Baltimore Activist Alert – January 1 to 7, 2022

Baltimore Activist Alert – January 1 to 7, 2022

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

5] Support the Pratt Workers United

6] Get the book Surely Goodness and Mercy by Murphy Davis

7] Get the book Male Supremacy in the Catholic Church: An Insider’s View by Roy Bourgeois

8] Are you joining Witness against Torture in D.C. in January?

9] ANSWER refuses to condemn warmongering

10] Senator Cardin disrespects the Palestinians

11] Cuban president praises Chinese dictator  

12] Listen to One Live

13] Franco Harris and the Anti-Vietnam War Movement by Daniel Rosenberg

14] CISPES claims victory

15] A new tradition – Jan. 1

16] Ring in the New Year – Jan. 1

17] Phone bank for a Democrat – Jan. 1 to 7

18] Protest at the Pentagon – Jan. 2

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1] – Buttons, bumper stickers 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] – 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.

5] – The workers at the Enoch Pratt Free Library have started a drive to organize a union calling themselves Pratt Workers United.  Go to https://www.prattworkersunited.org/. There is a letter of support for community members to sign at https://www.prattworkersunited.org/community-letter-support.

"Pratt Library workers are forming a union, Pratt Workers United. We are seeking pay equity for all, safer working conditions, benefits for part-time workers, and a voice in decisions that affect our work.” The workers voted to unionize

6] – Consider getting HOSPITALITY, the newsletter of OPEN DOOR: A prophetic discipleship community honoring the Black Jesus, Dorothy Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. The September/October 2022 issue contains a wonderful review by Claire Schaeffer-Duffy of Surely Goodness and Mercy by Murphy Davis, reprinted from The Catholic Worker, March-April 2022.  Davis, a co-founder of the Open Door Community, died in 2020.   You can subscribe to the newsletter or buy a copy of the book by calling 404-290-2047 or by emailing opendoorcomm@bellsouth.net.

7] – Another book to consider purchasing is Male Supremacy in the Catholic Church: An Insider’s View by Roy Bourgeois. His new book is both memoir and position-paper, and it makes the case that the Roman Catholic Church is a corrupt system that spits out truth-tellers. The crime he was excommunicated for was attending the ordination ceremony of Janice Sevre-Duszynska in Lexington, Kentucky, in August 2008. The ordination was under the auspices of the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.  The Vatican’s response has been to excommunicate any woman who has the audacity to see herself as a priest equal to a male priest. You can purchase a copy from Amazon or by Kindle.

  Here are two quotes to contemplate: “I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over men. She is to keep silent.” – Timothy 1, 2:12-13.  “If the patriarchy that dominates the church is not dismantled and women are not treated as equals, the church will continue to diminish and, eventually, die.” – Roy Bourgeois.

8] – Witness against Torture [contact@witnessagainsttorture.com] is announcing that the annual Fast for Justice will be in person in D.C. from January 8 through Jan. 11.  Organizers need to know who is coming. SO IF YOU'RE COMING, SEND AN EMAIL to witnesstorture@gmail.com.  Send your name, dates you will be there (Sun. night Jan. 8, Mon Jan. 9, Tues., Jan. 10 and/or Wed. Jan. 11), and if you need housing.

9] – I received this email from Brian Becker with the claim "Standing Together against War."  It was a ‌request for an urgently needed donation to help sustain the antiwar and peace movement.  Major power conflict has become a priority for the Pentagon since 2018. The growing confrontation with China, endless and needless NATO expansion that proceeded Russia’s military intervention into Ukraine, and the rapidly escalating nature of that war — are all indicators that the new doctrine of “major Power Conflict” is designed to be a self-fulfilling prophesy. The stock portfolios of weapons manufacturers are soaring.  Of course, ANSWER makes no mention of China's threats to the tiny island of Taiwan or Putin's war of aggression.  How can this group claim to be antiwar?

10] – I received this from Sen. Ben Cardin in support of the sellout of the Palestinian people.  The Abraham Accords signed by five notorious human rights violators was brought about by an incompetent Jared Kushner.  My senator claims to be a great believer in human rights.  However, the human rights community could produce a lengthy list of violations committed by these five countries.

 In support of the strongest democracy in the Middle East region, the Congress approved my legislation, the Israel Normalization Act, as part of the FY22 funding agreement. The bill builds upon the success of the Abraham Accords, the peace and normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. It encourages other nations to normalize relations with Israel and provides guidance to ensure that existing agreements produce tangible security and economic benefits.by stating US policy is to strength and expand these normalization agreements.

11] – According to Alliance for Global Justice, Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel said “President Xi Jinping is my role model.” He mentioned that he is an enthusiastic reader of Xi’s speeches and writings – which he considers to be a reference point in the development of socialist theory and practice – he also notes the character traits that contribute to Xi’s leadership style. He describes Xi as “a profound thinker… austere, modest, but also demanding.” Xi Jinping “has the virtue of always thinking about the wellbeing of his people.”

  I feel so sorry for the Cuban people to have a president who praises a warmongering dictator.  Of course, I also feel great sympathy for the people of China.

