Baltimore Activist Alert - Part 3

40] Support Our Sisters – May 15

41] War Is Not the Answer – May 15

42] Support Our Sisters – May 15

43] Commemorate the Nakba -- May 15

44] Zinn's People Speak – May 15

45] Impasse: U.S. & Iran – May 16

46] Visit to Rep. Sarbanes' office – May 16

47] Philadelphia peace vigil – May 16

48] WIB Frederick vigil – May 16

49] Report Back from El Salvador – May 16

50] Book PERFORMING SEX – May 16

51] Green Currency Meeting – May 16

52] Chestnut Hill peace vigil – May 16

53] Support Palestinian prisoners – May 17

54] Missile Defense: Cooperation or Contention? – May 17

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40] – On Tues., May 15 from 4 to 6 PM at 3211 Fourth St. NE, WDC, NunJustice.org will hold the second of four vigils in the Metro DC area in May in support of U.S. Catholic sisters. Stand in solidarity with our Catholic sisters and join thousands of others across the country also hosting vigils to influence the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

 

41] – There is a vigil to say "War Is Not the Answer" each Tuesday since September 11, 2001 at 4806 York Road. Join this ongoing vigil.  The next vigil is May 15 from 5:30 to 6:30 PM.  Call Max at 410-366-1637.

 

42] – There is a Prayer Vigil (invitation only) at the Basilica on Tues., May 15.  There is a call to stand across the street from the Basilica, at Enoch Pratt Main Library, as people arrive for the prayer vigil. Support Our Sisters in a response to the Vatican and the silence of the US Bishops:

 

The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has ordered the largest leadership organization for U.S. women religious to reform its statutes, programs and affiliations to conform more closely to "the teachings and discipline of the Church." The Vatican also said Wednesday it has appointed Seattle Archbishop Peter Sartain to oversee the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) and has given him power to review and revise the organization's policies.

 

The plan is to meet at the corner of Mulberry and North Charles at 6:15 PM and walk to the library for a "Peaceful Presence." RSVP to Dick Ullrich at 410-319-9472.  Go to http://ncronline.org/SistersUnderScrutiny.

 

43] – On Tues., May 15 at 6:30 PM, there will be a commemoration of the Palestinian Nakba in 1948 (loss of Palestinian Homeland) in front of the White House.  Join and represent one of the 531 Palestinian villages lost.  Local students who are on a hunger strike with Palestinian prisoners will participate.  The commemoration will conclude with a sunset service.  Go to http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/217906588324074/ or contact Philip Farar at fararp@yahoo.com. 

44] – Enjoy a staged reading of Howard Zinn's The People Speak on Tues., May 15 at 7:30 PM at the H Street Playhouse, 1365 H St. NE.  This is a pay-what-you-can event.  A professional ensemble of  D.C. actors breathe life into the words of some of history's most eloquent and poignant social activists, including John Brown, Helen Keller and Eugene Debs, among others.  The reading will be followed by a facilitated discussion with the cast. Email Blair at blair.bowers@gmail.com. 

45] – Catch a Panel Discussion: Breaking the Impasse Between Iran and the United States on Wed., May 16 from 2 to 4:30 PM at ICC 241 | CCAS Boardroom.  During the last three decades, the United States and Iran, despite continued animosity, have on many occasions tried to negotiate, and at times have even come together on a negotiation table. However, none of these attempts could be sustained and today both countries struggle to engage substantially on the issues that divide them. The panel brings together a number of former U.S. and Iranian officials and experts to discuss the dilemma and offer solutions.

Seating is limited, and light refreshments will be served.  RSVP at http://acmcuiranimpasse.eventbrite.com/.  For a map showing the location of the ICC building, visit http://maps.georgetown.edu/interculturalcenter/.  Go to http://acmcu.georgetown.edu.

 

46] – On Wed., May 16 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 that he should sign on to the following legislation: HR 780, the Responsible End to the War in Afghanistan Act, and HR 676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act.  From 5 to 5:30 PM, we will demonstrate on Bosley Ave against U.S. wars in the Middle East. 

