Baltimore Activist Alert March 18 to March 20, 2018

Baltimore Activist Alert March 18 to March 20, 2018

"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 mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net.

1] Books, buttons and stickers

2] Web site for info on federal legislation

3] Join Nonviolent Resistance lists  

4] Two friends are in need of movers & a handyperson

5] Write Reality Winner

6] Wilmington Gun Violence – Mar. 18

7] “The Hidden Logic of Bad Decisions” – Mar. 18

8] Congo Solidarity Service – Mar. 18

9] Candidates Forum -- Mar. 18

10] Global Call for Peace -- Mar. 18

11] Kathy Kelly in Philadelphia – Mar. 18

12] Protest at the Pentagon – Mar. 19

13] Balancing Between Nuclear Deterrence and Disarmament -- Mar. 19

14] Stop the War in Yemen -- Mar. 19

15] "North Korea's Missiles: Past, Present, and Prospects" – Mar. 19

16] Celebrate No Bomb Trains in Baltimore – Mar. 19

17] Anne Arundel County Council Meeting --- Mar. 19

18] Play THIS EVIL THING – Mar. 19

19] Protest the Saudi Crown Prince's meeting with Trump – Mar. 20

20] Principled Engagement with North Korea – Mar. 20

21] Hearing on SB 1188 Wireless Facilities - Permitting and Siting – Mar. 20

22] Peace Vigil – Mar. 20

23] North Korea & Human Rights – Mar. 20

24] No more Drone Research at JHU – Mar. 20

25] Korea at the Cross Roads – Mar. 20

26] THE GREAT UPRISING – Mar. 20

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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 6address 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 for experienced movers to bring furniture from PODS into a house.  Also let them know if you are working with a reliable handyperson. Let Max know if you have any suggestions—410-323-1607 or mobuszewski 2001 at comcast dot net. 

5] –  On June 3, 2017 Reality Leigh Winner was arrested and jailed and later charged under the Espionage Act for allegedly releasing a top-secret document to a media outlet, The Intercept.  The document analyzed information about Russian online intrusions prior to the 2016 presidential election. Reality had been employed by a contract agency and worked at the NSA in Augusta, Georgia following her honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force in December of 2016.  Reality has pleaded not guilty to this one charge, and her defense team is working furiously to defend against the Espionage charge, but the Court in Georgia continues to rule against Reality at every turn.  Reality has been denied pretrial bail and awaits trial in a small county jail in Lincolnton, Georgia.

The impact this has had on Reality and our entire family is devastating.  Because of her special diet, Reality’s nutritional and medical needs are not met in jail.  She has been spontaneously denied mail, books, and visits.  In order to assist in her defense, she must be transported to the Federal Courthouse in Augusta, Georgia and spends up to 12 hours in full shackles and is strip-searched multiple times during the day. Please write to Reality at Reality L. Winner, Inmate # 3342, Lincoln County Jail, PO Box 970, Lincolnton, GA 30817.

6] – On Sun., Mar. 18 at 10 AM at the Community Hall, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13th Street, Wilmington, DE, attend the Wilmington Gun Violence: A Sunday Seminar Series with  Rob Prestowitz from UrbanPromise.  He will share how pursuing mutually transformative relationships, in a structured program, empowers youth to achieve sustained positive outcomes, despite surrounding violence.  Check out http://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Westminster-Weekly-Word.html?soid=1102092631550&aid=EvrrMvi1gEM.

7] – 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., Mar. 18, the Sunday Platform is “The Hidden Logic of Bad Decisions.” This is a look at how Evolution and Development Shape Personality and Life Choices.  Humans often engage in behaviors that seem misguided or short-sighted. Many people act in ways that are impulsive, aggressive, or promiscuous despite negative consequences, and some are more prone to these behaviors than others. New research on developmental biology combined with evolutionary theory suggests that such traits may represent adaptations to conditions in the early environment.

  Michael J. Frederick is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences at the University of Baltimore. He received his Ph.D. in Biopsychology with an emphasis in evolutionary psychology from the University of Albany. His research examines behaviors that seem maladaptive or counterintuitive, but that might serve an adaptive function in certain evolutionary contexts. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.

