Alert #159  May 19, 2008

Tell our Senators to Vote NO
on $170B more for Iraqupation
PEACE DEMANDS ACTION.
 one email, one action, five minutes a week for peace
view this message online: http://www.panys.org/alerts/159.htm
Dear Peace Networker,

Too often in the peace movement we consider anything less than the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq a failure. But in the last 6 years our movement has gained considerable strength and Congress has begun to respond.

Last Thursday, after thousands of peace activists from around the country contacted their Congressional Representatives to ask them to vote against $170 billion in Iraq war funding, the measure was voted down! Congratulations! More Members of Congress than ever before took a real stand for peace - because you demanded it. We heard from Congressional staff that phones were ringing off the hook!

Only two Representatives from New York, Vito Fossella and Peter King, voted in favor of the funding. Most New Yorkers voted against it, but others, primarily the Republicans, voted “present.” Unless you live in Fossella or King’s district, please call your Representative today and thank them for not voting in support of the funding.

But why did the Republicans vote “present” instead of “yes”? Many political strategists believe that the answer is that the Republicans, facing pressure from activists like you, do not want to be seen as supporting the war. They felt that they could safely vote against this funding because the Senate will approve the funding in their version of the appropriations measure.

In your 5 minutes for peace this week, please use the web page of our sister organization, Peace Action West, to repeat your successful performance from last week. Tell Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer that you want them to follow the House’s lead and vote “no” on another blank check for the war.

The Senate is planning to vote on the funding as early as Tuesday, May 20th. We have some momentum here and we need to continue to build on it.

But we have our work cut out for us. Last December, only 25 Senators voted against the $70 billion for Iraq. Senator Schumer was one of them. Please contact him today and ask him to continue to vote against further funding for the quagmire in Iraq. Senator Clinton did not cast a vote in December. Ask her to make her opposition to the war clear to all by joining Senator Schumer.

If the Senate votes to support the funding, it will go to a conference committee of Representatives and Senators to create a “compromise bill.” That bill will then go to the House and the Senate for a vote, so even after this weeks vote, there is still work to do. We will be sure to keep you up to date!

And as always, thanks for all you do.

Cheryl Wertz
Executive Director, Peace Action of New York State
info@panys.org
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UPCOMING EVENTS

 
 NYC Metro Area Upstate NY Out-of-State & Nationwide
FEATURED EVENTS
Wednesday, May 21, 7:00 pm.
BROOKLYN. Brooklyn Friends Meeting House – 110 Schermerhorn Street at Boerum Place

MAY 1948 – A NEW STATE FOR ISRAELITES,
A NAKBA (CATASTROPHE) FOR PALESTINIANS.
A panel discussion on the issues and emotions associated with the events of 1948 and why they still matter. With Nadia Hijab, a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies, Adam Horowitz, founder of Jews Against the Occupation, Zachary Lockman, a Professor in the Dept. of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at NYU. Sponsored by Brooklyn for Peace and the Peace and Social Action Committee of the Brooklyn Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Free admission. For more information, call 718-624-5921 or see www.brooklynpeace.org.
Thursday, May 22, 8:00 pm
WEST FINANCIAL DISTRICT. Church Street School for Music and Art. 74 Warren Street.
PERFORMANCE OF "COOPERATIVE VILLAGE"
A FUNDRAISER FOR
THE NEW YORK COALITION TO EXPAND VOTING RIGHTS
“Cooperative Village,” written and performed by author Frances Madeson, is a boldly comic social and political satire offered up to progressive people everywhere as a rallying cry in opposition to the Bush administration and the institutions and values that prop it up. Called “smart, macabre satire of the War on Terror” by Washington City Paper and selected as the National Organization for Women NYC’s June ’08 Book Club pick, the wickedly uproarious novel is now an equally outrageous one-woman show. Ticket prices are $50 with a free, signed copy of the book, $20 without. All proceeds to benefit the New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights, the campaign to reinstate municipal voting rights for document non-citizens who live, work, raise families and pay taxes in New York City. For more information, contact the Diversity Center of Queens at 917 378 8758. To purchase tickets, click here .
New York Metro Area and Long Island Events
 
