Saturday, April 19, 2003 Meeting Notes

Check-in: scattered notes on remarks by those present
- Mark J. expressed the feeling that we are seeing at present the emergence of a very strong system or regime which may remain in place for a long time.
- Vivi offered some new window signs: "Wage Peace," "Uniting for Peace," "Support Our Troops, Bring Them Home."
- Mark B. said: "I'm here for transformation."
- Dorothy is mourning the death of a friend's husband in an accidental fall.
- Karen spoke of the power of poetry and read some remarks from Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet and a poem by Nancy Wood.
- Colleen heard the president of the ACLU, Nadine Strossen, speak in Puyallup on finding the proper balance between security and liberty. Strossen said that to be an activist it's necessary to be an optimist. One thing to be optimistic about: ACLU is now at an all time high: over 400,000, up from 225,000 before September 11. She read an inspirational quote from Mark Morford of the San Francisco Chronicle: "Remember magic."
- Sallie was distressed to hear on the news that Marines had killed "suspected looters" in Iraq. Later she heard Chomsky quote Churchill, and was inspired to make a flyer reproducing Churchill's words, to the effect that incarceration without charges is the essence of totalitarian regimes, whether fascist or communist.
- Al said he feels very frustrated to think how dumb the public is compared to how smart he is, which provoked much general good-hearted laughter. He faces a cataract operation on Tuesday.
- Marilyn said she feels what's most important now is what she can do to transform herself and treat other people well.

AGENDA

1. Nonviolent communication. Dorothy reported that Elaine is working on getting a place for a Tuesday or Thursday (possibly Friday) evening workshop, sometime in May, hopefully. On Friday, April 25, Dorothy is going to a 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. workshop with Marshall Rosenberg in Seattle on "Listening compassionately to oneself: a vital step towards personal power and world peace." Call Dorothy to make arrangements for a ride at 253-564-8263 or write her at dorothybu1@aol.com -- a donation to the workshop is suggested but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. For more information about the event, see also the local nonviolent communication website as well as the national nonviolent communication website.

2. Bill of Rights Defense Committee. The packet of materials advocating the resolution declaring Tacoma a Bill of Rights safe zone is now in the hands of a City Council study group. Expressions of support from across the spectrum of the community will be helpful in moving this forward.

3. Community outreach. Karen K. said she sees a need for community outreach activity aimed at fostering conversation, and hopes that nonviolent communication will lead to this. General discussion.

4. Earth Charter. Sallie read notes from last week's discussion. The group began discussion of the preamble to the Earth Charter and will continue discussion next week.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. "The Media and the War: Fair, Balanced, and Accurate Coverage? -- A Community-Media Dialogue" sponsored by the Seattle Media Forum and the Washington News Council, organized by John Shaffer and Richmond Fisher, and featuring Kay McFadden (Seattle Times), Dave Ross (KIRO talk show host), Geov Parrish (Seattle Weekly), John Carlson (KVI talk show host), Joanne Lisosky (PLU journalism prof), Alan Boyle (MSNBC), and others, will take place on the evening of Tuesday, April 22, 2003, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Town Hall (1119 8th Ave. [at Seneca St.]). It's free, but donations will be collected and those who are attending are asked to register by sending an e-mail to register@seattlemediaforum.org -- The Seattle Media Forum is a newly formed group of local citizens concerned with the way news is gathered, written, and broadcast. The 5-year-old Washington News Council is an independent nonprofit organization devoted to advancing public trust and confidence in the news media by promoting fairness, accuracy, and balance. Questions that will be addressed include: (1) Are the print and broadcast media doing their job in getting us the low-down on the war in Iraq? (2) Have we gotten the whole story on how we got into the war in the first place and is there any more to tell? (3) Who decides what is covered, and when, and how? The discussion will be facilitated by John Hamer, Executive Director of the Washington News Council. "An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of the republic," said Thomas Jefferson, according to an event flyer.

2. On May 10 the Fellow of Reconciliation Western Washington assembly will be held.