[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Fwd: AWARE minutes for posting!

[Alfred Kagan]

>
>
>--A.W.A.R.E. Meeting Minutes--
>
>Sunday, July 11, 2004
>
>minutes by Nicky D.
>
>meeting led by Gabe who is leaving town with a big bang which we are all
>invited
>to witness at his (grandmother’s) house next Saturday (he’s having a pot-luck
>party). She won’t be home, so the biggest concern will be the weather.
>
>INTRODUCTIONS
>we all said our names and told about something exciting or some exciting trip
>coming up for us this summer. 
>
>NEWS OF THE WEEK
>All the news was in the form of individual contributions.  Here they are, in
>brief summary:
>
>The 4th of July parade (including the prize-winning AWARE float) was
>rebroadcast
>on UPTV
>
>There are 2 good articles to read in the Independent: “Iraq in Reverse” (which
>might be able to be turned into a flyer for AWARE) and another one called “The
>New Iraq”
>
>The new U.S. sponsored Haitian government has been refused recognition by the
>Caribbean community.
>
>The U.S. and Mr. Sharon seem to be ignoring the International Criminal Court
>decision which stated (15 to 1) that extending the Wall in Israel is illegal.
>Folks are also trying to rationalize recent bombings as an inevitable response
>to this ruling.
>
>Since the “terror alert level” has put us all in danger of “imminent attack,”
>there may be some sort of delay in upcoming (presidential?) elections.
>
>There are many, many poor Indians in Iraq right now, shipped in as
>subcontractors of subcontractors of 
>subcontractors to rebuild the place.  These
>workers are in pretty bad way for the are signed up to work in Iraq for many
>months for conditions and pay that amounts to a scenario comparable to
>indentured servitude.  They are hired out through Brown and Root (sp?), a
>Haliburton Subsidiary.
>
>It’s been difficult for farmers in Afghanistan to replace their revenue and
>acreage from poppy crops with crops that provide comparable income at the same
>time as a recent U.N. report that global poppy yield is higher this year than
>in
>a long time (especially in Afghanistan).
>
>There is still ethic discrimination and expulsion and abuse of minorities  in
>Kosovo, a region we thought we mucked through and straightened out years ago.
>
>The Electoral College has flip-flopped on their statement about the U.S.
>military in Iraq.  There original objections have been replaced by a blander
>affirmation of the whole affair.
>
>The U.S. now says that it is okay for Cuban 
>Americans to send gifts (non-plant,
>non-veterinary) to their immediate family members still in Cuba.
>
>The Pentagon regretfully announced that some of GWB’s military records were
>accidentally destroyed.
>
>WORKING GROUPS
>Commentary on WILL-AM: Kim, Randall’s contact there, is on vacation and when
>she
>is in the office she is having a few slight communication delays/difficulties
>in
>convincing the right person about the proposed weekly commentaries from AWARE
>for the radio station
>
>Democracy Now on UPTV: there are over 450 signatures on the petition! and 500
>seems likely by Monday’s meeting with the Commission.  There is no “overt
>opposition” to any part of the proposal, save trying to interpret a “small
>degree of tight-lippedness”.  The Commission meeting where the AWARE petition
>will be presented  is at noon on Monday, July 12 at the Urbana Council
>Chambers.
>  There is also the exciting revelation that 
>AWARE might be able to have a short
>underwriting announcement at the beginning and end of the broadcast.
>
>Tabling at Bordmans: Jan has been re-stocking the AWARE table at the theater
>every couple of days and has collected about 
>$140 since the Taste o’ Champaign.
>  She reports that most people are being honest about money in the box.  Mitch,
>an assistant manager at the theater, has been 
>very nice.  We are left to wonder
>if the AWARE table will be allowed to remain 
>through the runs of some up-coming
>films: Control Room, The Corporation, Michael Moore Hates America.
>
>Legal Committee: Only to remind that the meeting with the Chief of Police and
>the City Attorney is still scheduled for July 20th.
>
>Farmer’s Market: The table was devotedly tabled last weekend from 7am to noon
>and people there are absolutely rabid and raving about the yard signs.  There
>was a small disaster with the tent so the purchase of a new one (for less than
>$200) is being investigated. $143.50 were collected at the table from sales of
>pins, signs, stickers, etc (more bumper stickers, it was decided, will be
>ordered this week). 
>
>Finances: There’s $2432.71 in the bank.  Recent subtractions were made to
>secure
>a spot at the Sweet Corn Festival and an ad in the CCHCC.
>
>Prospect for Peace: Even in the pouring rain a couple dozen people and their
>umbrellas had a colorful presence last Saturday out on the corner. 
>
>Literature Committee: Work is in progress for the new pamphlet on U.S. Foreign
>Policy (I believe).  New pamphlet ideas 
>proposed: Iraq and Nuclear Weapons; the
>latter to be completed, possibly, by August 6.
>
>Stencil-Spay-Do-It-Yourself Yard Signs: A good time to practice spraying the 3
>signs (a patriotic dove, PEACE IS PATRIOTIC, and REGIME CHANGE)  might be at
>Gabe’s house Saturday evening.  People could perhaps rummage for some spray
>paint to bring along to the party.  Ricky has loads of old signs in his garage
>we can use to paint.  It seems like it will be a good Farmer’s Market activity
>and the proposed small-scale stencil just for kids is in the works.  Nicky is
>leaving town the 1st week of August, though, so hopefully a good method for
>getting the signs painted will be worked out by then.
>
>EVENTS OF THE WEEK JUST PASSED: Everybody is 
>sunning in the splendor of the 3rd
>place trophy for the AWARE float in the 4th of July Parade.  We all got to see
>a
>lovely slide show of the making of the glorious float.  Peaceniks from
>California joined the AWARE stream of parade-walkers.  Belly dancers were
>flocking to float to offer their services in the 
>parade.  They were turned away
>as tactfully as one can dismiss a gaggle of 
>eager belly dancers, but the barbed
>wire would have been a problem.
>
>NEW IDEAS: The Z-net article discussion may perhaps be deferred til fall
>because...folks need to pick their positions, because there needs to be a day
>set, because there may be more interested people when the season changes and
>brings to Urbana some who are always in migration.
>
>UPCOMING EVENTS:
>I’m sorry I can’t report this better, but: 
>Adrienne is coming back to town from
>adventures abroad, with slides, proposing an 
>evening viewing at her house after
>next week’s meeting.
>
>SIGN MAKING PARTY ON JULY 16TH AT 7PM AT 605 W. OREGON STREET, URBANA
>
>A Gathering at the Alma Mater (corner of Green and Wright) on AUGUST 6th AT
>NOON
>to remember HIROSHIMA, to protest low-power 
>nuclear bombs, bunker buster bombs,
>etc.
>
>GABES GOING-AWAY LAWN  PARTY at grandma’s house ON SATURDAY (but I don’t know
>where that is....)  BRING FOOD, AND A CHAIR OR TABLE. 
>
>The pie was yu-ummy!
>
>----- End forwarded message -----
>
>
>
>
>----- End forwarded message -----


-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu