Baltimore Activist Alert -- March 8 - 9, 2021

21] Rally for a $15 minimum wage – March 8

22] Biden Administration's North Korea Policy – March 8

23] Women Surviving Apartheid's Prisons – March 8

24] International Women's Day Celebration – March 8

25] Women’s Voices from Central America – March 8

26] Support the Equality Act -- March 8

27] Get Money Out – Maryland – March 8

28] Heartbeat of the Resistance Event – March 8

29] National Organize to Win Call – March 8

30] Care Corner Food Pantry -- March 9

31] PRO Act Rally – March 9

32] Protest Owl Experiments -- March 9

33] Protest JHU’s weapons research – March 9

34] Take Action Tuesdays – March 9

35] Animal Bereavement Support Group – March 9

36] US sanctions against Venezuela– March 9

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21] – Low-wage workers need a $15 minimum wage now more than ever. Join One Fair Wage, Ultraviolet & the Women's March on Mon., March 8—International Women's Day—at 1 PM to rally for a $15 minimum wage. This will be a day of dance, music and action highlighting the need for a $15 minimum wage, One Fair Wage and the end of gender based violence at work.  Gather at the National Mall, 4th St. SW, between Madison & Jefferson Streets; WDC 20565. There will be other in-person events in major cities across the country, as well as outside Senator Joe Manchin's office in West Virginia & Senator Kyrsten Sinema's office in Phoenix. RSVP at https://secure.everyaction.com/31ofja4G5kyOiXB2FKR5kQ2?link_id=1&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-rsvp-monday-march-8-the-minimum-wage-fight-has-only-just-begun-4&email_referrer=email_1099054&email_subject=rsvp-monday-march-8-the-minimum-wage-fight-has-only-just-begun.

22] – On Mon., March 8 at 4 PM, tune into A New Beginning or the Same Old Story? What are the prospects for the Biden Administration's North Korea Policy?  To sign up for this online Panel Discussion, register via Zoom at https://bit.ly/3tPcfml. Email hjahn@stanford.edu. The sponsor is Stanford's Freeman Spogli Institute.  

23] – Author Shanthini Naidoo "live" in an online book event in which the South African author will be talking about her recently released book Women Surviving Apartheid's Prisons on Mon., March 8 at 6 PM ET, hosted by Washington D.C.'s Busboys & Poets. This International Women’s Day, Naidoo will be joined by Dr. Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons and Bill Fletcher Jr., for a timely and lively conversation on the role of women in South Africa’s anti-Apartheid struggle and the transnational and transgenerational connections that can be drawn from their activism. See https://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/th-evt-15837237/.

24] – Western Mass CODEPINK brings you its 16th Annual International Women's Day Celebration on Mon., March 8 from 7 to 8:30 PM EST.  The virtual door opens at 6:50 PM for a music and program preview. The theme this year is Women Empowering Women.  This event will be on Zoom, and the link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87996078264.  The Meeting ID is 879 9607 826.

25] – Leslie Salgado [cuba_is_hope@comcast.net] is reminding us about an International Women's Day virtual event on Mon., March 8 at 7 PM ET. Register at http://bit.ly/WomensVoicesMigration. This event will be fully bilingual/. Join in to hear Women’s Voices from Central America – Impacts of U.S. Policies on Migration.  From Nicaragua, Yolande Areas Blas, from Honduras, Carla Garcia, and from El Salvador, Sonia Umanzor will speak. The musical guest is Lilo Gonzalez of El Salvador.  Register at http://bit.ly/womensvociesmigration.

26] – From key cabinet-level appointments and Biden’s executive order implementing the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County to his support of the Equality Act, it is clear that LGBTQ equality is a priority for this White House. We are proud to work with them and will continue to do so in the crucial work ahead. To mark the 46th president’s first 46 days, Human Rights Campaign is hosting a special member town hall to review the work accomplished … and to look at what’s ahead on Mon., March 8 at 7 PM ET.  Join in at https://act.hrc.org/page/77089/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=em_adv_march21&ea.url.id=5193661.  Hear from HRC President Alphonso David, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Rep. Angie Craig and others.

27] – There is a Get Money Out - Maryland BOARD MEETING on Mon., March 8 at 7:30 PM.  There is two ways to join the conference: 1) dial 1 301 715 8592 with a meeting ID: 931 3066 2622. The password is 173976 and 2} click on your device if you have downloaded the app from Zoom.  This is a GMOM Board strategy session. Observers are welcome. Visit https://www.getmoneyoutmd.org/.

28] – The Solidarity Collective [liz@soldiaritycollective.org] wants you to attend Women: the Heartbeat of the Resistance Event on International Women's Day, March 8 at 8 PM EST. The panel will honor Women in Resistance from communities across Latin America who are reclaiming land, art, culture, and music to resist the paradigms of war, patriarchal systems, militarization, and violence. The panel will consist of Afro-Colombian, Indigenous, and immigrant voices uplifting matriarchal values that are often silenced and sidelined. Speaking out against oppression, the dialogue will highlight the dreams and achievements of women who organize and create space to reclaim the heartbeat of collective liberation. Register in advance for this webinar at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bVQJ7iY9S7O8MybfwwRioQ?link_id=1&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-join-us-for-event-on-international-womens-day&email_referrer=email_1089786&email_subject=join-us-for-women-the-heartbeat-of-the-resistance-event.

