Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Baltimore Activist Alert -- January 29, 2020


42] Support the Embassy Protectors -- Jan. 29
43] Background Checks on Long Guns House Vote – Jan. 29
44] Poor People's Campaign – Jan. 29
45] Demand a real impeachment trial – Jan. 29
46] Korean Politics 2020 – Jan. 29
47] Remain in Mexico policy – Jan. 29
48] Maryland Environmental Legislative Summit – Jan. 29
49] A Tale of Two Letters – Jan. 29
50] Climate Reporting – Jan. 29
51] The Legislative Briefing – Jan. 29
52] 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment – Jan. 29
53] Baltimore City Candidates Forum – Jan. 29
54] "Our Plan to win a Green New Deal: JHU Launch Party" – Jan. 29
55] Community Choice Energy Act!  – Jan. 29
56] 1989 Howard U Protest – Jan. 29
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42] – The Embassy Protectors Defense Committee informs us that the lawyers for the Trump Administration’s prosecution of the four Venezuelan Embassy Protectors who were arrested last May are asking the court to make sure the jury is kept ignorant about the facts and circumstances surrounding the actions of the protectors.  In a recently filed motion by government lawyers, state prosecutors are seeking to severely restrict what can be discussed during the trial scheduled for February 11. Judge Beryl Howell will hear arguments on the motion at the pre-trial hearing on Wed., Jan. 29. What does the prosecution want to repress? Everything that might give the defenders the ability to challenge the state’s case. The prosecutors do not want jurors to know that Nicolas Maduro is the democratically-elected president of Venezuela. They also do not want the illegitimacy of the failed coup leader Juan Guaido to be known to the jurors as the eviction and arrest of the four was based on the direction of a fake ambassador, Carlos Vecchio, who is wanted for violent crimes in Venezuela and is allied with Guaido.  The Trump prosecutors do not want the jury to know that the Embassy Protectors were inside the embassy with the permission of the elected government of Venezuela that is recognized under Venezuelan law and by the United Nations.

Kevin Zeese, Margaret Flowers, Adrienne Pine, and David Paul are asking for your support as they could be sentenced for up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine each. Attend the January 29 pre-trial hearing.  Judge Howell will determine whether the Embassy Protectors can introduce evidence that explains why they took the action. This will largely determine the outcome of the trial. The hearing starts at 9:30 AM at the Prettyman Courthouse, 333 Constitution Ave. NW, WDC, room 22-A.  The February 11 trial starting at 9 AM may last several days in room 22-A. See https://defendembassyprotectors.org/call-for-support-at-the-upcoming-hearing-and-trial/.

43] -- On Wed., Jan. 29 from 9:30 AM to noon, get over to House Bill 4 Background Checks on Long Guns House Vote – Annapolis, hosted by Moms Demand Action at the Maryland State House, 100 State Circle, Annapolis 21401.  Join Maryland Moms in the House Chamber to help move HB4 one vote closer to becoming a law. Moms (and dads and others) in red should show legislators that we are serious about requiring background checks on all gun transfers. Meet on the steps of the State House to greet our delegates and encourage them to vote for HB4 and then sit in the House Gallery to watch the vote. RSVP at https://act.everytown.org/event/moms-demand-action-event/31608/.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/786230758544944/.

44] -- The Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival [mailto:info@poorpeoplescampaign.org] is gathering on Wed., Jan. 29 from 10 to 11 AM for a press conference at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 301 A St. SE, WDC 20003 to share plans to engage historic numbers of poor and impacted people for the Mass Poor People’s Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20, 2020. Following the press conference, join the partners at the Center for Popular Democracy to Swarm the Capital to demand a fair impeachment trial.  Meet at noon in the Hart Atrium!  Finally, in the evening many faith, labor, student, and organizational partners will come together for a Moral March, gathering at 5:30 PM at the John Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC.  At 5:45 PM, march to the Mass Meeting at the Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St. NW, WDC 20005. For those not in the area, follow along on livestream at breachrepairers.org/livestream.

