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August 12, 2009
Since June 28, freedom and the right to democracy have been threatened and suppressed by an unjust, illegitimate, and brutal military regime in Honduras. Over a month ago, several Honduran generals, led by Roberto Micheletti, launched a successful coup d’état against the democratically elected President Jose Manuel Zelaya. Over the past few weeks, the junta’s riot police have clashed with thousands of ordinary citizens demanding the end to this unconstitutional seizure of power. This iron-fisted regime is not only violating the human rights of its own people, but also arresting and detaining foreigners suspected of helping Mr. Zelaya. The government of Roberto Micheletti - who is also known as “Roberto Pinocheletti” in reference to Gen. Pinochet, the former Chilean dictator - has been accused by human rights groups of using death squad tactics to silence his rivals. Already, two protesters were violently killed by the police. Sadly, it has come to light that the Honduran generals who led the coup had help. Many, in fact, were trained right here in the United States at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, better known as the School of the Americas (SOA.) Since 1946, the infamous SOA has been churning out Latin American soldiers, generals, and dictators with all the skills they need to carve out a trail of blood and tears. In light of such injustices and violations of basic human rights, we, as peace activists, can help by demanding that our elected officials take action. In your five minutes for peace this week, call your local Congress Member and ask him or her to co-sponsor HR 2567. If passed, HR 2567 will close down the School of the Americas and stop it from creating more would-be tyrants like the usurping generals of Honduras. In peace,
Justine Lee, Intern
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Saturday, August 15th, 12:00 Noon - 6:00 p.m.
To volunteer for a two-hour shift, please call Hank Stone at 585-624-3673.
Remember that this is an activity that looks and sounds much harder than it is.
People are very friendly, and there are usually no hassles at all. If they don’t
want bumper stickers they just keep driving. If they stop, they are very positive and
very receptive to our message. Please volunteer for a shift!
GENESEO. Geneseo bus garage, Route 20A (South St.) just east of the intersection of Main & South streets. GIVE FREE BUMPER STICKERS TO MOTORISTS Wednesday, August 26, 7:00 p.m. BROOKLYN. Brooklyn Friends Meeting House, 110 Schermerhorn Street. ELIZABETH DEWAN AND RAED JARRAR OF AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE 
SPEAK ON THE IRAQ REFUGEE CRISIS. The Iraqi Refugee Crisis presentation covers basic issues concerning Iraqi civilians who have been made refugees from the 2003 invasion and occupation, including the number of refugees and where they are, what their living conditions are like, and the challenges they are facing. The presentation also includes information about Iraqi refugees in the U.S., specifically those living in New York and New Jersey, and will be followed by a Q&A and details on how communities can become involved with Iraqi refugee work. September 16 – October 11 
MIDTOWN. Signature Theatre’s Peter Norton Space, 555 West 42nd StreetWORLD PREMIERE OF “MAHIDA’S EXTRA KEY TO HEAVEN” BY RUSSELL DAVIS. Presented by Epic Theatre Ensemble. Directed by Will Pomerantz. Featuring Roxanna Hope, Arian Moayed, Tony Award Winner Michele Pawk, Epic co-founder James Wallert. Mahida’s Extra Key To Heaven is a poetic and haunting love story about crossing human and political borders in this time of unyielding violence. It begins when a young American painter visiting his mother on an island in the Northwest encounters a frightened Iranian college student abandoned by her brother and waiting alone for a ferry that will never come. It ends in a way that is horrific, beautiful, and unforgettable. ALL PERFORMANCES will be followed by a POST-SHOW DISCUSSION. For discount tickets call 212-352-3101 and 866-811-4111. Sunday, October 11, 12 noon – 2:00 p.m. HUDSON RIVER. Depart from Bateaux New York, Pier 62, West 23rd Street at 12th St. FELLOWSHIP OF RECONCILIATION