Peninsula Peace and Justice Center

The Peninsula Peace and Justice Center is an activist organization in the San Francisco region of the USA.

History

The center was originally known as the Palo Alto Peace Center, and was founded in the mid-1960s by Barbara Jo Wenger, Connie Yu and Helen Keating. The center was located on Hamilton Avenue and Cowper Street. It was the headquarters of The Grapevine, an underground newsletter that was critical of the Vietnam War and President Richard Nixon. Members of the Peace Union were involved with demonstrating against the war. The Peace Union was raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation twice in 1971. In 1982, the center was renamed the Mid-Peninsula Peace Center, and a final name change to Peninsula Peace and Justice Center in the early 1990s.

Mission

The Peninsula Peace and Justice Center (PPJC) is dedicated to building coalitions among organizations to make its work more effective. The organization's efforts have led to the formation of coalitions fighting against U.S. military intervention, corporate globalization, the death penalty and other issues. PPJC is committed to involving individuals in the struggle for a just and humane world, using the power of democracy and taking to heart the premise that in a democracy, the people should lead.

Activities

For Iraq anti-war efforts, PPJC has held teach-ins and forums, met with Congress, organized vigils and protest rallies, and sent speakers to organizations, churches and schools — beginning before the war and continuing through to the US occupation. PPJC's work to change the tragic U.S. policy on Iraq goes back over 12 years. PPJC played a role in the protests against Gulf War I and were early and consistent leaders in the national struggle to end sanctions. As well as opposing the war in Iraq, PPJC is working to end U.S. military support for regimes in Israel, Haiti, and all over the world.

PPJC has made repeal of the PATRIOT Act a priority, and helped pass a City Council resolution against this act. PPJC helped pass a resolution by the county Board of Supervisors endorsing a moratorium on the death penalty, as part of a statewide effort.

PPJC was part of a coalition whose demonstrations, community outreach and meetings with our local Representative helped convince her to vote against the Central America Free Trade Agreement. PPJC has sponsored speakers and films educating the local community about the impacts of economic globalization.

References

    Heyser, Holly A. "Peace center runs out of gas because of financial and membership problems, the Palo Alto office will close December 15." San Jose Mercury News, December 1, 1995.

    External links

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