Baltimore Activist Alert May 13 to 15, 2018

Baltimore Activist Alert May 13 to 15, 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] “Are WE Owners of the Earth” -- May 13

6] All About Bees – May 13

7] Green Man Festival – May 13

8] Canvass for Mary Washington – May 13

9] Black Lives Matter– May 13

10] Horizontal Allies -- May 13

11] Poor Peoples Campaign – May 13

12] Protest at the Pentagon – May 14

13] Poor Peoples Campaign – May 14

14] Talk to North Korea – May 14

15] Jerusalem & the Embassy – May 14

16] Foreign Policy -- May 14

17] Action at Lawyers Mall – May 14

18] Action at the Capitol – May 14

19] Nuclear Power in China – May 14

20] Talk about Honduras – May 14

21] Iran Decision – May 14

22] Democracy Amendment Resolution – May 14

23] Brown Today – May 15

24] Food Security – May 15

25] Plutonium – May 15

26] Fuel Cycle Development in Saudi Arabia – May 15

27] Ideal of Freedom – May 15

28] Peace Vigil – May 15

29] No more Drone Research at JHU – May 15

30] Police Guide – May 15

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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] – 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., May 13, the Sunday Platform is “Are we Owners, Stewards, or Children of the Earth?”  How should we relate to our planet? Ethical Culture, and humanism in general, has been criticized for being too humano-centric. Some say that we too readily subordinate the earth to human projects, seeing ourselves as owners or stewards, when we are more like children utterly dependent on mother earth. How can we balance humanist emphasis on responsibility for our planet with the reality of our utter dependence? Is there room in Ethical Humanism for a transcendent environmentalism of awe and reverence? What kind of an environmental ethic should we embrace? 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.

6] – On Sun., May 13 from 10:30 AM to noon, come to the All About Bees Workshop, hosted by The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1 Safari Place, Baltimore 21217.  Ticket information 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 tickets: http://www.marylandzoo.org/event/all-about-bees-workshop/.

7] – On Sun., May13 from 11 AM to 5 PM, get over to Greenbelt's Green Man Festival, hosted by Chesapeake Education, Arts, and Research Society (CHEARS) and City of Greenbelt Government at the Roosevelt Center, 131 Centerway, Greenbelt  20770. This is a day of music, vendors, crafts, environmental awareness, food, and fun!  Celebrate our Earth. Visit the festival website at http://www.greenbeltgreenmanfestival.org/https://www.facebook.com/events/217430748986921/.

8] – Our Revolution Baltimore has chosen to endorse Delegate Mary Washington as the candidate for State Senate, District 43. Now it's time to come out and show strong support for a champion of our progressive values, Mary Washington. Canvass for her on Sun., May 13 from noon to 4 PM, starting at 1734 Maryland Ave., Baltimore 21201. Canvass and phone bank every Sunday. This is part of an ongoing commitment to Mary's campaign. She needs help as she faces a tough race against an incumbent establishment Democrat. RSVP to robertbrooking@yahoo.com.

9] – On Sun., May 13 at 4 PM, join the Black Lives Matter monthly vigil, hosted by Black Lives Matter-Columbia, MD at Governor Warfield Parkway and Windstream Drive.  It occurs on the second Sunday of each month for a public witness to remind our community that all lives will matter when black lives matter. See https://www.facebook.com/events/408704056256085/.

10] – On Sun., May 13 from 5 to 7 PM, How about Horizontal Allies?  This is hosted by BARS: Baltimore Asian Resistance in Solidarity and Baltimore Racial Justice Action at the American Brewery, 1701 N. Gay St., Baltimore 21213. This is an interactive discussion on how to build sustainable cross-racial movements.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/433892890384061/.

11] – On Sun., May13 from 6 to 8 PM, there is a Mass Meeting, hosted by Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival at National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, WDC 20005.  Kick off 40 Days of Moral Action and hear about the vision and strategy of the campaign. Fifty years ago, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King called for a Poor People’s Campaign to begin a “revolution of values” in America. Re-ignite these efforts to unite the poor, disenfranchised, and marginalized to transform our nation’s political, economic and moral structures of our society. Join campaign co-chairs the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis to hear faithful reflection and public action on moral issues through storytelling, music, and interviews with local community organizers and impacted people. See https://www.facebook.com/events/610289902638235/.

