Baltimore Activist Alert – March 26 to 31, 2023

Baltimore Activist Alert – March 26 to 31, 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] Fasting For Jessica Reznicek

9] Alan Barysh needs your help

10] Septima Poinsette Clark – March 26

11] Let’s Go Cuba – March 26

12] Global Town Hall – March 26

13] PDA Town Hall – March 26

14] Election Protection phone bank – March 26, 28, 30 & 31

15] Social Media Best Practices -- March 26 & 29

16] The Golden Rule is coming -- March 26

17] Letter to the Editor Party – March 26

18] Protest at the Pentagon – March 27

19] Election and Climate Protection Zoom – March 27

20] Climate Voters Tonight -- March 27

21] National Poor Peoples Campaign training – March 27

22] Organize to Win broadcast – March 27

23] The Wisconsin Supreme Court – March 27

24] Ethical investing – March 27

25] Report Back from Palestine – March 27

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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] – In 2016, Jessica Reznicek took direct action to halt the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Following in the Catholic Worker movement’s long tradition of nonviolent protest, she disabled construction materials and machinery along the pipeline route. She was indicted on nine criminal charges by a federal grand jury, and in 2021 found guilty of “Conspiracy to Damage an Energy Facility.” Federal authorities waited until after the trial to define her actions as “terrorism,” a tag that nearly tripled the sentence attached to her conviction. On June 29, 2021, Jessica was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, and began serving her sentence on August 11 at Wauseca Federal Correctional Institute. In 2022 an appeals court upheld her conviction and continued to describe her as a “domestic terrorist.”

 Her support community is calling for a fast.  During Lent, supporters will spend every Friday fasting for Jessica’s release.  This is a “Black Fast,” the oldest and most severe form of Christian fasting. That’s one simple meal a day with no meat, no milk and no eggs.  And some fasters have promised to pray every day for Jessica with the campaign prayer, a traditional devotion like the rosary, or both.  All Catholics, Christians and people of good will are encouraged to join the call for Jessica to be set free. And they are asking President Joe Biden, a self-described devout Catholic, to defend religious freedom and civil liberties by pardoning Jessica. Visit https://fastingforjessica.com/.

9] – Alan Barysh [magoo1917@earthlink.net] is seeking your help.  He received a notice shown below that there is consideration to take his book Coming of Age in New Milford to make a movie or a television production.   Contact Nat Mundel to inform him that if the production was done in New Milford it would be an economic boon to the town. If you have read the book, indicate how entertaining it was.  If you have not read the book, consider buying it.

Nat Mundel <storytoscreen@voyagemedia.com> Mar 3, 2023 12:33 PM, Hi alan... Congratulations! Your application was chosen from the hundreds we received these last couple of weeks, as one that demonstrates the passion, commitment, and an intention to collaborate that is so fundamental to success with movies, shows and podcasts. Now it’s time to proceed to the final step, get to know one another more, and determine if joining our Incubator is the right choice: I will share with you some key things I’ve learned about the industry, how the incubator works, and help you prepare to get the most out of pitching one of our producers. Please click here now to schedule your Discovery Session with me. We cannot complete your application until you attend your session. I look forward to connecting soon. Nat, Voyage Media, 6600 Sunset Blvd., #245, Los Angeles, California 90028.

10] – Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 2521 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21218, meets on Sundays, and there is a presentation of a platform address at 10:30 AM ET. On Sun., March 26, “Septima Poinsette Clark: Making the Impossible Possible” will be discussed.  Clark is one of America’s unsung heroes. Born May 3, 1898, Clark was an educator, organizer, and one of the most influential civil rights activists most Americans never heard of. Clark’s teaching techniques and organizing strategies turned the tide in the Civil Rights Movement when SCLC adopted her framework for advocacy and voter registration. By the passage of the 1964 Voting Rights Act, upwards of one million southern Blacks were registered to vote thanks to Clark’s vision and social justice blueprint. Leading the discussion is Patricia Williams Dockery, a writer, playwright, scholar-activist, and international commentator, consulted for her expertise on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), social justice, and Black women’s intersectional experiences. She currently serves as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Morgan State University where she leads six departments crucial to the University enterprise with oversight of $10M in state-allocated and grant-funding dollars. Email PRESIDENT@BMORETHICAL.ORG FOR ZOOM LOGIN INFORMATION.

