Sunday, August 23, 2020

Baltimore Activist Alert – August 23 – 28, 2020

 Baltimore Activist Alert – August 23 – 28, 2020

 "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 Max Obuszewski, BNC, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Apt. 206, Baltimore, MD 21212.  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] Walk for Change – Aug. 23

5] Baltimore Ethical Society closed – Aug. 23

6] Get with Freedom Way International – Aug. 23

7] Full ban on chokeholds – Aug. 23

8] From Rebellion to Revolution – Aug. 23  

9] Health care call Aug. 23

10] Our Revolution meeting – Aug. 23

11] Faces of Suffrage – Aug. 24 - 28

12] Pentagon Peace Vigil – Aug. 24

13] Tour of the River Farm Cooperative School – Aug. 24 - 26

14] Land of Kush Food Rescue – Aug. 24

15] John Nichols has a new book – Aug. 24

16] Build bridges toward peace – Aug. 24

17] Food Collection – Aug. 24

18] Food Truck Monday – Aug. 24

19] Edward Snowden deserves a presidential pardon – Aug. 24

20] Baltimore Poor Peoples Campaign – Aug. 24

21] Get Money Out of Maryland Aug. 24

22] Nationwide March for Black Lives – Aug. 25

23] Save the Post Office – Aug. 25

24] Ending solitary confinement in Louisiana – Aug. 25

25] Outside Bread for the Journey Soup Kitchen – Aug. 25

26] Innocents on Death Row – Aug. 25

27] One Mighty and Irresistible Tide – Aug. 25

28] Protest weapons research at JHU Aug. 25

29] Working Groups Meeting – Aug. 25

30] Militarism and Climate Change Aug. 25

31] A Journey into Illness and Solidarity – Aug. 25

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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] – On Sun., Aug. 23 from 8:15 to 10:30 AM, Walk for Change in Old Town, Alexandria.  Start at Misha's Coffeehouse, 102 S. Patrick St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Every Morning, Walk. Wear shirts or carrying signs with positive messages of Equality. The only prerequisite is an able body, loving heart and a dedication to ACTION for change and EQUALITY. Each member has taken action and contributed $ to a BLM cause and continues to keep the MOVEment alive through Daily Walks. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/2508407094

78673/?event_time_id=250840719478672.

5] - 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.  However, the meeting on Sun., Aug. 16 seems to be cancelled.  Email ask@bmorethical.org. Visit https://bmorethical.org/events/?dd_year=2020.

6] – On Sun., Aug., 23 from 11:30 AM to 2 PM, get with Freedom Way International DC, a Socially Distanced Human Chain at the Embassy of Lithuania in Washington, D.C. August 23, 2020 marks the 31st anniversary of the Baltic Way when over two million people joined hands to form a human chain across 400 miles connecting Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn to protest Soviet rule.  To mark this anniversary, Lithuanians are forming a new human chain from Vilnius to the border with Belarus to show support for Belarus’s struggle against Lukashenka's dictatorship. The dictator has claimed 80% of the vote in the elections that took place on August 9. The people of Belarus have been peacefully protesting ever since despite the brutal crackdown by the riot police. At least 5 people have died so far, dozens are still missing, several are expected to remain severely physically disabled for life, and hundreds more will endure PTSD.

Since Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have embassies in Washington, DC, and the diaspora populations of all four countries are large, there will be a replication of the human chain on a smaller scale to connect the four embassies. Take a spot in the human chain down 16th Street NW toward the Embassy of Belarus at 1619 New Hampshire Ave. NW, and then possibly on to the embassies of Estonia and Latvia on Massachusetts Ave NW. MASKS ARE MANDATORY FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS. GLOVES STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. SOCIAL DISTANCING WILL BE ENFORCED TO COMPLY WITH MPD REGULATIONS. BRING SASHES, LINENS, AND RIBBONS TO ASSIST WITH DISTANCING.  Please dress or bring ribbons and/or balloons in these colors: Belarus - white and red (whiter), Estonia - blue, black, and white, Latvia - red and white (more red) and Lithuania - yellow, green, and red. See https://www.facebook.com/events/347813212894083/.

7] – On Sun., Aug., 23 at 2 PM, join a Peaceful Protest, hosted by Cecil Solidarity at the Cecil College Elkton Station, 107 Railroad Ave., Elkton 21921.  There will be a march to the Elkton Police Department to demand a full ban on chokeholds. See https://www.facebook.com/events/681047385817554/.

