Baltimore Activist Alert -- November 14 - 15, 2019

52] Food Rescue at the Pratt – Nov. 14

53] Food Rescue with Dovecote Café – Nov. 14

54] See “Across the Bridge” – Nov. 14

55] Protest Border Patrol – Nov. 14

56] Stop Robbing Our Kids – Nov. 14

57] “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future” – Nov. 14

58] The Power of Protest – Nov. 14

59] Baltimore Peace Action – Nov. 14

60] Exploring Animal Behavior – Nov. 14

61] Food Drive for the animals – Nov. 15 & 16

62] Fire Drill Friday – Nov. 15

63] White House vigil – Nov. 15

64] WIB peace vigils – Nov. 15

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52] – There is a Food Rescue at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, 1303 Orleans St., Baltimore 21231 on Thursdays from noon to 1 PM.  Food Rescue Baltimore partners with Baltimore’s esteemed Enoch Pratt Free Library at the Orleans Street Branch. Come to the library, bring a bag, and take home delicious free food. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/567424937414955/?event_time_id=567425064081609.

53] – On Thursdays from 4 to 5 PM, Food Rescue Baltimore is working with Dovecote Café, 2501 Madison Ave., Baltimore 21217.  Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/2095151417235683/?event_time_id=2095151543902337.

54] -- Across America, people with diabetes are going to disturbing lengths to stay alive. From rationing their insulin to traveling hundreds of miles to buy it, Big Pharma’s greed has put people in heartbreaking situations. These stories need to be told, so see a short film on Thurs., Nov. 14 from 4:30 to 5:30 PM at the Outrage, 1722 14th St. NW, WDC 20009.  On World Diabetes Day, see “Across the Bridge,” which follows a group of Americans living with diabetes and advocates as they travel to Canada to buy insulin because of the ridiculously high prices in the U.S. This film highlights the extreme measures Americans are going through to obtain the medication they literally need to survive, and the corporate greed responsible. Check out https://www.eventbrite.com/e/affordable-insulin-now-across-the-bridge-short-film-screening-tickets-80767932059?utm_campaign=ATBScreening11.12&utm_medium=AINEmails&utm_source=AffordableInsulinNOW. Eli Lilly, one of the largest insulin manufacturers, has increased their prices by more than 585% in the last 20 years. This price gouging is the root cause of the sky-high prices that are forcing people to travel to Canada to get their insulin. For people with diabetes, insulin is the difference between life and death.

55] –On Thurs., Nov. 14 from 4:30 to 6 PM, Honor Those Killed By U.S. Border Patrol -- Candlelight Vigil, hosted by Close Immigrant Children Prisons at 14th and C Sts. NW, WDC.  Read the names of those killed by Border (Murder) Patrol during the last several years, including Jose Antonio Rodriguez and Sergio Adrian Guereca of Mexico who were fatally shot by Border Patrol agents while on the southern side of the U.S.-Mexico border.  Bring a candle. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/529564581215634/?notif_t=plan_user_invited&notif_id=1573690621435237.

56] – On Thurs., Nov. 14 at 5 PM, Stop Robbing Our Kids!  Take on corporate tax-dodgers to build support for corporate accountability (and revenue generation) legislation in 2020. You pay taxes, so why don’t Under Armour and Marriott? Both companies paid ZERO state taxes in recent years. Meanwhile, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank’s development firm, Sagamore Development, also received $660 million in tax breaks to build his exclusive (read “white”) Port Covington development - which was questionably designated an “Opportunity Zone” by Governor Hogan and secured additional federal tax breaks! This action is led by CU youth at Baltimore’s Harbor East - between Under Armour Brand House and Marriott’s Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore. Meet at the circle at S. President and Aliceanna Streets. Contact steven@communitiesunite.org.

57] – Progressive Maryland is promoting forums to find out more about the Kirwan proposals: the “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.” How about more funding for education? The next forums are on Thursdays. On Nov. 14 at 6 PM it is at Centreville Middle School, 231 Ruthsburg Road, Centreville. There is one at 6 PM at the Wicomico Public Library, 122 S. Division St., Salisbury. Then there is one at 7 PM at the Urbana Fire Hall, 3602 Urbana Pike, Frederick.

Our schools are underfunded. Our students have growing needs. An out-of-date funding formula doesn't address the needs of our schools. Join us for a discussion about public education funding and find out how you can get involved to advocate for full funding for our students, our teachers, our families, and our future! Look at https://www.marylandblueprint.org/.