29] – Our Revolution [info@ourrevolution.com] is reminding you about the weekly Organize to Win Call on Mon., March 8 from 8:30 to 9:30 PM ET. Join the call here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/993867009 or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/493143908744775/. Sen. Nina Turner will join in to celebrate Women’s History Month; Our Revolution Birmingham’s Eric Hall will provide an update on the union fight at Amazon; CWA’s Shane Larson will give a briefing on a landmark pro-labor bill; and California State Rep. Miguel Santiago will discuss how we’re going to win health care for all!

30] – On March 9 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM ET, get over to the Care Corner Food Pantry at the Pasadena United Methodist Church, 61 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena. This will continue each Tuesday through June 29.  Food bags are available for individuals and families in need. Food bags are first-come, first-served each week.  Volunteers are needed each week to help distribute the food. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0c49acae2b0-care. All COVID safety measures are followed, including outdoor distribution, mask-wearing and social distancing. 

31] – Hal Ginsberg [hal@ourrevolutionmd.com] announced that the PRO Act Rally is on Tues.,  March 9 from 10 AM to noon on the Mall in D.C. Meet at the National Museum of the American Indian, Jefferson Drive & 4th St. SW. Stand together to demand that the U.S. House fights for working people by passing the PRO Act!! The Rally will begin at 11 AM. Maryland's most powerful federal politician - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer - announced that the House of Representatives will vote on the PRO Act this week. A strong show of support may be necessary to ensure passage given the very slim majority Democrats command. RSVP at https://www.mobilize.us/ourrevolution/event/377604/?link_id=2&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-stand-with-workers-tuesday-in-dc-2&email_referrer=email_1100234&email_subject=pro-act-rally-is-tuesday-morning-on-the-mall-in-dc.

32] – On Tues., March 9 from 11:45 AM to 1 PM EST, protest Johns Hopkins University’s Cruel Experiments on Owls at 34th & North Charles St., Baltimore 21218. Join PETA and local activists for a COVID-safe socially distanced protest outside the main entrance of Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to demand that the school end the torment of owls in cruel and invasive brain experiments. In the laboratory torture chamber at JHU, experimenter Shreesh Mysore cuts into owls' skulls to expose their brains. Then, he screws and glues metal devices onto their heads. The owls endure two to three invasive surgeries before Mysore uses them in experiments. These birds—who are nocturnal hunters who would fly great distances in their natural habitat—are forced into tight jackets so cramped that they can't move their wings for up to 12 hours. During these experiments, he pokes electrodes around in the brains of the fully conscious birds, mutilating their brain tissue so severely that they become "unusable" to him—at which point he kills them.  CONTACT: Luis Correal at luisc@peta.org or 404-384-9147. All participants are required to wear masks during the protest and to maintaining a MINIMUM of 6 feet between all activists and between activists and passersby. See http://www.mediapeta.com/.../PDF/tips_for_PETA_activists.pdf.

33] – There is a Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" at 33rd and N. Charles Sts. on Tuesdays from 5 to 6 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607.  You may consider contacting President Ron Daniels and telling him that the university should reject all military contracts, including those for killer drone and nuclear weapons research.  The president’s mailing address is Office of the President, 242 Garland Hall, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland 21218.  You can also reach his office by Phone: (410) 516-8068, Fax: (410) 516-6097 or email: president@jhu.edu.

34] – The Women’s March Organizing Team [info@womensmarch.com] has created Take Action Tuesdays from 7 to 8 PM ET— a weekly, virtual gathering of women focused on harnessing grassroots organizing power and fighting for meaningful progress in the post-Trump era. This will be a virtual space to share stories and experiences and take meaningful action around key women's issues in the first 100 days of the Biden-Harris Administration. For Tues., March 9, RSVP at bit.ly/takeacttue.  See https://act.womensmarch.com/signup/volunteer-hub/.

35] – On Tues., March 9 from 7 to 8:30 PM ET, get with the Animal Bereavement Support Group at the Baltimore Humane Society, 1601 Nicodemus Road, Reisterstown 21136. This will continue each Tuesday, through August 3. See https://www.facebook.com/BMOREHUMANE/.  The loss of an animal can be a devastating blow. Our friends are often loved as a member of our family, and we believe their passing should be treated with the same respect. RSVP to vvanhof@bmorehumane.org. 

36] – On Tues., March 9 at 8 ET, the CODEPINK CONGRESS will focus on the urgent need to lift illegal US sanctions against Venezuela, a country suffering from a lack of medicine, medical supplies, and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. RSVP at https://www.codepink.org/03092021?utm_campaign=cpcongress_03092021&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink.  Hear from Carlos Ron, former Minister Counsel of Political Affairs at the Venezuelan embassy in the United States; Lorena Gimenez of Género Con Clase, a feminist human rights organization; and Leonardo Flores, a coordinator of CODEPINK’s Latin America campaign.

