Thursday, February 28, 2019

Sixteen activists, including Members of European Parliament, arrested at air base in Belgium where U.S. nuclear weapons are stored



Sixteen activists, including Members of European Parliament, arrested at air base in Belgium where U.S. nuclear weapons are stored

Posted on February 23, 2019
Agir pour la Paix photo
Three Green Party politicians from Luxembourg, England and France were arrested with four Agir pour la Paix activists on February 20 in Belgium after climbing a fence to enter a military base where U.S. nuclear weapons are stored. After entering the Kleine Brogel base, they blocked the runway of F-16 fighter jets. The Members of European Parliament – Molly Scott Cato, Tilly Metz and Mich ele Rivasi – held a banner which read, “Europe Free of Nuclear Weapons”. The group was soon detained and taken into custody.
Nine supporters standing outside the base were also arrested, and authorities erased photos and videos from their cameras and phones.
MEP Scott Cato said before the protest, “Our action is intended to challenge EU countries to remove U.S. nuclear weapons from European soil. Each B61 bomb is 23 times more powerful than the bomb that devastated Hiroshima. These apocalyptic weapons should find no home in Europe. We demand that Europe’s nuclear nations immediately sign up to the landmark global Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and begin the process of decommissioning their nuclear arsenals.”
For more information, visit the Agir pour la Paix website here
View video on rtbf.be here.
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Cornwall and Devon European MP Molly Scott Cato arrested after breaking into US air base in Belgium

She is currently being held and questioned in a Belgian police station
February 20, 2019
Cornwall and Devon’s member of the European Parliament has been arrested after breaking into a military airbase during a protest against nuclear weapons.
Molly Scott Cato, who is the Green Party’s current MEP for the South West, is one of three MEPs currently being held and questioned in a Belgian police station.
The MEPs – Cato, Michèle Rivasi and Tilly Metz – unfurled a banner on a runway for F-16 fighter jets at the Kleine Brogel base in the east of Belgium, calling for a nuclear-free Europe, before being taken into custody.
The group included a number of Belgian peace activists who scaled the wall of the base and blocked the runway.
Ms Cato, of Bristol, said they were protesting against the stockpiling of American B61 nuclear bombs.
The banner the group unfurled on the runway read: “Europe Free of Nuclear weapons.”
The three MEPs are currently being held in a local police station and being questioned. They are likely to be released later today (February 20).
The direct action protest follows the US withdrawal from the intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) treaty earlier this month.
About 150 US nuclear weapons are thought to be scattered across Europe in Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, compared with more than 7,000 at the peak of the cold war.
But campaigners fear this number could rapidly rise in any new arms race, and say each B61 has an explosive yield of up to 340 kilotons, 23 times more powerful than the bomb that devastated Hiroshima.
Ahead of the protest, Ms Cato said: “Our action is intended to challenge EU countries to remove US nuclear weapons from European soil. Each B61 bomb is 23 times more powerful than the bomb that devastated Hiroshima.
“These apocalyptic weapons should find no home in Europe.
“We demand that Europe’s nuclear nations immediately sign up to the landmark global Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and begin the process of decommissioning their nuclear arsenals.
“Nuclear weapons are obsolete in an era of asymmetric warfare and cyber warfare and have no placed in a European defence policy for the 21st century. Britain and France have ignored their obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons for far too long.”
Green co-leader Sian Berry backed the protest saying: “We stand in full solidarity with our brilliant MEP Molly and her Green colleagues who have been arrested for taking a stand against nuclear weapons.
“These bombs have the potential to kill millions of people. They make us less safe, are obsolete in modern warfare and are a colossal waste of money.
“It is only right all US nuclear weapons are removed from Europe. Greens are never afraid to put their bodies on the line for what is right.
“These Green MEPs will be found on the right side of history for the principled actions they have taken.”
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I was arrested for protesting against US nukes in Brussels – this is why I chose to take a stand
If you believe that multilateral disarmament is the best approach – as many of our politicians claim to – then you do at least need to act on that belief
by Molly Scott Cato
February 22, 2019
It’s not every day you find yourself lying on a freezing military runway at 7 o’clock in the morning. I don’t take breaking the law lightly, so why did we decide to climb a three-metre barbed-wire fence to break into the Kleine Brogel Air Base in Belgium where the country stores US bombs?
There are 15,000 nuclear bombs still in circulation in the world and about 20 nuclear bombs are still present at the Kleine Brogel military base. The UK’s own arsenal is an estimated 215 nuclear warheads, each of which is far more deadly than the first nuclear bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.
Whilst figures will not muster much emotional response from many of us, perhaps the human cost of nuclear warfare will. This is a quote from Fujio Torikoshi, 86, who survived Hiroshima:
“I was told that I had until about age 20 to live. Yet here I am seven decades later, aged 86. All I want to do is forget, but the prominent keloid scar on my neck is a daily reminder of the atomic bomb. We cannot continue to sacrifice precious lives to warfare. All I can do is pray – earnestly, relentlessly – for world peace.”
I have been a peace activist since I joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament at the age of 16 and was inspired by the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp which was close to my home and which I visited as a teenager. My reasons for supporting unilateral nuclear disarmament have always been consistent: I find it fundamentally unethical for any state to hold hideously destructive weapons and threaten to use them merely to reinforce their power in the world. 
But even if you believe that multilateral disarmament is the best approach – as many of our politicians claim to – then you do at least need to act on that belief. The European Parliament passed a motion in October 2016 in support of the UN-sponsored Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which has already been signed by EU member Austria and 20 other countries, while 50 more are on their way to signing. This is multilateral disarmament in action, supported by a campaign that was rewarded with the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. So why aren’t our politicians ensuring that the UK is signed up? Why is there so little debate about the Treaty that most British people have never even heard of it?
Aside from the deeply unethical nature of a nuclear security policy, the big world powers are behind the times. The modern-day threats come from asymmetric and cyber warfare for which nuclear weapons have no relevance. With Russian attempts to destabilise our democracy and four people I represent in the South West poisoned with nerve agent by Russian agents – one of whom sadly died – it is clear that our so-called defence policy is wholly misguided. So it has never been more urgent to review our approach to defence policy. The decision by president Trump to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, risking a new arms race, just adds to the urgency.
The real debate we hope to provoke through this action at the air base is about what a genuine 21st century security policy would look like. A positive contribution to this debate is already being made by Rethinking Security, a network of organisations, academics and activists working together for security based on justice, cooperation and sustainability. They are asking what really makes us safe in the world, and how we can counter the power of the arms trade to ensure that we spend as much money on peace-building as on buying weapons.
The ludicrous posturing of our defence secretary Gavin Williamson, with his suggestions about establishing new military bases for Global Britain in the Caribbean and the Far East is designed to shore up his position in his own party rather than providing peace and security for the country. In a democracy it is our right to debate how our taxes are spent to ensure our safety and to underpin peace in the world.
If our action at the base this week has helped to focus attention on the real possibility of nuclear disarmament and a defence policy focusing on genuine security, then the cold and uncomfortable morning I spent there was well worth it.
Molly Scott Cato is Green MEP for the South West of England.
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EU Politicians Break Into Air Base Holding American Nuclear Bombs to Protest Weapons Stockpiling