FIRST PEACE BANQUET AND BOAT CRUISE. Three annual FOR Peace Prizes will be awarded during the luncheon banquet. The recipients include an extraordinary network of Iraqis using nonviolence in the midst of war and occupation, and two outstanding individuals working on the front lines for peace and social justice. (A fourth prize, the Youth & Militarism Resistance Award will be presented later this year.) FOR's 2009 honorees are La’Onf, Cynthia Brown and Frances Pratt. Our keynote speaker is Rev. Michael Lapsley, the Director of the Institute for the Healing of Memories in Cape Town, South Africa. Thursday, October 23, through Saturday, October 24. CHELSEA. SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street. SVA'S "VISIONS OF WAR" CONFERENCE: PLAY, FILMS, PANELS The Humanities and Sciences Program at the School of Visual Arts is presenting a four-day conference, "Visions of War: the arts represent conflict" at the Algonquin Hotel from Thursday October 21 through Saturday October 23. Part of the conference this year are the following events, free and open to the public, held at the brand new SVA Theatre: 
Thursday, October 23, 7:00 p.m.PLAY: THE WARRIOR by Jack Gilhooley, with Talk Back session The Warrior is a play about a veteran of the Persian Gulf War and two tours in Iraq, the damage her absence has done to her family, and to her mental health. After the performance there will be a Talk Back session which includes questions from the audience and answers. Preview for The Warrior. Friday, October 24, 7:00 p.m. PANEL DISCUSSION Sponsored by Stephen Frailey, Chair, BFA Photography. More information to come. Saturday, October 23, 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. FILM SERIES: AFTER THE WARS Film series hosted by Reeves Lehamna, Chair, Film Video and Animation Department. More information to come. Saturday, October 23, 6:30 8:30 p.m. PANEL: THE SCARS OF WAR: HEALING THROUGH THE ARTS. Moderated by screenwriter/playwright/Vietnam combat veteran David Berry, a member of the SVA Film Department faculty. Panelists include film artists/combat veterans (screenwriters and directors), a psychologist with over three decades of experience treating Vietnam veterans, and a retired Army Colonel who has become a major spokesperson for those demanding official recognition and treatment of female victims of violence in the military. Sunday, November 8, 1:30 – 5:00 p.m. UPPER EAST SIDE. Hunter College/CUNY, 68th Street at Lexington Avenue END US MILITARIZATION OF THE PACIFIC The Granny Peace Brigade’s Fourth Teach-in will focus on U. S. military bases in Japan/Okinawa, the Philippines and South Korea, and their deplorable effects on the host countries’ populace and the environment. The event will be free and open to the public. Details on program and speakers will be forthcoming. For more details, please see www.grannypeacebrigade.org/. Wednesday, August 12, 7:00 p.m. ALBANY. Unitarian Church, 405 Washington Avenue NORTHWEST PEACE AND JUSTICE ACTION COALITION (NEPAJAC) MEETING The meeting is being called to organize our area’s participation in fall actions that are being planned. WOODSTOCK. DAY ONE: Saturday August 15, 9:30 a.m - 9:30 p.m. Town Hall, 76 Tinker Street DAY TWO: Sunday, August 16, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The Colony Cafe, 22 Rock City Road 
WOODSTOCK PEACE ECONOMY FORUMBuilding a Peaceful, Just and Sustainable Economy On this 40th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival, speakers and panels will focus on the global need for an economy based on peace and sustainability rather than on weapons making. Music, poetry, and media arts will also be included in the two day event. Several local organizations, including the Dutchess Peace Coalition, are working on this conference. The focus will be on weapons manufactures and their role in lobbying for war, polluting the environment, and taking resources away from more productive enterprises. It is an ambitious project, targeted for the anniversary of the Woodstock Festival. Participants include:
Diane Wilson, environmental and anti-war activist, author of An Unreasonable Woman,
which tells her story of fighting polluters as a fishing-boat captain off the Texas Gulf Coast.