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 – March 7 - 8, 2021

Baltimore Activist Alert – March 7 - 8, 2021

"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 Obuszewski 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] Get involved with NCNR   

4] Volunteer with a Catholic Worker house  

5] Free Prakash Churaman  

6] Catch a Kiss the Ground Screening – March 7 - 11

7] Human Health and the Environment – March 7

8] Feed the Homeless – March 7

9] Global Jewish Movement for Refugees – March 7

10] Judas and the Black Messiah – March 7

11] Healthcare Town Hall – March 7

12] Justice for George Floyd – March 7

13] Say goodbye to Sister Dianna Ortiz, OSU.  – March 7

14] Citizenship for All – March 7

15] Pentagon Peace Vigil – March 8

16] Quilts and Stories – March 8 - 12

17] Food Rescue – March 8

18] Inter-generational dialogue on gender, peace and nuclear disarmament – March 8

19] Pass Expanded Brady Background Checks – March 8

20] COINTELPRO -- March 8

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1] – Buttons, bumperstickers 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] – THE ORGANIZING LIST will be the primary decision-making mechanism of the National Campaign of Nonviolent Resistance [NCNR].  It will be augmented by conference calls and possibly in-person meetings as needed.  It will consist of 1 or 2 representatives from each local, regional, or national organization (not coalitions) that wishes to actively work to carry out the NCNR campaign of facilitating and organizing nonviolent resistance to U.S. wars.

To join the ORGANIZING List, please send your name, group affiliation, city and email address to mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.  Different local chapters of a national organization are encouraged to subscribe.  

4] - Suzanne Fontanesi and Jeff Ross are in the beginning stages of renovating the basement of their house for purposes of bringing in a volunteer (targeting young adults in discernment mode), starting next fall. They are trying to grow a Catholic Worker House in Irvington (West Baltimore). In a nutshell, there is a lot that a volunteer could do in that neighborhood/Baltimore, in addition to prayer and daily community living and in addition to plugging into all the good work that people are already doing in and around Baltimore (and beyond).  If you think you might know of anyone who might be interested in starting a conversation with them about becoming such a volunteer/community member, please contact Jeff/Suzanne at 443-690-6872.

5] – Prakash Churaman was 15 when he was arrested and accused of murdering his best friend. NYPD detective Barry Brown coerced him into making a false confession over the course of hours in an interrogation room. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison by Judge Kenneth Holder, a former prosecutor. That conviction was overturned this summer and now for the first time he has a chance to come home if money can be raised for his bail. Here is the link to a video which tells his story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FStlvKjTt4&t=7s. Here is the link to Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/f/freeprakashchuraman and another one to a petition: https://www.change.org/p/freeprakashchuraman.

6] – Catch a Kiss the Ground Screening and Q&A from Sun., March 7 at 7 AM through Thurs., March 11 at midnight ET. Travel from the plains of North Dakota to the Loess Plateau in China and learn why soil experts think the solution to the climate crisis lies right beneath our feet. Watch the trailer then sign up to watch Kiss the Ground and participate in a Q&A with the filmmakers at https://addup.sierraclub.org/events/kiss-the-ground-screening-and-qa?promoid=7013q000001kxGVAAYutm_source=insider&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter.

7] – Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 2521 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21218, meets on Sundays, and generally there is a speaker and discussion at 10:30 AM.  On Sun., March 7, hear about “Climate Change, Ecology and the Links between Human Health and the Environment.” Biologist, author, and cancer survivor, Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D. writes about climate change, ecology, and the links between human health and the environment. Steingraber’s highly acclaimed book, Living Downstream: An Ecologist’s Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment was the first to bring together data on toxic releases with data from U.S. cancer registries and was adapted for the screen in 2010. Both book and documentary won praise from international media. Steingraber is currently a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. Email PRESIDENT@BMORETHICAL.ORG for the ZOOM LOGIN INFORMATION.

8] – On Sun., March 7 from 1 to 5 PM EST, Feed The Homeless - Charity Event at 16 W. Saratoga St., Baltimore 21201-4227. Hosted by Mark Grey, go to https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011934377773.

  Feed the Homeless is in downtown Baltimore, 550 Holliday St., at the intersection of Guilford Ave. & Centre St., 21202. Skylyne Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Baltimore. The group currently raises funds & collect donations to benefit the homeless & less fortunate men, women & children. It accepts food trays of different hot foods & soups (on location) perishable items, can goods, cases of water & juice toiletries, hygiene products, feminine products, school supplies, coats & winter accessories, footwear, pillows, blankets, and so much more. Consider making a minimum donation of $5 or $10, or any amount you can contribute. Go to https://www.facebook.com/skylynefoundation/. Email skylynefoundation@gmail.com.

9] – Rabbi Rachel Grant Meyer [info@hias.org] wants you to Zoom into Perspectives on the Global Jewish Movement for Refugees on Sun., March 7 at 1:30 PM ET. Join an afternoon conversation with HIAS experts about how global Jewish organizations are working in collaboration with Jewish communities in Europe, Canada, Latin America, and the United States in support of and in solidarity with displaced people, and explore how the emergent global Jewish movement for refugees is evolving. Advance registration is required. Click here to RSVP at https://www.hias.org/events/zooming-perspectives-global-jewish-movement-refugees.

10] – On Sun., March 7 from 2 to 4 PM EST, check out Unpacking the movie - Judas and the Black Messiah, hosted by Artpartheid. Visit https://www.facebook.com/artpartheidbmore/. Discuss the role of the Black Panther Party in the Black community and the importance of telling your own stories. You should have watched the movie already, and then you can share your opinion! Email Artpart67@gmail.com.

11] – Mike Fox for Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] reminds us that the Healthcare Emergency Town Hall is happening on Sun., March 7 at 4 PM ET.  This weekly series of town halls will address COVID 19 and help to make America a healthier place for all, as the new Expanded And Improved Medicare For All House Bill is about to be introduced! Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tceuhrzsvHdymeeZRwb-i7X50FJa-HMR4.  The featured guest speaker is Stephanie Kang, Rep. Jayapal’s lead Legislative Assistant on Healthcare and great friend of the movement. Discuss the new National Medicare for All Act, how we might advocate for it based on our shared trauma of COVID-19, and especially what from her perspective we can do to help gain the needed support for it in the new House of Representatives.

