[Peace] minutes of weekly AWARE meeting 2009-03-01

[Randall Cotton]

Minutes of 03/01/09 AWARE meeting are below, but first, AWARE Volunteer
Opportunities and the Upcoming Events Calendar:

AWARE Volunteer Opportunities
----------------------------------
(various ways to volunteer in AWARE's work)

AWARE is considering moving our monthly demonstration venue from
Main & Neil in Champaign to a higher-traffic site. It would be helpful
for us to discover which intersections in Champaign/Urbana have the most
traffic to help us in that decision. A volunteer is needed to contact the
appropriate city department/official in both Champaign and Urbana to
obtain a list of and available statistics on, say, the 10 busiest
intersections in each city. It's probably a fair assumption that this is
tracked by both cities and that it's public information. For assistance,
contact Randall Cotton, recotton at earthlink.net, 351-8644/722-8470.

**UPDATED INFO APPENDED** AWARE is helping search for locations to set up
a portable electronic LED display that reports (in a loop) various
statistics on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (casualties, financial
cost, etc.). Here's a video of the sign going through a typical loop:
http://dart.ncsa.uiuc.edu/stuffed/slevy/costofwar-sign.mp4 Dimensions of
the sign are: 50.3" L x 6.3" H x 1.7" W and it weighs 12 pounds. Full
specifications are at: http://www.bigbrite.com/product.aspx?id=78 . The
display could be set up anywhere indoors - home, business, event - where
it will be seen by many, for as long or as little as you like. If you can
volunteer to display the sign somewhere or have any ideas where it could
be set up, contact Barbara Kessel, barkes at gmail.com, 365-9473 or Randall
Cotton, recotton at earthlink.net, 351-8644/722-8470. **UPDATED INFO** As of
March 2008, the sign is installed in the lobby of the Urbana/Champaign
Independent Media Center, right next to the Post Office there in the
building (202 S. Broadway, Urbana).

Help is needed with content creation and maintenance for AWARE's website,
anti-war.net. Technical experience (UNIX/HTML/CSS) required for
maintenance work (but not content creation) Contact: Stuart Levy,
slevy at ncsa.uiuc.edu, 351-9264/244-1543 or Randall Cotton,
recotton at earthlink.net, 351-8644/722-8470.

Meeting minutes: Someone is needed to share or take over meeting minutes
duty (preparing these notes each week). Help will be provided (as much as
necessary). Contact: Randall Cotton, recotton at earthlink.net,
351-8644/722-8470

AWARE publicity: Someone is needed to maintain AWARE publicity documents
(and arrange for copies, as needed). This includes our business card,
intro sheet for new meeting attendees and our general information sheet
for tabling events). All reproduction costs reimbursed, Help provided as
needed. Contact: recotton at earthlink.net, 351-8644/722-8470

Upcoming Events Calendar
----------------------------
**TIME CHANGE** Mar 3 (TODAY, Tuesday) 1PM, Urbana City Council
Chambers, 400 S Vine St
Taping of "AWARE on the Air" for UPTV to be broadcast later the same day
(see below). **NOTE** The recording session will NOT take place at 4PM as
indicated in last week's minutes, but indeed 1PM.

Mar 3 (TODAY, Tuesday) 10PM, UPTV (cable channel 6)
Broadcast of "AWARE on the Air", taped earlier in the day (see above)

**UPDATED** Mar 4 (Wednesday) 7PM, 221 Greg  Hall, 810 S Wright St, Urbana
Group discussion hosted by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and Campus
Anti-War Network (CAN) about the book they are collectively reading and
reviewing: "War without end: The Iraq War in Context", by Michael
Schwartz. IT IS NOT REQUIRED THAT YOU READ OR COMPLETE THE BOOK IN ORDER
TO COME FOR THE DISCUSSION.

