CONTENTS:

PHILLY AREA ACTION:

NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL ACTION:

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PHILLY AREA ACTION:

 

Forum on Immigrant Rights, 8/14 @ 3 PM

 

There will be a public educational forum on the topic of immigrant rights at 3 PM, Saturday August 14, at the William Way Center, 1315 Spruce Street in Center City Philadelphia.   Cristobal Cavazos, an immigrant rights activist from the Chicago area, will discuss the current state of the movement for immigrant rights.  For more information please contact philly.socialistaction@gmail.com or call 267.994.9448.

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Woodstock Festival Peace Event

 

Date:      Sunday, August 15

Time:      2:00 pm - 4:00 pm              

Location:        Near the home of Senator Arlen Specter

Street:          West Schoolhouse Lane (at Vaux Street) in Germantown

City State Zip:        Philadelphia, PA 19144 / Phone:          215-843-4256

 

Notes:           26 peace groups (including Code Pink Philadelphia) will hold a Woodstock Festival Peace Event on Sunday, August 15, from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. near Senator Arlen Specter's home on West Schoolhouse Lane (at Vaux Street) in Germantown. The demonstrators will ask Specter (who remains our Senator until January 2011) to endorse a bill which will cut off Pentagon funding in Afghanistan and Iraq except what is needed for the safe return of all U.S. troops. They also want the closure of all Pentagon bases there.

      On this date in 1969, the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival opened in New York State, with 500,000 in attendance. This event was as much a cultural protest as it was a music festival. One result was the media making reference to the “Woodstock Generation.”

For more information, please contact nwgreens@yahoo.com and 215-843-4256.

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Penn for Palestine invites you to a discussion:

"Student Life Under Occupation in Palestine" with   Lubna Alzaroo

 

Lubna is a junior at Bethlehem University where she is majoring in English literature with a minor in translation. She comes from the city of Hebron in the West Bank. She has been working on conflict resolution and human rights issues since she was 18. She is part of the Student Ambassador Program at Bethlehem University, and she participated in the international program Building Bridges for Peace for three years. In June 2009 she co-founded Students Boycott Apartheid. Last summer she attended Building an Interfaith community in Switzerland. This August she will be participating in a human rights conference held by the UNESCO and Connecticut University.

      when:  August 19, 7 p.m

      where: Amy Kaplan's house. 2534 Aspen Street// RSVP: amkaplan@sas.upenn.edu

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HELP LAUNCH "THE AUDACITY OF HOPE" - A U.S. SHIP FOR THE NEXT GAZA FREEDOM FLOTILLA-

BREAK THE SIEGE OF GAZA Fundraiser

 

Featuring: Ann Wright - Gaza Freedom Flotilla Survivor - best known for resigning her position in the State Department in protest of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. She has traveled to Gaza three times and spent time in jail as a result. Remi Kanazi - Palestinian American poet and writer living in New York City. co-founder and primary writer for the political website www.PoeticInjustice.net and the editor of Poets for Palestine. ...Plus buffet style dinner

 

Friday, September 10 6:30 - 8:30pm, Tabernacle Church (3700 Chestnut St, Phila, PA 19104)

      Your donations will secure The Audacity of Hope and a sailing crew, carry human rights activists to the shores of Gaza and help rebuild Gaza.  Suggested donation: $25 for adults; $10 for students, retirees and/or disabled. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. All proceeds will benefit the upcoming Gaza flotilla.

Endorsed by: Philadelphia Jews for a Just peace, International Action Center, Brandywine Peace Community

____________

 

Temple University offers great lifelong learning programs and volunteer opportunities for alumni who are age 50 and up.

      Senior Scholars - A Temple University Alumni Association program that invites alumni and their spouses or partners to audit up to two Temple undergraduate courses a semester.

      TemPALS - A program that matches alumni with incoming international students to assist them in adjusting to Temple and the area.

Questions: contact Temple Senior Scholars at 215-204-2167 or srscholars@temple.edu.

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With the coming of Ramadan, we look forward to another Philadelphia Day of Dignity!

 

                        Sunday, August 22nd 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

                                     2125 Chestnut St.

 

Please join us in our fourth year as we deliver hot lunches and offer

brand new clothing and winter supplies to those in need.

      Thank you for your steady support! We look forward to hearing from you.

