Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

UPCOMING EVENTS

10/07/12 to 10/13/12 KEEP SPACE FOR PEACE
 International Week of Protest to Stop Militarization of Space

10/8/12 CANDIDATE FORUM
Monday, Oct. 8 from 6:30-8:30 PM at Black Mountain Library, 105 N. Dougherty Street, Black Mountain.  Buncombe County Commission Dist. 2, NC House District 115.  This is coordinated by the League of Women Voters, and is open to all.  For more information about the League of Women Voters and its fall forums, visit the League website at ablwv.org or call 828-258-8223.

10/08/12 DEMOCRATIC PARTY PUBLIC MEETING
Buncombe County Democratic Party public meeting will be Monday, October 8, 2012 at 6:30 PM. Location is BC Democratic HQ at 951 Old Fairview Road (off Fairview Road in Oakley).  Public is welcome.

10/10/12 IMMIGRATION FOR EDUCATORS
What teachers, administrators, counselors and others need to know about the challenges faced by students and families from other countries.  Open to the public.  Sponsored by Asheville Buncombe County Community Relations Council, Center for Diversity, YWCA, Mountain BizWorks and others.  Come at 5:30 PM to visit community exhibits.  The program runs from 6 to 8 PM.  Location is Mountain Area Health Education Center at 121 Hendersonville Road near I-40, behind TGIF.  Register online at www.buncombe.k12.nc.us.

10/10/12 CAPITALISM IS FAILING: BUILD THE SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE

This will be held at Wall Street Coffee House at 7 PM. All are welcome, more information on Facebook.

10/11/12 BEEHIVE DESIGN COLLECTIVE: ‘THE TRUE COST OF COAL’

As one of the hottest summers in US history fades into fall, activists at Warren Wilson are working to fight back against climate change. This week, Warren Wilson Environmental Justice crew is proud to host the Beehive Collective Design Collective, who will present their giant mural “The True Cost of Coal.” With huge portable murals of collectively-produced  illustrations and an engaging narrative the Bees will take you on an interactive visual tour of the connections between mountaintop removal, climate change, Bank of America, and the struggle for justice in Appalachia and throughout the world. Gather ‘round a giant collaborative mural mapping out the big picture of coal – and what we’re really paying for it. Will you join us? Time is 7 PM and location is Sage Café, Warren Wilson College. Contact: Steve @ earthsun2@gmail.com for more information.

10/12/12 SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM NIGHT AT UU CHURCH

“A Message From The Marcellus - What NC Needs To Know About Fracking” is a 20-minute short film created byTodd Tinkhamand Molly Matlock to help stop fracking from becoming legal in North Carolina. The filmmakers traveled to PA and NY and LA interviewing people from all walks of life about the impacts of natural gas fracking on their communities.  Time is 7 PM and location is UU Church located at Charlotte & Edwin Street.

10/13/12 FIESTA LATINA
This event is at City-County Plaza from 12 to 9 PM.

10/14/12 FLOAT BEYOND COAL
Join WNCA, Sierra Club, French Broad Riverkeeper, Watauga Riverkeeper, SouthWings, and our friends in the Asheville Beyond Coal Coalition as we play on the water to call for a clean and safe energy future!  On October 14th at 1:30pm, we'll make a collective visual on Lake Julian proudly calling for Asheville to move beyond coal and toward clean, safe, homegrown energy solutions. After the flotilla we'll share a brew and celebrate! Email jackelin.trevino@sierraclub.org to get involved and/or for more info!

10/15/12 CANDIDATE FORUM
Monday, Oct. 15 from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Skyland Volunteer Fire Dept., 9 Miller Road, Arden. Buncombe County Commission Dist. 3, NC House District 116. This is coordinated by the League of Women Voters, and is open to all. For more information about the League of Women Voters and its fall forums, visit the League website at ablwv.org or call 828-258-8223.

