E-News: Making Peace Pie

July 31, 2012

Quaker Peace Pie Initiative

What's your favorite kind of pie? Blueberry? Key Lime? Apple? How about a Quaker Peace Pie? That last pie could be a great help in talking to your senators about why the military budget should cut. The Pentagon “slice” takes up almost half of the pie, leaving only slivers for diplomacy and human needs programs.

Lobbying with a Quaker Peace Pie is perfect for August, when your senators will be home for the congressional recess and ripe to hear what their constituents think about reducing the deficit. Learn more about the Quaker Peace Pie Initiative with recipes and how to serve up the pie in lobby visits. Take a few minutes to tell us what you might be able to do to help cut the Pentagon budget.

In November, we'll be thinking about pumpkin pie and getting as many Friends as possible to participate in the Quaker Public Policy Institute in Washington. Be at the right place at the right time to lobby your members of Congress to cut the Pentagon budget.

What's New

• August 6 is Hiroshima Day, the 67th anniversary of the first time an atomic bomb was used as a tool of war. Remember the cost of nuclear weapons – both then and now. Urge your representative to support cutting spending on nuclear weapons, and share this image on Facebook.
  
• Faith leaders speak out against nuclear weapons. Read 23 statements from major denominations around the world in support of nuclear disarmament.
• The drones keep coming: The U.S. has decided to send surveillance drones to Kenya, a move that could undermine nonviolent remedies to extremism.
• Spoiler alert! You should have had no problem solving clue 51 down in yesterday's New York Times crossword.
• In Aurora’s aftermath, ban assault weapons now. Join a call-in day tomorrow (Wednesday) to urge congressional leaders to make public safety a priority and to put an end to gun violence. Find out how you can take part.
• FCNL at a Yearly Meeting near you! Quakers around the country are gathering this summer, and FCNL staff are there as well. Staff are just back from New York and Philadelphia Yearly Meetings, and this week we’re on the road to Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative), Baltimore, Lake Erie and New England. See where you can find our staff next.

War Is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Farewell to Program Assistants

Today we say farewell to our 2011-2012 program assistants April Mays, Bergin Parks, Tim Cullen, Melanie Fox, Emily Temple, Lena Garrettson, and Kathy Zager (not pictured: Patrick Lozada). They’ve made big contributions to FCNL’s work this year, and we wish them the best in Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, China, Germany, right here in Washington, and wherever their future endeavors take them!

Order your own War Is Not the Answer sign and see where this movement is showing up across the country. Find out how to submit your photo.