Baltimore Nonviolence Center: July 2018

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Baltimore Activist Alert - August 1 - 2, 2018

MORE LOVE LESS CAPITALISM button for sale - $2

Book SLAVERY DEFENDED, ed. By Eric L. McKitrick for sale -- $1

37] Combating Cultural Destruction – Aug. 1

38] Environmental Justice & Health Equity – Aug. 1

39] "Justice Delayed Will Not Be Justice Denied" – Aug. 1

40] Save SCOTUS Rally – Aug. 1

41] Peace Corps volunteers happy hour – Aug. 1

42] Baltimore Pride at Work at AFL-CIO – Aug. 1

43] River Tour with Anacostia Watershed Society – Aug. 1

44] Gun Violence discussion – Aug. 1

45] Deliver Letters to the Senate about Kavanaugh, Mueller & More – Aug. 2

46] Peace March & Healing Fair – Aug. 2

46] "The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age" – Aug. 2

47] Protest and Demonstration Law Training – Aug. 2

48] Shakespeare is a White Supremacist – Aug. 2

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37] – On Wed., Aug. 1 from 10 to 11:30 AM, get over to Combating Cultural Destruction: A Talk with the Carabinieri, hosted by Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative and The Antiquities Coalition, Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium, 1050 Independence Ave. SW, WDC 20560. Hear about "Preventing Looting and Cultural Destruction: A Dialogue with Brigadier General Fabrizio Parrulli, Commander for the Protection of Cultural Heritage." The Meyer Auditorium is located on the lower level of the Freer Gallery. Please use the Independence Avenue entrance. Register on Eventbrite.com: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/preventing-looting-and-cultural-destruction-a-dialog-with-the-carabinieri-tickets-48343861792. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2029623657067992/.

38] – On Wed., Aug. 1 from 10:30 AM to noon, participate in an Environmental Justice & Health Equity in Prince George’s County, hosted by the Planning Department, County Administration Building, 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Dr., Upper Marlboro 20772. Gain Tools for Engagement, Capacity Building, and Action. See http://www.pgplanning.org/2932/2018-Speaker-Series for more info.

There is a wealth of research on the differential burden of environmental hazards and locally unwanted land uses (LULUs) on communities of color and low-income populations. Studies have shown that heavily trafficked roadways, incinerators, chemical plants, factories, landfills, and other pollution-emitting facilities tend to have disproportionate impacts across race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Communities with a high number of LULUs tend to also have more exposure to psychosocial stressors and lower access to health-promoting infrastructure including supermarkets, grocery stores, and ecologic amenities including parks, tree canopy, and healthy rivers and streams. Inequities in planning, zoning, and community development can drive or exacerbate environmental injustice and related health issues. Go out https://www.facebook.com/events/534641556956518/.

39] – On Wed., Aug. 1 from 11 AM to 1 PM, there is a Press Conference - "Justice Delayed Will Not Be Justice Denied," hosted by Anne Arundel County NAACP at Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center, Inc., 1101 Smithville St., Annapolis 21401. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/639576563095369/.

40] – Come to a #SaveSCOTUS rally organized by Sierra Club on the Hill on Wed., Aug. 1 from noon to 1 PM., near the US Capitol. Contact Kaydrianne Young at kaydrianne.young@sierraclub.org or (305) 299-3248. The Senate is heading home for one week of recess. Before they go back to their states, make it clear we’re paying attention and holding them accountable to block Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

41] – On Wed., Aug. 1 from 5 to 7:30 PM, there is a D.C. Happy Hour with Yves Toudonou, hosted by Benin Education Fund at City Tap Dupont, 1250 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 105, WDC 20036. For all Peace Corps Volunteers, greet Yves Toudonou and congratulate him on his retirement and welcome him to the BEF family. Come early, come late, whatever works. Donations to BEF welcome of course but not required. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1102219589916584/.

42] – On Wed., Aug. 1 from 6 to 7 PM, there is a Chapter Meeting, hosted by DC-Baltimore Pride at Work at AFL-CIO, 815 16th St. NW, WDC 20006. Vote for officers, and discuss the upcoming Pride at Work convention in Phoenix. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/228411591139110/.