8] – Join the Congo Solidarity Service on Sun., Mar. 18 from 11 AM to 1 PM at  Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/401985680253682.  The Democratic Republic of Congo's President Kabila ratcheted up violence this New Year’s Eve when his security forces began firing into churches, killing youth and the faithful for gathering to protest the lack of elections in their country. The Catholic Church has thrown its full support behind the peaceful youth calling for elections, now over one year delayed with little hope the budding dictator will cede his power.

The Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury added their full support for the nonviolent youth movement, calling on Congolese officials and security forces to act for the “common good.” “The shooting, beating, and arbitrary arrests of peaceful churchgoers by Congolese security forces violated the rights to freedom of worship, expression, and peaceful assembly, Human Rights Watch reported. Email Connect@StandWithCongo.org.

9] – On Sun., Mar. 18 at 1 PM,  Frederick County Progressives will be hosting a forum with State and County candidates who will be running in 2018 primary elections. The forum will be held in the Thurmont Regional Library. Email frederickprogressives@riseup.net. RSVP at http://www.frederickprogressives.com/candidateforum_march18_2018?utm_campaign=wkmemmar122018&utm_medium=email&utm_source=progressivemaryland.

10] -- Tensions between the United States and North Korea have put us on the brink of nuclear war, putting millions of lives at risk. Now, there is an unprecedented opportunity for the leaders of the United States and North Korea to enter into direct talks. Will these talks be able to open a path to peace, or become another excuse for the nations to saber rattle?

We don't have time to wait to find out. That's why you should sign up with Senator Bernie Sanders and co-sponsoring organizations for the Global Call for Peace on Sun., Mar. 18 at 2 PM ET.  On March 18—just two days before the 15th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq—thousands of people from many nations will gather for a live video call to discuss our common situation and how we can tip the balance toward peace.

RSVP at https://www.crowdcast.io/e/Global-Call-for-Peace/register?link_id=2&can_id=9c5bbb0ed9159a7bb5318410d9b7fb18&source=email-join-this-sundays-emergency-call-for-peace-with-sen-bernie-sanders&email_referrer=email_319290&email_subject=join-this-sundays-emergency-call-for-peace-with-sen-bernie-sanders.

11] –  On Sun., Mar. 18 at 3 PM, international peace activist and war resister, Kathy Kelly, will speak at Project HOME, 1515 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia. The Brandywine Peace Community can be reached at 484-574-1148 or www.brandywinepeace.com. 

Believing that “where you stand determines what you see", Kathy Kelly has traveled to areas impacted by violence and U.S. wars, and has engaged in numerous acts of nonviolent direct action across for which she has been arrested and jailed.  Her words are infused with compassion for bombed-out, starved, and forgotten peoples in, for example, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Gaza,

This is an opportunity to hear a spiritual force of nature for justice and peace.  You will be inspired!  SINGER-SONGWRITER TOM MULLIAN WILL PERFORM SONGS FROM HIS LATEST ALBUM, "OUT OF BABYLON."

12] – 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 Mar. 19, 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.

13] – Come to an on-the-record launch of Balancing Between Nuclear Deterrence and Disarmament, a volume of policy briefs examining Japan’s ability to pursue both disarmament and deterrence in an increasingly complex security environment. RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSex-VRRhvOJNYzXHjI9Gzn0tTTbVbwd96hb98w9QNvtM4vCmQ/viewform. It will take place on Mon., Mar. 19 from 1 to 2:30 PM at the Stimson Center, 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW, 8th Floor, WDC 20036. The discussion will feature MASAHIRO KURITA, Fellow, National Institute for Defense Studies, WAKANA MUKAI, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of International Relations, Asia University, MASASHI MURANO, Research Fellow, Okazaki Institute, MASAHIRO OKUDA, Ph.D. Candidate, Takushoku University, HEIGO SATO, Vice President of the Institute for World Studies, Takushoku University, and YUKI TATSUMI, co-Director of the East Asia Program, Stimson Center.

