[Peace-discuss] Re: [Peace] minutes of weekly AWARE meeting
2009-02-22
Jenifer Cartwright
jencart13 at yahoo.com
Tue Feb 24 14:57:10 CST 2009
Randall,
Yr minutes are so extensive and thorough that they should be called hours.
(This is NOT a criticism, just funning with ya... )
--Jenifer
--- On Tue, 2/24/09, Randall Cotton <recotton at earthlink.net> wrote:
From: Randall Cotton <recotton at earthlink.net>
Subject: [Peace] minutes of weekly AWARE meeting 2009-02-22
To: Peace at lists.chambana.net
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 11:58 AM
Minutes of 02/22/09 AWARE meeting are below, but first, AWARE Volunteer
Opportunities and the Upcoming Events Calendar:
AWARE Volunteer Opportunities
----------------------------------
(various ways to volunteer in AWARE's work)
**VOLUNTEER FOUND - HELP NO LONGER NEEDED**: Treasurer for AWARE. Do you
enjoy the world of high finance and handling large sums of money? (AWARE
bank account usually ranges between $1,000 - $2,000 MAX.) Being the AWARE
Treasurer may be just the volunteer opportunity for you. No experience
needed. Training done at your convenience. It will take about 10 minutes
to learn the job! Contact: Jan Kruse, jandurl at comcast.net, 328-2789.
AWARE is considering moving our monthly demonstration venue from
Main & Neil in Champaign to a higher-traffic site. It would be helpful
for us to discover which intersections in Champaign/Urbana have the most
traffic to help us in that decision. A volunteer is needed to contact the
appropriate city department/official in both Champaign and Urbana to
obtain a list of and available statistics on, say, the 10 busiest
intersections in each city. It's probably a fair assumption that this is
tracked by both cities and that it's public information. For assistance,
contact Randall Cotton, recotton at earthlink.net, 351-8644/722-8470.
AWARE is helping search for locations to set up a portable electronic LED
display that reports (in a loop) various statistics on the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan (casualties, financial cost, etc.). Here's a video of the
sign going through a typical loop:
http://dart.ncsa.uiuc.edu/stuffed/slevy/costofwar-sign.mp4
Dimensions of the sign are: 50.3" L x 6.3" H x 1.7" W and it
weighs 12
pounds. Full specifications are at:
http://www.bigbrite.com/product.aspx?id=78
The display could be set up anywhere indoors - home, business, event -
where it will be seen by many, for as long or as little as you like. If
you can volunteer to display the sign somewhere or have any ideas where it
could be set up, contact Barbara Kessel, barkes at gmail.com, 365-9473 or
Randall Cotton, recotton at earthlink.net, 351-8644/722-8470.
Help is needed with content creation and maintenance for AWARE's website,
anti-war.net. Technical experience (UNIX/HTML/CSS) required for
maintenance work (but not content creation) Contact: Stuart Levy,
slevy at ncsa.uiuc.edu, 351-9264/244-1543 or Randall Cotton,
recotton at earthlink.net, 351-8644/722-8470.
Meeting minutes: Someone is needed to share or take over meeting minutes
duty (preparing these notes each week). Help will be provided (as much as
necessary). Contact: Randall Cotton, recotton at earthlink.net,
351-8644/722-8470
AWARE publicity: Someone is needed to maintain AWARE publicity documents
(and arrange for copies, as needed). This includes our business card,
intro sheet for new meeting attendees and our general information sheet
for tabling events). All reproduction costs reimbursed, Help provided as
needed. Contact: recotton at earthlink.net, 351-8644/722-8470
Upcoming Events Calendar
----------------------------
Feb 24 (TODAY, Tuesday) 1PM, Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 S Vine St
Taping of "AWARE on the Air" for UPTV to be broadcast later the same
day
(see below)
Feb 24 (TODAY, Tuesday) 10PM, UPTV (cable channel 6)
Broadcast of "AWARE on the Air", taped earlier in the day (see above)
**NEW** Mar 3 (Tuesday) 4PM, Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 S Vine St
Taping of "AWARE on the Air" for UPTV to be broadcast later the same
day
(see below)
**NEW** Mar 3 (Tuesday) 10PM, UPTV (cable channel 6)
Broadcast of "AWARE on the Air", taped earlier in the day (see above)
Mar 1 (Sunday) 1PM, WILL AM-580
Juan Cole as guest on Media Matters with Bob McChesney. There has been a
change of date. The originally announced date of Mar 8 was changed due to
a scheduling conflict. This radio appearance will be pre-recorded.
