Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

Graphic came in an email from ‘Walkatjurra Walkabout – Walking for Country’

UPCOMING EVENTS

06/08/15 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY MEETING

Next meeting is a general meeting will be held at the North Asheville Library on Merrimon Avenue. Time is 7 PM. If you have any questions please contact Diana at dianakrukmta@gmail.com.

06/08/2015 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE SOCIAL

Transition Asheville Social - Keystones in Sustainable Systems: Partnering with Beneficial Microorganisms by Professor Dee Eggers from UNCA. Dee Eggers is an Associate Professor in UNC Asheville’s Environmental Studies Department.  She is profoundly interested in all things sustainability-related, from sustainable models of industry to ecosystem restoration.  In this talk, she will focus on beneficial soil microorganisms and their use in improving soil and plant health, food production, human health, and a few interesting sidebars – like how one treatment can cause hornets to abandon their nests and leave no toxic residue.  (True!)  She will also briefly address optimal ratios of bacteria and fungal communities at various stages of succession and how to use that information for food production and ecosystem restoration. Time is 6:30 to 8 PM. Location is Parish Hall at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 337 Charlotte Street in Asheville. Parking lot in the lot next to the church off Evelyn Alley (north of church) or on the street. 

06/08/15 MEETING TO PREPARE FOR PHOTO ID HEARING IN SYLVA

We must show up at these public hearings and insist that the rules protect the voter's right to vote. Darlene from Democracy NC asked if attendees would be able to go and/or speak at the Sylva hearing to join us for a prep meeting on Monday, June 8th at 6 PM. During this meeting we will answer any outstanding questions about the hearings, discuss carpool plans, and make sure folks are prepared to speak. We will meet at 20 Battery Park, Asheville, in the lobby. If you haven't already, please sign up today for the hearing, and let us know whether you're willing to make a public comment. Questions? Drop me an email at darlene@democracy-nc.org or give me a call: (828) 216-3430. See listing under 06/11/15 for more information on this public hearing on voter ID.

06/09/15 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING

Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street in Asheville. 

06/09/15 WNC PSR FILM SCREENING

Film Screening: The Ultimate Wish: Ending the Nuclear Age. A short (40 min) hard-hitting Hiroshima to Fukushima film will be followed by a discussion and opportunity to take action. North Asheville Library Community Room at 1030 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. Time is 7 PM. For more information, contact 828-633-0892 or terryclarkpsych@gmail.com.

06/10/15 CIDER TASTING BENEFIT FOR PISGAH LEGAL

This event will be held at Urban Orchard at 210 Haywood Road in Asheville. Enjoy delicious and locally sourced varieties of craft hard apple cider on Urban Orchard's beautiful patio and outdoor space. Sample ciders paired with an offering of dips, cheeses and meats from local purveyors. Time is 5:30 to 7 PM. Suggested donation of $15/person at the door and benefits Pisgah Legal Services. To RSVP or for more information, contact Lindsay Kazi at (828) 210-3405.

06/10/15 GREEN DRINKS

Join Asheville Green Drinks for a presentation on hemp during Hemp History Week. Speaking will be Thomas Shumaker and Timothy Sadler. Thomas Shumaker attended NC State University where he got his undergraduate degree in Agriculture Business and a minor in Biology. He was involved with the Hemp Industry throughout college. He recently started the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association with Innovate Naturally. He is their first Executive Director. He also runs another nonprofit call CME Help, which stands for Children’s Medical Expense. Timothy Sadler has been the organizer for Hemp History Week here in Asheville for the last 4 years. He is currently working on starting up a veteran-run operation farming hemp in SC. Aside from that Tim is the Outreach Coordinator for Veterans Helping Veterans. Socializing at 5:30 PM and program starts at 6 PM. Location is Green Sage in downtown Asheville.

06/10/15 JUST PEACE FOR ISRAEL/PALESTINE MEETING

This meeting will be at 9:30 AM at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church (library)at 117 Montreat Road in Black Mountain.

06/11/15 PHOTO ID HEARING IN SYLVA

NC State Board of Elections Public Hearings on Voter ID Rules will be held in Sylva at Watauga Administration building at 876 Skyland Drive, Suite 1. Time is 5 to 7 PM. This is one of only two hearings in our area (the other one in Boone on 6/10/15) that will occur on the “Voter ID” (HB 589) rules that will come into effect in 2016. Some key facts are: the bill not only requires government-issued ID at the polls, but takes away one week of early voting, eliminates pre-registration of 16-17 year olds, terminates out-of-precinct voting, and eliminates same-day voter registration during the early voting period. If you know of an individual who has encountered problems with getting an ID, please urge them to speak- as these are the stories we need the SBOE rule-makers to hear. Democracy NC is seeking individuals to attend the hearing and make public comments. Democracy NC will organize a carpool from the Asheville area. Please email Darlene@democracy-nc.org or call (828)216-3430 for more information or to find out how to RSVP. Please Note: See meeting listed on 06/08/15 to organize Asheville around this event.

06/11/15 STORIES OF RESILIENCE IN PALESTINE

Stories of Resilience  - A report on the experience of the Christian Peacemaker Team in Hebron, Palestine. Christian Peacemaker Teams Palestine is a faith-based organization that supports Palestinian-led, nonviolent, grassroots resistance to the Israeli occupation and the unjust structures that uphold it. By collaborating with local Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers and educating people in our home communities, we strive to help create a space for justice and peace. Presentation by Rachel, an Asheville activist and member of Circle of Mercy. This will be held at Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville. Time is 7 PM. This is sponsored by Just Peace Israel/Palestine. For more information, call 828-319-7652.   

06/11/15 ENVIRONMENTAL  DOCUMENTARY SHOWING IN ASHEVILLE

“Call of the Ancient Mariner” is a  documentary film by MountainTrue alumni David Weintraub, which covers the role of the turtle throughout history and its ties to humanity. A panel discussion on conservation and the environment will take place following the film. This will take place at NC Arboretum at 6:30 PM. Please call 828-692-8062 for more information, including how to buy tickets.

06/11/15 SAVE OUR SOUTHERN (SOS) FOREST TOUR SPECIAL EVENT

We hope to see you for hors d'oeuvres, drink, music and forests! Join us in Asheville to help us kick off the SOS (Save Our Southern Forests) Tour! The biomass industry is destroying wetland forests and exporting them to Europe. We’ve proven it, and communities across the South are uniting to stop it. Across five Southern states, we'll be holding fun and interactive visibility events, diverse community meetings, profiling destructive wood pellet manufacturing facilities, and documenting the beautiful Southern forests we’re working to protect. This is hosted by the Dogwood Alliance. Time is 6 PM and location is Jonas Gerard Gallery at 191 Lyman Street, Suite 144 in Asheville. This is the Riverview Station Gallery. Go to http://dia.dogwoodalliance.org/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=84548 to register.

