Baltimore Activist Alert Apr. 7 – Apr. 13, 2014

Baltimore Activist Alert Apr. 7 – Apr. 13, 2014

"I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours.
The initiative to stop it must be ours." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Friends, this list and other email documents which I send out are done under the auspices of the Baltimore Nonviolence Center. Go to www.baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com. If you appreciate this information and would like to make a donation, send contributions to BNC, 325 East 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. Max Obuszewski can be reached at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski [at] verizon.net.

Tune into the Maryland Progressive Blog at http://mdprogblog.org.

1] Books, buttons & stickers
2] Web site for info on federal legislation
3] Join Nonviolent Resistance lists
4] Buy coffee through HoCoFoLa
5] Marc Steiner on WEAA – Apr. 7 – Apr. 11
6] "Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race" – through Apr. 30
7] Human, Soul & Machine: The Coming Singularity – through Aug. 31
8] Poynter Lecture featuring Representative Keith Ellison – Apr. 7
9] One Struggle: A Talk on Palestine – Apr. 7
10] Film "Elemental" – Apr. 7
11] “Gaza Writes Back” tour – Apr. 7
12] Battle for Justice in Palestine – Apr. 7
13] Patrick Bond will address the University Against Apartheid – Apr. 7
14] Pledge of Resistance/Fund Our Communities meeting – Apr. 7
15] Meet with Interfaith Power & Light director – Apr. 8
16] Field to Fork is a Food Worker Justice Panel and Reception – Apr. 8
17] Philadelphia Peace Vigil – Apr. 8
18] Condemn drone research at JHU – Apr. 8
19] Evening on Palestine – Apr. 8
20] Responding to Poverty in Nicaragua – Apr. 8
21] Book talk “Life Interrupted” – Apr. 8
22] “Private and Secure Internet Usage in the NSA Age” – Apr. 8
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1] – Buttons, bumperstickers and books are available. “God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions” stickers are in stock. Donate your books to Max. Call him at 410-366-1637.

2] – To obtain information how your federal legislators voted on particular bills, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/. Congressional toll-free numbers are 888-818-6641, 888-355-3588 or 800-426-8073. The White House Comment Email is accessible at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/.

3] – THE ORGANIZING LIST will be the primary decision-making mechanism of the National Campaign of Nonviolent Resistance [NCNR]. It will be augmented by conference calls and possibly in-person meetings as needed. It will consist of 1 or 2 representatives from each local, regional, or national organization (not coalitions) that wishes to actively work to carry out the NCNR campaign of facilitating and organizing nonviolent resistance to the war in Iraq. To join the ORGANIZING List, please send your name, group affiliation, city and email address to mobuszewski at Verizon dot net. Different local chapters of a national organization are encouraged to subscribe.

THE NOTICES LIST will include only notices of NCNR actions and related information and is open to any interested person to subscribe. It will be moderated to maintain focus & will include periodic notices about getting involved in NCNR national organizing. To join the NOTICES List, send an email message to mobuszewski at Verizon dot net.

4] – You can help safeguard human rights and fragile ecosystems through your purchase of HOCOFOLA Café Quetzal. Bags of ground coffee or whole beans can be ordered by mailing in an order form. Also note organic cocoa and sugar are for sale. For more details and to download the order form, go to http://friendsoflatinamerica.typepad.com/hocofola/2010/02/hocofola-cafe-quetzal-order-form-2010.html. The coffee comes in one-pound bags.

Fill out the form and mail it with a check made out to HOCOFOLA on or before the second week of the month. Be sure you indicate ground or beans for each type of coffee ordered. Send it to Adela Hirsch, 5358 Eliots Oak Rd., Columbia, MD 21044. Be sure you indicate ground (G) or bean (B) for each type of coffee ordered. The coffee will arrive some time the following week and you will be notified where to pick it up. Contact Adela at 410-997-5662 or via e-mail at adela4peace@verizon.net.

5] – 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.

6] – The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's production, "Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race" will be exhibited at the Health Sciences and Human Services Library at University of Maryland, Baltimore, Frieda O. Weise Gallery, 601 W. Lombard St. The exhibition will feature photos, films, testimonials and other documentation of Nazi racial experimentation and theories. The exhibit will continue through April 30. Call 410-706-7545. See http://hshsl.umaryland.edu/gallery/.

