Baltimore Activist Alert - January 28 - February 20, 2016

42] No justice with a bail bond system -- Jan. 28

43] Service to Justice Conference – Jan. 29

44] Book REPUBLIC OF SPIN – Jan. 29

45] Peace vigil at White House – Jan. 29

46] WIB peace vigil – Jan. 29

47] FREE FARM Fundraiser – Jan. 29

48] Black Lives Matter – Jan. 29

49] Ballroom Dancing – Jan. 29

50] Peace Academy – Jan. 30 & Feb. 20

51] Polar Bear Plunge – Jan. 30

52] West Chester peace vigil – Jan. 23

53] Sign up with Washington Peace Center

54] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

55] Do you need any book shelves?

56] Join the Global Zero campaign

57] Join the Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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42] – On Thurs., Jan. 28 at 6:30 PM at Dovecote Café, 2501 Madison Ave, hear the presentation Equal Justice Discussion: The Broken Bail System.  "90% of Division Pretrial Detention budget goes to Baltimore’s Jail Facilities; 3.5% of spending goes to Pretrial Release Services program." - Justice Policy Institute 2011.  Todd Oppenheim, an attorney in the Felony Trial Division of the Public Defender's Office for Baltimore City, and candidate for Circuit Court Judge will describe the bail review process, the first step in a long line of denying indigent defendants their rights.  He will then show how pretrial incarceration due to high bails effects what happens during the life of cases (for representation, and the client's physical and mental states). From there, he will discuss how the resolution of a case is often determined by bail status.  The discussion will focus on real examples of injustice that the general public doesn't always experience as well as possible solutions to the bail problem. The audience is encouraged to ask questions. The event is co-sponsored by the Maryland Chapter of the American Constitution Society.  Go to https://www.acslaw.org/chapters/md/ma.... Visit www.toforjudge.com. 

43] –Come to Luther Place, 1226 Vermont Ave. NW, WDC 20005, on Fri., Jan. 29 at 9 AM and through Sat., Jan. 30 at 4 PM for the Service to Justice Conference.  This conference is a movement of Washington, DC social service organizations, impacted community members, and supportive institutions who recognize how the social service industry perpetuates the current arrangement of power that maintains systemic poverty and structural racism. The goals are to shift the content and development of programs, making them strengths-based, holistic, person-centered, and justice-oriented; restructure the organizations so that leadership and decisions come from the communities they serve; and prioritize advocacy work to create and implement policies that realign power and eradicate root causes of social inequity. The conference theme is "History of racism and its impact on the social services industry." Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/216866925314916/.

44] –   Come to the 5th floor conference room, Wilson Center, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, on Fri., Jan. 29 from noon to 1 PM to hear from David Greenberg, author, “Republic of Spin,” and Associate Professor of History and of Journalism & Media Studies, Rutgers University; former Fellow, Wilson Center; and Peter Baker, White House correspondent, New York Times; former Public Policy Fellow, Wilson Center.  Presidential historian Greenberg recounts the rise of the White House spin machine, from Teddy Roosevelt to Barack Obama. His sweeping, startling narrative takes us behind the scenes to see how the tools and techniques of image making and message craft work. He also examines the profound debates citizens have waged over the effect of spin on our politics. Does spin help our leaders manipulate the citizenry? Or does it allow them to engage us more fully in the democratic project? RSVP at http://pages.wilsoncenter.org/01.29.16GreenbergBooklaunch_SpecialEventInvitation.html. Email wwics@wilsoncenter.org. 

45] – On Fri., Jan. 29 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! This vigil will take place at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contract Art @ artlaffin@hotmail.com or at 202-360-6416. 

46] – On Fri., Jan. 29 from noon to 1 PM, join Women in Black peace vigil. This vigil will take place at the corner of Light and Pratt Sts.  Stay for as long as you can. Wear black. Dress for who knows what kind of weather. Bring your own poster or help with the "NO WAR IN MY NAME" banner.  When there are others to stand with, you don't need to carry the burden alone. Do this to be in solidarity with others....when everything around us says, Be afraid of the stranger.

47] – The BALTIMORE FREE FARM is holding its 5TH ANNUAL FANCY DINNER FUNDRAISER on Fri., Jan. 29 at 5 PM at 2640 Space, 27th & St. Paul Sts.  Enjoy food, fun, and music! Come out and help support Baltimore Free Farm and enjoy a home cooked meal while doing so--vegan and gluten free options.  Tickets are on a sliding scale donations. Large donation tickets of $70 or more will receive special thank you gift bag of awesome BFF merchandise!  There will also be a raffle and a silent auction! Lots of great prizes!  Go to http://www.baltimorefreefarm.org/2015/12/14/fancydinner/.

48] –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 scheduled vigil is on Jan. 29. Black Lives Matter. 

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 Jan. 29. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725.

50] – Get a Little Friends For Peace Academy Certification on Sat., Jan. 30 or Sat., Feb. 20 from 10 AM to 2:30 PM at 128 M St. NW, WDC.  Come to learn and develop conflict-resolution skills. Earn a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) for each session.  The cost is $45/person per session, and free for volunteer teachers. Need based financial assistance and student rates are available for all courses! Contact M.J. Park at mjpeace@gmail.com.  To register, contact MJ Park @ 240-838-4549 or mjpeace@gmail.com.  Visit http://www.lffp.org/peace-academy.html.

51] – Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility is recruiting for this year's polar bear plunge on Sat., Jan. 30 from 10:30 AM to 2 PM at the National Harbor. Would you like to join Team Chesapeake PSR? It is a great way to support Chesapeake PSR and CCAN, and it is a really fun event. What greater way to bond with your fellow activists then to jump in a cold river and gather for warm drinks afterwards. Sign up at http://chesapeakeclimate.org/event/11th-annual-polar-bear-plunge/. Call PSR at 240-246-4492 (cell).

52] – 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. 

53] -- The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org.

54] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

55] -- Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

56] -- 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.

57] – A 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