Larry Wittner’s comments at the annual dinner November 2024

My name is Larry Wittner and, starting with my participation in a peace demonstration in the fall of 1961, I have been active in the peace movement — arrested twice, tear-gassed numerous times, and elected to local, state, and national peace movement boards. I’m also a former Professor of History at SUNY/Albany and a historian of the peace movement.
Today, I’m sorry to report that the result of the recent U.S. elections is more horrible than you might think. Given the two factors that are most likely to destroy the human race – nuclear war and climate collapse – the takeover of the U.S. government by Donald Trump and his crew of rightwing fanatics, combined with the authoritarian, murderous regimes already in power in countries like Russia, India, China, Iran, North Korea, and Israel, probably spells doom for the world.
Now please note that I have said “probably.” I do believe there’s a possibility of avoiding this catastrophe – although it’s not a very likely one. And I think the peace movement can play an important role in increasing the chances of human survival.
The main threat to human survival comes from the behavior of the major military powers. Some people in the peace movement seem to believe that only the United States – or mostly the United States – is responsible for the murderous conflicts among nations. But this is a rather warped view of events, for the United States is a very recent arrival in human history, and for thousands of years before that there were plenty of wars. And, I believe that, if the United States miraculously disappeared tomorrow, there would still be plenty of wars!
If we look beyond the devil theory of history and think systemically, what we find is that most wars (and the weapons that accompany them over time – from spears to nuclear missiles) grow out of the conflicts among nations. Within nations, when conflicts inevitably erupt, there are laws, as well as police, courts, and governments, that play a major role in resolving these conflicts.
On the global level, however, there exists a situation approaching international anarchy. Although we do have the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court, they are relatively powerless when major crises occur. They issue laudable statements, while the most powerful nations frequently ignore them and go on their merry, marauding way.
Thus, for example, the Russian government is currently continuing its massive military invasion of Ukraine and proceeding to annex its territory, while ignoring the demands of the UN and the International Court of Justice to end Russia’s aggression and withdraw from Ukraine. And, similarly, the Israeli government ignores the demands of these world organizations to end its brutal war upon and occupation of Palestine.
From the overwhelming votes in the UN General Assembly to condemn the Russian and Israeli invasions, we can see what the vast majority of the world’s nations want done in these terrible situations. But, alas, there is no implementation of their call for national independence and peace.
Where does this leave the peace movement? The peace movement has been effective, at times, in stirring up grassroots public protest against great power military aggression and the nuclear arms race. Even so, if it is to head off the doomsday scenario that now confronts us – or the slaughter occurring right now in Ukraine and Palestine – it desperately needs the existence of effective global governance. Or, to put things differently, the movement needs a stronger United Nations – strong enough to resolve conflicts among nations and, thereby, maintain international peace and security.
The task of strengthening global governance is difficult, but not impossible. There are ways to limit the use of the veto in the UN Security Council, to transfer security issues to the General Assembly (where there is majority rule and no veto), and to increase the jurisdiction of international judicial bodies. It’s also necessary and possible to provide the UN with an independent source of income to fund an expanded range of activities. It’s time – indeed, long past time – that the citizens of the world threw their weight behind these and other UN reform measures.
So I’m suggesting that the peace movement – without abandoning its important role in building grassroots activism – also back efforts to transform the United Nations into a government for the world. With such a government, we – the citizens of the world — have a better chance to restrain outlaw nations and avert the catastrophes that now loom before us.