Baltimore Activist Alert -- October 16 - 19, 2024

42] Reach out to voters – Oct. 16

43] FERC IS SCARY – Oct. 16

44] Phone bank -- Oct. 16 - 17 & 19

45] Deep Canvass Election phone banks -- Oct. 16 - 17 & 19

46] Calls for Kamala – Oct. 16

47] Team Enough – Oct. 16

48] Community Outreach Committee meeting – Oct. 16

49] Uncommitted National Movement -- Oct. 16

50] BDS organizing – Oct. 16

51] Text out the Vote – Oct. 16

52] Superwomen Wednesday – Oct. 16

53] Apartheid Free Communities – Oct. 16

54] Block Weapons to Israel – Oct. 16

55] Gandhi's Great Grandson – Oct. 16

56] CODEPINK discussion – Oct. 16

57] Biden’s War on Gaza – Oct. 16

58] Swing Left – Oct. 16

59] Women Wednesdays for Harris – Oct. 16

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42] –CCAN Action Fund [info@ccanactionfund.org] needs you in Philadelphia on Wed., Oct. 16, Thurs,, Oct. 17 & Fri., Oct. 18 from 9 AM to noon, noon to 3 PM or 3 to 5 PM ET.  Don’t like phone banking? Don’t like knocking on doors? You want to do something for Kamala Harris that feels more concrete and immediate?  You can get ten people per day to vote for Kamala Harris just by standing on a sidewalk. A little-known feature of Pennsylvania law means people can actually “vote by mail” on the spot and in person at county elections offices. Stand outside those offices throughout the Philadelphia area and ask passersby, “Have you voted? Want to vote now? Takes 10 minutes.”  Even better: Unregistered voters can get registered and vote at the same time, using the same method! This event to register Pennsylvania voters will continue through Oct. 29. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/ccanactionfund/event/656862/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=utm_ftv&utm_content=FTV-Canvass+PA+SINGLE-1024-c4

43] –Beyond Extreme Energy [info@beyondextremeenergy.org] wants you to know that FERC IS SCARY.  Join a 24 Hour Haunting of FERC from Wed., Oct. 16 through Thurs., Oct. 17 with Jacko lanterns, banners, and lots of snacks and warm clothes! You can join in from noon to noon at 888 First St NE, WDC 20426!

 You can help by calling FERC from home! Hop into the Phone Zap: FERC Phone Numbers: General Commission 202-502-8004 or 866-208-3372 (Toll-Free), Chair Willie Philips:  202-502-8550 or (202) 489-6372 (personal cell), Office of Public Participation 202-502-6595, Environmental Justice and Equity Group 202-502-8004 Toll-free: 1-866-208-3372.

 Hi this is ____ from ______, I’m calling for _____.  In July and August, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals vacated FERC’s certificates for the Texas LNG, Rio Grande LNG, Regional Energy Access and projects- due to FERC’s lack of consideration on greenhouse gas emissions and environmental justice analysis. Commonwealth LNG was remanded for similar reasons. We demand that FERC take immediate action- follow the legal demands of the D.C. Circuit Court- halt all construction and reject these projects for their impacts on the climate and marginalized communities.  Reject all new fossil fuel projects and move towards decarbonization and renewable energy sources!

44] – MPower Change [info@mpowerchange.org] on Wed., Oct. 16, Thurs., Oct. 17 & Fri., Oct. 18 from 5 to 9 PM ET do a phone bank to Get Out the Vote. Continue to flex your electoral muscle.  The group is calling Muslim voters around the country every week until Election Day to ensure mobilization in this election and beyond to build long-term political power. https://www.mymuslimvote.org/callingallmuslims

45] – The People's Action [info@peoplesaction.org] on Wed., Oct. 16 & Thurs., Oct. 17 from 5 to 8 PM and Sat., Oct. 19 from  1 to 4 PM ET is doing Deep Canvass Election phone banks.  RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/peoplesaction/event/565765/?link_id=3&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-whats-next-after-bidens-decision&email_referrer=email_2393896&email_subject=whats-next-after-bidens-decision

 People’s Action has a vision for the future in which we all have a say, we all have what we need, and we all belong. In that vision, our government and our economy serve all of us, not a handful of billionaires, and concerns about corporate profits take a back seat to the well-being of our people and our planet. Over the coming weeks, reach out to voters in critical states to share this vision with them and invite them to join us in working towards it.

