MOTHERS DAY PEACE RALLY

SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2008 On the SANTA FE PLAZA


On Display: Eyes Wide Open: An Exhibition of the Human Cost of the Iraq War, and Iraq/Afghanistan Memorial Installation


1:00 – 2:00: Kumusha Marimba Ensemble: Peace Through Music


2:00: Sounding of Church Bells

Bring Bells, Whistles, Cymbals, Drums and Horns and Join in Making A Joyful Noise


2:00 – 4:30 Formal Program

Fran Martone, Master of Ceremonies

Mayor David Coss, Welcome and Proclamation of 2008

Choral Recitation of Mothers Day Proclamation of 1870

Tewa, Bea Duran, Tesuque Pueblo

English, Virginia Miller

Spanish, Marcela Diaz

Arabic, Imam Aziz Eddabbarh

Hebrew, Rabbi Schwab


Speeches and Performances By:

Bonnie Greathouse

Bernadette Vadurro

Consuelo Luz

Roshi Joan Halifax

Tubes and Tentacles

Louise Diamond

Warehouse 21 Poets

The Raging Grannies

Craig Barnes


Co-Sponsoring Organizations: Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch-Malabar Rite, Christ Lutheran Church of Santa Fe, Code Pink Santa Fe, First Presbyterian, Mission - Social Concerns and Justice Committee, GandhiGuy.com, Healthy Families First/Primeros Pasos, Monte del Sol Charter School – Peace Studies Class, Network of Spiritual Progressives, NAACP Santa Fe, New Mexico Conference of Churches, New Mexico Department of Peace Initiative, Pax Christi New Mexico and Santa Fe, Peace Action New Mexico, People for Peace, Returning Peace Corps Volunteers, Rev. Talitha Arnold, Senior Minister, United Church of Santa Fe, Santa Fe Monthly Meeting of Friends, Santa Fe Waldorf School, Somos Un Pueblo Unido, TaHa Mosque/Ibn Asheer Institute of Islamic Studies, Tewa Women United, The Green Party of Santa Fe, Temple Beth Shalom – Social Justice Council, Unitarian Universalist Congregation – Social Justice Committee, Veterans for Peace, Warehouse 21


Flowers Donated By: Albertson’s Zafarano, Blumen Kenner Exquisite Flowers, Heaven Scent Flowers, Sam’s Club, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods

Sound System Donated by: College of Santa Fe, with technical assistance by Tom Knoblauch.

The original "Mother's Day Proclamation" by Julia Ward Howe was one of the early calls to celebrate Mother's Day in the United States. Initially written in 1870, Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation was a pacifist reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. The Proclamation was tied to Howe's feminist belief that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level.


Mother's Day Proclamation 1870

Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts,
Whether our baptism be of water or of tears!

Say firmly:
"We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says: "Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace,
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God.

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And at the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.”




WHY HOLD A PEACE RALLY ON MOTHERS DAY?


We represent a broad coalition of community groups, both secular and religious, and local peace activists who coalesced around the notion of commemorating the original purpose for Mothers’ Day in the United States. Mothers’ Day was launched by Julia Ward Howe, prominent American abolitionist, social activist, Unitarian, and poet, in 1872 in order for women to demonstrate against war. (Julia Ward Howe is most famous as the author of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”)


Santa Fe has, for the past nine years, celebrated Peace Day in early August to coincide with Hiroshima Day. This year, we decided to move the event to Mothers Day, and host a multi-cultural, inter-generational and inter-faith event celebrating mothers and women’s role in society while speaking out to end the war in Iraq, stand against our government’s use of torture under any circumstance, and forestall the U.S. engaging in preemptive war against Iran.


The Santa Fe City Council passed a Resolution (reprinted below) in January 2008 declaring Mothers Day a day of peace, beginning this year on May 11, 2008, and continuing into the future. Mayor David Coss will issue a 2008 Mothers Day Proclamation, to be read at the City Council Hearing on April 23, 2008 at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chambers (City Hall, corner of Lincoln and Marcy Streets.) The Mayor will read the 2008 Mothers Day Proclamation again on Sunday, May 11, 2008 to mark the beginning of the formal program at the Rally.


