“I call on the Ancestors
by whose blood
and DNA
we exist
to accompany us
as always
through this lengthening
sorrow.
And to bear witness
within us
to all that we are
aware.”~ Alice Walker
"Give me your rested, your wealthy,
Your bundled investments yearning to breathe free,
The superior corporations sending funds off shore.
Send these, the settled, tax statements-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"~ Randall Peterson
FROM A DEMOCRACY NOW INTERVIEW WITH JEREMY SCAHILL:
We now have a process in the chambers of power in Washington where a small group of men and
women meet on Tuesdays—and they call it Terror Tuesdays—to decide who’s going to
live and die around the world.
There are at least three separate kill lists that are being run in the U.S.
government. The CIA has a kill list. JSOC has a kill list. And
then the National Security Council has a working group that also keeps its own
list of high-value targets.
This administration is normalizing the process of assassination as a central
component of U.S.
policy for many generations to come.
ALSO:
Farea al-Muslimi (his village was drone bombed in Yemen, and he testified in
front of the US Senate committee about this):
Reporters were asking him, "What do you think of Boston?" And he said, "The
difference between you and me is that I condemn both of them. I condemn both of
them."
Without exception, the message of every person to whom the Peace Delegation
spoke in Lebanon and Syria was:
1) stop foreign intervention,
2) stop the fighting and
3) facilitate a national dialog of all Syrians to decide the future of Syria.
We in the West can begin with the first step by ending all aid to combatants
and letting Syrians settle their differences amongst themselves. Syrians
do not need and mostly do not want Western interference in their affairs.
This photo came from the anti-Monsanto rally in Asheville on May 25, 2013. Photo is by Crystal Boot Akers, and I got this from Facebook. I think this is the best protest sign EVER.
UPCOMING EVENTS
05/27/13 CAMPAIGN TO STOP GENETICALLY ENGINEERED TREES
NO GE TREES TEACH-IN: MAY 27
DAY OF MASS ACTION AND PROTEST: MAY 28 Action on Tues 28May
at 4PM in Pritchard
Park to keep genetically
engineered trees out of US. USDA considers allowing Arborgen to plant millions
of acres of plantations across the southern U.S. Texas to South Carolina, could destroy forest
diversity, kill wildlife, exacerbate droughts, and feed fire storms. This last
week of May, Asheville
will be hosting the International 2013 Tree Biotechnology Conference.
Week of Resistance against GE Trees Reminder:
-A teach-in on Monday about genetically engineered trees and
extreme energy from 3pm to 9pm at Toy
Boat Community
Art Center
-A direct action training on Tuesday from 10am to 2pm
downtown
-A know your rights training on Tuesday at 2pm downtown
-A march and mass action on Tuesday at 4pm downtown
Asheville Earth Sabbath Celebrations are interfaith,
contemplative and experiential services which utilize community building
exercises, readings from many faith traditions, music, video, ritual, movement,
chant, guided meditation and other modalities to reach deep into the grief and
love we feel for our Earth and help both salve and energize our spirits so we
can continue the work of restoration and repair on behalf of all creation. Asheville’s Earth Sabbath
Celebration occurs on the 4th Monday of every month. This is held at St. Mary’s
Episcopal Church on Charlotte
Street in Asheville.
Time is 7 PM.
05/30/13 BOOK RELEASE FOR CHILDREN FIRST/COMMUNITIES IN
SCHOOLS
Bill Jamieson, Board Member and Past President of Children
First/ Communities In Schools, has written a book -- The Idea of America: Are
the Principles Eroding or Enduring? Please join us for a book release event to
celebrate this achievement. The book will be available for a suggested
donation, the proceeds of which will benefit Children First/CIS. Time is 5:30
to 7:30 PM at Servanthood House at 156
E. Chestnut Street, Asheville, NC 28801.
For more information please contact Adrienne at adriennea@childrenfirstbc.org
or 828-259-9717.
06/01/13 RALLY FOR BRADLEY MANNING AT FORT MEADE
There is a local group going to this rally, leaving on
Friday morning and coming back late on Saturday night. Contact Jim at Jim@p-e-a-c-e.org for more information.
06/01/13 WESTERN CAROLINIANS
FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Western Carolinians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East
- boycott settlement product Soda Stream - will be standing at Vance Monument
on June 1 from noon to 1 PM. For more information, contact Susan at
suchi1025@bellsouth.net.
06/03/13 GREEN PARTY MEETING
The Buncombe County GREEN Party's business meeting is open
to the public. It is held on the first Monday of the month. Time is 6 PM and
location is the Fortune
Building (upstairs), at 729 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Parking in back and on the
street. Contact Ronald @ 828-LUCK-180 or Larry @ 828-225-4347 for more
information.
06/05/13 SIERRA CLUB MEETING AND GREEN DRINKS PRESENTATION
Sierra Club will present a program Wed., June 5 at 7 PM on
“WNC Mountain Treasures: the Future of our National Forests” by Jill Gottesman
of The Wilderness Society. Jill will discuss the current revision plans of the
US Forest Service for management of our forests , and the roughly 1/3 million
acres of WNC for which we’d like better protection. Free and open to the
public. Co-sponsored by WNC Alliance and Asheville Green Drinks.
Location: Unitarian
Church, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville
(corner of Charlotte & Edwin) For more information, contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net,
828-683-2176.
06/06/13 FREE CLASS IN HEARTSPEAK
Thursday, June 6, from 7-9 PM at Jubilee (101 Patton
entrance): FREE class in HeartSpeak: Listening and Speaking from the Heart,
with Cathy Holt. Want more connection, less conflict? Learn to communicate
empathically from a heart-centered space. First in a series. Space is limited,
please pre-register: 828-545-9681 or cathyfholt@gmail.com. More information: www.heartspeakpeace.com.
06/10/13 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY
Our next MABCO meeting will not be at our previous location.
We will meet at 7 PM, Monday, June 10., in the community room to the rear of
the North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. Join us as we grow Move To
Amend in Western North Carolina and create a statewide network of Move To Amend
affiliates, so we may amend the Constitution so that only human being are
recognized as persons and corporations will no longer be empowered to spend and
lobby without regard for the welfare of the people. For more information,
contact Lew at patrie.wncpsr@main.nc.us.
06/11/13 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic
Studios: 109 Roberts Street
in Asheville.
VFP Chapter 099: http://vfpchapter099wnc.blogspot.com/
06/14/13 KHALED HOSSEINI AT THE DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE
The bestselling author of The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini,
will discuss his humanitarian work and will read from his new novel “And the
Mountains Echoed”. The book follows its characters and the ramifications of
their lives and choices and loves around the globe - from Kabul
to Paris to San Francisco
to the Greek island
of Tinos. Mr. Hosseini is
a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations and founder of the Khaled Hosseini
Foundation which provides humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
Tickets are $15, and come with a coupon for $10 off And the Mountains Echoed.
Tickets may be purchased at Malaprop's Bookstore, 828-254-6734. Time is 7 PM.
06/14/13 SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM NIGHT AT UU CHURCH
On June 14th, at 7 PM, there will be a screening of the
documentary “The Witness” at UU church for social justice film night. How does
a construction contractor from a tough Brooklyn
neighborhood become an impassioned animal advocate? In this award-winning
documentary, Eddie Lama explains how he feared and avoided animals most of his
life, until the love of a kitten opened his heart, inspiring him to rescue
abandoned animals and bring his message of compassion to the streets of New
York. With humor and sincerity, Eddie tells the story of his remarkable change
in consciousness. Eddie personifies the 7th UU principle, “respect for the
interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part”. Donations
accepted. For more information, contact Norman
at mnpopi@charter.net.
06/15/13 OCCUPY ASHEVILLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
This general assembly will be under the big tree in Pritchard Park. Time is 2 PM. All are welcome.
06/20/13 ACLU OF NC FORUM ON TRANSGENDER RIGHTS
Chris Brook and Holning Lau from the ACLU of North Carolina
will discuss the ACLU’s work on advancing transgender rights. They will provide
an overview of gender identity- focused ACLU initiatives around the country as
well as projects specific to North
Carolina. Legal issues that will be discussed include
access to proper identification documents, access to health care, transgender
voting rights, and antidiscrimination protections. This forum will be at 7:30
PM. Location is the Haywood Street Congregation, located at 297 Haywood Street in Asheville. For more information, contact cbrook@acluofnc.org.
06/22/13 WESTERN CAROLINIANS
FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Western Carolinians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East
- boycott settlement product Soda Stream - will be standing at Vance Monument
on June 1 from noon to 1 PM. For more information, contact Susan at
suchi1025@bellsouth.net.
*******************************************
ONGOING EVENTS
*******************************************
TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at
Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville.
THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm
Cafe.
Police Brutality Council (discussion) at 11 AM at Firestorm
Cafe.
FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall
in Hendersonville
SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social
Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in
Brevard.
*******************************************
ACTIONS AND READINGS
*******************************************
Our week of action is just a few days away, here is the
schedule of events
And in the end they traded their tired wings
For the resignation that living brings
And exchanged love`s bright and fragile glow
For the glitter and the rouge
And in a moment they were swept before the deluge
Some of them were angry
At the way the earth was abused
By the men who learned how to forge her beauty into power
And they struggled to protect her from them
Only to be confused
By the magnitude of the fury in the final hour.
A photo of a recent Women in Black vigil. Sorry, but I don't know who took the photo.
UPCOMING EVENTS
05/20/13 FAITH LEADERS FOR A JUST SOCIETY SPEAK OUT IN ASHEVILLE
Faith Leaders for a Just Society speak out this Monday, May
20, at 12 noon. A group of faith leaders from Asheville will hold a press
conference in front of the courthouse downtown to voice concerns about the
passage of so many bills by our state legislature that are harmful to the poor
and vulnerable of our community. They will lift up a common vision between all
of our faith traditions of caring for the least of these. We anticipate between
20-30 faith leaders participating. In case of rain, the event will take place
at First Congregational UCC at 20
Oak Street. Please join us.
05/22/13 ASHEVILLE
GREEN DRINKS
On Wednesday May 22nd, Thomas Clever Llewellyn will share a
powerpoint presentation about the threat of genetically engineered trees and
the work of the Campaign to Stop Genetically Engineered (GE) Trees to protect
native ecosystems. This event is happening less than one week before the Tree
Biotechnology 2013 Conference begins in Asheville,
an international conference with a focus on furthering the industry of
genetically engineered trees. There are proposals for millions of acres of GE
trees to be installed throughout the South with the purpose of supplying wood
to bioenergy plants to burn for electricity, as well as to the unsustainable
paper and lumber industries. These trees would be engineered to produce their
own pesticides, grow straighter and faster, tolerate manufactured pesticides,
produce sterile seeds, and reduce lignin content (this is what makes the wood
in a tree strong enough to stand up). If these traits escaped into native tree
populations, the effects would be devastating and irreversible.
05/22/13 DUKE RATE HIKE HEARINGS IN WNC
Duke Rate Public Hearing in Marion,
NC (about 30 minutes from Asheville) at 7:00 PM. Location is McDowell
County Court House at 21 South
Main Street, Marion, NC
05/23/13 SELF-PROTECTION FOR THE EMPOWERED WOMEN
An introduction to personal protection and woman’s
self-defense, this two-hour workshop is open to all interested women who desire
to increase their abilities in empowering themselves against violent, criminal
assault. This workshop will focus exclusively on verbal de-escalation,
predatory/prey dynamics, and recognizing the signs and symptoms of a pending
criminal attack. By the time a perpetrator decides to attack, he has a 95 %
chance of success. He has already taken the time and steps needed to create a
situation that insures his success—often right in front of the victim's eyes.
That's why it's vital to learn how to recognize the signals of impending
danger. By utilizing this knowledge you can prevent the perpetrator from
getting into attack position—in effect stopping the attack before it starts.
This two-hour workshop is an introduction to a four-part series on women’s
empowerment and self-defense. There is no cost for attendance (donations
of 5 to 10 dollars will be accepted but not required); pre-registration is
necessary, however, due to space constraints. To register, please e-mail Bryan at
brdieterich@yahoo.com. Location is Firestorm Café & Books, and time is 7
PM.
