Baltimore Activist Alert - Dec. 6-8, 2013

40] Vigil To Save Guantanamo Hunger Strikers – Dec. 6 41] Justice in Palestine/Israel – Dec. 6 42] Israel and Palestine, What's Next? – Dec. 6 43] Silent peace vigil – Dec. 6 44] Film BETTER THIS WORLD – Dec. 6 45] “Social and Economic Justice Conversation” – Dec. 6 46] Film JOYEUX NOEL – Dec. 6 47] Restoring Democracy and Freedom in Egypt – Dec. 6 48] Film THE GHOSTS OF JEJU – Dec. 6 49] Ballroom dancing – Dec. 6 50] Olney Peace vigil – Dec. 7 51] West Chester, PA demo – Dec. 7 52] Film HIT & STAY – Dec. 7, 9 & 12 53] Silent vigil at Capitol – Dec. 7 54] Compassion Over Killing 2013 Fundraising Party – Dec. 7 55] Alternative Gift Market – Dec. 8 56] Max is seeking a place to live 57] Support the Transform Now Plowshares 58] Sign up with Washington Peace Center 59] Join Fund Our Communities 60] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records 61] Do you need any book shelves or file cabinets? 62] Join Global Zero campaign 63] War Is Not the Answer signs for sale 64] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil ---- 40] – On Fri., Dec. 6 at noon, participate in the White House Vigil To Save Guantanamo Hunger Strikers--NO MORE TORTURE! NO MORE WAR! The vigil is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker and Witness Against Torture. See www.witnesstorture.org and www.closegitmo.net. Call 202-882-9649. 41] – A vigil for Justice in Palestine/Israel takes place every Friday from noon to 1 PM at 19th & JFK Blvd., Philadelphia, across from Israeli Consulate. It is sponsored by Bubbies & Zaydes (Grandparents) for Peace in the Middle East. Email cswartz@pil.net. Go to http://phillyjewishpeace.org/. 42] – Foundation for the Middle East Peace presents Israel and Palestine, What's Next? It is happening on Fri., Dec. 6 from 3 to 4:30 PM in the SEIU Building Conference Room #1406, 1800 Mass. Ave. NW, WDC 20036. You are invited to hear Akiva Eldar, senior political columnist, Al-Monitor’s Israel Pulse, in conversation with Ori Nir of Americans for Peace Now. RSVP at info@fmep.org. 43] – There is a silent peace vigil on Fri., Dec. 6 from 5 to 6 PM outside the Cathedral of the Incarnation, University Parkway and St. Paul St. The vigil, sponsored by Homewood Friends and Stony Run Meetings, will remind us that War Is Not the Answer. Stop bullying. 44] – Since this is a First Friday, on Dec. 6 at 6:30 PM there will be a potluck dinner at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218 after the vigil. Then there will be a film screening. The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee and others are continuing the FILM & SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS DVD SERIES. The DVDs will be shown at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse on the First Friday. After the peace vigil, there will be a potluck dinner. At 7: 15 PM, a DVD will be shown with a discussion to follow. There is no charge, and refreshments will be available. See BETTER THIS WORLD [USA, 2011], a documentary, by filmmakers Katie Galloway and Kelly Duane de la Vega. It hones in on Brad Crowder and David McKay who went to protest at the 2008 Republican National Convention. While there, they are accused of manufacturing (but not using) Molotov cocktails. What unfolds is that an FBI informant, Brandon Darby, sets up the two unsophisticated protesters. Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski@verizon.net. 45] – On Fri., Dec. 6 at 7 PM, catch the “Social and Economic Justice Conversation” - In a "post-Occupy" world with grassroots activists and organizers, non-profit professionals and justice-oriented advocacy workers, and ordinary women and men who sense that the time for real change is here. Participate in a deepening conversation about how we can connect and collaborate as we work for justice and reconciliation in our city, nation, and world. RSVP to Micah Bales at micahbales@gmail.com. This meeting will take place at 4944 E Capitol St NE, near the Benning Road Metro station. There will be a potluck dinner, so bring a dish. 46] – See a screening of JOYEUX NOEL ('Merry Christmas') on Fri., Dec. 6 at 7 PM at the Peace Center of Delaware County. The First-Friday Large Screen Film Series takes place at 1001 Old Springfield Road, Springfield, PA 19064. This Christmas film classic returns to the Peace Center about the humanity we share, even in the midst of war...The Oscar-nominated Best Foreign Language Film is based on the unauthorized truce that inspired the song "Christmas In The Trenches" by John McCutcheon. It is Christmas 1914, World War I rages across Europe. Soldiers on the front lines face unthinkable carnage. Visit the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiZPt80VGgc. Doors open at 6:30 PM for light refreshments. Participate in the after-film discussion. Visit www.delcopeacecenter.org or call 610-544-1818. The film is co-sponsored by the Brandywine Peace Community. 