46] – MAKE PHONE CALLS FOR KAMALA HARRIS FROM HOME starting on Wed., Oct. 16, 23 & 30 from 6 to 8 PM ET, and you will be in touch with key voters in Pennsylvania. You will be trained. This will continue each Wednesday through Oct. 30. More details will be provided upon registration: https://www.mobilize.us/ccanactionfund/event/657212/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=ftv&utm_content=FTV-91+reasons-0924-c4+C

47] -- Are you a young person between 13 and 25 years old who is interested in taking action around preventing gun violence? On Wednesdays, including Oct. 16, from 6 to 6:30 PM ET, join a Team ENOUGH welcome session to learn more about the different ways you can engage.  Team ENOUGH is a youth-led program whose mission is to educate young voices about gun violence and mobilize them to take meaningful action against it. Supported by Brady United, it harnesses the expertise and experience of today’s youth to advance intersectional work across the country. The following session takes place on Oct. 23, and the series will continue through Dec. 18. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/425528/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_closest

48] – On Wed., October 16 at 7 PM ET, there is a virtual Community Outreach Committee meeting.  Plan with Progressive Maryland on how to grow the Progressive movement in the community. The next meeting will be on Nov. 20, and the monthly meetings will continue on Wednesdays through December 18.  RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/progressivemaryland/event/612498/?followup_modal_context=organization_newsletter_custom_recommendations

49] – The Working Families Party [reply@workingfamilies.org] wants you to join the calls to build power for working people on Wednesdays Oct. 16 and Thurs., Nov. 7 at 8 PM ET.  Join the conversation with Abbas Alawieh and Layla Elabed of the Uncommitted National Movement. Uncommitted has registered and mobilized people of conscience to civically engage in this election around an anti-war agenda that specifically calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an arms embargo, an end to the long-term siege on Gaza. They are using their platform to push voters to engage in November in a meaningful way to fight fascism and strengthen our democracy. We are united in our joint call for a ceasefire and an economy that puts working people first.  RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/workingfamilies/event/342586/?utm_source=NatEmail-20240813_rsvp&link_id=0&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&email_referrer=email_2417164&email_subject=rsvp-now-to-join-our-call-to-build-power-for-working-people

50] – Get over to the MoCo DSA Campaign Planning Workshop for BDS Organizing on Wed., Oct. 16 at 7 PM ET at a Comrade's apartment next to the Bethesda Metro. Get the Bethesda address upon RSVP. Email montgomerycountydsa@gmail.com

The workshop will be led by the National DSA liaison, focusing on research and campaign planning tactics for BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) efforts in Montgomery County and Maryland at large. Use lessons from the success seen by comrades in Maine DSA with their BDS campaign work. You will be sent the address to those that RSVP to attend in person. Those who RSVP to attend virtually will be sent a Zoom link. RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/moco-dsa-campaign-planning-workshop-bds-organizing/?link_id=7&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-september-27-2024-2&email_referrer=email_2487216&email_subject=metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-october-11-2024

51] – The 2024 MomsRising Text Out the Vote is taking place on Wed., Oct. 16 from 8 to 9 PM and Fri., Oct. 18 from 4 to 5 PM ET. The plan is to reach 5 MILLION infrequent mom voters by Election Day so people have the information needed to vote. MomsRising has already reached millions of infrequent mom voters via phone, social media, hand-written mail, with local gatherings, and more – and, now, texting out the vote is the next part of the program! You will be provided with everything you need, including training and a fun environment to text with other volunteers if you want! The texting will conclude on Fri., Nov. 1 from 4 to 5 PM ET. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/699090/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_most_popular_virtual

52] – Get with Superwomen Wednesday and join the virtual Phone Bank on Oct. 16, 23 & 30 at 7 PM ET. Join Supermajority’s national team for weekly, action-packed hour sessions helping women make a plan to vote. Phone bank to women in North Carolina and Georgia who share the values (the Majority Rules) so their voice can be heard in the 2024 election. New to phone banking? Don’t fret! You will be trained. These Wednesday phone banks will continue through October 30 at 7 PM ET. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/supermajority/event/547542/

