Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

UPCOMING EVENTS

NOTE:  Veterans for Peace, an international organization to promote peace and stop wars, is holding their national conference in Asheville later this month. The conference will cover many topics of interest to progressives, peace activists, and environmentalists. See July 24 for a link to the conference website and check out the program. I hope all local folks can sign up for this conference, and if you can help out, volunteer by contacting Gerry at gwerhan@gmail.com. 

07/14/14 ASHEVILLE RESTAURANT WORKERS UNITE

For the first time, full-service and fast food restaurant workers will come together to share their stories, talk about best practices in the workplace, and learn how we can work with our employers to create better working conditions here in Asheville. Cookout, music, meet and greet with other restaurant workers in Asheville and make a difference. Location is Carrier Park on Amboy Road in Asheville, and time is 3 to 5 PM.

07/14/14 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE MONTHLY SOCIAL

Harnessing Our Power as Cultural Change Agents: When it comes to culture and society, everyone is a participant.  Whether we want to or not, when we interact with other people, or even just spend a few dollars, we are influencing the culture and society around us.  The next Transition Asheville Monthly Social will feature a lively presentation and discussion facilitated by Transition Asheville’s Dylan Ryals-Hamilton, about how we as individuals and a community can make the most impact with the best results. Whether we do it through protesting, signing petitions, planting gardens, installing solar panels, creating new economic models, or just our day-to-day interactions with friends and neighbors, we all have an impact and a voice! Snacks will be provided (and feel free to bring something special and yummy to share if you wish).  Also please bring a plate or bowl, cup, and utensils if you want to eat!  We’ll gather at 6:30 PM on Monday, July 14th, at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church, 337 Charlotte Street.

07/15/14 MOBILIZE ASHEVILLE BY WNC FRACK FREE

In an effort have the most effective action against Fracking in WNC and to help the state-wide coalition our group is organizing around the August 25 Public Hearing from 5-9PM in Reidsville, NC (3 hours from Asheville). We will be breaking up into teams working to do further outreach/publicity, bring in more experts (doctors, professors and scientists), handle logistics and media/graphics. We hope to make this organizing event fun and impactful. We will have everyone leave with a clear idea of what they can do to help and next steps within their team. We hope to find alignment and work in coordination with many groups including our partner Clean Water for NC. Food and Beer available :) Time is 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM and location is Asheville Music Hall at 31 Patton Avenue in downtown Asheville. This is  a Facebook event, so go to “Fracking in NC Action Group - Mountain Area” for more information. 

07/16/14 GREEN DRINKS

Join us Wednesday July 16th at 6PM at the Green Sage Coffeehouse and Cafe for a presentation by the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Asheville. Resilience: where climate prevention and climate adaptation meet. Lessons from Copenhagen. Many of us focus our efforts on preventing climate change but now that our communities are experiencing the impacts of a changing climate we need to understand where the strategies for prevention and adaptation meet. Maggie Ullman, the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Asheville will share lessons learned from an intra-city exchange to Copenhagen Denmark. Time is 6 to 7 PM and location is Green Sage Cafe in downtown Asheville.

07/16/14 HEALTH AND FRACKING DISCUSSION IN SYLVA

This will be held at Jackson County Public Library in the Community Room. Dr. Graeme Potter of Dogwood Insight Center will present information about the health implications of Fracking. Refreshments provided. Time is 6 PM.

07/17/14 FRACKING UPDATES IN BURNSVILLE

Burnsville Library, 321 School Cir, in the upstairs media room. Presentation by Nicole DeCogliano. Time is 7 PM. Email delcoglianon@email.appstate.edu for more info. 

07/18/14 FRACKING UPDATES IN SPRUCE PINE

Spruce Pine Library at 142 Walnut Street in Spruce Pine. Presentation by Nicole DeCogliano. Time is 7 PM. Email delcoglianon@email.appstate.edu for more info. 

07/18/14 ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCTION AND NATURAL BUILDINGS TOUR

Tour green homes, farms and gardens at Earthaven Ecovillage and surrounding neighborhoods. Design styles and features include tiny houses, stud-frame, cob, straw-bale, earthship, passive solar, and off-the-grid solar systems. Topics include composting, humanure, animal husbandry, bio-char, cover crops, rotational grazing. Talk to owners and builders to learn how these techniques were employed.  Registration required. Time is 9:30 AM to  5 PM. For more information or to get information on how to register, contact NikiAnne at (828) 664-0268.

07/18/14 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. Physicians, health personnel and everyone; all are welcomed at our monthly meetings! Contact Lew at patrie.wncpsr@main.nc.us for directions to the meeting. 

07/19/14 SIERRA CLUB PICNIC

On Saturday, July 19, the Sierra Club will enjoy its 5th Annual Summer Picnic from noon to 4 pm at the Blue Ridge Parkway sheltered picnic grounds located on Bull Mt. Rd. near the VA Hospital on Riceville Rd. 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 pot luck dish to share and your own settings. Drinks will be provided. Badminton, horseshoes and music will add to the festivities. We hope to see you there! Time is 12 noon to 4 PM. 

07/19/14 NO FRACKING WNC SUMMIT IN JACKSON OR MACON COUNTY

Time is 9 to 12 PM and location TBA, but somewhere in Jackson or Macon County.  Hosted by the WNC Alliance.

07/19/14 GREEN GRANNIES SING FOR THE CLIMATE

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

07/22/14 FRACKING UPDATES IN SPRUCE PINE

Spruce Pine Library,142 Walnut Ave.  Presentation by Nicole DeCogliano. Time is 7 PM.  Email delcoglianon@email.appstate.edu for more info. 

07/23/14 GREEN DRINKS

Join us Wednesday July 23rd at 6 PM at the Green Sage Coffeehouse and Cafe for a presentation on the 2014 North Carolina legislative wrap up. Come learn about environmental issues addressed in the just-completed state legislative session and what it all means for WNC. Presenters are Western North Carolina Alliance’s co-director, Julie Mayfield, and Ken Brame, political chair of the WENOCA Sierra Club. Time is 6 PM to 7 PM and location is Green Sage Cafe in downtown Asheville.

07/24/14 TO 07/27/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE ANNUAL CONVENTION

This will be held at UNCA. The convention committee has secured the following speakers: 

Cynthia McKinney, American Politician and Activist; Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Founder of SOAW; Camilo E. Mejia, First Iraqi War Resister; Col Ann Wright, Former U.S. Army Colonel; Margaret Stevens, VFP Board Member; Mike Prysner, VFP Board Member, March Forward; Maggie Martin, IVAW Executive Director & Membership Coordinator; Ben Griffin, Founder of VFP UK Chapter; Brian Willson, Vietnam Veteran; Leah Bolger, Past VFP President; Patrick McCann, VFP Board President; and Michael McPhearson, VFP Interim Executive Director. Many local and national groups will be involved with tabling and holding presentations during this event. Some of those groups are WNC Physicians for Socal Responsibility, Move to Amend Buncombe County, Code Pink, Western Carolinians for Peace & Justice in the Middle East, Registration for the convention and information at this link: http://vfpnationalconvention.org/. 

07/24/14 SWAIN COUNTY COALITION AGAINST FRACKING

The movie “Gasland 1” will be shown by the SCCAF – Swain County Coalition Against Fracking. They are presenting a series of educational movies on the dangers of hydraulic fracturing. The Coalition urges everyone to come view this extraordinary documentary depicting what happens to our environment and property values if fracking is forced on  upon good citizens like us. Community awareness and involvement is much needed. Free. This will be held at the Swain Center for the Performing Arts at 7 PM.

07/24/14 WNC GREEN CONGREGATIONS MEETING

This is an important meeting – WNC Green Congregations has some BIG NEWS and will be discussing their plans for the the remainder of 2014 and beyond! They hope to see you there! Email annajane@wnca.org for more info. Time is 5:30 PM to 7 PM and location is First Baptist Church on Oak Street in downtown Asheville.

