Baltimore Activist Alert - October 3 - 4, 2014

43] Peoples’ Court at FERC/Press conference in Lusby – Oct. 3
44] Vigil for peace at White House – Oct. 3
45] Vigil for Justice in Palestine – Oct. 3
46] Silent peace vigil/potluck dinner – Oct. 3
47] See the film LIONS FOR LAMBS – Oct. 3
48] See DR. STRANGLOVE – Oct. 3
49] See "A World Not Ours" -- Oct. 3
50] Commemoration of the life of Dick McSorley – Oct. 3
51] Ballroom Dancing – Oct. 3
52] “Why I Remain Catholic” – Oct. 4
53] Protest at the NSA during Keep Space for Peace Week – Oct. 4
54] Olney Peace vigil – Oct. 4
55] West Chester, PA demo – Oct. 4
56] Silent peace vigil – Oct. 4
57] Protest killer drones at the Smithsonian – Oct. 4
58] Ronda Cooperstein on social media
59] Sign up with Washington Peace Center
60] Join Fund Our Communities
61] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records
62] Do you need any book shelves?
63] Join Global Zero campaign
64] War Is Not the Answer signs for sale
65] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil
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43] – On Fri., Oct. 3 at 10 AM, Cove Point Opponents to Convene a ‘Peoples’ Court’ Outside FERC Headquarters, 888 First St. NE, WDC, to Condemn LNG Export Ruling. Activists will put regulators and elected officials ‘on trial’ for abdicating their responsibility to protect people’s safety and the climate. Calvert citizens to follow with a 1 PM press conference in Lusby, at the home closest to Dominion’s dangerous facility. Contact Kelly Trout at 717-439-0346 or kelly@chesapeakeclimate.org.

Vowing to continue the fight to block a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility at Cove Point in southern Maryland, activists will hold demonstrations on Friday both outside the headquarters of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and across the street from Dominion Resources’ proposed facility in Lusby. The actions come in response to FERC’s ruling earlier this week to grant Virginia-based Dominion approval to build the $3.8 billion project. Environmental groups are preparing to petition FERC to reconsider this ruling, given the agency failed to conduct a full environmental impact statement or to fully consider the environmental damage that would come from increased fracking or global warming pollution.

A “People’s Court” will be in session outside FERC headquarters at 10 a.m. on Friday. Activists will put regulators and elected officials—including President Obama, FERC Chairman Cheryl LaFleur, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Congressman Steny Hoyer, and U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin—“on trial” for facilitating approval of Dominion’s Cove Point project, instead of standing up for people’s health and safety.

At the Lusby press conference, held by Calvert Citizens for a Healthy Community, speakers will outline their concerns—given Dominion’s LNG refinery and export facility would be the first ever built in a densely populated residential neighborhood—and describe how the community will be affected, and answer questions. Gather in the front yard of the Heinhorst Family, 2115 Cove Point Road, Lusby, MD (directly opposite the Dominion entrance). Contact Lea Callahan at 301-717-8898 or evcallahan@aol.com.

44] – On Fri., Sept. 26 from noon to 1 PM, join the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in a vigil urging the powers that be to abolish war and torture, to disarm all weapons, to end indefinite detention, to close Guantanamo, to establish justice for all and help create the Beloved Community! The vigil takes place at the White House on Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contact Art @ artlaffin@hotmail.com or at 202-360-6416.

45] – A vigil for Justice in Palestine/Israel takes place every Friday from noon to 1 PM at 19th & JFK Blvd., Philadelphia, across from Israeli Consulate. It is sponsored by Bubbies & Zaydes (Grandparents) for Peace in the Middle East. Email cswartz@pil.net. Go to http://phillyjewishpeace.org/.

46] – There is usually a silent peace vigil on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, outside the Cathedral of the Incarnation, University Parkway and St. Paul St. The Sept. 26 vigil, sponsored by Homewood Friends and Stony Run Meetings, reminds us that War Is Not the Answer and that there is the need to stop torture. After the vigil, there will be a potluck dinner at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St. Note that the front sidewalk is torn up. Instead use the alley and go down the steps to the basement door.