To volunteer or donate: PHICARUSA@gmail.com

LOCAL SUPPORTERS:

Philadelphia CAIR, Jesus Christ Church of Latter Day Saints

First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, Fixing Philly, Islamic CREUEF USA

Philadelphia Jews for a Just Peace, United Muslim Foundation

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Annual Labor Day Picnic 

Rally for Jobs – October 2 in Washington

Support the 2010 Fund Drive People’s World

 

Monday, September 6, 1:00 to 5:00 PM

Home of Diane Mohney

5519 Morris Street

Philadelphia

(215) 848-9343

$5 Donation:  Includes one platter

Additional Food & Drink for Sale

 

People’s World, 4515 Baltimore Ave., Phila., PA 19143/Rookie Perna [rperna@cpusa.org]

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Save the date: Help Afghan women, Wed. September 22 - please forward widely

Deborah Zubow [DeborahZ@pccy.org]

 

Weds. September 22, 2010 you can help Afghan women human rights workers who are targeted for harassment, injury and death.  That night make a reservation and eat at the Kabul restaurant, 106 Chestnut Street.  The owner of the Kabul restaurant, Mr. Wali has generously agreed to donate 20% of his proceeds on that day to The Afghan Women’s Survival Fund through Philly Code PINK.

      Simply by going out to eat you can contribute to the survival of Afghan women and empower them in their own struggle for justice! The Afghan Women’s Survival Fund helps women who are threatened with violence and targeted because they dare to speak out for human rights in Afghanistan.  The Fund provides

• shelter

• secret local and international transport,

• cell phones linked to partners in a rescue network

• emergency medical care

• clothing and other personal effects for women who are forced to flee without notice

The Fund saves the lives of these women. It emboldens the Afghan movement for human rights providing activists with a safety net.   The Fund also makes it possible for Afghan women human rights workers to continue their work for justice from underground or from exile. 

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Please Save These Dates in OCTOBER/ John Grant :grantphoto@comcast.net

 

October will be a big month for Veterans For Peace in Philadelphia. School is back in session and the (?)honeymoon(?) period in Afghanistan will be over, putting the war on the front burner for public discussion. So please put these three October events on your calendars and save the dates.

 

Saturday, October 2/ Community Picnic-Fundraiser

(Optional Bike Ride through Fairmount Park) In memory of beloved VFP31 member Bob Hennel 1948-2010.              Saturday, October 2, 11 AM into the afternoon

                         Lemon Hill Pavilion, Fairmount Park

 

The Fundraiser benefits Healing Ajax

Named for a tragic Greek hero who distinguished himself in battle only to commit suicide upon his return home,

Healing Ajax runs a series of peer support groups for returning war veterans that addresses the growing public health crisis of psychological and emotional wounds suffered by vets during their service.  It is a project of the locally based non-profit, Resources for Human Development. Check out: www.healingajax.org; www.rhd.org 

Look forward to a fun picnic and celebrating Bob life with you - while supporting local vets.

For information, questions or to get involved, please contact:

Sue Ellen Klein (seklein4@gmail.com) or Frank Corcoran, (heartsandmindsfc@yahoo.com)

Co-sponsors: Veterans for Peace Chapter 31 & Veterans of Foreign Wars 598, Darby

 

Saturday, October 9/  Chapter 31 Annual Banquet

Saturday, October 9th, beginning at 6 PM

Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion Banquet entrance: 2111 Sansom Street

6-7 PM Refreshments: Beer, wine and soft drinks available

7-8 PM Dinner from Day By Day Catering///8-9 PM Speakers and awards

Featured Speaker: Sigal R. Ben-Porath

Dr. Ben-Porath's field is Philosophy, but she teaches in the Education Department at the University of Pennsylvania.

She is an Israeli who spent some time as a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces. She and her family came to the US

just after the 9/11 attacks. Before that, she lived in Israel during the violent Intifatah. She has written a book titled

Citizenship Under Fire: Democratic Education In Times Of Conflict.

VFP31 will award the annual Eugene Bloomfield Peace and Justice Award to a deserving young person.

Tickets: $40 each or $70 for a couple

For information or to make a reservation, call John Grant at 610-832-7028 or email at grantphoto@comcast.net

 

Saturday, October 30/  Town Meeting for Jobs Not Wars

Saturday, October 30th, from 9 AM to 3 PM

Community College of Philadelphia, Bonnell Hall, Auditorium BG-10

17th St between Spring Garden and Callowhill Streets

Confirmed Speakers:

Rep. Chaka Fattah, US congressman, 2nd district

Mike Prokosch, community organizer and co-author of

The Global Activist’s Manual: Local Ways to Change the World

Jerry Mondesire, President Philadelphia NAACP

Gwen Snyder, Exec. Director, Jobs With Justice

An Iraq combat veteran will speak firsthand on war & jobs

John Dodds, Director, Philadelphia Unemployment Project

Plus others to be announced

There will be Q&A opportunities and workshop reports,

All focused on ending our wars and addressing real needs at home

Come listen and speak your mind in frank and respectful dialogue

For questions, to co-sponsor or to get involved, please contact:

Thomas Paine Cronin, Retired labor leader & Director of Comey Labor Studies Program

   215-353-1885; tompainecronin@comcast.net

John Grant, Member Veterans For Peace & writer on www.thiscantbehappening.net

610-832-7028; grantphoto@comcast.net

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NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL ACTION:

 

Important re Travel to Cuba--Urgent Action!! Two simple things you can do!  PLEASE CIRCULATE !!!