12] – On Sun., March 7 at 5 PM EST, get with Justice 4 George Floyd - Trial Begins for Derek Chauvin, hosted by the Peoples Power Assembly. See https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesPowerAssembly/. Derek Chauvin is the first of the four killer cops to stand trial for the murder of George Floyd. The trial is set to begin Monday, March 8 (with jury selection). The whole world witnessed the brutality that stole George Floyd’s life. People took to the streets in cities and towns in every state in this country to demand justice for him and for all those murdered by police.

   It is possible to stay in your car for this action. Otherwise, face coverings and social distancing are mandatory. Join a candlelight vigil for George Floyd as the sun sets. Please bring a candle.

13] – Say goodbye to Sister Dianna Ortiz, OSU.  The Assisi Community invites you to join for a Mass to celebrate Dianna’s life on Sun., March 7 at 5 PM ET by Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89810526309?pwd=N3hxOHpLSWlBek8vaGtJZ01pMWhGUT09.  If you have questions, contact Marie Dennis, Assisi Community, at 202-257-1583 or marie.dennis@paxchristi.net.

14] – On Sun., March 7 at 7 PM ET, join a Quaker call to Citizenship for All.  Join AFSC and FCNL as they put forward a powerful vision of justice for immigrants- aligning with Quaker values and understanding- in the call for Citizenship for All, no exclusions. Register at https://www.afsc.org/action/quaker-call-to-citizenship-all?contactdata=F4RzY73GSZ2M8usefovEg%2bTfBfa9XA69Q%2f4Yu4vWrFvLgFBML5ZlUIs%2bITwvX6zIcoyTAl3BSgTKpPS87TuwkzvD%2fGSjOdT9fowZGm4UfqxfHybhjXSli2BCyv%2f0B4GKdJpx9%2byNHfVxtjw%2f7%2flAhf%2bPOyeXxOYKDr4AOA%2b3bvHOVoibvhgzzQ4jbanaGhqqtJ%2fy7hug1nvEFuhTKviEfiFFxDDEqg82%2fUxTKfDSkKE79K29qfPa3e2CIgEGvYe7JSDb6MAtudq5Lf3VI3UQfg%3d%3d&ms=EMA21AP0301&emci=1f0c835a-6778-eb11-85aa-00155d43c992&emdi=4ead1a83-c47a-eb11-85aa-00155d43c992&ceid=764241.

15] – 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 8, 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 begin at 8 AM.  No cameras are allowed on Pentagon grounds. Restrooms are located inside Marriott Residence Inn on corner of S. Fern and Army Navy Dr.  

16] – On Mon., March 8 through Mar., 12 from 10 AM to 4 PM EST, check out Quilts and the Stories They Tell at the Sandy Spring Museum. Capacity limitations will reflect the current Montgomery County guidelines. Reservations are encouraged. Go to https://www.sandyspringmuseum.org/quilts/. Take a close look at a quilt and you can almost hear the words of the maker, the fabric, and the purpose of this utilitarian work of art. But while every quilt has a backstory, the story quilt starts with a message. A story quilt may include words, photos, non-traditional fabrics, and embellishments along with more standard quilting techniques and materials.

17] – On Mon., March 8  from noon to 1:30 PM EST, participate in Food Rescue at Land of Kush, 840 North Eutaw St., Baltimore.  This Food Rescue will continue until Mon., Apr. 26. Food Rescue Baltimore is proud to partner with The Land of Kush each and every Monday to bring free vegan and plant-based food to the community. Bring a bag, take what you want, while supplies last. #KeepItFreshDay #MeatlessMonday. See https://www.facebook.com/The-Land-of-Kush-102096254517153.

18] – Alyn Ware [alyn@pnnd.org] is Inviting you to an Inter-generational dialogue on gender, peace and nuclear disarmament on International Women's Day, March 8 from 12:30 to 2:15 PM ET.  Sign up at Inter-generational dialogue on gender, peace and nuclear disarmament. This will highlight the roles of women in the peace, disarmament and security fields, and the importance of including gender approaches to these issues in order to build more effective and sustainable security for all. The event will also include the launch of the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament Gender, Peace and Security program, which consolidates and builds upon the work PNND has been doing on gender and nuclear disarmament since its establishment in 2003.

19] – The Brady Newsletter [brady@bradyunited.org] in February 2021, estimated that 1.3 million firearms were sold based on the number of Brady Background Checks conducted. This is a stark increase from February 2020 — further demonstrating the record-breaking gun sales we've witnessed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  As you may know, Jim and Sarah Brady passed the Brady Bill in 1993, establishing the Brady Background Check System for gun sales. Nearly three decades later, loopholes have been exploited and 1 in 5 guns are sold without a Brady Background Check, including through online sales and at gun shows.

Those loopholes mean that already this year, there have been hundreds of thousands of guns sold without a background check. The NRA and its allies in Congress have blocked expanded background checks for years — even though over 90 percent of Americans, including gun owners, support the policy. But in 2021, there is a fighting chance to change that: Congress introduced legislation that would strengthen and expand Brady Background checks to cover all gun sales.  RSVP for a Virtual Rally and Phonebank to Pass Expanded Brady Background Checks on Mon., March 8 at 1 PM ET: bit.ly/checks-rally.

