[Peace-discuss] Meeting Minutes 3/23

[Amy K]

 AWARE  Meeting Notes 3/23/03
 INTROS

 MUSIC FROM IRAQ:  Sampled CD, short discussion

 NEWS OF THE WEEK (Carl):   See www.anti-war.net for text

 EVENTS OF PAST WEEK:

1.      Student Peace Action Rally—About 300 people marched around campus.  No arrests.  Marched through Illini Union, marched in the streets.  Police re-routed traffic.  Marched to West Side Park Vigil.

2.      Move On Vigil—About 500 people participated.  Diverse participants.

3.      AWARE Vigil At West Side Park—People started arriving at 4:30 pm.  Many groups marched to vigil.  Lots of singing, candles.

4.      PRC Rally—Over 1,000 people attended.  Jello Biafra spoke briefly. 

5.      Prospect for Peace—About 280 people attended.  Need more signs.  Police were cooperative.  Park at old Best Buy (around by O’brian Car Dealership.  DO NOT PARK AT TIRES PLUS OR LOWES!  They will tow you!   Counter protesters were present also.  Robert Mckim called about having signs like “Methodists for Peace.”  Security working group dealing with issues of confrontation with counter demonstrators.  

 ELECTION UPDATE (Ken):  Champaign City Council has 3 seats open.  Openings  on Champaign and Urbana School Boards.  Ken interested in effort to get Representative Tim Johnson out of office.  Ken is running for Champaign City Council.  Cope Cumston is running for Urbana School Board.  Vote on April 1st.

FINANCIAL REPORT:  We have $2,025.

MOSQUE SECURITY (Robert):  Mosque has had people checking on it during night hours.  Anyone interested in helping out should indicate this to Robert.

 DISCUSSION (What Next?):  Carl suggests talking more publicly in addition to demos, possibility of arranging a forum at the Champaign Library.  

Peter Miller spoke in favor of teach-ins, dialogue, canvassing, etc. in order reach people who are undecided.  

Working group on tax resistance.  Working Group on Conscientious Objection.How do we break down the myth of Iraqi liberation?How do we step up resistance?  Supporting the Impeach Bush movement?

Republican congress is cutting veterans’ benefits by 9 million, we need to disseminate this info.  Could instigate a debate on WEFT between AWARE and Pro-War protestors.  

P4P signs could have specific info on them, statistics, etc.  Could raise funds for humanitarian NGOs in Iraq.  Could send care packages to troops to back up the “Support Our Troops Send them Home” message.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  3/30 at 4pm at the IMC, the Nonviolence group will meet for role playing.  Jeremy Glick (author of “Another World is Possible”) will speak about peace on 4/10 at 7pm at the University YMCA.  International Solidarity Movement (Palestinian Truth Tour) coming through on 4/13.  More info on ISN event posted as it becomes available.

 



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