Baltimore Activist Alert - Part 3

49] Palestinian Unity -- Feb. 29

50] Philadelphia peace vigil – Feb. 29

51] Meet author Tim Ryan – Feb. 29

52] Iran: Options -- Feb. 29

53] Occupy Faith -- Feb. 29

54] Death penalty -- Feb. 29

55] Iran: What's going on -- Feb. 29

56] Green Currency Meeting -- Feb. 29

57] Chestnut Hill Peace Vigil -- Feb. 29

58] Castle Bravo – Mar. 1

59] Windows & Mirrors – Mar. 1 - 22

60] North Korea -- Mar. 1

61] Invisible Arab – Mar. 1

62] Kidnapped in Columbia – Mar. 1

63] First Thursday vigil against war – Mar. 1

64] Bill Barry's teaching a course on the 30s – Mar. 1

65] Peace Action Montgomery meeting – Mar. 1

66] Live Nun Talking – Mar. 1

67] Green Party Assembly – Mar. 1

68] Eviction Resistance -- Mar. 1

69] Volunteers needed for MUPJ Conference – Apr. 20-21

70] Sign up with Washington Peace Center

71] Join Fund Our Communities 

72] Submit articles to Indypendent Reader 

73] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

74] Do you need a television and/or a computer?

75] Join Global Zero campaign

76] War Is Not the Answer signs for sale

77] Click on The Hunger Site 

78] Fire & Faith  

79] Seeking students for a peacemaking summit

80] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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49] – "Reflections on Palestinian Unity, the Statehood Bid and Prospects for Peace" will be discussed on Wed., Feb. 29 from 3 to 4:30 PM at 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC.   The Middle East Institute's George and Rhonda Salem Family Foundation Series is proud to host Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, for a discussion about the goals of the new Palestinian power sharing arrangement, the status of the PLO's UN statehood bid, and prospects for peace in 2012.   In the wake of the February 6 announcement that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will head an interim unity government there is renewed hope for political cooperation between rival parties Fatah and Hamas. The formation of the unity government however threatens U.S. aid to Palestine, as the United States has said that it refuses to send money to Hamas, which it considers a terrorist organization.  The PLO's continued pursuit of statehood recognition in the UN Security Council has also isolated it from the United States even as it earned popular and international support.  RSVP http://www.mei.edu/events/reflections-palestinian-unity-statehood-bid-and-prospects-peace.

 

50] – Each Wednesday from 4:30 - 5:30 PM, the House of Grace Catholic Worker holds a weekly vigil for peace in Iraq outside the Phila. Federal Building, 6th & Market Sts. The next vigil is Feb. 29. Call 215-426-0364.

 

51] – On Wed., Feb. 29 from 5 to 7 PM, join the AFL-CIO, International Labor Rights Forum, National Writers Union and Solidarity Center for the launch of an important new novel: "The Sisters: A Fable of Globalization," by Timothy Ryan at the AFL-CIO, President's Room, 815 16th St. NW, WDC 20006.  It is a brisk tale of culture clash and revolution set in late 1990s Indonesia, where the lives and destinies of factory workers, labor organizers and businessmen intersect as the Suharto regime collapses. Based on a true story of twin sisters working in Indonesia's garment industry, the novel weaves a tale about workers struggling for dignity and economic justice in a globalizing world. The author will sign books, available for purchase at the event, following the reading. Light snacks will be served.  RSVP to information@solidaritycenter.org.

 

52] – On Wed., Feb. 29 at 5:30 PM, Barbara Slavin, Atlantic Council, will address "Iran: What Options are Left for the U.S.?" The talk is sponsored by the Women's Foreign Policy Group, is at FHI 360, Eight Floor, 1875 Connecticut Ave., NW, WDC. Register https://web.memberclicks.com/mc/quickForm/viewForm.do?orgId=wfpg&formId=115133.

53] – There is an Occupy Faith DC Meeting on Wed., Feb. 29 from 6 to 9 PM at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1313 New York Ave. NW.  Occupy Faith DC is an Interfaith coalition that supports the Occupy Movement in Washington, DC.  Occupy Faith DC will be discussing: Occupy Faith DC's efforts to support the Occupy movement as it enters a new phase of activism. Email nspwashingtondc@gmail.com.

54] – On Wed., Feb. 29 at 7 PM, Mrs. Vicki Schieber will be speaking about the death penalty at St. Patrick's Catholic Church Parish Hall, 4101 Norbeck Road, Rockville, MD 20853.  Her daughter, Shannon, was raped and murdered on May 7, 1998 while finishing her first year of graduate school on a full scholarship at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Since this tragic incident, Vicki and her husband, Sylvester, have dedicated their career and lives to a moratorium on the death penalty. 

55] – Catch the discussion Iran and the U.S.: What's Really Going On? on Wed., Feb. 29 from 7 to 9 PM at the Rockville Library, 21 Maryland Ave.,  Rockville.  Over the past decade, there have been periods when war with Iran appeared likely and was barely averted. Today we are in another extraordinarily dangerous time.  Accusations and threats could easily lead to a devastating new war.  What is really going on and what can we do about it? The speakers are Ray McGovern and Dr. Younes Benab, and the moderators are Bahram Zandi of the Iranian Alliance for Peace, Freedom and Social Justice and Jean Athey of Peace Action Montgomery.

 McGovern is a former CIA analyst with responsibilities that included chairing a number of National Intelligence Estimates under three presidents and preparing the President's Daily Brief (PDB) under presidents Nixon, Ford, and Reagan.  He helped to create Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity. Dr. Benab: is a retired professor of political science, former dean of Strayer Univ., co-founder and editor of Review of Iranian Political and Economic History and the author of books and articles about Iranian political history.  This event co-sponsored by Peace Action Montgomery http://peaceactionmc.org/  and the Iranian Alliance for Peace, Freedom and Social Justice.

 

56] – The Baltimore Green Currency Association meets every Wednesday at 7 PM at Breathe Books, 810 W 36th St. # A, Baltimore, MD 21211-2554.  Call 410-235-7323.

 

57] – Each Wednesday, the Northwest Greens hold a peace vigil from 7 to 8 PM outside the Borders Book Store, Germantown Ave. at Bethlehem Pike in Chestnut Hill, PA. The next vigil is Feb. 29. Call 215-843-4256 or email nwgreens@yahoo.com. 

 

58] – Thursday, March 1 is the 48th anniversary of the U.S. nuclear test "Castle Bravo," which was the largest U.S. nuclear explosion. It took place at the Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands.  

 

59] –  The TRAVELING EXHIBIT Windows and Mirrors: Reflections on the War in Afghanistan, is now opening on Thurs., Mar. 1 with a reception at 7 PM at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G St. NW, WDC.  The American Friends Service Committee invites you to see the traveling art exhibit.  The mural panels created by international artists and US students help us imagine the experience of Afghan civilians - from death and destruction to hopes for peace. Drawings by Afghan students in Kabul – collected in June 2010 – provide an up close look at life in a war zone. The exhibit is not a single image, but a tapestry, a statement on the human cost of war. The "windows" they have created help us feel the impact of war on the Afghan people, become "mirrors" reflecting our own identity as citizens of a nation at war — and call us to act.  It is open to the public on Thursdays, Mar. 1, 8, 15 & 22, from 5 to 8 PM and on Sun., Mar. 4 from 3 to 7 PM. Visit http://windowsandmirrors.org/.

 

The exhibit features a collection of 4' x 6' murals created by U.S. and international artists to memorialize the civilian casualties in Afghanistan, as well as artwork by Afghan schoolchildren about living with war. See it at the Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave. NE, WDC from Thurs., Mar. 1 through Thurs., Mar. 22 from 9 AM to 5 PM.   Go to http://www.afsc.org/.

 

60] – On Thurs., Mar. 1 from 12:15 to 1:30 PM, Jonathon Pollack, Brookings Institution, will tackle "North Korea and Nuclear Weapons: The Never-Ending Saga" at the Univ. of Maryland, 1203 Van Munching Hall, College Park, MD. Go to http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/events/?view=list.

61] – The Invisible Arab: The Promise and Peril of the Arab Revolutions will be addressed on Thurs., Mar. 1 from 12:30 to 2 PM at The Palestine Center, 2425 Virginia Ave. NW,  WDC  20037.  Marwan Bishara, senior political analyst with Al Jazeera and the editor and host of its flagship show "Empire," a program that examines global powers and their agendas, will tackle the topic. RSVP at http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/ht/d/EventDetails/i/32854. Call 202-338-1290.

62] – The Program in Latin American Studies invites you to participate in its Spring Colloquia Series: Susana Wappenstein, Zitzmann Visiting Scholar, will discuss "National Imaginaries: Sounds of Conflict and Narratives of the Kidnapped in Colombia" on Thurs., Mar. 1 from 4 to 6 PM in Dunning 211.  Wappenstein is at the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales/FLACSO-Ecuador. Her work focuses mainly on notions and struggles around citizenship and national narratives, particularly in limit contexts from which new political and cultural practices emerge. Email plas@jhu.edu.

 

63] – The Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore will host an End the Wars vigil on Thurs., Mar. 1 from 5 to 6:30 PM in Mount Vernon at Centre & Charles Sts.  The Pledge gathers in Mount Vernon on the first Thursday of the month to protest U.S. wars.  Call Max at 410-366-1637.

 

64] – Bill Barry is teaching a 3-credit course on the 1930s, covering Black Thursday to Pearl Harbor at CCBC-Essex. It continues on Thurs., Feb. 23 5:45 to 8:40 PM.  He sees a lot of comparisons between That Depression and This Depression, and how people and the government responded. See great videos and listen to guest speakers on this period of our history. This is a 3-credit college course but you can audit or just--in the spirit of the 30s--sit in. Anyone over 60 gets free tuition. Email wbarrymd@hotmail.com.