CITY OF SANTA FE RESOLUTION

RECOGNIZING AND CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY, THIS YEAR AND EACH YEAR FORWARD, AS A DAY OF PEACE IN THE CITY OF SANTA FE. (Introduced by Councilor Patti Bushee)


WHEREAS, Julia Ward Howe was a prominent American abolitionist, social activist and poet, most famous for creating the Battle Hymn of the Republic; and

WHEREAS, in 1870, Julia Ward Howe wrote Mother’s Day Proclamation as a pacifist’s reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War; and

WHEREAS, the proclamation was tied to Julia Ward Howe’s feminist belief that women had a responsibility to shape society at the political level; and

WHEREAS, the proclamation sought “to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, and the great and general interests of peace”; and

WHEREAS, the proclamation encouraged women to “solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace”; and

WHEREAS, in order to commemorate and work towards re-instituting the original impetus of Mother’s Day in the United States to promote peace and nonviolence in our day, a peace rally will be held on the Santa Fe Plaza on May 11, 2008; and

WHEREAS, the peace rally will be co-sponsored by various community groups including, but not limited to, Veterans for Peace, Code Pink Santa Fe, Santa Fe Society of Friends – Peace and Social Concerns Committee, People for Peace, First Presbyterian – Mission and Social Concerns Committee, the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, Pax Christi New Mexico and Santa Fe, Warehouse 21, Santa Fe Waldorf School, Tewa Women United, NM Department of Peace Initiative and Peace Action NM.


NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF SANTA FE that this year and each year forward, Mother’s Day shall be recognized by the City of Santa Fe and celebrated by the citizens of Santa Fe as a day of peace.

CO-SPONSORS


Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch-Malabar Rite, Cathy Williams, Christ Lutheran Church of Santa Fe, Code Pink Santa Fe, Dominique Mazeaud, First Presbyterian, Mission - Social Concerns and Justice Committee, GandhiGuy.com, Gurubani Khalsa, Healthy Families First/Primeros Pasos, Marianne O’Shaunessey, Marion Seymour, Melanie Kirkpatrick, Monte del Sol Charter School – Peace Studies Class, Network of Spiritual Progressives, NAACP Santa Fe, New Mexico Conference of Churches, New Mexico Department of Peace Initiative, Pax Christi New Mexico and Santa Fe, Peace Action New Mexico, People for Peace, Returning Peace Corps Volunteers, Reverend Talitha Arnold, Senior Minister, United Church of Santa Fe; Santa Fe Monthly Meeting of Friends, Santa Fe Waldorf School, Sarah Furr, Somos Un Pueblo Unido, Suzanne Otter, TaHa Mosque/Ibn Asheer Institute of Islamic Studies, Tewa Women United, The Green Party of Santa Fe, Temple Beth Shalom – Social Justice Council, Tom Knoblauch, Unitarian Universalist Congregation – Social Justice Committee, Veterans for Peace, Warehouse 21

MASTER OF CEREMONIES



Fran Martone is an actor and activist who has worked primarily on issues involving peace, labor, and women’s rights. Fran currently serves as vice-chair of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe’s Social Justice Committee.



SPEAKERS

Bernadette T. Vadurro, Arthur and Professional Speaker. Bernadette draws on her rich work experiences as a Consultant, Lobbyist, Medicaid Auditor, Personnel Administrator and Bureau Chief. Bernadette has provided training seminars, keynote presentations and workshops for professional audiences nationally. Bernadette is hailed for her highly interactive and informative approach that maximizes audience participation and ensures greater information retention. Bernadette is the author of “America's Conscience: Facing Threats to Democracy, the Middle Class and Our World.”

Roshi Joan Halifax is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, and author. She is Founder, Abbot, and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center, a Buddhist monastery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. For the past twenty-five years, she has been active in environmental work. A Founding Teacher of the Zen Peacemaker Order, her work and practice for more than three decades has focused on engaged Buddhism. She is Founder and Director of the Upaya Prison Project that develops programs on meditation for prisoners. She is founder of the Ojai Foundation, was an Honorary Research Fellow at Harvard University, and has taught in many universities, monasteries, and medical centers around the world. Joan’s publications include:



Louise Diamond has been a teacher, therapist, organizational consultant and trainer, healing practitioner, minister, filmmaker, professional peacebuilder, and author. Louise has four academic degrees, including a Ph.D. in Peace Studies, and has written four books and innumerable columns and articles. Louise has worked in war zones all over the world, as well as with troubled youth and the terminally ill; and is a cancer survivor three times over, since 1973. Louise’s books include “How to Raise a Peaceful Child in a Violent World”, with Elizabeth Slade. The Peace Company, 2005; The Peace Book: 108 Simple Ways to Create a More Peaceful World. The Peace Company, 2001; The Courage for Peace: Daring to Create Harmony in Ourselves and in the World. Conari Press, 2000; and Multi-Track Diplomacy: A Systems Approach to Peace, with Ambassador John McDonald. Kumarian Press, 1996 (third edition).


