Baltimore Activist Alert April 29 to May 9, 2018

Baltimore Activist Alert April 29 to May 9, 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] Write Reality Winner

5] Collect donations of Hygiene Kits – through Apr. 30

6] Vegetarian Resource Group Benefit Day – Apr. 29

7] Participate in a protest against the killing of the Palestinians – Apr. 29

8] Paws in the Park – Apr. 29

9] “What Can a Tiny Fish Teach Us About Left-Right Differences in the Brain?” -- Apr. 29

10] Homeless animals benefit – Apr. 29

11] Flint, MI Water Fundraiser – through May 9

12] See an exhibit EVICTED -- Apr. 29

13] See “It’s What We Do,” A Play about the Occupation -- Apr. 29

14] REMAKING BLACK POWER -- Apr. 29

15] Direct Action Training – Apr. 29

16] Holocaust Remembrance – Apr. 29

17] Protest at the Pentagon – Apr. 30

18] Little Friends For Peace Golf Charity Classic -- Apr. 30

19] Poor People's Campaign and Resurrection City – Apr. 30

20] Corean-American Studies Spring Symposium Special – Apr. 30

21] Book talk BIG GUNS – Apr. 30

22] Support the Plowshares – Apr. 30

23] RAF grant deadline -- Apr. 30

24] US Trade Policy under Trump – May 1

25] May Day Festival – May 1

26] Peace Vigil – May 1

27] No more Drone Research at JHU – May 1

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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] –  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.

5] – During the month of April, Havenwood Presbyterian Church, 100 E Ridgely Rd., Lutherville 21093, will collect donations of Hygiene Kits to help CWS help those touched by disaster. Church World Service (CWS) Kits are small packages of supplies assembled by volunteers and shipped to families and communities in need around the world. In the face of natural disasters, violence, or grinding poverty, hygiene kits can mean the difference between sickness and health for struggling families. 132,096 Hygiene Kits were shipped to Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and Cuba in the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/193934531383504/ to discover what should be in a kit. Monetary contributions in lieu of kits is accepted. Make checks payable to Havenwood and mark Hygiene in the memo line. Mail to 100 E. Ridgely Rd - Timonium, MD 21093.

6] – On Sun., April 29 from 10 AM to 9 PM, participate in the Vegetarian Resource Group Benefit Day at Great Sage Restaurant in Clarksville.  Ten percent of sales go to the Vegetarian Resource Group! Support VRG outreach while socializing and enjoying great vegan food.  Brunch is 10 to3 PM with French toast, specialty pancakes, artichoke spinach dip, decadent cinnamon roll, and many other seasonal dishes. Lite fare is 3to 5 PM. Dinner is 5 to 9 PM.  Reservations for parties of 5 or more can be made by calling Great Sage at (443) 535-9400. Say hi to the VRG volunteer at the front door.  Go to http://greatsage.com/.

7] – Richard Ochs is inviting you to join a demonstration on Sunday, April 29 from 10 AM to noon at the corner of Park Heights Ave. and Slade Ave. in Baltimore.  The site is a familiar place for dozens of protests against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.  Please bring signs.  Demand that Israel must stop shooting unarmed protesters.  This is called by the usual suspects.  RSVP to mailto:rjochs@comcast.net.

8] –  On Sun., April 29 from 10 AM to 2 PM, get over to Paws in the Park, hosted by Hampton National Historic Site, 535 Hampton Ln., Towson 21286.  Find your BARK at Hampton National Historic Site!  Enjoy tail wagging, a scavenger hunt, contests, and animal adoptions.  See the unveiling of the Hampton Paw Patrol program - a new volunteer opportunity for dog lovers. There will be on the spot adoptions of dogs and cats so grab a leash or carrier to bring your newest family member home. Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), Baltimore Humane Society, Baltimore County Animal Services, Greyhound Pet Adoption, and the Maryland SPCA will be on site to help you give a furry friend a forever home.  Get information on the Paw Patrol program at visitvolunteer.gov. Parking is free on a limited first come, first serve basis. Call 410-823-1309. See https://www.facebook.com/events/232702580629343/.

9] – Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W. Franklin St., Suite 102, Baltimore 21201-4661, meets on Sundays, and generally there speaker and discussion from 10:30 AM to noon.  On Sun., Apr. 29, the Sunday Platform is “What Can a Tiny Fish Teach Us About Left-Right Differences in the Brain?” A prevalent myth in popular culture is that one brain hemisphere is dominant over the other; left-brained individuals are rational, analytical and objective while right-brainers are intuitive, artistic and emotional. Such ideas are not solidly based in science, although each side of the brain does execute specialized functions. Marnie Halpern, Staff Member of the Carnegie Institution for Science and Adjunct Professor in the Biology and Neuroscience Departments of the Johns Hopkins University will review some of the scientific literature on lateralization of brain functions across the animal kingdom and describe her lab’s work on left-right differences in the developing brain of zebrafish, a valuable vertebrate research model.

