Baltimore Activist Alert -- February 20 - 26, 2023

18] ACLU Lobby Day -- Feb. 20

19] Driving while Black -- Feb. 20

20] A Poetic Exploration of Life in Gaza -- Feb. 21

21] Support Julian Assange -- Feb. 21

22] Former Prime Minister Nakyon Lee will discuss North Korea’s nukes – Feb. 21

23] Election Protection phone bank – Feb. 21, 23, 24 & 26

24] Russia out of Ukraine -- Feb. 21

25] Baltimore seeks control of Police Department – Feb. 21

26] See film SEEKING ASYLUM -- Feb. 21

27] Marxist Study Group discussion of the film PRIDE -- Feb. 21

28] The brutal invasion of Ukraine – Feb. 21

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18] – The ACLU of Maryland [info@aclu-md.org] is doing its Lobby Day on Mon., Feb.20 from 6 to 8 PM ET. Come to Annapolis to advocate for better laws. Take action to advance education, racial inequity, marijuana legalization, and more in Maryland. Meet at the Stanton Community Center, 92 W. Washington St., Annapolis 21401. RSVP at https://action.aclu.org/webform/maryland-lobby-day-mdga23?initms_aff=md&initms_chan=eml&utm_medium=eml&initms=230201_affcampaign_lobby-day_sail&utm_source=sail&utm_campaign=affcampaign&utm_content=230201_lobby-day&ms_aff=md&ms_chan=eml&ms=230201_affcampaign_lobby-day_sail.

19] – Susan Barnett [reelandmealatnewdealcafe@gmail.com] indicates that on Mon., Feb. 20 at 7 PM ET Reel and Meal will present “Driving while Black.” Come to the New Deal Café, 113 Centerway (Roosevelt Center), Greenbelt. Masks are encouraged. To attend virtually (on Zoom), register at https://tinyurl.com/ReelnMealFeb20.  A Plant-Based meal is encouraged to support a mission focused on environmental, social justice and animal rights issues.  The New Deal Café serves a variety of plant-based meals.  Online attendees can order a meal for takeout at the Café. Greenbelt’s Co-op Grocery also offers takeout Dodah’s Vegan Lasagna at the Deli Hot Bar. Order after 11 AM. 

Driving While Black (2020) explores the deeply troubling racism African Americans experience while driving on the nation’s highways starting in the early 1900s.  The automobile offered African Americans freedom to travel at the same time as it exposed them to systemic racism across the country. It freed Blacks from the discrimination of segregated bus and train stations and allowed them to bypass all-white racist sundown towns. It gave rise to the Green Book that listed safe places where they could stop along the way. But being stopped by the police was always a danger that continues up to today. Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Rayshard Brooks and now Tyre Nichols have lost their lives after being pulled over by the police.

William Ford, award-winning reporter for the online daily news website, Maryland Matters, will lead the discussion following the film. Prior to joining Maryland Matters, Ford covered Prince George’s County legislative topics for the Washington Informer newspaper. Join us to explore how the history of African Americans traveling across the country relates to ongoing racial injustice today.

The Greenbelt Black History and Culture Committee are co-sponsors of this month’s film with the Reel and Meal. The Reel and Meal at the New Deal is a monthly film series focused on environmental, social justice and animal rights issues, presented by Utopia Film Festival, the Prince George’s County Peace and Justice Coalition and Beaverdam Creek Watershed Watch Group.  For more information on the series, see the Reel and Meal Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/reelandmealNDC.

20] – Register for AFSC’s [actioncenter@afsc.org] next “Light in Gaza” webinar on Tues., Feb. 21 at noon ET -- “Don’t Step on My Feet Again: A Poetic Exploration of Life in Gaza,” featuring two contributors to the anthology, Basman al-Dirawi and Tariq Luthun. Discuss the challenges faced by Palestinians living under Israeli blockade and occupation—and explore the richness and resistance in the poetry, culture, and everyday life in Gaza.  RSVP at https://afsc.org/events/dont-step-my-feet-again-poetic-exploration-life-gaza?utm_source=weekendreading0218&utm_medium=email&ms=EMA23WR0218&emci=89f53c8f-2dae-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&emdi=f2b32458-90af-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&ceid=764241.

21] – There will be a letter-delivery to the Australia Embassy about the jailing of Julian Assange on Tues., Feb. 21 at 1 ET. The embassy is at the National Geographic, 1145 - 17th St. NW, WDC.  Meet at 12:45 PM at the Pret a Manger, 17th & K St. NW, to get ready! – Email helpingway@yahoo.com.

