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.

Call for Submissions: 2020 Elections + Antiwar Politics

October 3rd, 2020

Friends,

I'm excited to share with you the first call for submissions from War Resisters League's newest committee, the Editorial Committee. We are comprised of writers and organizers based across the Americas with ties to Black, Indigenous, MENA, Latin American, and white communities of resistance. Every month, we meet to discuss pressing issues facing our communities today and invite you to join with a call for submissions. Accepted pieces are published on our page War Resisters on Waging Nonviolence. This month, we discuss elections. Read more below:

-Shiyam

Update October 12th: Call for submissions now closed. Thank you to everyone who pitched, and stay tuned for next month's letter!

Dear Readers,

As millions of people around the world prepare for—or are reacting to the outcomes of—2020 elections, some central questions for activists and organizers are: What is at stake for antiwar and antimilitarist politics? What kinds of violence are associated with elections, and who are often the victims? What prospects are there for advancing a peace agenda? And is any election anywhere free of interference, economically, diplomatically, psychologically, if not militarily?

What to watch for in tonight’s presidential debate

Ahead of tonight’s U.S. presidential debate, we are thinking of the root causes of war, chiefly: racism, sexism, and all forms of exploitation.

While we don’t know exactly what will come up in tonight’s debate, here are some things to watch out for:

Taxes. We shouldn’t be merely calling for Trump to pay his taxes, or laud the Biden-Harris campaign for paying a significant amount in taxes; nearly half of income tax goes to funding war and militarism. Yes, it is its own issue entirely that wealthy people evade paying their fair share of taxes, but we must always take responsibility for the way our taxes are spent. Check out our pie chart, Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes to learn more.

They're Out! Thank You.

We are happy to be emailing with great news: all five activists are home and we’ve successfully fundraised the total bond amount to reimburse those who stepped up to help get our folks to safety.

We’re blown away by your support. 167 people came together and through large and small gifts, got us to our goal.

Emergency Fundraising: Bail them out!

On Monday August 17th five WRL members blockaded the entrance to Combined Systems International — the largest tear gas manufacturer in the U.S.

Our group successfully deterred a shipment from entering Combined Systems Inc. and had many meaningful conversations with neighbors and folks driving by. All five members of the blockade were arrested and kept overnight at Mercer County Jail, where they are still being held.

On Tuesday August 18th we found out: Those five people are now facing multiple charges each for their courageous action and bail has been set at $25,000 each. To get them out we need to cover 10% of bail, which amounts to $12,500 to get all five people released and home safely.

We're blockading the entrance to a tear gas manufacturer right now

Right now, 5 activists are blockading the entrance of Combined Systems Inc. with giant tear gas cans and gas masks, refusing to move.

These five are with a group of 40 activists from cities across the U.S. who are onsite in Jamestown, PA with the goal of shutting down operations at Combined Systems Inc. for the day. Outside the facility, other activists have staked over a hundred yard signs, each with the name of a different city where tear gas has been used against people.

By shutting down this facility today, we are here to put CSI President Jacob Kravel on notice that his company’s production of tear gas must come to an end. We hope whatever he chooses to produce in this factory can be useful rather than harmful.