A native of Canada, Marnie Halpern received her B.S. in biology from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and her Master’s degree at the McMaster University Medical Center. She is a member of the Genetics Society of America, the Society of Developmental Biology, the Society of Neuroscience, and in 2014 was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2017, she received a NIH MERIT award to support her research on the brain. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.

10] –The Maryland SPCA announced it is the season of fun events that benefit homeless animals.  The next one is on Sun., April 29 from 11 AM to 4 PM at Das Bier Haus, 1542 Light St., Baltimore 21230. Tickets are $25 and include 2 drinks, a pretzel and a chance to win prizes. For tickets, email DBHevents@gmail.com. Go to http://www.mdspca.org/updates/events/ or call 410-235-8826.

11] –  The Flint, MI Water Fundraiser continues at the Zion Hill Baptist Church Incorporated Zion Hill Baptist Church Incorporated, 931 E Preston St., Baltimore 21202, each day at noon until May 9.  Zion Hill is on a mission to raise enough money to take 60,000 bottles to Flint, MI again this summer. The residents of Flint still need fresh drinking water. You can help by donating any amount to reach the goal. Email zionhill931@gmail.com. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/489804621416573/?event_time_id=489804741416561.

12] – On Sun., April 29 from 1:30 to 3:30 PM, see Evicted at the National Building Museum, hosted by Foundry United Methodist Church, 401 F St. NW, WDC 20001. Tickets are available at www.nbm.org. A stable place to call home is one of the best predictors of success. Yet, each year more than 2.4 million Americans, most of them low-income renters, face eviction. While it used to be rare even in the poorest neighborhoods, forcible removal has become ordinary, with families facing eviction from the most squalid, barely inhabitable apartments. Foundry member Sean Murphy will lead a visit to the National Building Museum for an immersive exhibit based on the New York Times’ bestselling book, “Evicted - Poverty and Profit in the American City” by Matthew Desmond. Tickets are free. Meet at the museum at 1:30 PM.  A discussion will follow on Sun., May 20 at 10:10 AM.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1513634702097138/.

13] – See “It’s What We Do,” A Play about the Occupation.  Israeli soldiers speak out against policies they enforced in the Occupied Territories. Their encounters with Palestinians were transformative experiences. Through enacted memories, they show us a reality they can no longer hide. This event is a video presentation of the play.   Giving an introduction and acting as the Q&A facilitator will be Palestinian-American actor Jamal Najjab, who appears in the play.

Get over to the Howard County Library, East Columbia Branch, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia 21045 on Sun., April 29 from 2 to 4 PM.  The event is free and open to the public, and is recommended for ages 13 & older. The play contains profanity.   This is sponsored by the Committee for Palestinian Rights (Howard County).  Email CPR_Maryland@yahoo.com.

14] – On Sun., Apr. 29 at 3 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W North Ave, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, catch REMAKING BLACK POWER: HOW BLACK WOMEN TRANSFORMED AN ERA.  In this comprehensive history, Ashley D. Farmer examines black women’s political, social, and cultural engagement with Black Power ideals and organizations. Complicating the assumption that sexism relegated black women to the margins of the movement, Farmer demonstrates how female activists fought for more inclusive understandings of Black Power and social justice by developing new ideas about black womanhood. This compelling book shows how the new tropes of womanhood that they created--the “Militant Black Domestic,” the “Revolutionary Black Woman,” and the “Third World Woman,” for instance--spurred debate among activists over the importance of women and gender to Black Power organizing, causing many of the era’s organizations and leaders to critique patriarchy and support gender equality. Call 443-602-7585. RSVP at http://www.redemmas.org. 

15] –Join the DC Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival on Sun., April 29 from 3 to 7 PM for a Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action Training at Commonwealth Baptist Church, 700 Commonwealth Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301. There is free parking available and the church is Metro accessible. Register for the training here https://goo.gl/YNmv53.   This training is essential if you wish to engage in the DC Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival days of action and any nonviolent moral fusion direct action.  The action date is May 14.  Attending this training does not mean you must participate in the day of action, nor does it mean you are committing to engage in civil disobedience. This training can be a great step in connecting with others in the campaign and learning about opportunities to join the actions. Join the Campaign- https://goo.gl/Qouvcy.

16] – On Sun., April 29 from 7 to 9 PM, come to the Yom HaShoah Commemoration, hosted by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Pl. SW, WDC 20024. Tickets are available at www.ushmm.org.  Join the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Lincolnwood Jewish Congregation/AGBI for the 9th Annual Yom HaShoah program, "Man's Search for Meaning: When Objects Make Meaning Immortal.” Gather together to memorialize the millions of innocent victims who perished during the Holocaust and reflect on our work to keep Holocaust memory alive for generations to come. Following the remarks, a Yom HaShoah memorial will be held.  The featured speakers are Scott Miller, Director of Curatorial Affairs, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Rabbi Yona Reiss, JD, Av Beth Din/Chief Justice, Chicago Rabbinical Council. This program is complimentary, but registration is required. Register by contacting Nicole Bela in the Midwest Regional Office at nbela@ushmm.org or 847.433.8099. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1663250730422498/.

