Saturday, January 25, 2003 Meeting Notes

AGENDA

0. Check-in
1. Tacoma City Council Anti-Iraq War Resolution
2. Feb. 15 United for Peace of Pierce County Events
3. Feb. 14 'Sick-Out'
4. Vigils
5. Earth Charter
6. Fahrenheit 451
7. New Bumper Sticker
8. Announcements

Check-in:
- Sallie: Expressed excitement and anxieties about huge event planned for 2/15 by coalition group - People United for Peace of Pierce County. This will be a national/international day of protest. Group is planning a march/rally event, another possible outdoor event and a multicultural/arts and performance event at the Wa. State Museum of History.
- Marilyn: Feels very conflicted, but not depressed, about "everything." Feels she has to speak out but that speaking out isn't having much of an effect.
- Robb: Excused himself to make cell phone call.
- Joan: Active on 1/15 Event Committee with United for Peace. Addressed Sallies' concerns. Feels confident group will be able to pull it off - she's especially interested in involving all ethnic groups in event.
- Mark: Feels we're involved in exciting events. Feels lots of positive and negative energy. Is seeing some movement in PLU student's group. Distributed paper on Depleted Uranium. Also excited about current actions of City Council.
- Ken: Has been very busy. Feels his focus should be within existing social structures. Has attended various events - Suicide Bombers (Olympia), MLK and Mike Honey events.
- Sarah: Especially concerned about links between health of the environment and war activity. Wants information and leads on any resources that discuss the world as a "closed biosphere" and looks at world as a filtering system. Very scared about possibility of Iraq War.
- Vivi: Discusses many activities and concerns around the war - recommends Stephen Zunes on Israeli/Palestine conflict. He sees Israel as a pawn for U.S. "interests."
- Sheila and Kyle: Also feels groundswell of energy. Introduces her interest in a group called Earth Charter and passes out "position" paper on their premises and principles.
- Karen K: Speaks eloquently of our need to move beyond protesting and marches - ideology and national alliances to a place of energy and sacred power where we feel (at one) with the Universe. Profoundly moved by Fr.Roy Bourgeois presentation last Saturday but also feels alone and sad in the community with her thoughts: Path to peace never paved with blood.
- Laura: Glad our meeting place is so close to her home and finds our meeting time a good one for her. Feels other activities (working with homeless and prisoners) are different but also similar to her concerns for peace.
- Karen H: Pass
- Al: Pleased with MLK event. Handed out 1,000 brochures. Mentioned problems in logic he has with anti-abortion folks who can justify war.
- Carrie: Passed out photo of Ken in Colombia pointing to Bush poster - Bush declaring: I WANT YOU TO SPEAK ENGLISH (or similar.) Groans, laughs. She is cherishing political activity she's able to do now and won't be able to do as soon as she returns to garden. Praised Portland event she characterized as having a "delicious diversity" of people. Picked up Roy Bourgeois there and was able to listen to him & Bix on trip to Tacoma. Described Ken's accident when transporting nun and teacher who protested at SOA to Twist and rolled his car. All walked away from accident. Attended with Move On meeting with Adam Smith and got him to call for Bush to stay with the inspections. In meeting with Bill Evans, (meeting coordinated by Carrie) Bix and Sallie - Bill thinks he has enough votes on Council to get the city to pass an Ordnance or Advisory to Bush to let the inspections work. Council votes this Tuesday. Meeting at five in Council Chambers at Municipal Bldg./ St. Helens. Issue won't be first on docket so everyone encouraged to come later than 5 if necessary.
- Colleen: Raved (with others) about sermon by Leslie Braxton of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Seattle, at MLK Dome Event. Best speech she's heard in 30 years. Attended Move On meeting with Norm Dick's staffer, who was a good listener but suggested Dick's voting with Bush gave him better access to president. (?) Group muttered. Also "reviewed" Steven Hill event at 1st Methodist and our current "one party" situation, Thursday eve event at Nancy Farrell's (her visit to Palestine) and Lyle Quasim and Mike Honey presentation at UW. Praised Carrie for her action with City Council. She feels what is happening in U.S. is more than just "war" and feels good about the turmoil.Colleen is going to Cambodia in February.

AGENDA

CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION: Carrie thinks Evans has six votes on Council. Resolution has two parts: allow the inspections to work and oppose the war. (Developed on Baltimore and Chicago - mostly Chicago model.) Discussion of citizen input. Group encouraged not to be too repetitive. Decision: look like broad spectrum of community rather than identify group by wearing same color or holding posters. All encouraged to attend and bring others.

FEBRUARY 15 UNITED FOR PEACE OF PIERCE COUNTY Events - To GET INVOLVED: Marti Webb is chairing planning meeting for the march on the 15th. She can be reached at 274-9667. Joan Robertson can be reached at 572-0394.

WORK SICK OUT on 2/14: Idea originated in England. Carrie has talked to local Labor Council and she is trying to get them to City Council Tuesday meeting. Wa State Labor Council has come out against the war. Sallie is putting together a letter to involve more groups.

VIGILING: Colleen wants to increase vigiling this week, re: State of Union address, Israeli elections, City Council Resolution. Colleen will be at Fed. Bldg. Tuesday at 2:00 with signs til 4:30 (before Council meeting.) More support noticed at vigils. Wed. vigil 2:00 til 6:00. Carrie will pick up signs. New ideas for signs encouraged. (Sallie suggests: Coalition of the Unwilling. Sheila suggests: Regime change Begins At Home. Sign seen by Carrie in Portland: Dear Florida, thanks for the War.) Mark will "re-broadcast" his sign list.

EARTH CHARTER: Sheila describes group in greater detail. Sallie suggests we might be able to co-sponsor. Possible subject for Conversation Cafe.

FARENHEIT 2003: Sallie lists TPL Farenheit 2003 events: February 27 - Discussion of Patriot Act and censorship, 7 p.m. Kilworth Chapel. We've been invited to participate. February 25 - Discussion: Freedom of Press and Censorship of Media, 7 p.m. sponsored by TNT. Discussion: Show video featuring Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Michael Moore, et al. Video by Noam Chomski - MANUFACTURING CONSENT. Robb will check on possibility of renting Blue Mouse to show film. Mark asks about our sponsoring discussion of novel FARENHEIT 451. Discussion. Group decides time constraints too much. Go with library groups.

Bumper sticker distributed: 'America's Problems Won't Be Solved in IRAQ.'

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Discussion of Show DATE, TIME, PLACE for Moore, Chomski, Zinn video. Guadelupe House suggested.

FEB. 8: Leonard Peltier march starting at Portland Avenue Park. Will walk to Federal Building. Pot luck at Guadelupe House.

Distribution: Full-page 'Republicans Against the War' ad.

FEB. 5: Noon rally and demonstration at TCC on campus. Support the students.

Discussion: Mike Honey op-ed piece in Seattle paper.

Group Circle: 12:10.