53] –Join Apartheid Free Communities online or in-person at Friends Meeting of Washington's Assembly Room, 2111 Decatur Place NW, WDC on Wed., Oct. 16 at 7 PM ET for VOICES FROM THE WEST BANK: Stories of Nonviolent Resistance and Protection with Amira Musallam and Mel Duncan.  Register at http://bit.ly/47WsORK

Amira Musallam is a Palestinian Christian peace advocate whose lifelong commitment to peace activism began in her youth after experiencing violence firsthand. She has actively engaged in peace dialogues, helping to lead efforts against land seizures in her community, co-leading the non- violent resistance to the takeover of her family’s land by armed Israeli settlers. Her work reflects a deep dedication to fostering nonviolent conflict resolution.

Mel Duncan is the co-founder of Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP), a world leader in unarmed civilian protection. NP’s nonviolent civilian protectors provide direct protection to civilians caught in violent conflict and work with local groups to prevent further violence and sustain peace. Since retiring from NP last October, Mel has been working with a consortium to bring a team of unarmed civilian protectors to the Occupied Territories of Palestine.

54] – Peace Action Education Fund [mailto:info@peaceaction.org] on Wed., Oct. 16 at 7 PM ET is doing an Action Call: Block Weapons to Israel, Increase Humanitarian Aid. Support Sen. Sanders Legislation to Block Weapons Transfers to Israel, Increase Humanitarian Aid to Gaza, and Stop a Wider Regional War. The Ed. Fund and the CeaseFire Now Grassroots Network invite you to an “actioner” (action-oriented webinar.)

This event will feature Max Hoffman, Senior Foreign Policy Advisor, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Diala Qasem, Senior Legislative Assistant, US Representative Andre Carson (D-IN) and Myriam Sabbaghi, Organizing Director, National Iranian-American Council (NIAC). Rep. Carson is the main sponsor, along with Reps. Jayapal and Schakowsky, and over 70 House co-sponsors, of the UNRWA Emergency Restoration Act, to restore US humanitarian funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees. In addition to promoting the issues noted above, Myriam Sabbaghi from NIAC will speak to the dangerous situation in the region, and the urgent need for diplomacy to stop a wider war. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Xdc5DrJmQgeIHP6tYFuJfA?emci=ab8975ba-118b-ef11-8473-0022483029fa&emdi=16b02656-138b-ef11-8473-0022483029fa&ceid=218683#/registration

55] – On Wed., Oct. 16 at 8 PM ET, Nancy Merritt <info@peacealliance.org> wants you to listen to Tushar Gandhi on Carrying Forward Gandhi's Message of Nonviolence.  RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/464735321?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=a6a299d3-54a6-4636-adb9-9005b3e627c7#success Join the online discussion with Mahatma Gandhi's Great Grandson.  Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India, taught and lived nonviolence throughout his life.  Yet his life ended by assassination.  In a world today that is filled with both beauty and violence, how do we act?  How do we carry forward Gandhi's message to be the world we want to see?  To embody in our lives this message?  The great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi will explain the legacy of his family and the importance of nonviolence. 

Tushar Gandhi is a social activist, an author and an actor.  In 1998, he established the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation with its most important aim of explaining and demonstrating the continuing relevance of Gandhi's insights and actions today.  In 2019 Tushar became a Director of the Gandhi Research Foundation.  In 2023 he was appointed as the Ambassador for "Return to Palestine."  He has appeared in a fictional Bollywood film, "Hey Ram" and a semi-fictional movie, "Road to Sangam."  Tushar has worked on behalf of textile-mill workers and on curbing cow-vigilante lynch mobs.  He authored "Let's Kill Gandhi" and "The Lost Diary of Kastur, My Ba."  

