[Peace] AWARE Notes 2-17-02

[Peter Miller]

Please add to/correct these notes.  Send changes to the Peace list.
-Peter

AWARE Notes 2-17-02
26 attending

Introductions completed by 6:15

EVENTS FROM PAST WEEK
*Kathy Kelly with Voices in the Wilderness, an organization to end the 
sanctions on Iraq, visited CU and spoke at several venues, including WILL, 
WDWS, the Illinois Disciples Foundation, Urbana HS, Parkland College, 
etc.  Excerpts will be broadcast on WEFT, Wed. at 8 p.m.

*Friday Forum speaker from In These Times, will be broadcast on WEFT, 90.1 
FM, perhaps not on Monday night.

*Doug Rokke spoke at the School for Designing a Society about 
whistle-blowing, depleted uranium, Iraq, Afghanistan, and US troop exposure 
to DU.

*The Apocalyptic ... Israel.  Law Prof Lewis Baris at Purdue. Talk this 
evening.  Discussed the need for Israel to use nuclear weapons against arab 
neighbors.  Sponsored by Hillel, ACDIS, et. al.  Sophisticated hate speech?

*LLNL recruited bomb scientists on-campus on 2/14.  Barb Dyskant protested 
outside the door where interviews were taking place, handed out flyers to 
students going in (she handed out a testimonial by a former LLNL 
scientists).  LLNL reps eventually admitted they're recruiting bomb scientists.

*Ladies & Laddies Against War--theatre--coffin, "Peace, RIP".  Very 
windy.  From the responses, people understood the message.  "Bomb their 
asses," "Shoot 'em," etc. were some responses.  People carried banners, 
too.  Some said the protest had a festive air, yesterday.


UPCOMING EVENTS
*Teach-in Meeting:  6 p.m. Tuesdays at 707 E. Washington, Urbana.  People 
are needed.  Carin Sychterz was the only one to show last week.  Teach-in 
is first weekend of April (6th) at Urbana middle school.  Goal = reach 
people 'not in the choir.'

*IMC Radio News on Monday at 5:30 on WEFT 90.1 FM.  Program will focus on 
Afghanistan & oil.

*Post-World Conference Against Racism.  Sat, Feb. 23, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. 
Temple Buell Hall.  Graduate Student Conference, but all are invited. 
www.afrst.uiuc.edu

*GLBT Action in Springfield.  Wednesday at 8 a.m. at Great Impasta parking 
lot.  T-shirts with messages ironed-on will be provided.  Will stand in 
gallery of state senate.  Also, Saturday, 23 Feb at Ruby's--benefit for 85% 
Coalition, a direct action group working to include sexual orientation as a 
protected class in the state human rights act.

*African event--8 p.m. at Unit One.  Ben Kashten, film maker, will show & 
discuss his latest video, "Globalization & Africa: which side are we 
on?"  Contact Al Kagan (akagan at uiuc.edu) for info.

*Living Wage Association--full county board, 25 feb 7 p.m. at Brookens 
Admin Center, 1776 E. Washington St., Urbana.  Needs community support to 
ensure passage by full board.  Contact Carin Sychterz, sychterz at uiuc.edu

*Peace churces forum @ Channing-Murray, Thursday at 7 p.m.  Panel 
discussion on non-violent resistance.  Great panel!  Contact Bobbi Trist 
for more info.

NEWS O' THE WEEK, Carl Estabrook
See peace-discuss at lists.groogroo.com
*US reconciles Iraq & Iran
*60 "High Powered Academics" Endorse the War on Terrorism
*US sets goal of reducing US drug use by 60% by tagging along with War on 
Terrorism
*Gore says US should have "final reckoning with Iraq"
*US appears to be actively trying to overthrow Hugo Chavez, president of 
Venezuela--US identified candidate to replace him, US banks devalued 
Venezuelan currency.
*US preparation to overthrow Saddam Hussein grows.  Let Turks do the dirty 
work?
*Head of DNC cashed out $18M from Enron scandal. (Microsoft's lobbying 
budget exceeded Enron's)
*Wash Post--worried about increasingly negative coverage of the war.  Post 
says it's being told that it's 'being mean to the military.'
*London Observer--Mutiny in Israeli army, soldiers refusing to serve in 
occupied terrorities.

SILENCE
The US is escalating the war, inviting retaliation.

ACTION NEWS
Argentina--crisis leads to direct democracy.  Thousands converge on plaza 
in Buenos Aires.
Australia--Protest against new nuclear power plant.
Oakland--Immigrant rights rally, oppose Maritime Security Act, PATRIOT Act, 
immigrant witch hunt. F19 day of action in support of airport security 
workers.
NYC--F16, rally to close Indian Point nuke plant in Westchester Co.  F20 
National Day of Solidarity with Muslim, Arab, & S.Asian Immigrants.

REPORTS
*Mutual Aid Pact--Al Kagan distributed 2 hand-outs, explanation of pact & 
flow chart & draft of pledge card.  Madison, IWW are working on similar 
pacts. Will contact groups in community to see if they want to be 
organizational sponsors.  Can use more help.  To help, contact Al at 
akagan at uiuc.edu / 217-333-6519.

*Vigil--Candlelight vigil for ALL the victims of Sep. 11, to be held at 8 
p.m. on the UIUC quad on March 11.  PUBLICITY NEEDED.  Contact Beth Tub 
(elizacorps at yahoo.com) for more info.

*Speakers' Bureau--Vineyard Christian Fellowship-Carl E. spoke.  Physicians 
for Social Responsibility--Doug Rokke; Several churches & Uni High are also 
being contacted.  Contact Jeff Glassman if you know of any groups that 
could use an anti-war presentation. lfay at prairienet.org.

*Next Letters to the Editor - WIlhemine & Carl wrote letters last 
week.  This week: Peter, John.  Gazette Ran Barry's letter to the editor 
last week.

*Ladies & Laddies Against War - Theatre and action to raise awareness of 
ongoing war.  Still at Prospect & I-74, Saturdays at 12:30.  Meet at SDAS 
(Univ. & Race, Urbana) at noon.  Contact Susan Parenti, 344-1439 / 
sparenti at uiuc.edu

*Forum on How to Make our City or County Safe - small groups.  @ U&C 
libraries.  No date set, probably April.  Contact Susan Parenti.

*Student Ladies & Laddies for Parkland?  Contact Robert Dunn.

* Art & Revolution continues meeting on Tuesdays at 7 pm at 311 1/2 W. High 
St., Urbana.

DISCUSSION
Doug Rokke and Carin Sychterz submitted an action plan.  We then discussed 
re-formatting the AWARE meetings.

What's wrong with the meetings?  We aren't doing enough.  Want more 
writing, work groups, etc. at meetings.

Conclusions?

Meeting ended at about 8 p.m.