Baltimore Activist Alert August 24 – 25, 2014

Baltimore Activist Alert August 24 – 25, 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] Kickstarter campaign for film on the Sandinistas – through Sept. 10
6] Human, Soul & Machine: The Coming Singularity – through Aug. 31
7] Report from Feminist Conference – Aug. 24
8] Peace and Pancakes – Aug. 24
9] Support Gaza vigil– Aug. 24
10] Organize for Moral Monday – Aug. 24 -25
11] Soul Kitchen Dinner Program – Aug. 24
12] Screening of THE PEOPLE SPEAK – Aug. 24
13] People's Climate Tour – Aug. 24
14] Pentagon Vigil – Aug. 25
15] Marc Steiner on WEAA – Aug. 25 – Aug. 27
16] Free Mohamed Soltan – Aug. 25
17] Pledge of Resistance/Fund Our Communities meeting – Aug. 25
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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 Francine Sheppard at 5639B, Harpers Farm Rd., Columbia 21044. The coffee will arrive some time the following week and you will be notified where to pick it up. Contact Francine at 410-992-7679 or FrancineMSW@aol.com.

5] – Support Kickstarter funding for the film Memorias del Fuego! This is a feature-length documentary about the disappearing stories of women who fought to win Nicaragua's Sandinista Revolution. The first portion, in which the filmmakers interviewed former Sandinista commanders, couriers, and journalists, was shot without any funding, but the project is raising funds to be able to return and capture the stories of FSLN party members and female combatants from rural area.

Why did they first take a stand? How did they fight and win the Revolution? What did they hope for? Your help is needed to document these untold stories before they disappear. This Kickstarter project will only be funded if at least $57,000 is pledged by Wed., Sept. 10 at 9:15 AM PDT. To view the trailer and make a pledge, go here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/182573130/memorias-del-fuego-women-and-revolution-in-nicarag?ref=category_popular.

6] – 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.

7] - Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W. Franklin St., Suite 102, Baltimore 21201-4661, meets on Sundays, and generally there is a speaker and discussion from 10:30 AM to noon. On Sun., Aug. 24, hear a report, “The 2014 National Young Feminist Leadership Conference,” from Laura Griffin and Eilish McCahill. The conference was an empowering experience, providing connections to other feminist activists as well as greater understanding of intersectionality and feminism. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.

8] - 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.

9] – Can you attend a silent vigil for Gaza on Sun., Aug. 24 at Park Heights Ave. and Slade Ave. , Baltimore? Show your opposition to Israel’s violence in Gaza, and call to end the occupation. Stand at the intersection on the grass from 11 AM to 1 PM. RSVP to rjochs@comcast.net. Bring signs. Here are suggestions: stop occupation, justice for Palestine, stop massacre or stop US arms & aid to Israel. You can park in the lot at Baltimore Hebrew Synagogue.

10] – On Sun., Aug. 24 from 4 to 7 PM at 2011 N. Charles St., do phone banking and prep for Moral Monday with People's Power Assembly. On Mon., Aug. 25, be at Moral Monday for Michael Brown and the People of Ferguson from 5 to 7 PM. Gather at McKeldin Square, Pratt & Light Sts. Following a speak out and protest, there will be a moment of silence and the lighting of candles for Michael Brown whose funeral will take place on Monday. The protest was initiated by the Peoples Power Assembly, FIST (Fight Imperialism, Stand Together) Youth Group, Rev CD Witherspoon, SCLC and many others. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/273334736195275/?notif_t=plan_user_joined.

11] – The Soul Kitchen Dinner Program takes place on the fourth Sunday at 5 PM. Gimmie Shelter Productions, in conjunction with the Govans Presbyterian Church, is offering a catered dinner for the homeless and those in need at 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.

12] – On Sun., Aug. 24 from 6 to 8 PM, there is a free screening of THE PEOPLE SPEAK, based on Howard Zinn's bestselling books, particularly "A People's History of the United States." Producer Matt Damon, who grew up next door to the history professor, starts by reading from the Declaration of Independence, followed by other notables, among them Morgan Freeman (as Frederick Douglass), David Strathairn (John Brown), Marisa Tomei (Harriet Hanson Robinson), Sean Penn (Kevin Tillman, the brother of Pat Tillman), and co-producer Josh Brolin (Mark Twain). Others include Viggo Mortensen, Danny Glover, Kerry Washington, Benjamin Bratt, Rosario Dawson, and Don Cheadle, most of whom play several parts. The film celebrates the extraordinary possibilities for creating social change that ordinary people have realized throughout the course of our nation’ s rich but often ignored history of dissent and protest. It will take place at Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville 20781.

13] – Hear about the People's Climate March, scheduled for Sept. 21 in New York City. The D.C. stop of the People's Climate Tour will be an inspiring night of stories & lessons from local leaders involved in march planning, as well as a chance to get charged up for the fight ahead. It is happening on Sun., Aug. 24 at 7:30 PM in Lisner Auditorium, GWU, WDC. Get tickets at https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=88f1bc3cf2ce9472694dfa70605207af. Call 202-984- 6800 or email gwticket@gwu.edu.

14] -- 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., Aug. 25, and it is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker. Email artlaffin@hotmail.com or call 202-882-9649. The vigil will be outside the Pentagon's south Metro entrance and in the designated "protest zone" behind bicycle fences across from the entrance to the Metro. By Metro, take Yellow Line and get out at the "Pentagon" stop. Do not go to the Pentagon City stop! Go up south escalators and turn left and walk across to protest area. By car from D.C. area, take 395 South and get off at Exit 8A-Pentagon South Parking. Take slight right onto S. Rotary Rd. at end of ramp and right on S. Fern St. Then take left onto Army Navy Dr. You can "pay to park" on Army Navy Dr., and there is meter parking one block on right on Eads St. Payment for both of these spots begin at 8 AM. No cameras are allowed on Pentagon grounds. Restrooms are located inside Marriott Residence Inn on corner of S. Fern and Army Navy Dr.

15] – The Marc Steiner Show airs Monday through Friday from 10 AM to noon 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.

16] – Join the Global Day of Action to Free Mohamed Soltan at John Kerry’s House, 3320 O St. NW, WDC, on Mon., Aug. 25 at 6 PM. Soltan is a 26-year-old U.S. citizen languishing in an Egyptian jail cell for protesting the Egyptian military coup of June 2013. He is a graduate of Ohio State University and has been on hunger strike since January, 2014 to protest his detention. No evidence incriminating him has been found to this day. RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/1508975646005014/.

17] – 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., Aug. 25. The proposed agenda will include the appeal of the conviction of the CIA Five, anti-drone activities, including the trial of the NSA Three and getting a drone resolution passed in Baltimore’s city council, lobbying at Rep. Sarbanes’ office, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine, bigotry on the border, Gaza, and the anti-union drive at WYPR. Call 410-366-1637 or email mobuszewski at verizon.net for directions.

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