Ardeth Platte, Dominican nun dedicated to no-nukes cause, dies at 84

 Friends,

   I am sending this out with great sadness.   This was quite a surprise to hear that Ardeth died.   Earlier this year the peace and justice community had to deal with the loss of Lin Romano and Kevin Zeese.  I have so many memories of Ardeth and Carol, my partners in crime.  For example, seventy of us were arrested on July 17, 2019 in the Russell Senate Office Building for protesting against the Trump administration’s separation of immigrant children from their parents.  And of course, Ardeth and Carol were among the arrestees. What Ardeth and Carol accomplished is legendary, and I will never forget their faithfulness in speaking out against injustice.  Sr. Ardeth Platte, presente.

Kagiso, Max

https://religionnews.com/2020/09/30/ardeth-platte-dominican-nun-dedicated-to-no-nukes-cause-dies-at-84/

Ardeth Platte, Dominican nun dedicated to no-nukes cause, dies at 84

In this July 25, 2003, file photo, Dominican nuns, from left, Ardeth Platte, Carol Gilbert and Jackie Hudson listen to speakers before addressing a crowd outside the federal courthouse in downtown Denver. The women were convicted in April 2003 of obstructing the national defense and damaging government property for swinging a hammer at the silo and smearing their blood on it in the form of a cross. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

September 30, 2020

(RNS) — Sister Ardeth Platte, a Dominican order nun who fought for nuclear disarmament and later served as an inspiration for a character on the popular Netflix show “Orange Is the New Black,” died in her sleep at the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday (Sept. 30).

Platte, 84, who often worked in tandem with her best friend and frequent collaborator, Sister Carol Gilbert, spent years in prison for nonviolent civil disobedience in opposition to nuclear weapons and war.

It was Gilbert who discovered Platte on Wednesday morning. She had apparently been listening to the radio, as she was still wearing headphones when Gilbert found her. Gilbert said Platte had listened to the presidential debate Tuesday night.

In recent years, the duo spent the brunt of their work speaking in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Gilbert said she had been excited Wednesday morning at the prospect of telling Platte that Malaysia had become the 46th nation to ratify the treaty.

Malaysia’s decision means just four additional ratifications are needed for the landmark disarmament treaty to be brought into force, Gilbert said.

Gilbert said Platte did her final Zoom presentation in support of the treaty on Saturday to the Boston University School of Theology.

“I’m numb,” Gilbert said in a telephone interview. “She was fine yesterday. We did work. I guess you just don’t think death can come that quickly.”

 

Sister Ardeth Platte is shown outside of the Danbury Federal Correctional Institute in Danbury, Connecticut, after being released from the prison on Dec. 22, 2005. Platte was not due to be released until May 31, 2006, but a judge gave her credit for time already served, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Platte, along with Sisters Jackie Hudson and Carol Gilbert, was arrested in October 2002 after they allegedly cut a chain link fence surrounding a Minuteman III missile silo in northern Colorado. The nuns then used baby bottles to dispense their own blood in the shape of a cross on the silo. (AP Photo/Douglas Healey)

Platte was born in Lansing, Michigan, and began her work for the Dominicans as a teacher. In the 1960s and ’70s, she served as principal and director of alternative education at the former St. Joseph’s Educational Center in Saginaw, Michigan. Her work as an educator impressed many in the community, and Platte was urged to run for the Saginaw City Council. She won, serving as councilwoman from 1973-1985. 

She also served as coordinator of Saginaw’s Home for Peace and Justice for more than a decade.

It was in Michigan that Platte began her anti-nuclear work, and where Gilbert joined her. Later, the pair moved to Baltimore to join the Jonah House resistance community with Elizabeth McAlister and Philip Berrigan. 

In 2002, Platte, Gilbert and Sister Jackie Hudson gained international attention when they dressed as weapons inspectors, entered and were arrested at a Minuteman III nuclear missile site in Colorado. Convicted of federal felony charges, the three nuns were sentenced to prison. Hudson died in 2011.

When Platte and Gilbert returned to Colorado in 2017 for a rally, a story in The Denver Post stated: “In the years since they served their sentences in federal prison, the Dominican sisters, hardly deterred by the threat of future incarceration, have become pop culture icons.”

 A character on the Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black” was based on Platte, who practiced yoga at Danbury Federal Correctional Institution with Piper Kerman, author of the book on which the series about a group of women serving time in a minimum-security women’s prison is based.

 A documentary film about the sisters, called “Conviction,” led to stories about the trio being published in The New Yorker, The New York Times and The Washington Post, as well as some international publications.

 In recent months, Platte and Gilbert joined actress Jane Fonda for large protests at the White House.

 Gilbert, who called 911 when she realized Platte had died, said the Catholic Worker house was soon crawling with D.C. police.

 “I wanted to tell Ardeth that even in death you have to make a scene, made our bedroom here into a crime scene.”

