Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Baltimore Activist Alert - May 8-10, 2014

28] Protect Net Neutrality – May 8 – May 15
29] "Nuclear Weapons Materials Gone Missing: What Does History Teach?" – May 8
30] Nation-Building in Saakashvili's Georgia – May 8
31] A Triangle of Non-Violence: Gandhi, King and Mandela – May 8
32] Report on U.S. Military Aid to and Killings in Colombia – May 8
33] Grassroots D.C. Fundraiser – May 8
34] Debate for candidates running for governor – May 8
35] Safer Spaces Open Training Workshop – May 8
36] Day of action for torture whistleblower John Kiriakou – May 9
37] Vigil at the White House – May 9
38] Vigil for Justice in Palestine – May 9
39] Stop the Drone War Command Center – May 9
40] Silent Peace Vigil – May 9
41] Judy Collins at Ram’s head – May 9
42] See “Years of Living Dangerously” – May 9
43] Ballroom Dancing – May 9
44] Transgender 101 Educational Event/Chelsea Manning support protest at the White House – May 10 & May 11
45] Going Forth With Francis to the Holy Land – May 10
46] Olney Peace vigil – May 10
47] West Chester, PA demo – May 10
48] Silent peace vigil – May 10
49] Tony Melendez concert – May 10
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28] – Through Thurs., May 15, protect Net Neutrality at the FCC with CODPINK. Protest each day at noon and 5 PM at the FCC, 12th St. and Maine Ave. SW. Visit http://codepink.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=OPK6FNFxbhn3hHWTj%2F4k8VBzJF3PTUkr.

29] – On Thurs., May 8 from 12:30 to 2 PM, Henry Sokolski, Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, Charles Ferguson, Federation of American Scientists, Edwin Lyman, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Jodi Lieberman, American Physical Society, answer "Nuclear Weapons Materials Gone Missing: What Does History Teach?" It takes place at Institute of World Politics, 1521 16th St. NW, WDC. RSVP at http://www.iwp.edu/events/detail/nuclear-weapons-materials-gone-missing-what-does-history-teach.

30] – Nation-Building in Saakashvili's Georgia: Evidence from a Matched-Guise Experiment takes place on Thurs., May 8 from 4 to 5 PM at the Elliot School, Voesar Conference Room, Suite 412, 1957 E St. NW. After coming to power in the Rose Revolution of November 2003, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili sought to move away from the divisive ethnic nationalism of the past and integrate Georgia's Armenian and Azerbaijani minorities within the framework of a civic nationalism. But what did integration entail? And were Georgians ready to accept integrated Armenians and Azerbaijanis as equals? Visit http://www.elliottschool.org/events/calendar.cfm?fuseaction=ViewMonthDet...

31] – Dr. Stauffer, an assistant professor of Development and Justice Studies at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, Eastern Mennonite University, will outline various approaches to conflict, strengths and drawbacks of each style, and exploration and identification of your approach to conflict. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how their communication styles impact their conflict transformation skills as well as contribute to team dynamics. This topic A Triangle of Non-Violence: Gandhi, King and Mandela is happening on Thurs., May 8 from 6:30 to 9 PM at Busboys & Poets, 1025 5th St. NW. Contact Cassandra Lawrence at cassandra.lawrence@gmail.com.

32] – Voices and Silences: A Report on U.S. Military Aid to and Killings in Colombia will be heard on Thurs., May 8 at 7 PM at La Casa, 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. NW. The fruit of years of research and documentation, The Rise and Fall of “False Positive” Killings in Colombia: The Role of U.S. Military Assistance, 2000-2010 takes on the evidence for how aid to the Colombian Army impacted over 5,700 homicides of civilians by soldiers. John Lindsay-Poland of the Fellowship of Reconciliation discusses what this means for the annual $25 billion in global U.S. military and police aid. Rosa Liliana Ortiz, the Coordinator of the South Colombian Human Rights Observatory, gives testimony of Army killings in Huila in southern Colombia under the command of a School of the Americas instructor who now heads the country's Army. See http://SOAW.org/colombia.

