Baltimore Activist Alert March 24 - 25, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert March 24 - 25, 2019

"I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours." -Martin Luther King Jr.

Friends, this list and other email documents which I send out are done under the auspices of the Baltimore Nonviolence Center.  Go to www.baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com.  If you appreciate this information and would like to make a donation, send contributions to BNC, 325 East 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218.  Max Obuszewski can be reached at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net.

1] Books, buttons and stickers

2] Web site for info on federal legislation

3] Get involved with NCNR   

4] Buy an Anti-War Veteran hat  

5] “Explore & Live Palestine” from July 11 through July 25, 2019

6] Lawyers Against War

7] SUPPORT AMAZON WORKERS OF CONSCIENCE

8] The Moral Necessity of Geo-Engineering – Mar. 24

9] Protest AIPAC – Mar. 24

10] Headed for Extinction – Mar. 24

11] “The Ghosts of Johns Hopkins” – Mar. 24

12] Concert Responding to Violence in Baltimore– Mar. 24

13] Dr. Claud Anderson- Creating our Economic Future – Mar. 24

14] DSA Meeting – Mar. 24

15] Homeless Period Campaign -- Mar. 24 – Apr. 11

16] Stand with Frederick’s Muslim Community – Mar. 24

17] DC Liberation Seder – Mar. 24

18] Muslims and Social Justice – Mar. 24

19] Pentagon Protest – Mar. 25

20] Food Rescue – Mar. 25

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1] – Buttons, bumperstickers and books are available.  “God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions” stickers are in stock. Call Max at 410-323-1607.

2] – To obtain information how your federal legislators voted on particular bills, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/.  Congressional toll-free numbers are 888-818-6641, 888-355-3588 or 800-426-8073. The White House Comment Email is accessible at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/.

3] – THE ORGANIZING LIST will be the primary decision-making mechanism of the National Campaign of Nonviolent Resistance [NCNR].  It will be augmented by conference calls and possibly in-person meetings as needed.  It will consist of 1 or 2 representatives from each local, regional, or national organization (not coalitions) that wishes to actively work to carry out the NCNR campaign of facilitating and organizing nonviolent resistance to U.S. wars.

To join the ORGANIZING List, please send your name, group affiliation, city and email address to mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.  Different local chapters of a national organization are encouraged to subscribe.  

4] – Get a good-looking black hat which says Anti-War Veteran in the front and Viva House 50^th in the back.  The cost is $10. Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

5] – Jeff Ross, an attorney in Maryland, is interested in gathering with other lawyers to discuss ways in which the legal profession and the law generally can be conceptualized as a peace-building and war-resisting institution and redirected to these ends. Areas to explore might include: 1) ways in which this group could support with legal analysis/writing those lawyers who are representing peace-builders/war-resisters in criminal prosecutions; 2) ways in which, from a more theoretical perspective, the law might be grounded in an ethic of non-violence; and 3) ways in which law students and young lawyers might be exposed to a non-violent vision of the law. All religious, philosophical, and critical perspectives on the law are welcome. The group might want to call itself Lawyers Against War. Jeff can be reached at 443-690-6872 and jross50@hotmail.com.

6] – If you are 18 to 35, don't miss this unique opportunity to visit Palestine! Registration is Now Open at https://kthps.org/join. For more information, please visit: https://kthps.org/.  Know Thy Heritage, Inc. is offering a Leadership Initiative “Explore & Live Palestine” from July 11 through July 25, 2019.  This is a program of The Arab American Institute.  Visit http://www.aaiusa.org/.

7] -- SUPPORT AMAZON WORKERS OF CONSCIENCE.  We are in a deep struggle to support conscience within the high tech community, which may be the only way to prevent a major leap into artificial intelligence warfare that we see the beginnings of in the expanding global U.S. drone war system.  This may be of particular interest to Johns Hopkins' Navy-funded researchers, some of whom have been working on swarming drone technology.

These are not major asks and can be a powerful reinforcement of conscience at an extremely critical moment.  Please consider circulating this link to your lists encouraging people to sign the linked RootsAction petition - https://www.knowdrones.com/blog/2019/3/6/support-amazon-workers-who-dont-want-to-work-for-war and leafletting Whole Foods in your areas. This is a link to the leaflet -- https://gallery.mailchimp.com/dd110b000ca250d868d4f419b/files/107fc695-8af9-4f7e-a523-ecd1d1dfd28f/Wholefoods_Leaflet.pdf. Should you have interest in circulating the links and possibly leafletting, contact Nick Mottern at  nickmottern at gmail.com.

8] –  Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 2521 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21218, meets on Sundays, and generally there is a speaker and discussion at 10:30 AM.  On Sun., Mar. 24, the platform address is ““The Moral Necessity of Geo-Engineering” with Randy Best. Climate change and associated global warming and sea level rise are now on the near term horizon. These changes will cause mass migration of people, increased competition for water and land capable of producing food, and extreme social disruption and conflict threatening millions. To avoid the worst of these consequences, do we have a moral obligation to look toward scientific solutions to cool the planet? Best is the Leader (Humanist Minister) of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society in Vienna, Virginia.  Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org. 

