Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Baltimore Activist Alert -- March 24 - 30, 2020


22] Become a Progressive Democrats of America Phone Team Volunteer
23] All Enoch Pratt libraries ae closed at least until March 30
24] Remember Oscar Romero -- Mar. 24
25] Webinar Series on Syria -- Mar. 25
26] Healthcare Emergency virtual town hall / webinar – Mar. 25
27] Learn About American Healthcare during Covid-19 – Mar. 25
28] Chesapeake Climate Action Network online call – Mar. 25
29] Yemen: Remembering Five Years of War -- Mar. 25
30] Webinar: The Age of Hybrid Warfare – Mar. 25
31] Briefing Call on Global Days of Action on Military Spending – Mar. 25
32] Discussion on Iran, Sanctions and Coronavirus – Mar. 26
33] Tele briefing featuring Senator Elizabeth Warren – Mar. 26
34] Virtual conversation about pushing people over corporate profits -- Mar. 26
35] ‘EMERGENCY TOWN HALL FOR STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS’ -- Mar. 26
36] “Activism in a Disrupted World” – Mar. 26
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22] - Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is staying focused on making the best of this perilous situation. Help to elect strong progressives by making calls from home.  Email mikefox@pdamerica.org to become a PDA Phone Team Volunteer.
23] – All Enoch Pratt Free Library locations are closed until March 30th. Its Digital Library is open: https://www.prattlibrary.org/.

24] – It is an important day in Salvadoran history – forty years ago today, Mons. Óscar Romero was assassinated while giving a sermon. Though no one was ever prosecuted, investigations led by multiple organizations, including the United Nations, identified Roberto D'Aubuisson – known as the “father” of the Salvadoran death squads and founder of the right-wing ARENA party – as the architect of the assassination. This date – March 24, 1980 – changed Salvadorans forever – religious and secular, young and old. It also prompted international outrage. Around the world, those who were not yet aware of the brutal repression the Salvadoran regime was employing against organized, working-class, and rural Salvadorans were now watching El Salvador. The outrage over Mons. Romero’s murder spurred the organizing that led to the founding of CISPES six months later.

25] – Just World Educational is Launching a Webinar Series on Syria starting on Wed., March 25 at 1 PM ET.  Session 1 “Introduction to Syria, its people, and history pre-2011. will feature Amb. Peter Ford and Prof. Joshua Landis, and the moderator will be Helena Cobban. This is the inaugural session of our 10-session webinar series, “Commonsense on Syria.” It will feature two panelists: Amb. Peter Ford, who was the United Kingdom’s ambassador to Syria, 2003-2006, and then the chief representative of the head of the UN agency UNRWA to the Arab world and Prof. Joshua Landis, who is the Sandra Mackey Chair and Director, Center of Middle East Studies & Arabic at the University of Oklahoma. More details can be found at bit.ly/CommonSyria. Register at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_G_aZlQlVSkqyaxPjrDZ_og.

26] – Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) invites you to join a Healthcare Emergency virtual town hall / webinar on Wed., March 25 from 4 to 5 PM ET.  Dr. Bill Honigman and guest speakers will address your concerns and answer your questions about the Novel Coronavirus pandemic. Email Mike Fox at mikefox@pdamerica.org to RSVP and get call-in information.

27] – On Wed., Mar. 25 from 7 to 8 PM, hear What We Can Learn about American Healthcare during Covid-19, hosted by America's Future Foundation.  Everyone should have access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Yet, every day Americans go without. Now with the COVID-19 crisis, our healthcare system is under stress. What has the crisis shown us about our healthcare system, and what can we improve?  Join a live, interactive presentation with Jason Edson and find out! Jason is a trainer and specialist with the Grassroots Leadership Academy and has spent 17 years in the healthcare industry. He's an avid advocate for removing barriers that people and companies face to access quality healthcare. Reach out to Rhachel at rhachel@americasfuture.org.  Register at https://www.facebook.com/events/1280489175673500/.