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 May 13, 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] – On Mon., May 14 from 10 AM to noon, join the Delaware Poor People's Campaign | Somebody's Hurting Our People in the Delaware Legislative Hall, Legislative Avenue, Dover, DE 19901. This is the launch of 40 days of moral action across the country to show our elected leaders we will no longer allow attention violence to keep poor and disenfranchised people down. At 2 PM, come to the Legislative Mall for a Poor Peoples Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival rally. The first week's theme is "Somebody's Hurting Our People: Children, Women, and People with Disabilities in Poverty."  Visit www.poorpeoplescampaign.org. Email delaware@poorpeoplescampaign.org. 

14] – On Mon., May 14 from 10 to 11 AM, Suzanne DiMaggio, New America; Robert Gallucci, Georgetown University; Christopher Hill, University of Denver; and Daniel Russel, Asia Society Policy Institute will tackle "How to Talk to North Korea" at the Carnegie Endowment, 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC. RSVP http://carnegieendowment.org/events/forms/?fa=registration&event=6892&lang=en.

15] – On Mon., May14 from 10:30 AM to noon, there is a talk Jerusalem & The Embassy, hosted by Foundation for Middle East Peace at the Foundation for Middle East Peace, 1761 N St. NW, WDC 20036. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com. The featured speakers are Lara Friedman (Foundation for Middle East Peace), Betty Herschman (Ir Amim), & Michele Dunne as a participating moderator (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace).  With pomp and circumstance, and coinciding with the Palestinians’ commemoration of Nakba Day and the start of Ramadan, the United States will be opening its Embassy in Jerusalem — a city holy to Jews, Muslims, and Christians worldwide, and a focal point of the national identity and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians. The panel will discuss the current concerns and future scenarios for Jerusalem and its residents against the backdrop of the embassy move and of the broader political realities in the U.S. and in Israel. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/239842009907812/.

16] – On Mon., May14 from noon to 1:30  PM, check out Security and Dominance in U.S. Foreign Policy, hosted by The Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20001. Tickets are available at www.cato.org. In his new book, “Psychology of a Superpower: Security and Dominance in U.S. Foreign Policy,” Christopher Fettweis draws on insights from psychology and concludes that, to a considerable degree, American arrogance, self-infatuation, insensitivity to others, threat exaggeration, and illusions about its capacities, indispensability, and benevolence derive from the fact that it is (or thinks it is) number one.  Join the author, Georgetown University's Keir A. Lieber, and The Cato Institute's John Mueller for an exciting discussion about the psychology of a superpower.  REGISTER at https://www.cato.org/events/psychology-superpower-security-dominance-us-foreign-policy.

17] – Kick off 40 Days of Action on Mon., May 14 at 2 PM at Lawyer’s Mall, which is right in front of our State House. The actions will start at the same time on Mondays during the 40 days If you have signed-up to participate in non-violent direct action or a role during the action, you need to be at Calvary United Methodist Church, 301 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis, 21402,  at noon.  Visit https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-up-for-direct-non-violent-direct-or-a-support-role-for-monday-rallies-and-actions

18] – On Mon., May14 from 2 to 5 PM, Rally at the U.S. Capitol, hosted by Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, WDC 20515. A season of nonviolent moral fusion direct action to transform the nation’s political, economic, and moral structures begins. There is a training at 10 SM at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 301 A St. SE, WDC 20003. See https://www.facebook.com/events/123407181784603/.

19] –  On Mon., May 14 from 2:30  to 4 PM, Mark Hibbs, Carnegie Endowment; and Jane Nakano, Center for Strategic and International Studies, will go over "The Future of Nuclear Power in China" at the Carnegie Endowment, 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC. RSVP at http://carnegieendowment.org/events/forms/?fa=registration&event=6889&lang=en.

