Baltimore Nonviolence Center

Friday, September 20, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert -- September 18 - 19, 2019

16] Why Democracy Matters for Muslim-Majority – Sept. 18

17] Resolve 2019 Global Forum – Sept. 18

18] Avoiding Failure in Afghanistan – Sept. 18

19] Parole Reform – Sept. 18

20] Naomi Klein in D.C. – Sept. 18

21] Carroll County Poor Peoples Campaign meeting – Sept. 18

22] Shut Down D.C. meeting – Sept. 18

23] Liberal Democracy? – Sept. 18

24] Eidinger v Evans Birthday Extravaganza – Sept. 18

25] The Nuclear Spies – Sept. 18

26] Talk About Climate, Talk About Race – Sept. 18

27] The Nuclear Ban Treaty – Sept. 19

28] Adapting to New Climate Realities – Sept. 19

29] Access To Employment – Sept. 19

30] Yappy Hour – Sept. 19

31] Community Climate Meeting – Sept. 19

32] Racial Equity in MoCo – Sept. 19

33] Segregation still divides – Sept. 19

34] A Night with Asylum Seekers – Sept. 19

35] Communities United Committee Night – Sept. 19

36] Poster-making party – Sept. 19

37] One Person, One Vote – Sept. 19

38] Fusion Centers – Sept. 19

39] Plastic Bag Survey – Sept. 19

40] CLIMATE STRIKE KICKOFF – Sept. 19

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16] – On Wed., Sept. 18 from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, get over to the 20th Annual Conference: Why Democracy Matters for Muslim-Majority, hosted by The Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy – CSID in the Copley Formal Lounge, Copley Hall, WDC 20007. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2346511175581083/.

17] – On Wed., Sept. 18 from 9 AM to 5 PM, come to Resolve 2019 Global Forum, hosted by the United States Institute of Peace, 2301 Constitution Ave. NW, WDC 20037. Get your tickets at www.usip.org. Despite progress in countering violent extremism, it still poses challenges that have grown more lethal and complex as new actors and conflicts arise. To face these emerging trends, policymakers and practitioners require global insights—grounded in research—into sources of resilience and vulnerability. The annual RESOLVE Global Forum will bring together top scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to reflect on past efforts, explore prevailing myths, and discuss strategies to recalibrate the way forward in addressing violent extremism.

RESOLVE’s mission is to provide insights into violent extremism around the world, elevate local voices and analysis, and increase connectivity between research, policy, and practice. The rise in violent extremism globally lends urgency to reflect on and highlight successful approaches, refocus research and practice, and find areas for collaboration. The full-day public event, which features a series of panel discussions and TED Talk-style presentations with leading experts, will aim to reset priorities and understand the contemporary challenges to countering violent extremism. RSVP at https://www.usip.org/events/resolve-2019-global-forum. See https://www.facebook.com/events/932607950466432/.

18] – On Wed., Sept. 18 from 10:30 AM to noon, get with Avoiding Failure in Afghanistan: Prospects for US Engagement, hosted by Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies in Dupont Circle, WDC 20009. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/3584796464879301/.

19] – Join Marc Steiner on Wed., Sept. 18 from 6 to 7:30 PM at The Real News Network (TRNN), 231 Holliday St., Baltimore 21202, for a conversation on parole reform. A short film will be followed by a panel discussion. The event is hosted by the Justice Policy Institute. Also attending will be members of "the Unger class," a cohort of people -- which includes TRNN Executive Producer Eddie Conway -- who received life sentences in trials tainted by unconstitutional jury instructions. The historic Unger decision resulted in the release of almost 200 people from Maryland prisons who had served an average of more than 30 years. It also created a natural case study from which other states can learn. Data on how the Ungers have fared offers a unique look at how states can safely and effectively provide meaningful opportunities for release through reentry planning. It also provides a comprehensive examination of the high cost to warehouse individuals versus the cost of safely returning them back to their families and communities. Email talk@steinershow.org. See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-story-that-needs-to-be-told-maryland-parole-and-the-ungers-tickets-70282991319.

20] – On Wed., Sept. 18 from 5:30 to 6:30 PM, hear Naomi Klein & Rev. Lennox Yearwood, hosted by Shut Down DC-Climate Strike at the Friends Meeting of Washington, 2111 Florida Ave. NW, WDC 20008. They will join the final mobilizing meeting before the Shut Down on September 23rd. See https://www.facebook.com/events/507315563149530/.

21] – The Carroll County Regional Coordinating Committee of the Poor Peoples Campaign will meet on Wed., Sept. 18 from 6 to 8 PM at the Westminster Library, 50 East Main St., Westminster. See what is going on in Carroll County and how you can be involved!

22] – On Wed., Sept. 18 from 6 to 8:30 PM, join the Shut Down DC-Climate Strike Orientation & Spokes Council Meeting at the Friends Meeting of Washington, 2111 Florida Ave. NW, WDC. Youth leaders from around the world have called for a climate strike and global week of action from September 20th-27th. They have been taking the lead so far, but now they are calling on all of us to take action. In Washington, DC, answer the call and build on the momentum of the youth climate strikes in a major way by shutting down D.C. on Sept. 23.

