Stand Up for Peace Wyoming

Stand Up For Peace

P.O. Box 932

Laramie, WY 82073

307.742.6385

Read the article from the Laramie Daily Boomerang about our weekly stand ups!

Stand Up for Peace Wyoming

Stand Up for Peace is a non-hierarchical organization which acts from consensus to create a comfortable space for people to express their concerns over the aggressive policies, foreign and domestic, of the current US federal government. We believe in nonviolent conflict resolution and the right of all people to live in honor and dignity. We reject pre-emptive war and simplistic formulations that say "you're either with us or against us." We believe we share a planet and must find ways to cooperate in order to build "a more perfect union." For members of Stand Up for Peace, our obligation as citizens is to act to preserve and protect our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We are educating ourselves and then standing up, in the best tradition of our precious democratic republic, to express our concerns and disagreements. To stay in touch with what's happening, please join our listserv for announcements and/or our listserv for general discussion

Upcoming Events

It is with deep regret that we announce the sudden and unexpected death of the founder of Laramie's Drinking Liberally chapter, Mike Oxley (1967-2007) on August 25. It was Mike's vision and commitment to social justice that brought Drinking Liberally to Laramie and Mike's commitment and determination that saw it through to fruition. All of us who were privileged to know him will miss him dearly as we tackle the challenges in our everyday life. The peace and progressive movements in Laramie have lost a giant in Mike Oxley. Our challenge will be to live up to the expectations he set for us and for himself. We will try to carry on in a way that would bring him honor.

Although no definite plans have yet been made about the future of Drinking Liberally in Laramie, you can be sure that we will do all in our power to carry on Mike's ideals. While we will raise our glasses the first time in sorrow at his passing, we will drink the next round in honor of his life and all the joy he brought into this world. And while we will shed many tears, we will also laugh because that is what Mike would have wanted us to do. If there was one thing that Mike well understood, it was how to live liberally, how to laugh liberally, and how to love liberally.

For now, Mike, R.I.P.

Regular Events:

	Stand Up!!!!! Join us at 3rd & Grand, Friday afternoons, 4:45-5:15 PM to encourage people to "honk for peace." Extra signs available or bring your own!
	Sunday Vigil! Sundays, 6 PM, Albany County Courthouse on Grand Avenue.
	Laramie Drinking Liberally Meetings, Second Saturday of each month, Powder River Rib Company, 207 South 3rd Street (SE corner of 3rd & Ivinson), 6:30 PM onward.

	our first action, protesting Dick Cheney's visit to the University of Wyoming in Sept 2002

Fact to remember: The average Army private makes $20,000 a year; the average defense contractor CEO makes $11.5 million a year. (Source: United for a Fair Economy)

Cost to remember: The Pentagon estimated in the summer of 2003 that the occupation of Iraq was costing $4 billion a month with Afghanistan costing another $1 billion each month. That was four years ago. They no longer give out estimates but we know the cost of this war could well reach a trillion dollars. What else could we have done with that money?

Phrase to remember: "incestuous amplification" where "one only listens to those who are already in lock-step agreement, reinforcing set beliefs and creating a situation ripe for miscalculation." (Source: Jane's Defence Weekly)

Quote to remember: "Naturally, the common people don't want war, but after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country." -- Hermann Goering, Hitler's Reich-Marshall, The Nuremberg Trials