Sunday, April 21, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert April 21 – July 28, 2019


Baltimore Activist Alert April 21 – July 28, 2019

"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] Get involved with NCNR   
4] Buy an Anti-War Veteran hat  
5] Lawyers Against War
6] “Explore & Live Palestine” from July 11 through July 25, 2019
7] SUPPORT AMAZON WORKERS OF CONSCIENCE
8] CODEPINK NEEDS YOU AT THE VENEZUELA EMBASSY
9] Shadows and Ashes: The Peril of Nuclear Weapons – through May 31
10] Community Land Trusts – April 21
11] Get involved with a Butterfly Garden Cleanup – April 21
12] Baltimore Green Party meeting – April 21
13] ERA Call – April 21
14] Civil Rights double header – April 21
15] Persecution of Julian Assange – April 21
16] Pentagon Protest – April 22
17] Bird Banding – April 22
18] Earth Day giveaway – April 22
19] Food Rescue – April 22
20] Food Rescue Pop-Up – April 22
21] Artificial Intelligence film – April 22
22] Get the Money Out conference call – April 22
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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 U.S. wars.

To join the ORGANIZING List, please send your name, group affiliation, city and email address to mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.  Different local chapters of a national organization are encouraged to subscribe.  

4] – Get a good-looking black hat which says Anti-War Veteran in the front and Viva House 50th in the back.  The cost is $10. Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

5] – Jeff Ross, an attorney in Maryland, is interested in gathering with other lawyers to discuss ways in which the legal profession and the law generally can be conceptualized as a peace-building and war-resisting institution and redirected to these ends. Areas to explore might include: 1) ways in which this group could support with legal analysis/writing those lawyers who are representing peace-builders/war-resisters in criminal prosecutions; 2) ways in which, from a more theoretical perspective, the law might be grounded in an ethic of non-violence; and 3) ways in which law students and young lawyers might be exposed to a non-violent vision of the law. All religious, philosophical, and critical perspectives on the law are welcome. The group might want to call itself Lawyers Against War. Jeff can be reached at 443-690-6872 and jross50@hotmail.com.

6] – If you are 18 to 35, don't miss this unique opportunity to visit Palestine! Registration is Now Open at https://kthps.org/join. For more information, please visit: https://kthps.org/.  Know Thy Heritage, Inc. is offering a Leadership Initiative “Explore & Live Palestine” from July 11 through July 25, 2019.  This is a program of The Arab American Institute.  Visit http://www.aaiusa.org/.

7] -- SUPPORT AMAZON WORKERS OF CONSCIENCE.  We are in a deep struggle to support conscience within the high tech community, which may be the only way to prevent a major leap into artificial intelligence warfare that we see the beginnings of in the expanding global U.S. drone war system.  This may be of particular interest to Johns Hopkins' Navy-funded researchers, some of whom have been working on swarming drone technology.

These are not major asks and can be a powerful reinforcement of conscience at an extremely critical moment.  Please consider circulating this link to your lists encouraging people to sign the linked RootsAction petition - https://www.knowdrones.com/blog/2019/3/6/support-amazon-workers-who-dont-want-to-work-for-war and leafletting Whole Foods in your areas. This is a link to the leaflet -- https://gallery.mailchimp.com/dd110b000ca250d868d4f419b/files/107fc695-8af9-4f7e-a523-ecd1d1dfd28f/Wholefoods_Leaflet.pdf. Should you have interest in circulating the links and possibly leafletting, contact Nick Mottern at  nickmottern at gmail.com.

8] – Urgent: CODEPINK needs you at the Venezuela Embassy, 1099 30th St. NW, WDC, through all of next week.   A group of activists have been living in the embassy to protect it from a hostile takeover by the opposition, in violation of international law.  We’ll also have events all week long. For a list of all the activities, see https://www.codepink.org/washington_dc_24_7_protection_of_dc_venezuelan_embassy.

The events are part of an ongoing presence at the Venezuelan embassy by the Embassy Protection Collective. We have been staging a round-the-clock vigil inside the embassy for the past two weeks, including overnight shifts, and organizing activities at the embassy every night.  We think this will be the week that the opposition comes to take over. So this coming week is critical, especially Thursday and Friday. You can come anytime, or join us overnight. 

The opposition already took over the Venezuelan military attaché office in Washington, DC and the Venezuelan consulate in New York City in violation of Article 22 of the Vienna Convention and has announced its intention to take over the Embassy next week.  Call 415-235-6517.