9] – AIPAC is hosting its annual convention, which has historically been a celebration of the most repressive elements of the Israeli state, featuring those most engaged in curtailing Palestine freedom. CODEPINK will be in the streets to speak out against the apartheid policies AIPAC promotes and in support of Palestinian rights. Rally on Sun., March 24 from noon to 5 PM at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., WDC 20003.  Contact Paki at pakiwieland@gmail.com or (413) 695-1877.

AL-AWDA, the Palestine Right of Return Movement along with our allies in the Pro-Palestinian Movement will be hosting our annual rally to Support Palestine and Protest AIPAC on Sunday, March 24, 2019! The rally will begin as usual at The White House in our nation’s capital and then we will be marching with thousands to the AIPAC Conference down the road! Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/322305558560731/?active_tab=discussion.

10] -- On Sun., March 24 from2:30 to 4 PM, get with Headed for Extinction and What to Do About It, hosted by Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America and Extinction Rebellion Washington DC at the Shaw Library, 1630 7th St. NW, WDC 20001.  Climate change is worse than you think. Much, much worse. Cover the peer-reviewed climate science of runaway warming, which, if left unchecked, could cause societal collapse and human extinction. Discuss how we can respond to the situation, both emotionally and practically. WARNING: Hearing this talk may cause existential climate dread and/or an overpowering urge to take action. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1163430743823622/.

11] – On Sun., March 24 from2:30 to 3 PM, hear about “The Ghosts of Johns Hopkins,” hosted by the Garrett Jacobs Mansion Endowment Fund and Baltimore Heritage at The Engineers Club, 11 W. Mount Vernon Place, Baltimore 21201.  Tickets are at baltimoreheritage.org.  The philanthropist Johns Hopkins has shaped Baltimore perhaps like no other individual, from founding the university and hospital that bear his name to his role in shaping the B&O Railroad and making Baltimore an economic boom town in the 19th century. In a new book, “The Ghosts of Johns Hopkins: The Life and Legacy that Shaped an American City,” Baltimore author Antero Pietila explores how Hopkins and his legacy also impacted the racial patterns and climate of our city. This legacy includes Hopkins personally championing neighborhood clearance efforts in the 1800s to make way for new mercantile buildings to the myriad ways that the Hopkins institutions have impacted city-shaping efforts like urban renewal in the 1950s and revitalization programs today. Join Mr. Pietila as he shares his newest work exploring race and community in Baltimore. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2191745794399345/.

12] – On Sun., March 24 from 2:30 to 4 PM, attend a Concert Responding to Violence in Baltimore: Faure's Requiem, hosted by The Spire Series and First and Franklin Presbyterian Church, 210 W. Madison St., Baltimore 21201.  Tickets are at www.firstfranklin.org.  The Spire Series will present a concert honoring the precious lives lost to gun violence in Baltimore, while uplifting the good work of those dedicated to creating a brighter future, most especially BUILD and Turnaround Tuesday. BUILD's job movement has secured 638 placements with area employers such as University of MD and The Johns Hopkins University and medical institutions. Under the direction of Dr. Jason Kissel, the First & Franklin Sanctuary Choir with orchestra, will present Gabriel Fauré’s beloved Requiem. Renowned Baltimore bass-baritone Robert Cantrell, will offer selected solo works, and the audience will join in singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing." The choir will also present Faure’s "Cantique de Jean Racine", Sevier’s powerful arrangement of "Precious Lord, Take My Hand", and G.E. Burleigh’s setting of the spiritual, "Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land."

The collaboration is with the Family Survivor Network, a grass-roots organization in Sandtown-Winchester that offers therapeutic support for families impacted by violence. Three of their members, who are victims, will speak during the concert. There will be 309 purple ribbons, signifying each homicide victim in Baltimore in 2018, and sixteen portraits of murdered sons and daughters of Baltimore by William Brown, son of Millie Brown, founder of Baltimore’s Tears of a Mother’s Cry.  Tickets, available at the door or through The Spire Series PayPal, are a minimum of $10 per person. A freewill offering will be taken during the concert to support BUILD's Turnaround Tuesday.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/2329109753990519/.

13] –On Sun., March 24 from 3 to 6 PM, hear Dr. Claud Anderson- Creating our Economic Future, hosted by Reality Speaks at the Pleasant Hope Baptist Church, 430 E Belvedere Ave., Baltimore 21212.  Tickets are at www.paypal.com for $35.Internet Live Stream at realityspeaksmedia.com. Cal410 303-4120.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/660329884401809/.

14] – On Sun., March 24 from 3:45 to 6 PM, attend a General Body Meeting, hosted by Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201. There will be new member orientation from 3:45 PM to 4 PM. The general meeting will start at 4 PM. Food and beverage will be available for purchase. See https://www.facebook.com/events/656851628062555/. 

