Baltimore Activist Alert - April 26-28

Baltimore Activist Alert Apr. 26 – May 2, 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] Fasting for the climate – through Apr. 30

6] BUILD's 35 Years of Organizing -- through Aug. 31

7] LIGHT by Art Spirit – through May 12

8] Homage to Harriet – through June 23

9] Tour de Peace – through July 3

10] White House vigil to support Gitmo prisoners – Apr. 26

11] Justice for Palestine/Israel vigil – Apr. 26

12] The Use of Force Against a Nuclear Threat from Iran – Apr. 26

13] Silent peace vigil – Apr. 26

14] Benefit for D.C. Jobs with Justice – Apr. 26

15] Obama’s Hope For The Holy Land – Apr. 26

16] Ballroom dancing – Apr. 26

17] EARTH DAY TREE PLANTING – Apr. 27

18] Palestinians in D.C. Speak to the Churches – Apr. 27

19] Mass Incarceration of African Americans – Apr. 27

20] Gun Legislation Town Hall – Apr. 27

21] Olney peace vigil – Apr. 27

20] West Chester, PA demo – Apr. 27

22] Silent vigil at Capitol – Apr. 27

24] Occupy Sandy – Apr. 27

25] Fracking moratorium now – Apr. 28

26] Fracking moratorium now – Apr. 28

27] Peace and Pancakes – Apr. 28







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] – Through Tues., Apr. 30, join fasting for the climate, go to http://www.1future.net.



6] – The Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library, 400 Cathedral St., hosts an exhibit Learning, Listening, Leading: BUILD's 35 Years of Organizing in Baltimore City, which documents the achievements of BUILD, featuring the leaders who made these changes possible, through Sat., Aug. 31. Call 410-396-5430. Go to http://www.prattlibrary.org/locations/central.



7] – The Arts Council of Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church presents LIGHT by Art Spirit, an Arts Collective, through Sun., May 12 at the Great Hall, 3401 Nebraska Ave. NW, WDC 20016. The exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, and Sundays, 9 AM to 12:30 PM. Call 202-363-4900 or go to www.nationalchurch.org.



8] – Homage to Harriet, works about and inspired by the life and legacy of Maryland-born abolitionist Harriet Tubman, continues through June 23 at Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture, 830 E. Pratt St. Call 443-263-1800. Go to http://www.africanamericanculture.org/.



9] – From Thurs., Apr. 4 through Wed., July 3 follow the Tour de Peace across the country. Visit http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/p/tour-de-peace-road-less-taken.html.

10] – 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. However, on April 26 the vigil will Support Guantanamo Hunger Strikers--Close Guantanamo & End Indefinite Detention. The men detained at the U.S. prison in Guantánamo are engaged in a large-scale hunger strike, which began in early February. Recent reports indicate that 84 men are on the hunger strike, 16 are being force-fed and 3 are now hospitalized. Last weekend guards used excessive force and rubber bullets on prisoners who resisted being forcibly moved from communal to individual cells. This was done in attempt to stop the hunger strike. The vast majority of the 166 men have been held for more than 11 years without any charge or fair trial, with no end to their detention in sight. The Obama administration must take swift measures to humanely address the immediate causes of the hunger strike and fulfill its promise to close Guantánamo without further delay. See www.witnesstorture.org. Contact Art Laffin: artlaffin@hotmail.com.

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] – On Fri., Apr. 26 from noon to 2 PM, William Taft, former Legal Adviser to the State Department, and Davis Robinson, former Legal Adviser to the State Department, will examine "The Use of Force Against a Nuclear Threat from Iran: International Law and the Role of the U.N." at the American Society of International Law, 2223 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC. RSVP at http://www.asil.org/activities_calendar.cfm?action=detail&rec=283.

13] – There is a silent peace vigil on Fri., Apr. 26 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.

14] – Get over to the benefit for D.C. Jobs with Justice on Fri., Apr. 26 at 7 PM at St. Stephen\s Basement, 1525 Newton St. NW, WDC. D.C. Jobs with Justice is a coalition of community, faith-based, student and union groups, and some of its campaigns include paid sick days for all, action against wage theft, a fight against privatization, and Respect DC. Tickets are $5. Email Lillian@dcjwj.org. Go to http://www.dcjwj.org/.



