Baltimore Activist Alert May 24 – May 27, 2013

Baltimore Activist Alert May 24 – May 30, 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] See THE CARETAKER – through May 25

6] Homage to Harriet – through June 23

7] Tour de Peace – through July 3

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

9] Wildlife Rescue exhibit – through Sept. 2

10] Operation Green Jobs – May 24

11] Celebrate the School of Life and Shanti Yoga – May 24

12] D.C. Demonstration for the Gitmo Hunger Strikers – May 24

13] Justice for Palestine/Israel vigil – May 24

14] Silent peace vigil – May 24

15] Che Guevara and the Awakening of an Internationalist Movement – May 24

16] Ballroom dancing – May 24

17] Walking Toward Community - A Restorative Approach – May 25

18] Olney Peace vigil – May 25

19] West Chester, PA demo – May 25

20] Silent vigil at Capitol – May 25

21] African Liberation Day Symposium – May 25

22] Protest Drone War Command Center – May 25

23] Protest Royal Farms – May 25 - 26

24] March Against Monsanto – May 25

25] Art Build for Bradley Manning – May 25

26] Memorial Day remembrance & picnic – May 26

27] Peace and Pancakes – May 26

28] Film "The Revolutionary Optimists" – May 26

29] Soul Kitchen is open – May 26

30] Pentagon Vigil – May 27



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] – See “The Caretaker, ”Harold Pinter's 1960's play about a homeless man (played by Marc Horwitz) who is invited by two working class brothers to stay in a dilapidated London flat that begins a war of treachery, dominance, and mystery. It will be performed through May 25, Sundays, 3 PM, Fridays-Saturdays, 8 PM, and May 23, 8 PM, at the Performance Workshop Theatre, 5426 Harford Road. Call 410-659-7830. See http://www.performanceworkshoptheatre.org. The ticket price is $22, but students pay $15.



6] – 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/.



7] – 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.



8] – 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.



9] – Wildlife Rescue is a new Maryland Science Center's travelling exhibit. Earth's ecosystems. Visitors to the exhibit will be introduced to the rescue efforts used by experts, have a chance to experiment with puppets and costumes, and learn survival. The exhibit at the Science Center, 601 Light St., will continue through September 2. Call 410-685-5225 or go to http://www.mdsci.org.

10] – Operation Green Jobs is doing a March on the US Chamber of Commerce on Fri., May 24 at 10 AM at 1615 H St. NW, WDC 20062. The government is owned by the lobbyists, so join a march on the lobbyists. A group of unemployed workers and their families have spent the last week marching all the way from Philadelphia to D.C., with the intent of marching on the US Chamber of Commerce's headquarters. Hold the U.S. Chamber of Commerce accountable for buying off Congress and using their millions to prevent action on green jobs, climate chaos, and a more equitable tax code. Go to http://warisacrime.org/content/protest-us-chamber-commerce-10-am-friday. Contact Cheri Honkala at 215-869-4753 or go to http://www.economichumanrights.org/#opGreenJobs.

11] – On Fri., May 24 at 11 AM, be at the annual celebration of the School of Life and Shanti Yoga. A mass will celebrated by the Right Reverend James Weisman, OSB, abbot of St. Anselm’s Abbey at 4217 East-West Highway. At 12:30 PM, enjoy a vegetarian lunch, and following at 1 PM, see a screening of “Chico Xavier and The Mothers.” RSVP for lunch at 301-654-4899 or shantiyoga2@schooloflife.org.

12] – 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 May 24, as the hunger strike continues, 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 some 84 men are on the hunger strike. The vast majority of the 166 prisoners have been held for more than 11 years without any charge or fair trial, with no end to their detention in sight. Demand that President Obama use his authority to close Guantánamo! See www.witnesstorture.org. Contact Art Laffin: artlaffin@hotmail.com.

13] – 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/.



14] – There is a silent peace vigil on Fri., May 24 from 5 to 6 PM outside the Cathedral of the Incarnation, University Parkway and St. Paul St. Placards say: "War Is Not the Answer." The vigil is sponsored by Homewood Friends and Stony Run Meetings, and recently moved because of the construction on Charles St.



15] – From Cuba to Kuba: Che Guevara and the Awakening of an Internationalist Movement is happening on Fri., May 24 at 7:30 PM at Reeves Center, Cromwell Room, Second Floor, 2000 14th St. NW (14th and V Sts. NW). See clips from Jihan El-Tahri's documentary “Cuba: An African Odyssey and “Freddy Ilunga: Che's Swahili Translator.” Pan-Latin hors d'oeuvres will be provided by Cafe Arte followed by a discussion led by Ofunshi Oba Koso, president of MN Yoruba Cuba Association and protégé of the late Freddy Ilunga and Kambale Musavuli, spokesperson of Friends of the Congo. Visit http://www.congoweek.org/events.



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 May 24. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725.



