NEW YORK PEACE NETWORK. Peace Action of New York State. SPEAK UP TO OBAMA RIGHT NOW - make our priorities clear. PEACE DEMANDS ACTION - one email, one action, five minutes a week for peace
View this message online: http://www.panys.org/alerts/194.htm
Alert #194  January 20, 2009
Dear Peace Advocate,

The new administration is a few hours old. Traditionally, the first 100 days of a new administration are the most important. Some have even said that this is the only time period in which a President can really make a significant difference. But with the crisis in Gaza, a failing economy, and over 4,000 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, we don't have 100 days to wait for change.

There's every sign that the Obama administration will hit the ground running. The question is, will the peace movement be running with it, influencing which turns it makes, or be left behind?

There are signs, in fact, that the Obama administration will start running in a direction different from what some of us might expect.
  • During their confirmation hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Obama's top Pentagon nominees revealed that they will be "too busy with transition details" to review the Bush administration's last $584 billion defense request ($57 billion up from previous requests.)
  • Obama recently passed on to the chance to make a statement on the tragedy in Gaza.
  • Thousands of American troops are still illegally occupying Iraq, and Obama's talking about sending them to Afghanistan.
  • Our nuclear arsenal is far from Zero, plans to expand it are still in the works, and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty remains unsigned.
  • The Constitution is still endangered by illegal wiretapping and other practices authorized by the Patriot Act.
  • Guantanamo is still running.
This is not the time to sit on your hands and wait to see what happens.

In your five minutes for peace this week, please make sure that the first message that the Obama administration hears comes from the peace community. We must make it very clear what we expect of him, and that will will continue to demand it:
  • Negotiate a cease fire in Gaza.
  • Bring the troops home from Iraq.
  • Don't give us another Iraq in Afghanistan.
  • Begin diplomatic relations with Iran.
  • Introduce the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and begin the processes of reducing the US nuclear arsenal to zero, as suggested by George Schultz, Sam Nunn, Henry Kissinger, and William Perry.
  • Close Guantanamo.
  • Ban wiretapping and torture.
  • Respect the Constitution and international law.
President Obama has asked Americans to help him to set his administration's agenda and to help him hold to it. The new www.whitehouse.gov just opened as a site dedicated to "Communication, Transparency, and Participation," citing the President's experience as a community organizer in Chicago. We need him to hold up his side of the bargain, so let's make sure that we hold up ours.

As always, thanks for all you do.

In Peace,

Cheryl Wertz & John Bostrom
Peace Action New York State
info@panys.org
Featured Events
Saturday, Feb. 7. 9:00 - 5:00 p.m.
ROCHESTER. Rochester Friends Meeting House, 84 Scio Street.
PANYS ANNUAL MEETING:
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Peace Action has chapters, allies and friends in all 29 Congressional Districts in New York State. How can we use our political strength to influence the new Administration, improve U.S. foreign policy and generate positive change?
  • 9:00: Business wetting. All welcome.
  • 10:45: Welcome & registration
  • 11:30: Keynote Address by Kevin Martin, & Paul Kawika Martin, Executive and Political Directors from the National Office of Peace Action.
  • 12:30: Lunch & networking
  • 1:45: Subject workshops on Israel/Palestine; Nuclear, CTBT & NPT; Militarization, Afghanistan & Iraq; National Guard; Sustainability/Environment
  • 3:00: Strategy workshops on student organizing/counter-recruitment; working with active duty military and vets; media; and organizational growth
  • 4:00: Wrap-up and closing.
Fee of $15 includes lunch, but no one will be turned away. To RSVP contact Yolanda Rose Votto, Peace Action NYS, (646) 723-1749 or yolandarosevotto@yahoo.com   
Wednesday, February 11, 7:45 – 10:30 p.m.
BAY RIDGE. Hotel Gregory – Best Western. 8315 4th Avenue, at 84th Street
 EVENING WITH PROF. GLEN LAWRENCE,
AN AUTHORITY ON DEPLETED URANIAM TOXICITY.
Featuring Professor Glen Lawrence, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Long Island University. During the current Iraq War the U.S. use of radioactive DU weapons increased from 375 tons used in 1991 to 2200 tons. Geiger counter readings at sites in downtown Baghdad record radiation levels 1,000 and 2,000 times higher than background radiation. Over one million U.S. soldiers have rotated into Iraq. Today, half of the 697,000 U.S. Gulf War troops from the 1991 war have reported serious medical problems and a significant increase in birth defects among their newborn children. We will show the award-winning documentary “The Doctor, the Depleted Uranium and the Dying Children.” Hosted by Peace Action Bay Ridge & The Bay Ridge Interfaith Peace Coalition. For further information call (718) 680-2981, email bklynpeaceaction@yahoo.com, or see www.panys.org/BR.