Affinity groups will be formed to take responsibility for shutting down business as usual. If this is your first meeting, come at 6 PM so you can get up to speed on the action plan and organizing structure so you can hit the ground running when the spokes council meeting starts at 7 PM. The Shut Down DC spokes council is the organizing and decision making body of the ShutDownDC action. It’s open to anyone but priority is given to coordination and joint decision making between working groups and affinity groups that have been working to make ShutDownDC. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/1251858704985070/?event_time_id=1251858708318403.

23] – On Wed., Sept. 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, the DIS University will examine Liberal Democracy and Drivers of Exclusion, hosted by The Baltimore Museum of Art. Is liberal democracy an oxymoron? Can "liberalism" and "democracy" coexist? Join a discussion on the social and political frictions that arise from the interaction between these concepts. Lester K. Spence, Ph.D, author of "Knocking The Hustle: Against the Neoliberal Turn in Black Politics" and Associate Professor of Political Studies and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University, will be joined in conversation with media theorist McKenzie Wark, whose work examining liberalism and democracy is featured in the DIS: A Good Crisis exhibition currently on view at the BMA. The discussion will be moderated by artist and organizer Lee Heinemann.

A Good Crisis will be open from 5 to 6:30 PM, and the event's first 50 guests will receive a free DIS U travel mug. Get with the pop-up coffee shop and bookstore presented by Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse and Thread Coffee Roasters. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2401116273506374/.

24] – On Wed., Sept. 18 from 6:30 to 10:30 PM, check out Eidinger v Evans Birthday Extravaganza, hosted by Recall Jack Evans at 2448 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20008-2804. Join the Committee to Hold Jack Evans Accountable for Adam Eidinger's birthday fundraiser. In order to raise funds for the campaign to Recall Jack Evans, there is a required donation of $10, a suggested donation of $51, and for those with the resources to spare, a maximum donation of $500. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/1374973616011514/.

25] – On Wed., Sept. 18 at 6:30 PM, attend a book talk about The Nuclear Spies with Vince Houghton at the International Spy Museum, 700 L'Enfant Plaza SW, WDC 20024. Visit https://www.spymuseum.org/calendar/detail/the-nuclear-spies/2019-09-18/. TICKETS ARE $10, BUT MEMBERS OF THE INNER CIRCLE GET IN FOR $8. When the Soviet Union detonated its first atomic bomb in 1949, the US was taken by complete surprise. Literally. American intelligence services had overlooked the signs that the Soviets were about to go nuclear. How did they miss this bombshell? Especially after their spectacular success gathering information about the Nazis’ plan for a nuclear weapon during WWII. Spy Museum historian/curator Vince Houghton reveals the triumphs and the spectacular failures of the US’s mid-20th century scientific intelligence pursuits in his new book The Nuclear Spies. Houghton will sit down with Spy Museum curator/historian Alexis Albion for a discussion of the fraught period when weapons and military capabilities surged exponentially and intelligence agencies desperately sought to keep up. Guests will have a chance to see nuclear intelligence artifacts from Houghton’s personal collection.

26] – On Wed., Sept. 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, catch Why You Can't Talk About Climate Without Talking About Race, hosted by Arch Street United Methodist Church, 55 N. Broad St., Philadelphia 19107. Tickets are at salsa3.salsalabs.com. A generation ago, Black, Brown, and low-income communities alerted the world to environmental racism: more toxins, fewer jobs, more pollution, and less voice in Black and Brown communities. Today, we’re seeing these same disasters multiplied by climate crisis. Join POWER’s Climate Justice and Jobs team in looking at Climate Crisis through an anti-racist lens. Imagine community building by envisioning an economy that puts people and the planet first. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/388985858476488/.

27] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 at 10 AM, catch The Nuclear Ban Treaty - The Path Forward at the Perry World House - University of Pennsylvania Campus, Philadelphia. This is sponsored by the Coalition for Peace Action with multiple speakers. Go to https://www.peacecoalition.org/chapters-2/1039-the-nuclear-ban-treaty-the-path-forward.html. This is a day-long conference about nuclear issues. In the morning, there will be workshops, and there will be an afternoon keynote and panel discussion. One of the speakers will be Dr. Elaine Scarry, author of “Thermonuclear Monarchy,” and Joe Cirincione, Ploughshares Fund President. If you would like to carpool from Princeton, email cfpa@peacecoalition.org.

28] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 from 12:15 to 1:45 PM, go to Adapting to New Climate Realities: Doing More, Better, and New, hosted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 1201 I St., WDC 20005. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 AM. The Global Commission on Adaptation seeks to highlight the adaptation challenges confronting poor people, notably poor farmers whose livelihoods are fragile and dependent on the weather and launch a year of action to begin rising to meet this challenge. In this seminar, IFPRI researchers advance paths towards meeting the adaptation challenge by doing more, better, and new. Register for this FREE event at https://adaptingtonewclimaterealities.eventbrite.com. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2398867427048173/.

29] – Regional Economic Study Institute Roundtables continue with the third event -- Access To Employment on Thurs., Sept. 19 at 3 PM at 7400 York Road, Suite 301, Towson. With Baltimore and its perceived, and real social ills atop national news of late, the Regional Economic Study Institute at Towson University has scheduled five roundtables on challenges facing the city and region and how to address them. RSVP at http://www.engagetu.com/2019/08/07/resi-to-host-roundtables-on-disparities-in-baltimore-city/.

30] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 from 5 to 8 PM, there is a Maryland SPCA Yappy Hour at Cafe Hon, 1002 W. 36th St., Baltimore 21211. Grab your fur-less pals and enjoy mouth-watering food and drink specials. A portion of the proceeds will benefit homeless and unwanted animals at the MD SPCA. Tag a friend! Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/375480413352800/.

31] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 from 6 to 8:30 PM, get over to a Community Climate Meeting with CleanChoice Energy, hosted by the League of Conservation Voters and CleanChoice Energy at Busboys and Poets Takoma, 235 Carroll St. NW, WDC 20012. RSVP at https://bit.ly/2MGGtFB!

Bring your energy bill with you so that you can sign up for clean energy on the spot! Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1333789073463526/.

32] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 from 6 to 9 PM, come to a People's Forum: Racial Equity in MoCo, hosted by Impact Silver Spring at VisArts, 155 Gibbs St., #300, Rockville 20850. Right now, elected officials are drafting racial equity legislation for Montgomery County. The legislation, if done right, could actualize values and make a serious dent in the persisting inequities in this county. Individuals who will be affected most by a county racial equity policy are strongly encouraged to attend.

Interpretation and a light dinner will be provided. The event is organized by the Montgomery County Racial Equity Network, which seeks to ensure that Montgomery County develops policies that make concrete, tangible, and measurable changes to eliminate racial inequities and injustices in our communities. The Network is made up of individual community activists, as well as local, community-focused organizations for whom racial equity is a priority. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2398646230389269/.

33] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 from 6 to 7:30 PM, catch up with The Lines Between Us: At School and At Home with Lawrence Lanahan, hosted by the Poverty & Race Research Action Council at 740 15th St. NW, Suite 300, WDC 20005. Doors open at 5:30 PM, and light refreshments will be available. A livestream will be available here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/PRRAC/videos/. DC's own Kramerbooks will be on-site selling copies of "The Lines Between Us: Two Families and a Quest to Cross Baltimore's Racial Divide" by Lawrence Lanahan.

Segregation continues to divide American neighborhoods and public schools. School desegregation plans have been dismantled, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently moved to weaken the Disparate Impact standard, one of the most powerful legal tools available to counter residential segregation and other forms of discrimination. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/419881468875913/.

34] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 from 6:30 to 8 PM, get over to A Night with Asylum Seekers: Storytelling, hosted by The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW, WDC 20009. Tickets are at www.phillipscollection.org. The Asylum Seeker Assistance Project (ASAP) invites six clients to the Phillips for an evening of storytelling followed by an audience Q&A. The stories will focus on the theme of "hope." ASAP is the first and only nonprofit exclusively dedicated to serving the estimated 50,000 asylum seekers living in the D.C. Metro region. Through direct services, education, and community support, ASAP empowers asylum seekers to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/2358272521156972/.

35] – The Communities United Committee Night is happening on Thurs., Sept. 19 with a potluck at 6 PM, followed by the meeting at 6:30 PM at 2221 Maryland Ave., Baltimore 21218. Call 4210-513-9001 or go to www.marylandcu.org.

36] – Sojo is teaming up with Young Evangelicals for Climate Action to host a free poster-making party in D.C. on Thurs., Sept. 19 from 7 to 10 PM at Sojourners, 408 C St. NE, WDC 20002. There will be lots of food, poster-making supplies, music, and good company. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/2959628754110191/.

37] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 from 7 to 9 PM, get over to One Person, One Vote: The Challenge of American Democracy, hosted by the ACLU of Maryland and Maryland Institute College of Art, Falvey Hall - MICA Brown Center, 1301 West Mount Royal Ave., Baltimore 21217. Tickets are at action.aclu.org. Hear a discussion of the threats and opportunities facing our democracy. Discuss the many recent voting rights threats that have gained steam under the Trump administration. Address how racist legacies of the past, like the Jim Crow holdover idea of linking the right to vote to incarceration, continue to threaten democracy today. MAKE SURE you RSVP HERE -> http://bit.ly/2mfFGQ7. See https://www.facebook.com/events/901326373578056/.

38] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 from 7 to 10 PM, Brendan McQuade will discuss his book “Pacifying the Homeland: Intelligence Fusion and Mass Supervision” at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St, Baltimore, Maryland 21201. The United States has poured over a billion dollars into a network of interagency intelligence centers called “fusion centers.” These centers were ostensibly set up to prevent terrorism, but politicians, the press, and policy advocates have criticized them for failing on this account. So why do these security systems persist? Pacifying the Homeland travels inside the secret world of intelligence fusion, looks beyond the apparent failure of fusion centers, and reveals a broader shift away from mass incarceration and toward a more surveillance- and police-intensive system of social regulation.

Provided with unprecedented access to domestic intelligence centers, Brendan McQuade uncovers how the institutionalization of intelligence fusion enables decarceration without fully addressing the underlying social problems at the root of mass incarceration. The result is a startling analysis that contributes to the debates on surveillance, mass incarceration, and policing and challenges readers to see surveillance, policing, mass incarceration, and the security state in an entirely new light. See http://redemmas.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/events/2142090602752291/.