15] – On Sun., Mar. 24 through Thurs., Apr. 11 from 4 to 7 PM, be a part of a Homeless Period Campaign, hosted by Project PLASE, Inc., 1814 Maryland Ave., Baltimore 21201.  Tickets are at www.firstgiving.com. Join @Project PLASE in raising awareness and funds to help homeless individuals and their #homelessperiod.  Make a donation at https://bit.ly/2GRF8rM.  Challenge a friend, organization or group to show their support for the #homelessperiod and to keep the challenge going.  Post into your social media posts to keep the challenge going.

In addition to dealing with the everyday hardships that come with homelessness, people who menstruate have an additional level of hardship each month. With the lack of resources to buy menstrual products, they must choose between spending money on these products, or eating. The #HomelessPeriod Campaign is a fundraiser organized by Project PLASE in accordance with the Why Women Cry Conference. It intends to raise funds to create menstrual hygiene kits that can be given to PLASE clients and homeless people. The kits will be distributed by Project PLASE staff and volunteers. Homelessness brings trauma and health issues into one’s life. We believe menstruation care should not be a secondary choice for people, and that all people deserve equal access to period product. Please join Project PLASE in the #homelessperiod Campaign to provide everyone with equitable menstrual care. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/244516872997983/?event_time_id=244516896331314.

16] – On Sun., March 24 at 4:30 PM, stand with Frederick’s Muslim Community, hosted by Frederick Socialists and Frederick For Social & Economic Justice at the Islamic Society of Frederick, 1250 Key Parkway, Frederick  21702.  Join together with us as we gather as a community, united in solidarity with our Muslim family of the international working class in Christchurch, in Palestine, and especially those who live within our community. See https://www.facebook.com/events/402078907034986/.

17] – Attend a 2019 / 5779 DC Liberation Seder on Sun., March 24 from 5 to 8 PM at the Calvary Baptist Church, 755 8th St. NW, WDC 20001.  This is the fifth annual Passover Seder, dedicated to freedom from DC to Palestine. It is open to everyone and is organized with interfaith partners. No matter your experience with Passover and Jewish tradition, you are welcome here! Hear a blend of traditional and contemporary readings, poems, and songs to shed new light on Passover as the story of a liberation struggle relevant to oppressed people the world over.  Rabbi Joseph Berman will preside over the Seder. A number of other honored guests and clergy will speak, including Imam Ali Siddiqui of Interfaith Action for Human Rights.  The Seder will include a vegetarian potluck dinner. Please bring your most delicious vegetarian dish, dessert, or beverage to share in the Passover tradition. The nearest Metro is Gallery Place / Chinatown.  The suggested donation is $12.  Everyone is welcome, as no one will be turned away due to cost. If you'd like to attend the Seder, but the cost is an issue for you, please email info@jvpdc.org to RSVP. 

18] -- On Sun., March 24 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM, get with Muslims and Social Justice with Linda Sarsour, hosted by Muslim Legal Fund of America at the Diyanet Center of America, 9610 Good Luck Road, Lanham 20706. Dinner will be served.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/396035420942668/.

19] – There is a weekly Pentagon Peace Vigil from 7 to 8 AM on Mondays, since 1987, outside the Pentagon Metro stop.  The next vigil is Mar. 25, and it is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker.  Email artlaffin@hotmail.com or call 202-882-9649.  The vigil will be outside the Pentagon's south Metro entrance and in the designated "protest zone" behind bicycle fences across from the entrance to the Metro.  By Metro, take Yellow Line and get out at the "Pentagon" stop. Do not go to the Pentagon City stop! Go up south escalators and turn left and walk across to protest area. By car from D.C. area, take 395 South and get off at Exit 8A-Pentagon South Parking. Take slight right onto S. Rotary Rd. at end of ramp and right on S. Fern St. Then take left onto Army Navy Dr. You can "pay to park" on Army Navy Dr.,  and there is meter parking one block on right on Eads St. Payment for both of these spots begin at 8 AM.  No cameras are allowed on Pentagon grounds. Restrooms are located inside Marriott Residence Inn on corner of S. Fern and Army Navy Dr.

20] – On Mon., Mar. 25 at noon, there will be a Food Rescue at Land of Kush, 840 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore 21201. Food Rescue Baltimore is honored to partner with The Land of Kush each and every Monday to bring access to free vegan/plant-based food in the community. Bring a bag. Take what you want from noon to 1PM or while supplies last. No purchase is necessary to take advantage of the Food Rescue Baltimore give away. Items from The Land of Kush's menu are not included in the give-away but will be available for sale. See https://www.facebook.com/events/415842178868197/.

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

We Understand Our Parents’ Pain, but the Cuba Embargo Continues to Hurt Our ‘Hermanos’ on the Island

  Friends, This is my argument I have been making for years.  As a protester and believer in freedom of speech, I would have been jailed by the Castro government.  However, I have always spoken out against any boycott of Cuba.  Boycott Cuba, but do business with recognized human rights abusers such as China and Saudi Arabia.  This is nonsensical.  If Trump was interested in democracy in Cuba, he would engage diplomatically with Cuba and end any boycott or ban on travel there. Kagiso, Max

Published on Portside (https://portside.org/)

We Understand Our Parents’ Pain, but the Cuba Embargo Continues to Hurt Our ‘Hermanos’ on the Island

Claire O’Hanlon and JennyLee Molina

March 15, 2019

Miami Herald

   On March 4, the Trump administration took another unprecedented foreign-policy step and activated Helms-Burton Title III. This policy, which takes effect for 30 days starting on March 19, will allow Cuban-Americans to bring lawsuits in U.S. courts against Cuban entities benefiting from property expropriated by the Cuban government in the aftermath of the revolution.

