Protesters in 2008 punctured a cover at the Waihopai satellite station in New Zealand. Photo: New Zealand Herald

In New Zealand, three peace activists have been found not guilty of breaking into and damaging a spy base used in the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. In April 2008, the three activists entered the Waihopai facility and deflated a plastic dome used to cover a satellite dish. After the verdict, one of the three acquitted activists, Dominican friar Peter Murnane, said they acted to help mitigate the human suffering caused by the Iraq war.

Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March of 2003, Wisconsin has often led states many times its size in the number and variety of pro-peace events held on the invasion's anniversary. 2010, which marks the seventh year of the Iraq war and occupation, is no exception. Nineteen Wisconsin communities, from Chippewa Falls to Waupaca, have plans for events that call for peace and mark the seventh anniversary, with roadside vigils, teach-ins, marches and public prayers. There are more than 150 events planned nationwide.

Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard said he wouldn't prosecute UW-Madison for violating state law in sheep experiments, so two animal rights groups are attempting to file the criminal charges themselves. One of the groups, Alliance for Animals, is a WNPJ member organization.

Recently, the WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has been cracking down on Wisconsin raw milk providers. Legislation to legalize the sale of raw milk and raw milk products is now before the Wisconsin General Assembly (AB 628) and the Senate (SB 434).  Legalizing raw milk will help many Wisconsin dairy farmers to stay in business since through direct sales they will earn 4-5 times as much as from the corporate controlled fluid milk market.  Last year alone farm income in WI dropped by over 50% and hundreds of dairy farmers are now on the verge of bankruptcy.
Action Step: Contact your state Representatives and urge them to support AB628 and SB434 to legalize raw milk sales.
Contact for more info: John Peck, Family Farm Defenders, 608-260-0900, familyfarmdefenders@yahoo.com

More WNPJ Action Alerts for the week of March 15 below...

The Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice (WNPJ) donated funds for a water purifier filter in a school in Iraq last December. Sami Rasouli of the Iraqi-American Reconciliation Project, MN - has a goal of installing 1,000 water purifiers in Iraqi Schools - can you help? If your group is interested in supporting a water purifier system in Najaf, Iraq - please contact: Sami Rasouli, Muslim Peacemaker Teams, Najaf, Iraq through www.reconciliationproject.org

Please join us this Wednesday at 10 am for a statewide coalition call to discuss the final push for national health care reform. 

Report back from Washington DC protest of health insurance lobby on March 9: Our bus to DC started in St. Paul, MN, with 17 people, and picked up another 15 in Milwaukee, one in Chicago, and eight in Youngstown, OH. We did press events at each stop in Wisconsin. The primary goal of the event was to generate significant press coverage that framed the event as a protest by Americans who are angry at the insurance companies for blocking reform, and we were very successful in doing this at the state and national levels. I’ve pasted all the Wisconsin and national press clips below. Thanks to everyone who helped recruit for the trip, raised money, and especially to those of you who took time out of your busy schedules to be there! Click on "Read more" for call details:

Cassandra Dixon of WNPJ member group Mary House reports from Palestine:

Friends, greetings from Tuwani, where it is now hot and sunny every day.

For much  of the school year internationals working inTuwani have been accompanying a driver from Tuwani who picks up children who attend AlFakheit school, south of Tuwani.  
 

Janet Parker, former co-chair and current WNPJ board member, is featured in a USA Today story about the growth of interest in locally-grown, fresh fruits that are being planted in urban setting across the country. She is one of the founders of Madison Fruits and Nuts (which, despite what our critics say, is not another name for WNPJ).

The March 9 hearing on the Safeguard the Guard bill, before the Wisconsin State Assembly's Committee on Veterans and Military Affiars attracted notice from TV and newspapers across the state of Wisconsin, and even a report from Vermont, the home state of State Rep. Michael Fisher, the author of the nation's first law challeging federal call-ups of a state guard. Photo: WKOW-TV News, Madison

Doug Moe's column tells of Marilyn Ross, a retired teacher who was arrested -- for the first time -- at age 76 at a sit-in at the office of a military contractor in Madison, as part of an action by Madison Pledge of Resistance to protest sending 30,000 more US troops to Afghanistan. 

Longtime activist and WNPJ member Joy First organized the action last December, and she and her daughter, Jennifer also were arrested that day.

WNPJ Executive Director Judy Miner says she wasn't actually writing a letter to the editor for publlication, but it ended up -- after being "cleaned up" by editing -- as a letter in the Capital Times:

What she actually did was write to the newspaper, to the editor of the 77 Square section, to complain about the ad. Without knowing what she was complaining about, which was edited from the published version, it was hard to know what she was so steamed up about. Her actual letter said:

Two Madison college professors with religious backgrounds, who have worked tirelessly to change the world -- Esther Heffernan and Joe Elder, pictured above  -- were honored for their lifetimes of activism on Oct. 3 by the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice (WNPJ), a statewide network of 170 organizations working for social change.

Peacemakers 2009: Elaine Kinch (Racine), Jannet Arenas (Madison), Jason Moon (Milwaukee), Dartanian Lewis (Milwaukee), Don Hoffman (Wisconsin Rapids), Will Williams (Windsor), and Josh Bartz (Madison).

Peacemakers of the Year for 2009 were honored by the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice at a ceremony Oct. 3rd at the Goodman Community Center in Madison, following the WNPJ's annual fall assembly.....