Baltimore Activist Alert – December 1 – 3, 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] Lawyers Against War
5] Call to protect Human Rights for Palestinian Children
6] Waging Peace in Vietnam
Exhibit – Dec. 1 - 3
7] Nature’s Witness:
Wildlife Photography Exhibit through Feb. 28
8] Empowering Plant-Based
Accessibility in All Communities – Dec. 1
9] Protest Canada Goose –
Dec. 1
10] Legislative meeting
prep session -- Dec. 1
11] Pentagon
Peace Vigil – Dec. 2
12] Picket with Striking
Metrobus Workers – Dec. 2 - 3
13] Urge Congress to Hold
Hearings on the ERA – Dec. 2
14] Gun Laws Save Lives
Rally – Dec. 2
15] Conversation with Dr.
Chris Ford – Dec. 2
16] Food Rescue Pop-Up at
Flourish – Dec. 2
17] Protest at Baltimore
Amazon Warehouse – Dec. 2
18] Baltimore Council
Candidate Endorsement Interviews -- Dec. 2, 3 & 4
19] Baltimore Fair Election
fund bill – Dec. 2
20] Never Silent, Living
with HIV – Dec. 2
21] Honor Matthew Shepard
with a Plaque Dedication – Dec. 2
22] Get Money
Out of Maryland – Dec. 2
23] Save the Date to Save
the Bay – Dec. 2
24] DC Statehood Phone Bank
– Dec. 3
25] Food Rescue
at YO! Baltimore West – Dec. 3
26] Protest killer drone
research at JHU – Dec. 3
27] Hearing on Baltimore’s
Fiscal Readiness for Kirwan – Dec. 3
28] Espionage, Press
Freedom, and Assange – Dec. 3
29] Anne Arundel Green
Party Meeting – Dec. 3
30] “All We Do Is Talk
Steel” – Dec. 3
31] "Shelter in a Time
of Storm" – Dec. 3
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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] – 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.
5] -- CALL
YOUR REPRESENTATIVE: SUPPORT HR 2407 -- “The Promoting Human Rights
for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act,” which
would prohibit U.S. foreign aid from contributing to “the military detention,
interrogation, abuse, or ill-treatment of children in violation of
international humanitarian law.” Additionally, it would authorize $19 million
dollars annually to fund NGOs monitoring human rights abuses associated with
the military detention of children and provide physical and mental health
services to children who have been victims of military detention, abuse, and
torture. The Bill was introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum from Minnesota,
and has found co-sponsors...BUT NOT IN MARYLAND. What if Maryland had some
women in its delegation? And, right now with the vacant seat
following Rep. Cummings' death, don't hesitate to call another office and ask
that your voice be heard. Call the main switchboard 202- 225-2131 and ask to be
transferred to any of the following Maryland Representatives: Brown, Harris,
Hoyer, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes or Trone.
6] - On Sun., Dec.
1, Mon., Dec. 2 and Tues., Dec. 3 from 8 AM to 5 PM, visit the Waging Peace in
Vietnam Exhibit, hosted by the New Village Press, 1957 E St. NW, WDC
20052-0041. November 15, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam
War Mobilization March on Washington, a gathering of over half a million
demonstrators against the war. The George Washington University offers a series
of events to educate students and the general public about often overlooked
facets of the history of US involvement in Vietnam, including the impact that
antiwar GIs and veterans had on ending the war. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/508974299680430/?event_time_id=513544722556721.
7] - On Sun., Dec.
1, 2019 through Feb. 28, 2020 from 9 AM to 5 PM, see Nature’s Witness: Wildlife
Photography Exhibit hosted by the National Wildlife Federation at the
American Association for the Advancement of Science,
1200
New York Ave. NW, WDC 20005. Come marvel at “Nature’s Witness,” an exhibition
of 50 powerful wildlife photographs chosen to inspire conservation. Free and
open to the public, this National Wildlife Federation exhibit will run until
Feb. 28, 2020.