"I'm gratified that citizens of Woodstock and its environs are organizing to transform the production
of components now used for frightful weapons to peaceful and sustainable purposes." - Howard ZinnJeff Cohen, Founding Director of the Part Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College, Founder of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. Robert Pollin, American economist and activist professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Founding Co-director of its Political Economy Research Institute (PERI). http://www.woodstockpeaceeconomy.org/, Sunday, August 16, 11 a.m - 4 p.m. 
APALACHIN. Bloodnick Farm, 979 Pennsylvania Ave. PEACE AND SUSTAINABILITY PICNIC Take a break ... and a breath of fresh air. No speeches. Just good food, FUN, info and connections! Bring dish to share and your own dishes & utensils (no disposables, please), chairs, blankets, games, and instruments. Parking is limited - watch for signs directing you to nearby lot. SPONSORS: Broome County Peace Action, Broome County Veterans for Peace, Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Committee, Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition (BRSC), and all peace and justice loving people. Sunday, August 16, 2:00 p.m. CORTLAND. Main Street SUNY Cortland, 9 Main Street “Does Military Might Make Right?” Film 3 of 3 SCREENING OF “THE WAR ON DEMOCRACY” 
From Mexico in 1846 to Venezuela and Bolivia in this decade, the United States has a history of
intervention in Latin American affairs. But what are the results of U.S. actions in this region?
Join the Institute for Civic Engagement as we explore this issue. From July 19 to August 16,
“Does Military Might Make Right?” will explore U.S. foreign policy in Latin America
in a three-part documentary series. Synopsis: Focusing on Latin America, this featured 2007 film
shows how actual US foreign policy contradicts its rhetoric for democracy. It also brings us more
up to date on US intervention in Latin America. People are welcome to bring food/snacks/refreshments.
Popcorn and soda will be provided. For more information contact Timothy Rodriguez, Main Street
Community Outreach Coordinator, (607) 753-4271.
Sunday, August 23, 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon YONKERS. ShopRite Supermarket, 25-43 Prospect St. at the corner of Riverdale Ave, SECOND WOMEN IN BLACK PALESTINE SOLIDARITY VIGIL Wear black if you like. Men are encouraged join the women. We will gather on the sidewalk on Riverdale Ave. where shoppers turn into the parking lot. There is also some pedestrian traffic there. Sponsored by CodePink Westchester. 914-376-5429 Friday, August 28, 2009, 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. WHITE PLAINS. Westchester Jewish Community Services, 845 N. Broadway UNDOING RACIAL DISPARITIES IN CHILD WELFARE 
Westchester Child Welfare advocates are invited to a breakfast! Learn
how the "Undoing Racism" Workshop helped achieve dramatic results in
reducing racial disparities in child welfare in Texas and Kentucky!
Margery Freeman and David Billings
of The People's Institute will join us to share the success of Texas
and Kentucky in reducing racial disparities and disproportionately in
foster care placement after they trained their workforce and began to
address the issues of structural racism. We will watch a video of Texas
workers describe their work (DVD), which is an amazing example of the
work of institutional change. Discussion how we can mobilize others
in the field of child welfare to learn more about what can be done for
Westchester Children. REGISTRATION REQUIRED - RSVP 914-723-3222
Sunday, September 20th, 1:00 p.m. (Lunch), 1:30 p.m. (Meeting) GENESEO. Omega Restaurant, 4182 Lakeville Rd (Route 20A) GENESEE VALLEY CITIZENS FOR PEACE MONTHLY MEETING [Note: no regular August meeting.] GVCP member Victoria Farmer will lead a discussion on India and Pakistan and their outlook for a peaceful future. Thursday, October 9, 6:00 p.m., Host Committee Reception; 7:00 p.m., Lecture PURCHASE. Reid Castle, Manhattanville College MEMORIAL LECTURE ON THE DEATH PENALTY The Annual Henry Schwarzschild Memorial Lecture, sponsored by the Lower Hudson Valley Civil Liberties Union and the Connie Hogarth Center for Social Action. Guest speaker: Thomas Cahill, author of “A Saint on Death Row - the Story of Dominique Green.” This book was published this spring and was introduced by Archbishop Desmond Tutu at a public launch event at Riverside Church. Dominique Green was executed in Texas in 2004 at the age of 30, after spending 12 years on death row. The book raises many questions about the trial and tells the story of his family background and his 12 years of efforts to defend himself once he was placed on death row. For more information about the lecture, call (914) 997-7479. 
