[Peace] minutes of weekly AWARE meeting 2008-07-06

[Randall Cotton]

Minutes of 7/6/08 AWARE meeting are below, but first, the Upcoming
Events Calendar:

July 8 (TODAY, Tuesday) 1PM, Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 S. Vine St.
Taping of this week's "AWARE on the Air" for UPTV.

July 8 (TODAY, Tuesday) 10PM, UPTV (cable channel 6)
Broadcast of "AWARE on the Air", taped earlier in the day (see above)

July 16 (Wednesday) Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Midwest Coalition for Human Rights meeting of member groups
A contingent is forming to attend this as a day trip. CUCPJ is a member.
Neil, Barbara and Carol and Aaron Ammons may attend.

July 14 (Monday) 7PM First Mennonite Church, 902 W. Springfield, Urbana
"Sustainability -- A Choice to Consider: Living on Earth as If We Want to
Stay"
Mike Nickerson, Donna Dilman from Lanark, Ontario of "The Sustainability
Project", an educational, non-profit organization that promotes green
values. They are traveling across Canada and into the US. Mike is the
author of the new book: "Life, Money & Illusion: Living on Earth as if we
want to stay".

July 15 (Tuesday) 1PM, Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 S. Vine St.
Taping of next week's "AWARE on the Air" for UPTV.

July 15 (Tuesday) 10PM, UPTV (cable channel 6)
Broadcast of "AWARE on the Air", taped earlier in the day (see above)

July 18 (Friday) 7:30PM, Independent Media Center, 202 S. Broadway, Urbana
1st performance of "Marx in Soho", a one-man Howard Zinn play performed by
Jerry Levy. $5 suggested donation. See: www.levyarts.com . For more
information: Call 367-7329

July 19 (Saturday) 7:30PM, Channing-Murray Foundation, 1209 W. Oregon St.,
Urbana
2nd (final) performance of "Marx in Soho", a one-man Howard Zinn play
performed by Jerry Levy. $5 suggested donation. See: www.levyarts.com .
For more information: Call 367-7329

July 19 (Saturday) (2-4PM) Additional one-time "Main Event"-style street
demonstration just west of Springfield and Mattis.

August 22-23 Urbana Sweetcorn Festival
AWARE will be tabling at our own booth..

September 12 (Friday) (time, venue TBA)
Luis Alberto Urrea, author of "The Devil's Highway: A True Story", about
an incident in 2001 of 26 men attempting to cross the Mexican border into
the desert of southern Arizona, through the deadliest region of the
continent. Only 12 men emerged. Luis Alberto Urrea, is from Tijuana but
now lives outside Chicago. Study guide available. AWARE will co-sponsor
this event

*****
Minutes of 7/6/08 AWARE meeting:

About 25 in attendance

News of the week was heard courtesy of Carl Estabrook

Finance Report: $2360.72
Good Farmer's Market sales this week - $98. $20 contributed at the
meeting, thanks to Karen's New Zealand friends. Finance report sheet
passed around. IMC rent for AWARE storage space may change (currently $110
every 3 months).

Main Event:
========
(AWARE's monthly street protest held at the intersection of Main & Neil
2-4PM on the first Saturday of each month).
330 flyers with July 4th float images passed out, with thanks to Stuart,
Barbara, Don and a new student face (didn't get his name - curly hair,
yellow shirt). Some "Cost of War" flyers passed out as well. Several high
school students in attendance.

Working group reports:
*****************
Library Resources:
=============
(Compilation of valuable reference materials w/appeal to Libraries to
carry them).
Meeting called later in the evening after main AWARE meeting.

AWARE Presents:
=============
(Organization of AWARE-sponsored events in the community)
Announcement of working group meeting expected. Some new developments and
progress on the PTSD panel (item 3 below).

Current ideas under consideration include:

1. Jeremy Scahill events coinciding with his anticipated visit to town
this fall on a book tour.

2. Film festival at Urbana Free Library. Under consideration: "Body of
War". "Winter Soldier" footage, "War Made Easy" "Redacted", "Blood and
Oil: The Middle East in World War I". Other suggestions: "Reel Bad Arabs",
"Iraq for Sale".