20] – Defending Rights & Dissent [info@rightsanddissent.org] announced that on March 8, 1971, a group of anti-war activists calling themselves the Citizens Commission to Investigate the FBI broke into the FBI’s Media, Pennsylvania office. The documents they liberated changed the course of U.S. history and exposed the FBI's notorious & illegal COINTELPRO.  On Mon., March 8, 2021 at 3 PM ET - the 50th anniversary of the break-in - join DRAD for an event featuring Bonnie Raines, one of the burglars who liberated the FBI documents in 1971; Betty Medsger, the journalist who helped expose COINTELPRO and author of The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover's Secret FBI; Johanna Hamilton, director of 1971, the film about the break-in; Paul Coates, founder and director of Black Classic Press and former member of the Baltimore Black Panthers; and Michael German, a fellow with the Brennan Center for Justice’s Liberty & National Security Program, author of Disrupt, Discredit, and Divide: How the New FBI Damages Democracy,  and former FBI agent. With COINTELPRO, the FBI went beyond spying on dissent, engaging in a series of illegal covert actions to stifle the domestic exercise of First Amendment rights. Decades later it remains a shocking abuse of power that has become synonymous with repression of domestic political dissent. The panelists will recount the history of the break-in, explore the legacy of COINTELPRO, and discuss what has and hasn’t changed with the current FBI. RSVP at https://www.rightsanddissent.org/live/break-in-50-years/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=8766b1b0-1fd6-4879-a5a5-84d954152ff5.

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 -- March 5 - 14, 2021

66] Healing from Hate – March 5

67] Climate Strikes vs. Chase Bank – March 5

68] Food Rescue – March 5

69] White House vigil – March 5

70] See film STRAY, fundraiser for BARCS – March 5 - 7

71] Jane Fonda and Fire Drill Friday – March 5

72] AFSC General Secretary Joyce Ajlouny – March 5

73] Peace and justice vigil – March 5

74] The People vs. Agent Orange – Starting March 14

75] Coffee & Conversation with Our Revolution Baltimore City/County – March 6

76] Free Stuff – March 6

77] Food Pantry and Food Donation Center – March 6

78] Mass Action for George Floyd – March 6

79] Study Group on the Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice – March 6

80] Film "The Mauritanian" – March 6

81] Meeting with activists in Amazonians United – March 6

82] Refugee Shabbat Havdalah – March 6

83] Beauty Fades /Stupid Lasts Forever and The Trial According to Alan Barysh

84] Read Dave Eberhardt’s book "For All the Saints- a Protest Primer"

85] Ted Glick has written a book

86] New Book: “Confessions of a Radical Academic”

87] Two Berrigan Books still in print

88] Contribute to the Lin Romano Peace and Justice Scholarship

89] Do you need a doctor?

90] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

91] Do you need any book shelves?

92] Join the Global Zero campaign.

93] Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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66] –Healing from Hate is at once a document of racism and white-male grievance in America, and a portrait of a group of people working together to heal communities torn apart by hate and division. To register to watch the film and attend the event, use this link: https://tithe.ly/event-registration/#/3256910. A link to view the film from home anytime between Fri., March 5 and Sun., March 14 will be sent to all registrants. Join a virtual panel discussion featuring among others Sammy Rangel, one of the members of Life after Hate, on Fri., March 12 from 7 – 8:30 PM. A separate link for the panel discussion will be sent to all registrants in advance of the event.

Net proceeds will go to Life After Hate and the MA Poor People’s Campaign. This program is presented by Mass Peace Action's Racial Justice & Decolonization Working Group and the Social Justice Ministries Council of the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, as part of the Dismantling White Supremacy Film Series.

Participate in Healing from Hate: Battle for the Soul of a Nation with a panel and discussion on Fri., March 12. View the Film Online from March 5 through the 14.  The documentary takes a deep dive into the minds of men who gravitate toward white-supremacist hate groups. Focusing on the bold work of the group Life After Hate – an organization founded by former Skinheads and neo-Nazis now engaged in de-radicalizing violent extremists on the front lines, the film examines the root causes of hate group activity. 

67] – On Fri., March 5 from 9 AM to 9 PM, get with the Climate Strikes vs. Chase Bank Every Friday! Flatten the climate pollution curve together! Help run an online climate strike at Chase Bank--the #1 investor in fossil fuels of any bank in the world--every Friday until further notice. You can post your own virtual climate strike on social media in 4 easy steps: https://www.climatefirst.us/calendar. Contact Ted at tconwell@climatefirst.us/ (301) 589-7598 (mobile). Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/3398894953477457/.

68] – On Fri., March 5 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM EST, come to Grace Baptist Church, 3201 The Alameda to get some food, hosted by Food Rescue Baltimore. This will continue each Friday until March 26, 2021. Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. Look at https://www.facebook.com/foodrescueday/.

69] – The Dorothy Day Catholic Worker will host a peace vigil at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, on Fri., March 5 at noon.  Contact the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker: 202-882-9649 or artlaffin@hotmail.com.

70] – On Fri., March 5 at noon through Sun., March 7 at 11:45 PM EST, go to see STRAY on Opening Weekend as a Fundraiser for BARCS.  This is an Online Event, hosted by the SNF Parkway Theatre for the Animal Shelter. See watch.eventive.org and support dog rescue right here in Baltimore! On the opening weekend of the new documentary film STRAY, a portion of every ticket purchase goes towards the work of the Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (BARCS), Baltimore City’s open-admission animal shelter and the largest animal shelter and adoption center in Maryland.  Through the eyes of three stray dogs wandering the streets of Istanbul, STRAY explores what it means to live as a being without status or security. As they search for food and shelter, Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us an unvarnished portrait of human life — and their own canine culture. After purchasing a ticket to STRAY in the SNF Parkway Virtual Theatre, viewers will have 7 days from time of purchase to unlock their film and start watching. Once unlocked, viewers will have 24 hours to complete the film. Tickets are here: http://bit.ly/StrayFilm.

