Stop the War Machine Calendar of Events March 3, 2010 (Edited by Stan)
Index:
1. International Day of Action
2. March 20th National Demonstration
3. SWM – KUNM Phone Bank
4. Buck vs. City of Albq.
5. IndyMedia Events
6. Terrorist Luis Posada Carriles
7. Local Grad dies in Afghanistan
8. CARD Meeting
9. AVAT Information
10. Harry/Adela Willson and Don Thompson
11. SWM Yard Sale 12. Aboriginal Bloggers
13. Silent Circle for Peace
14. Increased Nuclear Weapons Funding
15. Bob and “Avatar”
16. “The Cuban Five” Information
17. Stop $30 Billion Coalition Schedule
18. Free Acupuncture Clinic
19. Colorado P&J Protest
20. ICE Report
21. “Letter to Editor” Directory
22. Free Exams
23. Rio Rancho Police Commission
24. SWM – United Way Donations
25. Website Assistance
1.) From Nathan:
Call for International Day Of Action on March 4, 2010 In Defense of Public Education and Against Privatization
To all student, worker, and teacher organizations and activists worldwide:
A California statewide conference of over 800 education faculty, workers, trade unionists, students and community people on October 24, 2009 at the University of California Berkeley issued a call for a Strike and Day of Action on March 4, 2010 in defense of public education and against cuts, fee hikes, and layoffs.
A key component of this strike and struggle is the fight against the catastrophic privatization of public education system in California. But we know that this attack on education and public workers is a worldwide offensive. Thus there is a need for an international struggle to defend public education and social services and against funding for militarization and war.
We therefore ask organizations of workers, students, and teachers throughout the world to send solidarity statements and organize mobilizations on March 4 in defense of public education. Through international solidarity, we will win!
- The California Coordinating Committee
march4strikeanddayofaction@gmail.com
www.defendcapubliceducation.wordpress.com ;
2.) From the Big March 20 Demonstration Coalition:
All groups and organizations are invited to endorse the big March 20 demonstration. Endorsing groups and organizations are invited to make a donation toward the costs of equipment/publicity for the demonstration. (Donations can be made out to Stop the War Machine with “March 20” in the note line. Tax deductible donations can be made out to the Alb. Peace Center with Stop the War Machine- March 20 in the note line. Donations can be mailed to 202 Harvard SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106.)
Endorsing organizations/groups are invited to send a representative to the next planning meeting, which will be on Wed, March 3, at 6pm at the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice (202 Harvard SE, at the corner of Harvard and Silver in the UNM area of Albuquerque). All individuals are also invited.
All endorsing organizations/groups are invited to set up a table at the March 20 demonstration on Civic Plaza. We are hoping, time permitting, to have some speakers from endorsing organizations. We invite endorsing groups to contact us about having a possible speaker from their group (call 858-0882).
As of 2/17/10, the following organizations/groups are endorsing the big March 20 demonstration:
Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice Albuquerque Chapter of United Nations Association USA Albuquerque Universalist Unitarian Fellowship Albuquerque Universalist Unitarians A.N.S.W.E.R.
Bernalillo County Democratic Party
Bernalillo County Green Party
Boletin Latino
Center for Action and Contemplation
Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel
Colombia Solidarity Committee
Grassroots Press (Las Cruces)
Gray Panthers
Los Alamos Study Group
Los Brown Berets de Nuevo Mexico
Military Families Speak Out
Pax Christi St. Bernadette
Raging Grannies
Southwest Indigenous Alliance
Southwest Organizing Project
Sovereign Dine' Nation
Stop the War Machine
SWOP
Trinity House Catholic Worker
UNM/CNM Coalition for Peace & Justice in the Middle East USA Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel Vecinos United
The demonstration itself will begin on Saturday, March 20, at 11am on Civic Plaza. Civic Plaza is pretty big, so let’s fill it up!
There will be a sign-making party on Thursday, March 18 in the evening. More details about this will be forthcoming. Questions? 858-0882
3.) Stop the War Machine invites you:
Stop the War Machine is pulling together a team of 14 people to answer phones on Friday morning, March 26, from 5:30 to 9am (meet in the KUNM parking lot at 5:15am). We are doing the early bird shift this time because KUNM will give us a $100 credit toward non-profit announcements, which we can use to promote the next big action/event.
