Saturday, January 1, 2005

Meeting Notes for People for Peace, Justice, and Healing

People for Peace, Justice and Healing met at Associated Ministries on Saturday, January 1, 2005. Present for check-in: Keith, Barbara, Mark, Karen H, Nancy, Colleen, Sallie, Rob, Sharon, Sheila, Kyle, Karen K.

AGENDA

VISITING SOLDIER: Karen will bring a soldier who has just returned from Iraq to talk about his experiences there in the last year to our next meeting on January 8. Brian will also be the featured poet at a poetry reading for Peace and Justice at the Antique Sandwich Company on Thursday, January 6 at 7 p.m. Brian has work recently published in the Georgie Review, a distinguished literary journal.

LEONARD PELTIER EVENT: Sheila and Karen briefly described current concerns about the potluck we will host for marchers and participants of the Leonard Peltier march on Feb. 5. The potluck/dinner will take place at First United Methodist Church following the march from McKinley Park to the Federal Building. Karen H. and Sheila discussed who will be the point person for coordinating with Arthur Miller and the volunteers. They decided to meet to discuss this in more detail at the Mandolin on Tuesday at 6:15 prior to Conversation Cafe. Members present at the meeting who volunteered to help with this event included: Sallie (day of event), Rob (day of event), Mark, Colleen, Nancy, Sharon, Karen K. and Keith.

COUNTER-INAUGURAL BALL -- JANUARY 20: Plans are proceeding to hold a "counter-inaugural ball" at Jazzbones on January 20th. Festivities to commence at 7:00 p.m. Costume attire is being encouraged. Wearing of floppy shoes, clown noses and "big floppy hats" recommended. Sallie asks for PJH to release funds to pay for clown noses. So moved. Consensus. Theme will be "positive." Bush bashing not encouraged. Promotion: e-mail, press releases. Co-sponsors UFPPC and PJH.

PEACE CAMP: Inspired by watching the video "Trust Me" brought to us by Laura Karlin, group discussed how we might do a day camp. Karen K. recommended using Hillside Church and related her experiences with a similar camp in the past sponsored by Sixth Sense. Karen feels we could organize, develop and people this camp on our own without a lot of outside input or assistance. (Purpose of the camp would be to get kids together from different faith groups -- Christian, Jewish and Muslim -- and engage in various activities together.) Sallie discussed possibilities of involving the Interfaith Round Table in planning the camp activities. Further discussion tabled until meeting on January 22 or 29th. Thirty to forty minutes will be set aside on the agenda for this purpose.

CONVERSATION CAFE (Mandolin Café, 3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma, Tuesday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.): Keith expresses admiration and enthusiasm for the concept. Discussion. Tuesday's question roughly: Taking into account the recent French law banning the wearing of Muslim head scarves and other ostentatious religious symbols in schools, what governmentally-sanctioned restrictions to the freedom of expression do you think should be allowed? Facilitators for Tuesday: Mark, Karen K, Sheila.

MONDAY NIGHT MANDOLIN READING SERIES: Mark is continuing with the Monday night at 7:00 at the Mandolin reading series. Books being considered for the next series of books to be read: DEMOCRACY MATTERS, by Cornel West; THE END OF OIL, by Paul Roberts; FIXING AMERICA, by John Buchanan; THE MIDDLE EAST AND ISLAMIC WORLD READER, ed. by Gettleman & Schaar; CHAIN OF COMMAND, by Seymour Hersh; TORTURE AND TRUTH, by Mark Danner; SECRETS, by Daniel Ellsberg; CORPORATE WARRIORS, by Peter Singer; THE PARTY'S OVER, by Richard Heinberg; HOLY TERRORS, by Bruce Lincoln; LOSING AMERICA, by Robert Byrd. Suggested titles may be sent to him at jensenmk@plu.edu

SPRING EVENT - ISRAEL/PALESTINE: Sheila is/will be talking with Linda Frank about getting together some kind of event or public forum to discuss/recognize current events in Israel/Palestine. Discussion about involving local Jewish community. Tabled for future planning and discussion.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

NEXT SATURDAY -- Guest Brian Turner

POETRY READING -- Antique Sandwich Shop, January 6, 7 p.m. Brian Turner

GREEN PROJECT -- Sharon is doing an FOR Green project and is collecting materials to put together a pamphlet. See Sharon.

Karen K read us a story: Old Turtle and the Broken Truth, by Douglas Wood. Meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

Respectfully, Karen H.