Baltimore Activist Alert May 28 – June 5, 2016

Baltimore Activist Alert May 28 – June 5, 2016

"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 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski [at] verizon.net.

1] Books, buttons and 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] Volunteer at the Belltower – through June 1

7] Tour Hampden – May 28

8] Heels on Wheels – May 28

9] Journey of healing – May 28

10] Hear from Indian environmentalist – May 29

11] Remembrance Sunday – May 29

12] Honor JFK – May 29

13] Letters left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial -- May 29

14] Pentagon Vigil – May 30

15] Marc Steiner on WEAA – May 30 – June 3

16] March in the Memorial Day Parade -- May 30

17] CISPES riders return – May 30

18] DanceAfrica – May 31 – June 5

19] Philadelphia Peace Vigil – May 31

20] Protest JHU drone research – May 31

21] Fundraising infosession– May 31

22] Film THE GROUND TRUTH– June 4

-------

1] – Buttons, bumperstickers and books are available.  “God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions” stickers are in stock. Call Max at 410-323-1607.

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.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 ncnrnotices-subscribe@lists.riseup.net. You will get a confirmation message once subscribed.  If you have problems, please write to the list manager at ncnrnotices-admin@lists.riseup.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] – Janice and Max are looking to buy a house in Baltimore.  Let Max know if you have any leads—410-323-1607 or mobuszewski at Verizon dot net.

6] –The Lincoln Memorial / Vietnam Memorial Installation continues through Wed., June 1 (all day).  This Belltower needs volunteer attendants.  The 24 foot tall touring tower is covered with over a thousand silver wind-blown 'bricks' made from recycled beer and soda cans. It was created by volunteers and dedicated by Veterans For Peace to ALL victims and veterans of war, regardless of race, faith or nationality. Wherever the tower has appeared, visitors have added personal inscriptions to the cans, rung the bell, and shared stories about how they have suffered from war. It was inspired by a WWI-Era Belltower in Raleigh, NC with the inscription, “And They Shall Beat Their Swords into Plowshares.”

    The permit requires the organizers to maintain a 24 hour vigil at the Belltower. This is a huge opportunity with thousands of visitors to the area around Memorial Day, but it is also a huge challenge. Please consider doing a shift.  The installation is being planned in conjunction with the arrival of Sam's Ride for Peace, Veterans For Peace lobby days and Vietnam Full Disclosure's Memorial Day 'Letters to the Wall” Effort. Visit https://www.facebook.com/STPBelltower.

7] – Come to the Woodberry Kitchen, 2010 Clipper Park Rd, Baltimore 21211, for a tour on Sat., May 28 from noon until 1:30 PM.  The cost is $10.   In this small community, two giants of industry converged in the late 1800s. One was Robert Poole, the leading employer of iron workers in Baltimore, and across the tracks, the other was William Hooper, whose Meadow Mill was a monument to his textile enterprise during a time of national depression. Greater Hampden Heritage Alliance chair Nathan Dennies will tell the story of the rise, eventual fall, and recent revitalization of this important site of Baltimore industry on a tour of Woodberry. The tour will stop in local businesses representing present day manufacturing in the neighborhood. The tour will begin outside Woodberry Kitchen and end at Union Craft Brewing for drinks and a tour of the brewery. Register at http://baltimoreheritage.org/partners/hampdenalliance.

8] – On Sat., May 28 from 4 to 6 PM, join the Chapel of Mary of Magdala, 3636 16th St. NW, Room AG-23, WDC in a journey of healing, wholeness and liberation to build the beloved Community. Participants will share a meal, engage in conversation, and take action.

