Baltimore Activist Alert -- January 18 -- 19, 2019

71] Youth Wave: A Pre-Women's March Gathering -- Jan. 18

72] Women Leading the Future of Sustainability – Jan. 18

73] Film “Reinventing Power”-- Jan. 18

74] Triumph of the Cuban Revolution – Jan. 18

75] Book Talk FROSTLANDS -- Jan. 18

76] Palestinian Music and Art – Jan. 18

77] MLK Black History Tribute – Jan. 18

78] Ballroom Dancing – Jan. 18

79] Coming up the MLK Parade – Jan. 18

80] Women’s Wave – Jan. 19

81] March with CodePink -- Jan. 19

82] March with WAND – Jan. 19

83] Women's March in Philadelphia, PA – Jan. 19

84] Baltimore Lobby Training: 100% Renewables – Jan. 19

85] Join ACLU at the 2019 Women's March! – Jan. 19

86] Baltimore Women's March -- Jan. 19

87] Peace Vigil – Jan. 19

88] Adoption Event and Bake Sale Fundraiser -- Jan. 19

89] Our Revolution Meeting -- Jan. 19

90] "The Trials of Muhammad Ali" – Jan. 19

91] UNWARRANTED – Jan. 19

92] Do you want to join a peace caravan?

93] Emergency Demonstration against an attack on Iran or North Korea  

94] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records  

95] Do you need any book shelves?

96] Join the Global Zero campaign

97] Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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71] – On Fri., Jan. 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, are you part of the Youth Wave: A Pre-Women's March Gathering, hosted by Women's March Youth at 1440 G St. NW, WDC 20005-2001.  If anything is for certain in 2019, it is that the power of young people will continue to push us towards progress. That’s why on the eve of the Women’s March, Women’s March Youth Empower is hosting Youth Wave: A Pre-Women’s March Gathering. Kick off a program that centers and amplifies the leadership of young people. Throughout the evening, build community with peers from around the country, write letters to Congress, create March posters, and more! And yes, there will be pizza!

Collect school supplies to benefit DC Public Schools. If you can, please bring crayons, Kleenex, glue sticks, dry erase markers, pencils, folders, erasers, construction paper, and markers to donate. This event is for young people ages 14 to 25 years old. Youth under 18 are required to have a chaperone, though a parent/guardian may sign a release waiver. Email youth@womensmarch.com to get a copy.  Refrain from wearing strong fragrances. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, email youth@womensmarch.com.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/324247744966515/.

72] – On Fri., Jan. 18 from 6 to 9 PM, check out Women Leading the Future of Sustainability, hosted by Sweta Chakraborty and Adapt To Thrive at Eaton Workshop (Eaton DC), 1201 K St. NW, WDC 20005. This will be an inspiring evening of conversation and collaboration to address the sustainability challenges ahead. The event is free -- #adapttothrive. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-leading-the-future-of-sustainability-tickets-54645859236, and go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1134206430086926/.

73] – Join co-sponsors, Green Sanctuary Committee at Towson Unitarian Universalist Church and Sierra Club’s Greater Baltimore Group/Maryland Energy Committee for a potluck & free movie showing of “Reinventing Power: America’s Renewable Energy Boom” on Fri., Jan. 18 @ 6:30 PM. Visit https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=7010Z000001PWJUQA4.  The event is at the Towson UUC, 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd., Lutherville 21093.  Contact Spice Kleinmann at spicearoni@gmail.com

74] – On Fri., Jan. 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM,  get over to the 60th Anniversary - Triumph of the Cuban Revolution, hosted by DC Metro Coalition in Solidarity with the Cuban Revolution at Saint Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church, 1525 Newton St. NW, WDC 20010. The July 26 Movement and the Rebel Army that Fidel Castro commanded ousted the U.S. backed murderous Fulgencio Batista dictatorship on Jan. 1, 1959. These two primary forces mobilized Cuba's toilers to topple the bloody regime, discard the U.S. oppressive economic and political dominance, and initiate radical land reform. Soon after the triumph, the new regime continued agrarian reform and expropriated foreign and domestic –owned property. Cuba’s strength remains in the hands of toilers that continue to defend its socialist revolution despite the U.S. blockade against it, U.S. occupation of Guantanamo, and countless attempts to assassinate its former leader Fidel. Some of the first acts of the revolutionary government were to desegregate all aspects of the Cuban society (e.g., public venues, beaches, bars, barber shops) and racial oppression; banned exploitation of where women could work only as maids or prostitutes; gave farmers titles to work the land; reduce rent to no more than 10% of one’s earnings. Cuba walked the talk. Cuba’s military missions to Angola and Namibia including the decisive battle of Cuito Cuanavale turned the tide to South Africa’s apartheid downfall. Cuba inspired both Grenada and Nicaragua to throw off the albatross of imperialism. Call 202-503–9465 or email dcmetrocoalitonforcuba@gmail.com.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/1795424223901171/.

