CONTENTS:
PHILLY & PA ACTION:
* GRANNY PEACE BRIGADE PHILADELPHIA Events:
September 14, 2006:  Grannies and friends pack City Council Hearing Room
September 17, 2006:  Grannies support the ACLU Demo for our Constitutional rights
September 21, 2006:  Grannies and friends again pack City Council
                           Brandywine Declaration of Peace Action at Christ Church     
September 26, 2006:  Cindy Sheehan speaks at Philadelphia Free Library (Logan Circle)
------------------
Film: Camden 28 at International House
Conference on Iraq at University of Pennsylvania
Urge Mayor Street to sign smokefree law
Grandparents (Bubbies & Zaydes) for Peace in the Middle East
Film: THE GROUND TRUTH- community screening
Community conference on PA's capital punishment and criminal justice systems
CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE: Children and Violence in Philadelphia.
SIX ACTORS IN SEARCH OF A PLOT:
Constitution Day Peace Event at Senator Specter's home
Philadelphians Against Santorum Town Hall meeting with Bob Casey
Invitation to JVP Tashlich Ceremony
RALLY IN HARRISBURG TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, TO DEMAND STRICTER GUN LAWS
VOICES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
BARACK OBAMA at Free Library of Philadelphia
--------------------------------------------
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ACTION

The Day That Changed Everything Wasn't 9/11
Feminist Action Guide To Challenging U.S. Policy
DECLARATION OF PEACE NATIONAL CALL-IN to CONGRESS* DAYS
Stirring the Pot -- Women's Voices Matter!
Before you Enlist
[TAKE ACTION] How Did your Senator Vote on Cluster Bombs?
[WCUSP]: KEEP SPACE FOR PEACE WEEK LOCAL ACTIONS
-----------------
COMMENTARY:
* GOP secretly channeled millions to Lieberman
* Vatican attacks Christian Zionism, Matthew Tostevin(and more)
=============

PHILLY ACTION:

GRANNY PEACE BRIGADE PHILADELPHIA Events:
http://grannypeacebrigadephiladelphia.democracyguard.org

September 14, 2006:  Grannies and friends pack City Council Hearing Room, City Hall Room 400 (4th Floor) from 10 AM on.  City Council will vote on whether to place a referendum on the ballot in November.  The referendum says: Bring the troops home from Iraq.  Wear your "We will not be silent" T-shirts and your "Granny Peace Brigade" buttons.  Bring "Bring the troops home" signs. 

September 17, 2006:  Grannies support the ACLU Demo for our Constitutional rights (rapidly being eroded) on Constitution Day at Independence Mall, 5th and Arch Street from 2:30 PM.  James Dean (of Nixon Watergate fame) will speak. Reading of Poetry written by Guantanamo Bay detainees read by actor Vaneik Echeverria, co-star of InterAct Theatre Company’s upcoming production of Kiss of the Spider Woman. *** Grannies will do a "Recite the first amendment" action. ***
   
September 21, 2006:  Grannies and friends again pack City Council Room 400 at City Hall for vote on referendum, starting 10 AM.  Wear your T-shirts and your buttons.  Bring your signs.

September 21, 2006:  Brandywine Declaration of Peace Action at Christ Church, 2nd and Market St. and September 25th at Old First Reformed Church, 4th and Race St.

September 26, 2006:  Grannies pass out flyers before Cindy Sheehan speaks at Philadelphia Free Library (Logan Circle).  Leaflet 11:00 to 11:30 AM,  Cindy talk, starting at Noon.

September 20, 2006: Film: Camden 28 at International House (37th and Chestnut Street)

September 19, 20, 21:  Conference on Iraq at University of Pennsylvania, Huntsman Hall, Room F85.  Details at their web site:  http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/fsawi/teachin 
_____________________________________________________________________


Urge Mayor Street to sign smokefree law/ A Smoke-free Philly  No ifs, ands, or butts