06/11/15 HENDERSONVILLE GREEN DRINKS

Join MountainTrue at Southern Appalachian Brewery from 6 to 8 PM for Green Drinks. Grab a beer and join like-minded individuals to discuss environmental issues and hear presentations by local environmental leaders.

06/11/15 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE MEETING

Creation Care Alliance general meeting with guest climatologist Deke Arndt. Time is 5:30 to 7 PM and location is First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street in Asheville. All are welcome as we celebrate new partner congregations and connect about several summer opportunities. 

06/11/15 POLLINATION CELEBRATION

Launch party for BeeCity USA’s Pollinator Week with live music and libations. Held at Renaissance Asheville Hotel at 31 Woodfin Street in Asheville Time is 4 to 7 PM. Email beecityusa@gmail.com for more information.

06/12/15 ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTARY SHOWING IN HENDERSONVILLE

“Call of the Ancient Mariner” is a  documentary film by MountainTrue alumni David Weintraub, which covers the role of the turtle throughout history and its ties to humanity. A panel discussion on conservation and the environment will take place following the film. This will take place at Unitarian Fellowship in Hendersonville at 7 PM.  Please call 828-692-8062 for more information, including how to buy tickets.

06/12/15 FOOD DRIVE FOR CHILDREN FIRST/COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS

WLOS News 13 will be hosting a 15 hour “Break the Hunger” food drive to benefit a local non-profit, Children First/Communities In Schools on Friday, June 12 in the parking lot of Carolina Furniture Concepts at 2617 Hendersonville Rd. The food will be loaded and delivered by Two Men and a Truck to the food pantry facilitated by Children First/CIS. This is the 3rd year that WLOS has hosted this food drive, in an attempt to help reduce child hunger that can be increased during the summer months, when children are no longer receiving free and reduced lunch at school. For more information, contact Jodi at JodiF@childrenfirstbc.org or call 828-620-9091.

06/13/15 HARD TO RECYCLE EVENT IN WEAVERVILLE

Join us for another Hard 2 Recycle collection. This next event will be held in Weaverville in the Arvato Digital Services parking lot. We will be accepting: batteries, tvs, electronics, scrap metals, books, cardboard, CDs / DVD's, spent cooking oil, pet supplies and USABLE items for Habitat for Humanity. Time is 10 AM to 2 PM. Location is 108 Monticello Road in Weaverville.

06/14/15 ASHEVILLE N.O.W. MEETING

Asheville NOW meeting is at 2 PM at the YWCA at South French Broad Street in downtown Asheville. Email ashevillenow@live.com for more information.

06/14/15 STORIES OF RESILIENCE IN PALESTINE

Stories of Resilience  - A report on the experience of the Christian Peace Maker Team in Hebron, Palestine. Christian Peacemaker Teams Palestine is a faith-based organization that supports Palestinian-led, non-violent, grassroots resistance to the Israeli occupation and the unjust structures that uphold it. By collaborating with local Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers and educating people in our home communities, we strive to help create a space for justice and peace. Presentation by Rachel, an Asheville activist and member of Circle of Mercy. This will be held at Biltmore United Methodist Church at 376 Hendersonville Road in Asheville. Time is 2 PM. This is sponsored by Just Peace Israel/Palestine. For more information, call 828-319-7652.   

06/14/15 PRESENTATION ON IRAQI AND SYRIAN REFUGEES

Catholic Charities and St. Eugene Catholic Church invite you to attend a presentation by Cullen Larson, Catholic Relief Services Southeast Office Director (Atlanta) on "Not Abandoned: Caring for Iraqi and Syrian Refugees - the Church Responds" on Sunday, June 14: 3 - 4 PM  (doors open at 2:30 PM) in the Fellowship Hall at St. Eugene Catholic Church at 72 Culvern Street, Asheville. This presentation will also be simultaneously offered in Spanish.  This event seeks to raise awareness of the current refugee crisis in the Middle East, where an estimated 2.5 million people have fled Syria and Iraq to escape religious and ethnic persecution.  Find out what the Catholic Church is doing to assist these refugees, many of whom are Christians who have fled their homelands where they have lived for centuries.  Find out also what you can do to advocate on behalf of these refugees.  Questions: please email nphaskell@charlottediocese.org.  

06/15/15 to 06/19/15 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE OF WNC CONFERENCE

“Wake Forest Food & Faith Intensive in Asheville: A New Heaven, A New Earth: Food Justice, Ecology, and Revelation” will be held at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa. This transformative five-day course is designed for non-profit leaders, pastors, faith-based activists, gardeners and farmers, and anyone interested in the intersection of Christian spirituality, ecological restoration, and redemptive agriculture. Go to website for Creation Care Alliance of WNC for more information.

06/16/15 JUST ECONOMICS GENERAL MEETING

Just Economics hosts a general meeting on the second Tuesday of every other month where our members and supporters join us, share a meal, talk about some general updates about our work and our community, and then break out into committees to strategize and create plans to bring about a more just and sustainable local economy. This is a great time to get engaged with JE! Everyone is welcome. We will have food, however anyone able to bring a dish to share is encouraged to do so. For more information visit justeconomicswnc.org. Time is 6:30 PM and location is United Way building in Asheville.

06/16/15 WNC ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS MEETING 

The WNC Alliance for Retired Americans has changed to quarterly meetings.  So the meetings will be the third Tuesday in June, September and December at 10 AM in the Kenilworth Presbyterian Church Parlor at 123 Kenilworth Road in Asheville. The ARA is a statewide organization of retired union members and their friends and families. We are non-partisan and open to everyone who is concerned about the need for jobs which pay a living wage, as well as those issues which affect all of us. FMI contact dick@dickandnorma.com. (I have not heard from this group recently - are they still meeting? - dancewater)

06/19/15 WNC PSR MEETING

Chapter Meeting from noon - 2 PM. Physicians, health personnel and everyone; all are welcome at the Western North Carolina monthly meetings. For location and directions contact 828-633-0892 or terryclarkpsych@gmail.com.

06/20/15 JUST PEACE ISRAEL/PALESTINE PROTEST

Next street protest is June 20 from 12-1:30 at Pritchard Park. All are welcome to join us and focus will be on drone bombings.

06/20/15 GREEN GRANNIES SING FOR THE CLIMATE

Green Grannies Sing for the Climate at Pritchard Park at 5 PM. Google "Singfortheclimate" and come out and sing with us! This happens on the third Saturday of every month. 

06/23/15 MOUNTAIN TRUE WILD AND SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL

There will be food and drinks and a raffle, and tickets can be purchased through Asheville Community Theater at 828-254-1320. Time is 6:30 to 9 PM, films start at 7 PM. Location is Asheville Community Theater at 35 East Walnut Street in Asheville. For more information, contact MountainTrue’s AmeriCorps Education & Outings Coordinator Rachel Stevens at (828) 258-8737, ext. 215 or rachel@mountaintrue.org.

