[Peace] minutes of weekly AWARE meeting 2008-09-14

[Randall Cotton]

Minutes of 9/14/08 AWARE meeting are below, but first, the Upcoming
Events Calendar:

Sep 16 (TODAY, Tuesday) 1PM, Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 S. Vine St.
Taping of this week's "AWARE on the Air" for UPTV.

Sep 16 (TODAY, Tuesday) 7-8:30PM, Illini Union Courtyard Cafe
"1968 / 2008:  The Times, they are a Changin'"
James Anderson, Education Policy Studies
Antonia Darder, Education Policy Studies
Belden Fields, Political Science
Moderator:  Augusto Espiritu, History.
This panel of experts will present comparisons of historical significance
of various events that occurred in 1968 with what is currently happening
today with regards to our nation's racial, political and educational
landscape.  University of Illinois Speakers:

Sep 16 (TODAY, Tuesday) 10PM, UPTV (cable channel 6) Broadcast of "AWARE
on
the Air", taped earlier in the day (see above)

Sep 18 (Thursday) 6:30PM, Urbana Civic Center, 108 E. Water St., Urbana
"Interfaith Breaking of Bread", a feast at sundown catered with a variety
of Middle Eastern Hallal foods. Fasting from dawn to dusk encouraged  (as
done by practicing Muslims at this time during the month of Ramadan,
though this is an interfaith event), but fasting is not at all required.
Sponsored by Champaign-Urbana Interfaith Alliance, Muslim Women's
Outreach, and the Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center. Reservations
required by Monday, September 17, $13 donation suggested. Contact: Sadia
Bekal - sbekal at uiuc.edu .

Sep 23 (Tuesday) 1PM, Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 S. Vine St.
Taping of next week's "AWARE on the Air" for UPTV.

Sep 23 (Tuesday) 10PM, UPTV (cable channel 6)
Broadcast of "AWARE on the Air", taped earlier in the day (see above)

Sep 23 (Tuesday) 7PM, 163 Noyes Lab on campus, 505 S. Matthews, Urbana
Coalition meeting for the local Winter Soldier event, organized by Campus
Anti-War Network. AWARE presence requested.

Oct 4 (Saturday) 11AM, Corner of Randolph and Green Streets, Champaign.
Unity March - an annual event uniting many groups and communities
throughout Champaign/Urbana that focuses on issues and injustices faced by
minorities and/or the poor. This year's theme will focus on supporting the
November ballot referendum asking for a small property tax increase (2
cents per $100 assessed value) to help fund a partial restoration of
Champaign Township "General Assistance" financial support for the city's
poorest residents. This year's Unity March will begin at the Champaign
Township Supervisor's office (where the "General Assistance" service is
administered) and will wind up at Douglass Park. AWARE is a co-sponsor of
this event.

Oct 4 (Saturday) 2-4PM Main St. & Neil St., Champaign
The Main Event - AWARE's monthly (first Saturday of each month) street
demonstration event. Largely focuses on opposing U.S. occupations of Iraq
and Afghanistan, but is open for anyone to join us either using one of our
signs or one of their own. We try to have a topical flyer to distribute to
motorists and passers-by each month.

Oct 10 (Friday) noon-2PM, 123 English Building on campus
Dan Kenney of Clearwater: "Outsourcing our Sovereignty - Blackwater and
the privatization of War". Brown bag lunch sponsored by History Discussion
Group.

Oct 10 (Friday) 7PM-9PM Urbana City Council Chambers (400 S. Vine St.,
Urbana)
Dan Kenney of Clearwater: "Outsourcing our Sovereignty - Blackwater and
the privatization of War". To be recorded for broadcast on UPTV.

Oct 29 (Wednesday) 7:30PM, Auditorium, Smith Memorial Hall, 805 South
Mathews Ave., Urbana
Naomi Klein: "Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism in Latin
America"
(hosted by the UofI Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies as
part of the CAS/MillerComm Lecture Series).
See: http://www.cas.uiuc.edu/casmillercomm.php#oct29

*****
Minutes of 9/14/08 AWARE meeting:

About 15 in attendance

News of the week was reviewed

Finance Report:  Jan (treasurer) out of town. Last week's balance was
$1523.75. Farmer's Market brought in $59 this week.

Working group reports:
*****************
Main Event:
========
(AWARE's monthly street protest held at the intersection of Main & Neil
2-4PM on the first Saturday of each month).

The next Main Event is October 4th.

Library Resources:
=============
(Compilation of valuable reference materials w/strategies to make them
available in the community through various channels including local
libraries).

(no new info this week)

AWARE Presents:
=============
(Organization of AWARE-sponsored events in the community)

Meeting held last Thursday

Current AWARE Presents event lineup:

1. Dan Kenney of Clearwater on the privatization of war, including
Blackwater, in an event for the community (to be recorded as well) on
October 10 (see above in upcoming events calendar for date/venue details).

Public Square spot is planned for publicity

2. Jeremy Scahill event still being pursued (he is on a book tour this
Fall).

Tentative date of October 28th still possible. This would be the day
before Naomi Klein's appearance on campus.

3. Proposal under development: Invite Juan Cole to speak (University
of Michigan Professor of History, middle-east expert, author of Informed
Comment blog, see: www.juancole.com ). Initial contacts to promote
interest in this at UIUC: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern
Studies and Center for Global Studies.

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)

CUCPJ's Unity March organizing continues. Details on the March are above
in upcoming events calendar..

Farmer's Market:
============
(AWARE's presence at the Urbana "Market on the Square" each Saturday from
8AM to noon where we offer progressive and anti-war materials, generally
at or below cost).

Jan and Durl out of town one more week. Karen volunteers to set up next
week, ensuring there's sufficient change ($20 worth in
bills and coins).

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

Taping occurs each Tuesday 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.

August 12th edition of AOTA is available on newsfromneptune.com, will be
moved to AWARE website (anti-war.net) along with later editions.

Last week's edition (September 9th) has been converted for the Internet
and is headed toward availability.

There is always room for more participation in AWARE on the Air - prepared
statements OK. Arriving late/leaving early is OK.

Blackwater
========
(Activism regarding notorious domestic policing and international
mercenary contractor Blackwater, including coordination with
Illinois-based activist group Clearwater: see:
http://www.noprivatearmies.org )

Anti-Blackwater demonstration in Chicago cancelled due to massive rain
from Ike remnants rolling through the state.

Old Business
**********
AWARE introduction sheet (a short welcoming half-sheet introduction to
AWARE for new faces attending our meeting.):
First official version now available in our meeting room (copies are in an
envelope on the entrance door). Randall plans to create a revision for
distribution at Farmer's Market and other tabling events. Randall asks
whether a volunteer would come forward to revise it on an ongoing basis
(in particular, the list and description of active working groups changes
over time). No takers, so Randall agrees to do it for the time being.

Bill Walton (issue of long-time local homeless man banned from Lincoln
Square Mall, City Building and Library):
(no new information this week)

"News of the week" meeting format.
Lengthy and lively discussion regarding the "News of the Week" format of
AWARE's meetings. At least one person objects to the current format, which
essentially reserves 10 minutes for Carl Estabrook's weekly news reviews
(these reviews were requested long ago by AWARE). At least one person
strongly supports continuance of Carl's weekly reviews as is. Various
permutations of meeting format changes were discussed. More discussion
next week. Randall agreed to put forth a proposal for discussion.

Events of the Past Week
*******************
Favorable mention made of Luis Alberto Urrea events.