Thursday, October 22 - Saturday, October 24ROCKLAND. Rockland Community College PRESENTATION OF THE AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT. TOUCH (Together Our Unity Can Heal), a local HIV/AIDS advocacy and support organization, is bringing The AIDS Memorial Quilt to Rockland Community College. This will be the largest display of The AIDS Memorial Quilt in the Northeast in the past eleven years. We are looking to notify as many people as possible about the quilt’s arrival so that individuals can request panels, dedicate panels, and view the quilt. If your organization is interested in sponsoring a panel of The AIDS Memorial Quilt please contact Robert Maher at RMaher@touch-ny.org or call us at 845-268-8023 for more information. FRIDAYS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER UNTIL LABOR DAY TIMES SQUARE. Armed Forces Career Center GRANNY TRUTH BRIGADE "RETRUTHMENT" Join the Granny Truth Brigade as they provide opportunities for "retruthment." For more info, watch a great slide show at http://www.globalphotoex.com/slideshow_eg/323.html and/or read the blog at http://www.grannypeacebrigade.org/wordpress/2009/06/12/a-few-facts-about-the-cost-of-war/ about the Grannies' first "How Much? - How Many?" demonstration at the Times Square military recruitment center. Many other local peace groups hold regular events, vigils, "Honk for Peace" actions, etc. See our list: www.panys.org/ongoing.htm August 13-16 
ALBUQUERQUE, NM. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOMB NATIONAL CONFERENCE Inspired by the need to organize an effective movement for nuclear abolition, the implementation of sustainable and non-toxic energy production, and the demilitarization of society, we are working to educate, organize, and empower a new generation of community and campus leaders working toward a nuclear-free world. Think Outside the Bomb is a national network comprised of individuals and organizations that communicate, interact, and support each other, collecting and disseminating resources and information through the internet and our national and regional conferences. We are organizing to bring about real structural change in society, and we invite you to join us! www.thinkoutsidethebomb.org/2009/. Monday, October 5 WASHINGTON DC MARCH OF THE DEAD, A CALL TO ACTION October 2009 marks the beginning of the ninth year of war and occupation in Afghanistan. A coalition is forming to demand an immediate end to atrocities committed by our government. On October 5, 2009, we will bring our demands to the White House: An immediate withdrawal of ALL U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as an immediate end to the illegal expansion of war into Pakistan. Accountability for those who have committed war crimes, torture, and other illegal acts, both past and present. An end to U.S. complicity in aiding the Israeli governments’ occupation of Palestine. We ask that you join in the developing coalition to plan the events of the day, and consider adding your organization as an endorser. In August there will be coalition meetings held in New York City and Washington D.C. If you would like to attend these meetings, endorse the day of action, or get more information, please call Laurie Arbeiter 917 915-6115, Sarah Wellington 201 446-2984 and/or write to wewillnotbesilent@gmail.com Thursday, Oct. 15, 5:30 – 9:00pm WASHINGTON DC. National Press Club, 529 14th Street. 33RD ANNUAL LETELIER-MOFFITT HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS. The 2009 Domestic Award will go to Domestic Workers United, a grassroots organization of Caribbean, Latina and African nannies, housekeepers, and elderly caregivers working together to end exploitation and injustice against vulnerable workers in New York. The International Award will go to La Mesa Nacional Frente a la Mineria Metalica, which has struggled against huge odds to press El Salvador to become the first country in the world to ban gold mining – their efforts will help preserve the environment and rural communities. Going out of state? Check UFPJ's national Events Calendar: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php. |