September 26, 2010

P&J Chair Nancy Porter, Panelist for the First Annual Iowa Peace Intitiative Conference


The first Iowa Peace Initiative Conference was held in Dubuque 9/18/10 to celebrate the International Day of Peace established by the United Nations annually on September 21.

Over twenty groups concerned about keeping the peace movement alive were represented by about 200 people. Veterans for Peace and Physicians for Peace and the NEA Peace and Justice Caucus furnished the panel of three presidents/chairs to open the conference.

Iowa City, Iowa City Council and the Johnson County Board of Supervisors both endorsed peace proclamations in recognition of the Day of Peace. Data from the National Priorities web site on the cost of the war to the individual county and city were presented to these local governing Boards to reinforce the high cost of war.

Mike Ferner, author of In the Red Zone, (far right in picture) Dr. Jeff Patterson of the U of WI and Nancy Porter, PandJ chair shared the opening panel discussion and presentation.



Veterans for Peace have chosen to concentrate on the cost of war and "What has the war economy done for you?" theme. Mr. Ferner went to Iraq before the war began to meet the people. His book is about that experience.

Dr. Patterson is knowledgeable and extremely concerned about the nuclear armaments and their availability. Now 9 countries could easily send off a warhead and we have come within seconds too many times of destroying the world. Call your senator about the START bill (start disarming the nuclear weapons before more countries have the power to strike). Dr. Petterson has been active as a Doctor Without Borders for years.

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