Saturday, April 8, 2006

Meeting Notes for People for Peace, Justice, and Healing

People for Peace, Justice and Healing met April 8, 2006, at Associated Ministries at 10:00 a.m. Present for check-in were Sallie S., Scott, Kathryn, Phoenix, Joel, Martell, Sheila, Kyle, Bobbie, Mark, and Haley.

AGENDA

1. NONVIOLENT COMMUNICATION (Phoenix).

Principles and practice of nonviolent communication described. PJH's involvement with NVC recalled. Phoenix is reading and recommends Marshall B. Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, 2nd ed. (Encinitas, CA: PuddleDancer Press, 2005). For information, see also the Puget Sound Network for Compassionate Communication. For information about local groups, contact PJHer Dorothy Burkhart (253-564-8263).

2. SEYMOUR SERVICE SATURDAY (Sallie S.)

Next Sat., Apr. 15, the community is invited to join a day-long involvement session of work & community at Camp Seymour, on the Longbranch Peninsula. The day will start at 8:30 a.m. (breakfast), with project kick-off at 9:00 a.m., lunch provided for workers at 12:00 noon, and a recreation period from 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. (rock wall climbing, etc.) Sallie plans to attend and encourages PJHers to participate as an alternative meeting. Mark will come to Associated Ministries for an ordinary 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon PPJH meeting for those who don't go to Camp Seymour, however.

3. INTERFAITH CAMP UPDATE (Sallie S.)

The Interfaith camp is on schedule for planning; a web site should be up in the next week or so. The camp will be held Aug. 27-Sept. 1, 2006, at Camp Seymour, for girls and boys entering grades 7 & 8: 10 Christians, 10 Jews, 10 Muslims, & 20 kids of other faith traditions (call 360-357-7224 [Kathy Erlandson] or write to Interfaithworks@aol.com). Camp counselors will be men & women at least 18 years old with experience with children (a multi-state background check is required); counselors are now being recruited (call 253-564-7101 [Rabbi Bruce Kadden] or write templebethel18.org).

4. ACLU 'WHO IS LISTENING?' EVENT REPORT (Mark & Sallie S.).

On Sat., Apr. 1, the Pierce County chapter of the ACLU sponsored an event on government spying at Kings Books in Tacoma. Mark's notes on the keynote address by Chris Varas, ACLU/WA board member & cooperating attorney, who works at Preston Gates Ellis in Seattle: "A bookstore is most appropriate for this event. The ACLU has learned while this event was being planned that the FBI conducted a monitoring and surveillance program of a Denver bookstore to observe people planning an antiwar protest. We have ample evidence that the U.S. government is very interested in listening to its own citizens. Groups on both the left and the right concerned. The NSA spying program needs to be put in a broader context, necessary to understand what is so alarming about a system that is ripe for abuse. The NSA spying program is one of a number (how many is unknown) of spying programs President George W. Bush initiated after Sept. 11, 2001. An official (how high isn't known) can cause the communications abroad of a person of interest to be tapped. The government's sound bite justifying this is that 'If al-Qaeda is calling, we want to know why.' This justification has garnered about 50% support in public opinion. But it is disingenuous, since the legal basis being advanced is much broader. This basis is a state of war. Attorney General Gonzales has refused to say whether there are also domestic spying programs. National security letters are literally unilateral subpoenas. FISA warrants require judges by statute to sign a request, provided that it is properly filled out. -- Terrorism: what is it? The U.S. government has been engaged in expanding the definition of terrorism. The USA PATRIOT Act created the legal notion of "domestic terrorism," defined as an act that (1) is illegal, (2) is dangerous, and (3) appears intended to coerce or change public policy. This is so broad as to cover many protests. We need to ask: what is the government talking about when it talks about terrorism? A GAO study showed that 46% of the Dept. of Justice's terrorism file had nothing to do with terrorism per se. Thirty-five terrorism prosecutions in Iowa involved no genuine terrorists." Sallie summarized contributions from Tim Farrell (Pierce County Council), Tim Smith, (Bill of Rights Defense Committee-Tacoma), and Emily Ignacio (UW Tacoma).

