Saturday, November 1, 2003 Meeting Notes

Meeting notes, People for Peace, Justice, and Healing

Tacoma PJH met at Associated Ministries at 10:00 a.m. on November 1, 2003. General discussion re: members feelings of despair versus hope in relation to the current political situation. Present for Check-in were: Rob, Karen, Mark, Sheila, Kyle, Dorothy. Late comers: Vivi, Kent, Laura K. AGENDA:

HR 3077
Mark introduced this issue which he has just become aware of... a bill pending (not certain where it is in the process) that would under Homeland Security be involved in an Advisory board which would monitor college texts used in universities that receive federal funding, under, I think, Title VI. They would also participate in the hiring of all professors...They would also "monitor students." Their target is all "post-colonial" studies which they see as unpatriotic and unAmerican. (An email explaining this bill appears on Saturday's listserv.) Part of the impetus for this Bill comes out of objections to the work of Edward Said. Discussion. More on House Resolution 3077 at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/2?c108:HR3077

NORTHWEST MIDDLE EAST FORUM
Vivi: The Forum will meet in November at Linda Frank's house. They will plan for an event December 4 that Eli Berniker, a PLU professor has set up. It will be a public discourse on work for peace of Palestinians and Israelis - NGO's in Palestine, Israel and the USA engaged in peace and collaboration. It will be at 7:00 p.m. on Dec. 4 in Chris Knudsen Hall, in the PLU University Center. It will feature two mental health professionals from Gaza who are now students in Olympia studying clinical techniques for the treatment of victims of trauma and torture. Mark Jensen asked if PPJH would endorse this. Vivi agreed and said she was hoping maybe there would be some involvement from PPJH. It was moved to endorse the event and there would be involvement because Sheila and Vivi will go to the planning meeting. Sheila suggested that aids from Dick's and Adams's offices be invited to attend these events. The group is interested in promoting public discussions on events in Israel/Palestine. Vivi says she feels there is some progress in media representation of events in Israel.

NOVEMBER 16 SOA EVENT
Laura: The last planning meeting for the event will be this Friday, November 7th at St. Leo's in the Loyola Room. Next weekend planners will be canvassing Salishan area to notify residents there will be a lot of cars in their neighborhood on the 16th. Participants will be encouraged to park at Tacoma Dome Station if possible. They can then ride the trolley from the Federal Building to their cars after the demonstration at the Federal Building. (Portland Avenue Park is at about 35th and Portland Avenue.) Six volunteers are needed to mann a phone bank Sunday evening (11/9). Bus loads of people are expected from Seattle, Portland, Spokane, etc.

Tacoma people are asked to be at the Park beginning at 6 a.m. on the 16th to help set up. Program starts at 12:00 to about 1:30 - with speakers and music. March will begin around 1:30. Bill Evans and Jim Walton are expected to attend. 5,000 white crosses are being made and can be purchased 2 for $1.00.

On 11/15 Charlie Liteky will speak at 1st United Methodist. Liteky is a former Catholic Priest who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by Lyndon Johnson when he pulled 20 fellow soldiers out of a hostile area in Viet Nam. He spent 2 1/2 years in Viet Nam. He left the priesthood in '74, worked for the Veteran's Administration off and on from '75 to '85 when he terminated employment over U.S. policy in Central America. Four visits to Central America radically changed his life and life style. He returned his Congressional Medal of Honor to R. Reagan, holding him complicit in the deaths of thousands of innocent people. He has served prison terms of 6 and 12 months for various protest actions. He lived in Iraq from November 2002 to May 2003. He was there before, after and during our attack on Iraq. He will speak on promoting peace through education and political action.

EARTH CHARTER AND FREE TRADE
Discussion by Sheila of efforts of small and medium businesses to re-negotiate "Free Trade" regulations to keep them from being trampled by the interests of big corporations. Reference to trampling of environmental laws to "benefit" big corporations, whose "interests" are given priority over current environmental laws. We unfortunately didn't have time to discuss the Earth Charter.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Jim Wallis of Sojourners will be at PLU , Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m.

FOR Retreat will be 11/21 and 22 at Lacey. Contact Vivi. Information will appear on this list serve. Subject: Re-charging the movement.

Mark shared first color photos on front page of PLU student newspaper, THE MAST. A shot of the Wheels For Justice bus.

Vivi voiced concerns that we will become too involved in our own problems as the economy continues to be problematic. She wants us to think about our future agenda - not just what we're doing but what can be done.

Kent quoted Walter Wink (who was at PLU this past week) who stated that in the last year 1.7 billion people were involved in non-violent peace actions. Kent advises we keep doing what we're doing.

The meeting concluded at 12:00 p.m.