    The activation of Title III represents a major step backward in the normalization of relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

     The Trump administration now is considering full implementation of Title III, which would allow these lawsuits to be filed by U.S. and foreign-based companies benefiting from such property as well. Title III, which no U.S. president has ever put into action, is part of the 1996 Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, also known as Helms-Burton for its sponsors. It is incorporated into the 60-year embargo on Cuba.

    We are Cuban-American women. We are the daughters and granddaughters of Cuban exiles that Fidel Castro called gusanos — “worms.” We believe that our political and economic isolation of Cuba strengthens the Cuban government, rather than incentivizing democratization. It drives them to ally with our adversaries, while exacerbating the incredible difficulty Cuban people face finding and obtaining the most basic necessities.

    Title III will have a chilling effect on foreign investment in Cuba. Foreign investment is critical for preserving the history and amenities that entice foreign tourists and make the island more liveable for Cubans who remain. Yes, investment puts money in the hands of the regime. We hate that, too. But it also puts money in the pockets of ordinary Cubans, gives them more contact with the outside world, creates more opportunities for private businesses to take hold and gives them hope that a better future is possible.

    For us to state publicly that we are against the embargo and against the activation of Title III is viewed as a betrayal by our families. We might as well be wearing Che Guevara T-shirts while shouting “¡Viva la Revolución!” To our families, traveling to Cuba means we must be communists. Trying to see Cuba as it is now is failing to remember what it once was. Making any move forward is forgiving the regime for jailing our tíos, for assassinating our primos, for expropriating the property of our abuelos, for screwing up the economy so much that our padres were starving and for all of the crimes that, by extension, were done to us.

    We do not deny that our parents and grandparents’ trauma is real. Their anger, pain and sadness are valid. We feel anger, pain, and sadness, too. We empathize with efforts to fight for what our families lost or, rather, what was stolen from them. But we will not engage in this counterproductive mindset of eternal punishment.

    U.S. policy toward Cuba is dictated by hardliners in Florida like Sen. Marco Rubio. But the hardliners choose to forget that the people who remained in Cuba also suffered, also had their property and businesses expropriated. Their family members were jailed, killed and traumatized. Cuban Americans do not have a monopoly on suffering at the hands of the regime.

    We are grateful that the United States, for many years, welcomed Cubans with open arms and allowed our families to live in the light, unlike many other immigrant communities that must live in the shadows. But as Cuban Americans, our suffering at the hands of the Cuban government is in the past tense.

   We choose to bury the suffering of our families with our ancestors. We are not forgiving. We are not forgetting. We will always remember that the suffering is there, under the ground. We may even visit it once in a while. But we refuse to carry it around with us and harden our hearts toward the Cuban people. We choose to look forward to the future instead of living in the past.

    The tangled web of laws like Title III that constitute the embargo ultimately hurt the Cuban people. They suffer at our hands, at the policies we created to punish the Cuban government, at whose hands they also suffer. All the while, the Cuban government has a perfect scapegoat, the embargo, to blame for the problems they have created.

   As Cuban Americans, we are free to call out Rubio by name and engage in a political debate without fear that we will be kicked out of school, lose our jobs or rot in prison. The same cannot be said for our hermanos in Cuba. Our families sacrificed everything so we could have what is truly important here in America. But we cannot let Rubio and his allies dictate U.S.-Cuba policy just to avenge familial grudges — even our own.

  Believe us. Everyone has suffered enough.

In addition to Claire O’Hanlon, of Los Angeles, and JennyLee Molina, of Miami, this piece was co-authored by Natalie Martinez Varela, of Washington D.C.; Alise Morales, of New York; Alexandra Triana, Washington D.C.; and Elizabeth Estrada, of Philadelphia. In January, they traveled to Cuba with the CubaOne Foundation.

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Source URL: https://portside.org/2019-03-21/we-understand-our-parents-pain-cuba-embargo-continues-hurt-our-hermanos-island

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 -- March 21 - 23, 2019

49] Dump Elliott Abrams – Mar. 21

50] April Ryan will speak – Mar. 21

51] Third Annual Connect for Immigrants -- Mar. 21

52] Communities United meeting -- Mar. 21

53] State's Attorney Forum – Mar. 21

54] Bio-technology and Disabilities – Mar. 21

55] A Night of Healthy Soils – March 21

56] The Israel Lobby – March 22

57] Hear from Amazonian indigenous leaders – Mar. 22

58] WIB peace vigils – Mar. 22

59] White House vigil -- Mar. 22

60] Who Will Feed India? – March 22

61] Democratization in Taiwan – March 22

62] Black Lives Matter – March 22

63] Film POWER TO HEAL – March 22

64] Film TIDEWATER -- Mar. 22

65] Ballroom Dancing – Mar. 22

66] March for Sudan – Mar. 23

67] York Road Community Days – Mar. 23

68] Peace Vigil – March 23

69] Computer Literacy classes for immigrant women – Mar. 23

70] Film ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH – Mar. 23

71] Kings Bay Plowshares are hiring

72] Emergency Demonstration against an attack on Venezuela or Iran  

73] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records  

74] Do you need any book shelves?