07/24/14 MORAL INJURY AMONG THE HIDDEN COSTS OF WAR

Lynn Newsom, co-director of the Quaker House in Fayetteville, NC, will speak to the topic of “Moral Injury: Hidden Cost of War,” at 7 PM at St. George’s Episcopal Church parish hall on School Road in West Asheville. “Moral injury,” a relatively new diagnostic term employed by the Veterans Administration, recognizes that among the effects of war on military personnel is emotional trauma over serious transgressions of moral, spiritual, or religious beliefs. The program is co-sponsored by Circle of Mercy Congregation, Land of the Sky United Church of Christ and St. George’s Episcopal Church. Call Rev. Sehested for more information at 828-252-2297. Childcare provided for younger children.

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.  

07/25/14 BENEFIT FOR VETERANS FOR PEACE

Local Veterans For Peace Chapter 099 is proud to host singer, songwriter, story teller, author and activist John McCutcheon to Asheville for a special benefit to support work of VFP. “John McCutcheon is not only one of the best musicians in the USA, but also a great singer, songwriter, and song leader. And not just incidentally, he is committed to helping hard-working people everywhere to organize and push this world in a better direction.” — Pete Seeger. It’s open to the public: 8 PM on Friday July 25, 2014 at UNCA Lipinsky Auditorium, part of Veterans For Peace 2014 National Convention. Tickets are $20 available at Malaprops in Asheville, and are available online. Reception with John McCutcheon & Preferred seating tickets are $35. Contact Tom for more info on ordering online at 828-335-3627 or tpeacenik@gmail.com.

07/25/14 ALI ABUNIMAH IN ASHEVILLE 

A reception, talk, dialogue and supper will be hosted by Western Carolinians for Peace & Justice in the Middle East on Friday, July 25 from 5 - 7:30 PM at Asheville Friends Meeting, 227 Edgewood Road. Supper is free, with donations accepted, but you must RSVP by calling Suchi at 828-707-4271 or emailing her at suchi1025@bellsouth.net. ALI ABUNIMAH is the author of “One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli Palestinian Impasse” and co- founder and director of the widely acclaimed online publication “The Electronic Intifada”. Based in the United States, he has written hundreds of articles and been an active part of the movement for justice in Palestine for 20 years.

07/25/14 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE: Renewable Energy: Now and the Future

Learn about electricity and how we depend on it. Tour off-grid renewable systems in practice (photovoltaic, microhydro, radiant-floor heating, hot water diversions, wood-fired boiler). Learn issues surrounding both grid-tie and off-grid renewable energy systems. Make biochar – use charcoal as fertilizer, which liberates large amounts of energy in production. Explore development of energy alternatives to the world’s impending energy crisis. Registration required. Time is 9:30 AM to  5 PM, and location is Earthaven Ecovillage. For more information or to get instructions on how to register, contact NikiAnne at (828) 664-0268.

07/26/14 MALAPROPS BOOK READING & SIGNING

Ali Abunimah, the author of “One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli Palestinian Impasse” and co-founder and director of The Electronic Intifada, shares his new book, “The Battle for Justice in Palestine”. Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, says, “This is the book to read to understand the present bizarre and ongoing complexity of the Palestine/Israel tragedy.” Abunimah is the recipient of a 2013 Lannan Cultural Freedom Fellowship and was recently featured on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman and Juan González. Time is 7 PM and location is Malaprops in downtown Asheville.

07/29/14 SWAIN COUNTY COALITION AGAINST FRACKING 

The Swain County Coalition against Fracking and the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River (WATR) are sponsoring a series of videos on Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking). We invite everyone to view this extraordinary documentary depicting what can happen to our environment and how our property values will be affected if fracking is forced on us. Come stand with us in the fight against fracking. “Triple Divide” will be shown at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City at 7 PM and it will be shown at Mad Batter in Sylva at 6:30 PM. Both are free.

07/31/14 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS IN THE USA - OVERVIEW AT ARBORETUM

May 2014 saw the release of the third National Climate Assessment (nca2014.globalchange.gov), the most authoritative and comprehensive report to date on climate change and its impacts in the United States. On Thursday, July 31, the Arboretum will host Laura Stevens, a research scientist with the Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites, North Carolina, based at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville. She will address the National Climate Assessment, including how the it came about, its goals and outcomes, and the process involved in creating the report. Her presentation will include a look at past trends in U.S. temperature and precipitation, as well as future climate projections, with a focus on the Southeastern United States. The presentation is free and open to the public, however normal parking fees apply. Location is NC Arboretum at Education Center Auditorium.  Members always park free. Time is 6 PM. For more information please call Beth Ross Johnson at (828) 665-2492.

