[Peace-discuss] AWARE Minutes
Morton K. Brussel
brussel4 at insightbb.com
Tue Dec 20 12:19:07 CST 2005
Corrections and additions are solicited.
December 18, 2005
Facilitator: Durl Kruse
Minutes: Mort Brussel/Bob Ilyes
1. News of the Week: Carl Estabrook: Lies and snooping. Posted
separately.
2. Introductions: 15 attending.
3. Haiti: Ricky Baldwin, Carl Estabrook, and Mort Brussel. Questions
posed at our previous meeting were discussed: A sordid history of
U.S. interference and connivance came to light against persistent
resistance by the Haitian populace to occupation and repression.
4. New Ideas:
a) Sponsorship of Action Darfur program: Speaker Simon Deng on campus
(Allen Hall?) 2/19 - 2/23.
b) Request from YMCA to co-sponsor William Schultz, Director of
Amnesty International, at Friday Forum in Spring semester was
approved with contribution of $50.
c) Proposal that AWARE rent office space at IMC with two other
organizations for $180/month, meaning $60 per organization/month,
less than what we currently pay. Space would include office adjoining
current meeting area in basement.
d) UPTV Commission opening? Candidates solicited. Call Mayor
Prussing if interested.
5. Working Groups:
a) Finance: No report. $52 collected at Lincoln Square market Saturday.
b) Market on the Square: Final week--a successful venture.
c) Church Presence: Good turnout, albeit frigid, at St. Mathews
Catholic Church, Champaign. No problems encountered. Police presence
was mild. Pamphlets handed out to passing cars were exhausted. A
variety of responses were observed including an friendly invitation
for tea by a neighbor. Future "Presences" are planned at a rate of
one/month after the holiday vacation.
d) Urbana City Council Resolution to end the occupation: Meetings
continue with individual members of the City Council, and a meeting
with mayor Prussing has been scheduled for Wednesday next. The
Council members met with so far (Smythe, Chynoweth, Roberts and
Bowersox) seem sympathetic. Petitions in support of the resolution
are being collected [at McKinley Church --the interfaith coalition
against the war ceremony-- and at our Lincoln Square table]. A Town
Hall meeting on the issue is being planned for Thursday, 2/21, in the
U. City Council chambers. We have suggested that a vote on the
resolution by the City Council be taken on 3/21/'06, close to the
third anniversary of "Shock and Awe".
• Working group meeting: [Jamie/Gary Storm's home, 104 George Huff
Dr., U., January 4] This will include consideration of Peacepac effort.
e) Counter Recruiting: Recruiters have been noticeably present in
the High School. A letter sent to the UHS by Durl requesting
information on military recruiting in the high school was answered by
the principal with a formal request for completion of a Freedom of
Information form! Durl complied, with answers expected within a
week. Letters have also been sent by Durl to Central and Centennial
high schools. We plan for a counter-recruitment table in the UHS post-
vacation.
f) "One Main" anti-war demonstration". Next on January 7, 2006, 2-4 PM.
6. Events:
a) Ricky noted that the Walmart picketing went well, but did not
deter the Walmart shopping frenzy.
b) We've received complements on the McKinley interfaith demonstration
from folks who assumed that AWARE organized it!
c) The Venezuelan ambassador was unable to touch down (fog), but the
Venezuelan Consul from Chicago happened to appear, and an
enlightening and spirited discussion ensued about the situation there.
7. Next week: There will be no AWARE meeting on Christmas day.
Ricky has offered to facilitate the New Years day meeting.
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