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Welcome to Arkansas WAND!
 We are a chapter of a national organization, Women's Action for New Directions that was founded in the 1980s by Dr. Helen Caldicott as Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament. When the Cold War ended and the nuclear threat was thought to be over, the name was changed. WAND expanded its mission to include world peace and security, nuclear disarmament, and redirecting excessive resources from the military.
Arkansas WAND was founded in 1997 and has worked to involve women in changing the climate of fear and retaliation to one of working together with other nations in a spirit of diplomacy and cooperation. We have sponsored such diverse programs as a visit from Admiral and Mrs. Ramdas of India, Fr. Roy Bourgeous of the School of the Americas and Gila Svirsky, peace activist from Israel.
We invite you to join us!
Our mission is to empower women to become politically active to reduce violence and militarism and to redirect excessive military expenditures to unmet human and environmental needs.
Our Goals:
v Challenge and promote alternatives to militarism and violence as the solution to conflict.
v Shift from a military to a civilian-based
economy to address the threats to our real security, ensuring that
human, economic and environmental needs are met.
v Clean up environmental effects of nuclear
weapons production as well as toxic waste at all military facilities,
and prevent further contamination.
v Eliminate the testing, production, sale and use of weapons of mass destruction.
v Prevent violence against women.
v Increase women's political leadership.
v Stand for nuclear non-proliferation and against the development of new nuclear weapons.
v Work towards a carbon free and nuclear free US energy policy.
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Join WAND in Supporting Joyce Elliot for Congress
We wish Joyce Elliott, national WAND board member and Arkansas WAND member, success in her race for Congress! She has been a strong advocate for education in Arkansas and is a strong supporter of WAND’S issues. If you’d like to make a donation to her campaign through WAND, visit www.wand.org and click on WAND Pac.
WAND “empowers women to act politically to reduce violence and militarism.” . . . . March 1 is the starting date for filing to be a candidate for public office in Arkansas. We encourage you to think about adding to the number of women in public office – either here or in Washington.
“Women’s place is in the House – and in the Senate! “ -Bella Abzug
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Send a Letter to Congress regarding the 2011 Budget Resolution
March 3 is the deadline to submit your group’s name to be signed to this letter to Congress regarding the 2011 Budget Resolution. The letter asks Congress to cut wasteful spending in the Pentagon budget and use the money for unmet human and environmental needs and job creation. Local groups are encouraged to sign and Help Make A Difference! E-mail
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with your organization’s name and address.
REDIRECT SAVINGS FROM MILITARY SPENDING FREEZE TO ALTERNATIVE JOB CREATION
March 8, 2010
Dear Senator/Representative:
As you consider the FY11 budget resolution and appropriations subcommittee allocations, we urge you to include savings in Pentagon spending. The Administration's FY11 baseline Pentagon budget request increases spending by 3.4% over FY10. In the request, the $447 billion in discretionary spending that is not security-related is proposed to be frozen at current levels for three years. By exempting security accounts from the proposed spending freeze, the Administration is ensuring that the freeze will have only a marginal effect. The $733 billion military budget request dwarfs the $447 billion the Administration proposes to freeze. A serious initiative to rein in the discretionary budget cannot leave out more than half of that budget.
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Thank you, new WAND Members!
Thanks to all of the WAND members in Arkansas who either joined or renewed their memberships during WANDS’s Membership Month. We won the national contest with 25 new members and 75 renewals for a total of 100! Our prize is a visit from WAND Field Director, Kathy Robinson, who will bring a national perspective on policy issues to us, hopefully in the spring.
We look forward to a challenging and productive year with new members and new energy and enthusiasm!
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Upcoming WAND Member Events
Thursday, March 4, 2:00 pm. Study Group for Nuclear Disarmament organizational meeting Terry Library, Hinson Road and Napa Valley, brainstorming ways to involve the public in supporting the new START and CTBT treaties. Also screening of the new documentary, "Nuclear Tipping Point." All are welcome. Call Elizabeth Minton at 228-6340.
And save these dates!
Tuesday, March 9, “Slicing the Budget Pie,” WAND pot-luck supper.
Tuesday, May 4, Arkansas WAND Mother’s Day Luncheon, Governor’s Mansion. Watch for an invitation to this exceptional event!
