[Peace] AWARE Minutes, Jan. 22, 2006

Tue Jan 24 08:50:15 CST 2006

AWARE Minutes, Jan. 22, 2005

Facilitator: Randall Cotton
Minutes: David Green
Time: Karen Medina

1. News of the Week, posted separately by Carl
Estabrook

2. Introductions: 15-20 present

3. New Ideas:

Population Issues—please refer to peace-discuss
archives for several posts regarding this issue,
raised by a Catherine, a new attendee.

___________________________________

New Meeting Time: A vote was taken regarding preferred
meetings times. There was an approximately even
division between those preferring an earlier time,
especially 4, and those wishing to keep the time at 5.
 More discussion of this issue this Sunday (at 5).

__________________________________

Durl Kruse requested that we co-sponsor a showing of
Hotel Rwanda at Channing-Murray by Amnesty
International Student Group, Feb. 7, 6 p.m. This was
approved without dissent.

____________________________________

Randall Cotton reported that a WEFT Board Meeting
would be considering his banishment on Monday evening,
Jan. 31, McKinley Foundation, time TBA. Randall
requests that those interested in supporting his
efforts to bring new ideas to WEFT attend this meeting
on his behalf.

4. Working Groups:

Finances: $2236.25

______________________________________

Main Event: Feb. 4th, 2-4.

_______________________________________

AWARE Presents: Planning is in the works to gain
University departmental sponsorship for Anthony
Shadid’s visit, March 7-8th. We will need to raise
$2,000 for an honorarium—suggestions welcome. Steve
Hartnett is also involved in trying to gain
sponsorship and funds from university programs. It was
suggested that local progressive churches also be
contacted, as well as the mosque.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805076026/sr=1-1/qid=1138113906/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-7806867-0604854?%5Fencoding=UTF8

__________________________________________

Anna Piller, a Jewish-American Palestinian rights
activist, will be visiting on May 11-12th. A radio
appearance, lecture and panel discussion, and book
signing are in the works.

__________________________________________

Urbana City Council Resolution:

Much effort is going into planning, publicity, and
news coverage for the upcoming Town Meeting, Feb.
21st. Please contact Durl and Jan Kruse if you wish to
help in these efforts, including fliering.

___________________________________________

Counter-recruitment: There will be efforts to begin
tabling at local high schools. To this end, there will
be a meeting at Mort Brussel’s house, 2003 George Huff
Drive, Wed. (tomorrow), 7:30. The Centennial principal
in particular seems open to allowing us to do this.

_______________________________________

Upcoming Events

The Center on Democracy in a Multiracial Society

presents

Molly Secours
"Whispering Black: Code Talk for Whites"

Tuesday, January 24, 2006
7pm

Foellinger Auditorium

In "Whispering Black," Molly Secours addresses the
hushed tones often used by those classified as white
whenever referring to race. She also illustrates how
avoiding meaningful racial discussions only furthers
the divide between whites and non-whites- thereby
maintaining the benefits of "white privilege" and the
injustices of white supremacy.By honestly examining
our thoughts, behaviors, and history regarding race,
Secours excavates the origins of our biases and
deepens our understanding so that we can more
consciously change our actions and strengthen our
commitment to social justice.

_______________________________________

>From Brian Dolinar:

Last week, I spoke about our plans to form an
anti-racist
working group.  This week, there is a court date for
Officer
Myers, busted for tasing an inmate.  It is this
Wednesday, Jan
25 at 11:30am, Courtroom A.  Unfortunately, I have to
teach. 
But for anyone who can make it, could you please come
out to
make a show of public pressure.  Without public
pressure, such
cases are not prosecuted - as the dropping of rape
charges
against Officer Hjort of Urbana shows.  

For others interested, Patrick Thompson's second trial
also
starts the morning of Jan 25.  

Also this week, there will be a talk about Katrina and
its
aftermath by Marc Morial, former New Orleans Mayor, LA
Senator, and Urban League president.  

It is Thursday at 7pm, Smith Music Hall, Mathews Ave.

______________________________________

Kathy Kelly at Allen Hall

THIS IS INFORMATION FROM THE ALLEN HALL WEBSITE AT THE
UNIVERSITY.
MAYBE LAURA HABER WILL CONFIRM.
>
Current Guests In Residence

> Spring 2006
> January 29, 2006 - February 2, 2006
> Kathy Kelly
>
> Kathy Kelly  has been a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee
three times. She 
> helped initiate Voices in the Wilderness, a campaign
to end the UN/US 
> sanctions against Iraq. Voices in the Wilderness
organized 70 
> delegations to visit Iraq in the period between 1996
and the 
beginning 
> of the Operation Shock and Awe warfare. Kelly has
been to Iraq twenty 
> times since 1996. In October 2002, she joined Iraq
Peace Team members 
> in Baghdad where she and the team maintained a
presence throughout 
the 
> bombardment and invasion. She has also helped
organize and 
> participated in nonviolent direct action teams in
Haiti and Bosnia. 
> Kelly served nine months in Lexington, KY maximum
security prison in 
> 1988 for planting corn on nuclear missile silo
sites. She was 
recently 
> imprisoned for three months in Pekin Federal Prison
Camp for her 
> participation in a nonviolent protest calling for
closure of the 
> School of the Americas military combat training
school based in Fort 
> Benning, GA. Kelly has taught in Chicago area
community colleges and 
> high schools since 1974. 

___________________________________

Slam-Jam Romp-Stomp

Saturday Night, Jan. 28, 7-9, IMC

________________________________________

Immigration Forum, Levis Faculty Center, Friday, Jan.
27, 4-5:30

________________________________________

The next Social Forum meeting will be at the Champaign
County Healthcare Consumers Office, 44 E. Main St.,
Champaign, Saturday, Feb. 18, 1 p.m.

________________________________________

Finally—reference to Cindy Sheehan article mentioned
at meeting:

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0122-24.htm

__________________________________________________
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