Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert -- July 31 -- August 1, 2019


30] Are Sanctions working? – July 31
31] Whistleblower Summit Panel on Dialysis – July 31
32] Food Rescue – July 31
33] Who Gets to Live Where? – July 31
34] What DC Do You Live In? – July 31
35] Physical Sanctuary Readiness Workshop – July 31
36] Poets in Protest – July 31
37] Watch Party – July 31
38] CODEPINK watch party – July 31
39] Larry Hogan vs. Free Speech – Aug. 1
40] What is a community school? – Aug. 1
41] Extinction Rebellion meeting – Aug. 1
42] Hometown News – Aug. 1
43] Celebration of Local Food & Community – Aug. 1
44] How recycling works – Aug. 1
45] Sierra Club meeting – Aug. 1
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30] – On Wed., July 31 from 9 to 11:45 AM, hear a discussion of Are Sanctions Working?  It will take place at Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, 2nd Floor, WDC 20036. Go to https://www.csis.org/events/are-sanctions-working.  Two of the discussants will be Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelkar and Peter Flanagan, Covington & Burling LLP. Whether more robust sanctions regimes have won any clear victories is a matter of debate.   In the last three years, U.S.-imposed unilateral and secondary sanctions regimes have sought to influence North Korea, Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.  But countries that have been subject to sanctions for years have found ways to adjust to U.S. moves.  This conference will review the efficacy of the new style of U.S. sanctions, understand what is contributing to their success or failure, and gauge their future.  Speakers will also explore how sustained use of sanctions is impacting one universally important sector: the energy sector.

31] – On Wed., July 31 from noon to 1 PM, catch the Whistleblower Summit Panel on Dialysis, hosted by GenoMed, Inc. Go to https://www.whistleblowersummit.com/. GenoMed will be at the 8th Annual Whistleblower Summit testifying that dialysis should be obsolete: https://www.whistleblowersummit.com/summit_at_a_glance/.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/719625158459237/.

32] -- Wednesdays at the Free Farm, 3510 Ash St., Baltimore 21211 by Food Rescue Baltimore continue on Wed., July 24 from noon to 1 PM. Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. See  https://www.facebook.com/events/2335352913149645/?event_time_id=2335353063149630.

33] –On Wed., July 31 from 6 to 8 PM, get answers to Who Gets to Live Where? with “The Lines Between Us” author Lawrence Lanahan, hosted by Impact Hub, 10 East North Ave., Baltimore 21202.  There will be a panel with Adriana Foster, Matt Hill & Johnette Richardson (Bio's below) with an opportunity for a Q & A & book signing. Stable, affordable housing is foundational to community wealth building. It never comes easy. In “The Lines Between Us: Two Families and a Quest to Cross Baltimore’s Racial Divide” Lanahan asks three Baltimoreans how they are helping renters and owners to live where they choose, build wealth in a community they care about, and fight outside pressure on affordable housing.   Hill is an attorney with Public Justice Center; Foster is a leadership worker with United Workers. Richardson is the deputy director of Neighborhood Housing Services Baltimore and the former executive director of Belair Edison Neighborhoods, Inc. Lanahan was a producer at WYPR’s Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast from 2009 to 2013. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2396351530597145/.

34] – On Wed., July 31 from 6 to 8 PM, check out What DC Do You Live In? This is a Workshop about Gentrification, Displacement & Race, hosted by the YWCA National Capital Area at Franklin D. Reeves Municipal Center, 2000 14th St. NW, WDC 20009. Washington, D.C. is struggling to integrate new development and residents into long standing communities and culture. These changes cause disruption, displacement, and disdain. This real conversation about gentrification and race will be focused on how displacement impacts schools, communities, families, businesses and individuals, along with giving time for dialogue and sharing. We want all voices heard and encourage you to bring diverse thoughts to the table.  The nearest Metro is U St. /African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Station Center. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/2831682043525264/.

35] – On Wed., July 31 from 6:30 to 9 PM, there is a Physical Sanctuary Readiness Workshop, hosted by Congregation Action Network and Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, 9601 Cedar Lane, Bethesda 20814.  Enjoy a light supper and social time. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ATTENDANCE.  Registrants must be affiliated with a faith community or group doing work in immigration justice.

The calls for physical sanctuary in the DC Metro area are increasing as the administration's immoral policies put more and more people at risk of detention and deportation. ​Threats of mass deportations continue this weekend despite the 2-week hiatus. A call from ICE for thousands more detention beds across the nation, including within 50 miles of local ICE field offices underlines the administration's aggressive detention-to-deportation program. ​​Our immigrant siblings are under siege across the region and the Nation.  The ​Congregation Action Network and Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church - the sanctuary home of Rosa Gutierrez Lopez - are offering a workshop for regional faith communities that have already declared their intention to provide physical sanctuary, those still contemplating it, and those congregations that would like to support sanctuary congregations. We'll go in depth to answer your questions, what's involved, how to get organized, and offer various models for hosting an immigrant or immigrant family in protective residence when they otherwise are facing immediate deportation.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/670408493431042/.

