Saturday, October 18, 2003 Meeting Notes

Meeting notes, People for Peace, Justice, and Healing

Tacoma PJH met October 18, 2003, at Associated Ministries at 10 a.m. The meeting was a preceded by a very interesting tour with history of the building offered by Clarence Pyke.

Present for check-in were Laura, Mark J., Kyle, Sheila, Coleen, and Sharon.

Sharon facilitated.

AGENDA:

--Dealing with HIPAA privacy rules
--Earth Charter
--Middle East peace efforts
--AM grant proposal
--Announcements

DEALING WITH HIPAA PRIVACY RULES -- Sharon is lobbying US Senator Cantwell and WA State Senator Debbie Regala for help and support in creating a national directory of resources to help those dealing with the physical and mental illnesses of loved ones facing difficulties created by recent Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules. She would appreciate help from PPJHers in channeling relevant information to her to help in this area. Contact Sharon at mssharonmoore@excite.com

EARTH CHARTER -- Sheila was pleased with last Saturday's summit but doesn't have time to be the leader of next year's summit. A committee needs to be formed to take on responsibility for future efforts. PPJH applauds these efforts and will help with spreading the word. Sheila can be reached at srenton@regence.com

MIDDLE EAST PEACE EFFORTS -- At a Wheels of Justice event last week, Sheila heard a student ask what we can do locally to help. We discussed local activities in this area, including the Northwest Middle East Peace Forum. Contact Sheila if you have ideas on this: srenton@regence.com

ASSOCIATED MINISTRIES GRANT PROPOSAL -- Colleen reported that Associated Ministries is applying to the Hillside Community Church for a $45,000 grant to create a Peace and Justice Center that will be a "place where the faith community and the community at large will be able to come together and address social justice issues that have local and global impact. A governing board drawn from a broad section of the religious and the social jusice/peace community." (Quoting from a letter addressed to Colleen.) PPJH formally endorsed the idea and the group commissioned Colleen to write a letter to Associated Ministries conveying this endorsement.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Mark: Jan Adams, the well-known San Francisco Bay Area activist, will speak on "Civil Liberties at Risk" at a United for Peace of Pierce County forum at the First United Methodist Church at 423 Martin Luther King Jr. Way on Tuesday, October 21, at 7:00 p.m. -- A brown-bag lunch with Jan Adams will take place in the Regency Room of the University Center on the Pacific Lutheran University campus on Tuesday, October 21, from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. (This is a campus event, but a few additional attendees would be welcome.)

Mark: A commemoration of Edward Said's life (Said died on September 24, 2003) will feature a showing of the film "Orientalism": Wednesday, October 22, 5:00 p.m., Hauge Administration Bldg., Room 210, on the Pacific Lutheran University Campus.

Mark: Juan Carlos Galvis, a labor activist calling attention to the involvement of the Coca-Cola Company with paramilitary groups in Colombia will speak in the Philip Nordquist Lecture Hall (Xavier Hall, Room 201) on the Pacific Lutheran University campus on Thursday, October 23, at 7:00 p.m. (Juan Carlos Galvis has been the object of death threats, and an assassination attempt in August, and Amnesty International has made a formal statemetn expressing of concern for his safety.)

Laura: Peacekeepers are needed for the Nov. 16 rally. TRAINING IS AVAILABLE on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Longshore Union Hall, 1306 Alexander Avenue, Fife. Contact: James Brecht at 253-383-3931.

Vivi: FOR is organizing a U.S. tour of Iraqi women to speak of their experiences, but it's being held up due to visa difficulties.

Sheila: The Adult Sunday School at First United Methodist Church (423 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma) will focus on "Food and Social Justice" this Sunday, Oct. 19, at 11:00 a.m., and on other Sundays as well. The meeting concluded at 12:05 p.m.