Baltimore Activist Alert April 8 to May 9, 2018

Baltimore Activist Alert April 8 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] Revolution or Reform – Apr. 8

7] “The Moral Insight.”  – Apr. 8

8] All About Bees Workshop – Apr. 8

9] Flint, MI Water Fundraiser – through May 9

10] Democracy Amendment Resolution -- Apr. 8

11] Meet & Greet, hosted by Southeast German Shepherd Rescue – Apr. 8

12] Solidarity with the People of Gaza -- Apr. 8

13] Feed Homeless Vets -- Apr. 8

14] Philadelphia Committee for Peace and Justice in Asia – Apr. 8

15] Protest at the Pentagon – Apr. 9

16] March for National Improved Medicare for All – Apr. 9 - 10

17] Struggle against Israeli Apartheid – Apr. 9

18] Just Economy Conference 2018 – Apr. 9 - 11

19] Protest War Hawk John Bolton -- Apr. 9

20] Baltimore County Green Party meeting --- Apr. 9

21] See the film “Oh! What a Lovely War” -- Apr. 9

22] Peace Vigil – Apr. 10

23] No more Drone Research at JHU – Apr. 10

24] Listening Campaign to Disrupt Rape Culture – Apr. 10

25] Film “This Changes Everything” – Apr. 10

26] Conversation with Joaquin Castro on North Korea -- Apr. 10

27] Info on Solar Co-op --- Apr. 10

28] YOU CAN'T FIRE THE BAD ONES -- Apr. 10

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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., Apr. 8 from 10 AM to noon, join the Bmore DSA Reading Group for the final discussion Reform or Revolution, Session 4, hosted by the Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W North Ave., Baltimore 21201.  This reading group is open to everyone. We will be reading Rosa Luxemburg's essential "Reform or Revolution". The debate between reformers and revolutionaries is probably the greatest source of division on the left and has been for well over a century. In the USA, we have seen a revitalization of leftist organizations over the last two years, which makes this debate especially salient today. Interpret and analyze the text, debate Luxemburg's arguments, and attempt to apply the lessons of the text to our current historical moment. The CHAPTERS which will be covered are "Conquest of Political Power," "Collapse," and "Opportunism in Theory and Practice."  See https://www.facebook.com/events/161166634595065/.

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., Apr. 8, the Sunday Platform is “The Moral Insight.”  Ethical Culture was greatly shaped by rationalism, and today Ethical Societies are part of a humanist movement dedicated to reason and skeptical of blind passion and magical thinking. But Ethical Culture also calls for empathy toward others – for holding others in our hearts. While respecting the role of emotion in a meaningful life, Hugh Taft-Morales believes reason is important in supporting “the moral insight” – the deep realization that other people are conscious creatures living lives full of pain, pleasure, suffering and joy. How do Immanuel Kant, Josiah Royce, and Martin Luther King Jr. help understand the rational nature of this insight?

  Hugh Taft-Morales joined the Baltimore Ethical Society as its professional leader in 2010, the same year he was certified by the American Ethical Union as an Ethical Culture Leader. He also serves as Leader of the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.

8] –  On Sun., Apr. 8 from 10:30 to noon, come to an All About Bees Workshop, hosted by The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1 Safari Place, Baltimore 21217.  Tickets are available at www.marylandzoo.org.  See what the buzz is all about. Why are bees so important? And how does the Zoo contribute to the health of local bee populations? It’s your chance to go inside the Zoo’s own hives for a look at what happens behind-the-scenes to help these powerhouse insects. Go to http://www.marylandzoo.org/event/all-about-bees-workshop/.

9] –   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.

10] – GMOM and Wolf PAC are partnering for the final push to pass the Democracy Amendment Resolution in 2018. There will be canvassing in St. Mary's County, a Sunday evening teleconference, and on Monday a turnout to impress the senators with the urgency of passing HJ 11.

There is a need for the support of a key senator to secure this victory. Help gather videos and letters of constituents that will be hand delivered to the Senator on Monday morning. The more support from his district, the greater our chances are of passing the entire state of Maryland!  On Sun., April 8 from 11 AM to 6 PM, the canvassing will take place.  Be at Panera Bread, 45250 Worth Ave., California, MD 20619.  Visit https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1umTsyGHZdSd_JakVM8-dt-5Hvs2r2Fta-nRZDlGnTyA/edit#gid=0. Then join the GMOM Teleconference on Sun., April 8 at 9 PM at 605-475-6711, 1136243#.  Help set the plan for the final day of the legislative session.   Help gather videos and letters of constituents that will be delivered to the Senator on Monday morning. The more support we can show him from his district the greater our chances are of passing the entire state of Maryland! 

On Mon., April 9 from 8 AM to midnight.  Yes, that's 16 hours!  Get to the Maryland State House, 100 State Circle, Annapolis 21401.  See https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1umTsyGHZdSd_JakVM8-dt-5Hvs2r2Fta-nRZDlGnTyA/edit#gid=0.

