Dear Friends,
Next week, the fourth Global Day of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) will be held in dozens of communities worldwide. These local actions will coincide with the release of a major report on global military spending by the the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Here in the United States, as we prepare for Federal Tax Day, we bear witness to the fact that military spending, especially the impact of U.S. military spending, stands as the major obstacle to addressing the world's human needs and the environmental crisis.
On April 14 and 15, FOR members will organize and participate in actions In locations across the nation, including:
- Here in Austin TX, we will hold an Interactive Human Penny Poll on Tuesday 4/15 from 4:00 - 6:00 PM at City Hall, asking people “How Would You Like to Spend your Money?”
- In Oakland CA this coming Monday 4/14, FOR organizer John Lindsay-Poland and others will leaflet at BART transit stations, focusing on ending the War on Drugs
- In Bethlehem PA, on Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, FOR affiliated group LEPOCO will leaflet at area post offices
- In Spokane WA on Tuesday, FOR affiliated group the Spokane Action League for Peace & Justice will leaflet and rally downtown, and hold a photo petition.
Will you join us? Post your activity or find one in your community.
Get GDAMS leaflets, fact sheets, and a recording of last month's National Priorities Project webinar on the federal budget comparisons here. Other useful tools include:
- Join the GDAMS Thunderclap! Follow @DemilitarizeDay. Tweet! On April 14/15 share this message: #GDAMS2014! Time to shift priorities and #movethemoney! Cut military spending, fund human needs!
- State Tax Receipts for all 52 states prepared by National Priorities Project are available to download for use in leafleting or online actions.
- The 2014 version of the "Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes" pie chart by War Resisters League shows that 45% of each tax dollar in FY2015 will fund military-related spending.
- Ask your mayor to issue a Tax Day/ Global Day of Action mayoral proclamation using these tools prepared by Western States Legal Foundation on behalf of Mayors for Peace.
- Web buttons for websites and blogs are available for download from this page.
GDAMS was initiated by the International Peace Bureau, recipient of the 1910 Nobel Peace Prize. US groups sponsoring Tax Day/GDAMS events: Alliance for Global Justice, American Friends Service Committee, CODEPINK, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Foreign Policy in Focus, Friends Committee on National Legislation, National Priorities Project, Peace Action, Progressive Democrats of America, United for Peace and Justice, USAction, US Labor Against the War, War Resisters League, Women’s Action for New Directions & Women’s Legislators’ Lobby.
We look forward to seeing you out there with us,
Susana Pimiento
Southwest Regional Coordinator/Organizer
Fellowship of Reconciliation
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