 In an email announcement of Platte’s sudden death sent to many of her friends, Catholic activist Paul Magno of Jonah House wrote: “Deep shock to hear this but grateful for all that Ardeth has given to making the peace of Christ radiate through our world.”

 In 2017, Platte told The Denver Post: “I refuse to have an enemy. I simply won’t.”

 © Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. All rights reserved.

Donations can be sent to Max Obuszewski, Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Apt. 206, 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

 

 

Baltimore Activist Alert -- September 30 -- October 2, 2020

43] Hear from Sens. Merkley and Warren – Sept. 30

44] Climate & Just Recovery Forum – Sept. 30

45] Text bank for Biden – Oct. 1

46] Westheimer Peace Symposium - The Nuclear Threat – Oct. 1 - 2

47] Future of the Iran Nuclear Deal -- Oct. 1

48] The transformational potential of the COVID-19 pandemic – Oct. 1

49] Get with the New Measure to End Poverty – Oct. 1

50] Justice, Safety, and Jobs – Oct. 1

51] US Role in Bolivia’s Coup – Oct. 1

52] Mass Murder in the Making of Our Times -- Oct. 1

53] Indivisible Strategy Session – Oct. 1

54] Election Crisis – Oct. 1

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43] – If Democrats win control of the Senate, in order to fix our democracy they must end the filibuster.  RSVP to join Sens. Jeff Merkley and Elizabeth Warren on Wed., Sept. 30 at 8 PM ET for a live discussion on how to fix the Senate.  This online event will take place on Facebook Live. CLICK HERE TO RSVP https://actionnetwork.org/events/rsvp-for-the-live-event-the-trump-mcconnell-attack-on-our-democracy-and-the-fight-to-fix-our-broken-senate?link_id=0&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-the-senate-is-broken-rsvp-here-to-learn-whats-next-4&email_referrer=email_939780&email_subject=the-senate-is-broken-rsvp-here-to-learn-whats-next.  Right now, Mitch McConnell is preparing to steal another Supreme Court seat right before the election. And if Democrats win the Senate next year, he is prepared to use the filibuster to block every attempt to restore our democracy and make progress on the many issues facing our nation.

44] –   On Wed., Sept 30 at 8 PM ET, come together for a Stronger than Storms: Climate & Just Recovery Forum. Learn from and take action with leaders on the frontlines of climate disaster. Sign up at https://350org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PmN7nfAZQmevMZjTqCdmuw. From the fire-scorched West to intensified hurricanes in the Gulf and Caribbean, communities are already facing climate disruption. It’s been three years since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. This will be 350 US’ first virtual event with live simultaneous English/Spanish interpretation, so be sure to register and mark your language preference!

45] – Text bank for Biden on Thurs., Oct. 1 at 9:30 AM.  The Indivisibles need you to text bank over the next few weeks. Sign up through https://www.mobilize.us/2020victory/event/293967/. Since very early in the COVID-19 pandemic, messages of hope about the potential for the pandemic to catalyze radical social change – from universal health care to racial equity to climate justice – have emerged from diverse sectors and societies around the world. This sense of hope is not unique to the pandemic and is often expressed and acted upon in times of crisis. What actually makes such transformation possible, and how can we better understand and create the conditions for radical change that benefits all people and the planet?

46] –  On Thurs., Oct. 1 starting at 10 AM through Fri., Oct. 2, get with Westheimer Peace Symposium - The Nuclear Threat: Past, Present, Future [Online], hosted by Wilmington College Peace Resource Center.   Registration is only required for workshops (as noted on the events schedule). All other lectures and Response Project performances may be accessed freely by the Wilmington College community and general public via Facebook Livestream at https://www.facebook.com/PRCatWC or https://www.facebook.com/WilmingtonCollege.  Check out https://libguides.wilmington.edu/westheimer2020/nuclearthreat.

47] – Tune into the Future of the Iran Nuclear Deal and the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty on Thurs., Oct. 1 from 11 AM to 12:30 PM.  The Trump administration’s unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action has led Iran to retaliate by exceeding key nuclear limits set by the deal. The U.S. strategy has hobbled but not unraveled the agreement and increased tensions with Iran and the international community. Unless Washington and Teheran return to compliance, however, the deal could collapse entirely creating a serious new nuclear crisis in the region.  In this edition of the “Critical NPT Issues” webinar series sponsored by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and the Arms Control Association, panelists will review the benefits of the JCPOA, the current status of noncompliance, pathways to repair the situation, and the potential effects on the global nonproliferation system and the upcoming 10th Review Conference of Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons.  Get involved at http://masspeaceaction.org/event/the-future-of-the-iran-nuclear-deal-and-the-nuclear-nonproliferation-treaty/?emci=7329dc5f-b501-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=05db8d69-b701-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=269591.

