Of the Hudson Valley Activist Newsletter
Current and back copies of the Activist Calendar as well as the Activist
Newsletter are at http://activistnewsletter.blogspot.com. Send event
announcements to jacdon@earthlink.net
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Editor's Note: In addition to various new events since our Aug. 23 calendar
listings, MoveOn.org is calling for nationwide vigils tomorrow, Sept. 2, in
support of healthcare reform including the public option proposal. These are
not single payer events, but the next best option on offer. We list these
actions in the Hudson Valley first, followed by the other events.
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Wednesday, Sept. 2, NEW PALTZ: New Paltz Women in Black, and Ulster County
MoveOn Council will be hosting a "Public Option Now!" vigil in front of the
Elting Library, 93 Main St. at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, KINGSTON: A "Health Care Reform Now" vigil begins at
7:30 p.m. on the sidewalk outside the Hannaford Supermarket on 1261 Ulster
Ave. (Rt. 9W).
Wednesday, Sept. 2, KATONAH: A 7:30 p.m. healthcare vigil will be held in
Katonah Memorial Park.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, HUDSON: Public option healthcare supporters will gather
at 7 p.m. outside the office of Rep. Scott Murphy, Warren and 7th Sts.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, COLONIE: This 5 p.m. healthcare vigil near Colonie
Center will be at Central Avenue and Wolf Rd.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, Hastings on Hudson: The healthcare vigil starts at 6
p.m. at the Metro-North station.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, LARCHMONT: The Health Care Reform Vigil begins at 5:30
p.m. in the green space on the corner of Weaver St. and Palmer Ave.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, NEW YORK CITY: This healthcare vigil should be fairly
large. It takes place at Manhattan's Columbus Circle at 59th St. and Central
Park West.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, USA: The anti-left political witch-hunts of the late
1940s and throughout 1950s were a dreadful page in our nation's history. One
aspect was the attempt to purge suspected reds from the Hollywood movie
industry. Tonight at 8 p.m. PBS (channel 13) the American Masters program
will focus on the case of Dalton Trumbo, the great screenwriter and author
of the searing antiwar novel "Johnny Got His Gun." This will be well worth
watching. According to the program notes: "Refusing to testify before HUAC
in ‘47, he was part of the group known as the Hollywood Ten. Convicted for
contempt, he spent 11 months in federal prison and lost all right to ply his
craft. Writing 30 scripts under pseudonyms he won an Oscar in ’56 for The
Brave One, using the name Robert Rich. He was not recognized publicly again
until 1960, when Otto Preminger credited him on Exodus and Kirk Douglas did
so on Spartacus — actions considered to mark the end of the blacklist. As
late as 1993, Trumbo was awarded a posthumous Academy Award for Roman
Holiday (’53)."
Thursday, Sept. 3, GOSHEN: Democratic Rep. John Hall is holding a public
meeting tonight on healthcare, starting at 7 p.m. at Orange County Emergency
Services Center, 22 Wells Farm Rd. Given the right wing antics at recent
town hall meetings, supporters of healthcare reform, including single payer
and/or public option proponents, may wish to attend.
Friday, Sept. 4, PEEKSKILL: Sixty years ago today in this Hudson Valley
town, there was a right wing mob attack on peaceful concert goers that
became known to history as the Peekskill Riot. Tonight at 8 p.m. there will
be a benefit concert celebrating the life of Paul Robeson — the famous
African American singer, actor, writer and left political activist — who was
a target of rightist violence, among others. The event will feature David
Amram, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, Kenneth Anderson, Roy Haynes, Ty Jones, Beth
Lamont, Jon Batiste Band, Ray Blue and others. The concert will be held at
Paramount Center for the Arts, 1008 Brown St. The benefit is for HRHC
(Hudson River Health Care); CHOP (Caring for the Homeless of Peekskill); the
Peekskill, Hendrick Hudson, Lakeland, and Putnam Valley School Districts;
the Peekskill Area Pastors Assn.; the Paul Robeson Foundation; the Field
Library; and the Preservation Co. Tickets range from $20-$100, and $10 for
students. Information, http://www.robesoncelebration.org/. Tickets are
available from http://paramountcenter.org/stage.php?id=412. Background on
the Peekskill Riot is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peekskill_Riots.
