[Peace-discuss] AWARE meeting minutes from last week (29 June 2008)

[Karen Medina]

AWARE meeting minutes
For the meeting that occurred 29 June 2008
Facilitator: Durl Kruse
Note taker: Karen Medina

Corrections Welcome!

Important things to note from this meeting:
*** 
next meeting we will decide if we will participate in the Sweet Corn Festival 
August 2nd and 3rd.
***
A new Working Group was created: tee-shirt to add to our table
***
co-sponsor for a New Sanctuary Movement event in September
***

I.	News of the Week - Carl
Carl had many interesting points. He started with the "lowlight of the week" 
[opposite of hightlight]: The Addington testimony to the House Judiciary 
Committee about Cheney's interrogation techniques. While the testimony was 
going on inside, Amnesty International was outside with their Gtmo prison cell.
-*- Amnesty international has created a replica of a Guantanamo prison cell. 
They travel with it! 

Some notes on the discussion and other news:
Wayne: indicate how bad they need the help
Price of corn, passed $7 a bushel; $10 by Fall?
Ethanol -- factories will continue to produce, but will only drive up the price.

Barbara -- what will happen in Mexico; 
Wayne: wheat is way over $9

II.	Introductions
16 attendees.

III.	Financial
Short list of upcoming soon to be paid:
* 4 people who went to Cleveland which AWARE had agreed to sponsor.
* 4th of July float, the cost of the materials
* Farmer's Market -- the fees for the second half of the season.

Jan also passed around an email from Mike Mulberry asking for support for the 
upcoming visit from the author of "The Devil's Highway: A True Story", Luis 
Alberto Urrea, who will be coming to town Friday September 12, 2008.

IV.	Working Groups
IV-A:	Main Event Working Group
* Next demonstration is July 5th (this coming Saturday)
* Flier? 
** Gary suggested the "Cost of War" flier.
** Carl Suggested our 4th of July stuff; He will contact Randall and see if the 
float stuff can be converted to a flier.
Roger will put out an announcement for the demonstration

* Brenda mentioned a 5k run that would be part of the 4th of July events. 

* Durl suggested enlivening our demonstrations.
* Carl suggested gtmo cell demo like the Amnesty International's replica 
mentioned above in News of the Week. [more information is available here: 
http://celltour.amnesty.org/ ] 
* Durl suggested Utilize our 4th of July float.
* Neil asked if we have to talk to police before we do this (if we have anything 
bigger than just people standing out there).

IV-B: AWARE Presents Working Group
* AWARE Presents will have a meeting next month [July 2008].
* Karen suggested that AWARE Presents discuss co-sponsoring Mike Mulberry's 
visiting author. 
** Gary suggested that AWARE offer to help with the publicity of the Urrea 
event.
* Barbara: Dan Kenney [of Clearwater Project to stop Blackwater Worldwide. Dan 
Kenney is an expert on Blackwater and might be easier to bring down here than 
Jeremy Scahill. Dan Kenney is a teacher in DeKalb.]
 
IV-C: Farmer's Market Working Group
* Ron: the AWARE table is low on tee-shirts and signs, is anyone buying more?
* Durl: not the Impeach tee-shirts; signs seems to have gone 
* Karen: tee-shirts of some sort would be nice.
* Carl spoke in support of the impeach tee-shirts; Leigh wears and gets 
comments all the time. Impeachment can be done after office is vacated. [John 
Conyers]
* Jan: cost of tee-shirts $10-$12. Wisecamp. sold at cost. American Apparels

* Jamie: Scahill -- cost to see him
Anti-torture tee-shirt
* Durl passed around a sheet for a tee-shirt working group

* Ron: a post on the WRFU list mentioned that they had some stuff upstairs that 
did not belong to WRFU and we should look to see if some of it belongs to 
AWARE.

* Barbara: Petitions that have been on the table still need signatures. 

* Roger suggested AWARE business cards: inexpensive business cards with a 
demonstration calendar
** Durl suggested that meeting times could also be mentioned on the cards.
** Ron pointed out that the paper ones were on the table, [but cards might be 
better]
** Roger will look into this idea. 500 business cards was suggested as a starting 
point.
** Jan: will ask if Notes and Quotes does this sort of thing [making of business 
cards]

* Jan asked Karen is she would ask Bob Naiman about stickers.

* Barbara: back to clean elections petition on the AWARE table:
** signatures will go onto a CD
** not enough to put on a state ballot, so switching gears
** at Farmer's Market, she did not know enough to answer questions about
* Paper Ballots was another petition on the table.
* Illinois Coalition asked Barbara to put the petitions 
** After some description and discussion, it was decided that Barbara will send 
the petitions on to the groups that asked us to put them out. During the 
discussion it was mentioned that when people asked about the petitions, some 
of the volunteers knew so little about the issue that they had troubles answering 
questions.

