Saturday, May 31, 2014
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Breaking news in Raleigh NC
With
the State Capitol Police Refusing to Arrest and Speaker Thom Tillis
Refusing to Meet with Fifteen Moral Witnesses, the North Carolina NAACP
and the Forward Together Moral Movement Settle in for a Long Night at
the NC General Assembly
RALEIGH,
NC - After state capitol law enforcement cleared the hallway in front
of Speaker Thom Tillis' office in the face of the North Carolina NAACP
and the Forward Together Moral Movement's action, Chief Jeff Weaver
announced that they did not plan to make any arrests and that the
confirmed 15 moral witnesses currently sitting in the Speaker's office.
"Speaker
Thom Tillis and his aides have refused to engage in a serious
discussion over the deep and weighty issues, and now they are playing a
waiting game in hopes that we will lose heart, pack up and go home,"
said Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, president of the North Carolina
NAACP. "But we are not here to play games. These are serious,
life-and-death questions. Where can the unemployed go for help? Where
can those hardworking North Carolinians without health care access?
Where can those who have been disenfranchised? We shall not be moved. We
are settling in for a long night at the General Assembly. "
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I support them totally.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week
UPCOMING EVENTS
05/29/14 ADVOCATING WITH CHILDREN
Hosted by Just Economics WNC. Supporting Kids and Their Families in being part of the movement for change, advocating for affordable childcare, & sharing free and low cost local kid friendly activities. Dinner, New Friends, & Action. Location is United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County at 50 S. French Broad Avenue in Asheville. No time or contact information given on this event, which I found on Facebook.
05/29/14 WNC PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY EVENT
Nuclear Abolition at Ground Zero, - an effort to abort the U. S. plan to stockpile of H-bombs for 100 years. Learn about the proposal to build a $19 Billion Uranium Processing Facility at the at Oak Ridge. 7 PM, Thursday, May 29, 2014 at the First Congregational Church, 20 Oak St., Asheville. Our speaker, Ralph Hutchison, Coordinator, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, has been engaged in a 25 year history of peaceful protest against the use of and dependence on nuclear weapons. There is no charge - There will be refreshments. For more information, contact Terry at 633-0892 or Lew at 298-1242.
05/29/14 FILM SCREENING IN BRYSON CITY
“Gasland II” will be screened at Mountain Perks in downtown Bryson City. Hosted by the Canary Coalition, Occupy WNC, and Move to Amend. Contact info@canarycoalition.org for more information. Time is 5:30 PM.
05/29/14 MORAL MOVIE SERIES
The NC NAACP in partnership with Working Films and The Mountain People's Assembly presents: The Moral Movies Film Series. From April through July, film screenings will occur once a month in at least 8 cities across the state including Asheville. The series will help build the energy and maintain the momentum of the Moral Monday/Forward Together movement. On Thursday, May 29th, we are screening the documentary, “American Winter” - the second of the four films in the series. Please join us and representatives of the NC AFL-CIO for the screening and discussion. “American Winter” is a documentary feature film that follows the personal stories of families struggling in the aftermath of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Years after the recession began, millions of families are struggling to meet their basic needs and many formerly middle class families are finding themselves in financial crisis, and needing assistance for the first time in their lives. Meanwhile, the social safety net that was created to help people in difficult times has been weakened by massive budget cuts, creating a perfect storm of greater need and fewer resources to help vulnerable families. The film is at 7 PM. Location is the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville at Edwin Place and Charlotte Street.
05/29/14 AUTHOR READING AT MALAPROPS
Author Corbin Addison reads and talks about his newest book THE GARDEN OF BURNING SAND at Malaprops Bookstore 5/29 at 7 PM. His novel depicts the struggle for social justice against power.
05/30/14 WESTERN CAROLINIANS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST MEETING
Time is 3:15 PM and location is Brooks Howell House on Merrimon in Asheville. Contact Beth at elizakeiser@aol.com for more information.
05/30/14 CELEBRATING THE CHAMPIONS OF WILDERNESS
Come spend an evening celebrating the champions of Wilderness with The Wilderness Society and friends! Honor leaders past and present who have worked to preserve America's wild lands. Mingle with representatives from organizations working for Wilderness. We'll be in the Century Room at Pack’s Tavern (20 South Spruce Street, Asheville NC) from 4 – 8 PM. This event is free and open to the public - anyone who enjoys and supports wild landscapes is encouraged to join us. You're welcome to come with an appetite: delightful hors d'oeuvres will be provided and food may be purchased at the restaurant downstairs. Of course there is a cash bar close at hand for those who work up a thirst.
Keynote address will be by Doug Scott, historian and longtime champion of Wilderness, and Meryl Harrell, who is with the Natural Resources and Environment Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For further information please call Bill at (865) 617-4804 or email Brenna at
brenna_irrer@tws.org.
05/30/14 FUNDRAISING FOR SUNDANCE
Location is Dobra Tea on Lexington Avenue in Asheville. On behalf of the collective effort of our community there will be a fundraising drive to raise money for Sundance ceremonies in South Dakota this coming June! This collective effort is organized as the Native Arts and Culture Cooperative, (NACC). Guided to preserve the cultural integrity and traditions of the Lakota people of Pine Ridge in South Dakota., and all around the world. The fundraising effort, at this time, includes a raffle drawing of 4 different items that are of at least of $200 value, some more. They include a handmade flute by Geri Littlejohn, a Pendleton blanket, and 2 gift baskets of herbal medicine preparations from local herbalists and each with gift certificates for massage and acupuncture. The raffle drawing will be held at Dobra Teahouse the night of May 30 with a performance by Geri Littlejohn, Marc Garnier, and Linda Go. Please come show your support! Cultural preservation is the vision of the Native Arts and Culture Collective. Through this we can remember what is important in our lives. Time not given.
