Saturday, September 9, 2006

MEETING NOTES

People for Peace, Justice, and Healing
September 9, 2006

People for Peace, Justice and Healing met September 9, 2006, at Associated Ministries. Present for check-in were: Colleen, Sallie, Karen, Vivi, Rob, Mark, Katherine, Kyle, Sheila, Scott, Joel, Karen.

AGENDA

CONVERSATION CAFE:Katherine
Katherine reported only 3 people attended the post Labor Day conversation but that the discussion was lively. The following calendar was discussed and set: 9/12 -- What/where do you call home? 9/19 -- What do you expect as an "after life?" 9/26 -- Do you feel safer?

INTERFAITH DIALOGUE: Sallie
Sallie discussed an inflammatory e-mail comedic rant that is anti-Palestine and very "misleading" currently circulating on the net. She recommends a book called World of Infidels by Ann El Moslinsny who was the Interfaith Camp faith leader and a founder of the Islamic School of Seattle.

WATADA UPDATE: Colleen
A local group is making preparations for a "tribunal" or Citizens' Hearing to discuss the legality of the war in Iraq. People are being sought from across the country to sit on the panel including military people and professors. Preliminary reports on plans as they develop will be issued by the group. Their intention is to find a local venue for the event. The date has not yet been set. Invitations are being prepared. Discussion.

OPT OUT: Sallie
Sallie asked for interested persons to send a letter to the Trib re: the looming Opt-Out date for students -- September 30. Opt out is a request to the schools that the military not be given automatic information about a student for recruiting purposes.

FUNDRAISER: Colleen
Tim Smith has suggested to Colleen that the bricks from 1st United Methodist -- tear down looming -- be used for fundraiser purposes. Discussion. Colleen referred Tim to Monty Smith at 1st U.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

I-937 -- Rob has been working on this energy initiative -- there will be an educational session at Snake Lake Nature Center at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 13 for people interested in working on or wanting more information about the initiative.

BACK TO SCHOOL FUNDRAISER - Kyle will have coupon books and various luxury items to sell for his school fundraiser.

HILLSIDE - Vivi announced that Elaine Finklestine, FOR Director, will be a guest and sing at Hillside on Sunday, September 10. There will also be a potluck at 3:00 and a movie on Aids in Africa at 4:00.

BOOK GROUP - Monday Night at Mandelin. Current books under discussion includes Scott Ritter's Iraq Confidential (2005), as well as Peter Galbraith's The End of Iraq, Thomas Ricks's Fiasco, and Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor's Cobra II. After a break on Sept. 18, on Sept. 25 Alfred McCoy's A Question of Torture (2006) will be discussed.

BANNED BOOK MONTH - King's Books and others, including the ACLU, are sponsoring a series of events on Banned Books through September and mid-October. Check Banned Books on the King'sBooks website for exact times and events.

MARTIN E. MARTY - "perhaps the foremost scholar on religion in the United States" will be at PLU Monday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. Early arrival is advised. Dr. Marty has been awarded sixty honorary doctorates, is the author of more than 50 books, has won the National Book Award and with R. Scott Appleby, directed the Fundamentalism Project - an investigation of the rise of fundamentalism.

Respectfully submitted, Karen H.