CONTENTS:
PHILLY & Area ACTION:
Philly & NY Grannies for Peace Schedule: Jun 26-28th
RITTENHOUSE SQUARE- 18TH AND
WALNUT
Breakfast talk at the White
Dog Cafe from 8 to 9:30 AM on June 27th
** The Philly Grannies Are
signing Up at the Military Recruitment Center** Noon, the 28th
ON THE GROUND IN IRAQ: the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the
truth
Bread & Roses community fund / Tribute to Change/ Celebrating the
Movement for Media Diversity
Folk Factory People's Choice Concert
Benefit Tango Performance (from NY)
NIM is Moving
FILM "OCCUPATION DREAMLAND"
'DON'T SPY ON ME' Campaign and ACLU FOIA [Freedom of Information
Act]
DECLARATION OF PEACE pledge online
Free Grant Writing Workshop
Building the Next Generation of Political Leaders
Everything you wanted to know about SPIN farming
Help Cut Mercury Pollution in PA
EVENTS OCCURING EVERY WEEK:
------------------
NATIONAL ACTION
Call for Congressional Debate on Iraq! An open debate on Iraq is
OVERDUE! Sign H.Res.543
Call Congress, save the Internet...(888) 355-3588 (toll-free)
WILPF SUGGESTIONS AND MEMBER ACTION ON IRAN
------------------------
EMPLOYMENT:
Democracy Now! has two immediate job openings
--------------------
COMMENTARY:
* Is Philadelphia bluffing on Public Access?- Comcast gets it's
way!
* Green Fuel's Dirty Secret by Sasha Lilley
* Liberators as Murderers, The Way Americans Like Their War By
ROBERT FISK
* Evo Morales Launches Bolivia Land Reform & hands over land
titles By James Read BBC News
* "No Good Science Goes Unpunished" - Environmental Journalist David
Helvarg
* Activists, Celebs Stage Encampment For South Central Farm *
* British Antiwar Activist Salma Yaqoub on Iraq, Muslim Discrimination
and Being the First Hijab-Wearing Woman Elected
to City Council in Birmingham
==================
PHILLY & Area ACTION
Philly & NY Grannies for Peace Schedule:
* OUT OF IRAQ NOW! **GRANDMOTHERS,
GRANDFATHERS, AUNTS, UNCLES, FRIENDS*
ALL OF YOU WHO ARE AGAINST
THE IRAQ WAR- We Really Need You!
THURSDAY, JUNE 8TH- NOON TO
1:30 PM
RITTENHOUSE SQUARE- 18TH AND
WALNUT
Wear your sunbonnets //and join us to be a noontime peace presence
on the Square, to distribute informational flyers on Iraq and the
HUMAN cost of this
evil war for us, for future generation & for the Iraqi people. Get
petitions signed for a Philadelphis City Council Resolution that
urges: - OUT OF IRAQ NOW!
Contact: PHILADELPHIA
GRANDMOTHERS FOR PEACE 215-981-0693 545-4486 ZONNIE2@MSN.COM
Co-Sponsors: Women's International League for Peace & Freedom
(WILPF), Peace Action, United for Peace and Justice
---------------------
* The NY Grannies will be coming (on their trip
from NYC to Washington DC) through Philadelphia June 26-29.
- Breakfast talk at
the White Dog Cafe from 8 to 9:30 AM on June 27th (reservations
recommended ) 215-386-9224-
$15/person,
and includes a hot breakfast
of either organic free-range eggs or pancakes, orange juice, coffee,
and muffins.
- An evening talk with guest speakers at the AFSC building
in the Rufus Jones Room the evening of June 27th, 7- 9PM.
------------------
** The Philly Grannies Are signing Up at the
Military Recruitment Center **
North Broad Street (Broad and Cherry), east side of Broad &
Cherry, across from the Phila. Academy of Fine Arts,
Noon on Wednesday,
June 28th. - NY Grannies will be present with other F/friends and
the media.
The NY Grannies will overnight the evening of June 28th and leave the
next morning. They will get an award from Princeton, NJ on
Friday, June 30th. They also plan a stopover in Baltimore.
They plan to arrive in Washington DC by July 4th to take part in demos
there.
We have been collecting offers of overnight space. If you would
like to provide a bed for a Grannie, let Nina know.