10/15/12 FREE CLASS ON TRANSFORMING BELIEFS
Time is 7 to 9 PM. Free class, "Challenging & transforming self-limiting language & beliefs," with Cathy Holt. Center for Holistic Medicine, 779 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Pre-register: cathyfholt@gmail.com or 545-9681. More info: www.centerholistic.com. First in series, "Tools for Self-Healing."

10/16/12 ASHEVILLE TRANSIT MEETING RETREAT
The Asheville Transit Commission's annual retreat will be held on October 16, 2012 from 9:00am to 3:30pm in the Human Resources Training Room, 6th Floor, 70 Court Plaza, City Hall.  The public is welcome to attend.

10/17/12 WNC TASK FORCE ON PRISON REFORM MEETING
Wednesday, October 17, at 3:00 p.m. at YWCA Board Room: WNC Task Force on Prison Reform will meet to plan a strategy for abolishing the Death Penalty in N.C.  Information:  254-5489.

10/19/12 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.

10/21/12 ETHICAL CULTURAL SOCIETY
Joe Haun’s book, “Unbelievable! Faith, Reason, & the Search for Truth” is the topic for our October platform meeting, October 21st. Haun, Clemson University professor emeritus, has a doctorate in plant physiology. The topic is the title of Haun's 2011 philosophical memoir. Reed is a fellow member of the Ethical Society and editor-in-chief of Pisgah Press LLC. Together they will trace Dr. Haun’s journey from a childhood grounded by faith as a preacher’s son, to learning the value of “good works” during the Great Depression, to evolving his own humanist, rational worldview. Time is 2 PM and the location is Asheville Friends Meeting.

10/22/12 FAIR HOUSING SEMINAR
Fair Housing seminar from 6 - 8 pm at the Wesley Grant Southside Center in Asheville. "Fair Housing: it's not an option, it's the law!" Please join us as representatives of the NC Human Relations Commission and Pisgah Legal Services provide a plenary session on Fair Housing law, unlawful discriminatory housing practices and rights afforded under the NC and Federal Fair Housing Acts."

10/24/12 SO ‘RICH, SO POOR’ FORUM
Pisgah Legal Services’ 2nd Annual Poverty Forum featuring anti-poverty advocate Peter Edelman. Peter Edelman's most recent book, So Rich, So Poor: Why It's So Hard to End Poverty in America, examines the disturbing trends of deepening poverty and inequality in the United States. Please join us as we learn from Mr. Edelman's vast experience and knowledge about the causes of poverty and explore the public and civil actions needed to help the poor in Western North Carolina.  Location is Diana Wortham Theatre, Asheville. Reception is 5:30 PM and Forum is 7 PM. Tickets are $50 for reception and forum, $15 for forum only. Purchase tickets at www.pisgahlegal.org. Contact Betsy at betsy@pisgahlegal.org for more information.

10/26/12 SPEAKER FOR NEW SOUTH NETWORK
“Nothing more evil:  Confronting the Military Industrial Complex”. New South Network is sponsoring a visit by David Swanson to speak on October 26, Friday evening at 7 PM, at the Battery Park Apartments Roof Top room. “David Swanson is an antidote to the toxins of complacency and evasion. He insists on rousing the sleepwalkers, confronting the deadly prevaricators and shining a bright light on possibilities for a truly better world.” —Norman Solomon, author of War Made Easy.  For more info: email newsouthnetwork@gmail. com or call: 828-3301-6683; 828-242-5610.

11/01/12 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/

11/03/12 GREEN PARTY MEETING
The Buncombe County GREEN Party's business meeting is open to the public. It will be held from 10 AM to noon, upstairs in the Fortune Building, 729 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Contact Ronald @ 828-LUCK-180 or Larry @ 828-225-4347 for more information.

11/08/12 - 11/11/12 LAKE JUNALUSKA PEACE CONFERENCE
The fifth annual Lake Junaluska Peace Conference, "Love in Action: the Transformative Power of Nonviolence," will draw upon the lessons of nonviolent campaigns and their leaders who discovered a force that can change the world. Participants will explore the principles and learn the applications of nonviolence as taught by Gandhi, King, and many spiritual leaders who offered this alternative paradigm for resolving conflict, achieving justice, and building peace.  For more information:  www.lakejunaluska.com/peace.