07/31/14 WATER FORUM IN ASHEVILLE

The Water Sustainability Initiative and Lenoir-Rhyne University are planning a water forum for the general public to address local water concerns. We are planning to address the heavy rains this year and last year, the Asheville water system, the CTS site, the Hominy Creek spill, and the coal ash ponds. It is planned to be a positive, answer-oriented event with demonstrations and solutions from the Water Sustainability Initiative. The Water Sustainability Initiative promotes the use of plants, earthworks, tanks, and community engagement to address water issues with improved rain water management and a whole-system approach. Time is 6 PM to 9 PM and location is Lenoir-Rhyne Board Room at 36 Montford Avenue in Asheville. 

07/31/14 DOCUMENTARY AT FINE ARTS THEATER IN ASHEVILLE

Asheville Fine Arts Theatre will show "Triple Divide" screening with Q&A with the filmmakers. Cosponsored by Clean Water for NC and WNC Alliance. Regular admission charges apply. Time TBD.

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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.

QUOTES ON ‘OUR ENEMIES’

Photo from School of the Americas protest.

“Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies – or else? The chain reaction of evil – hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars – must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

“I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today — my own government. We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. The oceans of history are made turbulent by the ever-rising tides of hate. And history is cluttered with the wreckage of nations and individuals that pursued this self-defeating path of hate.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Beyond Vietnam – A Time to Break Silence” 1967

“I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy.” ~ Jessica Dovey

“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” ~ Abraham Lincoln

“It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

“Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, "Love your enemies." It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

That time is gone....

QUOTES ON POVERTY

Photo from a School of the America's protest in Georgia.

“Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.” ~ Aristotle

“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.” ~ Helder Camara

“Poverty is the worst form of violence.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

“The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but of a set of priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich. Consequently, the modern poor are not pitied...but written off as trash. The twentieth-century consumer economy has produced the first culture for which a beggar is a reminder of nothing.” ~ John Berger

“We kill at every step, not only in wars, riots, and executions. We kill when we close our eyes to poverty, suffering, and shame. In the same way all disrespect for life, all hard-heartedness, all indifference, all contempt is nothing else than killing. With just a little witty skepticism we can kill a good deal of the future in a young person. Life is waiting everywhere, the future is flowering everywhere, but we only see a small part of it and step on much of it with our feet.” ~ Hermann Hesse

“You might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind is a palace.” ~ Frank McCourt

“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.” ~ Mother Teresa

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.” ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

Upcoming events in the Asheville area this week

UPCOMING EVENTS

07/06/14 EXHIBIT AT YMI CULTURAL CENTER

“Cash Crop” is an emotionally moving and historical glimpse of the bondage endured by more than 15 million slaves during the trans-Atlantic slave trade by sculptor Stephen Hayes. The exhibition, which features 15 life-size sculptures of human beings in shackles, invites viewers to enter an emotional, physical, and psychic space to confront the past, present, and future. Admission is $6 for adults, free for students through 12th grade. This will run until August 27, 2014. Location is Ray Auditorium at the YMI Cultural Center at 39 South Market Street in Asheville. For more information please contact Sharon at info@ymiculturalcenter.org. 

07/07/14 DINNER WITH PROGRESSIVES

For Those Who Want to Move Forward- Next Dinner With Progressives will be on Monday, July 7 2014 from 6 to 8 PM at the new Green Sage in Westgate Mall next to Earth Fare, in Asheville. Come and join us for dinner, dessert or a beverage from 6 to 7 and then a speaker(s) from 7 to 8pm. Tate McQueen will return to Dinner with Progressives with updates, new information and to answer your questions. Tom Hill will also join us on Monday.  He is running for the 11th Congressional District against Rep. Mark Meadows.  Tom is a Zirconia resident and retired physicist who worked in the aerospace industry.  

