"I affirm the possibility of a more peaceful world."

Violence begets violence, which threatens life, liberty, and human dignity. At the same time, those who threaten the rights of the most vulnerable are rarely deterred by mere admonitions. The use of force is necessary at times, but it should be a last resort, taking as little life or liberty as possible; leaving open the door to reconciliation as much as prudence allows. Peace begins in the home. The government has an obligation to do what is possible to protect and prevent against all forms of domestic abuse, bullying in schools and other community spaces, and violence against children in the womb. No person has the "right" to do what harms or threatens another except for proportionate self-defense. But precisely because the government has a monopoly on the legitimate use of force, it should be extremely cautious of using that power for anything besides protecting the public from direct harm. Societal virtue is cultivated by the freedom to choose the good, while dictatorial policies breed resentment and societal unrest.

We also call for transparency and accountability for the conduct of police and other security forces and are particularly concerned by patterns of law enforcement that appear to discriminate against persons of color and other vulnerable groups. We call for the elimination of for-profit penal institutions, for rehabilitative and restorative approaches to non-violent crimes, and for responding to addiction and mental health problems with treatment instead of punishment. On the international stage, we call for the elimination of nuclear weapons and the strict prohibition of torture. The American Solidarity Party is not pacifistic, but we only support military force being used when it is consistent with Just War principles and does not intentionally kill civilians.

We call on the United States to respond generously to the crisis of refugees caused by war and other life-threatening conditions in many parts of the world, including through humanitarian aid and accepting more migrants seeking asylum. We believe we can secure our nation without sacrificing personal liberties or overextending our global military presence and commitments.

We invite you to read our Platform to learn more about specific policies that we support as part of our commitment to pursuing a more peaceful world.https://solidarity-party.org/platform/