Alert #163  June 16, 2008

IRRESPONSIBLE THREATS DON'T HELP
It's not about Israel - it's about peace.
PEACE DEMANDS ACTION.
 one email, one action, five minutes a week for peace
view this message online: http://www.panys.org/alerts/163.htm
Dear Peace Advocate,

Last week, Israeli Minister of Transportation Shaul Mofaz threatened "If Iran continues with its programme for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it." He went on to say, "Attacking Iran, in order to stop its nuclear plans, will be unavoidable," and that Iran "would disappear before Israel does."

It would be nice to think such a horrendous statement could be easily dismissed, but it comes from a man who has been in positions of power for decades. Before Mofaz's role as Minister of Transportation, he held positions as the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff, both under former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. During his tenure as Chief of the General Staff, Mofaz came under intense international scrutiny for his use of questionable tactics in the attempt to control the 2000 uprising of the Second Intifada. Now, it is speculated that Mofaz plans to run for Prime Minister in the next election.

In the U.S., the Presidential election is rapidly approaching, and as citizens we face two prominent choices: Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. McCain has taken a stance that is decidedly and "proudly pro-Israel." Meanwhile, Obama recently met with the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the foremost pro-Israel lobby in America. We need to send a message to our next President that we expect him to oppose such war-mongering statements and policies.

It's not a question of being pro- or anti-Israel; it's a question of being pro- or anti-PEACE.

When American leaders allow such extreme threats to go unchallenged, peace around the world is seriously threatened. Our candidates have to know that we will not support such an obvious route to destruction.

Please, contact our candidates, and Senators Schumer and Clinton. Tell them you want to see the United States - and Israel - speaking the language of peace and diplomacy, not violence and war. Israel's friendship with the United States doesn't give its leaders a blank check to make irresponsible, destabilizing threats without any fear of censure from American leaders.

Contact:
P.S. The supplemental war funding bill is currently stalled in the House. Please continue to contact your Congressperson, and encourage them to vote against increased war funding!

