Baltimore Activist Alert October 30 – November 1, 2016

Baltimore Activist Alert October 30 – November 1, 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] Two friends are looking to buy a house in Baltimore

5] Guns and democracy – Oct. 30

6] What’s up with democracy? – Oct. 30

7] LGBT awards dinner – Oct. 30

8] “Feast of St. Francis” – Oct. 30

9] Transform Now Plowshares – Oct. 30

10] Green Halloween Party – Oct. 30

11] Presidential Election and the Left – Oct. 30

12] Pentagon Vigil – Oct. 31

13] Marc Steiner on WEAA – Oct. 31 – Nov. 4

14] NSA at Towson University – Oct. 31

15] Nukes and the Next Administration – Oct. 31

16] Text to bury Trump – Oct. 31

17] Peace vigil in Philadelphia – Oct. 31

18] Protest drone research at JHU – Oct. 31

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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] – 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.

5] – 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., Oct. 30, the topic is “Gun Rights and the Threat to Freedom and Democracy” with Prof. Firmin DeBrabander received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Emory University, and is on the faculty at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Possibly the most emotionally charged debate taking place in the U.S. today centers on the rights of citizens to bear arms. The core argument of Second Amendment advocates is that firearms are essential to maintaining freedom, providing citizens with a defense against possible government tyranny, safeguarding our other rights. But do guns indeed make us free? This philosophical examination exposes the contradictions and misinterpretations inherent in the case presented by gun rights supporters, and provocatively demonstrates that lax gun laws actually hinder democratic participation.  Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org. 

6] – Friends of the Baltimore Green Forum should note that the monthly event may not take place in November.  BGF is recommending an alternative event.  Where on Earth are we going? And what can we do about it? It's time to wake up and imagine what can be. If you are ready to explore bringing forth the dream of an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just presence on Earth.

On Sun., Oct. 30 attend and discover what the possibilities for an inspired future means for you at the Stony Run Friends Meetinghouse, 5116 North Charles St., Baltimore 21210, from 2 to 6 PM.  Please make a free will donation. Park in the meetinghouse lot and come to the glass doors at the rear of the building.  Go to www.pachamama.org/engage or call 920-312-0301 or email NoelBob@LightPartners.org.  Register at www.pachamama.org/events.

7] – On Sun., Oct. 30 from 2 to 5 PM at DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, 1726 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, the Building Bridges Award will be given to Fr. James Martin. New Ways Ministry—a ministry of advocacy and justice for LGBT Catholics—invites you to be on hand when it honors Jesuit Fr. James Martin, Editor at Large, America Magazine. Come and hear Fr. Martin’s message to both the Catholic Church and the LGBT community. Order a ticket at info@newwaysministry.org.

8] – On Sun., Oct. 30 at 2:30 PM, the Archdiocese of Washington's Creation Care Team, in collaboration with Catholic Climate Covenant, will host a 90-minute “Feast of St. Francis” program at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, North Conference Room, 1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW. The program, developed by Catholic Climate Covenant, is entitled, “Dial Down the Heat: Cultivate the Common Good for our Common Home,” and is aimed at answering Pope Francis’s call for engaging in civil and constructive dialogue on climate protection. Dan Misleh, Catholic Climate Covenant’s Executive Director, will be facilitating the program.

9] – Make your way over to an event in Sandy Spring, MD: "Courage & Resistance in a Nuclear Age."  Are we safe if a nun, a housepainter and a Vietnam vet can breach security where nuclear weapons are stockpiled? Why do the US and Russia have enough nuclear weaponry to destroy the world several times over?

