Veterans For Peace enthusiastically supports the "Occupy Movement" now spreading to many U.S. cities and towns.
Planning for the occupation of Freedom Plaza, in Washington, D.C., began in March. VFP members were there to get it started and have been there every step of the way. Since then, our members across the nation are participating in other, similar efforts and we want them to know we support their work.
VFP believes the Occupy Movement is an important piece of what is needed to change priorities in this country so we can begin turning away from militarism to a culture of peace and justice. Throughout history, this kind of nonviolent action on the part of large numbers of ordinary citizens has been the most powerful and effective way to throw off the yoke of oppression such as the one weighing on so many of our fellow citizens today -- whether that is unemployment, insecure retirement, lack of health care, inadequate food, housing and over all, corporate rule.
Peace with justice is not some kind of isolated "niche" issue to be addressed by its own isolated movement. Peace with justice is part of the fabric of social change that is needed to establish an equitable, sustainable culture that benefits the 99%, not just the 1% making the decisions for all. The only way we are going to get on the road to that goal is to strike common cause with the many organizations already struggling for that better life.
When Lawrence Goodwyn wrote in "The Populist Moment," that the populists were "...people who created the psychological space to dare to aspire grandly," he could well have said the same thing today about the Occupy Movement that VFP is proud to endorse.