to a movement that is getting stronger every day. Please contact our volunteer coordinator Nikki Darga at nikki.darga@350Wisconsin.org to find a place for you to help! And if you'd like to donate to support our work fighting oil pipelines, click here. Yours, Phyllis Hasbrouck, Tar Sands Team Co-Lead 350 Wisconsin P.S. Take a look at our analysis of the 32,000 comments that the DNR received, and then pass it on!