Baltimore Activist Alert – September 10 to 11, 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] Can you sponsor a Ukrainian family?
9] “Whither Goes Ethical Culture?” – Sept. 10
10] Social Housing canvass – Sept. 10
11] Unity Walk – Sept. 10
12] What’s up with the
AFL-CIO? – Sept. 10 - 11
13] Where is Palestine? – Sept. 10
14] The 21st century Rural New Deal – Sept. 10
15] Art Build – Sept. 10
16] Turn Virginia blue – Sept. 10
17] Protest at the Pentagon
– Sept. 11
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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] – Jerry Windley-Daoust is looking for an individual or community that might be in a position to sponsor a Ukrainian refugee family under the Uniting for Ukraine program. The head of this family, Dymtro, needs a sponsor. He is 33 and a male fashion model living in Kyiv. He speaks and writes English very well. His 54-year-old mother and his 19-year-old brother, Artem, live in a nearby city. His brother has autism, is nonverbal, and had been receiving care from a local institution until the onset of the war; in recent months, he has not received adequate care due to medical facilities prioritizing war-related physical and mental health issues. Dmytro’s mother is a professional baker who has been out of work and suffers from depression, likely due to the stress of the war and care for her 19-year-old son.
Dmytro is the sole breadwinner and supporter of his mother and brother. He is keen to leave Ukraine to avoid military conscription, since that would leave his mother and brother in a more vulnerable position. He is legally able to leave the country due to his circumstances. The family would probably best be placed in a major urban center with an existing Ukrainian population, but at this point, they just want to get out of the country and will accept placement anywhere.
The main responsibilities of the sponsor would be to provide the family with temporary shelter and assistance getting Artem connected to the health care system. You can learn more about U4U sponsorship at the USCIS web page. If you or your community are interested in possibly sponsoring this family, please reach out to me at wind@gracewatch.org or jerry@catholicworker.org.
9] – Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 2521 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21218, meets on Sundays, and usually there is a virtual platform address at 10:30 AM ET. On Sept. 10, the discussion will try to answer “Whither Goes Ethical Culture?” The American Ethical Union, the national federating organization, is in the midst of a challenging, dynamic process to envision this movement’s future. Will the unfolding discussions lead to evolution, revolution, or devolution? For those working at the national level, will relationships grow stronger and wounds heal? Will we build power collectively? Will hope inspire us? Hugh Taft-Morales will reflect on the uncertain path that Ethical Societies across the country are traveling together. He serves as Leader of the Philadelphia Ethical Society and the Baltimore Ethical Society and is a member of the Ethical Action Committee of the American Ethical Union (AEU). Email PRESIDENT@BMORETHICAL.ORG for Zoom login information.
10] – The Metro DC DSA [info@mdcdsa.org] is doing a Social Housing canvass at the D.C. State Fair on Sun., Sept. 10 from noon to 5 PM. Meet at the McPhearson Square Metro Station, 14th St. NW & I St. NW, WDC 20009. RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/canvass-for-social-housing-2?link_id=70&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-august-25-2023&email_referrer=email_2033182&email_subject=metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-september-1-2023. Come out and talk to your neighbors about social housing! Seek signatures on a petition, connect residents with their council members, and gather stories about what social housing would mean for DC! This event is open to both DSA Members and supporters.
11] – On Sun., Sept. 10 from 12:30 to 5:30 PM ET, get over to the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington Interfaith Unity Walk. The Walk will begin at Washington Hebrew Congregation, 3935 Macomb St. NW, WDC and end at the Islamic Center of Washington, DC, 2551 Massachusetts Ave NW. Go to https://ifcmw.org/unity-walk-2023/
12] – The Alliance for Global Justice [James@Afgj.org] is hosting a forum on Sun., Sept. 10 at 1:30 PM ET -- 50 Years later, AFL-CIO still supporting foreign coups? If you are in Washington DC, you can attend the forum at M. L. King Jr. Memorial Library, 9th and G Sts., NW, WDC. AND join the rally on Mon., Sept. 11 at noon in front of the AFL-CIO headquarters, 16th St. NW between H and I Sts. The AFLCIO supported the 1973 coup against Chile’s elected President Salvador Allende. Is it doing the same thing today?
