|
November 10, 2009
Alert #232
Images not showing up?
Click here to view online.
Dear Peace Activists, The nation prepares for Veteran's Day in the aftermath of the senseless violence at Fort Hood. Some extremists are already using the tragedy to stoke outrage against Muslims, Obama, the media, or even "political correctness." Rather than react to this, let's focus on the deeper meaning of Veterans Day. We honor veterans because of the personal sacrifices they make. One of the most difficult of these sacrifices is putting aside common sense, morality, and religious conviction in order to follow orders that can be, at best, questionable. The stress that produces doesn't begin or end on the battlefield, but disturbs prospective soldiers and especially haunts returning Veterans. A new movie, The Messenger, vividly depicts that stress. See it if you can. (See calendar below for Friday's benefit in Manhattan.) We honor in particular Iraq Veterans Against the War, soldiers who have the courage to stand up and tell it like it is, some of the strongest leaders in the peace movement. The best way to observe Veterans Day, however, is with action. Please write President Obama. His attendance at the Fort Hood memorial service is meant to honor the senseless loss of life there - and yet he's preparing to send another 40,000 troops into harm's way in Afghanistan, without so much as an exit strategy. Iraq Veterans Against the War has also prepared a letter to the President asking him to fix the obviously broken military mental health system with six specific steps. Please forward this letter to the President. Thank you. Sincerely,
John Bostrom and Cheryl Wertz
|
|
Friday, November 13, 7:45 p.m.
Featuring tour-de-force performances from Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson and
Samantha Morton, and a brilliant directorial debut by Oren Moverman, this
critically acclaimed film follows a U.S. Army officer who has just returned home from a tour in Iraq and is
assigned to the Army’s Casualty Notification service.GREENWICH VILLAGE. Angelika Film Center, 18 West Houston at Mercer 
THEATRICAL RELEASE: "THE MESSENGER" Q&A with Woody Harrelson and Oren Moverman following the film. Benefit for Peace Action NY. The Messenger has already won 4 awards: Grand Prize, Deauville American Film Festival; International Critics Prize, Deauville American Film Festival; Best Screenplay, Berlin Film Festival; Peace Film Award, Berlin Film Festival. Read Sunday's front-page New York Times review. Join PANYS on the opening night, see the film and meet Woody Harrelson and the director Oren Moverman. $15. RSVP to PANYS, 646-723-1749, or anji.panys@gmail.com, and leave your name. This will reserve your ticket; you will pay $15 Friday night at the theater. Bring your friends! Download flier. 
Sunday, November 15, 1:30 – 2:15 p.m.SYRACUSE. Hancock Air National Guard Base entrance, E. Molloy Road, between Thompson Road and Town Line Road. Park on Moore or Falso. PROTEST THE DRONES AT HANCOCK FIELD  Tuesday, November 10, 6:00 p.m. BROOKLYN. Brooklyn Law School, First Floor Student Lounge, 250 Joralemon Street between Court St and Boerum Place JOSH RUEBNER ON “U.S. MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL” Is it legal? Is it moral? Is it political? In 2007, the U.S. and Israel signed an agreement to increase U.S. military aid to Israel to $30 billion over the next ten years. Do these weapons transfers promote Israeli- Palestinian peace? Is this a good use of U.S. taxpayer dollars? Are U.S. laws compromised when Israel uses these materials in Gaza and the West Bank? Josh Ruebner, National Advocacy Director of the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, will present vital information helping us to address these questions. Sponsored by Brooklyn for Peace, Brooklyn Law School National Lawyers Guild and Brooklyn Law Students for the Public Interest. Admissions free, donations appreciated. For more information, call 718-624-5921 or email is.pales@brooklynpeace.org. Thursday, November 12, 12 Noon - 1:30 p.m. DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN. Borough Hall, Court Street near Montague, by the fountain, easy to spot. 
