Friday, June 12, 2015

Baltimore Activist Alert June 12 – June 15, 2015


Baltimore Activist Alert June 12 – June 15, 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 friends are looking to buy a house in Baltimore
6] Cyprus Friendship Program
7] Get your animal friend in the Maryland SPCA 2016 calendar – through June 15
8] "Oversight Failures Behind the Radiological Incident at DOE's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant" – June 12
9] Peace Vigil at the White House – June 12
10] Silent Quaker vigil – June 12
11] Startup Weekend DC -- June 12 - 14
12] Nakba Museum Project of Memory and Hope reception – June 12
13] Ballroom Dancing – June 12
14] Bike Tour – June 13
15] West Chester, PA demo – June 13
16] Film OUT IN THE NIGHT – June 13
17] Peace Is Our Destiny – June 13
18] Take exhibit tours for the Nakba Museum Project of Memory and Hope – June 13
19] Capital Pride Parade – June 13
20] Active Hope Workshop – June 14
21] “Interactions & Reflections: Anthropological Encounters with Religion” – June 14
22] Pride Festival – June 14
23] Canvas at the Capital Pride Festival – June 14
24] Film “The Village Under the Forest” –- June 14
25] Pentagon Vigil – June 15
26] Marc Steiner on WEAA – June 15 – June 19
27] Protest David Koch – June 15
28] Protest Wal-Mart June 15
29] Human Rights Situation of Afro-Descendants – June 15
30] Yoga not Bombs – June 15
31] Hear from a Hiroshima survivor –- June 15
32] Pledge of Resistance/FOC meeting – June 15
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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] – Two friends are looking to buy a house in Baltimore.  Let Max know if you have any leads—410-366-1637 or mobuszewski@verizon.net.

6] – Since a civil war in 1974 the island of Cyprus has been divided in two with a United Nations patrolled border. Turkish/Muslim Cypriots are in the north. Greek/ Christian Cypriots are in the south. Animosities and prejudices run deep. Experts believe that Cyprus is at a crossroads between renewed conflict or becoming as example in the Middle East of how two such cultures can live in peace.

The Cyprus Friendship Program, based on the successful model that helped build peace in Northern Ireland, brings over a Muslim and Christian teen to stay with an U.S. host family for the month of July (or ½ month if paired with another host family). This bonding experience in a neutral environment almost always results in a strong friendship. Programming here and after their return to Cyprus turns them into peace builders who are trained in how to influence their peers.  The teens are chosen for their maturity, leadership potential, and English speaking ability. You choose the gender and age (from 15 to 17). To learn more contact Tom McCarthy at 301-774-7069 or Thomas.McCarthy@RaymondJames.com.

7] – It's time to look through all your pet photos and to enter your favorites in the Maryland SPCA 2016 Pet Calendar Contest. The 2016 Pet Calendar will be a full-color, wall calendar, released in the fall of 2015. Thirteen of the best photos will be selected for the cover and pet-of-the-month pages. All entered photos will appear in the calendar. Only 400 photos will be accepted through June 15, so enter today! One free calendar is provided for each photo entered; each entry is $50 to the Maryland SPCA.  Call 410-235-8826 or email give@mdspca.org.

Photographs must be of animals, no people. High-resolution photos are preferred. Small photos, especially those taken by phones, are difficult to enlarge (photos filtered through Instagram and other social sharing apps are often low-resolution and will appear grainy in print). There is a $10 discount for each online photo entry. Be sure to use discount code SAVE10 at checkout! Go to https://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Register/ECReg.asp?ievent=1135915&en=4dIxHFPfE3LGKPMiF2JDLLNsFeLBIKNoHhIJKMPvHeKCJQOrEfIRKRNlE6IFLWPEE.

8] – On Fri., June 12 at 9:45 AM, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, is holding a hearing on "Oversight Failures Behind the Radiological Incident at DOE's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant," with witnesses.  Come to 2322 Rayburn House Office Building, WDC. There will be a webcast on the committee website--http://energycommerce.house.gov/.

9] – On Fri., June 12 from noon to 1 PM, join the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in a vigil urging the powers that be to abolish war and torture, to disarm all weapons, to end indefinite detention, to close Guantanamo, to establish justice for all and help create the Beloved Community! The vigil takes place at the White House on Pennsylvania Ave. NW.  Contact Art @ artlaffin@hotmail.com or at 202-360-6416.

10] – There is usually a silent peace vigil on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, sponsored by Homewood Friends and Stony Run Meetings, outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St.  The next vigil is on June 12. 

11] – Visit the Impact Hub DC, 419 7th St. NW, 3rd Fl., WDC on Fri., June 12 at 6 PM through Sun., June 14 at 6 PM. Have a startup idea that may have an impact mission or social change component? Maybe you have a startup idea that you may not realize has an impact mission or social change component. Or are you curious to see what it’s like to start up? Startup Weekend DC (Social) Impact Edition is the place to be.

Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or fresh to entrepreneurship, Startup Weekend DC (Social) Impact Edition is where you can pitch your idea, form a team, validate your concept, build your product, get valuable insight from mentors, and present your work to a panel of esteemed judges – all in just 54 hours.  Go to http://washington.impacthub.net/event/startup-weekend-dc/.

12] – On Fri., June 12 at 6:30 PM, you are invited to be at the opening reception for the Nakba Museum Project of Memory and Hope.  The reception is a good opportunity for a casual and intimate environment before the exhibit’s official opening on June 13. The idea of the exhibit is to show what the Nakba Museum of Memory and Hope can offer and create a groundswell of support for a permanent space in the Washington, D.C. area.

Reclaiming the Lost Future features a comprehensive exhibition about the flight and expulsion of Palestinians in 1948, photographs of nonviolent resistance and everyday life in the West Bank and Gaza; paintings by Palestinian artists living in refugee camps; and eyewitness testimonies and interviews with Palestinian refugees that highlight their struggles, loss, and undying resilience. See it at the Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Road NW, WDC 20009. RSVP at http://www.nakbamuseumproject.com/#/exhibit.  

13] – 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 June 12. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725.

14] – Go to Malcolm X Park, north end, 2580 15th St. NW, WDC on Sat., June 13 at 11 AM for a Bike Tour of Progressive D.C. When people think of Washington, D.C., they too often think only about the Capitol, the White House, and the politicians and lobbyists who infest them. But there is another side to D.C. – its rich history of radical politics and as a meeting place for mass protest.

Join DC Socialist for a bike tour of sites that you won't see on your typical D.C. tour. The group is asking for donations of $10 per person to help local activists travel to Chicago for the annual Socialism 2015 Conference, July 2 - 5. Seek out www.Facebook.com/DCiso or email iso_district@yahoo.com or call 202-643-8444. Don't have a bike? You can rent one at a Capital Bikeshare station.

15] –  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

16] – See OUT IN THE NIGHT at All Souls Unitarian Church, 1500 Harvard St. NW, WDC on Sat., June 13 at 11:45 AM.  In a case that made headlines, African-American lesbians fought back against a threatening man and were charged with assault and attempted murder. The film delves below surface sensationalism to examine race, gender and sexuality in our justice system. A co-production with IVTS, a co-presentation with the National Black Programming Consortium, the event is sponsored by the Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press (www.wifp.org) as well as the Social Justice Committee and Adult Spirited Development of All Souls Unitarian. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/355800107952313/.

17] – Peace Is Our Destiny is an Artist Talk With Dr. Bob Hieronimus, Ph.D., D.F.A., on Sat., June 13 from 1:30 to 3PM at the American Visionary Art Museum, 2nd floor classroom, Jim Rouse Visionary Center, 800 Key Hwy., Baltimore  21230.  Call 410.244.1900 or visit www.avam.org.  The talk is FREE with a museum admission.  Muralist, Art Car artist and local radio host, Dr. Bob will discuss the use of symbols throughout America's iconography, and tell the stories behind his own works of art that are featured in AVAM's current exhibition, The Visionary Experience: Saint Francis to Finster.

"America's founders, American Indians, and Jimi Hendrix all knew that our flag's stars and stripes and our Great Seal's eagle and pyramid are the magical talismans for our age that will give peace a chance!" —Bob Hieronimus, Ph.D., D.F.A. Hieronimus has been an acknowledged pioneer in the "New Paradigm" movement for almost 50 years, and has created numerous highly acclaimed symbolic art cars and murals, including the 2,700 square foot prophetic "Apocalypse" at the Johns Hopkins University, which led to Hieronimus being called "one of this country's best muralists." RSVP to Beka at 410-244-1900, ext. 232 or beka@avam.org.

18] – On Sat., June 13 from 3 to 8 PM, you are invited to take exhibit tours for the Nakba Museum Project of Memory and Hope at the Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Road NW, WDC 20009. RSVP at http://www.nakbamuseumproject.com/#/exhibit.  This exhibition will continue through June 27. The hours are Monday-Wednesday 10 AM to 3 PM and Friday and Saturday 3 to 9 PM. On Fri., June 26 additional hours are 10 AM to 3 PM.  The admission is free.  Email nakbamuseumproject@gmail.com or visit www.nakbamuseumproject.com.