22] – The GW Institute for Korean Studies [gwiks@gwu.edu] is inviting you on Tues., Feb. 21 at 2 PM ET to attend a Korea Policy Forum with Former Prime Minister Nakyon Lee. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/korea-policy-forum-with-former-prime-minister-nakyon-lee-tickets-522267003667. The former prime minister will address Realistic and Pragmatic Approach for Denuclearization and Peace on the Korean Peninsula.

23] – On Tues., Feb. 21 from 4 to 6 PM, Thurs. Feb. 23 from 5 to 7 PM, Fri., Feb. 24 from 4 to 6 PM and Sun., Feb. 26 from 6 to 8 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.

24] – Join the Baltimore Nonviolence Center on Tues., Feb. 21 from 4 to 5 PM ET at 33rd and N. Charles Sts. The invasion of Ukraine has the potential to become a war extending throughout Europe.  Putin has destroyed Aleppo and Grozny and has threatened the use of nuclear weapons.  Russian soldiers were sent into the area around the contaminated and still radioactive Chernobyl nuclear plant. Now they are stationed in the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.   People who believe in peace and justice should come forward and take the risks of peace. The burial sites continue to expose ruthless war crimes by the invaders, Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607.

25] – Judaism’s ethic of mutual care is a call to hold police accountable to the people — but Baltimore City doesn’t control its own police department, meaning our city’s elected officials cannot legislate much-needed reforms to the Baltimore Police Department. Join Jews United for Justice on Tues., Feb. 21 at 5 PM ET for an informational hearing about regaining local control at Baltimore City Hall, 100 Holliday St, Baltimore, MD 21202. You can also join JUFJ in Annapolis on March 1 and March 7 for hearings on the bill in the Maryland Senate and House. Email rachel.kutler@jufj.org if you are interested! RSVP at https://jufj.org/event/local-control-hearing/?emci=5334712a-ebae-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&emdi=3d1e8de2-ecae-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&ceid=3403859.

26] – The Interfaith Immigration Coalition [media@interfaithimmigration.org] is showing a film on Tues., Feb. 21 at 7 PM ET.  See a new documentary "Seeking Asylum."  Created by Honeypot Productions, Seeking Asylum bears witness to the endless deterrents migrants face when petitioning for asylum in the U.S. In a time of increased attacks on the rights and humanity of asylum seekers, this film powerfully follows one woman’s journey as she searches for safety for herself and her children. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with leading asylum experts and the film’s creators. RSVP at https://www.seekingasylumfilm.com/event-details/seeking-asylum-virtual-screening.

27] – The Maryland CPUSA [md@cpusa.org] on Tues., Feb. 21 at 7 PM ET wants you to join the Marxist Study Group for a discussion of the film PRIDE.  Join the Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84401737686?pwd=cVJtOW5VUjNMVm5XZUZxcWlQVG9mUT09.  Download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZApd-ivrTwsEtIYbkMYhxENz_3GGlbFS3Ob/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGsqjsrHdeSthGBRpwIBoigd-3ztmZdj7d0pR3uLhlbeibYLN0RFZVzEv7j.

28] – Massachusetts Peace Action [info@masspeaceaction.org] is inviting you on Tues., Feb. 21 at 8 PM ET for a CODEPINK Congress, with Vijay Prashad and Helena Cobban.  I plan to attend but I would rather see commentators who will not deflect the war crimes committed by Putin in the invasion.  Prahad and Cobban have made it clear that they want to blame the invasion on the US, NATO and the European Union.  I am curious if either of them admit that Putin has violated the UN Charter and the Budapest Memorandum. 

  It is astonishing to see this comment, written by a peace group: "One year after Russia invaded Ukraine, the US and NATO continue to escalate the war with sophisticated weapons and military training of Ukrainian troops on US soil." And this group further insults your intelligence with this concern: "Can the United Nations broker a peace? Does China hold the cards? What about a Korean-style armistice?"  What about a condemnation of the invasion and the resultant war crimes and the targeting of noncombatants?  And what do the guests have to say about Putin's threat to use nuclear weapons.  I expect more from peace groups. RSVP at https://www.codepink.org/02212023?emci=95ed8766-76ad-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&emdi=fd93bce2-0aae-ed11-994d-00224832eb73&ceid=320042.

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