Baltimore Activist Alert – August 31 to September 1, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert – August 31 to September 1, 2019

"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 BNC, 325 East 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218.  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] Lawyers Against War

5] SUPPORT AMAZON WORKERS OF CONSCIENCE

6] The Warmth of Other Suns – through Sept. 22

7] Canvass with Bill Henry -- Aug. 31

8] Tree Maintenance – Aug. 31

9] Baltimore Vegan Restaurant Week -- Aug. 31

10] Protest killer drone strikes – Aug. 31

11] Mary Starkweather-White Memorial Service – Aug. 31

12] Eat at the great Sage – Aug. 31 – Sept. 1

13] Vegan for Peace potluck dinner – Aug. 31

14] Wild About Primates – Sept. 1

15] Felix Adler Was Not a Humanist – Sept. 1

16] Soil to Sanctuary Market – Sept. 1

17] DSA Meeting – Sept. 1

18] The ERA Call – Sept. 1

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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] – Jeff Ross, an attorney in Maryland, is interested in gathering with other lawyers to discuss ways in which the legal profession and the law generally can be conceptualized as a peace-building and war-resisting institution and redirected to these ends. Areas to explore might include: 1) ways in which this group could support with legal analysis/writing those lawyers who are representing peace-builders/war-resisters in criminal prosecutions; 2) ways in which, from a more theoretical perspective, the law might be grounded in an ethic of non-violence; and 3) ways in which law students and young lawyers might be exposed to a non-violent vision of the law. All religious, philosophical, and critical perspectives on the law are welcome. The group might want to call itself Lawyers Against War. Jeff can be reached at 443-690-6872 and jross50@hotmail.com.

5] -- SUPPORT AMAZON WORKERS OF CONSCIENCE.  We are in a deep struggle to support conscience within the high tech community, which may be the only way to prevent a major leap into artificial intelligence warfare that we see the beginnings of in the expanding global U.S. drone war system.  This may be of particular interest to Johns Hopkins' Navy-funded researchers, some of whom have been working on swarming drone technology.

These are not major asks and can be a powerful reinforcement of conscience at an extremely critical moment.  Please consider circulating this link to your lists encouraging people to sign the linked RootsAction petition - https://www.knowdrones.com/blog/2019/3/6/support-amazon-workers-who-dont-want-to-work-for-war and leafletting Whole Foods in your areas. This is a link to the leaflet -- https://gallery.mailchimp.com/dd110b000ca250d868d4f419b/files/107fc695-8af9-4f7e-a523-ecd1d1dfd28f/Wholefoods_Leaflet.pdf. Should you have interest in circulating the links and possibly leafletting, contact Nick Mottern at  nickmottern at gmail.com.

6] – The Phillips Collection (TPC) in Washington, D.C. has a dedicated mission of addressing contemporary social justice issues of global significance. The museum has recently undertaken an extraordinary exhibition on the urgent topic of immigration and the global migration crisis entitled: The Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement. This important exhibition presents 75 historical and contemporary artists—from the United States as well as Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Syria, Turkey, UK, Vietnam, and more—whose work poses urgent questions around the experiences and perceptions of migration, internal and cross-border displacement, and the current global refugee crisis. Check out https://www.phillipscollection.org/events/2019-06-22-exhibition-the-warmth-of-other-suns.

   In conjunction with the exhibition which is on view through Sept. 22, the museum has also created a slate of dynamic programming including artist talks.  Exemplarily, on Aug. 29, Millennium Arts Salon Executive Director Juanita Hardy will feature a Salon Panel Talk on the issue of migration. Contact Phillips Director of Communications Miriam Magdieli at MMagdieli@phillipscollection.org for complimentary passes, or to RSVP for Phillips After 5. If you have a group she can also help to arrange a tour with museum staff.  The Phillips Collection is eager to engage in partnerships with organizations working with migrant communities, whether by advocacy, direct action, or support for migrants here in DC.

7] – Canvass with Bill Henry in Union Square and Mount Clare on Sat., Aug. 31 at 10 AM, noon or 2 PM, hosted by Friends of Bill Henry starting at 1500 W. Lombard St., Baltimore 21223.  Sign up here to knock on doors with Councilmember Bill Henry -- https://bit.ly/2KCmxCP.  Now more than ever, there is a need an independent voice in City government to promote accountability and transparency from top to bottom.  You will get all the training you need to be successful and have fun. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2124535907658782/?event_time_id=2124535917658781.

8] – On Sat. Aug. 31 from 10 AM to 1 PM, do Tree Maintenance with Gunpowder Valley Conservancy. Tickets are at gunpowdervalleyconservancy.org.  Newly planted trees need TLC to survive. Spend several hours to help young trees grow into healthy forests!  Tree maintenance involves removing invasive plants, checking planted trees to see if the shelter needs to be removed and removing if necessary, digging out the planting tube, and making sure the plant is upright.  Community service learning hours available.  Register online at gunpowdervalleyconservancy.org/calendar. Also visit the website for updated location and driving directions. Summer 2019 sites will be at Loch Raven Reservoir.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/308497446747823/?event_time_id=346178819646352.

9] – On Sat., Aug. 31 and Sun., Sept. 1 from 10 AM to 11 PM, the Baltimore Vegan Restaurant Week continues with Wicked Sisters and Maryland Vegan Eats at 3845 Falls Road, Baltimore 21211. You can make reservations in advance by going to www.wickedsistershampden.com. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/2106154139677336/?event_time_id=2106154193010664.