36] – On Wed., July 31 from 7 to 8 PM, get over to Poets in Protest: Tyler French + Regie Cabico, hosted by Loyalty Books, 827 Upshur St. NW, WDC 20011.  French and Cabico will be in conversation with Malik Thompson.  Thompson invites local and national poets to Loyalty to discuss their work and acts of resistance through their work. Cabico has appeared on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, TEDx Talk and NPR's Snap Judgement. French is a writer, organizer, and public humanist living in Washington, D.C. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/2781972505163351/.

37] – On Wed., July 31 from 7:30 to 10:30 PM, watch the 2nd Democratic Presidential Debate, hosted by Mobtown Shank and Atomic Books, 3620 Falls Rd., Baltimore 21211. Watch Night 2 at Eightbar. It's first come, first served. But it is capped at 30 people. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/2308964919431804/.

38] – Come to a 2020 Democratic Debate Watch Party, Night 2, on Wed., July 31 at 8 PM at Busboys and Poets, 14th and V Sts.  CODEPINK does not expect the candidates to spend as much time as they should discussing important foreign policy issues — preventing a war with Iran, ending US involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen, achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula, stopping US support for Israel's war on Palestinians — but the group is looking forward to seeing what they say and where they stand on the issues. Check out the President for Peace materials, and watch the debates together. Go to www.codepink.org or email info@codepink.org.

39] – On Thurs., Aug. 1 at 4 PM, hear about Larry Hogan vs. Free Speech.  COME AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT for our right to demonstrate and protest using boycotts, divestment and sanctions without government interference. The House of Delegates in Annapolis REFUSED to sanction those who participate in boycotts, Governor Hogan took matters into his own hands, penalized the action by Executive Order. Ali v. Hogan has been set for a hearing before Judge Catherine Blake, Courtroom 7D, US DISTRICT COURT,  101 W Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21201.  Arrive one hour early at 3PM. and bring a photo Identification for entrance to the courthouse. Laptops, cell phones, other electronics are not allowed in the building. READ MORE ON THIS case and others in the USA at https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-op-0123-bds-lawsuits-20190122-story.html.

40] –   What is a community school? How will it impact next school year? How is it different from our current schools? Come out to the next civic academy on Thurs., Aug. 1 at 5 PM with the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools Prince George's County and PGCEA and learn everything that you need to know about community schools. A light dinner will be provided.  RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/civic-academy-community-schools-2?source=direct_link. Learn more about the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools at https://reclaimourschoolspg.org.

41] –  On Thurs., Aug. 1 from 5:30 to 7:15 PM, come to an XR August Meeting, hosted by Extinction Rebellion Baltimore at Zen And The City Massage And Wellness Boutique, 811 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21201. Reflect on some recent actions, plan upcoming actions, and also discuss how to navigate the climate crisis. Part of the discussion will involve this paper: http://www.lifeworth.com/deepadaptation.pdf.  Some light, plant-based snacks will be provided. Feel free to bring a dish/snack you love, preferably plant-based! Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/2097283493898600/.

42] – On Thurs., Aug. 1 from 6 to 7:30 PM, check out How will America's hometowns get news from the Capitol? This is hosted by the National Press Club Journalism Institute. Tickets are $5 to $10.  What’s next for regional reporting: How to produce meaningful journalism in an era of shrinking newsroom budgets, diminished public trust and fake news.  The regional reporters who cover the nation’s capital for audiences outside the Beltway today face a host of challenges: Shrinking newsroom budgets have closed or decimated many D.C. bureaus, leaving those reporters who remain under major pressure to fill the gaps. The nation’s federal offices are more opaque than ever, making it difficult for journalists to hold them accountable on behalf of the public. And the public itself has become increasingly skeptical of–and sometimes hostile toward–the news media. How can regional reporting adapt to, and once again thrive in, this environment?

Hear a conversation among four distinguished panelists with distinct perspectives on the topic: Veteran regional reporter Jerry Zremski will discuss how his job has changed after three decades in Washington and his biggest challenges as he seeks to keep his readers informed about what their representatives are doing in D.C; the Pew Research Center’s Michael Barthel will share his research about the local news landscape and public trust in journalism; and former U.S. Reps. Ryan Costello, R-Pa., and Jim Moran, D-Va., will talk about their experiences being covered by local and regional reporters and how the changing face of the news media impacted the way their constituents engaged with them.  The program will be held in the First Amendment Lounge, and registration is required. The cost is $5 for members of the National Press Club and $10 for non-members. Please register at https://www.facebook.com/events/2485314135029811/.

43] – On Thurs., Aug. 1 from 6 to 8 PM, enjoy a Celebration of Local Food & Community with Patagonia DC, hosted by PAKKE at Common Good City Farm, 300 V St. NW, WDC 20001. Get tickets at pakkesocial.com. This is a farm to table dinner at Common Good City Farm to celebrate local food and enjoy a night of community togetherness, and to benefit Honeyflower Foods who will create a menu from locally-sourced food to share. Come enjoy a night on the farm with good food, good drinks from Right Proper brewing Co, Lubanzi Wines, and Blue Ridge 'Bucha all for a good cause. https://www.facebook.com/events/2308795952569340/.

