Baltimore Activist Alert – December 17 to 18, 2023

Baltimore Activist Alert – December 17 to 18, 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] Get the book Surely Goodness and Mercy by Murphy Davis

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

7] Public Education under Siege – Dec. 17

8] Black Lives Matter rally – Dec. 17

9] Let’s Talk about Palestine – Dec. 17

10] Virtual coffee and conversation – Dec. 17

11] DC Action for Assange at White House -- Dec. 17

12] Meet Summer Lee – Dec. 17

13] How We Win the Civil War – Dec. 17

14] IfNotNow meeting – Dec. 17

15] #CeasefireNOW Campaign Global Day of Action – Dec. 18

16] Protest at the Pentagon – Dec. 18

17] Green Grassroots Emergency Environment and Election Protection – Dec. 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 410-323-1607 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] – 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.

6] – 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.

7] – Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore 21202, meets on Sundays, and usually there is a platform address at 10:30 AM ET.  On Dec. 17, the theme is “Public Education is Under Siege.”  On January 6, 2023, Governor DeSantis of Florida launched a takeover of a small public liberal arts college, New College of Florida, promising to turn it into the “Hillsdale of the South.”  Since the New College takeover, more than 1500 articles and news media reports have been produced. Why all the fuss about a school with less than 700 students? In this talk, Juliana Paré-Blagoev will explore why DeSantis chose New College for a takeover and why the connection to the private religious Hillsdale College with an impressive resumé of far-right donors is significant. Join this platform to hear from a New College alum about how and why the community has organized to resist this authoritarian takeover. What is happening at New College won’t stay at New College; analysis of the events and players establish there are massive implications for the entire public education system from kindergarten through university. For interested audience members, an invitation is extended for follow-up to-be-scheduled discussion that will be action oriented. While Juliana has spoken previously on the topic at BES, this exploration covers new development, different perspectives, and provides more formal coverage.

In 1994, Juliana Paré-Blagoev dedicated her undergraduate thesis about Public School Choice to “something as yet unknown.” Now, her alma mater, New College of Florida, has become a reluctant symbol of ideologically driven efforts to undermine the very existence of a public liberal arts higher education that can prepare critically thinking citizens for membership in a participatory democracy. As an education researcher with 30 years experience, she has conducted brain and behavioral studies of skill and language, classroom based partnership work to develop and test curricula, and participatory research with families affected by pediatric cancer. Currently, she is an Associate Clinical Professor at the Johns Hopkins University where she is also president of the JHU Advocacy Chapter of the American Association of Research Professors.  Visit https://bmorethical.org

8] –  Black Lives Matter Interfaith Coalition <BLMInterfaithCoalition@gmail.com> is holding on Sun., Dec. 17th from 1:30 to 2:30 PM ET at 9033 Honeygo Blvd., Honeygo Run Regional Park, Perry Hall, MD 21128. Be at the White Marsh Mall and bring new, warm coats, jackets, mittens and hats for public school children served by the Baltimore Hunger Project.   Visit https://blmic.org/

9] – On Sun., Dec. 17 at 2 PM ET, the Muslim Community Center Interfaith Committee, 15200 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring 20905, is hosting a teach-in about Palestine – Let’s Talk about Palestine.  Register at https://bit.ly/Palestine-MCC-1217.  There will be refreshments of Palestinian appetizers/mezze which include vegetarian options, a cultural exhibition table and a resource table. Hear from several speakers, including Laila El-Haddad, award winning Gazan author and documentarian.

10] – Win Without War [info@winwithoutwar.org] is inviting you to a “Virtual Coffee & Conversation” on Sun., Dec. 17 at 3 PM ET.  WWW Executive Director Sara Haghdoosti will have a conversation with senior fundraising associate Julien Marvin Gomez. Sara will share updates about the work on the Israel-Gaza war, what comes next, and how collaboration from activists is so critical to making an impact, now and always.  RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_N3RI73daRcu8nCipK2KNKQ#/registration

11] – DC Action for Assange will gather on Sun., Dec. 17 for a vigil at the White House from 4 to 5 PM ET.  Contact Ann Wilcox [ann1.wilcox@gmail.com]. Visit at www.assangedefense.org.

12] – Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] are holding their weekly Town Hall on Sun., Dec. 17 at 4 PM ET with Squad member Summer Lee. PDA nationally endorsed Rep. Summer Lee in her inaugural successful 2022 run for Congress in PA-12, and are equally proud to do so this cycle.  Given her background as a community organizer and state house rep who burst onto the scene by doubling turnout in that race, she had one of the most impressive, dynamic, and aggressive grassroots operations in the country in 2022, that effectively fought off attacks from AIPAC and secured her seat as a new representative.  She has taken the kind of solid stands for peace, healthcare, good paying jobs, and social, economic, racial and environmental justice while in office to earn her Squad cred. RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tceuhrzsvHdymeeZRwb-i7X50FJa-HMR4#/registration

13] –Steve Phillips [info@democracyincolor.com] has written a book How We Win the Civil War. On Sun., Dec. 17 at 8 PM ET, Phillips will host a weekly “Sundays with Steve” on Facebook Live to discuss contemporary issues through the prism of the ongoing Civil War. Sign up at https://www.facebook.com/events/1380348316229936/1380348362896598/?active_tab=about

14] – IfNotNow [info@ifnotnowmovement.org] is meeting on Zoom on Sun., Dec. 17 from 8 to 9 PM ET. Since October 7, this group has been mourning, organizing, and taking action to stop the violence, to end the genocide of Palestinian people being committed in our name, to free all hostages, and to begin anew the hard work of reaching a political solution that ensures a sustained, lasting ceasefire and safety, equality, justice, and a thriving future for all Palestinians and Israelis. RSVP at https://secure.everyaction.com/lfHJQjsUokKLjkY649zTVg2?sourceid=1051385&emci=c02fc14f-569b-ee11-bea1-002248223f36&emdi=12aff9fc-609b-ee11-bea1-002248223f36&ceid=30868439

15] –The #CeasefireNOW Campaign is holding a Global Day of Action on Mon., December 18. Go to https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Folq6KzjgsJCcq8fVun-ItpXliTIXvplLDlfkLjzlLs/edit for ideas as to what you can do. Email ceasefirenow.gda@gmail.com.

16] – 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 Dec. 18, 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.

17] – Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] want you to participate with the Green Grassroots Emergency Environment and Election Protection (GREEP) Zoom on Mon., Dec. 18 at 5 PM ET. Hear from leading activists, elected officials, and others committed to union organizing as well as cleaning up our elections and the environment, and other critically important issues. RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqfuygpjIiHtc20uIOxdeqYRiAicjSLWUc#/registration

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