Baltimore Activist Alert - Part 4

Tuesday, January 29, 2013


61] U.S., Israel and Palestine – Jan. 31

62] Understand Pentagon budget – Jan. 31

63] "The History of the 1930s" – Jan. 31

64] Film “Reportero” – Jan. 31

65] Book talk: "Doing Time for Peace” – Jan. 31

66] MICA's Nicaragua Summer – Jan. 31

67] Viet Nam reconciliation projects – Jan. 31

68] Film CRIME AFTER CRIME – Feb. 1

69] MUPJ Conference – Apr. 12 & 13, 2013

70] Support Red Emma’s in its move

71] Fellowship position available

72] Do you possess any Tom Lewis artwork?

73] Sign up with Washington Peace Center

74] Join Fund Our Communities

75] Submit articles to Indypendent Reader

76] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

77] Do you need any book shelves?

78] Join Global Zero campaign

79] Digital Information and the Criminal Justice System

80] War Is Not the Answer signs for sale

81] Click on The Hunger Site

82] Fire & Faith

83] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

















61] –

61] U.S., Israel and Palestine: What Should the U.S. Do Now? This talk is on Thurs., Jan. 31 from 11 AM through 2 PM at 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW, WDC 20036 (DuPont Circle Metro). Many are saying that the century old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, whose solution lies in an agreement for two states and a shared Jerusalem in the land that is precious to both peoples, is reaching the point of no re-turn. As the Netanyahu government rushes ahead to expand settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the prospects for a genuine, contiguous Palestinian state are disappearing. The Hamas-Fatah split between Gaza and the West Bank also cripples peacemaking. Has President Obama, having ordered the U.S. vote against Palestinian self- determination in the UN in November, decided to defer the tough issue of peace making, given other pressing foreign policy demands? Or will he, as many Americans recommend, once again take on the formidable challenge of making peace between Israel and Palestine, to which American national security interests in the Middle East are closely tied? Reserve at www.democraticwoman.org or 202-232-7363 ext. 3003.

62] –Sign Up for 'Understanding the Pentagon Budget — and How to Move the Money,' a webinar which will take place on Thurs., Jan. 31 at 2 PM Eastern, Learn how and where to get the Pentagon spending facts you need to shape the national debate. Your knowledge will also support the long-term effort to reorient national priorities. This free webinar with analyst, researcher and experienced workshop leader Chris Hellman will help you understand better the mammoth Pentagon budget, how to find and use the information you need to campaign for changed national priorities, and develop skills for what will be a long-term struggle to shift those priorities. Register at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2507/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=7256.

63] – Bill Barry [mailto:wbarrymd@hotmail.com] is teaching a special 3-credit course, "The History of the 1930s," at CCBC-Essex for the spring semester, Thursday nights (5:45-8:40 PM) starting January 31 and running until the first week of May. You can take the course for credit, for audit or just sit in for fun (as soon as enough enrolled students sign up for the course). A comparison will be made between that Depression and today’s. The outline for the course last year is http://faculty.ccbcmd.edu/~wbarry/History%20of%201930s.html.

64] – Catch the film “Reportero” on Thurs., Jan. 31 from 6 to 8 PM at 1025 5th St. NW. The film follows a veteran reporter and his colleagues at Zeta, a Tijuana-based independent newsweekly, as they stubbornly ply their trade in one of the deadliest places in the world for members of the media. In Mexico, more than 40 journalists have been slain or have vanished since December 2006, when President Felipe Calderón came to power and launched a government offensive against the country’s powerful drug cartels and organized crime. Join The Institute for Policy Studies for this screening, to be followed by an intense discussion with IPS' Drug Policy project director Sanho Tree and Frank Smyth of the Committee to Protect Journalists. A suggested donation of $5 is requested to help with costs. No one will be turned away. Email Netfa Freeman at netfa@ips-dc.org.



65] – On Thurs., Jan. 31 at 7 PM at Red Emma’s, 800 St. Paul St., Rosalie J. Riegle presents her book “Doing Time for Peace,” which explores the stories of over 75 peace activists who ended up in prison. Call 410- 230-0450 or go to http://www.redemmas.org.

This exceptional book of oral histories shares the stories of activists whose brave acts of civil disobedience landed them in prison, forcing them to choose between being with their families and communities and standing up for what they believe in. Many are Catholic Workers, devoting their lives to the works of mercy instead of the works of war. They are homemakers and carpenters and social workers and teachers who are often called "faith-based activists." They speak from the left of the political perspective, providing a counterpoint to the faith-based activism of the fundamentalist Right. From WWII resistors to anti-Iraq war activists, the book situates peace work in a long tradition of resistance to war and imperialism.

66] –On Thurs., Jan. 31 at 7 PM at Maryland Institute College of Art, The Gateway, 1601 West Mount Royal Ave., Baltimore 21217. Room 101, get information about MICA's Nicaragua Summer. Email maldana@mica.edu.