43] – On Wed., Aug. 1 from 6:15 to 8 PM, join the River Tour with Anacostia Watershed Society, hosted by HerChesapeake at Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg 20710. Get tickets at anacostiaws.salsalabs.org. In celebration of the Year of the Anacostia, explore the Anacostia River in an open-air motorized boat. A guide from the Anacostia Watershed Society will discuss the natural and cultural history of the river, as well as the nonprofit organization's restoration work. Meet at the boat ramp at Bladensburg Waterfront Park. Registration is free, but there is room from for only accommodate 25 people. Participants must register at https://www.facebook.com/events/2162762220625616/.

44] – On Wed., Aug. 1 at 8 PM, catch Real Talks with Tresa Babyy (Gun Violence), hosted by Santresa C. Hall at Facebook Live, 8751 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt 20770. This is an open discussion on Gun Violence in our communities. How can we come together to end Gun Violence? Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/225425724743873/.

45] -- On Thurs., Aug. 2 from noon to 1:30 PM, deliver Letters to the Senate about Kavanaugh, Mueller & More, hosted by Herd on the Hill. Get tickets at actionnetwork.org. RSVP here: https://actionnetwork.org/events/deliver-letters-to-the-senate-about-the-supreme-court-mueller-investigation-and-more?source=facebook. Help deliver letters to the Senate about the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, continued family separation and detention, the Mueller investigation, as well as other topics. The meeting point is inside the Hart Senate Office Building, on benches by The Mountain sculpture. (It's huge, you can't miss it!) If you've never come before you'll be matched with an experienced volunteer, and register as a Volunteer at https://actionnetwork.org/forms/herd-on-the-hill-email-sign-up?source=facebook. Promote this delivery on Twitter here: https://ctt.ac/cpbd4. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/683611178646572/.

46] – On Thurs., Aug. 2 from 5 to 7 PM, get involved with Baltimore Ceasefire Weekend Kickoff - Peace March & Healing Fair, hosted by Baltimore Ceasefire 365 at Loyola York Road Initiative, 5104 York Rd., Baltimore 21212. This meeting is hosted by See A Need, Fill A Need to kick off the Ceasefire weekend beginning Aug. 3 to Aug. 5. Walk for peace to unite our community to maintain and practice and promote peace in or everyday lives. After our walk, go back to the York Road Initiative for refreshments, yoga, meditation, entertainment and information tables brought to you by our community organizations that bring peace, wellness and community services to us. Everyone is invited, come and walk with us, learn more about our community partners and have some fun. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/959921557502206/.

47] – On Thurs., Aug. 2 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, there is Protest and Demonstration Law Training, hosted by Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America at the D.C. Public Library-Mt. Pleasant, 3160 16th St. NW, WDC 20010. The National Lawyers Guild-DC, Defending Rights & Dissent, and Metro DC DSA present a training on protest and demonstration law. This training will discuss the scope of your legal rights, interacting with the police, and other topics, with a particular focus on the upcoming A12 counter demonstration. The presentation will be given by Caleb Mederis, an attorney and member of the NLG-DC's Demonstration Support Committee. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1656332921156253/.

48] – On Thurs., Aug. 2 from 7:30 to 9:30 PM, check out Shakespeare is a White Supremacist, hosted by the Fractal Theatre Collective at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St. SE, WDC 20003. Get tickets at www.eventbrite.com. "It is neither radical nor revolutionary if it is not accessible to the poor." Fractal is excited to offer TWO pay-what-you-can performances for Shakespeare is a White Supremacist. View https://www.facebook.com/events/213970982781612/.

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

UPF BOMB PLANT LAWSUIT -- PLEASE INVEST IN PEACE

UPF BOMB PLANT LAWSUIT -- PLEASE INVEST IN PEACE

From: victor Macks <vicmacks3@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 9:08 PM

The Possibility of Halting Construction of A New Uranium Production Facility

at the Y-12 National Security Complex at Oak Ridge, TN

The U.S. has committed to spending up to 1.7 trillion dollars over 30 years on new nuclear weapons and delivery systems. Key to this is the building of a new Uranium Production Facility (UPF-nuclear weapons plant) at Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex.

The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA) and Nuclear Watch New Mexico (NWNM) initiated a law suit in 2017 to halt construction based on Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) non-compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

In May 2018, that law suit resulted in DOE/NNSA issuing a Supplemental Analysis for the Environmental Impact Statement done for a design that was abandoned. Not the current plan.