58] – On Thurs., Nov. 14 from 6 to 7:30 PM, see Women of Color: The Power of Protest at the National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets NW, WDC 20001. Noted speakers will expand upon the current exhibitions "Vote for Women: A Portrait of Persistence" (NPG) and "I Am... Contemporary Women Artists of Africa" (NMAfA), and will highlight art and material culture from the National Museum of the American Indian. These engaging conversations will connect historical efforts to contemporary movements like Black Lives Matter and #MeToo. Discover how women of color have found empowerment and raised their voices for change!  This event is free and open to the public. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1703703073094782/?event_time_id=1703703083094781.

59] – Baltimore Peace Action meets every second Thursday of the month.  The next meeting is Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7 PM at First & St. Stephens UCC, 6915 York Road, Baltimore--near corner of Register Ave. AGENDA: 1. stop arms to Saudi Arabia, 2.  Oppose ICE roundups and putting kids in cages, 3. Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange, 4. Lobbying Congress, 5. JHU APL robotic assassination technology, 6. Green New Deal, Sunrise & Extinction Rebellion, 7. Suggestions for website  www.bmore4peace.org, 8. Vigils and bannering and 9. Plan for protest of CIA coup in Bolivia.

60] –On Thurs., Nov. 14 from 7 to 9 PM, get over to Exploring Animal Behavior with Jane Marlow at the Natural History Society of Maryland, 6908 Belair Rd., Baltimore 21206. Tickets are marylandnature.wildapricot.org.  The cost is $30 for NHSM members, and $45 for non-members.  Tickets are at https://marylandnature.wildapricot.org/event-3527031. Behavior is a hallmark of animal life – we are constantly behaving, even when we sleep! Join noted animal behaviorist, Jane Marlow on an exciting journey through the many phases of animal behavior. Most animals have the ability to learn and many are amazing problem solvers! Discover how animals change their behavior to meet their needs, develop new skills, and thwart danger in the second part of the Animal Behavior series. Marlow is a nature educator, animal behavior analyst, and certified exotic animal trainer. She has over 12 years of experience working in animal training and educational capacities at accredited zoos and aquariums.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/1179999658852068/?event_time_id=1179999668852067.

61] –  On Fri., Nov. 15 from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM and Sat., Nov. 16 from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM and more dates, help with the Food Drive for SPCA Food Bank at the Annapolis Cat Hospital, 2244-48 Bay Ridge Ave., Annapolis 21403.  Consider donating to an animal in need. Details about donation drop off days, times, and items accepted can be found below. Your donations mean so much, and the entire Annapolis Cat Hospital staff thanks you! Donations accepted are unopened canned or bagged dog and cat food.  No boxed foods or treats. Call Annapolis Cat Hospital at 410-268-2287 or Bay Ridge Animal Hospital at 410-268-6994.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/397186717891355/?event_time_id=397186731224687.

62] – Inspired by the Swedish student, Greta Thunberg, the student strikers and Naomi Klein's new book "On Fire: The Burning Case for the Green New Deal," Jane Fonda decided to upend her life, left her comfort zone and move to Washington, D.C. for four months to focus on climate change. As Greta said, "This is a crisis. We have to act like our house is on fire, because it is.”  So, every Friday she will host an action called — Fire Drill Friday — at 11 AM on the East Lawn of the Capitol Building, followed by a direct action.  Each Friday focus on a different aspect of the climate crisis and what needs to be done moving forward. On November 15, that Friday will make the connection with Environmental Justice.

Here’s the deal: We are living at the last possible moment in human history when we can do something about climate change or fail to do so, thereby denying hundreds of millions of people a livable future. Last year, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its regular report which stated in no uncertain terms that given the worsening disasters we’re already seeing and the additional warming that is already baked in because we didn’t act 30 years ago, we do not stand a chance at changing course in time without profound, systemic economic and social change in the next 11 years. Visit https://www.codepink.org/firedrillfridays.

63] – The Dorothy Day Catholic Worker will host a peace vigil at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, on Fri., Nov. 15 at noon.  Contact the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker: 202-882-9649, artlaffin@hotmail.com.  

64] – Women in Black VIGILS FOR PEACE take place on Fri., Nov. 15 from noon to 1 PM.  One is at McKeldin Square, corner of Light and Pratt Sts., in the Inner Harbor, Baltimore.  Use the purple circulator line.  Enjoy an AFTER VIGIL LUNCH from the food trucks in the Inner Harbor.  Bring Your Own Sandwich or stop by one of the food trucks in the McKeldin Square.

  Another is at Roland Park Place, 830 W. 40th St., Baltimore.  Free Parking available. Vigil from noon to 1 PM. Lunch in the Bistro at 1 PM. If there's a storm, there is no vigil, but there will be lunch. Contact Anne: awyattbr@gmail.com.  The final vigil is in Chestertown, Kent County on the Eastern Shore at Memorial Park at Cross Street and Park Row. Email wibbaltimore@peacepath911.org.