39] – On Thurs., Sept. 19 from 7 to 8:30 PM, participate in a Training for Plastic Bag Survey in Frederick County, organized by the Catoctin Group of the Sierra Club at C Burr Artz, Children’s Room, 110 E Patrick St., Frederick 21701. Contact Kerri Hesley at khesley@comcast.net or (301) 730-3339. Help conduct a survey of the types of bags used by shoppers in about 20 grocery stores in Frederick County in several grocery chains (Food Lion, Giant, Giant Eagle, Safeway, Wegmans, and Weis Markets). The volunteers will observe and record shoppers’ bag choices for one hour at each store exit – reusable bags, plastic bags, paper bags, and unbagged merchandise. The survey is observational and does not involve contact or interviews with the shoppers. If you’d like to volunteer to conduct the survey at a grocery store near you, all volunteers who wish to participate in data collection must take the training.

The survey will take place over three weekends in September and October, with the results presented at the Catoctin Sierra Club's fall meeting on October 5th. The results will be used to advocate for local and state-wide legislation to reduce use of single use plastic bags and raise use of reusable bags.

40] – The CLIMATE STRIKE KICKOFF is happening on Thurs. , Sept. 19 at 7:30 PM at Johns Hopkins University, Remsen Hall, Room 101, 3400 N. Charles St. Baltimore 21218. The screening of "The Reluctant Radical" is designed to energize everyone to get out in the streets. Check out https://www.thereluctantradicalmovie.com/.

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 -- September 20 - 21, 2019

41] Experiences of Women Who Flee Central America – Sept. 20

42] Red Sea Rivalries – Sept. 20

43] JHU students join climate strike – Sept. 20

44] DC Climate Strike – Sept. 20

45] Philly, Wilmington and Newark Climate Strike – Sept. 20

46] MICA Day of Action – Sept. 20

47] Baltimore Climate Strike – Sept. 20

48] Food Rescue – Sept. 20

49] White House vigil– Sept. 20

50] WIB peace vigils – Sept. 20

51] Alabama to DC End Prison Slavery -- Sept. 20

52] Peace and justice vigil – Sept. 20

53] Peace talks with local peacebuilders – Sept. 20

54] The Moment Was Now – Sept. 20 to 22

55] Ballroom Dancing – Sept. 20

56] Canvass for the Bernie Campaign – Sept. 21

57] September 21 is the International Day of Peace. – Sept. 21

58] Deep Canvass with Showing Up for Racial Justice – Sept. 21

59] We the People March – Sept. 21

60] Poor Peoples Campaign general meeting – Sept. 21

61] Peace Vigil -- Sept. 21

62] Our Revolution discussion on the climate crisis – Sept. 21

63] Tennessee Williams One Act play – Sept. 21

64] Celebrate 40 years of revolution in Nicaragua – Sept. 21

65] How Going Vegan Saved My Sight – Sept. 21

66] Two Berrigan Books still in print

67] Emergency Demonstration against an attack on Venezuela or Iran

68] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

69] Do you need any book shelves?

70] Join the Global Zero campaign.

71] Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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41] – On Fri., Sept. 20 from 9:30 AM to 1 PM, hear about the Experiences of Women Who Flee Central America, hosted by the Center for Victims of Torture at the Organization of American States, 200 17th St. NW. Artists and experts will come together for a one-day event to explore, describe and represent the lives of women who have fled Central America. Original artwork created especially for this event will be displayed while panelists discuss why so many women decide to leave their homes, the effects of current policies in the Americas, and recommendations to better address the needs and demands of these women as migrants and in their countries of origin. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1684547648344081/.

42] – On Fri., Sept. 20 from 10:30 AM to noon, get over to Red Sea Rivalries: Middle East Competition in the Horn of Africa, hosted by United States Institute of Peace, 2301 Constitution Ave. NW, WDC 20037. Tickets are at www.usip.org. A new geopolitical paradigm is emerging in the Horn of Africa: Middle Eastern states are playing an increasingly assertive role throughout the region. As Sudan and Ethiopia undergo their most significant political transitions since the Cold War—affecting the future of nearly 150 million people—the jostling for dominance among the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, on the one hand, and Turkey and Qatar, on the other, is fueling instability and insecurity in an already fractious region. As part of the U.S. Institute of Peace’s ongoing “Red Sea Rising” multi-track initiative, please join us for the release of the International Crisis Group’s forthcoming report unpacking the regional goals, motivations, and often conflicting aims of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

The report, based on conversations with senior officials on both sides of the Red Sea, examines how outside forces are jockeying to build political influence and carve out pivotal positions in the Horn of Africa’s emerging economy. At this historic juncture for the region, Crisis Group researchers will present the report’s main findings, followed by a panel discussion with experts from the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. RSVP at https://www.usip.org/events/red-sea-rivalries-middle-east-competition-horn-africa. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/444722533051721/.

43] – On Fri., Sept. 20 from 11 AM to 2 PM, Hopkins students will attend the DC Climate Strike, hosted by Refuel Our Future at the United States Capitol, WDC 20515. Walk out of class at 10:45 AM and go to the Barnes and Noble JHMI shuttle stop at 11 AM. More info at https://www.facebook.com/events/1752039468427922/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/638718306621576/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/1364375563737100/.

44] – On Fri., Sept. 20 from 11 AM to 2 PM, join the DC Climate Strike, hosted by DC Youth Climate Strike at John Marshall Park, 400 BLOCK OF CONSTITUTION Ave. NW, WDC 20001. Then March to Capitol Hill. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1752039468427922/.

