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March 24, 2009
Peace advocates have been calling for Nuclear Weapons Free Zones for a long time. Three NFWZ's already exist - Latin America (1967), the South Pacific (1985), and Southeast Asia (1995). An African NFWZ has been pending since 1996, and three years ago, a Central Asian NFWZ was opened for signature by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. On Saturday, Central Asia became the Northern Hemisphere's first official Nuclear Weapons Free Zone! This is the first NFWZ treaty to require full compliance with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as well as International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) protocols. This is an landmark event in view of next year's UN review of the Nuclear Non-Prolieration Treaty (NPT). Thanks in no small part to the Bush administration, the 2005 NPT conference failed miserably. This year, serious plans are being made to ensure that next year's conference does not fail. Peace Action members will be attending the important NPT Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) meetings at the United Nations in New York City this May 4-15 If you're interested in attending the PrepCom, email Cheryl Wertz no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday so that you can be placed on the accredited list. Even if you can't attend, please inform yourself about this conference. Get more information at the Reaching Critical Will web site. Talk up the importance of the NPT and nuclear issue and the positive step of the Central Asian NFWZ. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Call Congress and ask for serious recognition and support of the NPT right now on the floor of the House and Senate. Thank you, as always, for your continued efforts for peace. In Peace, Cheryl Wertz & John Bostrom Peace Action Fund of New York State info@panys.org 646-723-1749 |
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 12 noon.DOWNTOWN NYC. Meet at Canal Street. March to Broad and Wall, in front of the NY Stock Exchange. BEYOND WAR:
Join United for Peace and Justice and thousands of allies in a regional
march and rally to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and address the economic crisis by
cutting military spending.
A NEW ECONOMY IS POSSIBLE. Wednesday, March 25, 1:00 p.m. MIDTOWN NYC. Governor Paterson’s NYC Offices, 633 3rd Avenue, between 40th and 41st Street RALLY TO END THE ROCKEFELLER DRUG LAWS 
The Rockefeller Drug Laws are mandatory minimum sentencing laws that require
judges to lock up for years people caught with small amounts of drugs. Most of
the thousands of people in prison are from just a handful of low-income NYC
neighborhoods and more than 90 percent are black or Latino. In 2002, Senator
David Paterson was arrested in an act of civil disobedience promoting the
sweeping overhaul of the Rockefeller Drug Laws outside of the New York City
offices of then-Governor George Pataki. Now hundreds of family members, formerly
incarcerated persons, doctors, lawyers, and advocates will return to that site to
urge him and legislative leaders to end the Rockefeller Drug Laws this year.
Join us as we say no to this discrimination, no to destruction of families, and
yes to justice, treatment and a new approach. For more information contact
Caitlin Dunklee at
cdunklee@correctionalassociation.org -(212) 254-5700 x339 or Ari Rosmarin at arosmarin@nyclu.org - (212) 607-3358. 
Tuesday, March 24, 7:30 p.m.NEW ROCHELLE. Iona College, Arrigoni Center PLANETIZE THE MOVEMENT, A PERFORMANCE BY DREW DELLINGER. New Possibilities for Ecological Healing and Social Justice, public Lecture and poetry performance. For more information see http://www.iona.edu/academic/artsscience/orgs/isi/events/. 
Wednesday, March 25, 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.EDWARD TICK SPEAKS ON HEALING THE WOUNDS OF WAR With Dr. Edward Tick, PhD, author of War and the Soul and Founder and Director of Soldier’s Heart. Dr. Tick is a world renowed authority on veterans, survivors of war, violence, trauma and PTSD since the late 1970’s. The event is sponsored by Vets for Vets. Info: Kevin Cotrell, 518-796-3860, doc.cottrell@us.army. 
