Saturday, May 17, 2003 Meeting Notes

CHECK-IN: scattered notes on remarks of those present

Mark: Celebrating son's graduation from Reed and his students' graduation from PLU....sister-in-law is visiting from Paris. Notes on terrorist bombing in Saudi Arabia...Americans killed are not being identified in the press... Americans who are employees of private military contractors. Many "official figures" from our and other governments are being quoted but not identified by name which makes anything they say questionable.

Sheila: Best news for her, after meeting a psychiatrist from a Gaza mental health clinic, was discovering that donations to the clinic, which treats Palestinian children, are tax-deductible. See Sheila if you're interested.

Kyle: Abstaining.

Dorothy: Working on Nonviolent Communication Project and gardening. Recommends book by Joanna Macy, DESPAIR AND PERSONAL POWER IN A NUCLEAR AGE. Dorothy is encouraged in her work with NVC to feel herself getting more in touch with her own/our own natural compassion.

Karen: Also gardening, doing theater work and preparing for reading at Frye Art Museum, June 1.

Sallie: Has decided not to go to Chicago for national peace conference due to overinvolvement... Preparing for talk by Kelly Campbell at Bethany Presbyterian, tomorrow, Sunday at 4:00. Kelly Campbell lost her brother-in-law 9/11 at the Pentagon. Sallie plays us a lovely recording by Loudon Wainwright III called "Pretty Good DAy."

Barbara: Also feels "rushed and pushed" when what she wants is to enjoy her life in peace. Announces a seminar at Evergreen on May 24 honoring Vets and addressing the issue of our loss of Civil Liberties. Speaker Heather Franks from the ACLU. Monday, May 19, there will be a potluck for the Hilltop Coalition at Assoc. Ministries. Then on the 22nd through 24th, Barbara is going camping under the stars.

Marilyn: Discussion of Todd Boyle's "last words" to the movement as transferred from SNOW listserv to ours by Mark. General compassion expressed by all present. Many read his "message." Marilyn has been deeply involved in Brame/Crystal scandal and issues of domestic abuse. Described interesting events from her "life in politics."

AGENDA

Sally and Vivi announce memorial service for Bert Walker, longtime local activist in the peace movement, tomorrow at Unitarian Church. (Bert was involved in Middle East politics since the 1980s and influenced many people.)

Sallie asks for volunteers to help her with presentation sponsored by PPJH of Kelly Campbell at Bethany Presbyterian, Sunday, May 18, at 4:00 at 4420 North 41st. Dorothy and Barbara will assist.

Vivi distributes FOR brochures for Seabeck Conference, July 3 through 6. For more information - on line: wwfor@connectexpress.com or call 206-789-5565.

Dorothy: Non-Violent Communication Discussion: Whether to go ahead with meeting planned for UPS Rotunda on June 7. Questions about trainer and his/her availability and credentials, about whether we have time to publicize the event and whether or not we have a strong enough committee to support the activity. Vivi: interest of Kent Alcorn in participating discussed. Marilyn: reiterated her interest in helping. Shelley asked for goal of presentation: general information or to train trainers for Conversation CAfes? Dorothy says first meeting is for general information and to gauge interest in training. Possibility of another trainer in Olympia... Sallie concerned about filling up rotunda room at UPS... Marilyn says there are other options for places (library) and times... Sallie: suggests theme line as: Alternatives to Violence (rather than ours: Alternatives to War.)

Resolution: Committee (Marilyn, Sallie, Dorothy and possibly Kent) meet Tuesday to discuss.

Dorothy will contact and talk to trainer in Seattle.

Marilyn - EARTH CHARTER

Marilyn highlights first principle: Respect and Care for Community of Life by playing Peter Makena's "Love Songs and Sutra's".

Discussion of a) Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings and b) Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical and spiritual potential of humanity.

Observations:

1) We're all one.

2) What matters is our connections to one another.

3) We live in a world of (mystical and worldly) dualities.

Mark notes the absence of the pronoun "we" in the body of the Earth Charter.

Sheila, speaking from Buddhist perspective discusses how "right/wrong" dichotomies separate people.

Marilyn, speaks of learning about not reacting to everything... but just witnessing... and her consequent experiences of relief.

Dorothy talks about the example of the Dali Lama as compassion... tolerance... the impossibility of feeling both compassion and competitiveness.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Tuesday at Wheelock - People for Puget Sound will meet to discuss "healing" of Commencement Bay. 6:30 to 8:30

A Palestinian Film Festival will start this week at U.W.

Vivi, June 1, will be going to Washington D.C. for teach-in (how to deal with Congress) and Peace in the World and Middle East conference.

Sallie volunteered to take next Earth Charter section.

Circle - completed by valiant effort of Kyle. (You had to be there.)