Baltimore Activist Alert - Dec. 21-23, 2013

30] Buy Nicaraguan crafts – Dec. 21-22 31] “Get Money Out of Politics” – Dec. 22 32] Peace and Pancakes – Dec. 22 33] Memorial Service for Chico Mendes – Dec. 22 34] Soul Kitchen Dinner Program -- Dec. 22 35] HumanLight Eve – Dec. 22 36] Pray for Peace – Dec. 22 37] Pentagon Vigil – Dec. 23 38] Marc Steiner on WEAA – Dec. 23 – Dec. 27 39] End Gun Violence – Dec. 23 40] Pledge of Resistance/Fund Our Communities meeting – Dec. 23 41] Max is seeking a place to live 42] Support the Transform Now Plowshares 43] Plowshares need financial assistance 44] Sign up with Washington Peace Center 45] Join Fund Our Communities 46] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records 47] Do you need any book shelves or file cabinets? 48] Join Global Zero campaign 49] War Is Not the Answer signs for sale 50] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil ---- 30] – This invitation is extended to friends of Casa Baltimore/Limay and Nicaraguan Cultural Alliance. On Sat., Dec. 21 and Sun., Dec. 22 from 3 to 5 PM, come to "Casa Nica," located on the southwest corner of 27th St. & Maryland Ave. Use the basement entrance. Enjoy hot cider and brownies, relax and socialize, and browse for last-minute gift ideas. Call 410-662-6292. 31] – Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W. Franklin St., Suite 102, Baltimore 21201-4517, meets on Sundays, and generally there is a speaker and discussion from 10:30 AM to noon. The platform address on Sun., Dec. 22 is “Get Money Out of Maryland Politics!” with Charlie Cooper, president, Get Money Out – Maryland, which was founded in 2012 to promote reforms that minimize the influence of money, and strengthen the power of citizens, in the political process, in the U.S. and in Maryland. Citizens United v. FEC is the 2010 Supreme Court decision which ruled that corporations cannot be limited in the amount they spend on elections because they enjoy the same First Amendment rights as living people. GMOM seeks an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to establish that constitutional rights apply only to natural persons. Cooper will report on GMOM’s campaign to get the Maryland Legislature to pass a joint resolution formally calling for a Constitutional Convention. He is a social justice activist in Baltimore, working on public education, child protection, climate change, and the economy. He served as chairperson of the Maryland Education Coalition. See www.getmoneyoutmd.org. Call 410-581-2322 or contact Kathryn Sloboda at katamui@gmail.com. Go to http://bmorethical.org/; Twitter: @bmorethical; or Facebook: http://fb.com/bmorethical/. 32] – 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. 33] – Chico Vive: a Memorial Service for Chico Mendes is happening on Sun., Dec. 22 at 4 PM at Holy Name Catholic Church, 920 11th St. NE. This memorial service marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Brazilian environmental martyr and rubber tapper leader Chico Mendes. Email rabben@american.edu or call 301-270-3003. 34] – The Soul Kitchen Dinner Program takes place on the fourth Sunday. Gimmie Shelter Productions, in conjunction with the Govans Presbyterian Church, announces there will be a catered dinner for the homeless and those in need at the church, 5828 York Road. Musicians and singers are needed to provide entertainment, and helping hands are needed to set up, serve, clean up, and perhaps give other volunteers a ride home. Call 410-435-9188. 35] – Join the Baltimore Ethical Society in celebrating HumanLight Eve with the Baltimore Coalition of Reason on Sun., Dec. 22 at 7 PM with a party, music and potluck dinner! It will take place at the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore, corner of Charles and Franklin Sts. Enter hall on Charles St. Sign up for potluck at http://ur1.ca/g0oty. HumanLight is a celebration of the winter season conceived by the New Jersey Humanist Network as a humanist or secular alternative to traditional religious celebrations. HumanLight features music and the lighting of three candles celebrating Reason, Compassion, and Hope. HumanLight was first celebrated in 2001 in New Jersey and has since spread throughout the country. This year is the fourth celebration of HumanLight by the Baltimore Coalition of Reason. Visit http://www.HumanLight.org/. This is a family-friendly event, and children are welcome. The Organic Family Band is back by popular demand! They will entertain us again with Irish jigs, Klezmer tunes, and Bundeslieder songs. 36] – Come and Pray for Peace on Sun., Dec. 22 at 7:30 PM at St. John’s Methodist Church, 2640 St. Paul St. (The entrance to the church is on 27th Street). As negotiations go forward between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, pray that both sides will make the concessions necessary for a just peace. Contact Rev. Charles Cloughen at ccloughen@episcopalmaryland.org or 410-321-0199. 37] – 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., Dec. 9, and it is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker. Email artlaffin@hotmail.com or call 202-882-9649. 38] – The Marc Steiner Show airs Monday through Friday from 9 to 11 AM on WEAA 88.9 FM, The Voice of the Community, or online at www.weaa.org. The call-in number is 410-319-8888, and comments can also be sent by email to steinershow@gmail.com. All shows are also available as podcasts at www.steinershow.org. 39] – On Mon., Dec. 23 from 4 to 5 PM, End Gun Violence! Join the Washington Chapter of Heeding God’s Call at their second and fourth Monday of the month vigil at REALCO Guns, 6108 Marlboro Pike, District Heights, MD 20747. This is an effort to convince the gun shop owner to sign the 10-Point Code for responsible gun dealers based on the one signed with Wal-Mart by Mayors against Illegal Guns. According to the Post, Realco Guns in District Heights sold 86 guns linked to homicides within the last twenty years with 300 guns sold there being linked to non-fatal shootings, as of 2010. In that article Major Andy Ellis of the Prince George’s (MD) Police Department is quoted as saying, “I can only imagine how much lower our violent-crime rate would be if Realco sold shoes instead of guns.” Go to http://www.heedinggodscall.org/. 40] – The Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore usually meets on Mondays at 7:30 PM, and the meetings take place at Max’s residence. The next meeting will be on Mon., Dec. 23. The proposed agenda will include a report on the appeal of conviction of the CIA Five, the visit to Rep. Sarbanes’ office, and the demand to have the torture reports released. Call 410-366-1637 or email mobuszewski at verizon.net for directions. 41] – 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. 42] – 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: and 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. 43] – The Transform Now Plowshares need financial assistance. Money is necessary for predictable - and unpredictable - expenses. Mike, Megan and Greg have been held for eight months, and funds from the TNP kitty have been used for their commissary items and phone calls. Phone calls are their lifeline to the outside world. Several witnesses will travel to Knoxville to testify during the sentencing hearing, and there will be transportation and accommodation expenses. There will be costs to provide transportation for Mike's, Greg's and Megan's family members. You can donate online through the gracious assistance of Nuke Watch at www.nukewatchinfo.org by scrolling to the bottom for the Donate button and, after you have entered your PayPal account or credit card number, go to a review page where you can, if you click on a link, add a message indicating it is for the TNP support team. Or you can mail a check to the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, PO Box 29179, WDC 20017 and indicate on the memo line it is for TNP support. Money isn't important . . . . . until it's needed. 44] – The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org. 45] – 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. 46] – If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 47] – Can you use any book shelves? Can you use any file cabinets? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 48] – 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. 49] – 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. 50] – 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