Sunday, October 26, 2008

Upcoming Events - 10/26/08

Next meeting of the WNC Peace Coalition will be on November 18, 2008 at 7 PM at Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville. Hope you can join us!

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TIME TO VOTE! EARLY VOTING STARTED ON OCTOBER 16!

Announcements, upcoming events and corrections can be posted in the comments. Photo is of the Brevard Peace Vigil this past summer.

EVENTS

10/01/08 to 10/30/08 WNC PSR cosponsors with Center for Diversity Education at UNCA the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Poster Exhibit in Karpen Hall, UNCA, open Mon. - Fri., 8 - 5. Scenes of the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are on 30 large posters, advocating peaceful disarmament of all nuclear weapons nations by increasing citizen awareness.

10/27/08 WNC Chapter of the Network of Spiritual Progressives will meet at Jubilee (Patton Street entrance). BYO dinner at 5:30, meeting at 6 PM. Contact Bob at bobb@main.nc.us for more information.

10/27/08 Asheville-Buncombe Community Relations Council will facilitate a forum at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville. This will address the violent murders that took place at the Unitarian Church in Knoxville this past July. Speakers include Rev Mark Ward, Rev Phyllis Martin, Sheriff Duncan, and Dr. Keith Bramlett. Open to the public. (not sure of the time, but have heard it was 7 PM)

10/27/08 Candidates forum for NC House and NC Senate at Randolph Learning Center at 90 Montford Avenue in Asheville. Time is 7 PM and this is sponsored by the League of Women Voters. For more information, please contact Sandra Abromitis at abromitis@msn.com.

10/31/08 The 1960’s film “Dr. Strangelove” will be shown at 9 PM at the Highsmith Student Union Grotto at UNCA.

11/01/08 Buncombe County Green Party meeting at 10 AM at the Fortune building on Haywood Street. Call David at 828-683-1783 or email ireland.dw@juno.com for more information.

11/01/08 Asheville Branch of the NAACP will hold a Freedom Fund and Awards Banquet. Keynote speakers will be Rev. William Barber II, president of the NC NAACP. Banquet and award ceremony starts at 7 PM at the Double Tree Biltmore on Hendersonville Road. Advance tickets are $35 until October 20th, or $45 after that date. Tickets may be ordered by sending check to PO Box 2881, Asheville NC, 28802 or by calling 281-3066.

11/04/08 Election Day

11/04/08 Dept of Peace Campaign meets at 7 PM at the Community Action Opportunities Building at 25 Gaston Street. Contact Laura at 665-3668 for directions or more information.

11/06/08 Veterans for Peace meet at 6:30 PM at Firestorm Café & Books in Asheville. Contact Ronald at 828-LUCK 180 for more information.

11/11/08 Veteran’s Day

11/11/08 WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility meeting at UU Church in Asheville on Charlotte and Edwin St. Contact Lew at patrie.wncpsr@main.nc.us or call 828-299-1242 for more information.

11/11/08 Town Hall Forum on Immigration at St. Eugene’s Catholic Church at 72 Culvern Street in Asheville. No signs please. Interpretation in English and Spanish will be provided, but no child care. There will be no speakers, no panel of experts, just neighbors sharing opinions and experiences and questions. Time is 7 to 9 PM. Sponsored by the Asheville Buncombe Community Relations Council.

11/14/08 Activist Movie Club in Waynesville. Contact John at buckley_john@bellsouth.net for information on the movie to be shown, directions and to RSVP.

11/14/08 Unitarian Universalist Congregation will show a movie at 7 PM. Discussion will follow. Free, donations accepted. Contact Lew at patrie.wncpsr@main.nc.us or call 828-299-1242 for more information.

11/16/08 The Ethical Society of Asheville will meet at 2 PM at the Botanical Gardens Visitor Center at 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd in Asheville. Jim Roush, President of Western North Carolina Chapter of the United Nations Association will speak on Ethical Issues in UN Policies, Programs and Implementation. The Presentation will be followed by a discussion period and, following the meeting, there will be time for informal conversation. All are Welcome! For more information contact: asheville@aeu.org, www.aeu.org or 687-7759.