05/31/14 ASHEVILLE SHARE FEST
Please join us for a day filled with stuff swaps, skill shares, entertainment, workshops, repair cafe, Seed Exchange, Collaborative Art Projects, Pay it Forward Healers and much more. REAL Cooperative and Share Asheville are teaming up with local organizations and projects with support from Sharable and Center for a New American Dream to host Asheville's first ShareFest to celebrate and support local sharing initiatives, collaborative consumption and the preservation of the commons! This event will be completely sourced from the community and we welcome you to participate in shaping it from start to finish. We are looking for: Partners, coordinators, volunteers, workshop presenters, activity facilitators, and more! Got questions? Contact tom@realcooperative.org. Time is 11 AM to 5 PM and location is 76 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville.
06/01/14 ASHEVILLE NOW MEETING
Join the Asheville National Organization for Women chapter meeting at 2 PM at Havana's across from Grove Arcade (downtown Asheville). Learn how we're going to change the conversation about women's rights, issues and ERA, share exciting plans to tip the November legislative agenda in favor of women, and join us at the upcoming March on Washington.
06/02/14 DINNER WITH PROGRESSIVES
For Those Who Want to Move Forward. Next Dinner With Progressives is Monday, June 2 2014, from 6 PM to 8 PM, Location TBA. All are welcome who want to learn how to make life better for everyone! This is a big year for elections vital to NC.
06/04/2014 FILM SCREENING “DOCUMENTED”
Please join us at the Erwin High School AP World History class will be hosting a screening of “Documented” – a film by an undocumented American. This will be shown in the high school auditorium. This film tells Jose Antonio Vargas’ personal story of outing himself as an undocumented immigrant, and chronicles his journey to America from the Philippines as a child; as an immigration reform activist; and his reconnection with his mother in the Philippines. We plan to show this movie to raise awareness about issues faced by undocumented students, and to raise money to donate to the NC DREAM Team to assist students with realizing their educational goals. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5. The event will also feature food and beverages, a raffle, and plenty of information from community organizations focused on servicing our undocumented population. After the screening a panel of students and NC DREAM Team representatives will be present to speak and answer questions about their experiences navigating the American school system as undocumented youth. Time is 5 PM to 9 PM.
06/04/14 SIERRA CLUB MEETING AND GREEN DRINKS
Join Asheville Green Drinks and the Sierra Club Wednesday June 4th at 7 PM for a presentation on “River Canoeing Adventure.” Sierra Club invites you to join us for Richard Kark’s River Canoeing Adventure, this time in Utah. This will be an account of a journey down the Dirty Devil, a stream in Utah. Attendees will see beautiful photos but will also get “into the heads’ of two veteran adventurers who make it up as they go along. It should be interesting to understand the complicated logistics of a trip like this and how the two adventurers arrived at all their decisions. Location is the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 1 Edwin Pl. on Charlotte in Asheville. Contact Judy at 828-683-2176 for more information.
06/05/14 LUNCH GATHERING FOR PISGAH LEGAL SERVICES
Sample select menu items and enjoy old-world style beers in Wicked Weed Brewing's private tasting room at 91 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville. Time is noon to 2 PM. Suggested donation of the $15 per person at the door. Contact Betsy Fedder to RSVP at 828-210-3444.
06/08/14 FUNDRAISER FOR CARE PARTNERS
CarePartners is proud to present "The Happy
Movie," from the Academy Award nominated filmmakers of "Genghis
Blues" and the director of "Bruce Almighty" and "I
am." Enjoy discovering the science of happiness by watching "The
Happy Movie" together. Your $10 ticket includes admission, popcorn, and
tickets for door prizes. For tickets call (828) 251-0126 - space is limited.
Proceeds benefit CarePartners Bereavement. Come enjoy! Time is 2 to 4 PM and
location is The Millroom at 66
Asheland Avenue in Asheville.
06/10/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street in Asheville.
06/11/14 ISRAEL/PALESTINE PRESENTATION
This will be at 2:30 PM at the Presbyterian Heritage Center at 318 Georgia Terrace in Montreat (best to park across the street). James Aydelotte will speak on the topic “General Assembly [of the Presbyterian Church USA] Preview: Israel/Palestine”. Proposed divestment of the church’s holdings for Caterpillar and two other companies profiting from the occupation will be one of the major topics at this meeting. For more information call 828-669-6556.
06/12/14 13TH AMENDMENT TOUR
Tour of Fragile 13th Amendment Document Ending Slavery
Many African Americans consider Juneteenth (June 19) the date in 1865 when the last slaves learned that the 13th Amendment had been passed—and they were free. As part of the observance of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, North Carolina’s copy of the 13th Amendment is traveling to six historic sites between June 5 and 21, 2014, under the auspices of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources (NCDCR). The U.S. Congress passed the 13th Amendment on Jan. 31, 1865, and ratified it on Dec. 6, 1865. Southern states had to ratify the amendment to be readmitted to the union, and it took the NC legislature exactly ten years to do so, on Dec. 6, 1875. The state’s copy of the document is stored in a climate-controlled vault of the State Archives of North Carolina. It was on exhibit last summer at the N.C. Museum of History, but this will be the first time the document has traveled outside of Raleigh. “As we approach the 150th anniversary of the creation of this important, nation-changing document, [the Department] feels it is only appropriate to carry it from Raleigh to exhibit in very symbolic locations,” explained NCDCR Secretary Susan Kluttz. “I think it is especially important that we are showcasing this freedom document in slave cabins at three of the state historic sites.” Local showing will be at Vance Birthplace in Weaverville from 11 AM to 7 PM. For more information (including information on other sites that will exhibit this), call (919) 807-7389.