14] –   On Mon., Mar. 19 from 2:30 to 4 PM, tell Congress to Stop U.S. Participation in Saudi-led War in Yemen, hosted by MPower Change at the U.S. Capitol Building, West Lawn, WDC 20004. 5,000 flowers will be laid on the Capitol lawn in memory of Yemeni children killed or injured as a result of a devastating Saudi-led air war on Yemen, which has been carried out with unauthorized U.S. military participation and led to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.  Senators Bernie Sanders, Mike Lee, and Chris Murphy have introduced a resolution (S.J.Res. 54) invoking the War Powers Act to stop U.S. military participation in this inhumane war. The vote is expected on Tuesday. This will be the first-ever Senate vote to end an unauthorized U.S. war. The time to act is now. Join us in front of the Capitol Building to make your voice heard.  Go tohttps://www.facebook.com/events/1411840352260094/?notif_t=event_calendar_create&notif_id=1521313494395022.

15] – On Mon., Mar. 19 from 3:30 to 5 PM, as part of the GWIKS Institute for Korean Studies  Lecture Series, hear Cho Hong-Je, Senior Research Fellow, Korea National Defense University's Research Institute for National Security Affairs, Visiting Scholar, Space Policy Institute at Elliott School of International Affairs, discuss "North Korea's Missiles: Past, Present, and Prospects" at Elliott School of International Affairs, Room 505, the George Washington University, 1957 E St. NW, Room 505, WDC 20052.  Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHMShe9csDqxCpRkFMRrlGDbsXTIQ5hG9n0yQ278cuVRx9Pw/viewform?c=0&w=1. Email gwiks@gwu.edu.

  In recent years, North Korea has repeatedly developed and launched several missiles. In September 2017, North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test with the 'hydrogen bomb for intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)'. North Korea, which announced upcoming ICBM tests in Kim Jong Un's New Year's Address in January 2017, conducted two ICBM tests in July 2017 and another in November 2017. Then, Kim Jong Un declared to the world that "the achievement of the historical cause of the nation's nuclear armed forces and the achievement of the rocket-powered nation" were achieved. In context of this situation, we should analyze the technological level of North Korea's ballistic missiles, and the prospects for the near future as North Korea tries to complete its nuclear program and SLBM/ICBM launch this year. It is important to evaluate the technology and limitations of North Korea's missiles and predict North Korea's future actions. This talk will make an effort to analyze North Korea's technological problems and credibility. Lastly, we anticipate that North Korea will cease launching nuclear tests and ICBM tests and come to the negotiation table. However, there is a contradictory view that North Korea will continue to pursue nuclear and missile capabilities. In this context, the presentation briefly assesses North Korea's missile capability and technological limitations and predicts whether or not North Korea will conduct an ICBM test this year. 

16] – On Mon., Mar. 19 from 6 to 8 PM, come to a celebration No Bomb Trains in Baltimore hosted by CCAN Action Fund at Ottobar, 2549 Howard St., Baltimore 21218, to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly to #StopOilTrains for the past three years. The City Council voted 14-1 to pass a bill banning new crude oil terminals in the city, and now call on Mayor Pugh to sign the bill.  For the past three years, Baltimoreans have been fighting against crude oil trains that endanger our neighborhoods and our climate. On March 12, the City Council voted 14-1 for the Crude Oil Terminal Prohibition, Baltimore's best option for stopping this dangerous practice. Now it's up to Mayor Pugh to sign it into law.

Join blast zone residents, climate advocates, community leaders, and Council members to celebrate the incredible progress Baltimore has made to #stopoiltrains and call on Mayor Pugh - who has been invited - to complete that work and protect Baltimore from crude oil train explosions and climate change. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2073270716077081/.

17] – Take Action Anne Arundel County is attending on Mon., Mar. 19 at 7 PM the Anne Arundel County Council Meeting  at 44 Calvert St., Annapolis 21401. Take Action is opposing Bill 11-18 Ordinance which will exempt leases with terms of three years or more for small cell systems from the requirement of approval by ordinance of the County Council. Go to http://www.aacounty.org/departments/county-council/councilmembers/who-is-my-councilmember/.

