People for Peace, Justice and Healing met Saturday, April 15, 2005, at 10 a.m. at Associated Ministries. Present for check-in were: Katherine, Colleen, Mark, Sallie, Karen, Martell, Sheila and Kyle, Haley, Joel, Scott, Dan, Rob.
CONVERSATION CAFE: Katherine
Karen will facilitate this coming Tuesday. The question is: "How
dependent are we on undocumented workers? Question for next Tuesday: Our
lives, choice or chance? There was a lengthy and interesting discussion
on how to phrase questions in an effort to provoke thought. I think I've
worded the question as the group wished. The intent was to provoke
questions about the role choices play in our lives.
PRIVATIZATION AND THE ROTC: Mark
Mark is researching the ROTC at his and other universities. He says ROTC
supplies 75 percent of the army's leadership and 60 percent of that of
other military groups. He has discovered that since 2002 a private
company, COMTEK, has been supplying the instructors who teach
military sciences or ROTC classes in the colleges. COMTEK
currently has a $147,000,000 contract to supply services to the
military. Discussion of privatization of military functions. Karen
expressed interest in learning more about this complex of military and
industry.
UFPPC MONDAY NIGHT GROUP: Mark
Monday night group now attracts over a dozen readers. Current book:
AMERICAN THEOCRACY by Kevin Phillips. This book will be discussed the
next two Monday nights.
INTERFAITH CAMP: Sallie
The camp now has it's funding. The camp will be free to all
participating campers. Next step: finding the teachers and campers. New
website going up soon -- possibly this week: Soundinterfaithcamp.org
Campers will range in age from 12 to 14 and will include kids from the
Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths as well as Secular Humanists. A Camp
director has yet to be chosen.
ACLU COURT WATCH: Colleen
Next Saturday, 4/22, there will be a training session for those willing
to observe at least 2 1/2 day sessions a month for 3 months of court
hearings of detainees at the Northwest Detention Center. Session will
begin at 1:30 until 4 p.m. at Associated Ministries.
BANGOR TRIAL: Sallie
(I'm sorry, I failed to get the name of the protesters on trial.) Sallie
explained that a case of current interest ended in a hung jury. Jurists
were irritated with the obviously inaccurate graphics of the incident
presented in trial.
EARTH DAY: Sheila, Scott, Katherine
Next Saturday is Earth Day and Sheila, Katherine and Scott are
presenting a display at Snake Lake Nature Center (19th and Stevens) as
representatives of Earth Charter. Scott shared some of their handsome
graphics that will be on display.
For PPJH,
Karen