Saturday, January 29, 2005

Meeting Notes for People for Peace, Justice, and Healing

People for Peace, Justice and Healing met on Saturday, January 29, 2005, at 10 a.m. at Associated Ministries. Present for check-in were Nancy, Sallie, Laura, Gracie (the cat), Sol, Sharon, Colleen, Jan, Karen, Mark, Sheila, Kyle, Rob and Vivi.

AGENDA:

LEONARD PELTIER POTLUCK
CONVERSATION CAFE
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
APPRECIATIVE LETTER
READING GROUP
FAST FOR BICHSEL
STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR
WHAT IS THIS PARTY BUSINESS? WHAT IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
ANNOUNCEMENTS

LEONARD PELTIER POTLUCK: Sheila
Anyone interested in volunteering should sign in with Sheila or show up at First United Methodist Church (423 MLK Jr. Way) between 11 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. next Saturday, February 5. We are hosting a dinner/potluck in the basement -- one entrance off the back parking lot in the back of the church -- for those participating in the rally and march on behalf of Leonard Peltier. Food donations welcome. We're looking for people to help set up tables and chairs (at around 11 a.m.), cook and set up food tables, serve and clean up later in the day. Donations of food also welcome.

Discussion of food needs. PJH will purchase 2 carrot sheet cakes. (Colleen) Nancy donating 8 loaves of bread. Inbal Blitstein and Ben Sutter will coordinate pick-up of potluck fare at the park for Colleen. UFPPC urged to join us. If volunteers wish, they can sign up to particular "shifts" and jobs during the day with Sheila .

PJH WILL MEET SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5 at 10:00 for one hour (or less) and then adjourn to First United Methodist to work on the potluck. Church is open for workers at 11 a.m.

SHAWL, MILLER, PHILLIPS LETTER: Mark
Mark circulated for signing a letter(s) to Ken Miller and Annie Phillips thanking them for their participation in our program last week on volunteering for out-of-state presidential campaigns. Group concurred the program was provocative and worthwhile.

CONVERSATION CAFE: Mark and Jan
General discussion of difficulties coordinating with Mandolin in reserving a meeting space. Mark has our name definitely on their calendar for Tuesdays beginning on Feb. 22 and well into March. They've told him we can place reservation signs on a couple of tables a bit before our Tuesday meetings. We were very crowded and the restaurant was very noisy for our last conversation. Group decides we still want to have a discussion with management when manager returns. (Karen K. is setting up this appointment.)

Discussion of the C/Cafe philosophy: the encouragement of an exchange of ideas without trying to persuade or confront.

Week's question: We had a broad discussion about our next question. Mark said someone had suggested we try a more topical question, for instance, a question about stem cell research. Ideas ranged from discussion questions about the election in Iraq (results will not be known for 10 days), Rumsfeld's secret spy ring, gay cartoon characters and their influence on children (!?), politicization of children through war toys, perception and communication through numbers (what does it mean that a million dollars have already been spent pre-trial on the Brame case -- or is the use of such numbers just "boggling" to most of us.)

Sallie shared this comparison with those of us that find large numbers difficult to conceptualize: if a million seconds = 12 days, a billion seconds = 32 years and a trillion seconds = 32,000 years.

Group determined that "number perception" would make a good future topic. Other ideas included thoughts about our "overload" points -- when too much catastrophe, pain, death or corruption makes it difficult for the individual to stay on subject. When ideas like nuclear warfare become too much to consider or when one feels a "compassion" overload. Discussion of knowing and understanding one's own limits and how to trigger our own capacity or energy to "open up."

Question group focused on for this week with help of Jan, visiting Coversation Cafe participant: Tort Reform. Why are Americans so legalistic?

OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: Colleen
The Oversight Committee will meet 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 1, at Associated Ministries. They will concentrate on how to get this Ordnance passed.

CONFRONTING PEAK OIL: Mark
Monday night's UFPPC book study circle will be studying various books beginning February 7 on peak oil. Participants will be encouraged to read, borrow or buy any of a series of books on the subject. Everyone will not necessarily be reading the same book. Mark has books to sell or loan.

BICHSEL FAST GROUP: Sallie and Laura
A group a fast/vigil group is organizing to be active during Lent and/or around the time Bix will be serving time for his protest action at the Federal Building just before the war began in Iraq. Bix will serve five days -- Feb. 16 through 20 and there are plans to vigil all day on those days. More news coming.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR
A petition was circulated requesting that the state chair of Democratic party be pro-choice. Discussion. Some people signed it, some didn't.

WHAT IS A DEMOCRAT (OR REPUBLICAN)? Sallie
Sallie expressed interest in our group discussing significant, meaningful differences between the major parties. Are there any? Tabled for another meeting.

[THIS JUST IN: Brian Turner, poet-soldier from Iraq, just called me and told me he's out of the service. (Saturday night, 5:55 p.m.) --K.H.]

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

MEET WITH DENNIS KUCINICH - IBEW Hall on 36th off Pine, Sunday, January 30, Noon to 2:00 p.m.

UFPPC Book Discussion Series "Digging Deeper II" concludes discussion of Daniel Yergin's The Prize on Monday, January 31, at 7:00 p.m. at the Mandolin Cafe. "Digging Deeper III," a study circle on "peak oil," will begin on Feb. 7 (see above).

OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE -- Meets at Associated Ministries at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 1 (meeting will last about one to one and a half hour).

CONVERSATION CAFE -- Tuesday, Mandolin Cafe at 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

LEONARD PELTIER RALLY, MARCH & POTLUCK -- February 5, 11:00 to ? Rally - Portland Avenue Park; Potluck -- First United Methodist Church.

THE CHOSEN - dramatization of Chaim Potok's novel -- 2 p.m. matinee, February 6 at Lakewood Players (THE CHOSEN is running Friday, Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. through February 13.

NATIVE AMERICAN SERVICES (Joanne Baum) -- This group meets the 4th Thursday of every month at Jean's House of Prayer, 1414 Tacoma Avenue, enter off the alley and behind Catholic Worker.

COMING UP: Progressive Roundtable, kick-off meeting only, Saturday, March 5 at Carpenter's Hall.

Respectfully,
Karen H.