07/08/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING

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

07/09/14 GREEN DRINKS

Join us Wednesday July 9th at 6 PM at the Green Sage Coffeehouse and Cafe in downtown Asheville for a presentation by Josh Dorfman. Josh Dorfman will be sharing stories from his career as “The Lazy Environmentalist.” Josh produced and hosted the award winning reality TV series, “The Lazy Environmentalist” on the Sundance Channel for several years, published two books that aim to enlighten people about better consumer decisions that can reduce our environmental impacts, and delivered a daily radio show on SiriusXM. Josh currently works as the Director of Entrepreneurship Development at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce.

07/10/14 SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE “URANIUM DRIVE-IN”

Who decides the future of rural America? The promise of jobs from a proposed uranium mill has an economically devastated mining community in Colorado hopeful for the first time in decades. When the environmentalists step in to stop the mill, the pro-mill advocates are enraged. A debate ensues, pitting jobs against health and the environment.  Without judgment, both sides of the issue are brought to life in heart-wrenching detail as the film follows conflicting opinions and visions for the future. The film offers no easy answers but aims instead to capture personal stories and paint a portrait of the lives behind this nuanced and complex issue. The film is at 7 PM. Location is Unitarian Universalists in Asheville at Edwin and Charlotte Streets. No charge, donations accepted.

07/10/14 PLANNING BOARD MEETING IN JACKSON COUNTY

Planning Director Gerald Green has asked Cheryl Waters-Tormey, an associate professor of geology at Western Carolina University, to conduct a question-and-answer session on fracking for the planning board. This is scheduled for 6 PM in Room A-227 at the Justice Center in Jackson County. The meeting is public. In the past, if crowds turn out, Green has moved the meetings to commissioners' board room. This message came from the Coalition Against Fracking in WNC.

07/11/14 WESTERN CAROLINIANS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The next meeting will be on Friday, July 11, 3:15 PM at Brooks-Howell Home on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville in the Media Room.

07/12/14 FRACKING INFORMATION SESSION

Fracking info session will be held in Andrews, NC (Cherokee County). This is hosted by Coalition Against Fracking in WNC. A public forum and educational presentation by a representative from Clean Water for North Carolina and local residents to discuss the risks and impacts of hydraulic fracking. Location is Andrews Ballroom 965 Main Street Andrews, NC. Time is 3 PM. Contact sally@cwfnc.org for more info.

07/12/14 ASHEVILLE NOW MEETING

Join members and supporters on Saturday, July 12, from 10 AM to 2 PM at 62 Orange Street (formerly FemCare) for the “Think Outside the Pill Box Phone Party”. RSVP is not required (drop in if you can).  Join us as we plan the actions and campaigns leading to the “Bitter Pill” Candlelight Vigil on Saturday, July 19, at Vance Memorial, the Asheville NOW response to the Supreme Court’s recent rulings limiting women’s rights. We’re also calling up our members and supporters to grow the Equal Rights movement, calling out our legislators, making YouTube protest videos, sharing refreshments and making crafty “Bitter Pill” themed pillbox protest hats. Email questions to ashevillenow@live.com.

07/12/14 POSSIBLE VIGIL FOR PALESTINE

Please contact Suchi at suchi1025@bellsouth.net to see if this event is happening.

07/13/14 BONFIRES FOR PEACE

Traveling Bonfires, Loved by the Buffalo Publications, and Touch Samadhi

with The Indie (Asheville NC and Athens GA) present DOWNTOWN GET DOWN

Bonfires for Peace at Pritchard Park, 12th year. FREE. The Traveling Bonfires roam the country, ushering arts and music events and bringing people together in celebration of peace and multicultural connectedness. INFO: Marta Osborne, 828 280-2309, or email marta.osborne124@gmail.com or pasckie@yahoo.com. Time is 4 to 9 PM and location is Pritchard Park in Asheville.

07/13/14 STOP FRACKED GAS EXPORTS IN DC

The first national rally to say “NO” to fracked gas exports. The natural gas industry has plans to create 15-20 export terminals around the country so that it can export fracked US gas to the rest of the world. Unfortunately for a host of reasons, once exported, this gas results in as much greenhouse gas pollution as burning coal would be. These export terminals are like the KXL pipeline, and must be stopped. CCAN(Chesapeake Climate Action Network) has been organizing to stop the Cove Point terminal on the Chesapeake Bay, which requires approval by FERC (the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission). Up to now has been a rubber stamp for the energy industry. CCAN is organizing a large protest at FERC on July 13. The nonviolent direct action (which includes risking arrest) on the 14th will be the punctuation mark to that protest. Leaders of the 2013 Walk for our Grandchildren, with support from CCAN, are organizing these two events. For additional information, including how to register, call Steve at 828-777-7816 or email earthsun2@gmail.com or Greg at 828-206-5502 or gregorybyost@gmail.com.