8] – On Sun., Aug. 23 from 2 to 4 PM, get with From Rebellion to Revolution: Organizing in the Time of Uprising, hosted by the Party for Socialism and Liberation – DC, 14th St. NW and Madison Drive, WDC. As state, local and federal governments seek to crush the movement in the streets against police terror, millions of people find themselves unemployed and on the brink of homelessness as the US government continues to abandon its citizens under the coronavirus pandemic. Attend a teach-in connecting the issues of racist policing, protest rights, housing and other current topics, showing how the fundamental problems with capitalism impact them all and how the movement can address itself to these systemic issues.  RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-rebellion-to-revolution-organizing-in-the-time-of-uprising-tickets-116452672077. This will be a socially distanced outside event, so please wear your masks! Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/321385579049446/.

9] – Join the Healthcare Emergency Town Hall on Sun., Aug. 23 at 4 PM.  As the death tolls rise due to Trump's incompetence, join in to discuss how to stay safe in this pandemic, along with campaigns you can join to make America a healthier place for all, in general.  Dr. Bill will be joined by Former Georgia State Senate Whip Vincent Fort -- a Biden delegate who voted against the DNC Platform in solidarity with Medicare for All -- and former congressional candidate Ami Vilela, whose healthcare tragedy -- the needless death of her daughter at the hands of a profit-driven healthcare system -- drove her to run for office. Email Mike Fox at info@pdamerica.org to get the secure log in codes.

10] – Get over to a Maryland Our Revolution Montgomery Chapter meeting on Sun., Aug. 23 at 7 PM. Register for this virtual event at https://www.mobilize.us/ourrevolution/event/265967/.

11] – On Mon., Aug. 24 from 5 AM through Fri., Aug. 28 at 11 PM, get with Our Story: Faces of Suffrage, Portraits of Change Art Exhibit, hosted by the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation at Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, WDC 20002. This is an interactive photo mosaic and art installation depicting a portrait of suffragist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells. Created by artist Helen Marshall of the People’s Picture, commissioned by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission, and produced by Christina Korp, Purpose Entertainment, Our Story commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and women’s right to vote in the United States. This large-scale installation of the photo mosaic will be on display in the Main Hall at Union Station.

To learn more about the art installation or to see it online, go to https://www.womensvote100.org/ourstory. Watch a promotional video at https://vimeo.com/449211570/ee3b4c86b3.  Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/2624998594382440/.

12] – 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 Aug. 24, and it is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker.  Email artlaffin@hotmail.com or call 202-882-9649.  The vigil will be outside the Pentagon's south Metro entrance and in the designated "protest zone" behind bicycle fences across from the entrance to the Metro.  By Metro, take Yellow Line and get out at the "Pentagon" stop. Do not go to the Pentagon City stop! Go up south escalators and turn left and walk across to protest area. By car from D.C. area, take 395 South and get off at Exit 8A-Pentagon South Parking. Take slight right onto S. Rotary Rd. at end of ramp and right on S. Fern St. Then take left onto Army Navy Dr. You can "pay to park" on Army Navy Dr.,  and there is meter parking one block on right on Eads St. Payment for both of these spots begin at 8 AM.  No cameras are allowed on Pentagon grounds. Restrooms are located inside Marriott Residence Inn on corner of S. Fern and Army Navy Dr.  

13] – On Mon., Aug. 24 through Fri., Aug. 28 from 10 to 11 AM, take a small group tour of the River Farm Cooperative School, 6744 South Kings Highway, Alexandria, VA 22306. Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCpxIC6yIDRFlqr6lrREDLDrGlXo801jYtb6N3DuOT_ZZ4Ag/viewform?usp=sf_link. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/517558452210504/?event_time_id=555640141735668.

14] – On Mon., Aug. 24 from 11 AM to 1 PM, there is a Food Rescue at Land of Kush, 840 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore 21201 on Mon., June 8 from noon to 1 PM.  This will continue each Monday through Oct. 26. Get some free vegan and plant-based food for the community. Bring a bag, take what you want as supplies last. Items from The Land of Kush's menu are not included in the give-away but will be available for sale. See https://www.facebook.com/events/950858858703919/?event_time_id=950858865370585.