44] –    On Thurs., Aug. 1 from 6:30 to 8 PM, get an answer to How Recycling Really Works (The Basics & Beyond), hosted by Recycling in Frederick County at Frederick County Public Libraries, 110 East Patrick St., Frederick 21701. Tickets are at www.commonmarket.coop.  Sign up for this free program to learn how what you do at home is part of a complex global industry. This crash course, led by staff of the County Office of Recycling, will cover: how to recycle effectively, what can (and can't) be recycled in Frederick County (and why), and describe the impact that “wish-cycling” of non-recyclable materials has on the program. Please note: this class is geared towards adults. Participants may bring in packaging or material samples they have questions about. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/894075350961057/.

45] – Attend a Sierra Club/Washington County Members Meeting on Thurs., Aug 1 from 6:30 to 8 PM, organized by Catoctin Group at 18047 Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown 21740. Contact Douglas Arnall at douglas.arnall@mdsierra.org or 301-991-6323.  There will be a presentation on Monarch Butterflies by Sandy Sagalkin, co-director of The Monarch Alliance. Also to be discussed is helping on a Street Tree Survey for the City of Hagerstown.

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

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

We’re Spending Trillions on Weapons and War. Let’s Spend It on Health Care./How Biden’s Secret 2002 Meetings Led to War in Iraq



We’re Spending Trillions on Weapons and War. Let’s Spend It on Health Care.

The money needed to fund Medicare for All is there. It always has been. PABLO K / GETTY IMAGES


July 17, 2019
           
We can’t afford it!
This will mean higher taxes!
It’s anti-American!
This is but a taste of the nonsense you can expect to endure over the coming 16.5 months as the nation hurtles toward an electoral reckoning with the Trumpian monstrosity that was unleashed in 2016.
Of course, Republicans will spray this cheese into the wind at every opportunity, partially because the deliberately inaccurate vision of “socialism” they’re peddling will cost their wealthy benefactors a miniscule percentage of their fortunes, and partially because they still envy how much red-baiting TV time Sen. Joe McCarthy got back in the day.
Nowhere will this fraudulent bugaboo version of “socialism” be deployed more often than in the ongoing debate over reforming health care. The so-called “radical” Medicare for All plan championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders during and after his 2016 presidential campaign has become the go-to health care reform idea for most of the 2020 Democratic contenders, including several candidates at the front of the pack.
This has a number of individuals, specifically those who profit wildly from the current expensive mayhem system, breaking out in full-blown chicken-skin. Luckily for them but not so much for us, they have large media megaphones through which they can make their discontent heard.
“The for-profit health industry is aware that support for a national health system like Medicare for All has risen in recent years,” writes Michael Corcoran for Truthout, “along with unprecedented grassroots energy. Moreover, health care costs rank as the biggest concern among Americans. Resistance is almost entirely driven by the for-profit health industry, which works to portray the illusion of widespread opposition to — and fear of — a national health system. Corporate media outlets have helped them tremendously along the way.”
The pushback against Medicare for All is not solely relegated to the Republicans, the for-profit health care industry, and their allies in the media. According to reports, a top aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave private assurances to a clutch of insurance executives back in February that Medicare for All is doomed under her stewardship, despite the fact that it is supported by a huge majority of Democratic voters and more than half of Republican voters. Millennials love it to pieces, and could turn out in droves if they get a chance to vote for it in the general election.
Socialism is a publicly funded health care system that does not ruin the many for the profit of the few.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the if-you-believe-the-polls frontrunner for the nomination and the clear establishment candidate, is dipping his toes very lightly into Medicare for All while attacking progressives for even considering the idea. Biden’s $750 billion health care plan is essentially Obamacare 2.0 and includes the “public option” that was memorably discarded when the Affordable Care Act was first assembled.
“I think one of the most significant things we’ve done in our administration is pass the Affordable Care Act,” said Biden at a recent event in New Hampshire. “I don’t know why we’d get rid of what in fact was working and move to something totally new.”
Senator Sanders, who has not retreated one inch from his 2016 health care proposals, is having none of it. “We cannot continue to tinker around the edges while 80 million Americans lack health insurance or are underinsured with high premiums, copays and deductibles,” he said in response to Biden’s criticisms.
“We believe that health care is a human right,” said Sanders in Philadelphia on Monday, “and we are going to fight for a system that is based on human needs, not corporate profits.”
Beyond his competitors for the nomination who subscribe to various versions of his Medicare for All plan, Sanders also enjoys a number of high-profile allies in Congress. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezRashida TlaibIlhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley are all fierce advocates for the policy. Trump’s recent eruption of tactical racism has elevated the profile of “The Squad” even further, enhancing their ability to argue the position to a wider audience.
