Baltimore Activist Alert Mar. 1 – Mar. 7, 2013

Baltimore Activist Alert Mar. 1 – Mar. 7, 2013


"I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours.

The initiative to stop it must be ours." -Martin Luther King Jr.

Friends, this list and other email documents which I send out are done under the auspices of the Baltimore Nonviolence Center. Go to www.baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com. If you appreciate this information and would like to make a donation, send contributions to BNC, 325 East 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. Max Obuszewski can be reached at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski [at] verizon.net.

Tune into the Maryland Progressive Blog at http://mdprogblog.org.

1] Books, buttons & stickers

2] Web site for info on federal legislation

3] Join Nonviolent Resistance lists

4] Buy coffee through HoCoFoLa

5] For All the World to see exhibit – through Mar. 10

6] Thousand Little Brothers exhibit – through Mar. 23

7] Support Gun Laws – Mar. 1

8] Toss the SOA Off the Fiscal Cliff – Mar. 1

9] White House vigil – Mar. 1

10] WIB Roland Park vigil – Mar. 1

11] Justice for Palestine/Israel vigil – Mar. 1

12] Silent peace vigil – Mar. 1

13] Film MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR – Mar. 1

14] Film THE MISSION – Mar. 1

15] War Tax Resistance – Mar. 1

16] Ballroom dancing – Mar. 1

17] Tom Paxton performs – Mar. 1

18] Catholic Convocation – Mar. 2

19] Resist AIPAC – Mar. 2 - 5

20] Free Green Workshops – Mar. 2

21] Olney peace vigil – Mar. 2

22] West Chester, PA demo – Mar. 2

23] Silent vigil at Capitol – Mar. 2

24] Silent Death Walk – Mar. 2

25] New Perspectives on Peace with Justice – Mar. 2

26] L'Arche Greater Washington DC's Solidarity Night – Mar. 2

27] “Fulfilling the Promise of Humanism” – Mar. 3

28] Peace and Pancakes – Mar. 3

29] Pentagon Vigil – Mar. 4

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1] – Buttons, bumperstickers and books are available. “God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions” stickers are in stock. Donate your books to Max. Call him at 410-366-1637.



2] – To obtain information how your federal legislators voted on particular bills, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/. Congressional toll-free numbers are 888-818-6641, 888-355-3588 or 800-426-8073. The White House Comment Email is accessible at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/.



3] – THE ORGANIZING LIST will be the primary decision-making mechanism of the National Campaign of Nonviolent Resistance [NCNR]. It will be augmented by conference calls and possibly in-person meetings as needed. It will consist of 1 or 2 representatives from each local, regional, or national organization (not coalitions) that wishes to actively work to carry out the NCNR campaign of facilitating and organizing nonviolent resistance to the war in Iraq.



To join the ORGANIZING List, please send your name, group affiliation, city and email address to donmuller@msn.com. Different local chapters of a national organization are encouraged to subscribe.



THE NOTICES LIST will include only notices of NCNR actions and related information and is open to any interested person to subscribe. It will be moderated to maintain focus & will include periodic notices about getting involved in NCNR national organizing. To join the NOTICES List, send an email message to ncnrnotices-subscribe@lists.riseup.net. You will get a confirmation message once subscribed. If you have problems, please write to the list manager at ncnrnotices-admin@lists.riseup.net.



4] – You can help safeguard human rights and fragile ecosystems through your purchase of HOCOFOLA Café Quetzal. Bags of ground coffee or whole beans can be ordered by mailing in an order form. Also note organic cocoa and sugar are for sale. For more details and to download the order form, go to http://friendsoflatinamerica.typepad.com/hocofola/2010/02/hocofola-cafe-quetzal-order-form-2010.html. The coffee comes in one-pound bags.



Fill out the form and mail it with a check made out to HOCOFOLA on or before the second week of the month. Be sure you indicate ground or beans for each type of coffee ordered. Send it to Adela Hirsch, 5358 Eliots Oak Rd., Columbia, MD 21044. Be sure you indicate ground (G) or bean (B) for each type of coffee ordered. The coffee will arrive some time the following week and you will be notified where to pick it up. Contact Adela at 410-997-5662 or via e-mail at adela4peace@verizon.net.



5] – For All the World to See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights explores the historic role played by visual images in shaping, influencing, and transforming the fight for civil rights in the United States. The exhibit includes photographs, television and film, magazines, newspapers, posters, books, and pamphlets. The exhibition will continue through Mar. 10. You can see it Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 AM to 5 PM in the UMBC Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture, 1000 Hilltop Circle.