9] –Heels on Wheels hits the road & lands at Red Emma’s in Baltimore on Sat. May 28 at 7:30 PM with its new, groundbreaking anthology of risk-taking queer femmes and LGBTQ artists, “Glitter & Grit: Queer Performance from the Heels on Wheels Femme Galaxy” (2015, Publication Studio).  The book features over 60 pieces of writing and art, tour real talk, community art pro-tips and all the grit it takes to get glit! -- plus, it was nominated for a LAMBDA Literary Award. All May, Heels on Wheels will be bestowing Glitterary Awards on the contributors to Glitter & Grit -- come participate and share your own #Glitterary inspirations!  Support the bookstores and buy a book at the event! If you can’t come, this book can be purchased online at http://www.heelsonwheelsroadshow.com/anthology/.  Heels on Wheels is a working-class led, multiracial queer femme arts organization, based in Brooklyn. This tour is part of #Glitterary Awareness Month, a month to celebrate radical voices in arts and media. #glitterNgrit @howroadshow.

10] – The ASSOCIATION FOR INDIA’S DEVELOPMENT ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2016 is happening at the University of Maryland, College Park campus, 1117 John S. Toll Building #082, University of Maryland Physics, College Park. On Sun., May 29 from 10 to 11:45 AM hear the Keynote speaker, Medha Patkar. Over the last quarter of a century, Medha Patkar has come to symbolize the voice of people struggling for a just, sustainable and peaceful society. She gave up her position as a faculty member at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and immersed herself in the struggles of the indigenous communities in the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. She started the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save Narmada Movement) which has been at the forefront of the struggle to uphold the lives and lands of the people of the Narmada valley, which is threatened with submergence by the mega Sardar Sarovar dam project. Since then, she has directly led several important people’s struggles across India including Lavasa, Golibar slum demolition, Adarsh land scams among many others. She is the recipient of several awards, including Amnesty International’s Human Rights Defender Award and the BBC Green Ribbon Award for the best international political campaigner. Go to https://conference.aidindia.org/.

11] – 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 May 29 the topic is “Remembrance Sunday” hosted by Karen Elliott.  Memorial Day Sunday offers BES members and guests a chance to celebrate people who have died but left us with gifts that enrich our lives. Whether the person was a family member or a historical figure, we owe so much to those no longer with us. We miss their living presence but take solace in the work, ideals, friendship, and love they offered to the world. In our quest to live more meaningful and ethical lives, we can turn to those who have gone before for inspiration, guidance and strength. During this platform program, members and guests will be offered a chance to honor someone important in their lives. It can be in honor of a relative, friend, mentor, or historical figure. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.

12] – Vigil - Peaceably Assemble, Honoring John F. Kennedy at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW, (public/north terrace, facing Watergate), WDC, on Sun., May 29 from noon to 2 PM.  Peaceably assemble for 1) Immediate, un-redacted release of all still withheld assassination-related records; 2) Abolishing, or reining in the CIA to its original, intelligence-only mandate; and 3) Ending the intimidation of official secrecy and the violence it perpetuates. A recording will be heard of JFK's June 10, 1963 Commencement Address at the nearby American University Campus, concerning issues of nuclear weapons, war and peace.  JFK's words are as relevant today.  See https://youtu.be/0fkKnfk4k40.

Afterwards, those present may disperse and peaceably reassemble elsewhere, perhaps in proximity to the White House or the Capitol, in further petition for redress of grievances. All are asked to view their participation not as a protest or demonstration - not "civil disobedience" - but instead as "Civil Obedience" of the highest order, peaceably assembling in the most Constitutional of manners, that JFK may be honored and that progress is achieved towards the stated objectives. Go to //www.facebook.com/events/272306579779196/. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jfk-vigil-may-29-2016-peaceably-assemble-ho...

13] – Veterans For Peace wants us to Remember the Human Costs of War on Memorial Day, May 30.  As part of the Full Disclosure campaign, VFP did a Letter Writing Campaign and will deliver 1.500 letters to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 5 Henry Bacon Dr. NW, WDC 20050, on Sun., May 29 at 8 PM.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1551318831861151/.  The letters acknowledge the impact of that war on our lives.  The letters are from those directly affected by the Vietnam War--the soldier, the conscientious objector, the war resister, the grieving family member, the daughter or son of a soldier, or the so-called "boat people."