All
50 images were entries in annual National Wildlife® Photo Contests, which draw
more than 22,000 images from around the world every year. Within the exhibit,
one group of images titled “Nature’s Challenge” will raise awareness about some
of the threats putting wildlife at risk today, including habitat loss, invasive
species, disease and climate change. Another set of photographs titled “Life’s
Essentials” will explore how people can help species thrive by gardening for
wildlife. Kids attending the exhibit — a family-friendly event — will also be
able to pick up a copy of Ranger Rick®, Ranger Rick Jr.™, Ranger Rick Cub™ or
one of the National Wildlife Federation’s many other children’s publications.
Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2707182892665780/?event_time_id=2707182935999109.
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.,
Dec. 1 hear
about “Empowering Plant-Based Accessibility in All Communities.”
Plant-based food options are healthier, more environmentally friendly, and
better for animal welfare than the mainstream options in our current food
system. It is an ethical dilemma that these plant-based food options are not
equitably accessible across communities. Plant Dining Partnerships is a
non-profit organization working across the foodservice industry to ensure that
no matter who you are or what community you live in, you are able to access
plant-based foods which are better for your health, for the environment, and
for ethical animal issues.
Lana
Weidgenan will speak about the Plant Dining Partnerships, a newly launched
organization that has hit the ground running with plant-based menu item
victories at Dunkin’ and Hardee’s and two current campaigns on Starbucks and
Wendy’s. Lana is a plant-based climate activist and advocate for community food
justice as a means to combat the climate crisis. This year, she spoke at the
United Nations about the food to climate connection and has been featured on
media outlets including Fox News, The New York Post, MTV News, MSN, CGTN Global
Television Network, and more. Lana led the campaign at Plant Dining
Partnerships in which Dunkin’ agreed to launch a breakfast sandwich with
plant-based protein at all 9,000 locations nationwide. She was one of the
co-organizers of the national DC climate strike that first brought the school
strikes for climate movement to the United States. Lana is also a full-time
student in Public Health Studies at the Johns Hopkins University and an
Ambassador for the Foodprints for the Future program leading up to Earth Day
2020. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.
9] -- Protest
Canada Goose, hosted by DMV Actions for Animals on Sun., Dec. 1 from 11 AM
to 12:30 PM at Tuckernuck, 1053 Wisconsin Ave. NW, WDC 20007-3635. Join
local activists in protesting Canada Goose! Canada Goose jackets are products
of cruelty. The company uses fur from wild coyotes who are caught in painful
steel traps where they can suffer for days with broken bones and wounds before
trappers return to bludgeon or shoot them to death. Mothers desperate to get
back to their pups have even been known to try to chew off their legs.
Contact: Erika at 703-399-1889. All protesting materials will be
provided. MEGAPHONES are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED! Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/426042188111865/.
10] -- Jews United for Justice has a
legislative meeting prep session on Sun., Dec. 1 from 7 to 8:30 PM. Sign up for
the session here: https://jufj.org/events/category/legislator-meetings/leg-prep/.
A District 43 meeting with Senator Mary Washington and Delegate Regina
Boyce will be on Thurs., Dec. 5 from 6:30 to 9 PM. To attend this meeting, you
must attend a prep session. You can join by video at https://zoom.us/j/479604801 or by call at
+16465588656, 479604801#.
11]
– 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 Dec. 2, 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.
12] -- On Mon., Dec. 2 and Tues., Dec. 3 from 7:45 to 9:45 AM
and then from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, join the WMATA HQ Picket with Striking
Metrobus Workers at 600 5th St. NW, WDC 20001-2610. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/553753515478162/.
13]
– Urge
Congress to Hold Hearings on the ERA, which would be supported by Katrina's
Dream. Each Monday, including Dec. 2, at 8 AM, make calls to Senator
Graham at (202) 224-5972 and your senators for the ERA. Hold hearings on S.J.
