[Peace-discuss] feedback please, before minutes from AWARE meeting are sent to peace list

[Karen Medina]

[for quick feedback before I send it to the peace list as the official minutes]

AWARE minutes for Sunday, August 15, 2010
McKinley Foundation, Dean Clark room

Six people in attendance: Charles, Doug, Karen, Rohn, Ron, Stuart.

In the News this Week:
* Dispute over New York Islamic Center (Ron)
* Important speeches are not getting coverage by the media, including
NPR. More fluff. NPR is disappointing. (Stuart)
* Russia agrees to supply Iran; US disliked, but now likes. (Doug)
* Floods in Pakistan; U.S. military is not helping the people
suffering from an incredibly horrible natural disaster. Not much help
is coming from anywhere. (Stuart)
* Wheat crop in Russia; global climate change is not mentioned with
all these disasters; Floods in Iowa, … (Stuart)
* U.S. secret war in Yemen (Carl via Ron)
* Real ID as a thing that started in the 1940’s and included probable
cause. (Charles)
* AT&T, GSM, hackers and government can intercept cell phone
conversations. (Charles)
* Google Earth used to help identify homes that built pools without
permits ; Aerial images being used to enforce laws; 4th amendment
(guards against unreasonable searches and seizures) (Karen)
[If the gist of comment was incorrectly represented here, I apologize. –kem]

Working Group Reports:
Treasurer’s Report: We are very low (under one thousand). (Stuart)

AWARE on the Air:  We need more diversity! Tuesday, 1pm, UPTV. (Ron)

AWARE Films: September 26th, 2010; possibly going to show “Rethink
Afghanistan”; 2pm at the Champaign Public Library.

Illinois Coalition for Justice, Peace and the Environment (Stuart):
recent face-to-face meeting in Chicago of the ICJPE representatives.
Stuart went (August 14th).  Topics discussed included :
* The idea of switching from activism to campaigning for political candidates.
* February 2011: annual meeting of ICJPE: Business meeting and one
speaker. One speaker – someone that is all about changing power
relations like ACORN was doing. Maybe someone like Glen Ford? [of
Black Agenda Report(?)]
* October 16, 2011: Midwest regional action day in Chicago (Obama’s
town). A peace demonstration, but the permit was rejected. A teach-in
is also planned. Something more than just coming together and going
home. Contact person: Andy Thayer (ccawr at aol dot com).
* November 6, 2011: Media democracy day
* November 2011 meeting; panels at this meeting.
* Monthly conference call meetings continue these discussions. Stuart
is “attending” these as well.

Farmer’s Market: Comments from purchasers:
* Coexist bumper stickers are the wrong ones.  The ones we have do not
have the yin yang or the peace symbol on them.
* A certain county politician who frequents the table bought a yard sign.
* Stuart mentioned that we need to keep track of the yard sign sales
so we can reimburse American Friends Service Committee.
* A rough schedule for this coming Saturday was sketched out.
* The swag is at Stuart’s house.

Events of the Past Week:

Upcoming Events:
CUPrideFest 2010 (the first gay pride festival in Champaign Urbana!)
August 20th, 2010, Friday; 4pm-2am
Lincoln Square Mall (downtown Urbana)
Family friendly events!
Food, kids’ games and activities, performances by Amasong and loads of
bands and much more.

Farmer’s Market / AWARE’s table at the Farmer’s Market
August 21st, 2010, Saturday; 8am-noon
Corner of Illinois and Vine Streets, Urbana, Illinois
Bumper stickers, buttons, literature, conversation, yard signs, peace
flags, tee-shirts.

Iftar* Dinner funder raiser for Flood Victims in Pakistan:
August 21st, 2010, Saturday; 6pm
Research Park Gateway Building, 1800 S. Oak St., Champaign, Illinois
Hosted by PGSA – UIUC (Pakistan Graduate Students Association at the
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
Tickets are $30 for one, $50 for a couple, $65 for a family of three,
$75 for a family of four
Tickets can be purchased from Barbara Kessel, barkes at gmail.com
Also: Osman Sarood (217-819-9492) or Qazi Aurangzeb (217-417-9821) to
purchase tickets or ask further questions or to make a donation.
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ro/www/PakistaniGraduateStudentsAssociation/
Moneys go to Islamic Relief** – a NGO with a good reputation.

Quad Day,
August 22nd, 2010, Sunday; Noon to 4pm
AWARE will be giving out peace buttons and AWARE “business” cards.
The Quadrangle is between Green Street and Gregory Drive, and between
Wright Street and Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801

AWARE weekly meeting
August 23rd, 2010, Sunday; 5pm-6:30pm
McKinley Foundation's Dean Clark room, 5th and Daniel, Champaign, Illinois
News of the week discussion, work group reports, upcoming events.

University of Illinois Fall Semester begins (first day of instruction)
August 23rd, 2010, Monday.

Meeting of the CU Immigrant Rights Group,
August 23rd, 2010, Monday; 7pm at the Champaign Public Library conference room
200 W. Green St., Champaign, Illinois

Sweet Corn Festival / AWARE’s booth at the festival
Friday August 27 and Saturday August 28, 2010
Friday, 5pm-11pm; Saturday, 11am-11pm.

Join the peace listserv! It is a great way to know about upcoming peace events!
http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace

--   Notes of explanation
* Iftar (Arabic: إفطار‎), refers to the evening meal when Muslims
break their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Iftar is one of
the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community,
with people gathering to break their fast together. Iftar is done
right after Maghrib (sunset) time.
** Islamic Relief is an independent NGO founded in the UK in 1984 and
is an international relief and development organization comprised of a
family of 15 Aid Agencies that, as a whole, aims to alleviate the
suffering of the world’s poorest people. They are inspired by their
Islamic values and envisage a world where communities are empowered,
social obligations are fulfilled and people respond as one to the
suffering of others. Islamic Relief is a member of the UN's Economic
and Social Council and it is a signatory to the Code of Conduct for
the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in
Disaster Relief. IR is also a member of Bond (British Overseas NGOs
for Development) and is part of the global Make Poverty History
coalition which is campaigning to end extreme poverty.