75] – On Fri., Jan. 18 from 6:30 to 8 PM, hear “Frostlands,” an Author Talk with John Feffer, hosted by The Potter's House, 1658 Columbia Rd. NW, WDC 20009.  The book is about a splintered world on the edge of climate catastrophe and the one woman who might just be able to save it. Ariel Dorfman calls it "a cautionary journey into a future planetary collapse where the term “one per cent” is redefined in a terrifying way." A stand-alone sequel to the critically acclaimed “Splinterlands,” "Frostlands” is triumphant and absorbing science fiction, full of ecological and societal warnings," says Foreword Reviews. John Feffer is a playwright, foreign policy expert at the Institute for Policy Studies, and the author of several novels and books of non-fiction.  The Potter’s House is accessible for all mobility devices. There are no stairs for entry or throughout the space. The bathrooms are gender neutral, one of which has a changing table. If you have any questions or needs regarding accessibility, please feel free to reach out to Grace at grace@pottershousedc.org.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/1867450533384049/.

76] – Enjoy PALESTINIAN MUSIC & ART on Fri., Jan. 18 at 7 PM in Downtown Baltimore.  BYOB or bring vegan to share.  The inspiration for hosting such an event is owing to the special visit by a Palestinian American named Maad Abu-Ghazalah who lives in the West Bank where he runs a beautiful animal sanctuary called Daily Hugz. This organization rescues and rehabilitates injured, neglected, and abused dogs and donkeys. He has dedicated his family’s precious acres of olive fields there to provide a safe haven for these animals, as well as to host groups of school children, educating them on respecting the environment and animals.  This gathering is in a private home. RSVP For the address, daniellewilliamsmusic@gmail.com.

77] – On Fri., Jan. 18 at 7 PM, as part of MLK Black History Tribute, remember Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Leon Bates, etc. along with the Pacem in Terris Traveling Peace Art exhibit, and plenty more.  It is happening at the Music School of DE, Wilmington Branch Concert Hall, 4101 Washington St., Wilmington, DE. See https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3614025.

78] – 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 Jan. 18. Call Dave Greene at 301-570-3283; or email eneergdivad@gmail.com.

79] –  On Fri., Jan. 18 from 8 to 10 PM, get over to The AllEyesOnDC Show: Analyzing the Dr. King Peace Walk & Parade, hosted by Sam P.K. Collins at Sankofa Video Books & Café, 2714 Georgia Ave. NW, WDC 20001. Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes will grace the AllEyesOnDC stage to speak about the annual Dr. King Peace Walk & Parade, scheduled for the morning of Jan. 21.

This annual event, which launched in 1979, came about through grassroots efforts to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s memory in the wake of his assassination. Learn how the Ward 8 community led the charge to make Dr. King's birthday a federal holiday, through the peace walk and parade, and other means.

80] – This weekend is BIG - send a message to the Trump administration that the #WomensWave is powerful and will keep rising! You are invited to the Women's March on Sat., Jan. 19, when MomsRising staff and members will be raising their voices nationwide. RSVP  at https://action.momsrising.org/survey/WomensMarch_RSVP2019/?t=3&akid=11662%2E2545036%2EOjBREA.

81] – Join CODEPINK in marching and rallying behind some of the most radical and diverse Congresswomen in our history! Stand with them to say NO to endless war and YES to peace on Sat., Jan. 19 in Washington, DC! The United States Military is the greatest purveyor of terrorism and climate change around the world, which is why it’s so important to march with CODEPINK to send a message to Washington: Women demand Feminism NOT militarism! Wear PINK! Look for a pink peace flag to find the group! Email info@codepink.org.

82] – Women's Action for New Directions will attend the 2019 Women's March on Washington!  Please note that the 2019 Women's March on Washington has changed its location due to the government shutdown and weather, so the Anti-Nuclear War Contingent has too! Meet at Pershing Park at 10 AM.  The March will start at 11 AM and end at 12:15 PM back in Freedom Plaza.  Then the rally will begin immediately afterwards and conclude at 3:30 PM. See https://www.wand.org/.

83] – On Sat., Jan. 19 from 10 AM to 1 PM, get involved with the Women's March in Philadelphia, PA on the Ben Franklin Parkway. See http://www.womensmarchphl.com/.

84] – On Sat., Jan. 19 from 10 AM to noon, get over to Baltimore Lobby Training: 100% Renewables in MD, hosted by CCAN Action Fund at 2640 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21218.  We are at a crossroads here in Maryland, and it’s time to choose the path to 100% clean energy and remove public subsidies for trash incinerators! To do this, we need our legislators behind us.  Learn about the Clean Energy Jobs Act - a key bill we hope to pass this legislative session. Not only that, you will gain skills that are transferable to all progressive campaigns! Become the best climate advocate you can be in the new Maryland legislature. Learn to effectively advocate for a future in Maryland powered by 100% renewable energy and remove subsidies for trash incineration. And find out more about our upcoming Lobby Day in Annapolis on February 18!