 Rumor has it that Pres. Obama is considering easing Cuba travel restrictions.

Read the full story here:

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/08/06/2134353/us-said-to-be-near-easing-restrictions.html

 

If the rumor (leak) is actually a trial balloon,,,,, we need to let Obama know

that we approve of this important first step.

                        Here's what you can do!

1. Call the White House Comment Line 202-456-1111 and leave words

of encouragement, like: PLEASE let me travel to Cuba!!!

Short and sweet...remember those answering the phone are only score keepers.

 

2. Leave a the same comment at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact [Simple

and user-friendly.]

 

Peace,  Arnie Matlin for GVCP

Modified from: Karen Lee Wald , Cuba-Inside-Out@googlegroups.com

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Peace Movement Adopts New Comprehensive Strategy By David Swanson

http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/54305

 

700 leading peace activists from around the United States met and strategized in Albany, N.Y. ( http://nationalpeaceconference.org ).  They discussed, debated, and voted for a comprehensive new plan for the coming months.  The plan includes a new focus and some promising proposals for building a coalition that includes the labor movement, civil rights groups, students, and other sectors of the activist world that have an interest in ending wars and/or shifting our financial resources from wars to where they're actually needed.  The full plan, including a preface, is available online.

 

The plan includes endorsements and commitments to participate in events planned for Detroit on August 28th, and Washington, D.C., on August 28th and October 2nd, as well as a national day of actions led by students on October 7th, and a week of anti-war actions around the country marking the start of Year 10 in Afghanistan on October 7-16.  Dates to put on your calendar now for 2011 include mid-March nationally coordinated teach-ins to mark the eighth year of the Iraq War and to prepare for bi-coastal spring demonstrations the following month, New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles mobilizations on April 9, 2011, and blocking of ports on May Day.

 

Here is the full list of actions agreed upon:

 

1.The Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the United Auto Workers (UAW) have invited peace organizations to endorse and participate in a campaign for Jobs, Justice, and Peace.   We endorse this campaign and plan to be a part of it.  On August 28, 2010, in Detroit, we will march on the anniversary of that day in 1963 when Walter Reuther, president of UAW, Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders joined with hundreds of thousands of Americans for the March on Washington.  In Detroit, prior to the March on Washington, 125,000 marchers participated in the Freedom Walk led by Dr. King. At the march, King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech for the first time before sharing it with the world in Washington. This year, a massive march has been called for October 2 in Washington.  We will begin to build momentum again in Detroit on August 28th.  We also endorse the August 28, 2010 Reclaim the Dream Rally and March  called by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network to begin at 11 a.m.. at Dunbar High School, 1301 New Jersey Avenue Northwest.

 

2.Endorse, promote and mobilize for the Saturday, October 2nd "One Nation" march on Washington, DC initiated by 1199SEIU and the NAACP, now being promoted by a growing coalition, which includes the AFL-CIO and U.S. Labor Against the War, and civil rights, peace and other social justice forces in support of the demand for jobs, redirection of national resources from militarism and war to meeting human needs, fully funding vital social programs, and addressing the fiscal crisis of state and local governments.  Organize and build an antiwar contingent to participate in the march. Launch a full-scale campaign to get endorsements for the October 2 march on Washington commencing with the final plenary session of this conference.

 

3.Endorse the call issued by a range of student groups for Thursday, October 7, as a national day of action to defend education from the horrendous budget cuts that are laying off teachers, closing schools, raising tuition and limiting access to education, especially for working and low income people. Demand "Money for Education, not U.S. Occupations" and otherwise link the cuts in spending for education to the astronomical costs of U.S. wars and occupations.

 

4.Devote October 7-16 to organizing local and regional protests to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan through demonstrations, marches, rallies, vigils, teach-ins, cultural events and other actions to demand an immediate end to the wars and occupations in both Iraq and Afghanistan and complete withdrawal of all military forces and private security contractors and other mercenaries.  The nature and scheduling of these events will reflect the needs of local sponsors and should be designed to attract broad co-sponsorship and diverse participation of antiwar forces with other social justice organizations and progressive constituencies.