When an Environmental Impact Statement is presented as required by NEPA by a governmental entity—-in this instance DOE/NNSA——the public has the right and opportunity to comment. That public comment becomes a part of the public record and must be addressed by DOE/NNSA.

The comment submitted by OREPA and NW NM on the DOE/NNSA Supplemental Analysis (read at http://orepa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Comments-from-OREPA-and-Nuclear-Watch-on-Supplement-Analysis-for-the-Site-Wide-Environmental-Impact-Statement-for-the-Y-12-National-Security-Complex.pdf ) provided specific criticism on seismic, safety and security issues not addressed by DOE/NNSA. That will be brought before the judge hearing the law suit. And that enhances the potential success of the law suit.

Furthermore, OREPA/NWNM have brought on board seismic and safety experts to further elaborate the criticisms of the design/plan for the new UPF.

What is needed is another $10,000. to cover costs of expert testimony.

So, more money is needed.

Vic

=========================================

Begin forwarded message:

From: Ralph Hutchison <orep@earthlink.net>

Subject: [orepa] UPF BOMB PLANT LAWSUIT -- PLEASE INVEST IN PEACE

Date: July 24, 2018 at 1:04:02 PM EDT

To: orepa@lists.riseup.net

Reply-To: Ralph Hutchison <orep@earthlink.net>

Friends,

Last year, when you heard about the chance to become part of a historic lawsuit challenging a new nuclear bomb plant in Tennessee, many of you said, “Yes.”

Thanks to many of you, we raised an amazing (for us) $52,000 in six weeks and filed a strong lawsuit to stop construction of the UPF bomb plant until a new environmental impact statement was prepared. It was a team effort. Together, we did what we could never have done by ourselves.

The government, as expected, said they weren’t impressed. They insisted they didn’t need to do a new EIS—their old one was good enough.

But they were impressed. Eight weeks ago, they suddenly admitted maybe the old EIS wasn’t good enough, and they prepared a Supplement Analysis to take another look, and, in an unprecedented move, released it for public comment.

For us, it was not only an admission that we have set the National Nuclear Security Administration on its heels, it was an unexpected golden opportunity to add critical information to the Administrative Record the judge will use to decide the case.

Our team of grassroots activists from OREPA and Nuclear Watch New Mexico consulted with our lawyer. We then enlisted a highly qualified seismic expert to back up our contention that the government has failed to adequately consider new earthquake hazard data. We also recruited a former Department of Energy deputy assistant secretary for national security to address NNSA’s refusal to analyze the likely possibility of catastrophic releases of highly enriched uranium—and even a nuclear criticality!—that are part of the new plan to continue to use unsafe buildings.

Here’s the thing. Experts aren’t free.

So far we have raised almost $75,000 for legal fees and expenses. This is enough to cover the legal fees—our top-notch team generously put a cap on how much they will charge us.

But it does not cover all of our expenses, which so far have topped $14,000 and will likely reach $18,000 or so.

Can you help us meet the challenge once again? Our goal is more modest this time—$10,000 in the next thirty days—and we know we can make it if everyone who gave before will make another contribution. It doesn’t have to break your budget—even a small donation will help.

Please consider what you can do to help us meet these expenses, and then go to www.orepa.org and click the Donate Now button. You can use paypal or your credit card. If you prefer the old fashioned way, you can send a check to OREPA at P O Box 5743, Oak Ridge, TN 37831.

Peace,

Ralph Hutchison

OREPA Coordinator

PS If you want to read the formal comments that OREPA and Nuclear Watch New Mexico submitted on the Supplement Analysis, you’ll find them here on OREPA’s web site: SA Comments. Scroll down the right-hand sidebar to legal documents and the comments are at the top of the list. Right below that is the material we submitted from the experts. It is not light reading, but it makes a compelling and thoroughly documented case.

BUDGET (so far)

Initial assessment: Do we have a case? by legal team $10,000

Legal fees for lawsuit (capped) $50,000

Expenses beyond legal fees $ 8,000

Expert declarations $11,000

Expected additional expenses $ 5,000

TOTAL expenses $84,000

Raised to date

Donation for Legal fees $57,000

Grants to support litigation $10,000

Donations for expenses $ 6,500

TOTAL contributions $73,500

still needed $10,500

note: Before the case is concluded, we estimate our legal team will have provided much of their total time pro bono. In addition, staff members and others at Nuclear Watch New Mexico and OREPA have spent hundreds of hours working on research and analysis, organizing, fundraising, strategizing and writing in support of the lawsuit.

