Baltimore Activist Alert – July 25 – 26, 2021

Baltimore Activist Alert – July 25 – 26, 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] House cleaner needed

7] Volunteer to assist with outreach on voter registration -- July 25

8] Get Out the Vote in Virginia – through Sept. 18

9] “How Members Responded to the COVID-19 Pandemic.” – July 25

10] End to the U.S. Blockade of Cuba!  – July 25

11] Virtual Business Phone banking – July 25

12] Back from the Brink Social Media event – July 25

13] Town Hall on COVID-19 – July 25

14] Pentagon Peace Vigil – July 26

15] Right to Health Action Lobby Days --- July 26 - 28

16] Stop Voter Suppression – July 26

17] Legacy of Nuclear Testing – July 26

18] Free Daniel Hale --- July 26

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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] - 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] – 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.

7] – The Maryland Poor Peoples Campaign MoCo Region is looking for volunteers to assist with local outreach on COVID relief and voter registration times through July 25. Sign up to help distribute COVID relief benefits and/or voting flyers to food distribution sites and/or churches, primarily in the Gaithersburg area, but suggestions for additional sites are welcome. You will receive a template email for outreach. Protections for some tenants from eviction under a CDC order are set to expire July 31, so help do the bulk of this outreach in early July so more tenants can receive relief by July 31. Sign up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0L3LMuABH5nSWiiIVLdY0tpVK0YcH6OLdk6mvQWMV_UCu1A/viewform?link_id=2&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-md-ppc-weekly-update-9&email_referrer=email_1213998&email_subject=md-ppc-weekly-update.

8] – Ben Betz, People For the American Way [alerts@pfaw.org] is asking you to Help Get Out The Vote in Virginia by signing up to write letters to voters in Virginia through September 18! Since the Virginia Vote Forward campaign launched last month, 120,000 people have committed to sending letters! The goal is to reach more than 500,000 voters Sign up to write letters to Get out the Vote at https://votefwd.org/pfaw.

Virginia is a crucial bellwether state vital to America’s political landscape, and its state elections this year will have a serious impact on the 2022 national midterms. People For is gearing up to be very active in this year’s state-level campaign, and it seeks national support to make sure that the progressive gains from 2020 continue in the former seat of the Confederacy this year.  People For is thrilled to announce that we are once again partnering with Vote Forward, an exciting campaign to increase voter participation through letter-writing to key voters in battleground states and districts. Vote Forward’s letter-writing project is incredibly simple, as all you need are stamps, stationery, and a pen!

9] – 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., July 25, the subject is “How Members Responded to the COVID-19 Pandemic.” BES members will share how they have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through the LetsBMore time bank, mutual aid, and other projects. Emil Volcheck is a member of the Baltimore Ethical Society and regularly presents platforms during the “Summer Sundays” when members present on topics of interest to them. The Zoom link and more info can be obtained at PRESIDENT@BMORETHICAL.ORG.

10] – On Sun., July 25 from 2 to 4 PM ET, join a Welcome Rally for Cuban American ‘Miami to DC’ Walkers Calling for an End to the U.S. Blockade of Cuba!  Carlos Lazo, a Cuban-American school teacher and Iraq war veteran, has been on a 1,300 mile pilgrimage -- with six other Cuban Americans—all the way from Miami!  He will arrive in Washington, DC to present the Biden Administration with a petition signed by over 25,000 calling for an end to the U.S. blockade and demanding: the end of all sanctions, the restoration of remittances, the resumption of flights from the U.S., not only to Havana but to all the regional centers of Cuba, the reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Havana and a restart to the program of family reunification.

  The Rally will happen in Lafayette Park in front of the White House, WDC.  Take the Metro to McPherson Square or Farragut West Metro (blue, orange, silver) or Farragut North (red). Miami caravan leader Jorge Medina and scores of other activists who have been leading monthly caravanas will be traveling to Washington, DC to support these demands. Welcome them with a car caravan in DC. The July 25 D.C. car caravan will assemble at 12:30 PM on H St. between 17 St and Connecticut Ave. NW. To register for the DC car caravan, call 240-390-5743. 

   Carlos Lazo will also give a talk at 6 PM on July 25 at Busboys and Poets, 14th and V NW, WDC.  Contact Michelle Ellner at michelle@codepink.org. Visit https://www.codepink.org/cuba07252021?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=c000f590-4def-48e8-aa5f-78b9635cf35c.

