[Peace-discuss] AWARE meeting minutes 9/9/18

[C G Estabrook]

AWARE MEETING, SUNDAY 9 SEPTEMBER, 5-6PM 
Hammerhead Coffee <www.hammerheadcoffeeco.com/>

[1.] The best account of Obama’s speech in Foellinger last Friday seems to be <https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/09/08/obam-s08.html>: 

“In a speech Friday at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, former President Barack Obama publicly joined the escalating offensive against President Trump being mounted by sections of the ruling class and the state. The speech, directed at channeling both popular and ruling class opposition to the Trump administration behind the Democrats in the fall midterm elections, marked Obama’s first direct attack on his successor...

“In so far as the resolution of the political crisis gripping the US capitalist class is left in the hands of the warring factions within the ruling elite and its state apparatus, the outcome will be a further turn to the right, intensified attacks on democratic rights—the Democrats are already spearheading the drive for internet censorship—more brutal austerity and an escalation of war internationally...”

(It seems to me that Obama - against his intentions - presents a clear argument for why the pro-war ’Russiagate’ Democrat party shouldn’t be given control of Congress in the upcoming election. Even if that means voting against the Democratic candidate and for the feckless Republican incumbent, Rodney Davis, here in C-U - Illinois’ 13th Congressional district.) 

Karen Aram is apparently arranging a recording of the demonstration she organized to be aired on Urbana Public TV (and YouTube). See Karen's account of the demonstration below; more information to come.

[2.] FOA [Friend of AWARE] Helen Estabrook is the producer of the film “The Front Runner,” which debuted at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals this week; it should be in theaters the first week of November.  

“The film chronicles the rise of American Senator Gary Hart, a Democratic presidential candidate in 1988, and his subsequent fall from grace when media reports surfaced of his extramarital affair. It stars an ensemble cast featuring Hugh Jackman as Hart, with Vera Farmiga, J. K. Simmons and Alfred Molina also starring ... [It is] directed by Jason Reitman, based on the 2014 book ‘All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid,’ written by Matt Bai. Reitman co-wrote the screenplay with Bai and Jay Carson.” [Wikipedia]

“In order to adapt the story for the silver screen, [Bai] teamed up with Jay Carson, who was press secretary for former secretary of state Hillary Clinton during her failed 2008 presidential bid. Although the script was written before the 2016 election, when Trump was accused of paying hush money to two women with whom he allegedly had affairs -- porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal -- Carson insists, ‘It's a way to speak to what we're going through today.’

“‘It's a way to engage with the questions that we're asking ourselves today without the divisiveness of having to be talking about something that's happening right now,’ echoed producer Helen Estabrook.” [France 24]

[3.] AWARE should have a table (and distribute flyers) at the Farmers’ Market next Saturday, September 15. 

[4.] It’s the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, literally the “head of the year.” It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (יָמִים נוֹרָאִים Yamim Nora'im, "Days of Awe") specified by Leviticus 23:23ff. Shanah Tovah - happy new year - to all.

See David Green’s posting to the peace-discuss lists of an LRB review of a Netanyahu bio <https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/09/08/obam-s08.html>.

[PS - our meeting place, Hammerhead Coffee (University & Wright, Champaign), under new management, is now serving excellent panini, etc. This is an unsolicited but personally researched testimonial.] 

--CGE   
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/attachments/20180909/719e8729/attachment-0001.html>