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! GRANNY PEACE BRIGADE PHONE-A-THON Drones over Pakistan. The odds are, more troops are going into Afghanistan. The death count continues to mount in Iraq. As for the body count in the unemployment lines, don't ask. We need to remind our young President, our Senators and Congresspersons that the very real needs of real folks here at home trump the desire for empire or Wall Street greed. Join us on Thursday for the Enough is Enough Phone-a-thon. Cell phones aren't mandatory, but pack up your righteous indignation and join us. - Fran, Phyllis, Edith, Molly & Eva-Lee, Granny Peace Brigade. Thursday, November 12, 6:30 p.m. PARK SLOPE. Brooklyn Society For Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West near 2nd Street 
SCREENING AND DISCUSSION: “A MAN OF TWO HAVANAS” “A Man of Two Havanas” is an award-winning documentary by Vivien Lesnik Weisman about her family’s unexpected experience in Miami. Discussion with John McAuliff of the Fund for Reconciliation and Development about US policy towards Cuba, especially the current travel restrictions and our hopes for change. Sponsored by the Latin America Committee of Brooklyn for Peace. For questions, email latinam@brooklynpeace.org or call 718-624-5921. $5-$10 requested, no one turned away. Thursday, November 12, 7:00 p.m. BAY RIDGE. Best Western Hotel Gregory, 8315 4th Avenue SCREENING OF “SICKO” As the health care debate heats up, join Brooklyn Democrats for Change for an evening of film and discussion. Refreshments will be served. A speaker from the health care field is tentatively scheduled and there will be updates and information on the current status of any bills. A lively discussion to follow. To RSVP, call Janie at 917-579-6860. Friday, November 13, 8:00 p.m. HEWLETT. Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, 1125 Broadway IS THE AMERICAN DREAM SUBPRIME? The Implications of the Mortgage Crisis Speaker: Prof. Peter Marcuse, Professor Emeritus of Urban Planning at Columbia University. Prof. Marcuse lives in Waterbury, Connecticut where he is on the City Planning Commission. In the past he was President of the City Planning Commission of Los Angeles. Sponsored by FIVE TOWNS FORUM. Contact: Rochelle Dorfman (516) 623-5689 Mondays, November 16, 23, 30. 6-7 p.m. LOWER MANHATTAN. Metropolitan Correctional Center, 150 Park Row at Pearl Street Trains: 4,5,6,J,M,Z to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall NO GUANTANOMOS HERE OR ABROAD! MONDAY NIGHT VIGILS FOR THE NOVEMBER 30 TRIAL OF FAHAD HASHMI 
A call to artists, activists, educators, students, lawyers, clergy, prison abolitionists, and all people of conscience.
Weekly presentation with special guests from Broadway and Off-Broadway. Fahad Hashmi, a 29 year old
Muslim American citizen and Brooklyn College alumnus, has been held in solitary confinement
since May 2007 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan. He is charged with two counts of providing material
support and two counts of making a contribution of goods or services to Al Qaeda. His case raises concerns about the
conditions of his detention and his ability to receive a fair trial. He is subject to a regime of severe deprivation,
including 24-hour electronic monitoring, 23-hour lockdown, no access to fresh air, and one hour of daily recreation
(when it is given) inside a cage. Physical and mental consequences of prolonged solitary confinement may impair his
mental state and ability to testify on his own behalf. Also of concern are threats to First Amendment rights.
Sponsor: Theaters Against War, 206-312-2201 or
thawaction@yahoo.com.
Learn more about the case from
Educators for Civil Liberties.
Thursday, November 19, 7:30 p.m. 
MANHASSET. Unitarian Universalist Church at Shelter Rock, 48 Shelter Rock RoadMAKING NUCLEAR ABOLITION A REALITY WITH JONATHAN SCHELL The nuclear threat is greater today than at any time since the Cold War. In a new book Jonathan Schell calls the time we are living in “The Seventh Decade of Nuclear Danger.” He believes we need a global agreement to eliminate nuclear weapons. Schell calls President Obama’s commitment to seek a world without nuclear weapons an invitation to all of us to participate in history. Suggest contribution of $5. Sponsored by the Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives, the Shelter Rock Forum, Great Neck SANE/Peace Action, Code Oink LI, LI Veterans for Peace, Pax Christi LI and the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock. For more information call the Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives at 516-741-4360. 
Thursday, November 19, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.BAY RIDGE, BROOKLYN. The Canteena, 8001 5th Avenue. INTERFAITH PEACE COALITION FUNDRAISER AT THE CANTEENA With Honored Guests Sally and David Jones. There will be music and food. Our speaker will be Hugh Bruce of Veterans for Peace. Donations Accepted. For more information contact Bay Ridge Interfaith Peace Coalition at (718) 680-2981; infaithpeace@yahoo.com. 