 

Let Max know if you can go to Sarbanes' office.  You can reach him at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

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. Hands off Medicare! Hands off Medicaid! Hands off Social Security! END CORPORATE WELFARE! Go to http://tinyurl.com/brownbagvigil.

47] – Each Wednesday from 4:30 - 5:30 PM, the House of Grace Catholic Worker holds a weekly vigil for peace in Iraq outside the Phila. Federal Building, 6th & Market Sts. The next vigil is May 16. Call 215-426-0364.

 

48] – WIB does a silent vigil mourning all violence the third Wednesday of the month.  The next vigil is Wed., May 16 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.

49] – There will be a Report Back from El Salvador - Election Observation Delegation 2012 – on Wed., May 16 at 7 PM at La Casa Community Center, 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. NW. WDC.  After spending two weeks in El Salvador on CISPES' national election observation delegation, Anna Woodbury, Carmen Atlee-Loudon and Allison Aguilar will present a community report back.  Go to http://www.facebook.com/events/.

50] – On Wed., May 16 at 7 PM @ Red Emma's, 800 St. Paul St., there is a book event for "Performing Sex: The Making and Unmaking of Women's Erotic Lives." Join author Breanne Fahs for a discussion about the elusive and contradictory aspects of sexual "liberation." Fahs is an assistant professor of women and gender studies at Arizona State Univ. and a practicing clinical psychologist specializing in issues of sexuality. Email info@redemmas.org or call 410-230-0450.

 

51] – The Baltimore Green Currency Association meets every Wednesday at 7 PM at Breathe Books, 810 W 36th St. # A, Baltimore, MD 21211-2554.  Call 410-235-7323.

 

52] – 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 May 16. Call 215-843-4256 or email nwgreens@yahoo.com.

53] – Their Fate is in Our Hands: 24 hours of Hunger in Solidarity with Palestinian Prisoners in Israeli Jails.  This event takes place all day on Thurs., May 17 (all day) at the Israeli Embassy, 3514 International Dr. NW, WDC.  May 17 will mark a month to the Palestinian hunger strike, with over 2,000 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails participating in it.  The prisoners' key demands include ending the policy of solitary confinement and isolation, the use of administrative detentions, the restoration of visitation rights to families of prisoners from the Gaza Strip, a right that has been denied to all families for more than 6 years, canceling 'Shalit' law, which restricts prisoners' access to educational materials as a punitive measure and systematic humiliation, including arbitrary strip searches, nightly raids and collective punishment. The  prisoners on hunger strike have been hit hard with retaliation from Israel Prison Services, including beatings, transferring from one prison to another, confiscation of salt (an act that could have severe health consequences for hunger strikers), denial of family and lawyer visits, and isolation and solitary confinement of hunger strikers.  Email hunger-strike@popularstruggle.org.

54] – On Thurs., May 17 from 10 to 11:30 AM at the Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20036, the topic of discussion is Missile Defense: Cooperation or Contention? U.S. plans to deploy missile defense systems in Europe have posed major issues for U.S.-Russian and NATO-Russian relations over the past five years. Can the sides work out a cooperative arrangement or will missile defense become, as it was in 2007 and 2008, a contentious issue that negatively affects the broader U.S.-Russia and NATO-Russia relationships?

 

The Arms Control Initiative at Brookings will also mark the release of the new Brookings Arms Control series paper, "Missile Defense: Cooperation or Contention." Panelists include David Hoffman, Foreign Policy magazine contributing editor and author of The Dead Hand (Doubleday, 2009); Arms Control Association Senior Fellow Greg Thielmann; and Brookings Senior Fellow Steven Pifer, director of the Arms Control Initiative. Brookings Fellow Clara O'Donnell will moderate the discussion.  Register at

https://www.cvent.com/events/missile-defense-cooperation-or-contention-/registration-b12c15a2692243449270b43081c41a55.aspx..

 

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. 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