Thank you,

Marianna Greene
Peace Action New York State
info@panys.org
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 Tuesday, June 17th, 6:30 to 9 pm (Panel discussion 6:30 – 8, reception from 8-9)
GREENWICH VILLAGE. Robert F Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, NYU.
Puck Building, 295 Lafayette Street, 2nd Floor 
 A PANEL DISCUSSION AND BOOK PARTY FOR
“LESSONS FROM IRAQ: AVOIDING THE NEXT WAR”
With Frances FitzGerald, journalist and author, best known for her  Fire in the Lake: The Vietnamese and the Americans in Vietnam which won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, Aziz Huq, who directs the Liberty and National Security Project at New York University’s Brennan Center  for Justice and co-authored Unchecked and Unbalanced: Presidential Power in a Time of Terror, and Jeffrey Laurenti, a senior fellow and director of policy programs at The Century Foundation, who has written extensively on international security issues. The panel will be moderated by William D. Hartung, co-editor of Lessons from Iraq: Avoiding the Next War  and director of the New America Foundation’s Arms and Security Initiative. Co-sponsored by the The Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at NYU, The Nation Institute, The Century Foundation, and the New America Foundation. The panel will be followed by a wine and cheese reception. For more information and to RSVP, visit  http://wagner.nyu.edu/events/avoidingTheNextWar.php or email  berrigan@newamerica.net.
Wednesday, June 18, 1:15 to 2:30 p.m.
MIDTOWN. Quaker House, 247 East 48th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
 AN AFTERNOON BOOK DISCUSSION WITH HELENA COBBAN
AUTHOR OF “RE-ENGAGED! AMERICA AND THE WORLD AFTER BUSH”
 FCNL is co-hosting this event with the Quaker United Nations Office. Helena will be on hand to sign copies of the book, available for $14.95. A light lunch will be provided. If you would like to attend the book party, please RSVP by June 13. To learn more about the book, visit www.re-engage.net.
Wednesday, June 18, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
LOWER EAST SIDE. Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow Street.
 AN EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION WITH HELENA COBBAN,
AUTHOR OF “RE-ENGAGED! AMERICA AND THE WORLD AFTER BUSH”
Blogger Tony Karon of Rootless Cosmopolitan and analyst Bill Hartung of the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation will help us kick off what we hope will be a spirited discussion of the issues Helena raises in the her new book. Helena will be on hand to sign copies of the book, available for $14.95. If you would like to attend the book party, please RSVP by June 13. To learn more about the book, visit www.re-engage.net.
Saturday June 21, 7 pm through Sunday June 22, 7 pm.
QUEENS. The Diversity Center of Queens, 76-11 37th Avenue, 2nd floor.
24 HOUR CULTURAL MARATHON
TO SUPPORT THE NY COALITION TO EXPAND VOTING RIGHTS.
Come hear poetry, music, videos, and dancers for 24 hours! Only $5 to get in. Stay for 10 minutes or 24 hours of entertainment! Sponsored by the New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights and Poetas en NY. For more information contact 917-650-5988, 908-764-4365 or 347-813-3695.
Sunday, June 22, 1:00 pm
MANHASSET. Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, 48 Shelter Rock Road, Manhasset
 “BRINGING THE WAR BACK HOME”
with Kristofer Goldsmith of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Suggested donation $5. For more information call the Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives at 516-741-4360. During the program, clips from the March 2008 Winter Soldier hearings, at which Kris testified, will be shown.
Tuesday, June 24, 7-9:30 pm
GREENWICH VILLAGE. The Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery @ Bleecker St.
JAZZ MEANS PEACE SALUTES
THE WORLD CAN’T WAIT: DRIVE OUT THE BUSH REGIME.
With the Rick Parker Collective. $8 admission with 1 drink minimum. For tickets, contact Stephanie at the World Can’t Wait at stephanie@worldcantwait.org  or 866-973-4463. A project of ARIA APERTA.
Tuesday, June 24th, 6:00 – 8:30 pm
Candles Restaurant, 154 East 79th Street
EXCLUSIVE FIELD BRIEFING WITH ATIF HAMEED,
NONVIOLENT PEACEFORCE PHILIPPINES COUNTRY DIRECTOR.
Hear stories of the challenges, hopes, and inspiration of unarmed civilian peacekeeping in the field. Atif, a Pakistani, protects fathers, mothers, children, and community leaders from violence through his expert leadership of the peacekeeping team in the Philippines.  He also served for 26 months as an NP peacekeeper in Sri Lanka's war-torn eastern villages.  Tickets cost $125 and NP will be seeking additional support during the evening. For more information, contact Sue Ann Martinson at 612.871.0005 ext. 23.
Wednesday, June 25, 7:00 pm
GREENWICH VILLAGE. RSVP for exact location.
INFORMAL TALK BY STEVE SHALOM
ON PROSPECTS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
 Steve Shalom, an editorial board member of New Politics who teaches political science at William Paterson University, recently returned from a trip to Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon with U.S. Academics for Peace. Shalom edited Perilous Power, a collection of conversations between Noam Chomsky and Gilbert Achcar on the Middle East (Paradigm, 2007). He will discuss the political situation in the region, including the nature of the Islamic forces, the state of the left, U.S. policy, and the role of Israel. Sponsored by New Politics magazine and the Campaign for Peace and Democracy. To RSVP and get exact location, please contact Joanne Landy at jlandy@igc.org.
Thursday, June 26th,– 6 - 8 pm.
MIDTOWN. Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 47th Street & First Avenue, and
U.N. Chapel, 44th Street & First Avenue.
INTERNATIONAL DAY IN REMEMBRANCE OF VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF TORTURE

6:00 - 6:45 pm: Press Conference at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, hosted by Rev. Donna Schaper
6:45 - 7:00 pm: Procession to UN Chapel
7:00 - 8:00 pm: Prayer at UN Chapel. Speakers include:
Bishop Jeremiah Park, UMC New York Annual Conference;
Imam Al-Hajj Talib 'Abdur-Rashid, Majlis Ash Shura of NY;
Nancy Black, Friends NY Quarterly Meeting;
Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster, Rabbis for Human Rights NA;
Rev. David M. Bryce, UU Metropolitan District of NY;
Rev. Michael Caine, UCC NY Conference.
Co-sponsored by World Council of Churches and Interfaith Center of New York. For further information contact Mark C. Hallinan, S.J., 212-774-5500 or or hallinan@nysj.org.