07/14/14 ASHEVILLE RESTURANT WORKERS UNITE

For the first time, full-service and fast food restaurant workers will come together to share their stories, talk about best practices in the workplace, and learn how we can work with our employers to create better working conditions here in Asheville. Cookout, music, meet and greet with other restaurant workers in Asheville and make a difference. Location is Carrier Park on Amboy Road in Asheville, and time is 3 to 5 PM.

07/15/14 COALITION AGAINST FRACKING (SWAIN COUNTY) 

Swain County Coalition Against Fracking will be meeting at the Mariana Black Libary at 6:30 PM. No further information.

07/17/14 FRACKING UPDATES IN BURNSVILLE

Burnsville Library, 321 School Cir, in the upstairs media room. Presentation by Nicole DeCogliano. Time is 7 PM. Email delcoglianon@email.appstate.edu for more info. 

07/19/14 SIERRA CLUB PICNIC

On Saturday, July 19, the Sierra Club will enjoy its 5th Annual Summer Picnic from noon to 4 pm at the Blue Ridge Parkway sheltered picnic grounds located on Bull Mt. Rd. near the VA Hospital on Riceville Rd. 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 pot luck dish to share and your own settings. Drinks will be provided. Badminton, horseshoes and music will add to the festivities. We hope to see you there!  

07/19/14 NO FRACKING WNC SUMMIT IN JACKSON OR MACON COUNTY

Time is 9 to 12 PM and location TBA, but somewhere in Jackson or Macon County.  Hosted by the WNC Alliance.

07/22/14 FRACKING UPDATES IN SPRUCE PINE

Spruce Pine Library,142 Walnut Ave.  Presentation by Nicole DeCogliano. Time is 7 PM.  Email delcoglianon@email.appstate.edu for more info. 

07/24/14 TO 07/27/14 VETERANS FOR PEACE ANNUAL CONVENTION

This will be held at UNCA. The convention committee has secured the following speakers: 

Cynthia McKinney, American Politician and Activist; Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Founder of SOAW; Camilo E. Mejia, First Iraqi War Resister; Col Ann Wright, Former U.S. Army Colonel; Margaret Stevens, VFP Board Member; Mike Prysner, VFP Board Member, March Forward; Maggie Martin, IVAW Executive Director & Membership Coordinator; Ben Griffin, Founder of VFP UK Chapter; Brian Willson, Vietnam Veteran; Leah Bolger, Past VFP President; Patrick McCann, VFP Board President; and Michael McPhearson, VFP Interim Executive Director. Many local and national groups will be involved with tabling and holding presentations during this event. Some of those groups are WNC Physicians for Socal Responsibility, Move to Amend Buncombe County, Code Pink, Western Carolinians for Peace & Justice in the Middle East, Registration for the convention and information at this link: http://vfpnationalconvention.org/. 

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.  

07/25/14 BENEFIT FOR VETERANS FOR PEACE

Local Veterans For Peace Chapter 099 is proud to host singer, songwriter, story teller, author and activist John McCutcheon to Asheville for a special benefit to support work of VFP. “John McCutcheon is not only one of the best musicians in the USA, but also a great singer, songwriter, and song leader. And not just incidentally, he is committed to helping hard-working people everywhere to organize and push this world in a better direction.” — Pete Seeger. It’s open to the public: 8 PM on Friday July 25, 2014 at UNCA Lipinsky Auditorium, part of Veterans For Peace 2014 National Convention. Tickets are $20 available at Malaprops in Asheville, and are available online. Reception with John McCutcheon & Preferred seating tickets are $35. Contact Tom for more info on ordering online at 828-335-3627 or tpeacenik@gmail.com.