48] – On Thurs., Oct. 1 at 12:30 PM EDT, Physicians for Human Rights will host a conversation to delve deeper into the transformational potential of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three prominent international experts in medicine and public health, social epidemiology, and economics and innovation will reflect on what form transformational change might take, as well as the enabling factors we need to consider and influence if we are to transform these waves of hope into reality.  Register at https://phr.org/.  Submit questions at web@phr.org.

49] – Get with the New Measure to End Poverty on Thurs., Oct. 1 from 2 to 3 PM.  The Official Poverty Measure (OPM) has drastically underestimated poverty in the United States since its development in the 1960s, and yet it is still used to determine eligibility for federal programs and aid amounts to communities. Join The Century Foundation and the Center for Economic Policy and Research (CEPR) and discuss a new report focused on why the OPM is woefully out of date, the changes needed to the Supplemental Poverty Measure, and how the federal government can more accurately measure poverty in America, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-new-measure-to-end-poverty-tickets-121427863007?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=ffbb06bc89&mc_eid=0f57b5a0fa.

50] – Join a virtual event organized by the Campaign for Justice, Safety, and Jobs on Thurs., Oct. 1 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.  The People's Town Hall will be facilitated and implemented by community, in community, once again through a virtual Zoom platform (details provided on the Facebook event page). At the beginning, you will have the opportunity to participate in breakout working session. Visit https://www.aclu-md.org/en/events/peoples-town-hall-part-ii-fight-police-accountability?

51] – Tune in to The US Role in Bolivia’s Coup and What It Means for Latin America with Mark Weisbrot on Thurs., Oct. 1 from 7 to 8:30 PM.  To join this Online Event, go to http://masspeaceaction.org/venue/online-event/?emci=7329dc5f-b501-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=05db8d69-b701-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=269591. With elections scheduled in Bolivia for Oct. 18, look at how the Organization of American States (OAS) and the U.S. government helped the Bolivian right to overturn the results of last year's election and install a right wing government.  Independent observers from various countries – outside of the OAS – will have to do their best in October to publicize any voter suppression or other illegal actions by which the unelected, de facto government could steal the election.

52] – Mass Murder in the Making of Our Times is taking place on Wed., Oct. 1 from 7 to 8:30 PM.  Sign up for this online event at http://masspeaceaction.org/event/mass-murder-in-the-making-of-our-times/?emci=7329dc5f-b501-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=05db8d69-b701-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=269591. October 1 marks the fifty-fifth anniversary of the beginning of one of the worst episodes of mass murder in the twentieth century: the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Indonesians in 1965-1966. Organized and directed by Indonesia’s military, the killings targeted people associated with the country’s communist party, the world’s largest outside of China and the Soviet Union. The dismembering of a large part of Indonesia’s political spectrum reshaped politics not only in Indonesia, but around the world, foreclosing on a political pathway that might have produced greater justice and more equitable outcomes in the Global South. Despite the enormity of these events, and the sordid U.S. role of support, the killings in Indonesia are little-known in the United States and beyond. And within Indonesia, a country in which the outsized power of the military endures, there has been no accountability for the slaughter. This show will explore what took place in Indonesia in the mid-1960s, and its significance for the sprawling country and the larger world; the enforced silence surrounding these events in much of Indonesian society since that time; and their present-day manifestations and efforts aimed at accountability. In doing so, the show brings together three guests: Vincent Bevins, author of “The Jakarta Method: Washington’s Anticommunist Crusade & the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our World”; John Roosa, author of “Buried Histories: The Anticommunist Massacres of 1965-1966 in Indonesia”; and Krithika Varagur, author of “The Call: Inside the Global Saudi Religious Project.” Joseph Nevins will host the conversation. To join, go to http://www.ShelterAndSolidarity.org/join.

53] – Indivisible is coming together to strategize one last time before Election Day. Help plan to make this National Activist Call a definitive one on Thurs., Oct. 1 at 8 PM ET.  Register at https://act.indivisible.org/go/511556?t=22&akid=67083%2E839288%2EaQpFLm.

54] – The Election Crisis: How can the working class intervene? This is an online Conversation with Larry Holmes on Thurs., Oct. 1 from 8 PM ET.  Register for the webinar at cutt.ly/electioncrisis. Holmes is the First Secretary of Workers World Party and the author of the recent article: “The Left, the Election Crisis and the Elephant in the Room:”  “The head of the U.S. Postal Service is sabotaging delivery of ballots through the mail. Trump is acting like he won’t step down even if he’s defeated in the elections. And it appears that right-wing and neo-fascist forces, who have guns, are getting ready to go into the streets after the elections to support an attempted coup. Every group and activist ready to fight fascism in the streets should be making preparations right now to intervene in the event of any fascist developments in November.

