100 new peace activists, Part 1

By Kathie Malley-Morrison & Anthony J. Marsella

Be not afraid!  You are not alone! There are thousands of advocates and activists across the world who are bringing conscience to the struggle for peace and justice. They are willing to endure the dangers of speaking for peace and justice, wherever human and legal rights are violated by people in power.

In the face of abuses and oppression, we recall the iconic peace and justice leaders of the past, including Mohatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, Samuel Gompers, Caesar Chavez, Larry Itliong, Rachel Corrie, Philip & Daniel Berrigan, Glenn Paige, Hedy Epstein, and Malcom X. Peace advocates like these are testimony to the enduring human quest to resist oppression and to claim liberty, even when the cost is life itself.

This is the second list of living peace and justice advocates and activists we have compiled and published to celebrate Reverend Martin Luther King’s enduring contributions to peace and justice.

We are eternally grateful for Rev King’s efforts to free people and nations from the brutal oppressions of governments, nations, societies, organizations, and individuals who support racism, prejudice, violence, and war.

We have chosen to demonstrate our responsibilities and commitment to Rev King by identifying another 100 living peace and social justice leaders and models, starting with 50 new names. You will recognize many of the names, while others have not yet received the  attention they deserve. 

Please help us make the lists grow. The list will include emerging local community activists as well as some who have already attracted media attention. Although our current lists include mostly journalists and academics, we welcome people from other disciplines.  Please use the comment section at the end of this post to nominate a wider range of peace and justice activists.

  1. Abu-Nimr: Mohammad Abu-Nimr 
  2. Adams: Glenn Adams 
  3. Arbuthnot: Felicity Arbuthnot
  4. Arrigo: Jean Marie Arrigo
  5. Arredondo: Patricia Arredondo
  6. Awad: Murbarak Awad
  7. Baez: Joan Baez 
  8. Barber: Reverend William Barber 
  9. Barnat: Ilyad Barnat 
  10. Bassett: Larry Bassett
  11. Belle: Deborah Belle
  12. Bigombe: Betty Oyella Bigombe
  13. Blackmon-Lowery: Lynda Blackmon-Lowery
  14. Blume: Art Blume
  15. Bowen: Kevin Bowen
  16. Bretherton: Diane Bretherton
  17. Bryant: Brandon Bryant
  18. Burghardt: Tom Burghardt
  19. Cacciatori: Joanne Cacciatori
  20. Campos: Pam Campos
  21. Caputi: Ross Caputi
  22. Carruthers: Charlene Carruthers
  23. Chappell: Paul Chappell
  24. Chomsky: Avi Chomsky
  25. Chossudovsky: Michael Chossudovsky
  26. Christie: Daniel Christie
  27. Clark: Ramsey Clark
  28. Connolly: David Connelly
  29. Cox: Lynell Cox
  30. D’Andrea: Michael D’Andrea
  31. Dunbar: Edward Dunbar
  32. Correia: Antone De’Jaun Correia  
  33. Degirmencioglu: Serdar Degirmencioglu
  34. Drake: Thomas A. Drake
  35. FihnBeatrice Fihn
  36. Finklestein: Norman Finklestein
  37. Flowers: Margaret Flowers
  38. Fox: Matthew Fox
  39. Furtado: Michael Furtado
  40. Gagnon: Bruce K. Gagnon
  41. Giffords: Gabrielle Giffords
  42. Gillotti, Michael Gillotti
  43. Goldberg: Whoopi Goldberg
  44. Green: Paula Green
  45. Hall: Mitchell K. Hall
  46. Handwerker: Steven E. Handwerker
  47. Haney: Craig Haney
  48. Hazare: Anna Hazare
  49. Hines: Denise Hines 
  50. Jackson-Lowman: Huberta Jackson-Lowman

This is a somewhat condensed version of a post that appeared today on Transcend Media Services.  Part 2 will appear 2/19/2018 on this blog.

International Day of Peace: Make your voice heard!

It is time for an antidote to the widespread suffering associated with the protracted tenth anniversary of 9/11—which, apparently, the extreme religious right in this country would like to convert into a religious holiday for their brand of conservative Americo-Christianity.

International Day of Peace logoThe United Nations International Day of Peace is coming (September 21) in time to provide that antidote, and “Make Your Voice Heard!” is its theme.

There are many ways to shift your focus from a look back at destruction and loss to a move ahead towards peace and justice for all.

You can join a free global telesummit with famous peace activists from around the world, which is taking place from September 15 to September 21. Go to this site to register and to learn more about the peace builders (including Alice Walker, Deepak Chopra, Arun Gandhi, Paul Chappell, Reverend  Bob Chase, and Rabbi Justus Baird) who will share their ideas by telecommunication during this week.

Singing is good for the soul and liberating to the heart. Sing along with the children who produced the winning song for the International Peace Day a few years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy7JcfPZtqo

And for those of you who remember Cat Stevens, who has become a Muslim and has taken the name Yusuf Islam, sing along with him at his International Peace Day celebration:

http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/Q7iLPnDCQ1g/search/Yusuf

Finally, to bask in a brief and gentle feel-good message about peace–both inner and outer–go to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z80vbhWjsEU&feature=youtu.be&mtcCampaign=16025&mtcEmail=64718728

and to see compassion in action, visit Sept11Families4PeacefulTomorrows and see:

http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/profiles/blogs/family-members-call-for-compassion-to-extend-beyond-9-11-victims

Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology