Baltimore Activist Alert - Part 4

clear weapons bruefing – May 3

70] Justice at Univ. of MD – May 3

71] KnowDrones Tour in Baltimore – May 3 - 8

72] Bill Barry's teaching a course on the 30s – May 3

73] Working women in the District – May 3

74] Sports in Apartheid Israel – May 3

75] Misconceptions about the Middle East – May 3

76] Jubilee for Low Income Countries – May 3

77] Sponsors needed for Theater of the Oppressed – May 12

78] HELP MAKE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST!  

79] Sign up with Washington Peace Center

80] Join Fund Our Communities 

81] Submit articles to Indypendent Reader 

82] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

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

84] Join Global Zero campaign

85] War Is Not the Answer signs for sale

86] Click on The Hunger Site 

87] Fire & Faith  

88] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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69] –  On Thurs., May 3 from 2 to 3 PM, Hans Kristensen and Robert Norris, Federation of American Scientists, will give a "Briefing on Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons" in 385 Russell Senate Office Building, WDC. RSVP by Wed., May 2 at rsvp@fas.org or to Katie Colten at 202-454-4694.

 

70] – Join Justice at Maryland: Mass Protest for Workers' Rights! On Thurs., May 3 at 2 PM at the Univ. of Maryland, College Park Hornbake Plaza.  The university administration has still not managed to improve the conditions of the workers. UM workers continue to suffer sexual, racial, xenophobic abuse and unacceptable working conditions. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/376170765759407/. 

 

71] – Starting Thurs., May 3 through Tues., May 8, the National KnowDrones Tour will be in the Baltimore area (http://www.knowdrones.com/) with large model bomber drone replica.  Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore will partner with KnowDrone people, as the drone replica is taken to various sites to highlight the fact that Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger supports the use of killer drones.

 

On May 3 at 4 PM, join a demonstration on Padonia Road outside Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger's office at The Atrium, 375 West Padonia Road, Suite 200, Timonium, MD 21093.  At 4:45 PM a letter will be dropped off at Rep. Ruppersberger's office, and it challenges the congressperson to condemn the use of drones in warfare, to resign from the Unmanned System Caucus and give all campaign contributions received from military contractors, including those to his Dutch PAC, to the Baltimore City schools.

 

     Then we will go to Mount Vernon from 5:30 to 7 PM during First Thursday in Mount Vernon.  Be at Centre and Charles Streets.

 

  On Fri., May 4 at 9:30 AM, the drone will go to AAI Corp., 124 Industry Lane, Hunt Valley, MD. From noon to 3 PM, the tour will visit Goucher College and Towson Univ.  Help distribute literature outlining Ruppersberger's campaign donations from major drone manufacturers.  We will also visit AAI in Cockeysville.

 

     Then from 5 – 6 PM, the drone tour will join the weekly silent peace vigil outside Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218.  Afterward there will be a potluck dinner in the meetinghouse, followed by a DVD showing of "1984," Richard Burton's last film.

 

     On Sat., May 5 – noon to 2 PM – a drone replica will be part of a demonstration in Towson, MD at the intersection of Dulaney Valley Road and Fairmount Avenue.  From 3 to 5 PM, the drone replica will be in Wyman Park.  It will be an opportunity for dialogue about the use of drones.

 

  At 7 PM at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, there will be a Organizing Against Drones Forum with Nick Mottern of KnowDrones.com and Max Obuszewski of the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance. A surprise guest will be a person from Pakistan. Nick will focus his talk on "Where Are Drones Taking Us?"

 

  On Tues., May 8 – 8 AM, direct actionistas will gather at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse to prepare for a visit to John Hopkins University Homewood Campus.   At noon, participants will go the campus to deliver a letter to the school's president, condemning its drone research.  

 

 Let Max know what events you will join.  He can be reached at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

 

72] – Bill Barry is teaching a 3-credit course on the 1930s, covering Black Thursday to Pearl Harbor at CCBC-Essex. It continues on Thurs., May 3 from 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.

73] –  The Worker's Right's Board Hearing is happening on Thurs., May 3 at 6:30 to 9 PM at the  Bethlehem Baptist Church, 2458 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, WDC  -  Metro: Anacostia (Green Line).  Join academic, community, faith, political and labor leaders in examining the impact of the economy and economic downtown on working women in the District. Contact Nikki at Nikki@dcjwj.org.

74] – Join award-winning sports writer and author Dave Zirin to debate and discuss the sports world in Israel/Palestine and what it tells us about the realities of life in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Sports Under Occupation: Athletic Repression and Resistance in Israel/Palestine occurs on Thurs., May 3 from 7 to 9 PM at La Casa, 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. NW.  In today's Israel and Palestine, there are two sports worlds: one for Israelis and one for Palestinians. Just as in apartheid South Africa, these differences tell a story all its own. Just as in apartheid South Africa, they form an argument for making Israel's sports world a part of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement aimed at bringing justice for Palestinians living under occupation.  This is sponsored by Haymarket Books and the DC Chapter of the International Socialist Organization.

75] – Ray McGovern, a leader with Speaking Truth to Power and a former US intelligence official, and Robert Parry, an investigative journalist and the founder of Consortiumnews.com, will speak about "Challenging Media Misconceptions about the Middle East" on Thurs., May 3 at 7 PM at the Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Rd. NW, WDC 20009.  Call 202-328-0072.

 

76] – On Thurs., May 3 at 7:30 PM, there will be a panel discussion "An Easter Call:  A Season of Jubilee for Low Income Countries?" at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 6701 Muncaster Mill Road, Derwood, MD 20855.  It will provide information on the severe impact of international debt on low income countries and what can be done about it.  Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of Jubilee USA and Marie Dennis, Co-President of Pax Christi International, will present along with two Zimbabweans, Hopewell Gumbo and Kevin Hazangwi, who are from a Jubilee USA partner organization in Zimbabwe.  It is sponsored by St. Francis of Assisi Pax Christi group and many others. Email cooker@ppnpf.com.    

 

77] – On May 12, there will be a free community event held at Latin Palace--a showing of a Theater of the Oppressed play by El Taller's traveling theater group out of Puebla, Mexico.  This Spanish language interactive play will address issues of social justice and feminism.  The organizers of the event are looking for ways to promote community organizations in Baltimore serving Latino audiences.  If you are interested in sponsoring, helping spread the word or holding an information table at our event please contact Laura at lgudgelgriffin@gmail.com.

 

78] – HELP MAKE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST! Since a civil war in 1974 the island of Cyprus has been divided in two with a United Nations patrolled border.  Turkish/Muslim Cypriots are in the north; Greek/Christian Cypriots are in the south.  Animosities and prejudices run deep. Children throw rocks at each other across the border.  Experts believe that Cyprus is at a crossroads between renewed conflict or becoming an example in the Middle East of how two such cultures can live in peace.

 

The Cyprus Friendship Program, based on the successful model that helped build peace in Northern Ireland, brings over a Muslim and Christian teen to stay with an American host family for the month of July (or ½ month if paired with another host family). This bonding experience in a neutral environment almost always results in a strong friendship. Programming here and after their return to Cyprus turns them into peace builders who are trained in how to influence their peers.  The teens are chosen for their maturity, leadership potential, and English speaking ability. You choose the gender and age (from 15 to 17). To learn more contact Tom McCarthy at 301-774-7069 or Thomas.McCarthy@RaymondJames.com.

 

This video is only 3 minutes long but gives a good overview of the program. It was made by the US State Department

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8rSmOKgY_4. This video is about 8 minutes, gives more info on some of their activities while here, and was made in part by the teens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egcM0Fnj2YA.  

                                                                                                      

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

 

80] – Fund Our Communities campaign – is a 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.      

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

84] – 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.  

 

85] – 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.

 

86] – 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.  

 

87] – 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/.

 

88] – 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