[Peace] AWARE Minutes for November 9th

Tue Nov 11 10:51:42 CST 2003

Facilitator: Mort Brussel
Minutes: David Green

1.  Introductions: 20-25 present, following
informative and well-attended lecture on neoliberalism
by Professor Jan Nederveen Pieterse, describing the
historical origins of neoliberalism and exposing the
fraudulent and damaging nature of the “Washington
consensus.”

2. News of the week: Carl Estabrook

While Jan argued that our leaders are stupid in their
neoliberal agenda, Carl thinks that they may just be
vicious. 

Comparisons with Vietnam ought not to refer to the
“quagmire” issue, but to the continuity of foreign
policy, as argued by Gabriel Kolko on counterpunch
website
http://www.counterpunch.org/kolko11082003.html.
This includes the use of paramilitary death squads,
such as the Phoenix program in Vietnam. In Iraq, the
resistance can no longer be called the “resistance” by
L.A. Times reporters, which evokes the French during
WWII and the Warsaw ghetto. Instead, they must be
called insurgents or guerrillas (like the Viet Cong
were).

For the first time, U.S. polls show that disapproval
of Bush’s handling of Iraq is slightly greater than
approval. This has been the bloodiest week since the
war was “over” on May 1st.

More information is coming out, from the Center for
Public Integrity
(http://www.publicintegrity.org/dtaweb/home.asp), on
the “coincidence” that many contractors profiting from
Iraq have donated generously to GWB.

Naomi Klein has been arguing the illegality of the
privatization of Iraqi industry in terms of the Geneva
Conventions (she appeared on Democracy Now! on Monday
Nov. 10th
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/10/159203.

An Israeli reservist has refused to follow an order
which amounts to “shoot on sight” at Palestinians.

A bill in Congress, which has passed the house,
demands that universities gear their programs to serve
the needs of the military and the state in the war on
terrorism (this deserves more info and discussion at
some point).

Democratic candidates wasted most of their debate time
on trivialities; including the confederate flag issue
and the Boston Red Sox (some many not agree that the
latter is a trivial issue).

Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian activist, has been
scurrilously attacked in Australia after being named
the recipient of an award by a peace group—refer to
article by Robert Fisk
http://www.counterpunch.org/fisk11042003.html.

The NYT reported on last-minute negotiations that
could have avoided the invasion of Iraq, but were not
pursued by the Bush administration. This continues a
pattern that includes the first Gulf War and Kosovo.

Elections in Guatemala were held today (Rios Montt
came in third, will not be in the run-off). See
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0311110102nov11,1,7168666.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

3. Jennifer Walling of Students for Environmental
Concerns asked for and received co-sponsorship for the
following event:

Energy Summit 
Sponsored by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn 
at the YMCA, Latzer Hall 
1001 S Wright 
Champaign 
Wednesday, November 12 at 4:00 pm 

Wednesday, November 12 at 4 pm at the U of I,
Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn will hold an energy
summit on the role of the public in shaping energy
policy for the State of Illinois.  In the wake of the
catastrophic blackout throughout the East Coast--the
worst power outage in US history, Lt. Gov. Quinn will
hold a discussion regarding energy reform and how the
public can be brought into the policy making process
to help shape a long-term plan for Illinois' energy
infrastructure.  On August 16, Governor Rod
Blagojevich appointed Lt. Gov. Quinn Chairman of a new
"Special Task Force on the Condition and Future of the
Illinois Energy Infrastructure."  The mission of the
Special Task Force is to analyze the state's existing
energy infrastructure, examine Illinois nuclear power
plant safety, and to look at ways to relieve pressure
on the grid by promoting energy efficiency and
renewable energy.  The Task Force is expected to make
comprehensive recommendations for reform in early
2004.   

Please forward this information to anyone who would be
interested in attending. 

Co-sponsors include: Students for Environmental
Concerns, Environmental Resources, Illinois Student
Environmental Network, Red Bison, Prairie Group of the
Sierra Club, AWARE, University YMCA, Ecological Design
Consortium.

4.  Mort briefly presented a lengthy proposal from the
PRC, which needs to be more carefully read and
presented. Ken Urban volunteered to do this. This
raised the issue of individuals serving as liaisons to
various organizations to facilitate communication,
requests, etc.

5.  Prospect for Peace: We will demonstrate from 2 to
4 on all the Saturdays from after Thanksgiving to
before Christmas, November 29th to December 20th. We
need more banners, which we’ll discuss making at next
week’s meeting.

6.  Farmers Market: This year’s outdoor season
concluded Saturday, and Peter Rohloff has equipment,
literature, etc. We will not be allowed to table at
the indoors market, because it is being run by the
Urbana Business Association, not by the City.

