MEETING NOTES FOR PEOPLE FOR PEACE, JUSTICE, AND HEALING
People for Peace, Justice, and Healing (Tacoma, WA)
January 9, 2010
People for Peace, Justice and Healing met Saturday, January 9, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. at Associated Ministries. Present for check-in: Sarah, Mark, Sallie, Nancy, Rob, Karen. General discussion and greetings. Reflections. Discussion of article in morning Trib about "Gaza militants."
AGENDA
1. Congressional Meeting (Nancy)
Nancy has arranged a meeting for Tuesday, January 12, 4:30 to 5:30
p.m., with representatives of Senators Cantwell and Murray and possibly
Congressperson Dick's office to be debriefed on current/ongoing
crisis in Gaza/West Bank by four persons who've just recently returned
from Palestine. Papers of concern will be presented by local citizens
to the representatives.
2. Abuse Syndrome (Mark)
Mark gave us a thorough review of an article by Bruce Levine who
proposes that the American public in general is suffering from "abuse syndrome"
— cowed by employers and persons of "authority," fearful, demoralized, lonely,
despondent and unable to assert their rights or act in their own self
interest. For instance, although polls contend that a majority of
Americans are against the war, they seldom protest the government's
current policies. Levine contends most citizens are controlled by
fears of isolation or negative financial consequences. Levin
identifies the negative effects of institutions, such as educational
or social psychological institutions, that only award compliance and
the prevalence of cultural effects like television or the
pharmacological industry as prime culprits. What we need, Levin says,
is morale. This article is available
at www.ufppc.org/us-a-world-news-mainmenu-35/9313/
or www.alternet.org.
3. Plowshares Forum (Karen)
Karen reported high student attendance at the January 5 Forum at
School of the Arts, co-sponsored by UW-Tacoma students. The
Plowshares Five — Bix, Anne Montgomery, Steve Kelly, and Susan Crane
(Lynn Greenwald was ill) — spoke about their "invasion" of Bangor on
November 2 to protest the "illegal and immoral" existence of the first
strike nuclear Trident weapons system at the Bangor SWFPAC bunker, the
largest nuclear stockpile in the U. S. Their presentation was followed
by a spirited question-and-answer session.
4. Fundraiser (Karen)
Karen proposed the documentary Ashley Karitis is developing around the
August JOR trip to Japan as a possible fundraiser feature. Konrad has
volunteered to cook sushi for such an event. Discussion. Sallie is
going to look into the copyright possibilities of using a short film
or films from the 72 hour film festival sponsored by The Grand Cinema as
the JOR film, Karen thinks, will only be about 30 minutes long.
(Shots from the film provided backdrop for the Plowshares Five program
at School of the Arts on the fifth.) The film "Varmints," for
instance, was discussed as a possible candidate for showing.
Fundraiser possibilities to be re-visited at the next meeting.
5. Opt Out (Sallie)
Booklets titled A Guide To Alternatives After High School—It's My
Life, published by the American Friends Service, are ready for mailing
by Associated Ministries to career counsellors at all eight local high
schools in the near future.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. The Grand is looking for board members.
If you have an interest or
questions about board service contact Cynthia at cynthiabranson@comcast.net.
There are currently five vacancies. Board members are eligible to
serve two terms of three years each.
2. Digging Deeper (Mark)
This coming Monday, January 11: Pietra Rivoli, The Travels of a T-
Shirt In the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power
and Politics of World Trade. Coming next: Arundhati Roy, The
Checkbook and the Cruise Missile. Digging Deeper, a Monday evening
book discussion group meets 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Mandolin
Cafe, 3923 S. 12th Street. Books available at King's Books, local
booksellers or contact Mark at jensenmk@plu.edu or see www.ufppc.org
Respectfully submitted,
Karen