45] -- On Wed., Jan. 29, activists will swarm the U.S. Capitol to demand a real impeachment trial. Republican Senators are trying to brush off the latest revelations from John Bolton, but we can’t let them get away with this cover-up. It’s time to show up. RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/208927723607956/.  At 10 AM, come to St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 301 A St. SE, WDC 20003 for an Orientation and Training.  At noon be at the Hart Senate Building Atrium, 120 Constitution Avenue NE, WDC 20002 for a powerful silent formation. Wear t-shirts, buttons, and stickers with strong, clear Remove Trump and “No Cover-Up” messaging. Many people will wear black.  At 1 PM, proceed to the Capitol Steps, followed by mass nonviolent civil disobedience.  At 2 PM at the Capitol Visitors Center, First St. NE, WDC 20515, line the hallways outside the Senate gallery and elsewhere with bodies, messages, and a call for witnesses, documents,

46] -- The George Washington Institute for Korean Studies and the East Asia National Resource Center present Korea Policy Forum “Korean Politics 2020 - Korean Security Issues and Challenges."  It takes place on Wed., Jan. 29 from 10 AM to noon at the Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University, 1957 E Street NW, Room 505, WDC 20052. Domestic Politics is a key factor in shaping security and foreign policy of states. South Korea is no exception. In the South Korean case, the dynamic domestic political geography plays a significant role in Seoul’s strategies with North Korea and the U.S-ROK Alliance. With the upcoming general elections in April, the political landscape in South Korea will be shifting in the coming months, leading to a potential repositioning of South Korea’s foreign and security policy. Dr. Young-jun Kim and Dr. Sang-hyun Lee, current and former policy advisors for the ROK government respectively, including the President's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense, will discuss the prospects of a new domestic political geography in South Korea and its potential impact on Seoul’s foreign and security policy. Look at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/korean-politics-2020-korean-security-issues-and-challenges-tickets-90016617125.

47] -- Jan. 29 marks one year since the first person was returned to Mexico under the “Remain in Mexico” policy. As part of the #Faith4Asylum campaign you are invited to the United Methodist Building (100 Maryland Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002) on Wed., Jan. 29 from 11 AM to noon for a prayer vigil calling for policies that ensure the care and humanity of people fleeing danger and seeking asylum, and calling for an end to policies like “Remain in Mexico” that keep asylum seekers in harm’s way. This event is hosted by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition and others. The "Remain in Mexico"/Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) policy forced 57,000 asylum-seekers into homelessness and danger.  More than 800 people have been attacked in Mexico while awaiting their court dates, including over 200 children, according to Human Rights First.  Vigil against this horrible policy. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2577298792597130/.

48] -- On Wed., Jan. 29 from 4 to 8 PM, come to the Maryland Environmental Legislative Summit in Annapolis, hosted by the Miles Wye Riverkeeper at the Miller Senate Office Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis. Come for an informative afternoon with the Maryland environmental community! Hear from advocates and elected officials about Maryland's environmental legislative priorities. Register at https://forms.gle/78Fz8NWEGWh4LJjQ7.  Continue the Conversation immediately following the Maryland Environmental Legislative Summit at Green Drinks at the Annapolis Market House. Learn how you can stay informed and involved on upcoming environmental bills.  A $10 donation to Annapolis Green is most appreciated.  See https://annapolisgreen.com/…/green-drinks-annapolis-contin…/ or https://www.facebook.com/events/445941279690178/.

49] –    On Wed., Jan. 29 from 5 to 6:30 PM, catch A Tale of Two Letters: Scholarship & Responsibility in Times of Retrenchment, hosted by Program in Racism, Immigration and Citizenship Johns Hopkins University in the Glass Pavilion, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore 21218. Professor Nathan Connolly received two letters last semester. One was threatening, the other beseeching. They had in common an expectation about the civic responsibility of scholars. They defied, too, any notion that digital analytics or social media can capture the fullness of academics' social impact in our current day and age. Informed by the civic and scholarly mission of Hopkins’s Program in Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship, Connolly will discuss the expectations and responsibilities taken up by and placed upon scholars, both historically and in contemporary times. After Connolly's remarks on these and related questions, there will be a town-hall-style public discussion on the role universities and their researchers play in the furtherance of ethical policy and informed public debate. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-tale-of-two-lettersscholarship-responsibility-in-times-of-retrenchment-tickets-90007431651. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/657468504790885/.

