Baltimore Activist Alert February 24 – March 6, 2015

Baltimore Activist Alert February 24 – March 6, 2015

"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.
1] Books, buttons & stickers
2] Web site for info on federal legislation
3] Join Nonviolent Resistance lists
4] Buy coffee through HoCoFoLa
5] Two Job Openings – reply by Feb. 28
6] "Chronicles of War" – through Mar. 15
7] Review the Effectiveness of the National Energy Laboratories – Feb. 24
8] Clean water rally – Feb. 24
9] On Ferguson and Palestine – Feb. 24
10] No JHU Drone Research -- Feb. 24
11] Israeli Apartheid Week – Feb. 24, 25 & 26
12] “Oh Freedom After While: The Missouri Sharecropper Protest of 1939” – Feb. 24
13] “Mark Reads and Mark Watches” -- Feb. 24
14] EEOC case at Supreme Court – Feb. 25
15] Decade for People of African Descent – Feb. 25
16] Hear from Benjamin Wittes and Juan Mendez – Feb. 25
17] Film PAY TO PLAY – Feb. 25
18] Film KILLSWITCH – Feb. 25
19] Film “Our Black Shining Prince” – Feb. 25
20] Film PAY TO PLAY – Feb. 25
21] Building the #BlackLivesMatter movement -- Feb. 25
22] Webinar "Wait...Nukes Cost HOW Much?" – Feb. 25
23] Net Neutrality press conference/party – Feb. 26
24] "Can Space Promote Nuclear Non-Proliferation?" – Feb. 26
25] Tools for Change class at Free School -- Feb. 26 & Mar. 5
26] See “The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil” – Feb. 26
27] “From Ferguson to Chapel Hill – Feb. 26
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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] – The International Labor Rights Forum [ILRF] has two job openings. The ILRF is a human rights organization that advocates for workers globally. The group has an opening for a Legal and Policy Analyst, who will help drive ILRF policy advocacy in support of strategic campaigns against forced labor, child labor, and other labor rights abuses. This position will require knowledge of international labor rights instruments and their associated enforcement mechanisms (e.g. GSP petitions, OECD-NCP complaints, etc.), which can support and help shape labor rights advocacy campaigns. An ideal candidate is one who has worked with a labor union and/or is interested in working with a small, fast-paced NGO and is an independent, innovative and driven individual. The applicant must possess strong writing skills and the ability to work effectively in diverse coalitions. Email cover letter, resume, and a sample of policy-related writing or a copy of a report to employment@ilrf.org by Sat., Feb. 28.

There is another job opening for a Campaigner. This position will require experience mobilizing people to get involved in campaigns; enthusiasm to travel frequently; excellent writing skills; and knowledge about international labor rights issues with the ability to speak persuasively and compellingly to audiences of all sizes on topics including freedom of association, living wages, child labor, forced labor, and the power of organizing for achieving social change. An ideal candidate is one who has been active in anti-sweatshop or other economic justice campaigning and is an independent, innovative and driven individual with excellent communication skills. Email cover letter, resume, a sample of writing for an activist audience (flier, fact-sheet, brochure, press release, or e-blast), and a copy of longer paper or report to: employment@ilrf.org by Sat., Feb. 28.

6] – You may be interested in an art exhibit called "Chronicles of War" by artist Phyllis Plattner, which shows her artistic views of the horrors of war. It is located at American University's Katzen Arts Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, and will be there until Sun., Mar. 15. Call 202-885-1300.

7] – On Tues., Feb. 24 from 9 AM to noon, there will be a Commission to Review the Effectiveness of the National Energy Laboratories public meeting at Hilton at Mark Center, Birch Conference Room, 5000 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22311. RSVP at CRENEL@hq.doe.gov.

8] – The Maryland League of Conservation Voters is reminding you to tell your elected officials “Don’t go Backward on the Bay!” Then come and be heard at the Clean Water Rally on Tues., Feb. 24th from 11:30 AM to 1 PM in Annapolis on Lawyer’s Mall, 100 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401! Polluted runoff from urban areas and phosphorus from agricultural areas are choking our rivers and the Bay. Go to http://www.waterkeeperschesapeake.com/calendar/g-12-redgt0bl5cg23dd5vkqmodpvek_201502241630. See www.mdlcv.org.