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., May 30, 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 fr6m 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] –  Pacem In Terris will be part of the Memorial Day Parade on Mon., May 30 at 5:45 PM, starting at Delaware Ave. & Woodlawn Ave., Wilmington.  This year marks the 149th consecutive observance of the traditional Memorial Day in Wilmington. The tradition began in 1868, when a group of New Castle County citizens formed a Memorial Day Committee to honor those who died in the Civil War. Pacem in Terris has been a part of the Wilmington Memorial Day Parade for over a decade. Honor the past, seek to heal the present and bring peace to the future. March to the Civil War Monument, and honor the dead of all wars with a memorial service. Call Pacem in Terris at 302-656-2721. 

17] – Get over to the Welcome Home Riders Potluck- CISPES Solidarity Ride on Mon, May 30 at 6 PM at a place to be determined. CISPES is holding a great Solidarity Ride for El Salvador! But just because you can't make the ride doesn't mean you can't participate. For those who aren’t/can’t/don’t want to ride, they hope you will instead join them to celebrate the coming of summer and the power of collective action with a Welcome Home, Riders Potluck--good food, cold drinks, fun & games with warm-hearted folks! Babies, kids and families welcome! Contact Laura at (202) 521-2510 ext. 204 or laura@cispes.org.

18] – DanceAfrica DC 2016 takes place at 3225 8th St. NE, WDC, on Tues., May 31 (all day) to Sunday, June 5 (all day). The 29th annual festival celebrates the dance and music of the African Diaspora! It features outstanding African dance companies from the D.C. metropolitan area, a master class series and African Marketplace; and this festival is guaranteed to inspire, invigorate, educate and entertain. Visit http://www.danceplace.org/news/danceafrica-dc-2016-festival-schedule/.

19] – 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 St. & JFK Blvd., at the entrance to Tracks 3 and 4 on the mezzanine.  The next vigil is May 31.  Call 215-426-0364.

20] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. join this ongoing vigil on May 31  from 5:30 to 6:30  PM. Call Max at 410-323-1607.

21] – Come to the DC Fund in the Sun Infosession at 1317 Decatur St. NW, WDC, on Tues., May 31 at 7 PM. This is for supporters of social justice work and the Diverse City Fund to hold fundraising events through the month of July to support DC Fund's important work. Come to our infosession to learn about DC Fund, summer fundraising, and how you can support organizing rooted in communities of color in Washington D.C.  The Diverse City Fund works to nurture community leaders and grassroots projects which are acting to transform DC into a more just, vibrant place to live. Through grant-making, people in communities of color who are engaged in change work are identified, supported, and connected. The Diverse City Fund support the development of community-level social change by funding projects that have less access to traditional funding sources. Learn more about DC Fund at http://www.diversecityfund.org/.

22] –  The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee, Baltimore Quaker Peace and Justice Committee of Homewood and Stony Run Meetings and Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility are continuing the FILM & SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS DVD SERIES.  The DVDs will be shown at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218, usually on the First Friday. At 7:15 PM, from January through June, a DVD will be shown with a discussion to follow.  There is no charge, and refreshments will be available. The series theme is CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.  

On June 3 see THE GROUND TRUTH [USA, 2006] Filmmaker Patricia Foulkrod examines the experiences of Iraq War veterans and the plight of the military. She documents stories of human wreckage arising from the horrors of war and the dehumanizing military training. Some ten veterans discuss how their time in Iraq changed their lives irrevocably.  Regarding basic training, they discuss desensitization and depersonalization. The accounts given for their experiences in Iraq highlight both physical and mental injuries. After they were discharged, they had adjust and adapt to a civilian world.  Of course, many of them are dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and amputated limbs. Call 410-323-1607 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