Baltimore Activist Alert – April 18 - 19, 2021

Baltimore Activist Alert – April 18 - 19, 2021

"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] Volunteer with a Catholic Worker house  

5] Max is looking for tips on a garage or a storage suggestion.

6] Free Prakash Churaman  

7] House cleaner needed

8] Ellen Campbell may lose her house.

9] Xochi needs a place to stay in Baltimore

10] Sunrise Movement – April 18

11] Global Day of Action in Solidarity with Venezuela – April 18

12] End the blockade of Yemen – April 18

13] Webinar on Media Disinformation on Nicaragua --- April 18

14] Healthcare Town Hall – April 18

15] Peacemaker Salon – April 18

16] Pentagon Peace Vigil – April 19

17] Nuclear Issues – April 19

18] Food Rescue – April 19

19] Nuclear Alliances – April 19

20] Moral Monday in Mississippi -- April 19

------

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] - Suzanne Fontanesi and Jeff Ross are in the beginning stages of renovating the basement of their house for purposes of bringing in a volunteer (targeting young adults in discernment mode), starting next fall. They are trying to grow a Catholic Worker House in Irvington (West Baltimore). In a nutshell, there is a lot that a volunteer could do in that neighborhood/Baltimore, in addition to prayer and daily community living and in addition to plugging into all the good work that people are already doing in and around Baltimore (and beyond).  If you think you might know of anyone who might be interested in starting a conversation with them about becoming such a volunteer/community member, please contact Jeff/Suzanne at 443-690-6872.

5] – Max is in need of a garage or a storage space.  Any suggestions would be welcome.  Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

6] – Prakash Churaman was 15 when he was arrested and accused of murdering his best friend. NYPD detective Barry Brown coerced him into making a false confession over the course of hours in an interrogation room. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison by Judge Kenneth Holder, a former prosecutor. That conviction was overturned this summer and now for the first time he has a chance to come home if money can be raised for his bail. Here is the link to a video which tells his story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FStlvKjTt4&t=7s. Here is the link to GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/freeprakashchuraman and another one to a petition: https://www.change.org/p/freeprakashchuraman.

7] – Is there a woman in the Baltimore area who does house cleaning?  This assignment would be on an irregular basis with several hours per week.  Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

8] –   Ellen Campbell may lose her house in Waverly due to a tax sale.  If you would like to donate, there is a Go Fund Me account. Contact Cindy at farquhar.cindy7 at Gmail dot com.

9] – Xochi, a young person from El Salvador, is seeking asylum in the United States.  Xochi made the decision in April 2020 to move to Dallas, TX to live with her mother.  In the last year she lived with a few friends in Texas and with her mother.  Because of the pandemic, Xochi's court date has been pushed back many times.    Xochi would like to move back to Baltimore.  If you know where Xochi can live while she seeks employment in Baltimore, contact Bethany Gregg at  bethany.gregg@gmail.com. 

10] – 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., April 18, get with the “Sunrise Movement.”  Members of Sunrise Movement Baltimore will introduce you to the Sunrise Movement—its goals and theory of change, what we’re fighting for, and how this movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process is a departure from the U.S. “environmental movement” as we know it—or knew it, up until 2018! Brianna Vaughn is a first-generation student at McDaniel College studying sociology and psychology. She is originally from Baltimore and lives right outside of the city. When Vaughn first got to McDaniel College she found the Sunrise Movement. By the second semester, she became lead of outreach at McDaniel College, and began working with the Baltimore coalition in outreach. Anne Wilson has lived in the City of Baltimore since 2007. She joined Sunrise Movement’s December 2018 occupation of House leadership offices as an “elder ally” to demand a select committee for a Green New Deal, and she has worked with the all-volunteer Baltimore hub of Sunrise ever since, focusing on partnerships with Baltimore’s ecosystem of social and environmental justice organizations. Email PRESIDENT@BMORETHICAL.ORG for INFORMATION.

11] – U.S. Peace Council [USPC@USPeaceCouncil.org] is hosting a webinar on the Global Day of Action in Solidarity with Venezuela on Sun., April 18 from 11 AM to 1 PM ET.   One of the speakers is Margaret Flowers of Popular Resistance.  RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_50p5HLO7SKqZEG390hup4w?link_id=0&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-zoom-webinar-on-the-occasion-of-the-global-day-of-action-in-solidarity-with-venezuela-3&email_referrer=email_1146407&email_subject=zoom-webinar-on-the-occasion-of-the-global-day-of-action-in-solidarity-with-venezuela.

12] – Sunjeev Bery, Freedom Forward [mailto:campaigns@freedomforward.org] informs us that on Sun., April 18 at 1 PM ET you can hear from Dr. Aisha Jumaan, president and founder of the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation. Plan to do an action to end the blockade on Yemen. Over 70 Members of Congress have called on President Biden to oppose Saudi Arabia’s blockade on millions of people in Yemen. Here’s the problem: Biden still hasn’t done it. We must do our part to end the blockade and the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis in order to bring food and medicine into Yemen. Sign up at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsduqqrzMuGNPcHeZZgCZwoTyvrb49VTS6.  Visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsduqqrzMuGNPcHeZZgCZwoTyvrb49VTS6?link_id=0&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-this-sunday-help-end-us-support-for-dictators-3&email_referrer=email_1146132___subject_1526449&email_subject=who-will-you-invite-to-join-the-freedom-community-this-sunday-at-1pm-est.