By David Brennan
February 20, 2019
Three European lawmakers were arrested after they broke into an air base in Belgium to protest the stockpiling of American nuclear weapons there.
The three politicians—Molly Scott Cato of the U.K., Michele Rivasi of  France and Tilly Metz of Luxembourg, all members of the European Parliament (MEPs) representing green parties—broke into the Kleine Brogel base in eastern Belgium on Wednesday and unfurled a banner on a runway used by F-16 fighter jets, The Guardian reported.
The three had been protesting the base’s stockpiling of American B61 nuclear bombs, of which there were believed to be between 10 and 20 at the facility, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative. All were detained on the runway.
Another 12 activists—including a fourth Green MEP Thomas Waitz from Austria—were arrested at a concurrent demonstration outside the base, the newspaper said. The other 12 were members of the Belgian peace group Agir Pour la Paix—Act for Peace. Several of those detained had tried to climb over the fence surrounding the dual-runway base.
Scott Cato, who represents Southeast England, told The Guardian that the action was “a balance of risks and purposes.” She added that the “potential end of the world” puts personal safety into perspective.
She tweeted a picture of the protest alongside her two fellow MEPs and another woman. Their banner read: “Europe Free of Nuclear Weapons.”
“Nuclear weapons offer no solution in this era and no rationale for defending the people in the southwest who I represent. One of whom died this year because of a Russian secret forces attack,” she continued, referring to a nerve agent attack on a former Soviet agent in the city of Salisbury in March 2018.
A local woman, Dawn Sturgess, later died after coming into contact with a discarded container authorities believe Russian agents used to transport the deadly toxin. “How are nuclear weapons supposed to help Dawn Sturgess?” Scott Cato asked.
There are believed to be around 150 American nuclear weapons spread across six NATO nations—Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Turkey—as part of the alliance’s strategy of European defense.
Though this is far diminished from a Cold War arsenal of approximately 7,000 warheads, campaigners say the continued presence of nuclear arms could make the outbreak of a devastating war more likely.
Rivasi said Tuesday, “We are demanding the withdrawal of nuclear bombs at Kleine Brogel and also from Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. We urge all EU member states to sign and ratify the treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons. Our first objective is a Europe without nuclear arms.”
In a statement sent to Newsweek, the U.K.-based Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament voiced its support for Wednesday’s action. CND General Secretary Kate Hudson said, “U.S. nuclear weapons have no place in Europe—this isn’t a battle-ground for a nuclear war between world powers.”
Referring to President Donald Trump’s recent decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty that banned short- and medium-range missiles, Hudson warned, “There is a real danger we could see the return of U.S. nuclear missiles to British soil as well as more nuclear missiles across Europe.”
“We are in desperate need for a new era of diplomacy,” Hudson added. “Our country is in a strong position to demonstrate how the nuclear states can work together to reduce and abolish nuclear weapons.”
“The alternative is to sit back while the U.S. president tears up all restraints on nuclear weapons and rapidly moves the world closer to nuclear war.”
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Green MEPs held after anti-nuclear protest at Belgian military base
UK’s Molly Scott Cato among those held after action over stockpiling of US nuclear bombs 
Three Green MEPs – including one from the UK – have been arrested after breaking into a Belgian military airbase to protest against its stockpiling of American B61 nuclear bombs.
The MEPs – Molly Scott Cato, Michèle Rivasi and Tilly Metz – unfurled a banner on a runway for F-16 fighter jets at the Kleine Brogel base in the east of the country calling for a nuclear-free Europe, before being taken into custody.
Another Green MEP, Thomas Waitz, was arrested in a demonstration outside the base, along with 11 other activists from the Belgian peace group Agir pour la Paix (Act for Peace), three of whom also scaled a 3.5-metre fence to get into the base.
The direct action protest follows the US withdrawal from the intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) treaty earlier this month.
About 150 US nuclear weapons are thought to be scattered across Europe in Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, compared with more than 7,000 at the peak of the cold war.
But campaigners fear this number could rapidly rise in any new arms race, and say each B61 has an explosive yield of up to 340 kilotons, 23 times more powerful than the bomb that devastated Hiroshima.
On Tuesday, Scott Cato, the MEP for South West England, told the Guardian that the protest would be “a balance of risks and purposes”.
She said: “When you’re talking about the potential end of the world, your own personal safety is put into perspective – and we are talking  about weapons that could kill millions of people.”
“Nuclear weapons offer no solution in this era and no rationale for defending the people in the south-west who I represent, one of whom died this year because of a Russian secret forces attack. How are nuclear weapons supposed to help Dawn Sturgess?” she said, referring to the woman police believe was killed by novichok in Amesbury, Wiltshire last year.
MEPs in Brussels enjoy some immunity from prosecution but it is unclear if this would cover state security laws, which carry potential five-year prison sentences.
Michèle Rivasi, the vice-chair of the Green party in the European parliamentsaid on Tuesday that: ““We are demanding the withdrawal of nuclear bombs at Kleine Brogel and also from Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. We urge all EU member states to sign and ratify the treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons. Our first objective is a Europe without nuclear arms.”.”
Only 21 nations have ratified a 2017 UN treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons. Of the EU countries, only Austria has signed up, although Ireland may soon follow.
The nuclear shadow over Europe has loomed large across Europe in the last year, after Russia’s deployment of Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, Germany’s exploration of nuclearisation and France’s flexing of its nuclear muscle, as Brexit approaches.
Green party sources say Wednesday’s action was, in part, an effort to set the political agenda before elections in Belgium – where the Greens top opinion polls – and across northern Europe, where they are riding high.
© 2019 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.

