[Peace] AWARE minutes for Jan. 21, 2007 (yes, about 3 weeks late)

[Stuart Levy]

Minutes from Jan. 21, 2007 AWARE meeting

Karen Medina facilitated, Stuart Levy took minutes.


Some News of the Week (in Carl's absence):

Pelosi -- "cutting Iraq funding is off the table"

Lots of nonsense from US about the Chinese test of antisatellite missile.

Any good news?
   Media reform conference in Memphis, TN,
    attended by more than 3500 activists, was very successful.

    Danny Schechter wasn't invited, wrote a blurb?
     "Me and the Media" (Schechter's life)
     "this media reform conference is getting too mainstream!"
     "not enough calls to action -- things people could do"
    Many of the same major presenters as in past years.
    Durl - yes, but more representation of women this time, especially in
	breakout sessions, than in St. Louis
    Several congressmen were there -- Bernie Sanders, Ed Markey.
----

New Ideas
	Last week we talked about sponsoring students to Jan 27 march;
	two students came to apply, and we approved both of them,
	asking that they tell AWARE why they'd like to go, and that
	they return after the event to describe their experiences.

	Some of what they said:
	Kimmy Pillow (Uni High student):
	"I went last year, enjoyed it.   I want to be a part of this protest,
	 to represent youth there."

	Emilio Ruiz (Parkland College student):
	"This is a pivotal point in history, with Democratic control of
	Congress. it's important to speak out.  We'll be there to represent
	many people who can't go."

    Mort: Can anyone stay until Monday to lobby our Senators/Congress?
	 (none of those present said we could)

    Durl moves we pay up to $100 for each student -- approved.

 --
  Financial report: $3145.30 in treasury

    Barb K. reports there's $20 left over from Postcards for Peace.

  Main Event

    Shara Esbenshade is organizing a One Main protest event in sync with
	the national protest.


  Dancing Teapots

	Jan & Durl have written to Gary:
	   - who is the contact person at the Mosque (CIMIC)?
	   - who helped him design the referendum signs we put on the bus?
	   - whom did we use to print the referendum signs?

	Mort: anyone talked with Mohammed Al-Hiti (of World Harvest)?
	   No, he (and Stuart) will do that.


  AWARE Presents
	Will meet Monday at the Kruze's

	Heard from Carter Center: Carter isn't available this spring
	  to come to C-U nor Bloomington-Normal to speak about his book
	  (Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid).

	  Marilyn Booth, PSAMES dept. head, will write to ask whether
	  they'd consider an invitation if it were extended through next year,
	  instead of just this spring.

	Rev. Mulberry will speak at Urbana Council on Tue 2/13
	on his visit to Oaxaca, and political & economic situation there.
 --
 Court Watch
	- no news
 --
 Counter-recruitment
	Anyone went to the Armory open house today?  Apparently no.

	Dean Riley never did call Durl back as promised re
	Facilities Use Committee.

	Shara and Cody are submitting a piece to the public i
	about harassment of AWARE counter-recruitment leafletters
	at a couple of events on UIUC campus.

	Belden Fields suggested filing a FOIA request with IHSA,
	to find out who their sponsors are and how much they pay;
	Army National Guard is a sponsor.
 --
 Student Groups
	Two Students Are Going with ISO to Jan 27 DC protest.
	
 -- 
 ICPJ
	March 30-31 "Stopping War -- Seeking Justice" conference
	  Will Be Held at Holiday Inn (Urbana, on Lincoln Ave)
	Only $16 if you register by March 15th, or $25 after.
	Friday 3/30 evening keynote from Tom Hayden.

 --
 Old Business
	- took care of sending students...

 --
 Ideas
	Hindu Temple -- Gary Storm was going to report on it, but isn't here.

	9/11 film showings?    at IMC, say?
	   Sure, why not?  
	   Showing a film and having a discussion could be a good way to go.

	   OK, how?  AWARE Presents?  Or, just book a time and advertise somehow?


	- We'd talked about giving a scholarship, say $100 or $200,
	  to a student -- perhaps on the basis of a well-written essay.

	  At MLK day there were scholarship presentations to students
	  who had written essays about King, keeping the dream alive, etc.
	  This has been  
	  Lots of groups do give out scholarships -- seven this year
	  at $1000 each, matched (somehow) by UIUC if they come here.
	  Maybe, Karen suggests, AWARE could take part in one of those frameworks.

	Durl - originally it was going to be specifically an AWARE scholarship
	  for Parkland.  Was probably 85% there when people involved in it (Jan S.?)
	  stopped being active.

	  If we participated, we'd want to read and consider the essays too,
	  to see that they were related somehow to social justice, right?

	 Karen - The focus of the MLK scholarships is social justice already;
	   many churches give, but mostly just $100 or so, so we could make
	   a big difference.

	   Having control is one thing, but being involved in the
	   community is valuable.

 --
 Last Week's Events
	Stop-Torture Petition?
	  Barb Kessel -- there'll be a meeting on Tuesday 1/23 to work on this.
	  Tue 7pm McKinley Foundation Geneva room  -- Interfaith Alliance.

	  Apparently the Mennonites find the Stop Torture petition
	  controversial -- at least, they aren't ready to
	  approve the petition at present.

	  Channing-Murray has already agreed to it; is posting it
	  on the Red Herring wall.


  Mort saw movie "Letters from Iwo Jima", which was quite moving.
	In Japanese with subtitles -- the Battle of Iwo Jima
	seen from the Japanese point of view.
	It's at the Savoy right now.

  Trip to DC for 1/27 protest:
	Let's let the media know we're going -- do a media sendoff,
	hold up some signs as we leave (from the UIUC Library lot)

  A couple people had asked Barb Kessel last week asked how they
	can get to DC...  or if they can't, can they support
	others who are going?  Suggested inviting contributions
	(guilt money?) from sympathetic people who can't themselves go.