15] – Peace, Prosperity and Prescriptions, Obama’s Hope For The Holy Land will be examined on Fri., Apr. 26 from 7 to 9 PM at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ. The discussion will be moderated by Rev. Carolyn L. Boyd, and participants are Rev. Graylan Hagler, William “Bill” Fletcher, Jr. and Mark Braverman. Call 202-723-5330 or email plymouthcongregational@yahoo.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 Apr. 26. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725.



17] – Attend the EARTH DAY TREE PLANTING & PICNIC organized by Blue Water Baltimore and joined by the Baltimore Ethical Society on Sat., Apr. 27 from 9 AM to noon. Help plant trees at City College High School, 3220 The Alameda, 21218. Blue Water Baltimore will provide gloves and tools. Each volunteer should bring a water bottle and wear clothes and sturdy shoes that can get dirty/wet. Planting will take place rain or shine, so bring sunscreen or a rain jacket if appropriate. Pack a lunch and then gather for a picnic. Email katherinelaclair@gmail.com.



18] – The Sabeel D.C. Metro 2nd Annual Spring Workshop - “Palestinians in D.C. Speak to the Churches” is on Sat., Apr. 27 from 9:30 AM to 4 PM at Wesley Theological Seminary, 4500 Massachusetts Ave. (in the Kresge Academic Center’s Refectory). The workshop will feature eight ordinary/extraordinary Palestinian women and men, all residing here in the Washington DC area. To register, visit www.sabeeldc.org. Contact Paul Verduin at phverduin@gmail.com or 301-518-5551.



19] – Mass Incarceration & The Re-enslavement of People of Color is the theme on Sat., Apr. 27 from 11 AM to 1:30 PM at the Peoples Community Baptist Church, 31 Norwood Rd., Silver Spring 20905. Contact Krystle S. Washington @ 240-731-1200 or Krystle.Washington@gmail.com.



20] – Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence are hosting a Gun Legislation Town Hall Meeting with state legislators in Frederick on Sat., Apr. 27 from 10 AM to noon at the Urbana Regional Library, 9020 Amelung St., Urbana. Email westernmd.ofa@gmail.com or call 240-356-3346.



The gun control victory, however, will be short-lived if we allow the gun lobby to control the message in the weeks and months ahead. They are already threatening to unseat legislative in the 2014 election. Two Frederick County legislators who supported the bill, Sen. Ron Young and Delegate Galen Clagett, will discuss the measure. Lisa Whitehead, one of the event planners, said she became interested in gun law reforms after the mass shootings in Newtown, Conn. A Frederick pediatrician, she said she is passionate about keeping children safe and believes the law approved this session will help curb gun violence. Joining the legislators will be Vincent DeMarco, president of Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, and Sen. Brian Frosh, D-Montgomery, a leading proponent of tougher gun restrictions. The first half of the meeting will focus on state measures, but part of the meeting will also be devoted to national action on the issue.



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 Apr. 27. 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., Apr. 27. 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., Apr. 27 at 7 PM @ Red Emma's, 800 St. Paul St., hear from Occupy Sandy participants who will share examples of how the principles of mutual aid and non-hierarchical networks developed in OWS were applied to a real-life, tangible and immediate crisis (as opposed to the more long-term, abstract, economic crisis addressed through OWS.) Call 410- 230-0450 or info@redemmas.org.



25] – “Stand Together, Sing Together,” a concert by the Charm City Labor Chorus, will be presented on Sat., Apr. 27 at 7:30 PM in the Recital Hall of Morgan State University’s Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center, 2201 Argonne Drive. The chorus, founded in 2008, sings music of the labor, civil rights and social justice movements. This is its fourth annual concert. Email charmcitylaborchorus@gmail.com.



26] – 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., Apr. 28, Megan Jenny gives a talk “The Need for a Moratorium on Fracking in Maryland.” She is the Maryland Field Coordinator, Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Fracking is a controversial natural gas drilling practice, where gas companies force tons of water, toxic chemicals, and sand thousands of feet underground to fracture rock formations and release natural gas. In states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, fracking has been linked to drinking water contamination, climate pollution, and even earthquakes. Gas companies have leased land in western Maryland, and the state is currently considering fracking here. This talk will address the risks that fracking poses to Maryland and the legislative solutions being considered at the state level.



Megan Jenny was born and raised in Verona, New Jersey. She graduated from Dickinson College with a BA in English (and is living proof that you can do anything with a degree in English!). Right out of college, she began organizing with Toxics Action Center. She joined the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) team in October 2011 as its Maryland Campus Organizer. Go to http://www.bmorethical.org. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.



27] – 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.

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