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



Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert -- February 28 -- March 3, 2019


49] ANSWER Coalition happy hour – Feb. 28
50] Wayward Community Night BARCS Fundraiser – Feb. 28
51] "Frederick Douglass in Baltimore" -- Feb. 28
51] Gloria Richardson and Black Liberation -- Feb. 28
53] An Evening with Jeff Clements and Hedrick Smith -- Feb. 28
54] Film “No Date No Signature” – Feb. 28
55] Celebrate Norman Birnbaum -- Mar. 1
56] Cutest Cat Contest – Mar. 1, 2 & 3
57] WIB peace vigils – Mar. 1
58] White House vigil -- Mar. 1
59] Black Lives Matter – Mar. 1
60] Film LOVING – Mar. 1
61] American Dream Deferred: Black Federal Workers in Washington, D.C – Mar. 1
62] Ballroom Dancing – Mar. 1
63] 40th Catholic Social Ministry Convocation -- Mar. 2
64] Peace Vigil – Mar. 2
65] Communities United “Meet Me in the Middle” – Mar. 2
66] Adoption Event, hosted by Saving Grace Animal Rescue of Maryland – Mar. 2
67] Enjoy Coffee and Conversation with OR Baltimore – Mar. 2
68] Computer Literacy classes for immigrant women – Mar. 2
69] Women's Unity March in Annapolis – Mar. 2
70] Kings Bay Plowshares are hiring
71] Emergency Demonstration against an attack on Venezuela or Iran  
72] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records  
73] Do you need any book shelves?
74] Join the Global Zero campaign
75] Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil
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49] – On Thurs., Feb. 28 at 6 PM, join the ANSWER Coalition for a happy hour fundraiser at City Tap House Penn Quarter, 901 9th St. NW, WDC 20001. RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/1872810846161755/. The suggested donation of $5 at the door.

