Baltimore Activist Alert - January 4 - 20, 2017

16] Attend a Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board meeting – Jan. 4

17] Peace vigil at White House – Jan. 6

18] WIB peace vigil – Jan. 6

19] Black Lives Matter vigil -- Jan. 6

20] See the film MERCHANTS OF DOUBT – Jan. 6

21] See the film FREEHELD – Jan. 6

22] Ballroom Dancing – Jan. 6

23] Sierra Club legislative briefing -- Jan. 7

24] West Chester peace vigil – Jan. 7

25] Plan protest at the inauguration – Jan. 7

26] Honor Fidel – Jan. 7

27] Resist Trumpism – Jan. 20

28] Need photos of the antinuclear vigil in front of the White House

29] Sign up with Washington Peace Center

30] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

31] Do you need any book shelves?

32] Join the Global Zero campaign

33] Join the Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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16] – Maryland holds more than 6,000 citizens daily in pretrial detention.  The majority have not been convicted, were arrested for nonviolent offenses, and willingly would appear for their day in court.  Some may have mental health problems, others may have had one drink too many, some may have forgotten an appointment with a probation officer, but all have this in common: they cannot afford to post a money bail bond to be released. They are kept in jail for one reason: poverty.

Maryland’s Attorney General questions the constitutionality of keeping citizens in jail just because they are poor. However, Maryland judges continue to set high money bail bonds that low-income individuals can’t pay. If defendants do post bond, the amount due to bail bondsmen can consume months of wages. They can’t get this money back, even when they appear for their trial dates or charges are dropped.

  Maryland Court of Appeals will consider a rule change that would ensure citizens of Maryland are not kept in jail only because they cannot afford bail. The court will hand down its decision on Thurs., Jan. 5.  There are legislative remedies which are essential to protect our communities and enable our justice system to operate equitably and efficiently. 

  Help address these and other problems with Maryland's justice system.  Attend a Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board meeting on Wed., Jan. 4 at 2:30 PM in the Joint Hearing Room, Department of Legislative Services, 90 State Circle, Annapolis 21401. Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform [MAJR] is a nonpartisan association of over forty community organizations and churches with members in every part of the state, formed to support justice reinvestment. Individual supporters include judges, attorneys, corrections professionals, as well as returning citizens, victims, and service providers.  Visit http://www.ma4jr.org.

17] – On Fri., Jan. 6 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. 

18] – On Fri., Jan. 6 from noon to 1 PM, join a Women in Black peace vigil. A vigil will take place in McKeldin Square 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.” Carpool and parking available at both locations. Just send an email that you need a ride [mailto:wibbaltimore@peacepath911.org].  Peace signs will be available. 

19] – There is usually a silent 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. 6. Black Lives Matter.

20] – 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.  After the 5 PM Black Lives Matter vigil, there will be a potluck dinner. At 7:15 PM, from January through March, a DVD will be shown with a discussion to follow.  There is no charge, and refreshments will be available.  This series is named DOCUMENTARIES TO BOLSTER OUR RESOLVE IN THE TIME OF DONALD TRUMP.

   On Fri., Jan. 6 see Merchants of Doubt [USA, 2014], a documentary directed by Robert Kenner and inspired by the 2010 book of the same name by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway. The film traces the use of public relations tactics originally developed by the tobacco industry to protect their business from research indicating health risks from smoking. The most prominent of these tactics is the cultivation of scientists and others who successfully cast doubt on the scientific results. Using a professional magician, the film explores the analogy between these tactics and the methods used by magicians to distract their audiences from observing how illusions are performed. For the tobacco industry, the tactics successfully delayed government regulation until long after the establishment of scientific consensus about the health risks from smoking. As its second example, the film describes how manufacturers of flame retardants worked to protect their sales after toxic effects of the retardants were discovered. The central concern of the film is the ongoing use of these tactics to forestall governmental action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in response to the risk of global climate change. Call 410-366-1637 or email mobuszewski [at] verizon.net for further information.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

21] – On Fri., Jan. 6 at 7 PM get over to the First-Friday Film at the Peace Center of Delaware County, 1001 Old Sproul Rd., Springfield, PA. See a true story of love and injustice -- FREEHELD. It is directed by Peter Sollett, and Academy Award winner Julianne Moore portrays Laurel Hester, a lesbian and decorated police detective in Ocean County, New Jersey. Following her diagnosis with terminal lung cancer in 2005, Hester appeals to the county board of chosen freeholders to ensure that her pension benefits are passed on to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree (Ellen Page).