Craig Barnes has been a negotiator on issues of nuclear weapons in Moscow, ethnic cleansing in the Caucuses, and multilateral water negotiations in Central Asia. He is the author of “In Search of the Lost Feminine; Decoding the Myths that Radically Re-shaped Civilization”, a playwright, former public interest lawyer, and frequent radio commentator on issues of politics and war. His new play, “The Last Tudor”, will be performed at El Museo in June.

PERFORMERS

Kumusha Marimba Ensemble has been performing in Santa Fe for over 11 years, playing music with proven appeal that crosses generations - from the very young (preschoolers) to the very young at heart (90 year olds). An all women's band, they play African 'community dance" music, seeming to change instruments for every song. They are fun to watch because they enjoy playing together so much!  They believe that music can cross barriers; harmonizing brings people together and by playing they are sharing "Peace through Music".



Bonnie Greathouse works for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) as a Community Organizer in Albuquerque. Bonnie is also the State Coordinator for ACORN, documenting adult issues in the New Mexico Bridges to Opportunity in Community Colleges, a program that helps students who have gone back to school while raising families. In addition to working for ACORN, Bonnie produces two television shows on public access TV, Channel 27. One is a taped show covering community activities entitled “The Bonnie Greathouse Sho!” The second is “Bridges to Opportunity in Community Colleges”, a live talk show. Bonnie is a peace activist, and has supported local efforts to raise the minimum wage and to assist families in avoiding home foreclosures. Bonnie has been singing ever since she was a very young child. She sings at Baha’i events, the New Mexico State Fair, private gatherings, public celebrations, and in “good old Black Churches.”

. Consuelo Luz. Long time Santa Fe community activist, singer/writer Consuelo Luz celebrates diversity by exploring the music of her different ancestral cultures, with a focus on Sephardic Mediterranean and South American. She performs internationally, has recorded six albums, published poetry and prose, hosted a national radio program and her music is featured on best-selling compilations such as Buddha Bar and Putumayo. She leads music and envisioning workshops and is close to completing her first novel.


Tubes and Tentacles are high school students Collin McAvinchey, Kareem Benhalim, Mario Garcia and Gabe Kuzava. The band has been together for three years now, having performed previously under the moniker, The Living Daylights. The young musicians formed their band under the auspices of the Mentorship Program at Monte del Sol Charter School and the guidance of Mentor Matt Maltrud. They play electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, piano and drums. Their musical influences include Carbon Leaf, Weezer, Lemonhead, and Toad the Wet Sprocket.

 


The Albuquerque Raging Grannies are grandmothers (and a few honorary grannies) who work for peace and justice by joining together to sing outrageous new words to old songs. Our goal is to use the status of aging women as a ploy to get people to pay attention to important issues.


We feel that the people in power do not think we can do change the system: we want to show that we can do it - we can get together, young and old, and change the system for the better of all people. To show that we can do it, we usually end our performance with the Geriatric Can-Can.


Raging Grannies are International; the first chapter formed in Montreal, Canada. Then women in Seattle, Washington grabbed the idea. Now there are chapters all over Canada and the United States, as well as groups in Germany and Japan.


Raging Grannies have been arrested around the United States for invading Army Recruiting Stations, attempting to enlist so that our children and grandchildren will not join the military and be sent to war.


In Albuquerque, the Raging Grannies went to the Marine Recruiting Station (November 2005), because some of our members (72-89 years old) received recruiting letters. We gave the Marines cookies, and then told them that the women who received the letters respectfully declined to enlist. We told them that we respect the young men and women who are in the service, but feel they have been lied to, as have we.




Jazmyn Crosby and the Warehouse 21 Poets – Warehouse 21 encourages and supports young people’s participation in various media, including video, computer games and graphics, studio and performing arts. Through Warehouse 21’s Executive Director, Ana Gallegos y Reinhart, we were able to connect with four young poets eager to participate in the Mothers Day Peace Rally. Several are currently enrolled in a mentorship program at Monte del Sol Charter School under the guidance of Mentor Vince Kadlubek. Gabe Ryma is a 9th grader at Monte del Sol whose poetry offers an intense and powerful perspective on Mothers Day. Gabe’s older brother, Adrian Ryma graduated from Monte del Sol last year and writes highly perceptive and moving poetry. Emily Windgrin is a Senior at Monte del Sol this year whose interests include dance, meditation and music, in addition to poetry. Jazmyn Crosby, who organized the performances, is a Junior at Monte del Sol. Jazmyn is a belly dancer for Pomegranate Studios, and, in addition to her poetry, is passionate about creative writing, painting, meditation and life.





FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: ANNE MCLAUGHLIN, SANTA FE MONTHLY MEETING OF FRIENDS – CONVENER, PEACE AND SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE, AT 995-9655 OR 699-7130 OR caunteton@msn.com