Mar 1, (Sunday) 6:30-9PM Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center
(UCIMC), 202 S. Broadway, Urbana
Follow-up event to the "People's Thanksgiving" potluck. This is
also a
potluck and may be the first in a series of potlucks on the first Sunday
of each month.
Mar 4 (Wednesday) 7PM, Greg Hall (room TBA), 810 S Wright St, Urbana
Group discussion hosted by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and Campus
Anti-War Network (CAN) about the book they are collectively reading and
reviewing: "War without end: The Iraq War in Context", by Michael
Schwartz.
Mar 6 (Friday) 11AM, WILL AM-580
Juan Cole as guest on Focus 580 with David Inge
This event is **NOT** on Mar 9 as originally announced in prior minutes.
Mar 7 (Saturday) 2-4PM University Ave & State St, Champaign
The Main Event - AWARE's monthly (first Saturday of each month) street
demonstration event. Largely focuses on opposing U.S. occupations of Iraq
and Afghanistan, but is open for anyone to join us either using one of our
signs or one of their own. We try to have a topical flyer to distribute to
motorists and passers-by each month.
Mar 8 (Sunday) 2PM, Urbana Civic Center, 108 E Water St.
Community-oriented presentation from Juan Cole: University of Michigan
Professor of History, author of Informed Comment blog at www.juancole.com,
and remarkably astute expert observer on Middle East affairs. Proposed
lecture topic: "Withdrawal from Iraq and the future of American
security".
Mar 8 (Sunday) 5PM, WILL AM-580
Juan Cole as guest on "Keepin' the Faith" with Steve Shoemaker.
Mar 9 (Monday) 4PM, Levis Faculty Center, 2nd Floor.
University-oriented presentation from Juan Cole: University of Michigan
Professor of History, author of Informed Comment blog at www.juancole.com,
and remarkably astute expert observer on Middle East affairs. Proposed
lecture topic: "Iraq's provincial elections and what they mean for
relations with the United States"
**NEW** March 15 (Sunday) 2PM, Channing-Murray Foundation, 1209 W Oregon
St, Urbana
AWARE Films showing of "Soldiers of Conscience". Made with permission
from
the US Army, this documentary profiles eight American soldiers, including
four who decide not to kill and become conscientious objectors, and four
who believe in their duty to kill if necessary. Paul McGuire and Martin
Smith of IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War) will lead a brief
discussion following the 87 minute film. Refreshments served, open to the
public. Donations will be accepted so that DVD copies of the film can be
provided to local libraries. Co-sponsored by AWARE Films, Channing-Murray
Foundation, First Mennonite Church, Interfaith Alliance, Iraq Veterans
Against the War and Urbana-Champaign Friends Meeting.
Mar 21 (Saturday) - March on the Pentagon, sponsored by the ANSWER
coalition. See pentagonmarch.org
Apr 15 (Wednesday) 7:15pm, Channing-Murray Foundation, 1209 W. Oregon,
Urbana (corner of Oregon & Matthews)
"Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America", award-winning
documentary.
A timely, solutions-oriented look at one of America's most pressing
environmental challenges: energy. Viewers will discover how they can
save hundreds of dollars annually on energy bills, and use a portion of
the savings to purchase renewable energy. The film also explores mountain
top removal and other harmful by-products of coal & nuclear power. The
film will be followed by discussion. Free and open to the public.
