Baltimore Activist Alert - Dec. 10-11, 2013

26] Slash military spending – Dec. 10 27] Colombia Solidarity Vigil – Dec. 10 28] Protest at Algerian embassy -- Dec. 10 29] "Making Sense of Nuclear Negotiations with Iran: A Good Deal or a Bad Deal?" – Dec. 10 30] Philadelphia Peace Vigil – Dec. 10 31] Protest JHU’s drone research – Dec. 10 32] Shop for a Cause – Dec. 10 33] Film "Mandela Long Walk to Freedom” – Dec. 10 34] Progressive Maryland's Awards Dinner – Dec. 10 35] "How To Grow Baltimore's Economy" -- Dec. 10 - 11 36] The Truth about Syria – Dec. 10 37] Film "The House I Live In" -- Dec. 10 38] Encrypt the Hood Workshop – Dec. 10 39] Amnestea -- Dec. 10 ---- 26] – On Tues., Dec. 10 at 10 AM on International Human Rights Day, be at Congressperson John Conyer's office, 2426 Rayburn House Office Building, to criticize Runaway Military Spending in order to Meet Dire Domestic Needs. Peace, anti-hunger, anti-poverty, environmental and community groups will gather for a news conference and then deliver letters and petitions signed by more than one hundred organizations and 7,000 individuals to Rep. Ryan and Sen. Murray, the co-chairs of the Congressional budget committee charged with passing a budget resolution by December 13. The Committee is seeking to reduce the nominal defense cuts presently required under the sequestration agreement. The UN General Assembly proclaimed 10 December as Human Rights Day in 1950. In 2006 the UN focused on the issue of poverty, declaring the poverty prevails as the gravest human rights challenge in the world. The massive expenditures on the military are a significant factor in poverty and income inequality in America. Human rights also include the right to be free from the threat of violence and war. Consuming more than half of all discretionary federal spending, the US military budget is roughly equal to the rest of the world combined. The groups charge that the military budget has become primarily corporate welfare and a tool to further the interests of multinational corporations. A hundred billion dollars is spent to maintain more than one thousand military bases in 130 countries, including Europe, Japan and Korea. Much of the Pentagon spending is wasted, with high levels of graft, overhead, outside consultants, and duplicative and unnecessary weapon systems. Rather than having an energy policy creating resource wars and climate chaos, the US should invest in renewable energy to create jobs, avert climate disaster, and make wars for oil obsolete. The groups want Congress to cut military spending by 25 to 50%, using the savings to Adequately funding critical social needs, including food stamps, Social Security, improved and expanded Medicare for all, and public education including college; Creating a full employment public jobs program to jump start the green economy (a Green New Deal); and Rebuilding vital infrastructure. Call David Swanson, Roots Action, at 202-329-7847. 27 ] – There is a Colombia Solidarity Vigil starting Tues., Dec. 10 from noon until 1 PM on Wed., Dec. 11 at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Civil society throughout Colombia will demonstrate their support and fervent hope for peace, gathering in cities across the country, dressed in white. In D.C., activists will gather at 11:45 AM for a lunch-hour vigil in solidarity with Colombian civil society seeking peace. Please come wearing white, if you can. Contact Walker Grooms, National Grassroots Organizer with Witness for Peace, at walker@witnessforpeace.org. 28 ] – An innocent man’s life is on the line. Djamel Ameziane had been imprisoned at Guantánamo without charge since 2002 and cleared for release since 2008. But on Dec. 5th, he was forcibly transferred from Guantánamo to Algeria, where he is being held in secret detention. Despite being cleared by both President Bush and President Obama and offers of asylum from Luxembourg and other countries, the US government callously chose to send him to the one place he dreaded more than Guantánamo. Join CODEPINK, the Center for Constitutional Rights and Witness Against Torture in front of the Algerian embassy at 2118 Kalorama Rd. NW, WDC on Tues., Dec. 10 at 2 PM. Demand that the Algerian government immediately release Djamel Ameziane from detention and ensure that his human rights are respected and protected. Go to http://www.ccrjustice.org/ameziane. Contact Noor at Noor@codepink.org. 29] – On Tues., Dec. 10 from 2 to 3 PM, Alireza Nader, RAND; Daryl Kimball, Arms Control Association; and Paul Pillar, Georgetown University, will address "Making Sense of Nuclear Negotiations with Iran: A Good Deal or a Bad Deal?" Sponsored by RAND, it will take place at 2168 Rayburn House Office Building, WDC. RSVP to Kurt Card at 703-413-1100, ext. 5259, or Kurt_Card@rand.org. 30 ] – Each Tuesday from 4:30 - 5:30 PM, the Catholic Peace Fellowship-Philadelphia for peace in Afghanistan and Iraq gathers at the Suburban Station, 16th Street & JFK Blvd., at the entrance to Tracks 3 and 4 on the mezzanine. The next vigil is Dec. 10. Call 215-426-0364. 31] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 34th & North Charles Sts. Join this ongoing vigil. The next vigil is Dec. 10 from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Call Max at 410-366-1637. 32] – Shop for a Cause at the 2013 Holiday Shopping Night. Support the Latin America Working Group Education Fund, give fair trade gifts this season, and meet other Latin America advocates at Ten Thousand Villages in Old Town Alexandria, 915 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314, on Tues., Dec. 10 from 6 to 8 PM. The store is near the King Street Metro on the Blue Line. A percentage of proceeds will go towards the LAWGEF’s work promoting peace and justice in U.S. policies towards Latin America. Light refreshments will be provided. Contact Ruth Turaew at rturaew@lawg.org. 33 ] – There is a "Mandela Long Walk to Freedom” screening on Tues., Dec. 10 at 6:30 PM at the Gallery Place Stadium Theater, WDC. TransAfrica is pleased to invite you to a showing at 6:30 PM and the reception afterwards at Clyde's 7th Street Parlour. See http://transafrica.org/. 34] – Meet hundreds of Maryland activists, lawmakers and candidates at the 2013 Awards Gala on Tues., Dec. 10 from 6:30 to 9 PM at Martin's Crosswinds, Greenbelt (snow or shine). Progressive Maryland's Awards Dinner takes place with the idea of "celebrating the past and motivating for the future." Begin with hors d'oeuvres and relaxed mingling among friends and fellow activists, followed by the sit-down multi-course banquet. Radio host Marc Steiner will emcee the program, and the awardees are NAACP President and CEO Ben Jealous and heroic Wal-Mart activists Lana Stewart and Tonya C., fired for their efforts to organize for better conditions and livable wages. Individual tickets are $125 each, and $20 for students and Young Dems. Go to http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5206/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=9864. Also you can email for pay what you can tickets to kate@progressivemaryland.org. 35] – Do you have ideas on how to improve business and commercial development where you live? Participate in "How To Grow Baltimore's Economy" hosted by CPHA and the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) at the behest of Mayor Rawlings-Blake. On Tues., Dec. 10 from 6 to 8 PM at the University of Baltimore, Learning Commons Town Hall, 1415 Maryland Ave. On Wed., Dec. 11 from 7 to 9 PM at Hunting Ridge Presbyterian Church, 4640 Edmondson Ave. Call 410.539.1369 EXT 101. RSVP at michael@cphabaltimore.org. 36] – Mother Agnes-Mariam of the Cross of the Melkite Catholic Monastery and Convent of St. James the Mutilated in Qara, Syria will speak about The Truth about Syria, and how the U.S. Media has overlooked it almost entirely on Tues., Dec. 10 at 6:30 PM at the National Press Club, 13th Floor, 529 14th St. NW, WDC. There is free parking after 5 PM with a National Press Club dinner validation of your parking receipt at the PMI Garage on G Street (between 13th & 14th). Mother Agnes-Mariam is a leading spokeswoman for peace, reconciliation, religious tolerance, and human rights in Syria and the neighboring countries, and has provided briefings on Syria to the Vatican Secretariat of State and the United Nations Human Rights Authorities in Geneva. On the humanitarian front, she is seeking support for five mobile hospitals to be sent to war-stricken areas starting with Homs and Aleppo to provide emergency assistance to all religious and ethnic groups where existing hospitals have been destroyed. 37] – Movies that Move Us Presents: "The House I Live In" on Tues., Dec. 10 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at the Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Road NW, WDC. The screening is hosted by the Unbinding Lazarus Spiritual Support Group for Racial Reconciliation (of the Former Church of the Savior}. Contact: Louisa 703-860-1203. 38] – Encrypt the Hood Workshop Regarding NSA on Tues., Dec. 10 from 7 to 9 PM at the Emergence Community Arts Collective, 733 Euclid St. NW, WDC. To learn about private and secure Internet usage, bring your laptops, tablets, and phones to install free open source software. Contact Jabari Zakiya at 202.390.6398 or jzakiya@gmail.com. 39] – Baltimore's Local Group in collaboration with Goucher College is organizing Amnestea. Let's take action to protect human rights over a cup of tea! This event is part of Amnesty International's largest letter writing campaign - Write for Rights (http://www.amnestyusa.org/writeforrights). There will also be a collection of funds for Amnesty International. So please feel free to donate, even if only a few cents. The event takes place on Tues., Dec. 10 at 9:15 PM at the Gopher Hole at Goucher College, 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd., Baltimore 21204. The building does not have its own address but it is in the Pearlstone Student Center. Call/text Zaineb Majoka at 443-743-4416. 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