Saturday, February 12, 2005

Meeting Notes for People for Peace, Justice, and Healing

People for Peace, Justice and Healing met Saturday, February 12, 2005, at Associated Ministries at 10 a.m. Present for check-in were Nancy, Mark, Sallie, Karen H., Gracie (the cool cat), Arthur, Sheila, Kyle (the other cool cat), Karen K. Discussion and review with Arthur about last Saturday's (successful) potluck for the Leonard Peltier march. All expressed general satisfaction with the event and plans for next year. Discussion of Leonard's immediate situation, how people are communicating with him and concern about his failing health.

AGENDA

PROGRESSIVE ROUNDTABLE: Sallie
Discussion - Should we convene our March 5, 2005, meeting at the Progressive Roundtable meeting at Carpenter's Hall, 1322 South Fawcett, at 10 a.m.? Group concurs with the understanding that the regularly scheduled future meeting(s) of the Progressive Roundtable will not be on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m.

PEACE CAMP: Sallie and Karen K.
Sallie has been talking with the South Sound Peace and Justice Center group about the desireability of a Peace Camp for kids probably between the ages of 9 and (perhaps) 15. It will be a week long overnight camp reflecting the model of the Peace Camp held in North Carolina and dramatized in the video brought to us by Laura Karlin and viewed some weeks ago. Sallie told us that the Human Resources Department has a desire to co-sponsor this camp. Discussion of networking with various ethnic and faith groups -- including most especially Jewish and Muslim groups and the Interfaith Roundtable -- to bring them in on the initial planning. Discussion of various camp facilities including (Sheila) the Morgan Street Y, and (Karen K.) the Bahai Conference Center.

Karen K. expressed continued interest in a day camp for very young children. We decided to keep this idea on the table but to create (hopefully) two separate plans for the two different age groups. We see planning for an initial meeting in either late March or early April. Planning for the older aged overnight camp group will be for the year 2006.

COUNTER RECRUITMENT: Karen H., Sallie
Karen attended this meeting on Wednesday (thinking she was going to a Police Accountability Oversight Committee meeting). They are forming and looking for ideas about how to bring consciousness of options for young people of draft and military recruitment age into the schools and community. See Announcements.

STEVE LARSON'S PLAY: Sallie An appreciative "review" by Sallie and Mark of a performance at UPS of Steve Larson's play entitled "Intertia" on Thursday, Feb. 10.

CONVERSATION CAFE: Mark
Suggested question: Has America's attitude towards immigrants changed? Consensus: all agreed this should make for a lively discussion. Brief comments about the success of last week's question: Is the American family close? Karen K. told us that the manager of the Mandolin has returned from Mexico. Discussion: Should we look to have a meeting with him to discuss our meeting status? Group concurs that, for the present, scheduling problems have been clarified.

MARCH 19th PEACE MARCH IN SEATTLE: Mark
A coalition of peace groups is planning a march in Seattle to commemorate and protest the beginning of the war in Iraq. Group votes yes to donate $50 to facilitating the march as sponsors. Discussion of organizing a caravan (car or bus) of Pierce County residents to attend the march.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

ADAM SMITH will be speaking at St. Benedict's Episcopal Church in Lacey from 1:30 to 2:30 about his visit with Sharon in Israel asking for an investigation into the death of Rachel Corrie.

CONVERSATION CAFE: Tuesday night, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Mandolin. Be there or be square.

COUNTER RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE: Jean's House, 1414 Tacoma Avenue, enter through the back of the house off the alley. (The alley is between Tacoma Avenue and South G Street off South 15th Street. House can be identified by a Japanese garden. Tacoma Rescue Mission and its back parking lot is to the south of the house and another parking lot (50 cents for all day) to the north. Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.

POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY WORKING GROUP: Will meet Wednesday, February 16 at 6 p.m. in the Human Resources Department, Tacoma Municiple Building, 747 Market, Room 537

PAX CHRISTI: Peace Group will meet at Jean's House (see above) the third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m.

FEMINIST ACTIVIST and writer bell hooks will be in Seattle at the Town Hall on Thursday, March 3, at 7 p.m. Free

PEACE, JUSTICE AND HEALING: Will meet March 5 ONLY at 10 a.m. at Carpenter's Hall, 1322 South Fawcett in support of the Progressive Roundtable.

Respectfully, Karen H.