06/14/14 TRIP TO THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM IN GREENSBORO
This trip departs from the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville Central Office, 165 South French Broad Avenue, rear parking lot. Boarding the bus will happen at 6:30 AM, leaving at 7 AM. We will returning to Asheville at 6PM. There will be one stop for breakfast on the road and lunch at Williams Cafeteria on A&T’s campus for the afternoon meal. $60 Per Person – transportation and admission only, meals at your expense. May 30, 2014 is the full payment deadline. This is sponsored by The A&T University Alumni Association of Asheville. Send Check or Money Order to: A&T Asheville Alumni Chapter, PO Box 2272, Asheville, NC 28802. For more information contact: William Edward Young, Jr., Chapter President at 828.251.2964.
06/14/14 to 06/22/14 MOUNTAIN JUSTICE SUMMER CAMP IN KENTUCKY
The 10th Annual Mountain Justice Summer Camp is scheduled for June 14 to 22 on top of beautiful Pine Mountain in eastern Kentucky near Whitesburg. Registration for the summer camp is now live and everyone concerned about the future of Appalachia’s forests, water systems and mountains is invited! Registration at mountainjustice.org is low cost and includes all meals, tent camping and workshops and activities for the week. The camp will be followed immediately by a cool festival called Supermoon Music and Arts Festival. The Mountain Justice Summer campsite will be at Wiley’s Last Resort. Mountain Justice Summer camp will offer a wide variety of speakers and workshops related to mountaintop removal and building a new economy in the mountains. Evening panel discussions include Mountain Women, a History of Resistance in Appalachia, Appalachian Youth and Appalachian Culture. Evening entertainment includes live music, dancing and documentary films about Appalachian history, music and culture.
06/15/14 ETHICAL SOCIETY OF ASHEVILLE MEETING
At this time of eroding rights in our state "Fifty Years Later: Lessons from the Civil Rights Movement" will be presented by Carol Rogoff Hallstrom, public interest attorney and community activist, at the Sunday June 15th meeting of the Ethical Society of Asheville, 2:00-3:30 PM at The Friends Meeting House located at 227 Edgewood Road (near UNCA). Hallstrom will share her thoughts regarding the unique perspective of SNCC (Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee) and the role of organizing and crises in creating social change. There will be a discussion period following the presentation. Following the meeting, there will be time for informal conversation. All are welcome!
06/16/14 FORUM ON CLIMATE AND FAITH
To Stand Against the Storm, We Must Stand Somewhere: A Forum on Climate and Faith. Time is 1 to 8 PM. Given the realities of climate change, what unique role can faith communities play in North Carolina? In this 1/2 day workshop on June 16th, join us as we learn from local and national leaders on a wide array of topics related to faith and climate. This solutions-oriented gathering will explore not only what challenges we face with climate change, but also the unique role faith communities have to play in finding creative solutions. Tired of another guilt-tripping environmental workshop that bums you out and leaves you feeling overwhelmed? This one is different. Join us as we focus on theological reflection, ecological resilience, and that much-neglected biblical virtue of hope. Our evening keynote will be given by biblical scholar and activist Ched Myers. This forum is free; however, you must register in advance. Sponsored by the Food, Faith, and Religious Leadership Initiative at Wake Forest U. School of Divinity, WNC Green Congregations, Western NC Alliance, NC Interfaith Power & Light, and host congregation Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church. Go to the link in the “Sabbath Economics” (below) to register.
06/17/14 TO 06/20/14 SABBATH ECONOMICS AND WATERSHED DISCIPLESHIP
“Sabbath Economics and Watershed Discipleship: A Theology and a Practice for a New Day” will be held at Warren Wilson College from 8 AM to 5 PM each day. This is sponsored by the Food, Faith, and Religious Leadership Initiative with support from Kalleiopeia Foundation. The interlocking crises of deepening climate change, resource exhaustion, and social disparity are stalking our history. To truly face these crises is to commit ourselves, as Christians and citizens, to radical and urgent changes that are both profoundly political and personal. The course will combine classroom learning, worship, eating together, and hands-on learning. Morning sessions will be led by renowned biblical scholar and activist Ched Myers, who will focus on “watershed discipleship” as a guiding metaphor and theological frame of reference. Afternoons will feature outdoor experiential education in local food gardens. Who this course is for pastors, non-profit leaders, faith-based activists, gardeners and farmers, and anyone interested in the intersection of Christian spirituality, ecological restoration, and redemptive agriculture. To register, go to http://divinity.wfu.edu/watershed/registration/.
06/26/14 MORAL MOVIES SERIES
You’ve heard about Moral Mondays, but what about Moral Movies? The NC Justice Center is proud to be a collaborator, along with the NC NAACP and Working Films, on the Moral Movies film series, which is bringing award-winning documentaries to cities across North Carolina to jumpstart community dialogue and action on social, economic, and environmental issues. Moral Movies will take place the last week of each month from April through July in Wilmington, Asheville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Greenville and Durham. The Asheville screenings are hosted by the Mountain People's Assembly. Tonight’s film will be “Freedom Summer” presented by Democracy NC. Time is 7 PM and location is Jubilee at 46 Wall Street in Asheville.
07/24/14 TO 07/27/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE ANNUAL CONVENTION
This will be held at UNCA. Registration for the convention and information at this link:
07/25/14 MORAL MOVIES SERIES
You’ve heard about Moral Mondays, but what about Moral Movies? The NC Justice Center is proud to be a collaborator, along with the NC NAACP and Working Films, on the Moral Movies film series, which is bringing award-winning documentaries to cities across North Carolina to jumpstart community dialogue and action on social, economic, and environmental issues. Moral Movies will take place the last week of each month from April through July in Wilmington, Asheville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Greenville and Durham. The Asheville screenings are hosted by the Mountain People's Assembly. Tonight’s film will be “Inequality for All” presented by NC Justice Center. Time is 7 PM and location is Ferguson Auditorium at AB Tech, 340 Victoria Road in Asheville.
