Eighty-seven campaign proposals were submitted for consideration at the UFPJ June 2003 National Strategy Conference in Chicago. Out of a process of discussion, synthesis, and voting, United for Peace and Justice's assembled delegates expressed the following campaign priorities. Other proposals were referred to the new national Steering Committee with the understanding that this body would use the newly adopted strategic framework to help assess and implement them.

1) Defense of Civil Liberties and Immigrant Rights: Campaign to Fight Patriot Acts I & II (192 votes)

This campaign calls on UFPJ to develop an education and action campaign to defend civil liberties and immigrant rights in concert with existing networks. Specific actions for consideration include supporting the on-going work for Civil Liberty Safe Cities, to repeal and defeat Patriot Acts I and II as well as the Bill of Rights action proposal from IPS (section 2 of IPS).

Goals include the repeal of unconstitutional attacks on our rights to free speech, privacy, and due process, and preventing the Justice Department from reinstating the illegal COINTELPRO type programs used to discredit thousands of people and groups engaged in legitimate political activity. A second goal is to stop the scapegoating and intimidation of non-citizens, immigrants, and people of color through massive surveillance, detentions, and deportations.

2) Campaign to Unite the Peace and Global Justice Movement (171 votes)

This campaign calls on UFPJ to initiate a comprehensive grassroots educational campaign that makes the links between military and economic empire-building by confronting corporate globalization, the global economic agenda of the ruling elite. The campaign includes coordinated days of action during the Sept. 10-13 WTO meeting in Cancun, including a commemoration of 9/11 and a Global Day of Action Against Globalization and War on Sept. 13. The campaign also calls for UFPJ to mobilize for the Nov. 19-21 FTAA meeting in Miami and the Nov. 22-23 School of the Americas protest.

3) People’s Convention/The World Says No to Bush (128 votes)

A campaign to progressively impact the 2004 election and key policies in question including: “pre-emptive war” and occupation for empire; budget and service cuts; civil liberties infringements; etc. Key strategic relationships with various communities would be developed by supporting the Poor People’s March on Washington, Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride and FTAA protests, building towards a “People’s Convention.” Tactics for this campaign could include voter registration and a voters’ pledge, a billboard campaign, a peace and justice questionnaire for candidates, a tour by global activists to election swing states to explain how Bush policies affect their countries, a global vote website, and more. This campaign would support the “Social Forum”-type events being planned by Boston groups for the July 2004 Democratic National Convention and culminate at the Republican Convention in New York City in September 2004 with a mass mobilization in NYC and world wide protest day under the banner “The World Says No to Bush."

4) Justice for Palestine Campaign (108 votes)

UFPJ will initiate a campaign for justice in Palestine, with another International Day of Action as a focus, which will build on the success of June 5 and may include coordinated local actions in many countries, including Israel and Palestine. An educational and outreach program will build toward the actions, including a speaking tour that may include Palestinians and returning members of the International Solidarity Movement. Longterm campaign may include divestment campaigns, support for SUSTAIN’S focus on Caterpillar tractor, and other strategies. A working group will be convened to find a date and craft a message that will assure broad participation and sensitivity to both the Palestinian and Jewish communities.

5) Nuclear Disarmament/Redefining Security (108 votes)

Nuclear disarmament must become a core issue on the global peace movement’s agenda. Through education, advocacy, demonstration and coordinated civil society presence at international disarmament forums, and by linking with other issue constituencies, this campaign seeks to move beyond narrow arms control approaches by building visible public support in the U.S. for sweeping measures to eliminate nuclear weapons in the U.S. as well as worldwide.

6) Military Recruitment (107 votes)

Long-term campaign to get recruiters out of schools, bringing together the efforts of WRL, AFSC and NION in a collaboration with UFPJ centering on that effort. It would incorporate concepts of the NION proposal, such as removing ads from TV and BET, and mass education (flyering, tabling at concerts) during the summer, with more direct action during the school year.