Philadelphia Mayor John Street has only several days left to sign or veto the smokefree workplace ordinance.  Please send a letter to Mayor Street at www.smokefree.net/Philly urging him to sign the ordinance. Street says he opposes the law's failure to include outdoor cafes  By Jarad Miller
The Daily Pennsylvanian
http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2006/09/08/News/HardFought.Smoking.Ban.Bill.May.Get.Veto.Mayor.Threatens-2262904.shtml?norewrite200609111509&sourcedomain=www.dailypennsylvanian.com
 A Philadelphia smoking ban - long discussed and passed by City Council this summer - may have again hit a snag.  Mayor John Street has recently voiced concern about the bill and says he is considering vetoing the legislation by Thursday's deadline. His main complaint is that the ban does not extend to outdoor cafes, though some attribute his failure to sign this and previous legislation on the issue to personal differences between himself and former Councilman Michael Nutter, a proponent of smoking-ban legislation who is currently running for mayor.
___________________________________


Grandparents (Bubbies & Zaydes) for Peace in the Middle East
        Fridays @ Noon on S. 15th Street above Locust

     The past week has been filled with disturbing news!  (1) defeat of the
Feinstein-Leahy bill that would have prevented the sale of cluster bombes by
US; (2) 700 new permits issued for expansion of West Bank Settlements; (3)
denial of renewal of visas for American Palestinians currently living in
West Bank; (More about all of these issues below!)
      Our presence on S. 15th Street is more important than ever.  Lively
conversations are now the norm.  There are many folks who stop to share
their appreciation for our presence and our message.
________________________________________________________


Film: THE GROUND TRUTH- (community screening)

        Sunday, September 17 at 8:30 PM
        Philadelphia PA Christ Church 20 N American St.(Philadelphia, PA)
The filmmaker's subjects are patriotic young Americans - ordinary men  and women who heeded the call for military service in Iraq - as they  experience recruitment and training, combat, homecoming, and the  struggle to reintegrate with families and communities. http://www.thegroundtruth.net/
___________________________________________________________

Conference  on Pennsylvania's capital punishment and criminal justice systems.

 On Saturday September 23, from 9AM to 2PM at the First United
Methodist Church of Germantown at 6023 Germantown Avenue, there will be
a community conference on Pennsylvania's capital punishment and criminal
justice systems. Free and open to the public. Call 215-324-1751 to register.
_____________________________________________________________


CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE: Children and Violence in Philadelphia. 

 Penn Professor Michael Eric Dyson will moderate a City
Wide Discussion on Violence, Weds, September 27 at 7:00 at the Central
Library – 1901 Vine Street.
Before this city-wide event , fill out A Community Violence Survey
available at all Free Library Branches, & www.Library.Phila.Gov or
Www.Pccy.Org .  Also other gatherings at other branches.  Check the
website for date, time and location.  Sponsored by the Free Library and
Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth. Flyer on the bulletin board.
______________________________


SIX ACTORS IN SEARCH OF A PLOT:

by Palestinian Muslim playwright Muhammad Ahmed Zaher and Temple's Billy Yalowitz,
an American Jew, who is also director/choreographer. Six Actors is coming to the
U.S. for performances in Philadelphia & New York City in
September-October. Temple University per-formance at Conwell Dance
Theater, Tues, October 10 at 8pm,
& at the Painted Bride- October 13, 14, 15, at 8pm.
_______________________________________________________     

  Constitution Day Peace Event at Senator Specter's home

        Date:   Sunday September 17, 2006 at 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
        Location:  West Schoolhouse Lane (between Henry Avenue and Gypsy Lane) in East Falls
        City State Zip:   Philadelphia, PA 19129

Description:   On Constitution Day, explain to Sen. Specter: the U.S.
occupation of Iraq is unconstituional. Bring the troops home now! Phone:   215-843-4256
____________________________________


Philadelphians Against Santorum Town Hall meeting with Bob Casey

        Monday, September 18th, 6:00-7:30 PM
        First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Supervised children's playroom is available.
To RSVP for the meeting and submit a question to be asked of Casey that night, click here:
http://www.phillyagainstsantorum.org/go/event
Philadelphians Against Santorum works independently of the Casey campaign.
        If you can't make the meeting but would still like to play a key role in this campaign, call our office at (215) 253-6579
----------------------------------------

Invitation to JVP Tashlich Ceremony

Please join Jewish Voice for Peace-Philadelphia as we gather to observe the High Holiday custom of Tashlich ("casting") in the aftermath of the Israeli government's war on Lebanon and in the continued spectre of the occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank and the oppression of Palestinian people in Israel and Gaza.