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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 Vance Monument 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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'BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD'
Greetings fellow Veterans For Peace and all who seek peace in our world. That quote above, attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, isn't the theme of the 2014 Veterans for Peace convention in Asheville this July but I'm using it as an invitation to action in support of the convention. The actual theme of the convention is “PEACE OR PERISH – ABOLISH WAR ON PLANET AND POOR”.
No doubt the week of July 23 - 27 will be yet another tragic week of worldwide institutional and militaristic mayhem causing death, destruction, impoverishment and oppression, all in the pursuit of preparing for war, waging war and profiting from war. That same week in Asheville, however, will be the one place on earth where so many peace-seeking people will be gathered in community for learning, discussion, contemplation and action in direct opposition of that mayhem.
Will you be the change that you wish to see in our world? Opportunities to act in support of this event are varied and numerous.
Could you/would you make available some space in your Asheville area home to house one or more kindred souls wishing to attend the convention, who cannot afford any other form of available housing? Let me know if you would and I'll contact you to gather some information and let you know how that would work. (Contact Gerry at gwerhan@gmail.com.)
Could you/would you serve as a volunteer in one or more of the following roles? Please note: There will be a need to fill multiple shifts and multiples of each role and there will be orientation provided to ensure you are knowledgeable and comfortable in filling the roles you volunteer for. The more volunteers we have, the more time each will have to attend the convention program events. There will also be a limited number of opportunities to volunteer for a full day and attend selected program events at a reduced rate. Please mention that if interested.
*Pedestrian Traffic Guide on campus, helping attendees get to the right places at the right times to get the most out their time among us.
*Merchandise Table Assistant, keeping items organized and secure. National VFP Representative would handle the money.
*Registration Table Assistant, warmly greeting attendees, distributing registration packets, providing information. National VFP Representative would handle money and related registration details.
*"Go-fer"
*Workshop Assistant, helping presenters with some clerical tasks to free them up to do their work as effectively as possible.
*Driver - We'll have two 15 passenger vans in use during the convention to help meet the various transportation needs of our attendees as best we can and when other transportation options won't do.
Could you/would you serve on our Person-to-Person Contact Team? As we receive registrations (already happening) we'd like to have Chapter 99 members, and others in the local progressive community, send an email as soon as possible to each registrant in the spirit of welcome, assistance and fellowship that we'd hope would build community leading up to the convention, during the convention and beyond. Please note: I will provide you with the basic content of the email, to which you can add your personal touch. All of these opportunities offer the potential for personal demonstration of a commitment to peace in our world in meaningful and practical ways. It's my hope that I'll be overwhelmed with responses and have the opportunity to work with you to help you show that commitment, especially as representatives of the Asheville area, progressive and VFP community. Please email me to let me know how you want to help. For those reading this that have already volunteered, please let me know if you have a preference for any of the roles described above. Also, please forward this email to your like-minded friends, family and organizational contacts to ensure that they, too, have this singular opportunity to “Be the Change That They Wish to see in the World”.
Thanks,
Semper Fidelis et Pacificus
Gerry Werhan
gwerhan@gmail.com
Volunteer Coordinator
704.957.2924
Registration for the convention and information at this link:
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Global labor confederation calls for end of all nukes, end to Israeli occupation
Excerpt from: BUILDING WORKERS' POWER --- Congress Statement -3rd ITUC World Congress 18-23 May 2014 Berlin
Weapons of mass destruction pose a grave and present threat to humanity. The ITUC will work with its civil society allies to see all countries ratify and implement the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, including through the 2015 NPT Review Conference. We call for urgent negotiations on a treaty to ban the manufacture, stockpiling and possession of nuclear weapons as a first step towards their complete eradication. We will also act to ensure regulation of the small arms trade and to show how hundreds of billions of dollars of military expenditure must be better spent meeting vital needs for sustainable employment and development.
Migration must be a free choice for every person, and may be necessary to escape from war, dictatorship, slavery or poverty. Migration policies must be the responsibility of the UN and therefore based on a rights-based approach, in line with ILO principles. Every migrant should have the choice to stay at home where full employment, decent work and social protection is guaranteed or alternatively, have a path to citizenship in a new country of their choosing. The world needs investment that provides opportunity everywhere, not walls that divide people and deny them the chance to build a decent future.
We demand that the UN post-2015 Sustainability Goals include targets for full employment, decent work and a social protection floor, including universal, free, quality, education and access to affordable healthcare, food, water, sanitation, and energy security. Global action on HIV-AIDS and other pandemic and epidemic diseases must remain high on the agenda. The ITUC stands beside our brothers and sisters engaged in liberation struggles and the fight for democracy and human rights, including in Bahrain, Belarus, Egypt, Fiji, Libya, Tunisia and Western Sahara. The ITUC denounces the harsh suffering of the Saharawi people, which has continued for half a century, and urges the UN and all parties involved to search urgently for a just, lasting and acceptable solution which guarantees the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
We denounce the occupation of Palestine by Israel, and will mobilize for a just and sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine, in accordance with the legitimacy of international law and in particular Resolutions 242 and 338 of the UN Security Council. We call for: An end to the construction of illegal Israeli settlements and removal of existing settlements; Israel's withdrawal from all Palestinian lands, in
line with the 4th of June 1967 borders; and the dismantling of the illegal separation wall.