50] – On Thurs., Feb. 28 from 6 to 9 PM, get over to the Wayward Community Night BARCS Fundraiser, hosted by Wayward Smokehouse and BARCS Animal Shelter, 1117 S. Charles St., Baltimore 21230.  Calling all Animal Lovers to help raise money for the Animal Rescue & Care Shelter, BARCS Baltimore.  BARCS is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization operating Maryland’s largest animal shelter and pet adoption center. It is an open-admission shelter, granting refuge to every abandoned, neglected, abused, lost or surrendered animal. A staggering 30 or more animals are surrendered to BARCS every day. No matter what the circumstance, they do not turn away any animal in need of shelter, food, medical care and a loving touch. Yearly, this equates to more than 11,000 dogs, cats, kittens, puppies, and even wildlife and exotic animals that need care and placement.   Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1920861694707557/.

51] – On Thurs., Feb. 28 from 6:30 to 8 PM, hear about "Frederick Douglass in Baltimore" with John Muller & Dr. Ida E. Jones, hosted by Baltimore History & Culture at Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201.  Muller will present using newly discovered information found in the Baltimore City Archives, Maryland Historical Society, Enoch Pratt Free Library, and private archives. Muller has presented widely throughout the DC-Baltimore metropolitan area at venues including the Library of Congress, Newseum, Politics and Prose, American Library in Paris and local universities. Muller will be in conversation with Dr. Ida E. Jones, Morgan State University archivist. Writers LIVE programs are supported in part by a bequest from The Miss Howard Hubbard Adult Programming Fund. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1915964408513571/.

52] – On Thurs., Feb. 28 from 7 to 9 PM, hear about “The Struggle Is Eternal: Gloria Richardson and Black Liberation” by author Joseph R. Fitzgerald at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201. Call (443) 602 7611 or go to https://www.redemmas.org/Many prominent and well-known figures greatly impacted the civil rights movement, but one of the most influential and unsung leaders of that period was Gloria Richardson. As the leader of the Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee (CNAC), a multifaceted liberation campaign formed to target segregation and racial inequality in Cambridge, Maryland, Richardson advocated for economic justice and tactics beyond nonviolent demonstrations. Her philosophies and strategies—including her belief that black people had a right to self–defense—were adopted, often without credit, by a number of civil rights and black power leaders and activists.

The book explores the largely forgotten but deeply significant life of this central figure and her determination to improve the lives of black people. Using a wide range of source materials, including interviews with Richardson and her personal papers, as well as interviews with dozens of her friends, relatives, and civil rights colleagues, Fitzgerald presents an all-encompassing narrative. From Richardson’s childhood in Baltimore, when her parents taught her the importance of racial pride, through the next eight decades, Fitzgerald relates a detailed and compelling story of her life. He reveals how Richardson’s human rights activism extended far beyond Cambridge and how her leadership style and vision for liberation were embraced by the younger activists of the black power movement, who would carry the struggle on throughout the late 1960s and into the 1970s.

Joining will be Dion Banks & Kisha Petticolas of the Eastern Shore Network for Change, to situate Gloria Richardson's life and work within the continuing struggle for racial equity and justice on Maryland's Eastern Shore.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/330493537790550/.

53] – On Thurs., Feb. 28 from 7 to 9 PM, enjoy An Evening with Jeff Clements and Hedrick Smith, hosted by The American Promise at T.C. Williams High School, Minnie Howard Campus, 3801 W. Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA 22302. Tickets are at www.americanpromise.net.  In this time of turbulence and political divide, Americans rarely agree on anything. Yet they are united in their commitment for action which secures fair, free elections by limiting the undue influence of money in politics. More than 80% of Americans—Democratic, Republican and independent—support initiatives to limit corporate campaign contributions. Increasingly candidates for elected office, even in Virginia, are running and winning on campaign platforms of not taking money from Super PACs and big money donors. To-date, 19 States have ratified legislation supporting a constitutional amendment to reverse Citizen’s United, prompted by a belief that such a constitutional amendment is needed to ensure that our citizens to have as much influence with our elected officials big-money interests. Hear co-founder and president of American Promise, Jeff Clements, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hedrick Smith lead and shape the discussion. This event will explore options to address the issue of money in politics. View https://www.facebook.com/events/1928260327303570/.

54] – On Thurs., Feb. 28 from 7:30 to  9:30 PM, see the 2017 film “No Date No Signature,” Official Oscar Entry from Iran, hosted by Daricheh Cinema at the Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema,  7235 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda 20814. The director is Vahid Jalilvand, and it stars Navid Mohammadzadeh, Amir Aghaie and Hedieh Tehrani. The forensic pathologist Dr. Nariman has a car accident with a motorcyclist and injures his 8-year-old son. He offers to take the child to a clinic nearby, but the father refuses his help and money. The next morning, in the hospital where he works, Dr. Nariman finds out that the little boy has been brought for an autopsy after a suspicious death.  Nariman is facing a dilemma: is he responsible for the child’s death due to the car accident or did the child die of food poisoning according to other doctors’ diagnosis? It is in Farsi with English Subtitles.   Tickets are at darichehcinema.com.

55] – Norman Birnbaum, a leading intellectual of the 20th Century left who taught at Georgetown Law for 22 years and remained actively involved with the Law Center in retirement, passed away on Jan. 4, 2019. He was 92. On Fri., March 1 attend the Norman Birnbaum Memorial and celebrate the extraordinary life and first Defender of Liberty Award winner at the Georgetown Law School campus, Gewirz Building on the 12th Floor, 120 F St. NW, WDC, from 11 AM to 12:30 PM.  A reception will follow. RSVP https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSa4lVCCbrFrpIjbti08134WLGb3R_s7I-XpSAOjdRGTvfBA/viewform.