06/23/15 MIND THE GAP TOUR

These informational tours are organized by Children First/Communities in Schools of Buncombe County. The tours are held each month and last about 1 hour. They are led by the Executive Director of Children First/Communities in Schools, Allison Jordan, and you get to meet some of the children that are served through the summer camp program, as well as become informed on all of the programs that are  provided, including our advocacy work. The goal is to alleviate the barriers of poverty experienced by local children and families. This includes food pantry, emergency financial assistance, clothing closet, and work on public policy at the local and state level. Time is 8 AM. To reserve a seat on the bus for the tour or for more information, contact Kaitlyn at KaitlynB@childrenfirstbc.org or call 828-259-9717.

06/25/15 PREVIEW OF UPCOMING ART & EDUCATION EXHIBIT

You are invited to preview the “Americans Who Tell The Truth - NC” exhibit coming to Asheville in the fall of 2015. This is a traveling art exhibit featuring a diverse cross-section of more than 50 portraits of courageous Americans paint by artist Robert Sheerly. The portraits and accompanying narratives highlight citizens who have (or are now) courageously addressing issues of social, environmental and economic fairness. Mingle and view art from 6:30 to 7:15 PM, and there will then be a short presentation about the exhibit at 7:15 to 8 PM. Location is the Historic Kenilworth Inn at 60 Caledonia Road in Asheville. RSVP to AWTTNC@gmail.com or call 828-273-1781.

06/26/15 TOWNS THAT ARE REDUCING THEIR PESTICIDE FOOTPRINT

This free, four-part series will take place on the last Friday of March, April, May and June. This is the third part of the four-part series. The series runs as follows: June 26: It All Starts At Home: Alternatives to Chemical Pesticides. Sessions are being held at the Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville - Lenoir-Rhyne University from 6:00 to 9:00 PM on the above dates. It is our intention to celebrate Asheville as a city in transition, a city willing to take a hard look at what it’s going to take to create the kind of resiliency necessary for a sustainable future.In addition to educating our citizenry – and no doubt learning from you all as well – we want to draw attention to the need for city governments to set an example and model best practices in pest management. Light refreshments will be served each evening. We are looking for volunteers and additional sponsors to cover refreshments. Tabling is free, so please do consider sharing your passion with like-minded folk. Time is 6 to 9 PM and location is Lenoir Rhyne University on Montford Avenue in Asheville. They will be using the second floor boardroom. This is a facebook event, and since it is multi-day, you probably want to sign up if you are interested in this topic.

06/26/15 JUST PEACE FOR ISRAEL/PALESTINE MEETING

This meeting will be at 3:15 PM at Brooks-Howell Home on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. Meet in the media room. 

07/06/15 DINNER WITH PROGRESSIVES

Please join us this Monday night at Green Sage in Westgate in Asheville. Dinner is at 5:30 PM and program will be  from 6 to 7 PM. Please RSVP with Cheryl so she can give a headcount to Green Sage. Her email is ctorengo@gmail.com.  

07/11/15 CITIZEN’S CLIMATE LOBBY MEETING

Next monthly meeting will be on Saturday, July11th from  12:30 - 3 PM at Kairos West Community Center at 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Citizens Climate Lobby - Asheville Chapter at asheville@citizensclimatelobby.org for more information.

07/13/15 DRONE QUILT PROJECT IN ASHEVILLE

The Drone Quilt Project has been approved by the Asheville Area Arts Council and will be exhibited at their Grove Arcade gallery from July 13 to July 25. Veterans for Peace Chapter 099, WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility and Just Peace for Israel/Palestine will be co-sponsoring this event.

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ONGOING EVENTS

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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 1 PM at A-Hope on North Ann Street in Asheville.  

Youth Outright Poetry Night at United Church of Christ in Asheville at 5 PM

FRIDAY

Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall in Hendersonville

Women in Black have a monthly vigil at 5 PM at Vance Monument in Asheville (first Friday only)

SATURDAY

Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard

Third Saturdays – Asheville’s Green Grannies invites the public to “sing for the climate” at Pritchard Park at 5 PM.

SUNDAY

Youth OUTright meeting from 4 to 6 PM at First Congregational United Church of Christ at 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Ages 14 - 23 only.

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ACTIONS AND READINGS

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From Dinner with Progressives email:

Valerie Hoh made an announcement about Jennifer MacDonald and Vanessa Bell, who are going from Asheville to Syria to deliver toys and games to a refugee camp in Syria. “Having traveled to this region many times over the years, I’ve seen firsthand the devastation and destruction of this rich culture and its citizens, as well as how much hope and joy a small amount of compassion can bring to these communities” says Jennifer MacDonald, photographer and journalist. “I wanted to shine a light on one small area of this crisis, in one camp, to help people empathize and hopefully activate some support.” Co-curator and exhibit designer Vanessa Bell is equally passionate about highlighting the mass of humanitarian issues and suffering currently affecting our world and the need for empathy, “Individually, it’s hard to believe that we can effect much change in the world but I am a great believer in the power of positive thought and prayer,” she says, “and sometimes all it takes a small reminder, a moment of empathy, understanding, or support.”

Visit the ASHEville Museum on Wall Street to see their exhibit, which is called (DIS)PLACED. If you don't have time, check out their website. Second, if you'd like to help with this grassroots grand effort, hit the donate button on this link:  http://www.theluminousscope.com/hadaya/ 

If you'd like to send a check, make it out to The Luminous Scope and send to Valerie Hoh 35 Finalee Ave Asheville, NC 28803. 

I am helping to fundraise for a ticket for Vanessa because I believe so passionately that this is a peace effort! We need more of these small grassroots efforts in that part of the world.   Please RSVP to let me know if you've donated on paypal or sending the check and the money from you will be set aside for her ticket. Anything we collect above that amount will go towards more toys and games.  Thanks friends! And feel free to forward to your friends. - Valerie Hoh

Top Ten Activist Errors

Top Ten Activist Errors

by David Swanson

www.davidswanson.org

The number one error, engaged in by the majority of people, is failing to be an activist. The world’s going to hell, countless situations can be easily improved, lives can be saved, and most people just sit there and do nothing. Others actively work to make matters worse. So, if you’re working for peace and justice, you’re among the tiny minority that’s pretty much got the big stuff right. If constructive criticism drives you into despair, please stop reading this article right now and just continue what you’re doing with your life. You have my gratitude.

If you’re open to hearing some suggestions, for whatever they may be worth (and yes, of course, this list of errors will exclude those that I am myself guilty and unaware of), read on:

1. ELECTIONISM. We need elections but do not now have them in the United States, not at the federal level. Working for election reforms is one of the most important things anyone can do. But taking time off from activism to focus on elections is the biggest waste of resources we engage in. Election reform will come through creative nonviolent activism, education, organizing, media, disruption, resistance, and protest. It won’t come through elections. Registering voters is not activism. Creating automatic registration, as just done in Oregon, is activism. Please stifle your compulsion to ask me who I’m voting for. You don’t ask me if I want to win the lottery. (I do, but I will not buy a ticket or devote my life to staring at one.)