These demands will support equity, justice and the achievement of a comprehensive peace, confirming the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of a free and independent
Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. We equally support the demands of our people for peace and security in nations ravaged by conflict, such as Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Mali, Somalia, Syria and those subject to oppression in Iran, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. And we deplore the denial of rights, in particular attacks on freedom of association, and anti-union actions. We will fight for an end to impunity in Colombia, Guatemala and Turkey, and for an end to slavery in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and other nations. We will continue to oppose oppression and discrimination on the grounds of ethnic or indigenous origin, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. Discrimination and xenophobia have no place in just societies, whether at home or at work.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Pictures from Moral Monday protest on May 19, 2014
My friend Leslie Boyd
Inside the legislature
This is the after rally.
Going into the legislature
Speaker at the rally
Raging grannies
My friend Sarah
My friend TJ and her daughter.
We need to stop corporate welfare.
No one treats the corporate criminals or corporate welfare kings that way.
Locally, the sheriff and DA and someone from DHHS is going after "welfare cheats". They don't mean the business and corporations that rob the taxpayers, and they have shown no interest in protecting the local population from poison dumped by corporations and local businesses (like the CTS site or the fuel spill in Hominy Creek) that actually, really, truly harm people.
NO, that is not their agenda. They want people to rat out other (poor) people so they can send the police to harass and intimidate and potentially harm them. And then throw them in jail or on the street and pat themselves on the back for being in favor of "stopping crime".
One thing I know for sure - what Sheriff Duncan and DA Moore and the local DHHS person is promoting is as far from being Christian as one can possible get. Instead of helping "the least of these" they are trying their best to make life miserable for those who are poor. THEY SICKEN ME. THEY HAVE NO SOULS, NO EMPATHY AND NO MORALS.
Yes, I am tired of paying for corporate welfare cheats and the massive amounts of money they suck up. I am tired of paying for cleaning up their messes of the corporate welfare cheats. I am tired of subsidizing their profits by making their employees eligible for food stamps and daycare vouchers. I am tired, tired, tired, of hearing that we have to hand over our tax dollars to corporate welfare kings in order "to create jobs". It is a lie no matter how often it is repeated. And I am tired, very tired, very very tired, of people on the public payroll who main goals and agendas seems to be to treat people (who happen to be poor) like shit. I am tired of seeing and hearing about them kicking/mistreating the people among us who are facing massive problems, including mental health problems. Yes, I mean Duncan and Moore and anyone at DHHS who helps them with this agenda. It disgusts me. Here are photos of the postcards (that I found at my local library) that inspired this rant:
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Upcoming events for the week of May 18, 2014
UPCOMING EVENTS
05/19/14 FIRST MORAL MONDAY FOR 2014 IN RALEIGH
05/19/14 to 05/23/14 STRIVE NOT TO DRIVE WEEK
05/20/14 ASHEVILLE
RADICAL MENTAL HEALTH COLLECTIVE
Please join the Asheville Radical Mental Health Collective
and co-founders of The Icarus Project (Sascha Altman DuBrul and Jacks McNamara)
for an open community workshop and skill share on radical mental health, mutual
aid, and strategies for forging practices that support individual and collective
liberation and transformative recovery. We are bringing together a couple of
really amazing mutual aid community members who have a distinctive set of
experiences and insights re: radical activism, madness, social justice, and
explorations of the role of liberation in individual and collective healing.
The Icarus Project helped to publish Mindful Occupation about sustainable
radical organizing and trauma-aware support within direct action communities.
This will be on Tuesday, May 20th, from 4 PM to 6:30 PM at Eagle Street Coffee,
39 S. Market St.
Please email Faith for more information at radmadasheville@theicarusproject.net
or call her at 828-545-8321.
05/20/14 AUDUBON SOCIETY MEETING
The mission of the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society (EMAS) is
to promote an awareness and appreciation of nature, to preserve and protect
wildlife and natural ecosystems, and to encourage responsible environmental
stewardship. EMAS hold meetings at the Reuter Center
(Room 102) on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 PM. The meeting is free and
open to the public. Contact Lew at olli@unca.edu for more information.
05/20/14 FUNDRAISER FOR HOMINY CREEK GREENWAY
Join Friends of Hominy Creek Greenway for a gathering at Unity Church
(130 Shelburne Road, Asheville) to support YOUR greenway! Food,
beer, raffle, slackline, cornhole, scavenger hunt! Come celebrate, find out
what improvement projects we're working on and help us to raise money for those
projects! We look forward to seeing you there! Time is 5 to 8 PM.
05/20/14 THE ICARUS PROJECT
Please join co-founders of The Icarus Project and the
Asheville Radical Mental Health Collective for an open community workshop and
skill-share on practices, projects, and perspectives that empower individual
and collective healing in a crazy world. Come explore alternatives to the
traditional language and worldviews of biological psychiatry and learn about
The Icarus Project, a radical mental health support network, online community,
and alternative media project by and for people struggling with extreme states
that often get labeled as mental illness. Time is 4 to 6:30 PM and location is
Eagle Street Coffee Emporium at 39
South Market Street in Asheville. For more information, contact radmadasheville@theicarusproject.net.
05/20/14 HEART SPEAK & EMPATHY PRACTICE GROUP
HeartSpeak & Empathy Practice Group with Cathy Holt.
Share giving and receiving empathy, and practice communicating feelings &
needs in a supportive space. Every third Tuesday from 7:30-9 PM. Drop in; love
offering appreciated. Location is 386
Kenilworth Road at Digges. For more information,
call 828-545-9681.