12] –   I have always been a great fan of Bob Marley.  Obviously, he died much too young on May 11, 1981.  Note that while I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana from 1977 through 1981, reggae music was a staple at any parties during that time.

  When I departed Botswana for the last time, I spent some months traveling home.  One of the countries I visited was Poland which at the time had a burst of fresh air blowing through the country because of Solidarity.  The Soviet Union of course considered Lech Walesa persona non grata.  The crackdown would occur in December 1981.  Nevertheless, I discovered that Bob Marley died, which was a shock as I had no idea he had cancer.  Fortunately, I found a juke box which had a Bob Marley tune.  Of course, I played the song to memorialize this great artist.

  As we get ready for 2023, consider listening to this homage to Marley and his song One Love.  If only music could bring us together and remove all of the inequalities from every country in the world.  This is the song to listen to and dream that we all espouse One Love: https://portside.org/video/2022-12-30/one-love-bob-marley-feat-manu-chao-playing-change?utm_source=portside-general&utm_medium=email

13] – Famed Pittsburgh Steelers football running back Franco Harris died recently. Among his other noteworthy activities may be counted his staunch support of the professional players’ union. We were fellow students at Pennsylvania State University in the early 70s. Penn State was then an “independent” within the National Collegiate Athletic Association: it did not belong to a league, like the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big 10, or others. Its coach was the well-known Joe Paterno (a Brooklynite like me), later notorious for turning a blind eye to sexual abuse on the team. Its schedule tended to be lopsided, regularly playing weak teams like the University of Maryland and the Naval Academy. The “Nittany Lions" would shamelessly run up the score against them, scoring 70 or more points at times. The Lion mascot would run onto the field after every touchdown and do as many push-ups as Penn State had points. Harris belonged to a trio of stars on the offensive side of the ball, which included the then better known halfback Lydell Mitchell and quarterback John Hufnagel. Harris was often hurt, and missed a good number of games. As a pro however, he greatly exceeded the achievements of Hufnagel and Mitchell.

  In May 1972, President Richard Nixon ordered new bombings of the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, as well as a blockade of all ports in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. This precipitated numerous demonstrations. I was part of one that turned into a peace march. It began fairly early in the morning with a vigil outside the building where the university conduced military research. The march gathered and grew spontaneously. In the very front of it was a burly man on crutches wearing a red sweatshirt. Thousands of students joined the march. The state police came out with teargas. The demonstrators in the front took the brunt, including the man in the red sweatshirt. I was further back, but inhaled my share as well. There were arrests.

  Perhaps a thousand students and faculty straggled into the student union building to take stock. Suddenly a student came running into the hall carrying a note, which made its way to the stage. The presiding student read it out to the crowd: an assassination attempt had been made on presidential candidate George C. Wallace, racist pro-war governor of Alabama. A cheer arose, then died in mid-stream. The man with the sweatshirt, who had been sitting in a corner table diagonally across the room from me, rose to his feet, crutches in hand. Someone handed him a microphone. He began to speak. He was indignant. It was foolish, he shouted, to applaud this assault on Wallace’s life. He continued: this was just what the right wingers wanted, a provocation, another excuse to libel and slander the peace movement. Get it together, he said to the students: focus. Concentrate on protesting the escalation of the war.

  I turned to a student standing next to me. I asked, “Who is this guy?” “Him?” he replied. That’s Franco Harris. I asked: Franco Harris, the fullback. Yes it was.

14] – CISPES informed me that the 2023 budget that Congress finally passed, and which President Biden signed into law, MAINTAINS a ban on grants for U.S. military equipment to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras that certain members of the Senate were trying to weaken! Given that Foreign Military Financing is just a small slice of U.S. police and military assistance, we have a lot more to do next year to stop U.S. complicity in skyrocketing human rights violations at the hands of Salvadoran military and police. But it’s clear our pressure works!

15] – 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., Jan. 1, however, there will be a “Traditions of the New Year.”  Is it only a human-made date on the calendar? The turning of the year touches primal feelings of loss and renewal. Engage with traditions from diverse global cultures, past, present, and perform/share some of our own. Email President@BEMOREthical.org for more information.

16] – Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] wants you to Ring in the New Year on Sun. , Jan. 1 at 4 PM ET with the Progressive Town Hall.  Look back at 2022 and forward to 2923.   The past year has been a bit of a roller coaster ride, with disappointing defeats and inspirational victories. Focus on those wins, how they happened, how we battle back to turn the defeats around, and how we win for everyone in 2023. Check out electoral and legislative campaigns that grow the progressive movement and serve the people. RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tceuhrzsvHdymeeZRwb-i7X50FJa-HMR4.

17] –Phone bank for Aaron Rouse for Virginia State Senate on Sun., Jan. 1 through Jan. 6 from 6 to 8 PM ET.  On Sat., Jan. 7 there will two phone banks from noon to 3 PM and 3 to 6 PM ET. The phone bank will continue through Tues., Jan. 10.   Sign up at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/544489/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_most_popular_virtual.

18] – 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 Jan. 2, 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 begins at 8 AM.  No cameras are allowed on Pentagon grounds. The restrooms are located inside Marriott Residence Inn on corner of S. Fern and Army Navy Dr.  

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