05/25/13 MARCH AGAINST MONSANTO
On May 25, activists around the world will unite to March
Against Monsanto. Why do we march? Research studies have shown that Monsanto’s
genetically-modified foods can lead to serious health conditions such as the
development of cancer tumors, infertility and birth defects. Taking to the
streets to show the world and Monsanto that we won't take these injustices quietly.
Time is 2 PM and location is Pack Square Park
in Asheville.
05/25/13 REALLY, REALLY FREE MARKET
From 10 AM to 5 PM in Aston
Park in Asheville.
05/26/13 COMMUNITY HEALING: NO MORE BASHING FROM WITHIN
The LGBTQIA community is one of vast identities and sexualities.
We are one large group who have some things in common but also feel tensions
among us due to different political backgrounds, gender identities, patriarchy,
degrees of involvement in the community, and personal insecurities that are
sometimes inflicted upon us from society. How do we as a community lessen
internal conflict so the community can grow closer, and we can move into
interdependency? What is Interdependency? What is humility and how do you
identify love? We want to install values that revolve around non-judgement and
forgiveness as central ways to breakthrough old thought patterns. Just Us For
All wants to discuss internal violence within the LGBTQIA community, what it
looks like, and how to remedy it so we can move forward as a group and create a
true social movement. Time is 5 PM. Location is Toy Boat Toy Boat Toy Boat
Community Arts Space.
05/27/13 CAMPAIGN TO STOP GENETICALLY ENGINEERED TREES
NO GE TREES TEACH-IN: MAY 27
DAY OF MASS ACTION AND PROTEST: MAY 28 Action on Tues 28May
at 4PM in Pritchard
Park to keep genetically
engineered trees out of US. USDA considers allowing Arborgen to plant millions
of acres of plantations across the southern U.S. Texas to South Carolina, could destroy forest
diversity, kill wildlife, exacerbate droughts, and feed fire storms. Last week
of May, Asheville
will be hosting the International 2013 Tree Biotechnology Conference. www.treebiotech2013.org
05/27/13 EARTH SABBATH CELEBRATION
Asheville Earth Sabbath Celebrations are interfaith,
contemplative and experiential services which utilize community building
exercises, readings from many faith traditions, music, video, ritual, movement,
chant, guided meditation and other modalities to reach deep into the grief and
love we feel for our Earth and help both salve and energize our spirits so we
can continue the work of restoration and repair on behalf of all creation. Asheville’s Earth Sabbath
Celebration occurs on the 4th Monday of every month. This is held at St. Mary’s
Episcopal Church on Charlotte
Street in Asheville.
Time is 7 PM.
05/30/13 BOOK RELEASE FOR CHILDREN FIRST/COMMUNITIES IN
SCHOOLS
Bill Jamieson, Board Member and Past President of Children
First/ Communities In Schools, has written a book -- The Idea of America: Are
the Principles Eroding or Enduring? Please join us for a book release event to
celebrate this achievement. The book will be available for a suggested
donation, the proceeds of which will benefit Children First/CIS. Time is 5:30
to 7:30 PM at Servanthood House at 156
E. Chestnut Street, Asheville, NC 28801.
For more information please contact Adrienne at adriennea@childrenfirstbc.org
or 828-259-9717.
The Buncombe County GREEN Party's business meeting is open
to the public. It is held on the first Monday of the month. Time is 6 PM and
location is the Fortune
Building (upstairs), at 729 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Parking in back and on the
street. Contact Ronald @ 828-LUCK-180 or Larry @ 828-225-4347 for more
information.
06/05/13 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
“Our Mountain Treasures: Planning for the Future of our
national forests” - a presentation by Jill Gottesman. Time is 7 PM (program
starts at 7:15) at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville (corner of Charlotte & Edwin).
Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.
Thursday, June 6, from 7-9 PM at Jubilee (101 Patton
entrance): FREE class in HeartSpeak: Listening and Speaking from the Heart,
with Cathy Holt. Want more connection, less conflict? Learn to communicate
empathically from a heart-centered space. First in a series. Space is limited,
please pre-register: 828-545-9681 or cathyfholt@gmail.com. More information: www.heartspeakpeace.com.
06/10/13 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY MEETING
Time and place to be determined.
06/14/13 KHALED HOSSEINI AT THE DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE
The bestselling author of The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini,
will discuss his humanitarian work and will read from his new novel “And the
Mountains Echoed”. The book follows its characters and the ramifications of
their lives and choices and loves around the globe - from Kabul
to Paris to San Francisco
to the Greek island
of Tinos. Mr. Hosseini is
a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations and founder of the Khaled Hosseini
Foundation which provides humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
Tickets are $15, and come with a coupon for $10 off And the Mountains Echoed.
Tickets may be purchased at Malaprop's Bookstore, 828-254-6734. Time is 7 PM.
06/15/13 OCCUPY ASHEVILLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
This general assembly will be under the big tree in Pritchard Park. Time is 2 PM. All are welcome.
06/20/13 ACLU OF NC FORUM ON TRANSGENDER RIGHTS
Chris Brook and Holning Lau from the ACLU of North Carolina
will discuss the ACLU’s work on advancing transgender rights. They will provide
an overview of gender identity- focused ACLU initiatives around the country as
well as projects specific to North
Carolina. Legal issues that will be discussed include
access to proper identification documents, access to health care, transgender
voting rights, and antidiscrimination protections. This forum will be at 7:30
PM. Location is the Haywood Street Congregation, located at 297 Haywood Street in Asheville. For more information, contact
cbrook@acluofnc.org.
*******************************************
ONGOING EVENTS
*******************************************
TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at
Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville.
THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm
Cafe.
Police Brutality Council (discussion) at 11 AM at Firestorm
Cafe.
FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall
in Hendersonville
SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social
Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in
Brevard.
*******************************************
ACTIONS AND READINGS
*******************************************
Thanks for speaking out about the Justice Department’s
attack on press freedom. We need to raise the alarm and demand that this
administration protect journalists' fundamental rights. Members of the press
shouldn't have to worry about operating under government surveillance.
Free Press is a nonpartisan organization building a nationwide
movement for media that serve the public interest. Learn more at www.freepress.net.
