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from Sayre Sheldon, WAND President Emerita
Dear Friend of WAND,
As I write this one week after the terrorist attacks, we are all still stunned. But WAND's message hasn't changed:
reduce militarism and violence. It is more important than ever that we take this message to the US Congress and to the
American people. WAND's questions, too, are as important as ever.
What does investing in weapons schemes such as missile
defense, or continuing to sell US-made weapons around
the world have do with our security here at home?
Answer: Nothing good.
Do we continue to shut down our investment in social
and humanitarian needs to finance ever-increasing forms
of weaponry?
Answer: Not if we care about real security.
This summer, while traveling abroad, I searched for the International Herald Tribune in every city,
trying to stay in touch with events at home. One day an entire section was devoted to defense industries.
Under the picture of a soaring, futuristic fighter plane the headline "Defense Stocks' Upward Trajectory Leaves Others Behind"
was followed by three pages of gloating over the success of defense stocks in an otherwise worrisome market.
There were statements such as: "The hawks have inherited the earth." While other stock indexes have dropped, the defense index has risen 80%.
An expert from J.P. Morgan admitted that defense is a cyclical business but "We are in the sweet spot of the cycle right now."
My blood pressure was rising along with the stocks as the expert continued to predict profits, saying that missile defense would grow and "the only question is the trajectory of that growth."
I felt more and more like WAND's founder, Dr. Helen Caldicott, who used to tear outrageous quotes
like these out of the newspaper and hold them up to her audience, saying: "How dare they?"
On the next page there was a headline: "European Defense Firms Struggle to Catch Up." One reason: "In the United Kingdom there are other priorities,
like health and education. Defense comes in a poor 15th." No such constraints exist in the United States, as WAND knows so well.
We have counseled all along that our military needs higher salaries and better conditions. But we must continue our mission to expose the waste from huge weapons programs designed for Cold War conditions, totally inappropriate for the dangers we are facing today. We also have to ask why the "projection of power" which many of our big weapons systems are designed to provide, make enemies for us around the world.
We must continue to raise the question: our big weapons
did nothing to protect us -- have we learned nothing?
How do we make a dent in the great iceberg of military investments?
WAND needs your investment in us more than ever. There are like-minded citizens by the tens of thousands in this country who believe
as we do that the security of our country is not military alone. (See the op-ed, "US must realize there are no quick fixes," by Dr. Lawrence Korb -- former assistant secretary of defense during the Reagan administration.)
Since the attacks, we have been inundated with requests for information on membership and actions to take. We need to be able to respond. And we need your help to do it.
In addition, something else that is in doubt is future support from one of our major funders. Earlier this month, the W. Alton Jones Foundation announced that "the family members have agreed to dissolve the foundation and distribute its assets to three new charitable organizations that will be separately headed by members of the Jones family." They have not yet explained how this will affect future funding for WAND's or other issues.
I'll end by saying that the recent tragic events only heighten the need for WAND to be a strong voice counseling patience and negotiation
in a climate that makes violence seem like the only path. (See WAND's Statement.) Violence will eventually bring more violence back on ourselves, just as our over-investment in the military has helped to make us a target in today's over-armed world.
Thank you for your support, both philosophical and financial!
In peace,
P. S. Our biennial national conference, scheduled to be in Washington, DC from September 22-25, took place as planned. We are determined to be a part of the solution. We made the decision to move forward knowing the risks and the immeasurable value WAND's guidance can have. Look for our report of the
conference soon. The title of this conference is, and remains, Children Ask the World of Us: Women Building a Secure Future.
And remember, WAND needs your support now more than ever. With it, we can convince more citizens
that real security rests on international commitments and global networks. Please send your gift to WAND today. Thank you!
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