We handed out peace diplomas at JHU's graduation today.

Friends,

Johns Hopkins University is a major military contractor.  See the details below.

For some twenty years or so, we have been handing out peace diplomas prior to commencement exercises.  Some times we have to deal with security and the Baltimore City Police, but generally we are allowed to engage in our First Amendment activities.  Besides handing out the peace diplomas, we carry signs detrimental to the work of the Applied Physics Laboratory.  The distribution is easy, and even some people who ask about the contents still take peace diplomas.

This is always an occasion for dialogue.  Since I was wearing an anti-APL tee shirt, a gentleman informed me that he worked at the APL for some 30 years.  And he did work on the Aegis system.  Did he have any remorse when the Aegis system was used to shoot down an Iranian passenger plane?  No.  That is not a surprising answer for those who are employed at the death lab.  He is one of many victims of “doubling.”

And a little girl came over; she was not yet in first grade.  She could not read all of my sign.  No to JHU Weapons Work.  I explained JHU means Johns Hopkins University and that weapons kill people.  And that we believe the money should instead go to education and schools.  As a protester out in the streets, these moments invigorate me.

Kagiso,

Max

PLEDGE OF RESISTANCE-Baltimore, 325 East 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218 

Ph: 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES & FAMILIES May 26, 2011

We, members of the Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore, bestow this Peace Diploma with the hope your life will be one of seeking peace and working for justice.

            As you depart from Johns Hopkins University, the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq seem unending.  Sadly, Barack Obama has continued the policies of the previous administration.

 

     The U.S. Empire has created a permanent war economy.  And JHU does research for the empire.  According to the web site Government Executive, as of August 15, 2010, The Johns Hopkins University was #52 on the list of Top 100 Defense [sic] contractors as it received from the Pentagon $846,225,300 in tax dollars to pursue research on numerous weapons systems. A majority of the tax dollars goes to the Applied Physics Laboratory which works on a range of weapons research--the ill conceived "missile defense," the Littoral Warfare Advanced Development project, underwater missile launches from stealth strike submarines and space-based warfare. Let President Ronald Daniels know that you oppose weapons research at Johns Hopkins.

 

   Baltimore, like cities across the country, is forced to cut back desperately needed social services.  In response, on May 16, 2011, Baltimore’s mayor and city council endorsed a War Dollars Home Resolution:

 

COUNCIL BILL 11-0291R, CONCERNING

        In Support of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Resolution Calling on Congress to Redirect Military Spending to Domestic Priorities.  This conference, June 17-21, will take place at Baltimore’s Convention Center, and the resolution will be debated on June 20 in plenary session.  Urge your mayor to support the resolution

 

       We in the peace movement will continue to speak out.  We urge you to add your voices. 

 

CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL 11-0291R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: Councilmembers Kraft, D’Adamo, Henry, President Young, Councilmembers Welch, Reisinger, Holton, Conaway, Spector, Clarke, Middleton
Introduced and adopted: May 16, 2011

A COUNCIL RESOLUTION CONCERNING
In Support of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Resolution Calling on Congress to Redirect Military Spending to Domestic Priorities

 

FOR the purpose of expressing the support of the Baltimore City Council for efforts to swiftly end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for the resolution currently under consideration by the U.S. Conference of Mayors calling upon Congress to redirect military spending to domestic priorities.

Recitals

Whereas, the severity of the ongoing economic crisis has created budget shortfalls at all levels of government and requires us to re-examine our national spending priorities; and

Whereas, the people of the United States are collectively paying approximately $126 billion dollars per year to wage war in Iraq and Afghanistan; and

Whereas, 6,024 members of the US armed forces have died in these wars; and at least 120,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since the coalition attacks began.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Baltimore City Council supports efforts to speed up the ending of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and supports the U.S. Conference of Mayors resolution calling on Congress to redirect military spending to domestic priorities.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.

###

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net

 

"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