Saturday, December 14, 2002 Meeting Notes

Agenda
0. Check Ins
1. Courthouse Vigil
2. Proposal to Coalition
3. Future Events
4. Conflict within Committees
5. PJH Relationship with AM
6. Announcements

0. Check Ins

- Elaine: enjoyed her part in Dec.8 Rally/March; otherwise -- too busy --
- Colleen: eager to debrief the Rally this next Thursday and to plan next action
- Marisela: finished doctoral exams, has yet to write dissertation & defend it. Leaves in January for six months in Grenada Spain with John’s acceptance into Study Abroad program. The strong social health program in Spain will cover the family while M. is on leave from her job, but on return, family will have to face gap in service. Elaine to consult about insurance options.
- Laura: walked the 2-1/2 blocks to this meeting from her home, finally. Appreciates how comments from the listserv introduced her to Bill Moyers’ weekly show, PBS/Ch9 Fridays 9pm
- Carrie: vigiled with Pt. Angelesers last weekend, who had actually heard of our group. Through Organic Consumers Association has learned that the peace movement is strong in Lincoln NE.
- Sallie: heard of peace movement activities in Lawrence KS where her brother lives. Remembering the growing of the peace movement during the Viet Nam war, thinks it might not take so long this time. Liked that Mark’s letter to TNT was printed at all. Moved her office last week from all-windowed wall to space with no windows; coping with splashes of color. Appreciated use of Colleen’s apartment overnight while Colleen was away; that shortened her commute to this meeting from 45 to 10 minutes.
- Marilyn: has been emailing TNT publisher Elizabeth Brenner on three points -- not publishing other letters about the Rally, not retracting story’s statement of Rally attendance numbers, not printing commendation of Tacoma Police Department’s role at the Rally in the paper’s Applause section. Has health issues but spiritually, is fine.
- Dorothy: painted signs for the rally, so has been telling family members to check out the TNT photos online as a conversation starter. Attended Evolutionary Biologist Elizabeth Sahtouris’ talk (this is the corrected spelling, she notes, compared to earlier PJH posts) which challenged us to change the paradigm of Science from the mechanistic model. Her son tells her every field of science is now touching on Evolution. This week D. came online and will subscribe to the listserve. Wore her NO IRAQ WAR pin to Tacoma Actors Guild; got some frowns but one woman will join our group after holiday break. She is able to order more pins.
- Barbara: helped friend make car-top signs in Seattle; this was related to the 2000-person gathering at Garfield H.S. where people clustered by zip codes.
- Sara: also interested in Science. Particle Physics has affected the paradigm for Religion, also. Sees different fields coming together: e.g., Astronomy, Biology. As Music teacher at Charles Wright, hears monthly speakers the chaplain invites, who is interested in how language affects religion.
- Karen K.: has been reflecting on the return of light, Solstice, and the strength in darkness that is part of a birth coming. Felt the March 12/8 was very centered. She followed directly behind the Buddhist drum and chanting, as if part of a river of light. K. added to the Science discussion that vibration, the connection between, is just as important as pointing out particles in physics.
- Marion: joined us a ways into the agenda.

1. Wednesday Vigils

In fifteen months, someone has been there every week at the Federal Courthouse, vigiling for peace. Reiteration of commitment to vigil on Wednesday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day, and January 1, New Years Day.

2. Proposal for Coalition

After long discussion on ideas to suggest to the December 8 Coalition for future work, Elaine will bring from PJH the broad proposal that the Coalition organize Conversation Cafés. Much of the discussion was on whether Tacoma/Pierce County is ripe for organizing activists by zip code (à la the model used among 2000 people at Garfield High School in Seattle).

Sallie would like to propose, as an individual, that all the groups in the Coalition leaflet the different Martin Luther King Jr events on Monday, January 20 with material that points out the connection King made, (why civil rights activists should care about war), and to invite non-violent opposition to this Iraq war.

3. Future Events

Carrie Little will have more info by Dec 18 on John Reese’s return from 6 months in Israel/Palestine and his work on environment & peace issues.

Carrie also announced Fr. Roy Bourgeois, founder of the School of the Americas Watch movement, will be in Tacoma Sunday, January 19, the day before the observed MLK Jr. holiday. Roy is in Iraq right now. His local appearances will include the 5 women from Washington and Oregon who go to trial Jan.27th for crossing onto the base at Ft. Benning GA.

The PPJH will endorse the Jan. 19th event, which is planned so far as a pot-luck & social sharing time besides hearing the speakers. Venue TBA. Sallie suggested event organizers consult the Ministerial Alliance to not directly conflict with their traditional night-before-King-Day event.

Laura announced Tacoma SOA-Watch group will meet this Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 7:30pm at Guadalupe House, 1417 South G Street, to further organize the Roy Bourgeois/Women of Conscience event. All interested people are welcome to attend this meeting.

Most everyone present seemed aware of Thursday, Dec. 19th **debriefing** meeting coming up for the Coalition that organized the Rally. Could someone post those details to the listserv?

4. Solving Conflicty within a Coalition Committee

We discussed elements that feed into conflict when there is a limited timeline for a task and when communication between members breaks down. We suggested that the December 8 Coalition committees have a chance to evaluate their working process at the debriefing on Thurs. Dec. 19. Clarifying and agreeing on a process before launching into the work may help future team projects.

5. PJH Relationship with Associate Ministries

We identified a few questions pertaining to the decision whether or not to be formally affiliated with A.M., e.g.,

a. Would we be required, as other A.M. programs are, to turn 10% of funds raised over to A.M.?

b. What ability would the A.M. Board have or not have to disapprove any aspects of our work?

c. What do we bring (offer) to A.M.?

d. How essential are some of the services A.M. offers? (e.g., bulk mail permit, bank account, tax deductible contribution status)

On the discussion about any risk to our local reputation, should we affiliate and then later need to part ways with A.M., Colleen named a good number of local groups that started out as programs under A.M., who were able to move to independence with grace.

We decided to list questions for agenda discussion at our next Saturday PPJH meeting. David Alger, director of A.M. will be out of town from Dec.19 through the New Year. There will be another week after that before his requested time for us to answer (Jan.10), and another week after that before the A.M. Board next meets to look at our decision (Jan 16).

6. Announcements

Besides the **Future Events** listed in agenda item 3,

a. Fundraiser for Vennessa Pustek for School of the Americas protestor trial; Sunday, Dec. 15, Port Orchard. Anyone who would like to mail in contributions directly to Vennessa, can call Laura for Vennessa’s address. 253/627-2857.

b. Dorothy Burkhart can give rides to Sunday Dec. 15 non-violent PeaceForce training in Lacey.

c. The committee to arrange non-violent communication training for our group is Elaine Nevins, Adam Bray, Chris Martin and Dorothy Burkhart. Dorothy has been in touch with two interested trainers: Liv Monroe from Olympia, and Doug Dalstad(sp?) Burton.

d. Heard before we adjourned: Adam Bray’s CD compilation of recorded peace songs. It's great!