Dates are the nights of June 26, 27, and 28th.
Contact Nina at: 215-528-6130 or ninahuizinga@yahoo.com
___________________________________________________________________________________________
ON THE GROUND IN IRAQ: the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth
Thursday, June 8th 7 PM - 10
PM
Arts Bank, 601 South Broad
Street, Philadelphia, PA- $15 per ticket
Get beyond the media hype with images and stories that the news doesn't
dare show you. Get the unvarnished story from filmmakers, soldiers, and
bloggers who have witnessed and engaged in the struggle, including Colby
Buzzell, author of My War: Killing Time in Iraq and activist Yasmine
El-Shamayleh. The film Voices of Iraq will also be screened. Peter Lems,
AFSC National Representative for Iraq will lead the discussion.
Sponsored by The Middle East Center at The University of Pennsylvania
Visit http://cbftw.blogspot.com
and www.voicesofiraq.com for info.
First Person Arts produces the FIRST PERSON FESTIVAL, the only known
festival of memoir and documentary art. In its first four years, the
Festival has showcased the work of more than 200 artists nationwide.
Contact Us! 267/402-2055 info@firstpersonarts.org
www.firstpersonarts.org
____________________________________________________________________
Bread & Roses community fund / Tribute to
Change/ Celebrating the Movement for Media Diversity
Thursday, June 8, 2006, 6-9pm
Annenberg Center, 3680
Walnut Street
Honoring The Philadelphia Community Access Coalition
www.phillyaccess.org and Mattie Humphrey.
Featuring a performance by Toshi Reagon & Bernice Johnson
Reagon www.toshireagon.com www.bjreagon.com
The evening will be hosted by Lorene Cary and will include a lively
media justice awards ceremony, a celebration of outgoing Executive
Director Christie Balka, grantee information tables and a reception
with light food.
To purchase tickets, http://www.breadrosesfund.org/sponsor06.html
Low-income, scholarship, and volunteer exchange tickets available.
For more information go to http://www.breadrosesfund.org/tribute05.html
or contact jennie@breadrosesfund.org
________________________________________________________________________________________
Friday, June 9 , 8:00 p.m. Folk
Factory People's Choice Concert
Unitarian Church, 6900 Stenton Ave., Philadelphia, PA
For info, see www.folkfactory.org or call 215-848-6246.
_________________________________________
Saturday June 10 - Benefit Tango Performance
3 to 4pm
Kensington United Methodist (Old Brick) Church
Corner of Marlborough and Richmond Streets, Philadelphia, PA
This is a link to for more info- http://phillytango.com/20060610.html
(Just off I-95 on the Delaware River side of Girard Avenue) Doors open
at 2:30 pm
______________
NIM is Moving
NIM (now named Neighborhood Interfaith
Movement) will celebrate their move onto Germantown Avenue and a
redefinition of its mission to help *all congregations *create a more
just and sensitive world. Bob Edgar of National Council of Churches
will speak, Singing City will sing, then we parade to our new
home at 7047 GTN Ave. (where Dignity Housing was, across from the old
Mt.Airy PO).
JUNE 11 at 4 pm
Lutheran Theological
Seminary, 7301 Gtn Ave . Follow signs to NIM Celebration. Info:
gayjohnson@verizon.net
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Brandywine Peace Community Monthly Potluck
Supper/Program* at University Lutheran Church, 3637
Chestnut St., Phila., PA
(bring main dish, salad, or dessert to share) Potluck Supper -
4:30PM Program - 5:30PM
- JUNE 11 - SHOWING OF THE ACCLAIMED
FILM "OCCUPATION DREAMLAND"
"OCCUPATION DREAMLAND", 78 mins., is an unflinchingly candid
look into a squad of American soldiers deployed to war ravaged city
of Falluja during the winter of 2004. The film chronicles the
daily life
of young soldiers on patrol in an environment of violence creeping
steadily towards catastrophe. Filmmakers Garrett Scott and Ian
Olds were given unrestricted access to operations of the Army's
82nd Airborne division as the Iraqi city's waning stability gives
way
to the final Marine assaults of 2004
- June 14 - Noon, National Constitution Center,
5th & Market Sts.,
Phila.,PA Launch of Phila. 'DON'T SPY ON ME' Campaign and
ACLU FOIA [Freedom of Information Act] filing for a wide
range
Phila. Area Peace & Justice groups demanding of various
government intelligence agencies files on surveillance of area anti-war
groups and efforts.