6] – Thousand Little Brothers is a multimedia exhibition by Hasan Elahi, a former subject of a post 9/11 FBI investigation. Comprised of over 50,000 images, including some of his financial data, communication records, and transportation logs, Elahi's exhibit comments on current investigatory techniques. The opening reception is on Thurs., Jan. 24 from 6 to 8 PM. The exhibit will continue through March 23, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 AM to 5 PM at the Maryland Art Place, 8 Market Place, suite 100. Call 410- 962-8565 or visit http://www.MDartplace.org.

7] – On Fri., Mar. 1 at 10:30 AM, rally to support the governor’s common-sense proposals to reduce gun violence. Help represent what the vast majority of Marylanders want--sensible gun violence prevention measures. The rally will be held in Lawyers Mall, 100 State Circle, Annapolis 21401 (in front of the State Capitol), and buses are available from Baltimore. Go to http://marylanderstopreventgunviolence.org/march-1st-rally-to-prevent-gun-violence/.

8] – Toss the SOA Off the Fiscal Cliff on Fri., Mar. 1 from 11 AM to 11 PM at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. The short-term compromise that Congress passed last Tuesday night to avoid the immediate impacts of the so-called fiscal cliff sets up much bigger battles in the coming months as Washington will once again square off over automatic cuts in military and non-entitlement discretionary spending, the budget resolution and an extension of the nation’s ability to continue borrowing.



Join SOA Watch to make our voices heard and insert ourselves into the debate. Show Congress and the White House that public opinion wants education, health, environmental safety, and care for our elderly over military spending. Tell them to cut the Pentagon budget and to close the SOA: http://SOAW.org/takeaction. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/227608984040735/

9] – A peace vigil takes place every Friday from noon to 1 PM at Lafayette Park facing the White House. Join the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker and friends. Contact Art Laffin: artlaffin@hotmail.com.

10] – There is also a noon Women in Black vigil on Mar. 1 at Roland Park Place, 830 W. 40th St. Call 410-467-9114.



11] – A vigil for Justice in Palestine/Israel takes place every Friday from noon to 1 PM at 19th & JFK Blvd., Philadelphia (across from Israeli Consulate. It is sponsored by Bubbies & Zaydes (Grandparents) for Peace in the Middle East. Email cswartz@pil.net. Go to http://phillyjewishpeace.org/.

12] – There is a silent peace vigil on Fri., Mar. 1 from 5 to 6 PM outside Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St. Placards say: "War Is Not the Answer." The silent vigil is sponsored by Homewood Friends and Stony Run Meetings. On the first Friday of the month, there will be a potluck dinner at 6:30 PM, followed by the showing of a DVD.

13] – 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., Mar. 1, see THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR [USA, 1988], which is based on the John Nichols novel of the same name. The author wrote the screenplay with David S. Ward. Directed by Robert Redford, the film has an ensemble cast including Ruben Blades, Sônia Braga, Melanie Griffith, John Heard, Daniel Stern and Christopher Walken. Filmed on location in Truchas, New Mexico, the film is set in the fictional rural town of Milagro, with a population of 426, a predominantly Hispanic and Catholic town, with a largely interrelated population. The film tells of one man's quixotic struggle as he defends his small bean field and his community against much larger business and state political interests.



14] – On Fri., Mar. 1 at 7 PM, see THE MISSION [1986] as part of the Peace Center of Delaware County First-Friday Large Screen Free Film Series, 1001 Old Sproul Road, Springfield, PA 19064. The doors open at 6:30 PM for light refreshments. Call 610-544-1818 or go to www.delcopeacecenter.org.



THE MISSION, with Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons, is directed by Roland Joffe. The screenplay and original story is by Robert Bolt with an original score by Ennio Morricone. Garnering a "Best Picture" Oscar nominee, this film is a sweeping epic tale of guilt, forgiveness, justice, and faith. Some 18th century missionaries in South America try to save an Indian tribe from the Portuguese slave trade.

15] – On Fri., Mar. 1 at 7:30 PM, join with the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, 503 Rock Creek Church Road NW, WDC 20010, for its monthly clarification of thought process. This month the topic is TAXES FOR PEACE NOT WAR! The guest speaker is Jack Payden-Travers. April 15th, Tax Day, is never an easy day for those of us concerned about issues of peace and justice for we are daily confronted by the image of a tax chart where the majority of the pie goes to the military and the poor and hungry are left with the proverbial crumbs. How to respond, how to live with ourselves when we know that our nation spends more on militarism than we do on education and social services? What do you do for a living? Does one have to live under the taxable level? What options are available? Can we really pray for peace while paying for war? These are the questions Jack will address.

