Baltimore Activist Alert - August 3 to 8, 2013

40] Meet with Delegate Heather Mizeur – Aug. 3 41] See the film “The Central Park Five" – Aug. 3 42] Esperanto – Aug. 4 43] Peace and Pancakes – Aug. 4 44] Latino Health Fair – Aug. 4 45] Hedges & West on Bradley Manning – Aug. 4 46] Pentagon Vigil – Aug. 5 47] Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemorations – Aug. 6 & 8 48] CodePink needs help 49] Max is seeking a place to live 50] Support the Transform Now Plowshares 51] Drones Quilt Project 52] Support Red Emma’s in its move 53] Sign up with Washington Peace Center 54] Join Fund Our Communities 55] Submit articles to Indypendent Reader 56] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records 57] Do you need any book shelves or file cabinets? 58] Join Global Zero campaign 59] War Is Not the Answer signs for sale 60] Fire & Faith 61] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil 40] – Meet with Delegate Heather Mizeur on Sat., Aug. 3 from 4 to 6 PM at 4301 Ridgewood Ave, Gwynn Oak. Contact Jeremy P. Crandall, political director, Heather Mizeur for Governor, at 202- 316-1202. View www.HeatherMizeur.com. 41] – "The Central Park Five" will be screened on Sat., Aug. 3 at 8:30 PM in Chevy Chase. RSVP at 800-243-4450 for the address. It will be shown as part of Legacy Empowerment's Movie Night Under the Stars. The film chronicles what happened after a white female jogger was found near death in Central Park in 1989, and the criminal justice system's treatment of the Harlem teenagers who were arrested and falsely convicted after coerced confessions. Bring lawn chairs. 42] – 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 noon. On Sun., Aug. 4 the platform address will be presented by Emil Volcheck, BES president. He will explore the ethical vision for world peace and common understanding that motivated the creation of the international language Esperanto. Learn more at http://esperanto-usa.org/. Esperanto is a language designed to enhance communication across cultures and to promote an ethical vision for humanity. The network of speakers of Esperanto has grown since its publication in 1887, and it ranks in the top tier of languages on Wikipedia. Volcheck will introduce the language by displaying short videos and websites. He will explain how Esperanto reflects core humanist values of reason, compassion, and hope. He believes the practicality and ethical vision of Esperanto explains why it has lasted over 125 years. Go to http://bmorethical.org/ or Twitter: @bmorethical or Facebook: http://fb.com/bmorethical/or email ask@bmorethical.org. 43] – 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. 44] – The Second Annual Latino Health Fair is happening on Sun., Aug. 4 from noon to 6 PM at the Wheaton Triangle, one block away from the Wheaton Metro station. Get health care screenings and important health information in Spanish to the growing Latino population in Maryland. This free community event is open to all State and County residents, and includes live music, children's activities, local business and food vendors. See https://www.facebook.com/events/calendar. 45] – Professor Cornel West and former NY Times reporter Chris Hedges will speak out for Bradley Manning on Sun., Aug. 4 from 3 to 5:30 PM at Friends Meeting House in DuPont Circle, 2111 Florida Avenue, NW, just west of Connecticut Ave. and a few blocks north of the DuPont Circle Metro (north, Q St. side). The entrance to the Friends Meeting House is on Decatur Place, one-half block west of Florida. Widely renowned scholar Dr. West and former war correspondent Hedges will give a trial update and a special presentation on the legal, journalistic and ethical implications of the historic trial of PFC Bradley Manning. Manning has been charged with leaking documents detailing US war atrocities and other destructive conduct through the anti-secrecy media organization WikiLeaks. Supporters believe he acted out of moral resolve to expose US government cover-ups and provoke public debate about the true nature of the wars conducted in our name in the Middle East. Prosecutors are sparing no effort to portray Manning as an anarchist traitor acting primarily out of a desire for notoriety. On July 30, 2013 PFC Bradley Manning was found innocent by the military judge of the most serious charge against him - that of aiding and abetting the enemy, which carried a life without parole or death sentence. However, he still faces a possible prison term of 130 years for the many counts of espionage of which he was judged guilty. The sentencing phase of his court martial continues at Ft. Meade for another three or four weeks. The public can attend, and supporters have been urged by the defense to do so if possible. For rides contact the committee at mckee@bradleymanning.org. 46] – 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., Aug. 5, and it is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker. Email artlaffin@hotmail.com or call 202-882-9649. 47] – For the 29th year, the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee will remember the atomic bombings of Japan on August 6 & 9, 1945, which killed more than 200,000 people. Other organizations involved in the commemorations are Baltimore Quaker Peace and Justice Committee of Homewood and Stony Run Meetings, Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, Crabshell Alliance and Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore. The HIROSHIMA COMMEMORATION is on Tues., Aug. 6, and starts at 33rd & N. Charles Sts. at 5 PM. Demonstrate against Johns Hopkins University’s weapons contracts, including research on killer drones, commemorate the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and remember the nuclear energy disaster at Fukushima, Japan. At 6 PM, there will be a potluck dinner at Homewood Friends Meeting, 3107 N. Charles Street. At 7 PM, a Hibakusha guest, Setsuko Thurlow, will speak about the atomic bombing. At 7:30 PM, there will be a performance of an anti-killer drone strike play – THE PREDATOR by Jack Gilory. The NAGASAKI COMMEMORATION is