We can all afford to be healthy if we redirect misplaced priorities away from killing people with expensive machines toward a system that is about keeping people alive and well.
Never forget: Sanders got rousing cheers from a Fox News town hall audience in April when he explained his Medicare for All proposal to them. Support for this policy knows no partisan boundaries when it is laid out to voters directly, without passing it through the media filter of the for-profit health care industry. Speaker Pelosi and former Vice President Biden can’t, or won’t, accept this fact on its face, but it is fact nonetheless.
Which brings us back to the money needed to pay for these ideas, and to our grossly misplaced national priorities. The version of “socialism” Sanders and the others are offering is New Deal economics for the 21st century: Public money used for the greater public good. Period, end of file.
“Socialism” functions as a slur for those who miss the politics of the Cold War, but for others, it is bedrock common sense: This form of socialism is already practiced widely in the U.S. even as it is thoroughly taken for granted.
It is stop signs at intersections, clean water, highways, college scholarships, public schools, libraries, plowed streets, the Hoover Dam, firefighters, a thousand other things everyone uses to their benefit every day, and yes, socialism is also a publicly funded health care system that does not ruin the many for the profit of the few.
As for the money, well, that’s where those grossly misplaced national priorities come in.
The defense contractor Northrop Grumman, at the behest of the U.S. Air Force, has begun assembling the next generation of stealth weapons technology, the B-21 bomber. No one outside Northrup Grumman has seen the thing yet, but available reports suggest the bomber will be capable of carrying more ordnance — including a variety of nuclear-armed weapons — farther than any prior flying war platform ever has before.
“The Air Force has big plans for the B-21,” writes Kyle Mizokami for Jalopnik, “planning to purchase 100 bombers to replace the B-2 Spirit and B-1B Lancer, at a cost of $656 million each in 2019 dollars. The service has hinted it would like up to 75 more, and one think tank, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, suggested the service buy as many as 288 bombers.”
Math time: $656 million x 100 planes = $65.6 billion. $656 million x 175 planes = $114.8 billion. $656 million x 288 planes = $188.9 billion.
Estimated cost for the famously fragile F-35 Joint Strike fighter program: $1.5 trillion and rising.
Estimated cost of the so-called “war on terror”: $6 trillion and rising.
I am sensing a pattern here.
The price of a single B-21 bomber could fully fund Meals on Wheels for more than 65 years. The cost of the F-35 Joint Strike fighter program could fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program for more than 22 years. The cost of the “war on terror” could fund the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program for more than 345 years.
According to the House Medicare for All caucus, that program will costsomewhere between $28-32 trillion over 10 years. That comes out to about $3 trillion per year, which means the “war on terror” budget alone could have covered the first two years. Add more than six months to that with the F-35 and B-21 funding, and we’re just getting started.
The Pentagon has requested $718 billion for its fiscal 2020 budget, an increase of $33 billion from 2019. The total annual cost of the CIA, NSA and the national security state is estimated to be around $1.25 trillion. Fossil fuel subsidies amount to around $649 billion per year. The list goes on, and on.
And that’s not counting all the “lost” Pentagon money we’re not supposed to know about. We know, and we would like it back.
There is a vast amount of money to be found in the hidden corners of the federal budget, and the rest can be acquired by taxing the wealthy and corporations. To say we can’t afford Medicare for All, simply put, is to lie.
The Air Force wants to call the B-21 “The Raider” as an homage to Doolittle’s Raiders, who launched an audacious bombing attack against Japan shortly after Pearl Harbor. Me? I think they should call it “The Vitamin,” especially in all their advertisements, because the copy writes itself: “B-21, a healthy cash supplement for Northrup Grumman.”
Call it socialism for the warmakers, and I am heartily tired of it. We can all afford to be healthy if we redirect those misplaced priorities away from killing people with expensive machines, and toward a system that is actually about keeping people alive and well.
Making a buck off the backs of the sick, the injured and the elderly is an idea whose time has come and gone. Ending that ruthless practice is part of the dreaded “socialism” Sanders and the others are talking about. Tell a friend.
This article has been updated.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.
William Rivers Pitt is a senior editor and lead columnist at Truthout. He is also a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of three books: War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn’t Want You to KnowThe Greatest Sedition Is Silenceand House of Ill Repute: Reflections on War, Lies, and America’s Ravaged Reputation. His fourth book, The Mass Destruction of Iraq: Why It Is Happening, and Who Is Responsible, co-written with Dahr Jamail, is available now on Amazon. He lives and works in New Hampshire.

