Baltimore Activist Alert - December 2 - January 20, 2016

39] Nuclear waste forum – Dec. 2 & 3

40] Peace vigil at White House – Dec. 2

41] WIB peace vigils – Dec. 2

42] Black Lives Matter vigil – Dec. 2

43] Film THE GREAT INVISIBLE – Dec. 2

44] Human Cost of Energy Production – deadline Dec. 2

45] Film WHERE DO WE GO NOW? – Dec. 2

46] "ALL THE REAL INDIANS DIED OFF" – Dec. 2

47] Dan Zak to talk about ALMIGHTY– Dec. 2

48] Ballroom Dancing – Dec. 2

49] Culture of Peace Forum – Dec. 3

50] How is gas infrastructure affecting your community? -- Dec. 3

51] West Chester peace vigil – Dec. 3

52] Emergency community meeting -- Dec. 3

53] Casa Baltimore/Limay ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY -- Dec. 3

54] Student voices are to be heard -- Dec. 3

55] Resist Trumpism – Jan. 20

56] Need photos of the antinuclear vigil in front of the White House

57] Sign up with Washington Peace Center

58] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

59] Do you need any book shelves?

60] Join the Global Zero campaign

61] Join the Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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39] – Hardened On-Site Storage (HOSS) for commercial irradiated nuclear fuel is an interim alternative to such bad ideas as reprocessing, the Yucca Mountain dumpsite, and a radioactive waste shell game on our roads, rails, and waterways (a.k.a. "centralized interim storage," or de facto permanent parking lot dumps). The HOSS "Principles for Safeguarding Nuclear Waste at Reactors" is posted online at IEER's website, listing all signatories, (this is the current version as of 2010, the most recent update): http://ieer.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/HOSS_PRINCIPLES_3-23-10x.pdf.

Consider attending a national grassroots strategy meeting on high-level radioactive waste management taking place in Chicago, IL from Fri., Dec. 2 through Sun., Dec. 4. Register at
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/radioactive-waste-whatsnew/2016/12/2/national-grassroots-radioactive-waste-summit-december-2-to-4.html.

40] – On Fri., Dec. 2 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! This vigil will take place at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contract Art @ artlaffin@hotmail.com or at 202-360-6416. 

41] – On Fri., Dec. 2 from noon to 1 PM, join a Women in Black peace vigil. A vigil will take place in McKeldin Square at the corner of Light and Pratt Sts., and another will take place outside Roland Park Place, 830 W. 40th St., across from the Rotunda.  Stay for as long as you can. Wear black. Dress for who knows what kind of weather. Bring your own poster or help with the "NO WAR IN MY NAME" banner.  When there are others to stand with, you don't need to carry the burden alone. Do this to be in solidarity with others....when everything around us says “Be afraid of the stranger.” Carpool and parking available at both locations. Just send an email that you need a ride [mailto:wibbaltimore@peacepath911.org].  Peace signs will be available. 

42] – There is usually a silent vigil on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, sponsored by Homewood Friends and Stony Run Meetings, outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St.  The next scheduled vigil is on Dec. 2. Black Lives Matter.

43] –  The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee, Baltimore Quaker Peace and Justice Committee of Homewood and Stony Run Meetings and Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility are continuing the FILM & SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS DVD SERIES.  The DVDs will be shown at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218, usually on the First Friday.  After the Black Lives Matter vigil, there will be a potluck dinner. At 7:15 PM, from September through December, a DVD will be shown with a discussion to follow.  There is no charge, and refreshments will be available.  The series theme is REACTING TO WARS ON CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS, PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

On Fri., Dec. 2 see THE GREAT INVISIBLE [USA, 2014.] directed by Margaret Brown.  It is a documentary about the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico.  On April 10, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, killing 11 workers on the rig, and dumping what amounted to almost 5 million barrels of crude into the gulf. The leak continued without interruption for 87 days, devastating the Gulf coastline, its wildlife, its beaches and its entire fishing industry (the main source of income for many in the bayou). BP's lack of response to the initial spill brought ferocious criticism to the company, and there was a possibility of fines of up to $18 billion. Brown's documentary personalizes the well-publicized event, bringing us close to those affected by it, fishermen, survivors and seafood workers: the "invisible" victims of the massive catastrophe. Call 410-366-1637 or email mobuszewski [at] verizon.net for further information

44] – Attend the Human Cost of Energy Production Photography Exhibit & Reception on Tues., Dec. 6 from 4:30 to 7 PM at the Environmental Integrity Project, 1000 Vermont Ave. NW, Suite 1100, WDC 20005.  The project brings heightened awareness of fracking's external costs, including the conditions in which those disproportionately impacted by energy production live, work, and play, through conservation photography at its finest. The photographs are from world-renowned photographers Garth Lenz and Karen Kasmauski.  Enjoy finger food and drinks. Register by Fri., Dec. 2 at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/human-cost-of-energy-production-photography-exhibit-reception-tickets-27902404844?aff=erelexpmlt.