85] – Join ACLU at the 2019 Women's March! Meet up with the ACLU at corner of 14th St. & I (eye) St. NW on Sat., Jan. 19 at 10:30 AM. This is near the McPherson Ave. Metro station. Email info@list.peoplepower.org.

86] – On Sat., Jan. 19 from 11 AM to 2 PM, join the Baltimore Women's March 2019 at the War Memorial Plaza, 100 Holliday St., Baltimore 21202. The March begins at noon through the streets of downtown. Check out all the Details on www.baltimorewomensmarch.org or https://www.facebook.com/events/231008481144577/.

87] – 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. 

88] – On Sat., Jan. 19 from noon  to 3 PM, there is an Adoption Event and Bake Sale Fundraiser, hosted by Saving Grace Animal Rescue of Maryland at the Petco Parkville, 7615 Harford RD. Parkville Shopping CENTER, Parkville 21234. Come out and meet some of our adoptable animals! Same day adoptions are limited to approved applicants only. Sweet treats will be for sale. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/283205559044281/.

89] – Our Revolution MD/Baltimore Membership Meeting is Sat., Jan. 19 from 12:30 to 2:30 PM at the Roland Park Library, 5108 Roland Ave., Baltimore 21210.  See http://ourrevolutionmd.com/event/ormd-baltimore-membership-meeting/.

90] – The ANSWER Coalition encourages you to be at a Party for Socialism and Liberation forum: Liberation Flicks--"The Trials of Muhammad Ali" on Sat., Jan. 19 at 4 PM at the Justice Center, 617 Florida Ave. NW.  Use the Shaw/Howard Metro (Yellow/Green Lines).  RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/382485445630614/. Light refreshments will be provided. Donations are encouraged.  The film covers the explosive crossroads of Ali’s life. When Cassius Clay becomes Muhammad Ali, his conversion to Islam and refusal to serve in the Vietnam War leave him banned from boxing and facing a five-year prison sentence. Ali’s choice of principles over fame and fortune resonates far beyond the boxing ring, striking issues of race, faith and identity that continue to confront us all today.

91] – On Sat., Jan. 19 from 5 to 7 PM, catch the Art exhibit at the Delaware Center for Justice UNWARRANTED: The Human Cost of Fines, Christina Cultural Arts Center, 705 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE. Check out https://www.facebook.com/DelawareCenterForJusticeInc/photos/gm.531981353878335/1368237789978780/?type=3&theater.

92] – Do you have any interest in challenging the Trump administration for reneging on the Iran Deal? If yes, would you be interested in joining a Peace Caravan to the Iranian embassy in Washington, D.C.? Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.  

93] – 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 North Korea. 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.

94] -- 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.

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

96] -- 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.

97] – 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

Love in a Cold War Climate

- www.counterpunch.org - https://www.counterpunch.org -

Love in a Cold War Climate

Posted By Jonah Raskin On January 15, 2019 @ 1:40 am In articles 2015 | 

Joanna Kulig and Tomasz Kot in Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War. Amazon Studios.

It’s not a Hollywood movie. That’s clear from the start. Cold War (2018), the feature film made by the Polish-born director, Pawel Pawlikowski, is in black-and-white. The characters have names like Wiktor, Kaczmarek and Mazurek, and the actors include Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot and Borys Szyc to give just a few from a large cast of characters. There isn’t a James, a Barbara or a Marilyn among them, though Kulig turns in a credible performance as a kind of Polish Marilyn Monroe who makes her way up the ladder of success and then throws it all away.

No American or British director has made a movie titled “Cold War,” but many American and British directors have taken slices from the big Cold War pie and hurled them at the big screen, some with logic and beauty. Think of Carol Reed’s The Third Man (1949), which is set in Vienna right after the end of World War II and that stars Orson Welles as Harry Lime, the American hustler and human rat out to make a profit at everyone else’s expense.

Think also of Stanley Kubrik’s Dr. Strangelove (1964) with Peter Sellers, George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden, which persuaded audiences to laugh at the nuclear apocalypse and not cower under it.

Pawel Pawlikowski was born in Warsaw in 1957, when the Cold War was very hot, indeed. The Russians launched Sputnik in 1957 and the space race was off and running. 

Pawlikowski left Poland at the age of 14, later attended Oxford University and made his first movie, From Moscow to Pietushki with Benny Yerofeyev, in 1990.

The Cold War has long haunted him. His film, Cold War, offers a Polish take on the mega conflict between the two superpowers, the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R., that mushroomed after the end of World War II and that ended, according to some American politicians, with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, which now seems like a long time ago and another era.

Revisionist historians such as D. F. Fleming, the author of The Cold War and Its Origins, 1917-1960, argue that the Cold War began when the Western powers tried to throttle the Bolshevik Revolution and prevent Communism from spreading like the plague. 

