Granny Peace Brigade
Grandmothers Protesting the War in Iraq
How did the Granny Peace Brigade Form?
In 2005, a group of grandmothers went to a U.S. military recruitment center in New York and tried to enlist in place of grandchildren who had been deployed. Needless to say, the military had no use for the grandmothers, nor did they appreciate their form of protest. The ladies were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
As their court date approached, they realized their protest group needed a name and a public identity. They became the Granny Peace Brigade, and they began branching out and using other forms of protest as well.
Who is in the Granny Peace Brigade?
Officially, the Granny Peace Brigade accepts anyone who would like to join them in peacefully protesting the war in Iraq and calling for an immediate cease-fire. The core group of grannies came from a number of other organizations like the Raging Grannies and the Gray Panthers, and most of the members are elderly women.
What does the Granny Peace Brigade Do?
What don't these ladies do? Besides protesting in new and delightful ways, the Granny Peace Brigade holds teach-ins to spread information about the war. They organize phone-ins, where people can call the offices of their representatives in Congress.
Though their actions center around the war in Iraq, their core mission of peace brings them to other related causes as well. They actively work toward limiting military recruiters' access to high school students by educating parents and kids about opt-out forms. They also speak out for the U.S. to shut down their military bases in other countries (like Guantanamo Bay in Cuba).
How Can I Help?
The Granny Peace Brigade website lists a number of ways you can help by getting involved or donating money. You can even find information about how to organize your own local chapter of the Granny Peace Brigade, and there are ideas for actions and an address to send registration information.
The website also lists the phone number of the Congressional switchboard. Here it is again for your reference: (800)-828-0498. Don't be shy. Use it. Go on. Call right now and see what happens.
You can call and ask for your representative or Senator and express your feelings about the war (or any issue, really). You may be talking to a voicemail, but an aide will hear and record your sentiment. Every person voicing their beliefs on the record forces a congressperson to take note of their constituency.
For more information, see the official Granny Peace Brigade website at http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/ or visit their YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/grannypeacebrigade.
Published by Esther November
Esther November is the pen name of a short fiction writer who has also written over 300 non-fiction articles for web and print media. She also teaches writing online for Ashford University. View profile
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- Many of the Grannies are also authors.
- Lillian Pollack and Joan Wile have both published books.
3 Comments
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These are role models I can really believe in! Great women, wonderful ideas and a terrific inspiration. With "Birthers" and the Joe Wilson groupies dominating the airwaves, it is great to know people like this are out there, working every day to make a difference.
Fabulous article! I am so glad to hear about these ladies! Thank you so much!