Note: So far 35,000 people have signed AFSC's petition protesting military intervention in the civil war in Syria, and advocating for diplomatic, political solutions instead. Many have added their own thoughts and reasons for opposing becoming involved in the war, many very direct and moving. Here are a few of the comments shared.
William DiCanzio's new play on Bayard Rustin and his important role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington is being performed in open readings in and around the city of Philadelphia this year.
As we approach the Congressional vote on military intervention in Syria, asking what our response can and should be, instead of military intervention, and how the U.S. thinks of its role in the world seems critical.
Reflections on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington
I have been reflecting on the importance of the National Action to Realize the Dream march on August 24, 2013, in Washington, D.C. It was a huge, very diverse gathering, with people coming from all over the country to be part of an historic event.
Why does it feel that while the movement is still alive, the energy and vision are missing?
Note: Stephen McNeil is Assistant Director for Peace-building Programs in AFSC's West region. On Aug. 25, 2013, after traveling from San Francisco and attending the 50th anniversary March on Washington to Realize the Dream, Stephen helped to organize a public event at Friends Meeting of Washington commemorating the life of Bayard Rustin, one of the march's chief organizers and a committed Quaker. - Madeline
- Read more about Bayard Rustin and the March on Washington
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Criminal Justice reform is catching fire in Quaker communities around the country, in large part due to the publication and popularization of Michelle Alexander’s book, “The New Jim Crow.” The facts embedded in every page are undeniable and horrifying, and illustrate a truth that many have known for years, that these injustices are tied directly to this country’s history of slavery. It’s as if the book has finally made it okay for Quakers (and others) to speak up against injustice and to face our country’s past.
Note: Vincent Harding was a close friend of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.