Contemporary pundits and journalists insist that the Cold War is alive and doing well, thank you, despite the seeming bromance between Trump and Putin, two thugs recycled from the junk heap of authoritarian personalities as old as Stalin and Joe McCarthy and as new as themselves.

Pawlikowski’s film has already won international recognition, including the award for best director at Cannes. It has been nominated for an Oscar as the best foreign film of 2018. Cold War has a lot going for it, including the romance between a dark, tall handsome man and a gorgeous, impulsive woman who love each other and betray each another, break up with one another and get back together again. Their relationship is as crazy as the Cold War itself. Joanna Kulig and Tomasz Kot play two lovers who can’t detach from one another, though their relationship is corrosive and though they wander back and forth from one side of the so-called “Iron Curtain” to the other and from East to West and back to East.

Pawlikowski uses music as a vehicle to tell his Cold War story, which doesn’t take sides, much as his lovers don’t affiliate permanently either with capitalism or Eastern bloc socialism.

Cold War moves from Polish folk music to western jazz and then to rock n’ roll. Each new musical wave carries the plot forward. Each one feels surprising as it unfolds on the screen, but at the end when one looks back at the movie, the music feels inevitable and predictable. Of course, there’s going to be jazz and then rock ‘n’ roll in a movie about a female singer and a male piano player and conductor in the 1940s and 1950s. But the music is also energetic and worth hearing.

Cold War offers stark Eastern European settings. The language is mostly Polish, with English subtitles and the pace is much slower than blockbuster Hollywood films. But it does have a Hollywood ending. Zula and Wiktor come together once again. Still, it’s not clear if they’re going to live with one another, or commit suicide and cross the boundary that divides life from death. If nothing else, they’re people who break boundaries.

I recommend the film. Joanna Kulig is beautiful, sexy and smart as Kulig [actually it is Zula]. Tomasz Kot is crafty, creative and romantic as Wiktor. The images on screen are enticing and the camera work is often dazzling. But the big draw is Pawlikowski’s handling of the Cold War, which has no precise beginning, no clear ending in sight, and that’s always ripe for artistic interpretation.

Viewers like me, and my peers who remember the deep-seated American fear of Communism will relate to the story instinctively. Those who came of age in the 1980s, when Reagan revived the Cold War, will likely remember the high jinks of that era and vault into the picture.

Members of those two generations and younger viewers will also identify with the characters who try to save their souls and their integrity as artists, and who are compromised by power politics and the ravages of the Cold War that nobody won.

Article printed from www.counterpunch.org: https://www.counterpunch.org

URL to article: https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/01/15/love-in-a-cold-war-climate/

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 -- January 17 -- March 28, 2019

52] Maryland Food Bank Benefit – through Mar. 28

53] Race & Policy Symposium – Jan. 17

54] India and Nuclear Asia – Jan. 17

55] Iran’s Nuclear and Missile Programmes -- Jan. 17

56] Free Food Rescue – Jan. 17

57] Celebrating our Unsung Hero James Forman – Jan. 17

58] Communities United “Committee Night”/Medicare for All lobbying – Jan. 17

59] Baltimore Human Trafficking Forum – Jan. 17

60] Workplace democracy in Barcelona – Jan. 17

61] Reversing Global Warming – Jan. 17

62] See the film “Where There Is Darkness” – Jan. 17

63] Indigenous Peoples March – Jan. 18

64] Women's March Lobby Day -- Jan. 18

65] WIB peace vigils – Jan. 18

66] White House vigil – Jan. 18

67] Free Food Rescue – Jan. 18

68] MLK Civil and Human Rights Conference -- Jan. 18 – Jan. 21

69] Rally at the Department of Homeland Security – Jan. 18

70] Black Lives Matter -- Jan. 18

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52] – On Thurs., Jan. 17 through Sun., Mar. 31, 2019, there is a Maryland Food Bank Benefit, hosted by The Admirals Cup - Fells Point, Baltimore, 1647 Thames St., Baltimore 21231. Do we give so we shall receive, or give because it feels good?  Giving has never felt better or made a more significant impact than this unique opportunity. The Maryland Food Bank and Harbor Magic Hotels presents “HOLIDAY GIVEBACK.”   Experience the adventures of the Fells Point at one of the two beautiful Harbor Magic Hotels: The Admiral Fell Inn or the Inn at Henderson’s Wharf.  Gracefully awaken to the aromas and tastes of a fabulous breakfast and set sail on your day in one of the most amazing places in America. Harbor Magic is donating 10% of dollars generated from this promotion to benefit the Maryland Food Bank. BOOK NOW at https://www.admiralfell.com/en-us/packages/maryland-food-bank-holiday-giveback-special?page_id=4266673. Call (410) 534-5555. See https://www.facebook.com/events/349755175583179/.

