It’s not healthy for children and other living things: Then and now

Cross-posted at http://silencedmajority.blogs….

In 1967, a non-partisan Hollywood (Beverly Hills) group named Another Mother for Peace (AMP) began their campaign to end the Vietnam war.  The group was formed spontaneously by 15 women attending the party for Barbara Avedon’s son’s first birthday.  In addition to ending the war, the group advocated for a cabinet-level secretary of peace. AMPs biggest impact arguebly came about as a result of a graphic for a card/poster the group promoted designed by Lorraine Schneider (1925-1972) .  In a national campaign led by Hollywood elite, the graphic was sent along with a million letters to elected leaders in DC in an appeal to end the war.  The AMP  is active today. The son of the late Barbara Avedon and the daughters of Lorraine Schneider are carrying on the family tradition by participating in this group.  

Lorraine Schneider’s poster was simple, but poignant.

In some ways, not much has changed since the Vietnam war. In the spirit of the AMP, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) has advocated recently for a Department of Peace. As in the 1960s and early 1970s, hundreds of thousands of persons have demonstrated in the streets in an attempt to stop the war and some of the protests have been led by Hollywood actors and well known musicians. I have even seen copies of the famous sunflower poster at anti-Iraq war protests.

One thing that has changed is that more people are becoming aware of corporate complicity in these wars.  Naomi Klein has written a book titled the Shock Doctrine, which spells out clearly how proponents for corporate interests take advantage of people during disasters, such as 9-11 and Katrina, to boost profits by pushing policies that would never pass if not for the shock of these disasters. Following this theme, Ricardo Levins Morales has designed a 21st Century version of Lorraine Schneider’s famous poster.  The new poster identifies out-of-control corporations as the danger to the health of children and other living things. The word “war” in the old poster doesn’t place blame; it’s like saying “shit happens.” The new poster identifies the problem which gives us a better chance to find a solution.