45] – On Fri., Sept. 20 from 11 AM to 2 PM, join the Global Climate Strike at City Hall, Philadelphia, PA. In Wilmington, DE, it is happening from 12:30 to 3 PM at Wilmington Friends School. Email carolclapham@gmail.com. In Newark, DE, the Sierra Club is hosting a Climate Strike at Univ. of Delaware from 1 to 3:30 PM on the central green in front of Memorial Hall, S. College Ave. and Amstel Ave., Newark, DE 19711.

46] – On Fri., Sept. 20 from 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM, get over to the MICA Day of Action, hosted by the MICA Center for Creative Citizenship in Cohen Plaza, Baltimore. The Center and the Voter Access team are excited to announce MICA’s first annual Day of Action! Following MICA's Constitution Day Symposium, this is a day for the MICA community to launch into collective action! Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/2383737475199318/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/483243982255335/.

47] – On Fri., Sept. 20 from noon to 2 PM, join the Baltimore Climate Strike, hosted by the Sunrise Movement Baltimore and many other groups at the Inner Harbor, 201 E Pratt St, Baltimore 21230. Then march along Calvert St. to Fayette St., and then to City Hall. Email bmoreclimatewalkout@gmail.com. More information about the strike can be found at https://strikewithus.org/.

It's no secret that our climate is in crisis, and the future of our planet in jeopardy, but you wouldn't know it looking at our "leaders." The youth of the world understand, however, and they aren't going to sit idly by while their hopes in dreams for a livable planet are destroyed before their very eyes.

Climate chaos is the biggest threat to the future of our lives, country, and world. Youth across the U.S. will lead a #ClimateStrike on September 20 to demand legislative action to combat climate change #StrikeWithUs. RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/baltimore-climate-march?. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/638718306621576/.

48] – On Fri., Sept. 20 from noon to 1 PM, Fridays at Grace Baptist Church, 3201 The Alameda., Baltimore 21218, are by Food Rescue Baltimore. Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/644335165987205/?event_time_id=644335232653865.

49] – The Dorothy Day Catholic Worker will host a peace vigil at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, on Fri., Sept. 20 at noon. Contact the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker: 202-882-9649, artlaffin@hotmail.com.

50] – Women in Black VIGILS FOR PEACE take place on Fri., Sept. 20 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.

51] – On Fri., Sept. 20 from 7:30 to 10:30 PM, get over to a party featuring Hip Hop artist Nikos with Alabama to DC End Prison Slavery, hosted by Rhizome DC, 6950 Maple St. NW, WDC 20012. Tickets are at withfriends.co. A delegation of family members with incarcerated loved ones will arrive all the way from Alabama to have their voices heard, say no to new prisons, and push the Department of Justice to take action. While the DOJ issued a report 5 months ago finding ongoing and extreme conditions of cruel and unusual punishment, the Alabama Dept. of Corruption has yet to be held accountable. As long as nothing happens, the lives of those we love remain at risk under conditions of torture, negligence, and corruption. The only "solution" Alabama politicians are moving forward on is an expansion of the prison industrial complex and modern day slavery: the construction of 3 new "mega-prisons."

Before the party from 4 to 6 PM there will be a press conference in Pershing Park. This will be a call to action originating from the Free Alabama Movement (a movement led by freedom fighters in Alabama who have helped organize and inspire many of the prison strikes of the last five years), Unheard Voices OTCJ, the FAM Queen team, supported by IWOC and Fight Toxic Prisons, and made possible by the magnificent show of solidarity among local DC abolitionist organizations who have tirelessly given their care and energy. Examine https://www.facebook.com/events/pershing-park/alabama-to-dc-end-prison-slavery/2347459988826715/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/2180718618721393/.

52] – There is usually a silent peace and justice 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 Sept. 20. Black Lives Matter.

53] – On Fri., Sept. 20, there is a meet and greet from 6 to 6:30 at the EATON WORKSHOP | BEVERLY SNOW ROOM, 1201 K St. NW, WDC 20005. It will be followed by a Talk and Q&A until 7 PM. Then there will be a reception until 8 PM. Peace Direct, in partnership with Eaton Workshop, is hosting a series of #peacetalks with local peacebuilders from conflict zones around the world. Speakers will discuss innovative and practical ways to promote a more peaceful society. They will also discuss ways in which individuals can practice building peace in their own communities. Peace Direct is an international NGO dedicated to stopping wars, one person at a time. It supports local people to stop violence and build long term peace in conflict zones throughout the world. See https://www.peacedirect.org.

Saba Ismail is a feminist and peace activist, and is working for the empowerment of young women. At the age of 15, she co-founded Aware Girls, a young-women-led organization working to strengthen the leadership capacity of young women in Pakistan so they can advocate for equal access of women to health, education, governance, political participation and other social services. The organization is active in a context of militancy and religious extremism, complicated by poor governance, poverty and low literacy. The young women of Aware Girls engage in Countering Violent Extremism programs, including those that dissuade young people from joining militant groups, create open spaces for dialogue, revitalize indigenous culture destroyed by militants, and promote nonviolence and pluralism in the community. She supports the idea of strengthening girls' voices to bring prosperity in her community and firmly believes that change has to come through the younger generation. Look at https://www.eatonworkshop.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/661328741017593/.