Since 1972, he has been involved with resisting war taxes and trying to respond responsibly and creatively to the militarized society of which we are a part. Wages have been garnished, property levied, refunds appropriated and yet, as Jack says, "life gets better each year for my wife and me." Jack presently directs the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund. In February 2013 he was one of the delegates who attended the 14th International Conference on War Tax Resis¬tance and Peace Tax Campaigns in Bogota, Columbia. Each of us has the ability to be a symbol of sanity and resistance to the military madness of this society. Contact Dorothy Day Catholic Worker at 202-882-9649 or artlaffin@hotmail.com. Jack Payden-Travers can be reached at paydentravers@gmail.com. The event will be held at Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, 503 Rock Creek Church Rd. NW, WDC 20010. Visit www.DCcatholicworker.wordpress.com.

16] – There is an opportunity to participate in ballroom dancing, usually every Friday of the month, in the JHU ROTC Bldg. at 8 PM. Turn south on San Martin Dr. from the intersection of Univ. Parkway and 39th St. Drive on campus by taking the third left turn. The next dance will be Mar. 1. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725.

17] – Tom Paxton, the folk singer-songwriter, performs. On Fri., Mar. 1 at 8 PM at Brown Memorial Woodbrook Presbyterian Church, 6200 N. Charles St. Call 410-377-7232 or go to http://commongroundonthehill.org. Ticket prices are $19. Seniors and students get in fir $17.

18] – On Sat., Mar. 2 from 8:15 AM to 4:30 PM, the 34th Annual Diocese of Baltimore Social Ministry Convocation is taking place at Seton Keough High School, 1201 Caton Ave., Baltimore. The theme is "The Church In The Modern World: 50 Years After Vatican II," and the keynote speaker is Mark K. Shriver, senior vice president of SAVE THE CHILDREN. There will be a series of workshops, including Who's Stealing Wages, the Death Penalty Is Dead Wrong, and Caring for God's Climate Refugees. Enjoy a box lunch at noon, an award ceremony and a closing prayer service. Many groups will have literature tables, including Pax Christi – Baltimore. Contact Carol Palmer at 410.261.6780 or cpalmer@cc-md.org.



19] – "Shaping Tomorrow Together" is the theme for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual conference. For decades, the "tomorrow" AIPAC has been shaping has been one of war, occupation and apartheid at the expense of human rights, justice, and international law. Their tomorrow is a continued push for war with Iran. Their tomorrow means greater U.S. support for Israeli oppression of Palestinians. And their tomorrow means sending even more U.S. weapons abroad while cutting funding for healthcare and education here at home.



Join FOR, Interfaith Peace-Builders, the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, CODEPINK and others to build a different tomorrow. Expose AIPAC Mobilization starting Sat., Mar. 2 at 8:30 AM for grassroots advocacy training at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC. The training has a registration fee of $40 to $125 (sliding scale, $30 for students). All other Expose AIPAC events on other days are free.



On Sun., Mar. 3 at 11 AM, be at the mobilization and street demonstrations outside the AIPAC conference, 9th St. NW & Massachusetts Ave. NW. CODEPINK will be hosting dubka, a flash mob, and greeting AIPAC-goers as they leave the convention center at the end of the day. Come show that the U.S. people demand "Diplomacy, Not War" and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel at a creative protest outside the AIPAC conference. There is a need for 150 people for an amazing visual/action from 3 to 4 PM.



On Mon., Mar. 4 and Tues., Mar. 5 join the constituent lobby days all day at the offices of your members of Congress. On Mon., Mar. 4 at 7 PM, protest the AIPAC gala outside the AIPAC conference, 9th St. NW & Massachusetts Ave. NW. Email for@forusa.org or go to www.forusa.org.

20] – From 10 AM to noon on Sat, March 2, participate in Free Green Workshops at Blue Water Baltimore, 3545 Belair Road, Baltimore 21213. This event is organized by The Abeona Group, Inc., Belair Edison Community Association and Baltimore Energy Challenge. Attend these workshops and learn ways to lower and save money on your BG&E and water bills. Call 1-888-788-9943 or email at contactus@abeonagroup.com. Go to http://www.cphabaltimore.org/?p=9687.

