Syracuse Peace Council
Statement of Purpose
The Syracuse Peace Council (SPC), founded in 1936, is an antiwar/social
justice organization. It is community-based, autonomous and funded by the contributions
of its supporters.
SPC educates, agitates and organizes for a world where war,
violence and exploitation in any form will no longer exist. It challenges the
existing unjust power relationships among nations, among people and between
ourselves and the environment. As members, we work to replace inequality, hierarchy,
domination and powerlessness with mutual respect, personal empowerment, cooperation
and a sense of community.
Present social injustices cannot be understood in isolation
from each other, nor can they be overcome without recognizing their economic
and militaristic roots. SPC seeks to make these connections clear. We initiate
and support activities that help build this sense of community and help tear
down the walls of oppression. A fundamental basis for peace and justice is an
economic system that places human need above monetary profit. We establish relationships
among people based on cooperation rather than competition or the threat of destruction.
Our political values and personal lives shape and reflect each other. In both, we are committed to nonviolent means of conflict resolution and to a process of decision-making that responds to the needs of us all.