To be continued

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs

Baltimore Activist Alert -- November 13 - 14, 2019

38] Climate Action Coffee – Nov. 13

39] Changing How America Works -- Nov. 13

40] Food Drive for the animals – Nov. 13

41] Winter Holiday Gift Drive – Nov. 13, 14 & 15

42] Russia’s New Nuclear Weapon Delivery Systems – Nov. 13

43] Food Rescue – Nov. 13

44] Protest Erdogan-Trump meeting – Nov. 13

45] Interview with Elizabeth McAlister – Nov. 13

46] Speak Out Against Sewage! – Nov. 13

47] Hear from Samantha Powers – Nov. 13

48] Composting and Recycling – Nov. 13

49] Train the Trainers – Nov. 13

50] Jordan Stein Avidly Reads Theory – Nov. 13

51] The Havel Project – Nov. 13 - 14                                                              

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38] – On Wed., Nov. 13 from 7:30 AM to 9 AM, get over to Climate Action Coffee with Takoma Park Mobilization at Busboys and Poets Takoma, 235 Carroll St. NW, WDC 20012.  The Climate Action Coffee is an every-Wednesday gathering at Busboys and Poets Takoma, a cooperative production of Busboys and the Takoma Alliance for a Local Living Economy (TALLE), a working group of the Takoma Park Mobilization.

This weekly series is meant to provide an organizing workspace with action-oriented discussion circles focused on building the kinds of markets, society, food systems and resiliency that we want for our region; raising watershed and environmental justice consciousness; and following youth climate leaders in taking immediate action to reverse the dramatic disruption of our climate systems. Bring your vision and passion for reshaping our communities and local economies in the service of resiliency, racial equity, and carbon-neutrality. More info at http://tpmobilization.org/talle.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2536864976380836/?event_time_id=2536864993047501.

39] – On Wed., Nov. 13 from 8 to 10 AM, Changing How America Works is hosted by POLITICO Live at W Washington D.C. Hotel, 515 15th St. NW (Main Hotel Entrance on F St. between 14th and 15th Sts.), WDC 20004. The face of the American workforce is rapidly evolving. Ethnic and racial minorities are projected to make up most of the working-class population by 2032, fueling the future growth of the U.S. workforce. At the same time, the new economy will be driven by innovation, technology and alternative work arrangements. These massive upheavals are changing who the future American worker is and how America works. RSVP at changinghowamericaworks.splashthat.com/FBEvent.  Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/417089749227323/.

40] – On Wed., Nov. 13, Thurs., Nov. 14, and more dates from 8:30 AM to 6:30, help with the Food Drive for SPCA Food Bank at the Annapolis Cat Hospital, 2244-48 Bay Ridge Ave., Annapolis 21403.  Consider donating to an animal in need. Details about donation drop off days, times, and items accepted can be found below. Your donations mean so much, and the entire Annapolis Cat Hospital staff thanks you! Donations accepted are unopened canned or bagged dog and cat food.  No boxed foods or treats. Call Annapolis Cat Hospital at 410-268-2287 or Bay Ridge Animal Hospital at 410-268-6994.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/397186717891355/?event_time_id=397186731224687.

41] – On Wed., Nov. 13, Thurs., Nov. 14 and Fri., Nov. 15 from 9 AM to 5 PM, participate in a Winter Holiday Gift Drive by Project PLASE, Inc., 3601 Old Frederick Rd., Baltimore 21229. Hosting a Winter Holiday Gift Drive at your office, club, school, or organization! Email Jordan at jborkoski@projectplase.org or call 410-837-1400 ext. 121 if you would like to host a drive!   Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2183186298648674/?event_time_id=2183186401981997.

42] – On Wed., Nov. 13 from 11 AM to 12:30 PM at 1776 Eye St. NW, Suite 600, WDC 20006, check out Russia’s New Nuclear Weapon Delivery Systems, hosted by the Nuclear Threat Initiative with Jill Hruby, Ernest J. Moniz, Sam Nunn, and Lynn Rusten, NTI.  A light lunch will be served following the event.  See https://www.tfaforms.com/4771011.

In March 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly announced the development of multiple new nuclear weapon delivery systems. The announcement added a new, complex layer to an already deteriorating nuclear relationship between the United States and Russia. Since then, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty has collapsed, and the deadline to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) continues to draw closer. At such a critical juncture, understanding and following the development of the new Russian nuclear weapon delivery systems is essential for the future of arms control agreements and strategic stability policy decisions.

43] – On Wed., Nov. 13 and many more dates from noon to 1 PM, get with  Food Rescue Baltimore at the Baltimore Free Farm, 3510 Ash St., Baltimore 21211.  Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/2335352913149645/?event_time_id=2335352969816306.

