The War Resisters League affirms that all war is a crime against humanity. We are determined not to support any kind of war, international or civil, and to strive nonviolently for the removal of all causes of war, including racism, sexism and all forms of exploitation.

The Roots of Revolutionary Nonviolence in the United States are in the Black Community

A photo of Bayard Rustin standing near a poster that reads: Integration Means Better Schools For All! This photo is on a golden background, and there is text underneath the photo that reads: "read: the roots of revolutionary nonviolence are in the Black community"

Many are wondering how to respond to the current white supremacist threat. We only have to look to history — to those who organized against the brutal culture and laws of segregation in this country — for inspiration on the importance of relationship building, creative strategies and training to dismantle it today. Few people today know that it was transnational solidarity between Black and white Christian clergy in the United States and Indian activists fighting for independence from British colonial rule that introduced the philosophies and strategies of revolutionary nonviolence to the United States, and that this work would build the foundation leading towards the civil rights movement.

In the late 1930s, Black people around the United States were searching for leadership and methods to end racial discrimination. Black publications were reporting on the Indian liberation movement with great interest. Indians and others involved in the movement for Indian independence brought the story to the United States. And Black leaders traveled to India to meet with Gandhi, with growing interest in the method of satyagraha, which translated into “nonviolence.”

We need to strategically eliminate fascism, not engage in hollow calls for peace.

Today, the right wing are openly organizing and attacking the political gains made by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) organizers at the frontlines of racial and economic justice, as well as attacking any sort of attempts to keep fascism at bay— such as the results of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election. In response, centrist and liberal media commentators, along with some organizations are calling for “peace” without a deeper analysis of the root causes of right wing fascism at play. In particular, this is where we diverge from other organizations who use the language of nonviolence to pursue a hollow vision of peace without the commitment to justice. These are acts of conflict avoidance masquerading as conflict resolution, and create a vacuum for the right wing to continue organizing.

Call for Submissions | A Critical Look at Borders

Borders motivate both conflict and cooperation between states, and are a key factor in deciding the movement of people and goods around the world. Borders are often-times colonial constructs that divide Indigenous lands and peoples, such as Israeli borders over Palestinian land. Increasingly, borders have become a space of hyper-militarization and policing for many reasons, such as a means to enforce racial hierarchies, observed along the U.S.-Mexico border. Looking at pre-colonial times, we have examples from Indigenous nations on more fluid borders: marked by natural landmarks, culture, and language. If we can’t completely get away from borders, what examples exist that help us reimagine a different way of interacting with borders?

December of Dissent: Help us raise $30K to resist war!

We kicked off our year-end fundraising on Giving Tuesday by asking you to help us raise $5,000 for WRL’s antiwar work. With your help and matching funds from a generous donor we raised $8,192! Thank you!

Now, for the month of December we’re setting an ambitious goal to raise $30,000 for WRL and we need your support! Can you make a gift today to help us get to $10,000 by the end of this week?

#GiveToResistWar

This Giving Tuesday we’re asking you to #GiveToResistWar! We have a goal of raising $5,000 by the end of Giving Tuesday to support WRL’s antimilitarist work.

Thanks to a generous donor, when you give this Giving Tuesday every dollar you give will be matched! Will you make a gift right now to make your gift go twice as far and help us reach our goal?