54] –The Cultural Worker Ensemble presents the world premiere of the musical, The Moment Was Now. It takes you back to 1869 in post-civil war Baltimore during the period of Reconstruction, a moment when America almost did the right thing. Echoing the current moment, the musical centers on the impassioned search for unity among the dynamic leaders of powerful movements, at a meeting convened by Frederick Douglass. Hope hangs in the balance at this turning point in US history. It was Written and Conceived by Gene Bruskin in Collaboration with Director and Choreographer Darryl! Moch. The Musical Director is Glenn Pearson with Chester Burke. The musical features Julia Nixon, Ariel Jacobson, Lecount Holmes, Jenna Rose Stein, and Darryl! Moch. It will be performed on Fri., Sept. 20 through Sun., Sept. 22 at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 811 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Buy tickets at www.themomentwasnow.com. Email genebruskin@gmail.com.

55] – 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 Sept. 20. Call Dave Greene at 301-570-3283; or email eneergdivad@gmail.com.

56] – Canvass for the Bernie Campaign at 10 AM on Sat., Sept. 21 at Essex Elementary, 100 Mace Ave., Essex 21221. The democratic primary is really heating up! Help OR Baltimore bring a victory for Bernie in 2020, and with it a major step in achieving the political revolution!

57] – September 21 is the International Day of Peace. Plan to come to New York City for a full weekend of events. See https://www.facebook.com/events/377385812960524/. On Fri., Sept. 20, the People's Climate Strike starts at Union Square at noon. Bring messages connecting militarism and the climate crisis. Check out https://strikewithus.org/nyc/ On Sat., Sept. 21, the Puerto Rico Independence March starts at 11 AM at 59th St. Columbus Circle and continues to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at the UN.

58] – On Sat., Sept. 21 from 11 AM to 5 PM, do a Deep Canvass with Showing Up for Racial Justice at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville. Sign up at https://forms.gle/8gPCAU9CUnbEXaLq8.Deep canvassing is a long-term, research-based strategy that SURJ is using to invite neighbors to re-think their support for systemic white supremacy. No canvassing experience is necessary, as the script and training will guide you as you engage white people in conversations about white supremacy - at their front doors! Give this exciting strategy a try, and practice initiating challenging conversations in a supportive environment. Email surjdeepcanvass@gmail.com. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/2074787809286786/?event_time_id=2074787832620117.

59] – On Sat., Sept. 21 from 11 AM to 2 PM, join the We the People March, hosted by Mormons for Progressive America at Freedom Plaza, 14th St. NW and Pennsylvania Ave., WDC 20004. We the People are marching to be seen and heard, to remind our elected officials that they work for us, to say the current regime is a threat to our democracy and values, to demand action. Silence and inaction are complicity. Get over to https://wethepeoplemarch.org/?fbclid=IwAR2tN0EENeQhNqERhHZ1lx690iF0PQWaLzNJssoUj_tEk4sF1AMR86cyVqo or https://www.facebook.com/events/1363654643811593/.

60] – The next Carroll County Regional Coordinating Committee of the Poor Peoples Campaign general meeting will be on Sat., Sept. 21 from 2 to 4 PM at Westminster Library, 50 E. Main St., Westminster. This meeting will include a panel discussion on the “State of and Barriers to Affordable Housing in Carroll County.” Together challenge systems that oppress people and create change on the local, state and national levels. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/436561996956250/.

61] – 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.

62] – On Sat., Sept. 21 from 12:30 to 2:30 PM, Our Revolution will discuss steps we can take now to confront the climate crisis here in Maryland. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Green New Deal in Congress to deal with the climate crisis on a national level. But what does a Green New Deal look like in Maryland? Delegate Vaughn Stewart (MD-19) will talk about the slate of Green New Deal bills he plans to introduce in the next legislative session – and David Guzman, Baltimore Community Organizer for CHISPA of Maryland League of Conservation Voters will discuss environmental justice issues facing the Latinx community in our state.

Come to the Enoch Pratt Free Library Canton Branch, 1030 S. Ellwood Avenue in Baltimore to talk about the Green New Deal in Maryland. Email info@ourrevolution.com.

63] – ONE DAY ONLY see a newly discovered, never produced Tennessee Williams One Act play, The Lady from the Village of Falling Flowers. The Spooky Action Theater will do the play, directed by Natsu Onoda Power, will have an Invited Dress Rehearsal on Sat., Sept. 21 at 3 PM at the Universalist National Memorial Church, 1810 16th St. NW, WDC 20009. Stay after the performance and meet director Natsu Onoda Power and actors Melissa Carter, Dylan Arredondo and Jared Graham. Call 202-248-0301. Go to https://spookyaction.secure.force.com/ticket.

64] – On Sat., Sept. 21 at 4 PM, come together for U.S. Hands Off Latin America! Celebrate 40 years of revolution in Nicaragua, featuring special guest Ambassador Luis Alvarado, hosted by the Answer Coalition at 617 Florida Ave. NW, WDC 20001-1852. On July 19, 1979, the Sandinistas marched triumphantly into Managua to the cheers of hundreds of thousands and claimed Nicaragua free of tyranny. Nicaragua became a beacon of hope for poor people across the globe and within the heart of the Empire itself.

As part of the general wave of anti-imperialism across Latin America and the Caribbean, Nicaragua is part of the Venezuelan-anchored ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of America) and uses revenues from oil sales to fund anti-poverty programs. Alvarado will speak on the importance of the Sandinista revolution in the context of U.S. imperialism today. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2430470770369266/.