PPS. OREPA is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. All contributions are tax deductible if you itemize deductions. The tax law passed by Congress last year raises the standard deduction to $12,000 for single people and $24,000 for married couples, so you will have to exceed those numbers in your total itemized deductions to claim the benefit.

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The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance works to stop nuclear weapons production at the Y - 12 Nuclear Weapons Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This is a tightly moderated list which includes a wide range of members from across the country. It is strictly limited to matters of concern to OREPA and its work to abolish nuclear weapons.

To unsubscribe send a blank email to:
orepa-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net

P.S. This email I'm sending to those I'd gathered with TNP3, over the last 6 years (including many with OREPA)

Home: *248-545-1862; Cell: 248-515-2380

*The best times to reach me are Tuesdays & Saturdays 12 noon until 5 pm.

BE GREEN Please don't print this e-mail unless really necessary.

Foolish Wars Have Consequences

Monday, July 30, 2018

The Lobe Log

Foolish Wars Have Consequences

Countless civilan deaths, millions displaced, decimation of entire cities and the spread of extremism

James Zogby

commondreams.org/views/2018/07/30/foolish-wars-have-consequences

https://www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_large/public/views-article/destruction.jpeg?itok=pfqQnVqf

Fifteen years ago, we were still in the early stages of the US invasion and occupation of Iraq, “the war that would change everything.” Looking at the Middle East today, I feel an overwhelming sadness as I consider the far-reaching and devastating impact that the Iraq war has had on my country and the region and its peoples.

Neoconservatives had been aggressively pushing the Bush administration to launch a war against Iraq beginning immediately after the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. They argued that America needed to forcefully respond to the attacks in order to demonstrate that we were not to be trifled with. A decisive show of strength, they claimed, was necessary to clearly establish America’s hegemony and to forestall any move toward multi-polarity in the post-Cold War era.

It bears repeating that the war was based on lies, and by that I don’t mean the lies about Saddam’s nuclear program or his connection to the 9/11 terrorists. Rather the more insidious lies were: that the “war would be a ‘cake walk,'” that it wouldn’t require a significant troop commitment or expenditure of resources, that it would be over quickly, that we would be greeted as liberators, that democracy would take hold in Iraq, and that the entire Middle East would be transformed.

Imagine what the Middle East would be like if fifteen years ago, we had not engaged in that foolish war. Iraqis might still be struggling against their dictator, but one million Iraqis would not have died and their society would not have been destroyed.

Fifteen years later, only one of these claims turned out to be true: the region would be transformed. But it was not the transformation envisioned by the neo-cons.

Again, it bears repeating just how devastating that war has been. The war itself exposed the deep fissures in Iraqi society, while the US occupation’s uninformed bungling only served to exacerbate these divides. With Iraq’s army and ministries dismantled, the country fell into chaos with competing sectarian militias unleashing a civil war. This resulted in the massive displacement of civilians—millions of whom became refugees or internally displaced—and the decimation of vulnerable religious minority communities. All of this occurred on Bush’s watch.

An additional tragic consequence of the war was the spread of extremism. Al-Qaeda, far from defeated, metastasized into newer and more deadly forms in Iraq, its immediate neighborhood, and countries beyond.

In this weakened and fractured Iraq, Iran found a foothold which it parlayed to its advantage. Today, Iran remains a major player in Iraq and not only there. Another unintended consequence of the war was the unleashing of Iran as a regional power.

Subdued, for a time, by its rival Iraq, Iran now felt empowered to extend itself beyond its borders. Preying on growing anti-American sentiment and sectarian tensions in other countries, “revolutionary Iran” was emboldened to meddle in regional affairs. This gave rise to the Arab Gulf states feeling the need to assert themselves against this growing and destabilizing Iranian threat.

The neocons’ war also emboldened Israel to more aggressively pursue its agenda to subdue the Palestinians and to expand its colonial enterprise.

