Nebraskans For Peace

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Nebraskans For Peace
Motto "There can be no peace without justice"
Formation 1970
Type NGO
Legal status 501c3
Purpose/focus Peace promotion
Headquarters Lincoln, Nebraska
Executive director Tim Rinne
Main organ State board of directors
Website link

Nebraskans For Peace, or NFP, is a peace advocacy organization based in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. "Nebraskans for Peace is a statewide grassroots advocacy organization working nonviolently for peace with justice through community building, education and political action."[1]

Contents

[edit] History

Founded in 1970, NFP is a state-wide progressive organization conducting active grassroots campaigns focused on promoting peace and social justice. NFP was preceded by Rural Nebraskans for Peace, formed in 1968, and a short-lived University of Nebraska-Lincoln student group called Nebraskans for Peace in Vietnam, formed in 1966. [2] A chapter at the University of Nebraska-Omaha was founded in 2003[3], and a chapter has existed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since at least 2002[4]

[edit] Recent campaigns

NFP has been campaigning the Nebraska State Legislature to make the community of Whiteclay officially "dry" so that local businesses do not profiteer by selling alcohol to Native Americans on the neighboring Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.[5] [6]

The organization has also worked in anti-war campaigns, ranging from weekly vigils against the Iraq war at the State Capitol Building in Lincoln to peaceful protests at the Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha to commemorate and protest the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan.[7] They continue addressing this issue, with recent protests against a STRATCOM conference called "Strategic Space and Defense" held in Omaha.[8]

Nebraskans For Peace has worked against Nebraska Legislative Bill 775, legislation that exempts certain businesses from specific taxations as an incentive to draw more businesses to the state. NFP's position against LB775 is based on the amount of public funds being diverted from the state's coffers while businesses qualifying for the exemption program are waived millions of dollars from taxes.[9]

NFP is also a sponsor of the summer 2007 "Taking a Stand for Nonviolent Global Solutions" march across the United States,[10] and is prominent in the recent debate over the sudden retirement of Lincoln East High School teacher named Michael Baker, who is suspected of being forced into retirement because of a peace studies course he taught.[11]

The ACLU is also currently investigating the likelihood of the FBI spying on a number of current Nebraskans for Peace leaders, including a board member named Nan Graf and Tim Rinne, the State Coordinator.[12]

[edit] Historic campaigns

From the start of the Gulf War to the current Iraq War, NFP has been engaged in a variety of anti-war coordination, including the United for Peace and Justice National Strategy Conference.[13]

Nebraskans for Peace has joined several national campaigns, including the "Campaign for Declassification of Documents on Human Rights Abuses in Latin America"[14].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Nebraskans for Peace. Nebraska Report. 29;9. Retrieved 5/26/08.
  2. ^ "New Group Organizes to Seek Solution in Viet Nam, Daily Nebraskan, April 7, 1966. Love Library archives, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
  3. ^ (2003) Nebraskans for Peace-UNO Chapter! University of Nebraska-Omaha website. Retrieved 5/15/07.
  4. ^ (2002) Peace Group to Hold Rallies. Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved 5/15/07.
  5. ^ (2006) Whiteclay alcohol license renewals spark protests Indian Country Today. Retrieved 5/15/07.
  6. ^ (2003) "A Year of Atonement for Whiteclay." AIM Movement website. Retrieved 5/15/07.
  7. ^ Krejci, J. (nd) "Nuclear Demon Inhabits Our Back Yard". Retrieved 5/15/07.
  8. ^ (nd) "Strategic Space and Defense 2006". Retrieved 5/15/07.
  9. ^ (2004) LB 775 Special Report. Nebraska Report. 2/04. Retrieved 5/15/07.
  10. ^ (2007) Taking a Stand for Nonviolent Global Solutions. Pacifist Children website. Retrieved 5/15/07.
  11. ^ Reist, M. (2007) "Teacher's departure prompts debate". Lincoln Journal Star. 5/13/07. Retrieved 5/15/07.
  12. ^ (2007) Is the FBI spying on you? ACLU-Nebraska website. Retrieved 5/15/07.
  13. ^ (2003) http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=1760 Press Release: United for Peace and Justice National Strategy Conference.] Retrieved 5/15/07.
  14. ^ (1993) Campaign for Declassification of Documents on Human Rights Abuses in Latin America. National Security Archive, The Gelman Library, George Washington University. Retrieved 5/15/07.

[edit] External links