         5:30 pm on Sunday, September 24
         Philadelphia Water Works (in back of the Art Museum on Kelly Drive)
As Jews and as human beings in this world, we will bear witness and give voice to the  sins occuring in our name -- the Israeli government's sins of occupation and the bombing of innocent civilians, and our own government's financial and moral support of these actions. 
Bringing our spriitual and political selves to this ritual, we will unburden ourselves of these sins and assume a renewed commitment to pursue justice and peace for Jews and Arabs alike in Israel/Palestine in the year to come.
Please forward this invitation on.              ..Contact: Alissa Wise [alissa@resist.ca]
_________________________________________________________________________________


RALLY IN HARRISBURG TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, TO DEMAND STRICTER GUN LAWS

Visit www.september26rally.org or call 215-923-1940 to sign up to join this  important effort!
Loree D. Jones ,  City of Philadelphia ,  Office of the Mayor ,  loree.jones@phila.gov
____________________________


VOICES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST

Saturday, September 30, 2:30 - 4:30
Stapeley in Germantown, +6300 Greene St. (at Washington Lane)recreation room
Speakers:
Najib Yateem
        President of the Greater Phila Chapter of the American-Arab Anti--Discrimination Committee.
Taghreed Duaibes
        Former Coordinator, Gender and Human Rights at the Women's Studies Ctr in E Jerusalem
Nachshon David Mahanymi
        Peace and Justice activist and cofounder of the Philadelphia Tikkun community.
Moderator:Libby Frank
        Member of National WILPF Campaign: Women Challenge U.S. Policy:
                 Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East
_________________________________________________________________

 BARACK OBAMA at Free Library of Philadelphia| 10/21 at 6:30 p.m.

The Free Library of Philadelphia presents a special event with U.S. Senator BARACK OBAMA on Saturday, October 21 at 6:30 p.m. Senator Obama will discuss his new book, The Audacity of Hope. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 15 at 10:00 a.m. through UpStages at (215) 569-9700. General Admission $15.00 | Simulcast $8.00. Call the Lecture Office at (215) 567-4341 or visit us online to find out about all of the Author Events at the Free Library of Philadelphia!
Free Library of Philadelphia Lectures | 1901 Vine Street | Philadelphia | PA | 19103

===============================

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ACTION

* The Day That Changed Everything Wasn't 9/11

Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world:  Preamble, Universal Declaration of Human Rights  http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

Number Of Iraqi Civilians Slaughtered In America's War? As Many As 250,000
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11674.htm

Number of U.S. Military Personnel Sacrificed (Officially acknowledged) In Bush's War 2671
http://icasualties.org/oif/

The War in Iraq Costs  $314,051,236,567

See the cost in your community
http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182
____________________________________________________________________


Women Challenge U.S. Policy:/ Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East
Feminist Action Guide To Challenging U.S. Policy

A 6-week course
Brazilian educator Paulo Freire claims that through conscious efforts of education, reflection, and action people can build movements that change conditions. Meeting that goal requires that we define ourselves and our communities, deciding what a democratic society should look like and how it ought to work. Study groups — small, democratic, and participatory — are a proven method for social learning. They offer a way to voice our own histories and experiences and to engage one another in matters of our common life.

The WCUSP Feminist Action Guide to Challenging US Policy in the Middle East is a 165 page tool for forming a study group or embarking on independent study as an individual, and is complete with original source material, articles, maps and steps to take action. The Feminist Action Guide will serve as a launchpad for future action to challenge U.S. Policy in the Middle East. 
Topics Include:
    US Policy in the Middle East
    The Role of the Israel Lobby
    Dual Occupation: Similarities Between Israel/Palestine and U.S./Iraq
    Israel and Palestine Today
    The US Occupation of Iraq- New Facts on the Ground
The study guides cost $20.00 and can be purchased through the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
        To purchase a guide or multiple guides, email Kate Zaidan, Program Coordinator, at kzaidan@wilpf.org. Or, send a check or money order to:

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, US Section
1213 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 1910
        New members of WILPF receive a $5 discount on the study guide. To join visit. http://wilpf.org/get-involved/join.htm. As a member of WILPF, you will be a part of our global network, connected to women (and men) working for peace all over the world. Also, you will receive a free subscription to WILPF's magazine Peace and Freedom, which includes action alerts and updates on issues related to WILPF's campaigns and programs.
___________________________________________


DECLARATION OF PEACE NATIONAL CALL-IN to CONGRESS* DAYS 
    Tuesday, September 19;
    Tuesday, September 26.
    September 21 is the DECLARATION OF PEACE deadline for Congress to
begin a comprehensive plan for peace in Iraq.