11] – Massachusetts Peace Action [info@masspeaceaction.org] hopes you are interested in a Let's Go Cuba event on Sun., March 26 at 2 PM ET. This is a Call for an End the U.S. Embargo & Blockade of Cuba, and a demand that the US Lift the 243 Punitive Sanctions on Cuba. These punitive measures harm the people of Cuba and prevent normal relations and exchange between the Cuban and US people.  Hear Young People’s Experiences with Solidarity Brigades to Cuba & the Upcoming Int’l May Day Brigade! RSVP at https//bit.ly/solidaritybrigade.

12] – Metta Spencer [project@tosavetheworld.ca] hopes you will join in on Sun., March 26 from 2 to 4 PM ET for a Global Town Hall - Project Save the World. Register at https://zoom.us/j/9108970203.  On the last Sunday of every month, there is an open meeting on Zoom for activists worldwide who are addressing issues of militarism (especially nuclear weapons), global warming, famine, pandemics, radioactive contamination, and/or cyber risks. Visit https://zoom.us/j/9108970203 or https://tosavetheworld.ca.

13] – Alan Minsky for Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] wants you to know that there is a Town Hall with Mimi Kennedy on Sun., March 26 at 4 PM ET. Kennedy is not just a brilliant actress, she is one of the country's leading experts on voting security. She is also one of PDA's founders! Hear Mimi's reflections on the state of America and the world—and what we can, and must, achieve together. Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tceuhrzsvHdymeeZRwb-i7X50FJa-HMR4.

14] – On Sun., March 26 from 6 to 8 PM ET, Tues., March 28 from 4 to 6 PM, Thurs., April 1 from 5 to 7 PM, and Fri., April 2 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.

15] – 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., March 26 and Wed., March 29.  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.

16] – On Sun., March 26 from 7 to 9 PM ET, join a webinar about the Marshall Islanders and the Golden Rule Crew 65 years on: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81434501675. Hear from Marshall Islander Benetick Maddison and historian Glenn Alcalay (former Peace Corps volunteer on Utrok Atoll), as well as the formidable Golden Rule crew.

The Golden Rule is undertaking a great expedition throughout the country that will take the ship to Washington and Baltimore in the spring of 2023. They’ll be touring the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. The ship is currently visiting friends in Havana, Cuba. The 30-foot vessel is sailing on a peace mission to promote non-violence and to spread an anti-nuclear message to the general public.

 In 1958, four Quaker peace activists sailed the Golden Rule toward the Marshall Islands with the goal of interfering with nuclear weapons testing. The US Coast Guard stopped the vessel and arrested her skipper, a retired Naval lieutenant commander, and the rest of the crew. The arrest of the crew of this historic, well-publicized direct action led to public outcry around the world - which ultimately led to the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963, which the US, USSR and the UK all signed. The United States detonated 67 nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands from 1946 to 1958. These were unspeakable crimes against humanity and the planet, while the effects from the radiation on the islands have left residents with health problems and long lasting effects on their ecosystem.  The Castle Bravo detonation measured 15 megatons which is 1,000 times more powerful than the 15 kiloton bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.

The ship was sold and used for a pleasure boat until it sank in 2010. Veterans for Peace, Quakers and others completely restored the ship and her nuclear abolition mission. The Golden Rule is back in action hoping to draw attention to radioactive contamination along the shorelines of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. This is part of an 11,000 mile, 15-month voyage where over 100 cities and towns are welcoming the Golden Rule.  The ship will make brief stops in Washington, DC, Alexandria, VA, Indian Head, MD, Dahlgren, VA, St. Mary’s City, MD, Solomons, MD, Chesapeake Beach, MD, Annapolis, and Baltimore.  

17] – Join a Letter to the Editor Party, hosted by Common Cause, on Sun., March 28 from 8 to 9 PM ET. Write letters to local media outlets about issues facing our country, from voting rights to ending mass incarceration. For this letter to the editor party, we will be discussing Moore v. Harper and work to civically engage our communities on the importance of this case. This will continue through May 28. Get tips. Sign up at https://www.mobilize.us/dfadcoalition/event/418654/?followup_modal_context=newsletter. You will be provided tools to quickly send a letter to all local news outlets.

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 March 27, 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.