Monday, November 30, 1:00 – 9:00 p.m.BROOKLYN. Rally starts at Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues in Brooklyn, near the LIRR train stop. WORLD PEACE MARCH IN NEW YORK CITY On November 30th, the team of 25 marchers will arrive in New York from Senegal, having completed two-thirds of their journey. At 1:00 we will leave Atlantic Avenue and Flatbush for a march to Brooklyn Borough Hall. After a short event at Borough Hall, we will march over the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall for a press event on the steps from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. We will end the evening with a cultural event and reception with special guests at 7:00 p.m. To join the Peace Action delegation to the event, please RSVP to Cheryl or Judith at 646-723-1749.  Thursday, November 12, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. WILLIAMSVILLE. 5596 Main Street 10,000 VILLAGES SHOPPING DAY 10% of proceeds TO to WNY Peace Center! Thursday, November 12, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. BUFFALO. El Buen Amigo, 114 Elmwood Avenue 
PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP BY COLLEEN KATTAU ON THE “NEW SONG MOVEMENT” Hosted by the Latin American Solidarity Committee of the Western NY Peace Center and El Buen Amigo. She will be focusing on the importance of art and culture in justice. Thursday, November 12, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. BUFFALO. Network of Religious Communities, 1272 Delaware Avenue (parking & entrance in back) near the corner of Lancaster Ave. PRESENTATION BY COLLEEN KATTAU ON HER WORK IN COLOMBIA Latin America Solidarity Committee: November 2009 Coffeehouse. She will discuss our sister community solidarity in Colombia: The Central New York / Cajibio Connection Saturday, November 14, 1:00 p.m. GENESEO. Omega Restaurant, 4182 Lakeville Road (Route 20A) REGULAR GENESEE VALLEY CITIZENS FOR PEACE MEETING Sunday, November 15, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. ROCHESTER. Dryden Theatre, George Eastman House, 900 East Avenue HEALTH JUSTICE FORUM Let’s discuss how to resolve the disparities and inequities of the current health care delivery paradigm. Featuring Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) and Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) with Jeff Cohen, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting; Donna Smith, California Nurses Association; Tim Carpenter, Progressive Democrats of America; and Dr. Emily Queenan, Physicians for a National Health Program. Free and Open to the Public. For more information, contact David Nevin at (585) 338-3849 or dave@dnevin.com. Thursday, November 19, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. BUFFALO. Canisius College, Grupp Fireside Lounge, Winter Student Center, 2001 Main St. "NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE ACTION" with Dolores Huerta. Dolores Huerta is a co-founder (with Cesar Chavez) of United Farm Workers, Free and open to all. Presented by NY Justice in Action Committee of Canisius College. Saturday, November 21, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. BUFFALO. Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church, 1035 Delaware Ave. 2ND ANNUAL PEACEFAIR: FAIR TRADE, LOCAL VENDORS Entry, Food at noon, Proceeds to benefit the WNY Peace Center . Sunday, November 22, 5:30 p.m. AMHERST. Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Highway ANNUAL VEGETARIAN POTLUCK THANKSGIVING DINNER $10 donation, $5 students, $2 children under 10, Reservations required Call Nan and Walter Simpson, 839-0062. Sponsored by Animal Advocates of WNY. Saturday, December 5, 11:00 a.m. – 12 noon GENESEO. Wegman Plaza, Route 20A GVCP’S ANNUAL DEMONSTRATION AGAINST WAR TOYS Bring peaceful toys and dress warmly. Saturday, December 12, 1:30pm-3:30 p.m. BUFFALO. Network of Religious Communities, 1272 Delaware Avenue WNY PEACE CENTER’S END OF THE YEAR MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND INTERFAITH POTLUCK Please bring a dish to share.  Many local peace groups hold regular events, vigils, "Honk for Peace" actions, etc. See our list: www.panys.org/ongoing.htm  November 14 – 18 WASHINGTON DC. Georgetown University INTERNATIONAL PEACE BUREAU ANNUAL CONFERENCE Rolling back militarism: a task for the global movement. This conference was co-organized with Peace Action, America’s largest grassroots peace network. Come engage in a strategic process, to examine our campaigning priorities and options, to explore new ways to challenge the militarism we see around us, and to build international connections and partnerships. The program includes a central conference and a day-seminar on military spending, plus the annual IPB Council meeting and a planning session for the NPT Review next May. It will also be the occasion for the award of the IPB’s annual Sean MacBride Peace Prize. Confirmed speakers include: Tom Hayden, David McReynolds, Phyllis Bennis, Carlos Vargas, Oskar Castro, Cora Weiss, Prof. Betty Reardon, Azza El-Kholy, Jackie Cabasso, Zia Mian, Joseph Gerson, Judith LeBlanc, Prof. Mark Lance, Emira Woods, and Frida Berrigan. For more information, contact ippn@igc.org. November 20 – 22 COLUMBUS, GA 2009 VIGIL TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS Gather with tens of thousands of other activists for the annual vigil to close the notorious School of the Americas (SOA). Each year we grow closer to seeing the school closed for good. Together we can close the SOA! On the way to Fort Benning, stop at Cincinatti, OH on November 18th, Birmingham, AL on November 19th and November 20th in Atlanta, GA. Speakers will include Martha Lucia Giraldo, Gerardo Cajamarca Alarcon, Jairo Dionisio Fuentes Epiayu, Aviva Chomsky and Ray Rodgers. For more information, see www.soaw.org. 
Dec. 27 & 29, Jan. 1. CAIRO. RAFAH CROSSING. GAZA STRIP. WASHINGTON DC. GAZA FREEDOM MARCH On the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Gaza, individuals and representatives of organizations from around the world will convene in Cairo, attempt to cross into the Gaza Strip via the Rafah Crossing on Dec. 29, and march with the residents of Gaza to the Israeli border on Jan. 1. We are working with Israeli peace groups to organize a companion demonstration on the Israeli side on the same day. Meanwhile, back at home, we will stage companion demonstrations in DC and other cities across the nation -- calling on our leaders to do the right thing and use our considerable leverage to pressure Israel and Egypt to end the siege. You can get involved by:
Going out of state? Check UFPJ's national Events Calendar: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php. |