20] – Hope in the Midst of Crisis: A Call for Solidarity in Honduras’  “Kairos Moment” is a Conversation with Honduran Sister Rosa Maria Troches, SSND.  Rosa Maria will be introduced by Jean Stokan, co-leader of the Emergency Religious Delegation to Honduras.  Join in for an evening of sharing on the extreme human rights crisis in Honduras, how she and other religious are accompanying the people, and the need for solidarity from the U.S faith community.  It is happening on May 14 at 7 PM at the SSND Villa Assumpta Chapel, 6401 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21212.  Contact Arlene Flaherty OP at aflaherty@amssnd.org.

Sister Rosa Maria Troches is a School Sister of Notre Dame who has been on the front lines in Honduras defending the human rights of women and impoverished communities.  Her passion for social justice began in her teens when, working in the Catholic parish of Juticalpa, she witnessed one of the worst massacres in Honduras’ history, including the assassination of two priests.  She studied Liberation Theology in Peru with Father Gustavo Gutiérrez; and during the 1980s, when repression scourged neighboring El Salvador, Sr. Rosa Maria served as a pastoral agent in Mesa Grande Refugee Camp in Honduras.  Now with a degree in social work, she currently serves in El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras.

Since the flawed presidential elections in Honduras on November 26th, religious leaders and social movements have been pouring into the streets in nonviolent protests.  The Honduran government has responded with deploying military tanks and security forces. Over thirty people have died and hundreds more have been wounded. In late January, fifty U.S. faith leaders embarked on an Emergency Religious Delegation, organized by SHARE, in response to a request from Honduran religious for international accompaniment.  Sister Rosa Maria helped host the delegation and is part of a U.S. speaking tour by Honduran faith leaders to raise awareness in this country and generate solidarity.

21] –On Mon., May 14 at 7 PM, Breaking the Deal: A Town Hall on Trump's Iran Decision, hosted by The Intercept at the Congressional Auditorium - Capitol Visitor Center, WDC 20515. IF YOU'RE ATTENDING, RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/1976684169327047/.  Sen. Bernie Sanders will partner with The Intercept, The Guardian, NowThis, The Young Turks, Act.tv, MoveOn and other leading outlets to livestream a town hall.

22] – The Democracy Amendment Resolution (DAR) embodies our hopes and dreams for a Constitutional Amendment to authorize regulation of big money in politics. In 2018, it came closer than ever to passing in the Maryland General Assembly. It passed the House of Delegates for the first time by a bi-partisan vote of 94-42. But our opponents were able to get two co-sponsors to refrain from voting in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee, and it was unable to proceed to the Senate floor. You can be part of this strong citizen movement for the 28th Amendment. Please email charlie@GetMoneyOutMD.org to join our team of enthusiastic volunteers. Join the GMOM Teleconference on Mon., May 14 at 8:30 PM --. 605-475-6711, 1136243#.

23] –  On the eve of the 64th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, come meet with the nation’s foremost education leaders and policy experts as they recommit to fostering more diverse classrooms and learning environments through public school choice. On Tues., May 15 from 8:30 AM to 3 PM go to the Newseum (6th Street Entrance), Knight Conference Center, 8th Floor, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC 20001.  The Century Foundation will bring together a focus for charting the way forward for diversifying and desegregating public education. The conference will include the release of new research on diversity in charter school settings, a deep dive into models of school choice that work, an exploration of challenges and opportunities within diverse schools, and discussion groups on advancing and fostering school integration. It will also showcase the next generation of leaders driving school integration efforts across the country.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/diversity-matters-getting-public-school-choice-right-tickets-44839144087

24] -- Attend the Stimson Center's Food Security Program Winning the Peace: The Link Between Food Insecurity and Global Instability.  Participate in a discussion with experts on WFP USA’s report “Winning the Peace Hunger and Instability” and its implications for U.S. Government policy and practice. The event is on Tues., May 15 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM at The Stimson Center, 1211 Connecticut Ave., NW, 8th Floor, WDC 20036.  We have long understood that war and conflict produce poverty and hunger. Yet today, with the number of hungry people on the rise for the first time a decade, record levels of human displacement and an explosion of man-made crises, we are learning that hunger is not simply a byproduct of war, but can be a root cause of instability. A new report from World Food Program USA, Winning the Peace: Hunger and Instability, chronicles the link between food insecurity and instability through history, providing a comprehensive review of academic literature on this topic.

