Saturday, August 16, 2003 Meeting Notes

--Peace, Justice and Healing met August 16, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. at Associated Ministries. Present for check-in: Kyle, Sheila, Kent, Colleen, Mark J., Karen H. and Heidi.

Before check-in Ken Little spoke to us about the Shut Down The School of Assassins protest that will be held in Tacoma on November 16, 2003. There will still be a(nother) national event at Ft. Benning, Georgia, this year the week before Thanksgiving despite efforts there to shut-out the event. Ken says one of the biggest issues at the event will be a get-rid-of-Bush movement. They are looking for co-sponsors and are interested in attracting students from U.W., PLU, Bellarmine and UPS, etc. Venue will be Lincoln Park. There will be a planning meeting in Eatonville this coming weekend. For more information go to their website: www.tacomanov16.org. or call 531-5658. They need lots of help and expect people from all over Washington and Oregon.

AGENDA: Sheila facilitating

Citizen Oversight of Police Department (Colleen)
Community Summit - Earth Charter (Sheila)
Comparison of Earth Charter and National Security Strategy
Earth Charter Number 3 and 3a
SOA
Accessing Public Access TV (Kent)

Announcements

EARTH CHARTER DISCUSSION

Earth Charter 3: Build Democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable and peaceful. (a) Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms and provide everyone an opportunity to realize his or her full potential."

Kent started the discussion by asking how we meet people's needs and how does meeting those needs tie into what we are doing in the peace movement. Kent gave several personal examples of people he is trying to help with various problems. Discussion.

Heidi talked about her experiences with the South Tacoma Neighborhood community group and how she admired their direct action social work. Karen talked about St. Leo community and Catholic Worker. Sheila says she is interested in getting community experts to speak to these issues at the Earth Summit. Colleen talked about the "obscenity" of allowing poverty in this country. Kent is interested in making a connection with Public Access TV (Chanel 12 in most areas.) Karen said she would ask Connie Walle about access. Discussion of programming for a tpjh program on Channel 12.

SOA: In a consensus vote the group agreed to co-sponsor the SOA event on November 16.

Mark handed out a paper comparing the visions propagated by the National Security Strategy of U.S.A. as compared to the vision proposed by the Earth Charter. The questions What is our historical situation, What does the future require and Who are we anyway and what should we do as answered by each group are compared.

GORE VIDAL and THE AMERICAN EMPIRE: Kent discussed Vidal's perception of the rise of empire principally through the passing of Rule 67 which lead essentially to our loss of representation. (Congress no longer had the power to declare (or not) war.) We became a national security state because of our fear of Communism.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CITY COUNCIL MEETING, Tuesday, August 19 at 5:00 Presentation of a Resolution that the City of Tacoma uphold the Bill of Rights. Speakers sign up at 5:00. Time limit: 3 minutes. Members are asked to contact their councilpersons and ask them to support the resolution. Sponsors: Evans, McGavick, Moss

Colleen will try to have buttons there for people to wear.

George Bush (who holds some kind of public office - oops sorry) will be in this area August 22 and 23. Consult www.stopbushseattle.com. There will be a protest in Tacoma, August 22, 8:45 a.m. at Jack Hyde Park on Ruston Way, a protest in Bellevue from 11:00 - 2:00 and on the 23rd a protest at Myrtle Edwards Park, north of the Pike Place Market, at around 2:00.

TOUCH SCREEN VOTING: Heidi says there will be a meeting at the Auditor's Office at the Election Center, 3009 S. 36th on Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:30 about touch screen voting. (Discussion.)

CITIZENS FOR A HEALTHY BAY: Will also meet Tuesday at the World Trade Center, 3600 Port of Tacoma Road, from 7 to 9 to discuss saying no to people who want to sell space to store toxic sludge in our bay.

MIDDLE EAST FORUM: Will meet Monday, August 18 at Lynda Franks at 7 p.m. A group of Tacoma people are thinking of going to Portland to meet with their Middle East Forum group.

SUNDAY a group met at First United Methodist at 9:30 to discuss the Bill of Rights issue.

BILL OF RIGHTS group will meet at Hillside Community Church at 1:00, on August 24, to discuss the Bill of Rights Resolution.