44] – On Wed., Nov. 13 from noon to 8 PM, protest Erdogan-Trump meeting, hosted by ANCA in Lafayette Park, Pennsylvania Ave. NW & 16th St. NW, WDC 20036.  Follow @anca_dc, or email PROTEST@anca.org.  The United States must stand against Turkey's abuses at home and aggression abroad.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/382410596045401/.

45] – On Wed., Nov. 12 from noon to 1 PM, Tom Hall on MIDDAY at 88.1 FM will interview Elizabeth McAlister, a member of the Kings Bay Plowshares.  She and her six co-defendants were convicted on four charges on October 24, and will be sentenced in early 2020.

46] – On Wed., Nov. 13 from 4 to 6:30 PM, Speak Out Against Sewage! Join a Rally & attend a City Council Hearing, hosted by Blue Water Baltimore at Baltimore City Hall, 100 Holliday St., Baltimore 21202. Tickets are at bluewaterbaltimore.org.  Speak out against this costly public health hazard at Baltimore City Council’s upcoming hearing on sewage backups and a pre-hearing rally! Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/562222501188225/.

47] – On Wed., Nov. 13 at 4 PM, hear from Samantha Power, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, who will talk with Valerie Biden Owens about Power's new book, “The Education of An Idealist,” at the Biden Institute, U of Delaware, Mitchell Hall, 134 The Green, Newark, Delaware.

48] – On Wed., Nov. 13, Thurs., Nov. 14 and Fri., Nov. 15 from 5 to 8 PM, get with Composting and Recycling at The Blairs, 1401 Blair Mill Rd., Silver Spring 20910.  Join the efforts and learn how we can ensure our impact is a positive one. It will be explain how we to revamp the compost and recycle program. Compost bins will be given to all residents!  View htttps://www.facebook.com/events/2455754771374736/?event_time_id=2455754778041402.

49] – United Workers will host a Train the Trainers exercise on Wed., Nov. 13 from 6 to 8 PM at 2640 St. Paul St., Baltimore.  See http://www.unitedworkers.org/.

50] – On Wed., Nov. 13 from 7 to 10 PM, hear Jordan Stein Avidly Reads Theory with Rahne Alexander and Drew Daniel, hosted by Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201. Go to http://redemmas.org/. The adverb “avidly” is defined as “with great interest and enthusiasm.” Avidly―the online magazine founded in 2012 by Sarah Blackwood & Sarah Mesle and supported by the Los Angeles Review of Books―specializes in short-form critical essays devoted to the intersection of expertise and passion.

As an avowed “theory head,” Jordan Alexander Stein confronts a contradiction: that the abstract, and often frustrating rigors of theory also produced a sense of pride and identity for him and his friends: an idea of how to be and a way to live. Although Stein explains what theory is, this is not an introduction or a how-to, but rather Stein’s insights organized around five ways that theory makes one feel―silly, stupid, sexy, seething and stuck.

Stein teaches in the English department and the Comparative Literature program at Fordham University. Rahne Alexander is an intermedia artist based in Baltimore. Drew Daniel is an associate professor in the Department of English at Johns Hopkins, and one half of the electronic duo Matmos. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2409865845717654/.

51] – On Wed., Nov. 13 from 8 to 10 PM and Thurs., Nov. 14 from 8 to 10 PM, see The Havel Project, hosted by the Alliance for New Music-Theatre at the Dupont Underground, 19 Dupont Circle NW, WDC 20036.  This is a Double bill of Václav Havel’s Protest and the group’s original production -- Vaněk Unleashed, a tribute to Havel and the Velvet Revolution!  "Protest" exposes a society under a totalitarian regime that spies on its citizens and the thin line between acquiescence and culpability, between comedy and creepy terror.  Vaněk Unleashed is a uniquely American response to the same, most beloved central character of Vaněk. In this work the Alliance adds to the tradition that includes playwrights Samuel Beckett and Tom Stoppard of paying tribute to Havel by making Vaněk a universal character. The performance is written and directed by Susan Galbraith.  Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/510364376469067/?event_time_id=510364389802399.

To be continued

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs

Searching for the Ghost of Sidney Lanier during a Plowshares trial

Searching for the Ghost of Sidney Lanier during a Plowshares trial

By Max Obuszewski

  We were hoping to leave Baltimore for Brunswick, Georgia on Saturday, October 19 so that we could attend the Festival of Hope for the Kings Bay Plowshares, scheduled at 4 PM on October 20.  However, Janice Sevre-Duszynska had some health problems, and we delayed our departure.  Unfortunately, she was unable to go.