Refreshments will be served. This event is co-sponsored by AWARE.
Apr 18-19 (Saturday-Sunday), University of Illinois at Chicago
Tentative date and venue for the annual statewide conference of Illinois
Coalition for Justice, Peace and the Environment. See www.icjpe.org .
AWARE has attended in the past (when the conference was held in
Champaign).
Apr 24-27 (Friday-Monday), Stockton Unitarian
Universalist Church, Stockton, IL
Midwest Catholic Workers Resistance Retreat and Conference. Focus: is
Blackwater. Civil Disobedience at Blackwater's Jo Daviess County, IL site
being organized by Catholic Workers and Clearwater. Speakers include
both Jeremy Scahill and Kathy Kelly.
*****
Minutes of 02/22/09 AWARE meeting:
About 15 in attendance
News of the week was reviewed jointly
NO finance report (no Treasurer)
Contribution jar passed around
**NEW** Stuart volunteers to be AWARE's Treasurer, so Randall continues to
volunteer for minutes instead of having to give that up to be Treasurer
with Carl taking over minutes.
The IMC will need AWARE to sign a year lease on rental of our
meeting space. An individual person will need to sign on behalf of AWARE
(making them technically liable financially for the full amount - $780).
No one has stepped up yet, but this is a requirement that must be met.
Working group reports:
******************
Main Event:
========
(AWARE's monthly street protest held at the intersection of Main & Neil
2-4PM on the first Saturday of each month).
The next Main Event is March 7. See details above in the Upcoming Events
Calendar.
**NEW** After evenly divided opinions on which demonstration site to use
for March 7 (old traditional Main & Neil vs. recently used University &
State), AWARE flips a coin (literally) and goes with University & State
(decision is only for March 7).
**NEW** Linda may work on Afghanistan/Pakistan flyer, at Carl's
suggestion.
No new information yet on Champaign/Urbana's busiest intersections.
Volunteer opportunity posted for this.
Library Resources:
=============
(Compilation of valuable reference materials w/strategies to make them
available in the community through various channels including local
libraries).
(nothing new this week)
AWARE Presents:
=============
(Organization of AWARE-sponsored events in the community)
AWARE Presents Working Group meeting is close at hand - date being
worked out.
Karen has volunteered to write/record a Public Square spot (on WILL-AM
580) for Juan Cole events.
Current AWARE Presents event lineup:
1. Juan Cole events. March 1st, 8th and 9th - Monday, Sunday and Monday.
See details above in the upcoming events calendar. More info as it becomes
available. Urbana Civic Center has been reserved for 1-5PM for Sunday,
March 8th.
2. Phil Wilayto (author of new book "IN DEFENSE OF IRAN: Notes
from a U.S. Peace Delegation's Journey through the Islamic Republic" -
see
http://www.defendersfje.org/dpi ). Phil is on a book tour and AWARE
members discovered him in December at the UFPJ National Assembly
Conference in Chicago, where he had a table. Phil requests only
reimbursement for gas money and a place to sleep. At the event, his book
will be available to AWARE folks at a much-reduced price, around $15 for
others. Date being worked out - anticipate sometime in 2nd or 3rd week of
March.
3. A panel on the occasion of the first 100 days of Obama
Administration (April 30) at Urbana City Hall (already reserved). UPTV
recording/broadcast planned.
Additional ideas under consideration:
- Invitation to Paul Street (suggestion: invite him for the 100 days panel
since he has researched and written on Obama extensively).
- Invitation to Stephen Kinzer to appear again.
- Invitation to William Blum
- Jeremy Scahill event still being pursued. Contact made, currently in a
"wait and see" pattern.