47] – Restoring Democracy and Freedom in Egypt is the subject of discussion on Fri., Dec. 6 at 7 PM at the Nova Community College Ernst Cultural Center Theater, 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003. Hear the thoughts of Dalia Mogahed, former advisor to President Obama, Dr. Mohamad Elmasry, American University in Cairo, and Dr. Dalia Fahmy, Long Island University. RSVP at eff.listserve@gmail.com. 48] – On Fri., Dec. 6 at 7:30 PM see the new film, “The Ghosts of Jeju,” which is about a new U.S.-backed naval base on Jeju Island off the coast of South Korea that is under construction and which is being resisted by the local islanders along with many Catholic religious, many of whom have been arrested and jailed. The base, which is part of the U.S. military "pivot" to Asia, will serve as a strategic outpost to contain China. The producer of the film, Regis Tremblay, will be present to discuss the film, hosted by Dorothy Day Catholic Worker’s Clarification of Thought monthly series at 503 Rock Creek Church Road NW, WDC. Call 202-882-9649. 49] – There is an opportunity to participate in ballroom dancing, usually every Friday of the month, in the JHU ROTC Bldg. at 8 PM. Turn south on San Martin Dr. from the intersection of Univ. Parkway and 39th St. Drive on campus by taking the third left turn. The next dance will be Dec. 6. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725. 50] – Friends House, 17715 Meeting House Rd., Sandy Spring, MD 20860, hosts a peace vigil every Saturday, 10:30 to 11:30 AM, on the corner of Rt. 108 and Georgia Ave. [Route 97] in Olney, MD. The next vigil is Dec. 7. Call Chuck Harker at 301-570-7167. 51] – Each Saturday, 11 AM – 1 PM, Chester County Peace Movement holds a peace vigil in West Chester in front of the Chester County Courthouse, High & Market Sts. Go to www.ccpeace.org. Email ccpeacemovement@aol.com. 52] – HIT & STAY returns to the Charles Theater, 1711 N. Charles St.! Directed by Skizz Cyzyk and Joe Tropea, the documentary can be seen on Sat., Dec. 7 at 11:30AM, on Mon., Dec. 9 at 7 PM, and Thurs., Dec. 12 at 9 PM. On May 17, 1968, nine Catholic activists entered the Knights of Columbus building in Catonsville, which then housed a Selective Service office, dragged stacks of draft records outside, and set them on fire with homemade napalm. They then prayed and waited to be arrested. Between 1967-1972, there were hundreds of civil disobedience actions against U.S. draft boards, the Dow Chemical Company, and the FBI resulting in the destruction of hundreds of thousands of draft files and the orderly process of the U.S. government's ability to wage war in Vietnam. HIT & STAY tells the little-known story of the Action Community and the raids they staged that turned priests, nuns, and college students into fugitives and targets of the FBI. More than just a documentary about chemical weapons and stopping a war, it's a story about people and relationships and all the complexities that lie therein. Visit www.hitandstay.com. 53] – There will be a peace vigil on the West Lawn of the Capitol at noon on Sat., Dec. 7. Look for the blue banner with the message, "Seek Peace and Pursue It.--Psalms 34:14." The vigil lasts one hour and is silent except when one responds to the occasional questions. Go to http://www.quaker.org/langleyhill/seekpeace.htm or email seekpeacevigil@yahoo.com. 54] – Attend the Compassion Over Killing 2013 Fundraising Party on Sat., Dec. 7 at 7 PM at the Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veterans Place, Silver Spring 20910. Join special guest, comedian and actor, Hal Sparks – for an inspirational and entertaining evening in celebration of another year of compassionate action for animals. You’ll enjoy an all-you-can-eat vegan buffet along with stand-up comedy, the best of their love and hate mail, a fabulous silent auction, free vegan gift bags and much more. The suggested minimum donation is $75. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/183468258525887/. 55] – Get over to an Alternative Gift Market at the Second Presbyterian Church of Baltimore on Sun., Dec. 8 from 8:30 AM to 1 PM at 4200 Saint Paul St., Baltimore 21218. Look over items from a range of socially conscious vendors, including the Afghan Women’s Fund. These are gifts that give twice! See http://www.secondpresby.org/. 56] – 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. 57] – 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. 58] – The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org. 59] – 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. 60] – If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 61] – Can you use any book shelves? Can you use any file cabinets? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net. 62] – 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. 63] – 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. 64] – 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