28] – The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is hosting on Wed., March 25 at 7:30 PM a statewide call about coronavirus and climate work.  This video call is for every climate activist in Maryland to discuss the coronavirus, how it is impacting you, and what it means to climate work.  The immediate, absolute disruption of literally every aspect of life on a global scale is unparalleled in modern history. We are going to need to work together like never before to meet the challenges of this new reality. You’ll hear from CCAN’s executive director, Mike Tidwell, on actions to take, as well as efforts to support. Discuss how the pandemic relates to climate change, both in actual carbon impact and ways there are parallels between the problems. Sign up at https://act.chesapeakeclimate.org/page/17844/data/1?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=mdce&utm_content=MD+coronavirus+office+hours+winner&ea.url.id=424593.

29] – Join an online discussion Yemen: Remembering Five Years of War (WEBINAR), hosted by the Yemeni Alliance Committee on Wed., March 25 from 8 to 9 PM ET.  Yemen has been facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. This month marks the 5th anniversary of the war in Yemen. The U.S. has been participating in the Saudi-Led Coalition which is illegally blockading and bombing the country, starving millions of people. The war has created the world's worst cholera outbreak in recorded history, and the world's largest humanitarian crisis on the face of the Earth. For context, 100 times more people have died from this crisis than from the Coronavirus. Hear from five Yemeni-American activists, including Somia Elrowmeim. RSVP on Facebook.at https://m.facebook.com/events/2534351473474391?link_id=1&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-join-us-mar-25-online-re-yemen-crisis-2&email_referrer=email_739206&email_subject=join-us-mar-25-online-re-yemen-crisis.

30] – Join a Webinar: The Age of Hybrid Warfare: War is more than bombs and bullets on Wed., March 25 at 8 PM ET for a discussion.  "Hybrid warfare" is a mix of disinformation, sanctions, and unconventional tactics. Hybrid warfare will be defined, and case studies of it in Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and elsewhere will be discussed. This webinar is co-hosted by World BEYOND War and About Face: Veterans Against the War.  Email Greta at greta@worldbeyondwar.org to register.

Hear from Monisha Rios, a Gulf War Era Army Veteran and a Doctoral Candidate on Liberation Psychology. Her research focuses on the militarization of psychology in the United States. Her work is geared towards building a grassroots movement to conduct a peoples' inquiry into the U.S.'s use of psychological warfare against the peoples of the world, including its own citizens, and to amplify the voices of those who are most impacted by U.S. wars, centering the voices of indigenous communities. Also hear from Camilo Mejia, a 2003 war resister and conscientious objector when he refused to return to duty in the Iraq war. He was court martialed, imprisoned for nine months, and subsequently recognized as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. He has been closely following U.S. regime change events all over the world, including in his native Nicaragua.

The webinar will be hosted on Zoom and livestreamed via Facebook. Participants can join via a device with an internet connection, or dial in via telephone. Once you register, you will receive an email with the livestream link and call-in information. The webinar will be recorded and available for viewing afterwards.

31] – On Wed., March 25 from 8:15 to 9:15 PM EDT, tune into the 2nd National Briefing Call on Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS).  Join Shailly Gupta Barnes of the Kairos Center and environmental attorney Mark Dunlea for the second of two national calls on Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS).  Lack of preparedness for the COVID-19 epidemic reveals the potentially grave consequences of slashing social safety net spending while deluging the military-industrial complex with our tax dollars. Trump and the Pentagon are pressing yet another massive increase in military spending. Critics from Washington think tanks working with the Poor People’s Campaign, reinforced by grassroots activists across the country are demanding that money be moved from wars and preparations for wars to addressing our urgent human needs: health, climate, housing, education and more. GDAMS 2020 will take place from April 10 – May 9. We hope that you will consider organizing a local event. To help you prepare for this year’s GDAMS and for longer term efforts to change our national spending priorities, we have scheduled an inspiring briefing call featuring these two leading authorities on military spending and alternatives.  Register for the webinar at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Kw6HZ4BNLsh_Uj4p8mLUu5iL-JAC6pAvMWCllGC0AR0/edit?link_id=4&can_id=cde050d2f4fd7639363f0ccd0807f0ec&source=email-healthcare-not-warfare-wed-march-25-2nd-national-briefing-call&email_referrer=email_756789&email_subject=healthcare-not-warfare-wed-march-25-2nd-national-briefing-call&link_id=4&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&email_referrer=email_756789&email_subject=healthcare-not-warfare-wed-march-25-2nd-national-briefing-cal.    

