Recently, when commentators have bothered to notice the American peace movement, they have pronounced it dead. But this is far from the case. Admittedly, it is remarkably fragmented. Certainly, it contains no organization that plays a role comparable to NOW in the women’s movement, the NAACP in the racial justice movement, or the AFL-CIO in the labor movement.
Instead, the Fellowship of Reconciliation draws together religious pacifists, the War Resisters League enrolls secular pacifists, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom mobilizes women, Veterans for Peace appeals to veterans, and U.S. Labor Against the War rallies unionists.
Peace Action, the largest peace organization in the United States, was born out of the merger in 1987 of the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy and the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign. With about 100,000 dues-paying members, active affiliates throughout the country, and excellent relations with the Progressive Caucus in Congress, Peace Action has some clout.
The peace movement takes on multiple projects, from opposing military recruitment in schools to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Three main issues currently dominate: ending the Afghanistan war, cutting military spending, and championing nuclear disarmament.
Despite challenges, the American peace movement continues its work. The Move the Money campaign aims to shift federal resources from military to social spending, while efforts persist to push for nuclear disarmament and withdrawal from Afghanistan. Polls show most Americans now oppose current U.S. wars and military occupations, suggesting the movement’s ongoing relevance.