A Letter From Howard Zinn

First, a big thank you to you all for your continued support of our project. The date of our departure is getting closer and things are coming together really well. It's quite exciting and we've been incredibly lucky to receive such amazing support from our communities within the US and also to feel so welcome through our contacts in Israel/Palestine.

As we're sure you know, a big challenge for all independent grassroots organizing projects is resources and so we're continuing our fundraising efforts to try and meet our budgetary needs. On that note, we've been lucky enough to get support from a number of prominent social justice activists, and the incredible historian Howard Zinn--author of A People's History of the United States and several other books, as well as an activist with a long history in social justice movements--has a personal appeal to all those seeking peace, justice, and a better tomorrow. Below you will find his words and hopefully they will strike a chord with you as much as they have flattered us.

Thanks to everyone once again!


In Solidarity,

Dialogues Against Militarism


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October 1, 2009


Dear Friends,

I am writing to you in an appeal for your assistance in making the Dialogues Against Militarism (DAM) project a reality. At a time when financial resources are scarce, your donation is especially vital.

This group of US war resisters and anti-militarism organizers is putting together a ground-breaking show of international solidarity amongst those directly resisting the US War on Terror and Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands. DAM will send a US war resister delegation to Israel/Palestine, so that US military objectors, Israeli refuseniks, and Palestinian activists can come together, share ideas, and build relationships. They will also be making a film about the experience, to preserve the lessons learned and stories shared for continued organizing purposes.

These human connections, in the face of seemingly endless war and occupation, are vital: they give us the strength and hope we need to build global movements that can take on the forces that confront us, and they remind us that we are not alone.

The refusal of US and Israeli youth to take part in the wars and occupations their governments are waging is critical to movements against militarism and empire. Last year over 100 Israeli High School students signed an open letter refusing to join the Israeli military, due to their conscientious objection to "Israeli occupation and oppression policy in the occupied territories and the territories of Israel," with many of them landing in military prison as a result. This past August another group of students followed in their footsteps. And in the US over 200 troops to date have publicly refused to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan since the beginning of those wars, while countless more have quietly resisted, all of them risking, and many serving, long prison sentences. As the US and Israeli wars and occupations drag on—with the continued occupation of Iraq, escalating attacks and bombings in Afghanistan, and last winter's brutal attacks on the already besieged Gaza Strip, as well as the continuing violence against Palestinians and theft of West Bank land—these military objectors are a vital force of resistance from within. And when war resisters are linked up with Palestinians resisting occupation, they can be a powerful force for change.

Your contribution to DAM will enable a contingent of US resisters and supporters to travel to Israel/Palestine and participate in this international gathering of war resisters and activists as well as the production of a documentary film, an important piece of independent media in this time of disinformation. To make all of this happen, DAM must raise $15,500. A significant amount has already been raised but more help is needed. I am asking you to consider making as large a donation as you can. This is a powerful project at an important historical moment and I hope that you can help to ensure that it takes place.

Thank You,

Howard Zinn


To donate to Dialogues Against Militarism please visit the website (http://www.againstmilitarism.org) and click on the donate button. Thank you.