75] Join the Global Zero campaign

76] Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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49] - On Thurs., March 21 from 10 AM to noon, attend the press event: #DropElliotAbrams from the Holocaust Museum Committee on Conscience, hosted by Presente.org at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, WDC 20024-2126. A coalition of Central American survivors and descendants of victims of genocide and other atrocities have joined with Holocaust survivors and their descendants were shocked to recently learn that Elliott Abrams is a member of the Committee which seeks to “confront and work to halt acts of genocide or related crimes against humanity.”  Why has the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum not taken Abrams’ reprehensible role in Central America into account? How can the Committee on Conscience prevent future genocides if it has not come to terms with the involvement of one of its own members in supporting such atrocities?  Join them in demanding that the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum immediately remove Elliott Abrams as a member of its Committee on Conscience. You can read their full letter here: http://bit.ly/CallToConscience . His presence on that committee and his affiliation with the Museum runs contrary to everything that its mission stands for. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1174964155995891/.

50] – On Thurs., March 21 from 11 AM to 1 PM, April Ryan is Keynote Speaker for Women's History Month Luncheon, hosted by Angela D. Alsobrooks, Martin's Crosswinds, 7400 Greenway Center Drive, Greenbelt 20770.  April Ryan, veteran White House Correspondent, network TV news analyst, visionary and author will be the Keynote Speaker at the 34th Annual Prince George's County Women's History Month Luncheon. Grammy nominated artist Raheem DeVaughn will make a special appearance.  For tickets or additional sponsorship opportunities, visit https://womenshistory.princegeorgescountymd.gov.

The 34th Annual Prince George’s County’s Women’s History Month Luncheon is a long standing tradition to celebrate the dynamic accomplishments of visionary women who serve in and partner with government to influence and impact our communities.  This year's theme, “Visionary Women,” highlights individuals and organizations whose contributions demonstrate dedication, commitment and pride in Prince George’s County. The national theme, Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence, honors women who have pioneered the use of nonviolence to change society.  This is another tradition that will be given to a PGCPS college bound senior planning to major in the areas of political science, public administration/government, public safety or health. It is great when we can come together to celebrate and fellowship and give back at the same time. Individual ticket cost is $50. For tickets or additional sponsorship opportunities, visit: https://womenshistory.princegeorgescountymd.gov.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/906739403012326/.

51] - The Maryland Immigrant Rights Coalition presents the Third Annual Connect for Immigrants on Thurs., March 21 from 4 to 7 PM at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, 500 West Baltimore St., Baltimore 21201. This event provides an opportunity to learn about resources available to immigrants in Maryland, becoming a volunteer and connecting with various organizations that need your help. Contact Mary Ritter at 410-323-8564. See http://marylandimmigrantrightscoalition.org/event/. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/connect-for-immigrants-become-a-volunteer-help-your-immigrant-neighbor-tickets-55780161966. See https://www.facebook.com/events/606574493088402/.

52] – Communities United is hosting  a Committee Night & Potluck on Thurs., March 21 for the monthly “Committee Night” at the office, 2221 Maryland Ave., 2nd Floor, Baltimore. The potluck is at 6 PM. The meeting starts at 6:30 PM sharp with committee breakouts at 7 PM. Come get the latest update about the Fight for $15 and so much more! Break bread and make change together! All are welcome, including kids. Email jane@communitiesunite.org.

53] – On Thurs., March 21 from 7 to 10 PM attend a State's Attorney Forum at the Mt. Enon Baptist Church, 9832 Piscataway Rd., Clinton 20735. Contact Seanniece Bamiro at seanniece@progressivemaryland.org.  Go to https://www.progressivemaryland.org/calendar.

54] – On Thurs., Mar. 21 from 7 to 9 PM, GEORGE ESTREICH PRESENTS "FABLES AND FUTURES: BIOTECHNOLOGY, DISABILITY, AND THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES" at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201.  He will be in conversation with Nathaniel Comfort. From next-generation prenatal tests, to virtual children, to the genome-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9, new biotechnologies grant us unprecedented power to predict and shape future people. That power implies a question about belonging: which people, which variations, will we welcome? How will we square new biotech advances with the real but fragile gains for people with disabilities—especially when their voices are all but absent from the conversation?

