Looking for inspiration?

The logo of the US Peace Memorial Foundation. See www.uspeacememorial.org and/or “World Peace: A First Step” at www.uspeacememorial.org/WorldPeace.htm. Reprinted with permission

In our country right now, frustration, anger, and fear are running rampant, along with the scapegoating that inevitably accompanies those emotions.

But know what?  If you are alive, you can make a difference.  Millions of people are striving actively on behalf of human rights, animal rights, environmental rights, and the bedrock that supports all of them—peace. You can join them if you have not done so already.

To see some examples of what extraordinary ordinary people can do, visit the US Peace Registry of the US Peace Memorial Foundation.

Here are just a few exemplars:

Philip D. Anderson of Maple, WI, is a retired public servant and military reservist (U.S. Army, Wisconsin Army National Guard, and Naval Reserve, 1975-2002) who is an activist for environmental, labor, social justice, and peace issues. Recent articles: Nation overspends our tax money on military, shortchanges us on essentials, 04/09/2015; Is a nuclear-free world still possible?, 08/08/2015; and All victims of war need our help, 11/08/2015.

David O. H. Barrows, born in Boston, MA in 1947, has been an activist with a variety of social justice groups including the ACLU, Amnesty International, Gray Panthers, American Indian Movement, The Catholic Worker, and Free DC. Dressed in Guantanamo Bay prisoner of war garb (orange jumpsuit and black hoods), he joined Witness Against Torture in protests including a march to White House where he chained himself to the White House fence, January 2007; fasted for 12 days, and was arrested at the U.S. Capitol steps and charged with trespassing, January 2010.

Charles F. Clark, MD, MPH served as a captain in the Medical Corps during the Vietnam War, a lieutenant colonel with NATO, and currently practices psychiatry and addiction medicine in Denver, CO. E-mails to congressmen opposing war, 2003-2011.Letters to the editor opposing invasions, war, torture, drone strikes, and prison camps, including “Media only cares about oil, money”, Boulder Daily Camera, 2002-2014.

Scotty N. Bruer of Los Angeles, CA, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, is an author, public speaker, father, grandfather, entrepreneur, and graduate of Purdue University with a degree in forest management.Founded, PeaceNow, 05/2013.Organized the successful effort to have the City of Los Angeles become an International City of Peace, 09/2014.Executive Director, PeaceNow, 2014-2016.

Stephen D. Clemens, Minneapolis, MN, peace and justice activist, member of the Ecumenical Community of St. Martin, has been active in Koinonia Community in Americus, GA, Habitat for Humanity, racial reconciliation, abolition of death penalty, and immigration justice issues. steveclemens@gmail.com. Founding Board Member of IARP (Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project), 2006-2014.

If you have enough to eat and adequate shelter, consider yourself not just as fortunate but as having a moral obligation to pay back and pay ahead. Join the ranks of the nonviolent protestors and peace advocates.

To learn more about the U.S. Peace Memorial project,  click here.

And please remember to contribute to engaging peace by submitting comments on posts as well as supporting us financially.