71] – The For the People Act was passed in the House of Representatives to transform our democracy! Now the Senate must do its job and get the Senate companion bill of the For The People Act done. This once-in-a-generation democracy reform package will get dark money out of politics and protect our elections and voting rights. Passing the For the People Act is a critical step in ending fossil fuel subsidies and beginning a just transition.  Our democracy should be one of the best tools for advancing climate solutions, but it has been hijacked by fossil fuel interests. With the pandemic still raging on and millions struggling economically, we must seize the opportunity to say “enough is enough!” We must demand a democracy that works for all of us!

As part of Fire Drill Fridays, hear from special guest speakers Rashad Robinson, Ría Thompson-Washington, Laura Williamson, Rep. John Sarbanes and Jocelyn Benson about how this historic bill addresses the urgent action needed on climate and how that fight is inherently connected to the fight for racial justice and democracy. Now is the time for the Senate to prioritize democracy and pass the For the People Act. Enjoy a musical performance by Sweet Honey In The Rock! The show goes LIVE on Fri., March 5 at 2 PM ET: https://engage.us.greenpeace.org/onlineactions/MlZMGwXO1EmcbOGDb8bi5A2?emci=ebd19e0b-327d-eb11-85aa-00155d43c992&emdi=eed19e0b-327d-eb11-85aa-00155d43c992&fn=Max&ln=Obuszewski&em=mobuszewski2001%40comcast.net&pc=&hp=4103231607&mp=4103231607&utm_source=ea&utm_medium=email&sourceid=1010221&ceid=1705696.

72] – On Fri., March 5 at 3 PM ET, AFSC General Secretary Joyce Ajlouny will share how the Quaker organization has met immediate needs over the past year while keeping up the call for transformative change. Policy Advocacy Coordinator Tori Bateman will speak about AFSC’s policy priorities for the coming year, and how we can advocate for a federal budget that invests in the health and well-being of our communities. Register here https://www.afsc.org/supportercall?emci=a6c37b04-1776-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&emdi=433eedb5-3678-eb11-85aa-00155d43c992&ceid=764241.

73] -- There is usually a Quaker Vigil for Racial Justice on Fridays, from 5 to 6:30 PM, hosted by the Baltimore Quaker Peace and Justice Committee (BQPJC) outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St.  The next scheduled vigil is on Feb. 26. From 6 to 6:30 PM strategize. Black Lives Matter. Stop the Killing. Physical distancing applies. Wear your face mask. Email homewoodfriends@gmail.com or call 410-235-4438. Quaker values call us to speak truth and to seek equality for all people. We aim to follow Bayard Rustin’s wisdom that “we need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers” and John Lewis’s call to “make good trouble.” See https://www.facebook.com/events/311508100243529/?event_time_id=311508113576861.3&akid=18263%2E3302379%2Ez6bJVQ.

74] – Greta, World BEYOND War [greta@worldbeyondwar.org] wants you to know the true story behind Agent Orange. Starting March 5, the powerful documentary The People vs. Agent Orange will premiere at virtual cinemas across the U.S. The film tells the story of two women, one American and one Vietnamese, who fight to hold the chemical industry accountable for the devastation caused by Agent Orange - the defoliant used in the Vietnam War. The dioxins present in Agent Orange continue to leave a legacy of death, deformity, and disability for generations. This investigative documentary includes painstaking historical research and interviews with whistleblowers, researchers, and the people who have lived through contact with the poison in both Vietnam and the United States.

 The film follows Vietnamese activist Tran To Nga, who, in a French court, is suing the American chemical industry for poisoning her and her family in Vietnam. And in Oregon, Carol Van Strum battles to stop the ongoing spraying of toxins by the timber industry. Both women, joined in their mutual pain, resist intimidation and threats, bringing to light the ongoing, intergenerational catastrophe of chemical warfare and toxic herbicides. When you visit the ticketing page, you can pick whichever virtual cinema you would like to support, whether or not you are located in that city (available to U.S. residents only at this time). STARTING Wed., March 10 you can see the documentary virtually through the AFI SILVER THEATRE AND CULTURAL CENTER in Silver Spring.  Go to https://afisilver.afi.com/.

75] – Get with Coffee & Conversation with Our Revolution Baltimore City/County, hosted by Sheila R. on Sat., March 6 from 11 AM to 1 PM ET.  Get with this virtual event at https://www.mobilize.us/ourrevolution/event/335231/?followup_modal_context=newsletter.

76] – On Sat., March 6 from noon to 4 PM EST, get some Free Stuff! Pay what you can at the Baltimore Free Farm, 3510 Ash St., Baltimore 21211. The group is clearing out the warehouse, and there's lots of useable things in here! Kitchen items, clothes, bookshelves, school bus seats, and other random things. You must wear a mask to enter. https://www.facebook.com/baltimorefreefarm/.