33] – There is a Grassroots D.C. Fundraiser on Thurs., May 8 from 7 to 9 PM at 1223 Decatur St. NW. Attend the spring fundraiser for Grassroots D.C., and enjoy good food, drinks, good company, and inspiring stories from the amazing folks at Grassroots D.C. It is a local organization working to develop individuals from working class and low income communities into advocates against oppression. The group offers free computer and media training classes six days a week, and is working on a documentary focused on the public housing complex in which it's based: Potomac Gardens. All money will go to developing Grassroots D.C.'s programs and pay for production costs of the documentary. Call 202-234-3440. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/736205773076958/.

34] – On Thurs, May 8 at 7 PM, BRIDGE Maryland is hosting a debate for candidates running for governor at Israel Baptist Church, 1200 N. Washington St. Doors open at 6 PM, and music will be performed. The following candidates are confirmed: Anthony Brown, Doug Gansler, Charles Lollar and Heather Mizeur. Invited are David Craig and Larry Hogan. Call 443-857-0831. Raise Maryland and Casa de Maryland are co-sponsors at the debate.

35] – On Thurs., May 8 at 7:30 PM @ the Free School Classroom, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, there will be a Safer Spaces Open Training Workshop. Hollaback! Baltimore has initiated a campaign to help spaces in the city commit to fighting harassment against women and LGBTQIA folks (and to advertise that commitment publicly and proudly with a rad poster!) Learn more about the campaign and the Safer Spaces pledge at this open training workshop! Call 410-230-0450. Go to http://www.redemmas.org.

36] – On Fri., May 9, a day of action for torture whistleblower John Kiriakou, a group of supporters will be visiting a select group of representatives and senators to request that they contact the Bureau of Prisons to immediately move John to a halfway house near his family. At 9:30 AM sharp, meet at the Capitol Café, 101 Constitution Ave. NW, WDC.

John’s cousin Clifford, who will be at the café, will lead the group. Dress respectfully. Once the group has gathered, Clifford will lead everyone to the Russell Senate Office Building for the first visits of the day. After Russell, the group will move to visit senate offices in Dirksen and Hart, and then visit house offices in Cannon and Rayburn.

At each office, Clifford will introduce the group and explain the purpose of the visit. You will be able to hold pictures of John and the family. At the end of the visit, the group will leave behind an information packet. If you are running late or want to join up with the group later in the day, you can contact Clifford at 412-360 8169 or kiriakoudefense@gmail.com. Go to www.firedoglake.com.

37] – On Fri., May 9 from noon to 1 PM, join the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in a vigil urging the powers that be to abolish war and torture, to disarm all weapons, to end indefinite detention, to close Guantanamo, to establish justice for all and help create the Beloved Community! The vigil takes place at the White House on Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contact Art @ artlaffin@hotmail.com or at 202-360-6416.

38] – A vigil for Justice in Palestine/Israel 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/.

39] – Stop the Drone War Command Center at Horsham Air Guard Station, in Horsham, Montgomery County, PA. This Fri., May 9 from 4 to 5 PM in Philadelphia, do Rush Hour Leafleting w/banners and signs at the Bellevue Hotel, (SE PA Office of PA Gov. Corbett, head of PA Air Guard), 200 S. Broad St., Broad & Walnut Sts., Phila., 19102. YO Gov! Pull the Plug on Drone War Command Center...Not In Our Backyard (or anyone else's). These brief, generally small, Center City Philadelphia 2nd Friday of the month leafleting, banner and sign, sessions alternate between Broad & Walnut Streets and the 15th & Market Streets SEPTA entrance.

40] – There is a silent peace vigil on Fri., May 9 from 5 to 6 PM outside the Cathedral of the Incarnation, University Parkway and St. Paul St. The vigil, sponsored by Homewood Friends and Stony Run Meetings, will remind us that War Is Not the Answer. Stop torture.

41] – Judy Collins will perform on Fri., May 9 at 6 and 9 PM at Rams Head On Stage, 33 West St., Annapolis. Call 410-268-4545 or visit http://www.ramsheadtavern.com. Tickets cost $55.