11] – Matan Zeimer, Jews United for Justice [matan@jufj.org] needs you on Sun., July 25 at 2 PM ET for a Virtual Business Phone banking. Help build support for paid family and medical leave, as part of the n business outreach efforts with the Time to Care Coalition.  Join on Zoom to call local businesses. Register at https://actionnetwork.org/events/time-to-care-business-outreach-virtual-phone-bank?sourceid=1020679&utm_source=standalone&utm_campaign=time-to-care&utm_medium=ea&emci=7ea1022c-60e6-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&emdi=74caff78-ace8-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&ceid=3403859.

12] – Alex Jasset [ajasset@psr-la.org] is inviting you on Mon., July 26 at 3 PM ET to attend the next Back from the Brink Social Media Collaboratory event! Join in a fun, experimental space for folks interested in the nexus between social media and nuclear weapons advocacy to gather, co-create, strategize, and build the movement. Work on getting more sign ons for the Back from the Brink letter to Biden and Congress by initiating a strategy to tweet directly at local officials in a coordinated fashion. There will be two breakout groups, one focused on creating the language of the tweets, and another working on the graphics, and then come together to discuss the best ways to coordinate the outreach. Join the meeting here (no registration necessary): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89037112310.

13] – Dr. Bill Honigman for Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] wants you to attend on Sun., July 25 at 4 PM ET the Healthcare Town Hall. RSVP at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tceuhrzsvHdymeeZRwb-i7X50FJa-HMR4. Note that there have been 609,520 total U.S. #COVID19 deaths to date; and an estimated 243,808 of those deaths could have been prevented with #SinglePayer expanded and improved #MedicareForAll. The guest speaker will be former Bernie Sanders for President surrogate speaker and now candidate for Congress, Amy Vilela, NV-1.

14] – 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 July 26 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.  

15] – Tulika Singh [info@email.actionnetwork.org] wants you to get involved in Right to Health Action Lobby Days from Mon., July 26 through Wed., July 28. R2H Action is teaming up with Marked by COVID and ten more amazing COVID social justice groups for the first COVID Families and Survivors Lobby Days in D.C. and on Capitol Hill.  Fight to advance the People’s Pandemic Prevention Plan to stop COVID and prevent the pandemics of the future, centering the demands of those most harmed by the pandemic. You can attend in person for all or some of the events—and please do! You can also attend virtually if it's not possible to come in-person.  Sign up to join the 100+ COVID survivors and supporters who are meeting directly with their Congress members at https://actionnetwork.org/forms/register-for-covid-lobby-days?source=direct_link&referrer=group-right-to-health-pandemic-project&redirect=https://www.r2haction.org/thank-you&link_id=5&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&email_referrer=email_1241415&email_subject=come-to-dc-for-covid-action-lobby-days-in-dc-this-tueswed.

16] – On Mon., July 26 at 11:30 AM, engage in the Poor Peoples Campaign Moral Monday: A Season of Nonviolent Moral Direct Action.  Join the coordinated state press conferences at Senate offices throughout the country.  Meet on the Rockville Pike side of the Rockville Metro Station, and then walk to Senator Van Hollen's Office, 111 Rockville Pike. At noon walk to Senator Cardin's Office, 451 Hungerford Drive.  The demands are as follows: 1. End the Filibuster, 2. Pass the For the People Act (FTPA), 3. Raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hour, and 4. Fully restore 1965 Voting Rights Act. RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/ppc-moral-monday-a-season-of-nonviolent-moral-direct-action-mon-jul-26?source=direct_link&&link_id=4&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&email_referrer=email_1237330&email_subject=ppc-jul-26-moral-monday-a-season-of-nonviolent-moral-direct-action.

17] –  You are in invited to "The Legacy of Nuclear Testing, Strategies for Restorative Justice & the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty” on Mon., July 26 from noon to 2 PM ET, featuring these remarkable women dedicated to transforming our nuclear legacy: Tina Cordova, Selina N. Leem, Sylvia Mishra, Lilly Adams and Kumu Hula Puna Dawson.  Here is the registration link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcldeGqrTooHNa75TIs_v0XUaXbkDV_sq2x.

18] – FREE DANIEL HALE, Drone Whistle-blower.  Stand in support of Hale at the Federal Courthouse, 6th & Market Sts., Philadelphia on Mon., July 26 from 3 to 6 PM ET. Signs will be available.  Bring a bottle of water, sunblock, and folding chair if you wish to sit.  Join with people around the country the day before Daniel’s sentencing in Alexandria, VA Federal Court.  Go to www.standwithdanielhale.org. Hale, a U.S. Air Force veteran, is currently in conditions of solitary confinement at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, VA.  He faces up to 10 years imprisonment at his sentencing on Tues., July 27.

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