Wednesday, March 25, 7:00 p.m.New Rochelle. Iona College, Murphy Auditorium PRESENTATION BY NOBEL PEACE PRIZE NOMINEE, MU SOCHUA Mu Sochua , a Cambodian Freedom fighter exiled for eighteen years, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize nominee for her work in human rights, domestic violence, HIV awareness and the trafficking of women and children, She holds a unique position in her country and abroad, where her voice is listened to and respected. She will be speaking on human trafficking, women's rights, and worker exploitation. Thursday, March 26, 7:15 – 8:15 p.m. GENESEO. Integrated Science Center at SUNY Geneseo COMMUNITY CANDLELIGHT PEACE VIGIL FOR THE 6TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE IRAQ WAR Also, a remembrance of the deaths of over 4,200 American soldiers and between 91,121 and 99,500 Iraqi civilians Weekend of March 27 – 28. Friday night entertainment at 7:00 p.m. Saturday begins at 9:00 a.m. 
WHITE PLAINS. White Plains High School Auditorium,.550 N. St. Bryant Ave.LOWER HUDSON VALLEY SOCIAL FORUM. 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 or contact Wespac Foundation at 914-449-6514 or info@wespac.org. . 
Friday, March 27, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.WHITE PLAINS. White Plains YWCA, 515 North Street THE COLOR OF OPPORTUNITY: UNDOING RACISM, A COMMUNITY SERIES ON EDUCATION. "Racism cannot be taught away or talked away! Undoing Racism is a verb and requires collective action!" With Monica Walker, Diversity Officer for Guilford County Schools, North Carolina & CORE trainer with The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond; and David Billings, anti-racist historian and Core trainer with the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond. Joining them are White Plains High School Undoing Racism Committee Members Dr. Lenora Boehlert, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources White Plains Central School District; and Imani Bolling, Social Worker. Passages Program Director, White Plains High School. This forum will provide us with an opportunity to examine structural racism and its implications for our system of public education. What can we do for ourselves and the people we work with to transform the system? White Plains High School Undoing Racism Committee members will talk about their journey! Free and open to the public, but registration is required. Call (914) 682-4690 or email AntiRacistAlliance@gmail.com. 
Saturday, March 28, 7:30-9:00 p.m.UPPER NYACK. Fellowship Of Reconciliation (FOR), 523 North Broadway BOOK SIGNING BY RICHARD DEATS Book singing and a reception. In his brand-new profile of Hildegard Goss-Mayr, Marked for Life ($12, New City Press, 2009), Richard Deats tells her story of becoming one of the most important yet unknown anti-war leaders of the twentieth century. Tuesday, March 31, 7:00 p.m. WHITE PLAINS. Ethical Culture Society of Westchester, 7 Saxon Wood Rd. A PUBLIC MEETING ON UNDERSTANDING “DROP THE ROCK”
An event sponsored by the New York Civil Liberties Union,Lower Hudson Valley
Chapter. Featuring Robert Maccarone, New York State
Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives; and Dr. Rudy Cypser,
Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants-New York; Mayo Bartlett,
Criminal Defense Attorney and Former Chief of the Bias Crimes Unit of the Westchester
County District Attorney's Office. What will make rehabilitation work?
What other options do we have? What will repair the damage and help offenders re-enter
society? For Further Information: (914) 997-7479; Email:
lowerhudsonvalley@nyclu.org.
All Welcome! Free Admission. Light Refreshments will be served!
Wednesday, April 1, 7:00 p.m.ROCHESTER. Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 N. Fitzhugh Street (Parking across the street in City Hall lot) EL CAMPO: RURAL MEXICO’S SILENT CRISIS. Rochester Committee on Latin America (ROCLA) invites you to hear photojournalist Joseph Sorrentino's personal and moving observations, reflections, and photographs about the life of campesinos who struggle to make a living in the coffee plantations in southern Mexico. An excerpt from his article printed in Mexico’s La Journada after spending five weeks in “el campo” last fall: “The story in every village is the same: Campesinos farm 1 or 2 hectares of land, virtually all the work being done by hand with a machete as their only tool. They work bent over, using the machete to chop at weeds or to cut the tops of jicama plants, to clear away brush as they walk to their cafeteles and to cut down the caña and bamboo they sell. Their harvest is collected in woven baskets, plastic cartons or large bags which when full can weigh 30 or even 50 kilos. These are hoisted on their backs and carried to a nearby truck, up a hill to a bus stop or, in villages like San Martin, Oaxaca, 7 hours through the mountains. Their work is done under a punishing sun for 8 to 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. For this they earn a few thousand pesos a year, if they’re lucky. No one is making enough from their crops to survive.” 