56] – Join CODEPINK in preparation to bring an anti-war, feminist values to the 2024 Women's March! On Wed., Oct. 16 at 8 PM ET, discuss the feminist, antiwar, intersectional values and what to do when feminism is co-opted by militarism, imperialism and genocide! Bring ideas, questions and friends! RSVP at https://www.codepink.org/1016webinar?utm_campaign=october_member_newsletter_2024&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink

Hear from Danaka Katovich, CODEPINK's Co-Director, Jasmine Butler, CODEPINK’s Member & Youth Coordinator and Grace Siegelman, CODEPINK’s Digital Engagement Manager + Feminist Foreign Policy Project Coordinator. CONTACT Grace at grace@codepink.org

57] – Meet the Al Jazeera producers behind new Gaza documentary on Wed., Oct. 16 at 8 PM ET. RSVP at https://afsc.org/events/night-wont-end-film-discussion?ms=EMA25WR1012&utm_source=weekendreading1012&utm_medium=email&emci=2b76670b-da87-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&emdi=a917c7ad-9588-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&ceid=764241

Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines team has investigated the killings of civilians by the Israeli military in Gaza and the role of the United States in the war. Their new documentary “The Night Won’t End: Biden’s War on Gaza” examines their findings. It also explores the human stories behind them. Join AFSC staff in this special online discussion with the film’s producers. Please watch the film ahead of time online. https://www.aljazeera.com/program/fault-lines/2024/6/21/the-night-wont-end-bidens-war-on-gaza-2

58] – On Wednesdays, Oct. 16. 23 & 30 from 8 to 8:30 PM ET, join Swing Left for a volunteer orientation. Take on MAGA extremism—and win—in 2024, and beyond! During the 30-minute orientation, share the most effective volunteer options. Extremism has taken root and is now thriving in the Republican Party. This emboldened GOP is attacking democracy itself—designing extreme legislative gerrymanders, rigging the courts, attempting to subvert election results, and stripping away the democratic voice of the people—in order to lock in permanent minority rule.   Swing Left has the tools, programs, and community infrastructure to help you get involved strategically in whatever way you can, no matter where you are on your civic engagement journey. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/616746/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_most_popular_virtual

59] – The Indivisible Team [info@indivisible.org] on Wednesdays Oct. 16 & 30 & Nov. 6 at 8:30 PM ET wants you to attend Women Wednesdays for Harris and every week through the election. Unlock the secrets to relentless resilience with insights from renowned voices like Sharon Salzberg, Erica Ford, Liza Colón-Zayas, Pooja Lakshmin, Kristin Neff, and Senator Cory Booker. Your mental and physical health is paramount in the fight for the health of our democracy. Partner on a national call bringing together women from all across the country to build community, strategize, and share tools to drive a Harris victory in November.  RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/657943/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=_20240923

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

Baltimore Activist Alert -- October 15 - 18, 2024

30] On to Pennsylvania – Oct. 15 – 18

31] Swing Left – Oct. 15

32] Get out the vote in Pennsylvania – Oct. 15

33] Medicare for All working group meeting – Oct. 15

34] WFP virtual text bank – Oct. 15

35] Blue Wave Affair – Oct. 15

36] Black Voters Matter – Oct. 15

37] Suffering in Gaza – Oct. 15

38] Divestment webinar – Oct. 15

39] Christians for a Free Palestine care call – Oct. 15

40] Not Iran – Oct. 15

41] Back from the Brink – Oct. 15

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30] – CCAN Action Fund [info@ccanactionfund.org] needs you in Philadelphia from Tues., Oct. 15 through Fri., Oct. 18 from 9 AM to noon, noon to 3 PM or 3 to 5 PM ET.  Don’t like phone banking? Don’t like knocking on doors? You want to do something for Kamala Harris that feels more concrete and immediate?  You can get ten people per day to vote for Kamala Harris just by standing on a sidewalk. A little-known feature of Pennsylvania law means people can actually “vote by mail” on the spot and in person at county elections offices. Stand outside those offices throughout the Philadelphia area and ask passersby, “Have you voted? Want to vote now? Takes 10 minutes.”  Even better: Unregistered voters can get registered and vote at the same time, using the same method! This event to register Pennsylvania voters will continue through Oct. 29. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/ccanactionfund/event/656862/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=utm_ftv&utm_content=FTV-Canvass+PA+SINGLE-1024-c4

31] –Write letters on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is your opportunity to make a difference in the upcoming election. Flip the House and elect Kamala Harris. On Tues., Oct. 15 and Thurs., Oct. 17·from 1 – 3 PM ET, Swing Left. Join a letter writing party in Roland Park using this award-winning, proven tactic to reach potential voters in important upcoming elections. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/625941/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_closest

Writing letters to underrepresented voters is a fun, easy way to strengthen our democracy that can boost voter turnout by as much as 3.4 percentage points. In what are expected to be very close races, this can make or break an election.  Never written letters before? Hop on to votefwd.org/swingleft and make an account; download twenty letters; and we’ll show you how to write them at our party!

