Please support the Campaign for Peace and Democracy

May 21, 2013
Dear Friend of the Campaign for Peace and Democracy,

We believe that at this critical moment, CPD has a special and vitally important role to play. The Campaign stands for a militant defense of democratic rights and popular political power everywhere along with a consistent, determined opposition to empire in all its forms. We make no excuses for authoritarian and theocratic forces that claim to be "progressive" or "anti-imperialist"; nor do we think the military and political power of the United States and its allies can be used to promote real democracy.

For many years we have worked tirelessly to support those who struggle against tyranny and war throughout the world. The effectiveness of this work and the respect it has earned us have always been far out of proportion to the Campaign's modest size.

But we cannot do this work without your continuing financial support. The Campaign for Peace and Democracy depends completely on your individual contributions to sustain our campaigning. That's why we are asking you now to please consider making a tax-deductible gift.

In the last six months CPD has focused on two initiatives: building solidarity with the anti-austerity movement in Greece, and opposing the U.S.-led sanctions on Iran.

January 19, 2013 demonstration at the Greek Consulate in New York City protesting racism, homophobia and violence. Photo: AKNY

Donations from you, our supporters, made it possible for us to travel last summer to Greece, where we established important relationships with political actors. After returning, we’ve worked closely with Greek-Americans to build solidarity and help people in this country understand that the outcome of the Greek anti-austerity fight affects all of us. This struggle has taken on added urgency with the ominous growth of the violent neo-Nazi Golden Dawn, which has escalated its hateful aggression towards immigrants, gay people and the left, and increasingly emphasizes anti-Semitism as well.

We’re writing now to ask you to contribute to a second Campaign for Peace and Democracy trip to Greece this summer, when we plan to meet with Greek activists so we can maintain our strong connection with the country’s unfolding anti-neoliberal struggles.

We’re also writing to ask your support for our work with Havaar: Iranian Initiative Against War, Sanctions and State Repression, which has launched an important campaign entitled “Iran Sanctions=Silent War.”The campaign calls on major bank CEOs to allow financial transactions so Iranians can purchase much-needed medicine and medical supplies.

Havaar calls on banks to enable currently-blocked sale of medicine to Iranians. Photo: Havaar

Washington justifies sanctions as a way to prevent Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapons program. But there is no proof that Iran is now building nuclear weapons or has decided to do so. We don’t think Iran or any other country, including our own, has a right to possess nuclear weaponry. But U.S. hypocrisy – it continually upgrades its own nuclear arsenal and tolerates the possession of nuclear weapons by other reckless and aggressive powers, especially Israel — and belligerence — its continual warnings that "all options remain on the table," possibly including acceptance of an Israeli attack — only create strong inducements for Tehran to seek nuclear weapons for its defense.

Instead, we call on the U.S. to take major steps to divest itself of nuclear weapons as part of a new, democratic and socially just foreign policy. This would undermine both the incentive and any rationale for Iranian nuclear weapons, and would also strengthen women's, labor, and other democratic forces whose repression the Iranian government justifies in great part on the grounds of military threats from abroad.

Here are highlights of CPD's work since December:

On Greece, we demonstrated with AKNY-Greece Solidarity Movement and other groups at the Greek Consulate to protest racism, homophobia and violence. We also co-sponsored a demonstration in Astoria, Queens, to mark the anniversary of the 1967 coup that brought the brutal regime of the colonels to power in Greece, as well as a protest against the Greek Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection Nikos Dendias receiving an award at John Jay College. CPD arranged a meeting for SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras with editors and staff at The Nation magazine and co-sponsored a forum with SYRIZA-NY, "Neoliberalism and Working Class Resistance in Greece."

On Iran, in addition to supporting Havaar’s “Iran Sanctions=Silent War” campaign, we co-sponsored a Havaar-initiated forum “Sanctions as a Tool of War: A Comparative Look at Iraq and Iran.” Next on our agenda is June's Left Forum, where CPD will co-sponsor three panels on the Greek crisis and one on Iran – as well as a panel on labor responses to the business assault on workers in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

If you want this vital work to continue, please give as generously as you can. To donate through PayPal on line, visit our website. You can also mail your check made out to Campaign for Peace and Democracy. To make a credit card contribution send a note through the postal service with the amount, credit card number, expiration date, and name as it appears on the card. All donations from foreign countries must be made by U.S. money orders or checks payable in U.S. currency drawn on U.S. banks. Our address is:

Campaign for Peace and Democracy
2790 Broadway, #12, New York, NY 10025

Remember that donations are tax-deductible. In advance, thank you very much for your support.

In peace and solidarity,

Joanne                     Tom
Joanne Landy           Thomas Harrison Co-Directors, CPD