**NEW** Mar 4 (Wednesday) 7PM,, Lyle Shields Meeting Room, Brookens
Administrative
Center, 1776 East Washington St, Urbana
Champaign County Board Policy, Personnel and Appointments committee
meeting.
Agenda includes consideration of a radical proposal that will eliminate
the Justice & Social Services committee and slash all County Board
committee seats by half.
Agenda online at:
http://www.co.champaign.il.us/COUNTYBD/PPA/090304agenda.pdf
More information at:
http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/archive/peace/2009-February/022035.html

Mar 6 (Friday) 11AM, WILL AM-580
Juan Cole as guest on Focus 580 with David Inge
This event is **NOT** on Mar 9 as originally announced in prior minutes.

Mar 7 (Saturday) 2-4PM University Ave & State 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.

Mar 8 (Sunday) 2PM, Urbana Civic Center, 108 E Water St.
Community-oriented presentation from Juan Cole: University of Michigan
Professor of History, author of Informed Comment blog at www.juancole.com,
and remarkably astute expert observer on Middle East affairs. Proposed
lecture topic: "Withdrawal from Iraq and the future of American security".

Mar 8 (Sunday) 5PM, WILL AM-580
Juan Cole as guest on "Keepin' the Faith" with Steve Shoemaker.

Mar 9 (Monday) 4PM, Levis Faculty Center, 2nd Floor.
University-oriented presentation from Juan Cole: University of Michigan
Professor of History, author of Informed Comment blog at www.juancole.com,
and remarkably astute expert observer on Middle East affairs. Proposed
lecture topic: "Iraq's provincial elections and what they mean for
relations with the United States"

**NEW** Mar 10 (Tuesday) 4PM, Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 S Vine St
Taping of "AWARE on the Air" for UPTV to be broadcast later the same day
(see below)

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

March 15 (Sunday) 2PM, Channing-Murray Foundation, 1209 W Oregon
St, Urbana
AWARE Films showing of "Soldiers of Conscience". Made with permission from
the US Army, this documentary profiles eight American soldiers, including
four who decide not to kill and become conscientious objectors, and four
who believe in their duty to kill if necessary. Paul McGuire and Martin
Smith of IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War) will lead a brief
discussion following the 87 minute film. Refreshments served, open to the
public. Donations will be accepted so that DVD copies of the film can be
provided to local libraries. Co-sponsored by AWARE Films, Channing-Murray
Foundation, First Mennonite Church, Interfaith Alliance, Iraq Veterans
Against the War and Urbana-Champaign Friends Meeting.

**NEW** Mar 17 7PM, Champaign Public Library, 200 W Green St, Champaign
Phil Wilayto, author of new book "In Defense of Iran: Notes from a U.S.
Peace Delegation's Journey through the Islamic Republic" - see
http://www.defendersfje.org/dpi . This event is part of a Midwest book
tour. AWARE members met with Phil in December 2008 at the United for Peace
and Justice National Assembly Conference and his appearance here is a
result of that.

**UPDATED INFO APPENDED** Mar 21 (Saturday) - March on the Pentagon,
sponsored by the ANSWER coalition. See pentagonmarch.org. **UPDATE** There
is bus service from Champaign for this event (see below under Student
Groups).

Apr 15 (Wednesday) 7:15pm, Channing-Murray Foundation, 1209 W. Oregon,
Urbana  (corner of Oregon & Matthews)
"Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America", award-winning documentary.
A timely, solutions-oriented look at one of America's most pressing
environmental challenges: energy.   Viewers will discover how they can
save hundreds of dollars annually on energy bills, and use a portion of
the savings to purchase renewable energy.  The film also explores mountain
top removal and other harmful by-products of coal & nuclear power.  The
film will be followed by discussion. Free and open to the public.
Refreshments will be served. This event is co-sponsored by AWARE.

Apr 18-19 (Saturday-Sunday), University of Illinois at Chicago
Tentative date and venue for the annual statewide conference of Illinois
Coalition for Justice, Peace and the Environment. See www.icjpe.org .
AWARE has attended in the past (when the conference was held in
Champaign).

Apr 24-27 (Friday-Monday), Stockton Unitarian
Universalist Church, Stockton, IL
Midwest Catholic Workers Resistance Retreat and Conference. Focus: is
Blackwater. Civil Disobedience at Blackwater's Jo Daviess County, IL site
being organized by Catholic Workers and Clearwater. Speakers include
both Jeremy Scahill and Kathy Kelly.