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

Baltimore Activist Alert -- September 30, 2020

31] Send letters to key voters – Sept. 30

32] Gardening to Feed our Neighbors – Sept. 30

33] Food Rescue – Sept. 30

34] Ari Berman on voting rights – Sept. 30

35] Have progressive Christians talk to their personal contacts – Sept. 30

36] Conversation with Jim Zogby – Sept. 30

37] China Is Not Our Enemy -- Sept. 30

38] Climate on the Ballot -- Sept. 30

39] Pennsylvania Phone Bank – Sept. 30

40] I Saw a Bird – Sept. 30

41] Campaign of Terror – Sept. 30

42] COVID_19 and the Palestinians – Sept. 30

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31] –  The Chesapeake Climate Action Network has a goal of sending 20,000 letters to key voters in critical states in this most important election.  It is looking for 19 people in Maryland to commit to writing 100 letters to meet this goal. If you spend fifteen minutes a day, you can get to 100 letters in 20 days.  Sign up to write letters to voters in critical states: https://votefwd.org/ccanactionfund.

32] – On Wed., Sept. 30 from 10 AM to 3 PM, be at Farming Hope: Gardening to Feed our Neighbors, hosted by Maryland Presbyterian Church and North Baltimore Presbyterians - Ministry Group. This is happening at Rockrose City Farm, 3800 Clipper Road, Baltimore 21211. You’re invited to garden this summer to help feed people experiencing food insecurity. Derrick Weston from the Mission team at Ashland Presbyterian Church, and staff member at Hope Springs, will be gardening at the Rockrose City Farm, located at 3999 Clipper Road, Baltimore, MD, 21211. Folks will gather each Wednesday through Sept. 30. All of the food grown will be donated to various food pantries in our area. Please be in contact if you would like to volunteer. This is a great socially distanced, outside activity, but please bring a mask, and water. Derrick can be reached at Dweston@HopeSprings.org or 410-443-5867.  Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/261101788435840/?event_time_id=261101811769171.

33] – On Wednesdays, at noon, get with a Food Rescue at Umar Boxing, 1217 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21217-3535.  This will continue through Nov. 11. Bring a bag, take delicious, high quality, and nutritious free food! Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/446288255935427/?event_time_id=446288312602088.

34] – Ari Berman, voting rights expert and senior reporter at Mother Jones, will join Nation Editorial Director and Publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel on Wed., Sept. 30 at noon EDT for a critical conversation about voter suppression and the election. Sign up now! https://secure.everyaction.com/HF7d1uiB4E-7ECCUUB4UTg2?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_campaign=nation-event-berman&sourceid=1063394&ms=EME091720201A&utm_content=EME091720201A.

35] – Donald Trump's reelection strategy is to hijack religion, falsely presenting himself as the only option for Christians. It's why he's nominated the religious right's dream Supreme Court justice, why he appeared at last week's National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, and why he attacks Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi's faith at every turn.  It's vital that progressive Christian voters make sure the country knows that Trump and the religious right do not have a monopoly on faith.  This moment is urgent. The stakes have never been higher. Research shows that personal conversations can be 25 times more effective than outreach from a stranger. The idea is to have progressive Christians talk to their personal contacts in key swing states -- especially FL, MI, and PA -- about why your faith leads you to vote against the president. The next Faithful America campaign training webinars are on Zoom on Wed., Sept. 30. Register for webinar at 12:30 PM ET at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwoduuhqj0vHNeqbjln81fZ4uwg8lB8y-sg.  Register for a webinar at 9 PM ET at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcqcuGtpzgiGdOTqC6qyAzyWLMuYFpsOPe9.

36] – Jim Zogby wrote his Washington Watch column on how the version of American history the President wants taught in schools doesn't convey the full story of the roles played by slavery, genocide, and imperial conquest in the development of our country. Read this week's article "I Celebrate US History" at http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/873074?emci=1a3c22fd-be01-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=788b0079-6402-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=389907. Register to receive the dial-in information for Coffee & a Column on Wed., Sept. 30 from 2 to 2:30 PM ET at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpfumgqjgsE9GbtKBpTxQhjg6K1HpQViW8?emci=1a3c22fd-be01-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=788b0079-6402-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=389907. 

37] – Get involved with China Is Not Our Enemy with John Cavanagh of the Institute for Policy Studies on Wed., Sept. 30 at 3 PM ET.  RSVP at BIT.LY/CHINA_WEBINAR.  He will be talking about the recent findings from his latest report, How Trade Policy Failed US Workers and How to Fix It. Raise awareness about the disastrous outcomes of another Cold War and the need to disarm hate towards China.