05/21/14 ASHEVILLE
GREEN DRINKS
Join Asheville Green Drinks at 6 PM at the Green Sage
Coffeehouse and Cafe (5 Broadway in downtown Asheville) for a presentation on Strategic
Transportation Initiatives. Come hear about North Carolina’s new system for ranking and
funding transportation projects – from highways to rail to transit to sidewalks
and greenways. This system has major implications for I-26 improvements and
other transportation projects in and around Asheville. Paul Black, French Broad River MPO
Director of the regional transportation planning agency and member of the
statewide work-group that helped craft the law, will explain the new system and
tell us what kinds of projects are likely to rank high and which ones are not.
Socializing starts at 5:30 PM.
05/21/14 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE
SOCIAL
Topic is “Resiliency! Your Story” and time is 6:30 PM.
Location is Community Action Opportunities. What IS resiliency? Is it a frame
of mind? A set of skills? An overall game plan? And….how does it show up in
YOUR life? Come and share your own story of resiliency and hear from others. Let’s
talk together and see why resiliency is one of the CORE concepts in the
Transition movement. How can we develop it in ourselves, our neighborhood, and
our community? And why is it so vital for our future? The Transition Potluck
series has been renamed: The “TA Monthly Social Get-together” and no more will
you be asked to bring a shared dish. Instead, the light dessert-type
refreshments and beverages are on us! Note the later starting time (6:30) and
that the date is a WEDNESDAY, not the usual Tuesday. We are meeting at the
usual place: Community Action Opportunities, lower level, 25 Gaston Street.
05/22/14 FRACKING PRESENTATION IN BREVARD
A 45 minute presentation on fracking by Clean Water for NC,
at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 24 Varsity Ave. Email sally@cwfnc.org for
more info. Free and open to the public. Time is 7 PM.
05/23/14 CLEAN ENERGY TOUR OF THE ENERGYXCHANGE CENTER
Time is 11 AM to 2 PM. Join the Western North Carolina
Alliance for a clean energy outing and tour of the EnergyXChange Renewable
Energy Center in Burnsville, NC followed by a sustainable potluck style lunch.
In 1994 the Yancey and Mitchell
County landfill closed
and local leaders went to work on ways to use the space and harness the
landfill gases. While two of North Carolina’s
most rural counties, Yancey and Mitchell
County is home to some of America’s most
creative artists and beautiful native plants. This led to the idea to turn the
former landfill into a place where developing artists could work and grow while
at the same time supporting greenhouses that cultivate endangered flora while
utilizing the landfill gas. So, what exactly is EnergyXChange doing with the
landfill gas it captures? Well, they are harnessing the gas and using it as an
energy source to run their facilities. Methane gas from the decommissioned
landfill powers a hot shop for glass blowers, a pottery kiln, and supplies
radiant heat for the studios, greenhouses, education center, offices and art
gallery. The tour of the EnergyXChange will consist of an explanation of how
the Landfill Gas is extracted from the landfill, the clay studio and kiln, the
glass studio, greenhouses and an explanation of how the Landfill Gas provides
heat for our buildings, and an outdoor green potluck picnic, please bring a
sustainable dish to share with others! For questions, please contact Education
and Outings Coordinator: Isabelle at isabelle@wnca.org or by calling her at
828-258-8737 ext. 201.
05/23/14 GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO
This is the first anniversary of the second time President
Obama promised to close Guantanamo
prison camp. A few individuals have been released in the past year, but more
than 150 prisoners remain - none of whom have been convicted of a crime in a
court of law.
05/23/14 STRIVE NOT TO DRIVE TRANSPORTATION STORY SLAM
This is at Clingman Café at 242 Clingman Avenue in Asheville. It begins at 7 PM and goes until
8:30 PM. No further information.
05/24/14 DIALOGUE IN THE PARK ON DIGNITY AND MENTAL HEALTH
On Saturday, May 24th, the Magnetic Minds and Asheville
Radical Mental Collective dialogue-in-the-park on Dignity and Mental Health
(that was rescheduled from 05/10) will be held from 4 to 6 PM at Aston Park
in Central Asheville at the corner of Hilliard and S.
French Broad. The Dialogue on Dignity and Mental Health is an
experimental collaborative organizing endeavor between a couple of different
local support groups which is part of a national movement to raise awareness of
dignity as an integral aspect of experiences of mental health and, as a
community, address the impact of stigma and discrimination on individual and
collective mental health. The event will be facilitated by members of Magnetic
Minds and the Asheville Radical Mental Health Collective and materials to
support dialogue will be made available. The dialogue will be followed by a
brief vigil of remembrance and commitment to hope in honor of those who may not
be able to be there. For more information, contact
radmadasheville@theicarusproject.net or call Faith at 828 - 545 8321.
05/24/14 BENEFIT FOR ASHEVILLE
HOMELESS NETWORK
Location is Adam Dalton Distillery at 251 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville. Time is 7 to 8 PM. Peace Jones and
The Klmberley White Project will be playing.
05/24/14 MARCH AGAINST MONSANTO
More Citizens of Planet Earth are waking up to
the deadly threat of GMOs/Biotech, but There is still much work to be done to
have them labeled and BANNED! Meet with us again to March Against Monsanto
through downtown Asheville
and celebrate our local food, farmers, craftspeople, and music at the World
Food Festival afterwards. Time is 12 Noon and location is Pack Square.
05/28/14 SACE’S OPEN HOUSE IN ASHEVILLE
AND ASHEVILLE
GREEN DRINKS
The Southern Alliance for
Clean Energy invites you to join us at our upcoming Open House featuring our
energy efficiency improvements and 6.9 kW solar photovoltaic installation. We
hope you'll take this opportunity to learn about clean energy, energy
efficiency retrofits and the "power" of solar energy. Visit our
office and see what energy choices we've made to help support a cleaner,
healthier and safer Asheville
community. We will be offering tours throughout the evening starting at 5:45
p.m. Please park on the street or in either parking lot at 7 Orchard St. Time is 5 PM to 7 PM. This
event is weather dependent. Location is 46 Orchard Street in Asheville. Open to the public. Organized by
cleanenergy.org. Please RSVP by May 21, 2014 by contacting Jennifer at
jennifer@cleanenergy.org or call 828-254-6776.
