[Peace] AWARE Notes 4-14-02

[Peter Miller]

AWARE 4-14-02
at the IMC
 >20 attending

Carl's update (see his notes at peace-dicsuss, lists.groogroo.com)

Venezuela comparison:  1954 Arbenz, Guatemala.  Said he wanted to tax 
United Fruit at the rate that the company claimed the land was 
worth.  Eisenhower sent bombers over Guatemala while the CIA orchestrated a 
coup d'etat, leading to decades of terror against the people.

Question was raised about nations splitting off from the US War on 
Terrorism.  EU is talking about an embargo of Israel...

MUTUAL AID PACT:  Al Kagan reported that the group met; they need a couple 
new members to help with the activity.  Flyers are ready, and were 
distributed.  Cards to join the pact were also distributed.  About 100 
people have already signed up.  Needs:  people to help contact 
organizations, database help, media help (write a press release).  One case 
being pursued.  Next meeting TBA.  Questions from previous meetings (ACLU 
calling, not reaching anyone who knew what the pact was about) are under 
investigation.

LECTURE:  Marta reported on a socialist lecture series, a'la Greg Palast 
(groundbreaking BBC broadcaster).  www.gush.shalom.org.  Osama Saba from 
Ramala spoke in Palast's place. osama-saba at uiowa.edu

LADIES AND LADDIES AGAINST THE WAR: It happened this week; smaller 
group.  Need new signs because many of the old ones are out of 
date.  Supplies are available at the school for designing a society.  Need 
people, too.  Saturday at 12:30-1:30 at I-74 and Prospect.  Rides from 409 
N. Race St. at noon.

TEACH-IN:  Pretty much done.  Robert reported about group that attended who 
wanted to create an ongoing dialogue about palestine-israel.  It met at the 
YMCA, and some people who were formerly uncertain were persuaded by the 
palestinians' stories.  YMCA, Thursdays 6-8 p.m.  Joel Singerman, Courtney 
Stoves, Sarah Bopari.

AWARE TV:  It would be helpful to know when the program will air.  Could 
someone conact Kord and ask him/someone to send alerts to the Peace list?

MEDIA:  Ricky Baldwin's letter to the editor was published; Wilhemine did 
several solo deomnstrations by Hillel, on quad, at Parkland.  Reaction was 
mixed.  Robert sent a letter, Carol wrote but didn't yet send a 
letter.  Other letter-writer needed!

CONGRESSIONAL RACE:  www.carlforcongress.org  Carl Estabrook needs 5000 
signatures by mid-June; volunteers are needed. Press conference on Tuesday 
10 a.m. at IMC.  Carl made a presentation to a considerable group of Greens 
at Eastern IL U, Charleston.

FUNDRAISER:  Vicki passed out posters for the fundraiser.  Sun, 28 April at 
the Highdive. Posters need to be posted.  Music, poetry, interesting 
stuff.  COME ON OUT!  (Incl. "Loops and Lyrics by Otter", a highdive DJ).

Last week's discussion of post-teachin activities led to discussion of a 
lecture series.  To that end, we discussed the:
ISRAEL DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN:  Aaron Love, Democratic Solidarity Committee 
talked about having a co-event to keep the issue of the divestment 
campaign/boycott alive.  The group is busy through April; Aaron will be 
around for a good part of the summer.  Interested in doing something later 
(summer or fall).  DSC will be speaking at every Board of Trustees' 
meeting.  Several events coming up:  Monday--film, tuesday--presentation at 
La Casa, wednesday--counter demo to israel independence day, 
thurs&fri--chill.  Weekend--prep younger people for the future (education & 
training). See www.uofidivest.org for details, or contact Aaron Love at 
amlove at uiuc.edu or DSC at dsc at uofidivest.org

Should AWARE run an ad, condemning the violence?  DI half-page ads: 
$500.  Gazette cost more.  Who wants to design it?

UPCOMING WASHINGTON PROTEST:  Up to 20 people from C-U to Washington, DC to 
protest against: The War Abroad (SOA, Plan Colombia, US civil rights 
violations, Israeli attacks on Palestine, etc.)  Contact Molly Stentz 
(344-0183/637-FARM) at the IMC to help receive communictions from the group 
in Washington for broadcast on WEFT and uploading to the web.  We might 
want people to be at the IMC, "on call" to be ready for reports.