War Resisters League
The War Resisters League is affiliated with the United for Peace and Justice through Frida Berrigan, a Steering Committee member. It was founded in 1923 by people in opposition to World War I, "to support conscientious objectors whose pacifism was secular or political in nature". This primarily meant supporting anarchists, Marxists and Communists who object to participating in "imperialist" war, but who did not object to class war and thus were not pacifists.[1]
About
WRL's dual revolutionary slant is indicated in its selection of articles supporting Marxism and "social anarchism... socialism without centralism, without a party, and without a government," as its primer on alternative political structures. Although WRL claims its relations with the WPC have been strained, David McReynolds and other WRL activists continue to collaborate with the Moscow-line Communists in coalitions, including the June 12 Disarmament Coalition.
It is noted that West German news reports, citing annual government internal security surveys of totalitarian organizations, term the German Peace Society/United Military Service Resisters [Deutsche Friedens Gesellschaft/Vereinigte Kriegsdiens tgegner] (DGFNK) (an affiliate of the War Resisters League International) a front of the German Communist Party. The 14-member DFG/VK board, co-chaired by Gerd Greune and Klaus Mannhardt, a member of the WPC, also has four DKP members.[2]
Support for Revolutionary Groups
A major WRL project since 1967 is WIN magazine, whose synthesis of radical culture and new life styles has included support for revolutionary terrorist groups including the Palestine Liberation Organization, Irish Republican Army, Weather Underground, West German Baader-Meinhof gang.[2]
Mission
WRL defines itself as supporting
- "radical pacifism...an effort to create a just and peaceful society through nonviolent and life supporting methods."[2]