56] –Get over to Washingtonian's Cutest Cat Contest starting Fri., Mar. 1, continuing on Sat., Mar. 2 and closing on Sun., Mar. 3. Each day it goes from 11:30 AM through 11:30 PM at Humane Rescue Alliance, 1201 New York Ave. NE, WDC 20002. Tickets are at contests.washingtonian.com.  Do you have an adorable feline friend you’re eager to show off? Submit a high-resolution photo of your cat or kitten by March 14, 2019, at 11:59 PM for a chance at stardom in Washingtonian.  A panel of judges from Washingtonian and the contest’s beneficiary, Humane Rescue Alliance, will select the “Judges’ Pick” titleholder. In addition, a “People’s Choice” favorite will be determined by most votes received through a Washingtonian.com online gallery. Both winners will be awarded a full-page feature in Washingtonian’s May 2019 issue.  All entrants will receive a faux digital Washingtonian “Cutest Cat” cover personalized with their cat’s name and image. Each submission is $30, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Humane Rescue Alliance. Please see Washingtonian's rules page for full details before entering: https://www.facebook.com/events/258954795029119/?event_time_id=258954855029113.

57] – On Fri., Mar. 1 from noon to 1 PM, join a Women in Black peace vigil. A vigil will take place in McKeldin Square at the corner of Light and Pratt Sts.  STAY FOR LUNCH at Baba's Kitchen.  Warm-up, dry off, and enjoy a vegetarian chili lunch and lots of good conversation. Bring a side or topping for the chili.  There are still places at the table; invite a friend to come along with you.

Another vigil is at Roland Park Place, 830 W. 40th St, Baltimore. 21211. However, if weather is iffy, contact Anne at awyattbr@gmail.com.  Lunch will take place at 1 PM at the RPP Café, 830 W. 40th St., Baltimore 21211.

A third vigil will be in Chestertown, Kent County at Memorial Park at Cross Street and Park Row.  This vigil is looking for more peace bodies on the Eastern Shore.  Welcome to the network, Chestertown Women in Black.

Wear black. Dress for who knows what kind of weather.  Peace signs will be available. When there are others to stand with, you don't need to carry the burden alone. Do this to be in solidarity with others....when everything around us says “Be afraid of the stranger.” Carpool and parking available. Just send an email that you need a ride to: wibbaltimore@peacepath911.org.

58] – On Fri.,  Mar. 1 from noon to 1 PM, join the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in a vigil urging the powers that be to abolish war and torture, to disarm all weapons, to end indefinite detention, to close Guantanamo, to establish justice for all and help create the Beloved Community! This vigil will take place at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contract Art @ artlaffin@hotmail.com or at 202-360-6416.

59] – There is usually a silent vigil on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, sponsored by Homewood Friends Meeting, outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St.  The next scheduled vigil is on Mar. 1. Black Lives Matter.  

60] – On Fri., Mar. 1 at 7 PM, come to the Free First-Friday Film @ the Peace Center of Delaware County, 1001 Old Sproul Rd., Springfield, PA (just off the corner of Old Marple and S. Sproul Roads, behind the Mr. Car Wash) to see LOVING. The film celebrates the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving’s unwavering resolve and deep love as an interracial couple struggling for the legal right to be married. In 1967, they won a landmark Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia.  Their story begins in 1958, when they fall in love and drive to Washington, D.C., to get married, because interracial marriage was legal there. When they return home to Central Point, Virginia, they are dragged out of bed by police, arrested, charged with the crime of being an interracial couple, and sentenced to a year in prison.

This 2016 romantic drama was directed by Jeff Nichols, who also wrote the screenplay.  It was nominated for numerous awards, including Golden Globe (Best Actor) and an Oscar (Best Actress). Actors Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga bring quiet intensity to their magnificent performances as the married partners.  When asked if he would like to relay a message to the court, Richard says simply, “Tell the judge I love my wife.”

  Following the film, people are invited to participate in a discussion. Doors open at 6:30 PM for light refreshments.  A group discussion about the film follows its screening. Go to www.brandywinepeace.com. The screening is co-sponsored by the Brandywine Peace Community. For directions to the Peace Center of Delaware County, visit www.delcopeacecenter.org or call 484-574-1148.