05/29/14 ADVOCATING WITH CHILDREN
Hosted by Just Economics WNC. Supporting Kids and Their
Families in being part of the movement for change, advocating for affordable
childcare, & sharing free and low cost local kid friendly activities.
Dinner, New Friends, & Action. Location is United Way of Asheville
and Buncombe County
at 50 S. French Broad Avenue
in Asheville.
No time or contact information given on this event, which I found on Facebook.
05/29/14 WNC PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY EVENT
Nuclear Abolition at Ground Zero, - an effort to abort the U. S. plan to stockpile
of H-bombs for 100 years. Learn about the proposal to build a $19 Billion
Uranium Processing Facility at the at Oak
Ridge. 7 PM, Thursday, May 29, 2014 at the First
Congregational Church, 20 Oak St.,
Asheville. Our speaker, Ralph
Hutchison, Coordinator, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, has been
engaged in a 25 year history of peaceful protest against the use of and
dependence on nuclear weapons. There is no charge - There will be refreshments.
For more information, contact Terry at 633-0892 or Lew at 298-1242.
05/29/14 FILM SCREENING IN BRYSON CITY
“Gasland II” will be screened at Mountain Perks in downtown Bryson City.
Hosted by the Canary Coalition, Occupy WNC, and Move to Amend. Contact
info@canarycoalition.org for more information. Time is 5:30 PM.
05/29/14 MORAL MOVIE FILM SERIES
The NC NAACP in partnership with Working Films and The
Mountain People's Assembly presents: The Moral Movies Film Series. From
April through July, film screenings will occur once a month in at least 8
cities across the state including Asheville.
The series will help build the energy and maintain the momentum of the Moral
Monday/Forward Together movement. On Thursday, May 29th, we are screening the
documentary, “American Winter” - the second of the four films in the series.
Please join us and representatives of the NC AFL-CIO for the screening and
discussion. “American Winter” is a documentary feature film that follows the
personal stories of families struggling in the aftermath of the worst economic
crisis since the Great Depression. Years after the recession began, millions of
families are struggling to meet their basic needs and many formerly middle
class families are finding themselves in financial crisis, and needing
assistance for the first time in their lives. Meanwhile, the social safety net
that was created to help people in difficult times has been weakened by massive
budget cuts, creating a perfect storm of greater need and fewer resources to
help vulnerable families. The film is at 7 PM. Location is the Unitarian
Universalist Congregation of Asheville at Edwin Place and Charlotte Street.
05/30/14 WESTERN CAROLINIANS
FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST MEETING
Time is 3:15 PM and location is Brooks Howell House on
Merrimon in Asheville.
Contact Beth at elizakeiser@aol.com for more information.
05/31/14 ASHEVILLE
SHARE FEST
Please join us for a day filled with stuff swaps, skill
shares, entertainment, workshops, repair cafe, Seed Exchange, Collaborative Art
Projects, Pay it Forward Healers and much more. REAL Cooperative and Share
Asheville are teaming up with local organizations and projects with support
from Sharable and Center for a New American Dream to host Asheville's first ShareFest to celebrate and
support local sharing initiatives, collaborative consumption and the
preservation of the commons! This event will be completely sourced from the
community and we welcome you to participate in shaping it from start to finish.
We are looking for: Partners, coordinators, volunteers, workshop presenters,
activity facilitators, and more! Got questions? Contact
tom@realcooperative.org. Time is 11 AM to 5 PM and location is 76 Biltmore Avenue
in Asheville.
06/02/14 DINNER WITH PROGRESSIVES
For Those Who Want to Move Forward. Next Dinner With
Progressives is Monday, June 2 2014, from 6 PM to 8 PM, Location TBA. All are
welcome who want to learn how to make life better for everyone! This is a big
year for elections vital to NC.
06/10/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic
Studios: 109 Roberts Street
in Asheville.
06/12/14 13TH AMENDMENT TOUR
Tour of Fragile 13th Amendment Document Ending Slavery
Many African Americans consider Juneteenth (June 19) the
date in 1865 when the last slaves learned that the 13th Amendment had been
passed—and they were free. As part of the observance of the 150th anniversary
of the Civil War, North Carolina’s
copy of the 13th Amendment is traveling to six historic sites between June 5
and 21, 2014, under the auspices of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources
(NCDCR). The U.S. Congress passed the 13th Amendment on Jan. 31, 1865, and
ratified it on Dec. 6, 1865. Southern states had to ratify the amendment to be
readmitted to the union, and it took the NC legislature exactly ten years to do
so, on Dec. 6, 1875. The state’s copy of the document is stored in a
climate-controlled vault of the State Archives of North Carolina. It was on
exhibit last summer at the N.C. Museum of History, but this will be the first
time the document has traveled outside of Raleigh.
“As we approach the 150th anniversary of the creation of this important,
nation-changing document, [the Department] feels it is only appropriate to
carry it from Raleigh
to exhibit in very symbolic locations,” explained NCDCR Secretary Susan Kluttz.
“I think it is especially important that we are showcasing this freedom document
in slave cabins at three of the state historic sites.” Local showing will be at
Vance Birthplace in Weaverville from 11 AM to 7 PM. For more information
(including information on other sites that will exhibit this), call (919)
807-7389.