53] – On Thurs., Jan. 17 from 9:30 AM to 2 PM, attend Race & Policy Symposium: Advancing Racial Equity & Economic Inclusion in D.C., hosted by Kenyan R. McDuffie at the RISE Demonstration Center, 2730 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, WDC 20032. You're invited to join Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie at the symposium to implement a city-wide strategy to achieve racial equity in the District of Columbia. Join academics, industry, and community leaders committed to normalizing conversations about race, operationalizing new policies, eliminating occurrences of racial discrimination, and implementing a city-wide strategy to achieve racial equity in the District of Columbia. https://www.facebook.com/events/1959813590980096/.

54] – On Thurs., Jan. 17 at 9:30 AM, go to India and Nuclear Asia: Forces, Doctrine, and Danger at the Stimson Center, WDC.   See https://www.stimson.org/content/india-and-nuclear-asia-forces-doctrine-and-danger-.

55] – On Thurs., Jan. 17 at 10:30 AM, listen in on Uncertain Future: The JCPOA and Iran’s Nuclear and Missile Programmes at IISS Americas, 2121 K St. NW, Suite 801, WDC 20037. Check out https://www.iiss.org/events/2019/01/adelphi-jcpoa-iran-nuclear.

56] – On Thurs., Jan. 17 from 4 to 5 PM, hosted by Food Rescue Baltimore, every Thursday until Feb. 7, 2019, come to the Dovecote Café, 2501 Madison Ave., Baltimore 21217.  Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/178973439543642/.

57] -- Celebrating our Unsung Hero James Forman is An Evening of Remembrance on Thurs., Jan. 17 with a reception at 5:30 PM, and the program running from 6 to 8 PM. The program will include a panel of SNCC Veterans.  This is taking place at the African-American Civil War Museum, 1925 Vermont Ave. NW, WDC 20001. Email washingtondc@poorpeoplescampaign.org.

58] -- Join Communities United on Thurs., Jan. 17 for its very first “Committee Night,” which begins at 6 PM with a yummy potluck (contributions most welcome but not required). The working part of the meeting will begin at 6:30 PM. This is your opportunity to shape all of our organizing efforts – for good schools, livable housing, equity in local and state budgets, improved quality of life for our neighbors returning from prison, stopping overdoses, a $15 minimum wage, redefining public safety, and more. Email jane@communitiesunite.org. 

Join Communities United’s delegation on Fri., Jan. 18 for the Medicare for All Lobby Day in Washington, DC. Federal legislation is about to be introduced and this important action in support is being organizing by the Center for Popular Democracy, in coalition with the Women's March, Social Security Works, and National Nurses United. CU will be traveling via the MARC train. IF you want to go, contact Tia at tia@communitiesunite.org or 443-965-8725.

59] – On Thurs., Jan. 17 at 6:30 PM, be at the Baltimore Human Trafficking Forum, hosted by Greater Baybrook Alliance at the City of Refuge Baltimore,  901 Pontiac Ave., Baltimore 21225.  Baltimore City Human Trafficking Collaborative will be hosting a forum for citizens of Baltimore to learn and increase awareness about human trafficking.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/274104693285918/.

60] –On Thurs., Jan. 17 at 7 PM, hear a talk by Bernardo Vigil, worker-owner at Baltimore Bicycle Works, about his research into workplace democracy in Barcelona, exploring the strategies  small and mid-sized worker co-ops are using to build meaningful pathways toward self-management, participation, and cooperative leadership development at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201. Call (443) 602 7611 or go to https://www.redemmas.org/. There is a special co-op happy hour hosted by the Baltimore Roundtable for Economic Democracy—the non-extractive local loan fund run by worker co-ops, for worker co-ops—at 5 PM.

61] – On Thurs., Jan. 17 from 7 to 9 PM, check out Reversing Global Warming: Introduction to Drawdown, hosted by Climate Stewards of Greater Annapolis at the Annapolis Friends Meeting, 351 Dubois Rd., Annapolis 21401. Pachamama's Drawdown Project gives us hope! Project Drawdown is a coalition of more than 200 researchers and other experts from 22 countries led by author, environmentalist, and entrepreneur Paul Hawken. Over the course of 5 years of rigorous scientific research, they identified and modeled the 100 most substantive, already existing solutions for addressing global warming and revealed astounding news: that it is possible not just to slow global warming, but to actually reverse it by 2050.  Through videos and group activities, participants learn about a comprehensive plan to reverse global warming from Project Drawdown. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2382592458482757/.

62] – On Thurs., Jan. 17 from 8 to 10 PM, see the film “Where There Is Darkness,” hosted by the Catholic Mobilizing Network to End the Use of the Death Penalty at Catholic University Of America, WDC. Tickets are at stellamarfilms.com.  This award-winning documentary tells the story of Fr. Rene Robert and his plea from beyond the grave to save the life of the man who murdered him. See the trailer at wherethereisdarkness.com.  The screening will be held in Room #108 of Hannan Hall Room at the Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave. NE, WDC 20064. Tickets are $8 and are available for purchase here: https://bit.ly/2CUsh5T.  Light refreshments will be available free of charge.  To request accommodations for individuals with disabilities, please contact Emma Tacke at emmat@catholicsmobilizing.org.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/236626350561300/.