32] –   People’s Action has a vision for the future in which we all have a say, we all have what we need, and we all belong. In that vision, our government and our economy serve all of us, not a handful of billionaires, and concerns about corporate profits take a back seat to the well-being of our people and our planet. Over the coming weeks, reach out to voters in critical states to share this vision with them and invite them to join us in working towards it.

On Tuesdays from 6 to 8 PM ET, join people from across the country on Zoom to make calls to voters for Harris in swing states with a major focus on Pennsylvania through Nov. 5. This is organized by the CHESAPEAKE CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK / ACTION FUND, and the next call is on Oct. 15. The organizers will set you up and train you to make calls! RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/653873/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_more_events_of_type

33] –The Northern Virginia Branch of the DSA [novabranch@mdcdsa.org] Medicare for All Working Group will hold a virtual meeting on Tues., Oct. 15 at 6 PM ET. Discuss the Medicare for All Resolution campaign in Arlington and other ideas in the work towards universal healthcare. The group meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Meetings are open to the public and we welcome all who support healthcare as a human right.  RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/nova-medicare-for-all-working-group-meeting-tuesday-october-15th-at-6pm/?clear_id=true&link_id=26&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-nova-branch-dsa-upcoming-actions-and-events-179&email_referrer=email_24

34] – On Tuesdays, Oct. 15, Oct. 22 & Oct. 29 from 6 to 8 PM ET, the Working Families Party will engage in a virtual text bank. Volunteer to text. In local elections to ballot initiatives to Congress, WFP is building power at the local, state, and federal level for working people in 2024! RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/545747/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_most_popular_virtual

ACTION NETWORK / ACTION FUND, and the next call is on Oct. 1. The organizers will set you up and train you to make calls! RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/653873/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_more_events_of_type

35] –  On Tues., Oct. 15 from 6 to 10 PM ET, the Maryland Democratic Party will host a Blue Wave Affair at the Tiffany East Catering, 4116 E Lombard St., Baltimore 21224. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/697199/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_more_events_of_type

 Celebrate a fantastic evening featuring exciting speakers, a wonderful buffet, music, and an open bar!  For more information, visit www.baltimorecitydems.org.

 36] –Black Voters Matter is doing virtual Texting Tuesdays on Oct. 8 at 6 PM ET. Gather to drive change through digital organizing. The texting campaigns will give you the opportunity to engage residents across the U.S. while empowering them to make a positive impact in their communities. Texting Tuesdays will continue through November 5. Register at https://blackvotersmatterfund-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpc-yuqzouG9OjuAWAaK8RYCRubvHHnthO#/registration

37] – Tune in to the Suffering in Gaza and a Region in Turmoil One Year On on Tues., Oct. 15 from 7 to 9 PM ET.  Join this online discussion with Laila El-Haddad, Trita Parsi, and Peter Breinart. RSVP at

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__yzLxEHRQiCGtOR2nJeUpw?emci=5e6dbb09-9985-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&emdi=70409ac7-7286-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&ceid=320042#/registration

38] – USCPR [contact@uscpr.org] on Tues., Oct. 15 at 7 PM ET get with the first in a series of divestment webinars, "My city council refuses to divest, what next?: Winning divestment through sustained protest of politicians, Chevron, and Maersk."  is past year has driven home the extreme levels to which Palestinian people are dehumanized in our media and our political system, and the extreme lengths many politicians will go to fuel genocide and shield Zionist settler colonial interests.  Focus your energy and efforts on organizing strategies that are working. And then channel all your grief and rage there. RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7017284827537/WN_I4AqSqe_QEOREJ6MyOLeYw?emci=95a8fd44-ff87-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&emdi=783aec31-0d88-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&ceid=5467956#/registration

