Brooklyn For Peace Turns Thirty — And We
Celebrate!
Gala Honors Noam Chomsky As PathMaker To Peace.
Gala Honors Noam Chomsky As PathMaker To Peace.
Saturday, Nov 15, 2014
Oh what a night! An evening to come together, to celebrate, to find old
friends, to eat and drink, to listen, to ask, to learn. An evening to remember!
It was Brooklyn For Peace’s annual Pathmakers To Peace gala and there were two very good reasons for the gathering of several hundred people to be there.
It was Brooklyn For Peace’s annual Pathmakers To Peace gala and there were two very good reasons for the gathering of several hundred people to be there.
First, they came to
celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of Brooklyn For
Peace, a most remarkable organization that has been been fighting the good
fight for peace and justice for three decades and that is declaring its
readiness to continue that struggle as long as the plagues of war, inequality,
economic distress, environmental deterioration and social injustice require its
attention.
Secondly, they came to
witness our Pathmaker To Peace award, this year
given to honor the life-long work of Noam Chomsky, one of the
brilliant minds of our times: linguistics professor, scientist, social critic
and fierce advocate for peace and social justice.
The positive vibe and warm
emotions in the grand Hollis Hall of historic Plymouth
Church in Brooklyn Heights were palpable. Gathered here were friends,
supporters, members, founders and early-on activists of Brooklyn For Peace,
all come together to celebrate the longevity, rare in today’s world, of this
community-based peace organization and to laud the dedication and perseverance
of the stalwart activists who have made that possible.
They also came to hear the
words of Professor Chomsky who painted a picture of the dire times we live in.
He described the collapse of our democracy, the domination of society by the
one-percent, the destruction and utter exploitation of the environment on
behalf of the energy industry’s super profits and he said the tasks confronting
progressive activists are enormous and daunting but that we can, and must,
overcome if we are to save the people of our planet.
An emotional high
point of the evening was the introduction and recognition of the original
founders and early activists: the “pioneers” of Brooklyn For Peace. Among that
group were today’s BFP Chair, Charlotte Phillips and Vice-Chair,
Carolyn “Rusti” Eisenberg. Dr. Phillips received a loving and grateful
standing ovation from the assembly for her dedication and perseverance over so
many years. Eisenberg told the story of how the group was formed back in 1984
after President Reagan sent U.S. troops into tiny Grenada. Back then the group
was called Brooklyn Parents For Peace because it’s
founders were mostly young moms (as well as some young dads).
Also attending this evening
were allies of our peace group with whom we have worked closely on various
struggles – leaders of the movement to preserve Brooklyn’s public
libraries, Michael D.D. White and Carolyn McIntyre were there
as well as Brooklyn’s Green Party members, Gloria Mattera and Jonathan
Fluck. Community activist and former candidate for Congress, Jelani
Mashariki, was present and Dan Wiley, representing Congress Member
Nydia Velazquez attended. Progressive member of Congress, Representative
Yvette Clarke, came in person to honor Brooklyn For Peace on its thirtieth birthday
and was welcomed heartily by the assembly.