Anti-Racism:
=========
(AWARE's efforts to keep apprised of and provide support for
anti-racism/anti-discrimination efforts, including efforts of CUCPJ -
Champaign-Urbana Citizens for Peace and Justice)
**NEW** Mention made of Champaign's Tuesday primary election (TODAY, Feb
24) for District 1 City Council member. If Freddie Gordon (Democrat) gets
76 write-in votes, he will have a spot on April's election ballot. Failing
that, only Republican William Kyles will appear on the ballot. For more
info, see News-Gazette article at:
http://news-gazette.com/news/local/2009/02/21/unusual_circumstances_surround_champaign_council_primary
AWARE on the Air
==============
(AWARE's weekly television show on public access cable channel 6 - UPTV,
Urbana Public Television)
Discussion on who can make it this week. Some volunteered, more always
welcome.
Many "Aware on the Air" recordings are now available on-line. See the
AWARE home page at anti-war.net .
**NEW** Taping time on Tuesdays will be moved to 4PM starting March 3,
though it remains 1PM for this week (TODAY, that is). This time is more
convenient for some.
Taping typically occurs each Tuesday at 4PM and is broadcast later the
same day at 10PM. AWARE members (and friends) invited to participate - the
more the merrier (see details above in upcoming events calendar). Program
quality is always better with more participants.
There is always room for more participation in AWARE on the Air - prepared
statements OK. Arriving late/leaving early is OK.
Blackwater
========
(Activism regarding notorious domestic policing and international
mercenary contractor Blackwater, including coordination with
Illinois-based activist group Clearwater: see:
http://www.noprivatearmies.org )
(nothing new this week)
Student Groups
===========
(AWARE's efforts to keep apprised of and provide support for local
chapters of student-affiliated progressive and anti-war groups such as
Campus Anti-Network, International Socialist Organization, and Iraq
Veterans Against the War).
**NEW** Campus Anti-War Network bus from Iowa will be coming through
Champaign to pick up folks who want to attend the March 21st March on the
Pentagon (see www.pentagonmarch.org ). There are about 20 seats available.
Cost may be as much as $100 each but will go down the more seats are
filled. More details at:
http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/archive/peace/2009-February/022033.html
**NEW** Randall proposes AWARE provide up to $150 to help pay the way for
folks who need financial assistance in order to go on the trip. To be
ratified at a future AWARE meeting as per standing rule.
**NEW** Also suggested: individuals could sponsor or help sponsor
particular people that want to go but can't otherwise afford it.
Monthly Message
============
(Efforts to propagate the content of the Main Event monthly flyer through
various media channels)
Efforts to be made to enlarge the working group by inviting others to
join.
AWARE Films:
===========
(Organization of film and video showings in the community)
**NEW** Blood and Oil shown successfully yesterday (Saturday, Feb 22) at
Champaign Public Library. Attendance 12-14.
**NEW** Next planned showing is "Soldiers of Conscience" (see
http://www.soldiers-themovie.com/AboutFilm.html) at Channing Murray on the
15th (see details above in the Upcoming Events Calendar).
**NEW** $40 AWARE expenditure approved for rights to show "Soldiers of
Conscience"
Other showings being considered for the future:
1. Another showing of Naomi Wolf's "The End of America".
2. "The Take". See: http://www.thetake.org/
Outstanding proposal pending, yet to be ratified: AWARE spend $75 for
rights to show "The Take".
Old Business
**********
(new developments regarding ongoing issues)
Pursuit of meeting with Senator Durbin regarding his letter in support of
Israel during Gaza attack: Follow up attempts are planned to contact
Durbin after initial non-response.
New Ideas
*********
(never before discussed ideas brought up during this meeting)
(nothing new this week)
Events of the past week
******************
(comments/reviews of recent events since the last AWARE meeting)
(nothing mentioned this week)
Other Upcoming Events
******************
(events of note which aren't listed in the upcoming events calendar above)
Feb 24 (Tuesday, TODAY) noon, Lucy Ellis Lounge (room 1080), Foreign
Languages Building, 707 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana
The Ethnic Composition of Iranian Society: State and Minorities
Relationships
Shahyar Daneshgar, Senior Lecturer, Central Eurasian Studies, Indiana
University
Sponsor: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
**NEW** Feb 26 (Thursday) 2PM, 356 Armory Building, 505 E Armory Ave,
Champaign
Pakistan: Our Problematic Strategic Ally
Dr. Marvin G. Weinbaum, Scholar-in-Residence, Middle East Institute,
Washington, D.C.