 She gets support from police colleague Dane Wells (Michael Shannon) and LGBTQ justice activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell). The screenplay was adapted from Cynthia Wade’s 2007 Oscar-winning short film FREEHELD. The screening is co-sponsored by the Brandywine Peace Community. Visit www.delcopeacecenter.org or call 484-574-1148. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for light refreshments.

22] – 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. 6. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725.

23] --Learn About the Sierra Club's 2017 Environmental Priorities in Annapolis for the 2017 session of the Maryland General Assembly. Email Mark.Posner@MDSierra.org.  There is a Legislative Briefing on Sat., Jan. 7 from 10 AM to noon at the Urbana Library, 9020 Amelung St., Frederick 21704. Contact
Dan Andrews at dooze@qis.net or (410) 857-4129. RSVP at https://sierra.secure.force.com/events/details?id=70131000001DkP7AAK&formcampaignid=70131000001Df04AAC&data=0a73ac2a6bb856cace2158a759913301951b49fd9bf2c2d4fc1b1b4b5470a0832068189c4571adbfa20bba2a368827a4..

24] – 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.

25] – On Sat., Jan. 7 from noon to 3 PM at the Impact Hub, 10 E North Ave., Baltimore 21202, join together in an organizing meeting for Baltimore & Maryland activists attending the counter-inaugural protests against Trump on January 20. Training sessions will take place immediately following a tight organizing meeting. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1022798414515702/.

26] – Come to see Cuba, Africa, & the World: A Tribute to Fidel Castro on Sat., Jan. 7 from 3:30 to 6:30 PM at the Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Road NW, WDC 20009. Get tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cuba-africa-the-world-a-tribute-to-fidel-castro-tickets-30440292735.

In honor of the legacy of the late leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, you are invited to the second annual series. The core of this event will be a panel discussion that will include lively multi-media presentations and cultural performances reflecting on the role of Fidel Castro in history and his contributions to humanism, freedom and justice in the world, particularly Africa.  There will be an address by special guest Miguel Fraga of Embassy of Cuba to the USA.

 This event is free and open to the public but a suggested $5 donation will be requested at the door to defray costs. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. West African cuisine will be served.

27] – Join the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance in an Inaugural Action on January 20, 2017.  According to Forbes Magazine, Nov. 9, 2016, “President Trump Is Likely To Boost U.S. Military Spending By $500 Billion To $1 Trillion.” So we need a strong presence in D.C. for the inauguration to call for an end to all warfare, including drone warfare.  NCNR is organizing an action of nonviolent civil resistance on the day of the inauguration, Friday, January 20.  Some of us will be risking arrest, and we need others there in support and solidarity.  We will meet in the lower level food court at Union Station at 10 AM on the day of the inauguration for our final planning meeting.  We will have a final planning meeting knowing we have to keep things fluid because there is no certainty as to what will happen that day.

 The idea will be to process as near as possible to a checkpoint and make us visible to the crowds.  Then perhaps we can do a die-in.  We will have model drones, coffins, signs, banners, and leaflets to get our message across.  If you have ideas on messaging, please share over email.  Again, this will be a very fluid experience, and we will come together and make decisions as we go along. Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski at Verizon dot net.

28] – Ellen Thomas [et@prop1.org or 202-210-3886 (cell and text)] sent this message: Hi, good friends and (hopefully) fellow photographers! There are so many great stories in the photos of the antinuclear vigil in front of the White House from 1981 to 2016 - see my growing collection at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0FRCou5r5zOQk5JbHlTWWYwbHc.  If you have any photos or stories you think should be added, please send them to me <et@prop1.org> or post them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Thomas.Memorial/. 

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

30] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

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

32] -- 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.

33] – 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