5. MARCH 19 SHOW AND TELL (Sallie S.)

The April 2006 number of the Source, a publication of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, featured on its front page Tacoma's Mar. 19 antiwar march under the title "Hundreds rally to bring troops home," with five photos.

6. CONVERSATION CAFE (Scott & Kathryn)

Question for Tues., Apr. 11, 7:00 p.m., at the Mandolin Café (3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma): "Has the national debt hit the fan?" Question chosen for Tues., Apr. 18, 7:00 p.m.: "How dependent are we on undocumentable workers?" Kathryn & Scott cannot facilitate on Apr. 18; Sallie volunteered Karen Havnaer in absentia to facilitate (Karen, would you please confirm that you accept this?).

7. DISCUSSING MILITARISM IN A MILITARISTIC SOCIETY (Mark)

Discussion of what we talk about when we talk about militarism in the United States (Eugene Jarecki's "Why We Fight" opened on Apr. 6 at the Grand Cinema in Tacoma).

8. EARTH CHARTER (Sheila)

Discussion of principle 5(a): "Adopt at all levels sustainable development plans and regulations that make environmental conservation and rehabilitation integral to all development initiatives." Discussion of the environmental impact of the efforts to find new sources of energy (coal; oil sands), and of the concept of sustainability.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Sallie Shawl needs to know by the end of the day Tuesday if you'd like to attend the Associated Ministries Annual Spring Celebration Dinner and Auction on April 29 at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Tacoma ($50 a head, half of which is tax-deductible; "Our signature fundraiser is always a great party, with lots of exciting auction items!") -- Call Sallie at (253) 383-3056, ext. 105.

2. (Mark) The UFPPC book discussion group "Digging Deeper" continues its discussion of Kevin Phillips's American Theocracy on Mon., Apr. 10, at 7:00 p.m. American Theocracy is the #2 bestseller on the Apr. 9 New York Times bestseller list and can be purchased for 30% off at Borders.

3. (Sallie S.) On Monday, the trial of four anti-nuclear activists from Olympia, including Alice Zillah (who recently helped organized the "Connect the Dots" march and rallies in Tacoma on Mar. 11) associated with the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action for an August 2005 action outside Bangor U.S. Navy Submarine Base will begin in Poulsbo, and attendance of supporters is welcome. The four charged and facing a trial in Kitsap County (see a Jan. 21 Kitsap Sun article) are Alice Zillah, 32, Bryce Brown, 31, Shannon Bushnell, 28, and Patricia Imani, 43, all of Olympia. (Also arrested by Kitsap County Sheriffs but not facing charges are Moona Cancino, 26, of Portland; Joy Goldstein, 70, of Vashon; Roger Thorson, 60, of Carnation; Dan Goldstein, 54, and Liz Rivera Goldstein, 47 of Port Townsend; Fr. Bill Bichsel, 77, of Tacoma; Marion Ward, 66, and Genny Kortes, 65, of Vancouver; and Shirley Morrison, 83, Jean Sundborg, 65, Rev. Anne Hall, 60, David Hall, 59, Mary Hanson, 59, Dorli Rainey, 78, and Glen Milner, 54, of Seattle.) -- More information here. Also: an article by Alice Zillah on her arrest. The trial will be at DISTRICT COURT NORTH (360-337-7109), 19050 Jensen Way, Poulsbo, Washington. -- Directions: From the south -- Traveling north on Hwy. 3 take the Finn Hill exit at MP 52. At the exit ramp stop sign, turn right. At .5 miles you will come to the stop light at Viking Way. Proceed through the intersection onto Lindvig Way. Move to the right lane and proceed one mile to the four way stop at Jensen Way. Turn left on Jensen Way. The court is located in the back of the Poulsbo City Hall Building (the second building on the left). Parking is available in the King Olaf public parking behind the City Hall. -- From the north -– Traveling south on Hwy 3, take the highway 305 exit to Bainbridge Island; at the second stop light, turn right onto Bond Road, to the stop light at the intersection of Bond Road and Front Street; turn left on Front Street and proceed one mile to the four way stop at Jensen Way. Turn left onto Jensen Way. The court is located in the back of the Poulsbo City Hall Building (the second building on the left).

Respectfully,
Mark