15] – Democrats once dreamed the biggest dreams: of thwarting the politics of hatred and defeating the threat of American fascism, of achieving economic and social and racial justice and peace and prosperity. This is history. But it need not be history alone. Could something like the New Deal be done again? Could it be done better? Could talk of a Green New Deal move from a speaker's platform to the program of government and then to the reality of a nation? John Nichols offers possible answers in his hotly anticipated new book. Join the conversation about the future of the fight for equality and justice on Mon., Aug. 24 at noon EDT.  Look at https://secure.everyaction.com/TCOwCn2xjE-X0LTOeRbo8Q2?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_campaign=nation-event-nichols&sourceid=1063081&ms=EMM081720201A&utm_content=EMM081720201A.

16] – Rumor has it that Hate of China will be part of the RNC so continue the work to build bridges toward peace.  Check out the webinar of a conversation between Vijay Prashad, Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and Jodie Evans, CODEPINK cofounder on Mon., Aug. 24 from 2 to 2:45 PM. RSVP here https://www.codepink.org/vijay_cinoe_webinar?utm_campaign=cinoe_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink.

17] – On Mon., Aug. 24 from noon to 2 PM, and Mondays through Aug. 31, there is a Food Collection for the Assistance Center of Towson Churches and Ascension Lutheran Church, 7601 York Road, Towson 21204. ACTC provides assistance to those with food-insecurity in our community.  If you NEED food, it is distributed Monday through Friday 10 AM to 2 PM at ACTC, 116 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Towson 21204. IF YOU CAN SHARE FOOD... place it in the truck parked on MONDAYS from noon to 2 PM in the Ascension Lutheran Church parking lot; on THURSDAYS from noon to 2 PM at the Trinity Episcopal parking lot, 120 Allegheny Ave., Towson 21204; on THURSDAYS from 5 to 7 PM in the Valley Baptist Church parking lot, 1401 York Rd., Towson 21093. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/227533218694234/?event_time_id=227533238694232.

18] – On Mon., Aug. 24 from 5 to 8 PM, get with Food Truck Monday at Mt. Zion Church, 1643 E. Churchville Road, Bel Air 21015. Mt. Zion Church is hosting Food Truck Mondays! Each week, through October 26, a few different local food trucks will be featured. Proceeds will benefit Children of Zion Village in Namibia. Food truck lineups will be posted weekly! Each event will be held rain or shine. Skip cooking and come have dinner with us to support a great cause. https://www.facebook.com/events/626485358235756/?event_time_id=626485391569086.

19] – On Mon., Aug. 24 at 6 PM ET, Jesselyn Radack will join NSA whistleblower, and WHISPeR client, Thomas Drake, PhD, for a livestream discussion hosted by Chip Gibbons, policy director at Defending Rights & Dissent. Discuss why - regardless of the motives behind the sandstorm distractions coming out of the White House - Edward Snowden deserves a presidential pardon. Register at https://rightsanddissent.org/live/pardon-snowden/.

20] – On Mon., Aug. 24 at 6:30 PM, the Baltimore Poor Peoples Campaign will hold a virtual public gathering. In Baltimore, the organizing was launched in 2018, working to connect local fights around healthcare, homelessness/housing, racial and economic justice, and worker's rights to this growing statewide and national movement.  Discuss the conditions we face as a result of this global pandemic, hear an overview of the organizing in Baltimore, and talk about ways to build this work together moving forward. RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/md-poor-peoples-campaign-baltimore-region-open-house?source=direct_link&&link_id=7&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&email_referrer=email_891574&email_subject=maryland-poor-peoples-campaign-weekly-update.  Email baltimore@mdpoorpeoplescampaign.org.

21] – Join the Get Money Out of Maryland Teleconference on Mon., Aug. 17 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 lobbying in Annapolis.

22] – On Tues., Aug. 25 from noon to 3 PM, join the Nationwide March for Black Lives (#GoodTrouble) starting at the Lincoln Memorial to the US Capitol. The call is for Every Black Man - Every Black Women and Every Ally to take the streets. The call is for tougher hate crime laws and laws that will hold Law Enforcement accountable. Call for the Police Unions across America to stop protecting law enforcement that kills unarmed people. Get a free face mask and use the hand wash stations which will be available for the marchers. The organizers are telling people older than 60 or with health issues to STAY HOME! Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/621579058467823/.

23] – On Tues., Aug. 25 from noon to 1:30 PM, get with Baltimore All Out to Save the Post Office, hosted by Stop the Machine! Create a New World at Post Office-Baltimore, 900 E. Fayette St., Baltimore 21202. Tuesday, August 25 is a national day of action to show that we will not allow our US Postal Service to be dismantled and privatized.  Bring signs. Wear masks. Maintain physical distance.  Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/764664224311133/.

