Baltimore Activist Alert – December 30, 2023 to January 22, 2024

Baltimore Activist Alert – December 30, 2023 to January 22, 2024

"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 Max Obuszewski, BNC, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Apt. 206, Baltimore, MD 21212.  Max 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] Need help in archiving activist material    

4] Max is looking for tips on a garage or a storage suggestion.

5] Get the book Surely Goodness and Mercy by Murphy Davis

6] Get the book Male Supremacy in the Catholic Church: An Insider’s View by Roy Bourgeois

7] Brian Barrett in rehab  

8] “Decolonizing Palestine” – deadline Dec. 30

9] Progressive New Year – Dec. 31

10] How We Win the Civil War – Dec. 24

11] Protest at the Pentagon – Jan. 1

12] Russia out of Ukraine – Jan. 2

13] Migrant Justice meeting – Jan. 2

14] Medicare for all meeting -- Jan. 2

15] March with Healthcare for All – Maryland – Jan. 15

16] Join protest at Northrop Grumman – Jan. 22

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1] – Buttons, bumper stickers 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] –  Janice Sevre-Duszynska needs some assistance in archiving her activist material.  If you are interested in this project, contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

4] – Max is in need of a garage or a storage space.  Any suggestions would be welcome.  Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

5] – Consider getting HOSPITALITY, the newsletter of OPEN DOOR: A prophetic discipleship community honoring the Black Jesus, Dorothy Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. The September/October 2022 issue contains a wonderful review by Claire Schaeffer-Duffy of Surely Goodness and Mercy by Murphy Davis, reprinted from The Catholic Worker, March-April 2022.  Davis, a co-founder of the Open Door Community, died in 2020.   You can subscribe to the newsletter or buy a copy of the book by calling 404-290-2047 or by emailing opendoorcomm@bellsouth.net.

6] – Another book to consider purchasing is Male Supremacy in the Catholic Church: An Insider’s View by Roy Bourgeois. His new book is both memoir and position-paper, and it makes the case that the Roman Catholic Church is a corrupt system that spits out truth-tellers. The crime he was excommunicated for was attending the ordination ceremony of Janice Sevre-Duszynska in Lexington, Kentucky, in August 2008. The ordination was under the auspices of the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.  The Vatican’s response has been to excommunicate any woman who has the audacity to see herself as a priest equal to a male priest. You can purchase a copy from Amazon or by Kindle.

  Here are two quotes to contemplate: “I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over men. She is to keep silent.” – Timothy 1, 2:12-13.  “If the patriarchy that dominates the church is not dismantled and women are not treated as equals, the church will continue to diminish and, eventually, die.” – Roy Bourgeois.

7] – Brian Barrett remains hospitalized with Covid and pneumonia, and is moving to Orchard Hill on West St.  in Towson for a ten-day stay.  A team of friends was mobilized with Jana Meyer as our leader.  It may be possible that Brian can receive visitors.  His number is 443 632 1655, and he is in Room 401. Contact Max for further updates– 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

8] -- Eduard Loring [edloring@opendoorcommunity.org] is promoting a course by The Alternative Seminary “Decolonizing Palestine.” He has started reading the book, and brings to our attention that children and the elderly are starving to death in Gaza.  Since he states we are complicit, he hopes that people will act and learn what can be done to bring Peace to this war torn land.  If you have any questions or problems registering for the course, contact Will O’Brien at (267) 339-8989 or willobrien59@gmail.com.

 Settler Colonial Theory in Conversation with Palestinian Liberation Theology is a FOUR-WEEK VIRTUAL COURSE on Monday evenings, January 8 – 29 from 7 to 9 PM ET, led by Rev. Amy Yoder McGloughlin.  Two weeks before the war began, Palestinian liberation theologian, Mitri Raheb, released his latest book, Decolonizing Palestine:  The Land, The People, and The Bible.  This book contains a much-needed framework to understand what's happening in Israel and Palestine, and to address the questions that often come up as folks struggle to understand the history and context of modern-day Palestine.  Discuss a chapter each week, and engage with Palestinian guest speakers to unravel the colonial mindset and envision a world where all are liberated from oppression. Amy is a Mennonite pastor who travels to Palestine every year and volunteers with Community Peacemaker Teams, an organization that monitors human rights violations in the West Bank and stands in solidarity with Palestinians using nonviolent practices.

A donation of $50 is recommended, to cover the costs associated with having Palestinian guest speakers, but please pay what you can.  The deadline for registration is December 30.  Register at https://bit.ly/DecolonizingPalestine

9] – Progressive Democrats of America [info@pdamerica.org] are holding their weekly Town Hall on Sun., Dec. 31 at 4 PM ET for a Progressive New Year with Young Progressive Democrats of America. The featured guest is William Walter, one of the leaders of PDA's youth wing, Young Progressive Democrats of America (YPDA). As PDA heads into 2024, there is great cause for optimism. Register and the machine will email you your secure codes: RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tceuhrzsvHdymeeZRwb-i7X50FJa-HMR4#/registration

10] – Steve Phillips [info@democracyincolor.com] has written a book How We Win the Civil War. On Sun., Dec. 31 at 8 PM ET, Phillips will host a weekly “Sundays with Steve” on Facebook Live to discuss contemporary issues through the prism of the ongoing Civil War. Sign up at https://www.facebook.com/events/1380348316229936/1380348362896598/?active_tab=about

11] – There is a weekly Pentagon Peace Vigil from 7 to 8 AM on Mondays, since 1987, outside the Pentagon Metro stop.  The next vigil is Jan. 1, and it is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker.  Email artlaffin@hotmail.com or call 202-882-9649.  The vigil will be outside the Pentagon's south Metro entrance and in the designated "protest zone" behind bicycle fences across from the entrance to the Metro.  This vigil will honor the visit to the area of the anti-nuclear ship the Golden Rule.