******************
Hello friends of Appalachia,
Mountain Justice Summer Is almost here! Come for a week or
come for a day! Special programming for Memorial Day weekend. We're down to the
last two weeks before the 9th annual Mountain Justice Summer Camp, and we've
got some fresh details about the schedule.
Camp starts Sunday, May 19th, with a panel of Appalachian
women discussing their perspectives on the struggle for a better tomorrow in
the mountains. Monday through Friday will feature a full set of workshops
designed to stock your activist toolbox through participatory trainings,
sharing across generations of experience, and planning to put those skills to
use. We're also excited to include a full Training 4 Trainers track this year,
including Non-Violent Direct Action, Popular Education and Know Your Rights!
Each evening will include panel discussions on local, regional and national
issues ranging from the real impacts of mountaintop removal and the long
history of Appalachian grassroots resistance to the current status of nukes in
Southern Appalachia and the state of the Fracking movement in Northern
Appalachia. Throughout the week we'll be working with local
community groups to build trails, plant gardens and put elbow grease into local
initiatives.
Come for Memorial Day Weekend!
For those who can't make a full week, this year will include
a stand alone weekend of workshops, discussions, trainings and speakers, with a
mini music festival on Saturday. Come for the trainings and discussions, stay
to hear great regional bands
on Saturday at the first Mountain Justice Summer Mini-Fest.
Lyrics:
They say everything can be replaced
Yet every distance is not near
So I remember every face
Of every man who put me here
I see my light come shining
From the west down to the east
Anyday now, anyday now
I shall be released
They say every man needs protection
They say every man must fall
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Someplace so high above this wall
I see my light come shining
From the west down to the east
Anyday now, anyday now
I shall be released
Now yonder stands a man who in this lonely crowd
He's a man who swears he's not to blame
All day long I hear him shout so loud
Crying out that he was framed
I see my light come shining
From the west down to the east
Anyday now, anyday now
I shall be released
The May 2-3 and 4-5 nighttime bombings of Syria's
International Airport,
military installations in a Damascus
suburb and a military supply depot, reportedly killed 300 people. The bombings
were initially denied but then confirmed by Israel and soon after given the
stamp of approval by the Obama Administration. The previous week President
Obama and Secretary of Defense Charles Hagel threatened to escalate U.S. intervention in Syria
based on the unsubstantiated charge that Syria had employed weapons of mass
destruction, in this case the deadly sarin gas.
What is incontrovertible is that U.S.
allies in the region - Turkey,
Qatar and Saudi Arabia -
have supplied hundreds of millions of dollars in lethal military aid to
destabilize the Syrian regime. The U.S. itself claims to have supplied
some $400 million in "non-lethal aid." The U.S., which funds Israel's multi-billion dollar
"Iron Dome" missile program, is the chief
military force in the region. No serious observers believe that Israel, the largest recipient of U.S. aid in the world, to the tune of $4 billion
annually, acts without U.S.
approval - the same is undeniable with regard to Qatar,
Saudi Arabia and the U.S. NATO
ally, Turkey.
In the case of Qatar, a
nation without an army, the U.S.-established and privatized Blackwater military
installation is used daily as an operational base for the U.S. war in Afghanistan,
Iraq
and elsewhere. The U.S.
Machiavellian strategy in Syria
is first and foremost to advance its economic, military and regional
"interests." The latter includes deepening the isolation of Iran, whose oil wealth the U.S. corporate
elite seeks to regain.
We recognize no rights among imperial nations to determine the future of any
oppressed nation on earth, not to mention the modern day neo-colonial interveners.
With regard to Syria,
that right belongs to the Syrian people only.
The U.S.
government is presently restrained by the mass antiwar sentiment expressed in
repeated polls over the past two years. The most recent Pew Research poll
indicates that 62 percent are opposed to any U.S.
intervention in Syria.
We must add to this the fact the U.S.
bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the decades long U.S. support to the Egyptian Mubarak
dictatorship as well as the constant drone attacks on Pakistan, Yemen
and Somalia have earned it
the deep hatred of the peoples of the Middle East
and beyond.
The Iraq "weapons of mass destruction" justification for this
still-raging war, that has taken the lives of 1.5 million Iraqis so far, and
the ongoing war in Afghanistan, wherein the U.S. puppet Hamid Karzai regime is discredited
around the world, has convinced social justice activists everywhere that the
U.S. imperial rulers fight for oil and military-geographic advantage and not
for peace and justice.More than ever the U.S. and the worldwide antiwar and
social justice movement must demand:
This came from an article
by Chris Hedges called “The Death of Truth”. It sounds to me that
181 civilians and Afghan combatants were killed, and probably most of the dead
were civilians. And no one in the US corporate media cares, which was
why it was never reported.
“There were 90,000 records in the Afghan
War Logs,” Assange said. “We had to look at different angles in the material to
add up the number of civilians who have been killed. We studied the records. We
ranked events different ways. I wondered if we could find out the largest
number of civilians killed in a single event. It turned out that this occurred
during Operation Medusa, led by Canadian forces in September 2006. The
U.S.-backed local government was quite corrupt. The Taliban was, in effect, the
political opposition and had a lot of support. The locals rose up against the
government. Most of the young men in the area, from a political perspective,
were Taliban. There was a government crackdown that encountered strong
resistance. ISAF [the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force] carried
out a big sweep. It went house to house. Then an American soldier was killed.
They called in an AC-130 gunship. This is a C-130 cargo plane refitted with
cannons on the side. It circled overhead and rained down shells. The War Logs
say 181 ‘enemy’ were killed. The logs also say there were no wounded or
captured. It was a significant massacre. This event, the day when the largest
number of people were killed in Afghanistan,
has never been properly investigated by the old media.” Operation Medusa, which
occurred 20 miles west of Kandahar,
took the lives of four Canadian soldiers and involved some 2,000 NATO and
Afghan troops. It was one of the largest military operations by the ISAF in the
Kandahar
region.
Photo of Mike Walli, Sr. Megan Rice & Gregg Boetje-Obed,
& wife Michelle, taken by Clare Hanrahan. The three individuals on the left
side of the photo (first row) are now in jail and awaiting sentencing for their
protest at the Y12 nuclear plant in Oak
Ridge, TN.
Recent photo of Women in Black in Asheville. This is the first time they held a vigil in a few months.