So David Eberhardt, a member of the Baltimore Four, and I took to the highway at 8:45 AM on October 20 in the midst of Tropical Storm Nestor which made its way up the coast. We endured rain all through Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.  Finally, in North Carolina I turned off the wipers.

 We saw two accidents on Route 95, and I speculated that the cars involved hydroplaned, which occurs when a tire is separated from the road surface by a thin film of water and loses traction. I am a very careful driver in heavy rain.

Most of my friends from our East Side neighborhood in Erie, PA attended Cathedral Preparatory School for Boys. Possibly the school’s most famous graduate was Tom Ridge who was the first Secretary of Homeland Security. One of my friends was Tom Kalista who eventually became the baseball coach at our high school. He was driving to Cleveland in the rain on Route 90 to see a baseball game.  Unfortunately, he lost control of his vehicle, probably because of hydroplaning, and was killed in the crash.

  After about 800 miles and twelve hours, we arrived safely in Brunswick, located on a harbor of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 40 miles north of Florida and about 80 miles south of South Carolina. The population is about 15,000 people. We eventually found Camp Glynn amongst the marshes on Blythe Island where we would stay during the trial.

Patrick O’Neill, one of the defendants, told me that the camp was primitive, a bit of an understatement.  We were allocated a cabin with a set of bunkbeds and lots of graffiti, probably the work of some bored boys scouts. There was a common bath area for the men, and the showers were without hot water.  Since the camp was by the marshes, I presumed that is why the water was suffused with sulfur.  There was also a building where campers could get breakfast.  In solidarity with the Plowshares, especially Rev. Steve Kelly who has been imprisoned since April 4, 2018, I was pleased to be at Camp Glynn.  

  The next morning, we arrived at the Frank M. Scarlett Federal Building on Gloucester Street to join the daily vigil. Remarkably, I parked for free just across the street from the courthouse.  It was charming not to see any parking meters. Coming from Baltimore where drivers pass you on the right and the left on narrow streets, I found the drivers in Brunswick to be very polite. 

   Just before we left for Brunswick, there was a pretty toxic road rage incident in Baltimore’s Seton Hill neighborhood.  Two drivers failed to go through a light quickly enough when it turned green, and this exasperated the driver of a vehicle behind them.  So he drove around the vehicles and fired his gun and struck a two-year old passenger in the stomach.  Fortunately, the alleged shooter was taken into custody. 

  While we were vigiling outside, jury selection was taking place inside the courthouse.  I wanted to get a sense of the city, so I walked around and noted the palm trees and the Spanish moss. There was a historical marker which caught my eye outside the FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF BRUNSWICK.  The Union Army occupied Brunswick in 1862, and the people fled. The church did not re-open until after the Civil War.

  The original inhabitants of Brunswick were the Mocama.   Spanish adventurers started to arrive in the mid-16th century, and the demise of the Native American population soon followed.  Eventually, the British drove off the Spanish early in the 18th century.

   At lunchtime on October 21, we gathered at St. Athanasius Episcopal Church which was in an African-American neighborhood ten minutes from the courthouse.  Near the church, I saw another historical marker, which indicated that Sidney Lanier was Georgia’s greatest poet. I mentioned this to Dave, who is a poet, and he knew Lanier’s story, and his 1878 poem “The Marshes of Glynn.”

“The wide sea-marshes of Glynn;--

“Beautiful glooms, soft dusks in the noon-day fire,--

“Wildwood privacies, closets of lone desire,

“Chamber from chamber parted with wavering arras of leaves,--

“Cells for the passionate pleasure of prayer to the soul that grieves,

“Pure with a sense of the passing of saints through the wood,

“Cool for the dutiful weighing of ill with good;--“

  Lanier contracted tuberculosis while a captive Confederate soldier at Point Lookout, Maryland. Some years later, the poet sought relief from TB in Brunswick's climate, and wrote the poem based on the salt marshes that span Glynn County.  Eventually, he moved to Baltimore, where he accepted a position as first flutist for the Peabody Orchestra.  Then he became a lecturer at the Peabody Institute and then at Johns Hopkins University. Lanier's health continued to worsen, however, and in 1881 he was dead.  His body lies in rest in Baltimore’s Greenmount Cemetery.  This is the same cemetery where John Wilkes Booth is buried in an unmarked grave in the Booth family plot. 

  In 2019 some 100 supporters of the Plowshares descended on Brunswick hoping to find peace with justice. However, we were informed that the local library had denied space to the Plowshares and their supporters.  Also, the local newspaper rejected an ad from the support committee.  So that Southern hospitality only goes so far.

  A long time ago, after my first visit to the South, I was informed as a Yankee, I was welcome to visit.  Y’all come back, but don’t stay.

