[Peace] AWARE minutes, Feb. 2, 2003

Mon Feb 3 10:10:34 CST 2003

Excellent minutes, Charlotte!

And quick, too!

On small correction, though: it was not I who reported
on the vet who is interested in early morning
protests.  In fact, I think I must have been having a
(very impolite) side conversation at the time, so I
can't even say who it was.  Sorry.

Ricky

--- Charlotte Green <chgreen48 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> AWARE Minutes--Feb. 2, 2003
> 
> Submitted by Charlotte Green.  Please post any
> additions or corrections.
> 
> Peter Rohloff facilitated the meeting.  
> 
> The Week’s Past Events
> 
> Student Peace Action had a teach-in on Wed., Jan.
> 29Th, which was well attended.  
> 
> Senator Peter Fitzgerald’s Visit
> 
> About 400 people attended Senator Fitzgerald’s
> meeting
> at Centennial High School on Sun., Feb. 2, 1-2:30
> PM. 
> Although most questions from the audience concerned
> health care, agriculture, and other similar issues,
> several people raised questions about going to war
> in
> Iraq.  Lisa Chason asked Senator Fitzgerald if he
> would support Senate Resolution 32, which was (or
> will
> be introduced by Senator Kennedy).  The resolution
> states that before the president uses military force
> against Iraq without broad support of the
> international community, the president should
> 1)provide full support to the UN weapons inspectors
> to
> facilitate their disarmament work, and 2) obtain
> approval by Congress of new legislation authorizing
> the president to use all necessary means, including
> the use of military force, to disarm Iraq.  Senator
> Fitzgerald responded that many in Congress are
> concerned that the executive branch is gaining too
> much power, and that he would look into supporting
> the
> resolution.  Lisa encouraged people to write to
> Senator Fitzgerald, asking his support of the
> resolution.
> 
> Conscientious Objector Forum
> 
> The CO forum was held on Sun., Feb. 2 at the
> Champaign
> County Library.    About 20-25 people attended. 
> Speakers discussed how to register as a
> conscientious
> objector, as well as a national campaign for a peace
> tax fund (www.peacetaxfund.org) A big thanks to
> Adrienne Bower for organizing the CO forum. 
> 
> Prospect for Peace
> 
> 120 people were out on Prospect Ave. last Saturday
> for
> our 17th weekly protest!  This is more than we have
> ever had before.  We need more signs.  Some of them
> are getting aged and torn.  Also, we didn’t have
> enough signs because of the large number of people. 
> 
> Contact Peter Rohloff if you can help at a
> sign-making
> party (rohloff at uiuc.edu). 
> 
> Urbana City Council Meeting
> 
> Kimberlie Kranich reported on the Urbana City
> Council
> resolution opposing the war in Iraq.  Danielle
> Chenowyth brought the resolution before the Urbana
> City Council last Mon., Jan. 27.  Approximately 100
> people attended; of those people, 96 were on record
> for supporting the resolution; 4 people opposed it. 
> At the end of the public input segment, the aldermen
> voted 5-1 in support of the resolution.  This was a
> straw vote; the city council will vote on Monday,
> Feb.
> 3 whether to pass the resolution or not.  
> 
> People are needed to attend the city council meeting
> on Mon., Feb. 3 at 7:30 PM at the Urbana City
> Building, 400 S. Vine, Urbana.  Although only two
> people spoke in opposition to the resolution last
> Monday, more people are expected to speak against it
> at this meeting.  Kim suggested that people be ready
> to speak at the meeting; however, we should respect
> the council’s desire not to spend too much time on
> the
> issue.  It was suggested that people sign up to
> speak
> in support, but to pass if your concern has already
> been addressed or if few people speak in opposition
> to
> the resolution.  Two issues are especially important