2. OBAMANISM. As bad as taking a break from activism every election cycle, is thinking and acting like a voter and a campaigner rather than an activist every day of every year, cheerleading for a team of corrupt officials rather than for policies, reforms, and actions that you support. “The nationalist,” said Orwell, “not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.” Nationalism is a huge problem, and its language, which has peace activists using the word “we” in saying “We are bombing Afghanistan,” may contribute to identification with crimes. But the problem of managing not to even hear about them applies to partisanship as well. If a Republican were picking men, women, and children to murder on Tuesdays, you’d see protests.

3. TOKENISM. “Black people are dumb.” “Muslims are violent.” These are understood to be ignorant hate speech. But “Women make better presidents” is not frowned on quite so much, despite its exactly equal idiocy. The problem is not the demographic characteristics of the president. The problem is having a single individual with the powers of a god, in debt to sociopathic billionaires, in a system dominated by militarism and corruption. We won’t change it with a female or gay or Latina corporatist warmonger.

4. STRATEGISM. Winning a first and a second and a third step down a path to peace or justice is not best achieved through the means that many activists think of as “strategic.” If you tell someone that they should halt one war so that the military can be better prepared for other wars, you weaken your argument against the one war, and you provide an argument for future wars. If you oppose the weapons that don’t work, you give legitimacy to the far worse weapons that do work. If you object to a gimmick that boosts weapons spending over a mandated limit by transferring funds from a war budget, you shouldn’t do so in a way that suggests either budget is acceptable at all, or in a way that suggests war spending is preferable to non-war-spending or budget trickery. Pre-compromising doesn’t get you a compromise result; it gets you incoherence and lack of believability. A young woman pointing out to Jeb Bush that his brother (and Hillary and a few hundred others) created ISIS does a lot more to move people against war than do the strategies coming out of DC peace groups. War is counterproductive on its own terms, immoral, illegal, and catastrophic. Its funding should be eliminated. Our job is to demand that. A small reduction is a first step toward our goal.

5. IMPOTENTISM. The most pervasive and powerful propaganda is that of powerlessness. Telling yourself and each other that you are powerless is no different than Judith Miller repeating CIA lies about WMDs. It’s exactly as ridiculous and exactly as damaging. We are not powerless. We quite easily have an impact frequently and could quite easily have a much bigger one. Expecting fairness won’t help. We have to work uphill, but it’s perfectly doable. Being impatient won’t help. We have to keep working however long it takes and however few help out. Self-flagellation won’t help. The money is against you and money is powerful. It’s not your fault you haven’t saved the world, but it might be thanks to you that your grandchildren save it.

6. PAROCHIALISM. We have to form uncomfortably large coalitions, and we really don’t want to. I’m not advocating what I critiqued above as strategism. Don’t sell your soul. Don’t promote destructive ideologies for short-term gain. But don’t be scared of guilt-by-association. Be willing to stand with people on an issue whose views and actions you deeply oppose on other issues.

7. LOCALISM. It’s far more satisfying to find peace in your heart or sustainability in your backyard than to take on the military industrial complex. But if the earth dies, so will you. There are local and hyper-local angles that contribute to the greater cause. Cities and states can change nations. But individual action alone is not enough. Even small group action aimed too near is not enough. If everybody with solar panels on their roofs had put half the money into a movement to create public solar arrays, we’d have them.

8. FREUDISM. In a popular, simplistic notion of nonviolent communication, one never persuades anyone through rational argument. This is a claim, by the way, that comes out of an ideology supposedly dedicated to respecting people and their “needs.” Apparently among those needs is not the need for a good reason to believe something. It would of course be equally simplistic to assert that all one ever needs are facts, or to ignore the age-old wisdom that it is hard to get someone to believe something they are paid not to. But when I tell people that college is free in other countries, their jaws drop, and it’s not 30 seconds before they’re saying it should be that way in the U.S. When I talk to non-self-selected groups about ending war, the majority say at the end that they have been moved toward believing that war can and should be ended. Facts are not enough, but they are one of the main things the corporate media deprives us of, and one of the key components of activism. They do nothing to help us see another’s point of view if we’re unwilling to look. They do nothing to alleviate high levels of fear. But it would be a mistake for us to become inversions of Edward Bernays working to manipulate people in a kinder, gentler manner.

9. FETISHISM. Here’s a little secret. The people who speak the viewpoints that serve big money are not smarter, wittier, pithier, or better at framing a topic. They’re on the air because they speak the viewpoints that serve big money. They may be more eloquent than you. They may be less so. But trying to think and sound like them in general is a quite risky proposition and completely unnecessary. There is nothing we need more than better media and better use of existing media by its readers, listeners, and viewers. There is no smarter place to invest as activists. But what we lack is not spokespeople. What we lack is microphones.

10. PINKERISM. “But haven’t you heard? War is going away on its own? I heard it from someone who read a review of a book by Steven Pinker.” War is not going to go away on its own. It is not even going away with our help. But it could go away if we really get our act together.

Communities at risk

Mountain top removal is hideous. And Americans have done this to over 500 mountains in our own country!  Taken the beauty of nature and destroyed it for short term profit.

The Nakba

Why is the media ignoring Israel's alliance with al-Qaeda?

It has been obvious for some time - if you really pay attention to who is dying over there in Syria - that Israel is helping out the al Qaeda "rebels" who are fighting there, and it is also very likely that Israel is helping out ISIS in Syria also. It is also clear at this time that the US was one of the main forces that got ISIS going in Syria, and that our NATO-ally Turkey along with Saudi Arabia and Israel, are keeping them going.

The reasoning behind these hideous and evil choices is, I guess, that they feel this will hurt Assad and Hezbollah. But I am only guessing, since I do not have that much evil in me to explain the evil choices of both Israel and the US governments.

But the article below asks an important question:  "Why is the media ignoring Israel's alliance with al-Qaeda?"

My guess as to the real reason the corporate media is ignoring this is the exact same reason why they ignored all the evidence in late 2002 that showed that Iraq did not have WMDs - they are liars who are more interested in sucking up to those in power than in actually being journalists. Here is some of that article:

Since January, I have been ploughing a lonely furrow in this column by covering what is certainly one of the most under-reported stories in the world right now: Israeli involvement in the war in Syria. 

Almost unnoticed by the mainstream media, Israel's occupation forces in the Golan Heights have been in alliance with the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's official franchise in Syria. This alliance certainly includes logistical support and may even extend as far as arming al-Qaeda rebels in south-western Syria. 

In January, I showed how the reports of UN peacekeepers in the Golan had talked of regular contacts between rebel forces in that Israeli-occupied sector of Syria. They also observed, according to a June report, Israeli soldiers "handing over two boxes to armed members of the opposition" from the Israeli-occupied side to the Syrian-controlled side.
According to further reports by UN peacekeepers, such interactions continued after Quneitra (a town containing a key checkpoint between the Israeli-occupied and Syrian-controlled sectors of the Golan) was overrun by the Nusra Front. 