39] – Christians for a Free Palestine [info+christians-against-genocide-info@email.actionnetwork.org] is hold a Care Space on Tues., Oct. 15 at 8 PM ET. You are invited to come together for a monthly community care space for anyone who identifies as Christian (in or outside of church) and/or weaves their Christian heritage into their action facilitated by Chris Hoover Seidel (she/her) and Melissa Berkey-Gerard (she/her). Check in on each other as we consider the weight of a year of genocide and resistance.  RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87697331949?pwd=cTew3Skkq3hVS0AvPlil3ylaI44ZEt.1&link_id=16&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-whatever-youre-feeling-dont-feel-it-alone&email_referrer=email_2479688&email_subject=whatever-youre-feeling-dont-feel-it-alone#success

40] – CODEPINK [info@codepink.org] is hosting on Tues., Oct. 15 at 8 PM ET Iran: What's Next?‌ Chat with peacemakers and experts on Zoom: https://www.codepink.org/cpc1015?utm_campaign=codepink_congress_10_15_unopen&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink

Israeli Defense [sic] Minister Yoav Gallant vows an Israeli strike against Iran will be "lethal, precise and surprising” in the wake of Iran sending hundreds of missiles into Israel to target military facilities. Iran’s missile barrage was in retaliation for the "violation of Iran’s sovereignty and the martyrdom” of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed by an explosion in Tehran—and in response to the Israeli air strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut that killed hundreds of people. Even as Israel commits genocide in Gaza and bombs Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, President Biden reaffirms his “ironclad” support during a 30-minute phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Biden insists he will not support an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities and oil installations—but Biden has reversed himself before so it’s anyone’s guess whether he will stick to his latest red line.

41] – Back from the Brink [info@preventnuclearwar.org] will meet on Tues., Oct. 15 at 8 PM ET. Share perspectives on both near-term opportunities and longer-term implications of the elections on our advocacy work.  Focus to some extent on the upcoming national and local elections. Create the opportunity for Meetup participants to share their experiences and perspectives on both near-term opportunities and longer-term implications of the elections.

 Between now and Election Day, has it been and is it still possible to infuse local advocacy for changes to nuclear policy into the local Congressional election related work you might be doing?  After the election, Back from the Brink advocacy will be of crucial importance. Here are some questions to consider: What ideas do you have for engaging your local/state elected officials or working more closely with other organizations in your community? What actions in your area might be most effective in cultivating more leadership on changing nuclear policies from your Member of Congress? What strategies and actions might be most effective to influence the new Harris or Trump administration to change policies to reduce nuclear risks?   RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86434879139?pwd=OERHYTFyeEpyalBVNEZQNlNBUmFmQT09&emci=26e16544-9a85-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&emdi=a6631b55-5386-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&ceid=13712990#success

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

Baltimore Activist Alert -- October 14 - 19, 2024

20] Call Muslim voters – Oct. 14

21] Working groups – Abolition & Migrant Justice -- Oct. 14

22] Trans Rights & Bodily Autonomy Campaign meeting – Oct. 14

23] No War with Lebanon – Oct. 14

24] Young adult voters – Oct. 14

25] Take Action Tuesdays – Oct. 15

26] Swing Left – Oct. 15 & 17

27] Support vital student organizing – Oct. 15

28] Russia out of Ukraine – Oct. 15

29] Deep Canvass Election phone banks -- Oct. 15 - 17 & 19

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20] – MPower Change [info@mpowerchange.org] on Mon., Oct. 14 through Fri., Oct. 18 from 5 to 9 PM ET wants you to do a phone bank to Get Out the Vote. The group is calling Muslim voters around the country every week until Election Day to ensure mobilization in this election and beyond to build long-term political power. https://www.mymuslimvote.org/callingallmuslims

21] –  The Northern Virginia Branch of the DSA has an Abolition Working Group and the Migrant Justice Working Group, and the groups are joining forces to continue working to challenge oppressive institutions and imagine the capacities for community care that we might grow instead. The next meeting will be on Mon., Oct. 14 at 7 PM. Please fill out our interest form in advance and we’ll get you plugged in: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEcShQX51IL2Z1sNff7bqiYz68vAtPjUxpTuIrfvAK8iBDqA/viewform