07/25/14 ALI ABUNIMAH IN ASHEVILLE 

A reception, talk, dialogue and supper will be hosted by Western Carolinians for Peace & Justice in the Middle East on Friday, July 25 from 5 - 7:30 PM at Asheville Friends Meeting, 227 Edgewood Road. Supper is free, with donations accepted, but you must RSVP by calling Suchi at 828-707-4271 or emailing her at suchi1025@bellsouth.net. ALI ABUNIMAH is the author of “One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli Palestinian Impasse” and co- founder and director of the widely acclaimed online publication “The Electronic Intifada”. Based in the United States, he has written hundreds of articles and been an active part of the movement for justice in Palestine for 20 years.

07/26/14 MALAPROPS BOOK READING & SIGNING

Ali Abunimah, the author of “One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli Palestinian Impasse” and co-founder and director of The Electronic Intifada, shares his new book, “The Battle for Justice in Palestine”. Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, says, “This is the book to read to understand the present bizarre and ongoing complexity of the Palestine/Israel tragedy.” Abunimah is the recipient of a 2013 Lannan Cultural Freedom Fellowship and was recently featured on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman and Juan González. Time is 7 PM and location is Malaprops in downtown Asheville.

07/31/14 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS IN THE USA OVERVIEW AT ARBORETUM

May 2014 saw the release of the third National Climate Assessment (nca2014.globalchange.gov), the most authoritative and comprehensive report to date on climate change and its impacts in the United States. On Thursday, July 31, the Arboretum will host Laura Stevens, a research scientist with the Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites, North Carolina, based at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville. She will address the National Climate Assessment, including how the it came about, its goals and outcomes, and the process involved in creating the report. Her presentation will include a look at past trends in U.S. temperature and precipitation, as well as future climate projections, with a focus on the Southeastern United States. The presentation is free and open to the public, however normal parking fees apply. Location is NC Arboretum at Education Center Auditorium.  Members always park free. Time is 6 PM. For more information please call Beth Ross Johnson at (828) 665-2492.

07/31/14 WATER FORUM IN ASHEVILLE

The Water Sustainability Initiative and Lenoir-Rhyne University are planning a water forum for the general public to address local water concerns. We are planning to address the heavy rains this year and last year, the Asheville water system, the CTS site, the Hominy Creek spill, and the coal ash ponds. It is planned to be a positive, answer-oriented event with demonstrations and solutions from the Water Sustainability Initiative. The Water Sustainability Initiative promotes the use of plants, earthworks, tanks, and community engagement to address water issues with improved rain water management and a whole-system approach. Time is 6 PM to 9 PM and location is Lenoir-Rhyne Board Room at 36 Montford Avenue in Asheville. 

08/04/14 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY FILM SERIES

MABCO and the Unitarian Universalist Church Swannanoa Valley are co-sponsoring a free documentary series and the final showing will be of “The Story of Citizens United v. FEC”. The film will be shown at the church, located at 500 Montreat Road in Black Mountain.  Doors open at 6:30 PM and the showing starts at 7 PM. Free of charge.

08/09/14 BONFIRES FOR PEACE IN ASHEVILLE

The Traveling Bonfires presents Bonfire for Peace at Prichard Park in Asheville. This is a free concert event for the family and the community, featuring Peace Jones, Pipapelli, Lyric, and Riyen Roots. Time is 4 PM to 9 PM. The Traveling Bonfires roam the country, ushering arts and music events and bringing people together in celebration of peace and multicultural connectedness. For more info, call Marta at 828-280-2309 or email pasckie@yahoo.com.

08/11/14 MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE COUNTY MEETING

Time is 7 PM and location is North Asheville Library. Call Ruth at 232-2883 or email ruthachristie@gmail.com 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 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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SHOUTOUT TO NC REPRESENTATIVE ROGER WEST FOR CLAY, CHEROKEE, GRAHAM AND MACON COUNTIES

Apparently Rep. West is of the opinion that “no one has expressed any opposition to him about fracking”.  He hasn't heard any opposition – well, it's high time he heard it then. Email him and let him know exactly how you feel about fracturing in the mountains of WNC. His email is Roger.West@ncleg.net.  He needs to hear our voices LOUD AND CLEAR!!