Res 6, and S.J. Res. 5 which calls for the removal of a deadline for passage of
the ERA. Click on this link https://bit.ly/2T1B8wp,
and check out https://www.facebook.com/events/246467582967063/?event_time_id=246467699633718.
14] - On Mon., Dec.
2 from 9 to 11 AM, get over to a Gun Laws Save Lives Rally, hosted by Moms
Demand Action - DC at the Supreme Court of the United States, 1 1st St.
NE, WDC 20002. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear the first gun-related case in a
decade. The case — called New York v. New York State Rifle — is an NRA lawsuit,
and its ruling has the potential to weaken gun laws across the country. A
coalition of gun violence prevention groups are rallying at the Supreme Court.
Demand the case be dismissed. Stand up against the NRA's extreme approach that
threatens our constitutional rights, our lives, and public safety! Spread the
word on social media using hashtag #GunLawsSaveLives. RSVP at
bit.ly/scotusdec2. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/989209541413169/.
15]
– On
Mon., Dec. 2 from 2 to 3 PM, catch a Conversation with Dr. Chris Ford,
Assistant Secretary of State, at the Stimson Center, 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW,
8th Floor, WDC 20036. Ford is an expert on International Security and
Nonproliferation, and he will discuss the State Department’s efforts to
encourage a “new normal” that establishes healthy patterns that can and will be
sustained indefinitely. Bringing this about should be the core of a
collective nuclear security agenda. Visit https://www.stimson.org/content/conversation-dr-chris-ford-assistant-secretary-state.
16] – On Mon., Dec. 2 from 3 to 4 PM, get with a Food
Rescue Pop-Up at Flourish, 3418 Belair Road, Baltimore 21213-1233. Bring
a bag, take home healthy, free food! Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/301851223848295/?event_time_id=301851360514948.
17]
–
On Mon., Dec. 2 from 5 to 6 PM, join a protest at Baltimore Amazon Warehouse,
2010 Broening Hwy., Baltimore 21224-6027, on Cyber Monday, hosted
by Peoples Power Assembly and ICE Out of Baltimore. Tell Bezos:
Stop enabling ICE raids, and Support Amazon workers. Call 410-218-4835.
Despite
horrific conditions at detention camps and a racist war on migrants and
refugees, especially children, one of the richest people in the world, Jeff
Bezos, continues to consolidate his wealth by profiting off of deportation and
detention and exploiting Amazon workers. Amazon is helping ICE, the immigration
police, track, detain, and deport immigrants. Amazon’s servers host Palantir,
the company that provides ICE with “mission critical services,” such as its
case management software. But it turns out Amazon’s role in the deportation
machine goes deeper than that. Through intense lobbying, Amazon and Palantir
have secured a role as the backbone for the federal government’s immigration
dragnet. Support the Amazon workers who nationally have been demanding the
right to organize and to reduce inhuman production rates and demand safe
working conditions. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1240325856165545/?notif_t=plan_user_invited¬if_id=1575080684966761.
18] – On Mon., Dec. 2, Tues., Dec. 3 & Wed,
Dec. 4 from 5 to 8 PM, come to Baltimore Council Candidate Endorsement
Interviews, hosted by 1199 SEIU Maryland/DC, 611 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore 21201.
Help to decide which candidates (and incumbents) for the Baltimore City Council
we should endorse. Hear the candidates' positions and ask them your questions.
Refreshments will be served. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2431240633805461/?event_time_id=2434009516861906.
19]
– The
Baltimore Fair Election fund bill is scheduled for 3rd reader on Mon., Dec. 2
at 5 PM. This will be the best small-donor matching bill passed in Maryland,
with the highest capacity to draw in new voters and new candidates. PLEASE COME
TO CITY COUNCIL AT 5 PM. Later there will be the need to pass another
bill to establish an acceptable and sustainable funding source. The system will
be implemented in 2024.