21] – Friends House, 17715 Meeting House Rd., Sandy Spring, MD 20860, hosts a peace vigil every Saturday, 10:30 to 11:30 AM, on the corner of Rt. 108 and Georgia Ave. [Route 97] in Olney, MD. The next vigil is Mar. 2. Call Chuck Harker at 301-570-7167.



22] – Each Saturday, 11 AM – 1 PM, Chester County Peace Movement holds a peace vigil in West Chester in front of the Chester County Courthouse, High & Market Sts. Go to www.ccpeace.org. Email ccpeacemovement@aol.com.

23] – There will be a peace vigil on the West Lawn of the Capitol at noon on Sat., Mar. 2. Look for the blue banner with the message, "Seek Peace and Pursue It.--Psalms 34:14." The vigil lasts one hour and is silent except when one responds to the occasional questions. Go to http://www.quaker.org/langleyhill/seekpeace.htm or email seekpeacevigil@yahoo.com.

24] – On Sat., Mar. 2 from noon until 1 PM, there is a monthly anti-drone/anti-war protest (1st Saturday of the month)--Philadelphia Silent Death Walk. Gather at the Phila. Flower Show/Phila. Convention Center, 12th & Market Sts., Phila., PA 19107. Wear BLACK, and signs and white masks are provided. RSVP Marge Van Cleef at 267-763-1644.

25] – New Perspectives on Peace with Justice: An Evening with Interfaith Peace-Builders is happening on Sat., Mar. 2 from 6:30 to 9 PM at The Goethe Institute, 812 7th St. NW, WDC 20001. Join the US Campaign, CODEPINK, Interfaith Peace-Builders and Fellowship of Reconciliation. While AIPAC will be "Celebrating 65 Years of Friendship" between the United States and Israel, for the people in the Middle East, this relationship is nothing to be celebrated as AIPAC-backed sanctions take their toll on Iranians. And Palestinians continue to suffer under Israeli occupation and apartheid funded by U.S. tax dollars. The requested donation is from $30 to $100. Food and beverages will be provided.



The featured speakers are Rev. Carolyn Boyd, adjunct pastor at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ and former national co-chair of Black Voices for Peace, and Hanan Idilbi, board member of Interfaith Peace-Builders and member of the US Palestine Community Network. Feras Qumseya will play modern oud compositions rooted in the deep cultural traditions of Palestine. Go to http://www.ifpb.org/education/grassroots/2013/presenters.html.



26] – On Sat., Mar. 2nd at 7 PM, you are invited to join in at L'Arche Greater Washington DC's Solidarity Night celebration at Marymount University, Reinsch Library Auditorium, 2807 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22207. This is a 30th anniversary Solidarity Night which is the yearly fundraiser for their sister communities in Haiti and Mexico. See http://www.larche-gwdc.org/event/solidarity-night-2/. Enjoy a family-friendly variety show and silent auction. The suggested donation is $10.



L’Arche Greater Washington, D.C. is an interdenominational Christian community of people with and without intellectual disabilities who share life together. Community life is centered on four homes (two in Arlington; two in Adams Morgan) and 16 adults who have disabilities, who are known as “core people.” Most assistants live in the homes, creating a family-like environment where relationships are priority.





27] – Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W. Franklin St., Suite 102, Baltimore 21201-4661, meets on Sundays, and generally there is a speaker and discussion from 10:30 to 11:30 AM. On Sun., Mar. 3, hear James Croft, the Research and Education Fellow at the Humanist Community at Harvard, where he works primarily on the Humanist Community Project – an initiative to aid the growth and development of local Humanist communities around the world. He is a fifth-year doctoral candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he studies the philosophy of education. His address will be “Building the Temple of the Future: Fulfilling the Promise of Humanism.” Humanists have high moral principles and lofty goals: a true Humanist vision would lead to nothing less than the transformation of the world. And yet, in the decades since Humanism became a well-defined creed, it has not had a significant political and cultural impact. Go to http://www.bmorethical.org. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.



28] – Join the Kadampa Meditation Center for Peace and Pancakes on Sundays at 10:30 AM at KMC Maryland, 2937 North Charles St. All are invited to participate in guided meditation and chant praying for world peace. There will be a talk based on Buddhist thought followed by brunch. Call 410- 243-3837. Brunch is $5.



29] – There is a weekly Pentagon Peace Vigil from 7 to 8 AM on Mondays, since 1987, outside the Pentagon Metro stop. The next vigil is Mon., Mar. 4, and it is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker. Keep Space for Peace signs will be held at this vigil. Email artlaffin@hotmail.com or call 202-882-9649.

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