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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:

http://vfpnationalconvention.org/

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QUOTES ON HOPE

I took this photo at a School of the America's protest a few years back.

“We are not going in circles, we are going upwards. The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps.”  ~ Hermann Hesse

“Your soul knows the geography of your destiny. Your soul alone has the map of your future, therefore you can trust this indirect, oblique side of yourself. If you do, it will take you where you need to go, but more important it will teach you a kindness of rhythm in your journey.”  ~ John O’Donohue

“You can build walls all the way to the sky and I will find a way to fly above them. You can try to pin me down with a hundred thousand arms, but I will find a way to resist.” ~ Lauren Oliver

“It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” – Lao Tzu

QUOTES ON RACISM

Photo from UFPJ.

“The civility of no race can be perfect whilst another race is degraded. It is a doctrine alike of the oldest and of the newest philosophy, that man is one, and that you cannot injure any member, without a sympathetic injury to all the members.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it - whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, he is trash.” ~ Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

“Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.” ~ Muhammad Ali

“Our true nationality is mankind.” ~ H.G. Wells

“Ignorance and prejudice are the handmaidens of propaganda. Our mission, therefore, is to confront ignorance with knowledge, bigotry with tolerance, and isolation with the outstretched hand of generosity. Racism can, will, and must be defeated.” ~ Kofi Annan

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

NO MORE U.S. WAR ON IRAQ

NO MORE U.S. WAR ON IRAQ

UNITY STATEMENT & CALL FOR ACTION

Again and again, the U.S. government chooses the disaster of war that creates a never-ending cycle of tragedy.  Today's escalating crisis in Iraq is a direct result of the illegal U.S.-led invasion and occupation of that country.  The U.S. government used the false pretext of eliminating "weapons of mass destruction," to mask a grab for power and oil.  The result was the brutal murder of more than a million Iraqis, the deaths of thousands of U.S. soldiers, the creation of millions of refugees, over a trillion dollars spent, and the destabilization of an entire region. Today, the U.S. government considers sending more ground troops, renewed air strikes, drone attacks, Special Ops forces, privatized troops, arms shipments, and other covert operations, while it is hard-pressed to identify its allies and its military and political aims.  We say No!  Military intervention has not worked to bring peace; the bitter cycle must end.

We Call for:

Immediate withdrawal of all U.S. military and non-military forces from Iraq

No military intervention – troops, bombs, drones, covert operations, arms

Money for Jobs and Education, Not for War and Incarceration

Say No to War in Iraq actions – vigils, demonstrations, rallies, forums, media, petitions, lobbying

Emergency day-after actions if the US starts air strikes

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Above came from United National Antiwar Coalition.

You can sign their statement here.

Four facts you need to know

Photo from Facebook.

From ANSWER:

1. The Iraq war killed millions; the politicians responsible are still walking free. 

From 1991 to 2003, U.S. bombing and sanctions took one million Iraqi lives, including 500,000 children. Between the years 2003 – 2011, the U.S. war took another one million Iraqi lives. Five million were made refugees. Tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers were killed or wounded. The U.S. policymakers, the war criminals who carried out this human atrocity, are still walking free and giving speeches and raking in millions of dollars in book deals.

2. The U.S. invasion and occupation is what caused the present situation. 

The present civil conflict in Iraq is a result of the U.S. war and occupation, which destroyed the Iraqi government and divided the country along sectarian lines in order to conquer it. This reversed Iraq long history of secularism, and the coexistence and intermarrying among its diverse communities. Islamic extremist forces were practically non-existent in Iraq until the Pentagon invaded.

3. The Iraqi people OPPOSE U.S. intervention. 

Huge numbers of Iraqis fought the U.S. occupation. While the sectarian Iraqi government led by Maliki has requested U.S. intervention, that is the last thing that the majority of Iraqi people want.

4. The Pentagon and Wall St. want to control Iraq, not help it.

Millions of people protested Bush’s war. It was built on lies. Iraq was no threat and had no connection to the 9/11 attacks. It was a war for oil, profit and control. The same war criminals are now calling for new U.S. attacks in Iraq and escalating the war against the independent government of Syria. Don’t fall for their lies!