[Peace] Minutes of the historic meeting 1-1-06

[Ricky Baldwin]

AWARE Meeting Notes
January 1, 2006 (CE)

Facilitating: Ricky Baldwin.  Attendance: small cadre
of fiercely dedicated militants, ready to bend the
entire organization to their will.

News of the Week - Carl to post separately.  
Discussion included this observation: the Bush
Administration has basically 2 lines of defense, (1)
supposed inherent powers of Commander in Chief (“We
can do anything we want because that’s what it means
to be President.”), and (2) AMF, or Authorization on
Military Force (“Congress says we can do anything we
want in the fight against terrorism.”).

New Business -

Martin Luther King Day celebration ad/sponsorship -
Ricky will check with Linda (update: Linda contacted
Ricky, proceeding as in prev. years).

Illinois Peace Action invitation - anti-war coalition
building statewide seeks interested parties - Randall
will respond with interest.

Impeachment - Discussion of Prof. Boyle’s campaign,
importance as propaganda/education about Bush Admin’s
crimes.  Ideas included pamphlet, letters to
Congressman, gathering student groups for forum on
issues (Boyle and others speaking).  Carl will contact
Prof. Boyle.

Haiti Support Working Group - area of US imperialism
and constant skullduggery that usually slips off
radar, group would work on keeping issues before the
public.  Discussion - similar group also needed on
Bolivia, perhaps entire Andean region.  Ricky will
contact student Amnesty International chapter.

Hidden Agenda for 2006 - Discussion included -
- maintain church presence, AWARE presents, Main
Event, activities that increase visibility
- renew focus on outreach (especially to uni students,
where we slack)
- impeachment committee? (a means of outreach?)
- Haiti support group should include new folks
- counter-recruitment also a way to involve new people
- a group to brainstorm on outreach?
- projects that involve working with new contacts,
working groups doing their own outreach
- re-open discussion of meeting time and place (for
agenda next time)
- to be continued

Reports -

Main Event this Sat. Jan. 7, 2-4 pm, corner of Main
and Neil

Urbana City Council Resolution working group meeting
Jan. 4 (see separate announcement)

Iraq Pack - ditto

Interjection - American Legion meeting Mon. at 7pm,
may be related to reports of military providing
incentives to veterans willing to return and give
positive accounts.  AWARE members and veterans Bob
Wahlfeldt and Paul King to attend and report back.

Counter-recruitment - Discussion: should be included
in AWARE’s campus outreach project.

Discussion of domestic spying in news - ideas include
a class action lawsuit, Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request to local law enforcement, activity for
a state coalition such as Illinois Peace Action, and
the observation that now would be a good time to check
it out.

Upcoming Events -

- Main Event this Sat. Jan. 7, 2-4 pm, corner of Main
and Neil
- Urbana City Council Resolution working group meeting
Jan. 4 (see separate announcement)
- American Legion meeting Mon. at 7pm

Adjournment in the nick of time.

P.S.  And if the feds want a fuller report than that,
they can have had their butts at the meeting in
person.



		
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