42] – On Fri., May 9 at 7:30 PM get over to the Eco-Action Movie night and see “Years of Living Dangerously,” produced by James Cameron, starring Harrison Ford, Don Cheadle and NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman. This documentary depicts the physical and social impacts on our world’s environments, e.g. the effect of drought on the Syrian population and the social unrest, which ensued. Also addressed is the potential conflict between science and religion. Contact Pat Cuff – pmcuff@aol.com. This is a free movie, and it can be seen in the Duggan Room at St. Rose of Lima Church in Gaithersburg.

43] – There is an opportunity to participate in ballroom dancing, usually every Friday of the month, in the JHU ROTC Bldg. at 8 PM. Turn south on San Martin Dr. from the intersection of Univ. Parkway and 39th St. Drive on campus by taking the third left turn. The next dance will be May 9. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725.

44] – On Sat., May 10 at 10 AM, get over to the Transgender 101 Educational Event at the CODEPINK house, 1241 Evarts St. NE, hosted in conjunction with the Chelsea Manning Support Network. Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aKC0ZzgzT4OrAf37qxHBTciNf0Rv-2SDP32oC8p_lWI/viewform. See http://codepink.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=zjMHR8o18j3JFQzqwkWf3FBzJF3PTUkr .

What does it mean to be transgender? Do I refer to Manning as Bradley or Chelsea? What pronouns do I use? What's hormone replacement therapy? In response to these and other questions local LGBTQ Manning supporters are organizing a Transgender teach-in and workshop for Manning supporters. The workshop will be facilitated by Kayley Whalen, a transgender activist and Carrie Hathorn, a trans ally.
Then on Sun, May 11 at noon, join the Chelsea Manning support protest at the White House. See http://codepink.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MUJCjN1mXIlf8TzY3vdquFBzJF3PTUkr. Email info@codepink.org.

On April 10, 2014, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan rejected Chelsea Manning's request for clemency. That means the only person left with the authority to immediately reduce Chelsea's sentence is President Obama. Outrageously, the White House has stated they won't respond to Chelsea's request for executive clemency until after her appeals process, which could take years. Demand that President Obama pardon Chelsea Manning. Contact Carrie Hathorn at calni27@gmail.com.

45] – On Sat., May 10 at 10 AM, Harold Saunders, director of International Affairs at Washington, D.C.’s Kettering Institute, will talk about Going Forth With Francis to the Holy Land –“Dimensions of Peace” at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, 1400 Quincy St. NE, WDC 20017. Go to www.myfranciscan.org.

46] – Friends House, 17715 Meeting House Rd., Sandy Spring, MD 20860, hosts a peace vigil every Saturday, 10:30 to 11:30 AM, on the corner of Rt. 108 and Georgia Ave. [Route 97] in Olney, MD. The next vigil is May 10. Call Chuck Harker at 301-570-7167.

47] – Each Saturday, 11 AM – 1 PM, Chester County Peace Movement holds a peace vigil in West Chester in front of the Chester County Courthouse, High & Market Sts. Go to www.ccpeace.org. Email ccpeacemovement@aol.com.

48] – There will be a peace vigil on the West Lawn of the Capitol at noon on Sat., May 10. Look for the blue banner with the message, "Seek Peace and Pursue It.--Psalms 34:14." The vigil lasts one hour and is silent except when one responds to the occasional questions. Go to http://www.quaker.org/langleyhill/seekpeace.htm or email seekpeacevigil@yahoo.com.

49] – On Sat., May 10 at 7:30 PM, Tony Melendez will perform a concert at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 2 Willow Ave., at the corner of Belair Road in Overlea, Maryland, one exit north and west of Route 95 and the Beltway. Admission is $25 for adults, $15 for students, and free for children of 10 years and younger. Call the church at 410-665-1054 during office hours.

"It was an unforgettable moment when, on September 15, 1987, Tony played his guitar for Pope John Paul II in Los Angeles. Born without arms, he performed a touching song entitled Never Be the Same. When the Pope approached him from the stage to kiss him in appreciation, it seemed to reflect the sentiments of an entire country. A thalidomide baby, Tony was born without arms in Nicaragua. Not letting his handicap define him, Tony became a gifted guitar player and songwriter. Through concerts, conferences, retreats and school presentations, Tony generates hope, and a commitment to help bring people's hearts toward Jesus Christ. Knowing how important life is, Tony strongly believes in justice and living with dignity." Go to http://www.tonymelendez.com/Main/Language.html.

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

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