In March, I wrote on how an Israeli army spokesperson had now confirmed these reports. He clarified that this extended to logistical support in the form of medical aid to al-Qaeda rebels. "We don't ask who they are, we don't do any screening," the unnamed Israeli military official told the Wall Street Journal. "Once the treatment is done, we take them back to the border [sic - ceasefire line] and they go on their way [in Syria]," he said.
For several years now there have been propaganda reports in the Israeli press about how Israel is supposedly playing a purely "humanitarian" role in the Syrian war, by treating civilians and sending them back. But this has now been exposed as propaganda. If that were really the case, Israel would be treating combatants from all sides in the Syrian war and furthermore it would arrest suspected al-Qaeda militants. But in reality, all reports confirm that the Israelis are treating only the "rebel" side, including the al-Qaeda militants that lead the armed opposition in that area of Syria (as indeed they do in much of the country). The key difference that disproves the propaganda line, and proves an active Israel-al-Qaeda alliance is that, after treatment, instead of arresting them, the al-Qaeda fighters are sent back to fight in Syria. There is no chance at all that, in the event that Israel captures injured Hamas, Hizballah or Iranian combatants alive, it would send them back to Gaza or Syria to "go on their way", as the unnamed Israeli official put it.
After all, Israeli forces in that area have, during the course of the war, made several air-strikes on what they claimed were Hizballah targets in Syria. If Israel were genuinely opposed to al-Qaeda, it would hit their positions too. But it seems that Israel prefers al-Qaeda over Hizballah and Iran. 

In April, I reported how Israel had started to cover up its alliance with al-Qaeda. It seems that the propaganda line about their humanitarianism had not been bought by many, so they took measures to stop too much being revealed. Sedqi al-Maqet, a pro-government Syrian activist from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, was arrested, with a military gag-order initially banning the Israeli press from reporting the case. Al-Maqet had used his residence in the Golan to report from his Facebook account in Arabic about contacts he said he had witnessed between Israeli armed forces and what he termed terrorists active in the Syrian-controlled sector of the Golan. One of these videos, aired on Syrian state TV, was used to charging him with "spying". 

Since those reports, there have been further confirmations of the Israeli-al-Qaeda alliance. The most oblique of these came from David Ignatius, the Washington Post associated editor and foreign affairs columnist. Earlier this month he wrote that "Jordan and Israel have developed secret contacts with members of the Jabhat al-Nusra group along their borders." 

The second new confirmation came from the Israeli press in the form of Ron Ben Yishai, an Israeli war reporter for Yediot Ahronot, a popular Israeli tabloid. The report, which included video (vetted by the Israeli military) of a hospitalised Syrian rebel (possibly an al-Qaeda militant) with a obscured face, mostly took the usual propaganda line, singing the praises of the wonderful morality of the glorious Israeli army.

The rest of the article is here.

and then there is this.....

In case you were wondering who else is involved with ISIS: 

Isis fighter was trained in counterterrorism by US State Department, officials confirm

Protestors are not criminals

Our priorities

This came from Occupy Democrats.

Upcoming events for the week of May 31, 2015

Boot exhibit from American Friends Service Committee NC. This was the parish hall at All Souls in Biltmore Village, many years ago. Each pair of boots was a NC service member who was killed in Iraq. That war of aggression based on a pack of lies was such a waste.

UPCOMING EVENTS

06/01/15 INTERNATIONAL WEEK TO SUPPORT WHISTLEBLOWERS

06/01/15 DINNER WITH PROGRESSIVES

Please join us this Monday night at Green Sage in Westgate in Asheville. Our speaker will be Darlene Azarmi, WNC Organizer with Democracy North Carolina.  Democracy NC is a nonpartisan organization that uses research, organizing, and advocacy to increase voter participation, reduce the influence of big money in politics and achieve a government that is truly of the people, by the people and for the people. Darlene grew up in WNC, which significantly shaped her political perspective. Dinner is at 5:30 PM and Ms. Azarmi will speak from 6 to 7 PM. Please RSVP with Cheryl so she can give a headcount to Green Sage. Her email is ctorengo@gmail.com.  

06/02/15 DOCUMENTARIES ON FRACKING DANGERS AT AB TECH

Imagine if the water you gave your family made them sick. This is a real fear facing communities where fracking is currently taking place. Even when landowners say no to drilling, contamination from fracking nearby can still expose them to toxic chemicals against their will. Although fracking is now legal and permits can be issued by the state, there is still much that can be done to protect North Carolinians from the dangers of fracking. This requires people coming together in their own communities and taking civic action, to stand in solidarity and send a strong message that the people of NC do not want fracking and we will work to protect our families, public health, quality of life and property rights. Join us for Fracking Stories - an event featuring six short documentaries that expose the public health and environmental consequences of hydraulic fracturing, and the ways that communities are coming together to protect their land and water. Come learn about the issues, talk with community members, and find out how you can help keep fracking out of North Carolina. The Asheville screening is co-presented by The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Appalachian Voices, Clean Water for North Carolina, Working Films, The Mountain Peoples Assembly, and WNC Frack Free. Time is 7 to 9 PM and location is Ferguson Auditorium at AB Tech at 340 Victoria Street in Asheville. This event is free and open to the public. For questions, contact Andy at amyers@workingfilms.org.  

06/02/15 MOUNTAIN TRUE VOLUNTEER WORLD CAFÉ

Join Mountain True staff and volunteer leaders to hear what we’re up to in Henderson, Transylvania and Polk counties and how you can be part of protecting the places we share. Location is Southern Appalachian Brwery at 822 Locust Street in Hendersonville, and time is 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Go to https://wnca.cp.bsd.net/page/signup/mountaintrue-volunteer-world-cafe to RSVP.

06/02/15 ASHEVILLE TRANSIT COMMITTEE MEETING

Time is 3:30 to 5 PM and location is 1st Floor Conference Room at City Hall in Asheville. 

06/02/15 CURRENT EVENTS BOOKCLUB

The discussion will be on the book “Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War On Drugs”. Time is 7 PM and location is Malaprops in downtown Asheville. This is sponsored by Veterans for Peace.

06/02/15 NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY

On June 2, Carolina Jews for Justice will be going orange and you can too. Just recently, many of our members expressed their opposition to a dangerous gun bill making its way through the NC Legislature. On National Gun Violence Awareness Day, wear orange to show that you think we can do more to save American lives from gun violence.

06/03/15 SIERRA CLUB MEETING

Britten Cleveland will talk on “The EPA’s Clean Power Plan and North Carolina”. Join Sierra Club on June 3 as Britten Cleveland, North Carolina’s Sierra Club organizer, discusses the Clean Power Plan and what you can do to help North Carolina reduce its carbon pollution. Under this plan North Carolina is required to develop a strategy to reduce its carbon emissions by 2030. Socializing begins at 7 PM and program begins at 7:15 PM. Location is the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville on Charlotte Street and Edwin Place in Asheville. Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.

