[Peace] AWARE meeting notes 5-12-02

[Peter Miller]

AWARE
5-12-02
at the IMC

17 attending

Agenda:
1)  What happened?
2)  What's going to happen?
3)  Update from Carl
4)  Recap of semester, plan for summer

Last week...

* Speakers' Bureau:  Talk about the Colombia wars (drugs/terrorism) in 
Mattoon.  Marta presented a talk, and was received well.

* Speakers' Bureau:  David Green went to the 1st Presbyterian Church in 
Decatur today.

* Reporter to Palestine:  UCIMC helped pay for a mexican IMC reporter to go 
to Palestine.  He'll be a grad student in the College of Communications and 
he's going to go on a speaking tour when he returns.

* Direct Action: Ladies against war was canceled because people were out of 
town (and because weather was really bad).  Many people were at an 
anarchist meeting in Chicago.  Will happen next Saturday at 11:30

* Website updated:  Rosemary updated the anti-war.net website.

* Congressional Campaign:  www.CarlForCongress.org  Carl's campaign is 
going well, but have much to do.  Have about 2500 signatures now, need 
about 7500 more.  Need to do this in 1 month!


Coming up:

* Congressional Campaign:  Need signatures.  People are willing to sign, 
just to get the Greens on the ballot.  The campaign just needs people to 
ask for signatures!  Get petitions & instructions from Carl Estabrook, 
galliher at uiuc.edu, or by visiting www.carlforcongress.org.

* 4th of July Parade:  "Free Speech and Free People" is the theme.  IMC has 
a spot in the parade.  AWARE can use the spot, too.  We decide to have our 
own float in the IMC's spot.  AWARE Float Meeting happens next Sunday at 5 
p.m. at the IMC.  Maybe have a potluck afterward, possibly at Allerton.

* Farmer's Market:  Anti-War performances will be held during the farmer's 
market next Saturday.

* Direct Action/Performance:  Ladies & Laddies Against War will be at 
Prospect Ave. & I-74 next Saturday at 12:30 - 1:30.  Meet at the School for 
Designing a Society (Race & University in Urbana) at 12:00 for a ride.

* Talk: Israeli "Refusenik" reservist Ram Rahat-Goodman will present a 
talk, "The Courage to Refuse" Sat., May 25 (Memorial Day Weekend) 1 p.m. @ 
Cafe Paradiso AND 7 p.m. @ IDF.  He signed a statement refusing to serve 
outside Israel's 1967 borders.  Contact David Green 217-356-2034 for more 
info.  www.couragetorefuse.org

* Talk: Robert Lipton, who was a human shield in Palestine with the 
International Solidarity Movement, will be speaking on WILL and making a 
presentation at the Channing-Murray Foundation 6/4.  Will be in town on 
June 3, too.  Contract Sandra Ahten, spiritofsandra at aol.com for more 
info.  Needs music.  See Public I for more info.

* Speakers' Bureau Engagements: 1st Presbyterian Church in Decatur:  Doug 
Rokke (5/19), Carl Estabrook (5/26).  Matt and Carol are speaking 5/26 at 
the Unitarian Church.  SPEAKER NEEDED for UU church on June 23.  Contact 
Jeff Glassman.

* Rolling Thunder Tour: Jim Hightower's Rolling Thunder Tour will be at

* Cook-Out: Mutual Aid Pact people are holding a cook-out at Carol's house 
to shore-up the mutual aid pact.  Anyone remotely interested in talking 
about it should attend.  Date & time TBA.  Contact Carol at 
inskeep at alexia.lis.uiuc.edu

* Letters to the Editor:  Peter submitted a letter about fast track.  Al 
Kagan (maybe).  Sandra will write a response to Sunday's editorial by John 
Foreman.  PLEASE WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.


News of the Week:

Many pro-war activities, with historic precedent.  US bombed the port of 
San Juan, Puerto Rico without provocation, etc.

Placed article in NYT -- "disturbing intelligence" that Russia is planning 
to resume nuclear testing, just as Bush is going to Russia for 
"negotiations."  Of course, the United States is abandoning the Anti 
Ballistic Missile treaty, and is refusing to have real reduction in nuclear 
warheads (www.cdi.org).

Enron -- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released documents showing 
that Enron criminally fixed prices.

Afghanistan -- Warlords are regaining control.  Physicians for Human Rights 
is finding mass graves.  US tried to kill one of its former client rulers 
with a missile.

National Academy of Sciences -- were called on to make public a report on 
nonlethal weapons.  NAS refused, citing increased security concerns post 
9/11.   The research also happens to violate international conventions on 
chemical and biological weapons.

Privatizing Social Security -- Bush's privatization plan isn't popular, 
esp. with Enron and the crashing stock market.  Wash Post reports that Bush 
will propose an extreme social security plan, allowing Congress to vote 
down the most extreme parts but still pass a "reform".

Trade Promotion Authority -- Senate will be debating it this 
week.  Hopefully, FAIR trade supporters will make it unpalatable enough to 
corporate overlords that the house and senate

Polls -- More than 50% of US citizens believe that Israeli withdrawal from 
Palestinian territories will lead to peace.  Also in Israel.

Cuba Promoted to Axis of Evil -- US declared that Cuba is developing 
biological weapons and is therefore a terrorist nation.

Review of the past few months:

We did the following:
* AWARE TV
* One teach-in
* Candlelight Vigil
* Art & Revolution met regularly
* Two Fundraisers
* Speakers bureau (18, 4, 3, 1, 10)
* Laddies and Ladies -- every week except for 2 or 3!
* ACLU Professors' Forum (Teachers for Peace and Justice)
* Mutual Aid Pact launched
* Church Ladies Against War
* Alternative media workshop at IMC
* Numerous letters to the editor
* Speakers (Kathy Kelly from Voices in the Wilderness, Michael Moore at 
Foellinger, etc.)
* Helped launch an anti-war congressional campaign
* Bob McChesney's new radio program on WILL

Observations:
* Wish more AWARE supporters were involved.
* Should we resurrect AWARE Care to have performances, set an agenda, etc.?
* More arts!  Rap, poetry, techno, etc.?  (UC Hip Hop exists...)  Some 
interesting graffiti is appearing around town
* Connections with other groups faded.  Could we improve our connections? 
(PRC, Peace Churches, ACLU, Teachers for Peace and Justice, Greens, etc.)
* Need to continue emphasis on talking to people who "aren't in the choir" 
(who don't think like we do...)
* We need to anticipate the acts of the state and act 
preemptively.  Educate ourselves to read and see better.
* More parties / social gatherings.
* High school shows at the IMC get the most attention to IMC literature, 
messages

Goals:
* Gear up so we can mobilize to take action rapidly when the state launches 
another attack
* Reconstitute Art & Revolution
* More puppets/signs/supplies for Ladies & Laddies Against War (cf. Olympia 
WA puppets workspace)

* 4th of July
* Carl's campaign
* Planning for 9/11
* Holding sustaining meetings
* Mass mobilization?
* Labor Day Parade

Meeting ended at 8 p.m.
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