How Biden’s Secret 2002 Meetings Led to War in Iraq

Sen. Joe Biden speaks to the press after Senate luncheons, October 1, 2002.TOM WILLIAMS / ROLL CALL / GETTY IMAGES


July 28, 2019
Even though former Vice President Joe Biden’s favorability has declined following the first Democratic debate, he remains largely considered the frontrunner by many mainstream media outlets and pundits for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Early in the first debate, Sen. Bernie Sanders mentioned how Biden had supported the Iraq War and that he had voted against it. Biden responded that he now wanted to see the U.S. out of Afghanistan. Yet Biden’s role was more sinister than that.
In 2002, Biden was the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Following 9/11, he conducted the “Hearings to Examine Threats, Responses and Regional Considerations Surrounding Iraq” on July 31 and August 1, 2002.
At the time, Biden classified the meeting as secret and did not allow public review or attendance. The media largely did not cover this meeting. With the exception of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (a committee member), the people invited to attend and give a submission were not on record as being against the war. Notably absent from the hearing was Scott Ritter, the former United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq.
In September 2002, Biden spoke before the Senate and made a case for war against Iraq. He followed that with a nearly one-hour Senate discourse supporting the war on October 9, 2002. It was Biden’s inference in this Senate presentation that suggested Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threat in mainstream discourse.
When the transcript of the September 2002 Senate meeting first became available, I downloaded it. As someone who had worked on weapons systems and had as high as a top-secret clearance, I had experience with infrared missiles, inertial reference navigation systems, global positioning systems and radar for use in both military vehicles and ground-firing howitzers, as well as conventional and nuclear missiles and bombs. I also had unrestricted access to the classified library of the U.S. Navy and knew of other proposals in the military by U.S. defense industries. I figured that if there were to be anyone qualified to assess a threat, I was certainly in the running.
So I downloaded the file in October 2002 and set about to read the 275-page document word by word. I easily spent a couple of weeks doing it. Review of the entire transcript revealed there was no real evidence whatsoever that Iraq was a threat to the U.S. or was in possession of WMDs. Shouldn’t we expect a reference to satellite data, perhaps? Or discussions about facilities that inspectors were being kept from? Or maybe special nuclear sensors that had tripped?
Nothing in the transcript provided any evidence that Iraq was a threat. It was all historical and conjecture about the meaning of Saddam Hussein’s speeches. Nothing technical was even mentioned that required my familiarity with weapon systems. Instead, words and meeting dialogs that Hussein had with his engineers were interpreted as evidence that he had WMD and that his engineers were motivated to the extreme.
For example, Khidir Hamza, once Iraq’s leading nuclear physicist, discussed posturing by Hussein regarding weapons inspectors as validation of WMD. He also referred to Hussein’s past experience with chemical weapons and alleged purchase of radioactive materials. Hamza had retired from the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission in 1989 and left Iraq in 1994.
Biden conducted a secret meeting in which his star witness hadn’t been in Iraq for eight years. He concluded Iraq was a threat in spite of evidence to the contrary. The mainstream media cooperated by not even reviewing the transcript of this meeting at the time.
Can we trust someone in the White House who so irresponsibly pushed the U.S. down the path for war and irreversibly tarred our image on the world stage as a nation that did not follow the rule of law?

Formerly an electronics engineer for the Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division, Jim Bronke spoke out against the Iraq War in 2003 as a member of Military Families Speak Out. Bronke is currently retired from engineering and chair of the SW Michigan Green Party.
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


Monday, July 29, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert -- July 29 - 31, 2019


17] Get Money Out of Maryland Teleconference – July 29
18] World Day against Trafficking in Persons – July 30
19] DC Statehood Phone Bank – July 30
20] Peace vigil – July 30
21] Protest killer drone research at JHU – July 30
22] Healthcare Panel & Debate Watch – July 30
23] Workshop: Improv for Climate Advocacy – July 30
24] Film “The People v. The Politicians” – July 30
25] Resistance Among Palestinian Women in Israel – July 30
26] Terps for Bernie: Debate Watch Party – July 30
27] Terps for Bernie: Phonebank & Textbank -- July 30
28] Democratic Presidential debates – July 30 - 31
29] Democratic Debate Watch Party – July 30
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17] – Join the Get Money Out of Maryland Teleconference on Mon., July 29 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.

18] – Tuesday, July 30 is the United Nations designated World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

19] – Can you participate in a DC Statehood Phone Bank on Tues., July 30 from 10 AM to 6 PM at the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC 20004 in room G-9. Join the Washington, DC Statehood Office for a DC Statehood Phone Bank. Call state legislatures across the US to raise awareness of DC residents' lack of full and equal voting representation in Congress.   Phones, scripts, materials, and light refreshments will be provided. See https://www.facebook.com/events/673834763077915/?event_time_id=673834786411246.

20] –  Each Tuesday from 4:30 - 5:30 PM, the Catholic Peace Fellowship-Philadelphia for peace in Afghanistan and Iraq gathers at the Suburban Station, 16th St. & JFK Blvd., at the entrance to Tracks 3 and 4 on the mezzanine.  The next vigil is July 30.  Call 215-426-0364.

21] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" near the entrance to Johns Hopkins at 34th & N. Charles Sts. on Tuesday, July 30 from 5 to 6 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607. 

22] – On Tues., July 30 from 5:30 to 10:30 PM, attend a 2020 Healthcare Panel & Debate Watch! It is hosted by DMV Grassroots Coordinating Committee and Woman's National Democratic Club at 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW, WDC 20036.  Hear from a panel on what "Medicare for All" might look like if a Democrat wins the White House ranging from single-payer to a public option, After the discussion, watch the presidential debate watch event at 8 PM ET. Supporters of each candidate are welcome to network and vote in a 2nd Straw Poll!  SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Wendell Potter, author, "Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans;" Stephanie Kang, Medicare For All Fellow, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Stan Dorn, Director of the National Center for Coverage Innovation Families USA, and Professor Vincent DeMarco, Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health.  ALSO Watch the 7/31 @ WNDC: Democratic Presidential Primary Candidates Debate Watch Party.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/514257492647704/.

23] –   On Tues., July 30 from 6:30 to 9 PM, participate in a Workshop: Improv for Climate Advocacy, hosted by DC Climate Coalition at the Sierra Club DC Chapter, 50 F St. NW, WDC 20001. At this workshop, you'll learn how "magic" and comedy can be used to cut through BS and disrupt power systems. Learn how to talk across the aisle, confidently be yourself, loosen up and have fun in stressful situations.

Sam Jared Bonar is donating his time to put on a workshop for DC Climate Coalition members and friends. More about Sam is here: http://www.samjaredbonar.com/. RSVP using this link! https://forms.gle/ZMoDcfzuCTgrJoEC8.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/calendar/.