63] – On Fri., Jan. 18 from 8 AM to 5 PM, join the Indigenous Peoples March, hosted by Indigenous Peoples Movement in WDC.  Unite the indigenous peoples across the World to stand together to bring awareness to the injustices affecting indigenous men, women and children. Indigenous people from North, Central and South America, Oceania, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean are a target of genocide. Currently, many indigenous people are victims of voter suppression, divided families by walls and borders, an environmental holocaust, sex and human trafficking, and police/military brutality with little or no resources and awareness of this injustice. Visit indigenouspeoplesmovement.com or https://www.facebook.com/events/2242403212710541/.

64] – On Fri., Jan. 18 from 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM, get involved with the Women's March Lobby Day at the Longworth House Office Building, 1 US Capitol, WDC 20003.  Tickets are at actionnetwork.org.  With a growing progressive caucus inside the most diverse Congress in U.S. history, it’s time to push forward the agenda -- the Women’s Agenda. First up on the list? Achieving Medicare for All, because access to healthcare is a key part of every woman’s life.

On Fri., Jan. 18, right after the Indigenous People's March and one day before the 2019 Women’s March on Washington, Women’s March and friends at Center for Popular Democracy Action, Social Security Works, and National Nurses United, will be holding a lobby day on Capitol Hill to demand that our legislators support the Medicare for All bills being introduced by Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Senator Bernie Sanders, as well as 22 other urgent policies that make up the Women’s Agenda. In the previous session, the Medicare for All bill in the House had the support of 123 House representatives. We’re going to make sure that the new members of Congress hear our demands on healthcare. It is far past time for the U.S. to join every other industrialized country and guarantee healthcare for every resident through Medicare for All.  The for-profit health insurance system in the U.S. fails to provide quality healthcare to Americans, while wasting billions of dollars every year in profits and unnecessary administrative costs. Roughly 30 million Americans are uninsured, and tens of millions more cannot obtain the care they need, even though they have insurance, because of high deductibles and co-pays. Despite this, the U.S. spends nearly twice as much on healthcare per capita than any other major industrialized country. Medicare for All would improve and expand the Medicare program, ensuring that every woman -- cisgender, transgender, and non-binary and gender non-conforming femmes -- and person living in the U.S. has guaranteed, therapeutic health care.

Participants will meet at 11:30 AM in the basement cafeteria of the Longworth House Office Building located at 15 Independence Ave. SE, WDC 20515. Registration is not required, but it will help know how many people to expect! Register at actionnetwork.org/events/womens-agenda-lobby-day/.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/308723736420465/.

65] – On Fri., Jan. 18 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.

66] – On Fri.,  Jan. 18 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.

67] – On Fri., Jan. 18 at noon, get over to Grace Baptist Church, 3201 The Alameda., Baltimore 21218, hosted by Food Rescue Baltimore. This occurs every Friday until Feb. 8, 2019.  For Friday Food Rescue, bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. See https://www.facebook.com/events/579834149018638/.

68] – On Fri., Jan. 18 at 3 PM through Mon., Jan. 21 at 5 PM, come to the 2019 AFL-CIO MLK Civil and Human Rights Conference at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave. NW, WDC 20009.  For more than 25 years, the AFL-CIO’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday observance has brought together more than 500 trade unionists annually to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King, perform community service, and examine current civil and human rights issues. This event reinforces the historic bond between the labor and civil rights movements, honors Dr. King’s vision on the importance of collective action—whether at the voting booth or at the workplace—and mobilizes participants to continue their work to make Dr. King’s dream a reality.  After Congress passed legislation creating a federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., an effort in which the AFL-CIO played a key role, the AFL-CIO formed a labor committee to find a way to honor the holiday and birthday of Dr. King. At the outset, the AFL-CIO worked in conjunction with the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta to organize an annual observance in Atlanta. Starting in 1998, the annual observance has been held in different cities each year. See https://www.facebook.com/events/376863002890333/.

69] – Rally again on Fri., Jan. 18 outside the Department of Homeland Security from 4 to 6 PM to keep the pressure on the government to reunify families separated at the border. Hundreds of children are still separated from their parents after the July 26th deadline set by the courts for reunification.  This is a permitted, peaceful event and families are welcome.  You can bring your own sign or use one of the available signs.  Gather at 4401 Massachusetts Ave. NW. This location is about 50 yards south [in towards downtown] of Ward Circle.  There is parking on Massachusetts Avenue across the street, or you can park at the Katzen Center for the Arts for $2/hour and free after 5 PM on the other side of Ward Circle. View https://youtu.be/GKUtkVT9qLQ. Email triduncan05 AT gmail. Com.  