Volunteers are provided with food and snacks and we generally have a great time doing this.
If you can help out with this, please contact 858-0882!
4.) From Sue:
Remember when the police treated peaceful anti-war protesters like they were the enemy?
Buck v. City Trial--Let's pack the courtroom
Nearly seven years after the Albuquerque Police Department used excessive force against peaceful protesters on the night of the U.S. invasion of Iraq--March 20, 2003--the city will finally have to answer for their misconduct.
More than a dozen plaintiffs are suing the City of Albuquerque for APD's response that night including using tear gas, pepper spray, pepperball rounds, baton assaults, arrests of musicians and other forms of misconduct.
The result was many people were intimidated from participating in future protests against the war. The rights of free speech and assembly, ostensibly being defended by our men and women in uniform, were taken away that night.
It's taken more than six years for this case--Lynn Buck et al. v. City of Albuquerque, Mayor Martin Chavez, Nick Bakas et al.--to finally come to trial.
Let's pack the courtroom for this important legal proceeding to safeguard our constitutional rights.*
WHAT: Buck v. City trial
WHEN: Begins 9am on Monday Feb. 22 (expected to last three weeks). First day is expected to be jury selection and opening arguments. Should go from 9am to 5pm mondays through Fridays.
WHERE: Federal Courthouse--333 Lomas Blvd. NW. (north side of the street between 3rd and 4th St.) In the Rio Grande Courtroom on the 3rd floor.
*Note: You cannot bring your cell phone into the courthouse, or any sharp implements or weapons of any kind.
Thanks to Rothstein, Donatelli for providing legal services and the ACLU-NM for covering legal fees. Also, the plaintiffs are required to take three weeks off from work--unpaid--for this trial, so if anyone can make a donation large or small to help the plaintiffs with lost wages, that would be appreciated.
Additionally, it would be nice if supporters in the community could help feed those who are sitting in court all day 9-5, for the next week. The places to eat within walking distance of the Fed. Courthouse are not cheap and lunch break is short. Perhaps people could take turns bringing sandwiches, snacks, drinks or anything-arrangements can be made for drop off. Questions? cjezebel@hotmail.com
5.) From IndyMedia
March 5th: Interview with David Mc Coy, activist lawyer and organizer for Citizen Action, confronting DOE, NMEID department and Sandia Labs with their dangerous nuclear and other poisons contamination right here in Albuquerque, especially contaminating our underground water supply...
March 12th: Enlace Comunitario,. NM advocacy for women around issues like Immigrant Rights, the massacre of women and teens in and around Juarez. Also, interviews with the performers of The Vagina Monologues...
For more info please call 505-304-3144: IndyMedia NM Collective
6.) From Stop the War Machine:
Extradite Terrorist Luis Posada Carriles!
Come to the Federal Courthouse in downtown El Paso, Texas for a peaceful protest. Tell the U.S. government to stop protecting terrorist From: Gloria La Riva <glorialariva@hotmail.com>
HI EVERYONE:
As you can see the trial of Posada is continued to 'no set date.'
Figures…just as the protest is really coming together. We will keep everyone informed of any details we hear. The film showings in ABQ and El Paso ought to continue though, so we can keep educating people about this.
Take care, glr
From: JosePertierra@aol.com
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:52:25 -0500
Subject: Posada Carriles case continued to no set date
To: newscapsules@aol.com
Judge Kathleen Cardone today ordered that the case of Luis Posada Carriles be continued. She ruled on a US Government Motion for a continuance that was filed sealed
(confidentially) on February 18. No new date for a trial has been set, but the case is set down for status on May 20, 2010. At that time, maybe they will pick a new date.
The Judge´s Order is attached.
Courtesy of:
Attorney Jose Pertierra
LAW OFFICE OF PERTIERRA & TORO, P.C.