Other New York Metro Area and Long Island Events
 
 Friday, January 23, 6:00 p.m.
BROOKLYN. Forcelli Center at Brooklyn Law School,205 State Street between Court and Boerum
Feli Hall, 22nd floor.
THE CURRENT SITUATION IN GAZA: ROLLING BACK BUSH’S FASCIST SHIFT
Sponsored by the National Lawyers Guild International Committee and the Brooklyn Law School Student Chapter. With Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said, Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University and Naomi Wolf, author of “The Beauty Myth” and “The End of America: A Letter of Warning to A Young Patriot.” Donations accepted to support the National Lawyers Guild International Committee. Beer, wine, non-alcholic everages and vegetarian food.
Thursday, January 29, noon – 1:30 p.m.
MIDTOWN NYC. Port Authority Bush Station, South Terminal
(Entrance on 8th Avenue between 40th and 41st Streets), Main floor.
 GRANNY PEACE BRIGADE PHONE-A-THON
Other Upstate Events
 
 Sunday, January 25, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
ROCHESTER. The Anti-War Storefront, 658 Monroe Avenue, Rochester
 GAZA: ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING.
We invite the community to come share information and plan collective action in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Informational literature on Gaza will be available. Bring your own. Refreshments will be served. Sponsored by Rochester Against War. For more information see www.rochesteragainstwar.org, or call Doug Noble at 585-442-3383.
Monday, January 26, 6:00 light dinner will be served. 6:30 training begins.
WHITE PLAINS. Center for Racial Justice at WESPAC, 255 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, 2nd floor
 WHAT PREVENTS US FROM BUILDING A BROAD PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT?
AN EVENING WITH ANTHONY PORTER, CO-FOUNDER OF “A CALL TO MEN.”
Recognizing the Internalized Manifestation of Racial/Gender Oppression: How does internalized racial/gender oppression manifest itself as Internalized Racial/Gender Inferiority and Internalized Racial/Gender Superiority?  How does it interfere with movement building? $20 per person.  RSVP required at info@wespac.org or 914 449-6514
Weekend of March 27 – 28.
WHITE PLAINS. White Plains High School Auditorium,.550 N. St. Bryant Ave.
 LOWER HUDSON VALLEY SOCIAL FORUM.
Friday night entertainment at 7:00p.m. Saturday begins at 9:00a.m. The Lower Hudson Valley Social Forum is a response to the various pressing issues that we are all facing. Our purpose is to broaden the "single issue" focus of groups that the non-profit industry has created along with a climate of competition for resources, and build a broad movement locally that is clear in opposing all forms of oppression and exploitation. We will highlight voices that are marginalized and made invisible by the corporate media. With Rebel Diaz, the Walkabout Clearwater Chorus, Evan Greer, Dr. Robin Kimmerer, Monica Walker, Dada Maheshvarananada and Deepa Fernandes. For more information see www.lhvsocialforum.org. For more information contact Wespac Foundation at 914-449-6514 or info@wespac.org. .   
Friday, March 20, around midnight
ALBANY. Exact location TBA. BUSES TO DEMONSTRATION: U.S. OUT OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN NOW.
Two buses will be leaving Albany around midnight, the night before this demonstration and  return to Albany after the demonstration on March 21. Bus ticket will be $55.  Partial scholarships available. Information: Joe Lombardo at 439-1968. Reserve a bus seat today. Checks can be sent to, BNP, PO Box 473, Delmar, NY 12054 (please include name, phone and e-mail address with check)   
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, March 21.
DEMONSTRATION: U.S. OUT OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN NOW.
Money for jobs, health care, housing and pensions, not for wars and occupations. End US support for the occupation of Palestine. The US has been at war in Iraq for almost 6 years.  The priorities of the new administration will be set in the next few months.  The 6th Anniversary of the war in Iraq is the time to make our voices heard. Two buses will be leaving  around midnight, the night before this demonstration and  return to Albany after the demonstration on March 21. Bus ticket will be $55.  There will be partial scholarships available. Sponsored by several national anti-war groups and coalitions, including the National Assembly.  Information: Joe Lombardo at 439-1968. Reserve a bus seat today. Checks can be sent to, BNP, PO Box 473, Delmar, NY 12054 (please include name, phone and e-mail address with check)
Going out of state? Check UFPJ's national Events Calendar: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php.