Baltimore Activist Alert - Nov. 8-11, 2013

58] Palestinian Crafts Fair – Nov. 8 - 10 59] “Death and the Maiden” – through Nov. 11 60] Walking tour of Mount Vernon Place – Nov. 9 61] “Pink Smoke Over the Vatican” – Nov. 9 62] Heather Mizeur in Remington – Nov. 9 63] Sneak Preview of "Al Helm: Martin Luther King in Palestine" – Nov. 9 64] Howard County 16th Annual Human Rights Potluck Dinner -- Nov. 9 65] The Alternative To Crime, Prison and Death – Nov. 9 66] PSR dinner – Nov. 9 67] Max is seeking a place to live 68] Support the Transform Now Plowshares 69] Support Red Emma’s in its move 70] Sign up with Washington Peace Center 71] Join Fund Our Communities 72] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records 73] Do you need any book shelves or file cabinets? 74] Join Global Zero campaign 75] War Is Not the Answer signs for sale 76] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil ---- 58] – Get over to the Palestinian Crafts Fair at Westmoreland Church, which takes place from Fri., Nov. 8 from 4 to 8 PM, Sat., Nov. 9 from 10 AM to 2 PM and Sun., Nov. 10 from 1:30 to 5 PM at the Westmoreland Congregational Church, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda 20816. Also attend the program that the crafts vendor from Folk Art Mavens will present at the church's Middle East Committee monthly meeting at 11:45 AM on Nov. 10 in Westmoreland's parlor. Her video presentation will show where she gets her items and the conditions under which some of the artisans work. Worship service is from 10 to 11:15 AM followed by a coffee hour. Contact Maryn Goodson . 59] – See the play “Death and the Maiden” which tells the story of Paulina Salas, a former political prisoner who was tortured and raped by her captors. Back at home with her husband, Salas must confront the past after an act of kindness brings everything rushing back. See it performed through Mon., Nov. 11 at the Spotlighters Theatre, 817 Saint Paul St. Call 410-752-1225 or visit http://spotlighters.org. Ticket prices are $20, for seniors $18, and for students and military $16. 60] – Enjoy a walking tour of Mount Vernon Place Stories to hear about Slavery and Emancipation. Visit the mansions and memorials throughout Mount Vernon and find out what they mean in regards to the emancipation movement. On Sat., Nov. 9 from 9:30 to 10:45 AM, start at Mount Vernon Place and Washington Place. 61] – See a screening of “Pink Smoke Over the Vatican,” a documentary which goes into detail of the 2008 decision by the Roman Catholic group, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, to issue the order of excommunication for those in the faith trying to ordain women into the priesthood. It can be seen on Sat., Nov. 9 at 10 AM at the Charles Theatre, 1711 N. Charles St. Call 410-727-3456. Go to http://www.thecharles.com. 62 ] – Heather Mizeur will be at a "Meet the Candidate" Forum on Sat., Nov. 9 from 3 to 5 PM at the 29th Street Community Center, 300 E 29th St. Email info@heathermizeur.com to RSVP! 63] – Be at the Special Sneak Preview of "Al Helm: Martin Luther King in Palestine" on Sat., Nov. 9 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at 2425 Virginia Ave. NW. See the preview with director Connie Field. An African American gospel choir is the Greek chorus for a Palestinian play on Martin Luther King who tours the West Bank preaching nonviolence. RSVP at http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/ht/d/EventDetails/i/41262. 64] – On Sat., Nov. 9 from 6 to 9 PM attend the Howard County 16th Annual Human Rights Potluck Dinner, commemorating the 65th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The guest speaker, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, a founder of the School of the Americas Watch, a persistent advocate for reforming US foreign policy, a supporter of the Guantanamo Hunger Strikers and the people of Central and Latin America, and an advocate for ordination of women in the Catholic Church, will address “The Struggle of Human Rights, Justice and Equality: The Power Within Our Communities.” Bring a main dish to share. The event will be held at the Bain Senior Center, 5470 Ruth Keaton Way, Columbia, MD. The event is free and open to the public. Donations will go to SOAW. Make your check out to HoCoFoLA. 65] – On Sat., Nov. 9 at 7 PM at the Takoma Park Auditorium, 7500 Maple Ave., Takoma Park 20912, catch The Alternative To Crime, Prison and Death: A Community Dialogue Through Art. The guest speaker is Maryland Senator Jamie Raskin. Tickets are $10. Call Jerry at 240-707-8034. An additional $3 donation will subsidize a low-income youth’s attendance. 66] – The Chesapeake Chapter of the Physicians for Social Responsibility invites you to its Annual Chapter Dinner on Sat., Nov. 9 from 6 to 9 PM at the Episcopal Diocesan Center, 4 East University Parkway, Baltimore. The featured speaker is Arjun Makhijani, president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. Dr. Makhijani holds a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and is an expert on clean energy and nuclear power. His Institute's website is http://ieer.org/projects/carbon-free-nuclear-free. A vegetarian dinner will be served at 6:30 PM, and Dr. Makhijani will speak at 7:30 PM. Hear about Arjun's carbon-free and nuclear-free energy strategy for Maryland. The cost of the dinner is $35. Limited financial assistance is available. RSVP to twhitehouse@psr.org or 240-246-4492 by Oct. 25. 67] – 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. 68] – 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 January 28, 2014. 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. 69] – 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. 70] – The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org. 71] – 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. 72] – If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 73] – Can you use any book shelves? Can you use any file cabinets? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 74] – 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. 75] – 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. 76] – 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