Before the National
Constitution Center, we will speak to the
violations of constitutional rights and the assualt on civil liberties
done in thename of the "war on terror". People will then walk to
the
Phila.FederalBuilding for the FOIA filing. For more information:
610-544-1818
- THE DECLARATION OF PEACE is a new campaign that
pledges to
turn the anti-war majority in the country toward a focused campaign
of active nonviolent opposition to the Iraq war.
THE DECLARATION OF PEACE is a pledge to take peaceful steps
for the immediate withdrawal of US troops and to engage in
nonviolent action protest if a plan to end the war is not established
and begun by September 21, 2006 -- International Peace Day --
days before Congress adjourns for the election recess.
Right now you can sign the DECLARATION OF PEACE
pledge online, visit the DECLARATION OF PEACE:
http://declarationofpeace.org/
Here in the greater
Philadelphia area, we ask you not only to sign up online at the above
site, but also to visit the BRANDYWINE PEACE COMMUNITY website,
www.brandywinepeace.com, to fill out and return the pledge -
either by e-mail at brandywine@juno.com or by regular mail - to:
Brandywine Peace Community, P.O. Box 81, Swarthmore, PA 19081.
- DECLARATION OF PEACE
flyers, info & pledges are available 610-544-1818.
_______________________________________________________________
Saturday, June 17 , 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Free Grant Writing Workshop
Calvary Center for Community & Culture, 801 S. 48th St.,
Philadelphia, PA For info, call 215-823-5288.
_______________________________________________________
Building the Next Generation of Political Leaders
The Center for Progressive Leadership is actively recruiting highly
motivated leaders from a variety of backgrounds throughout Pennsylvania
who will be ready within the next 3-10 years to:
Run for office – from local level to state or federal office- Run an
organization – political, issue, or community group
Run a campaign – political, advocacy, or neighborhood effort
Applications open May 1.
· Southeastern,
Pa: June 24th and 25th (Application deadline: Friday, June 16)
· Southwestern,
Pa: July 8th and 9th (Application deadline: Monday, July 3)
To apply go to http://www.progressleaders.org/states/pennsylvania.htm
Fareeda Mabry, PA Recruitment Director, (215)923-5165
Fareeda@progressleaders.org, www.progressleaders.org
____________________________________________________________________________
Everything you wanted to know about SPIN farming
..... I'd love to see some of those vacant lots we drove by
yesterday growing fruit & veggies....
Monday, 7/24/06, 10am-2pm
Urban Farming SPIN Style,
PASA Field Day, Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture
Somerton Tanks, Philadelphia
PA Cost: $15 PASA and PA WAg'N members, $25 non-members- Lunch will be
provided.
Participants of this field day will see SPIN (S-mall P-lot IN-tensive)
Farming in action at Somerton Tanks Farm, a half-acre prototype urban
vegetable farm located on Philadelphia Water Department land.
Participants will tour the farm and learn about SPIN's agricultural and
financial breakthroughs, about how it's enticing a new breed of farmer
and inspiring conventional farmers to rethink their own operations.
They will see how SPIN can be used to create new farmland closer to
metropolitan areas, and how it can re-establish a viable role for
independent farmers in the U.S. food production system.
Roxanne Christensen,
co-founder and President of the Institute for Innovations in Local
Farming, operates Somerton Tanks Farm, in partnership with the
Philadelphia Water Department. Ms. Christensen contends that the
separation of country and city is a bankrupt concept. "As development
erodes the rural way of life, agriculture is creeping closer and closer
to metropolitan areas. SPIN-FARMING (TM) leverages this trend in a
positive way - by capitalizing on limited resources and space.
Register online at www.pasafarming.org or call 814-349-9856 ext.
#7.
___________________________________________________
Help Cut Mercury Pollution in PA
Between now and July 4th, lobbyists for the electric utility and mining
companies will be working around the clock to block Gov. Rendell's plan
to cut toxic mercury pollution from Pennsylvania's coal-fired power
plants.
In order to counter these
special interest lobbyists, we are asking concerned citizens to submit
letters to their local newspapers to convince our politicians that
every-day people like you and me want less mercury pollution in our
environment.