61] – On Fri., Mar. 1 from 7 to 9 PM, catch up Dr. Frederick W. Gooding, Jr., assistant professor of African American studies in the John V. Roach Honors College at Texas Christian University, author of "American Dream Deferred: Black Federal Workers in Washington, D.C" at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201. As the largest employer of one of the world’s leading economic and geo-political superpowers, the history of the federal government’s workforce is a rich and essential tool for understanding how the “Great Experiment” truly works. The literal face of federal policy, federal employees enjoy a history as rich as the country itself, while reflecting the country’s evolution towards true democracy within a public space. Nowhere is this progression towards democracy more apparent than with its internal race relations. While World War II was a boon to black workers, little is known about the nuanced, ongoing struggles for dignity and respect that black workers endured while working these “good, government jobs.” American Dream Deferred challenges postwar narratives of government largess for African Americans by illuminating the neglected stories of these unknown black workers.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/590578971402900/. Call (443) 602 7611 or go to https://www.redemmas.org/

62] – There is an opportunity to participate in ballroom dancing, usually every Friday of the month, in the JHU ROTC Bldg. at 8 PM.  Turn south on San Martin Dr. from the intersection of Univ. Parkway and 39th St.  Drive on campus by taking the third left turn. The next dance will be on Mar. 1. Call Dave Greene at 301-570-3283; or email eneergdivad@gmail.com.

63] – On Sat., Mar. 2 from 9 AM to 3 PM, come to the 40th Catholic Social Ministry Convocation, hosted by Catholic Charities of Baltimore at Mercy High School, 1300 E. Northern Pkwy., Baltimore 21239.  Seek Justice, Win Peace.  Join a convocation discussing the roles of parishes and parishioners in bringing greater social justice to the community. The keynote speaker is Ana Grande, Organizing Director of the Monsignor Oscar Romero Center in L.A. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/570670266709260/.

There are more than a dozen workshops to choose from, and the Pax Christi Baltimore sponsored workshop is “Spreading Peace In Violent Times” with Audrey Rodgers (of St. Vincent de Paul parish) as the workshop presenter.  The keynote presentation will be in the morning session. There are two sessions for the workshops, one in the morning and one after lunch. After the afternoon workshops the participants will gather again in the auditorium for the parish awards presentation, the special awards presentation, and a closing prayer service. Since this is the 40th year, an additional component will be door prizes (but you have to be present to win!).

Registration is only $15, and it includes lunch. For online registration go to https://baltimoresmc2019.eventbrite.com/. At that page will be the workshop description for every workshop. When you get to the “get tickets” page, the page will ask you your preference for the morning and the afternoon workshops and your lunch preference.  You can pay for your registration with a credit card.

64] – Each Saturday, 11 AM – 1 PM, Chester County Peace Movement holds a peace vigil in West Chester in front of the Chester County Courthouse, High & Market Sts. Go to www.ccpeace.org. Email ccpeacemovement@aol.com

65] – On Sat., Mar. 2 from 11 AM to 1 PM, come to the Communities United “Meet Me in the Middle,” the monthly public meeting at St Vincent de Paul Church, 120 N Front St. (President & E Fayette Sts., across from the Shot Tower subway stop). Email jane@communitiesunite.org.

66] – On Sat., Mar. 2 from 11 AM to 2 PM, attend an Adoption Event, hosted by Saving Grace Animal Rescue of Maryland and Mutt Mart, 2904 Hamilton Ave., Baltimore 21214. Come meet your new best friend, and support small business by shopping at Mutt Mart. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2325608827697587/.

67] –Enjoy Coffee and Conversation with OR Baltimore.  Our Revolution Baltimore's office hours are scheduled for Sat., Mar. 2 from 11 AM to 1 PM at Red Emma's. Discuss how Our Revolution Baltimore should engage 1] Nationally with the presidential election, 2] Locally in the mayoral and city council elections, and 3] Any other topics you'd like to discuss.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/361353674450981/.

68] –  Beginning on Sat., Mar. 2 from 1 to 4 PM, the Immigration Outreach Service Center will hold its second cohort of Computer Literacy classes for immigrant women. This is a great opportunity for women with some English skills to learn how to use a computer and how to search for jobs online.  Classes will be held at the St. Matthew Rectory, 5401 Loch Raven Blvd., Baltimore 21239 for three hours every Saturday through May 11th, with the exception of Easter weekend, April 20th. Email info@ioscbaltimore.org or call 410-323-8564.

69] -- On Sat., Mar. 2 at 1 PM, there is a Women's Unity March in Annapolis. This year, the Women's Unity March centers around Coretta Scott King's powerful words: "Women if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul." The March is a call for women and allies to come together, to discuss how we can uplift and amplify the most marginalized, underrepresented, and oppressed members of our community. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere. Each speaker will give the attendees information on the challenges that their community faces and also offer tangible next steps for us to support their efforts. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/312756416112804/. Gather at the Civil Rights Foot Soldier Memorial, 44 Calvert St., Annapolis 21401. Call or text (443) 782-5518 or email info@marchonmd.org.  The march will proceed for 7/10ths of a mile to the Kunta Kinte - Alex Haley Memorial, where there will be speakers! After the official program is complete, proceed to Susan Campbell Park (past City Dock and Ego Alley), where community members are invited to share their stories with the crowd.

70] – The Kings Bay Plowshares 7 are looking for a SHORT-TERM PAID ORGANIZER.  Go to https://www.kingsbayplowshares7.org/help-wanted/ or contact Sarah Cool at 404.449.7893.

71] – It is a violation of U.S. law for us to attack a country that has not attacked us, as only Congress can declare war. The Trump administration is nevertheless beating the war drums for war against Iran and Venezuela. The Mueller investigation is tightening the vise, and could cause Trump to attack those countries in order to divert attention from Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Such a military strike would demand an immediate and unequivocal response from us to show that we will not tolerate his abuse of power.

Let's mobilize to show that we the people will not tolerate another military adventure, which would be bound to have profound negative consequences. If a preemptive military strike against Iran or North Korea takes place, then meet outside the War Memorial, 101 N. Gay St., Baltimore, MD 21202. If the attack is before 2 PM local time, then events will begin at 5 PM, local time. If the attack occurs after 2 PM local time, then events will begin at noon, local time, the following day. Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

72] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs, records, tarps and table cloths, contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

73] -- Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-323-1637 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

74] -- Join an extraordinary global campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons: http://www.globalzero.org/sign-declaration. A growing group of leaders around the world is calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and a majority of the global public agrees.  This is an historic window of opportunity.  With momentum already building in favor of Zero, a major show of support from people around the world could tip the balance. When it comes to nuclear weapons, one is one too many.

75] – A Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil takes place every day in Lafayette Park, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 24 hours a day, since June 3, 1981. Go to http://prop1.org; call 202-682-4282.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

“One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the US around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better" - Daniel Berrigan


Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert -- February 27, 2019


38] Maryland Food Bank Benefit – through Mar. 28
39] DC Statehood Capitol Hill Day – Feb. 27
40] Help launch the Medicare For All Act Feb. 27
41] Support Background Checks – Feb. 27
42] School of Food and Food Rescue Baltimore – Feb. 27
43] Meeting for the Baltimore Poor People’s Campaign – Feb. 27
44] “From Swastika to Jim Crow” – Feb. 27
45] Is the Largest Forest in Southern MD Threatened? – Feb. 27
46] Volunteer to organize with ANSWER -- Feb. 27
47] Hear Daniel Aldana Cohen on a Green New Deal -- Feb. 27
48] Come to a Progressive Issues Town Hall – Feb. 27
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38] – On Wed., Feb. 20 through Sun., Mar. 31, 2019, there is a Maryland Food Bank Benefit, hosted by The Admirals Cup - Fells Point, Baltimore, 1647 Thames St., Baltimore 21231. Do we give so we shall receive, or give because it feels good?  Giving has never felt better or made a more significant impact than this unique opportunity. The Maryland Food Bank and Harbor Magic Hotels presents “HOLIDAY GIVEBACK.”   Experience the adventures of the Fells Point at one of the two beautiful Harbor Magic Hotels: The Admiral Fell Inn or the Inn at Henderson’s Wharf.  Gracefully awaken to the aromas and tastes of a fabulous breakfast and set sail on your day in one of the most amazing places in America. Harbor Magic is donating 10% of dollars generated from this promotion to benefit the Maryland Food Bank. BOOK NOW at https://www.admiralfell.com/en-us/packages/maryland-food-bank-holiday-giveback-special?page_id=4266673. Call (410) 534-5555. See https://www.facebook.com/events/349755175583179/.

39] – On Wed., Feb. 27 from 8 AM to 5:30 PM, enjoy a DC Statehood Capitol Hill Day, hosted by DC Vote in the Rayburn House Office Building, 45 Independence Ave. SW, WDC 20515.  The newly elected members of Congress need to hear from the people who call DC home. Join us to educate new Senators and House members and their staff on why we deserve the same rights of democracy as all other residents in all the states. Whether introducing them to the unfair strictures of Home Rule, the need for Voting Rights for DC, or a strategic path to Statehood, our voices must be heard. There are two shifts: 8 AM to 1PM or noon to 5PM. Training will be provided, and breakfast and/or lunch available. Leaders of the Statehood movement will guide the way.

Meet at 8 AM at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 201 A St. SE.  For the afternoon shift, meet at noon in Rayburn HOB Room 2044. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1937302779700951/.

40] – Progressive Democrats of America will help launch the Medicare For All Act on Wed., Feb. 27 at 11 AM at the House Triangle.  This consists of a press conference and rally for Medicare for All!  Go to http://www.pdamerica.org. Email info@pdamerica.org

41] – On Wed., Feb. 27 from 11:30 AM to 5 PM, come to the Senate Hearing on Background Checks for Long Guns & Ghost Guns, hosted by Moms Demand Action – MD in the Miller Senate Building, 11 Bladen St., Annapolis 21401.  Tickets are at northeast-moms.ngpvanhost.com.  Building on the momentum of its biggest Lobby Day ever,  pack the hearing room to show support for SB737 which would require background checks on private sales of long guns and SB 882 prohibiting Ghost Guns. Gather in the lobby area outside of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Meeting Room at 11:30 AM, as the hearing begins at noon. Maintain a presence until the bill is heard.  Wear your Moms Demand Action shirts or anything red! RSVP at https://northeast-moms.ngpvanhost.com/ngpvanforms/44274?. 