on Thurs., Aug. 8 at Homewood Friends Meeting, 3107 N. Charles St. At 7 PM, remember Nagasaki with the DVD showing of THE MAN WHO SA VED THE WORLD, followed by a discussion led by Dr. Art Milholland. At 8:30 PM, join a discussion of the nuclear energy disaster at Fukushima. Call 410-366-1637 or email mobuszewski at verizon.net. 48] – CODEPINK needs a new office and storage space! The group must vacate its current space by the end of August. Know of any office spaces? How about temporary space to store some of the supplies? The group is also looking for spare computers. Any help you can give is much appreciated. Contact tighecp@gmail.com. 49] – Max is seeking a place to live. Let him know of any possibilities. He can be reached at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.dot net. 50] – You can support the Transform Now Plowshares resisters by writing the judge and the prisoners. Greg Boertje-Obed, Michael Walli and Megan Rice are currently in the Irwin County Detention Facility in Ocilla, GA, awaiting their sentencing on September 23, 2013. The three were found guilty by a jury in Tennessee in May on two counts. Judge Amul Thapar revoked their pre-trial release saying they were technically guilty of a crime of violence and must be held. Here are the addresses: Gregory Boertje-Obed 22090 Irwin County Detention Center 132 Cotton Drive, Ocilla, GA 31774 ***Michael Walli 4444, Irwin County Detention Center, 132 Cotton Drive, Ocilla, GA 31774. Megan Rice 22100, Irwin County Detention Center, 132 Cotton Drive, Ocilla, GA 31774. You must make sure to include your entire return address on the outside of the envelope. No staples or paperclips can be included in your mail; no oversized envelopes. Magazines and books must be sent directly from the publisher or bookstore/Amazon. Photocopies of brief articles are likely to be permitted (based on our past experience). If you include inappropriate material or fail to comply with these rules, your mail will not get through—it will be returned to you. The second thing you can do is send a letter to Judge Thapar. We have suggested guidelines for your letter, and we are asking people to send their letter to Bill Quigley, lawyer for Mike Walli (address below), so they can be collected and delivered to the judge. If you want to send a copy of your letter to us, that would be great—our address is also below. Invite Judge Thapar to think about sentencing in light of the fact that this was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience intended to awaken the conscience of the nation, and no evidence was presented that it was an act of terrorism meant to harm anyone. You could write that you share the court's concern that Congress would write a law that wouldn’t allow a judge to distinguish between peace activists and terrorists, and are disturbed that the government defines the crime they stand convicted of as a violent "crime of terrorism.” As testimony of the defendants showed during trial, they carried out their action in a spirit of nonviolence and hope. Without making it the focus of the letter, you could mention that the action was carried out with the clear understanding of the illegality and immorality of nuclear weapons, and intent to uphold higher laws. Encourage him to consider downward departures from the high guidelines for the charges, and to use his discretion at sentencing to bring more justice into the situation by recognizing that the defendants are NOT violent terrorists as the government has implied through its interpretation of the crime; and remind him of the intentions of the three nonviolent activists: to follow the words of the prophet Isaiah to beat swords into plowshares, and build a safer and more secure world for all. Our purpose with these letters is not to reargue the case, nor is it to condemn nuclear weapons production—the judge is not engaging those issues at this time. Our purpose is to address the legal system’s distortion of the nonviolent action of the TNP resisters and to provide support to the judge for a sentencing decision that takes into account the nature of their action and their nonviolent behavior throughout their action. Letters should be sent to US District Judge Amul R Thapar, c/o Professor Bill Quigley, Loyola Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice, 7214 St. Charles Ave., Campus Box 902, New Orleans, LA 70118. If you care to send a copy to OREPA that would also be appreciated--orep@earthlink.net or OREPA, PO Box 5743, Oak Ridge, TN 37831. 51] – The launch of the website to support the U.S. version of the Drones Quilt Project was developed to memorialize the victims of U.S. combat drone strikes. Leah Bolger has about 185 names, and at present there are over 40 completed blocks. Soon the blocks will be sown together to create panels of quilt blocks. She will create educational information about killer drones to accompany the quilts as part of a traveling exhibit. To support the project visit www.dronesquiltproject.wordpress.com. The completed blocks are shown on the web site. The web site also contains information about creating a block, anti-drone resources and endorsing organizations. Follow the project on Twitter: @dronesproject. 52] – Red Emma's has closed the location at 800 St. Paul St., and is 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, provide skilled help, and share these needs. Email john@redemmas.org or go to http://indiegogo.com/redemmas2. 53] – The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org. 54] – 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. Go to www.OurFunds.org. 55] – 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. 56] – If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 57] – Can you use any book shelves? Can you use any file cabinets? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 58] – 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. 59] – 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. 60] – 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/. 61] – 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