UPCOMING
EVENTS
06/10/13
MOVE TO AMEND BUNCOMBE
COUNTY
Our
next MABCO meeting will not be at our previous location. We will meet at 7 PM,
Monday, June 10., in the community room to the rear of the North Asheville
Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. Join us as we grow Move To Amend in Western North
Carolina and create a statewide network of Move To Amend affiliates, so we may
amend the Constitution so that only human being are recognized as persons and
corporations will no longer be empowered to spend and lobby without regard for
the welfare of the people. For more information, contact Lew at
patrie.wncpsr@main.nc.us.
06/10/13
KATUAH EARTH FIRST GREEN SCREEN
Every
second Monday of the month, Katuah Earth First! shows videos on relevant
environmental struggles. Time is 6 PM and location is Firestorm Café and Books
in Asheville.
06/10/13
CIVIL RIGHTS TRIVIA NIGHT
This
is an evening of fun, political discussion and an exploration of ways to build
Civil Rights campaigns. Do you know your rights? From Fusion Centers to the
Patriot Act – try out your knowledge for fun and prizes! Time is 7 PM and
location is Firestorm Café and Books in Asheville.
06/10/13
OUR ENERGY FUTURE
Our
Energy Future - Understanding the utility system and obstacles to clean energy
solutions. Questions we will explore include: What is an electric utility?How
does the publicly regulated utility system in NC function?How are utilities
adapting to recognition of harm caused by CO2 and other fossil fuel
emissions?How do current utility policies and practices restrain or advance
clean energy?How can barriers to a clean energy future be overcome?With
presentations from:Jason Walls, District Manager - Asheville Region, Duke
Energy Progress, Michael Youth, Counsel and Policy Director, North Carolina
Sustainable Energy Association, Anne Marie Daugherty - Former Pacific Gas &
Electric Engineer and engaged citizen. Time is 4 PM to 5:30 PM and location is
Lenoir-Rhyne Asheville Boardroom in the Asheville Chamber of Commerce Building
at 36 Montford Ave, Asheville.
06/11/13
VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
06/14/13
KHALED HOSSEINI AT THE DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE
The
bestselling author of The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini, will discuss his
humanitarian work and will read from his new novel “And the Mountains Echoed”.
The book follows its characters and the ramifications of their lives and
choices and loves around the globe - from Kabul
to Paris to San Francisco
to the Greek island
of Tinos. Mr. Hosseini is
a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations and founder of the Khaled Hosseini
Foundation which provides humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
Tickets are $15, and come with a coupon for $10 off the book “And the Mountains
Echoed”. Tickets may be purchased at Malaprop's Bookstore, 828-254-6734. Time
is 7 PM.
06/14/13
SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM NIGHT AT UU CHURCH
On
June 14th, at 7 PM, there will be a screening of the documentary “The Witness”
at UU church for social justice film night. How does a construction contractor
from a tough Brooklyn neighborhood become an
impassioned animal advocate? In this award-winning documentary, Eddie Lama
explains how he feared and avoided animals most of his life, until the love of
a kitten opened his heart, inspiring him to rescue abandoned animals and bring
his message of compassion to the streets of New York. With humor and sincerity,
Eddie tells the story of his remarkable change in consciousness. Eddie
personifies a UU principle, “respect for the interdependent web of all
existence of which we are a part”. Donations accepted. For more information,
contact Norman
at mnpopi@charter.net.
06/15/13
OCCUPY ASHEVILLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
This
general assembly will be under the big tree in Pritchard Park.
Time is 2 PM. All are welcome.
06/15/13
PRESENTATION ON THE FAIR TRADE MOVEMENT
Expedition
to the Bahuaja-Sonene
National Park will be
presented by Cindy Mowry, Food Service Manager for Equal Exchange. She is a
self-proclaimed coffee geek, and she will share first hand stories from the
front lines of the Fair Trade movement. Cindy recently returned from Peru's Bahuaja-Sonene National
Park, where she and other Equal Exchange
delegates met with members of the Organization of Agrarian Coffee Cooperatives
of the Sandia Valleys (CECOVASA) co-operative -- the growers of our
"Expedition" drip coffee roast. Equal Exchange's mission is to build
long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally
sound, to foster mutually beneficial relationships between farmers and
consumers and to demonstrate, through success, the contribution of worker
co-operatives and Fair Trade to a more equitable, democratic and sustainable
world. Time is 6 PM.