This book explores that conversation, the troubled territory where biotechnology and disability meet. In it, George Estreich—an award-winning poet and memoirist, and the father of a young woman with Down syndrome—delves into popular representations of cutting-edge biotech: websites advertising next-generation prenatal tests, feature articles on “three-parent IVF,” a scientist's memoir of constructing a semisynthetic cell, and more.  He also considers broader themes: the place of people with disabilities in a world built for the able; the echoes of eugenic history in the genomic present; and the equation of intellect and human value. Call (443) 602 7611 or go to https://www.redemmas.org/.

55] – On Thurs., March 21 from 7 to 9 PM, enjoy A Night of Healthy Soils – with a Movie & Panel Discussion, hosted by Fair Farms at the Annapolis Friends Meeting, 351 Dubois Rd., Annapolis 21401.  Join Fair Farms, Climate Stewards of Greater Annapolis, and Neighborhood Sun for a night focused on food, healthy soils, and regenerative agriculture.  See a showing of a series of short films that are sure to inspire. Following the films, hear a great speaker panel to highlight themes from the movies. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/571365430005997/.

56] – On Fri., Mar 22 from 9 AM to 7 PM, get acquainted with the Israel Lobby and American Policy Conference, hosted by The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs at the National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, WDC 20004. Tickets range from $89 to $99. The 6th annual conference at the National Press Club will be the most important ever!  How has the Israel lobby further captured key nodes of U.S. government policymaking? Why is U.S. policy so expensive, destructive and unrepresentative of the will of the American people? How are a handful of politicians now successfully running against previously unquestioned, longstanding Israel lobby platforms? What rules do reporters follow when they tell the truth about U.S. policy and the lobby? Why do U.S. presidents sign secret letters promising not to publicly discuss Israel’s clandestine nuclear weapons program? Why does the U.S. give more foreign aid to Israel than to any other country, and how is the makeup of that aid changing? What, if anything, does the U.S. get out of its so-called “special relationship” with Israel? How are human rights groups working to “de-Israelize” state and local governments? What is the Israel lobby doing to provoke an armed U.S. confrontation with Iran? What else is the lobby doing to improve Israel’s strategic position in the region? Why are assertions that Israel and the U.S. have “shared values” made, and are these assertions accurate?

On March 22, just two days before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee holds its annual policy conference at the Washington Convention Center, a polar opposite gathering of top thinkers, activists, authors, politicians and experts will meet at an even more prestigious location: The National Press Club. Qualified experts—most denied mass media platforms in the United States—will once more convene to critically examine U.S. Middle East policy and the negative impact of the Israel-centric policies the lobby demands. Most important, once again Americans interested in improving Middle East policy can convene and discuss alternatives for the future! Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/357763321616184/.

57] – On Fri., Mar. 22 hear from Amazonian indigenous leaders and others on two timely panel discussions. The morning discussion from 10 AM to noon will feature leaders from the Western Amazon (Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru) while the afternoon congressional panel from 1 to 2 PM will focus on the situation in Brazil.

   In the morning, hear from Amazon Leaders Share Hopes for Church Gathering at the Friends of the Earth office, 1101 15th St. NW, 11th Floor, WDC.  This is hosted by the Inter-Religious Working Group on Extractive Industries and Amazon Watch.  RSVP to andrew@amazonwatch.org.  Come hear from indigenous and religious leaders from the Amazon about their concerns for the region: their resistance and organizational process, displacement by large-scale energy and agriculture projects, struggles for land rights and formal recognition, and threats to their livelihoods and culture.  They also will share their hopes for the Synod on the Amazon, a high-level meeting of the Catholic Church to be held in October.

Brazil and Increasing Threats to the Amazon and Indigenous Rights will take place at 2456 Rayburn House Office Building, co-sponsored by REPAM and COICA.  The newly elected president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has signaled his intention to open up the Brazilian Amazon to development. Throughout the Amazon, indigenous and local communities have long faced threats to their land, culture and livelihoods, predominantly from large scale energy and agriculture development projects.  In a context of increasing division and marginalization and persistent impunity, the possible adoption of new policies that would undermine land protections for indigenous communities and lead to increasing extractive development and deforestation poses serious threats to human rights, including the rights of indigenous people in Brazil. RSVP to andrew@amazonwatch.org. 

58] – On Fri., Mar. 22 from noon to 1 PM, join a Women in Black peace vigil. A vigil will take place in McKeldin Square at the corner of Light and Pratt Sts.  STAY FOR LUNCH at Baba's Kitchen.  Warm-up, dry off, and enjoy a vegetarian chili lunch and lots of good conversation. Bring a side or topping for the chili.  There are still places at the table; invite a friend to come along with you.

Another vigil is at Roland Park Place, 830 W. 40th St, Baltimore. 21211. However, if weather is iffy, contact Anne at awyattbr@gmail.com.  Lunch will take place at 1 PM at the RPP Café, 830 W. 40th St., Baltimore 21211.

A third vigil will be in Chestertown, Kent County at Memorial Park at Cross Street and Park Row.  This vigil is looking for more peace bodies on the Eastern Shore.  Welcome to the network, Chestertown Women in Black.

