Baltimore Activist Alert -- June 24, 2021

47] We Can't Wait Rally & March -- June 24

48] Popular Resistance for Palestinian – June 24

49] Challenges in delivering information inside of jails & prisons – June 24

50] Bust the filibuster – June 24

51] Protest Chinese government imprisonment of the Uyghurs.  – June 24

52] CALL WEST VIRGINIANS -- June 24

53] Medicare for All at a Teach-In – June 24

54] Prince George's County proposed Climate Action Plan – June 24

55] Iran Nuclear Deal – June 24

56] Public Citizen is holding a gala – June 24

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47]  – There is a We Can't Wait Rally & March on Thurs., June 24 from 11:30 AM  to  8 PM ET, starting at Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, WDC 20002.  The Center for Popular Democracy is excited to invite you to the Rally. Register at https://secure.everyaction.com/xLuxtl6KcEGpmFHWxZTt6A2?ms=FedAd_J24Signup_06162021&emci=59f39070-7dcf-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&emdi=d6538976-7dcf-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&ceid=447376.  Join workers in solidarity.

48] – Brian Garvey, Massachusetts Peace Action [info@masspeaceaction.org] suggests you may want to hear about '48 Palestinians: Popular Resistance for Palestinian Unity with Lawyer Aiah Haj Odeh and Grassroots Organizer Rula Nasr-Mazzawi on Thurs., June 23 at noon ET.  This seminar with two Palestinian organizers from Nazareth, Israel will be about the unique situation and activism of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship. Palestinians with Israeli citizenship play a critical role in organizing against the illegitimate expulsions faced by Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah, a neighborhood in Jerusalem. Just last month, they organized a large, day-long strike in a display of unity and as an affirmation of dignity for Palestinians suffering under the bombings of Gaza. These activities are part of the new organization Addar.  Sign up at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJItcOuhqzIrE9zPOS3GwwbbdjPwz5ve6FjK?emci=5f1fb1b8-3dd4-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&emdi=5767cffc-5fd4-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&ceid=269591.

49] – The National Religious Campaign against Torture [nrcatlist@nrcat.org] is continuing its Lessons From the Front Lines June Webinar Series on Thurs., June 24 at 1 PM ET.  For Part 4. Johnny Perez, the Director of NRCAT’s U.S. Prisons Program, will hold a fireside chat with Lawrence Bartley, director of “News Inside,” the print publication of The Marshall Project which is distributed in hundreds of prisons and jails throughout the United States.  The discussion will look at challenges in delivering information inside of jails & prisons and how leaders in the field can engage correction officers and currently incarcerated people.  RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yjkdBoqUTWm01r4zr0LsXw?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=8177c1d8-47a1-43c1-8360-7373141eaec0.

50] – The People for the American Way is involved with a protest to BUST the filibuster on Thurs., June 24 from 2 to 3 PM. Take action to raise awareness of what’s at stake if the Senate does not take action to prevent the filibuster from blocking needed legislation. Without changing the filibuster rule, which right now requires 60 votes to pass any bill, the For the People Act cannot be passed. RSVP for the virtual teach-ins, hosted by the Declaration for American Democracy coalition: https://www.mobilize.us/pfaw/?date=2021-06-24T04%3A00%3A00.000Z&is_virtual=true&org_ids=7096&utm_source=PFAW.

51] –Please join members of Adas Israel's Social Action Committee for their third protest against the genocidal actions perpetrated by the Chinese government against the Uyghurs.  This non-Han, Turkic minority is being forced into slave labor, interned in camps, disappeared, and otherwise persecuted. Too many US and international companies depend on China’s use of Uyghur forced labor in their supply chains.  This includes clothing brands, electronic, automobile, solar panel, and wind industries among others.  Help raise awareness and protest this complicit support of the Uyghur genocide.  

On Thurs., June 24 at 5:30 PM ET, come to the Adas Israel's Garden of the Righteous (near the front of Adas at 2850 Quebec St. NW).  We will walk up Connecticut Avenue to the Chinese Embassy on Van Ness St., NW.  Feel free to join at the Embassy, if that is a more convenient Location: https://goo.gl/maps/m2UmGJybhidtCLvd8].  Bring a sign, a mask if you have not been vaccinated, and come join to support the Uyghurs.  Afterwards, we encourage everyone to enjoy a meal from Dolan, Cleveland Park's wonderful Uyghur restaurant. The garden and the restaurant are near the Cleveland Park Metro.