The US, once seen as the dominant super power that had won the Cold War and built an international coalition to liberate Kuwait, now found itself bogged down in a war it could not win with its military weakened and demoralized by losses. The US also stood discredited in the Arab World as a result of its bloody failure and abhorrent behavior in Iraq and its stubborn refusal to confront its client/ally Israel

The neoconservative’s blindness to Middle East realities did indeed give birth to a “New Middle East,” but it was exactly the opposite of the one they had imagined.

As the region descended into multiple new crises—with deadly wars in Syria and Yemen—the impact of the Iraq war became even more pronounced. Iran was a player in each of them. The Gulf states also became involved seeking ways to combat aggressive Iranian advances which challenged and threatened them. Al-Qaeda and its offshoots played an new and deadly role in Iraq and Syria. And new players like Russia and Turkey, each defending what they saw as their interests, also emerged as regional actors.

All the while, the US, weakened diplomatically and still licking its wounds from the war in Iraq, was too war weary and wary of becoming directly involved in new regional crises. Some blame the Obama administration for passivity. But this fails to recognize the reality that the post-Iraq, the US military cautioned against engagement in conflicts they could neither manage nor see how their entry, without a long-term commitment—in which they loathed to engage—could help bring about a resolution.

The Syrian conflict has taken the lives of a half-million while forcing over five million to become refugees.

In this new chaotic multi-polar world, conflicts spin out of control, becoming more deadly and destabilizing as they grew. The Syrian conflict has taken the lives of a half-million while forcing over five million to become refugees. This has created new pressures in neighboring countries and unleashed an xenophobic tidal wave that is now challenging democracies in Eastern and Central Europe. And the battle in Yemen, which began as an effort to restore the legitimate government that had been overthrown by a rebel faction, has morphed into a draining regional conflict and a humanitarian disaster.

And so here we are fifteen years later, with the US reduced to playing a supporting role in a deadly conflict in Yemen and a backup role for minor players in Syria. The mono-polar world envisioned by the neo-conservatives has given way to a multi-polar region—with Iran, Russia, Turkey, the Gulf States, and the US all engaged, in varying degrees, in conflicts—all, seemingly, without end. This is the house that the Iraq War built.

At this point, one can only imagine what the Middle East would be like if fifteen years ago, we had not engaged in that foolish war. Iraqis might still be struggling against their dictator, but one million Iraqis would not have died and their society would not have been destroyed. Iran’s people would still be struggling against its regime, but Iran would be contained. And the US, its capacity for leadership and prestige still intact, would be in a position to play a far more constructive role in regional diplomacy and conflict resolution.

I write this not to “cry over spilt milk,” but as a cautionary note. Foolish wars have consequences with which we are forced to live. We need to learn from them in order to not be so foolish in the future.

Monday, July 30, 2018

BALTIMORE HIROSHIMA-NAGASAKI COMMEMORATIONS

BALTIMORE HIROSHIMA-NAGASAKI COMMEMORATIONS

For the 34th year, the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee will remember the atomic bombings of Japan on August 6 & 9, 1945, which killed more than 200,000 people. Other organizations involved in the commemorations are the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, Prevent Nuclear War Maryland and the Working Group for the Arts of Homewood Friends Meeting.

HIROSHIMA COMMEMORATION on Monday, August 6, 2018

5 PM Commemorate the atomic bombing of Hiroshima by demonstrating at 33rd & N. Charles Streets against Johns Hopkins University’s weapons contracts, including research on killer drones. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center has a partnership with JHU’s Applied Physics Laboratory.

6 PM Savor a potluck dinner with members of the peace and justice community in the basement of Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles Street. Bring a dish to share, and consider reading a poem or performing some music. Remember the work of Dr. Dick Humphrey.

7 PM Hear Jay Levy discuss how Takoma Park, Maryland became a Nuclear Free Zone, and why there is a need for a divestment campaign against corporations profiting from involvement in maintaining the nuclear weapons arsenal. Jay has been chair of the Nuclear Free Takoma Park Committee since 1993, worked for 17 years as the North American information officer for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and has been a journalist for several media outlets.

On this day, the Baltimore City Council will pass a resolution endorsing the Back From the Brink Campaign. This is a national grassroots campaign seeking to fundamentally change U.S. nuclear weapons policy by laying out five common-sense steps that the United States should take to reform its current policy. Members of Prevent Nuclear War Maryland will ask participants to endorse the campaign.