38] – The DNC Council on Environment and Climate Crisis is pushing for the bold climate policy we need. This means putting Joe Biden in the White House and electing climate champions across the country. And then continuing to organize and amplify the voices of climate and environmental justice activists.  The Council’s fifth Roundtable, “Climate on the Ballot,” will engage with these challenges. Join a group of climate leaders on Wed., Sept. 30 at 7 PM ET for an important conversation, breathtaking poetry from one of the nation’s leading eco-poets, Council updates — and calls to action. Tune in at https://www.dncclimate.org/climate-on-the-ballot-registration?&link_id=0&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-climate-is-on-the-ballot&email_referrer=email_932591&email_subject=youre-invited-climate-on-the-ballot-roundtable-with-bill-mckibben-and-others.

39] – As part of the Windivisible Week of Action, there is a Pennsylvania Phone Bank on Wed., Sept. 30 at  7 PM. Make calls by signing up at https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/06cc826661bc4c00a5f4a4bac6ffbe3d.

40] – You’re invited to the next installment of I Saw a Bird on Wed., Sept. 30 at 7 PM ET on Zoom and Facebook Live. Hear from science writer, naturalist, and artist Rosemary Mosco talk about her popular web comics that bring out the funny side of the natural world. Then shift your eyes to the skies for a conversation with the Executive Director of Panama Audubon Society Rosabel Miró, and Chair of Migration Studies for Florida Keys Audubon Society and Director of the Florida Keys Hawk watch Rafael Gálvez about this year’s hawk migration. RSVP at https://audubon.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5RgB2_25QYGI1L1_YccZSg?emci=407ca382-5cff-ea11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=cdbd5b1e-2200-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=2504878.

41] –Hear about the Stop the Campaign of Terror against Honduras’ Garifuna People by the Coup Regime on Wed., Sept. 30 from 7 to 8:30 PM. The Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras, OFRANEH, and the Garifuna communities in Honduras are fighting to defend their collective territories and communities, protect the environment, and improve access to healthcare and education. Because of this, they have been relentlessly attacked by powerful corporations and individuals with close ties to the Juan Orlando Hernández dictatorship. OFRANEH is demanding that the Garifuna activists kidnapped from Triunfo de la Cruz on July 18 be returned alive.  Meanwhile, the Honduran regime is using the Covid-19 crisis to increase its power through militarization, corruption, violence, and the criminalization of the population suffering from extreme levels of poverty and inequality.  This is sponsored by the Latin America Working Group of Massachusetts Peace Action. Register at http://masspeaceaction.org/event/stop-the-campaign-of-terror-against-honduras-garifuna-people-by-the-coup-regime/?emci=7329dc5f-b501-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=05db8d69-b701-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=269591.

42] – You are invited to the next Health Advisory Council webinar, featuring Fadi Quran, an activist, organizer, Avaaz Campaign Director, and Al-Shabaka Policy Network Member.  The title of the webinar is The Responses of Palestinian Leadership to the COVID 19 Pandemic -- Successes, Failures, and Looking to the Future.  It will happen on Wed., Sept. 30 at 8 PM ET. Register at https://act.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/a/responses-palestinian-leadership-covid-19-pandemic?emci=0d57db16-8ff8-ea11-99c3-00155d039e74&emdi=c0d45dc2-b6f9-ea11-99c3-00155d039e74&ceid=237778.  This will be a discussion on the pandemic in Palestine, Palestinian government officials' responses, and actions taken to control the spread and support medical and public institutions. There will also be discussion on possibilities for future action.

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

Baltimore Activist Alert – September 27 – 29, 2020

 Baltimore Activist Alert – September 27 – 29, 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] Progressive Democrats of America need your help

5] Walk for Change – Sept. 27

6] “Environmental Info Wars” – Sept. 27

7] No Confirmation until Inauguration Rally at the Supreme Court – Sept. 27

8] Healthcare Emergency Town Hall – Sept. 27

9] Protect Creatures and Natural Places – Sept. 27

10] Join a BREONNA TAYLOR ACTION – Sept. 27

11] SISTERHOOD SUNDAYS – Sept. 27

12] Promise to Protect coalition partners are hosting a webinar – Sept. 27

13] Fund Healthcare not Warfare – Sept. 27

14] See a screening of "Necessity" – Sept. 27

15] Pentagon Peace Vigil – Sept. 28

16] Land of Kush Food Rescue – Sept. 28

17] Food Truck Monday – Sept. 28

18] Environmental Justice Task Force – Sept. 28

19] Achieving Police-Free Schools -- Sept. 28

20] ICE detention centers – Sept. 28

21] Trump Brings America’s Dirty Wars Home – Sept. 28

22] SPECIAL PRE-DEBATE CALL – Sept. 28

23] Get Money Out of Maryland – Sept. 28

24] Bill Barry will be teaching course on the Second New Deal – Sept. 29 – Oct. 20

25] Environmental Justice in Baltimore City Panel Discussion -- Sept. 29

26] Human Rights Defenders in Iran – Sept. 29

27] Outside Bread for the Journey Soup Kitchen – Sept. 29

28] Baltimore County Council Work Session – Sept. 29

29] Endurance, Escape & Rockville's Underground Railroad – Sept. 29

30] Pre-debate virtual happy hour – Sept. 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] – Election Day is coming up in less than two months. Progressive Democrats of America need your help now. Sign up at mikefox@pdamerica.org to make phone calls.