  After lunch at St. Athanasius, Patrick provided us with a detailed report about the court’s attempt to seat a jury.  First, he informed us that he tangled with Judge Lisa Godbey Wood about his right to urinate. He had avoided ingesting any fluids, but Nature called during voir dire.  He then asked for permission to seek relief.  The judge refused his request.  Seeking the advice of a lawyer, he left the courtroom for the rest room.  However, the judge sent a marshal to bring him back. This seemed to be an indication that the presiding judge was very insecure, and felt a need to impose her will on a defendant.  This was not a good sign for the defendants.  

  As to jury selection, Patrick indicated there were 72 prospective jurors, and Judge Wood asked them THE question: “Do you have an opinion about nuclear weapons?” Not one raised a hand.  This was foreshadowing as to what would come late on Thursday afternoon.   

  Surely many of the jurors had an opinion on these weapons of mass destruction.  Surely some believed in deterrence or mutual assured destruction or saw the film ON THE BEACH.  Presumably, some of the potential jurors did not want to reveal their bias against defendants who professed that their religious beliefs recognized nuclear weapons as illegal and immoral.

  Sidney Lanier came to Brunswick, and did not find any relief. Best I know, I did not encounter his ghost.  But like Lanier, I would not find what I came looking for.  Perhaps, I was a bit naïve to think that maybe there would be a juror willing to accept the wisdom of the seven Plowshares prophets.

To be continued

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs

Baltimore Activist Alert -- November 11 - 12, 2019

19] Bishops, Heed the Pope and condemn militarism – Nov. 11

20] Global Review of plastic – Nov. 11

21] Food Rescue Pop-Up at Flourish – Nov. 11

22] U.S. Soldiers and Veterans who Opposed the War -- Nov. 11 - 15

23] My Friend Wrote This Book – Nov. 11

24] Beyond Coal House Meeting – Nov. 11

25] Get Money Out of Maryland – Nov. 11

26] Home is Here Rally – Nov. 12

27] Rally for DACA – Nov. 12

28] DC Statehood Phone Bank – Nov. 12

29] Food Rescue at YO! Baltimore West – Nov. 12

30] Economic Summit & Consumer Celebration – Nov. 12

31] Grassroots Fundraiser with Bernie Sanders – Nov. 12

32] See the film "Right to Harm" – Nov. 12

33] Stop US Border Violence – Nov. 12

34] Protest killer drone research at JHU – Nov. 12

35] Homewood Love Feast -- Nov. 12

34] Blueprint to fund education – Nov. 12

36] “Whose Water is it, Anyway?” – Nov. 12

37] Racism and Intersections of Jewish Identity – Nov. 12

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19] The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather for the 2019 Fall General Assembly in Baltimore from November 11 through November 14 at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott Hotel.  Join Janice and Max on Mon., Nov. 11 at 11 AM outside the hotel.  The two activists will implore the Bishops to heed the call by Pope Francis to condemn militarism, nuclearism, climate chaos, poverty and military spending.  Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski 2001 at Comcast dot net.

20] – On Mon., Nov. 11 from noon to 1:30 PM, check out the Global Review of Plastics Pollution: Managing Marine Litter, hosted by the Environmental Law Institute, 1730 M St. NW, Suite 700, WDC 20036. Tickets are at www.eli.org.  Every minute, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean–that’s more than 8 million metric tons per year. While progress is being made to manage marine litter via laws governing the production and use of land-based materials that make their way into our oceans, challenges persist including supervising waste disposal into the marine environment and establishing overarching marine litter legislation. ELI and leading experts will explore recent U.S. legislation to target marine litter, the economic impacts of marine litter, and examples of successful international marine pollution agreements and regulatory collaborations. Visit https://bit.ly/2Jlp9Tq and https://www.facebook.com/events/575401473204055/.

21] – On Mon., Nov. 11 from 3 to 4 PM, there is a Food Rescue Pop-Up at Flourish, 3418 Belair Road, Baltimore 21213-1233.  Bring a bag, and take home healthy, free food! View https://www.facebook.com/events/301851223848295/?event_time_id=301851350514949. This will continue into the future. 

22] – This special Veterans Day exhibit opening and reception is the first in a series of events presented from Mon., Nov. 11 through Fri., Nov.-15 by Partnerships for International Strategies in Asia and the Elliott School of International Affairs in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Mobilization for Peace. The OPENING RECEPTION on Mon., Nov. 11 from 5 to 7:30 PM on the 2nd floor Atrium of the Elliot School of International Affairs, The George Washington University, 1957 E St. NW, WDC 20052. There will be a welcome by Linda J. Yarr, PISA, and an introduction to the exhibit and the week’s events by Ron Carver. 

