[Peace] minutes of 11/19/06 AWARE meeting

[Randall Cotton]

Calendar of events:
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Monday, November 20, 2006
Court date (plea bargain possible) for Sgt. William Alan Myers (officer accused
of tasing and beating prisoners).
Courtroom A, 3PM at Champaign County Courthouse, 101 E. Main, Urbana

Tuesday, November 21, 2006
CUCPJ members will attend and speak at the County Board meeting
on tasers and other subjects. Audience supporters appreciated.
7PM, Brookens center, 1776 E. Washington, Urbana

Tuesday, November  21, 2006
AWARE Student Group meeting
7PM at Shara Esbenshade's, 506 W. Michigan, Ave.

Friday and Saturday, November 24-25, 2006
Counter Recruitment at the UIUC sponsored high school football tournament
1st Street and Florida (near Memorial Stadium)
12pm-4pm, Shara Esbenshade is coordinating along with Durl Kruse and Randall
Cotton.

Saturday, November 24, 2006
Village Market (the inside version of Farmer's Market)
Table times are 9am-2pm. A sign-up sheet will be passed around.
Lincoln Square Mall, inside
Corner of Illinois and Vine Streets, Urbana

Tuesday, November 28, 2006
"Feet to the Fire" working group meeting
12:30PM at Jerusalem Restaurant (see more on this working group effort)

Tuesday, November 28, 2006
AWARE Presents working group meeting
7:00 pm at the Kruse's

Saturday, December 2, 2006
Village Market (the inside version of Farmer's Market)
Table times are 9am-2pm. A sign-up sheet will be passed around.
Lincoln Square Mall, inside
Corner of Illinois and Vine Streets, Urbana

Saturday, December 2, 2006
Main Event (peace demonstration)
2:00pm-4:00pm
1 Main St. (corner of Main and Neil in downtown Champaign)
Champaign, IL

Thursday, January 4, 2007
Patrick Thompson will be in court to hear the judge's ruling on post-trial
motions which may result in a new trial, but could also result in his sentencing
and immediate incarceration. (Courtroom and time as yet unknown)
Champaign County Courthouse, 101 E. Main, Urbana

February, 2006
Poverty Forum (Anti-Racism/Court Watch will have more date/time details as it
gets closer)
Topics will include: Environmental racism. The poorest neighborhoods in
Champaign-Urbana are built on the most toxic areas. In fact, part of the reason
that the school district does not want to build a school north of University
Avenue is because they cannot find a safe site, and they don't want to clean up
one. But the people live in this area!
Ken Salo will be there

Saturday, March 31, 2007
Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice 2nd Annual Meeting
(They are looking for a venue around Champaign-Urbana)

------------------------

1. News of the week
(Carl not present)

among the items mentioned:

Court proceedings in Germany against the administration for war crimes

Murtha's defeat in the majority leader race in the House.

Kissinger's admission that the war is unwinnable

Leaked classified CIA report that no firm proof has been found to indicate Iran
even has a nuclear weapons program

Another Sy Hersh article on Iran in the New Yorker.

2 New ideas:

It was mentioned that the Peace Bazaar falls on a Saturday when we're already
committed to the "Main Event" demonstration and "Market in the Square". So we'll
not have a table at the Peace Bazaar this year.

Shall we purchase new yard signs with an out-of-Iraq/Impeachment message. Our
own design, perhaps?

3. Working Groups

Financial Report:
balance stands at $2589

Main Event:
Upcoming on December 2nd.
Ricky has the signs.

Market at the Square:
Schedule was passed around for tabling on future Saturdays

AWARE Presents:
upcoming meeting on 11/28 7PM at the Kruses (see calendar above)

Church Presence:
Message was sent to Steve Shoemaker, host of "Faith Matters" on WILL, regarding
possible show on Church Presence - no response yet.

Anti-Racism/Courtwatch:
Patrick Thompson's case has been continued to January 4, 2006 (time and
courtroom as yet unknown) (November 27 court date cancelled)
Tomorrow 3PM, court date for Sgt. William Alan Myers (officer who taser'ed
prisoners) Courtroom A. Preceding demonstration 2PM with an emphasis on misuse
of tasers.
Tuesday 7PM, County Board meeting - Mark Enslin and Chris Evans will speak on
tasers and other topics.
Anti-Poverty coalition may be forming

Counter-recruitment:
IHSA on 24th/25th: participation of 3 local teams will probably mean big
community turnout. Huge Army National Guard recruitment tent expected as in
previous years Weather forecast looks good - see full details in calendar above
signup sheet passed around.

Student groups:
Tuesday meeting 7PM at Shara's house (details above in calendar)

Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice:
Planning of annual peace conference underway - venue still undecided We could
participate in planning if someone could take the trip to Chicago on Dec. 9

"Feet to the Fire" working group:
Met last Tuesday night - Ricky, Carol, David H, Karen. Plans call for getting
1000  people to write postcards to Johnson/Obama/Durbin againts the war.
Decent start so far, but aim is to expand the effort greatly. Convenient
ready-made packets are available with instructions for anyone that wants to
canvass anywhere. Next meeting: November 28, 12:30 at Jerusalem Restaurant

Events of the Past Week:

Thursday IMC Event on the struggle in Oaxaca was extremely interesting and
informative. Durl summarized the story of this struggle between the people of
Oaxaca and the corrupt and repressive government of Ulises Ruíz.