3. PTSD panel - including local individuals that work with veterans
affected by PTSD.

Anti-Racism:
=========
(AWARE's efforts to keep apprised of and provide support for
anti-racism/anti-discrimination efforts, including efforts of CUCPJ -
Champaign-Urbana Citizens for Peace and Justice)

Mention made of rising murder rate in Chicago and the premise of Chicago
Police holding the city hostage due to Burge-related prosecutions. Burge
article may be in the works for the Public I.

Mention made of possible campaign to do voter registration and
door-to-door political issue canvassing in the black community by CUCPJ.

Farmer's Market:
============
(AWARE's presence at the Urbana "Market on the Square" each Saturday from
8AM to noon).

Out of "COEXIST" stickers again (extremely popular).

Sign-up grid passed around for future Saturdays.

Suggestion: More counter-recruitment literature suggested

AWARE on the Air:
==============
(AWARE's weekly television show on public access cable channel 6 - UPTV,
Urbana Public Television)

Taping occurs each Tuesdays at 1PM and is broadcast later the same day at
10PM. AWARE members (and friends) invited to participate - the more the
merrier (see details above in upcoming events calendar). Program quality
is always better with more participants.

Good attendance last week.

Youtube posts of recent editions are still planned.

Always room for more participation - prepared statements OK. Leaving early
is OK.

Blackwater:
========
(Activism regarding notorious domestic policing and international
mercenary contractor Blackwater, including coordination with
Illinois-based activist group Clearwater)

Work on pending military contractor legislation at the state level is
moving forward.

There are reports Blackwater is working with special forces on Pakistan
border.

San Diego training base issue still unresolved. For example, see:
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/3151478/

ATF confiscated AK-47's from Blackwater in NC. For example, see:
http://www.newsobserver.com/917/story/1122205.html

Mort mentioned Jeremy Scahill presentation at "National Assembly"
conference was excellent.

Iran:
===
Mennonite Central District Resolution passed on Iran.

Tim Johnson is a co-sponsor on Iran resolution (HR 362). Barney Frank
withdrawing sponsorship because he said he hadn't read it carefully.
Discussion ensued on the resolution and whether AWARE should respond
beyond the standard individual contacts to Johnson via web forms. Personal
visit to Johnson's office suggested. Plan made to consult with Bob Naiman
on this or other possible ideas.

4th of July:
=======
(AWARE's entry in this year's 4th of July parade)

Float was a great success. Much (unanticipated) applause, some standing up
as we approached., with IVAW and VVAW leading the procession. Negative
response almost non-existent, even along the traditional Florida Ave.
gauntlet.

Old Business:
**********
"National Assembly to End the Iraq War and Occupation"
A conference in Cleveland, Ohio, June 28-29
www.natassembly.org
=======================================
A full contingent of 4 AWAREista's attended - Randall, Mort, David H. and
IVAW member Jake

Outcome was unfortunate and disappointing - the powerfully focused
original thrust of the project (to effect the largest possible national
bi-coastal demonstrations against the occupation of Iraq) was spoiled by
activists who successfully pressed to add in the issues they are most
passionate about, diluting the project to the point that any
demonstrations called under their banner probably won't be any different
than all prior post-war demonstrations (that never attracted turnout
massive enough to have a strong effect). Palestine, Afghanistan and Iran
were added in to the project's mission.

Sweet Corn Festival. Signup deadline: July 18th. $75 for a 11'x11' space.
We have to be present both Friday, August 22 5PM-11PM and Saturday, Aug 23
11AM-11PM. Agreement without objection to signing up and attending.

Business Cards - Notes n Quotes doesn't do business cards. Staples,
Kinko's, etc. can. A cheaper alternative is to do them on-line and upload
them ourselves. A template can be chosen to work from. 24 hour turnaround.
About $60 estimated for 1000 cards. Cards would have AWARE basic info
including meeting time and place, website, monthly demonstration time,
etc.

Peace calendars are ordered, will be here August or September

New Ideas
*********
DVD's acquired for AWARE: Anti-War/Winter Soldier/Blackwater. Not reviewed
yet. Possible UPTV broadcast suggested.