IV-D: AWARE on the Air Working Group
* Last week [June 24] there were 3 prepared statements written out: Ron, Linda, 
and David Green
* Durl: Randall, Mort and Dave Harley were at the Cleveland Conference, 
perhaps one of them would like to talk about the conference during an 
upcoming episode of AWARE on the Air.
* Gary suggested that it might be time for IRV education to begin, and perhaps 
AWARE on the Air might be a place for some of it. Up to now, the IRV group had 
attempted to keep away from AWARE, but now that an education campaign is 
the next step. 
** Carl mentioned that Dave Harley had already mentioned IRV on AWARE on the 
Air. Karen mentioned that it was easy enough to say that IRV is not part of 
AWARE but that it is something that we discuss.

Barbara mentioned that she had done some calling about IRV and that some 
people had already been contacted by Laurel Prussing who was rounding up 
people against IRV.
* Wayne mentioned that someone told him that Laurel Prussing used to be a 
State Representative and was pushy then.

IV-E: Blackwater Working Group
* Blackwater MidWest's connection with the ATF (Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms). 
Dan Kenney from Clearwater is persuing this lead.
* The Bill is moving forward.

IV-F: Fourth of July Working Group
* 2 more work parties planned for the float construction.
** 709 S. Poplar, Urbana.
** panels are constructed
** posters printed off
** Wednesday, 6:30pm, will use wallpaper paste to attach the posters to the 8 
panels 
** Thursday, mount the panels on the wagon, decorate the float; 6:30
** Friday, July 4, hook up and join; 
11:30
entry 60, meet at corner of Oregon and Busey
parade starts at 1:05pm
Bring signs
IVAW, people form Indiana, Joe Miller from Vietnam Veterans
AWARE's float is before fire trucks and behind the clowns
People should be there by 12:45pm
Coming back from the end of the parade, some people can ride on the bed of 
the truck. Others might need a car to ride in.

V.	Old Business
V-A: Cleveland Conference - 3 plus Jacob Crawford from Edwardwardsville 
(Randall recruited him at the 4th of

V-A: Additional Protest
wait for Stuart - Location mentioned is Springfield and Mattis
July 19th, Saturday
Flier

VI.	New Ideas
* Peace Calendars, if we order by July 18th then each calendar will cost us 
$5.58; We can sell them for more. Buy 50; they should be here by September. 
All those present agreed that the peace calendars idea should be done.

* The Luis Urrea event mentioned earlier -- September 12.  Someone could 
write a letter to the editor.
Karen agreed to go to the Mennonites
Nelofar might be interested in helping to secularize the study guide-- Jamie 
and Karen

* Sweetcorn Festival - 
Friday August 2
Saturday, August 3, 11am-11pm
All groups are expected to be there both days.
Carl: We can always pack up things on Saturday when the music begins. We get 
loads of interest at this event; different group and conversations than those at 
the Farmer's Market.
$75 for both days [last year it cost us $50]
We should make sure we have plenty of literature and materials
11' x 11' space
Construction will be going on for the Clock Tower, so it will be a different 
configuration.
Perhaps write to the organizers and tell them that "our display and participation 
depends on being able to carry on conversation, so we need to be farther from 
the music than we were last year."

* YouTube -- Conrad and Barbara
put AWARE on the Air on YouTube -- 


VII.	Events of the Past Week
* Conrad: billboard, Rochester MN, Martyne's sister would like more information 
on the billboard. Billboard is in Barbara's car, quite small, but heavy.

* Conrad: Central District Conference of the Mennonites; Iran situation

* Roger: our congressman was instrumental in embargo of Iran; what's wrong 
with this picture

* Doug: pastor's for peace event at Catholic Worker's house was kind of a non-
event; Bill Taylor

* Barbara: Florence Ntaka...  's visit  -- African Studies Conference at the U of I 
on Tuesday; Tuesday, AWARE on the Air, fast speech; Wednesday at Quakers, 
Janet, Stuart, Ann; Friday at Mosque, Conrad, Roger, good questions, 
Conrad: website, video, very good.  The guy that was coming was refused a 
visa. 
[Ron and Doug left]

* Neil mentioned the Tamms prison issue, his recent article in the Public i 
(Summer 2008 issue), Illinois house bill 6651, Naomi Jakobsen, compromise, 
call and thank Naomi
Barbara: Neil, are you writing the article on John Burge for August? 

VIII.	Upcoming Events

1st week of July, 2008 peace related events 
* Monday, June 30th, IRV at the Cunningham Township Meeting.

Float Construction Parties 
2 work parties! 
* Wednesday, July 2, 2008 
6:30pm, wall paper paste, 8 panels, 
* Thursday, July 3, 2008 
6:30 pm, mount the panels on the wagon, decorate the float; 
Where: 
Wayne's lab 
709 S. Poplar in Urbana 
Just come to the back door of the yellow building and knock 
contact jandurl at comcast.net 

Friday, July 4, 2008 
AWARE's entry in the parade 
AWARE is entry number 60, behind clowns and before fire trucks. 
Theme of the entire parade is "Honoring Our Military Heroes" 
AWARE's float theme is "Honoring Our Military Heroes Who Speak Against War" 
Parade starts at 1:05 PM 
AWARE needs to be lined up by 12:45 PM at the corner of Oregon and Busey. 
If you can park your car at the end of the route, contact jandurl at comcast.net 

Friday, July 4, 2008 
Brenda mentioned the 5k race for the 4th of July. 
Assembly Hall 
9:30am registration, $20, east side on Fourth Street. 
see http://www.news-
gazette.com/news/parks_recreation/2008/06/29/plenty_of_ways_to_celebrate_
fourth_of_july 

Saturday July 5, 2008 
Main Event (peace demonstration) 
2-4 PM 
The corner of Main & Neil Streets in Champaign 
Flier? 
Gary suggested Cost of War 
Carl suggested our 4th of July stuff; he will talk to Randall. 
Roger will put out an announcement for the demonstration. 
Tuesday, July 8, 2008 
AWARE on the Air 
Taping at 1pm at the Urbana City Council Chambers 
Showing at 10pm on UPTV 

Monday, July 14, 2008 
Mennonite event -- speaker 
"Sustainability -- A Choice to Consider: Living on Earth as If We Want to Stay" 
Presentation by: Mike Nickerson and Donna Dillman from Lanark, Ontario. 
Together they administer "The Sustainability Project" -- an educational, non-
profit organization that promotes green values. They are traveling across 
Canada and into the US. Mike is the author of the new book: "Life, Money & 
Illusion: Living on Earth as if we want to stay" 
7:00 PM 
First Mennonite Church 
902 West Springfield Avenue Urbana, Illinois 
[Conrad mentioned that the Artic Ice will melt this summer, much faster than 
previously expected.
Jamie: Have noticed several letters to the editor questioning all this.]

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 
AWARE on the Air 
Taping at 1pm at the Urbana City Council Chambers 
Showing at 10pm on UPTV 

Friday, July 18 
Saturday, July 19 
Howard Zinn's play: "Marx in Soho: A Play on History" 2 showings! 
Description: Karl Marx returns to explain himself again. A one-man play by 
Howard Zinn, author of "A People's History of the United States." 
* First showing: Friday July 18, 2008 7:30 pm 
Where: Independent Media Center, 202 S. Broadway Ave.; 
* Second showing: Saturday July 19, 2008 7:30 pm 
Where: Channing-Murray Foundation, 1209 W. Oregon St.., Urbana 
For more information: Call 367-7329 

July 19, 2008 
2-4pm 
Additional peace demonstration 
More information to follow, but right now the plan is for Springfield Avenue near 
Mattis in Champaign. 

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 
AWARE on the Air 
Taping at 1pm at the Urbana City Council Chambers 
Showing at 10pm on UPTV 

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 
AWARE on the Air 
Taping at 1pm at the Urbana City Council Chambers 
Showing at 10pm on UPTV 

Friday August 2, 2008 
Saturday August 3 
Sweet Corn Festival 
AWARE is considering having a table. This year it costs $75 for the 2 days, and 
we are not allowed to do just one day. Last year it cost only $50. 

Friday September 12, 2008 
author Luis Urrea will visit Champaign-Urbana 
Book: "The Devil's Highway" 
Coordinators for the event: New Sanctuary Movement (Mike Mulberry's group) 
* Author of "The Devil's Highway: A True Story", Luis Alberto Urrea, will be 
coming to town Friday September 12, 2008.
The book is about an incident in 2001 of 26 men attempting to cross the 
Mexican border into the desert of southern Arizona, through the deadliest 
region of the continent. Only 12 men came back out. The author, Luis Alberto 
Urrea, is from Tijuana but now lives outside Chicago. 'Urrea unloads on, in the 
words of one Mexican consul, "the politics of stupidity that rules both sides of 
the border." Mexican and U.S. border policy is backward, Urrea finds, and it 
does little to stem the flow of immigrants. Since the policy results in Mexicans 
making the crossing in increasingly forbidding areas, it contributes to the 
conditions that kill those who attempt it.'
** There is also a study guide and an invitation for churches and other groups to 
read the book.
** AWARE will co-sponsor the event and has offered to help with the publicity.


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Other Interesting Information
* Visitor: Brenda
* Adam - return
* Gary announced that the cookies were courtesy of MoveOn.org. Later, Jan told 
us that the Democrats had a bake sale fundraising for Obama at the Farmer's 
Market on Saturday (28 June) and had loads of cookies left over. Somehow, 
AWARE became the benefactor of the leftovers. The cookies were the center of 
many jokes, most from Carl. 
* Premier show this Sunday morning on WEFT - Durl, Gloria, Jan, music, Doug 
was there cheering them on.
Jamie heard it on the radio. It was available by Webcast.