47] – The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee, Baltimore Quaker Peace and Justice Committee of Homewood and Stony Run Meetings and Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility are continuing the FILM & SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS DVD SERIES. After the potluck dinner at 7:15 PM, a DVD will be shown with a discussion to follow. There is no charge, and refreshments will be available. The series theme is SEEKING THE TRUTH. The first film in the series will be shown on FRI., OCT. 3, and it is LIONS FOR LAMBS [USA, 2007].

Lions for Lambs, directed by Robert Redford, makes a connection between a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, a U.S. senator, a reporter, and a California college professor. It stars Tom Cruise, Robert Redford, and Meryl Streep. The film is a critical look at the U.S. government's prosecution of the wars in the Middle East, and does this by telling three different simultaneous stories: about a senator and a journalist, two soldiers involved in combat, and their college professor.

48] – The First-Friday Free Large Screen Film Series continues at the Peace Center of Delaware County, 1001 Old Sproul Road, Springfield, PA 19064. On Fri., Oct. 3 at 7 PM see DR. STRANGLOVE. Doors open at 6:30 PM for light refreshments. After the film, engage in a discussion. Go to http://www.delcopeacecenter.org/ or call 610-544-1818. The event is co-sponsored by the Brandywine Peace Community.

It is the 50th Anniversary showing of Stanley Kubrick’s dark comedy classic—“Dr. Strangelove--Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. The screenplay is by Stanley Kubrick, Peter George and Terry Southern, and the movie stars Peters Sellers, George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden.

President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers) and his advisers are gathered in the “war room” attempting to stop a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. The attack was initiated by Gen. Jack Ripper, who is convinced “the Commies are polluting America’s precious bodily fluids.” Meanwhile, Ripper’s assistant is frantically trying to figure out the codes to recall the bombers. Cut to B-52 pilot, Maj. T.J. Kong (Slim Pickins) who dons his cowboy hat and readies his crew for “nuclear combat with the Russkies.” while back in the war room, President Muffley is conferring with ex-Nazi scientist, Dr. Strangelove (again, Peter Sellers), who confirms the existence of a Soviet retaliatory “doomsday device.” in the event of a U.S. nuclear first-strike.

Doors open at 6:30 PM for light refreshments. There will be an after-film discussion. Go to http://www.delcopeacecenter.org/ or call 610-544-1818. The series is co-sponsored by the Brandywine Peace Community.

49] – On Fri., Oct. 3 from 6:30 to 8 PM, see "A World Not Ours" by Mahdi Fleifel at the Jerusalem Fund, 2425 Virginia Ave. NW, WDC 20037. Drawing on a family history of video-taping, the film offers an intimate glimpse into the Ain el-Helweh refugee camp in Lebanon - a settlement of less than a square mile, home to over 70,000 people and in existence for more than 60 years.

50] – On Fri., Oct. 3 @ 7:30 PM at Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, 503 Rock Creek Church Rd. NW, WDC 20010, celebrate the extraordinary life of Fr. Dick McSorley, S.J. October 2 marked the 100th birthday of Dorothy Day Catholic Worker founder, Fr. McSorley, who died on October 17, 2002. His legacy of peacemaking continues to inspire many. This great peacemaker dedicated his life to making the Gospel of Nonviolence a reality. For those who knew or were influenced in some way by him, come and share how you were impacted by him. Recommit to following Jesus' way of nonviolence. Contact the Catholic Worker at 202-882-9649 or artlaffin@hotmail.com.

51] – There is an opportunity to participate in ballroom dancing, usually every Friday of the month, in the JHU ROTC Bldg. at 8 PM. Turn south on San Martin Dr. from the intersection of Univ. Parkway and 39th St. Drive on campus by taking the third left turn. The next dance will be Oct. 3. Call Dave Greene at 410-599-3725.

52] – On Sat., Oct. 4, Call to Action (Maryland) is hosting a special event at the BWI Doubletree, 890 Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum, MD 21090, from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. The theme of the program is “Why I Remain Catholic.” The program will feature keynote speakers Jamie L. Manson (M.Div.) who speaks on various topics such as women and LGBT Catholics, young adult Catholics, and the future of the church. Her weekly column “Grace on the Margins” appears in the National Catholic Reporter. In addition to the NCR, Jamie’s work has also been featured in the New York Times, The Huffington Post, Buzz Feed, and Religion Dispatches. Her media appearances include NPR, MSNBC, and CBS. The other keynote speaker will be Lisbeth Melendez Rivera, Director of La Familia. There also will be a film: “Before God: We Are All Family.”