65] – On Sat., Sept. 21 from 6 to 8:30 PM, get with Vegan for Peace potluck dinner, hosted by Earthsave Baltimore at Govans Presbyterian Church, 5828 York Road, Baltimore 21212. Earthsave's veg/vegan dinner series meets on the last Saturday of each month at Govans Presbyterian Church, next to the historic Senator Theater. Earthsave's mission is to help people learn a healthier and more peaceful way of eating and living. See www.earthsavebaltimore.org or www.facebook.com/events/405866220184740/.

How Going Vegan Saved My Sight and Gave Me New Vision with Trichelle Florence who will share the story of her recovery from Psuedotumor Cerebri. The disorder threatened to take her vision or require her to be on medication the rest of her life. Trichelle will be sharing the steps she took to overcome this and how veganism was ultimately the solution that saved her sight. Learn more about Trichelle at www.trichelleflorence.com.

Everyone’s welcome... vegans, vegetarians, veg curious, or omnivores. If you’d like to entertain, email Baltimore@earthsave.org, or call 410-252-3043. DINNER GUESTS may choose to either bring a dish made without animal products (to serve 8) plus $5 (members pay just $2) donation; pay $15 (members pay just $12) to enjoy dinner and presentation; or pay $5 for presentation only. If you plan to pay for dinner rather than bring a dish, RSVP by calling 410-252-3043, or emailing Baltimore@Earthsave.org. Drive around church to large parking lot, where you'll see the white Earthsave banner near the Fellowship Hall entry. Look up https://www.facebook.com/events/1371236299710107/.

66] – Two books by Fred Wilcox are still in print. The first one is “Fighting the Lamb's War Skirmishes with the American Empire” by Philip Berrigan and Fred A. Wilcox with a FOREWORD by Tripp York. It can be purchased by Wipf and Stock: https://wipfandstock.com/fighting-the-lamb-s-war.html. It is a Memoir in paperback/ISBN: 9781532660078/240 pages/republished 8/21/2018/ Retail Price: $26.00/and Web Price: $20.80.

The second one is “Uncommon Martyrs The Berrigans, the Catholic Left, and the Plowshares Movement” by Fred Wilcox, who profiles members of this anti-war movement, whose Christianity compels them to acts of civil disobedience against the military industrial complex. The ISBN is 0201522314/$6.50 for a hardcover, and it can be purchased at Powell's Books. See https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews/view/7094/uncommon-martyrs.

67] – The Trump Administration is again beating the war drums. Most recently, the target is Iran. Should the Trump administration initiate an act of war against Iran, consider joining us. It is a violation of U.S. law for the Trump Administration 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. Should a war criminal, John Bolton, convince Trump to attack either of these countries, 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 military strike against Iran or Venezuela takes place, then meet at 33rd and N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218. If the attack is before 2 PM local time, then the event will begin at 5 PM, local time. If the attack occurs after 5 PM local time, then the event will begin at 5 PM, local time, the following day. Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

68] -- 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.

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

70] -- 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.

71] – 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

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Will Americans Let Trump Start World War III for Saudi Arabia and Israel?

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Will Americans Let Trump Start World War III for Saudi Arabia and Israel?

If Congress successfully reclaims its constitutional authority over the US role in this conflict, it could be a critical turning point in ending the state of permanent war that the U.S. has inflicted on itself and the world since 2001.

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies

commondreams.org/views/2019/09/18/will-americans-let-trump-start-world-war-iii-saudi-arabia-and-israel

On Saturday, September 14th, two oil refineries and other oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia were hit and set ablaze by 18 drones and 7 cruise missiles, dramatically slashing Saudi Arabia’s oil production by half, from about ten million to five million barrels per day. On September 18, the Trump administration, blaming Iran, announced it was imposing more sanctions on Iran and voices close to Donald Trump are calling for military action. But this attack should lead to just the opposite response: urgent calls for an immediate end to the war in Yemen and an end to US economic warfare against Iran.

The question of the origin of the attack is still under dispute. The Houthi government in Yemen immediately took responsibility. This is not the first time the Houthis have brought the conflict directly onto Saudi soil as they resist the constant Saudi bombardment of Yemen. Last year, Saudi officials said they had intercepted more than 100 missiles fired from Yemen.

This is, however, the most spectacular and sophisticated attack to date. The Houthis claim they got help from within Saudi Arabia itself, stating that this operation “came after an accurate intelligence operation and advance monitoring and cooperation of honorable and free men within the Kingdom.”

This most likely refers to Shia Saudis in the Eastern Province, where the bulk of Saudi oil facilities are located. Shia Muslims, who make up an estimated 15-20 percent of the population in this Sunni-dominated country, have faced discrimination for decades and have a history of uprisings against the regime. So it is plausible that some members of the Shia community inside the kingdom may have provided intelligence or logistical support for the Houthi attack, or even helped Houthi forces to launch missiles or drones from inside Saudi Arabia.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, however, immediately blamed Iran, noting that that the air strikes hit the west and north-west sides of the oil facilities, not the south side that faces toward Yemen. But Iran is not to the west or northwest either - it is to the northeast. In any case, which part of the facilities were hit does not necessarily have any bearing on which direction the missiles or drones were launched from. Iran strongly denies conducting the attack.