On Sun., Oct. 30 from 3 to 5 PM at Sandy Spring Friends Meeting House, 17715 Meeting House Road, Sandy Spring, MD.  Meet Dan Zak, Washington Post reporter and author of “Almighty: Courage Resistance and Existential Peril in the Nuclear Age,” Paul Magno of the Catholic Worker, and Sister Megan Rice, one of the Plowshares Now activists who protested nuclear weapons in 2012 by breaking into the Y-12 nuclear weapons facility at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Sister Megan subsequently spent two years in federal prison. This discussion is sponsored by Sandy Spring Friends Peace Committee and Pax Christi. Contact Ellen Atkinson at 301-774-1328 or Bette Hoover at bette@justpeacecircles.org.

10] – On Sun., Oct. 30 from 5 to 9 PM at 2508 Hamilton Ave., Baltimore 21214-1634, you are invited to hear from the Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress, 7th District. Myles Hoenig invites you to his home for a Green Halloween Party! The cost is $10, but you are free to pay more.  Costumes are optional.  Myles is running for Congress because we need to turn the United States Congress Green and turn it away from the two capitalist parties.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1791629064383023/?notif_t=plan_user_invited&notif_id=1476990149883173.

11] – The Presidential Election and the Left will be heard at Busboys and Poets, 5th and K Sts. NW, WDC, on Sun., Oct. 30 from 5 to 7 PM.  This election season has been unprecedented. Donald Trump has fueled a tidal wave of racism, sexism, and xenophobia to clinch the GOP nomination and run the most un-hinged campaign for the presidency in US history. In the Democratic primary, tens of millions rallied to Bernie Sanders' call for a political revolution, and advocated sweeping changes in US society. With the election weeks away, social justice movements and the Left face critical challenges. Should we unite behind Hillary Clinton's candidacy, while aware that she represents the status quo of corporate influence on politics? Or should the left support Green Party candidate Jill Stein, understanding the profound limits to the ability of the Greens to meaningfully impact the race? And what will the election mean for the terrain in which activists campaign once a new president is inaugurated, for the movement for black lives, the struggle for climate justice, the movement for immigrant rights, and more?  The suggested donation is $5-$10, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.  RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/1848838842013526/. Email david.thurston78@gmail.com or call 202.957.7862.

11] – 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 Oct., 31, 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. 

12] – 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.

14] – Do you have interest in doing an information protest at this event?  If yes, contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski@verizon.net.  A cybersecurity event brings FBI and NSA experts to Towson University on Mon., Oct. 31from 12:30 to 4:30 PM.  Guests can watch a live hack and enter to win prizes.  Presentations will focus on assessing threats and combating cybercrime.  Experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Security Agency (NSA), and a Towson professor, will take part in this event in the West Village Commons Ballroom. TU’s Office of Information Security in the Office of Technology Services (OTS) is hosting this event as the culmination of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Throughout October, OTS will hold events and information tables to share tips and answer questions on data security. Visit www.towson.edu/securityawareness.

15] – On Mon., Oct. 31 from 2 to 3:30 PM,  Michael O'Hanlon and Steven Pifer, Brookings Institution, will tackle "Nuclear Arms Control Choices for the Next Administration" at the Brookings Institution, Saul/Zilkha Rooms, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC. 20036.  RSVP at https://www.brookings.edu/events/nuclear-arms-control-choices-for-the-next-administration/.

16] – On Tues., Nov. 1, one week before the election, the divestment movement will hold a national day of action to get out the vote and bury Trump with 200,000 texts to millennials in swing states. Divestment organizers around the country will be holding texting parties.  If you’re a student or recent grad, sign up to be a part of it at http://act.350.org/event/nov1-text-parties/create/?akid=17532.75494.hD2uJS&rd=1&t=1&utm_medium=email.  (If that’s not you, join the action here.) If you are not a student or recent grad, go tohttp://act.350.org/event/gotv-house-parties/create/?akid=17532.75494.hD2uJS&rd=1&t=2&utm_medium=email.

17] – 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 Nov. 1.  Call 215-426-0364.

18] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. join this ongoing vigil on Nov. 1  from 5:30 to 6:30  PM. Call Max at 410-323-1607.

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