Wear black. Dress for who knows what kind of weather.  Peace signs will be available. When there are others to stand with, you don't need to carry the burden alone. Do this to be in solidarity with others....when everything around us says “Be afraid of the stranger.” Carpool and parking available. Just send an email that you need a ride to: wibbaltimore@peacepath911.org.

59] – On Fri.,  Mar. 22 from noon to 1 PM, join the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in a vigil urging the powers that be to abolish war and torture, to disarm all weapons, to end indefinite detention, to close Guantanamo, to establish justice for all and help create the Beloved Community! This vigil will take place at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contract Art @ artlaffin@hotmail.com or at 202-360-6416.

60] – On Fri., Mar 22 from 12:15 to 1:45 PM, Who Will Feed India? This is hosted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 1201 I St., WDC 20005. Lunch will be provided starting at 11:45 AM. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1897043413758626/?active_tab=about.

61] – On Fri., March 22 from 12:30 to 2 PM, hear about Democratization in Taiwan: Past and Future, hosted by the Georgetown University Asian Studies, 3700 O St. NW, WDC 20057. The Asian Studies Program invites you to a conversation on Taiwan's struggle for democracy and outlook for a democratic future with Michael Fonte, Director of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Mission in the U.S., Michael Chen (MASIA '18), Research Associate, DPP Mission in the U.S., and Janice Chen (LAW '09), Senior Associate, DPP Mission in the U.S. The event will be moderated by Dr. Kristen Looney, Assistant Professor of Asian Studies. This event will not be political in nature, rather a conversation about Taiwan's democratic past and future. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2822222081152110/.

62] – There is usually a silent vigil on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, sponsored by Homewood Friends Meeting, outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St.  The next scheduled vigil is on Mar. 22. Black Lives Matter.  

63] – On Fri., Mar 22 from 6:30 to 9 PM, catch the film screening and panel discussion, hosted by the Anne Arundel County Chapter Healthcare is a Human Right at the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center, 1101 Smithville St., Annapolis 21401.  Get tickets at www.hchrmd.org.  Join the Anne Arundel Chapter of Healthcare is Human Right Maryland and Showing Up for Racial Justice Annapolis and Anne Arundel County (SURJ 3A) for a film screening and panel discussion of POWER TO HEAL, an hour-long documentary that tells a chapter in the historic struggle to secure equal and adequate access to healthcare for all Americans. Central to the story is the tale of how a new national program, Medicare, was used to mount a dramatic, coordinated effort that desegregated thousands of hospitals across the country in a matter of months. More info on the film can be found at: www.blbfilmproductions.com. Afterwards there is a panel discussion about inequality in healthcare today and the movement for universal healthcare. See https://www.facebook.com/events/376511439596403/.

64] – On Fri., Mar 22 from 7 to 8:30 PM, see a screening of TIDEWATER, hosted by St. Luke's Church On The Avenue, Hampden, 800 W. 36th St., Baltimore 21211. Blue Water Baltimore will be at St. Luke's for the next piece of an environmental stewardship plan - a short documentary, and a Q&A on a range of water related topics including storm water management and water infrastructure in the city of Baltimore.  See the trailer here: https://youtu.be/YQt-weNC-9A. Sea level rise is happening and Hampton Roads, Virginia, is on the frontline. Home to the world's largest naval base, 17 local jurisdictions, and 2 million citizens, the rising waters and sinking land could have a devastating effect. TIDEWATER tells the personal story of a community accustomed to hardship and sacrifice through its military service. Now they’re coming together to create a new approach to building a resilient America, ready for the environmental realities of the 21st century. If Hampton Roads succeeds, it will mean success on several levels. They'll save their homes, schools, businesses, and that's no mean feat. But they'll also create a powerful template for success, a model other regions can use to prepare for and deal with disaster. See https://www.facebook.com/events/482779848920384/.

65] – There is an opportunity to participate in ballroom dancing, usually every Friday of the month, in the JHU ROTC Bldg. at 8 PM.  Turn south on San Martin Dr. from the intersection of Univ. Parkway and 39th St.  Drive on campus by taking the third left turn. The next dance will be on Mar. 22. Call Dave Greene at 301-570-3283; or email eneergdivad@gmail.com.

66] –On Sat., Mar 23 from 10 AM to 6 PM, March For Sudan, hosted by Sudanese Americans for Non-Violent Demonstrations—SAND at 100 15th St. NW, WDC 20560. After the march ends at 12:45 P.  The program will go from 2:30 to 5:45 PM.  Contact Jalelah Ahmed, Communications Director, at (814) 880-7111 or sandforsudan@gmail.com. The RALLY is at the Lincoln Memorial, WDC 20037. MARCH ON WASHINGTON TO ANSWER SUDAN’S CALLS FOR DEMOCRACY AND TO URGE CONGRESS TO PUSH FOR THE REMOVAL OF MOHAMED ATTA, SUDAN’S TOP DIPLOMAT IN WASHINGTON. THEY SUPPORT THE RIGHT FOR PEACEFUL PROTEST AND SEEK JUSTICE FOR ALL THE VICTIMS OF BASHIR’S RUTHLESS REGIME. For the past three months, uprisings across Sudan have ignited a world-wide call for the immediate resignation of thirty-year dictator, Omar Al Bashir. These calls have been answered with deadly opposition as the government has resorted to using armed militias to crack down on civilians. Militias have used tear gas, live ammunition and batons, killing at least 70 people and injuring thousands more. Additionally, the list of those being detained without charge grows everyday as the government’s militia forces actively rake the streets kidnapping peaceful protesters.