UPCOMING EVENTS
05/12/13 to 05/18/13 STRIVE NOT TO DRIVE WEEK
Strive Not to Drive (SNTD) began 22 years ago as Bike to
Work Day with the goal of encouraging bicycle commuting in Buncombe County.
Over the years as concerns about air quality, physical inactivity and related
health concerns, and traffic congestion have grown; the event has broadened to
encourage any form of transportation other than driving alone in your car. We
hope you will join us in this year's event as we increase awareness about how
transportation choices affect our health, air quality and quality of life in Buncombe County.
05/13/13 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY
Time is 7 PM and location is Unitarian Universalist
Congregation of Asheville at Charlotte and Edwin Streets in the lower level
meeting room. It shall be the mission of Move to Amend Buncombe County to
create public demand for passage by the US Congress and ratification by the
North Carolina Legislature, and those of other states, of a Constitutional
Amendment reserving access to First Amendment protections to natural human
beings and the press, defining speech as actual communication and authorizing
Congress to regulate the raising and spending of political funds. Contact Lew
at patrie.wncpsr@main.nc.us for more information.
05/13/13 FILM AT FIRESTORM CAFÉ AND BOOKS
We’ll be showing “A Silent Forest”, narrated by renowned
activist and scientist David Suzuki. A Silent Forest
is an excellent documentary exploring the dangers that GE trees pose to humans
and the environment. Come on out, it’s free! Time is 6 PM. FMI, contact katuahearthfirst@riseup.net. Call
Firestorm to confirm.
05/15/13 ASHEVILLE
GREEN DRINKS
Asheville
Beyond Coal “Get Active” Happy Hour at The Bywater (796 Riverside Drive, Asheville).
A special edition Asheville Green Drink Wednesday May 15th at 6 PM (come early
to enjoy the river, green drinks, and community networking!)
05/16/13 MAHA COMES TO THE MOUNTAINS
Please join Medical Advocates for Healthy Air & the
Western North Carolina Alliance for a happy hour discussion and update on our
state’s air quality. This is for MAHA staff and members, medical and health professionals
and others interested in the connections between air quality and human health.
Location is MG Road,
19 Wall Street, Asheville. RSVP: Let Rebecca know at
rebecca@cleanaircarolina.org if you will attend by May 14th.
05/16/13 FILM AT FIRESTORM CAFÉ AND BOOKS
“Carbon Nation” will be shown by Transition Asheville, the
UNCA Student Environmental Group and the Earth Team of First Congregational
United Church of Christ show really scary movies, because they are real! Time
is 7 PM. Call Firestorm to confirm.
05/16/13 FUNDRAISER FOR 2013 WALK FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN
Please join us for a fundraiser for 2013 Walk for Our
Grandchildren. We are part of a local group that is planning a walk from
Harper’s Ferry to the White House during Summer Heat, July 19 – 29th. We
started planning the WALK about a month ago, and during this time have been in
consultation with 350.org, Sierra Club, Chesapeake
Climate Action Network (CCAN), and Rainforest Action Network. What we
originally thought was going to be an isolated event has now become part of a
nationwide series of actions in 5-10 locations across the United States
protesting our dependence on fossil fuels. Time is 7 PM. Join us at
Jubilee (Wall Street, downtown Asheville) for: Screening 20 minute segment of
“Do the Math” film, an Indigenous Women speaking about Keystone XL at Forward
on Climate, music by Daniel Barber, the Green Grannies and Geri Littlejohn,
readings by concerned children, and refreshments generously donated by Rosetta’s
Kitchen. Contact Steve at earthsun2@gmail.com or Richard at
firepeople@main.nc.us for more information.
05/17/13 WNC PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MEETING
The next WNC PSR monthly meeting will be at a private home
near the VA Hospital. Brown Bag lunch at noon with meeting from 12:30 to 2 PM.
Everyone is welcome. Please go to www.wncpsr.org
for more information, which includes how to get there and other details.
05/17/13 WNC PEACE & JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST MEETING
Meeting will be on May 17, Friday, from 3:15 to 5 pm at
Brooks-Howell House, 266 Merrimon, across from Claxton School.
Esther, who lives in this retirement community, will meet us at the main door.
Park in spaces to your right, facing Emergency Entrance, or if those are
filled, park on left side of the road entering from Merrimon Avenue. We are experimenting
with meeting at Brooks-Howell where we can watch and discuss DVDs. We will
begin by looking at a segment from the Chicago Hearings on the Occupation that
can inform our sharing with others how U.S. military spending supports the
Occupation. Esther will provide the DVD and set-up the equipment. Beth
will bring recent material on this topic circulated by If Americans Only Knew.
For more information, contact Ed at esacco189@gmail.com.
05/18/13 GREEN GRANNIES ‘SING FOR THE CLIMATE’
Join the Green Grannies to "SING FOR THE CLIMATE".
This is every third Saturday at 5 PM, Vance Monument.
See the video,
singfortheclimate.com.
05/18/13 HARD TO RECYCLE EVENT
Time is 9 AM to 4 PM. Black Mountain Garden Show & Sale
at Monte Vista Hotel, 308 W. State
Street, Black
Mountain. Also Rainbow Recycling’s
Plastic Flower Pot (& Tray) Collection - Drop off unwanted pots, pick up
ones you can use! Asheville GreenWorks has a webpage for H2R information.
Questions – call 254-1776 or email info@ashevillegreenworks.org.
05/18/13 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ANNUAL LUNCHEON
The League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County will
hold an annual luncheon, which will feature ACLU-NC Legal Director Christopher
Brook as the speaker. He will discuss the status of voting rights in North Carolina. The
luncheon will be held at Magnolia's Raw Bar and Grille at 26 E. Walnut Street downtown. The buffet
opens at 11:45 AM and program begins at noon. Cost is $18 for LWV members, $20
for non-members. Reservations are due no later than May 10 and should be made
by email to treasurer@ablwv.org, or by phone at 275-7052. Seating will be
available on a first-come basis for guests who wish to hear the speaker without
having lunch. For more information, contact Karen Oelschlaeger, President at
828-989-8517 or president@ablwv.org.