    There will be a launch of a companion book, “Waging Peace in Vietnam: U.S. Soldiers and Veterans who Opposed the War,” with Ron Carver, David Cortright, and Barbara Doherty, editors. The commentator is Seymour M. Hersh, author and journalist; and hear remarks by Vietnam War Resister Lt. Susan Schnall and Iraq War Resister Navy Petty Officer Jonathan W. Hutto, Sr. Catch a performance of Vietnamese music by Dr. Ngô Thanh Nhàn. Visit www.WagingPeaceInVietnam.com and pisa.elliott.gwu.edu.

  Register for all events you would like to attend. Event details can be found at go.gwu.edu/wagingpeace/.  All events are free. On Tues., Nov. 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM see a Screening of a Documentary Film “Sir! No Sir!” with David Zeiger, filmmaker.  On Wed., Nov. 13 from noon to 8 PM, there is a panel discussion, Peace Poetry workshop and a Peace Poetry Open Mic with poet Alexa Patrick. On Thurs., Nov. 14 from noon to 8:30 PM, see two films and a reenactment Cortright v. Resor, landmark case on First Amendment rights of anti-war soldiers.

  Finally, on Fri. Nov. 15 from 8:30 AM to 5:45 PM, get over to a Symposium — “The American War in Vietnam: Then and Now.”  From 6 to 8 PM, join a Candlelight Vigil: Reenactment of “March Against Death” from Elliott School to the White House.

23] –  On Mon., Nov. 11 from 6 to 8 PM, hear about My Friend Wrote This Book with Maude Barlow and Dean Naujoks, hosted by Eaton Workshop and Potomac Riverkeeper Network, 1201 K St. NW, WDC 20005.  This is Eaton DC’s take on the traditional book talk, putting authors in conversation with their friends.  Look at   https://www.facebook.com/events/482151585715277/.

24] – Attend the Baltimore County Beyond Coal House Meeting on Mon., Nov, 11 from 7 to 8:30 PM at 3617 Anton Farms Rd., Pikesville.  Did you know Maryland still has six coal fired power plants? Our coal power plants still produce 9 million metric tons of CO2 annually, equivalent to nearly 2 million passenger vehicles. Join the Maryland Sierra Club for a conversation about how we can move Maryland Beyond Coal and become fossil fuel free. RSVP at https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=7010Z000001wKoWQAU.

25] – Join the Get Money Out of Maryland Teleconference on Mon., Nov. 11 from 8:30 to 9:30 PM.  Call 605-475-6711, code 1136243#.  Work only on brainstorming ideas for participation in the upcoming General Election.

26] – On Tues., Nov. 12 from 9 AM to 1 PM, be at the Home is Here Rally at the Supreme Court, 1 1st St. NE, WDC 20002.  With the fate of DACA now in the hands of the Supreme Court, hundreds of thousands of people could lose their homes, their livelihoods, and their families. It’s time to put an end to this fear and uncertainty and show the Supreme Court that DACA recipients and immigrant families aren't going anywhere — because their #HomeIsHere.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/440882829881498/.

27] – On Tues., Nov. 12 from 9:30 AM to 3 PM, get over to the Rally for DACA with Just Neighbors at the Supreme Court, 1 1st St. NE, WDC 20002. The highest court in the United States will hear oral arguments regarding the administration’s unlawful termination of DACA.  Rescinding DACA would be very dangerous, leaving 700,000 recipients vulnerable to deportation, many of whom are our doctors, lawyers, and teachers. Contact Kim at kimberly@justneighbors.org.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/467431797462673/.

28] –  Can you participate in a DC Statehood Phone Bank on Tues., Nov. 11 from 10 AM to 6 PM at the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC 20004 in room G-9. Join the Washington, DC Statehood Office for a DC Statehood Phone Bank. Call state legislatures across the US to raise awareness of DC residents' lack of full and equal voting representation in Congress.   Phones, scripts, materials, and light refreshments will be provided. The Phone Bank continues each Tuesday. See https://www.facebook.com/events/673834763077915/?event_time_id=673834836411241.

29] – On Tues., Nov. 12 from noon to 1 PM, and continuing each Tuesday, come to a Food Rescue at YO! Baltimore West, 1510 W. Lafayette Ave., Baltimore 21217.  Enjoy fresh, delicious, and free food. Bring a bag. Bring a friend! Take what you want.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/403785397093000/?event_time_id=403785490426324.

30] – On Tues., Nov. 12 from noon to 8:30 PM, come to the 2019 Economic Summit & Consumer Celebration, hosted by Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition at the DoubleTree By Hilton BWI Airport Hotel, 890 Elkridge Landing Rd., Linthicum 21090. The cost is $125. If the cost of this event is prohibitive for you, please email jenp at marylandconsumers dot org to inquire about Community Tickets.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/340526646879280/.