06/15/13
FILM SCREENING AT FIRESTORM
There
will be a film screening on Monsanto at 7:30 PM at Firestorm Café & Books.
Contact Firestorm for more information.
06/16/13
ETHICAL SOCIETY OF ASHEVILLE
“The
UN and Ethical Culture - Their Relationship and the Evolution of Global
Cooperation” will be presented by Jim Barton, Technical Writer and Community
Activist, at the Sunday, June 16th meeting of the Ethical Society of Asheville
2:00-3:30 PM, at the Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Road in North
Asheville (off Merrimon Avenue near UNCA). Barton will cover the evolution of
global cooperation, how the Ethical Culture movement has been a part of this
since 1924 including the creation of the UN in 1944-45 and how the United
Nations relates to our current global situation. There will be a discussion
period following the presentation. Following the meeting, there will be time
for informal conversation. All are welcome! For more information contact
asheville@aeu.org.
06/18/13
TRANSITION ASHEVILLE
POTLUCKS WITH A PURPOSE
At
this potluck, Cathy Holt will present on the principle "Produce No
Waste". Waste is a verb, not a noun, and is a human artifact. Nature
does not create waste, and pollution is just an unused or misused resource.
Cathy Holt studied and lived permaculture at Earthaven Ecovillage from
2002-2004. She has also studied water harvesting with Brad Lancaster, taught
portions of the Permaculture Design Course with Patricia Allison, and is active
in Transition Asheville. She spent several months in Peru
organizing a small Listening Project, followed by teaching basic organic
agriculture in an Urubamba
High School to 100
students. She currently does hoophouse gardening with neighbors in West Asheville, and teaches "HeartSpeak"
(nonviolent communication)--an important aspect of "social
permaculture." Join us at 5:30 at Community Action Opportunities (25 Gaston Street)
for food, fun, and good company. Bring a dish to share, and don't forget
your plate/bowl, cup, utensils, and serving utensil for your dish!
06/18/13
SNACKING AND FRACKING GATHERING
Time
will be 6 PM and the location is Asheville Botanical Gardens. More details to
come. For information contact Katie at katie@cwfnc.org.
06/19/13
ASHEVILLE
RISING MEETING
Meeting
will start at 6 PM, and will be held at the YWCA. More information on Facebook
under “Asheville Rising”.
06/19/13
BENEFIT FOR PISGAH LEGAL SERVICES
A
Summer Wine Tasting & Benefit for Pisgah Legal Services will be held from 5
to 7 PM at Metro Wines, 169
Charlotte Street, Asheville.
Join us and taste wines that pair with summer events, parties and elegant
dinners. $10.00 at the door to benefit Pisgah Legal Services. Please RSVP to
Betsy (828) 210-3444 or
betsy@pisgahlegal.org
06/20/13
ACLU OF NC FORUM ON TRANSGENDER RIGHTS
Chris
Brook and Holning Lau from the ACLU of North Carolina will discuss the ACLU’s
work on advancing transgender rights. They will provide an overview of gender
identity- focused ACLU initiatives around the country as well as projects
specific to North Carolina.
Legal issues that will be discussed include access to proper identification
documents, access to health care, transgender voting rights, and
anti-discrimination protections. This forum will be at 7:30 PM. Location is the
Haywood Street Congregation, located at 297 Haywood Street in Asheville. For more information, contact
cbrook@acluofnc.org.
06/22/13
WESTERN CAROLINIANS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN
THE MIDDLE EAST
Western
Carolinians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East - boycott settlement
product Soda Stream - will be standing at Vance Monument
on June 1 from noon to 1 PM. For more information, contact Susan at
suchi1025@bellsouth.net.
06/22/13
FRACK FREE NC FORUM
CWFNC
and the Waterkeepers' Alliance are cosponsoring
a Frack-Free NC Forum in Bynum,
NC. Presentations will cover the
dangers of fracking to our waters, land and people, including first hand
accounts from Pennsylvania
farmers. Hear updates on legislative, and property rights issues and ask
questions of those on the front lines of fighting fracking in NC. Cost is $10
and you must register by June 17, 2013. Contact Grant at 828-251-1291if you are
interested joining a carpool from the mountains and for information on how to
register.
