The year 2012 will surely be filled with challenges and opportunities for peace and social justice organizations based on non-violent action and education. Peace Action of Michigan (PAMI) and our education fund (SPARE, Study Project on the Arms Race and the Economy) are answering the call.

As the year 2011 draws to a close, there is an inclination to look back at the preceding twelve months and recount events and assess accomplishments. Peace Action members can take pride in our newsletter, the Peace Action Flash, the 9th Annual Youth oriented PeaceBuilder Celebration in May, frequent contact with our legislators, and strengthening our alliance with other peace and justice organizations as we worked together on common goals.

Even more important than reviewing past accomplishments is planning for the immediate future. In an era of unprecedented assault on essential social programs, public education, environmental programs, funding for repair of crumbling infrastructure - the list is endless - while gargantuan sums flow endlessly into the war machine, our challenge for the coming year is tremendous.

The Peace Action vision for 2012 includes:

• "Move The Money" A wide range of Peace Action affiliate activities will be under a central theme that calls to demilitarize the federal budget: it's finally time to go from guns to butter. This effort is a national Peace Action campaign that perfectly dovetails with the multiple issues articulated by the "Occupy" movement and addresses longstanding issues that Peace Action of Michigan has so deeply cared about.
  
  
• November 2012 election - We want to end violence in our foreign policy, banking practices and treatment of the disadvantaged and elderly. Our political choices have never been so clear. The "Occupy" movement - in the wake of the Bush/Wall Street 2008 economic collapse - has successfully awakened our national consciousness on the issues of wealth disparity in late 2011. Go back to the policies that got us here? NEVER!
  
  
• Building alliances - We will strengthen our commitment to build effective coalitions with labor, civil rights, civil liberties and environmental organizations in the pursuit of common goals. Al Fishman built a strong relationship with the NAACP and for many years we have worked closely with ACLU, Sugar Law Center and the Lawyers Guild. We are now deeply involved with the Detroit "Jobs with Justice".
  
  
• Occupy - This grass roots movement brings into sharp focus the role of greed and power in the jobless/homeless/poverty tsunami engulfing America today. Peace Action, as part of the 99%, whole-heartedly supports the movement as it spreads to every city in Michigan and throughout the globe.