NAGASAKI COMMEMORATION on Thursday, August 9, 2018

6 PM Commemorate the atomic bombing of Nagasaki outside Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles Street, and demonstrate in favor The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, a global civil society coalition working to promote adherence to and full implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The campaign helped get 122 countries to sign on to the treaty. Show support for the Kings Bay Plowshares.

7:15 PM Inside Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, hear from Paul Magno, a long-time activist who now lives at Baltimore’s Jonah House. He will provide insight into the legal situation facing the Kings Bay Plowshares, seven Catholic activists, including Elizabeth McAlister, who were arrested at the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in St. Mary’s, Georgia on April 4, 2018. They enacted Isaiah’s command to “beat swords into plowshares.” In 1984, Paul was a member of the Pershing Plowshares which did a disarmament action at a Martin Marietta plant in Orlando, Florida. Also to be discussed will be the Back From the Brink Campaign. Remember Dr. Dick Humphrey.

8:30 PM Enjoy dinner at Niwana Restaurant, 3 E. 33^rd Street.

RSVP to Max Obuszewski at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607.

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Baltimore Activist Alert - July 30 - August 2, 2018

17] Annual Whistleblowers Summit -- July 30

18] The Nuclear Future -- July 30

19] See the film DARK MONEY -- July 30 – Aug. 2

20] "Clean It or Close It!" -- July 30

21] Discuss disability rights -- July 30

22] Toast to TransLAW – July 30

23] Transportation Committee Kickoff Meeting – July 30

24] Fight against pipelines – July 30

25] Ranger talk about the 14th Amendment – July 30

26] Benjamin Banneker Foundation fundraiser – July 30

27] Get Money Out of Maryland conference call – July 30

28] Celebrate Ahed and the Gaza Freedom Flotilla – July 31

29] Peace Vigil – July 31

30] No Drone Research DEMO – July 31

31] SHUTDOWN ICE – July 31

32] Baltimore Supreme Court Advocacy Night -- July 31

33] Final Baltimore Ceasefire Public Meeting – July 31

34] Court Support / Accompaniment Volunteer Training – July 31

35] Film WHOSE STREETS – July 31

36] Walk For Freedom Launch Party – July 31

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17] – On Mon., July 30 from 9 AM to 9 PM, get over to the Annual Whistleblowers Summit at the U.S. Capitol, Capitol Hill, hosted by Rhetta M. Daniel, Writer & Fighter for Truth. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/424272497980938/.

18] – On Mon., July 30 from 12:30 to 2 PM., hear the discussion "The Nuclear Future: Can There Be Order Without Trust?" with multiple speakers at the Stimson Center, 8th Floor, 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW, WDC 20036. RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfO4dRee-zSZvH3o9jHYLgs-Su1ZoIgB5RaJL360QoPHTxJyw/viewform. Developments in relations between major powers and nuclear-armed states in tense regions render the future of arms control, nuclear confidence-building, and U.S. leadership in the global nonproliferation regime uncertain.

19] – See the film DARK MONEY, hosted by The SNF Parkway / Maryland Film Festival through Thurs., Aug. 2 at 5 West North Ave., Baltimore 21201. Tickets are at mdfilmfest.com. Join the discussion Tues., July 31 after the 7 PM screening with Susan Ogden (Get Money Out - Maryland), Elaine Apter (League of Women Voters of Maryland) Lois Hybl, (Action/ League of Women Voters of Baltimore City) and moderated by David Zurawik (The Baltimore Sun). Dark Money, a political thriller, examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials.

Dark Money takes viewers to Montana—a frontline in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide—to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Through this gripping story, the film uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold. This Sundance award-winning documentary is directed/produced by Kimberly Reed (PRODIGAL SONS) and produced by Katy Chevigny (E-TEAM). Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/376011369586634/.

20] – On Mon., July 30 at 6 PM, join an action at D.C.'s Central Holding location at Police Headquarters, 300 Indiana Ave. NW. "Clean It or Close It!" Challenge the inhumane conditions in D.C. Central Holding where thousands of women and men have to endure, and the Supreme Court 9 were able to see and experience. Email washingtondc@poorpeoplescampaign.org.

