Wayne Johnson elected president of Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice for 2010

The Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice elected Wayne Johnson as its president for 2010.

Members also elected Vice President Sister Alice Rademacher, Secretary Theresa Englund and Treasurer Dick Kinch at the organization's Feb. 4 meeting.

Johnson, returning to a position he held previously, succeeds Dr Ken Yorgan, who served as chair for three years. Rademacher, a Racine Dominican, and Dick Kinch are holdovers. Theresa Englund, RCPJ's new secretary, is a UW- Parkside student.

RCPJ officers serve one year terms.

RCPJ, the local peace organization, was formed in 2002 as the US government prepared for the invasion and occupation of Iraq. RCPJ's mission is as follows: "The Coalition is an initiative to promote citizen understanding, raise public awareness, and encourage participation in the democratic process for the purpose of achieving peace and just relations among peoples and nations and protecting civil liberties."

The organization has sponsored presenters, educational events, and public protests mostly in opposition to US aggression and to US support of injustice in the Middle East, especially as regards Iraq and Israel/Palestine, but also in opposition to US aggression and military policy in general. Like many in the US and the world who long for peace and justice, RCPJ is gravely disappointed in the new US administration.

RCPJ meets twice monthly. It is an affiliate of Peace Action Wisconsin and a member of the Wisconsin Network for Peace & Justice. RCPJ membership dues are moderate. Donations are welcome but are not deductible for income tax purposes.

RCPJ communicates mostly by e-mail and is pleased to add others to its e-mail list. Its e-mail address is RacinePeace@yahoo.com. Its Web address is http://RacinePeace.wordpress.com. In partnership with the Racine/Kenosha Central America Solidarity Coalition (CASC) it publishes the bimonthly CASC/RCPJ Newsletter, which was founded in 1983.

Regular RCPJ meetings are held at 7 pm on the first and third Thursday of the month, usually at Cup of Hope coffee shop, 507 6th Street, Racine.

RCPJ will sponsor two presentations in March:

· Monday 1 March. "TheUS - Israeli Partnership: An Ethical Critique," presentation by Daniel Maguire, Professor of Ethics, Marquette University, 7:00 pm, Olympia Brown UU Church. Info: Wayne Johnson, 262/639-7149.

· Tuesday 30 March. "The Gaza Freedom March: Thwarted by Egypt, Co-opted by Hamas," a report by Sr Pat Chaffee of the December march and protest at the Gaza-Egypt border, 7:00 pm, place to be announced.

Information: Wayne Johnson, 262/639-7149, or Dick Kinch, 262/638-0204