77] – On Sat., March 6 from noon to 2 PM EST, get over to the Food Pantry and Food Donation Center at First and Franklin Presbyterian Church, 210 W. Madison St., Baltimore. This Food Pantry is open every Saturday. Get a grocery bag – breakfast, jelly and peanut butter (a good source of protein) for lunch, the makings for a balanced dinner such as beans and rice, pasta and sauce, soup, vegetables, fruit, and a paper goods. Also added is a little fun food, such as popcorn or cookies, for everyone enjoys a treat.  Contributions of shelf stable foods can be brought to Reid Chapel every Saturday between noon and 2 PM. If shopping is difficult for you, monetary donations earmarked food pantry may be sent to the church.  How else can you help? Volunteers are needed to help collect and distribute food. Contact the church office to volunteer. You can also help by spreading the word to those you know who are facing food insecurity. See https://www.facebook.com/firstfranklinbaltimore.

78] –On Sat., March 6 at 2 PM EST, join a Mass Action for George Floyd at Baltimore’s City Hall, hosted by Justice for Tyrone West. See https://www.facebook.com/justicefortyronewest/, this is in solidarity with Nationwide Protests to support the demands of families of victims of police brutality.  The car caravan will gather at 12:30 PM on Ednor Road between 33rd St. and Windemere. Tawanda Jones along with other family members of victims of police brutality will be speaking.

79] – Attend Part 2 of the Study Group on the Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice on Sat., March 6 from 2 to  4 PM. Study As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock, by Dina Gilio-Whitaker, 162 pp. Beacon Press (2019). This book examines environmental justice and injustice through the unique lens of indigenous struggles in the past and contemporary assaults. The second meeting will focus on Chapters 5 to 8.  This is sponsored by the Racial Justice and Decolonization Working Group and the Climate and Peace Working Group of Massachusetts Peace Action. Gilio-Whitaker (Colville Confederated Tribes) is a lecturer of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos, and a consultant and educator in environmental justice policy planning. Her research interests focus on Indigenous nationalism, self-determination, environmental justice, and education. Follow her on Twitter at @DinaGWhit and visit her website. Sign up at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUtc--prz0jGdL0WqqxHO8QhOLncjw7Gzdl.

80] –On March 2 at the Golden Globes the Best Actress award went to Jodie Foster. She used the opportunity to talk about the importance of the film "The Mauritanian," in which she plays attorney Nancy Hollander, and to raise up the beauty of Mohamedou Slahi. She was able to talk about how he had been a teacher of being loving and forgiving. So seize this moment to yet again call for GITMO to be closed! On March 2 the film came out on demand, and CODE PINK invites you to join the community that has stood outside the White House in orange jumpsuits for 19 years for a Q&A with Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was unjustly imprisoned at GITMO for fourteen years, and Nancy Hollander, his attorney who uncovers a far-reaching conspiracy. Gather on Zoom on Sat., March 6 at 3 PM ET, for an introduction of the film by Shailene Woodley (who plays Nancy Hollander’s associate) and CIA torture whistleblower John Kiriakou. Following the film will be the Q&A. The first 100 to RSVP will get a free ticket to the film: https://www.codepink.org/mauritanian_film_screening?utm_campaign=the_mauritanian&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink.  Forty men remain in Guantánamo today. They are all Muslim. Most have never even been charged with crimes. Six have been cleared to leave, yet the government has made no efforts to transfer them out of the prison. The military commissions have barely moved forward: they are still unfair, and deny detainees fair-trial rights.  

81] –On Sat., March 6 from 7:30 to 9 PM EST, join a Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America Prince George’s County Labor Working Group meeting.  RSVP HERE FOR ZOOM: https://actionnetwork.org/events/pg-county-dsa-labor-working-group-meeting/?fbclid=IwAR0EzaWsX1jQNKSsZ8PqXq16RrxuWTjFjuFHkPG7TAK2mHSrts6xDjQ-4ac.  This is a meeting with activists in Amazonians United (https://www.amazoniansunited.org/). Their presentation will focus on the work they are doing and how we in Maryland can support their organizing efforts. Members if Baltimore DSA will also attend.  Not a DSA member? Consider becoming a Member. Fees are on a sliding scale according to what you feel you can afford: http://dsausa.org/join?source=Metro%20DC. 

82] – Attend a Refugee Shabbat Havdalah on Sat., March 6 at 8 PM ET which will be a Virtual Gathering. Come together with hundreds of fellow refugee advocates and activists across the globe to send out Shabbat with a joyful havdalah service (the service that marks the conclusion of Shabbat). Advance registration is required. RSVP at https://www.hias.org/events/refugee-shabbat-havdalah?utm_medium=email&utm_source=hias.org&utm_campaign=events&utm_content=Reminder:+Celebrate+Refugee+Shabbat+with+HIAS.

83] – This is A PLEA TO CONVINCE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY TO OBEY INTERNATIONAL LAW. The world reached a historic milestone on January 22, 2021: The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons [TPNW] entered into force and become binding international law -- https://www.icanw.org/the_treaty.

   Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland has called attention to the growing danger of nuclear war and the outrageous $1.7 trillion dollars we are spending to upgrade the nuclear arsenal. On July 18, 2017, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, a U.S. Navy - affiliated research center received a seven-year, $92 million contract to continue its systems engineering and research-and-development services for the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center. Help convince JHU to renounce nuclear weapons contracts. Contact the president, Ron Daniels, to urge him to reject all nuclear weapons contracts: Office of the President, 242 Garland Hall, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland 21218.  Call his office at (410) 516-8068 or email president@jhu.edu.

