CONTENTS:
PHILLY AREA ACTION:
WEEKLY EVENTS:
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ACTION:
===============================
PHILLY AREA ACTION:
* MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR BELOVED FRIEND, MARGE PAULMIER *
Saturday January 30, 2005 at
2PM.
Germantown Friends Meeting,
47 W Coulter St. Phila PA 19144
*********************************************************************
IRAQ FOR SALE / Veterans For Peace Chapter 31
Film Series Produced and Directed by Robert Greenwald
Thursday, December 14 at 7 PM
Friends Center, 1501 Cherry
Street Rufus Jones Room
Kelly Doughtery, Iraq veteran and Ex Director of Iraq Veterans Against
The War
will be at the showing. Kelly is featured in the film.
For information, call 610-832-7028
_____________________________________________________________
A SOLDIER'S QUESTION- Demonstrate Against The War
Dec 17, Sunday 2:00 until 4:00 pm
Schoolhouse Lane, between Henry Ave and Gypsy Lane, in East Falls.
In December 2004, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was visiting Kuwait
when
a soldier asked him, "Why do we soldiers have to dig through local
landfills
for pieces of scrap metal to up-armor our vehicles?" Rumsfeld
replied, "You
go to war with the army you have." Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) called that
"a
flippant comment," and Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) called for Rumsfeld's
replacement.
Twenty peace groups,
including the Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP), Granny Peace Brigade
Philadelphia and the Northwest Greens, will demonstrate near the home
of Senator Arlen Specter.
They will ask Specter to author a bill like HB 4232 which will cut off
all Pentagon
funding in Iraq, except money needed for an orderly withdrawal of all
U.S. troops.
For more information about the Dec 17 event, contact PRAWN, the
Philadelphia
Regional Anti-War Network, 215-307-7980, or:
info2506@prawnworks.net.
_________________________________________________________________________
Town Hall Meeting to Discuss Youth Violence and
Other Issues Relating to Youth
Frankford Group Ministry at 4620 Griscom St(a block from Frankford Ave
and Orthodox St. - December 20, 2006 6-7:30 PM
=========================
EVENTS OCCURING EVERY WEEK:
Thursday
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.
Friday
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, wibswarthmore@hotmail.com.
6:00-8:00 p.m. Mt. Airy Community Computer Center Open Access (&
Tues.)
Offers free computer access to the community
Mt. Airy Presbyterian Church lower level, 17 East Mt. Pleasant Ave.,
Philadelphia, PA
For info, call 215-247-0870.
Saturday
noon-1:00 p.m. Peace Vigil
Rte. 38 & Cherry Hill Mall Dr., Cherry Hill, NJ Info,
greatercamdenunitycoalition@yahoo.com
1:00-2:00 p.m. Protest at Ferber Furs
1708 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA For info, email
phillyar@yahoogroups.com.
Tuesday
5:30-7:00 p.m. Speak Out of Turn Poetry Workshop
Aspace, 4722 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA
Sliding scale fee $7-10. For info, call 215-435-6621.
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
Wednesday
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.every
==============================
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ACTION:
Join AFSC and President Carter in Standing for Peace,
by Adam Horowitz, For AFSC's
Faces of Hope Campaign
As we enter the holiday season there are several reasons to be hopeful
about a new direction for U.S. policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict. In the last month two new important voices have come to the
forefront of the issue in the United States. Both Jimmy Carter and the
Iraq Study Group have made similar recommendations for dialog and
negotiation as the key for resolving the conflict. President Carter has
made an especially important call for peace in his recent book
Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.
It is important that we tell Congress that we stand with President
Carter in his belief that the United States has an important role to
play in working to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by supporting
human rights, international law and diplomacy. As President Carter
points out "The United States is squandering international prestige and
goodwill . . . by unofficially condoning and abetting the Israel
confiscation and colonization of Palestinian territories."
Take Action Now: Tell Congress you stand with President Carter, see our
online Action Center at:
(http://support.afsc.org/site/R?i=0NtaUrWKbZEOAiSOIam36A..
)
In their recent report the Iraq Study Group echoed this sentiment.
Their report states that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will only end
through negotiation, and that "the United States does its ally
Israel no favors in avoiding direct involvement to solve the
Arab-Israeli conflict." One way the White House can do this is to veto
the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act which places devastating economic
and diplomatic sanctions on the Palestinian people. You can learn more
about this bill at the Churches for Middle East Peace website:
http://support.afsc.org/site/R?i=QkLOaMYHwVqDaH6L8AgyqA..
_________________________________________________________
January 18th Action - with Granny Peace Brigade:
Granny Peace Brigade New York, Philadelphia & across the country
will give our elected officials a civics
lesson
and demand an end to the war now.
The Granny Peace Brigade of
New York City has sent out a Call To Action. We as
citizens, voters, and residents of the United States have the privilege
of freedom of speech. Let's use it! Join us to demand
that Senators of the 110 th Congress follow through on their political
obligations. We will go to their offices in Washington DC as well
as their local state offices and show that we are fully participating
in this democracy. Our Senators will be held accountable to their
constituents' wills.
