Saturday, May 27, 2006

Meeting Notes for People for Peace, Justice, and Healing

People for Peace, Justice and Healing met May 27, 2006, at Associated Ministries at 10:00 a.m.

People for Peace, Justice and Healing met Saturday, May 27,2006, at 10 a.m. at Associated Ministries. Present for check-in were Scott, Joel, Laura, Sallie, Colleen, Katherine, Sharon, Sheila, Kyle, Mark, Sol, Rob and Karen.

AGENDA:

CONVERSATION CAFE: Katherine
Discussion. Immigration will be the question for the next Conversation Cafe, which has been pre-prepared with friends from Centro Latino. Deindre will facilitate. In celebration(?!) of the fact that the next Tuesday will be 6/06/06, after much giggling, C/C proposed discussion question will be: "What does the devil mean to you?" (If the group survives) the question the following Tuesday will be: "What would happen if drugs were legalized?" The following Tuesday's question: "What's your favorite car sticker?"

MARK WILSON CANDIDACY: Sallie
Discussion of Louisa's fundraiser for Mark Wilson. About ten people attended this event 5/27 at Commencement Bay. Supporters were disappointed in the turnout (the number) but those attending expressed enthusiasm for Wilson who spent several hours discussing his program informally and more formally in a "skit" prepared by Louisa. Campaign materials were distributed. Discussion of Wilson's candidacy as threat to Cantwell and "dividing the party."

INTERFAITH CAMP: Sallie
The deadline to receive applications from campers is June 15. About eleven applications have been received. The camp is looking for about 50 campers. They are also still looking for counsellors -- ages 18 to 24. Counsellors receive a stipend of $200.

COUNTER RECRUITMENT: Sallie
Volunteers are pamphleting the high schools this coming week from 7 to 7:30 a.m. in a last minute attempt to reach students and graduating seniors, especially those who have signed up for or are considering the Delayed Enlistment Program. Sallie asked those interested and able to sign up for a day and school.

Discussion of suit against Caterpillar by the Olympia Caterpillar campaign. Rachel Corrie was killed by a Caterpillar Bulldozer. 12,000 Palestinian homes have been destroyed and Palestinians have been killed by Caterpillars. Mark will post a letter of support of this group's efforts and their appeal to Caterpillar to "accept responsibility of world citizenship" and stop selling caterpillars to Israel. Sallie will also notify Alice Zillah of our support.

Motion: Sallie requested that group approve Karen's (Havnaer) name be added to our Columbia account so Karen can deposit and write checks. Mark (Jensen) and Sallie (Shawl) are the other two signers on our account. Motion seconded and approved.

Discussion of Portland groups efforts re: Peak Oil Issue. Sallie and Rob feel they have developed a "cool model" and that we might want to encourage them and express our appreciation for their efforts. Mention made of Richard Heinberg's book, The Party's Over: Oil, War, and the Fate of Industrial Societies (2003; rev. ed. 2005).

Discussion: Associated Minstries is developing or working on a program to be called Asset Building Coalition -- an effort to help, assist and advise the working poor.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

UFPPC FIRST THURSDAY MOVIE - June 1, UFPPC will show Iranian film by Abbas Kiarostami, "Close-Up" (1990). Highly recommended by Mark.

June 3, 2:00 p.m. King's Books Washington Poets Association 2006 Awards Reading -- with Judges and Winners. Come celebrate poetry.

June 3 at Hillside Church 7:00 p.m. Singing Circle

June 3, 7:30 p.m. at Antique Sandwich Company STEVE and KRISTI NEBEL peace community event and concert. Mark Jensen, Speaker, on "Demystifying the West's Confrontation with Iran."

June 6, 7:00 p.m. Olympic Room at Main Library, "Ancient Persia/Modern Iran: Photography of Mohsen Mirghanbari."

June 11, Hillside Church at 4:00 p.m. Marion Ward speaks on her trip to Iran as member of the FOR peace delegation.

June 21 at Bert Ketchum's Gazebo - Persian Poetry Celebration. More details coming.

Kevin Benderman, prisoner of conscience at Fort Lewis, has now served 11 months of his 15 month sentence.

Please feel free to make additions of corrections to the notes.

Karen