1010 Vermont Avenue, NW #620
Washington, DC 20005
202 783 6666
JosePertierra@aol.com
7.) Another APS grad dies in a meaningless war for empire in Afghanistan, thanks to APS, the ROTC and Major Barker:
Local Grad Dies in Afghanistan
By Rozanna M. Martinez
8.) From CARD:
There will be a meeting with NMED staff and entities that requested an extension of the public comment period for the draft Kirtland Air Force Base Hazardous Waste Facility Permit. People who will be at this meeting are: NMED, Hazardous Waste Bureau staff and Department Counsel Persons and entities who requested an extension of the public comment period for the draft Kirtland Air Force Base Hazardous Waste Facility Permit. The Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice and Stop the War Machine were two of the groups who signed a letter to Ron Curry concerning this issue. In the Fall of 2009, with all your support, we made a victory to stop the open-air burning at KAFB and now we need your help to stop the open detonation of thousands of pounds of hazardous waste per year. NMED appreciates the opportunity to discuss the draft permit, KAFB hazardous waste treatment operations and the permitting process. The bulk of the time during the meeting will be devoted to questions, answers, and dialog concerning the KAFB permit. We are inviting all the members who have already expressed interest and that is why we are inviting you.
Date: March 1st 2010
Time: 6:00p.m.-8:00p.m.
Place: Loma Linda Community Center (Yale & Gibson)
1700 Yale,SE. Albuq. N.M. 87106
9.) From Leslie and AVAT:
Next regular AVAT meeting: Tuesday, 3/2/10, Peace Center, 1pm. Lunch will be served
Sustainable Water Management Conference & Exposition April 11–13, 2010 f
Submitted by:
Lesley Weinstock, Co-coordinator
Agua es Vida Action Team (AVAT)
268-4285
The San Juan Chama Water Diversion Project is now supplying 50% of Albuquerque's tap water. At the end of 2010, Albuquerque will receive 90% of our tap water from the Rio Grande. Agua es Vida Action Team (AVAT) is a group of Albuquerque citizens who have many concerns about the San Juan Chama Diversion Project, regarding the emerging and potential contaminants in the Rio Grande. These include: *radiological contaminants from upriver sources, *Bromate, other disinfection byproducts, *industrial chemicals, *pharmaceuticals, *herbicides, pesticides, and *Perchlorate. AVAT wants to help make sure that the plan to deal with the contaminants is adequate and comprehensive enough to assure that the water will be safe, especially for fetuses, children, elders and people with any kind of immune system deficiency.
We meet once a month at the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice.
Contact information: Agua es Vida Action Team (AVAT): 242-5511, contactus@cardnm.org, 202 Harvard SE, Abq, NM 87106
or: lesleyweinstock@yahoo.com, 268-4285
10.) Harry and Adela Willson and Don Thompson update:
Many of you know Harry Willson, one of our own who has been a gentle and consistent force present in the peace movement and the Humanist Society and was also active in organizing with the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice in its early years.
You may be aware that Harry was diagnosed with prostate cancer a while back and is now fighting bone cancer.
Harry and his wife Adela (who fell recently and has a pinched nerve in her back) are now at the Canyon Transitional facility on Lagrima de Oro (1 block northeast of the corner of Eubank and Montgomery) in the same room (not sure which room right now). The facility is not in the phone book for some reason, but go one block north of Montgomery on Eubank and turn right, go two blocks and it is on the left. Don Thompson, who is having vascular problems in his legs and recently had hip replacement surgery, is in room 111 (we hear Don loves chocolate!) Harry’s wife Adela fell recently and has a pinched nerve in her back. They would all probably benefit from a receiving a visit and a little company.
One more way to be of support to Harry and Adela: The Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice has set up a Harry Willson Fund in order to be of some financial support during Harry’s battle with prostate and bone cancer. Donations can be made out to the Albuquerque Peace Center with “Harry Willson Fund” in the note line. Send your contribution to the Albuquerque Peace Center, 202 Harvard SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
11.) Stop the War Machine yard sale coming up:
We have begun collecting items for the late winter/early spring Stop the War Machine yard sale. We are planning to have this yard sale sometime in March so as not to interfere with the Peace Center yard sale in May. If you have items to donate toward this yard sale, please contact 401-4808.