The response has been great,
but we need to recruit more. As of now, we have thirteen states
involved. We are the spark for a new citizen
participation. We are representing constituents from Hawaii to
California through the Arizona desert and the Ohio cold to the Eastern
Seaboards from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania. Let's
continue to spread the word and encourage our fellow grannies (and
grampies) and grandchildren to welcome the 110 th Congress with a
watchful eye.
Please contact Tresa and
Gabriel for any concerns or questions regarding this event. To
get on the email list of updates email: gpbrigade@gmail.com or visit
our website www.grannypeacebrigade.org for organizational tools, press
kits and other helpful suggestions!
In Philadelphia, contact
Marlena at marlsan@cavtel.net
`
..... WE WILL
NOT BE SILENT .....
_______________________________________________
Plant an Olive Tree in Palestine for the Holidays
This week you should be receiving in your mail a year-end newsletter
from the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation. Below is an
on-line version of this special newsletter.
We ask you to give a generous, tax-deductible contribution to the US
Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation by clicking here: http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=84.
For every $25 that you donate to the US Campaign, we will plant an
olive tree in Palestine in your name or that of a loved one through our
friends at Zatoun.
___________________________________________________________
Jan. 27 D.C. Peace March: Spread the Word!
Join us in the streets of Washington, D.C., on Saturday, January 27, to
deliver a resounding message to the new Congress: We don't want half
measures that will only prolong the bloodshed. It's time to bring an
immediate end to the war!
Here's how you can get involved and help make January 27th the biggest
possible demonstration for peace: * Help spread the word:
Forward this email widely; post it on your blog,and talk to friends,
family, and colleagues about this politically crucial event. We'll post
the details about the march route, starting time, the Congressional
Lobby Day on Mon., Jan. 29th, and other logistical matters
Create your own video and add it to our group on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/group/jan27
Volunteer in NYC and/or Washington, D.C.: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/volunteer
Endorse this critical action: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/j27endorse
Make a much-needed donation today: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/donate
Offer or request transportation to D.C.: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/ride.php
Offer or request housing in D.C.: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/housing.php
Order your official J27 t-shirt: https://marketspace.goodstorm.com/stores/unitedforpeace
___________________________________________________________
Sabeel Middle East Peace Conference --Cleveland,
Ohio-February 16-17, 2007
Hosted by Sabeel, the Interfaith Council for Peace in the Middle East
and 22 other cosponsoring organizations. Scheduled to be the largest
conference on this issue in the history of Ohio!
Making a Difference in Palestine, Israel and the Middle East.
Purpose - A two-day educational and advocacy conference on the conflict
in Palestine-Israel and how we as American citizens can make a positive
impact. This conference will provide workshops for those who want basic
history and information, as well as, for long term advocates to learn
ways to work towards a just peace & will include: Major
presentations from invited speakers; workshop sessions on history,
theology, politics and advocacy; food and more!
Introductory remarks (via Sabeel video) by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Sabeel strives to develop a spirituality based on love, justice, peace,
nonviolence, liberation and reconciliation for the different national
and faith communities. The word "Sabeel" is Arabic for ‘the way‘
and also a ‘channel‘ or ‘spring‘ of life-giving water.
To register or join our list of cosponsors, visit
www.middleeastinterfaith.org
Times - Friday 12:30-5:45 (Dinner at 6:00 followed by the Keynote
Address)
Conference Fees
Option A $ 75 Full Conference Program (includes Fri. dinner & Sat.
lunch)
Option B $ 45 Friday only (all Friday presentations, workshops, &
dinner)
Option C $ 45 Saturday only (all Saturday presentations, workshops,
& lunch)
Option D $ 40 Student/Seminarian (full conference program, dinner &
Sat. lunch)
Option E $ Scholarships possible for clergy, religious, students and
others by prior arrangement.
Email Jeff at ifc@neo.rr.com
Late Fee $ 5 after January 16th; $10 at the door.
To register (or to become a cosponsor) go to
www.middleeastinterfaith.org or mail checks with registration form.
_________________________________________________________
Join "Wake Up Wal-Mart" in calling on Wal-Mart to
adopt a zero tolerance policy on child labor.
Do you shop at Wal-Mart? Wouldn't you like to shop there knowing that
Wal-Mart follows U.S. child labor laws and refuses to profit from
overseas child labor abuses? Unfortunately, this is not the case.
This holiday season, join our partner Wake Up Wal-Mart in calling on
Wal-Mart to adopt a zero tolerance policy on child labor: http://go.care2.com/e/R2.1/b0Vb/PC64
A recent investigation by the National Labor Committee revealed
children, some only 11 years old, were making Wal-Mart clothes in a
Bangladesh factory. The children report being routinely slapped and
beaten, forced to work 12 to 14 hours a day, often seven days a week,
for wages as low as 6 and a half cents an hour.
===========
COMMENTARY:
* MT. AIRY FEATURED IN NATURAL HOME MAGAZINE/ AMERICAS TOP 10
ECO-COMMUNITIES
Natural Home Magazine, a
national magazine devoted to Living Well/Living Wisely, has named Mt.