84] – Bad Attitude Publishers Announces the release of Beauty Fades /Stupid Lasts Forever and The Trial According to Alan Barysh. In light of the fascist/Q Annon/Truther/Alex Jones and Trump-inspired attack on the capital, Bad attitude Publications has released a photo essay by Alan Barysh. In the follow-up book to Sorry Truther, it was an OUTSIDE JOB Beauty Fades.... gives the reader an upfront look at the reactionary forces and the deadly beliefs these folks uphold. In pictures and texts, one gets a good look at the faces and ideas that pose a real threat to this country. The Trial According to Alan Barysh is a rewrite of the Kafka Classic The Trial. With pictures from the original movie, Alan Barysh rewrites this scathing satire with just a tad more cutting edge satire, and a different ending. The appendix to the book talks about the lonely uphill struggle of Tawanda Jones to get justice for her brother. This afterthought is included, because of the real Kafkesque struggle of the West Family to get justice for her brother. Both books can be purchased on Amazon.com. For every purchase of The Trial, Alan Barysh will give all of his royalties to the West Family. Just text a picture of the book to 443-239-5325.

85] – David Eberhardt was a member of the Baltimore Four with Father Philip Berrigan, Tom Lewis and Rev. James Mengel.  The group poured blood on draft files on October 27, 1967.  They would be convicted and sentenced to prison. Dave has written a book "For All the Saints- a Protest Primer"- documenting the Baltimore Four action and many others up to and including the most recent Plowshares action – Kings Bay Plowshares 7.  Phil Berrigan’s wife, Elizabeth McAlister, is a member of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7. 

 Dave just printed the 5^th edition of the book which is available for $25 by sending him a check: Dave Eberhardt, 4 Hadley Square North, Baltimore, MD 21218. You can contact him at mozela9@comcast.net. He prefers that you DO NOT order the book from Amazon.

86] –  Ted Glick has written a book about his years of active draft resistance during the Vietnam War, and published by PM Press! It’s entitled “Burglar for Peace: Lessons Learned in the Catholic Left’s Resistance to the Vietnam War. The book is part history, part autobiography and may be a valuable source of ideas and inspiration for today’s organizers against injustice, oppression, war, ecological devastation and the bad guys! Frida Berrigan has written a wonderful intro. The paperback book, all 220 or so pages, will cost $20, but if you order it now, you can get a 20% discount if you use the code “Burglar” when you do so.  Go to: https://www.pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1093 and click 'Add to Cart'. In the coupon code area be sure to put: Burglar to get the discount.

87] – Check out a New Book: “Confessions of a Radical Academic: A Memoir by Fred L. Pincus,” now available from Adelaide Books (https://adelaidebooks.org/collections/latest-releases/products/confessions-of-a-radical-academic) or from Amazon.  Fred taught sociology at UMBC for more than 40 years and is on the board of Research Associates Foundation.  His memoir details his struggles to have a successful career while keeping true to his radical principles and activism.  One major theme is his struggle with race and racism both on and off campus. Go to www.fredlpincus.com.

88] –Two books by Fred Wilcox are still in print.  The first one is “Fighting the Lamb's War Skirmishes with the American Empire” by Philip Berrigan and Fred A. Wilcox with a FOREWORD by Tripp York.  It can be purchased by Wipf and Stock: https://wipfandstock.com/fighting-the-lamb-s-war.html.  It is a Memoir in paperback/ISBN: 9781532660078/240 pages/republished 8/21/2018/ Retail Price: $26.00/and Web Price: $20.80.

  The second one is “Uncommon Martyrs The Berrigans, the Catholic Left, and the Plowshares Movement” by Fred Wilcox, who profiles members of this anti-war movement, who’s Christianity compels them to acts of civil disobedience against the military industrial complex.  The ISBN is 0201522314/$6.50 for a hardcover, and it can be purchased at Powell's Books.  See https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews/view/7094/uncommon-martyrs.

89] – Consider making a donation to a scholarship in her honor that would be most welcome.  Contributions to the Lin Romano Peace and Justice Scholarship can be made online via https://www.ndm.edu/lin-romano-peace-and-justice-scholarship or by check made out to Notre Dame of Maryland University (Memo line: Lin Romano Peace and Justice Scholarship) and mailed to Notre Dame of Maryland University, Office of Institutional Advancement, 4701 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210.

90] – Yousef Zarbalian [mailto:yzarbali@gmail.com] started his own medical practice in December before the pandemic hit. It is called East-West Medicine and Rheumatology, and its website is EastWestMD.com.  Yousef is licensed in Maryland and Virginia. He is doing primary care as well as rheumatologic care (focusing on joint problems and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and sjogren's).  He is offering telemedicine visits, and he has very reasonable rates for uninsured individuals.  He makes use of herbs (which can be sent directly to patients from the herbal dispensary) as well as prescribing medications to their local pharmacy if needed.  

91] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs, records, tarps and table cloths, contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

92] -- Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

93] -- Join an extraordinary global campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons: http://www.globalzero.org/sign-declaration. A growing group of leaders around the world is calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and a majority of the global public agrees.  This is an historic window of opportunity.  With momentum already building in favor of Zero, a major show of support from people around the world could tip the balance. When it comes to nuclear weapons, one is one too many.

94] – A Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil takes place every day in Lafayette Park, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 24 hours a day, since June 3, 1981. Go to http://prop1.org; call 202-682-4282.

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/.

“One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the US around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better" - Daniel Berrigan