22] – Consider attending a virtual MDC DSA Trans Rights & Bodily Autonomy Campaign organizing meeting on Mon., Oct. 14 at 7 PM ET.  A link to attend this virtual event will be emailed upon RSVP: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85218666386?pwd=Rzh3cXIybHRPc1o2TjlkQThhOVREdz09 The Meeting ID is 852 8166 6386, and the Passcode is 192336. Email lyrabmcmillan@gmail.com

23] – CODEPINK [info@codepink.org] wants you on Mon., Oct. 14 at 8 PM ET to attend a talk by Rania Khalek:  No War with Lebanon! ‌ ‌Khalek will discuss Israel's war on Lebanon, the continuing genocide of Palestine, and escalations with Iran.  She will be there to answer your questions, and then there will be a discussion how to take action locally against the war machine. RSVP at ‌ ‌ ‌https://www.codepink.org/missingp1014?utm_campaign=mpm_10_14_invite&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink

24] – The Century Foundation [events@tcf.org] on Tues., Oct. 15 from 2 to 3 PM ET will explore this subject: Young Adults Think America’s Political System Isn’t Working.  Young adult voters may once again play a pivotal role in this presidential election, but their importance to our democracy runs much deeper than any one political cycle. Millennials and Gen Z represent the future of our multiracial, pluralistic democracy.  Next100 and GenForward teamed up on a national survey of their perspectives on how well our democracy is working and its potential, their trust in government, and their civic engagement. The findings were illuminating, and revealed significant frustration with and disconnection from our political system. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/young-adults-think-americas-political-system-isnt-working-tickets-1027638272737?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_eid=0f57b5a0fa&mc_cid=18944c3646

25] – Join Take Action Tuesdays organized by People Power United on Tuesdays from noon to 1 PM ET.  Use your lunch hour to take action on issues, text bank, do letters and postcards to voters, and more! No supplies needed. You will be trained. People Power United is a group of community members that champions progressive values and power for the people. The 2024 election depends on us, and we are attempting to persuade people to vote for Freedom over Fascism. Participate on Tues., Oct. 15 from noon to 1 PM ET.  The next Action Tuesday is Oct. 22, and these events will continue through October 29. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/peoplepowerunited/event/643588/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

26] – On Tues., Oct. 15 and Thurs., Oct. 17 from 1 to 3 PM ET, join Swing Left for a volunteer orientation. This orientation will continue through Oct. 29 at 1 PM ET. Take on MAGA extremism—and win—in 2024, and beyond! During the 30-minute orientation, share the most effective volunteer options. Extremism has taken root and is now thriving in the Republican Party. This emboldened GOP is attacking democracy itself—designing extreme legislative gerrymanders, rigging the courts, attempting to subvert election results, and stripping away the democratic voice of the people—in order to lock in permanent minority rule.   Swing Left has the tools, programs, and community infrastructure to help you get involved strategically in whatever way you can, no matter where you are on your civic engagement journey. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/625941/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_closest

‌27] – Student Organizing via MPower Change [info@mpowerchange.org] on Tues., Oct. 15 at 4 PM ET is holding a discussion on how to support vital student organizing. RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Nw_By-h9Q4-8h3QtFuRVnA?amp_device_id=b6c68d7a-7199-4d88-ab18-b23214f8c655#/registration

 ‌28] – Join the Baltimore Nonviolence Center on Tues., Oct. 15 from 5 to 5:30 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.   Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607.

29] – The People's Action [info@peoplesaction.org] on Tues., Oct. 15, Wed., Oct. 16, Thurs., Oct. 17 from 5 to 8 PM ET and Sat., Oct. 19 from 1 to 4 PM ET is doing Deep Canvass Election phone banks.  RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/peoplesaction/event/565765/?link_id=3&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-whats-next-after-bidens-decision&email_referrer=email_2393896&email_subject=whats-next-after-bidens-decision

 ‌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

A Year of Genocide

- CounterPunch.org - https://www.counterpunch.org –

A Year of Genocide

By Ramzy Baroud on October 11, 2024

Image by Ian Hutchinson.

No one had expected that one year would be enough to recenter the Palestinian cause as the world’s most pressing issue, and that millions of people across the globe, would, once again rally for Palestinian freedom.