70] – 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 Jan. 18. Black Lives Matter.  

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 -- January 16, 2019

37] Incarceration Abroad – Jan. 16

38] Emergency Powers in the Trump Era and Beyond – Jan. 16

39] Food Rescue – Jan. 16

40] Daily Adoption Event -- Jan. 16

41] The 3 Revolutions in Transportation – Jan. 16

42] School of Food and Food Rescue Baltimore – Jan. 16

43] The Korean Peninsula in 2019 – Jan. 16

44] Candlelight Vigil for Eduardo Samaniego's Freedom – Jan. 16

45] See the film “Putin's Witnesses” – Jan. 16

46] Baltimore County Green Party meeting – Jan. 16

47] U.S. Strategic Interests in Africa – Jan. 16

48] Moms Demand Action – Jan. 16

49] JHU Police Force – Jan. 16

50] See a screening of LIVING DOWNSTREAM – Jan. 16

51] Clean Air Baltimore -- Jan. 16

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37] – On Wed., Jan. 16 from 8:30 AM to 5 PM, get involved with Alternative Approaches to Incarceration Abroad, hosted by the United States Institute of Peace and Rule of Law Collaborative, 2301 Constitution Ave. NW, WDC 20037. Tickets are at www.usip.org. The world’s prisons now reportedly hold more than 10.74 million men, women, and children. Imprisonment for even minor crimes is often a default punishment in many jurisdictions, leading human rights organizations to express growing concerns about overcrowding, poor sanitation, inadequate health care, and violence in overburdened facilitates. Alternatives to incarceration projects offer a promising means of addressing these growing challenges, and often provide minor offenders with the holistic support they need for rehabilitation and reintegration into their communities. Yet instituting these approaches in developed nations and fragile states alike can be difficult.  Join the University of South Carolina’s Rule of Law Collaborative and the United States Institute of Peace for a day-long symposium that explores the promises and challenges associated with instituting effective alternatives to incarceration programming. Experts will offer insights from their work domestically and abroad, covering key questions of the day such as how to handle reintegration of foreign fighters, and how to tailor support to meet the needs of vulnerable prison populations.  RSVP at https://www.usip.org/events/alternative-approaches-incarceration-abroad.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/275712869810984/.

38] – On Wed., Jan. 16 from 9 AM to 5 PM, hear about Emergency Powers in the Trump Era and Beyond, hosted by Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law at Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, WDC 20036.  The term “emergency powers” conjures images of crackdowns and rights abuses by authoritarian regimes. But emergency powers are also a standard feature of modern democracies—including the United States. Unknown to most Americans, Congress has passed more than a hundred laws that give the president special authority when he declares a national emergency, including powers to shut down communications facilities, freeze Americans’ bank accounts, and deploy troops inside the U.S. In a time when institutional checks and balances are being tested, do these extraordinary powers protect our democracy… or do they put it at risk?

Join the Brennan Center for Justice and R Street Institute for a symposium that will explore the deeply important and timely questions raised by presidential emergency powers in the U.S. Former government officials, scholars, and advocates will come together for a day of discussion.  Email Erica Posey at poseye@brennan.law.nyu.edu.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1976206939162868/.

39] – On Wed., Jan. 16 at noon and every Wednesday until Feb. 6, 2019, get food at the Free Farm, 3510 Ash St., Baltimore 21211. This is hosted by Food Rescue Baltimore.  Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/327125147795282/.

40] – On Wed., Jan. 16 at noon and through Tues., Jan. 22, there is a daily adoption event at the Alexandria PETCO, hosted by Last Chance Animal Rescue, 6612 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria, VA 22306-6601. Adoptable pups and kitties are available for same day adoption. Animals are spayed/neutered, up-to-date on age appropriate vaccines.  The event runs until 7 PM, except on Sundays when it ends at 6 PM.

To see available animals at the daily event, check out the daily adoption event album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1757671494266953.1073742016.150481478319304&type=1&l=f34e614efe. To get the process started, submit an application today: https://www.lastchanceanimalrescue.org/adoption-request-form/.

Volunteers are needed to help with all aspects of this event; pre-event set-up, adoption counselors to animal handlers and so much more! To sign up, email your full name and phone number to volunteer@lastchanceanimalrescue.org. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/539328706536665/.

41] – On Wed., Jan. 16 from noon to 1:30 PM, hear about The 3 Revolutions in Transportation: Governance Needs & Opportunities, hosted by 3 Revolutions Policy Initiative - ITS-Davis in the Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2253, 45 Independence Ave. SW, WDC 20515. Automated, shared, and electric vehicles bring massive opportunities to improve safety, manage congestion, advance equity, and reduce pollution in transportation. But these new technologies will also challenge existing governance models. The future of transportation will require smart governance, which includes performance-based and flexible regulatory mechanisms. This briefing will explain why the advent of the "3 Revolutions" era requires reevaluation of roles for federal, state, and local authorities. It will also cover ways to enable innovation while respecting privacy, proprietary, and safety concerns. Experts will discuss research findings and perspectives on how to harness the 3 Revolutions for the benefit of all.   See https://www.facebook.com/events/301229780598821/.