9] – The Palestine Center, Jerusalem Fund, 2425 Virginia Ave. NW, WDC 20037, invites you to a panel briefing On Ferguson and Palestine: The Issues of Repression and Race, on Tues., Feb. 24 from 1 to 2 PM. The panelists are Bill Fletcher, Senior Scholar, Institute for Policy Studies, host of "The Global African," Ramah Kudaimi, Membership & Outreach Coordinator, U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation & Rev. Graylan Hagler, Senior Minister, Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ. RSVP at http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/ht/d/EventDetails/i/50165%20.

10] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. Join this ongoing vigil on Feb. 24 from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Call Max at 410-366-1637.

11] – The Israeli Apartheid Week events continue on Tues., Feb. 24 at 6 PM in Buchner Hall, Alumni House with Intersections: Black Liberation and Palestinian Liberation. This event and two others are hosted by Goucher Students for Justice in Palestine. Bridging solidarity through a shared history of struggle and resistance, Sammy Alqasem and Nicholas Powell will explore ways in which colonialism has affected the history of each of their communities and the ways in which solidarity has been waged throughout history and continues to shape the current movements toward liberation. Get more details at https://www.facebook.com/gouchersjp.

Then enjoy Palestinian Cultural Day on Wed., Feb. 25 from noon to 3 PM at the Pearlstone Atrium. Ask questions while enjoying Palestinian food, music, and dance!

Finally Nancy Mansour will show her short film "The Summer in Gaza" and lead a discussion about her summer in Gaza on Wed., Feb. 25 at 7:30 PM in Kelley Lecture Hall. Mansour is the founder of Existence is Resistance.

On Thurs., Feb. 26 at 6:30 PM, the New Political Society is bringing Sayed Kashua to JHU in Charles Commons, East Room. Kashua is a Palestinian with Israeli citizenship, recognized as one of the most important writers in Hebrew, and who recently left Israel for the United States.

12] – At Bloombars, 3222 11th St. NW, WDC 20010, on Tues., Feb. 24 from 7 to 9 PM, for Black History Month, BloomBars and the Africa World Now Project present a thought-provoking film about a forgotten civil rights protest. “Oh Freedom After While: The Missouri Sharecropper Protest of 1939” (1999, 59 min), by Steven John Ross is a historical documentary about a dramatic 1939 roadside protest by Missouri Bootheel sharecroppers–black and white–and the repercussions it had in politics and in their lives. Go to http://tinyurl.com/oh-freedom-trailer. The screening will be followed by a Q&A discussion hosted by Mwiza Munthali, host of the radio show "Africa Now," on WPFW 89.3FM. The suggested donation is $10, and the organic popcorn is free. Proceeds support both the Africa World Now Project and BloomBars. Free organic popcorn. BloomScreen Indie Film Night is a weekly series of independent and foreign films, accompanied by discussions with filmmakers, experts, and other guests.

13] – On Tues., Feb. 24 at 7:30 PM in the Free School Classroom at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, Mark Oshiro talks about his book “Mark Reads and Mark Watches,” where he chronicles his unspoiled journey through various television and book series. He mixes textual analysis, confessional blogging, and humor to analyze fiction that usually makes him cry and yell on camera. All of this earned Mark a Hugo nomination in the Fan Writer category in 2013 and 2014. Join Mark as he discusses the Mark Does Stuff universe and reads a chapter from his upcoming book. What if you could re-live the experience of reading a book (or watching a show) for the first time? Call 443-602-7585. Go to http://www.redemmas.org.

14] – On Wed., Feb. 25 at 9 AM, gather at the United States Supreme Court Building, 1 First St. NE, WDC 20543. The Supreme Court will consider whether Abercrombie & Fitch’s refusal to hire a Muslim woman wearing a religious headscarf (hijab) was discriminatory. Court convenes at 10 AM, and the EEOC argument is first on the calendar, so be outside before, during & after. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1383168311994624/?ref=6&ref_notif_type=plan_user_invited%20.