The Economic Rights Summit will convene from 1 to 5 PM to discuss pressing issues that affect low-income Marylanders, as well as policies and programs that will reduce the racial wealth gap and expand economic justice. You'll meet with policy experts, community leaders from all levels, and activists for a day of learning, organizing, and strategizing. The Consumer Celebration from 5:30 to 8:30 PM will honor Maryland's champions of consumer rights with an evening full of good drinks, good food, good conversation, a silent auction, and more!

31] – On Tues., Nov. 12 from 4:30 to 7:30 PM, join a Grassroots Fundraiser with Bernie Sanders. Hook Hall, 3400 Georgia Avenue NW, WDC. 20010. RSVP at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bernie-nov12-dc.  Join Sen. Bernie Sanders and area supporters for a grassroots fundraiser featuring DJ JAZ DÜX and food provided by BBQ Bus. This is a ticketed event, and tickets start at $27.   Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/423036418394924/.

32] – On Tues., Nov. 12 from 4:30 to 8 PM, see "Right to Harm," hosted by the University of Maryland School of Public Health at the University of Maryland, College Park 20742.  Join UMD's chapter of 17 for Peace and Justice as they host the film screening. Through the riveting stories of five rural communities, RIGHT TO HARM exposes the devastating public health impact factory farming has on many disadvantaged citizens throughout the United States. Filmed across the country, the documentary chronicles the failures of state agencies to regulate industrial animal agriculture. Known formally as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations – or CAFOs – these facilities produce millions of gallons of untreated waste that destroys the quality of life for nearby neighbors. Fed up with the lack of regulation, these disenfranchised citizens band together to demand justice from their legislators.  17 for Peace and Justice is a student led organization at the University of Maryland, College park that works to promote environmental justice on campus and within the community. Panelist will include animal rights activists, environmental justice advocates, the film makers and farmers. Light refreshments will be served from 4:30 until 5:30 PM and the film screening will start promptly at 5:45 PM. See https://www.facebook.com/events/403236793879293/.

33] –  On Tues., Nov. 12 from 5 to 8:30 PM, check out Stop US Border Violence, hosted by SOA Watch and Justice for Muslims Collective at True Reformer Building, WDC 20009.  On November 12, oral arguments will be presented at the Supreme Court for the case of Sergio Adrián Hernández Güereca, killed by border patrol agent Jesus Mesa JR in 2010. This case will set the precedent in the determination of whether or not non-US citizens murdered by US security agents outside of the US are entitled to any form of legal redress. This includes the case of José Antonio Elena Rodríguez killed by US border patrol agent Lonnie Swartz in 2012. Be at a reception with the Güereca and Rodríguez families, followed by a panel where they will share their stories and quest for justice.  Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/424625251801078/?notif_t=event_calendar_create&notif_id=1573070830602400.

34] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" at 33^rd and N. Charles Sts. on Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 5 to 6 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607. 

35] – Progressive Maryland is promoting forums to find out more about the Kirwan proposals: the “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.” How about more funding for education? The next forum is on Tues., Nov. 12 at 6 PM in the Elk Room at the Cecil County Administration Building, 200 Chesapeake Blvd., Elkton and at 7 PM at Prince George’s Community College Rennie Forum, 301 Largo Road, Largo.   Our schools are underfunded. Our students have growing needs. An out-of-date funding formula doesn't address the needs of our schools. Join us for a discussion about public education funding and find out how you can get involved to advocate for full funding for our students, our teachers, our families, and our future! Look at https://www.marylandblueprint.org/.

36] – On Tues., Nov. 12 from 6:30 to 8 PM, hear about the book “Whose Water is it, Anyway?” with Maude Barlow, hosted by The Council of Canadians at the Wallace Global Fund, 2040 S St. NW, WDC 20009.  Join Maude Barlow for a discussion on Blue Communities, water protection, and her book.  The facts are undisputable – our world’s freshwater sources are in danger. Read more at https://canadians.org/whosewater. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/448084602478886/.

37] - On Tues., Nov. 12 from 7 to 9 PM, get with Racism and Intersections of Jewish Identity, hosted by Jews United for Justice - Baltimore at Homewood Friends Meeting House, 3107 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218.  Tickets are at jufj.org.  Discuss the issue of racism, one of the most insidious systems that White supremacy has fostered in order to sustain itself. Focus on understanding racism as a historical system of oppression that through cultural, political, economic and institutional means works to establish and reproduce a racial hierarchy that positions white bodies and culture to maintain the largest amount of resources and privileges within society. Please register at https://jufj.org/event/baltimore-nov-workshop/.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/540941196670208/.

To be continued

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs

activist alert --