11/17/08 Presentation on Middle East peacemaking and US Christians at All Souls Cathedral in Biltmore Village from 7 to 9 PM. This is organized by the NC Council of Churches. On November 17, the North Carolina Council of Churches will offer a public program on Iran and the prospects for peace in Israel-Palestine and Iraq following the November 4 election, at All Souls' Cathedral, on the corner of Rt. 25 and Angle St., at Biltmore Village.

11/17/08 WNC Chapter of the Network of Spiritual Progressives will meet at Jubilee (Patton Street entrance). BYO dinner at 5:30, meeting at 6 PM. Contact Bob at bobb@main.nc.us for more information.

11/17/08 WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility meeting moved to 11/11/08.

11/18/08 WNC Peace Coalition meeting at UU Church in Asheville at 7 PM. Please enter on the north side. Contact the Peace Line at 271-0022 for more information.

11/20/08 Transgender Day of Remembrance

11/21/08 to 11/23/08 Converge on Fort Benning, Georgia. The annual November vigil to close the School of the Americas at the gates of Fort Benning will follow the presidential election by two weeks. It will be an opportunity for the progressive movement to push for the closure of the SOA/WHINSEC and to set an agenda against oppressive U.S. foreign policy, whatever the result of that election is. More information at www.soaw.org.

11/25/08 Asheville City Council to hear Common Sense at the Nuclear Crossroads presentation on their local campaign to raise awareness about existing nuclear shipments of materials and waste and the prevention of an enormous increase in quantity (and hazard) of nuclear waste if “recycling” of nuclear waste is approved and takes place in South Carolina. They are asking for an ordinance that would make it a crime to bring irradiated fuel through the city. PLEASE attend the November 25 City Council meeting at Asheville City Hall, inviting folks who care about this issue to attend as well. There will be a public comments period on this issue. For more information, contact Mary Olson at nirs@main.nc.us.

12/01/08 World AIDS Day

12/02/08 Dept of Peace Campaign meets at 7 PM at the Community Action Opportunities Building at 25 Gaston Street. Contact Laura at 665-3668 for directions or more information.

12/04/08 Veterans for Peace meet at 6:30 PM at Firestorm Café & Books in Asheville. Contact Ronald at 828-LUCK 180 for more information.

12/06/08 Buncombe County Green Party meeting at 10 AM at the Fortune building on Haywood Street. Call David at 828-683-1783 or email ireland.dw@juno.com for more information.

12/10/08 Human Rights Day

12/12/08 to 12/14/08 United for Peace & Justice will hold their National Assembly near Chicago at the Wyndham O’Hare Hotel.

12/12/08 Unitarian Universalist Congregation will show a film at 7 PM. Discussion will follow. Free, donations accepted. Contact Lew at patrie.wncpsr@main.nc.us or call 828-299-1242 for more information.

12/15/08 Bill of Rights Day

12/16/08 WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility meeting at UU Church in Asheville on Charlotte and Edwin St. Contact Lew at patrie.wncpsr@main.nc.us or call 828-299-1242 for more information.

12/16/08 WNC Peace Coalition meeting at UU Church in Asheville at 7 PM. Please enter on the north side. Contact the Peace Line at 271-0022 for more information.

12/21/08 The Ethical Society of Asheville will meet at 2 PM at the Botanical Gardens Visitor Center at 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd in Asheville.

01/13/09 to 01/17/09 “Heeding God’s Call: A Gathering on Peace” in Philadelphia. This is a gathering of the Religious Society of Friends, Church of the Brethren and Mennonite Church. The purpose of the gathering is to strengthen our witness and work for peace in the world by inspiring hope, raising voices, taking action. More information at www.peacegathering2009.org.

January 20, 2009: Join thousands to demand "Bring the troops home now!"

01/27/09 to 02/01/09 World Social Forum will be held in Brazil. The World Social Forum is an open meeting place where social movements, networks, NGOs and other civil society organizations opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism come together to pursue their thinking, to debate ideas democratically, for formulate proposals, share their experiences freely and network for effective action. http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/.

3/21/09 Massive day of protest against the Iraq occupation and war.

Mass Actions on the 6th Anniversary of the Iraq War -- March 21, 2009
Bring All the Troops Home Now -- End All Colonial Occupations!
Fund People's Needs, Not Militarism & Bank Bailouts!