Fifty years ago
on September 11, 1973, the AFL-CIO supported the coup led by Augusto Pinochet
against the elected president of Chile, Salvador Allende. It has played a
similar role elsewhere, backing right wing dictatorship in the Philippines and
providing key backing to coup plotters in Venezuela in 2002 and Haiti in 2003.
Today the AFLCIO’s Solidarity Center carries on activities across Latin America
and the world without giving a clear and full accounting of what these
activities are, or whose interests they are serving. The Solidarity Center is
not transparent with nor answerable to US labor, but to the US government,
which provides 95% of its funding. What is the Solidarity Center up to
today? No one knows for sure—but we have a right to know. RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqcOGpqTMrHdflAeI6Lcvfv4eQc6V628uQ?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=584a99e8-b20a-4e6a-a72d-06773980e3ec#/registration
13] – Where is Palestine? What are the occupied Palestinian territories? What is the Palestinian-Israeli struggle about? Do teaching materials in US public schools and Jewish private schools provide accurate answers? Probably not. People who seek to maintain US support for Israel, both within the Jewish community and in the larger US population, have profoundly shaped the teaching of Israel and Palestine. See these two films. Between the Lines presents interviews with students and teachers at American Jewish day schools about “Israel education.” The Fight against Israeli Propaganda in Virginia Textbooks reveals the behind-the-scenes efforts of an Israeli affinity group to erase Palestine from US public school teaching materials and reduce Palestinians to peasants and terrorists. Watch the film for free at your convenience. Then join the Q&A Discussion on Sun., Sept. 10 at 3 PM ET. You must register to get the free film link and to participate in the Q&A discussion: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkdeioqTsuGdUyKVC7kyNCWB_cuFOhaM6s#/registration
14] – Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] will hold its Sunday Town Hall on Sun., Sept. 10 at 4 PM ET with Jamie McLoed Skinner and Anthony Flaccavento for a sneak peek into the 21st century Rural New Deal. RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tceuhrzsvHdymeeZRwb-i7X50FJa-HMR4#/registration PDA and The Rural Urban Bridge Initiative will officially release an ambitious policy program designed to revitalize rural and small town America. Get a prospective from Flaccavento, the Executive Director of The Rural Urban Bridge Initiative (RUBI).The 21st-Century Rural New Deal's policy proposals, as drafted by PDA and RUBI, would mandate the reversal of a multi-decade trend of disinvestment in small communities across the country. Although there will be parameters for how Rural New Deal money can be spent, community-level investment will be decided by the community itself. Also participating will be progressive Congressional Candidate Jamie McLeod-Skinner!
15] – Great marches need art! Speak Out Now is hosting an art build for the March to End Fossil Fuels at 5 PM ET on Sun., Sept. 10, at 709 North Howard St. No special artistic skills required, just bring art supplies if you have some, and your commitment to climate justice! The art will be used on September 17 at the march in New York City. Visit https://speakoutsocialists.org/ The Working Families Party [reply@workingfamilies.org] on Sun., Sept. 10 at 7 PM ET wants you to join UAW President Shawn Fain for a virtual labor solidarity rally. Show your solidarity with union members gearing up to take on the three biggest U.S. automakers. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/workingfamilies/event/578744/?utm_source=NatEmail-20230905&link_id=0&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&email_referrer=email_2036952___subject_2553199&email_subject=join-uaw-president-shawn-fain-for-a-virtual-labor-solidarity-rally
16] – On Sun., Sept. 10 from 6 to 8 PM ET, the Democratic National Committee is organizing VIRTUAL PHONE BANKS FOR THE VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES- TO TURN VA BLUE! RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/569453/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_most_popular_virtual. This event will continue on Sundays from 6 to 8 PM ET THROUGH November 5. Call voters in Virginia to get them out to vote in the November election. NO EXPERIENCE is NECESSARY. Get TRAINING and hear from COACHES TO HELP ALL ALONG THE WAY.
17] – 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 Sept. 11, 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. This vigil will honor the visit to the area of the anti-nuclear ship the Golden Rule.
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 Marriot Providence 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
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