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Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
July 19, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| September 8, 2004 |
Two US activists work towards a common goal –
Susi Snyder and Nina Kahori Fallenbaum |
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| Susi describes work towards nuclear disarmament |
Though still seen by many as "the land of opportunity," the international opinion of
the United States has reached an all time low. The Iraq War and other policies adopted by the Bush
Administration have left many people, including many of its own citizens, in a state of distrust.
However, today there are millions of US citizens that believe in their country and, through collective
social change, work hard to hold the US government accountable. Accompanying Peace Boat from Bergen
to New York, both Susi Snyder and Nina Kahori Fallenbaum, two very different activists from the
US, held discussions about their work and the approaches that can be taken to ensure that the government
is held accountable.
Susi Snyder
While onboard Susi held a span of talks including the current state of the United Nations, women's
rights around the world, and in particular her own role in working towards a global abolition of
nuclear weapons. Living in New York City, Susi is the Director of the Women's International League
for Peace and Freedom's (WILPF) United Nations office. WILPF, the world's oldest women's NGO, was
founded in 1915. Today WILPF has National Sections in 37 countries, on all continents. Susi's own
passion is nuclear disarmament and she spends much of her time at the United Nations ensuring an
active NGO presence in the discussions surrounding the upcoming Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
(NPT) review conference. |
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| Susi works directly with the UN to ensure an NGO presence |
In 1999 Susi's organization formed Reaching Critical Will in preparation for the 2000 NPT review conference.
Today Reaching Critical Will's work continues in its preparations for NGO contributions to the upcoming
NPT review conference in May 2005. Susi explained that for several months she, and members of her
organization, have been lobbying UN delegates to secure an NGO presence and participation in the NPT.
Reaching Critical Will has arranged for governments to have a question and answer session with NGOs
each morning and will also produce a daily newsletter during the month-long conference, maintain a
calendar of organized NGO events, and work with the Secretariat of Disarmament Affairs to make sure
NGOs have free conference space in the UN. In addition, the organization is working with over 70 NGOs,
including Peace Boat, to present the opinions of civil society at the conference. |
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| Susi talks to participants about her work |
Discussing the NPT formation in a lecture, Susi told Peace Boat participants that the NPT was signed
in 1968 by the US and Russia, and became international law in 1970. "Originally the treaty had
a 20 year life, calling for all countries to dismantle their nuclear weapons within 25 years. But
in 1995 it was extended indefinitely," said Susi. Reflecting on the 1995 decision, Susi said
that many countries refuse to disarm citing defense needs, but, "It's the thinking that we have
to arm, to counter their arms, that lead to the excess of weapons during the Cold War." To Susi
this thinking is illogical and her NGO's stance is that nuclear weapons need to be abolished without
exception. Susi defines the 1995 NPT extension as a major set-back to efforts for nuclear abolition,
virtually scrapping any time limit for countries to disarm. However, she evaluates the 2000 the meeting
was seen as almost miraculous since all countries agreed to 13 principle steps to disarm. Although
two of these steps have since been dismissed, Susi believes - in keeping with her upbeat attitude
- that with increased NGO organization and presence at the 2005 NPT, "Like in 2000, we'll have
a happy surprise." |
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| Nina during activist workshop |
Nina Kahori Fallenbaum
Born in Berkely, California of activist parents, Nina Kahori Fallenbaum has been making her own
contributions to grassroots activism most her life. Graduating from U.C. Berkeley in 2000, with
a degree in International Relations, she focused her studies on U.S. food globalization in Japan
and Southeast Asia, and has since turned this focus towards small business ownership, starting Jean
Wa Innerwear, "Women's underwear with a message" in November 2003. |
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| Nina (middle right) with Peace Boat staff |
To address what she believes is the most politically charged issue on people's minds in the US
- the Iraq War - she most recently served as National Urban Outreach Director for the Dennis Kucinich
for President Campaign. "This was the first national political campaign to incorporate the so-called "Hip-Hop
Generation" (18-35 year olds) into his political platform. For this effort, we recruited artists,
young people, college students, and famous musicians to join the effort for a Peace President to defeat
George W. Bush in 2004," said Nina.
Holding an activist workshop for participants onboard Peace
Boat Nina asked: "How many people
watch the daily news and feel powerless, like you can't do anything?" If the answer was yes,
in her experience there are many simple tactics that can be adapted to change this attitude. "Activists
often see the marginality of their struggle, and emphasize their difference from the mainstream.
This is especially easy in the US or Japan, where the mainstream media has such a tight grip on
public opinion," said Nina. "However, the only effective social change has jumped into
the fray of the mainstream, to change popular opinion. Let's not be afraid of this possibility," said
Nina. "We are the mainstream!" |
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| War is Over (if you want it), Yoko Ono's famous anti Vietnam war slogan |
Encouraging all to get organized, Nina presented several easy steps for individuals to take to make
these changes a reality:
- Start from one place (regionally based)
- Determine the skills within your group: Time, Skills, Creativity, Money and Fundraising ability
- Identify issue and your message
- Choose an audience: For example mothers, elders and retirees, young men who could be drafted,
war supporters, unemployed and homeless
- Adjust message for your audience! Collectively decide how best to reach these people. How far
can you reasonably expect them to go? What tactics will they respond to best?
- Choose a tactic: Remember to think of all the venues that are possible - shopping malls, tourist
attractions, grocery stores, sporting events - Wherever people gather is good! Go to where there
are people. Don't make them to come to you.
- Do it, and have fun!
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Highlighting very different ways of activism, Susi and Nina both demonstrated with their time onboard
that there are many ways to create social change and guarantee that the voice of today's civil society
be heard.
Resources
www.wilpf.int.ch
www.peacewomen.org
www.reachingcriticalwill.org
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