24] – On Tues., July 30 at 6:30 PM, get over to the Pacem Summer Film Series: “The People v. The Politicians.” For every flaw in our politics – dark money, voter suppression, gerrymandering, Citizens United, Mega-Donors, hyper-partisanship – grassroots reformers are putting solutions to work at the state level. At St. Stephen's Church, 1301 N. Broom St., Wilmington.

American Promise Delaware and Pacem in Terris will co-sponsor the Hedrick Smith documentary. On the website Reclaim the American Dream, Hedrick Smith is described as a “…Pulitzer Prize-winning former New York Times reporter and Emmy award-winning documentary producer for PBS and PBS FRONTLINE…Smith is the author of five books and co-author of two others...His current book “Who Stole the American Dream?” is a probing historical analysis of the roots and causes of rising economic inequality in the U.S. and polarized gridlock in Washington and an outline of potential strategies for the future.” The discussant is Dr. Judith Butler.  Look at http://depaceminterris.org/.  Go to http://depaceminterris.org/fw-event-slug/2019-summer-film-series-july-23-30-and-august-6/.

25] – On Tues., July 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, Dr. Suheir Daoud will discuss Resistance Among Palestinian Women in Israel, hosted by The Jerusalem Fund & Palestine Center, 2425 Virginia Ave. NW, WDC 20037.  Tickets are at www.thejerusalemfund.org.  This event is part of the Palestine Center’s 2019 Summer Intern Lecture Series titled “Resist, My People, Resist Them: Centering the Voices of Palestinian Women in Resistance”. This series explores the different forms of resistance that Palestinian women have taken and draws attention to the varied ways that Palestinian women have been involved with, led, and shaped resistance.

Dr. Daoud is a Palestinian writer and professor from Mi'ilya village in Western Galilee (northern Israel). She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is currently an Associate Professor of Politics in the Department of Politics at Coastal Carolina University. Light snacks and refreshments will be served from 6 to 6:30 PM.  RSVP at https://www.thejerusalemfund.org/events/upcoming/lecture-resistance-among-palestinian-women-citizens-in-israel-with-dr-suheir-daoud. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/348090006087511/.

26] – On Tues., July 30 from 7 to 10:30 PM, be at the Terps for Bernie: Debate Watch Party in The Courtyards, 8000 Boteler Lane, Apt. 663, College Park 20740-4423.  Tickets are at act.berniesanders.com. Join Terps for Bernie for this fun event and cheer for Bernie at the 2nd 2020 Presidential Democratic Primary Debate in Detroit! Get excited an historic campaign to transform America, and sign-up to do the important work of grassroots organizing. RSVP at https://act.berniesanders.com/event/debate-watch-party_attend/13140.  Bring drinks and snacks! Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/402118580407071/.

27] – Join the Terps for Bernie: Phonebank & Textbank! It is happening at 7 PM on Tues., July 30, Wed,, July 31 and Thurs., Aug. 1. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/692175584565271/?.event_time_id=703375290111967.  This is happening in the McKeldin Library, Room 2100E.  Tickets are at airtable.com. Join the students of Terps for Bernie to call or text voters and ask them to join our historic campaign to defeat Trump and transform America. In addition to a cell phone, you will need a laptop or tablet to use the Bernie Dialer. If you don’t have a laptop, you can check out one at the McKeldin Library Equipment Loan desk on the 2nd floor. Sign up for this event here: https://airtable.com/shrTz0LycJt60kpFO. Find the location for this event here: https://airtable.com/shrTz0LycJt60kpFO. Text (301) 458-0220 for location or if you get lost. There is visitor parking which includes street locations, surface lots, and campus garages, which are controlled by pay stations and credit card meters. All visitor parking is enforced seven days a week from 7 AM to midnight, unless otherwise noted on the meter. During these hours, guests must pay $3 per hour, with no daily rate. Many visitor parking zones allow for payment through the Parkmobile app.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/692175584565271/?event_time_id=703375290111967.

28] – Be at the Second Democratic Debate Watch Party -Night 1 at Glory Days Grill, 10035 Baltimore National Pike, 7335 Carved Stone, Ellicott City 21042, on Tues., July 30 at 7:30 PM. Watch the second set of Democratic Presidential debates with friends! The debate starts at 8 PM but the room is available from 7:30 PM, so stop by to have something to eat and discuss how to win 2020. The link to the event is at https://actionnetwork.org/events/2nd-democratic-debate-watch-party-night-1?source=direct_link&. Check out https://act.indivisible.org/event/attend-local-actions/144351/signup/?t=5&akid=51232%2E839288%2EyMpzfM.

Be at the Second Democratic Debate Watch Party -Night 2 at Glory Days Grill, 10035 Baltimore National Pike, 7335 Carved Stone, Ellicott City 21042, on Wed., July 31 at 7:30 PM. Watch the second set of Democratic Presidential debates with friends! The debate starts at 8 PM but the room is available from 7:30 PM, so stop by to have something to eat and discuss how to win 2020. The link to the event is at Second Democratic Debate Watch Party -Night 2 is at https://actionnetwork.org/events/2nd-democratic-debate-watch-party-night-2?source=direct_link&. Look at https://act.indivisible.org/event/attend-local-actions/144352/signup/?t=5&akid=51232%2E839288%2EyMpzfM.

