Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Baltimore Activist Alert -- January 11 to 22, 2023

52] Witness against Torture – Jan. 11 - 12

53] Time to Care Coalition meeting -- Jan. 11

54] DSA organizing meeting – Jan. 11

55] NV Training Jan. 11

56] DSA phone bank – Jan. 11

57] PDA elections call – Jan. 11

58] Greenpeace letter writing Jan. 11

59] Prayer service for a ceasefire Jan. 11

60] March for Gaza – Jan. 13

61] March with Healthcare for All – Maryland Jan. 15

62] March with Veterans for Peace Jan. 15

63] Protest Northrop Grumman – Jan. 22

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52] -- Witness against Torture [contact@witnessagainsttorture.com] needs you through Fri., Jan 12.  The anchor is January 11, the day the notorious prison was opened 22 years ago. Below is the schedule of activities for this year's Witness against Torture from January 8 - 12, which includes many local vigils, two powerful webinars and three WAT community Zoom circles. 

Helen Schietinger [h.schietinger@verizon.net] indicates that there will be a Witness against Torture vigil on Thurs., Jan. 11 at noon ET at the White House. Orange jump suits will be available.

On Thurs., Jan. 11, join a vigil or rally. Visit https://witnessagainsttorture.com/2023/12/31/january-2024-vigils-and-rallies-to-close-guantanamo/?mc_cid=ae23dd80c0&mc_eid=5ae22dbd02

Also on Jan. 11, there is a WAT Community Zoom circle at 7 PM ET. Email Witness against Torture [contact@witnessagainsttorture.com].

On Fri., Jan. 12 from 5 to 6:30 PM ET, check out Guantanamo, Where do we go from here? Presenters include Fionnuala Ni Aolain, former UN Special Rapporteur for Counterterrorism and Human Rights, and Mansoor Adayfi, writer, activist and Guantanamo survivor. Register at https://secure.everyaction.com/BF6RgU2lJ02UjfinpU61gg2?mc_cid=ae23dd80c0&mc_eid=5ae22dbd02

53] – Time to Care Coalition [info@timetocare.net] is holding a meeting on Thurs., Jan. 11 at 3 PM ET with the Department of Labor. At the meeting with the FAMLI team at the Department of Labor, get an update on their implementation and outreach efforts for the Time to Care law. Also plans for the legislative session will be reviewed. A link to attend this virtual event will be emailed upon RSVP: https://actionnetwork.org/events/time-to-care-coalition-meeting-with-dol?link_id=0&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-updated-registration-link-ttc-coalition-meeting&email_referrer=email_2158564&email_subject=rescheduled-ttc-coalition-meeting-with-dol

54] –The Northern Virginia DSA [novabranch@mdcdsa.org] wants you to know that there is an organizing meeting on Thurs., Jan. 11 at 6:30 PM ET at the Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22201. The theme is a Path to Power: Elections in Socialism. New members are welcome to join the discussion of current actions and campaigns. You may join in person or virtually via zoom. You must wear a mask at the meeting, and must be vaxxed/boosted to join all in-person events. There is extra hand sanitizer and face masks provided at all branch meetings. RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/nova-branch-monthly-organizing-meeting-jan-11th-630pm?link_id=48&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-december-8-2023-2&email_referrer=email_2160324&email_subject=metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-january-5-2024

55] –Bill McKibben <info@thirdact.org> is asking you to Equip Yourself for Change by joining Third Act's Series on Nonviolence and Civil Disobedience in 2024!  The utilization of these skills will begin in early-February in the nation’s capital, when we frontline communities will protest outside the Department of Energy in an effort to stop the permitting of new liquefied natural gas export facilities.  Join this training Putting Nonviolence into Action Today on Thurs., Jan. 11 from 7 to 9 PM ET.  RSVP at https://thirdact.org/events/direct-action-series-webinar-2/?emci=06fd6ea4-37ab-ee11-bea1-0022482237da&emdi=c6f9b745-48ab-ee11-bea1-0022482237da&ceid=56756

56] –Join a DSA [cara@dsacommittees.org] phone bank contacting members of the Senate to tell them no military funding for genocide. Demand a no vote on any military support for Israel. No Money for Massacres!   Phone bank on Thursdays, Jan. 11 and Jan. 18 at 6 PM ET and on Jan. 25 at 9 PM ET. Sign up at https://actionnetwork.org/events/no-money-for-massacres-solidarity-pr-phone-bank-thurs-111?link_id=6&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-start-2024-showing-solidarity-with-palestine&email_referrer=email_2159034&email_subject=start-2024-showing-solidarity-with-palestine

57] – Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] are holding a special campaign call for upcoming elections in January and February on Thurs., Jan. 11 at 9 PM ET.  Hear from Barbara Lee, Tom Keen and others.  Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrcuGgrDItHdeYV7F9QQsruFMypvcMt5Fc#/registration

  The big money interests standing up against progressive candidates are relentless. Their money never sleeps, and is being used for attack ads virtually anywhere a progressive stands to run for office, even during the holidays. So PDA is hosting a special campaign call tonight to quickly go over how folks can help make it a truly happy New Year by getting solid progressives elected in the special election in Florida early January, in California in early February (that's when vote by mail ballots go out), and elsewhere.