The last year witnessed an Israeli genocide in Gaza, unprecedented violence in the West Bank, but also legendary expressions of Palestinian sumud, or steadfastness.

It is not the enormity of the Israeli war, but the degree of the Palestinian sumud that has challenged what once seemed to be a foregone conclusion to the Palestinian struggle.

Yet, it turned out that the last chapter on Palestine was not yet ready to be written, and that it would not be Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who would write it.

The ongoing war has exposed the limits of Israel’s military machine. The typical trajectory of Israel’s relationship with the occupied Palestinians has been predicated on unhindered Israeli violence and deafening international silence. It was largely Israel that alone determined the timing and objectives of war. Its enemies, until recently, seemed to have no say over the matter.

Yet, this is no longer the case. Israeli war crimes are now met with Palestinian unity, Arab, Muslim and international solidarity, and early, albeit serious signs of legal accountability as well.

This is hardly what Netanyahu was hoping to achieve; just days before the start of the war, he stood in the United Nations General Assembly Hall carrying a map of a ‘New Middle East’, a map that had completely erased Palestine and the Palestinians.

“We must not give the Palestinians a veto over (..) peace,” he said, as “Palestinians are only 2% of the Arab world.” His arrogance didn’t last long, as that supposedly triumphant moment was short-lived.

Embattled Netanyahu is now mostly concerned about his own political survival. He is expanding the war front to escape his army’s humiliation in Gaza and is terrified by the prospect of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court.

And as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) continues to look into an ever-expanding file, accusing Israel of deliberate genocide in the Strip, the UNGA, on September 18, resolved that Israel must end its illegal occupation of Palestine within a year from the passing of its resolution on the matter.

It must be utterly disappointing for Netanyahu – who has worked tirelessly to normalize his occupation of Palestine – to be met with total and thundering international rejection of his schemes. The advisory opinion of the ICJ, on July 19, declaring that “Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (is) unlawful” was another blow to Tel Aviv, which despite unlimited US support, failed to change international consensus on the illegality of the occupation.

In addition to the relentless Israeli violence, the Palestinian people have been marginalized as political actors. Since the Oslo Accords in 1993, their fate has been largely entrusted to a mostly unelected Palestinian leadership, which, with time, monopolized the Palestinian cause for its own financial and political interests.

The sumud of the Palestinians in Gaza, who have endured a year of mass killing, deliberate starvation and total destruction of all aspects of life, is helping reassert the political significance of a long-marginalized nation.

This shift is fundamental as it runs opposite to everything that Netanyahu had tried to achieve. In the years prior to the war, Israel seemed to be writing the final chapter of its settler colonial project in Palestine. It had subdued or co-opted the Palestinian leadership, perfected its siege on Gaza and was ready to annex much of the West Bank.

Gaza became the least of Israel’s concerns, as any discussion around it was confined to the hermetic Israeli siege and the resulting humanitarian, though not political crisis.

While Palestinians in Gaza have tirelessly implored the world to pressure Israel to end the protracted siege, imposed in earnest in 2007, Tel Aviv continued to conduct its policies in the Strip according to the infamous logic of former top Israeli official, Dov Weissglas, who explained the rationale behind the blockade as “to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger.”

But a year into the war, Palestinians, due to their own steadfastness, have become the center of any serious discussion on a peaceful future in the Middle East. Their collective courage and steadfastness have neutralized the Israeli military machine’s ability to exact political outcomes through violence.

True, the number of dead, missing or wounded in Gaza has already exceeded 150,000. The Strip, impoverished and dilapidated to begin with, is in total ruins. Every mosque, church or hospital has been destroyed or seriously damaged. Most of the region’s educational infrastructure has been obliterated. Yet, Israel hasn’t achieved any of its strategic objectives, which are ultimately united by a single goal, that of silencing the Palestinian quest for freedom, forever.

Despite the unbelievable pain and loss, there is now a powerful energy that is unifying Palestinians around their cause, and the Arabs and the whole world around Palestine. This shall have consequences that will last for many years, long after Netanyahu and his ilk of extremists are gone.

Article printed from CounterPunch.org: https://www.counterpunch.org

URL to article: https://www.counterpunch.org/2024/10/11/a-year-of-genocide/

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