It is 11 days until election day and tonight is the last debate between the two people who are essentially running to be Commander in Chief of the United States Military. Based off of what we know what topics the moderator will cover, here is what you should watch out for in tonight’s debate:

“Fighting COVID-19”

Both Trump and Biden use “war” language to frame how the government and essential workers are responding to the pandemic: that we are “fighting COVID-19” instead of managing the pandemic, healthcare workers are “battling on the frontlines” instead of being well equipped to safely do their jobs. Remember that we have the resources to invest in public health - we’ve chosen not to.

Race in the United States

The Trump administration has declared war on Black Lives Matter movement, framing the uprising as a series of violent protests. Both the Trump and Biden campaigns repeat the misleading rhetoric of “peaceful” vs “violent” protests. As one of the oldest pacifist organizations in the United States, we’ve heard this rhetoric before. Read our statement debunking common myths on “violent protests.”

In honor of Indigenous People’s Day we are amplifying visionary, Indigenous-led leadership today from our friends at the NDN Collective, who are launching the LANDBACK Campaign.

LANDBACK is a movement that has existed for generations with a long legacy of organizing and sacrifice to get Indigenous lands back into Indigenous hands -- and is more than just a campaign. It is a way of understanding the world that allows us to deepen our relationships across the field of organizing movements. Through LANDBACK, we envision a world where Black, Indigenous & POC liberation co-exists.

This is how LANDBACK describes their work:

October 3rd, 2020

Friends,

I'm excited to share with you the first call for submissions from War Resisters League's newest committee, the Editorial Committee. We are comprised of writers and organizers based across the Americas with ties to Black, Indigenous, MENA, Latin American, and white communities of resistance. Every month, we meet to discuss pressing issues facing our communities today and invite you to join with a call for submissions. Accepted pieces are published on our page War Resisters on Waging Nonviolence. This month, we discuss elections. Read more below:

-Shiyam

Update October 12th: Call for submissions now closed. Thank you to everyone who pitched, and stay tuned for next month's letter!

Dear Readers,

As millions of people around the world prepare for—or are reacting to the outcomes of—2020 elections, some central questions for activists and organizers are: What is at stake for antiwar and antimilitarist politics? What kinds of violence are associated with elections, and who are often the victims? What prospects are there for advancing a peace agenda? And is any election anywhere free of interference, economically, diplomatically, psychologically, if not militarily?

On Monday August 17th five WRL members blockaded the entrance to Combined Systems International — the largest tear gas manufacturer in the U.S. 

Our group successfully deterred a shipment from entering Combined Systems Inc. and had many meaningful conversations with neighbors and folks driving by. All five members of the blockade were arrested and kept overnight at Mercer County Jail, where they are still being held.

On Tuesday August 18th we found out: Those five people are now facing multiple charges each for their courageous action and bail has been set at $25,000 each. To get them out we need to cover 10% of bail, which amounts to $12,500 to get all five people released and home safely.