06/04/15 ACTIVIST TRAINING AND STRATEGY SESSION

The NC Sierra Club is working to make sure that our state develops a plan that increases our use of clean energy and energy efficiency to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules for reducing climate-disrupting emissions under the Clean Air Act. We need your help to get the cleanest and most just “Clean Power Plan” possible from the McCrory Administration. We are holding a training session here in Asheville on Thursday, June 4th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Sierra Club Office at 45 Wall Street, Suite 709, and food will be provided. Please plan to attend to find out how you can help. Contact Britten at britten.cleveland@sierraclub.org or 941-979-2948 to sign up or for more information.

06/04/15 RESTORATIVE CIRCLES IN OUR COMMUNITIES CONFERENCE

In this two- to four-day event, participants will learn about the history and successes of Restorative Circles in action around the world, and get to actively engage in Restorative Circles through Open Space presentations, practice groups, affinity groups, and panel discussions.  This is from June 4 to June 7 at Earthaven with Dominic Barter and friends. More information and registration at this website: http://www.culturesedge.net/#!welcome-to-the-conference/cf4g

06/05/15 RESTORATIVE CIRCLES TALK

Dominic Barter will talk about Restorative Circles in our Communities: Addressing conflict restoratively. Time is 7:30 PM and location is Odyssey Community School in Asheville. No information on cost. More information at www.culturesedge.net.

06/06/15 CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY

Save the date for our next monthly meeting which will always be the first Saturday of the month. In this meeting we will review the REMI report, our congressional members' bios, appoint a message day organizer, look at the laser talks and plan our lobby meetings for the DC conference June 21-24. Time is 12:30 PM to 3 PM and location is Kairos West Community Center at 742 Haywood Rd in west Asheville. For more information, contact Steffi at 828-242-3752 or asheville@citizensclimatelobby.org.

06/06/15 MANNA FOOD BANK BLUE JEAN BALL

The MANNA Food Bank Blue Jean Ball is June 6th at the MANNA campus on Swannanoa River Road. Ticket includes a night of Motown music, great eats from dozens of local restaurants, and adult beverages. Get tickets at mannafoodbank.org or call 299-FOOD (3663)

06/06/15 BOOK PRESENTATION IN WAYNESVILLE

Faustine Wilson, daughter of the late Victoria Casey McDonald, will present Victoria’s last novel, Living in the Shadow of Slavery, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. Living in the Shadow of Slavery continues the story of her great grandmother, Amanda, whose story began in the novel, Under the Lights of Darkness.  As a slave of William Holland Thomas, Amanda faces uncertain times now that the Civil War has ended and all slaves have been declared free. Having never known freedom, she and her family must make difficult decisions on how best to survive in this new existence. Faustine will also discuss a bit of the history of slavery in western North Carolina and the legacy of Victoria. Living in the Shadow of Slavery with Faustine Wilson, Saturday, June 6 at 3 PM at Blue Ridge Books at 152 S. Main Street in Waynesville. Call 828-456-6000 for more information.

06/08/15 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY MEETING

Next meeting is a general meeting will be held at the North Asheville Library on Merrimon Avenue. If you have any questions please contact Diana at dianakrukmta@gmail.com.

06/08/2015 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE SOCIAL

Transition Asheville Social - Keystones in Sustainable Systems: Partnering with Beneficial Microorganisms by Professor Dee Eggers from UNCA. Dee Eggers is an Associate Professor in UNC Asheville’s Environmental Studies Department.  She is profoundly interested in all things sustainability-related, from sustainable models of industry to ecosystem restoration.  In this talk, she will focus on beneficial soil microorganisms and their use in improving soil and plant health, food production, human health, and a few interesting sidebars – like how one treatment can cause hornets to abandon their nests and leave no toxic residue.  (True!)  She will also briefly address optimal ratios of bacteria and fungal communities at various stages of succession and how to use that information for food production and ecosystem restoration. Time is 6:30 to 8 PM. Location is Parish Hall at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 337 Charlotte Street in Asheville. Parking lot in the lot next to the church off Evelyn Alley (north of church) or on the street. 

06/09/15 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING

Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street in Asheville. 

06/11/15 PHOTO ID HEARING IN SYLVA

NC State Board of Elections Public Hearings on Voter ID Rules will be held in Sylva at 876 Skyland Drive, Suite 1. Time is 5 to 7 PM. This is one of only two hearings in our area (the other one in Boone on 6/10/15) that will occur on the “Voter ID” (HB 589) rules that will come into effect in 2016. Some key facts are: the bill not only requires government-issued ID at the polls, but takes away one week of early voting, eliminates pre-registration of 16-17 year olds,terminates out-of-precinct voting, and eliminates same-day voter registration during the early voting period. If  you know of an individual who has encountered problems with getting an ID, please urge them to speak- as these are the stories we need the SBOE rule-makers to hear. Democracy NC is seeking individuals to attend the hearing and make public comments. Democracy NC will organize a carpool from the Asheville area. Please email Darlene@democracy-nc.org or call (828)216-3430 for more information or to find out how to RSVP.

06/11/15 STORIES OF RESILIENCE IN PALESTINE

Stories of Resilience  - A report on the experience of the Christian Peace Maker Team in Hebron, Palestine. Christian Peacemaker Teams Palestine is a faith-based organization that supports Palestinian-led, non-violent, grassroots resistance to the Israeli occupation and the unjust structures that uphold it. By collaborating with local Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers and educating people in our home communities, we strive to help create a space for justice and peace. Presentation by Rachel, an Asheville activist and member of Circle of Mercy. This will be held at Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville. Time is 7 PM. This is sponsored by Just Peace Israel/Palestine. For more information, call 828-319-7652.   

06/11/15 ENVIRONMENTAL  DOCUMENTARY SHOWING IN ASHEVILLE

“Call of the Ancient Mariner” is a  documentary film by MountainTrue alumni David Weintraub, which covers the role of the turtle through out history and its ties to humanity. A paneled discussion on conservation and the environment will take place following the film. This will take place at NC Arboretum at 6:30 PM. Please call 828-692-8062 for more information, including how to buy tickets.

06/11/15 SAVE OUR SOUTHERN (SOS) FOREST TOUR SPECIAL EVENT

We hope to see you for hors d’ouevres, drink, music and forests! Join us in Asheville to help us kick off the SOS (Save Our Southern Forests) Tour! The biomass industry is destroying wetland forests and exporting them to Europe. We’ve proven it, and communities across the South are uniting to stop it. Across five Southern states, we'll be holding fun and interactive visibility events, diverse community meetings, profiling destructive wood pellet manufacturing facilities, and documenting the beautiful Southern forests we’re working to protect. This is hosted by the Dogwood Alliance. Time is 6 PM and location is Jonas Gerard Gallery at 191 Lyman Street, Suite 144 in Asheville. This is the Riverview Station Gallery. Go to http://dia.dogwoodalliance.org/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=84548 to register.

06/11/15 HENDERSONVILLE GREEN DRINKS

Join MountainTrue at Southern Appalachian Brewery from 6 to 8 PM for Green Drinks. Grab a beer and join like-minded individuals to discuss environmental issues and hear presentations by local environmental leaders.