20]
– On Mon., Dec. 2 from 6:45 to
8:30 PM, check out Never Silent, Living with HIV, hosted by Smithsonian's
National Museum of Natural History and Whitman-Walker Health at 10th
St. & Constitution Ave. NW, WDC 20560. Tickets are at www.etix.com. In observance of World AIDS Day, turn the
stage over to HIV survivors and those who have cared for loved ones with
HIV/AIDS. Their personal stories are courageous and hopeful, yet reflective of
the challenges faced by people with HIV. The National Museum of Natural History
is teaming up with Whitman-Walker Health to bring you this program. This
program is offered in conjunction with the exhibition Outbreak: Epidemics in a
Connected World at the National Museum of Natural History. See https://www.facebook.com/events/583429462198275/.
21]
– On
Mon., Dec. 2 from 7 to 9 PM, honor Matthew Shepard with a Plaque Dedication,
hosted by Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW, WDC
20016. Tickets are at the tix.cathedral.org. Join Washington National
Cathedral and the Matthew Shepard Foundation for a ceremony of inspiration,
celebration and song during a dedication of the Matthew Shepard Memorial
Plaque. Elevated by a grassroots, crowd-funded campaign in the weeks following
Matthew’s 2018 interment in the Cathedral, the plaque in the Chapel of St.
Joseph of Arimathea is intended to honor Matthew’s memory and to serve as a
source of strength in the continued journey for LGBTQ+ equality. Gathered again
in the Cathedral Nave, and joined by Dennis and Judy Shepard, speakers and
musicians will celebrate Matthew’s legacy and highlight ongoing efforts to, as
the Matthew Shepard Foundation declares, “envision a future without hate, where
understanding and compassion guide us toward an equitable world.” This service
is free and open to the public, however, RSVPs are required for planning
purposes. Respond at https://www.facebook.com/events/2629187963770446/.
22] – Join the Get Money Out of Maryland
Teleconference on Mon., Dec. 2 from 8:30 to 9:30 PM. There are two
ways to join the conference: Dial 1 929 205 6099, and then use meeting ID: 512
862 260. Or Click on your device if you have downloaded the app from Zoom. The
focus will be on organizational sign-ups, public relations, and logistics for
the January 20 observance.
23] -- On Tues.,
Dec. 3 from midnight to 11:59 PM, Save the Date to Save the Bay, hosted
by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. If you just can't wait, give early: www.cbf.org/givingtuesdayfb. Sign up for a
Giving Tuesday email reminder: https://bit.ly/2QM821J.
Your gift to save the Bay and its rivers and streams will be worth DOUBLE,
matched dollar-for-dollar by Leidos up to $30,000. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/3018555638370410/.
24] – Can
you participate in a DC Statehood Phone Bank on Tues., Dec. 3 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. The Phone Bank continues
each Tuesday. See https://www.facebook.com/events/673834763077915/?event_time_id=673834836411241.
25]
– On
Tues., Dec. 3 from noon to 1 PM, Food Rescue at YO! Baltimore West, 1510 W.
Lafayette Ave., Baltimore 21217. Get fresh, delicious, free food. Bring a
bag. Bring a friend! Take what you want. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/403785397093000/?event_time_id=403785437092996.
26]
– Vigil to say "No Drone
Research at JHU" at 33rd and N. Charles Sts. on Tuesday, Dec. 3
from 5 to 6 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or
410-323-1607.
27] -- On Tues.,
Dec. 3 at 5:30 PM, Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen is hosting a
Hearing on Baltimore’s Fiscal Readiness for Kirwan at City Hall. The meeting
will be on the 4th floor, and there will be an opportunity for all to speak on
PILOT. The plan is to have as many folks as possible there to speak out on how
a PILOT where our hospitals, colleges, and universities pay a fairer share will
benefit the city and help fund desperately needed resources for our schools.