7] – See the exhibit Human, Soul & Machine: The Coming Singularity, which
delves into the various ways technology affects lives through the perspective of inventors, futurists and 40 plus visionary artists. The intent is to bring new thoughts on artificial intelligence, robotics, genetics, nanotechnology, 3D printing, and big data, and you can see it through August 31 at the American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Hwy. Call 410-244-1900. Go to http://avam.org. A ticket costs $20.
8] – The Poynter Lecture featuring Representative Keith Ellison On Mon., Apr. 7 at 2:30 PM at Battelle Atrium, American University, the Kennedy Political Union, a department of the American University Student Government, proudly presents The Kay Spiritual Life Center's Annual R. Bruce Poynter Lecture. The lecture will feature US Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. The Fifth District includes the City of Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs and is one of the most vibrant and ethnically diverse districts in Minnesota. Representative Ellison's guiding philosophy is based on "generosity and inclusion" and his priorities in Congress are building prosperity for working families, promoting peace, pursuing environmental sustainability, and advancing civil and human rights. RSVP to kslc@american.edu or call 202-885-3321.
9] – One Struggle: A Talk on Palestine with Rev. Graylan Hagler will happen on Mon., Apr. 7 from 7 to 9 PM at Battelle Atrium, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Hosted by American University Students for Justice in Palestine, Rev. Graylan Hagler, an African-American pastor and activist, born and raised in Baltimore, will discuss his recent return from an all-Black delegation trip to Palestine consisting of Hip Hop and Spoken Word artists as well as an activist in the labor movement, and academic on Black Liberation and a survivor of the Rwandan genocide. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/479545532146152/.
10] – Beyond the Classroom presents the film "Elemental" on Mon., Apr. 7 from 7 to 9 PM at the University of Maryland, 1104 South Campus Commons, Building 1, College Park, Maryland. It tells the story of three individuals united by their deep connection with nature and driven to confront some of the most pressing ecological challenges of our time. The film follows Rajendra Singh, an Indian government official gone rogue, on a 40-day pilgrimage down India’s once pristine Ganges River, now polluted and dying. Facing community opposition and personal doubts, Singh works to shut down factories, halt construction of dams, and rouse the Indian public to treat their sacred “Mother Ganga” with respect. Get to https://www.facebook.com/events/list.
11] – On Mon., Apr. 7 at 7 PM, the Friends Meeting of Washington's Peace & Social Concerns Committee welcomes the “Gaza Writes Back” tour organized by Just World Books and the American Friends Committee. Young authors from Gaza will share their stories of acts of resistance and defiance at the meetinghouse, 2111 Florida Ave. NW, WDC. Call 202-483-3310.
12] – Ali Abunimah will address the Battle for Justice in Palestine on Mon., Apr. 7 from 7:15 to 9 PM at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. The activist will talk about the imperative for a one-state solution! As part of GMU's International Week, this event is a great opportunity to learn about the political challenges facing one of the world's largest refugee populations: Palestinians. Free food will be provided. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1402870533309024/.
13] – Patrick Bond will address the University Against Apartheid: From Baltimore to South Africa and Palestine on Mon., Apr. 7 at 7:30 PM in Charles Commons Multi-Purpose Room. Bond was one of the founders of the 1980s organization Hopkins Coalition for a Free South Africa, which was a very active organization, campaigning for Hopkins to divest from South Africa. He can tell us about the time they built a mock shantytown on the Hopkins campus, and some fraternity members tried to burn it down!

He got his PhD in economic geography in 1993 from Hopkins, studying with David Harvey. He is a professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. Since 2009 he's been active in Palestinian solidarity campaigns, including BDS and specifically academic boycott campaigns. He's also an advisor to the social science doctoral program at Birzeit University in Ramallah.
Charles Commons is on 33rd St. between St Paul and Charles Sts., on the north side of the street. Enter through the door on 33rd with the "Charles Commons" sign on top, west of the bookstore and coffee shop. Go up the stairs to 2nd floor. Continue PAST the guard desk -- you don't need to go through the gate or show anyone your ID, just go straight past it, and the "Multi-Purpose Room" is around a corner. Call Jonathan at 773 230 5779.

14] – The Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore usually meets on Mondays at 7:30 PM, and the meetings take place at Max’s residence. However, the next meeting will be on Mon., Apr. 14. The proposed agenda will include a report on the appeal of conviction of the CIA Five, the final count on legislative issues in Annapolis, anti-drone activities, including the Spring Actions, and the NSA debate. Call 410-366-1637 or email mobuszewski at verizon.net for directions.

