[Peace] minutes of 10/1/06 AWARE meeting

[Randall Cotton]

Calendar:
-------------
October 3 (Tuesday) 11AM Courtroom A - next court date for William Myers
(correctional officer who taser'ed and beat inmates)

October 3 (Tuesday) 7PM - Champaign City Council meeting, 102 N. Neil St.
(oppose bill to roll back section 8 tenant protections in Human Rights
Ordinance)

October 4 (Wednesday) 7PM - AWARE Presents meeting, 2007 S. George Huff Dr.,
Urbana

October 5 (Thursday) 6:30PM, Family room, basement of Independent Media Center
(202 S. Broadway, Urbana)

October 7 (Saturday) noon - Unity March III, Prospect and Bradley

October 7 (Saturday) 2-4PM - Main Event monthly anti-war demonstration (Main and
Neil, Champaign)

October 7 (Saturday) 2-3PM - News Gazette demonstration (meet at Main and Neil)

October 7 (Saturday) 4:30PM - Reception w/food and drink for all intrepid
demonstrators and friends, basement of Independent Media Center (202. S.
Broadway, Urbana)

October 17 (Tuesday) 7PM - 7th District Rep. Karen Yarbrough on state
legislation initiating impeachment, Urbana City Council Chambers

October 18 (Wednesday) 12 noon - Campus & Community Rally featuring Karen
Yarbrough (see above), UofI Union South Patio, followed by meet & greet event
with Karen in Union room 314B (1PM-2PM)

October 26 (Thursday) 7-9PM - AWARE panel discussion: U.S. Foreign policy
regarding Israel and its neighbors (featuring Ken Cuno, Michael Shapiro, Fred
Jahar, Jamal Nassar), moderated by T.J.  Wilson, Urbana City Council Chambers,
400 S. Vine St., Urbana.

October 27 (Friday) 4:30-7PM - Public Hearing sponsored by C-U Citizens for
Peace and Justice on the SMART Act (Substance Abuse Management Addressing
Recidivism through Treatment), which provides alternative sentencing and
treatment and education for low-level, drug and prostitution offenders, Urbana
City Council Chambers, 400 S. Vine St, Urbana.

Finance report:
----------------
$38 from meeting last week
$50 for calendars at last week's meeting
7 calendars sold at Farmer's Market
$124 from Saturday Farmer's Market
balance $1953.86
fundraiser for referendum at the Barrett's - $400 + $100 in-kind in refreshments
from the Barrett's
another referendum fundraiser or two in the works (one at Carl's)

Main Event:
------------
Main Event up next Saturday along with other big events:
Main Event: 2-4PM on Main and Neil - regular monthly anti-war/anti-occupation
demonstration.
Other events going on the same day:

Unity March III - starting at noon, Bradley and Prospect is the starting point.
Planned route is Bradley to McKinley to Paula to Garden Hills to Hedge to
Bradley, ending up at a rally at Thompson Park. Folks will be encouraged to go
to the other two demonstrations (One Main and News Gazette) from there

News Gazette demonstration - 2PM (gather at Main and Neil)
There is also a planning and sign-making party for the News Gazette demo 6:30PM
on Thursday, Oct 5 in the Family Room at the IMC.

And after all the demonstrations, at 4:30PM - there will be a big food and
refreshments gathering at the IMC (basement level).

Farmer's Market
------------------
Farmer's Market signup sheet was passed around. Folks were afraid of putting out
referendum lawn signs.

AWARE Presents
-------------------
Paul Street - Focus 580 interview went well, mostly about foreign policy
Jerusalem Restaurant dinner - a dozen folks in attendance
Speaking engagement at Unity Church of Christ - at least 40 folks were there,
lots of topics covered He spoke a lot about racism and the poor paying the rich
for the war. No one from the black community in attendance - Paul Street says
that's a general problem.

Karen Yarbrough - trying to coordinate with Francis Boyle to get into the law
school.
Paul Street suggested folks should write about Karen's visit to publicize it.

Panel discussion/forum: October 26, 7PM at Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 S.
Vine St.
Palestine/Israel conflict and U.S. Foreign Policy format under development.