05/19/13 WNC GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL
WNC Green Building Council invites you to a Green Open House
at 60 Pinkerton Corner in Fairview,
NC. Time is 1 to 4 PM and this is
free and open to the public. FMI, go to www.wncgbc.org
or call 828-254-1995.
05/19/13 ACLU ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING -
WESTERN CHAPTER
Program includes honoring Jim Cavener and state
Representative Susan Fisher on panel discussing civil liberties impact of
Republicans taking over state government. Free and all are welcome. Time is 3
PM and location is Battery Park Apartments at 1 Battle Square in Asheville. For more information contact Curry
at 450-1118.
05/19/13 MARCH AGAINST LGBTQIA BULLYING AND VIOLENCE
We're Not Bashful, the march that started Just Us For All's
formation, is the organization's annual march to combat and raise awareness
around violence in the community. Started several years ago in response to a
frightening trend of gay bashings in the downtown and Monford area, We're Not
Bashful is a family friendly event where anyone can come to speak out against
gay bashings, hate crimes, bullying, or other abuses and violence in the local
area. Time is 1 PM and march starts at Tod’s Tasties and goes to Vance Monument.
For more information go to Facebook and look under “Just Us For All”.
05/22/13 ASHEVILLE
GREEN DRINKS
On Wednesday May 22nd, Thomas Clever Llewellyn will share a
powerpoint presentation about the threat of genetically engineered trees and
the work of the Campaign to Stop Genetically Engineered (GE) Trees to protect
native ecosystems. This event is happening less than one week before the Tree
Biotechnology 2013 Conference begins in Asheville,
an international conference with a focus on furthering the industry of
genetically engineered trees. There are proposals for millions of acres of GE
trees to be installed throughout the South with the purpose of supplying wood
to bioenergy plants to burn for electricity, as well as to the unsustainable
paper and lumber industries. These trees would be engineered to produce their
own pesticides, grow straighter and faster, tolerate manufactured pesticides,
produce sterile seeds, and reduce lignin content (this is what makes the wood
in a tree strong enough to stand up). If these traits escaped into native tree
populations, the effects would be devastating and irreversible.
05/25/13 MARCH AGAINST MONSANTO
On May 25, activists around the world will unite to March
Against Monsanto. Why do we march? Research studies have shown that Monsanto’s
genetically-modified foods can lead to serious health conditions such as the
development of cancer tumors, infertility and birth defects. Taking to the
streets to show the world and Monsanto that we won't take these injustices
quietly. Time is 2 PM and location is Pack
Square Park
in Asheville.
05/25/13 REALLY, REALLY FREE MARKET
From 10 AM to 5 PM in Aston
Park in Asheville.
05/27/13 CAMPAIGN TO STOP GENETICALLY ENGINEERED TREES
05/30/13 BOOK RELEASE FOR CHILDREN FIRST/COMMUNITIES IN
SCHOOLS
Bill Jamieson, Board Member and Past President of Children
First/ Communities In Schools, has written a book -- The Idea of America: Are
the Principles Eroding or Enduring? Please join us for a book release event to
celebrate this achievement. The book will be available for a suggested
donation, the proceeds of which will benefit Children First/CIS. Time is 5:30
to 7:30 PM at Servanthood House at 156
E. Chestnut Street, Asheville, NC 28801.
For more information please contact Adrienne at adriennea@childrenfirstbc.org
or 828-259-9717.
“Our Mountain Treasures: Planning for the Future of our
national forests” - a presentation by Jill Gottesman. Time is 7 PM (program
starts at 7:15)at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville (corner of Charlotte & Edwin).
Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.
*******************************************
ONGOING EVENTS
*******************************************
TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at
Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville.
THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm
Cafe.
Police Brutality Council (discussion) at 11 AM at Firestorm
Cafe.
FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall
in Hendersonville
SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social
Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in
Brevard.
A publication of Veterans For Peace -- exposing the true
costs of war.
Visit VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street
(the corner of Haywood and Roberts), Asheville,
28801. (828-258-1800). Hours: Tue-Sat 11 to 3 pm
Arise
then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."
From the bosom of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe out dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.
Really, it is beyond ridiculous that the NRA (and the politicians that they bought) can stop sensible laws about guns. Guns need to be registered, owners licensed and insured, and no one given a license without a tough background check and demonstrated proficiency in handling and caring for a gun. This is what 90% of the adult population of the USA wants, and the NRA needs to stop
And the American people need to get over the stupid fantasy that guns will keep you safe. Never have, never will.
House of Commons Speech - Tuesday 21st January 2003
One of the more nauseating images of the year 2002 is that
of our Prime Minister kneeling in the church on Christmas Day praying for peace
on earth and good will towards all men while simultaneously preparing to assist
in the murder of thousands of totally innocent people in Iraq.
I've been taken to task recently by the American Ambassador
to Britain
for calling the US Administration a blood thirsty wild animal. All I can say
is: take a look at Donald Rumsfeld's face and the case is made.
I believe that not only is this contemplated act criminal,
malevolent and barbaric, it also contains within itself a palpable joy in
destruction. Power, as has often been remarked, is the great aphrodisiac, and
so, it would seem, is the death of others. The Americans have the ostensible
support of the 'international community' through various sure-fire modes of intimidation;
bullying, bribery, blackmail and bullshit. The 'international community'
becomes a degraded entity bludgeoned into the service of a brutal military
force out of control. The most despicable position is that of course of this
country which pretends to stand shoulder to shoulder with its great ally while
in fact being more of a whipped dog than anyone else. We are demeaned,
undermined and dishonoured by our government's contemptible subservience to the
United States.
The planned war can only bring about the collapse of what
remains of the Iraqi infrastructure, widespread death, mutilation and disease,
an estimated one million refugees and escalation of violence throughout the
world, but it will still masquerade as a 'moral crusade', a 'just war', a war
waged by 'freedom loving democracies', to bring 'democracy' to Iraq.
The stink of the hypocrisy is suffocating.
This is in reality a simple tale of invasion of sovereign
territory, military occupation and control of oil.
We have a clear obligation, which is to resist.
~ Harold Pinter
God Bless America
Here they go again,
The Yanks in their armoured parade
Chanting their ballads of joy
As they gallop across the big world
Praising America's
God.
The gutters are clogged with the dead
The ones who couldn't join in
The others refusing to sing
The ones who are losing their voice
The ones who've forgotten the tune.
