War is Not Justified by Party Politics

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Why have our movements for peace, justice and the environment let party politics lead us into a pro-war position? Why does party politics lead us to support wars, or at least not oppose them, purely on the basis of which party is conducting them? This growing polarization is leading us to support or oppose other critical policies as well, purely on the basis of what party those policies are identifies with — rather than a rational and moral assessment of the issue at hand. 

This webinar looks at the contrast between the bi-partisan militarism of the United States, on the one hand, and the starkly different governing philosophies of the two parties, on the other.  A critique of the Labor Movement’s relationship to this problem offers a long-term case-study, but one also increasingly relevant to the environmental movement, and even the peace movement.  The current setback for the Democrats offers us a chance to reflect on what our core values are and how we navigate our relations with party politics going forward.

Don’t miss it.

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Harris Gruman is the Executive Director of the Service Employees International Union Massachusetts State Council.  In that role he has helped lead campaigns to win union rights for child care providers and rideshare drivers.  In 2013, he founded and has since helped lead the Raise Up Massachusetts coalition of labor, community and faith organizations, which has nearly doubled the minimum wage to $15-per-hour, created the most extensive paid family and medical leave program in the United States, and won a constitutional amendment to raise tax rates on the top One Percent. In 2024 Harris joined the board of directors of Mass. Peace Action.

This webinar is cosponsored by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 509.