[Peace] AWARE minutes 4-4-04

[C. G. Estabrook]

AWARE meeting minutes 4-4-04

Durl Kruse facilitates, with ease and grace

1. Introductions

2. Special presentation by Virginia Setshedi of the SOWETO Electricity
Crisis Committee/Anti-privatisation Forum, anti-war group in SA; she spoke
on invasion of Iraq and imperialism; connection to local poverty issues;
privatization of water and electricity even with an ANC government;
"reconstruction" in Iraq parallels reconstruction in SA; poor, elderly,
women particularly suffer from debt payments; criminalization of dissent
in SA; Pres. Mbeke gave orders to shoot people in red T-shirts in 3/21,
Human Rights Day; old regime's anti-terrorism laws used; SA government
practices a sub-imperial role; Virginia speaks at Global Justice Teach-In
Monday 4/5, 7pm Plym Auditorium in Temple Buell Hall, UIUC.

3. News of the week: Carl et al. posted separately

4. Treasurer reports: $1,988.76 (Where is the other $11.24?!)

5. Working groups report:
	--Alison Weir of If Americans Knew, lunch talk on Tuesday 3/30 at
Channing-Murray, an AWARE event: excellent presentation on "The U.S.,
Israel, and Palestine: What the Media Leave Out"; see their website at
<http://www.ifamericansknew.com/>
	--"Veterans and their Families Speak Out" on Thursday 4/1 at
Champaign Public Library; good coverage in DI, Ch. 15 and a short mention
on WILL radio; not mentioned by News-Gazette; Diedra Cobb, military CO
added to the program, gives an effective presentation. The meeting
expresses it thanks to her and to the participants -- Rosemarie Dietz
Slavenas (an Illinois mother who lost her son Brian in the Chinook
helicopter crash outside Fallujah, Iraq last November; a member of the
national organization "Military Families Speak Out"), Joe Miller of
Vietnam Veterans Against the War and Paul King (whose remarks are posted
on the peace-discuss list) -- and to Al et al. for organizing.
	--Prospect For Peace: demo on 4/3 saw a decent turnout on a windy
day, about 18 people; meting with Marvin Gerstein, Esq., discussed police
interactions and problems so far; he's willing to write to police on our
plans and suggest a talk, let them know we need a better response. Is
Gerstein the best guy for us?  Do we really need a lawyer? An agenda item
for next week.

6. Upcoming events:
	--Champaign County Police Review Board meeting Tuesday 4/6 7pm IDF
	--Tabling at Chuck D talk at Foellinger 4/9: Al et al...
	--Tabling at Earth Day Festival at Illini Union 4/15: Carl & Jen

7. New ideas and proposals
	--Peter repeats his request for cosponsorship of Martin Espada
	--Phil has a rare film on (US-backed) Venezuelan coup in April
2002; AWARE will show it Sunday 4/18 3pm in the IMC
	--Diedra Cobb requests support for her CO status
	--Ken requests that archive of peace-discuss list be available to
AWARE members only. An agenda item for next week
	--Al suggests IMC capital campaign should be supported by AWARE

8. Calendar
	--Estabrook talk, "The Myth of American Benevolence," Wednesday
4/7, 7pm Channing-Murray
	--Chuck D appearance, Friday 4/9, 7-9pm, Foellinger Auditorium,
cosponsored by AWARE (tabling)
	--Community input planning meeting for Liberation Education forum
(April 30-May 2) <www.liberationeducation.org> Tuesday 4/13, 5pm dinner
and 5:30 meeting, 409 N. Race St. U. <LIBERATIONEDUCATION at YAHOO.COM> (rsvp
344.1795)
	--Earth Day festival, Thursday 4/15, 6:30-midnight, Illini Union
Courtyard Cafe, cosponsored by AWARE (tabling)
	--Jeffrey St. Clair, editor of CounterPunch.org, will talk about
his book "Been Brown So Long It Looked Like Green to Me" (Common Courage
Press) at Pages For All Ages Bookstore, Friday 4/16 at 7:30pm; on Saturday
4/17 he will give a talk "Dime's Worth of Difference: Beyond the Politics
of Lesser Evils," sponsored by AWARE, time and place to be announced
	--"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, an Irish-made film on the
Venezuelan coup of April 2002 will be shown Sunday 4/18 3pm in the IMC; an
AWARE event
	--Estabrook talk "The Continuities of American Policy" Wednesday
4/21, 7 pm, Channing-Murray
	--Amy Goodman WEFT benefit, Friday 4/23, 6:15pm, Illinois
Disciples Foundation
	--Justice for Palestine event: Hip-Hop for Palestine (The Iron
Sheik) Friday 4/23, 9pm YMCA
	--Justice for Palestine events: "The Tale of the Two Occupations,"
Monday 4/26 6:30pm Allen Hall; Mike Miles and David Rovics, Monday 4/26
8pm Allen Hall
	--Estabrook talk, "The Coming October Surprise," Wednesday 5/5,
7pm, Channing-Murray
	--Taste of Champaign, Friday 6/25, 5-9pm; Saturday 6/26, 11am-9
pm; Sunday 6/27, noon-5pm; Westside Park (tabling)

	Respectfully submitted, subject to addition
	and correction by the wisdom of the group,
	SGDavis/CGEstabrook