9] – An important art exhibition continues at the Takoma Park campus of Montgomery College through May 31.  The exhibit is named Shadows and Ashes: The Peril of Nuclear Weapons, and features works by photographer Gary Schoichet; drawings by the child survivors of Hiroshima; ceramic masks by multimedia artist Marion Held; the poetry of John Canaday; and the Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton University  This is a traveling exhibition from Princeton University, sponsored by Montgomery College’s Institute for Race, Justice, and Civic Engagement, Peace Action Montgomery, and Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland, and it will be on view at Montgomery College’s Cultural Arts Center, 7995 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. It will be accompanied by various events, including films, lectures, and discussion.

This exhibition of art and science examines the role of nuclear weapons in our society and reflects on their results. By combining artwork and scientific information, it opens conversations on the practical and the philosophical implications of humans’ continued efforts to create and to dismantle nuclear weapons. This multi-faceted exploration of the implications of nuclear weapons includes photographs, drawings, masks, and technical information. Photographer Gary Schoichet provides portraits and reflective comments of Hiroshima survivors, as well as documentary photographs of the historic 1982 Anti-Nuclear Rally in New York City. All Souls Church in Washington, D.C., contributes Hiroshima Children’s Drawings in crayon from 1947 by young survivors. In commemoration of the human catastrophe in Japan, multimedia artist Marion Held has made ceramic masks as a response to her exploration of the site of the bombing at Hiroshima. Related events will be posted throughout the time of the exhibition on the website, www.peaceactionmc.org/. For information on exhibit hours and parking, visit mcblogs/montgomerycollege.edu/cac

10] –Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 2521 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21218, meets on Sundays, and generally there is a speaker and discussion at 10:30 AM.  On Sun., April 21, the platform address is “Community Land Trusts: Tools for Uplifting Community Values.”  The Charm City Land Trusts is a resident-led organization designed to hold land together and cultivate a neighborhood vision that promotes the values, prioritizes the needs, and creates a path for community ownership of its residents. CCLT is active in East Baltimore, a historically redlined community that is stewarding vibrant community green space, reclaiming vacants, and organizing for policy change that will support the CLT movement. CCLT is becoming a tool through which neighbors values are made evident in the space we inhabit, especially as we grapple with market forces that displace and disorganize our communities.

Adriana Foster is a leadership organizer with United Workers and a co-facilitator of the Baltimore Housing Roundtable. She lives and works in East Baltimore and is a member of Charm City Land Trusts. Her work centers on the human right to land, housing, and development that meets community needs. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org

11] –  On Sun., April 21 from 2 to 5 PM, get involved with a Butterfly Garden Cleanup, hosted by JHU Students for Environmental Action, outside of the FFC, JHU.  Come help prepare the butterfly garden for spring! Weed and prepare the ground for later plantings. The garden is full of native plants to support native species!  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/553668908473875/.

12] – On Sun., April 21 from 4 to 6 PM, there is a General Membership Meeting of the Baltimore City Green Party.  Following that meeting, there are meetings on Sun., May 19, 4 to 6 PM and Sun., June 16 from 4 to 6 PM.  These meetings will be at the University Of Baltimore Law School Library, top floor. 1401 N. Charles St. The meeting of the Baltimore City Green Party is an opportunity for members and interested individuals to discuss, debate, decide and plan for the work of the Baltimore City Green Party.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/1967876273521515/?event_time_id=1967876276854848.

13] – On Sun., April 21, April 28 and May 5 from 4 to 5 PM, get on The CALL - ERA Education Program at Katrina's Dream, PO Box 32003, WDC 20007.  Tickets are at www.katrinasdream.org.  Please come each Sunday and help build the groundswell. The collaboration of grassroots organizers, lobbyists, and professionals is dedicated to promoting and educating folks across the United States of America to empowering women around the world.

The CALL IN NUMBER is 563.999.2090, the CONFERENCE NO: 898879#.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1710130249022424/?event_time_id=1710130255689090.

14] – On Sun., April 21 from 5:45 to 9:40 PM, see a Double Feature: “Nothing But A Man” and “The Cool World” at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring 20910.  Tickets are at silver.afi.com.  NOTHING BUT A MAN [1964] is set against the stirrings of the Civil Rights Movement and a rising wave of burgeoning black pride.  It tells the story of Duff (Ivan Dixon), who went on to direct 1973's THE SPOOK WHO SAT BY THE DOOR), a railroad section hand who is forced to confront racial prejudice and self-denial when he falls in love with Josie (Abbey Lincoln), an educated preacher's daughter. The film explores the painful nuances of life in the 1960s South, and themes of fatherhood and sacrifice.

