Sunday, May 19, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert – May 19 – July 25, 2019


Baltimore Activist Alert – May 19 – July 25, 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] Shadows and Ashes: The Peril of Nuclear Weapons – through May 31
9] Ring in Spring at Real Food Farm – May 19
10] Benefit the Humane Society of Carroll County -- May 19
11] Throw Out Incineration -- May 19
12] National Adoption Weekend – May 19
13] Adoption Event – May 19
14] People's Power Assembly Neighborhood Clean Up – May 19
15] Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America meeting – May 19
16] Anti-war protest at the Venezuelan Embassy – May 19
17] On the Call for the NRA – May 19
18] Sierra Club celebrates – May 19
19] "Reclaiming Judaism from Zionism" – May 19
20] Pentagon Protest – May 20
21] Food Rescue – May 20
22] The Middle East and the Horn of Africa – May 20
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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] – 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

9] – On Sun., May 19 from 9:30 AM to noon, hosted by Repair The World Baltimore, Ring in Spring at Real Food Farm, 1950 Perlman Pl., Baltimore 21213-1509.  Get tickets at www.tfaforms.com. Get dirt under your fingernails, muddy knees, and lungs filled with fresh air. Farming might be hard work, but it's worth it! Celebrate spring being in full swing to help out on the farm. You may even get to taste some of the fruits of your labor!

   Assist Real Food Farm in achieving its goals of improving neighborhood access to healthy food, protecting the environment, building out the urban agriculture sector, and much more. Learn more on Real Food Farm's website: http://realfoodfarm.civicworks.com/.  See 2https://www.facebook.com/events/829081734117996/.

10] – On Sun., May 19 from 10 AM to 5 PM, get to the Trail Ride to Benefit the Humane Society of Carroll County, hosted by Happy on Hooves and Humane Society of Carroll County, Inc., 5014 Mount Carmel Rd., Hampstead 21074.  Tickets are www.happyonhooves.com.  Treat yourself to a horseback trail ride to benefit the Humane Society of Carroll County.  The Humane Society of Carroll County has been advocating for the health and proper care of animals for nearly 75 years. With a goal of finding suitable, loving homes for abandoned and stray animals, the Humane Society continues its legacy of advocating for the humane treatment of animals.   Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/276418759947966/.

11] -- 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., May 12, the platform address is “Baltimore Must Throw Out Incineration.”  Baltimore’s trash incinerator(s) have for many years been the paramount polluter of our air. Ownership has changed but the incineration industry has not; it profits at the expense of residents it claims to serve. At what point does bending truth become flat out lying? Impartial scientists know that among all trash disposal industries (and among all power generation industries) incineration pollutes the most, generates the least, and employs the least. Trash is worth more when recycled so by incinerating, larger society actually pays to increase the toxicity of its environment and cost of its medicine. That is neither environmentally, economically, nor socially sustainable. No more – Baltimore’s future in waste reduction, repair, reuse, and recycling or RRRR (that includes composting) begins now!

   Kevin Kriescher (MS Physics) has held sundry academic roles (adjunct professor, college tutor, textbook editor, online K-12 math teacher, high school track/field coach, etc.) but his real calling – the one with no paycheck – is environmental conservation. He has lived in Baltimore 14 years and currently serves the MD Chapter of the Sierra Club as executive committee member for the Greater Baltimore Group. His focus within the group is pollution – one of humanity’s biggest yet somehow most persistently ignored crises.  Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org

12] -- On Sun., May 19 from 11 AM to 2 PM, come to the National Adoption Weekend, hosted by Luv a Pet Towson Petsmart, 1238 Putty Hill Ave., Towson 21286. Applications are taken in the order received, and new family members may go home to approved adopters when appropriate for that specific animal. See https://www.animalrescueinc.org/index.php/adopt/cat-application.  If your perfect love match isn’t in Towson that day, Animal Rescue, Inc. has many other animals waiting for homes! Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/589644384879905/.

13] –  On Sun., May 19 noon to 3 PM, come to an Adoption Event, hosted by Saving Grace Animal Rescue of Maryland at Petvalu, 5007 Honeygo Center Dr., Perry Hall 21128.  Look up https://www.facebook.com/events/413331862815685/.