19] – On Sat., June 13 starting at 4:30 PM until 7:30 PM, march in the Capital Pride parade. Gather at 23rd St. & M St. NW, WDC 20037 and march with D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadea and Councilmembers Allen, Silverman, Todd and May to show support for the District’s LGBT residents. The parade travels 1.5 miles through Dupont Circle and ends in the Logan Circle neighborhood and is expected to include 170 contingents of floats, vehicles, walkers and more. RSVP at http://www.brianneknadeau.com/pride_signup?utm_campaign=061115_newsltr&utm_medium=email&utm_source=brianneknadeau.

20] – Attend an Active Hope Workshop of The Work That Reconnects, facilitated by Aravinda Ananda and Joseph Rotella on Sun., June 14 from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM at the Marshy Point Nature Center in Baltimore.  The challenges we face can feel paralyzing: climate chaos, mass extinction, abject poverty, institutional racism, and the heartbreaking list goes on. How can we remain resilient in the face of such devastation? How can we be replenished and empowered to play our part in the healing of our world? The workshop will open to honor the pain of our world; opening to new insights, see with new eyes and go forth in our work for the healing of our world.

Developed by Joanna Macy and others, the Work That Reconnects is a groundbreaking group methodology for navigating our despair and emerging grounded, centered and renewed for the work ahead. Loved by hundreds of thousands of people the world over, the Work That Reconnects draws on deep ecology, living systems theory and engaged Buddhism, and offers experiential practices for responding to the condition of our world. 

 Ananda and Rotella have studied numerous times with Macy and have been facilitating the Work That Reconnects for five years.  They are both on the Interhelp Council - a group of Work That Reconnects facilitators, and in the past year have hosted two immersions in the Work That Reconnects for young adults. They have offered workshops in many different settings and feel honored to share this work with others.

 Space is limited and registration is required. Register at http://www.heathcote.org/cms/content/registration-active-hope-workshop. Email education@heathcote.org or call 410-357-9523. This workshop has a base fee of $25 to cover the costs of space and materials. The rest of this workshop is offered on a gift economy/donation basis – you offer what feels right to you to thank the facilitators for what they have shared and to support their work. Bring your own bag lunch and a snack to share with the group. The sponsors are the Baltimore Green Forum, Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, Heathcote Community, and School of Living.

21] – 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 June 14, the platform address is “Interactions & Reflections: Anthropological Encounters with Religion” An anthropologist discusses riddles, fascinations, and challenges of religion in his life and work. Stefan Goodwin is a professor emeritus of Anthropology at Morgan State University and a former BES president. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.

22] – On Sun., June 14 from noon to 9 PM, enjoy the 40th Celebration of Pride In The Nation’s Capital at Pennsylvania Ave. between 3rd and 7th Sts. NW, WDC.  The US Capitol has served as the iconic backdrop to the Capitol Concert Stage for hundreds of performances from local and national entertainers, politicians, and activists for 18 years. Consider supporting the festival with either a $10-$20 donation as you enter the festival; or, volunteer your time that day. Go to http://www.capitalpride.org/events/pride-festival/.

23] – At Seventh and Pennsylvania Aves. (near Archives) NW, WDC on Sun., June 14 at 11:30 AM, help JUFJ and the larger economic justice community raise wages, stabilize hours and value families by canvassing at the Capital Pride Festival. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1476854082606325/.

24] -- Come to Busboys & Poets Restaurant – Brookland, 625 Monroe St. NE, WDC on Sun., June 14 at 5:30 PM to see “The Village Under the Forest, ”a documentary by Mark J Kaplan and Heidi Grunebaum.  Using the forest and the village ruins as metaphors, the documentary explores themes related to the erasure and persistence of memory and dares to imagine a future in which dignity, acknowledgement and co-habitation become shared possibilities in Israel/Palestine. A discussion will follow the screening (54 minutes long). See https://www.facebook.com/events/1441412622828209/.

25] -- 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., June 1, 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. 

26] – 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.  

On the Marc Steiner Show, people of opposing views actually listen to each other; on the video linked below, you see the humanity of Freddie Gray's neighbors and friends.  I think the Marc Steiner Show is important for Baltimore, and important for our racial divide in other towns in our country too.  The Show is on an expansion drive; can you contribute?  See https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-build-center-for-emerging-media#/story.