7.  Finances: Linda Evans not present (happy birthday
Linda!).

8.  Video showing: Jan and Durl Kruse will host the
showing of the PBS Frontline documentary on Iraq,
Friday, November 14th, this Friday, 7 p.m., 2007
George Huff Drive.

9.  Fundraiser: Carl Inskeep proposed a fundraiser,
not for AWARE’s coffers, but for one humanitarian
organization supporting Iraqis, and another supporting
U.S. veterans. The former will be suggested by Kathy
Kelly and Voices in the Wilderness. The latter was
debated, in terms of pros and cons for donating to
soldiers or veterans who may support the war. This is
a complicated issue. No decision was reached on the
criteria for this decision. Paul King agreed to
contact Vietnam Vets Against War for some possible
advice. Tom Turino of the Noisy Gators has agreed to
perform at the fundraiser.

10.  More pre-meeting educational sessions: It was
suggested that subsequent to the successful programs
on race and neoliberalism (today’s), we should plan
pre-meeting talks on a regular (monthly?) basis. Al
Kagan suggested purchasing several copies of a short
book (long pamphlet) by the group 50 Years is Enough
called “Empty Promises,” a copy of which was passed
around.

11. David Gill (Democratic Party) spoke about his
candidacy for Tim Johnson’s house seat, especially
regarding his support for a national health care
program. He opposed to invasion of Iraq, is now
opposed to the Clinton reactor due to health effects,
and favors Exelon’s purchase of Illinois Power, but
with no rate increase.

12.  WILL radio announcements: WILL AM-580 has refused
our offer to purchase spots due to the political and
“controversial” nature of our message. It was proposed
that a letter be composed and a meeting planned to
protest this, pointing out the “controversial” nature
of ads for Archer-Daniels-Midland, for example. Ricky
Baldwin will be involved in this effort.

13. Electronic voting protest: There will be
leafleting before the last Illini football game, Sat.
11/22, regarding the electronic voting machines which
may be subject to fraud. Please contact ?????

14. Draft boards: Discussion was opened regarding
placing antiwar people on draft boards, which have
many vacancies but are being activated. Also, high
school students need to be advised, for example, on
registering as a conscientious objector before (not
after) a draft is implemented. See
www.defendamerica.mil for more information on the
draft board issue.

15. Events of Past Week:

AWARE had a table at the NAACP dinner on Friday
evening, and eight members attended. It was agreed
that more things such as this should be done in the
future—for example, with the Urban League.

16. Upcoming Events:

Offered by Al Kagan:

November 11th - CAS/MillerComm2003
Strengthening Gender Studies for Africa's
Transformation

Amina Mama

Chair and Professor of Gender Studies, African Gender
Institute, University of Cape Town
7:30 p.m. on the Third Floor, Levis Faculty Center,
919 West Illinois Street, Urbana. For more information
visit: http://www.cas.uiuc.edu/casmillercomm.
____________________________________________________________________________
November 12th - AFRST Fall Brown Bag Series 2003

Interpreting Gender in Africa: Whose Framework?

Dr. J. Adhiambo Odoul
Rockefeller Post-Doctoral Fellow, African Studies,
UIUC

NOON -1 P.M.
ROOM 101  INTERNATIONAL STUDIES BUILDING
910 S. FIFTH STREET, CHAMPAIGN.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
November 14th - Joint Area Centers Symposium 
I N T E R C U L T U R A L I T Y  I N  A  G L O B A L I
Z I N G   W O R L D
ROOM 407, ILLINI UNION
1401 W. GREEN STREET, URBANA
__________________________________________________________________________________________

November 14th - Geography Colloquium Presentation
Everyday Empire: Postcard Maps of French Colonization
of Africa
Prof. Tom Bassett
Department of Geography, UIUC
3:00 - 4:00
219 DAVENPORT HALL
___________________________________________________________________________
Patrick Bond
University of Witwatersrand Graduate School of Public
and Development Management, Johannesburg
South Africa and Global Apartheid: Is the Reform
Strategy Working?
When
Friday, November 14, 3 pm
Where
Lincoln Hall 336
Chair
Faranak Miraftab, Urban and Regional Planning
Discussant
Merle Bowen, Political Science
Paper
Download Patrick Bond’s paper at:
http://www.soc.uiuc.edu/trans_seminar_fa03.asp
__________________________________________________________________
Also:

Talk relating to Catholic Worker movement on Thursday
at 7 at Episcopal Church.
_________________________________________________________________
Finally:

Adrienne Bauer is off to Kenya for 8 months. Thanks
and good luck!!

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