Baltimore Activist Alert – June 23 – 24, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert – June 23 – 24, 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] Harm Reduction and Healthcare in Baltimore – June 23

9] Donuts & Coffee at Mutt Mart - June 23

10] Protest a war with Iran -- June 23

11] DSA meeting -- June 23

12] Celebrate Churches for Middle East Peace – June 23

13] On the Call for the ERA – June 23

14] Film LEMON TREE – June 23

15] Home, Safe and Sound: Storytelling Night – June 23

16] Pentagon Protest – June 24

17] Food Rescue – June 24

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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 50^th 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] – 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., June 23, the platform address is Harm Reduction and Healthcare in Baltimore and Abroad.  This past year, Natanya Robinowitz received a Fulbright Fellowship.  She promptly moved her family to Catalonia, Spain to study the public health system for people who use drugs. Before moving to Baltimore in 2010, she worked in India, Mexico and Spain.  She is the Executive Director of Charm City Care Connection, which links residents of marginalized communities in Baltimore to high-quality healthcare services and seeks to address any obstacles that might threaten that connection. Natanya received her Master of Science in Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2012.  Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org. 

9] – On Sun., June 23 from 11 AM to 1 PM, enjoy Donuts & Coffee at Mutt Mart, 2904 Hamilton Ave., Baltimore 21214. The event is hosted by Adopt a Homeless Animal Rescue / Maryland Friends of Animals and Mutt Mart. Enjoy Baltimore’s BEST dog-friendly brunch. For a suggested donation of $5 to the rescue, Mutt Mart will serve you a donut and bottomless coffee! See https://www.facebook.com/events/410785759501695/.

10] -- We are on the verge of war because Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement and has led a maximum pressure policy that is imposing devastating sanctions and has instigated action from Iran.  We remember the lies that dragged us into the Iraq war. We remember the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians murdered and U.S. soldiers lost in a senseless war. The people do not have the appetite for another costly war. Whether or not the U.S. drone was in international airspace, it would be reckless for the U.S. to retaliate. The U.S. must de-escalate: immediately remove the sanctions on Iran and initiate talks to reenter the Iran nuclear agreement.  Join CODEPINK on Sun., June 23 from 1 to 2 PM in front of the White House to protest against a war with Iran. Email info@codepink.org. Look up https://www.facebook.com/events/2093600800941005/.

11] – On Sun., June 23 from 2 to 4:30 PM, come to the June General Body Meeting, hosted by the Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America at the Oak Hill Center for Education and Culture, 2239 Kirk Ave., Baltimore 21218.  Find out about organizing and where your place is in the movement! All are welcome. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/933302563673752/.

12] – On Sun., June 23 at 2 PM until Tues., June 25 at 5 PM, attend Persistent Hope: 35 Years of Churches for Middle East Peace.  Tickets are at cmep.salsalabs.org.  In 2019, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) celebrates its 35th anniversary of encouraging US policies that actively promote a comprehensive resolution to conflicts in the Middle East. In honor of 35 years, our 2019 Advocacy Summit will look back at everything CMEP has accomplished over the past three-and-a-half decades, as well as what our work will look like going forward and the opportunities to work for peace and justice that will come. See https://www.facebook.com/events/348951685657476/.

13] – On Sun., June 16 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] – Baltimore Palestine Solidarity as part of its FILM NIGHT series will show LEMON TREE on  Sun., June 23 at 6 PM at Homewood Friends Meeting, 3107 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218 in the basement (next to the side entrance. See the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_j1llK3Fco.  A Palestinian widow earns her living tending to her late father's lemon grove. When an Israeli government minister moves next door and declares the grove a potential security threat, she struggles to defend her peaceful livelihood. Personal drama gives way to political controversies as she forms an unexpected bond with the minister's lonely wife and takes her protest - with the help of her young lawyer all the way to the Israeli Supreme Court.  The film is 1 hour and 46 minutes long and will be followed by a brief discussion.  Homemade Arabic food will be available before and after the film. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2306289379456733/.

15] – On Sun., June 23 from 6 to 9 PM, enjoy Home, Safe and Sound: Storytelling Night, hosted by CWS at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW, WDC 20009. This is World Refugee Day Open Mic Night - open to all performance art (storytelling, poetry, song, dance, etc.) Welcome by Andy Shallal, founder of Busboys and Poets, who will introduce the emcee, Emmy-nominated journalist and activist Ahmed Shihab Eldin.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/2286576231598789/.

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 June 24, 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., June 24 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/.

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