17] – Walking Toward Community - A Restorative Approach is led by Dominic Barter, a pioneer in the restorative justice movement and facilitator of a process now known as Restorative Circles (www.restorativecircles.org), on Sat., May 25 from 9 AM to 6 PM at Friends Meeting of Washington, 2111 Florida Ave. NW. Engaging creatively with social systems - in our families, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and groups - is becoming an increasingly important part of many people's lives. The ways we've been living are under immense pressure. New forms of partnership offer the potential for increasing meaning in community life while recovering our shared power. RSVP https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=u7oymrgab&oeidk=a07e7f5psfp8c7b011d or email Mali@core2coeur.com.



18] – 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 May 25. Call Chuck Harker at 301-570-7167.



19] – 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.



20] – There will be a peace vigil on the West Lawn of the Capitol at noon on Sat., May 25. 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.



21] – African Liberation Day Symposium takes place on Sat., May 25 from 1 to 9 PM at 1640 Columbia Rd. NW, WDC. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of African Liberation Day with the All-African People's Revolutionary Party, and “Take African Liberation Day Back To Revolutionary Pan-Africanism: Africa Is On Fire!” Attendance is free, but RSVP at http://a-aprp-gc.org/. Email ald@a-aprp-gc.org.



22] – It has been announced that a Drone War Command Center is planned to open by Oct. 1, 2013 at the Horsham Air Guard Station in Pennsylvania. Protests Begin at Horsham Air Guard Station, Easton & County Line Roads at 1 PM on Sat., May 25, continuing on the last Saturday of the month through September. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Day_Proclamation. The Brandywine Peace Community can be called at 610-544-1818. Visit www.brandywinepeace.com.



The U.S. Air Force has announced that the PA Air National Guard’s Horsham Station, outside of Philadelphia, will be operating a drone war command center. From the Horsham base computer piloted MQ-9 Reaper drones — UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) — would launch their deadly remote-controlled Hellfire missiles against human beings thousands of miles away. Remote-controlled killing! That’s what the drone war command center planned for the Horsham Air Guard station would do!



23] – Join a picket line on Sat., May 25 from noon to 2 PM at the Royal Farms store on Harford Road and Sun., May 26 from noon to 2 PM at the proposed site on Harford Road/Glenmore Ave (across the street from the library). See http://www.norofohamilton.com/.



24] – March Against Monsanto on Sat., May 25 from 2 to 4 PM at Lafayette Square NW. For too long, Monsanto has been the benefactor of corporate subsidies and political favoritism. Organic and small farmers suffer losses while Monsanto continues to forge its monopoly over the world’s food supply, including exclusive patenting rights over seeds and genetic makeup. Monsanto's genetically modified foods have been connected to health problems and environmental damages. Visit http://march-against-monsanto.com/. Email Antonya at antonyajulia@riseup.net!



25] – Art Build for Bradley Manning is happening on Sun., May 26 from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Code Pink Office, 1247 E St. SE - enter back of building. Use the Potomac or Eastern Market Metro (Orange/Blue line). Contact Sergei at 202-351-1146 or sergeikostindc@gmail.com. The Bradley Manning Support Network will provide the art supplies. Build puppets and signs in support of Bradley Manning to be used at the action on Sat., June 1 at Fort Meade.



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., May 26, there will be a Memorial Day Remembrance hosted by Hugh Taft-Morales, leader, and Karen Elliott, BES board member. This is a chance for BES members and guests to remember those who have died. While such loss can be painful, memories can inspire and warm hearts. Whether thinking of loved ones, historical heroes no longer with us, or those who died in military service, you are to honor them. It is up to each person to make the most of the memories, and do so as a community.



Join a Memorial Day picnic hosted by Dianne and Stuart Hirschus for food, fun, and fellowship following the special platform at BES, which will end earlier than usual. The annual Memorial Day picnic goes from noon to 4 PM. Bring a dish. Call 410-581-2322 for directions to the picnic. Go to http://www.bmorethical.org. 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.



28] – See a Community Cinema Screening of "The Revolutionary Optimists" on Sun., May 26 at 5 PM at Busboys & Poets, 14 & V Sts. NW. Amlan Ganguly empowers children to become activists and educators, with powerful results. Using street theater, puppetry, and dance as their weapons, the children in Calcutta's slums have cut their neighborhoods' malaria and diarrhea rates in half, and turned former garbage dumps into playing fields. Now, pushing at the limits of optimism, Amlan is attempting to take his work into the brickfields outside Calcutta, where spend their days making and carrying bricks using methods unchanged by centuries. The film proposes a workable solution to intractable problems associated with poverty, including preventable diseases and ineffectual governance. Ganguly's story suggests that education and child empowerment are crucial keys to lifting entire societies out of hopelessness. Email events@busboysandpoets.com.



29] – The SOUL KITCHEN is open. Gimmie Shelter Productions in conjunction with the Govans Presbyterian Church, 5828 York Road, Baltimore, MD 21212 is hosting a meal for the needy and homeless on Sun., May 26. To help with the serving or cooking of the food, arrive at the church at 5 PM. If you are able to provide musical entertainment, call Alan Barysh at 443-239 5325. This happens on the 4th Sunday of the month. To arrange to make a tax-deductible or an in-kind donation, call Rev. Tom Harris, pastor, at 410-435-9188. Go to govanspres.org/govanspres/welcome.

30] – 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., May 27, and it is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker. 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