Nebraskans For Peace
Encyclopedia
Nebraskans For Peace, or NFP, is a peace advocacy organization based in Lincoln
, Nebraska
, United States
. "Nebraskans for Peace is a statewide grassroots advocacy organization working nonviolently for peace with justice through community building, education and political action."
and social justice
. NFP was preceded by Rural Nebraskans for Peace, formed in 1968, and a short-lived University of Nebraska-Lincoln student group called Nebraskans for Peace in Vietnam, formed in 1966. A chapter has existed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since at least 2002 and a chapter at the University of Nebraska-Omaha
was founded in 2003.
to Native Americans
on the neighboring Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota
. They allied with reservation members on this issue, marching together in 1999 after two murders in Whiteclay. In 2005 President Cecilia Fire Thunder
of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Nebraska governor's office made an historic agreement to allow tribal police to enforce laws in Whiteclay, as Nebraska law enforcement was not nearby, but by mid-2007 still had difficulty getting it into operation.
The organization has also worked in anti-war campaigns, ranging from weekly vigils against the Iraq war at the State Capitol Building
in Lincoln to peaceful protests at the Offutt Air Force Base
in Omaha to commemorate and protest the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki in Japan
. They continue addressing this issue, with recent protests against a STRATCOM conference called "Strategic Space and Defense" held in Omaha
.
Nebraskans For Peace has worked against Nebraska Legislative Bill 775, legislation that exempts certain businesses from specific taxations as an incentive to draw more businesses to the state. NFP's position against LB775 is based on the amount of public funds being diverted from the state's coffers while businesses qualifying for the exemption program are waived millions of dollars from taxes.
NFP sponsored the summer 2007 "Taking a Stand for Nonviolent Global Solutions" march across the United States. It was prominent in the recent debate over the sudden retirement of Lincoln East High School teacher named Michael Baker, who was suspected of being forced into retirement because of a peace studies course he taught.
In 2007 the ACLU was investigating allegations that the FBI was spy
ing on a number of current Nebraskans for Peace leaders, including a board member named Nan Graf and Tim Rinne, the State Coordinator.
to the current Iraq War, NFP has been engaged in a variety of anti-war coordination, including the United for Peace and Justice
National Strategy Conference.
Nebraskans for Peace has joined several national campaigns, including the "Campaign for Declassification of Documents on Human Rights Abuses in Latin America".
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. "Nebraskans for Peace is a statewide grassroots advocacy organization working nonviolently for peace with justice through community building, education and political action."
History
Founded in 1970, NFP is a state-wide progressive organization conducting active grassroots campaigns focused on promoting peacePeace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
and social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
. NFP was preceded by Rural Nebraskans for Peace, formed in 1968, and a short-lived University of Nebraska-Lincoln student group called Nebraskans for Peace in Vietnam, formed in 1966. A chapter has existed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since at least 2002 and a chapter at the University of Nebraska-Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
The University of Nebraska at Omaha is a four-year state university located in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Founded in 1908 as Omaha University, the institution became the public Municipal University of Omaha in 1931. It assumed its current name in 1968 following a merger into the University...
was founded in 2003.
Recent campaigns
NFP has been campaigning the Nebraska State Legislature to make the community of Whiteclay officially "dry" so that local businesses do not profiteer by selling alcoholAlcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
to Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
on the neighboring Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. They allied with reservation members on this issue, marching together in 1999 after two murders in Whiteclay. In 2005 President Cecilia Fire Thunder
Cecilia Fire Thunder
Cecilia Fire Thunder is a nurse, community health planner and tribal leader of the Oglala Sioux. On November 2, 2004, she was the first woman elected as president of the Tribe. She served until being impeached on June 29, 2006, several months short of the two-year term...
of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Nebraska governor's office made an historic agreement to allow tribal police to enforce laws in Whiteclay, as Nebraska law enforcement was not nearby, but by mid-2007 still had difficulty getting it into operation.
The organization has also worked in anti-war campaigns, ranging from weekly vigils against the Iraq war at the State Capitol Building
Nebraska State Capitol
The Nebraska State Capitol, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, is the house of the Nebraska Legislature and houses other offices of the government of the U.S. state of Nebraska....
in Lincoln to peaceful protests at the Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
in Omaha to commemorate and protest the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
and Nagasaki in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. They continue addressing this issue, with recent protests against a STRATCOM conference called "Strategic Space and Defense" held in Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
.
Nebraskans For Peace has worked against Nebraska Legislative Bill 775, legislation that exempts certain businesses from specific taxations as an incentive to draw more businesses to the state. NFP's position against LB775 is based on the amount of public funds being diverted from the state's coffers while businesses qualifying for the exemption program are waived millions of dollars from taxes.
NFP sponsored the summer 2007 "Taking a Stand for Nonviolent Global Solutions" march across the United States. It was prominent in the recent debate over the sudden retirement of Lincoln East High School teacher named Michael Baker, who was suspected of being forced into retirement because of a peace studies course he taught.
In 2007 the ACLU was investigating allegations that the FBI was spy
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
ing on a number of current Nebraskans for Peace leaders, including a board member named Nan Graf and Tim Rinne, the State Coordinator.
Historic campaigns
From the start of the Gulf WarGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
to the current Iraq War, NFP has been engaged in a variety of anti-war coordination, including the United for Peace and Justice
United for Peace and Justice
United for Peace and Justice is a coalition of more than 1,300 international and U.S.-based organizations opposed to "our government's policy of permanent warfare and empire-building."...
National Strategy Conference.
Nebraskans for Peace has joined several national campaigns, including the "Campaign for Declassification of Documents on Human Rights Abuses in Latin America".