24] – Tune in on Tues., Aug. 25 at 1 PM EDT and join Louisiana faith leaders and solitary survivors in a program exploring the moral, theological, and ethical underpinnings that support ending solitary confinement in Louisiana and nationwide. The online webinar, The Moral Imperative to End Solitary Confinement, is being hosted by the Louisiana Stop Solitary Coalition. Go to Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/events/738604573349913/.

25] – On Tues., Aug. 25 from  1:30 to 2 PM, check out Outside Bread for the Journey Soup Kitchen individual lunches given out by Amazing Grace Lutheran Church in Baltimore.  This Tuesday soup kitchen will until Dec. 1. The church is at 2424 McElderry St., Baltimore 21205.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/602052220539690/?event_time_id=602052307206348.

26] – Catch Innocents on Death Row - How They Got There which is on Tues., Aug. 25 from 1:30 to 3 PM. Meet True Crime Authors: Maurice Possley, Jessica Henry, and Simon Cole. Email information@deathpenalty.org.  Register at https://deathpenaltyfocus.salsalabs.org/webinarserieswebinar4/index.html?page=register&eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=95befe13-8d7b-4dec-92b4-a0c06b6ee4ce.

27] – On Tues., Aug. 25 from 3 to 4 PM, hear about One Mighty and Irresistible Tide with Jia Lynn Yang, hosted by the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.  Tickets are at bit.ly/2XP9qmy.  Join LIRS for its third Virtual Book Event, part of a series of insightful interviews with authors and experts in the immigration landscape today.  New York Times editor and author Jia Lynn Yang will discuss her new book, "One Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle over American Immigration, 1924-1965."  REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/2XP9qmy. Framed movingly by her own family’s story of immigration to America, Yang’s book is a sweeping history of the twentieth-century battle to reform American immigration laws that set the stage for today’s roiling debates. A deeply researched and illuminating work of history, the book shows how Americans have strived and struggled to live up to the ideal of a home for the "huddled masses," as promised in Emma Lazarus’s famous poem.  The session will be moderated by Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/371144360539641/.

28] – There is a Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" at 33rd and N. Charles Sts. on Tuesdays from 5 to 6 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607.  You may consider contacting President Ron Daniels and telling him that the university should reject all military contracts, including those for killer drone and nuclear weapons research.  The president’s mailing address is Office of the President, 242 Garland Hall, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland 21218.  You can also reach his office by Phone: (410) 516-8068, Fax: (410) 516-6097 or email: president@jhu.edu.

29] – You are invited to a Baltimore Coalition, Working Groups Meeting on Tues., Aug. 25 from 5 to 6 PM via zoom to discuss next steps and how you can get involved in the working groups.  Use the following link to register and gain access to the meeting: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ode6tqzgqGdwguw94iK5G1y-zyaPCCAJk.  If you are interested in joining a group(s), email Zeki Kelton at zeki@energyjustice.net.

30] – Sign up for The Interlocking Crises of Militarism and Climate Change on Tues., Aug. 25 from 7 to 8 PM. Discuss the connections between climate change, endless wars, and our militaristic culture. Discuss the enormous effects war and militarism are having on our climate crisis. Many realize that wars are largely fought to support fossil fuel companies and their infrastructure and the ramifications are far reaching. These wars and the bloated "defense" budget cause the Pentagon to be the biggest single polluter on earth. Find out more: http://masspeaceaction.org/event/the-interlocking-crises-of-militarism-and-climate-change/?emci=8e52efb4-a8e0-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&emdi=bf9a56b8-a9e0-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&ceid=269591.

31] – You are invited for a discussion of Murphy Davis' new book, "Surely Goodness and Mercy: A Journey into Illness and Solidarity" on Tues., Aug.  25 at 8 PM ET. It is hosted by the Memphis Theological Seminary, and Dr. Peter R. Gathje will serve as the person asking and fielding questions. Click this link to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/98819061027.  You can also join in by calling.  See +1 301 715 8592 (Germantown), +1 646 876 9923 (New York), +1 312 626 6799 (Chicago), +1 669 900 6833 (San Jose), +1 253 215 8782 (Tacoma) or +1 346 248 7799 (Houston).  The Webinar ID is 988-1906-1027.  

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to Max Obuszewski, Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Baltimore, MD 21212.  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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