Saturday, November 8, 2003 Meeting Notes

Meeting notes, People for Peace, Justice, and Healing

People for Peace, Justice, and Healing met 11/8/2003 at 10:00 a.m.at Associated Ministries. Present for check-in were: Colleen, Karen H., Mark J., Vivi, Karen K. Dorothy. After check-in: Kent.

PAWG: Colleen
Colleen announced that the Human Relations Commission has passed their Police Accountability committee report which will be presented to the City Council sometime after the first of the year. The Police Union is also now more significantly involved in the process. The committee is eager to develop a groundswell of support for the measure. Public presentations will be made of the report at various locations and times around the city - such as at some Neighborhood Council meetings. Colleen will post times and places on this list serve. (They also are listed in some TNT press reports.)

SOA: Vivi and Karen
The big SOA event will be this coming Sunday, November 16 at Portland Avenue Park. People who wish to help prepare for the day's event can show up at the Park at 6:00 a.m. Activities begin at 10:00. Speakers and music at 12:00. March begins at 1:30. Bus loads of people numbering into the thousands are expected from around and out of state. Charlie Liteky, a former Congressional Medal of Honor winner (he returned it to LBJ during Viet Nam war) will speak Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. at First United Methodist on MLK Way by Tacoma General Hospital.

3077 FOLLOW-UP: Mark
HRC 3077 was passed this week through House of Representatives. Mark feels the bill as passed wasn't as bad as he originally understood. Democrats were able to add language that would insure the bill wouldn't impinge on academic freedom. Sheila talked to our senate staff members who felt the bill won't even be addressed before the end of the session despite its hurried passage through the house.

MAHER ARAR & US POLICY OF "EXTRAORDINARY RENDITIONS"
Mark asked us to endorse a statement he has written and read about the treatment of the Syrian Maher Arar (information has appeared on this list serve) which appears on our website. So endorsed.

Recommended: Elaine Scarrey's (sp?) book, THE BODY IN PAIN about torture techniques - what they do and how they do it. (References to the tactics taught at what was the School of the Americas.)

ART: Karen K.
Karen expressed desirability of gathering artists interested in expressing a movement from angst into celebration. She recalled the arts festival at the History Museum and the effectiveness of putting together a celebration like that again which could include story tellers, plays, poetry, dance, music, et al. Karen H. mentioned hopes and plans for something similar for Earth Charter at the next summit. Planning tabled to future meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

November 13 - Of Jazz and Freedom Professor Kelly, Professor of Anthropology and African American Studies from Columbia University will be at the Washington Historical Museum.

Jim Wallis of SOJOURNER'S will speak at PLU at 7:00 p.m. in the Mary Baker Russell Music Building (Lagerquist Hall).

November 15 - Charlie Liteky at 1st United Methodist. 7:00 p.m.

November 16 - Big SOA rally at Portland Avenue Park. Activities start at 10:00, speakers and music at 12:00 and the march at 1:30.

November 18 - Planning committee meeting of NW Middle East Forum at Linda Frank's to prepare for visit of Eli Berniker of Palestinians Working for Peace and Justice.

November 19 - Trial of Kent's friend Chris, who has been imprisoned for a year. Kent would appreciate a show of support for his friend.

December 4 - Eli Berniker, 7 to 9 at PLU.

Please contact me if you have a correction to the notes.

Respectfully, Karen