13] – There is a Webinar on Media Disinformation on Nicaragua: A Tool in US Unconventional Warfare on Sun., April 18 at 3 PM ET.  April 18 is the anniversary of the US-led coup attempt. The speakers will address the role of Nicaraguan and international media in the attempted coup and its aftermath, the new Foreign Agents Law and its use by the Sandinista government to control misinformation in the run up to the November 7 election, and media claims of censorship.  The speakers are John Perry, who lives in Masaya and has written about Nicaragua for The Nation, London Review of Books, COHA, Counterpunch and FAIR; and Louise Richards, who is the Trade Union and Communications Co-coordinator for the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group.  Register at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Qmi83i5iRzC6ridntgPvHg.

14] – Mike Fox for Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] wants us to know that there is a different log-in for the weekly Log In For Dr. Bill's Healthcare Emergency Town Hall on Sundays usually at 4 PM ET, but this weekend is part of this weekend's Leadership Conference.

For over a year Dr. Bill has been doing weekly Healthcare Emergency Town Halls to discuss COVID-19 and the ways we can all support a healthier country for all via Medicare For All and more. Sign up at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYrc-qvqD0qHNUBI8WUKEOvn9HE7KfUgbqh.

15] –Maxine Garcia [maxine@codepink.org] wants you to join the Peacemaker Salon on Sun., April 18 at 5 PM ET! Earth Day is right around the corner, so CODEPINK co-director Carley Towne will be giving a presentation on defunding the Pentagon, because War is Not Green. She will be followed by CODEPINK China is Not Our Enemy Coordinator Madison Tang. See https://www.codepink.org/04182021salon.  You can join the webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87050842395?pwd=OEMxNjk2WEYzdzBlU3g1bSs4bDNkZz09. The Meeting ID is 870 5084 2395, and the passcode is 257146. Or you can dial in 1 301 715 8592.

16] – 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 April 19 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.  

17] – On Mon., April 19 at noon, the Truman Center for National Policy is pleased to invite you to an important conversation on Nuclear Issues Across the United States. The public event will feature keynote remarks from Representative Dina Titus (NV-01). Her remarks will be followed by a panel of leading experts Erica Fein (Win Without War), Yasmeen Silva (Beyond the Bomb) and Denise Duffield (Physicians for Social Responsibility–Los Angeles). The event will be moderated by Naomi Egel, the Janne Nolan Nuclear Security Visiting Fellow at the Truman Center. Nuclear issues---from weapons to waste---affect Americans across the country. To understand the full range of nuclear issues facing the United States at home, as well as the intersections between nuclear risks and other contemporary challenges, this event brings together panelists with extensive experience organizing national campaigns and working with Congress, state, and local-level leaders to reduce nuclear risks. Sign up at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2QUz6O15QOusMN7Ethr96w.

18] – On Mon., April 19  from noon to 1:30 PM EST, participate in Food Rescue at Land of Kush, 840 North Eutaw St., Baltimore.  This Food Rescue will continue until Mon., Apr. 26. Food Rescue Baltimore is proud to partner with The Land of Kush each and every Monday to bring free vegan and plant-based food to the community. Bring a bag, take what you want, while supplies last. #KeepItFreshDay #MeatlessMonday. See https://www.facebook.com/The-Land-of-Kush-102096254517153.

19] – Tune into Balance of Power Redux: Nuclear Alliances and the Logic of Extended Deterrence will be heard on Mon., April 19 from 12:30 to 2 PM EST.  Eliza Gheorghe, Bilkent University, Turkey, delivers a seminar in the Bologna Institute for Policy Research American Foreign Policy Series.  The event is hosted by John L. Harper, Senior Adjunct Professor of American Foreign Policy; Professor Emeritus, Johns Hopkins University. Sign up at https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D495629803#/?i=2. https://jh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oQ_FHgWBSimpF0-TbI10rw.

20] – Rev. Dr. William Barber and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis [info@poorpeoplescampaign.org] wants you to get involved on Mon., April 19 at 3 PM ET with Moral Monday Live from Mississippi. Standing on the shoulders of generations of freedom movements to emerge from the South, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II will join poor and low-income organizers and moral leaders in Jackson, MS to make a national announcement of plans for a Mass Poor People’s and Low Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington. Sign up at https://actionnetwork.org/events/mississippi-moral-monday?link_id=2&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-moral-monday-poverty-unmeasured-4&email_referrer=email_1145407&email_subject=moral-monday-live-from-mississippi.  Mississippi is the birthplace of some of the greatest traditions in music, art, literature and democracy this nation has to offer. And yet for all that Mississippi has produced, it still stands as the poorest state in the nation. There are 1.3 million poor and low-wealth people in the state of Mississippi, including nearly 3 out of 5 children.  Email mississippi@poorpeoplescampaign.org.

To be continued.

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