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5. WOODSTOCK: The Woodstock Museum's 10th Annual
Free Film Festival takes place this weekend. There will be interesting films
— many of a progressive nature — Friday (8 p.m.-12 Midnight) and Saturday
(2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday morning) at Woodstock Town Hall, 76 Tinker St. Full
information, http://www.woodstockmuseum.com/2009_film_festival.htm. Phone
(845) 246-0600.
Saturday, Sept. 5, ALBANY: Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) will address a 2-4 p.m.
Town Hall Meeting on Health Reform, discussing his bill (the single payer HR
676) "to provide comprehensive health insurance coverage for all U.S.
citizens." This event will be held at the 100 Black Men Technology Center,
388 Clinton Ave. Check right away on seat availability at (518) 463-8779.
Information, dvanhouter@nycap.rr.com.
Monday, Sept. 7, POUGHKEEPSIE: The 14th Annual Labor Day Rally begins at
noon in front of the Post Office on Mansion St. Speakers include Mike
Salvia, president of CWA 1120; Tom Midgley, president of Alliance IBM, and
Mae Parker-Harris, a well-known local activist and organizer. Music
featuring folk performers, Pat Lamanna, Chris Ruhe and Frances Sandiford.
Information, Joel Tyner (845)489-5479, (845)876-2488,
http://www.DutchessDemocracy.blogspot.com.
Saturday, Sept. 12, NEW PALTZ: Our new group, Peace and Social Progress Now!
(PSPN), is organizing a picket line/vigil on behalf of two issues: the
Honduras coup (about which the U.S. is not doing enough to support the
deposed president or in opposing violence against demonstrators) and the
Cuban Five anti-terrorists, now starting their 12th year in American
prisons. We believe they were unjustly convicted. The event will take place
10 a.m.-12 noon on the sidewalk of heavily trafficked Main St. (Rt. 299) in
front of New Paltz Plaza (the mall with the movie theater). Information,
jacdon@earthlink.net, and (845) 255-5779. Details about the Cuban Five are
at http://www.freethefive.org/.
Saturday, Sept. 12, POUGHKEEPSIE: The film "Peace One Day" will be screened
at Poughkeepsie Friends Meeting, 249 Hooker Ave., at 7:30 p.m. Audience
discussion to follow. This film documents the five year journey of Jeremy
Gilley, who meets heads of State, Nobel Peace laureates, media moguls,
victims of war, and other people at the UN, in his successful expedition to
convince world powers to officially endorse a global cease-fire day, or a
day of peace, worldwide. Sponsored by Dutchess Peace Coalition and
Poughkeepsie Friends Meeting. Information (845) 454-6430 or (845)454-2870.
Sunday, Sept. 13, NEW PALTZ: A public meeting on the current situation in
Haiti will be addressed tonight at New Paltz Village Hall by Ninaj Raoul and
Dahoud Andre. (Ninaj is director of Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, and
Dahoud is an activist and journalist with Radio Lakou New York, a Haitian
Creole radio station.) The meeting, sponsored by the Caribbean and Latin
America Support Project (CLASP), begins at 6 p.m., following a 5 p.m.
potluck supper. Village Hall is at 25 Plattekill Ave., a block south of Main
St. Admission is free, but a hat will be passed for donations. Information,
(845) 255-0113.
Monday, Sept. 14, ALBANY; The Roman Catholic based "New Sanctuary Movement"
group will be gathering in support of local immigrants who are in danger of
deportation at Emmaus House, 45 Trinity Place, 7-8:30 p.m. Sponsored by New
Sanctuary Movement and Albany Catholic Worker. Information,
fred.acw@gmail.com, (518) 482-4966, http://NewSanctuaryMovement.org.
