Baltimore Activist Alert - Oct. 9-11, 2013

23] Fashion, Factories, and Labor Rights – Oct.9 24] “Challenging the World Bank's Return to Destructive Dams" – Oct. 9 25] Film Shift Change – Oct. 9 26] Move to Amend meeting – Oct.9 27] Book “Egypt in Flux: Essays on an Unfinished Revolution." – Oct. 9 28] U.S. Use of Death Penalty – Oct.9 29] Documentary "War on Whistleblowers: Free Press and the National Security State" – Oct. 9 30] Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Limited Test Ban Treaty – Oct. 10 31] Stand Up Against the Shut Down – Oct. 10 32] Humanitarian Crisis for Palestinians in Lebanon and Gaza – Oct. 10 33] Book talk GOING TO TEHRAN – Oct. 10 34] "Individual and Societal Health Impacts of Climate Change" – Oct. 10 35] "The International Challenge: Getting Chemical Weapons Out of Syria” – Oct. 10 36] “The Moral Imperative of Environmental Justice” – Oct. 10 37] Plan for a protest of the National Policy Institute – Oct. 10 38] D.C. Labor FilmFest – Oct.11 - 17 ---- 23] – The Table Talk Lunch Series continues with Fashion, Factories, and Labor Rights: Who Wins? on Wed., Oct. 9 at noon at the Kay Spiritual Life Center, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20016. Lunch starts at noon, and the discussion will begin at 12:20 PM. To register, email KSLC@american.edu. 24] – Amazon Watch Invites You for a "Green-Bag Lunch" Presentation on Wed., Oct. 9 at 12:30 PM at Amazon Watch / CIEL conference room, 1350 Connecticut Ave. NW #1100 (south of DuPont, above the Panera / Cosi). The topic of discussion is "Power for People - Challenging the World Bank's Return to Destructive Dams" with Zachary Hurwitz, International Rivers. RSVP to dcevents@amazonwatch.org. Today, 1.3 billion people remain without access to electricity, and the world's greenhouse gases have reached an unprecedented 400 parts per million. As a result, there is an urgent need to eliminate energy poverty through low carbon options. On July 16, the World Bank adopted a new energy strategy paper that limits its future support for coal projects to "rare circumstances," but proposes to increase lending for large hydropower and gas projects. The costs of such a new generation of megadams are large, and their benefits are likely to bypass the poor. We take a look at the World Bank's record in hydropower lending, its recent return to funding large dams, and the readily available solutions the Bank could support instead. 25] – Catch a screening of Shift Change on Wed., Oct. 9 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM at the School of Social Work, 525 W. Redwood St., Baltimore. The U-MD Social Work Community Outreach Service, the NAACP, and Films For Action Baltimore are showing the film, which highlights several U.S. worker co-ops that are providing quality jobs for Americans in cities across the nation and including a rare look at Mondragon in Spain, one of the world’s most successful worker-owned cooperatives. Visit http://shiftchange1.eventbrite.com/. 26] – Move to Amend is meeting on Wed., Oct. 9 from 7 to 9 PM at the Takoma Park Community Center, the Lilac Room, 7500 Maple Ave., Takoma Park, MD. A new coalition of Maryland groups and activists are working to amend the Constitution. The goal is to build a statewide network of groups and activists. Contact Bob Guldin at 301-442-4946 or guldin@starpower.net. 27] – On Wed., Oct. 9 at 6:30 PM at 5th & K Sts., Busboys and Poets Books welcomes author Adel Iskander to discuss and sign, "Egypt in Flux: Essays on an Unfinished Revolution." The book is a collection of essays on the political, social, economic, and cultural dimensions of change in the country's ongoing revolutionary current. From the conditions that precipitated the uprising and the eruption of national dissent to the derailing of the revolution, the author reflects on the pressing topics of the day while being mindful of the counterrevolutionary movements and the continuation of the Revolution. Go to http://busboysandpoets.com/events/event/author-event-adel-iskandar. 28] – Be at a panel discussion on the U.S. Use of Death Penalty on Wed., Oct. 9 at 6:30 PM at Washington College of Law, 4801 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Rm. 603, WDC 20016. At 6 PM attend a reception. The panel will analyze the United States’ use of the death penalty through an international human rights framework. The panel will feature U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Méndez. The discussion will coincide with the release of a new report scrutinizing the use of the death penalty in Louisiana and California. Specifically, the report explores the deficiencies in existing legal processes, examines conditions on death row, and demonstrates that the use of the death penalty in these states violates international prohibitions against discrimination, torture, and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. The report will be released on the eve of the World Day Against the Death Penalty, October 10, 2013. Call 212-614-6464. 29] – Beyond the Classroom presents the documentary "War on Whistleblowers: Free Press and the National Security State" on Wed., Oct. 9 from 7 to 9 PM at 1102 South Campus Commons, Building 1*, 0200 Calvert Hall, College Park, MD 20742. Long before anyone ever heard of Edward Snowden, President George W. Bush was using the National Security Agency to conduct warrantless surveillance of U.S. citizens in violation of federal law. Barack Obama ran on a platform of reversing Bush’s policies, and the country couldn’t vote him into office fast enough. And things did change. To the shock and awe of supporters, Obama didn’t just continue many of his predecessor’s most reviled programs and policies, he expanded them. Hope evaporated as he increased domestic spying, waged drone warfare on an unprecedented scale, failed to close Guantanamo, raised the number of troops in Afghanistan, deported record numbers of immigrants and conducted a campaign of intimidation against journalists, causing “a chilling effect on news gathering,” according to the Associated Press. As filmmaker Robert Greenwald makes clear in his shocking new documentary, the president took a special interest in making life hell for anybody who felt compelled to spill the beans on government wrongdoing. See https://www.facebook.com/events/406840572751011/. 