06/14/14 TRIP TO THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
IN GREENSBORO
This trip departs from the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville Central Office,
165 South French Broad Avenue,
rear parking lot. Boarding the bus will happen at 6:30 AM, leaving at 7 AM. We
will returning to Asheville
at 6PM. There will be one stop for breakfast on the road and lunch at Williams
Cafeteria on A&T’s campus for the afternoon meal. $60 Per Person –
transportation and admission only, meals at your expense. May 30, 2014 is the
full payment deadline. This is sponsored by The A&T University Alumni
Association of Asheville. Send Check or Money Order to: A&T Asheville
Alumni Chapter, PO Box 2272,
Asheville, NC 28802. For more information contact:
William Edward Young, Jr., Chapter President at 828.251.2964.
06/14/14 to 06/22/14 MOUNTAIN JUSTICE SUMMER CAMP IN
KENTUCKY
The 10th Annual Mountain Justice Summer Camp is scheduled
for June 14 to 22 on top of beautiful Pine
Mountain in eastern Kentucky near Whitesburg. Registration
for the summer camp is now live and everyone concerned about the future of Appalachia’s forests, water systems and mountains is
invited! Registration at mountainjustice.org is low cost and includes all
meals, tent camping and workshops and activities for the week. The camp will be
followed immediately by a cool festival called Supermoon Music and Arts
Festival. The Mountain Justice Summer campsite will be at Wiley’s Last Resort.
Mountain Justice Summer camp will offer a wide variety of speakers and
workshops related to mountaintop removal and building a new economy in the
mountains. Evening panel discussions include Mountain Women, a History of
Resistance in Appalachia, Appalachian Youth
and Appalachian Culture. Evening entertainment includes live music,
dancing and documentary films about Appalachian history, music and culture.
07/23/14 TO 07/27/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE ANNUAL CONVENTION
This will be held at UNCA. Registration for the convention and information at this
link:
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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 Vance Monument
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.
*******************************************
ACTIONS AND READINGS
*******************************************
'BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD'
Greetings fellow Veterans For Peace and all who seek peace
in our world. That quote above, attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, isn't the
theme of the 2014 Veterans for Peace convention in Asheville this July but I'm using it as an
invitation to action in support of the convention. The actual theme of the
convention is “PEACE OR PERISH – ABOLISH WAR ON PLANET AND POOR”.
No doubt the week of July 23 - 27 will be yet another tragic
week of worldwide institutional and militaristic mayhem causing death,
destruction, impoverishment and oppression, all in the pursuit of preparing for
war, waging war and profiting from war. That same week in Asheville, however, will be the one place on
earth where so many peace-seeking people will be gathered in community for
learning, discussion, contemplation and action in direct opposition of that
mayhem.
Will you be the change that you wish to see in our world?
Opportunities to act in support of this event are varied and numerous.
Could you/would you make available some space in your
Asheville area home to house one or more kindred souls wishing to attend the
convention, who cannot afford any other form of available housing? Let me know
if you would and I'll contact you to gather some information and let you know
how that would work. (Contact Gerry at gwerhan@gmail.com.)
Could you/would you serve as a volunteer in one or more of
the following roles? Please note: There will be a need to fill multiple shifts
and multiples of each role and there will be orientation provided to ensure you
are knowledgeable and comfortable in filling the roles you volunteer for. The
more volunteers we have, the more time each will have to attend the convention
program events. There will also be a limited number of opportunities to
volunteer for a full day and attend selected program events at a reduced rate.
Please mention that if interested.
*Pedestrian Traffic Guide on campus, helping attendees get
to the right places at the right times to get the most out their time among us.
*Merchandise Table Assistant, keeping items organized and
secure. National VFP Representative would handle the money.
*Registration Table Assistant, warmly greeting attendees,
distributing registration packets, providing information. National VFP
Representative would handle money and related registration details.
*"Go-fer"
*Workshop Assistant, helping presenters with some clerical
tasks to free them up to do their work as effectively as possible.
*Driver - We'll have two 15 passenger vans in use during the
convention to help meet the various transportation needs of our attendees as
best we can and when other transportation options won't do.
Could you/would you serve on our Person-to-Person Contact
Team? As we receive registrations (already happening) we'd like to have Chapter
99 members, and others in the local progressive community, send an email as
soon as possible to each registrant in the spirit of welcome, assistance and
fellowship that we'd hope would build community leading up to the convention,
during the convention and beyond. Please note: I will provide you with the
basic content of the email, to which you can add your personal touch. All of
these opportunities offer the potential for personal demonstration of a
commitment to peace in our world in meaningful and practical ways. It's my hope
that I'll be overwhelmed with responses and have the opportunity to work with
you to help you show that commitment, especially as representatives of the Asheville area,
progressive and VFP community. Please email me to let me know how you want to
help. For those reading this that have already volunteered, please let me know
if you have a preference for any of the roles described above. Also, please
forward this email to your like-minded friends, family and organizational
contacts to ensure that they, too, have this singular opportunity to “Be the
Change That They Wish to see in the World”.
Thanks,
Semper Fidelis et Pacificus
Gerry Werhan
gwerhan@gmail.com
Volunteer Coordinator
704.957.2924
Registration for the convention and information at this
link:
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I just signed a declaration of peace!
All individuals and organizations, all over the world, are
invited to sign a short statement in support of ending all war, and to join in
the planning of a new movement to be launched on September 21, 2014. This is
the whole statement:
“I understand that wars and militarism make us less safe
rather than protect us, that they kill, injure and traumatize adults, children
and infants, severely damage the natural environment, erode civil liberties,
and drain our economies, siphoning resources from life-affirming activities. I
commit to engage in and support nonviolent efforts to end all war and
preparations for war and to create a sustainable and just peace.”
To sign this, and to get involved in many different ways, or
to see the case against war explained clearly for anyone who has doubts, go to http://worldbeyondwar.org.
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