Saturday, January 8, 2005

Meeting Notes for People for Peace, Justice, and Healing

People for Peace, Justice and Healing met at Associated Ministries on January 8, 2005. Present for check-in were Rob, Nancy, Laura, Karen, Mark, Colleen, Sallie, Sally, Tom and Chris. Discussion.

AGENDA:

CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: Colleen
This committee which has been meeting for over a year and a half in an effort to create a Citizen Oversight Committee which will review and handle citizen complaints of TPD, recently submitted their proposal to a sub-committee of the City Council with the expectation that their proposal would pass. Although the Council liked the proposal it didn't pass. (The TPD has been hostile to the idea of the Committee.) Interested persons are encouraged to attend at least one Tuesday night City Council meeting and encourage the Council during public comment time to pass this proposal. Various groups have been trying to instate such a committee for over twenty years. This group has been meeting since before the David Brame affair. If the Council fails to approve this committee the committee will have to gather signatures needed (about 6,500) to get it on the ballot. See Colleen for talking points. A decision on the next step will be made on February 1.

COUNTER INAUGURAL BALL: Sallie
Plans are proceeding for this January 20 event at Jazzbones. Sallie has a flyer which will be available next week. Red noses have been ordered. Event scheduled for 7:00 to 10:00. There will be a similar event on the same night at the IBEW Hall on 36th. Discussion. This event will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 and plans were made to visit their event and bring them over to ours.

< EYES WIDE OPEN: Chris
Representing American Friend's Service, Chris brought us material explaining the Eyes Wide Open project -- a traveling exhibition of pairs of empty boots symbolizing the lost lives of soldiers in Iraq. (In Jan. 2004 the exhibity was unveiled in Chicago with 504 pairs; the number is growing rapidly, since the number of U.S. military fatalities in Iraq has now passed 1,350.) Various places for exhibition were discussed -- most prominently -- steps up from Pacific to the University of Washington (beside the book store), local Evergreen campus, entrance to Pt. Defiance, et al. A sheltered area will be adjacent to the display to hold a "wall of remembrance" displaying the names of the more than 11,000 Iraqi civilians killed during the invasion Chris has contacted three other local groups. UFPCC and PPJH will be co-sponsors and work with AFS on this project. Chris will call the first meeting. Needs: Exhibition space, 24-hour security for display, local publicity of the event.

CONVERSATION CAFE: Mark
Suggested topic for next Tuesday: Are Americans Making Progress? Discussion.

LEONARD PELTIER RALLY AND POTLUCK: Karen
Plans are proceeding.

< VIGILS: Nancy
Nancy suggests we cut vigils to once a month since we don't have a big turn out for most vigils and vigil nights are cold and dark. Sallie wants to keep weekly schedule. Discussion of place, visibility, warm clothing, apple cider, etc. Sallie discusses sending out a different weekly reminder notice. Nancy promised to write an "inspiration exhortation" to encourage participation for the list serve. No change in weekly schedule. Nancy complimented the Women In Black group for their effective vigiling.

MONDAY NIGHT READING GROUP AT THE MANDOLIN: Mark
Digging Deeper, the UFPCC book discussion series which meets at 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. on Monday nights, will be discussing Daniel Yergin's THE PRIZE: THE EPIC QUEST FOR OIL, MONEY AND POWER in four parts on January 10, 17, 24 and 31. The book is widely available in new and used book stores and at public libraries and local university libraries. The group is now reviewing future plans for Monday night discussion groups. If you have a book you'd like to suggest to the group for discussion, send it to Mark at jensenmk@plu.edu -- categories of particular interest to the group are (1) Iraq war, (2) Oil, (3) Dysfunctional America, (4) politics, economics and society, (5) terrorism/Islamism, (6) the right, (7) Middle East, (8) Cold War and the military-industrial complex, (9) international organizations, (10) media. Laura suggested there might be a possibility of tying this group in with Communiversity.

COUNTER RECRUITMENT: Tom
Tom is interested in ideas for counter recruitment -- letting young men and women know they have other options than military service. Discussion of cost to schools of programs like Jr. ROTC, desirability of involving young people in military service issues. Discussion of helping organizations: AFS packet, FOR packet, volunteer service open to young people -- such as Jesuit Volunteers and getting this information out to young people.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 15 Events: Ground Zero, Bangor. Meet at 9:00 for non-violence training. Annual MLK protest. Event at Noon.

In Olympia: Die-In on Capitol grounds - 100K & Counting event. Noon to 1:00. Arrive at 11:15 and prepare to dress warmly and have proper protection. (Participants will lie on the ground during the demonstration.)

VIGILS: PJH -- every Wednesday at Union Station/Fed Building, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. -- UFPPC at Borders, every Saturday from noon to 1:00 p.m. -- Women in Black, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. -- UFPCC every Friday at Waterfront, Ruston Way, bottom of McCarver 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

PATHWAYS TO PEACE -- Conference at PLU, January 12-14. Convention Center and on Campus. Featuring many distinguished visitors, guests, thinkers from Norway. See www.plu.edu

COUNTER INAUGURAL BALL -- January 20th, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Jazzbones, 2803 6th Ave., Tacoma.

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY CELEBRATION at the Tacoma Dome, January 17, Meet at Dome to hand out leaflets: What would King have done? 10 a.m.

PJH will meet next Saturday, January 15th at 10:00 a.m. at Associated Ministries.

Respectfully, Karen H.