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WAND Members: Become an expert on national security!
On March 18-20 (Thurs.-Sat.) in Indianapolis, IN. WAND/WILL is holding an intensive media and advocacy training with the Truman National Security Project.
The aim of the training is to equip a cadre of women to speak out in their communities and with their senators over the next year + as we work to ratify the START and CTBT. “We will want all of the women attending the training to commit to working with us on op-eds, on meetings w/ their Senators and other activities.”
The Truman Project is widely respected for helping progressives understand and communicate on national security issues. Several Arkansas members experienced the training at the WAND/Will conference and give it high praise!
Funding assistance will be provided for help with travel costs, and to cover the costs of the hotel, meals and training. If you are interested, e-mail Kathy Robinson at
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right away.
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WAND's statement after President Obama's speech on escalation in Afghanistan
December 3, 2009
WAND joins with many other organizations in asserting that we cannot and will not win the war in Afghanistan by military force. We know that an increased U.S. military footprint in Afghanistan will only fuel the insurgency and be counterproductive to the goal of securing Afghanistan.
We encourage President Obama to support community-led development efforts – to the extent possible sidestepping the corrupt and delegitimized national government and emphasizing the empowerment of women – and to clearly define an exit strategy.
We understand there are no easy answers when it comes to Afghanistan, but we also know that the answer is not more U.S. troops.
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New girls-only club stands for peaceBy Lucy Richardson and Jenna Sullivan, Staff Writers Some may be put on acronym overload when they first learn about WAND and STAND. WAND, Women’s Action for New Directions, is a national organization of women who seek peace. WAND calls attention to the government’s big military budget and suggests redirecting the money to peaceful endeavors such as education. It also promotes women’s empowerment. Jean Gordon leads Arkansas’s WAND chapter. STAND, Students Take Action for New Directions, is WAND’s daughter organization a girls-only group. STAND informs students about global issues and challenges them to think outside the box when solving conflicts. “STAND is awesome,” junior Molly Roberts said. “It’s completely open to everyone and accepting and loving.” Junior Bianca Craig, one of STAND’s treasurers agrees. “STAND is great,” she said. “We have a good time. We ‘STAND’ for something.” Central’s chapter, re-established by journalism teacher Laura Hardy and social studies teacher Celeste Archer, recently had the opportunity to take part in Israeli peace activist Gila Svirsky’s visit. The students worked at a reception for her, attended at lecture at the Clinton School of Public Service and gave her a tour of Central after she spoke in the library. |
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Many Thank Yous to everyone who worked hard to make Gila Svirsky's visit to Arkansas such a tremendous success. And thanks to all who attended one or more of the very informative events. In her warm and engaging way, she helped us understand the issues involved in the Middle East conflict and gave us hope for a peaceful settlement. To see and hear her presentation at the Clinton School for Public Service, click here.
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The national WAND Board adopted the following statement:
WAND
Position on U.S. Involvement in Afghanistan
May 2009
Short
and Long Term Action Steps for U.S. Involvement in
Afghanistan
Women’s Action for New Directions will only
support additional military forces if the following
action steps and principles are implemented.
1.
Dramatically reallocate funding with a more balanced
division among efforts that would:
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Ensure
security, especially for the 65% majority who are
women and girls;
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Rebuild
a civil society which respects civil rights, provides
for health and welfare, and supports democratic
institutions through diplomatic and development
surges;
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Prohibit
and penalize corruption at all levels.
2. Stop drone airstrikes and all bombing.
3.
Devise a military exit plan with timelines, which
fulfills the guiding principles listed below.
4.
Limit use of additional American forces to providing
security for innocent residents of Afghanistan.
Guiding Principles for U.S. Involvement in
Afghanistan
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Respect
the right of the citizens of Afghanistan to live
in a country that provides physical safety, life's
necessities, and opportunities for education and
employment for all, especially women and girls.
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Respect the citizens of Afghanistan - listen, consult
and collaborate.
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Respond
multilaterally and not unilaterally.
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Exercise military restraint so that no more innocent
lives are lost.
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Carefully deliberate our ongoing involvement without
plunging into deeper destruction of Afghan society.
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Examine, research and honestly evaluate our own
mistakes.
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"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.” - Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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