30] – On Thurs., October 10, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Limited Test Ban Treaty, which ended aboveground nuclear testing, entering into force. 31] – Stand Up Against the Shut Down, Demand a Vote on Thurs., Oct. 10 at 11AM in Upper Senate Park, 200 New Jersey Ave. NW, north of Constitution Ave., between New Jersey Ave. NW and Delaware Ave. NE. Join Keith Ellison, other members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, PCCC members and federal workers to demand a vote to put government back to work! The CPC will be holding a press conference and rally against the continued shutdown of the Federal Government. RSVP http://act.boldprogressives.org/survey/rsvp_cpc_shutdown/?akid=15477.1081459.sKfLs4&rd=1&source=e1-dc&t=1. 32] – Hear about In Conflict's Shadow: Humanitarian Crisis for Palestinians in Lebanon and Gaza on Thurs., Oct. 10 from noon to 1:15 PM in the Boardman Room, Middle East Institute, 1761 N St. NW. The turmoil in Syria and Egypt has captured headlines. It is also presenting a humanitarian crisis for communities bordering the two countries, especially Palestinian communities in Gaza and Lebanon. The crackdown on tunnels and closure of the border between Gaza and Egypt once again is causing massive shortages of food, oil and other basic supplies. The fighting in Syria has sent millions of people seeking refuge across the borders. More than 90,000 Palestinians are sheltering in the already overcrowded, dismal refugee camps in Lebanon. The American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) country directors from Lebanon and West Bank/Gaza will provide an update on humanitarian conditions in both areas and what is being done to address them. Paul Butler will talk about the impact of Egypt’s political upheaval on Gaza. Samar El Yassir will talk about the worsening conditions for refugees pouring into Lebanon from Syria, and particularly the Palestinians who are often neglected by international relief efforts. Email info@fmep.org. 33] – Flynt and Hillary Leverett, co-authors of the new book, “Going to Tehran: Why the United States Must Come to Terms with the Islamic Republic of Iran” will discuss it on Thurs., Oct. 10 at 12:30 PM at ICC 270, Georgetown University. As Washington hopes for a breakthrough on the Iranian nuclear issue with Iran's new President Rouhani, the Leveretts will argue that change really needs to come from Washington. This will require a thorough reassessment of American grand strategy in the Middle East, enabling Washington finally to accept the Islamist governance and foreign policy independence of one of the world's most important civilization states -- just as, in the 1970s, Washington finally accepted the People's Republic of China, another civilization state with a revolutionary commitment to strategic independence. Seating is limited, and lunch will be provided. RSVP at http://acmculeverett.eventbrite.com/. 34] – Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility invite you to a lecture "Individual and Societal Health Impacts of Climate Change" by Dr. Cindy Parker, M.D., M.P.H. on Thurs., Oct. 10 at 6 PM at the Maryland State Medical Society, 1211 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201. The Public Health Committee of MedChi presents a new CME lecture with an Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Associate Director, of the Johns Hopkins Environment, Energy, Sustainability, and Health Institute. This discussion covers the health risks and impacts of ozone air pollution, sea level rise, and abrupt/dangerous climate change. Dr. Parker is a Board Member of National PSR and on the Steering Committee of the Chesapeake PSR Chapter, where she helps direct the Chapter's climate and clean energy work. The event is free, but registration is requested by contacted Allison Bogsted at abogsted@medchi.org or 410-539-0872, ext. 3311. 35] – On Thurs., Oct. 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, hear Susan Koch, National Defense University, and Michael Moody, Congressional Research Service, analyze "The International Challenge: Getting Chemical Weapons Out of Syria." Sponsored by the World Affairs Council, it takes place at the MAA Carriage House, First Floor, 1781 Church St. NW, WDC. Register at http://www.worldaffairsdc.org/EventDetails.aspx?enc=oUh69AdJU+m887Mv8IVb5u+4wV7+bjxUv4zVNW1gl14=. 36] – The public is invited to an interfaith discussion on “The Moral Imperative of Environmental Justice” on Thurs., Oct. 10 from 7 to 9 PM at the United Christian Parish, 11508 North Shore Drive, Reston. The sponsor of the event is the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP), a nonpartisan coalition of faith communities working to create progressive public policy by engaging people of faith and educating the public about social issues, the legislative process, and the call to advocacy. Jewish, Roman Catholic and Protestant scientists and activists will address the subject of environmental justice and its relationship to the faith community. The panel and discussion will be moderated by Marco Grimaldo, VICPP executive director. Contact Louisa Davis at 703-860-1203 or louisadavis@verizon.net. 37] – On Thurs., Oct. 10 from 7:30 to 8:30 PM at the Peace House, 1233 12th St. NW, come to the fourth and final meeting to discuss how to address the National Policy Institute (NPI) and their leadership conference that will take place on Oct. 26. NPI is listed as a hate group via The Southern Poverty Law Center. Its mission statement says it aims "to elevate the consciousness of whites, ensure their biological and cultural continuity, and protect their civil rights." Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1423691171184044/. 38] – The D.C. Labor FilmFest goes from Fri., Oct. 11 at 5 PM through Thurs., Oct. 17 at 5:15 PM at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. This year's FilmFest is celebrating 13 years of bringing films about work and workers to the silver screen. Go to http://www.dclabor.org/ht/d/ProgramDetails/i/23256/pid/46784. 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