12.) Check out: http://aboriginalnewsgroup.blogspot.com/
This project seeks to provide accurate under-reported news items to the people of the Fourth World and others with a concern for human justice and Aboriginal political issues. Aboriginal bloggers and writers are invited to get involved by uniting with other Aboriginal blog-journalists and activists working to raise awareness of the issues corporate-owned news machines choose to ignore.
Indigenous writers with a desire to address community concerns under-reported in the corporate media are encouraged to network with us. We are currently seeking Indigenist blog-journalists to represent Mexico and the Free State of Chiapas, Central and South America (all areas), Indigenous Asia (all areas), Occupied Canada, Occupied New Zealand, Occupied Guam, Occupied Hawaii, Occupied Basque territories and Aboriginal Scandinavia. Interested parties may forward inquiries, writing samples and other communications....
Support First Nations Media Communications:
This site wants to be an example of how people and communities with little or no resources can still take part in Aboriginal/First Nations/Original Peoples information media via the Internet.
Create your own community news media. Make use of Creative Commons, Copyleft, Freeware and Open-Source materials to produce your projects.
13.) Big Silent Circle for Peace Wednesdays 5:30 pm at the UNM
Bookstore Plaza (Hope to see you there)
14.) Check out what our New Mexico Senators say about increased funding for nuclear weapons and new nuclear weapons production facilities and their willingness to restore funding for the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE).
Note: When LANSCE operates, its radionuclide emissions are the largest of any of the LANL facilities. For more information, please see:
Senator Jeff Bingaman
Senator Tom Udall
Are these your values? If not, please let our Senators know your views. Send us a copy. Thanks! ccns@nuclearactive.org.
15.) Thoughts from Bob on “Avatar”:
For all the good aspects of the movie “Avatar”, it has one major flaw in terms of organizing for social change.
Yes, at the end of the film the indigenous people rise up and achieve an amount of self-determination (leaving room for a sequel film as the imperial forces regroup and attack in greater velocity, which they all do).
The problem of the film is one like most narratives and stories presented these days to a consumer trained public is that there is a chosen one who will lead us out of the desert and into the promised land. This has been with us since the rise of mono-theistic religions and we saw it play out in the recent election of Obama.
In this film the great outside leader theme is presented to the viewers as he is surviving his first night in the forest the seeds of the great spirit tree begin to float over and land on him. This super-unusual event is witnessed by the indigenous woman who then tells the gathering of leaders that he is favored by the great tree of life, so don’t kill him as an outsider.
You can see what this does to the task of building a class conscious mass movement. If we are always waiting for the great leaders with supernatural strengths and powers above the average Joe Six-Pack to arrive, we will never get any place but down to the mall.
The film “Dances-With-Wolves” did not have this kind of ending because we know the disastrous massacre and genocide that befalls the native people here.
So, for all the advances in technology in telling this story, one with fresh imagination it still leaves us needing producers and authors who can give us mass education narratives with lessons that are more than feel good at the end, but ones that give us the hard and true lessons of what it takes to build sustainable and just social change movements from below. Perhaps the lesson is around us as we look at the continuing and many varied struggle of the indigenous people here in the US and in Palestine as they work still to recover from the great invasion, the great catastrophe that has happened. The end of our story is not written really, and these entertainment tales are interesting but not the real story yet.
16.) Sent in by Luis:
Latino Organizations Demand Liberation of Five Cubans Detained in U.S.
Submitted by editor on February 19, 2010 - 10:30 The 2010 National Latino Congreso approved resolutions calling for the extradition of terrorist Luis Posada Carriles and the liberation of the five Cuban political prisoners that have remained imprisoned in the United States since 1998.
More than 150 community-based Latino organizations were represented in the congress, which was held from January 29-31 in El Paso, Texas.
The first resolution -- approved for the first time in 2007 -- demands the U.S. extradite terrorist Posada Carriles. This year the resolution was amended to add details about the particularities of the judicial proceedings carried out in the Posada case. In 2009, for instance, a new case against the terrorist was opened by a federal court, although not specifically for the 1976 bombing of an airliner that left 73 dead or the 1997 bombing of various hotels and bars in Havana, but for lying to immigration authorities about his role during the latter terrorist attacks that killed one person. Based on international law, since 2005 the Venezuelan government has reiterated its formal request of extradition of Posada, who remains a fugitive of justice in Venezuela. The United States and Venezuela signed an extradition agreement in 1922 that came into force in 1923.