 

5.Support and build Remember Fallujah Week November 15-19. 

 

6.Join the new and existing broad-based campaigns to fund human needs and cut the military budget.  Join with organizations representing the fight against cutbacks (especially labor and community groups) to build coalitions at the city/town, state and national level.  Draft resolutions for city councils, town and village meetings and voter referendum ballot questions linking astronomical war spending to denial of essential public services at home.  (Model resolutions and ballot questions will be circulated for consideration of local groups.) Obtain endorsements of elected officials, town and city councils, state parties and legislatures, and labor bodies. Work the legislative process to make military spending an issue. Oppose specific military funding programs and bills, and couple them with human needs funding issues. Use lobbying and other forms of protest, including civil disobedience campaigns, to focus attention on the issue.    

 

7.Mid-March, 2011 nationally coordinated teach-ins to mark the eighth year of the Iraq War and to prepare for bi-coastal spring demonstrations the following month.

 

8.Bi-Coastal mass spring mobilizations in New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles on April 9, 2011. These will be accompanied by distinct and separate non-violent direct actions on the same day. A prime component of these mobilizations will be major efforts to include broad new forces from youth to veterans to trade unionists to civil and human rights groups to the Arab, Muslim and other oppressed communities, to environmental organizations, social justice and faith-based groups. Veterans and military families will be key to these mobilizations with special efforts to organize this community to be the lead contingent. Launch a full-scale campaign to get endorsements for these actions commencing with the final plenary session of this conference.

 

9.Select a week prior to or after the April actions for local lobbying of elected officials at a time when Congress is not in session. Lobbying to take multiple forms from meeting with local officials to protests at their offices and homes.

 

10.Recalling that the West Coast Longshore Workers Union shut down the ports for May Day 2008, and noting the recent successful actions in Oakland to block the unloading of an Israeli ship in solidarity with Palestine, the National Peace Conference will join with immigrant rights and union organizers to plan for May Day actions that include picket lines at the ports in San Francisco and Los Angeles.  A large portion of war materiel is shipped from West Coast ports.  These areas are home to large number of immigrants, many of whom work as truck drivers.  A picket line, with veterans in the forefront, provides an opportunity to unite broader sections of the people in action.  It also generates the possibility of impacting the war by blocking shipments of war materiel, and provides further consideration for continuing direct actions of this kind. 

 

11.National tours. Organize over a series of months nationally-coordinated tours of prominent speakers and local activists that link the demands for immediate withdrawal to the demands for funding social programs, as outlined above.

 

12.Pressure on Iran from the US, Israel and other quarters continues to  rise and the threat of a catastrophic military attack on Iran, as well as  the ratcheting up of punitive sanctions that primarily impact the people of  Iran, are of grave concern. All peace activists and organizations should be  organizing for a peaceful and just solution to the concern over Iran's  nuclear program, including, but not limited to, supporting a Nuclear  Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East (which would of course deal with  Israel's nuclear arsenal) and insisting that diplomacy, not war or threat of  war, is the only acceptable option.

 

13.In the event of an imminent U.S. government attack on Iran or such an attack, or a U.S.-backed Israeli attack against Iran, or any other major international crisis triggered by U.S. military action, a continuations committee approved by the conference will mount rapid, broad and nationally coordinated protests by antiwar and social justice activists.

 

14.In the event of U.S.-backed military action by Israel against Palestinians, aid activists attempting to end the blockade of Gaza, or attacks on other countries such as Lebanon, Syria, or Iran, a continuations committee approved by the conference will condemn such attacks and support widespread protest actions. 

 

15.Support actions to end the Israeli occupation and repression of Palestinians and the blockade of Gaza.

 

16.Support actions aimed at dismantling the Cold War nuclear, biological, radiological and chemical weapons and delivery systems. Support actions aimed at stopping the nuclear renaissance of this Administration, which has proposed to spend $80 billion over the next 10 years to build three new nuclear bomb making factories and "well over" $100 billion over the same period to modernize nuclear weapons delivery systems.  We must support actions aimed at dismantling nuclear, biological, radiological and chemical weapons and delivery systems.  We must oppose the re-opening of the Iranian mining industry, new nuclear power plants, and extraction of other fossil fuels that the military consumes. 

 

17.Work in solidarity with GIs, veterans, and military families to support their campaigns and calls for action.  Demand support for the troops when they return home and support efforts to counter military recruitment.

 

18.Take actions against war profiteers, including oil and energy companies, weapons manufacturers, and engineering firms, whose contractors are working to insure U.S. economic control of Iraq's and Afghanistan's resources.