21] – On Mon., July 30 from 6 to 8 PM at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, 801 17th St. NW, WDC 20006, join the South Asian Bar Association of Washington D.C. and a distinguished panel of speakers to discuss disability rights in a variety of contexts. The panelists will provide a basic understanding of disability related legal protections as well as best practices that organizations should consider to both follow the law and also, as importantly, to become more inclusive and true to our respective missions. This July marks the 28th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA Amendments Act of 2008, effective January 1, 2009, amended the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and other disability nondiscrimination laws at the Federal level and was a response to a number of decisions by the Supreme Court that had narrowly interpreted the protections of the ADA. Tickets are at sabadc.org. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/296802847531419/.

22] –On Mon., July 30 from 6 to 9 PM, Toast to TransLAW: Fund Trans Legal Access Now at 1410 14th St. NW, Ground Floor, WDC 20005. This is the 6th Annual Fundraiser & Celebration. TransLAW was founded in 2012 by community legal advocates to serve the legal needs of transgender and gender nonconforming people in the Metro DC area. Since then, TransLAW volunteers - in partnership with Whitman-Walker Health - have helped over 1,000 individuals obtain appropriate identity documents through our monthly Name and Gender Change Clinic. The money TransLAW raises goes directly towards paying the court fees and other related costs with changing these documents, which can be a real barrier for low or no-income Trans folks.

Donate what you can, but the suggested donation is $10. No one will be turned away. You can pre-register and donate via Eventbrite ticket purchase here at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/toast-to-translaw-6th-annual-fundraiser-celebration-tickets-47936067067 or pay at the door. Go to https://www.translawdc.org/2018. See https://www.facebook.com/events/246220189323541/.

23] – On Mon., July 30 from 7 to 9 PM, come to the Transportation Committee Kickoff Meeting, hosted by the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter, 7338 Baltimore Ave., Suite 102, College Park 20740. Do you want the limit the dangerous pollution that spews out of the tailpipes of cars and trucks we drive harming our health and acting as the #1 source responsible for climate disruption? Are you outraged by the cancellation of the East to West Red Line in Baltimore? Are you troubled about what the expansion of toll roads on I-270, Beltway, or other roadways near you would mean for your community, your pocket book, and your travel time?

Marylanders need a regional climate-friendly, equitable, and safe 21st century transportation system that would give us reliable and accessible means to move around. With your help we can help steer Maryland into a future with vibrant and mixed-use communities where we can easily and healthily get to the people and places we care about no matter where we live. Join in for food, learning, and a discussion of an action plan! Learn about our new transportation campaign, how you can shape it, and how you can get plugged in to efforts to limit vehicle pollution, stop highway expansion, and get the funding we need for more public transit, walking and biking infrastructure, and electric buses and cars!

AND meet special guest Casey Anderson, chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board and the Maryland-National Capital Park Planning Commission who oversees transportation and land use development in Montgomery and Prince George’s County. Hear about the elements to consider for a robust transportation plan in your county. Get more at https://www.facebook.com/events/677989909217757/.

24] – Join the Fight Against Fracked Gas Pipelines and Infrastructure! There is a Video Conference Call on Mon., July 30 at 7 PM. Did you know that even though Maryland banned fracking, the state is considering over $100 million in investments in pipelines and infrastructure to spread fracked gas throughout Maryland? RSVP at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/2918039a9f7c897dcde7dc3c8da9331e.

25] –On Mon., July 30 from 7 to 8 PM, hear a Ranger talk about the 14th Amendment, hosted by National Mall and Memorial Parks, 900 Ohio Dr. SW, WDC 20024. Meet at the Lincoln Memorial plaza level. From John Bingham, the chief architect of the amendment, to Martin Luther King, Jr., the 14th Amendment continues to unfold and change the character of the Constitution. Contact Ranger Elmi at (202) 438-6184. No tickets or reservations required. See https://www.facebook.com/events/279240772651873/.

26] –On Mon., July 30 from 7 to 8 PM, Tues., July 31 from 11 AM at 9 PM and Wed., Aug. 1 from 11 AM to 9 PM, participate in a BBF Fundraiser at Grilled Cheese & Co., 500 Edmondson Ave., Catonsville 21228, hosted by Benjamin Banneker Foundation, Inc. It's summer and it's too hot to cook! Help raise funds to support environment, education, and history programs at Mr. Banneker's farmstead! Bring a flyer or mention the Benjamin Banneker Foundation, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the BBF. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2013673538643871/.