5] – On Sun., Sept. 27 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.

6] - 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., Sept. 27, the platform address is “Environmental Info Wars.” Michael Moore has a well-earned reputation for rocking the boat – for challenging the NRA, the healthcare industry, General Motors, and capitalism in general. But he, along with director Jeff Gibbs, outraged many progressives when he criticized the environmental movement in his 2019 documentary, Planet of the Humans. Given the urgency of environmental stewardship, Hugh Taft-Morales investigates this controversy. Did Moore do a public service by creating this work, or did the film set environmentalism back through its claim that environmental groups were in the pocket of financiers from corporate America?

Hugh Taft-Morales joined the Baltimore Ethical Society as its professional leader in 2010, the same year he was certified by the American Ethical Union as an Ethical Culture Leader. He also serves as Leader of the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia. Email ask@bmorethical.org. Visit https://bmorethical.org/?post_type=dd_events&p=4228.

7] – On Sun., Sept. 27 from 2 to 3 PM, join the No Confirmation until Inauguration Rally at the Supreme Court of the United States, hosted by Demand Justice. Demand that senators wait until after the inauguration to confirm a new Supreme Court justice who could kick millions off their health care.  Where have they been on COVID relief, justice for Breonna Taylor, gun violence prevention, and climate? The people demand that OUR NEEDS ARE MET before the Senate entertains the idea of confirming a new justice days before the most important presidential election of our lifetime.  All event participants are expected to wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and follow all local safety guidelines.

8] – As we passed the 200K mark in total COVID-19 deaths -- many of which were totally preventable -- Progressive Democrats of America held vigils in the street, contacted Congress and other elected officials, and now ask you join its Healthcare Emergency Virtual Town Hall on Sun., Sept. 27 at 4 PM ET.  Discuss ways to stay healthy, and the road to healthcare as a human right.  RSVP and receive the secure codes: mikefox@pdamerica.org. Dr. Bill will be joined by Dr. Pam Gronemeyer -- rural Illinois physician and Medicare for All activist -- and Executive Director of People Demanding Action, Andrea Miller.

9] – Protect Creatures and Natural Places by Rediscovering Wonder in our local Nature Parks on Sun., Sept 27 at 4 PM.  Local nature enthusiasts and members of Prince George’s Sierra Club gathered in a virtual outing in August to explore the local parks, preserves, and natural areas in Prince George’s County. Join the next "More Nature Finds near Home" this Sunday. Contact Janet Gingold, Chair, Prince George's Group at janet.gingold@mdsierra.org or (301) 814-1223.

10] – Join a BREONNA TAYLOR ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH LOUISVILLE.  There is a Solidarity March on Sun., Sept. 27 at 4:30 PM starting at the Park near the MICA train station.  This is organized by Baltimore Action Movement (BAM).

11] – You can help engage other women to defeat Trump starting each Sunday from 3 to 5 PM ET, until Nov. 3.  Join these SISTERHOOD SUNDAYS where people will make phone calls to get out the vote. Join this Sunday to make phone calls to other Women’s March members. Sign up at https://act.womensmarch.com/signup/09102020_sisterhood-sunday-form?source=em20200918&t=2&akid=371%2E508952%2EHq5HVp. 

12] – Promise to Protect coalition partners are hosting a webinar on Sun., Sept. 27  from 5 to 6 PM ET to provide a Keystone XL status update, and offer testimony tips for the upcoming tele-public hearings on proposed Clean Water Act permits for the pipeline scheduled for next week. Folks working on the ground to stop the pipeline will give an update on organizing, and ongoing legal challenges. You may join either via your computer, or dial-in to a phone number provided upon registration. REGISTER at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I9NU2wK8TqeSisdDhyyqtQ?link_id=1&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-invite-webinar-for-kxl-update-army-corps-permit-hearings&email_referrer=email_935721&email_subject=invite-webinar-for-kxl-update-army-corps-permit-hearings.

13] – Check out Healthcare Needs in the Pandemic: Fund Healthcare not Warfare on Sun., Sept. 27 from 7 to 8:30 PM. Across the nation millions of healthcare workers are under great stress and direct danger, desperately in need of increased resources, investment and income. Hundreds of articles, interviews, webinars and broadcasts call attention to the nation’s failure to properly invest in the healthcare and public health systems. But silence on the diversion of trillions of taxpayers’ dollars to the war machine continues. The Covid pandemic has highlighted existing societal issues regarding access to healthcare, income inequality, racial inequities, and a poorly-equipped public health system. It is clear, we need increased funding for public health and healthcare needs RSVP at http://masspeaceaction.org/event/healthcare-needs-in-the-pandemic-fund-healthcare-not-warfare/?emci=6db8015b-30fc-ea11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=35bff806-32fc-ea11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=269591.