Upstate Events
Wednesday, June 18, 11:30 am
BUFFALO. 74 Wellington, near Hertel
 SEND OFF for CARVANISTAS.
We will be joined by Rev. Thomas Smith, Board Pres of IFCO/ P4P. This is a luncheon. Please RSVP to the Western NY Peace Center at 716-894-2013.
Friday, June 20th, 4:00PM
PITTFORD. 57 Main Street South.
 19TH PASTORS FOR PEACE FRIENDSHIPMENT TO CUBA.
Sponsored by members of Rochester Committee on Latin America (ROCLA). A truck that is bound for Cuba will arrive at the home of Peter and Gail Mott. Help load the truck with humanitarian aid materials such as medicines, wheelchairs, other medical equipment, and educational supplies.  After the truck is filled, Assistant Caravan Coordinator Manolo De Los Santos will briefly address the gathering. The truck will travel to Buffalo and ultimately to McAllen, Texas, where all 14 caravans will converge. As they travel across the country during the two-week period. Friendshipment volunteers expect to collect 100 tons of humanitarian aid.  On July 3rd, over 130 Pastors for Peace volunteers from the US, Canada, and Europe will then challenge the immoral and illegal US blockade against Cuba by crossing the U.S. - Mexico border.  From Mexico, the humanitarian aid will ultimately be delivered to the people of Cuba. ROCLA members believe that it is the duty of every person of conscience to resist and condemn the cruel US blockade of Cuba. Each year, ROCLA members provide support for the peace-loving people who challenge the U.S. Administration’s ban on humanitarian aid and travel to Cuba. After the truck is loaded and Mr. De Los Santos has spoken, ROCLA will host a potluck dinner and celebration. For more information, contact Dr. Arnold Matlin at 585-768-6277
Saturday, June 21, 6pm
BUFFALO. 74 Wellington, near Hertel.
 BBQ FIESTA FOR PASTORS FOR PEACE.
Music, Food, Fun, Wine, Dancing ($10-$15+)
Saturday, June 21, 9am – 4pm
ROCHESTER. 203 Vassar Street (between Harvard and Canterbury)
 METRO JUSTICE ANNUAL GARAGE SALE
 Donated goods can be dropped off between June 17th and June 20th.  Please call Liz Litwiller at 244-5459 in advance if you need to drop off goods after 7pm. Otherwise, leave items near the No clothes, damaged or broken items, or outdated computer equipment. Volunteers needed for two-hour shifts.  Call Liz at 244-5459 to sign up.
Monday, June 23, 6:30pm
BUFFALO. Western NY Peace Center, 2123 Bailey Avenue,
PEACE ACTION MEETING
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Buffalo Details to follow.
RWANDA: RECONCILIATION IN THE POST-9/11 WORLD
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
Saturday, June 28 & Sunday, June 29, 2008
CLEVELAND, OHIO
AN OPEN NATIONAL ANTIWAR CONFERENCE
TO SUPPORT THE DEMANDS: STOP THE WAR IN IRAQ1 BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW! We invite everyone who opposes the war and occupation to attend an open democratic national antiwar conference to place on the agenda of the entire US antiwar movement a proposal for the largest possible united mass mobilization to stop the war and end the occupation. Speakers include: Donna Dewitt, Fred Mason, Greg Coleridge, Jonathan Hutto, Jeremy Scahill, Cindy Sheehan, by video. To register and for more information, log on to: www.natassembly.org.
Friday-Sunday, July 18-20
WASHINGTON DC. Trinity College, 125 Michigan Avenue.
PEACE ACTION 50TH ANNIVERSARY
NATIONAL CONGRESS,
STUDENT PEACE ACTION NETWORK CONVERGENCE
 With speakers Jeremy Scahill, Raed Jarrar, Antonia Juhasz, Trita Parsi, and Max Kampelman
 plus issue, skill-building, and Peace Voter workshops.
Click here for Peace Action information and registration.
Click here for SPAN information and registration.
Monday-Tuesday, July 21-22
WASHINGTON DC.
CONGRESSIONAL EDUCATION DAYS
Peace Action activists from around the country visit Congressional offices
Going out of state? Check UFPJ's national Events Calendar: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php.