CNN reported that Saudi and US investigators claim "with very high probability" that the attack was launched from an Iranian base in Iran close to the border with Iraq, but that neither the U.S. nor Saudi Arabia has produced any evidence to support these claims.

But in the same report, CNN reported that missile fragments found at the scene appeared to be from Quds-1 missiles, an Iranian model that the Houthis unveiled in July under the slogan, “The Coming Period of Surprises,” and which they may have used in a strike on Abha Airport in southern Saudi Arabia in June.

A Saudi Defence Ministry press briefing on Wednesday, September 18th, told the world’s press that the wreckage of missiles based on Iranian designs proves Iranian involvement in the attack, and that the cruise missiles flew from the north, but the Saudis could not yet give details of where they were launched from.

Also on Wednesday, President Trump announced that he has ordered the U.S. Treasury Department to “substantially” increase its sanctions against Iran. But existing U.S. sanctions already place such huge obstacles in the way of Iranian oil exports and imports of food, medicine and other consumer products that it is hard to imagine what further pain these new sanctions can possibly inflict on the besieged people of Iran.

U.S. allies have been slow to accept the U.S. claims that Iran launched the attack. Japan’s Defense Minister told reporters “we believe the Houthis carried out the attack based on the statement claiming responsibility.” The United Arab Emirates (UAE) expressed frustration that the U.S. was so quick to point its finger at Iran.

Tragically, this is how U.S. administrations of both parties have responded to such incidents in recent years, seizing any pretext to demonize and threaten their enemies and keep the American public psychologically prepared for war.

If Iran provided the Houthis with weapons or logistical support for this attack, this would represent but a tiny fraction of the bottomless supply of weapons and logistical support that the U.S. and its European allies have provided to Saudi Arabia. In 2018 alone, the Saudi military budget was $67.6 billion, making it the world’s third-highest spender on weapons and military forces after the U.S. and China.

Under the laws of war, the Yemenis are perfectly entitled to defend themselves. That would include striking back at the oil facilities that produce the fuel for Saudi warplanes that have conducted over 17,000 air raids, dropping at least 50,000 mostly U.S.-made bombs and missiles, throughout more than four long years of war on Yemen. The resulting humanitarian crisis also kills a Yemeni child every 10 minutes from preventable diseases, starvation and malnutrition.

The Yemen Data Project has classified nearly a third of the Saudi air strikes as attacks on non-military sites, which ensure that a large proportion of at least 90,000 Yemenis reported killed in the war have been civilians. This makes the Saudi-led air campaign a flagrant and systematic war crime for which Saudi leaders and senior officials of every country in their “coalition” should be held criminally accountable.

That would include President Obama, who led the U.S. into the war in 2015, and President Trump, who has kept the U.S. in this coalition even as its systematic atrocities have been exposed and shocked the whole world.

The Houthis’ newfound ability to strike back at the heart of Saudi Arabia could be a catalyst for peace, if the world can seize this opportunity to convince the Saudis and the Trump administration that their horrific, failed war is not worth the price they will have to pay to keep fighting it. But if we fail to seize this moment, it could instead be the prelude to a much wider war.

So, for the sake of the starving and dying people of Yemen and the people of Iran suffering under the “maximum pressure” of U.S. economic sanctions, as well as the future of our own country and the world, this is a pivotal moment.

If the U.S. military, or Israel or Saudi Arabia, had a viable plan to attack Iran without triggering a wider war, they would have done so long ago. We must tell Trump, Congressional leaders and all our elected representatives that we reject another war and that we understand how easily any U.S. attack on Iran could quickly spiral into an uncontainable and catastrophic regional or world war.

President Trump has said he is waiting for the Saudis to tell him who they hold responsible for these strikes, effectively placing the U.S. armed forces at the command of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has conducted U.S. foreign policy as a puppet of both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, making a mockery of his “America First” political rhetoric. As Rep. Tulsi Gabbard quipped, “Having our country act as Saudi Arabia's bitch is not ‘America First.’”

Senator Bernie Sanders has issued a statement that Trump has no authorization from Congress for an attack on Iran and at least 14 other Members of Congress have made similar statements, including his fellow presidential candidates Senator Warren and Congresswoman Gabbard.

Congress already passed a War Powers Resolution to end U.S. complicity in the Saudi-led war on Yemen, but Trump vetoed it. The House has revived the resolution and attached it as an amendment to the FY2020 NDAA military budget bill. If the Senate agrees to keep that provision in the final bill, it will present Trump with a choice between ending the U.S. role in the war in Yemen or vetoing the entire 2020 U.S. military budget.

If Americans fail to speak out now, we may discover too late that our failure to rein in our venal, warmongering ruling class has led us to the brink of World War III. We hope this crisis will instead awaken the sleeping giant, the too silent majority of peace-loving Americans, to speak up decisively for peace and force Trump to put the interests and the will of the American people above those of his unscrupulous allies.

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Global Exchange and CODEPINK: Women for Peace, is the author of the new book, Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Her previous books include: Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the U.S.-Saudi Connection; Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control; Don’t Be Afraid Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks from the Heart, and (with Jodie Evans) Stop the Next War Now (Inner Ocean Action Guide). Follow her on Twitter: @medeabenjamin

Nicolas J. S. Davies is the author of Blood On Our Hands: the American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq. He also wrote the chapters on "Obama at War" in Grading the 44th President: a Report Card on Barack Obama’s First Term as a Progressive Leader.

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