53] – Keep Space for Peace Week is October 4-11, 2014. It is an International Week of Protest to Stop the Militarization of Space; Stop Drones Surveillance & Killing; No Missile Defense; No to NATO; End Corporate Domination of Foreign/Military Policy; Convert the Military Industrial Complex; and Deal with climate change and global poverty.

On Sat., Oct 4 at 10:30 AM, the Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore will go to the National Security Agency to protest illegal surveillance and its involvement in drone strikes. The NSA is at Fort Meade, Maryland, and can be accessed off of Route 32 and Canine Road. Contact Max Obuszewski at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at Verizon dot net.

54] – Friends House, 17715 Meeting House Rd., Sandy Spring, MD 20860, hosts a peace vigil every Saturday, 10:30 to 11:30 AM, on the corner of Rt. 108 and Georgia Ave. [Route 97] in Olney, MD. The next vigil is Oct. 4. Call Chuck Harker at 301-570-7167.

55] – Each Saturday, 11 AM – 1 PM, Chester County Peace Movement holds a peace vigil in West Chester in front of the Chester County Courthouse, High & Market Sts. Go to www.ccpeace.org. Email ccpeacemovement@aol.com.

56] – There will be a peace vigil on the West Lawn of the Capitol at noon on Sat., Oct. 4. Look for the blue banner with the message, "Seek Peace and Pursue It.--Psalms 34:14." The vigil lasts one hour and is silent except when one responds to the occasional questions. Go to http://www.quaker.org/langleyhill/seekpeace.htm or email seekpeacevigil@yahoo.com.

57] – At the Smithsonian Museum of Air & Space, 600 Independence Ave. SW, WDC, on Sat., Oct. 4 at noon, join CODEPINK for a protest on the Global Action Day Against Drones at the Museum, which has a large exhibit normalizing and glorifying killer and spy drones. As global citizens who believe in justice and the rule of law, CODEPINK opposes weaponized and surveillance drones because of the following reasons. Their deployment violates democratic rights of freedom of speech and assembly and the right not to be unreasonably searched. It is used for extrajudicial "targeted" killings based merely on suspicion -- murders -- even of children inside and outside of war zones. It terrorizes populations in targeted territories, thereby fueling hatred and increasing the cycle of violence. It lowers the threshold to war and initiates a new round in the arms race. It leads to the development of autonomous killer robots, thereby making even more horrifying wars likely.

The group demands that all governments cease the production and acquisition of armed drones, as well as their research and development, and work towards a worldwide ban of these weapons. See https://www.facebook.com/events/307594606114529/?ref=3&ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular&fref=nf.

58] -- Ronda Cooperstein has taken to social media, and is recording her opinion pieces on You Tube. Check out her latest essay - THE WASHINGTON POST WITH TOAST: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffj-Scno-5Q.

59] -- The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org.

60] -- Fund Our Communities campaign is a grass roots movement to get support from local organizations and communities to work together with their local and state elected officials to pressure Congresspersons and senators to join with Congresspersons Barney Frank and Ron Paul, who have endorsed a 25% cut to the federal military budget. Bring home the savings to state and county governments to meet the local needs which are under tremendous budget pressures. Go to www.OurFunds.org.

61] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

62] -- Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

63] -- Join an extraordinary global campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons: http://www.globalzero.org/sign-declaration. A growing group of leaders around the world is calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and a majority of the global public agrees. This is an historic window of opportunity. With momentum already building in favor of Zero, a major show of support from people around the world could tip the balance. When it comes to nuclear weapons, one is one too many.

64] -- WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER signs from Friends Committee on National Legislation are again for sale at $5. To purchase a sign, call Max at 410-366-1637.

65] – A Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil takes place every day in Lafayette Park, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 24 hours a day, since June 3, 1981. Go to http://prop1.org; call 202-682-4282.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218. Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

"One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the US around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better" - Daniel Berrigan