14] – See a screening of "Necessity"--a documentary on climate chaos resistance-- and hear a panel discussion with filmmakers, attorneys with the Climate Defense Project, and an anti-pipeline advocate.   Michele Naar-Obed from the Hildegard House Catholic Worker will be part of the panel talking about the Four Necessity Valve Turners action. Watch the film at your leisure, and Join the discussion on Sun., Sept. 27 at 8 PM EST via Zoom! In addition to your ticket purchase, donate generously at checkout to support both NECESSITY outreach and the work of the Climate Defense Project!!  NECESSITY traces the fight in Minnesota against the expansion of pipelines carrying highly toxic tar sands oil through Native lands and essential waterways in North America. This feature-length documentary follows Indigenous leaders and white allies, using direct action to protect the sacred and demand justice. Legal experts discuss the record of disparate treatment in the justice system and the legal strategy of the necessity defense, which makes a moral case for acts of civil disobedience. Sign up at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/necessity-documentary-screening-climate-defense-project-fundraiser-tickets-119548311217?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch.

15] – 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 Sept. 28, 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.  

16] – On Mon., Sept. 28 from 11 AM to 1 PM, there is a Food Rescue at Land of Kush, 840 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore 21201.  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.

17] – On Mon., Sept. 28 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.

18] – The Environmental Justice Task Force continues its fight to shut down the BRESCO incinerator on Mon., Sept. 28 from 6 to 7:30 PM. Political pressure is growing for the Mayor to stop his secret talks with BRESCO, and it is essential to keep the momentum going.  The Wheelabrator incinerator must close when its contract with the city ends next year. RSVP at https://secure.everyaction.com/kaoTh1Eb1kGeD-zB5zBmQw2?emci=99bf6b77-6ffe-ea11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=f6c76b65-72fe-ea11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=136680.  Climate chaos and environmental issues often hurt those who are already marginalized in our society. Poor and Black and brown communities often face the harshest effects.  

19] – On Mon., Sept. 28 from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, check out Achieving Police-Free Schools, hosted by ACLU of the District of Columbia. RSVP at https://action.aclu.org/.../dc-achieving-police-free-schools.  D.C. Public School students should learn in an environment that is safe and free from harm. But DCPS currently pay millions of dollars to staff schools with police officers who, contrary to making schools safer, cause more harm.  Past data analyzed by the ACLU shows that schools with police reported 3.5 times as many arrests of children as schools without police, and have higher rates of suspensions and expulsions. These harms disproportionately impact Black and Brown students (Black girls especially), students with disabilities, and LGBTQ students.

20] – Recently, a whistleblower shocked the world with horrifying revelations about human rights abuses in ICE detention centers in Georgia, including the performing of hysterectomies without proper consent. The whistleblower, Dawn Wooten, is a nurse and is being represented in her complaint in part by Project South.  Join Defending Rights & Dissent board member and Project South’s Legal and Advocacy Director Azadeh Shahshahani to learn what’s really happening in ICE detention. In addition to representing Ms. Wooten, Azadeh has long been involved in documenting human rights abuses at Georgia’s ICE detentions and organizing against.  In this special 15 minute update on Mon., Sept 28 at 7 PM, Azadeh will explain what the whistleblower revealed, how it fits into the larger picture of abusive ICE detention, and what activists are doing about it.  RSVP at https://rightsanddissent.org/live/ice-detention-whistleblower/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=79ea5bd7-cc45-4001-85fa-8b57d8bad1e0.

21] – Tune in to Trump Brings America’s Dirty Wars Home on Mon., Sept. 28 from 7 to 8:30 PM.  To join this online event go to http://masspeaceaction.org/event/trump-brings-americas-dirty-wars-home/?emci=d99f4557-abeb-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&emdi=704ab18d-7eec-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&ceid=269591.  What are the roots of American police repression and what kind of movement could change it? Join a conversation with Stuart Schrader, a young scholar who locates the roots of America's militarized police practices in our half century of counter-insurgency and empire as the U.S. sought to control dozens of countries across the world through a combination of policing, irregular armed groups, and military force. He is a Lecturer / Assistant Research Scientist in Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, teaching in Africana Studies, International Studies, Political Science, and Sociology. He is also the Associate Director of the Program in Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship. His PhD is in American Studies, from NYU, in 2015.  He has also taught at Harvard and NYU.