You can help us today by
writing a letter to the editor to your local newspaper in support of
Gov. Rendell's plan and the strongest possible mercury reductions. Then
ask your family and friends to help by forwarding this e-mail to them.
To take action, click on the link below or paste it into your web
browser:
http://www.pennenvironment.org/PE.asp?id=198&id4=ES
__________________________________________________________
EVENTS OCCURING EVERY WEEK:
Thursdays
10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Talk Radio Program with Sandra
Dungee Glenn (Member, School Reform
Commission) On WURD 900 AM--call in number is 215-426-1310.
6:00-8:00 p.m. Workshop: "Build Your Own Computer"
Nonprofit Technology Resources, 1524 Brandywine St., Philadelphia, Pa
$25 per session To register, call 215-564-6686.
7:00-9:00 p.m. International Concerned Friends & Family
of Mumia Weekly Meeting
4601 Market St., 5th floor, Philadelphia, PA
For info, call 215-476-5416.
Fridays
4:30 p.m. Anti-war leafleting and picket
Market & 11th Sts., Philadelphia, PA For info, email
pawf@critpath.org
5:00 p.m. Vigil--Women in Black
Swarthmore Train Station, Park Ave. & Chester Rd., Swarthmore,
PA For info, email wibswarthmore@hotmail.com.
Saturdays
10:00 a.m. to noon
"Talking Union" weekly call-in radio show, 1340 AM
noon-1:00 p.m. Peace Vigil
Rte. 38 & Cherry Hill Mall Dr., Cherry Hill, NJ For
info, email greatercamdenunitycoalition@yahoo.com
1:00-2:00 p.m. Protest at Ferber Furs
1708 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA For info, email
phillyar@yahoogroups.com.
Mondays
5:00-7:00 p.m. Radio Show: "Labor to Neighbor" with hosts
Janet Ryder, Pat Eiding &
Pete Matthews 900 AM WURD--215-634-8065.
Tuesdays
7:00 p.m. Weekly ANSWER Meeting
Calvary Church (basement office), 48th & Baltimore Ave., Phila, PA
Call 215-724-1618 or email philANSWER@action-mail.org for info.
7:00-9:00 p.m. Organizing Meeting Toviah Thrift
Shop
Chestnut St. (between 42nd & 43rd)
Call (215) 382-7251 or (215) 474-6459 box 1 for more info
Sponsored by Neighbors Against McPenntrification
7:30 p.m. Books Through Bars Packing Cafe
The A Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA
Help pack books to send to prisoners. Email
info@booksthroughbars.org
Wednesdays
4:30-5:30 p.m. Peace Vigil Federal Building,
601 Market St., Philadelphia, PA
Sponsored by House of Grace Catholic Worker For info, email
brandywine@juno.com .
5:00 p.m. Vigil for Peace Outside Unitarian
Society of Germantown, 6511 Lincoln Dr., Philadelphia, PA
For info, see www.northwestpeacecoalition.org.
6:00 p.m. Movement Class taught by Sophia Hoffer-Perkins
A-space, 4722 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA
Sliding scale donations For info, call 215-727-0882.
7:00 p.m. Peace Vigil Germantown Ave. &
Bethlehem Pike, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA
For info, see www.northwestpeacecoalition.org.
7:30 p.m. International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement
Weekly Meeting
Uhuru House, 1021 S. 49th St., Philadelphia, Pa For info,
see www.inpdum.org.
===============
NATIONAL ACTION
MESSAGE: Call for Congressional Debate on Iraq! An open debate on Iraq
is OVERDUE! Sign H.Res.543
CONGRESSMAN, PLEASE TAKE AN ACTIVE & VOCAL ROLE. URGE YOUR
COLLEAGUES TO JOIN YOU!
Call your Congressional Representative at (888) 355-3588 (toll-free)
Here are lists of those who have and have not signed: http://www.openiraqdebate.com/inner/roll-call.html
Message for NON-signers and/or Signers of H.Res. 543:
As your constituent, I ask (or thank) you to sign onto H.Res. 543, a
"discharge petition" that calls for open and honest debate on Iraq and
consideration of ALL alternatives to the policy of open-ended
occupation of Iraq. I will not be satisfied with a limited debate that
prohibits the introduction of real alternatives to the President's
failed policy in Iraq. It is time to show strong leadership to bring
peace in the region.
