P&J Network Principles

February 1, 2006                                                        

Statement of Principles: This document should be read as a series of principles to which we collectively adhere. It is not a mission statement. These principles are a means by which we can begin and continue the process of self-examination -- as a group, as individuals, as part of the global justice and peace movement. It is a document that should be revisited periodically and revised as necessary.

1. The Southeast Connecticut Peace and Justice Network is a group of activists working to build a community committed to the creation of a just and peaceful world.

2. As part of our commitment to peace and justice, we work to challenge all forms of violence, oppression, discrimination, and prejudice.

3. We pay great attention to the working dynamics within our group and seek to create an open, safe space in which honest dialogue can flourish, and in which all are heard. We also recognize the importance of continuing to educate ourselves in the ways of non-violence and justice.

4.  We work from the grassroots -- encouraging activists to form committees and act on issues based on their own passions. Our organizational structure is non-hierarchical and all decisions are made through consensus, though consensus is a complex process. Sometimes people will choose to “stand aside” from a decision, or they may need to “stand in the way” and block consensus. For an action of an affiliated group to have support from the Network, it must pass through this consensus process.                                                                

5.  We work both with individuals and with other organized groups, communities, and organizations, seeking to build coalitions.

6.  We work to inform and educate ourselves and others on issues regarding peace and justice locally and globally. We do this in many ways, including sharing information through an email list and at meetings, as well as holding public forums and other events.

7.  We use a variety of tactics, both within and outside of the electoral system, to achieve our goals. Our actions are guided by a philosophy of nonviolence, which we recognize as a daily practice and commitment.

8.  Our goal is to create a local, participatory culture of peace and justice, that contributes to a national and international movement re-centering power into the hands of local communities and people.

As Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote: “All people are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be.”