10] – Every day, somewhere in the world, the U.S. conducts killer drone strikes, continuing a policy of 'endless war', exemplifying the daily killing and terror we face every day across the U.S.  On Sat., Aug. 31 at from noon until 2 PM, protest the drone war command operation @ Horsham PA Air National Guard Station, Route 611/Easton & County Line Roads, Horsham, PA. Banners/signs are available aplenty with nearby parking.  Stand, sit (bring a chair), sing or give a speech.  Tell PA Governor Tom Wolf, head of PA Air National Guard: BAN PA DRONE WAR OPERATIONS! Look at https://www.knowdrones.com/updates/2019/4/3/taking-drone-war-protest-to-the-state-level. Contact the Brandywine Peace Community at www.brandywinepeace.com or at 484-574-1148.

11] – On Sat., Aug. 31 at 2 PM, get over to a Mary Starkweather-White Memorial Service at Wilmington Friends Meeting, 401 N. West St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Starkweather-White was a long-time supporter and Board member of Pacem in Terris and life-long activist for peace with justice. She was truly remarkable in all that she did— for Pacem in Terris, for returning citizens through the Moving Forward project, the Pardons Project, New Beginnings Next Step and through programs such the Baylor Dance Program and the Baylor Peace Art Program that she initiated at Baylor Women’s Correctional Facility. Honor Mary and the projects she started and developed through the establishment of the Mary Starkweather-White Legacy Fund. The fund will be used for helping Pacem in Terris continue her restorative justice and other peace with justice work. Visit http://depaceminterris.org/mary-starkweather-white-legacy/.

12] – Maryland Vegan Restaurant Weeks continue on Sat., Aug 31 and Sun., Sept.1 from 5 to 9 PM at Great Sage, 5809 Clarksville Square Dr., Clarksville 21029.  BRING THE HEAT! VEGAN RESTAURANT WEEK WILL COOL YOU DOWN. Go to www.mdveganeats.com to check out the most current media stories and videos. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/532544697287167/.https://www.facebook.com/events/1443132795829569/?event_time_id=1443132839162898.

13] – On Sat., Aug. 31 from 6 to 8:30 PM, get with Vegan for Peace potluck dinner, hosted by Earthsave Baltimore at Govans Presbyterian Church, 5828 York Road, Baltimore 21212.  Earthsave's veg/vegan dinner series meets on the last Saturday of each month at Govans Presbyterian Church, next to the historic Senator Theater. Earthsave's mission is to help people learn a healthier and more peaceful way of eating and living. See www.earthsavebaltimore.org or www.facebook.com/events/405866220184740/. 

Maintaining and Restoring Bone Density in Vegans will be explained by Mark Rifkin, RD, will speak on "It’s A Puzzle, I Tell Ya! Maintaining and Restoring Bone Density in Vegans." Registered Dietitian Rifkin will show us the puzzle, and how vegans can maintain and even restore bone density, regardless of age. Everyone’s welcome... vegans, vegetarians, veg curious, or omnivores. If you’d like to entertain, email Baltimore@earthsave.org, or call 410-252-3043. 

DINNER GUESTS may choose to either bring a dish made without animal products (to serve 8) plus $5 (members pay just $2) donation; pay $15 (members pay just $12) to enjoy dinner and presentation; or pay $5 for presentation only. If you plan to pay for dinner rather than bring a dish, RSVP by calling 410-252-3043, or emailing Baltimore@Earthsave.org. Drive around church to large parking lot, where you'll see the white Earthsave banner near the Fellowship Hall entry. Look up https://www.facebook.com/events/2340497009332751/.

14] – On Sun., Sept. 1 from 10 AM to 4 PM, Weis Markets presents: Wild About Primates, hosted by The Maryland Zoo, 1 Safari Place, Baltimore 21217.  Tickets are at www.marylandzoo.org.  Primates are the closest relative to humans? Learn all about chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, and lemurs — ring-tailed, red-ruffed, and sifaka! Engage with the keepers to see how important zoos are in protecting these endangered species, watch enrichment demos, and participate in primate-themed activities! This event is FREE with Zoo admission or membership! Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/367369487258456/.

15] – 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., Sept. 1 hear that Felix Adler Was Not a Humanist.  Ethical Culture founder, Felix Adler, was not a humanist and he prevented Ethical Culture from identifying with the Humanists while he was alive.  Why was he opposed to Humanism? Why did EC become involved with Humanism after Adler died? What does Humanism mean for EC now? Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org. 

16] – On Sun., Sept. 1 from noon to 3 PM, get with Soil to Sanctuary Market, hosted by The Black Church Food Security Network at 430 E. Belvedere Ave., Baltimore 21212-3035.  Grab your crew and come through to support Black Farmers and business owners. Support our mission of advancing Black #foodsovereignty and furthering the creation of a just food system in Baltimore!

Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/1192688350918202/.

17] – On Sun., Sept. 1 from 1 to 2:30 PM, attend the Rent Control Working Group Meeting, hosted by Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America at the Petworth Library, 4200 Kansas Ave. NW, WDC 20011. Talk strategy and also get updates from chapter members working on our rent control campaign. Working group meetings are a great way to get plugged into all kinds of chapter work. See https://www.facebook.com/events/532544697287167/.

18] – On Sun., Sept. 1 from 4 to 5 PM, get on The CALL - ERA Education Program at Katrina's Dream, PO Box 32003, WDC 20007.  Tickets are at www.katrinasdream.org.  Please come each Sunday and help build the groundswell. The collaboration of grassroots organizers, lobbyists, and professionals is dedicated to promoting and educating folks across the United States of America to empowering women around the world.

The CALL IN NUMBER is 563.999.2090, the CONFERENCE NO: 898879#.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1710130249022424/?event_time_id=1710130255689090.

To be continued

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  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