The second resolution demands that the administration of President Barack Obama free five Cubans detained by U.S. authorities in Miami 10 years ago. Known as ‘The Cuban Five’, Fernando González, Ramón Labañino, Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero and René González were detained during attempts to thwart actions by anti-Cuba terrorist organizations that operate in Florida. This resolution was also approved for the first time in 2007 and was updated in 2008 and 2010.
The resolution also denounced outrages against The Five and their relatives, whose requests for visas to travel to the U.S. have been denied and delayed. Amnesty International has rejected these measures by stating that it is a “serious [human rights] violation by the U.S. government.” In the resolution, the National Latino Congreso demanded that the Obama administration carry out its obligation under international law to issue humanitarian visas to the relatives of the five Cubans until they are freed.
The National Latino Congreso has been held annually since 2006, and this year it was supported by more than 40 elected officials in the United States. Since its first meeting, the main goal of the congress has been to unify the agendas of the Latino community-based organizations in fields ranging from health, education, immigrant rights and foreign policy.
Bolivarian News Agency (ABN) / February 5, 2010
17.) Stop $30 Billion in Military AID to Israel
Every Wednesday, 11am-1pm, lower SUB level in front of the NMFCU, help at the “Stop $30 Billion Military Aid to Israel” table.
Every Thursday, 4:30-6:30pm, hold signs protesting the conflict in Palestine at I-40. For details and directions, contact rerickson@bernco.gov
Every Saturday afternoon, Noon-1:30pm, hold signs protesting military aid to Israel and the occupation on Central at Tulane (Nob Hill Starbucks). For more info, contact dtwm@earthlink.net
UNM Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East meetings: Wednesdays, 1pm, CPJME Meeting Agenda (room 1065, lower SUB level at UNM)
Questions? 573-8161
18.) Sent in by Nathaniel
From 3-5 pm Wednesdays there is an acupuncture clinic free to veterans and their families at the Pojoaque Healing Arts Center, 101 Lightning Loop. For more info, call 505-455-0317.
19.) From Jim and the Colorado P & J Coalition in Durango:
We protest every Friday: Vigil at 4:30 to 5:30, (since early 2003) on the Four Corners of 11th and Main Streets; Durango, Colorado. Join us any time.
Questions? refuge@frontier.net
20.) Sent in by Joe and Bob and Pat:
Report: ICE using unlisted detention centers for immigrant prisoners By Stephen C. Webster Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 -- 8:30 pm
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is holding an untold number of people in secretively maintained detention facilities all over the United States, according to a report set to be published next year in The Nation.
Many of the sites are unmarked and unlisted, going unnoticed in office parks and commercial zones, according to reporter Jacqueline Stevens. The so-called ICE "subfield offices" are mainly used to house prisoners in transfer and are not subject to the basic standards applied to ICE and even military prisoners.
At a subfield office known as B-18, located near a Los Angeles federal building, ICE keeps immigrant prisoners in "a barely converted storage facility."
"You actually walk down the sidewalk and into an underground parking lot. Then you turn right, open a big door and voilà, you're in a detention center," explained Ahilan Arulanantham, an ACLU immigration attorney interviewed by The Nation. "Without knowing where you were going, he said, "it's not clear to me how anyone would find it. What this breeds, not surprisingly, is a whole host of problems concerning access to phones, relatives and counsel."
The report continued: "B-18, it turned out, was not a transfer area from point A to point B but rather an irrationally revolving stockroom that would shuttle the same people briefly to the local jails, sometimes from 1 to 5 am, and then bring them back, shackled to one another, stooped and crouching in overpacked vans. These transfers made it impossible for anyone to know their location, as there would be no notice to attorneys or relatives when people moved. At times the B-18 occupants were left overnight, the frigid onslaught of forced air and lack of mattresses or bedding defeating sleep. The hours of sitting in packed cells on benches or the concrete floor meant further physical and mental duress."