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ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ACTIONS

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The American Friends Service Committee, following the research of Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz, has calculated that the Iraq war is costing U.S. taxpayers $720 million per day. Stiglitz adds up the cost of Iraq War operations, including the interest on money borrowed for the war and the cost of medical treatment for returning wounded veterans, and the total is close to double the cost of the bailout — or $1.4 trillion.

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From Nuclear Information and Resource Service:

GLOBAL NUCLEAR ENERGY PARTNERSHIP -- (GNEP)

Your help is needed to turn back this radioactive tide!

GNEP is the revival of reprocessing--now called "recycling" by the nuclear industry. It's a waste "solution" that actually makes the problem worse, expanding the volume without reducing radioactivity; going from solid ceramic form of waste to a caustic liquid form of the waste that worldwide is dumped in water (France into the English Channel, Scotland into the Irish Sea, Russia into the Tetcha River, and Japan into the ocean).
GNEP is the development of plutonium power since reprocessing only re-uses 1% of the waste -- which is the plutonium made by using uranium to make electricity.
GNEP is the new nuclear colonialism/empire--in which the USA sells reactors world-wide, supplies fuel to the reactors world-wide and takes back the waste to get the plutonium -- and keep it "safe."
GNEP is the commercialization of plutonium as fuel worldwide, or the pipedream of breeder reactors or maybe even the source of plutonium for "other purposes" -- who knows? DOE makes the rules, and DOE has a history of breaking rules.
GNEP is the opportunity for the US to keep all the wastes from reprocessing the world's irradiated fuel...
GNEP would be the largest nuclear waste shipping campaign on the planet. domestically and globally. A GLOBAL MOBILE CHERNOBYL -- all US ports would be impacted!
GNEP is absurd -- a nuclear theme-park based on a pipe-dream -- plutonium fueled reactors have been tried and failed a dozen times. This technology is not viable.
GNEP is a threat to national security: making the US the world's nuke dump is not security. Supplying plutonium fuel worldwide is like handing everyone a nuclear bomb factory.
GNEP is a threat to our health and our children's health, and their children's health.
GNEP would make our economic situation WORSE. It is a losing proposition worldwide--and even in France it has been acknowledged that the policy is a "posture" of a waste solution- not an actual one.

The US Department of Energy has written a programmatic environmental impact statement on GNEP. The draft PEIS is available on-line: http://www.gnep.energy.gov/pdfs/GNEP_PEIS.pdf.
and it is holding public hearings on this document. WE NEED TO MOBILIZE PEOPLE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS and SPEAK AGAINST EXPANSION OF NUCLEAR POWER and RELAPSE OF REPROCESSING -- we need Moms, Dads, kids, grandparents, students, professionals, all kinds of activists!

Here are the locations; for addresses see http://www.ananuclear.org/Portals/0/documents/GNEP DRAFT PEIS HEARING SCHEDULE.pdf
Hobbs, NM is November 17
Carlsbad and Roswell, NM are November 18
Los Alamos, NM is November 20
Pasco, WA is November 17
Hood River, OR is November 18
Idaho Falls, ID is November 20
Paducah, KY is December 1
Piketon, OH is December 2
Oak Ridge, TN is December 2
Graniteville, SC is December 4
Bolingbrook, IL on December 4
DC is December 9

All the hearings are at 7 pm, except Carlsbad, NM (9 am) and DC (1 p.m.)

Need more information? Have questions? Contact:
Mary Olson
NIRS Southeast Regional Coordinator
Nuclear Information & Resource Service
PO Box 7586 Asheville, NC 28802
nirs@main.nc.us www.nirs.org.
828-675-1792
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD!

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Kucinich: “Support the Iraqi Desire to Keep its own Oil Revenue

Rejects Bush’s Logic Iraqi Oil is Necessary to Protect National Security

Washington D.C (October 22, 2008) -- Following a declaration by President Bush that he would like the U.S. to have the ability to control Iraq's oil, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today sent a letter to Members of Congress calling on his colleagues to co-sponsor H.R. 6710, the Oil for Iraq Liberation Act of 2008 which prohibits U.S.-based oil companies from owning, financing or controlling the petroleum resources of Iraq.

Congressman Kucinich renewed his call for support of the O.I.L. Act after President Bush issued a signing statement last week that rejected a provision in S. 3001, the Duncan Hunter Defense Authorization Act, that ensured that funds would not be used “[t]o exercise United States control of oil resources in Iraq.” President Bush asserted in the signing statement that the provision would inhibit his constitutional authority to “protect national security” or “conduct diplomatic negotiations.”