 

19.Support actions, educational efforts and lobbying campaigns to promote a transition to a sustainable peace economy.

 

20.Develop and implement a multi-pronged national media campaign which includes the following: the honing of a message which will capture our message:  "End the Wars and Occupations, Bring the Dollars Home"; a fundraising campaign which would enable the creation and national placement and broadcast of professionally developed print ads as public service radio and television spots which communicate this imperative to the public as a whole (which would involve coordinated outreach to some major funders); outreach to sympathetic media artists to enable the creation of these pieces; an intentional, aggressive, coordinated campaign to garner interviews on as many targeted national news venues as possible which would feature movement voices speaking to the honed our nationally coordinated message; a plan to place on message op-ed pieces in papers around the country on a nationally coordinated schedule. 

 

21.We call for the equal participation of women in all aspects of the antiwar movement.  We propose nonviolent direct actions either in Congressional offices or other appropriate and strategic locations, possibly defense contractors, Federal Buildings, or military bases in the U.S.  These actions would be local and coordinated nationally, i.e., the same day for everyone (times may vary).  The actions would probably result in arrests for sitting in after offices close.  Entering certain facilities could also result in arrests.  Participants would be prepared for that possible outcome before joining the action.  Nonviolence training would be offered locally, with lists of trainers being made available.  The message/demand would be a vote, a congressional action to end the wars: Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan.  Close U.S. bases.  Costs of war and financial issues related to social needs neglected because of war spending would need to be studied and statements regarding same be prepared before the actions.  Press release would encourage coverage because of the actions being local and nationally coordinated.

 

22.We will convene one or more committees or conferences for the purpose of identifying and arranging boycotts, sit-ins, and other actions that directly interfere with the immoral aspects of the violence and wars that we protest.

 

23.The United National Antiwar Conference calls for building and expanding the movement for peace by consciously and continually linking it with the urgent necessity to create jobs and fund social needs. We call for support from the antiwar movement to tie the wars and the funding for the wars to the urgent domestic issues through leaflets, signs, banners and active participation in the growing number of mass actions demanding jobs, health care, housing, education and immigrant rights such as:

All the other mass actions listed above leading up to the bi-coastal actions on April 9, 2011.

 

24.The continuations committee elected at this conference shall reach out to other peace and social justice groups holding protests in the fall of 2010 and the spring of 2011, where such groups' demands and tactics are not inconsistent with those adopted at the UNAC conference, on behalf of exploring ways to maximize unity within the peace and social justice movements this fall and next spring.

---

David Swanson is the author of "Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union"

http://davidswanson.org

http://warisacrime.org

http://facebook.com/pages/David-Swanson/297768373319

http://twitter.com/davidcnswanson

http://youtube.com/afterdowningstreet

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Tell the FDA and the White House to stand up for human health by limiting excessive antibiotic use in animal feed. Clicking on the link below will automatically sign your name to a petition calling for common sense policies that eliminate the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in livestock feed. http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/say_no_to_antibiotics_in_your_food/201?akid=175.73462.MSGDLV&t=7

 

Top dishwasher detergents with low phosphates.

Find out which new, low-phosphate brands are the better cleaners and better for the planet.

Get the details by visiting the link below.

http://email.consumerreports.org/r/c/r?2.1.3JT.2Vr.11iVt4.CeFh7m..T.EIK0.1aoW.bW89MQ%5f%5fDBRYFPd0

 

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* Ten Years Too Long in Afghanistan By Rep. Barbara Lee, Huffington Post, August 4, 2010

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-barbara-lee/ten-years-too-long-in-afg_b_671098.html

      Soon the war in Afghanistan will enter its tenth year. Already the longest war in our nation's history, one thing remains clear -- there is no end in sight.

 

* Oliver Stone Tells the Real Story of the Leftist Latin American Leaders Transforming the Continent By Daniela Perdomo,

http://www.alternet.org/story/147493/

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What Eisenhower Could Teach Obama, Part I

Melvin A. Goodman, Consortium News: "Fifty years ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower told his senior advisers in the Oval Office of the White House, 'God help this country when someone sits in this chair who doesn't know the military as well as I do.' Several months later, he issued his famous warning about the military-industrial complex."

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What is abundantly clear is that the US, whose embassy in Baghdad is now the size of Vatican City, has no intention of letting go of Iraq any time soon. One reason for that can be found in the dozen 20-year contracts to run Iraq's biggest oil fields that were handed out last year to foreign companies, including three of the Anglo-American oil majors that exploited Iraqi oil under British control before 1958.

                                    ...Seamus Milne

 

 

 

 

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