*****
Minutes of 03/01/09 AWARE meeting:

About 20 in attendance

News of the week was reviewed jointly

Finance report: AWARE balance is: $2260
No printed finance report available this week

Contribution jar passed around

The IMC will need AWARE to sign a year lease on rental of our
meeting space. An individual person will need to sign on behalf of AWARE
(making them technically liable financially for the full amount - $780).
No one has stepped up yet, but this is a requirement that must be met.

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 March 7. See details above in the Upcoming Events
Calendar.

**NEW** Flyer on Afghanistan suggested from Peace Action. See:
http://www.peace-action.org/pub/factssheets/Afghanistan_facts.pdf .

Linda may work on Afghanistan/Pakistan flyer, at Carl's suggestion.

No new information yet on Champaign/Urbana's busiest intersections.
Volunteer opportunity posted for this.

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

(nothing new this week)

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

AWARE Presents Working Group meeting is close at hand - date being
worked out.

Karen has volunteered to write/record a Public Square spot (on WILL-AM
580) for Juan Cole events.

Current AWARE Presents event lineup:

1. Juan Cole events. March 1st, 8th and 9th - Monday, Sunday and Monday.
See details above in the upcoming events calendar. More info as it becomes
available. Urbana Civic Center has been reserved for 1-5PM for Sunday,
March 8th.

**UPDATED INFO APPENDED** 2. Phil Wilayto (author of new book "IN DEFENSE
OF IRAN: Notes from a U.S. Peace Delegation's Journey through the Islamic
Republic" - see http://www.defendersfje.org/dpi ). Phil is on a book tour
and AWARE members discovered him in December at the UFPJ National Assembly
Conference in Chicago, where he had a table. Phil requests only
reimbursement for gas money and a place to sleep. At the event, his book
will be available to AWARE folks at a much-reduced price, around $15 for
others. **UPDATE** Phil Wilayto's appearance is now set for March 17 at
Champaign Public Library - see above in Upcoming Events Calendar for
details.

3. A panel on the occasion of the first 100 days of Obama
Administration (April 30) at Urbana City Hall (already reserved). UPTV
recording/broadcast planned.

Additional ideas under consideration:

- Invitation to Paul Street (suggestion: invite him for the 100 days panel
since he has researched and written on Obama extensively).

- Invitation to Stephen Kinzer to appear again.

- Invitation to William Blum

- Jeremy Scahill event still being pursued. Contact made, currently in a
"wait and see" pattern.

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)

**NEW** Democrat Freddie Gordon received enough write-in votes during the
primary election last Tuesday to win a spot on the April 7 ballot for
Champaign City Council district 1 (north side). So there is now
competition against Republican William Kyles. (Champaign City Council
races are non-partisan in theory, but not in practice). Details at:
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/politics/2009/02/25/gordon_kyles_to_face_off_in_champaign_city_council_election .

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

Discussion on who can make it this week. Some volunteered, more always
welcome.

Many "Aware on the Air" recordings are now available on-line. See the
AWARE home page at anti-war.net .

**NEW** Taping time this week is 1PM by special arrangement. The normal
recording time will be 4PM starting March 10. The 4PM time is more
convenient for some. Mention made that participation is unfortunately
dropping off. Encouragement made for more folks to join in.

Taping typically occurs each Tuesday at 4PM 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.

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 )

(nothing new this week)

Student Groups
===========
(AWARE's efforts to keep apprised of and provide support for local
chapters of student-affiliated progressive and anti-war groups such as
Campus Anti-Network, International Socialist Organization, and Iraq
Veterans Against the War).

Campus Anti-War Network bus from Iowa will be coming through
Champaign to pick up folks who want to attend the March 21st March on the
Pentagon (see www.pentagonmarch.org ). There are about 20 seats available.
Cost may be as much as $100 each but will go down the more seats are
filled. More details at:
http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/archive/peace/2009-February/022033.html

Proposal remains outstanding for AWARE provide up to $150 to help pay the
way for folks who need financial assistance in order to go on the trip. To
be ratified at a future AWARE meeting as per standing rule.