42] – On Wed., Jan. 16 at 2 PM, and every Wednesday until July 24, 2019, School of Food and Food Rescue Baltimore will give out food at 1412 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore 21213. Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2105994779640314/.

43] – On Wed., Jan. 16 at 2:30 PM, hear about The Korean Peninsula in 2019: A Review and Forecast for the New Year in the Hart Senate Office Building, Room 902, 120 Constitution Ave. NE, WDC 20002.  Go to https://www.ncnk.org/event-calendar/ncnk-nknews-korean-peninsula-2019-review-and-forecast.

44] – There is a Candlelight Vigil for Eduardo Samaniego's Freedom on Wed., Jan. 16 at 5:30 PM at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, WDC.

45] – On Wed., Jan. 16 from 6 to 8 PM, see “Putin's Witnesses” followed by a Panel Discussion, hosted by National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, WDC 20004. The National Press Club in conjunction with Current Time and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) presents an independent documentary by award-winning Russian director Vitaly Mansky, who will be present for the discussion. (In Russian with English subtitles.)

The film documents the events that followed the unexpected resignation of Russian President Boris Yeltsin in December 1999 and brought Vladimir Putin to power.  Mansky was both witness and participant. Says Mansky, “My testimony is very important not only for Russian society -- to cure it from an advanced illness, but also to other countries -- to prevent them from losing their freedom.” Visit https://pressroom.rferl.org/putins-witnesses and https://www.facebook.com/events/2060416537345800/.

46] – On Wed., Jan. 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, attend the Baltimore County Green Party meeting in the Baltimore County Public Library (Towson Branch), 320 York Road, Towson 21204. All willing to work for racial, economic, and ecological justice in Baltimore County and beyond are welcome! See https://www.facebook.com/events/597229730716645/.

47] – On Wed., Jan. 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, participate in U.S. Strategic Interests in Africa: A Discussion with Michael Morrow, hosted by Young Professionals in International Affairs at Barbaricum LLC, 1714 N St. NW, WDC 20036. What are American strategic interests in Africa, especially within this administration? Is it to combat terrorist groups like al Shabaab and Boko Haram? Is the aim to counterbalance growing Chinese influence on the continent? Is it to promote democratic values and human rights? Michael Morrow, a scholar at the Wilson Center will speak with us about his work on the topic. Michael Morrow is a Senior Diplomatic Fellow with the Wilson Center's Africa Program. He served as Charges d'Affaires for the US Embassy in Juba, South Sudan, as well as in the embassies of Iraq, Botswana, Poland, Russia and Nigeria. Morrow worked within the State Department in the offices of the Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS; the Bureau of Legislative Affairs; Bureau for East African Affairs; and Bureau for Central European Affairs. See https://www.facebook.com/events/798582380492698/.

48] – On Wed., Jan. 16 from 7 to 9 PM, get over to the Volunteers Meeting, hosted by Moms Demand Action – MD at Howard County Public Library, East Columbia Branch, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia.  Tickets are act.everytown.org.  Come join us for our January volunteers meeting. New volunteers welcome! We'll discuss upcoming gun sense legislation and how you can help lobby lawmakers in Annapolis. We'll also hear about a local Students Demand Action chapter. Students 13 years old and up are welcome to attend. RSVP at https://act.everytown.org/event/moms-demand-action-event/19032/. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1832961903500164/.

49] – On Wed., Jan. 16 from 7 to 8:30 PM, attend the General Meeting, hosted by the Greater Remington Improvement Association at 337 W 27th St., Baltimore 21211-3004. The main topic of the first meeting of the year will be Johns Hopkins and their Public Safety. Representatives from JHU, including Melissa Hyatt, VP of security, Daniel Ennis, VP of finance and administration and Jennifer Mielke, Director of Local Government and Community Affairs, will be here to discuss the safety initiatives. Read up on the initiative here https://publicsafetyinitiatives.jhu.edu. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2155332858116785/.

50] – On Wed., Jan. 16 at 7 PM, see a screening of LIVING DOWNSTREAM by the Harrisburg/Hershey chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility.  This documentary is about Sandra Steingraber's personal story of struggling with cancer while leading a coalition to ban fracking in New York State. See it at the Polyclinic Hospital board room, 2501 N. Third St. Go to https://www.psr.org/blog/event/film-screening-living-downstream/.

51] – The Energy Justice Network is inviting you to a Clean Air Baltimore Coalition meeting on Wed., Jan. 16 at 7 PM at Thrive Baltimore, 6 E. Lafayette Ave. in Mt. Vernon. Contact Ava I. Richardson, MPH, Program Coordinator, at (240) 997-5423 or ava@energyjustice.net.

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