> to address: 1)that the war is a local issue, 2) that
> we support our servicemen and women.  People should
> try to get to the meeting early and fill out a
> yellow
> slip saying who you are and what your position is on
> the resolution.  This is to be given to the city
> clerk
> who will be sitting on the left.
> 
> Day of War Event
> 
> Jeff Sowers reported on the day of war event.  In
> event of a U.S. attack on Iraq, people should meet
> at
> the corner of University and State Streets (West
> Side
> Park), during the hours of 5-9 PM to show their
> opposition to war.  Bring candles or flashlights for
> a
> vigil, and Adrienne Bower will bring music for peace
> songs.  Jeff is looking for a battery powered sound
> system or karoke system.  If anyone has information
> re
> this, please contact him at
> jeffsowers at swissinfo.org.
> 
> PRC is holding a similar event on the Quad at noon. 
> 
> Ricky Baldwin needs help making phone calls to alert
> people to the day of war event.  Contact him at
> baldwinricky at hotmail.com if you can make phone
> calls.
> 
> February 15 Day of Action
> 
> Feb. 15, 2003 has been designated as an
> international
> day of action.  This was initiated by the European
> movement.  United for Peace, a coalition of peace
> groups, is organizing protests in NYC.  Carol
> Inskeep
> asked if we should do anything special on that day
> at
> our Prospect for Peace demonstrations.  One
> suggestion
> was for people to hold a big banner across the
> interstate and to do special press releases re the
> international day of protest.  Contact people for
> the
> event are Ricky Baldwin (baldwinricky at hotmail.com,
> Carol Inskeep (inskeep at alexia.lis.uiuc.edu), or
> Charlotte Green (chgreen48 at yahoo.com).
> 
> Announcements
> 
> Early Morning Protests
> 
> Ricky Baldwin reported that Stephen Francis, a
> Vietnam
> vet, is interested in participating in early morning
> (7:30 AM) demonstrations if others would be willing
> to
> join him.  He is not able to make the Saturday
> protests.   Contact Ricky Baldwin at
> baldwinricky at hotmail.com if you are interested.
> 
> Peter Rohloff is compiling a list of friendly
> churches.
> 
> Yard Sign Availability
> 
> Tom, Matthew, and Hannah helped Jeff Sowers put
> together 150 signs.   The signs are very popular. 
> They can be put up in the yard or in a window.  They
> will be available at AWARE meetings, the IDF, the
> food
> coop, Jeff Sower’s house (jeffsowers at swissinfo.org)
> or
> Carol Inskeep’s (inskeep at alexia.lis.uiuc.edu). 
> Carol
> is willing to deliver signs.  Jeff will order 300
> more
> signs, which will make 150 2-sided signs.
> 
> Anti-Racism Potluck
> 
> Anyone interested in discussing increasing racial
> diversity in AWARE and working on racism issues in
> the
> community is welcome to come to a potluck (6 PM) and
> discussion (7 PM) at Carol Inskeep’s house, 606 E.
> High, Urbana.
> 
> Active Nonviolence Training Workshop
> 
> This workshop, sponsored by Fellowship of
> Reconciliation, will be held Feb. 21 22 at Channing
> Murray Foundation.  Contact Sharon Dorsey, 344-3016
> or
> ayuda at prairienet.org for more info.
> 
> Teachers for Peace and Justice
> 
> Plans are being made for Bob McChesney to speak.
> 
> Activist Forum, IDF
> 
> A Life Committed to Liberation Theology and the
> Social
> Gospel is the title of the Activist Forum held at
> the
> IDF, Feb. 13, 7-9 PM.  Contact
> www.prairienet.org/idf
> or 352-8721.
> 
> An Israeli Perspective on Peace Activism
> 
> Emily Hauser, an American-Israeli writer and
> fundraiser, will discuss her understanding of the
> ongoing conflict with the Palestinians from a
> standpoint of Zionist peace activism on Sunday, Feb.
> 16 at 4 PM at the Independent Media Center, 218 w.
> Main, Urbana.  David Green is organizing this event.
>  (davegreen48 at yahoo.com)
> 
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