45] – On Fri., Dec.  2 at 7 PM get over to the First-Friday Film at the Peace Center of Delaware County, 1001 Old Sproul Rd., Springfield, PA. See WHERE DO WE GO NOW? This is a drama/comedy about Muslim and Christian women living together in an isolated Lebanese village who conspire together to keep their blowhard menfolk from being caught up in the region's surrounding violence. Peppered throughout with earthy, village humor and quirky, human situations, it delivers its antiwar message with a knowing smile, leaving you with a sense of the wry foolishness and tragedy of war. The director is Nadine Labaki, and the screenwriters are Thomas Bidegain and Rodney El Haddad. The screened is co-sponsored by the Brandywine Peace Community. Visit www.delcopeacecenter.org or call 484-574-1148. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for light refreshments.

46] – On Fri., Dec. 2 at 7:30 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, hear from ROXANNE DUNBAR ORTIZ about "ALL THE REAL INDIANS DIED OFF," AND OTHER MYTHS. Dunbar-Ortiz will speak with award-winning journalist Dina Gilio-Whitaker. They tackle a wide range of myths about Native American culture and history that have misinformed generations. Tracing how these ideas evolved, and drawing from history, the authors disrupt long-held and enduring myths. Call 443-602-7585.  Go to http://www.redemmas.org.  

47] – On Fri., Dec. 2 at 7:30 PM at the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, 503 Rock Creek Church Rd. NW, WDC 20010, hear from Dan Zak, Washington Post reporter and author of "Almighty: Courage, Resistance and Existential Peril in the Nuclear Age." On a tranquil summer night in July 2012, a trio of peace activists infiltrated the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee. Nicknamed the “Fort Knox of Uranium,” Y-12 was supposedly one of the most secure sites in the world, a bastion of nuclear warhead parts and hundreds of tons of highly enriched uranium—enough to power thousands of nuclear bombs. The three activists—a house painter, a Vietnam War veteran, and an 82-year-old Catholic nun—penetrated the complex’s exterior with alarming ease; their strongest tools were two pairs of bolt cutters and three hammers. Once inside, these pacifists hung protest banners, spray-painted biblical messages against war, and streaked the walls with human blood. Then they waited to be arrested. Zak uses this event to explore America’s love-hate relationship to the bomb, from the race to achieve atomic power before the Nazis did to the solemn 70th anniversary of Hiroshima. At a time of concern about proliferation in such nations as Iran and North Korea, the U.S. arsenal is plagued by its own security problems. Part historical adventure, part courtroom drama, part moral thriller, “Almighty” reshapes the accepted narratives surrounding nuclear weapons and shows that our greatest modern-day threat remains a power we discovered long ago.  Contact the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker at 202-882- 9649 or artlaffin@hotmail.com.

48] – 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 Dec. 3. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725.

49] -- On Sat., Dec. 3 from 9 to 11 AM at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 1301 N. Broom St., Wilmington 19806, get over to the Movement for a Culture of Peace Forum: Gun Violence and Public Health with Rita Langraf, Cabinet Secretary, Hanifa Shabazz, City Councilwoman, Sandra Medinilla, trauma surgeon. Go to https://wilmingtonpeacemarch.wordpress.com/2016/.