New event developing: Thursday, November 2nd - Presentation regarding
impeachment with Francis Boyle 7PM-9PM, Urbana City Council chambers. Format
under development.

More on referendum fundraising/awareness get-togethers from Ricky:
Paul Kotheimer offered to play at an additional event. Channing Murray is
available. Ricky need folks to jump in and help with organizing this. Ideas were
thrown around for this event.

One panelist for the Oct. 26th even is coming from ISU. Durl proposes covering
gas money - $30, for approval next week by consensus.

Next AWARE Presents meeting, Wednesday, October 4, 7PM.

Anti-Racism Working Group/Community Courtwatch
------------------------------------------------------
Urgent issue has come up. Champaign City Council threatening to exclude section
8 vouchers as "source of income" in the Champaign Human Rights Ordinance (which
bans discrimination based on "source of income"). This is a class war issue, but
also a de facto racism issue. Councilmember Ken Pirok proposing to pull out the
language explicitly including section 8 vouchers as "source of income" and
insert language explicitly *excluding* section 8 vouchers. Champaign City
Council voted earlier this year to insure there would be no such discrimination,
but with the departure of Kathy Ennen from the council and her replacement with
Deb Feinen, Pirok is hoping to get enough votes to roll back this important
human right.

The proposed bill from Pirok is on the Champaign City Council agenda for this
Tuesday's regular meeting at 7PM. Turnout of speakers and folks supporting
speakers with applause is crucial and could sway the vote. Also important is
direct phone or e-mail contact with Feinen. CU Citizens for Peace and Justice
will be on-hand. Esther Patt will likely speak.

Randall will post more info on this.

Also, a reminder: October 27th Public Hearing time is set: 4:30PM -7PM, Urbana
City Council Chambers. This event is to gauge public interest in improving the
way Champaign County deals with low-level non-violent drug convictions, by
supporting statewide legislation modeled on Cook County's "drug school" model
via the SMART Act (Substance Abuse Management Addressing Recidivism through
Treatment).

Counter-recruitment
---------------------
Centennial High School:
Working group met with Dr. Wiegand. Recruiters do have access to students at
Centennial. There are appointments with students. Army National Guard has
"team-building" exercises in PE classes (they are invited by Centennial).
Recruiters pass out literature. We would be allowed to have the same access. It
appears that barriers are not being set against us. Upcoming recruiting event at
Centennial on October 10th.

>From last week: Central High School has a tighter leash on recruiters. They
don't give military tests and recruiters and are only allowed in during career
fairs. Appointments with recruiters can be made through a counselor.

Urbana High School - meeting this Tuesday - 7:30AM - administrative team meeting
where we'll have an opportunity to speak.

Durl asks for $75 for purchasing video and copying counter-recruitment videos,
for approval next week by consensus.

Student groups
----------------
AWARE High School working group will probably meet this week.

AWARE UofI working group will have a small voter-registration presence on
campus.

Mention made of ANSWER-sponsored October 5 demonstration.

Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice
------------------------------------
We got a call from ICPJ - they are asking for help with planning for the next
annual conference- April 14th - again held in Champaign/Urbana. In particular,
they need a wheel-chair accessible multiple-room venue. Please come forward
with ideas to Jan Kruse.

Old Business
-------------
$30 IDF funding proposal (from last week) for Human Rights Film Series.
(Co-sponsorship without funding has already been approved last week). The point
is made that IDF is an endowed organization and perhaps we should reserve
financial support for groups that have a greater need. Point is made that IDF
can raise funds much better than we can. No consensus.

New Ideas
------------
Darfur discussion: There is a student group on campus that is very interested in
raising awareness and discussing the situation in Darfur. Student group is part
of a national organization. Proposal is whether to invite the group for a
discussion. Suggestion is made that if we invite them, we let them know that
there are differing views within AWARE on the validity of the administration's
current policy and even the efforts of Darfur activist groups. Consensus on
extending invitation.

Champaign County Health Care Consumers petition on Medicare Part D passed around
by Ricky