The pressure we are applying
is already having an impact. There have been news reports that some
members of Congress, hoping to dodge a real discussion about Iraq, will
offer a tightly-controlled debate framed by supporters of the war. This
alternative is clearly an election-year effort, rather than a serious
commitment to address the failed policy and the need to bring all the
troops home now. This alternative won't allow members who oppose the
war to offer plans to bring the occupation to an end.
Tell your Congressmember
that you demand a debate with an "open rule," meaning that any
proposals to bring the trooops home can be introduced, debated and
voted on. The surest route to that debate is for them to sign the
discharge petition and ask their colleagues to do the same.
- UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE www.unitedforpeace.org |
212-868-5545 To subscribe, visit www.unitedforpeace.org/email
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Call Congress, save the Internet...(888) 355-3588
(toll-free)
This week, the full House of Representatives decides whether or not to
protect Internet freedom.
Can you call your Rep. right away to urge support for Net Neutrality?
Some tips when calling:
1) If the staffer is making a tally of constituent calls, make sure
they have a category specifically for "Vote no on the COPE telecom law
if it doesn't protect Net Neutrality." Otherwise, your representative
may get a diluted message and miss the point.
2) If they ask for more details, you can urge your representative to
support the bipartisan Sensenbrenner-Conyers Net Neutrality amendment
(HR 5417) which passed the House Judiciary Committee two weeks ago with
a powerful 20-13 bipartisan majority. And if that amendment fails, they
should vote against the entire bill.
- Eli Pariser,
MoveOn.org Civic Action [mailto:moveon-help@list.moveon.org]
______________________________________________________________________________
WILPF SUGGESTIONS AND MEMBER ACTION ON IRAN
Read the accompanying joint WCUSP-DISARM statement on Iran. The
statement reflects issues we are already working on in U.S. WILPF and
is being sent to U.S. officials, Congress and the media. We hope
some of you will choose to
· Join the WCUSP Leadership
Team to work on Iran issues within the Middle East Campaign context,
· or join the DISARM
Leadership Team to work on Iran issues within the nuclear weapons and
disarmament framework.
· Check out the Iran issue
resources on the DISARM UPDATE website at www.disarm.wilpf.org.
The Focus Issue for May and June is Iran and India: nuclear weapons and
nuclear power. (access from there the RCW resources!)
· Communicate with relevant
Administration officials, your Representative and Senators, your local
newspaper, etc. re Iran issues raised in this statement or on Reaching
Critical Will (see below). Use the new legislative toolkit on
www.wilpf.org for addresses and to send emails or write letters.
All of us can use the Iran Action Pack and the excellent resources
furnished to us by WILPF’s Reaching Critical Will at the WILPF UN
office in New York. Here is an excerpt from the Iran Action Pack:
There Is No Military Solution To
the Iranian Nuclear Situation
But there is a lot each one of us
can do to build momentum for a peaceful solution:
Educate yourself—use this information packet, gather and use the
resources listed here, follow the news, and analyze the news you read.
Educate others—request additional information packets to distribute,
copy this packet, organize a public program using the suggested
speakers (list included), write letters to your local paper (sample
included).
Speak up loud and clear—raise the urgent need for a peaceful solution
(suggested solutions included) at every opportunity and public forum on
the Middle East, war and peace events, and especially at rallies and
programs calling for an end to the War against Iraq. We need to add the
call for a peaceful resolution to the Iran crisis to all anti-war
mobilizations.
Pressure your elected representatives—peace movements around the world
must build momentum for a peaceful solution to this crisis if we are to
avert another war. Tell your elected officials to contact their foreign
ministry or state department and request better diplomatic efforts and
a stop to all talk of military action. Ask them if they will introduce
a resolution or letter from colleagues instructing the foreign ministry
to pursue every diplomatic channel available.
Write to your United Nations Mission calling on your ambassador to stop
escalating the situation. Ask them to work for a ban on fissile
material production in the Mid-East.
You will find the complete Iran Action Pack with model letters and
resources on Reaching Critical Will at www.reachingcriticalwill.org
. On the home page click on Iran Action Pack in the right hand
column under What’s New: Security Council Considering Iran Nuclear
Program. From there you can also reach extensive background
information by clicking on Nuclear Iran?
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