19] – Mike Hersh for Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] wants you to join the Election and Climate Protection Zoom on Mon., March 27 at 5 PM ET.  There are attacks on our democracy, and climate chaos threatens us. Since its founding in 2004, PDA has mobilized for open, clean, and fair elections and for stopping global warming. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqfuygpjIiHtc20uIOxdeqYRiAicjSLWUc.

20] – EDF Action [takeaction@email.edfaction.org] on Mon., March 27 from 5:45 to 6 PM ET wants you to tune into Climate Voters Tonight. Talk about electing a new climate champion to Congress, investments in public transportation and the EPA’s rule on truck emissions.  RSVP to make sure you tune into the next episode: https://www.mobilize.us/edfaction/event/423495/. 

21] – Rev. Dr. William J. Barber & Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis [kait@poorpeoplescampaign.org] are inviting you to the National Poor Peoples Campaign training on Mon., March 27 PM at 7 PM ET. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqfumqrTspE9V1jVi8xdmVWmhWzAdh9Vsl?link_id=0&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-join-us-march-27th-at-7-pm-et-for-our-next-national-ppc-training-2&email_referrer=email_1846376&email_subject=join-us-march-27th-at-7-pm-et-for-our-next-national-ppc-training.

22] – Our Revolution [info@ourrevolution.com] wants you to be on the Organize to Win broadcast on Mon., March 27 at 8:30 PM ET.  Jamie Raskin will be Defending the Right to Protest. Greenpeace USA’s Deepa Padmanabha will explain the corporate tactic of using SLAPP lawsuits to drain resources from organizations protecting the environment, public health, and more. And Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director for Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, will talk about how we can defend the right to dissent. RSVP https://www.mobilize.us/ourrevolution/event/148017/?akid=4144.8252965.iq1Y9U&rd=1&t=13&utm_source=email-invite-mar24.

23] – BoldProgressives.org [info@BoldProgressives.org] is inviting you on Mon., March 27 at 7:30 PM ET for a national briefing call about the race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Register at www.pcccc.me/WIBriefing. Did you know that on April 4, an election in Wisconsin can un-gerrymander the entire state – giving Democrats a fair playing field in key congressional and state legislative seats? It will also impact abortion and voting rights.  The Zoom briefing will feature President Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder who will discuss how we all can help win this key race for control of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court!

24] – Shea Leibow [shea@codepink.org] thinks you may want to participate in this CODEPINK webinar   on Mon., March 27 at 8 PM ET about a discussion on the mounting controversy surrounding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, and how this impacts divestment from weapons, fossil fuels, and other extractive industries. Earlier this month, Congress passed a resolution to overturn Biden's 2022 rule permitting ESG investment, but Biden vetoed Congress's actions - his first veto in office. Meanwhile, nationwide, there are lawsuits mounting and state-level anti-ESG legislation in the works. ESG investment is also being increasingly scapegoated for economic downturn, with the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank being blamed on its ESG investments. Speakers include Andrew Behar, the CEO of As You Sow, the nation's leading non-profit practitioner of shareholder advocacy and engagement; Hannah Reid Rubinek, a Digital Campaigner with Sunrise US, whose mission is to scale social movements to drive the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy; and Jacey Bingler, a Senior Communications Campaigner with Sunrise US. RSVP at https://www.codepink.org/03272023.

25] –Nonviolence International [info@nonviolenceinternational.net] wants you to attend  a special Global Town Hall conversation - the Crisis of Apartheid: Report Back from Palestine on Tues., March 28 at 10:30 AM ET. In 2023 Israeli apartheid is intensifying. While Palestinians remain steadfast on their land, the new far right government is encouraging settlers to violently attack Palestinians and giving the green light to occupation forces to carry out explicit ethnic cleansing policies. As more and more people around the world turn their attention to Palestine and demand accountability for apartheid, we will gather for a report back from two Palestinian experts on nonviolence and conflict resolution about their recent experiences on the ground.

Hear from NVI co-founder, Jonathan Kuttab, who has just returned from a month-long trip home to Palestine, who will be in conversation with Mohammed Abu Nimer, an internationally renowned expert on conflict resolution who will be joining in from the region. RSVP at https://www.nonviolenceinternational.net/webinar_crisis_of_apartheid_2023?utm_campaign=tess_hosting_jk_and_man_webina&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nonviolenceinternational.

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