11/08/12 THE GENERAL’S SON: JOURNEY OF AN ISRAELI IN PALESTINE
In 1997, a tragedy struck the family of Israeli-American Miko Peled: His beloved niece Smadar was killed by a suicide bomber in Jerusalem. That tragedy propelled Peled onto a journey of discovery. It pushed him to re-examine many of the beliefs he had grown up with, as the son and grandson of leading figures in Israel's political-military elite, and transformed him into a courageous and visionary activist in the struggle for human rights and a hopeful, lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.  Location is Simpson Hall at A-B Tech.  Time is 7 PM.  This is sponsored by Western Carolinians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East.  Open to the public.

11/11/12 RING BELLS FOR ARMISTICE DAY
Armistice Day:  Ring Bells For Peace @ 11am

11/16/12 PROTEST THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS AT FORT BENNING

*******************************************
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 Country Courthouse in Waynesville.
Asheville Cop Watch meeting at 5 PM at Firestorm Cafe.

THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Jubilee.
Anti-racism Group Discussion at 5:30 PM on the third Thursday of the month at Firestorm Cafe.

FRIDAY
Women in Black have a vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square (Asheville) on the first Friday of the month.
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.
Occupy Asheville General Assembly on the first Saturday of the month.  4 PM at Pritchard Park.

*******************************************
ACTIONS AND READINGS
*******************************************
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS:

Some of the most daring and important protests against environmental devastation and the Keystone XL pipeline ae presently occuring in East Texas by young people who are occupying trees. If you are interested in getting some news about this, here's an interesting letter from a protester.

https://earthfirstnews.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/love-and-rebellion-in-the-east-texas-woods/#more-10964

******************
From Veterans for Peace:

On behalf of the Iran Working Group of Veterans For Peace, I would like to urge all of you to sign the Open Letter to President Obama and the Congress (on IWG web site: http://vfp-iwg.org) calling upon them to publicly support the establishment of a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone in the Middle East as well as the upcoming UN Conference in Helsinki (December 12th) to discuss the issue of establishing a nuclear weapons free zone in the Middle East. I also invite you to join the IWG Discussion Forum on our web site and use its platform to express your views or share your experience on various issues, from war, sanctions, nuclear crisis, and other topics of your choice. I take the opportunity to ask you again to join VFP's Iran Working Group and help us stop the madness.

Peace,
Faraz
Chair, Iran Working Group, Veterans for Peace

******************

Join the virtual march against the US drone war

Hundreds of thousands of people in my country, Pakistan, are under siege from US drones: robot weapons that indiscriminately kill children, and terrorise families every day. This weekend I am leading a peace march against this secret war, and if all of you join me virtually, we could create a public storm to stop this torment.

America’s deadly drones campaign is illegal and counterproductive -- instead of beating terrorists it is driving more people to anti-American extremism. Families across the border region in Waziristan, the flash point of this war, live in constant fear of being targeted, under the deafening buzz of these remote-controlled planes 24 hours a day. Extraordinarily, the US denies any civilian deaths, but will not reveal the names of those killed, while independent reports tell of the trauma and killing of hundreds of civilians, many of them children.

This weekend, if you join me on the march, we have the chance to bring global attention to this war zone and show the United States that people across Pakistan and the world want an end to this robot war. Sign the petition now and tell everyone. We will announce all those marching virtually to the media, we will carry a flag from every country where people have signed, and when we reach 500,000 signatures I will demand a meeting with President Obama to present the petition:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Join_the_virtual_march_against_the_US_drone_war/?tMxbbab

More information on the Code Pink march (supported by other organizations like Veterans for Peace) in Pakistan:

Historic Peace March Against US Drones

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/10/06/historic-peace-march-against-us-drone-strikes-in-pakistan-makes-its-way-to-south-waziristan/


******************