 By Metro, take Yellow Line and get out at the "Pentagon" stop. Do not go to the Pentagon City stop! Go up south escalators and turn left and walk across to protest area. By car from D.C. area, take 395 South and get off at Exit 8A-Pentagon South Parking. Take slight right onto S. Rotary Rd. at end of ramp and right on S. Fern St. Then take left onto Army Navy Dr. You can "pay to park" on Army Navy Dr.,  and there is meter parking one block on right on Eads St. Payment for both of these spots begins at 8 AM.  No cameras are allowed on Pentagon grounds. The restrooms are located inside Marriot Providence Inn on corner of S. Fern and Army Navy Dr.

12] -- Join the Baltimore Nonviolence Center on Tues., Jan. 2 from 4:30 to 5 PM ET at 33rd and N. Charles Sts. The invasion of Ukraine has the potential to become a war extending throughout Europe.  Putin has destroyed Aleppo and Grozny and has threatened the use of nuclear weapons.  Russian soldiers were sent into the area around the contaminated and still radioactive Chernobyl nuclear plant. Now they are stationed in the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.   People who believe in peace and justice should come forward and take the risks of peace. The burial sites continue to expose ruthless war crimes by the invaders, Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607.

13] –The Northern Virginia Democratic Socialists of America [novabranch@mdcdsa.org] on Tues., Jan. 2 at 6 PM ET is holding a NOVA Migrant Justice working group meeting. Please fill out the interest form, and someone will reach out to get you plugged in. RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZV0wYx8MQkiLvPuWV6QFUKVTBSbvG-QrqNUWhqCR1ZoI2zg/viewform?link_id=23&can_id=3fcd7916f2ff367c3b859d45270fd1d5&source=email-nova-branch-dsa-upcoming-actions-and-events-117&email_referrer=email_2042256&email_subject=nova-branch-dsa-upcoming-actions-and-events

14] – On Tues., Jan. 2 from 6 PM ET, the Northern Virginia DSA [novabranch@mdcdsa.org] will hold a Medicare for All Working Group Meeting.  RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/m4all-alexandria-arlington-third-tuesday-update-tuesday-january-2nd-6pm?link_id=35&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-december-15-2023&email_referrer=email_2155676&email_subject=metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-december-29-2023

 Join the M4All Alexandria Working Group and discuss plans for furthering the M4All petition in Alexandria - and now in Arlington. The group meets the first and third Tuesday of the month.

15] – As it has done for many years, Healthcare is a Human Right- Maryland will be participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in Baltimore on Mon., Jan. 15.  Join in and march behind a banner that contains Dr. King's famous quote, "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane."  The t-shirts will say "Medicare for All" and "Healthcare is a Human Right." Signs will be available for all.  You are encouraged to join the parade and show your support for healthcare justice.

 The parade starts at noon at MLK Jr. Blvd. and Eutaw Street.  HCHR-MD will gather there by 11:30 AM.  For additional information, please contact Rich Bruning [barbruland@gmail.com] at [410] 235-3504 or [443]-509-7095.

16] – According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, the $43.7 billion spent by the U.S. on nuclear weapons in 2022 means that, every minute, $83,143 was diverted from healthcare, housing, and other needs in our country! And the leading nuclear weapons contractor in the U.S. is Northrop Grumman which in September 2020 was selected by the U.S. Air Force under a $13.3 billion contract awarded for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent [sic] (GBSD) program. Northrop Grumman is the third largest weapons contractor in the world taking in $32 billion in 2022 for military hardware.

According to the watchdog site Investigate, Northrop Grumman “supplies the Israeli military with a wide variety of weapons, including various missile systems. The company’s technologies are also integrated into Israel’s main weapon systems, including its fighter jets, missile ships, and trainer aircraft.” The company has provided Israel weapons for decades and, says Investigate, “these weapons have repeatedly been used against Palestinian civilians, resulting in numerous casualties as well as mass destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water and electric systems.” It has also supplied the Israeli Navy with Sa'ar 5 warships, which have participated in the assault on Gaza. 

Since 2017, Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland activists have celebrated the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The TPNW opened for signature at the United Nations in New York on 20 September 2017 and entered into force on 22 January 2021. As of 19 September 2023, the TPNW has 69 states parties while 28 further states have signed but not yet ratified.

 Pope Francis in the annual Christmas message condemned war and weaponry provided by the global arms industry. This year’s message also included condemnation of the ongoing slaughter in the Gaza Strip, as he mourned the children killed, which he called the "little Jesuses of today."

 Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland activists, on January 22 for the annual speak out in favor of the TPNW, will gather outside a Northrop Grumman complex to leaflet workers. The leaflet will explain that producing nuclear weapons is a theft from the poor, and that any military contractor supplying weapons to Israel will be complicit in the war crimes being committed in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.  As part of the visit to Northrop Grumman, a letter would be delivered to Kathy Warden, CEO. The time and the site will be decided at a further date.  Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net if you are interested in challenging Northrop Grumman. 

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to Max Obuszewski, Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Apt. 206, Baltimore, MD 21212.  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