Failure is usually an orphan. From my son Sam’s schoolyard to boardrooms and politicians explaining disappearing weapons of mass destruction, fingers nervously point in other directions. But on questions of jobs and the economy, George W. Bush and his administration are determined to press ahead with monetary, fiscal, and employment policies that have failed spectacularly and show no signs of recovery. The wisdom of this persistence in failure I leave to the president’s handlers. But the problem requires much more than clever spin. read more

Peace activist Donna Howard had plenty of time to reflect during the 14 months she spent behind bars after a 1996 Ploughshares action at a nuclear weapons site. Confined in five different jail and prison cells, what she thought about was space – political space.

"We have to build a system," she concluded, "a new tool that will help us keep from reverting to that tired old system of war." After her release, she returned home to Duluth, Minnesota, where she had founded a Catholic Worker community. Looking for others who shared her vision of a third party intervention force, she found a group of activists in the Twin Cities who had recently presented a proposal at The Hague Appeal for Peace in the Netherlands. read more

Evolution generates books, projects, and a radio play   

Our 51st year of continuous publication has certainly been active. More than 60 features were published and distributed, and two previous articles won Project Censored recognition. Last year, TF moved to a quarterly schedule for its flagship periodical, while continuing to branch out into books and other media.

The year began with the release of Uneasy Empire, a manifesto on globalization and freedom by TF editor Greg Guma. It is currently being distributed by AK Press and Catholic Worker Books. As we go to press, our next book, Reign of Error, is at the printer. It’s a powerful collection of 110 illustrations by TF staff artist Dan Florentino, with accompanying text by 47 writers. Covering topics from media, globalization, crime, and big brother to oil, fundamentalism, the environment, and war, it’s a graphic guide for anyone who cares about the state and fate of the Earth. TF members will receive their advance copies before the end of the year; retail sales will begin in January 2004. read more

Retreat Tackles Mission Control

In July, the Toward Freedom Board of Directors held a one-day retreat to redefine the organization’s mission and priorities for the coming years. Among the key topics were the relationship between TF’s primary publication and its various projects, as well as increasing the involvement of members and supporters. Led by consultant Rosi Gowdey, the board also covered fundraising, long-term strategic planning, and how to reach new constituencies. New vision and mission statements, currently being reviewed, are slated for adoption at the annual meeting later this year. read more

The Alliance for Prison Justice (APJ), a human rights project initiated by TF, is making significant strides in its effort to advocate for prisoners and their families. Launched with a February 2002 conference attended by over 200 people, the group now has a Coordinating Committee, growing membership, part-time staff, and several projects.