07/01/13
LEE CAMP – LIVE AT THE ALTAMONT THEATER
The
location for this event is 18 Church Street Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Phone (828)
348-5327. Lee Camp is a stand-up comedian, writer and activist. Lee's various
comedy writings and interviews have been picked up by: The Huffington Post, The
Guardian, Politico, The Dan Abrams Show (MSNBC), The Stephanie Miller Show, The
Thom Hartmann Show, The Ed Shultz Show, Comedy Central’s Indecision ’08 online,
& dozens of local radio stations. Come join us for an evening that promises
to be hilarious!! There will be a cover charge, not sure what it is at this
point. Time is 8 PM.
07/04/13
MOMS ACROSS AMERICA
MARCH TO LABEL GMOS
Basically,
a march against Monsanto. This will be all over the place.
07/13/13
HARD TO RECYCLE EVENT
Time
is 10 AM to 2 PM and location is ACE Hardware, 2319 Highway 70 in Swannanoa.
Some items they will accept are rigid plastics, books, cardboard, electronics,
batteries, styrofoam, metals, wire, and small appliances. Questions – call
254-1776.
07/16/13
MOVE TO AMEND EVENT
The
Buncombe County Move to Amend group will present David Cobb, an organizer for
Move to Amend, who will speak on “Creating Democracy & Challenging
Corporate Rule” at the Lord Auditorium at Pack Library. This event will be from
5 to 8 PM. David is a fiery speaker . His presentation will be part
history and part heart-felt call-to-action.
07/19/13
to 07/29/13 SUMMER HEAT AND WALK FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN
07/19/13
MICHAEL DANFORTH COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD LUNCHEON
Time
is 1 PM to 2:30 PM and location is Kenilworth Presbyterian Church at 123 Kenilworth Road
in Asheville.
WNC Health Advocates honors Laurey Masterton with its Second Annual Michael T.
Danforth Community Service Award. Laurey is a three-time cancer survivor with
an indomitable spirit. She is a living-wage-certified employer and her company
serves healthy, nutritious and delicious food. She has given selflessly to her
community and works to educate the public about healthy food and about cancer.
The cost of this event is $22, and you can get tickets here:
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6870952203/
07/19/13
to 07/21/13 REGIONAL GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY CONVERGENCE
07/19/13
PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MEETING
Physicians,
health personnel and everyone; all are welcomed at our monthly meetings! Bring
a brown bag lunch around noon. The meeting will officially start at 12:30 and
end about 2:00 PM. DIRECTIONS: (Location is in vicinity of Veterans Hospital)
Proceed east on Tunnel Rd./US 70 (away from downtown Asheville) to one short block prior to the Blue Ridge Pky.
overpass. Turn right (south) on Pleasant Ridge Dr., then turn right on the
second street, Wagon Rd.,
then immediate left on Birchwood
Lane to #18. For more information contact Dr.
Terry Clark, Chair, 633-0892 or Dr. Lew Patrie, 299-1242.
*******************************************
ONGOING
EVENTS
*******************************************
TUESDAY
Veterans
for Peace have a weekly vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
WEDNESDAY
Haywood
Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in
Waynesville
THURSDAY
Asheville
Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe
Police
Brutality Council (discussion) at 11 AM at Firestorm Cafe
FRIDAY
Women
in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall in Hendersonville
SATURDAY
Transylvanians
for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at
noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard
*******************************************
ACTIONS
AND READINGS
*******************************************
Just
Foreign Policy Director Robert Naiman is heading to Yemen
on a delegation of US peace advocates, where they will be meeting Gerald
Feierstein, the U.S. Ambassador to Yemen. The delegation will urge
Ambassador Feierstein to use his influence to end U.S. drone strikes in
Yemen—especially "signature strikes" in which the U.S. doesn't even
know who it is targeting—and to ensure that Yemeni prisoners at Guantanamo who
the U.S. government has cleared for release are sent home without delay.
Add
your voice! Sign this petition and Just Foreign Policy will hand-deliver
it—with your signature—to Ambassador Feierstein.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/yemen
Thanks!
******************
SCHEDULE
OF DC EVENTS FOR SUMMER HEAT AND 2013 WALK
July
19 (Friday): A group of hikers will leave Camp David and walk on the
Appalachian Trail to Harpers Ferry.
July
21 (Sunday): Registration and orientation for through walkers in Harpers Ferry starting early afternoon.
July
22 (Monday): Walk leaves Harpers Ferry.