06/11/15 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE MEETING

Creation Care Alliance general meeting with guest climatologist Deke Arndt. Time is 5:30 to 7 PM and location is First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street in Asheville. All are welcome as we celebrate new partner congregations and connect about several summer opportunities. 

06/12/15 ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTARY SHOWING IN HENDERSONVILLE

“Call of the Ancient Mariner” is a  documentary film by MountainTrue alumni David Weintraub, which covers the role of the turtle through out history and its ties to humanity. A paneled discussion on conservation and the environment will take place following the film. This will take place at Unitarian Fellowship in Hendersonville at 7 PM.  Please call 828-692-8062 for more information, including how to buy tickets.

06/13/15 HARD TO RECYCLE EVENT IN WEAVERVILLE

Join us for another Hard 2 Recycle collection. This next event will be held in Weaverville in the Arvato Digital Services parking lot. We will be accepting: batteries, tvs, electronics, scrap metals, books, cardboard, CDs / DVD's, spent cooking oil, pet supplies and USABLE items for Habitat for Humanity. Time is 10 AM to 2 PM. Location is 108 Monticello Road in Weaverville.

06/14/15 ASHEVILLE N.O.W. MEETING

Asheville NOW meeting is at 2 PM at the YWCA at South French Broad Street in downtown Asheville. Email ashevillenow@live.com for more information.

06/14/15 STORIES OF RESILIENCE IN PALESTINE

Stories of Resilience  - A report on the experience of the Christian Peace Maker Team in Hebron, Palestine. Christian Peacemaker Teams Palestine is a faith-based organization that supports Palestinian-led, non-violent, grassroots resistance to the Israeli occupation and the unjust structures that uphold it. By collaborating with local Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers and educating people in our home communities, we strive to help create a space for justice and peace. Presentation by Rachel, an Asheville activist and member of Circle of Mercy. This will be held at Biltmore United Methodist Church at 376 Hendersonville Road in Asheville. Time is 2 PM. This is sponsored by Just Peace Israel/Palestine. For more information, call 828-319-7652.   

06/15/15 to 06/19/15 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE OF WNC CONFERENCE

“Wake Forest Food & Faith Intensive in Asheville: A New Heaven, A New Earth: Food Justice, Ecology, and Revelation” will be held at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa. This transformative five-day course is designed for non-profit leaders, pastors, faith-based activists, gardeners and farmers, and anyone interested in the intersection of Christian spirituality, ecological restoration, and redemptive agriculture. Go to website for Creation Care Alliance of WNC for more information.

06/16/15 JUST ECONOMICS GENERAL MEETING

Just Economics hosts a general meeting on the second Tuesday of every other month where our members and supporters join us, share a meal, talk about some general updates about our work and our community, and then break out into committees to strategize and create plans to bring about a more just and sustainable local economy. This is a great time to get engaged with JE! Everyone is welcome. We will have food, however anyone able to bring a dish to share is encouraged to do so. For more information visit justeconomicswnc.org. Time is 6:30 PM and location is United Way building in Asheville.

06/23/15 MOUNTAIN TRUE WILD AND SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL

There will be food and drinks and a raffle, and tickets can be purchased through Asheville Community Theater at 828-254-1320. Time is 6:30 to 9 PM, films start at 7 PM. Location is Asheville Community Theater at 35 East Walnut Street in Asheville. For more information, contact MountainTrue’s AmeriCorps Education & Outings Coordinator Rachel Stevens at (828) 258-8737, ext. 215 or rachel@mountaintrue.org.

07/13/15 DRONE QUILT PROJECT IN ASHEVILLE

The Drone Quilt Project has been approved by the Asheville Area Arts Council and will be exhibited at their Grove Arcade gallery from July 13 to July 25. Veterans for Peace Chapter 099, WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility and Just Peace for Israel/Palestine will be co-sponsoring this event.

07/18/15 SIERRA CLUB ANNUAL PICNIC

Location is the Blue Ridge Parkway sheltered picnic grounds (Bull Mt. Rd. off Riceville Rd.) Time is noon to 4 PM. Directions: Exit 7 on I-240; go east on Tunnel Rd for 2 miles; turn north on Riceville Rd; go 1.3 miles and turn west on Bull Mt. Rd. The fenced-in, sheltered picnic area is on the left about ½ mile up the road. Please bring a potluck dish to share and your own settings. Drinks will be provided. 

11/12/15 to 11/15/15 PEACE CONFERENCE AT LAKE JUNALUSKA

This will be November 12-15, 2015 at Lake Junaluska. Theme will be “Longing for Peace/Exploring the Heart of God”. Keynote speakers are Rabia Terri Harris, founder of the Muslim Peace Fellowship; Rabbi Or Rose, founding director of the Center for Global Judaism at Hebrew College and Dr. Sam Wells, vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London. Special music by Yuval Ron and Ensemble-- a world-renowned musician, composer, educator, peace activist, and record producer.  The Yuval Ron Ensemble has been actively involved in creating musical bridges between people of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths. They will perform Saturday eve. Registration is $120 before Sept. 1 and $145 afterward. Packages which include registration, lodging and meals are available. Register via Lake Junaluska website or call 828-454-6682 for more information. 

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ONGOING EVENTS

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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 1 PM at A-Hope on North Ann Street in Asheville.  

Youth Outright Poetry Night at United Church of Christ in Asheville at 5 PM

FRIDAY

Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall in Hendersonville

Women in Black have a monthly vigil at 5 PM at Vance Monument in Asheville (first Friday only)

SATURDAY

Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard

Third Saturdays – Asheville’s Green Grannies invites the public to “sing for the climate” at Pritchard Park at 5 PM.

SUNDAY

Youth OUTright meeting from 4 to 6 PM at First Congregational United Church of Christ at 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Ages 14 - 23 only.

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ACTIONS AND READINGS

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The cost of military domination

By Jeff Lusanne

8 May 2015

Every passing year in America brings news of cutbacks to essential social programs, from food stamps and home heating assistance to research and infrastructure. The public is told there is no choice because ?there is no money? for such programs. What is never questioned in the political establishment is how a country with crumbling bridges and mass poverty can afford to spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year on the military.

The officially budgeted military spending of the United States in 2014 was $610 billion, nearly 35 percent of global military spending and greater than the combined spending of China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, France, the UK, India and Germany.

Real annual military spending by the United States is even higher, once nuclear weapons funding, interest payments on foreign wars, and the cost of veteran care is included. With these items, the annual amount is closer to $1 trillion.

Between 2000 and 2006, the US Department of Defense budget rose from $300 billion to over $530 billion, and it continues at those levels, despite the sequester federal budget cuts. For 2016, the President has proposed a total spending amount of $613 billion that would put Pentagon spending higher than any point during the presidency of Ronald Reagan.