One former prisoner who spoke with The Nation said that when she inquired how long she would be held, guards laughed at her. "I was thinking these people are going to put me and the other people in a grinder and make sausages and sell them in the local market," she reportedly said.
*According to the report, there's one in Albuquerque and one in Chaparrel, NM:
1720 Randolph Rd., Albuquerque, NM 87106
26 McGregor Range Road, Chaparral, NM 88081
* Here is the location in Albuquerque:
It may be the same building used for Homeland Security HQ, or across the street from it.
It is just down by the airport, off Yale.
21.) If you have a letter to the editor you would like to send out:
Albuquerque Journal: http://www.abqjournal.com/letters/new
KUNM: news@kunm.org <mailto:jimwilliams@kunm.org>
KSFR: news@ksfr.org
New Mexico Senior Citizen: nmseniorcitizen@comcast.net Weekly Alibi: alibi@alibi.com Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Angel Fire: news@sangrechronicle.com Union County Leader, Clayton: ucleader@plateautel.net Rio Grande Sun, Espanola: rgsun@cybermesa.com Las Vegas Optic: dgiuliani@lasvegasoptic.com Los Alamos Monitor: laeditor@lamonitor.com Rio Rancho Observer: theobserver@rrobserver.com Santa Fe New Mexican: letters@newmexican.com Santa Fe Reporter: editor@sfreporter.com Santa Rosa News: editor@santarosanews.com Taos News: editor@taosnews.com Chronicle News, Raton: chroniclenewsnm@yahoo.com New Mexico Independent: david@newmexicoindependent.com Sandoval Signpost: email@sandovalsignpost.com The Grassroots Press: grassrootspress@gmail.com The Independent: independent@lobo.net or through www.the-independent-newspaper.com. Call 286-1212 for more information about submissions.
Additions to the Letters to the Editor Directory From Mervyn in the Dine’ Nation:
The Navajo Times: duane@navajotimes.com
The Navajo-Hopi Observer: nhoeditorial@nhonews.com
The Gallup Independent: gallpind@cia-g.com
The Gallup Herald: gallupherald@hotmail.com
The Farmington Daily Times: tturner@daily-times.com
Ahee' ee' (Thank you)
22.) Free Planned Parenthood Exams
We are hearing that Planned Parenthood has a grant to pay (for low income) mammograms and pap exams FREE. We thought we’d publicize this information because a number of women in the peace movement have breast cancer these days and a number of people in our movement are also without health insurance. We wanted to make sure that all knew of the above opportunity for free wellness exams.
23.) From Mark and the “Citizens for a Rio Rancho, NM Police Oversight Commission.”
Many citizens here (in Rio Rancho, NM) have had negative experiences with the police. Many feel that the Rio Rancho police officers are very unprofessional in their conduct toward civilians here. We firmly believe that police officers here need more training on how to respect citizens’ civil rights. Many Rio Rancho youth feel threatened and are reluctant to speak with police officers due to fear. Racial profiling is a concern of many residents.
We strongly urge that Rio Rancho put in place a Police Oversight Commission. If this happens, citizens can properly address any complaints they might have regarding the police in a formal setting without fear of retaliation, repercussions or harassment from the police.
We are the 3rd largest city in New Mexico, with 75,000 residents, and we should have something like this in place.
(If you feel a Police Oversight Commission would be important to Rio Rancho, and you would like to join/support this effort in some way, please contact CitizensforRRPOC@hotmail.com
24.) From Jeanne and Stop the War Machine:
If you are making donations through United Way this year, we understand that you can now request that your donation go to Stop the War Machine! As always, Stop the War Machine can always use donations (you can send donations to Stop the War Machine at 202 Harvard SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106).
Another way to donate toward Stop the War Machine: (Tax deductible) donations larger than $100 can be made out to the Alb. Peace Center (put Stop the War Machine in the note line) and sent to
202 Harvard SE; Albuquerque, NM 87106.
Questions? 505-858-0882
25.) If you have enjoyed Stop the War Machine’s website, and you are in need of some web design assistance for your business, you might want to check out the following:
www.fruitawebdesign.com
(Thank you, Georgia, for all your years of work with www.StoptheWarMachine.org)