Also suggested: individuals could sponsor or help sponsor particular
people that want to go but can't otherwise afford it.

Monthly Message
============
(Efforts to propagate the content of the Main Event monthly flyer through
various media channels)

(nothing new this week)

AWARE Films:
===========
(Organization of film and video showings in the community)

Next planned showing is "Soldiers of Conscience" (see
http://www.soldiers-themovie.com/AboutFilm.html) at Channing Murray on the
15th (see details above in the Upcoming Events Calendar).

Other showings being considered for the future:

1. Another showing of Naomi Wolf's "The End of America".

2. "The Take". See: http://www.thetake.org/

**NEW** 3. Tim Wise: On White Privilege. See
http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=137

**NEW** Proposal ratified to contribute $75 toward rights to show "The
Take"

Old Business
**********
(new developments regarding ongoing issues)

**UPDATE APPENDED** Pursuit of meeting with Senator Durbin regarding his
letter in support of Israel during Gaza attack: Follow up attempts are
planned to contact Durbin after initial non-response. **UPDATE** Written
response received from Durbin, but making no reference to our meeting
request.

New Ideas
*********
(never before discussed ideas brought up during this meeting)

**NEW** Appeal made for folks to take interest in and oppose Steve
Beckett's proposal to slash Champaign County Board seats by half and
eliminate two committees including the Justice & Social Services
committee. Next consideration is 7PM on Wednesday at the Policy, Personnel
and Appointments committee (see above in upcoming events calendar for
details). Folks urged to contact their County Board representatives and
speak during the public comment period at Wednesday's meeting. Much more
on this issue at:
http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/archive/peace/2009-February/022035.html

Events of the past week
******************
(comments/reviews of recent events since the last AWARE meeting)

(nothing mentioned this week)

Other Upcoming Events
******************
(events of note which aren't listed in the upcoming events calendar above)

**NEW** Mar 3 (TODAY, Tuesday) 7PM, Spurlock Museum, 600 S Gregory St,
Urbana
Film Screening: "Kabul Transit"
"Kabul Transit" (David Edwards, Maliha Zulfacar, Gregory Whitmore, 2007,
84 minutes) employs a street-level democracy to explore the fractured
cityscape of contemporary Kabul, Afghanistan. Moving through the city, the
viewer encounters a variety of public and private spaces, from a
kite-flying spot on a hilltop to a bureaucrats office, and meets diverse
individuals, from a black-market entrepreneur to a jaded policeman to a
commander of U.N. troops stationed in the city. This revealing look into
the desperate yet utterly human life of Kabul raises as many questions as
it answers about what its like to live in a place that has seen more war
than peace for more than a generation.
Sponsor: Asian Educational Media Service and Spurlock Museum

Mar 4 (Wednesday) 4PM, 3rd floor, Levis Faculty Center, 919 W.
Illinois Street, Urbana
Dr. Wilma King, Arvarh E. Strickland Distinguished Professor, University
of Missouri-Columbia
Black Women and the Pursuit of Freedom: Reconsidering Lincoln
Sponsor: Office of the Chancellor and Dr. Ruth Nicole Brown
Dr. Wilma King is author of Stolen Childhood: Slave Youth in 19th Century
America (1998), African American Childhoods: Historical Perspectives from
Slavery to Civil Rights (2005), The Essence of Liberty: Free African
American Women in the Slave Era (2006), and completed graduate degrees in
American history at Indiana University.

