[Peace] AWARE notes 2-3-2002

[Peter Miller]

AWARE
2/3/2002  (superbowl sunday)

29 attening

Events
*  Sat, Feb. 9, noon - 4 Alternative Media Workshop @ IMC.  People from 
Madison IMC will be here, including one who's currently at WSF in Porto 
Alegre and another who's at WEF in NYC.  Discuss ways to improve public 
affairs radio.  Open to all.
*  Sat, Feb. 9, Death Penalty Conference at Univ. YMCA. 10 a.m. - 6 
p.m.  Student ACLU.  Paul Simon doing the keynote speech.  Day-long 
workshops.  All invited!  www.uiuc.edu/ro/aclu/deathpenalty/
*  Tue, Feb. 5, 6 p.m. - 8 a.m.  Homelessness Marathon on WEFT, 90.1 FM
*  Sat, Feb. 9, 8 - 11 p.m. at the Bread Company, Goodwin & Oregon in 
Urbana. AWARE Fundraiser!!!  "It's definitely worth coming out for."
*  Tue, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m. at IDF.  Kathy Kelly of Voices in the Wilderness 
will talk about the sanctions against Iraq.
*  Sat, Feb. 23, 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. at Temple Buell Hall.  Post-"World 
Conference Against Racism" conference.  Anita Keller is looking for people 
to sit on an AWARE panel.  akeller at uiuc.edu, 328-3695.

Update from Carl Estabrook
See the peace-discuss list at lists.groogroo.com for Carl's notes.
Good news:  400 Israeli reservists are refusing to participate in more 
atrocities against Palestine.

Demonstration Report from Barry Miller
World Economic Forum protests--15,000 protesters on Saturday.  World Social 
Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil.  Protest against NATO "security" meeting in 
Germany.  Solidarity events around the world.  Friday, on-line net strike 
disabled the WEF website.  Ontario student protests against tuition 
increases:  students occupied the president's office at Kingston.

Peace Walk against Star Wars--people will carry a flame remaining from the 
Hiroshima bombing across US.  Stop at nuclear sties in WA, OR, NY, CA, CO, 
DC--concludes in May.  (See Barry Miller for more info.)

March against police brutality in Long Beach, CA on Feb. 9.

Goals
Ladies Against War:  Mark Enslin.  Is it still useful?  There are still 
expressions of solidarity to the protesters.  Last week, people tried doing 
more street theatre (see last week's notes).  Talking about other countries 
aside from Afghanistan.  Goals include being there, and not letting people 
down.  One person joined in on the protests, spontaneously.
Re-think whether to have it there at that location--is there another 
location that would allow more interaction?  Consistent public presence, 
that's important.  What if it continued for a year or two?  When Wilhemine 
went out as a single person holding a sign, she had a different 
reaction.  Perhaps use more of this sort of alternative protest...

Goal:  have more street theatre on Prospect.
Goal:  have more conversations.
Goal:  Have at least 10 people turn out each week
Goal:  Keep doing it every week
Goal:  10 people driving by stop and join the protest.  Make the signs or 
take the actions to entice them to stop and join the action.

Leaflets were distributed on one date, perhaps do it more.  May cause 
problems with police, though.

Speaker's Bureau:  Jeff Glassman.  Going too slowly--he'll follow up on any 
suggestions or personal contacts.  Jeff can supply speakers to 
classes.  Contact Jeff by email (lfay at prairienet.org), and he'll give you a 
list of potential speakers.  Also contact Jeff if you have the name of a 
teacher organization's leader.  Meridith Kruse will be speaking to a peace 
group in decatur on Sunday, 10 Feb.  Need to be there by 9 a.m. Carl will 
talk to the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Thursday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m.

Goal:  Speed up the progress
Goal:  Find more places to speak
Goal:  Act on all suggestions of speaking venues.
Goal:  three people speaking each week.

Jeff needs help!  Contact him if you can assist him with phone calling, 
following up with contacts, etc.

Comment on AWARE's structure--"committee of committees" works well.  Does 
goal-setting reign that in?  We have a structure that allows things to be 
done, and has flexibility.  cf. World Social Forum--immense number of 
initiatives, similar to AWARE.

Any talk of what our 'overall goals' are?

Writings:  Getting people to write letters to the editor.  Should we 
increase our efforts to get things published?  Yes.  (The News-Gazette 
publishes all letters to the editor, provided that they're less than 250 
words and the writer includes their individual contact information.
Goal:  Find two volunteers to write letters to the editor each week.

Barry and Robert are the initial volunteers.

Reports:
Teach-in:  Date changed to April 5-7, to avoid Easter.   Trying to find 
someone famous to headline.  Still in the planning stages.  Two-track 
teach-in, one for the 'already converted', one for the 
'unconverted'.  Point not to convert anyone, but to provide useful 
information.  Bring them together at key moments.  Location:  need 
something neutral and inexpensive, with good parking.  Meeting at Carin's 
house, 707 E. Washington, 6 p.m. Wed, 6 Feb.  Call Carin at 337-5364.

Mutual Aid Pact:  Al Kagan.  Not a whole lot more to say.  Ran into a 
snag.  Will let folks know when it's back on-line.

Candlelight Vigil:  Beth Tub is taking over.  A draft flyer was 
distributed.  The quad is reserved, thanks to Student Peace Action.  Will 
take place on Monday, March 11 at 8 p.m.

Fundraiser/Media/Publicity:  Vicki said that things are happening--a 
possible fundraiser at the Highdive.  Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 
each, or 6 for $5?

The "Fund":  Raia applied for a tax id number for AWARE so we can open a 
checking account.  ***Checks CAN be written to AWARE***

Picketing "Blackhawk Down":  Ricky said people will discuss it after 
tonight's meeting.

AWARE TV:  Another successful broadcast took place last week. The next one 
will not be about the teach-in!  (Groundbreaking.)  Contact Kord at 
344-7822 if you'd like to help provide content.  Cable Channel 6.

Announcements:
Registered Organization:  Raia is making us a registered 
organization.  Cheap copies!

Meeting ended at 7:35

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