52] – We Have a Do-or-Die, Time-Limited Chance to Defeat White Supremacy and Big Money. If you want equal protection so that every voter counts the same regardless of color, income, age, or neighborhood, now is the time to act. If you want freedom from the influence of big money, now is the time to act. In the next months, action by people like you can create a groundswell to pass three major bills (see details in box below). One of them (S. 1) would provide sweeping reforms to end special-interest corruption in our government. Congress must act early this summer or partisan redistricting – based on a flawed census – will have happened. The House of Representatives has the votes to pass these bills, and they can pass the Senate, too - but only if We the People let our senators know how we feel.

If these bills do not pass, action by some state legislatures will reduce the freedom to vote for targeted populations. Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM) founded For the People – Maryland with 20 other groups to fight for these principles in the U.S. Congress.  Therefore, the filibuster rule will need to change to allow these bills to pass with a simple majority.

While there are several Senators who haven’t formally committed, people in-the-know say if we can convince WV Senator Joe Manchin, the others will come along. Opponents are putting lots of money into WV, and we need to fight back. WV residents tell us that Manchin is often willing to do a 180 degree turn if he gets enough pressure. Volunteers asking his constituents to contact him could trigger the biggest reform since the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Make calls to WV residents on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Please sign up to call on Thurs., June 24 from 6 to 8 PM ET and try to convince one friend to do so also!  There is good training and support throughout!  Go to https://www.mobilize.us/vopropros/event/389987/.  CALL WEST VIRGINIANS.

53] – Progressive Maryland [info@progressivemaryland.org] is asking you if you are fed up with the healthcare system? Then come learn about Medicare for All at a Teach-In on Thurs., June 24 from 6:30 to 8 PM ET.  Register at bit.ly/TeachinM4A. What is Medicare for All? How will it help Marylanders and everyone else living in our country? How will it benefit you and your family members and community? Do the benefits outweigh any costs associated with moving to this form of single payer healthcare?  Tune in at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkce6prz8qHtWfN0WL-K987NjwYXyvK2tP.

54] – Learn more about the Prince George's County proposed Climate Action Plan on Thurs., June 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM ET. Last year the Prince George's County Council passed a resolution to establish a Climate Action Commission to write a Climate Action Plan for the county. The commission has been meeting since October 2020 and will finish its work in September 2021. Some notable faces are Tom Dernoga, County Council Member from District 1; Greenbelt's mayor, Colin Byrd; Janet Gingold, chair of the Prince George's Sierra Club; and Dr. Hank Cole, co-chair of Clean Air Prince Georges.  The commission is holding their second (of three) Community Meetings.  By now, they have identified 27 priority areas, which they are ready to share for our feedback.  Join in at https://www.facebook.com/events/994023288038487 or at https://umd.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwvcOusrjMpGtBx76TL40tdlaBWoOxUD0qT.

55] – Brian Garvey, Massachusetts Peace Action [info@masspeaceaction.org] suggests you may want to hear about the current state of the Iran Nuclear Deal in light of Iran's recent presidential election with Dr. Assal Rad, a Senior Research Fellow at the National Iranian American Council. This will happen on Thurs., June 24 at 7 PM ET.  Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcld--vrjovH9XSLLAdF2Y4x_Mh_uXnkRDo?emci=5f1fb1b8-3dd4-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&emdi=5767cffc-5fd4-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&ceid=269591.  Even before President Biden took office in January the peace movement was clear: the Biden administration must prioritize rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (more commonly referred to as the Iran Nuclear Deal), and quickly. The diplomatic agreement was one of the most important achievements of the Obama Administration, and the rash abandonment of it by Trump in 2018 brought America to the very brink of war with Iran. Now, however, talks are stalling in Vienna and the Iranian president-elect Ebrahim Raisi, set to take power in a matter of weeks, is more skeptical of the negotiations. Time is running out. 

56] – Public Citizen [robert@citizen.org] is holding a gala on Thurs., June 24 at 7 PM ET. This year’s gala is an online, “virtual” event. RSVP at https://publiccitizen.salsalabs.org/virtualgala2021/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=66465954-5839-42b8-8367-f74124520d21.  Hear about Public Citizen’s plan for winning passage of the For the People Act despite the flagrantly partisan Republican filibuster of the landmark legislation to defend our democracy.  Honor Rep. Jamie Raskin — who led the impeachment prosecution against Donald Trump — with the “Golden Boot Award” (for kicking you-know-what). Also participating will be Rep. Mondaire Jones — a first-term Congressperson from New York who, as a member of the Judiciary Committee, is continuing his lifelong advocacy for civil rights, civil liberties, and a stronger democracy. Also check out the comedians, singers, and celebrity surprise guests, including Lake Street Dive, Baratunde Thurston, Lucinda Gayle Williams, Alex Edelman, Negin Farsad, Graham Nash (of Crosby, Stills & Nash), and more.

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