15] – On Tues., Apr. 8 from 9 AM to 6 PM at La Madeleine, 7607 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda, meet with Interfaith Power & Light director Joelle Novey. She wants to help with whatever project you’re implementing or whatever problem you’re facing. With years of experience helping green leaders work with their congregations, she sets aside time each month to meet with green leaders and provide dedicated 1-on-1 support. Email Elizabeth at program@gwipl.org. Call 202-709-7641.

16] – From Field to Fork is a Food Worker Justice Panel and Reception happening on Tues., Apr. 8 from 4:30 to 7:30 PM at the AFL-CIO, 815 16th St. NW, George Meany Room, 8th floor. Around the world, workers throughout the food supply chain are often poorly paid, denied benefits and vulnerable to temporary and contract work. ILRF partner Edwin Cisco, general secretary of the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia (FAWUL), will discuss the rapid expansion of palm oil, a common ingredient in chocolate and many other snack foods, and FAWUL's efforts to organize and engage palm oil plantation workers in Liberia. FAWUL negotiated a ground-breaking collective bargaining agreement with Firestone Tires in 2008 that has improved working conditions and reduced child labor. Now, it is hoping to prevent child labor and other worker rights abuses by engaging palm oil workers now, while the industry is still young and expanding. He will be joined by a panel of leaders, activists and members in movements to improve livelihoods for all the people who work to provide us the food we eat. Go to http://www.eventbrite.com/e/field-to-fork-food-worker-justice-panel-reception-tickets-10866059677.

17] – 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 Apr. 8. Call 215-426-0364.

18] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 34th & North Charles Sts. Join this ongoing vigil on Apr. 8 from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Call Max at 410-366-1637.

19] – There is an Evening on Palestine at St. Stephen and the Incarnation, 1525 Newton St. NW, on Tues., Apr. 8 at 6:30 PM. Come, share, and learn about the history, stakes, hopes and possibilities of the Palestinian people as peace prospects seem brighter. There will be a presentation by members of the diocesan committee on its companionship with Jerusalem and the Middle East. Parishioners with considerable experience with Palestine and Israel will be a part of the discussion, including Larry and Ann Hargrove and Barbara Wien. Contact Rev. Frank Dunn at 202-518-8432 or frank.dunn@saintstephensdc.org.

20] – Sarah Junkin Woodard will tackle Another World Is Possible and Necessary: Working for Justice, Responding to Poverty in Nicaragua on Tues., Apr. 8 at 7:30 PM @ Red Emma's. At 6:30 PM, join an informal Spanish language practice group, and buy some goodies at the Nicaraguan Arts & Crafts sale. Woodard is from the Center for Development in Central America (CDCA), the Nicaraguan project of the non-profit, faith-based organization, the Jubilee House Community (JHC). Working in Nicaragua for the past two decades, the CDCA continues to adapt, seeking to respond to human needs created by poverty in the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere. This evening is organized in partnership with Casa Baltimore/ Limay – a friendship-city project connecting the peoples of San Juan de Limay, Nicaragua, and Baltimore since 1985. Tax-deductible donations & proceeds from craft sales go to projects sponsored by Casa Baltimore/ Limay and the Center for Development Central American – Jubilee House Community.

21] – The Institute for Policy Studies' Break the Chain campaign and Teaching for Change Bookstore will host Denise Brennan, author of a new book on trafficking into forced labor in the United States, on Tues., Apr. 8 from 6:30 to 8 PM at Busboys and Poets, 14 & V Sts., 2021 14th St. NW. Brennan will share her contention that today's punitive immigration policies undermine efforts to fight trafficking. While many believe trafficking happens only in the sex trade, Brennan shows that across low-wage labor sectors—in fields, in factories, and on construction sites—widespread exploitation can lead to and conceal forced labor. “Life Interrupted” is a riveting account of life in and after trafficking and a forceful call for meaningful immigration and labor reform.

Denise Brennan is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology at Georgetown University. Contact Tiffany Williams at tiffany@ips-dc.org.

22] – On Tues., Apr. 8 from 7 to 9 PM at the Emergence Community Arts Collective, 733 Euclid St. NW, a course will be offered. This course “Private and Secure Internet Usage in the NSA Age” is a hands on workshop which will identify and teach people how to use various Open Source Software (OSS) programs and apps that provide secure and private communication and information (file) sharing via the Internet. Participants will bring their laptops, tablets, and smart phones, and leave with working software and practices to communicate and share data securely (encrypted) and anonymously (privately). A donation of $10 is requested. RSVP, requested but not required, to Jabari Zakiya at 202-390-6398 or at jzakiya@gmail.com.

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