27] – Join the Get Money Out of Maryland Teleconference on Monday, July 30 from 8:30 to 9:30 PM. Call 605-475-6711, code 1136243#. Work only on brainstorming ideas for participation in the upcoming General Election. Early voting goes from Thurs., Oct. 25 through Thurs., Nov. 1 (8 days), and Election Day is Tues., Nov. 6.

28] – On Tues., .July 31 from 4:30 to 6 PM, celebrate Ahed and the Gaza Freedom Flotilla hosted by CODEPINK: Women For Peace at the Israel embassy, 3514 International Drive NW, WDC 20008. Celebrate Ahed and Nariman Tamimi, released from Israeli prison on Sunday, and the Gaza Freedom Flotilla intercepted by the Israeli Navy. From the ongoing actions of the Tamimi family to the passengers of the Freedom Flotilla and the Palestinians in Gaza waiting for the boats to arrive, be inspired. Eat cupcakes while celebrating and demanding for Palestinian liberation in front of the Israeli embassy. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2157882971148192/.

29] – 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 July 24. Call 215-426-0364.

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

31] – There is a SHUTDOWN ICE protest at a corporation which profits from the deportation industry, and is part of the immoral and cruel practice of separating families. Microsoft is one of these companies, and help bring a message of No Business With ICE to their Tysons Corner Mall store on Tues., July 31 at 5:30 PM. Gather at the Tysons Corner Mall food court (next to the movie theater). Join in with more than 300 Microsoft employees who have already signed a petition to their bosses, to demand they immediately rescind the $19.4 million contract with ICE. Go to http://www.lahuelga.com/. Visit https://www.geekwire.com/2018/immigration-activists-deliver-300k-signatures-microsoft-hq-demanding-end-ice-contract/.

32] – Will you join the fight to protect your human rights? Joshua Harris believes we still have the power to make change here in Baltimore and across the country. Attend the “Baltimore Supreme Court Advocacy Night” on Tues., July 31 from 6 to 9 PM at ExitTheApple, 2334 Guilford Ave., Baltimore 21218). RSVP at http://act.prochoiceamerica.org/ngpvanforms/16839. The Supreme Court Advocacy Night is an opportunity to engage in the fight to stop Trump’s extreme Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh. At this event you will have the opportunity to make your voice heard through calling state representation, writing letters, and engaging on social media.

33] – On Tues., .July 31 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, attend the Final Baltimore Ceasefire Public Meeting, 3333 Greenmount Ave., Baltimore 21218. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/231592974150396.

34] – On Tues., July 31 from 6:30 to 9 PM, get involved in Court Support / Accompaniment Volunteer Training, hosted by Sanctuary Streets Baltimore and Sanctuary DMV at 2640 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21218. Sanctuary DMV has been operating a successful court accompaniment program in D.C. and the surrounding areas. To increase the available volunteer base in Baltimore, members of Sanctuary DMV will be coming to Baltimore (joined by members of Sanctuary Streets Baltimore) to help prepare potential volunteers to accompany immigrant members of our community to court or ICE check-ins. RSVP when you are committed to attending: https://goo.gl/forms/Dic0aFyU8m59Kmw32. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/201398500526485/.

35] – On Tues., July 31 at 7 PM, go to the Pacem Summer Film Series and see WHOSE STREETS at Westminster Church, 1502 W. 13th St., Wilmington. Check out http://depaceminterris.org/fw-event-slug/pacem-summer-film-series-july-17-august-7/. This is an unflinching look at the Ferguson uprising. Unarmed teenager Michael Brown is killed by police and left lying in the street for hours. The National Guard descends on Ferguson in response to demonstrations. A powerful battle cry from a generation fighting, not for their civil rights, but for the right to live. Leading the discussion will be Shane Cannon.

36] – On Tues., July 31 from 7 to 9 PM, join the Walk For Freedom Launch Party, starting at the Takoda Restaurant, 715 Florida Ave. NW, WDC 20001. Celebrating the Walk, and learn more about the event and how you can get involved with battling human trafficking. Graciously hosted by Takoda, a portion of proceeds from the bar will be donated to the Walk For Freedom DC. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/449210558872525/.