“The nations of the Middle East have chosen for decades to nationalize their oil resources. Iraq has committed to continuing this practice by constitutionally guaranteeing that the oil and gas resources of Iraq are owned by all the people of Iraq. That is their sovereign right, and the United States must support the Iraqi desire to keep its own oil revenue. Since the President has shown he doesn’t respect Iraq’s sovereign rights, Congress must pass H.R. 6710, and stop U.S. companies and individuals from profiting off of Iraq’s oil revenues,” stated Kucinich.

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From Friends Committee on National Legislation: Penny Wise and Pound Foolish

The financial crisis and the $700 billion government bailout will challenge members of Congress elected in November to reduce government spending. What programs will be cut and how?

Will the fiscal crisis persuade Congress and the next president to cut the military budget? Or will they continue to expand military spending while shortchanging investments in deadly conflict prevention, green research and development, education, water and sewage systems, and affordable health care?

The next president and Congress could save billions of dollars and better protect the United States by investing now to prevent wars before they break out. The report FCNL sent to Congress this week points out that years of underfunding have left the United States with a "prevention gap": empty desks at U.S. embassies around the world, insufficient assistance for developing countries, and unpaid bills at the United Nations.

Take Action

Write a letter to your local paper.

Let your neighbors know that the U.S. government can save money in the future by preventing deadly conflict now. Urge candidates running for national office in your area to cut military spending and invest in rebuilding U.S. civilian foreign policy agencies, international cooperation, development assistance, and other diplomatic tools. The United States should stop runaway military spending and invest in tools that can prevent wars and save both lives and money.

Find out more about preventing deadly conflict. Read FCNL's report to Congress, The Responsibility to Prevent. See tips for writing letters to the editor.

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Warning of an Imminent Massacre: Colombian's Call for International Support!

Just a few weeks ago Colombia's President Uribe was in the United States with a delegation of 80 people claiming the human rights situation in Colombia is better. Events of the last week show that the situation is worse.

Violent and repressive tactics are being used against thousands of Indigenous people who are participating in a national mobilization to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis they face.

In Cauca where the most severe violence is occurring 35 people were wounded yesterday when the Colombian military and anti-riot police shot indiscriminately into a crowd of 12,000 who were blockading a road.

Yesterday, the Association of Indigenous Townships (ACIN) as well as the National Organization of Indigenous People (ONIC) warned of an imminent massacre at the hands of the Colombian army and anti-riot police.

Our e-mail boxes are flooded with requests for action and support. You can help by urging the U.S. Department of State and congress to work vigorously to ensure human rights conditions for U.S. military assistance to Colombia are being enforced.

Under U.S. legislation the Colombian military has to ensure that the Colombian Armed Forces are not violating the land and property rights of Colombia's Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, and that the Colombian Armed Forces are implementing procedures to distinguish between civilians, including displaced persons, and combatants in their operations."

Please call Susan Sanford, Colombia Desk Officer at the State Department at (202) 647-3142. Here is a script of a sample message:

"I am calling today to bring to your attention the violent tactics the Colombian army and anti-riot police are using against Indigenous protesters. The worst of this violence is taking place in southwestern Colombia, the department of Cauca. I want to urge you and your colleagues to ensure that human rights conditions for U.S. military assistance are being enforced. I also encourage you to call on the Colombian government to deal with the protesters through dialogue and in a peaceful manner."

Then call your member of Congress and urge them to take action to prevent further bloodshed in Colombia. (202) 224-3121 and ask the Capitol Switchboard operator to connect you to your member of Congress' office, or click here to enter your address and find your representative and their direct phone number. Here is a sample message:

"Just a few weeks ago Colombia's President Uribe was in the United States with a delegation of 80 people claiming the human rights situation in Colombia is better. But the Colombian army and anti-riot police are using repressive and violent tactics against indigenous protesters. 35 people were wounded, some possibly fatally, when the army shot indiscriminately into a crowd. Please call on the Department of State to take rigorous measures to ensure that human rights conditions for U.S. military assistance to Colombia are being enforced."

Natalia Cardona, Peacebuilding Unit
American Friends Service Committee
Tel: (215)241-7162 Fax: (215) 241-7000
www.afsc.org/colombia.
www.tradeandwar.org.

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