11] – On Sun., Apr. 8 from 11 AM to 2 PM, there is a Meet & Greet, hosted by Southeast German Shepherd Rescue at PetSmart, 1238 Putty Hill Ave., Towson 21286. Stop by to meet the volunteers. Learn about the mission, the dogs, how you can adopt, and how you can help by fostering and/or volunteering. T-shirts, calendars, leashes, and other merchandise are for sale. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/419344861826740/.

12] – On Sun., Apr. 8 from noon to 1:30 PM, there is an Emergency Action: Solidarity with the People of Gaza, hosted by Freedom2Boycott in Maryland at the Embassy of Israel, 3514 International Dr. NW, WDC 20008.  In the first day of the Great Return March, the IDF opened fire upon unarmed civilians protesting for their right to return to their homeland.  Call upon the legislators - Ben Cardin, Chris Van Hollen, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, and Paul Ryan - to pressure the State Department to enforce the Leahy Law on Israel by requiring an accounting of how US aid is spent and to investigate specific military units responsible for the killings in Gaza.

Call upon the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in particular Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, to pressure Israel to end the modern world's longest-lasting military occupation and allow Palestinians their liberty, self-determination, and right of return to their homeland. Lastly, call upon Cardin to withdraw the unconstitutional Israel Anti-Boycott Act: This bill threatens the fundamental First-Amendment rights of Americans to boycott Israel in this dire moment. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2461107123911326/.  

13] – On Sun., Apr. 8 from 4 to 8 PM at the #2 Baltimore Station, 140 W. West St., Baltimore 21230, hosted by Baltimore Hon Hive, homeless vets will be fed.  This dinner's theme is Italian!  Check out https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/30e0445aaa72dabfb6-sunday.  Ovens are on at 5 PM with dinner served at 6 PM!!! See https://www.facebook.com/events/146220249373299/. 

14] – Negotiate, Don't Escalate! End U.S. Militarism in Korea.  The Philadelphia Committee for Peace and Justice in Asia invites you to hear from Ann Wright, Retired U.S. Army Colonel, who resigned in protest of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. She will speak on Sun., Apr. 8 at 5 PM at the Calvary Church, 801 South 48th St., Philadelphia 19143.  Also speaking is Hyun Lee: managing editor of ZoominKorea, an online resource that provides news and critical analysis on peace and democracy in Korea.  Hyun Lee will provide analysis about the latest major developments in the area, including the planned summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, and what this means for the prospects of peace and reunification.  Wright is an international leader in the antiwar movement, working with Veterans for Peace and CODEPINK Women for Peace. She was part of 2015 Women Cross the DMZ in the Korean Peninsula. Go to www.brandywinepeace.com.

15] – 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. 9, 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.

16] – On Mon., Apr. 9 from noon to 2 PM, join the March for National Improved Medicare for All, hosted by Health Over Profit for Everyone – HOPE and Stop the Machine! Create a New World.  Health Over Profit for Everyone is holding the first National Improved Medicare for All Action Camp in Washington, D.C. through Tues., April 10. You can learn more about the camp here: bit.ly/HOPEcamp2018.

Whether or not you can participate in the camp, you are invited to the community march. Let's imagine what our lives and communities would be like if we all had National Improved Medicare for All Health Security cards! Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/130021637740122/.

17] – On Mon., Apr. 9 from 3 to 4:30 PM, attend Palestine and the Struggle against Israeli Apartheid, hosted by CCBC Students for Social Justice at CCBC Essex, 7201 Rossville Blvd., Baltimore 21237.  There will be a presentation by Dr. Kim Jensen, and a film "Thank God it's Friday" by Jan Beddegenoodts.  Participate in a discussion and Q and A, and enjoy light refreshments.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/435033720242758/.

18] – From Mon., Apr. 9 at 8 AM through Thurs., Apr. 11 at 7 PM, be at the Just Economy Conference 2018 at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave. NW, WDC 20009.  Tickets are available at www.regonline.com. NCRC’s Just Economy Conference is one of the largest national gatherings of community, non-profits, policymakers, government officials, small businesses, media and academia – all focused on how we can work together to create a more #JustEconomy.  Celebrate two important civil rights milestones, the 40th anniversary of the Community Reinvestment Act and the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. Take a first look at this year's schedule: https://ncrc.org/conference/.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/149444119006792/.

19] – Protest War Hawk John Bolton at the White House on Mon., April 9 at 4 PM, his First Day as National Security Advisor. At a time when we need cool heads to move us through critical negotiations from Iran to North Korea, John Bolton is the last person we want advising the president. A key proponent of the Iraq war, Bolton will not even admit that the invasion of Iraq was a tragic mistake. And his calls for bombing North Korea and overthrowing the Iranian government are terrifying. Please join CODEPINK in decrying this appointment, a position which requires no Congressional confirmation. We want peacemakers in the White House, not war hawks. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/582305808785740/. Speakers will include Ray McGovern, retired CIA analyst, CODEPINK co-founder and author of Inside Iran, Medea Benjamin, and Jamal Adbi, Vice President for Policy with the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). 