Saturday, April 11th, 2:00 – 8:00 p.m.SYRACUSE. Women's Info Center, 601 Allen Street UPSTATE UPRISE AGAINST THE IMF & WORLD BANK UPSTATE NY ANARCHIST CONSULTA. Hosted by the Syracuse Solidarity Network. Come to Syracuse to share information and strategies inpreparation for the upcoming meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB). There will be presentations about the IMF/WB, a variety of workshops, food, films, and networking. Come and help build a fighting anarchist community across this broken and angry expanse of stolen land called Upstate New York. Please RSVP by April 4th with how many people are coming, any food allergies or special needs, workshops that can be offered, if childcare is needed, and if overnight accommodations are needed. Sunday, April 19, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. WHITE PLAINS. Asbury Hall, Memorial United Methodist Church, 250 Bryant Avenue. WESPAC FOUNDATION’S 27TH PEACE AND JUSTICE AWARD DINNER An evening to honor people in our community who are doing outstanding work for social, economic and racial justice: Victor Corona, Dr. Olivia Hooker and Nick Mottern. Keynote Speakers are Sheila Collins and Trudy Goldberg. RSVP by April 10 to info@wespac.org. Sliding scale contributions requested. Please consider a contribution even if you are unable to attend! www.wespac.org. Saturday, April 25, 12:30 – 4:30 p.m. SYRACUSE. NY State United Teachers Offices, Brittonfield Park, East Syracuse (just off 481, exit 7) PEACE ACTION OF CENTRAL NEW YORK’S 3RD ANNUAL PEACE CONFERENCE. “A Nuclear Free Future: Confronting Today’s Challenges to Nuclear Abolition” 
12:30 - 1:00 Registration
1:00 – 2:00 Activist Workshop with Linda Gunter, Andy Mager, Pam Jenkins, Jim and Jean Weiss.
2:00 – 2:30 Refreshments
2:30 – 4:30 Keynote speakers Linda and Paul Gunter from Beyond Nuclear with panelists
Congressman Dan Maffei and Larry Wittner, activist and author.
Price $15. For more information contact Peace Action of Central NY at 315-478-7442 or
info@peaceactioncny.org
Sunday, April 26th, 2:30 p.m. ELMSFORD. Greenburgh Public Library, Tarrytown Rd. OPEN PUBLIC MEETING ON THE ECONOMY Hosted by the Westchester Progressive Forum. 
Monday, April 27, 6:30 p.m. snacks, 7:00 p.m. programALBANY. First Unitarian Universalist Society, Emerson Hall, 405 Washington Ave. CONVERSATION WITH JOAN WILE & BARBARA WALKER FROM GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST THE WAR IN NYC. Come & Celebrate Granny Peacemakers! Joan Wile & Barbara Walker from Grandmothers Against the War in NYC share their protests, arrests, adventures, songs & why grannies oppose the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.Organized by GRANNIES FOR PEACE www.WomenAgainstWar.org. Many local peace groups hold regular events, vigils, "Honk for Peace" actions, etc. See our list: www.panys.org/ongoing.htm Saturday, March 21. WASHINGTON, D.C. DEMONSTRATION: U.S. OUT OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN NOW. See above. 
Saturday, March 28. Registration 9:00 a.m.; Program 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.LODI, NJ. FelicianCollege, Obal Hall, 2nd floor PAX CHRISTI SPRING ASSEMBLY, BANISHING THE DARKNESS Speakers include Frida Berrigan, Senior Program Associate of the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation; Anna Brown, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Saint Peter's College; Joseph Fahey, a co-founder of Pax Christi, USA, and David Robinson, Executive Director of Pax Christi USA. Special Honoree - Edie Cheney – Dorothy Day Peacemaker 2008. Registration Fee: $35.00, Seniors and Students with ID: $20:00 Box lunch included, Seating limited. For the sake of the environment please bring your own mug. For more information contact Kathy O’Leary 908-273-0751 kolearypcnj@gmail.com. Going out of state? Check UFPJ's national Events Calendar: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php. |