Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Baltimore Activist Alert

15] – On Wed., Jan. 19 at 6 PM at 3903 Greenmount Ave., you are invited to join a Seder both innovative and traditional to celebrate Tu B'Shvat and honor trees. A discussion on how trees feed and nurture bodies and spirits and the roles trees play in Jewish and Palestinian cultures. There will be singing and questions about fruit.  Bring some traditional Tu B'Shvat foods--almonds, dates, figs, carob and raisins. It's a non-alcohol vegetarian potluck.  Respect the Palestinian call to boycott Israeli goods by not bringing food from Israel. Email mark.1.gunnery at gmail.com.

 

16] Westminster WIB vigil – Jan. 19                                

 

16] – WIB does a silent vigil mourning all violence the third Wednesday of the month.  The next vigil is Wed., Jan. 19 from 6:30 PM to 7 PM at the intersection of Martin & Patrick Sts in downtown Frederick.  Wear black, but bring no additional signs. Call 301-834-7581 or wibfrederick@mizmail.com.

 

17] Chestnut Hill, PA vigil – Jan. 19

 

17] – Each Wednesday, the Northwest Greens hold a peace vigil from 7 to 8 PM outside the Borders Book Store, Germantown Ave. at Bethlehem Pike in Chestnut Hill, PA. The next vigil is Jan. 5. Call 215-843-4256 or email nwgreens@yahoo.com.  

 

18] – On Wed., Jan 19 at 8:30PM @ Red Emma's, 800 St. Paul St., attend "Are We Safer?:" Frontline viewing party with ACLU of Maryland. This is a rebroadcast of the PBS Frontline investigation of the terrorism-industrial complex that grew in the wake of 9/11. The original airing was on Jan 18 at 9 pm. It's a massive surveillance and data initiative that collects, stores and analyzes information on thousands of U.S. citizens and residents, many of whom have not been accused of any wrongdoing. In July 2008, the ACLU of Maryland made public “shocking” documents obtained through a public information lawsuit, revealing that the Maryland State Police engaged in covert surveillance of local peace and anti-death penalty groups for over a year from 2005-2006. The documents showed that the MSP engaged in surveillance operations against peaceful activists, similar to those abandoned in the 1970s with the end of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover’s infamous COINTELPRO program.

 

In the months that followed, the ACLU's lawsuit revealed that MSP investigated and falsely labeled many peaceful activists and advocacy organizations in Maryland as suspected terrorists in a law enforcement database, including Red Emmas. Viewing will be followed by a Q&A with ACLU lead attorney David Rocah and clients who were spied on by the Maryland State Police.

 

19] Palestine/Israel Roundtable – Jan. 20

 

19] – The WEEKLY ROUNDTABLE SEEKING A JUST PEACE IN PALESTINE/ISRAEL takes place from 12:30 - 1:30 PM on Thursdays at Potter's House, 1658 Columbia Road NW, WDC.  Join a civil discourse which explores the history, issues, myths, realities, and truth of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Contact Alice Azzouzi at 202-232-5483.

 

20] Tell Sarbanes Vote No for war funding – Jan. 20

20] – On Thurs., Jan. 20 at 4:30 PM,  the Pledge of Resistance will go to Rep. John Sarbanes’ office, 600 Baltimore Ave., Suite 303, Baltimore, MD 21204.  While inside, we will deliver a letter to urge the representative to pledge to vote against further funding of wars.  We will also let him know “Hands off Social Security,” “Bring the troops home in 2011,” and “Move money from the Pentagon to our communities.” From 5 to 5:30 PM, we will demonstrate on Bosley Ave against U.S. wars in the Middle East. 

Progressive Democrats of America, CODEPINK and others are holding brownbag vigils outside (or inside) offices of members of the House of Representatives.  Brownbaggers are demanding commitments to vote against more money for war and for progressive legislation. Slogans on their posters include: "Healthcare not Warfare," "Corporations out of Politics," "Bailout Main Street not Wall Street," and "Brownbaggers not Teabaggers".  Go to http://tinyurl.com/brownbagvigil.

 

21] – Communities United invites you to a Martin Luther King, Jr. Benefit on Thurs., Jan. 20 from 5:30 to 7 PM at Women's Industrial Exchange, Abell Room, 333 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201.  A donor has committed to match individual contributions over $500, up to $10,000!  Please support community organizing and give as much as you're able!  Contact Steve Dooley at dooley@communitiesunite.org. Join host committee members Mary Pat Clarke, J. Howard Henderson, Betty Robinson, Steven Soifer and others working for social change.  RSVP at http://communitiesunited.eventbrite.com/.

 

22] – On Thurs., Jan. 20 at 7 PM at the Solidarity Center, 2011 N. Charles St. Lower Level, Balto. 21218, commemorate the life of Patrice Lumumba on the 50th anniversary of his assassination.  See the award winning and acclaimed film: LUMUMBA and hear reports from the Job Is A Right Campaign; the Ujima Peoples Progress Party and others. Consider making a $5 donation, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Call 443-909-8964

 

23] – On Thurs., Jan. 20 at 7 PM @ Red Emma's, see three short films by Santiago Alvarez, a documentary filmmaker from Cuba.  Lacking formal training of any sort, Alvarez was appointed head of the fledgling Cuban Film Institute now legendary newsreel division, Noticerio ICAIC. Under his command for the next thirty years, the banal and utilitarian newsreel was transformed into a veritable laboratory of radical innovation. Between 1959 and 1998, Alvarez created more than 700 films, a tremendous and important accomplishment! In collaboration with Mike Strayer's intercession course on Radical Cinema in Latin America at Johns Hopkins, Red Emma’s will show “Now!, Always Until Victory,” “LBJ,” and “79 Springtimes of Ho Chi Minh.” Go to http://www.redemmas.org/event/2214.

 

24] – Get to D.C. for the one-year anniversary of the disastrous Citizens United v Federal Election Commission ruling, and encourage as many people and groups in Maryland to participate.  There will be a rally in front of the Capitol (across from the Supreme Court) from 11 AM to noon on Fri., Jan. 21, followed by a delivery to Congress of petition signatures for a constitutional amendment.  Then there will be a series of afternoon panels on CUvFEC, the impact of the ruling and various approaches for addressing it at either Capitol Visitor Ctr. or the Washington Plaza Hotel.  A For the People Summit will take place on Jan. 21 and 22 at the Washington Plaza Hotel.  Go to www.movementforthepeople.org.  Call Public Citizen at 202-588-7715 or send an email to awhite@citizen.org.

 

25] – A peace vigil takes place every Friday from noon to 1 PM at Lafayette Park facing the White House.  Join the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker and friends. Contact Art Laffin: artlaffin@hotmail.com.   

26] – Every Friday from noon to 1 PM, Women in Black, Baltimore, host a vigil at Pratt and Light Sts. in the Inner Harbor. Peace signs and flyers about the siege will be available. See http://www.peacepath911.com/ or write wibbaltimore@hotmail.com or call 410-467-9114.

27] – There is also a noon vigil, weather permitting, on Fri., Jan. 21 at Roland Park Place at 830 W. 40th St.  Call 410-467-9114.

28] – A vigil for Justice in Palestine/Israel (now in its 8th year) takes place every Friday from noon to 1 PM at 19th & JFK Blvd., Philadelphia (across from Israeli Consulate.  It is sponsored by Bubbies & Zaydes (Grandparents) for Peace in the Middle East. Email cswartz@pil.net. Go to http://phillyjewishpeace.org/.

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net

 

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs

 

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