Sponsor: Program in Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security
(ACDIS), Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Center for
Global Studies
**NEW** Feb 27-? (Friday-?) Boardman's Art Theater, 126 W Church St,
Champaign
"Waltz with Bashir", hard-hitting 2008 film about 80's Israeli
War in
Lebanon, including the refugee camp massacres. Oscar-nominated and
Golden-Globe winner for Best Foreign Language film. See
http://www.boardmansarttheatre.com/ for showtimes.
**NEW** Feb 28 (Saturday) 7:45PM, CIMIC (Central Illinois Mosque and
Islamic Center)106 S Lincoln Ave, Urbana
Why Afghanistan is not Iraq
Marvin Weinbaum, Scholar-in-Residence, Middle East Institute, Washington
D.C., and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois; served as
Director of the Program in South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Sponsor: Illinois Network on Islam and Muslim Socieites, Center for South
Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Center for Global Studies, Central
Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center
Dr. Weinbaum is former Afghanistan and Pakistan Analyst at the Bureau of
Intelligence Research at the US Department of State. He is also the author
of numerous books, chapters, and articles, including "Human Rights,
Culture and Politics in Northern Tier Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan" (2003)
and "Pakistan and Afghanistan: Resistance and Reconstruction" (1994).
Mar 2 (Monday) 7PM, Allen Hall, 1005 W Gregory Dr., Urbana
Israeli-Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh, who has reported on the West
Bang and Gaza Strip for more than 20 years, will be speaking on the
current situation in the Middle East.
Sponsors: Hillel, JCRC/Hillel Israel Initiative, Hasbara Fellowships,
Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Mar 4 (Wednesday) 4PM, 3rd floor, Levis Faculty Center, 919 W.
Illinois Street, Urbana
Dr. Wilma King, Arvarh E. Strickland Distinguished Professor, University
of Missouri-Columbia
Black Women and the Pursuit of Freedom: Reconsidering Lincoln
Sponsor: Office of the Chancellor and Dr. Ruth Nicole Brown
Dr. Wilma King is author of Stolen Childhood: Slave Youth in 19th Century
America (1998), African American Childhoods: Historical Perspectives from
Slavery to Civil Rights (2005), The Essence of Liberty: Free African
American Women in the Slave Era (2006), and completed graduate degrees in
American history at Indiana University.
Mar 5 (Thursday) noon-1PM, 356 Armory Building, 505 E Armory Ave,
Champaign
Jonathan Ebel, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, UIUC
Safety, Soldier, Scapegoat: The Battle to Interpret the Death of Pat
Tillman
Sponsor: Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and Int'l Security (ACDIS)
Mar 5 (Thursday) 4PM, 213 Gregory Hall, 810 S Wright St, Urbana
Valerie Hoffman, Department of Religious Studies, University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign
Islam, Human Rights and Interfaith Relations: Some Contemporary Egyptian
Perspectives
Sponsor: Center for Global Studies, Center for South Asian and Middle
Eastern Studies
Many Egyptians express support for making Islamic law the basis of all
legislation in Egypt today. At the same time, many endorse international
human rights norms and long for a more genuine application of democracy in
their country. Are these seemingly contradictory desires compatible? This
lecture presents current discussions and debates on Islam, human rights
and interfaith relations in Egypt through an analysis of public school
textbooks, interviews with senior religious officials, and the teachings
of some Islamic non-governmental organizations.
Mar 10 (Tuesday) noon, room 1080 (Lucy Ellis Lounge), Foreign
Languages Building, 707 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana
Aisha Lamb Sobh, Department of History
All in the American Muslim Family: the Ways and Means of Retaining
Religious Identity in Muslim Children in the U.S.
Sponsor: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
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