14]   On Sun., May 19 noon to 2 PM, join the People's Power Assembly Neighborhood Clean Up: Remington at 2701 Sisson St., Baltimore 21211-3019.  This is a Serve the People initiative. Beside the cleanup, outreach will be conducted and information will be distributed to educate people against the ongoing US backed coup in Venezuela. Bring work gloves, brooms, and dust pans. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2376074646003916/.

15] – On Sun., May 19 from 2 to 4:30 PM, attend the May General Body Meeting, hosted by the Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America, Oak Hill Center for Education and Culture, 2239 Kirk Ave, Baltimore 21218.  Find out about organizing and where your place is in the movement! There will be new member orientation from 2 to 2:30 PM. Child care is available. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/416807349100152/.

16] –  On Sun., May 19 at 2 PM, Rev. Jesse Jackson will be back at the Venezuelan Embassy, 1099 30th St. NW, WDC 20007, for an anti-war rally to help kick start an anti-war movement across the nation. Connect the struggles against U.S. imperialism in countries around the world including Venezuela, Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya, and Korea.  RSVP at https://www.codepink.org/dc_may_19_2019?link_id=3&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-rev-jesse-jackson-sunday-in-dc&email_referrer=email_549860&email_subject=rev-jesse-jackson-sunday-in-dc.

17] – On Sun., May 19 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.

18] – Join the Sierra Club on Sun., May 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at Denizens Brewing Company, 1115 East West Highway, Silver Spring 20910, for a drink and celebration. Meet special guests, including Delegate Brooke Lierman, Senator Cheryl Kagan, Senator Brian Feldman, Delegate Lorig Charkoudian, Delegate Marc Korman, Delegate Kumar Barve, Delegate Vaughn Stewart, Executive Director of Trash Free Maryland, Ashley Van Stone, and more. Contact Gary Young at gary.young@mdsierra.org or 301-277-7111.

19] – On Sun., May 19 from 6 to 8 PM, check out "Reclaiming Judaism from Zionism" - The Book Launch, hosted by Jewish Voice for Peace - DC Metro at Busboys and Poets, 450 K St. NW, WDC 20001. This will be a night of storytelling that will take audience members through the journeys of nine Jewish activists who have changed their perspectives on Zionism.  In this powerful collection of personal narratives, forty Jews of diverse backgrounds tell a wide range of stories about the roads they have traveled from a Zionist world view to activism in solidarity with Palestinians and Israelis striving to build an inclusive society founded on justice, equality, and peaceful coexistence.  Editor Carolyn L. Karcher and eight of her contributors will speak about the book and sum up their stories, introducing readers to the large community of Jewish activists who have created organizations such as Jewish Voice for Peace, IfNotNow, and Open Hillel. Karcher and her contributors want to strengthen alliances with progressives of all faiths and seek to nurture models of Jewish identity that replace ethnic exclusiveness with solidarity, Zionism with a Judaism once again nourished by a transcendent ethical vision. See https://www.facebook.com/events/440158566732194/.

20] – There is a weekly Pentagon Peace Vigil from 7 to 8 AM on Mondays, since 1987, outside the Pentagon Metro stop.  The next vigil is May 20, 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. 

21] – On Mon., May 20 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/.

22] – On Mon., May 20 from noon to 4 PM, attend a conference: The Middle East and the Horn of Africa, hosted by Middle East Institute at the National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, WDC 20004.  Tickets are at www.mei.edu.  Observe the evolving internal dynamics in the Horn of Africa region, and the ways in which these countries are affecting and being affected by events and conflicts in the broader Middle East. Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia face a myriad of security and development challenges, including instability in and migration from neighboring Middle Eastern countries. Meanwhile, the Horn of Africa region is emerging as a new battleground for competition among rising global powers in the Middle East and East Asia.  This conference will bring together experts and practitioners focusing on this complex region to explore prospects for productive U.S. engagement in the Horn of Africa, ways in which to promote human rights and the rule of law in these countries, and avenues to establish a coherent regional dialogue while balancing the Horn of Africa’s engagement with the outside world. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/431921370971924/.

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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