7) Broad Educational Curriculum (105 votes)

Education curriculum to put a larger context around the war in Iraq and the policies that led to this invasion and will lead to perpetual war, to create a broadly informed public able to use the tools of democracy to create government that meets the real needs of this nation and the world. Develop and/or gather “popular education” based curricula (including training guides and materials), present train-the-trainer programs, provide educational forums and teach-ins at a variety of venues, including but not limited to community organizations, labor organizations, and educational institutions; and do active outreach to those who are not now, but could be, part of the movement. Create a succession of materials, including leaflets, videos and other educational materials, on peace and justice issues for the general public.

8) Occupation Watch in Baghdad (92 votes)

Original proposal, plus attention to labor rights and working conditions, and explicit support for Iraqi resistance to U.S. occupation.

9) Peace and Justice Zones (83 votes)

This calls on UFPJ to initiate and promote local “Peace and Justice” zones in local establishments (e.g., churches, schools), homes, and neighborhoods. Education about peace and economic justice issues accompanies this campaign, seeking to establish zones that are free from such ills as violence, military recruiting, toxic waste dumps, and sweatshops; and that support good jobs, human rights and safe environments.

10) Poor People’s Economic and Human Rights Campaign (77 votes)

This calls on UFPJ to initiate a unique component of the August 2-30, 2003 Poor People’s March from Mississippi to Washington, D.C. commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s March on Washington. This component will be an educational and action campaign underscoring poverty as a root cause of war. One focus of this campaign is to organize/mobilize poor communities in the fight against the FTAA.

11) National Mobilization on Occupations (64 votes)

UFPJ would initiate or participate in a national mobilization on the issue of occupation: of Iraq, Palestine, and Afghanistan. However, VERY STRONG opposition was raised to joining in the September 27 mobilization called by ANSWER—the date coincides with Rosh Hashanah, the most important Jewish holiday of the year. While it also the anniversary of the beginning of the Second Intifada, many groups felt it would be problematic and provocative.

12) Weapons of Mass Destruction (60 votes)

UFPJ will organize a grass-roots campaign to expose the administration’s lies concerning WMD, and demand House and Senate hearings and appointment of a special prosecutor to hold the perpetrators responsible. Adopted: unanimously.

13) Korea and Iran (56 votes)

Mount a campaign against US attempts at regime change through destabilization of other governments and/or preemptive strikes that focuses on public education and appropriate political means towards policy change. UFPJ recognizes that there are existing organizations already strategizing towards these goals. A UFPJ committee will be set up to actively collaborate with these organizations towards these ends beginning with the proposals submitted under titles “Armistice to Peace in Korea”
and “Preemptive War on Regime Change in Iran,” and moving to include other targeted nations such as Cuba and Syria.

14) War Profiteering (39 votes)

UFPJ will work with the Institute for Southern Studies to organize a campaign against war profiteering as outlined in the original proposal.

15) Korea Campaign: Armistice to Peace Treaty in Korea (35 votes)

To pressure for self-determination of Korea, push for withdrawal of US troops and forestall increased US aggression in Korea. The July 27 Washington DC mobilization marks the 50th anniversary of the armistice agreement signed by the US, the DPRK and China. UFPJ would assist with outreach, mobilization and media work for a series of July events, and make Korea a strong focus of our work and analysis.

16) National Peace Information Webpage (31 votes)

A news service/website to counter the mass media’s uncritical support for pre-emptive war, to serve the growing movement and the public and to create an alternative public opinion.

17) Corporate Boycott (22 votes)

A campaign to educate and organize to end corporate power and impact our lifestyles. Major goal is to organize public support for boycotts and actions that will impact corporations. Activities would include: 1) public education on war profiteering; 2) monthly boycott of products and/or corporations; 3) direct actions at corporate headquarters; and 4) yard signs, bumperstickers, and websites about corporations.