CALL CONGRESS: 888-355-3588 or 202-224-3121 (9am - 5pm, EST)
Call the Congressional Switchboard and ask to speak to your
Representative or Senators.  The message is simple: "I am calling  Rep.
---- [or Sen. -----] to ask her/him to sign
the Declaration of  Peace Congressional Pledge to end the occupation,
bring the troops  home, begin a comprehensive plan for peace in Iraq."

For more information, visit the national website of the DECLARATION OF
PEACE website, www.declarationofpeace.org

For more on DECLARATION OF PEACE in the Phila. Area, including the
Declaration of Peace Week, visit the Brandywine Peace Community website,
- Brandywine Peace Community, 610-544-1818, brandywine@juno.com  www.brandywinepeace.com
_________________________________________


Stirring the Pot -- Women's Voices Matter!

Our goal?  To take a moment out of our busy lives and remind women that we can make a difference –  that our voices do matter – if we vote and encourage others to vote, too.

        Moms, daughters, friends, neighbors, sisters, co-workers – women from all over the country will come together in small groups Tuesday, October 10th, to share a meal and our concerns for the future.  These gatherings are an initiative of the AFL-CIO and Working America. Please sign up today to host a “Stirring the Pot” gathering. We’ll give you all the tools you need to make it easy, fun and effective!
        Hosting a “Stirring the Pot” gathering is simple.  Invite people you know and plan snacks or dessert or a potluck dinner. Order a pizza and sit on the porch.  Meet at the local deli or even on your lunch break at work. You don’t need to be a policy expert or politically active to gather some neighbors and have a chat.  We’ll provide easy-to-use tools, including a discussion guide, a Web site, even simple menu suggestions!  Log on right now at www.stirringthepot.org to learn more and receive a planning kit.
____________________________________________________


Before you Enlist,
Hannah Strange (Ruckus Society) and Daniel Hunter (Training for Change)


COMING SOON! TO PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY, E-MAIL pecelearn@igc.org.
This new training manual, commissioned by American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), contains:
Fifty group exercises to help design counter-recruitment campaigns, teach about the military-industrial complex, and become more effective at strategy and building strong groups.
        Eight complete workshops on topics ranging from what is the poverty draft, how a recruiter gets your number, organizing skills, how to build a campaign, and media & messaging.
Handouts and support articles for further reading and to pass out on all the topics -- over forty in all -- in this 229-page curriculum.
        All tools designed with the direct education approach, which uses group exercises that emphasize participants' empowerment and taps their wisdom as much as possible, not a boring lecture-based teaching approach.
                                FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.TrainingForChange.org
________________________________________________________________________


[TAKE ACTION] How Did your Senator Vote on Cluster Bombs?

Senate Votes on the Feinstein Amendment on the Use of Cluster Bombs
Amendment rejected by Senate by a Vote of 30-70

On September 6, the Senate rejected an amendment offered by Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) calling for the protection of “civilian lives from unexploded cluster munitions” by preventing US tax dollars from being spent to acquire, utilize, sell, or transfer cluster munitions.  The final vote was 30 in favor, 70 opposed.

AAI urges all its friends to:
1) Contact Senator Feinstein and thank her for her amendment on cluster bombs
2) Contact your senators.  Thank them if they voted in favor and express your disappointment if they opposed the amendment.  Find your senators phone numbers by clicking here: http://capwiz.com/arab/callalert/index.tt?alertid=9007686&type=CO
________________________________________________________________

[WCUSP]: KEEP SPACE FOR PEACE WEEK LOCAL ACTIONS

Stop the Militarization of Space! No Weapons in Space! Stop Star Wars Research & Development!
Convert the Military Industrial Complex! Fund Human Needs
        October 1 - 8 Local Actions
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, PO Box 652
Brunswick, ME 04011 (207) 729-0517 http://www.space4peace.org
globalnet@mindspring.com http://space4peace.blogspot.com (our blog)