18] – On Mon., Mar. 19 at 7:30 PM, see the play, This Evil Thing, a one-man production which investigates how conscientious objectors were treated during World War I, at the Overbrook Presbyterian Church, 6376 City Ave., Philadelphia 19151. Go to http://overbrookpresb.org/pdf/ThisEvilThing.pdf.

19] – Protest the Saudi Crown Prince's meeting with Trump on Tues., Mar. 20 from 11 AM to noon in front of the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., WDC 20050, hosted by CODEPINK: Women For Peace. The "visionary" Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is visiting D.C. to tighten his ties with Trump and US industries- like weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Join in a protest calling for a halt of weapon sales to Saudi Arabia and an end to US complicity in the Saudi-led war on Yemen! See https://www.facebook.com/events/1790098661293833/.

20] – Recognizing a pivotal moment in the U.S. relationship with North Korea, Partnerships for International Strategies in Asia (PISA) is hosting a multi-event series on Principled Engagement with North Korea. The 2018 series will culminate in a day-long conference in March.  On Tues., Mar. 20 from noon to 2:30 PM, participate in Prospects and Challenges for Principled Engagement with North Korea with Keith Luse, National Committee on North Korea.  It will take place at The Elliott School of International Affairs, 1957 E St. NW, WDC 20052. Email pisa@gwu.edu.

21] –On Tues., Mar, 20 at 1 PM in the Senate, there is a hearing on SB 1188 which is about Wireless Facilities - Permitting and Siting.  The bill will allow mini cell towers in front of our homes, remove public notice and public hearings, preempt our local zoning ordinances AND cap the rates that governments can charge. Join Take Action Anne Arundel County and testify about your opposition to this bill that removes public notice and hearings for placement of these mini cell towers.

22] –  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 Mar. 20.  Call 215-426-0364.

23] – On Tues., Mar. 20 from 5 to 6:30 PM, hear a talk North Korea & Human Rights  by a N. Korean defector, JI SEONG-HO, at University of Delaware Mitchell Hall, 134 The Green, Newark, DE 19716.  Go to https://signedevents.net/united-states/newark-4/meet-ji-seong-ho-a-ud-town-hall-discussion-on-north-korea/.

24] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. Join this ongoing vigil on Mar. 20 from 5:30  to 6:30 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607. 

25] – Go to Korea at the Cross Roads: War, Peace, and Prospects for the Future with South Korean Assemblyman Kim Jong-Hoon on Tues., Mar. 20 from 6 to 8 PM at the Brookland Busboys and Poets, 625 Monroe St. NE. WDC 20017.  We are in a moment of a potential historic breakthrough on the Korean peninsula. The leaders of North and South Korea will meet at the end of April, and President Trump has accepted an invitation to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in May. 

Hear the views of Kim Jong-hoon, South Korean National Assemblyman and Co-chair of the Minjung Party of South Korea, a grassroots progressive party of workers, farmers and the urban poor that emerged out of the "candlelight revolution" that ousted former South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Achieving complete and irreversible peace in Korea is its top priority. Representative Kim Jong-hoon is a long-time labor activist-turned-lawmaker and represents the district of Ulsan, the stronghold of South Korea's industrial labor movement.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/173894460086723/.

26] –  On Tues., Mar. 20 at 7:30 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, turn out for THE GREAT UPRISING: RACE RIOTS IN URBAN AMERICA DURING THE 1960s.  Between 1963 and 1972 America experienced over 750 urban revolts. Considered collectively, they comprise what Peter Levy terms a 'Great Uprising'. Levy examines these uprisings over the arc of the entire decade, in various cities across America. He challenges both conservative and liberal interpretations, emphasizing that these riots must be placed within historical context to be properly understood. By focusing on three specific cities as case studies - Cambridge and Baltimore, Maryland, and York, Pennsylvania - Levy demonstrates the impact which these uprisings had on millions of ordinary Americans. He shows how conservatives profited politically by constructing a misleading narrative of their causes, and also suggests that the riots did not represent a sharp break or rupture from the civil rights movement. Finally, Levy presents a cautionary tale by challenging us to consider if the conditions that produced this 'Great Uprising' are still predominant in American culture today. Call 443-602-7585. RSVP at http://www.redemmas.org. 

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.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