The American Friends Service Committee, on behalf of Quakers performing international service, is the 1947 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Send a letter to the editor now.
Today, President Barack Obama has also been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. We congratulate him for the award and hope that he works to build a legacy of peace and justice.
Sadly, this moment for celebrating peacemaking is diminished, since last week Mr. Obama announced his decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. This prolongs a failed policy of pursuing military intervention more than diplomacy and reconstruction.
Help us spread the word that the pro-peace majority in this country does not support an escalation in Afghanistan.
With many of us focused on the poor economy and the healthcare debate in Congress, opposition to this decision is not getting the airtime it deserves.
We can use the opportunity of Mr. Obama’s acceptance of the prize today as an opportunity to let our neighbors know that there are better alternatives to war.
Please write a letter to the editor today to let your community members know that instead you support a clear timeline for withdrawal from Afghanistan, badly needed development aid by civilian-led organizations not the military, and a redirect of the more than $44 billion spent yearly on war funding to human needs in Afghanistan and at home. Letters to the editor are still one of the most important ways that Congressional offices judge public opinion.
We have a good opportunity today to make our call for peace visible. Please take a minute and use our online system to email your local newspaper.
Thank you for continuing to help us wage peace,
Peter Lems and Mary Zerkel
P.S. If you are on Facebook, show your opposition to war by changing your profile photo to the graphic above. See more on our Postcards to Obama Facebook initiative.