The riders have whips which cut.
Your head rolls onto the sand
Your head is a pool in the dirt
Your head is a stain in the dust
Your eyes have gone out and your nose
Sniffs only the pong of the dead
And all the dead air is alive
With the smell of America's
God.
~ Harold Pinter January 2003
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
I took this photo last year on International Day of Peace. I also brought this sign (not filled in yet) to the event in Asheville and Adrian and family filled it in. Thank you Adrian!
“The ends cannot justify the means, for the simple and
obvious reason that the means employed determine the nature of the ends
produced.” ~ Aldous Huxley.
CCR asks 'who will stop the rain?' but they are really singing about war, not rain.
UPCOMING EVENTS
05/06/13 GREEN PARTY MEETING
The Buncombe County GREEN Party's business meeting is open
to the public. It is held on the first Monday of the month. Time is 6 PM and
location is the Fortune
Building (upstairs), at 729 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Parking in back and on the
street. Contact Ronald @ 828-LUCK-180 or Larry @ 828-225-4347 for more
information.
You're invited to join Clean Water for NC and the Asheville fracking
ambassadors for our second monthly meeting of anti-fracking and pro-snacking!
Time is 6 PM and location is Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville. We'll enjoy some food and
conversation, then have a brief update/presentation and discuss more simple
ways YOU can take action to prevent fracking's impacts in NC. For more
information, contact Katie at katie@cwfnc.org or (828) 251-1291.
05/07/13 THE DARK SIDE OF CHOCOLATE
Ten Thousand Villages in Montreat will host a screening of
The Dark Side of Chocolate. This film explores child labor and trafficking in
the cocoa industry. Location is Black Mountain Library at 105 N Dougherty Street. A discussion will
follow. Free. Info at www.montreat.tenthousandvillages.com.
05/07/13 ASHEVILLE
TRANSIT COMMISSION MEETING
The meeting starts at 3:30 in the 1st Floor Conference Room
at City Hall. For more information, email I Ride at Iride@ashevillenc.gov.
05/07/13 WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF WNC
"What's Next for Zimbabwe?" Recent events in Zimbabwe -- a
constitutional referendum and a national election this spring -- underscore the
development, growth, and vulnerability of emerging democracies. Susan Zelle, a
retired Foreign Service Officer, spent much of her career in Africa
promoting democracy, building civil society and encouraging observance of human
rights. Time is 7:30 PM and location is the Manheimer Room at the Reuter Center
at UNCA. This is free to subscribing members of the World Affairs Council of
Western North Carolina, joint WACWNC-OLLI members, and full time UNCA students.
Admission is $8.00 for all others. For further information call George Peery at
(828) 242-6380 or email: gpeery@mhc.edu.
05/08/13 DEMOCRATIZING THE ECONOMY THROUGH COOPERATIVES
The third program for Co-creating the New Economy in WNC
will be held on Wednesday, May 8th, at 7 PM in the community room of Earthfare
(Westgate). The topic will be: Democratizing the Economy through Cooperatives.
A very effective way to create more stable, equitable, and prosperous economies
is through the development of cooperatives. These private enterprises are owned
collectively by its members who are rooted in the local communities. They not
only ensure that all of their members receive ample compensation for their
investment of work and resources but are also interested in the sustainable
development of the localities where they are situated. There are very
successful examples of cooperatives and networks of cooperatives throughout the
world, such as in the Basque area of Spain
and the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, which
play a significant role in their area's production, banking, distribution, and
consumption.
05/09/13 ASHEVILLE
RISING MEETING
Time will be 7 PM, and location is YWCA in Asheville. This group has a Facebook page if
you want further information or have questions. Go to Asheville Rising!
05/10/13 CHILD WATCH TOUR – HOUSING MATTERS FOR KIDS
There's still time to register for the 2013 Child Watch Tour
- Housing Matters for Kids. Friday, May 10th, 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM (lunch-only
option from 11:30 - 1:00 is available). The tour, cosponsored by Children
First/CIS and the Junior League of Asheville, offers a "field trip for
adults" that educates and inspires leadership around important children
and youth issues in our community. This year we'll explore how safe, affordable
housing is a cornerstone for children's health and education. How can we make
smart investments and policy decisions around housing? Join us on May 10th to
find out. Registration is open to all!
http://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/512/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=430
05/10/13 SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM NIGHT AT UU CHURCH
“The Last
Mountain: A Fight For Our
Future” will be shown at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville at 7
PM. Discussion to follow. This is a film about Coal Mountain
and the power of ordinary Americans who fight for what they believe in. It is a
fight to stop mountaintop removal. Donations accepted.
05/10/13 TRIAL FOR PROTESTERS AT TD BANK
In April, four local activists went into TD Bank in Asheville and read
statements. They refused to leave until they spoke to the CEO of TD Bank about
the bank’s funding of the Tarsands XL Pipeline. They were arrested, and will be
going to court at 10 AM in Buncombe County Courtroom #3 on May 10, 2013.
05/11/13 HARD TO RECYCLE EVENT
Time is 10 AM to 2 PM. North Buncombe Hard-to-Recycle
Collection at Roses, 165 Weaver
Blvd, Weaverville. Asheville GreenWorks has a
webpage for H2R information. Questions – call 254-1776 or email
info@ashevillegreenworks.org.
05/13/13 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY
Time is 7 PM and location is Unitarian Universalist
Congregation of Asheville at Charlotte and Edwin Streets in the lower level
meeting room. It shall be the mission of Move to Amend Buncombe County to
create public demand for passage by the US Congress and ratification by the
North Carolina Legislature, and those of other states, of a Constitutional
Amendment reserving access to First Amendment protections to natural human
beings and the press, defining speech as actual communication and authorizing
Congress to regulate the raising and spending of political funds. Contact Lew
at patrie.wncpsr@main.nc.us for more information.
05/13/13 FILM AT FIRESTORM CAFÉ AND BOOKS
“Carbon Nation” will be shown by Transition Asheville, the
UNCA Student Environmental Group and the Earth Team of First Congregational
United Church of Christ show really scary movies, because they are real! Time
is 7 PM.