Innovation, social justice, and adventure thrive in the MICA in Nicaragua program, Art of Solidarity, founded by Maria Aldana and Aleks Martray since 2008. Artists interested in community arts and in documentary video come together to collaborate with Nicaraguan artists for 5 weeks from July 5 through Aug. 6. The small mountain city of Esteli is where the program begins. Later participants will live and work in the town of Limay, which is isolated from many resources but has a wealth of artists among its population of 13,000.

67] – On Thurs., Jan. 31 at 7:30 PM, Mike Boehm of Madison Quakers, Inc. will talk about Viet Nam reconciliation projects including the My Lai Peace Park. Mike is Viet Nam vet who has been back 16 times since 1992 working with a number of Vietnamese on various peace and reconciliation projects. Mike Marceau of the D.C. Veterans for Peace will also briefly share about his trip back to Viet Nam in 2012. This event, hosted by the St. Francis of Assisi Pax Christi group and co-sponsored by Peace Action Montgomery and Veterans for Peace, will be held in the Parish Center (church basement) of St. Francis of Assisi Church, 6701 Muncaster Mill Road, Derwood, MD 20855. Email cooker@ppnpf.com.

68] – The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee, Baltimore Quaker Peace and Justice Committee of Homewood and Stony Run Meetings and Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility are continuing the FILM & SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS DVD SERIES. The DVDs will be shown at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218, on the First Friday. After the peace vigil, there will be a potluck dinner. At 7 PM, from January through June, a DVD will be shown with a discussion to follow. There is no charge, and refreshments will be available. Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.



The series theme is WHY CAN’T WE GET ALONG? On Fri., Feb. 1, see CRIME AFTER CRIME (USA, 2011) a documentary film directed by Yoav Potash about the case of Deborah Peagler, an incarcerated victim of domestic violence whose case was taken up by pro bono attorneys through the California Habeas Project. The documentary tells the dramatic story of the legal battle to free Peagler, an incarcerated survivor of domestic violence. She was wrongly convicted of the murder of her abusive boyfriend, and given 26 years in prison. Her story takes an unexpected turn two decades later when two rookie land-use attorneys step forward to take her case. Through their perseverance, they bring to light long-lost witnesses, new testimonies from the men who committed the murder, and proof of perjured evidence. Their investigation ultimately attracts global attention to victims of wrongful incarceration and abuse, and becomes a matter of life and death once more.





69] – The 28th Annual Maryland Peace, Justice and the Environment Conference [www.mupj.org] will take place Fri., Apr. 12 and Sat., Apr. 13 at the Turner Memorial AME Church, 7201 16th Place, Hyattsville. Save these dates. Email paulette.d.hammond@questdiagnostics.com.



70] – Red Emma's is in the process of closing down the location at 800 St. Paul St., and reopening in a much larger new space on North Avenue in the fall. The collective is seeking your help. It's time to reinvent the project started in 2004 to build a self-sustaining progressive space in Baltimore, committed to providing a daily reminder that another world was possible and that there were people working in the city to build it.



Here's how you can help: donate money, buy books at the current store, provide skilled help, and share these needs. Email john@redemmas.org or go to http://indiegogo.com/redemmas2.



71] – There is an Advocacy and Policy Fellowship for a person to work on global justice issues and gain valuable advocacy, research and professional experience? Jubilee USA Network is a coalition of over 75 faith communities, environmental organizations and a variety of other groups, working towards expanded debt cancellation and responsible lending and borrowing to impoverished countries.



Some of the responsibilities would be creating literature and fact sheets about debt and representing Jubilee at planning meetings, appointments with Congress members and public events and conducting research as needed to respond to new information or events that pertain to Jubilee's work. Some requirements would be a strong passion for economic justice and right relationships among people, excellent verbal and written communications skills, and a familiarity with general government and/or foreign policy issues. The position is a year-long commitment from August to August. To apply, please send a cover letter, resume and 1-2 page writing sample to Jennifer Tong, Communications and Development Coordinator at jennifer(at)jubileeusa.org.



72] – Stephen Kobasa is hoping to do an exhibit of the work of Tom Lewis opening in May 2013 in New Haven, CT. It would include a variety of his paintings, drawings, silkscreen prints, book illustrations, posters, banners and sketchbooks. This would not only be a display of objects on a gallery wall, but would also involve events which would return Tom's art to the streets where it was originally meant to make conscience visible.

Contact Stephen if you are in possession of original work and would consider loaning it for a month long display. You can reach him at stephen.kobasa at gmail.com or 203-500-0268.



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



74] – 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. Plan to join FOC on the March 23 Peace Bus from Baltimore to D.C. Go to www.OurFunds.org.



75] – MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. Baltimore's Indypendent Reader is looking for individuals interested in creating media - written, photo, audio, or video - that relates to issues like...economic justice, race, prisons & policing, environment, gender & sexuality, war & peace and more! If you would like to create social justice media, then email indypendentreader@gmail.com. Visit http://www.indyreader.org.



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



77] – Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.



78] – 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.





79] – Visit the Digital Information and the Criminal Justice System at http://www.onlinecriminaljusticedegree.com/. This link presents a wide range of insightful articles for criminal justice and legal professionals, both current and future. The project aims to be an objective, authoritative resource in the ever-changing court system.



80] – 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.



81] – 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.

82] – 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/.

83] – 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