20] – The Baltimore County Green Party will meet on Mon., April 9 at 6:30 PM at the Baltimore County Public Library, 320 York Road,  Towson 21204. Join the group to build power outside of the corporate duopoly! Engage in actions to support progressive legislation in Maryland, and have several candidates running for the 2018 election. See http://www.baltimorecountygreenparty.org/. 

21] – See the film “Oh! What a Lovely War” (WW1 Series) on Mon, April 9 from 8 to 10 PM at the Cultural Center at the Opera House, 121 N. Union Ave., Havre de Grace, MD 21078.  World War I gets the musical treatment in a series of a song-and-dance vignettes. Throughout, it follows the Smith family who initially view the war with sunny optimism. But after the Smith boys witness the reality of trench warfare, their illusions are shattered, and the best they can hope for is survival.  This World War 1 film series is co-sponsored by the Maryland World War 1 Centennial Commission and the City of Havre de Grace. Go to http://hdgartscollective.org/. See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oh-what-a-lovely-war-ww1-series-tickets-43975309334.

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 Apr. 3.  Call 215-426-0364.

23] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. Join this ongoing vigil on Apr. 10 from 5:30  to 6:30 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607. 

24] – On Tues., Apr. 10 from 6 to 8 PM, there is a Listening Campaign to Disrupt Rape Culture Training, hosted by Force at The Motor House, 120 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201.  Learn about how to facilitate and plan an interview with someone who has been impacted by sexual or domestic violence in Baltimore. Discuss practices of care and grounding techniques to process the difficulty and importance of collecting and recording survivors' stories.  Train survivors of rape and abuse of all genders to interview one another. The interviews are being recorded and sorted by FORCE, and not shared with any other institutions. With this information, identify what survivors in Baltimore believe it will take to create a city without rape and abuse.  This type of study is Participatory Action Research. It is a way of collecting information for organizing purposes that centers on and reflects experiences of people most directly affected by particular issues in our communities. Learn more about PAR here: http://incite-national.org/page/participatory-action-research.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/203510146916020/.

25] – You are invited to attend a screening “This Changes Everything” which was filmed over four years in five continents and nine countries. It is an epic attempt to re-imagine the vast challenge of climate change. This film presents seven powerful portraits of communities on the front lines, from Montana’s Powder River Basin to the Alberta Tar Sands, from the coast of South India to Beijing and beyond.  The sponsoring group is GOAT (Green Organizing Action Team), and the film will be shown at Homewood Friends Meeting, 3107 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218 on Tues., Apr. 10 from 7 – 9 PM.  RSVP at 410.235.4438.

26] – On Tues., Apr. 10 from 7 to 9 PM, hear a Conversation with Joaquin Castro on North Korea by Foreign Policy for America at. Busboys and Poets, 1025 5th St. NW, WDC 20001.   The conversation with Rep. Castro (D-San Antonio) will be moderated by Dr. Kurt Campbell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Asia Group.  Castro is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He is the Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on ASEAN.

All guests must be registered to attend. This event is free for Foreign Policy for America members. If you are not yet a member, signing up is easy and there are special rates for students ($12 or $1/month) and young professionals ($25 or $2/month). Learn more about the benefits of membership and sign up here: https://www.fp4america.org/join-us/.  RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conversation-with-joaquin-castro-on-north-korea-tickets-43761102636.

27] –   Neighbors across Mountain Maryland (Garrett and Allegany Counties) can join the second round of the Mountain Maryland Solar Co-op. With the help of Solar United Neighbors of Maryland this co-op will make it easier to save money on the purchase of solar panels, while building a community of local solar supporters.  The Mountain Maryland Solar Co-op Info Session #3 is happening on Tues., April 10 at 7 PM at Allegany College - Continuing Education Building, Room CE14, 12401 Willowbrook Rd., Cumberland 21502. The Continuing Education Building will be the first building you pass upon entering the Allegany College campus. Go to www.solarunitedneighbors.org. 

28] – On Tues., Apr. 10 at 7:30 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, turn out for YOU CAN'T FIRE THE BAD ONES with BILL AYERS, CRYSTAL LAURA, and RICK AYERS.  This will be a discussion about Myths about Teachers, Teachers Unions, and Public Education. Three distinguished educators, scholars, and activists flip the script on many enduring and popular myths about teachers, teachers' unions, and education that permeate our culture. By unpacking these myths, and underscoring the necessity of strong and vital public schools as a common good, the authors challenge readers--whether parents, community members, policymakers, union activists, or educators themselves--to rethink their assumptions. . 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