Baltimore Activist Alert – February 19 to 24, 2023

Baltimore Activist Alert – February 19 to 24, 2023

"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] Need help in archiving activist material    

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] Cannabis in Maryland – Feb. 19

9] Black Lives Matter rally – Feb. 19

10] Free Assange protest -- Feb. 19

11] Town Hall about Medicare & a Climate Preserve – Feb. 19

12] Fundraising HBCU Roller Skating Jam -- Feb. 19

13] Election Protection phone bank – Feb. 19, 21, 23 & 24

14] Social Media Best Practices -- Feb. 19 & 22

15] Protest at the Pentagon – Feb. 20

16] Clean buses and trucks – Feb. 20

17] Indivisible in Annapolis – Feb. 20

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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] –  Janice Sevre-Duszynska needs some assistance in archiving her activist material.  If you are interested in this project, contact Max at 410-32301607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

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] – 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., Feb. 19, the platform is “The Landscape of Cannabis in MD.”  Discuss medical cannabis and how new federal legislation may still not be enough for patients. Also discuss the newly passed legislation for adult use in MD and address concerns people may have with recreational cannabis. The speaker is Dr. Leigh Vinocur, a board-certified emergency physician, with one of the first master’s degrees in the country in medical cannabis science and therapeutics from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. She is the founder and Chief Medical officer of Ananda Medical Practice and Consulting. A company focused on providing patients, businesses, and organizations the most up-to-date evidence-based strategies and educational programs in medical cannabis science and therapeutics. Email President@BEMOREthical.org for more information.

9] – Black Lives Matter Interfaith Coalition <BLMInterfaithCoalition@gmail.com> wants you to join a Rally on Sun., Feb. 19 at 1:30 PM ET. Gather at the intersection of York Road and Aigburth Avenue, Towson 21252 in front of Towson University. Food Share helps food insecure students, staff and faculty at Towson University.  Please consider bringing one or more of these items for the food drive:  snacks, canned ravioli, peanut butter, canned protein, cereal, shelf-stable milk, as well as personal hygiene products and clothes detergent. Go to https://blmic.org/.

10] – On Sun., Feb. 19 from 4 to 5 PM ET, vigil at the home of US Attorney General Merrick Garland in Bethesda on Edgemoor Lane, near the fence of Sidwell Friends Lower School calling for the release of Julian Assange.  Contact Martha Allen (marthaleslieallen@gmail.com).

11] – Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] hopes you will participate on Sun., Feb. 20 at 4 PM ET in the Progressive Town Hall --  Against the Privatization of Medicare, For the Establishment of Climate Preserves. Learn about something very bad that PDA will mobilize against: "Medicare Advantage" programs and other privatization schemes targeting seniors. Then learn about something very good that PDA supports: a heroic effort to establish a climate preserve in the Midwest, a potential model for the rest of the Country!

Hear a very important presentation by Dr. Eve Shapiro entitled The Corporatization of Medicare. Then hear from John B. Wallace, a retired public land manager at Cedar Lake and Southern Illinois University Carbondale Touch of Nature environmental educator. John has fought for decades to protect the Shawnee Forest in Southern Illinois from U.S. Forest Service logging. He is spear-heading the effort to transfer the Shawnee to the National Park Service and create the nation’s first Climate Preserve. Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tceuhrzsvHdymeeZRwb-i7X50FJa-HMR4.

12] – On Sun., Feb. 19 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM ET, join Friends of Salim Adofo for a fundraising HBCU Roller Skating Jam at the Lanham Skate Center, 9901 Lanham Severn Road, Lanham 20706. Celebrate Black History Month with a HBCU Roller Skating Jam! Represent your favorite HBCU and get your roll bounce on.  Skaters of all levels are welcome! Ticket includes admission, skates & food. Get your tickets at bit.ly/hbcuskate.

13] – On Sun., Feb. 19 from 6 to 8 PM ET, Tues., Feb. 21 from 4 to 6 PM, Thurs. Feb. 23 from 5 to 7 PM, and Fri., Feb. 24 from 4 to 6 PM ET, there is a Common Cause organized Election Protection phone bank.  These phone banks will continue until April 2, 2023.  Work together to demand bold changes to our democracy to create a government that represents all of us, not big corporations or special interests. Register at https://www.mobilize.us/dfadcoalition/event/376178/?followup_modal_context=organization_newsletter_custom_recommendations. Register for a shift to make calls to recruit poll monitors to support nonpartisan Election Protection efforts in the GA Run-Offs.  Join in to make calls Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and/or Sundays.

14] – Get with Social Media Best Practices virtually, hosted by The Democratic National Committee on Sundays and Wednesdays from 7 to 8 PM ET.  Participate on Sun., Feb. 19 and Wed., Feb. 22.  Maximize your impact within your social network and join the social media best practices training. Whether you're just getting started on social media or already have an online presence, this training will provide you with the tools necessary to ensure you are reaching your full potential as an online organizer. Learn the essentials for utilizing platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram for political story telling. Email williamsak@dnc.org to schedule a presentation for your staff/volunteers or with any queries about co-presenting at one or more of these events.

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 Feb. 20, 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.

16] – Maryland LCV [info@mdlcv.org], on Mon., Feb. 20 from 4 to 5 PM ET, wants you to meet at Lawyers Mall, Annapolis, MD 21401, (Between Maryland’s State house and College Ave.)  Call out to protect our school children and communities – and to successfully implement the historic Climate Solutions Now Act there must be a transition from diesel school buses and trucks in Maryland to clean, zero-emission electric school buses and trucks. Make your voice heard! RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/maryland-legislative-rally-for-clean-trucks-and-electric-school-buses-tickets-528805009017?emci=05623896-08ae-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&emdi=c2f16cf4-12ae-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&ceid=578562.

17] – The District 5 Night in Annapolis will take place in the Maryland Inn, 16 Church Circle, Annapolis 21401 on Mon., Feb. 20 at 5:30 PM ET. Sign up at https://act.indivisible.org/event/attend-local-actions/168886/signup/?akid=86684%2E839288%2Ed-Pyav. This is an Evening in Annapolis where refreshments will be served. Please bring a photo ID with you. Contact Senator Justin Ready at 410-841-3683 or Justin.Ready@senate.state.md.us. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1215427286024929.

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