Baltimore Activist Alert - Part 3

36] Voting Rights protest – Feb. 27


37] Consumer Finance Protection Agency – Feb. 27

38] Protest Lockheed Martin – Feb. 27

39] ROK-U.S. Alliance – Feb. 27

40] “U.S. Nuclear Policy in the 21st Century" – Feb. 27

41] Protest General Stanley McChrystal at JHU – Feb. 27

42] Understanding the ongoing financial crisis – Feb. 27

43] Music for Peace – Feb. 27

44] United Workers is moving – Feb. 28

45] Protest Pentagon spending – Feb. 28

46] Protest John Brennan – Feb. 28

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36] – On Wed., Feb. 27, the Supreme Court will hear a case — the outcome of which could make it harder for communities of color to register and vote. This case (Shelby County v. Holder) is a challenge to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). Section 5 requires certain states and jurisdictions to seek approval from the U.S. Department of Justice before they change laws around voting. Rally to Protect the Voting Rights Act on Wed., Feb. 27 at 9 AM at the U.S. Supreme Court Building, 1 First Street NE, WDC 20543.

In just the last year alone, Section 5 enabled the Department of Justice to block voter suppression initiatives in Texas, South Carolina, and Florida. In other words: Section 5 matters. If the Supreme Court strikes down Section 5, millions of voters will be at risk of having their rights infringed upon by those determined to block access to the ballot. We can't let that happen. RSVP to join the NAACP at the Supreme Court. Go to http://action.naacp.org/rally-rsvphttp://action.naacp.org/page/s/rsvp-for-the-naacp-s-voting-rights-act-rally?utm_medium=email&utm_source=NAACP&utm_content=2+-+Stand+up+for+our+fundamental+rights+as+c&utm_campaign=20120226VRArallyRSVP&source=20120226VRArallyRSVP.



37] – The topic of discussion at the Table Talk Lunch Series is Consumer Finance Protection Agency: Will it be Effective? Hear the discussion on Wed., Feb. 27 at noon at the Kay Spiritual Life Center Lounge. To-Quyen Truong- Deputy General Counsel of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Lisa Gilbert, director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch Division will lead the discussion. RSVP at 202-885-3321 or KSLC@american.edu. A buffet lunch is provided free to students. A donation of $5 each is requested from faculty and staff to help offset the cost of the program. Reservations are required.



38] – On Wed., Feb. 27 at 12:30 PM, join USAction to fight for PEOPLE over PENTAGON PORK. Congress has a clear choice: protect vital domestic programs OR Pentagon CEOs. But they need to hear from you. So join an event in Washington to rein in wasteful Pentagon spending and protect our priorities and the middle class. Shine a light on Pentagon budget excess at the Lockheed Martin Lobby Office, 400 Virginia Ave. SW, WDC 20024. RSVP at info@pdamerica.org.



Progressive Democrats of America will join a large and growing coalition to cut spending for weapons and war entitled "Pull The Pork from the Pentagon." PDA state leaders Robert Hansen (Wisconsin), Kurt Bateman (Ohio), and Mike Hersh (Maryland) are working with Win Without War, Citizen Action of WI, Jobs Now, SEIU, Fund Our Communities, USAction and many other local, state and national organizations in this coalition.



Across the board cuts mandated by the "Sequester" deal are scheduled to begin on March 1st unless the Congress and the President agree to a different deal. Our coalition is concerned that the deal will preserve Pentagon Pork--everything from Cold War Era weapons to provocative, counterproductive foreign military bases, from new nukes and other weapons to ongoing wars and occupations.



39] – On Wed., Feb. 27 from 6 to 8 PM, Choi Young-jin, South Korean Ambassador, will talk about "The ROK-U.S. Alliance in the Pacific Era In Light of North Korea's Recent Nuclear Test" at George Washington Univ., Jack Morton Auditorium, 805 21st St. NW, WDC. RSVP at http://gwuiaskorean.eventbrite.com/#.



40] – On Wed., Feb. 27 from 7 to 8:30 PM, former Amb. Richard Burt, Christopher Preble, Cato Institute, Baker Spring, Heritage Foundation, and Keir Lieber, Georgetown Univ., will explore "The Future of Armageddon: U.S. Nuclear Policy in the 21st Century" at Georgetown Univ., ICC Auditorium, 37th and O Sts. NW, WDC.



41] – General Stanley McChrystal is speaking at Johns Hopkins University, Homewood Campus, Arellano Place of Assembly, 3400 N. Charles St., as part of the Foreign Affairs Symposium on Wed., Feb. 27 at 8 PM. Go to www.jhu.edu/fas. There will be a demonstration beginning at 7:30 PM.



42] – On Wed., Feb. 27 from 6:30 to 7:30 PM at The Village Learning Place, 2521St. Paul St. Go to http://www.villagelearningplace.org/. Economics, Finance, Trade, and National Sovereignty: Understanding the ongoing financial crisis is a free class Dr. David Viel will teach, surveying the basic ideas of economics, finance, and trade and how they relate to the current financial crisis.



43] – Discover music as a means to communicate and connect across cultures. Listen, play, or learn. The event will feature an open mic forum, guitar lessons, and the chance to meet and connect with other musicians in the city. Music for Peace takes place at 7:30 PM on the last Wednesday of the month at the HI Baltimore Hostel, 17 W. Mulberry St. Call 410-576-8880 or go to http://www.baltimorehostel.org.



44] – United Workers Is moving after four years at 901 Hollins St., and the group needs help moving on Thurs., Feb. 28 from 9 AM to 5 PM. If you can help, stop by or email info@unitedworkers.org or call 410.230.1998. If you have a truck and can also help, bring it. The move will be to the former Learning Bank at 1200 West Baltimore St., Baltimore MD 21223.



45] – On Thurs., Feb. 28 at 11 AM, join Fund Our Communities for our second Pull the Pork event of the week. Meet us at 11 AM in room 5G of the Cannon House Office Building. Email Jean Athey at jeanathey at verizon.net. The Fund Our Communities letter to Congress opposes harmful cuts to domestic spending and points out that money for our communities is available from new taxes and through cutting Pentagon waste. When this letter to Congress, with signatures from Maryland elected officials, is delivered, the legislators will receive pulled pork sandwiches.



46] – According to news sources, "The Senate Intelligence Committee is all but certain to vote Thurs., Feb. 28 on the nomination of John O. Brennan to lead the CIA" and "the panel’s chairwoman predicted the committee would vote to support him." Furthermore, Feinstein said that she "still was not sure" if the committee would receive some of the legal memos they had been seeking.

Regardless of what happens, it is important to show that the legal memos must be released. CODEPINK plans on staging a die-in in the Atrium of the Senate Hart Building on Thurs., Feb. 28 at 1 PM. Call 845-625-3725. Email noor.codepink@gmail.com.

To be continued.

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/.

"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