42] – On Wed., Feb. 27 at 2 PM, and every Wednesday until July 24, 2019, School of Food and Food Rescue Baltimore will give out food at 1412 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore 21213. Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2105994779640314/.

43] – Attend the monthly General Meeting for the Baltimore committee of the MD Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and be a part of building this national movement locally. It will take place on Wed., Feb. 27 from 6 to 8 PM at 2239 Kirk Ave., Baltimore 21218. The General Meetings are an opportunity for new and already involved participants of the Baltimore PPC to stay connected with each other and the campaign.  Email Adriana Foster at adrianalachellefoster@gmail.com. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2391229004438387/.

44] –  On Wed., Feb. 27 from 7 to 8:30 PM, get over to a “From Swastika to Jim Crow” Film Screening and Panel Discussion, hosted by United States Holocaust Memorial Museum at Morgan State University Student Center, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore 21251. Tickets are at www.ushmm.org.  The screening will explore the encounter between two groups targeted by oppression, brutality, and forced segregation who were brought together by World War II and racism in their societies.  Having escaped Nazi Germany in the 1930s, Jewish scholars arrived in the United States only to face antisemitism at major universities. Many secured jobs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the South where they formed a special bond with students and communities.  The speakers are Charles L. Chavis Jr., PhD, Assistant Professor for Conflict Resolution and History, George Mason University, Rebecca Dupas, Coordinator, Community Partnerships, Youth and Community Initiatives, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Steven Fischler, producer of the film.  Parking is available at the Student Center Parking Garage.  The program is free and open to the public but reservations are required.  Contact calendar@ushmm.org.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/432499540622356/.

45] – Is the Largest Forest in Southern MD Threatened? Get an answer on Wed., Feb. 27 from 7 to 9 PM.  The largest contiguous forest in Southern MD is threatened by an over 200 acre clear-cut by an unlikely source, Georgetown University's Sustainability program. This forest is part of the ancestral homeland of the Piscataway people and is of high ecological value with streams and wetlands and is designated by Audubon as an important bird area.  The Southern Maryland Sierra Club Group is urging concerned citizens to appear in the Charles County Commissioners Meeting Room, 200 Baltimore St., La Plata 20646/. Contact Bonnie Bick at bonnie.bick@mdsierra.org.

46] – Volunteer to organize with ANSWER for the National March on Washington: Hands off Venezuela! No coup, no sanctions, no new U.S. war!  The Volunteer Meeting is on Wed,, Feb. 27 at 7 PM at the Justice Center, 617 Florida Ave. NW, WDC 20001-1852.  Use the Shaw/Howard Metro (Green/Yellow Lines).  Get involved with the preparation for the March 16 demonstration and national march on Washington! Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/325730504718504/.

47] – On Wed., Feb. 27 from 7 to 9 PM, get over to hear Daniel Aldana Cohen on a Green New Deal, from the Left, at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201. Call (443) 602 7611 or go to https://www.redemmas.org/Join a presentation and discussion with radical climate sociologist and carbon geographer Daniel Aldana Cohen on the meaning of a Green New Deal—why it matters for Left strategy, and how urban social movements can organize towards it. He is a political sociologist who works on the intersection of climate change, inequality, the built environment, and carbon accounting. He studies urban regions of the global North and South, especially New York and São Paulo, and is working on a book project on climate change and inequality in the twenty-first-century city. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/788258284857883/.

48] – On Wed., Feb. 27 from 7 to 9 PM, come to a Progressive Issues Town Hall, hosted by Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW, WDC 20009.  Busboys and Poets invites the community for a town hall gathering on progressive policy moving forward with Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Mark Pocan, joined by Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.  Busboys and Poets has been at the forefront of progressive values and we are looking forward to a robust discussion around the current political climate, the uplifting of the progressive agenda and engaging ordinary people in the democratic process. Pramila Jayapal is the first Indian-American woman to serve in the House of Representatives, the first woman to represent Washington’s 7th district and the first Asian-American to represent Washington State in Congress. Representative Jayapal serves on the Judiciary and Budget Committees and co-chairs The United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force which she co-founded.

Mark Pocan is the representative for Wisconsin’s 2nd District and co-chairs The LGBT Equality Caucus. He has received awards and honors from the ACLU, Planned Parenthood and Fair Wisconsin for his work advancing progressive values and human rights. He succeeded Tammy Baldwin, another leader in the fight for equality, in both the State House and the House of Representatives.   Rashida Tlaib is one of the rising leaders of the Progressive Caucus, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress and one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. She is a champion for human rights and a fierce voice promoting Medicare for All, abolishing ICE and supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against the Israeli occupation. Ilhan Omar represents Minnesota's 5th congressional district and is the first Somali American elected to legislative office in the United States. Along with Rashida Tlaib, she is one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress and the first woman of color to serve as a U.S. representative from Minnesota. She has advocated for a living wage, affordable housing and healthcare, student loan debt forgiveness, the protection of DREAMERS and the abolition of ICE. She has strongly opposed the immigration policies of the Trump administration, including the Trump travel ban. See https://www.facebook.com/events/820354498335551/.

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