32] – On Thurs., March 26 from 2 to 2:30 PM, Trita Parsi will be hosted by CODEPINK: Women For Peace for a discussion on Iran, Sanctions and Coronavirus.  RSVP at https://www.codepink.org/covid19_iran_tritaparsi.  The situation in Iran is dire. The nation is reeling from the horrific spread of coronavirus, and US sanctions are making it worse. While world leaders are calling for the US to immediately lift the sanctions as a humanitarian gesture, the U.S. is doubling down. Hear from writer/analyst Trita Parsi about what is happening on the ground and what we can do. You can watch on Zoom or Facebook: bit.ly/tritaparsi on Zoom or bit.ly/codepinkfacebook on Facebook.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/201067021310506/.

33] – People for an American Way are holding a tele briefing featuring Senator Elizabeth Warren to discuss the response to the coronavirus pandemic and the need for a government that works for all of us on Thurs., March 26 at 4 PM ET. The global outbreak of the coronavirus is a serious threat to our health, public safety, and democratic institutions.  Over the last few weeks, we've seen chaos, misinformation, and a true lack of leadership from the Trump administration. This is an enormous structural problem that needs big and bold action from our government. RSVP at http://act.pfaw.org/sign/rsvp-telebriefing-coronavirus/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=aa&utm_campaign=coronavirus&t=3&akid=14423%2E3302379%2EgLPDtg.

34] -- Trump and corporate cronies in Congress are trying to exploit this global crisis to make their Big Polluter friends richer. Recently, the Senate announced a $1 trillion+ coronavirus aid bill that would do more for polluting industries than everyday people. This callousness and greed could have deadly outcomes for species, communities and entire ecosystems if we don't fight back NOW. Friends of the Earth Action organizing team is hosting a virtual organizing strategy round table call on Thurs., March 26 at 6 PM ET. Join a virtual conversation about how you can push Congress to put people over corporate profits by registering at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kd--vpjMtZQfdaSu6KRUILuJC5al3IA.

35] – Congress is negotiating economic assistance for student loan borrowers and may have a deal at any moment. Each day, the Coronavirus crisis disrupts the lives of hard-working Americans across the country. If you have student loans, the financial burden may be double. The good news: there are options that can help. Join the next online ‘EMERGENCY TOWN HALL FOR STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS’ on Thurs., March 26 at 8 PM ET.  Sign up at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Wzu3V7DVSFWS7bk_PaI3YQ.

36] - Lindsey Allen, Chief Program Officer, Greenpeace USA is inviting you to “Activism in a Disrupted World,” a volunteer community call on Thurs., March 26 at 8:30 PM ET.  These are unprecedented times and the world will not be the same after COVID-19. Times of great disruption and change can lead to big societal changes. Fossil fuel companies are already swooping in to grab resources through big oil bail-outs on the backs of working families who desperately need support right now. But at the same time people are more receptive than ever to big ideas for collective action to support each other and respond to the global emergencies we face for health, justice, and our planet.  Reserve your spot today https://greenpeace.zoom.us/meeting/register/upIoc-2qrTMpjHuaIDfrt_BtMbL_azpZGw?_ga=2.29143288.597787081.1584541001-701825316.1562686085&emci=a699bf56-e06d-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&emdi=cc15f19d-f86d-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&ceid=1705696.

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

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