05/15/13 ASHEVILLE
GREEN DRINKS
Asheville
Beyond Coal “Get Active” Happy Hour at The Bywater (796 Riverside Drive, Asheville)–
A special edition Asheville Green Drink Wednesday May 15th at 6 PM (come early
to enjoy the river, green drinks, and community networking!)
05/16/13 MAHA COMES TO THE MOUNTAINS
Please join Medical Advocates for Healthy Air & the
Western North Carolina Alliance for a happy hour discussion and update on our
state’s air quality. This is for MAHA staff and members, medical and health professionals,
and others interested in the connections between air quality and human health.
Location is MG Road,
19 Wall Street, Asheville. RSVP: Let Rebecca know at
rebecca@cleanaircarolina.org if you will attend by May 14th.
05/16/13 FUNDRAISER FOR WALK FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN
There will be a screening (20 minute segment) of Do the Math
– 350.org’s DVD on Keystone XL, along with Indigenous Women speaking
about Keystone XL at Forward on Climate, and music by Daniel Barber, the Green
Grannies and Geri Littlejohn, and readings by concerned children. Refreshments
generously donated by Rosetta’s Kitchen. Time is 7 PM. Location is Jubilee! in
downtown Asheville.
More information at www.2013walkforourgrandchildren.org.
05/17/13 WNC PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MEETING
The next WNC PSR monthly meeting will be at a private home
near the VA Hospital. Brown Bag lunch at noon with meeting from 12:30 to 2 PM.
Everyone is welcome. Please go to www.wncpsr.org
for more information, which includes how to get there and other details.
05/18/13 GREEN GRANNIES ‘SING FOR THE CLIMATE’
Join the Green Grannies to "SING FOR THE CLIMATE".
This is every third Saturday at 5 PM, Vance Monument.
See the video,
singfortheclimate.com.
05/18/13 HARD TO RECYCLE EVENT
Time is 9 AM to 4 PM. Black Mountain Garden Show & Sale
at Monte Vista Hotel, 308 W. State
Street, Black
Mountain. Also Rainbow
Recycling’s Plastic Flower Pot (& Tray) Collection - Drop off unwanted
pots, pick up ones you can use! Asheville GreenWorks has a webpage for H2R
information. Questions – call 254-1776 or email info@ashevillegreenworks.org.
05/25/13 MARCH AGAINST MONSANTO
On May 25, activists around the world will unite to March
Against Monsanto. Why do we march? Research studies have shown that Monsanto’s
genetically-modified foods can lead to serious health conditions such as the
development of cancer tumors, infertility and birth defects. Taking to the
streets to show the world and Monsanto that we won't take these injustices
quietly. Time is 2 PM and location is Pack
Square Park
in Asheville.
“Our Mountain Treasures: Planning for the Future of our
national forests” - a presentation by Jill Gottesman. Time is 7 PM (program
starts at 7:15)at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville (corner of Charlotte & Edwin).
Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.
06/15/13 WALK FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN -
RESCHEDULED
A walk to keep fossil fuels in the ground. The walk will
start near Camp David and over seven days
proceeds 63 miles, arriving at the White House on June 22. Contact Steve at
earthsun2@gmail.com or Richard at firepeople@main.nc.us for more information.
THIS HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR LATE JULY.
06/15/13 OCCUPY ASHEVILLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
This general assembly will be under the big tree in Pritchard Park. Time is 2 PM. All are welcome.
07/13/13 HARD TO RECYCLE EVENT
Time is 10 AM to 2PM. Site TBA, but will be in the eastern
part of Buncombe County. Asheville GreenWorks has a
webpage for H2R information. Questions – call 254-1776 or email
info@ashevillegreenworks.org.
10/12/13 HARD TO RECYCLE EVENT
Time is 10 AM to 2 PM. Site TBA, but will be in the southern
part of Buncombe County. Asheville GreenWorks has a
webpage for H2R information. Questions – call 254-1776 or email
info@ashevillegreenworks.org.
*******************************************
ONGOING EVENTS
*******************************************
TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at
Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville.
THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm
Cafe.
Police Brutality Council (discussion) at 11 AM at Firestorm
Cafe.
FRIDAY
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall
in Hendersonville
SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social
Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in
Brevard.
*******************************************
ACTIONS AND READINGS
*******************************************
Stand up for Native Forests, Stop GE Trees
Resist the Tree Biotechnology 2013 Conference
May 26 - June 1
Asheville,
NC
Join Katuah Earth First!, Global Justice Ecology Project and
the STOP GE Trees Campaign for a week of resistance to genetically engineered
trees. At the end of May the International Tree Biotechnology 2013 Conference
is taking place in Asheville,
NC. This conference is a
gathering of many of the major players in the genetically engineered tree
business and we intend to greet them with spirited protest. Timber and utility
corporations want to plant millions of acres genetically engineered trees
throughout the South to burn for electricity, as well as to continue supplying
the unsustainable lumber and paper industries. These trees would be engineered
to produce their own pesticides, grow straighter and faster, tolerate
manufactured pesticides, produce sterile seeds, and reduce lignin content (this
is what makes the wood in a tree strong enough to stand up). If these traits
escaped into native tree populations, the effects would be devastating and irreversible.
The USDA is already considering approving an industry
request to sell billions of genetically engineered freeze tolerant eucalyptus
trees. These non-native, invasive and flammable trees pose an unprecedented threat
to the forests and communities of the Southern US.
We stand to lose tens of thousands of acres of our diverse and resilient native
forests to sterile monoculture tree plantations that support few if any native
species. These protests will send a critical message to the
USDA as they are poised to approve the first ever commercial
planting of genetically engineered eucalyptus trees in several southern states.
Join activists from around the country for an action packed
week of resistance to GE trees. We are kicking off the week with a
teach-in on May 27 followed by a mass march to the conference center on May
28th. We are organizing and encouraging affinity group actions throughout the
week to ensure the GE tree industry does not get a moment’s rest during their stay
in Asheville.Please join us! You can help us fight GE trees right now by
passing along this call to action and by donating to: https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1004723
A publication of Veterans For Peace -- exposing the true
costs of war.
Visit VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street
(the corner of Haywood and Roberts), Asheville,
28801. (828-258-1800). Hours: Tue-Sat 11 to 3 pm