50] – On Sat., Dec. 3 from 10 AM to 2 PM, attend the workshop How is gas infrastructure affecting your community? Chesapeake PSR is co-sponsoring this workshop.  The gas industry is not only pumping gas from wells, but storing and delivering it with extensive infrastructure: pipelines, compressor stations, storage facilities, LNG terminals and gas-power plants. How is this heavy industry affecting your community? The workshop is happening at Immanuel United Church of Christ, 1905 Edmondson Ave., Catonsville. After you register, you have the option of purchasing lunch for $9. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/natural-gas-infrastructure-community-workshop-tickets-29062300122?utm_campaign=order_confirmation_email&utm_medium=email&ref=eemailordconf&utm_source=eb_email&utm_term=eventname. ​​You will hear and discuss the health, environmental and community disruption effects of gas infrastructure. Our frontline communities are paying for dirty energy with our health and the ever-growing threat of the climate crisis. Participants will discuss industry infrastructure and share their experiences with others whose communities are at risk – a community of communities.  Contact Rebecca Ruggles at rebeccalruggles@gmail.com. The workshop is sponsored by Maryland Environmental Health Network, Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, HoCo Climate Change, Waterkeepers Chesapeake, We Are Cove Point and other concerned individuals.

51] – 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.

52] - Let's get organized. On Sat., Dec. 3 at 4 PM at 2017 E. Pratt St., Baltimore 21231, attend an emergency community meeting. The host can be reached at Lydia lpecker@gmail.com. We see the Republican agenda shaping up, and it doesn't look pretty. An all-out assault on Medicare. Deporting millions and tearing families apart. Eliminating civil rights protections and enforcement. Forcing Muslim people to register with the government. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Go to https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/emergency-community-meeting?source=CourageCampaign.

53] –  Casa Baltimore/Limay cordially invites you to its ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY, WITH SPECIAL TALENT, on Sat., Dec. 3, starting at 5:30 PM with dinner at 6 PM at the home of John Reuter, 2902 Louise Ave., Baltimore 21214. This is a *fun* raiser as well as a fundraiser for projects in our friendship community, Limay, Nicaragua--college scholarships, food security for the most vulnerable, medical fund, and a revolving loan development fund.  Bring a potluck dish to share, and lots of holiday love. Do YOU have talent to share?  Please prepare a song, a poem, a comedy riff, your spoon-rhythm band, or your caricature drawings. The sky's the limit. Call Barbara at 410-444-1023.  A donation is requested for the projects, however no one will be turned away. From Charles Street, head east on Northern Parkway to Old Harford Road, then turn right (south). Go four blocks, and turn left on Louise Avenue. The house is on the left.

54] – On Sat., Dec. 3 at 7:30 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, celebrate the diversity of student voices in Baltimore, with representatives from UMBC (Jamie Alexander), Morgan State (Dominique Holder), JHU (Adam McCann), MICA (Fanni Somogyi), and the Writers in Baltimore Schools programs. Our featured reader will be Kathleen Hellen. Help craft a community through poetry, and come prepared with questions; the reading will be followed by a Q&A session!    Dr. Hellen is the author of the collection “Umberto’s Night,” winner of the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize from Washington Writers' Publishing House, and two chapbooks, “The Girl Who Loved Mothra” and “Pentimento.”  Call 443-602-7585.  Go to http://www.redemmas.org.  

55] – Join the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance in an Inaugural Action on January 20, 2017.  According to Forbes Magazine, Nov. 9, 2016, “President Trump Is Likely To Boost U.S. Military Spending By $500 Billion To $1 Trillion.” So we need a strong presence in D.C. for the inauguration to call for an end to all warfare, including drone warfare.  NCNR is organizing an action of nonviolent civil resistance on the day of the inauguration, Friday, January 20.  Some of us will be risking arrest, and we need others there in support and solidarity.  We will meet in the lower level food court at Union Station at 10 AM on the day of the inauguration for our final planning meeting.  We will have a final planning meeting knowing we have to keep things fluid because there is no certainty as to what will happen that day.

 The idea will be to process as near as possible to a checkpoint and make us visible to the crowds.  Then perhaps we can do a die-in.  We will have model drones, coffins, signs, banners, and leaflets to get our message across.  If you have ideas on messaging, please share over email.  Again, this will be a very fluid experience, and we will come together and make decisions as we go along. Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski at Verizon dot net.

56] – Ellen Thomas [et@prop1.org or 202-210-3886 (cell and text)] sent this message: Hi, good friends and (hopefully) fellow photographers! There are so many great stories in the photos of the antinuclear vigil in front of the White House from 1981 to 2016 - see my growing collection at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0FRCou5r5zOQk5JbHlTWWYwbHc.  If you have any photos or stories you think should be added, please send them to me <et@prop1.org> or post them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Thomas.Memorial/. 

57] -- The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org.

58] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

59] -- Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

60] -- 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.

61] – 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 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/.

“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