Contact National Nurses United Organizer Chris Novoa at 818-319-2853.
28] –
On Tues., Dec. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, hear about Espionage, Press Freedom, and
Assange, hosted by Profs and Pints at La Pop DC, 1847 Columbia Road NW,
WDC 20009. Tickets are at profspintsassange.brownpapertickets.com.
Hear from Gary Ross, assistant professor at the Daniel Morgan Graduate School
of National Security, former supervisory special agent with the Department of
Homeland Security, and author of "Who Watches the Watchmen? The Conflict
between National Security and Freedom of the Press." Julian Assange faces
extradition from England to the United States to stand trial for allegedly
disclosing thousands of classified documents on WikiLeaks, the Web site he
founded precisely to publicize leaked information. If found guilty on each of
the 18 counts contained in the federal indictment, he faces a potential
sentence of more than 100 years. If extradited, he would become the first
non-government insider brought to trial under the Espionage Act for the
publication of national defense [sic] information. Media-rights advocates have
expressed concern that the acts he is accused of committing strongly resemble
many of the "newsgathering" activities journalists regularly perform.
Do
Assange's actions make him a public enemy, or a public servant? Is he a hero in
the battle for government transparency, or is he a threat to democracy? What
would his extradition and conviction mean for members of the media who may
sometimes use similar methods? It's a talk that will give you a much
better understanding of WikiLeaks, the case against Julian Assange, and one of
the most vexing problems of our time, the need to find a way to uphold both
national security and free speech in the Internet age. (Advance tickets: $12.
Doors: $15, save $2 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30
minutes later. Please allow yourself time to place any orders and get seated
and settled in.) Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/774465796323465/.
29] –
On Tues., Dec. 3 from 7 to 8 PM, come to the Anne Arundel Green Party Meeting
at 49 West St., Annapolis 21401. Please join the Anne Arundel Green Party
on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month from 7-8 PM in the back room of 49
West Coffeehouse in Annapolis. Discuss legislation, candidates, and actions in
Anne Arundel County and Maryland. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/748015478906214/?event_time_id=748015632239532.
30]
– Bill
Barry [mailto:billbarry21214@gmail.com] will be
speaking about “All We Do Is Talk Steel” and showing short
video clips of the people interviewed in this book at the Edgemere Senior
Citizens Center, 6600 North Point
Road, Sparrows Point 21219, on Tues., Dec. 3 at 10 AM.
31]
– On
Tues., Dec. 3 from 7 to 10 PM, Jelani Favors presents "Shelter in a Time
of Storm" at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St.,
Baltimore 21201. Go to http://redemmas.org/. Favors presents "Shelter in a
Time of Storm: How Black Colleges Fostered Generations of Leadership and
Activism" in conversation with Taylor Branch. For generations,
historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have been essential
institutions for the African American community. Their nurturing environments
not only provided educational advancement but also catalyzed the Black freedom
struggle, forever altering the political destiny of the United States. In this
book, Favors offers a history of HBCUs from the 1837 founding of Cheyney State
University to the present, told through the lens of how they fostered student
activism.
He
chronicles the development and significance of HBCUs through stories from
institutions such as Cheyney State University, Tougaloo College, Bennett
College, Alabama State University, Jackson State University, Southern
University, and North Carolina A&T. He demonstrates how HBCUs became a
refuge during the oppression of the Jim Crow era and illustrates the central
role their campus communities played during the civil rights and Black Power
movements. Throughout this definitive history of how HBCUs became a vital
seedbed for politicians, community leaders, reformers, and activists, Favors
emphasizes what he calls an unwritten "second curriculum" at HBCUs,
one that offered students a grounding in idealism, racial consciousness, and
cultural nationalism. Favors is assistant professor of history at Clayton
State University. Branch is an author and public speaker best known for his
landmark narrative history of the civil rights era, “America in the King
Years.” Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/420366135560946/.
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