29] –  On Tues., July 30 from 8:30 to 11 PM, come to the Democratic Debate Watch Party, hosted by Sunrise Movement Baltimore and Our Revolution Baltimore City/County at Remsen Hall, Baltimore. Enjoy snacks and chat with others at Remsen Hall, Room 101, Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus, 3400 North Charles St., Baltimore 21218. Remsen Hall is the next building immediately northwest of the library.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/930550030621907/.

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

Baltimore Activist Alert – July 29 to July 30, 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] SUPPORT AMAZON WORKERS OF CONSCIENCE
7] Little Friends for Peace
8] Maryland 2,000 – July 29
9] International Bog Day – July 29
10] Evaluation of the Trump Administration's Nuclear Weapons Policies – July 29
11] Cuban National Ballet School Teaching Seminar – July 29
12] Development of Environmental Law & Enforcement in China – July 29
13] Fund Trans Legal Access Now – July 29
14] “Fight Like a Mother” – July 29
15] Training how YOU can support our immigrant neighbors – July 29
16] Overturn Citizens United – July 29
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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] -- 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.

7] -- Little Friends for Peace (LFFP - http://www.lffp.org/) has been conducting summer peace camps around the Metro DC area for well over 30 years.  For approximately the last ten years, LFFP has been offering free tuition to children of TASSC (Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition - https://www.tassc.org/) members.  Recently they have also been welcoming children of refugees to their camps without regard for tuition payment. If you would like to assist with this undertaking, there are many ways you can including:

Driving - many of the TASSC and other refugee families want their children to attend camp but they do not have the ability to drive them there and back.  For the last 8 to 10 years, Helen Schietinger has been working with LFFP and TASSC to provide drivers for these children.  If you can drive some children even one way, on one day on any day during the following three weeks of peace camp this summer, it would be much appreciated.  Many drivers from past years have moved or "aged out" of feeling comfortable driving and we really need as many volunteer drivers as possible.  If you can possibly drive, please contact either Helen (202-344-5762 - h.schietinger@verizon.net ) or Bob Cooke (301-661-0449 or cookerh1251@gmail.com) regarding exactly when you can drive and from where you might be comfortable driving.  Most of the children live in PG County, D.C. or Montgomery County.

The weeks drivers are needed include: August 5 - camp is in Colesville/Silver Spring, MD and August 19 - camp is in Mt. Rainier, MD.  Share this information.

Donate for Scholarships. In order to help as many scholarship asylee, refugee (and other) children attend camp, LFFP (http://www.lffp.org/donate.html) can use as much scholarship money donations as possible.  No amount of scholarship money is too little.  

8] – Maryland 2,000 organized by the Animal Welfare League Queen Anne's County continues from midnight through noon on Mon., July 29, Tues., July 30, Wed., July 31 into the future. Tickets are at www.maryland2000.com.  Also involved is the Baltimore Humane Society. There’s no better time to find your feline bestie than right meow!

The third annual Maryland 2,000 is back and homes are needed for cats and kittens living in shelters across Maryland this July. Stop by any one of our 21 participating shelters listed at Maryland2000.com to find a cat or kitten that is just right for you and your family. Normal adoption procedures apply, but cat and kitten adoption fees are waived!  Sponsored by the Cat Hospital at Towson, Maryland 2,000 adopters will receive a certificate for a free wellness exam for their new cat or kitten at one of our participating veterinary clinics. Find your nearest veterinary practice at https://www.maryland2000.com/participating-veterinarians. See https://www.facebook.com/events/476717003131923/?event_time_id=476717096465247.

9] – On Mon., July 29 from 8 to 10 AM, hosted by International Bog Day USA at Howard's Branch Restoration Site, Anne Arundel County, Maryland 21012.  Celebrate International Bog Day (which is actually on Sunday, July 28) by visiting a world-renowned wetland restoration site (listed at number 11 of the most significant Earth Day Projects recognized by the Environmental News Network). Completed in 2001, Howard’s Branch wetland and stream enhancement project was designed to support the reintroduction of Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) by creating a seepage wetland in a degraded stream valley previously impounded for use as a drinking water reservoir. A series of cobble weirs and a network of sand berms was placed over a dry lakebed to mimic the hydrology found in natural Atlantic white cedar sites and provide habitat for a robust native plant community. This is the site of a successfully reproducing stand of Anne Arundel County MD Atlantic white cedar trees that were grown from seed collected at the last 10 remaining AWC sites on the Western Shore of MD back in the 1990's. Some of the other natives we may see at the site are Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia), Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), sedges, iris, rushes and ferns. After we visit Howards Branch, we will return to the meeting place and if you have time, you can stick around to see another wetland and stream restoration site, Cabin Branch, which is about a 2 minute walk from the parking lot. All registration goes through https://www.mdflora.org/event-3489158.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/506855360118881/.