15] – Be at the S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW, WDC, on Wed., Feb. 25 from 9 AM to 1 PM as, in recognition of the UN's International Decade for People of African Descent, the Baobab Fund for Racial Equity-North America is partnering with Africare, and the National Museum of African-American History and Culture to host a conversation on leveraging the UN decade to make significant advances for people of African descent. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/734766139952211/

16] – Hear from Benjamin Wittes and Juan Mendez. Wittes, a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, co-founded and is the editor-in-chief of the Lawfare blog. Mendez is a visiting Professor of Law at American University - Washington College of Law. In 2010, he was appointed the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. This event, sponsored by the University Chaplain, will be at the Kay Spiritual Life Center Lounge, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC, on Wed., Feb. 25 at noon. RSVP or to ask for special accommodations, email KSLC@american.edu or call 202-885-3321.

17] -- On Wed., Feb. 25 at 6 PM at the Enoch Pratt Free Library-Southeast Anchor Branch, 3601 Eastern Ave., Represent.US will present the film “PAY 2 PLAY,” which follows filmmaker John Ennis' quest to find a way out from under the Pay 2 Play system. Politicians reward their donors with even larger sums from the public treasury -- through contracts, tax cuts, and deregulation. The film takes the journey through high drama on the Ohio campaign trail, uncovers the secret history of the game Monopoly, and explores the underworld of L.A. street art on a humorous odyssey that reveals how much of a difference one person can make. The discussion after the film will focus on how Maryland citizens can take back our democracy, and the state and nationwide movement promoting a federal Constitutional Amendment will affirm governments' right to regulate electoral contributions and ensure all citizens' right to vote. Email charlie@getmoneyoutmd.org. Go to http://www.getmoneyoutmd.org/.

18] – See the movie “Killswitch” on Wed., Feb. 25 at 6 PM at the South Orientation Theater, Capitol Visitor Center, WDC . This is the night before the FCC public meeting. Lawrence Lessig will discuss the film, which is about the Battle for the Future of the Internet. KILLSWITCH follows the story of two young hacktivists, Aaron Swartz and Edward Snowden, who symbolize the disruptive and dynamic nature of the Internet. Their lives parallel one another as they free information to millions on the Internet, putting them directly in the cross-hairs of the most powerful interests in the world. See http://killswitchthefilm.com/. RSVP tracy@russostrategies.com.

19] – On Wed., Feb. 25 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Bus Boys and Poets, 625 Monroe St. NE, WDC 20017, see a viewing of documentary “Our Black Shining Prince,” a film tribute to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X). The director is Phil Portlock, a native Washingtonian, a photographer, writer, producer of numerous video documentaries on African and African-American history and a social justice activist.

Through narration, music and vivid images, this 40-minute presentation captures the short but transformative life of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X) from his early life in the Midwest to his rise as national spokesman for the Nation of Islam that rescued him from a life of crime. He became one of the main figures of the Black Nationalist Movement during the 1960s. His death on February 21, 1965, 50 years ago, robbed our nation, and African-Americans in particular, of one who symbolized the hope of an oppressed people. A Q&A session will follow the film. Call 202 529-8286 or email the3rdeye@verizon.net.

20] – On Wed., Feb. 25 at 6:30 PM, enjoy a potluck dinner at the Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W. Franklin St., #102, Baltimore 21201. At 7:30 PM, see a screening of the acclaimed documentary PAY 2 PLAY, followed by a discussion with representatives of Get Money Out (Maryland). Go to www.GetMoneyOutMD.org. Call the Baltimore Ethical Society at 410-581-2322.