Breaking the cycle of hunger and conflict— and conflict and hunger—is among the great challenges of our day and requires a multi-faceted approach. Over 80 percent of global humanitarian funding is directed towards conflict-affected countries. We must simultaneously tackle issues of poor governance and chronic underdevelopment while engaging in capable diplomacy to prevent the need to engage in costly militarily interventions. Join the conversation with this panel of experts to explore how current food crises impact stability, access to food, and the development of states. Go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZE62HXAUUEOCe_JX427m0mzNQKIYWYWF9PyHyeWj2C6qKcg/viewform.

25] – On Tues., May 15 from 11:30 AM to 1:15 PM, hear about NPEC's latest publication, "Reactor-Grade Plutonium and Nuclear Weapons: Exploding the Myths" by Greg Jones. A light lunch will be provided. Jones is with Defense Policy Analyst.  Another speaker is Olli Heinonen, Senior Advisor on Science and Proliferation, Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Former Deputy Director-General for Safeguards, IAEA.  The topic will be discussed at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), 1400 K St. NW, Suite 1225, WDC 20005.  This program will be repeated on Fri., May 18 from 11:30 AM to 1:15 PM in the Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2075, 45 Independence Ave. SW, WDC 20515. Call (571)970-3187 or email events@npolicy.org. RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfVI4HuO0CGOSbjSH1S09sWm340Fr9aB1WfMKZak4P7x1Qqyg/viewform

26] – On Tues., May 15 from noon to 1:30 PM, Andrea Jennetta, Fuel Cycle Week; and Melissa Mann, URENCO USA Inc., will take on “Commercial Perspectives on Fuel Cycle Development in Saudi Arabia” at the Global America Business Institute, 1001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 230, WDC. RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwyoHdFrUkFoRUygpsVSa6uAzSr7g1HxvdaLE3c3aBjN-w1Q/viewform.

27] – On Tues., May15 from noon to 1:30 PM, How Politics Sabotage the Ideal of Freedom, hosted by The Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20001, will be heard. Tickets are available at www.cato.org. With a doctorate from the University of Chicago’s Committee on Social Thought and decades of work in the world of international human rights institutions behind him, human rights advocate Aaron Rhodes has written a devastating account of that world’s intellectual confusions and moral corruption. In exquisite detail, and as none before it has, his new book, “The Debasement of Human Rights: How Politics Sabotage the Ideal of Freedom,” explains how the 20th century’s push to treat economic and social “rights” as human rights has undermined the very idea of human or natural rights. That has led in turn to restrictions on the rights that alone have secured the liberty of countless millions around the world.  REGISTER at https://www.cato.org/events/debasement-human-rights-how-politics-sabotage-ideal-freedom. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/197104341097263/.

28] –  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 15.  Call 215-426-0364.

29] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. Join this ongoing vigil on May 15 from 5:30  to 6:30 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607. 

30] – On Tues., May 15 at 7:30 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W North Ave, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, catch a talk POLICE: A FIELD GUIDE with the authors of this wide-ranging conversation on the language of policing, the limits of police reform, and ideas for changing how we talk about policing and eventually be free from police brutality and the institution itself.  This is an illustrated handbook to the methods, mythologies, and history that animate today’s police. It is a survival manual for encounters with cops and police logic, whether it arrives in the shape of officer friendly, Tasers, curfews, non-compliance, or reformist discourses about so-called bad apples. In a series of short chapters, each focusing on a single term, such as the beat, order, badge, throw-down weapon, and much more, authors David Correia and Tyler Wall present a guide that reinvents and demystifies the language of policing in order to better prepare activists—and anyone with an open mind—on one of the key issues of our time: police brutality. In doing so, they begin to chart a future free of this violence—and of police.  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