22] – Our Revolution is holding a SPECIAL PRE-DEBATE CALL on Mon., Sept. 28 at 8:30 PM ET, ahead of Tuesday’s first Presidential debate in Ohio. Speak out about how Trump betrayed workers in Ohio, Michigan and other battleground states. These Monday virtual calls will continue through November 2.   Expose Trump’s Lies to U.S. Workers, and hear from laid-off workers and union leaders from Ohio and other battleground states who’ll talk about how Trump and Pence are lying about saving 5,000 jobs at Ohio’s GM Lordstown plant and stopping plant closures in the Midwest.  RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/ourrevolution/event/148017/?akid=492.8252965.Xd-W6M&rd=1&t=9.

23] – Join the Get Money Out of Maryland Teleconference on Mon., Sept. 28 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.

24] – Bill Barry will be teaching an exciting, and timely course, on the Second New Deal for JHU-Osher, every Tuesday through Oct. 20 from 10 AM to noon.  The course will cover social and political movements, as well as New Deal legislation. The course will be done on Zoom and will feature some exciting guest speakers. To register, go to https://aapnoncredit.jhu.edu/wconnect/osher/CourseStatus.awp1?&course=20FB519.

25] – On Tues., Sept. 29 from 10:30 AM to noon, catch up with the Environmental Justice in Baltimore City Panel Discussion, an Online Event, hosted by JHU Sustainability.  Register at http://bit.ly/bmoreejpanel2020. This event seeks to bring together practitioner and community voices from the Baltimore City to discuss the intersection of social justice and climate/environmental concerns. This event invites four Baltimore City community organizers and public servants to participate as panelists.

26] – On Tues., Sept. 29 from noon to 1:30 PM, hear about Courage & Repression: Human Rights Defenders in Iran on Facebook Live, hosted by Front Line Defenders and Iranwire English.  Reporter and student Sepideh Gholian was just 23 years old when she was arrested alongside other human rights defenders for reporting on a peaceful protest by sugar mill workers in Iran over unpaid wages in late 2018. For 30 days she was brutally tortured by Iran’s intelligence services. Sepideh was later sentenced to 18 years in prison and first reported to Sepidar Women’s Prison in Ahvaz, Iran before being transferred to the notorious Evin Prison. Temporarily released during the coronavirus pandemic, Sepideh was able to share her prison diaries and drawings with the world. Although the author is now back behind bars, these have been published in Farsi and English translation. Join us for an update on Sepideh’s situation and work, a reading of excerpts from her memoir and a discussion on the situation faced by human rights defenders in Iran today. Join in for an update on Sepideh’s situation and work, reading of excerpts from her memoir and a discussion of the situation for human rights defenders in Iran today, as the COVID-19 pandemic rages through the country and as the Iranian government targets any activist who speaks out in defense of fundamental human rights. 

27] – On Tues., Sept.  29 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.

28] – Get over to a Baltimore County Council Work Session on Tues., Sept. 29 from 4 to 6 PM ET.  Following the tabling of the police accountability bill #73-20, Councilperson Julian Jones will introduce a new set of bills in the Council meeting; and this work session will work on these bills. They will codify and strengthen police accountability measures, and take other Councilmembers' concerns into account. It will also allow for more public involvement, by requiring two civilians to serve on the County's Police Hearing Board. Attend this work session and testify if you are able to show your support!  You will receive call-in instructions via email after you RSVP at https://jufj.org/event/baco-work-session/?emci=d512f178-26f9-ea11-99c3-00155d039e74&emdi=eb0bf9d4-acf9-ea11-99c3-00155d039e74&ceid=3403859.

29] – Forging Freedom: Endurance, Escape & Rockville's Underground Railroad is happening on Tues., Sept. 29 at 7 PM on Zoom.  Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/forging-freedom-endurance-escape-and-rockvilles-underground-railroad-registration-121229389367.  

   September is Underground Railroad Month! To make the exhibit more accessible, Peerless Rockville is offering it as a presentation online on Zoom.  This is the story of Rockville in the era of the Underground Railroad, when slavery cast a shadow over life in this farming town, and separatist tensions steadily propelled the nation towards war. Come learn about the brave fugitives who fled slavery in Rockville, the abolitionist network that helped, and the endurance of the enslaved community.  Upon registration, you will receive the link to the Zoom broadcast.

30] – The Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund is hosting a pre-debate virtual happy hour on Tues., Sept. 29 at 7:30 PM ET!  Before the Presidential debate on Tuesday, join us for drinks and music and some really cool election actions. You bring the drinks. CCAN will bring the live music, inspiration, and fun.  Want to learn how to write “Dump Trump” postcards through the Sunrise Movement? You will be told how. Want to call voters in North Carolina? You will be shown what to do. Along the way, for sixty minutes on Tuesday night, you’ll laugh and tap your toe and be glad you came. RSVP at https://act.ccanactionfund.org/page/22630/data/1?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=utm_ftv&utm_content=FTV-HappyHourwinner&ea.url.id=602533.

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