17] – 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 Apr. 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.

18] – Join Little Friends For Peace at its 2018 Golf Charity Classic on Mon., April 30 at the Kenwood Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.  Register your foursome today at https://lffpcharitygolfclassic.wordpress.com/2016/10/20/lffp-charity-golf-classic-information-and-registration-form. Email volunteer@lffp.org or mjpeace@gmail.com.  Call 240-838-4549 or visit www.lffp.org.

19] – The Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute and the Office of the Provost announce the Social Determinants of Health Symposium on Mon., April 30 from 8:30 AM to 5 PM in the Turner Auditorium, 720 Rutland Ave., Baltimore 21205.  Panel Discussion Number Four is The Poor People's Campaign and Resurrection City.  Fifty years ago Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference organized a campaign focused on economic justice for poor people in the United States. After MLK's assassination, Ralph Abernathy led the Poor People's Campaign march to Washington D.C. in May of 1968 where thousands of people would later set up a shantytown for six weeks known as Resurrection City. During this panel discussion, photographer Robert Houston and Marc Steiner will reflect on what it was like to live through and capture those moments. Registration ended April 25, but check out if you can still get a seat at 410-502-6155.

20] – On Mon., April 30 from 1 to 5 PM, hear from Oriana Skylar Mastro, Georgetown University, Rachel Oswald, Congressional Quarterly, and other speakers will be at the Institute for Corean-American Studies Spring Symposium Special in the Senate Dirksen Office Building, Room SD 562, First Street NE and Constitution Ave., WDC 20002. RSVP online. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/icas-spring-symposium-special-tickets-44835944517.

21] – On Mon., April 30 from 7 to 8 PM, Steve Israel will tackle BIG GUNS, Hosted by Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, WDC 20008. Israel, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2017, combines his political insight with a terrific sense of humor for this hard-hitting satire of the gun lobby, political corruption, and Washington power. His second novel follows the fall-out of the Chicago mayor’s campaign to ban handguns. The firearm lobby quickly pressures lawmakers to introduce The American Freedom from Fear Act, which would mandate that every American over age four own a handgun. As cities and towns take sides and legislators of all stripes maneuver to stay on the receiving end of gun industry largesse, the narrative homes in on Asabogue, Long Island, where a mayoral recall election has become the epicenter of the national division over the right to bear arms. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/351381168692425/.

22] – On Mon., April 30 at 7 PM, Paul Magno, Malachy Kilbride and Paki Wieland are inviting you to explore ways to support our sisters and brothers arrested at the trident nuclear submarine Kings Bay facility. Join an educational/ fundraising strategizing meeting at the CODEPINK house, 1241 Evarts St. NE, WDC.  Contact Paki Wieland at 413-695-1877.

23] – Research Associates Foundation (RAF) has announced its next grant cycle, for up to five small grants (maximum $2,500) to Baltimore-based progressive projects and groups.  The deadline for applications in this cycle is April 30, 2018.  Applications and other information can be found at RAFbaltimore.org.  Email info@rafbaltimore.org. 

24] – On Tues., May 1 from 11:30 AM to 2 PM, hear about US Trade Policy under Trump with Lori Wallach, Public Citizen, hosted by Woman's National Democratic Club, 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW, WDC 20036. Tickets are available at events.r20.constantcontact.com.  At 12:15 PM, lunch is served. Can President Trump’s trade policy actually reduce the US trade deficit and create jobs over the long term? Currently, the trade deficit with China, as well as with Mexico and Canada, is up as the US continues to import more than it exports. At the same time, hundreds of jobs have been outsourced. The PRICE is $25 for members, $30 for non-members (includes lunch) and $10 for only the lecture.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/191785208276174/.

25] – On Tues., May 1 from 5 to 8 PM, get over to the 2018 DC May Day Festival at Malcolm X Park, Euclid St. NW & 16th St. NW, WDC.  On May Day the international working class comes together to celebrate all we have achieved and to continue our fight for a just and equitable future devoid of the menace of capitalism.  March to Malcolm X Park for a lively community festival featuring local speakers, musical acts, art, and tables with incredible local organizations working in the interest of residents of the DC area! Gather at 4 PM at Columbia Heights Civic Plaza with the festival beginning at 5 PM. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1699627670116558/.

26] –  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 1.  Call 215-426-0364.

27] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. Join this ongoing vigil on May 1 from 5:30  to 6:30 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607. 

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