The proposed $613 billion in funding is more than eight times larger than the federal education budget. It is over 22 times the amount proposed in the discretionary budget for transportation, $27.4 billion, even as the American Society of Civil Engineers rates the state of US infrastructure as a ?D,? requiring trillions of dollars in repairs. At current rates, military and intelligence spending between 2015-2020 will exceed $4 trillion.

The largest portion of the defense budget goes towards operations and maintenance of the military?s vast inventory of weapons and equipment. The category of Military Personnel received $142.9 billion, while procurement?new equipment?received $99.5 billion. Research, Development, Test & Engineering (RDT&E) received $62 billion, while construction and other assorted items took up the rest of the budget.

Between the branches of the armed forces, 2014 funding was relatively equal: the Army received $167.4 billion, the Navy (including the Marines), $162.1 billion and the Air Force, $144.3 billion. The Army?s costs have the largest connection to personnel, operations, and construction, and as US troop levels have been drawn down in Iraq and Afghanistan the Army?s share of funding has dropped significantly. Despite this, the overall military budget has not mirrored the drop as more money has been plowed into the incredibly expensive, high-tech weapons systems of the Navy and Air Force.

Within the president?s proposed Pentagon budget for fiscal year 2016 there is a proposed 12 percent increase in procurement and RDT&E spending to $177 billion, and much of it goes towards big-budget weapons programs designed to maintain total global military dominance.

The US military, across all its branches, has 13,900 planes. The entire commercial aircraft fleet in America?including all the major airlines and freight carriers like FedEx and UPS?is less than half that amount, at 6,788 aircraft.

Compared to other militaries worldwide, the US operates more planes in every type of category (combat, transport, helicopter, training, etc.) than any other nation. This includes a whopping 78 percent share of the global aerial refueling tanker fleet, the means by which combat aircraft can extend their flight range, allowing the US to more easily bomb anywhere in the world.

This vast fleet of aircraft includes some of the most expensive weapons ever created, and current weapons programs that will cost even more. The most recent cost estimate of the notoriously failure-prone F-35 fighter-bomber is $400 billion for procurement of 2,400 planes, while the lifetime operational cost will be $1 trillion.

In 2001, the per-plane estimated cost was $81 million, and the costs continue to rise as the plane is now seven years past its anticipated service date. In 2016, the White House is requesting $11 billion in funding for another year of research, development, and procurement. Including all of these costs, each of the 57 planes requested will cost $193 million.

The deficit of the City of Detroit, which was the nominal cause for the city?s bankruptcy and the gutting of city workers? pensions, was $327 million in 2013?less than the cost of one Navy F-35C. The city has announced plans to shut off water service to more than 20,000 households to collect a debt that amounts to about one-eighth the cost of one such aircraft.

Yet the F-35 is just one of many programs with equally staggering costs. In the 2016 procurement budget, over twelve separate drone, plane, and helicopter programs each have budgets of $1-3 billion dollars. Five E2-D Hawkeye command and control aircraft are requested for fiscal year 2016 at a cost of $263 million each. Adding the 2014 and 2015 budgets, nearly $4 billion has been spent for just 15 of these aircraft.

The White House is requesting $1.7 billion in 2016 for research and development on what is likely the next aircraft boondoggle, the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B.) This new, undisclosed ?high tech, long range? bomber will replace the B-52, which has rained down death across the world for over 60 years; the B-1; and the B-2, the most expensive aircraft in history at $2 billion per plane. Northrup Grumman made the B-2 and is in fierce competition for the lucrative LRS-B contract.

The purchase cost of military systems is really just a fraction of their ultimate cost. The F-22 Raptor, the military?s latest air superiority fighter, is consuming upwards of $500 million per year just for upgrades and modifications. The B-2 has an ongoing annual cost of $300-$400 million for the last five years. Dozens of other planes require tens or hundreds of millions annually.

Yet nothing costs more money than an aircraft carrier, and the Navy has 10 of them in operation. Russia, China and France each field just one. The US Navy is constructing replacements of their fleet; the first Gerald R. Ford-class carrier was launched in 2015 and cost $12.8 billion.

When planes, bombs, missiles, crew, fuel, and supplies are added, the cost becomes unimaginably high. The Ford-class carrier is meant to feature the F-35C, which is the most expensive variant of the plane, at an estimated $337 million each. The carrier can hold up to 90 aircraft, but even just 40 F-35Cs would represent $13.4 billion dollars, more than the already gargantuan cost of the carrier itself. Each aircraft would carry millions of dollars worth of bombs and missiles. The total cost of all the items on the ship is therefore only comparable to entire federal budget items like science, which has a proposed budget of $31 billion for 2016.

Operating a carrier strike group has an estimated daily cost of $6.5 million, which is the cost of a new high-speed passenger rail locomotive. Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, only has a total of 355 locomotives to haul passengers across the entire country, nearly all of which are over 20 years old and in need of rebuilding or replacement. Replacing every single locomotive of Amtrak would cost less than operating one aircraft carrier for one year.

Aircraft carriers are just one aspect of several multi-billion-dollar ship programs. In the FY2016 proposal, another $22 billion would go towards the construction of submarines, destroyers, littoral combat ships, and a fuel tanker. Tomahawk cruise missiles, the notorious weapon of choice for the ?shock and awe? bombardment of Iraq in 2003, now cost $2.1 million each. In the first three days of the 2011 assault on Libya, at least 161 such missiles were fired; in present-day prices that would cost $338 million, the same cost as the 2,800-foot long six-lane Stan Musial Veteran?s Memorial Bridge across the Mississippi River that recently opened.

A largely hidden, yet massive, military cost is the operation, maintenance and replacement of the so-called ?Nuclear Triad.? This is the system of nuclear warheads ready for deployment on long range bombers, submarines, and land-based installations, and each of the three elements are up for replacement during the 2020s. Already in 2015, research on these replacements is consuming billions per year, before designs have even been finalized and contracts secured. A January 2014 report from the James R. Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies is simply titled ?The Trillion Dollar Nuclear Triad,? pointing to its estimate that $1 trillion will be spent on nuclear systems by the US in the next 30 years. It also notes that Congress has no accurate measure of the actual current spending on nuclear programs.

The destructive power of these nuclear forces is almost incomprehensible and greater than anything the world has ever known. The 14 current Ohio-class submarines in the Navy?s fleet each contain up to 24 nuclear-armed Trident II ballistic missiles. Each missile has a range of over 5,000 nautical miles and upon reentry into the earth?s atmosphere can release eight W88 ?multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles.? Each W88 can travel to a separate target and yield a blast more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Thus, each Ohio class submarine carries nearly 200 nuclear warheads that can simultaneously attack every major city of an entire region of the world?from just one submarine. Given the provocative nature of the US?s activity in Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, the possibility of any escalation is an absolutely harrowing prospect.

The terrifying destructive potential of the US military, whether conventional or nuclear weapons, is a very profitable business. In September, when the US began bombing ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the stocks of four of the five largest weapons makers?Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, General Dynamics and Raytheon?soared to all time highs.

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