Follow filmmaker John Ennis’ quest to find a way out from under the “Pay 2 Play” System, where politicians reward their donors with ever larger sums from the public treasury. Along the way, he journeys through high drama on the Ohio campaign trail, uncovers the secret history of the game Monopoly, and explores the underworld of L.A. street art on a humorous odyssey that reveals how much of a difference one person can make. See the trailer at http://pay2play.tv. To cover the cost of screening rights, there is a request for a contribution from $1 to $20 (sliding scale, pay what you can, dollars or Bnotes). If you are attending the potluck, bring a dish, or contribute towards pizza.

21] – At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Dr. John Carlos raised his fist on the medal stand alongside Tommie Smith and became a symbol of resistance to racism and oppression throughout the world. Today, as the #BlackLivesMatter movement challenges police violence, athletes are again stepping up to try and be part of seeing this movement take root. On Wed., Feb. 25 at 7 PM at the Watha T Daniels Library, 1630 7th St. NW, WDC,
join Carlos and other speakers in a discussion on building the movement today and connecting it to all walks of life. The other speakers are Princess L. Black, an organizer with Movements of Organized Revolutionaries, and Dave Zirin, sportswriter and the author of “A People's History of Sports in the United States.” Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/368566386656178/?ref=6&ref_notif_type=plan_user_invited.

22] – Physicians for Social Responsibility Climate Health Action Teams are sponsoring an online webinar on Wed., Feb. 25 from 8 to 9 PM EST. Laicie Heeley, Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, and Theresa Shaffer, Physicians for Social Responsibility, will take on "Wait...Nukes Cost HOW Much?" RSVP at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8326411705967967490.

23] – FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wants to do something monumental: Reclassify broadband under Title II of the Communications Act. Translation: Everything you've done to get real Net Neutrality has paid off. And it's time to celebrate! There are two events on Thur., Feb. 26 — the day the FCC's voting on Wheeler's plan. Go to http://act.freepress.net/survey/internet_nn_victory/?t=2&akid=5105.10121002.F38s5N. There is a 9:30 AM press conference and rally at the FCC. Then at 6:30 PM, there is a VICTORY for the Net Party at Lost Society, 2001 14th St. NW.

24] – On Thurs., Feb. 26 from 10:30 AM to noon, Deganit Paikowsky, Tel Aviv University, will tackle "Can Space Promote Nuclear Non-Proliferation?" It takes place at George Washington University, CISTP Conference Room, Suite 403, 1957 E St. NW, WSC. RSVP at spi@gwu.edu.

25] – Rex Foster is co-teaching a class called "Tools for Change" and it continues Thur., Feb. 26 at 7 PM in the Free School Classroom at Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201. It will conclude on Mar. 5. The class will explore some simple tools for making group and community work more effective. Register at http://freeschool.redemmas.org/courses/717.

26] – See “The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil” at the Mt. Pleasant Library, 3160 16th St. NW, WDC 20010, on Thurs., Feb. 26 at 7 PM. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, oil and food imports in Cuba dropped by more than half. This documentary details the hardships and showcases the creativity the Cuban people displayed as they struggled to overcome this exceptionally difficult period in their history.
The screening will take place in the meeting room on the main floor of the library. Email mtpleasantlibrary@dc.gova or call 202-671-3121.

27] – Get over to the UDC Theater of the Arts Auditorium, 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW, WDC, on Thurs., Feb. 26 from 7:30 to 8:30 PM as Arab America in collaboration with the University of the District of Columbia are proud to present, “From Ferguson to Chapel Hill: Together We Stand for Justice,” for Black History Month. In the wake of tragic events in Ferguson, and the recent murder of three Arab/Muslim American students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, prejudice is still directed against people of color. Both African Americans and Arab Americans stand together for equality and the struggle for civil rights and justice for all.

The event will feature author and humanitarian, Ambassador Attallah Shabazz, (who is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of her legendary father, Malcolm X), Lydia Lyon, African American songstress of both the African American and Arab American music genres, and Emmy Winning and Academy Award nominated Connie Field, director of the critically acclaimed film, Al Helm: MLK in Palestine. For additional information, complimentary tickets and media inquiries, contact Arab America at info@arabamerica.com or call 877-272-2944.

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