27] – Get over to the Smithsonian Castle, 1000 Jefferson Dr. SW., WDC on Mon., June 15 from 12:30 to 2 PM to protest Oil mogul David Koch who sits on the board of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Koch in turn bankrolls groups that deny climate science. It's time to get climate deniers out of science museums! Join a demonstration, press conference, and rally outside the Smithsonian's board meeting More than 250,000 signatures calling on the Smithsonian to Kick Koch off the Board will be delivered!  Sign the petition: http://kickkochofftheboard.com/.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1579865432293896/.

28] – Catch the “Organizing the Workers of Walmart, From Bentonville to Beijing” panel discussion at 555 New Jersey Ave. NW, WDC on Mon., June 15 from 5 to 7 PM.  Registration is required; visit http://www.shankerinstitute.org/event/china-walmart.  With over 11,000 stores in 27 different countries and $485+ billion in annual revenue, Walmart is not simply the world’s largest corporation: it is a global economic behemoth that seeks to dominate the local economy wherever it does business. Its economic footprint extends beyond its own stores to the retail sector as a whole and to the suppliers who manufacture most of the goods it sells. The Walmart “race to the bottom” business model of selling goods as cheaply as possible by reducing the cost of labor to minimal levels leaves the workers in its stores and its suppliers struggling to meet their most basic needs. In the United States, Walmart workers have had to go on public assistance, using Medicaid and food stamps, to make ends meet. To maintain this system, Walmart has pursued virulently anti-union policies. China plays a pivotal role in Walmart’s global operations. Over 70 percent of the goods sold in Walmart stores worldwide are produced by Chinese-based suppliers. It is a major – and growing – force in the Chinese retail market, with plans to make it “an integral force in the Chinese economy,” according to one company spokesman. Last month, Walmart announced it was expanding its Chinese stores by a third.

29] – The discussion Human Rights Situation of Afro-Descendants in Latin America is taking at the Washington Office on Latin America, 1666 Connecticut Ave. NW, WDC on Mon., June 15 from 5:30 to 8 PM. The event features Nilza Iraci, Institute of Black Woman – Geledes, Brazil, Erosies Gonzalez Suarez, Plataforma Femenina Nuevo País, Cuba, and others.  Afro-descendants make up approximately 200 million people in the Americas. Despite efforts to improve their socio-economic condition, they still face numerous challenges, such as human rights abuses and exclusion from the benefits of steady economic growth in the region. Afro-descendant women, children, and members of the LGBT community additionally suffer aggravated forms of discrimination. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/406754472841421/.

30] –  In Front of the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, gather on Mon., June 15 at 5:30 PM for Yoga Not Bombs.  Everyone knows how healthy a yoga session can be, but now with Yoga Not Bombs people will also be making an important statement! Join CODEPINK to practice your yoga moves while being mindful of peace. The event aims raise awareness about the importance of conflict resolution and diplomacy in daily lives and in international affairs. This summer during a pivotal moment of the nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran, CODEPINK commits ourselves to supporting the negotiations in order to avoid another disastrous war in the Middle East. The guest instructor will be April Rameé. Bring a mat and/or a towel! See https://www.facebook.com/events/406754472841421/.

31] – Come to the La Casa Building, 3166 Mt. Pleasant St., WDC on Mon., June 15 at 7 PM to hear from Mr. Sadao Yamamoto, who will testify about his experience as a middle school student in Hiroshima, Japan on Aug. 6, 1945. He will present his testimony with a power point presentation followed by a discussion with the audience. You will also hear from Dennis Nelson, a downwinder who grew up in St. George, Utah in the shadow of the Nevada testing site. When the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Yamamoto was in the Eastern Drill Ground 2.5 km. from the hypocenter helping to weed a sweet potato field. He was a 14-year-old 2nd year student at Hiroshima Second Middle School.

Yamamoto participated in a male chorus in his spare time, and conducted the first performance of "IshibumiRequiem for a Male Chorus" on Oct. 2, 1970. The choral piece was composed in memory of the 1st year students at Hiroshima Second Middle School, which was completely destroyed in the bombing, and the performance is an unforgettable memory for him even today. Through atomic bombing testimonials and other activities, the survivor continues to work to abolish nuclear weapons to ensure that this kind of tragic history is never repeated. Sadao Yamamoto is visiting on the occasion of the opening of the Maruki Panel exhibit at the American University Katzen Arts Center.  Email John Steinbach at johnsteinbach1@verizon.net.

32] – 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 is on June 15. The proposed agenda will include anti-drone activities, Freddie Gray, John Sarbanes/Ben Cardin, the annual July 4 visit to the NSA, the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration and a September action in D.C. Call 410-366-1637 or email mobuszewski at verizon.net.

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  

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