10] – On Mon.,  July 29 from 9:30 to 11 AM, hear about A Critical Evaluation of the Trump Administration's Nuclear Weapons Policies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Choate Room, 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC.  Since taking office in January 2017, the Trump administration’s strategy to reduce nuclear weapons risks has been marked by significant controversy. The administration has withdrawn from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, began high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with North Korea, proposed to develop new low-yield nuclear capabilities and is pressing forward on a $1.7 trillion plan to maintain and upgrade the U.S. nuclear arsenal, announced its intent to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty on August 2, and has yet to make a decision on whether to extend the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).  Hear from Lt. Gen. (ret.) Frank Klotz, Corey Hinderstein, Nuclear Threat Initiative; Kingston Reif, Arms Control Association; and Thomas Countryman, Arms Control Association.  Visit https://www.armscontrol.org/events/2019-07/critical-evaluation-trump-administrations-nuclear-weapons-policies.

11] – On Mon., July 29 at 10 AM through Thurs., Aug 1 at 4 PM, get with the Cuban National Ballet School Teaching Seminar, hosted by the Towson University Department Of Dance and the Ruth Page Center for the Arts at Towson University Department Of Dance, Center for the Arts, 8000 York Rd, Towson 21252.  For the first time ever in the United States, this four-day seminar will focus on the intermediate years of the Cuban National Ballet School's 8 year curriculum (ages 15-17).  Seminar participants will learn about the History, Methodology, Cultural Traits, and Distinctive Characteristics of the Cuban National Ballet School curriculum. Call (410) 704-3495 or go to https://www.towson.edu/campus/artsculture/centers/communitydance/adult/.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/313313932862519/.

12] – On Mon., July 29 from 11:30 AM to 1 PM, get over to Development of Environmental Law & Enforcement in China, hosted by Environmental Law Institute, 1730 M St. NW, Suite 700, WDC 20036.  Tickets are at www.eli.org.  This past spring, senior EPA and DOJ officials visited their Chinese counterparts to discuss recent legislative and regulatory developments. The U.S. officials also met representatives from U.S. multinational corporations and NGOs, as well as members of the Chinese judiciary and the academia. On July 29, ELI and the Woodrow Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum will host three of these top U.S. officials to hear about their recent trips and to discuss Chinese environmental law developments, new approaches to enforcement, and the effects of Chinese environmental laws on U.S. companies. Register at: https://bit.ly/2XBl3KV.  Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/856165214784014/.

13] – On Mon., July 29 from 6 to 9 PM, participate in Fund Trans Legal Access Now! This is hosted by TransLAW: Trans Legal Advocates of Washington at TRADE, 1410 14th St. NW, Ground Floor, WDC 20005.  Trans Legal Advocates of Washington (TransLAW) is hosting our 7th Annual Fundraiser & Celebration! Join LGBTQ+ friends and allies for a fun, casual evening of celebrating accomplishments and fundraising to support the legal needs of transgender and gender nonconforming people in the DMV area. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/348162032517989/.  All funds raised go directly to clients receiving name and gender change services at Whitman-Walker Health's Name and Gender Change Clinic!  There is a $10 suggested donation. Visit https://TransLAW2019.eventbrite.com/. 

14] – On Mon., July 29 at 7 PM, join us at the ERUCC Downtown Community Room, 15 West Church Street in Frederick, 21701, for an author talk and book signing with Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and author of “Fight Like a Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women Will Change the World.”  On the morning of December 14, 2012, stay-at-home-mom Shannon Watts was folding laundry when the news broke that there had been a shooting in Newtown, Connecticut involving young children. Outraged and heartbroken, Shannon felt an overwhelming need to act. Discovering there was no organization for gun violence similar to MADD—Mothers Against Drunk Driving—she vowed to build it. Tickets can be had at curiousiguana.com. “Fight Like a Mother” is the powerful story of how one mother’s cry for action started a national women’s movement. Moms Demand Action has established chapters in all 50 states and, along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Students Demand Action, and the Everytown Survivor Network, is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with nearly 6 million supporters.  This event is presented in partnership with Curious Iguana and Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ (ERUCC). Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. Contact Curious Iguana at 301-695-2500 or info@curiousiguana.com. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/1883367228430591/.

15] – On Mon., July 29 from 6:30 to 8 PM, the Episcopal Refugee and Immigrant Center Alliance (ERICA) will host a training about how YOU can support our immigrant neighbors and be a positive force in ensuring their constitutional rights are not violated. Learn about the rights of immigrants and bystanders alike and how to respond safely and effectively if you witness harassment or exclusion or, in particular, ICE activity. The training will take place at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, 4 E. University Pkwy., Baltimore 21218. This workshop is free. Please RSVP by clicking 'Going' on this event page https://www.facebook.com/events/330422281241000/?active_tab=about.  Refreshments will be served.

16] – On Tues., July 30 from 11:30 AM to 1 PM, check out U.S. Senate Introduction - Amendment to Overturn Citizens United, hosted by End Citizens United at the Supreme Court of the United States, 1 1st St NE, WDC 20002.  Senator Tom Udall and other Democratic senators will introduce a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and to prevent Big Business and wealthy individuals from spending unlimited amounts of money to try to influence our elections. Join us to show your support and hear from Senator Udall and others about how we can reduce the power of special interest money, bring dark money into the light, and create a democracy that works for all of us.  RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/democracy-for-all-amendment-to-overturn-citizens-united-tickets-66487631295. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/339673673622418/.

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