THE COOL WORLD [1963] was produced by famed documentarian Frederick Wiseman and propelled by the sounds of Dizzy Gillespie.  This is a fictional snapshot of teenagers surrounded by pimps, prostitutes and corrupt cops in turbulent 1960s Harlem which packs a punch still undiminished five decades later. The enigmatic Duke is a wannabe gangster who dreams of procuring guns so he can walk tall with the thugs he idolizes. Tickets can be had at https://bit.ly/2Gx8g7j.  This is part of the "Library of Congress Film Preservation Showcase." The full schedule and tickets are at http://bit.ly/LOCPreservationShowcase.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/571425056670717/.

15] -- On Sun., April 21 from 7 to 8 PM, hear about the Persecution of Julian Assange, hosted by the Embassy Protection Collective at the Venezuela embassy, 1099 30th St., WDC.  Joe Lauria, editor of Consortium News and host of the Friday night #Unity4J online vigils, will speak about the current situation with Julian's incarceration and the future of WikiLeaks.  Events are being held at the Venezuelan embassy to protect this space from a take-over by the opposition. Children and families are welcome. The entrance is in the back. See https://www.facebook.com/events/664322450655312/.

16] – There is a weekly Pentagon Peace Vigil from 7 to 8 AM on Mondays, since 1987, outside the Pentagon Metro stop.  The next vigil is Apr. 22, 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. 

17] – On Mon., April 22 from 9 AM to noon , do Earth Day Bird Banding with BMore Food Parks, hosted by Baltimore Free Farm and Baltimore Foodparks, 3510 Ash Street, Baltimore 21211.  Even small patches of green space can serve an important purpose in the local ecosystem and can go a long way in improving a neighborhood.  Through his project Baltimore Foodparks, a program of Fusion Partnerships Inc., Eric Fishel is working to improve vacant lots, conduct scientific research, and help conserve Baltimore’s greenspace and wildlife all while educating and engaging communities.  Working with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, he will be responsible for banding local birds and then work with community members to observe the birds in public green spaces and vacant lots. Through research, Fishel hopes to expose young people in Baltimore City to careers in scientific research and spark a passion for science and nature. Even if they don’t pursue a career in science, they will learn more about research and develop new skills in the process.  Eric’s passion for connecting people to nature has been evident throughout his career as a naturalist. Eric Fishel is working with schools and community groups to learn more about conservation and conduct migratory bird research. Meet at the Ash Street Community Garden.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/413872946056313/.

18] – On Mon., April 22 from 11 AM to 2 PM, get over to an Earth Day Giveaway, hosted by CARE at the JHU Breezeway, Baltimore 21218.  Join PHSF (Public Health Student Forum) and CARE (Compassion, Awareness, and Responsible Eating) for free metal straws, reusable bags, eco-friendly snacks and the usual CARE merch including stickers, buttons, and posters! Pass by the Breezeway to celebrate THE EARTH with compassionate choices that take public health into consideration! Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/2203310216663618/

19] – On Mon., Apr. 22 at noon, there will be a Food Rescue at Land of Kush, 840 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore 21201. Food Rescue Baltimore is honored to partner with The Land of Kush each and every Monday to bring access to free vegan/plant-based food in the community. Bring a bag. Take what you want from noon to 1PM or while supplies last. No purchase is necessary to take advantage of the Food Rescue Baltimore give away. Items from The Land of Kush's menu are not included in the give-away but will be available for sale. See https://www.facebook.com/events/415842178868197/.

20] –On Mon., April 22 and 29 from 3 to 4 PM, there is a Food Rescue Pop-Up at Flourish, 3418 Belair Road, Baltimore 21213-1233.  Bring a bag, and take home healthy, free food! View https://www.facebook.com/events/301851223848295/?event_time_id=301851250514959

21] – On Mon., April 22 from 4 to 5:40 PM, see a SCREENING of "CyberWork and the American Dream," hosted by The Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20001.  Tickets are at www.cato.org.  The perceived threat of artificial intelligence (AI) to the American workforce and society more broadly has become a common topic of discussion among policymakers, academics, and the wider public.  But is AI a threat? And if so, are there appropriate policy solutions? History is replete with examples of disruption caused by past technological advances. Are the lessons from those advances applicable to AI? These are just some of the questions addressed by the PBS television documentary. Enjoy a discussion after the film. REGISTER at https://www.cato.org/event/cyberwork-american-dream. If you can’t make it to the event, you can watch it live at www.cato.org/live and join the conversation on Twitter using #CatoTechnology. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/827872140901039/.

22] – Join the Get Money Out of Maryland Teleconference on Monday, April 22 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.

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



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