Airy to its list of Top 10 urban neighborhoods which encourage a
healthy, eco-conscious good life. Natural Home used criteria such as
local shopping districts, access to public transportation, diverse
populations, green spaces, the presence of environmental and/or social
programs, farmers markets and community gardens to make their
determination of which communities around the country best fit their
description.
Mt. Airy was singled out for
its racial diversity, several thriving commercial districts,
architectural diversity and strong sense of community. Specific
attractions noted by Natural Home include Weavers Way Food Coop and
seasonal farmers market across the street, lots of green space, easy
access to public transportation and PhillyCarShare, and a host of
environmental organizations.
For more information, visit
www.NaturalHomeMagazine.com.
* A Closing Call for Impeachment
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/120906A.shtml
"President George W. Bush has failed to preserve, protect, and defend
the Constitution of the United States; he has failed to ensure that
senior members of his administration do the same; and he has betrayed
the trust of the American people," Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney
explained in remarks prepared to accompany her submission on Friday of
articles of impeachment against Bush, Vice President Cheney and
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. McKinney, in her last legislative
act before leaving the House at the end of her current term,
represented not merely a final thrust by the Georgia Democrat against
the Bush administration that she has so consistently opposed but a
challenge to the new House Democratic leadership to pay more than lip
service to its Constitutionally-mandated duty to check and balance the
executive branch. Read the full text of McKinney's remarks.
* Judge Reluctant to Dismiss Torture Suit Against
Rumsfeld
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/120906D.shtml
A federal judge on Friday appeared reluctant to give Donald H. Rumsfeld
immunity from torture allegations, yet said it would be unprecedented
to let the departing defense secretary face a civil trial. "What you're
asking for has never been done before," US District Judge Thomas F.
Hogan told lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union.
** VIDEO | Keith Olbermann: We Fight for Liberty
by Having More Liberty, Not Less
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/120106S.shtml
Keith Olbermann notes: "Apparently there are some of us who cannot see
that the only future for America is one that cherishes the freedoms won
in the past, one in which we vanquish bad ideas with better ones, and
in which we fight for liberty by having more liberty, not less."
* Kucinich, Talking of Peace, to Run Again for
President
In an interview with Truthdig research editor Joshua Scheer, Rep.
Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) criticizes the leadership of his own party for
announcing Tuesday that it would support a massive increase in spending
for the Iraq war. http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1212-07.htm
* Antiwar Vietnam Vets Mentor Next Generation of
Resisters By Jessica Pupovac, AlterNet
About 8,000 soldiers have gone AWOL since the 2003 invasion of
Iraq, and many of them are looking to their predecessors for support.
The way AWOL Iraq vet Kyle Snyder sees it, "The GI resistance was one
of the main things that ended the Vietnam war, and it's going to be a
very important part of ending the one we're in now." http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/45194/
* Be All That You Can Be: Leave the Army by David
Swanson
As long as there has been a U.S. military, people have been
leaving it. That choice has never been more appropriate than today.
Individuals who signed up to defend the United States are engaged in a
war that was sold on the basis of lies, was entirely unnecessary, is
making us less safe, has nothing to do with defending anyone, and which
involves the horror of slaughtering men, women, and children by the
hundreds of thousands. The majority of Americans want the war to end
and just voted accordingly in the Congressional elections. The majority
of Iraqis want the war to end. The majority of American service men and
women in Iraq want the war to end. And taking part in this war is
illegal, whether you are ordered to do so or not. http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=17438
* Spc. Suzanne Swift Signs Statement with
Military After Harassment Claim, AWOL Status Lead to Court Martial *
Spc. Suzanne Swift, who was arrested and confined to base for going AWOL
after her charges of sexual harassment and assault went un-addressed by
the
military, on Friday signed papers with the military related to her
case. We
speak with Swift's mother, Sara Rich.
Listen/Watch/Read http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/11/155237
* Mother of War Resister Ehren Watada Meets with
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill to Support Son's Case *
We speak with Carolyn Ho, the mother of Lt. Ehren Watada, the first
officer
to publicly refuse to serve in Iraq. He will face his prosecutors next
month
at a pre-trial hearing. Ho was recently in Washington DC where she met
with
lawmakers to support her son's case.
Listen/Watch/Read http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/11/155249
* Army, Marine Corps To Ask for More Troops By
Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post Staff Writer
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/12/AR2006121201697.html
* Why So Many Black Women Are Behind Bars By Earl
Ofari Hutchinson
The idea of a woman in prison then was a novelty. It isn't anymore.
According to a recent Justice Department report on America's jail
population, women make up about 10 percent of the America's inmates.
There are now more women than ever serving time, and black women make
up a disproportionate number of those women. They are twice more likely
than Hispanic, and over three times more likely than white women, to be
jailed. http://www.alternet.org/story/45149/
* Annan Bows out of UN with Attack on Bush
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1212-04.htm
* Arctic's Summer Sea Ice 'Could Disappear
Completely by 2040'
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1212-06.htm
* Jesse Jackson | Another Iraq Casualty: US Auto
Industry
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1212-29.htm
* Medea Benjamin | Peace Women, Convicted of
Trespassing, Teach the US Government a Lesson in Diplomacy
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1212-22.htm