 Monday May 19, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
MIDTOWN. Local 1199-SEIU Auditorium 310 WEST 43rd St. between 8th & 9th Aves.
 TOWN HALL MEETING ON ENDING THE U.S. OCCUPATION OF IRAQ.
 With Dahlia Wasfi, MD, Iraqi-American Physician, Michael Schwartz, Professor of Sociology, SUNY Stony Brook. Additional Speakers to be announced. To RSVP email aslater@rcn.com.
Sunday, May 25, 1:15 pm.
MIDTOWN. Community Church of New York, 40 East 35th Street at Park Avenue.
 PHYLLIS BENNIS SPEAKING ON “ISRAEL AND PALESTINE IN THE U.S. EMPIRE.”
 Phyllis Bennis is a fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, and Director of its New Internationalism Program. She is also a Fellow of the Transnational Institute in Amsterdam. Her areas include U.S. unilateralism and empire, the Middle East (particularly Israel-Palestine and Iraq), and US-United Nations relations. Her books include “Before and After: U.S. Foreign Policy and the September 11th Crisis”, “Calling the Shots: How Washington Dominates Today’s UN, “Beyond the Storm: A Gulf Crisis Reader” and “Challenging Empire: How People, Governments and the UN Defy US Power.” Sponsored by Action for Justice of Community Church NYC and Resistance Cinema. The event is free, but donations are appreciated. For more information call 718-843-0515.
Saturday, May 31, 2:00 – 6:00 pm
GREENWICH VILLAGE. Church of the Village, 48th St. Mark’s Place (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
 WHAT'S NEXT AFTER MAY DAY?
A FORUM ORGANIZED BY THE MAY 1 COALITION FOR IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS
 2:00 – 4:00 pm: Building the movement in solidarity with immigrants and workers, organizing labor, students and the progressive movement for social change.
4:00 pm: “Teatro Callejera: No Abres La Puerta.” 4:30 – 6:00 pm: Panel discussion on rights, organizing and what to say if ICE comes to your home. Refreshments will be served. Donations accepted. For more information, see www.may1.info.
Saturday, May 31. (Rain date June 7th)
Registration and check in, 10:00 am. Ride starts 11:00 am.
CENTRAL PARK, 110th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
 PEDAL FOR PEACE 2008: A FUNDRAISER FOR
NYC UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE.
Be a part of the cycle of peace! A Family Friendly 15-mile Ride. It is a permitted ride that will wind through East Harlem, Harlem and the Upper Westside.  It is a great combination of cycling through neighborhoods and more open tree-lined roads (Edgecombe and Riverside Drives).  We will keep a gentle pace to encourage families and less experienced riders to participate.  For the hardcore cyclists, it will be more like a stroll giving you an opportunity to take in the sites as we go.  Most importantly, we will be making a statement as we ride: Fund our communities, Not War! Bring all the Troops Home Now!  Registration is $40 or $25 low-income/student.  Children under 18 ride free.  All riders get a fabulous Pedal for Peace t-shirt.  Everyone is encouraged to also get sponsors.  There are great gifts for those who raise $250 or more! The first 50 riders to register, as well as all children, will get a safety flag with a peace symbol on it.  We encourage you to get creative and decorate your bike with messages of peace! Click here to register today.
Tuesday, June 3, 7 pm
MIDTOWN. Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street
 TRUE CRIMES: THE UNTOLD STORY
BEHIND THE DEVASTATION OF IRAQ.
 Go behind the headlines of the occupation of Iraq with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Chris Hedges, journalist Laila Al-Arian, best-selling author Jeremy Scahill, and award- winning NY Times reporter Seymour Hersh as they discuss the war, the plight of Iraqi civilians and the role of private mercenaries. The event is a dual book launch for Hedges and Al-Arian's "Collateral Damage" and Scahill's "Blackwater" (in paperback). The conversation will be followed by audience questions and a book signing. Tickets $10/$15/$20.
For more information, visit www.nationinstitute.org.
Saturday, June 14th, 2-5 pm
MIDTOWN. Martin Luther King Jr. Labor Center, 310 West 43rd Street
 ANNUAL BETTER WORLD AWARDS LUNCHEON.
 Speaker, Judith Le Blanc of United for Peace and Justice and CPUSA. 2008 Better World Award Honorees: Estelle Katz, Co-Founder of Chelsea for Peace. $40, $20 for low-income or youth. To benefit the People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo. For information or reservations, contact 646-437-5355 or nyfriends@pww.org/.

Upstate Events
Monday, May 19th, 4 to 6 p.m.
WHITE PLAINS. City Library, 100 Martine Avenue
between South Lexington Ave. & MLK Jr. Blvd.
 REGIONAL MEETING (WESTCHESTER AND LOWER HUDSON VALLEY)
OF THE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL COALITION.
 Come find out what’s happening here in New York, and an exciting new statewide campaign for universal health care reform! For more information, contact 845-802-0039.or jwisneski@citizenactionny.org
Thursday, May 22, 4 – 6 pm
GENESEO. The Lockhart Gallery, 26 Main Street.
 OPENING RECEPTION FOR “IMAGINE PEACE” AN EXHIBIT OF CONTEMPLATIVE ART.
 Sponsored by the Geneseo Ecumenical Coalition for Peace. The exhibit is open from May 19th through June 11.
Saturday, May 31.
SYRACUSE. Syracuse Peace Council, 924 Burnet Ave
OPEN HOUSE AT THE SYRACUSE PEACE COUNCIL.

Ongoing Local Events
Many local peace groups hold regular events, vigils, "Honk for Peace" actions, etc. 
See our list: www.panys.org/ongoing.htm

Out of State & Nationwide Events
Going out of state? Check UFPJ's national Events Calendar: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php.