July
26 (Friday): Walkers arrive at St Stephens Church in DC.
Evening
of July 26: Nonviolence CD training.
JULY
27 10 am: Walkers and others gather at St Stephens Church
11
am: March leaves for Lafayette Park
12
noon: Beginning of family friendly rally in Lafayette Park
2
pm: Beginning of CD actions at White House
and elsewhere
REGISTRATION:
All through walkers from Camp David to White House or Harpers
Ferry to White House should register asap. Do this through email
address on our website (walkforgrandchildren@gmail.com). Please do this ASAP.
******************
MY
COMMENTARY ON THE “SECURITY” STATE
US
Bill of Rights says : “The right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and
seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable
cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place
to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
Greenwald:
“we have this massive, ubiquitous Surveillance State,
operating in total secrecy.”
In
reference to Verizon: “Under the terms of the order, the numbers of both
parties on a call are handed over, as is location data and the time and
duration of all calls.”
If
you are a Verizon customer, the NSA knows where your cell phone is every minute
of every day when it is turned on. Usually, your cell phone is with you, so
they know where you are all the time. They know who your doctor is, who your
dentist is, who you use for a pharmacy if you have prescriptions, who your
psychiatrist or therapist is, who your physical therapist is, who your lawyer,
your accountant, and who your professors (if you are in school) are. They know
where you work and where you go to school or to dance classes or to the gym.
They know if you go to the drum circle, and who you might call before or after.
They know where you go to church, or if you don’t. They know when you go to an
event, anywhere and anytime. Don’t accidentally get too close to an event or
organization that you do not want to be affiliated with…. like walking through
an Occupy protest or Tea Party gun rally.
They
know if you have kids and who your kid’s coach is, along with doctor, dentist,
etc. They know if your kid is seeing a specialist like a speech therapist or
psychologist. They likely know who your kid’s teacher is, and if your kid goes
to a gym or music lesson. Or if your kid goes pretty much anywhere else.
They
know who your friends are, and are especially interested if your friends happen
to live in, or came from, another country. They know if you have a lover, or
several lovers, and if you are married or not. They know about the marriage
counselor. They know if you are calling someone about billing issues with
your cable or credit cards, and they know if you are calling a credit
counselor. They know if you are calling, or getting calls, from someone who is
a drug dealer – even if it is a wrong number. They know if you were some place
where a crime occurred, and may have you in for questioning even if you are
totally innocent. (Well, it may be more than questioning.) And if you happen to
have a neighbor who is involved in something, then the police or SWAT team may
end up at your place. You see, they sometimes get the address wrong. It is
definitely a good idea to put your house or apartment number in large letters
on the front of the place to help prevent things like that. I am thinking that
putting your full name up might be a good idea also. The NSA already knows
where you live anyway….. unless they make a mistake.
Oh,
and yes, they can misinterpret things and make mistakes - happens all the time.
So you could get in trouble even when you are totally innocent. And they can
use this data in any way they like – including blackmail, especially if you are
a politician or someone with some power, or just someone they don’t like. They
could blackmail you with that information about your lover, your prescription
drug use, your visits to the psychologist, or a number of other things that you
may be doing that are legal, but you don’t want all your neighbors to know about.
Remember
that nerdy guy in high school that you would not date? If he works for the NSA,
he can get his revenge. Same thing if it was a nerdy gal.
******************
The
individual responsible for one of the most significant leaks in US political
history is
Edward
Snowden, a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the
CIA and current employee of the
defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. Snowden has been working at the
National Security Agency for the last four years as an employee of various
outside contractors, including Booz Allen and Dell.
The
Guardian, after several days of interviews, is revealing his identity at his
request. From the moment he decided to disclose numerous top-secret documents
to the public, he was determined not to opt for the protection of anonymity.
"I have no intention of hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing
wrong," he said.
Snowden
will go down in history as one of America's most consequential
whistleblowers, alongside Daniel Ellsberg and Bradley Manning. He is
responsible for handing over material from one of the world's most secretive
organisations – the
NSA.
In
a note accompanying the first set of documents he provided, he wrote: "I
understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions," but "I will
be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon and irresistible
executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an
instant."
Despite
his determination to be publicly unveiled, he repeatedly insisted that he wants
to avoid the media spotlight. "I don't want public attention because I
don't want the story to be about me. I want it to be about what the US government
is doing."