 

65] – On Thurs., Mar. 1 from 7 to 9 PM, there will be a Peace Action Montgomery meeting at the home of a member. Email jean@peaceactionmc.ccsend.com for the address.  Go to www.PeaceActionMC.org.

 

66] – On Thurs., Mar. 1 at 7 PM, Live Nun Talking – Sr. Helen Prejean – will be at Trinity United Methodist Church, 90 Church St., Prince Frederick, MD.  Sr. Helen, author of "Dead Man Walking," will take you on her journey in a free program.  It is co-sponsored by MD CASE, the Calvert Interfaith Council, and NCADP.

 

67] – The STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY GENERAL ASSEMBLY is on Thurs., Mar. 1 at 7 PM at the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law, Building 52, 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW, WDC.  The site is near the Van Ness Metro Stop on the Red Line.  Go tohttp://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org/home.

 

68] – From the Great Depression to Occupy: Eviction Resistance Then and Now is to be discussed on Thurs., Mar. 1 from 7 to 9 PM at 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. NW,WDC. In the Great Depression of the 1930s, millions of workers lost their jobs and were evicted from their homes. In 1930 it was estimated that in NYC alone 200,000 people were evicted. Communists and other radical activists organized families and the unemployed to resist evictions and won reforms that led to rent control and public housing programs.

 

Today, history is repeating itself. Since the housing bubble burst in 2008, millions of people have lost their homes as a result of layoffs, greedy banks and a capitalist system that puts profit ahead of human need. Meanwhile, anti-poverty and housing assistance programs are being cut back by politicians who answer to the 1% and the big corporations. Join the International Socialist Organization for this discussion. Go tohttp://washingtonpeacecenter.net/node/6890.

 

69] – Volunteers are needed to help with the 27th Annual Maryland Peace and Justice Conference to be held on Friday and Saturday, April 20 & 21 at the Episcopal Cathedral Church of the Incarnation, 4 E. University Parkway, Baltimore, 21218. The theme is: "Peacemaking in the 21st century; 25 years of working for peace and justice in Maryland."  Contact Paulette Hammond, secretary, MUPJ, at 410-747-3811 or phamm001@earthlink.net or paulette.d.hammond@questdiagnostics.com.

 

70] – The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org.

71] – Fund Our Communities campaign – is a new grass roots movement to get support from local organizations and communities to work together with their local and state elected officials to pressure Congresspersons and senators to join with Congresspersons Barney Frank and Ron Paul, who have endorsed a 25% cut to the federal military budget.  Bring home the savings to state and county governments to meet the local needs which are under tremendous budget pressures.  Go to www.OurFunds.org.      

 

72] – The new Indypendent Reader is seeking articles for its web site at http://www.indyreader.org.  Submit an article. 

 

73] – If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 

 

74] – Can you use a television set and/or a computer, monitor etc.? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 

 

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

 

76] – WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER signs from Friends Committee on National Legislation are again for sale at $5.  To purchase a sign, call Max at 410-366-1637.

 

77] – The Hunger Site was initiated by Mercy Corps and Second Harvest, and is funded entirely by advertisers.  You can go there every day and click the big yellow "Give Food for Free" button near the top of the page; you do not have to look at the ads. Each click generates funding for about 1.1 cups of food.  So consider clicking.  

 

78] – Go online for FIRE AND FAITH: The Catonsville Nine File. On May 17, 1968, nine people entered the Selective Service Offices in Catonsville, Maryland, and burned draft records in protest against the war in Vietnam. View http://www.prattlibrary.org/digital/.

 

79] – Greetings from the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking. G. Simon Harak S.J., director, is seeking your assistance. The Center for Peacemaking, the Marquette faculty and administrators are committed to supporting students' knowledge and research, especially in the area of peacemaking.  At the Center, "peacemaking" in the broadest sense, means studying the structure and dynamics of conflicts and their consequences (physical, psychological, religious/spiritual, gender, familial, sociological, political, cultural, environmental, etc.), learning and testing the strategies of conflict resolution and their effectiveness in certain types of conflict and finally, working to form sustainable and stable communities where justice is fostered and truth can be pursued, so that peace can flourish.

In light of this goal, Simon requests your help. On March 30, 2012 the Center for Peacemaking will be hosting the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies' [WIPCS] day-long undergraduate conference on the theme, "Negotiating in a Polarized Society" here at Marquette University's Alumni Memorial Union (AMU). Can you help increase student participation in this conference by a) encouraging students to submit a paper they may have written, b) recommending students submit a project proposal, and c) inviting students to attend? Email peacemaking@marquette.edu.

 

80] – 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: mobuszewski [at] verizon.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