50] -- On Wed., Jan. 29 from 6 to 8 PM, Read All About It - Climate Reporting and Sifting Through the Science, hosted by Citizens Climate Lobby DC at Busboys and Poets Takoma, 235 Carroll St. NW, WDC 20012.  With such an extraordinary amount of information bombarding us every day, it can be hard to choose reliable, evidence based news sources when it comes to climate change reporting. Similarly, mountains of data can be hard to distill down to a few key findings for the general public. Reporters can face harassment and intimidation for probing the most egregious climate offenders, and stories that take months of hard work to research and write can be trampled over in the blink of an eye by soundbites, scandals and clickbait. How do we, as readers, determine what constitutes good, honest climate journalism, and how do hard-working climate reporters combat the opaqueness of their subjects?

After the panel, stay with friends at the Sunrise Movement on the Green New Deal. This 30-minute presentation, starting at 8 PM, will be followed by open discussion--what is the Green New Deal, and what is the Sunrise Movement's plan to win it this year? All are needed, all are welcome. Together we can make this the year climate action goes mainstream. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/839285489841216/.

51] – On Wed., Jan. 29 from 6 to 8:30 PM, the Prince George's County Social Innovation Fund presents The Legislative Briefing at Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville 20781.  Want the inside scoop on the 2020 Maryland General Assembly Legislative Session and the 2020 Prince George's County Council Session? See https://www.facebook.com/events/478176732888710/.

52] – On Wed., Jan. 29 from 6 to 8 PM, come to A Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment, hosted by Maryland Women's Caucus at the President's Conference Center West, Miller Senate Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis.  This evening reception will include a panel discussion moderated by Sheila Kast, the award-winning host of On the Record at WYPR and will feature Dr. Martha Jones, John Hopkins University, and Elaine Weiss, the Baltimore-based and author of “The Women's Hour.” Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/206579153719999/.

53] – On Wed., Jan. 29 from 6:30 to 9 PM, come to a 2020 Baltimore City Candidates Forum, hosted by Charles Village Life at Saints Philip and James Roman Catholic Church, This forum will allow community members to gain insight into Baltimore City candidates in preparation for the April 2020 primary election. Candidates should contact Sandy Sparks at srsparks@verizon.net. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2317397021894064/.

54] – On Wed., Jan. 29 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM, check out "Our Plan to win a Green New Deal: JHU Launch Party," hosted by Refuel Our Future in Remsen 140 on the Homewood campus. 2020 will be a turning point for our future. Anyone is welcome to come. Gather to watch and discuss two new films from the Sunrise Movement about the Green New Deal and what we need to do in 2020 to win it, and then together we can figure out what we need to do to make this year count.  RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/our-plan-to-win-a-green-new-deal-johns-hopkins-launch-party?source=facebook&&fbclid=IwAR0hgatBTf894yHPhe31oVHg9QIw_yZacwPgI9GNmjbEL8Fa6DTMc4QKMJI. Call (484)557-5318.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/631484980995349/.

55] – On Wed., Jan. 29 from noon to 1 PM, get over to the Community Choice Energy Act Introduction and Press Conference, hosted by Food & Water Watch - Maryland at the Maryland House of Delegates, 6 Bladen St., Annapolis 21401.  Hear the introduction of Senator Pam Beidle and Delegate Charkoudian's Community Choice Energy Act!  The Community Choice Energy Act will give municipalities and counties control over where their energy comes from, and the power to negotiate lower rates for customers! Our climate crisis needs urgent action, and with Community Choice Energy Maryland's municipalities and counties can lead the way to 100% clean, renewable energy while ensuring energy equity.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/174508023895337/.

56] – On Wed., Jan. 29 from 7 to 10 PM, hear from Joshua Meyers- "We Are Worth Fighting For" which is a focus on 1989 Howard U Protest.  Joshua will be at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201.  This is the first history of the 1989 Howard University protest. The three-day occupation of the university’s Administration Building was a continuation of the student movements of the sixties and a unique challenge to the politics of the eighties. Upset at the university’s appointment of the Republican strategist Lee Atwater to the Board of Trustees, students forced the issue by shutting down the operations of the university. The protest, inspired in part by the emergence of “conscious” hip hop, helped to build support for the idea of student governance and drew upon a resurgent Black Nationalist ethos.  Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/495357707768775/.

To be continued

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

“The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs


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