Hundreds have sustained beatings, some reporting that they were electrocuted. Militia forces have been caught on camera running over protesters with their trucks, kicking in doors to homes, dragging suspected protesters into the streets in cities all over Sudan. Video evidence shows the militias beating them forcefully with batons and sticks in the head and chest. This has been Bashir’s response to the protesters demands for affordable bread and fuel. The demands have ignited a call for Peace and Democracy and for the National Congress Party and Bashir, to step down.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/817973981872604/.

67] – Loyola University is organizing York Road Community Days, which are two hour volunteer days on Saturday mornings.  This spring, Community Days are scheduled for March 23, March 30, April 13 and April 27. Loyola students have the opportunity to paint, garden, clean, and more in local neighborhoods and along the York Road Corridor through the leadership of local residents.  At the direction of York Road Partnership's Public Spaces & Greening Committee, the focus this spring is maintenance over 75 tree pits on York Road.  If you're interested in signing up as a group leader to work on tree pits, email memcsweeney@loyola.edu.  If you have a project in your own neighborhood to lead, please fill out the form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKgXqwAw1VmMkYtpFlTQghEM9_QxSKVj7i6hr-RT-Y-Xyw-w/viewform.

68] – Each Saturday, 11 AM – 1 PM, Chester County Peace Movement holds a peace vigil in West Chester in front of the Chester County Courthouse, High & Market Sts. Go to www.ccpeace.org. Email ccpeacemovement@aol.com. 

69] –  Beginning on Sat., Mar. 23 from 1 to 4 PM, the Immigration Outreach Service Center will hold its second cohort of Computer Literacy classes for immigrant women. This is a great opportunity for women with some English skills to learn how to use a computer and how to search for jobs online.  Classes will be held at the St. Matthew Rectory, 5401 Loch Raven Blvd., Baltimore 21239 for three hours every Saturday through May 11th, with the exception of Easter weekend, April 20th. Email info@ioscbaltimore.org or call 410-323-8564.

70] -- On Sat., March 23 from 5:30 to 7 PM, check out the Environmental Film Festival for "Anthropocene: the Human Epoch," hosted by AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring 20910.  Tickets are at silver.afi.com.  The third in a trilogy (following 2006's MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES and 2013's WATERMARK), ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH takes viewers on a worldwide tour narrated by Alicia Vikander, from concrete seawalls in China, which now cover 60 percent of the mainland coast, to the biggest terrestrial machines ever built in Germany; potash mines in Russia's Ural Mountains; a heavy metal festival in the closed city of Norilsk, Siberia; the devastated Great Barrier Reef in Australia; and lithium evaporation ponds in South America's Atacama Desert. High-end production values and state-of-the-art camera techniques capture evidence of human planetary domination. At the intersection of art and science, this film bears witness to a critical moment in geological history. It is in English, Russian, Italian, German, Mandarin and Cantonese with English subtitles. The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital runs until March 24. For the full schedule of films screening at AFI, visit: http://bit.ly/2U5cvex. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1736653069770082/.

71] – The Kings Bay Plowshares 7 are looking for a SHORT-TERM PAID ORGANIZER.  Go to https://www.kingsbayplowshares7.org/help-wanted/ or contact Sarah Cool at 404.449.7893.

72] – It is a violation of U.S. law for us to attack a country that has not attacked us, as only Congress can declare war. The Trump administration is nevertheless beating the war drums for war against Iran and Venezuela. The Mueller investigation is tightening the vise, and could cause Trump to attack those countries in order to divert attention from Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Such a military strike would demand an immediate and unequivocal response from us to show that we will not tolerate his abuse of power.

Let's mobilize to show that we the people will not tolerate another military adventure, which would be bound to have profound negative consequences. If a preemptive military strike against Iran or North Korea takes place, then meet outside the War Memorial, 101 N. Gay St., Baltimore, MD 21202. If the attack is before 2 PM local time, then events will begin at 5 PM, local time. If the attack occurs after 2 PM local time, then events will begin at noon, local time, the following day. Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

73] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs, records, tarps and table cloths, contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

74] -- Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-323-1637 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

75] -- Join an extraordinary global campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons: http://www.globalzero.org/sign-declaration. A growing group of leaders around the world is calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and a majority of the global public agrees.  This is an historic window of opportunity.  With momentum already building in favor of Zero, a major show of support from people around the world could tip the balance. When it comes to nuclear weapons, one is one too many.

76] – A Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil takes place every day in Lafayette Park, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 24 hours a day, since June 3, 1981. Go to http://prop1.org; call 202-682-4282.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

“One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the US around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better" - Daniel Berrigan