58] -- Greenpeace USA [info@greenpeaceusa.org] is organizing a Letter Writing kickoff call on Thurs., Jan. 11 at 8:30 PM ET. Looking to volunteer and strengthen your climate activism in 2024? Sign up for the letter writing volunteer call.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌RSVP at  https://www.mobilize.us/greenpeace/event/595619/?sourceid=&emci=7df91978-56ae-ee11-bea1-0022482237da&emdi=cf84681e-58ae-ee11-bea1-0022482237da&ceid=1705696 Soon, critical primary elections could help choose a Congress that delivers a livable future and a green energy system that works for all of us, not just Big Oil. Learn the importance of elections for the climate and how to write letters to climate voters.

59] -- Kathy Boylan <kathyboylan5@gmail.com> announced that on Sat., Jan. 13 from 11 AM to noon at the White House CATHOLICS AND OTHERS OF FAITH will come together for a LITURGY OF REPENTANCE FOR COMPLICITY IN   GENOCIDE. DEMAND AN END TO US FUNDING OF ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE IN GAZA. CEASEFIRE NOW.  ALL PEOPLE OF FAITH ARE WELCOME. COME AND PRAY BEFORE THE 1 PM PROTEST.

60] -- Valentina Dallona [vdallona@justiceisglobal.org] wants you to know about some changes for the March for Gaza on Sat., Jan. 13 starting at 1 PM ET. The rally, which was originally supposed to begin on the National Mall, has now been moved to Freedom Plaza. This means that Freedom Plaza is no longer an option for the Baltimore contingent pre-rally meetup. 

To join the Baltimore contingent be at Indiana Plaza. You can walk there from the MARC train or take the Metro to Archives-Navy Memorial. You’ll be able to recognize the contingent with the big orange and green banner saying “Baltimore Demands a Ceasefire. Be there at 12:15 PM. At 12:45 PM ET, march a few blocks over to Freedom Plaza for the main rally.

61] – As it has done for many years, Healthcare is a Human Right- Maryland will be participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in Baltimore on Mon., Jan. 15.  Join in and march behind a banner that contains Dr. King's famous quote, "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane."  The t-shirts will say "Medicare for All" and "Healthcare is a Human Right." Signs will be available for all.  You are encouraged to join the parade and show your support for healthcare justice.

The parade starts at noon at MLK Jr. Blvd. and Eutaw Street.  HCHR-MD will gather there by 11:30 AM.  For additional information, please contact Rich Bruning [barbruland@gmail.com] at [410] 235-3504 or [443]-509-7095.

62] – The Baltimore Phil Berrigan Memorial Veterans for Peace will march in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. in the parade in Baltimore on Mon., Jan. 15. Gather at 11:30 AM on Eutaw Street with the march starting at noon on MLK Boulevard.  Available are multiple VFP flags and banners, and about a dozen big placards with pertinent anti-war MLK quotes and MLK images. RSVP at ellene4pj@yahoo.com

63] – According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, the $43.7 billion spent by the U.S. on nuclear weapons in 2022 means that, every minute, $83,143 was diverted from healthcare, housing, and other needs in our country! And the leading nuclear weapons contractor in the U.S. is Northrop Grumman which in September 2020 was selected by the U.S. Air Force under a $13.3 billion contract awarded for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent [sic] (GBSD) program. Northrop Grumman is the third largest weapons contractor in the world taking in $32 billion in 2022 for military hardware.

According to the watchdog site Investigate, Northrop Grumman “supplies the Israeli military with a wide variety of weapons, including various missile systems. The company’s technologies are also integrated into Israel’s main weapon systems, including its fighter jets, missile ships, and trainer aircraft.” The company has provided Israel weapons for decades and, says Investigate, “these weapons have repeatedly been used against Palestinian civilians, resulting in numerous casualties as well as mass destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water and electric systems.” It has also supplied the Israeli Navy with Sa'ar 5 warships, which have participated in the assault on Gaza. 

Since 2017, Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland activists have celebrated the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The TPNW opened for signature at the United Nations in New York on 20 September 2017 and entered into force on 22 January 2021. As of 19 September 2023, the TPNW has 69 states parties while 28 further states have signed but not yet ratified.

 Pope Francis in the annual Christmas message condemned war and weaponry provided by the global arms industry. This year’s message also included condemnation of the ongoing slaughter in the Gaza Strip, as he mourned the children killed, which he called the "little Jesuses of today."

 Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland activists, on January 22 for the annual speak out in favor of the TPNW, will gather outside a Northrop Grumman complex to leaflet workers. The leaflet will explain that producing nuclear weapons is a theft from the poor, and that any military contractor supplying weapons to Israel will be complicit in the war crimes being committed in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.  As part of the visit to Northrop Grumman, a letter would be delivered to Kathy Warden, CEO. The time and the site will be decided at a further date.  Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net if you are interested in challenging Northrop Grumman. 

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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