**NEW** Mar 4 (Wednesday) 4:30-5:30PM, Illini Union Bookstore, 809 S
Wright St, Champaign
"Islam and Dissent in Postrevolutionary Iran" by Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi:
book reading and signing
The Iranian revolution of 1979 overhauled not only the foundations of
Iranian society, religion and politics, but also our understanding of the
role of religion in modern government. Here Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi takes
us on an enlightening journey, showing that the revolution unintentionally
opened up the public sphere to competing interpretations of Islam. Far
from being the exclusive preserve of high-ranking seminarians as before,
in contemporary Iran lay theologians, intellectuals, lawyers and social
activists are active and influential interlocutors in debates on the
meaning of Islam. A key figure is philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush, a
leading force behind Irans pro-democracy movement and vocal critic of the
state. Through a close reading of Soroushs writings, and by tracing the
links between Muslim intellectual critique and the realpolitik of
postrevolutionary power struggles, Ghamari-Tabrizi offers nothing less
than a pathbreaking reassessment of the Iranian revolution. With powerful
insights,Islam and Dissent is essential for an understanding of the Muslim
world today, as of the new relationships between religion, politics and
democracy visible across the globe
Sponsor: Illini Union Bookstore

Mar 5 (Thursday) noon-1PM, 356 Armory Building, 505 E Armory Ave,
Champaign
Jonathan Ebel, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, UIUC
Safety, Soldier, Scapegoat: The Battle to Interpret the Death of Pat
Tillman
Sponsor: Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and Int'l Security (ACDIS)

Mar 5 (Thursday) 4PM, 213 Gregory Hall, 810 S Wright St, Urbana
Valerie Hoffman, Department of Religious Studies, University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign
Islam, Human Rights and Interfaith Relations: Some Contemporary Egyptian
Perspectives
Sponsor: Center for Global Studies, Center for South Asian and Middle
Eastern Studies
Many Egyptians express support for making Islamic law the basis of all
legislation in Egypt today. At the same time, many endorse international
human rights norms and long for a more genuine application of democracy in
their country. Are these seemingly contradictory desires compatible? This
lecture presents current discussions and debates on Islam, human rights
and interfaith relations in Egypt through an analysis of public school
textbooks, interviews with senior religious officials, and the teachings
of some Islamic non-governmental organizations.

**NEW** Mar 5 (Thursday) 7PM, 192 Lincoln Hall: 702 S Wright St, Champaign
Islam Awareness Week: "Unveiling Islam: Anything and Everything"
Speaker  Professors Mohammed Khalil and Junaid Rana
Sponsors: Muslim Student Association, Center for South Asian and Middle
Eastern Studies

**NEW** Mar 6 (Friday) 12:30-2:30 pm, CIMIC (Central Illinois Mosque and
Islamic Center), 106 S Lincoln Ave, Urbana
Islam Awareness Week: Open House at the Mosque
Sponsors: Muslim Student Association, Center for South Asian and Middle
Eastern Studies

Mar 10 (Tuesday) noon, room 1080 (Lucy Ellis Lounge), Foreign
Languages Building, 707 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana
Aisha Lamb Sobh, Department of History
All in the American Muslim Family: the Ways and Means of Retaining
Religious Identity in Muslim Children in the U.S.
Sponsor: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

**NEW** Mar 10 (Tuesday) 6-7:30PM Free Community Veterans Clinic at
Urbana-Champaign Friends Meetinghouse, 1904 E Main St, Urbana
As an outcome of AWARE's panel on PTSD in 2008, this free acupuncture
clinic was started in February 2009 and is held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays
of each month. Credentialed professionals insert acupuncture needles into
both ears while recipients remain seated for 20-40 minutes. Much research
has shown the effectiveness of this treatment for stress reduction. This
free clinic is open to U.S. military veterans, current members of the
Armed Forces, or their immediate support network. Sponsored by
Acupuncturists Without Borders, www.acuwithoutborders.org .

**NEW** Mar 24 (Tuesday) 6-7:30PM Free Community Veterans Clinic at
Urbana-Champaign Friends Meetinghouse, 1904 E Main St, Urbana
As an outcome of AWARE's panel on PTSD in 2008, this free acupuncture
clinic was started in February 2009 and is held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays
of each month. Credentialed professionals insert acupuncture needles into
both ears while recipients remain seated for 20-40 minutes. Much research
has shown the effectiveness of this treatment for stress reduction. This
free clinic is open to U.S. military veterans, current members of the
Armed Forces, or their immediate support network. Sponsored by
Acupuncturists Without Borders, www.acuwithoutborders.org .