ACTIVIST CALENDAR, January 11, 2010, Issue #154
Of the Hudson Valley Activist Newsletter
Send event announcements to jacdon@earthlink.net.
http://activistnewsletter.blogspot.com/
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Editor's Note:
1. A complete announcement about our buses to Washington for the big antiwar protest Saturday March 20 will appear in the next Activist Newsletter in about a week. So far the charters will leave from Kingston, Poughkeepsie and New Paltz, but other stops may be possible if there are enough people who wish to board as a group farther down the Valley.
2. Among the articles in the next newsletter: A roundup analysis of Washington's five ongoing wars, overt and covert; an article on U.S. involvement in Yemen; a piece about further erosions of civil liberties as a consequence of the attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound airliner; two brief articles on the Honduras coup; comments on "climate change and capitalism" by Evo Morales and Hugo Chávez; a call for more peace education; a first-person account of the recent Gaza Freedom March; a compilation of events in 2009 leading to the conclusion there is "more acceptance for marijuana in the U.S. these days;" Gideon Levy on the, "Israel-Palestinian impasse," and a geopolitical excursion through the Middle East and Central Asia by M. K. Bhadrakumar, plus more.
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ACTIVIST CALENDAR EVENTS
Wednesday, Jan. 13, LATHAM: A picket and rally against the anti-union practices of Holiday Inn Express lasts 4-6 p.m. today and each Wednesday, as the strike continues, in front of the Holiday Inn Express, 400 Old Loudon Rd. Friends of labor are invited to join. From the organizers: "Workers at the Holiday Inn Express got tired of poverty wages, unaffordable healthcare, and bad management. They joined with Workers United local 471 to form a union at this hotel, owned by Jim Morrell. Within 24 hours hotel management fired three workers on the organizing committee and fired another not long after. The workers went on strike for back pay and and union recognition, and established the daily picket line at the entrance. This strike has been going on for about six months. See http://ShameOnJimMorrell.com for more information." For information about o the picket/rally, (518) 426-0883, dbull4@verizon.net.
Thursday, Jan. 14, SCHENECTADY (Union College campus): A demonstration will be held on campus to protest the speaking appearance of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Student organizers identify Olmert — who initiated the invasion of Gaza beginning in December 2008 and the invasion Lebanon in the summer of 2006 — as a war criminal. The Israeli attackers killed 1,400 Gaza residents, mostly civilians including hundreds of children, while losing 14 of their own — a 100-1 disproportion of historic dimension. Olmert, currently under criminal indictment in Israel for fraud, breach of trust, and tax evasion, will be speaking at 7 p.m. to a closed meeting at Nott Memorial Chapel. The concerned faculty and students organizing the demonstration say "space on campus to picket and protest this accused war criminal’s actions will be available beginning 5 p.m." At deadline we don't have the exact location but it'll be in close proximity to the chapel on campus. Information is available from Tom Lobe, lobetom@hotmail.com, or Mazin Tadros, tadrosm@union.edu. Campus map, http://www.union.edu/Campus/Map/ (The chapel is #33 in the middle of Library Field.)
Thursday, Jan. 14, DELMAR: The documentary "Vietnam: American Holocaust" will be screened, with a discussion to follow, at Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Ave., 6:45-9 p.m. From the organizers: "During the Vietnam War the U.S. dropped more bombs on Vietnam than had been dropped by all countries in World War II. They also used chemical weapons on the people, including Agent Orange and White Phosphorous. The film exposes one of the worst cases of sustained mass slaughter in history. Our generals and foot soldiers, knowingly or unknowingly, killed three million people, mostly using incendiary bombs. Vietnam has never left our national consciousness, and now it has more relevance than ever. Martin Sheen, who played a leading role in 'Apocalypse Now' almost 30 years ago, has lent his powerful voice to this actual history of the War in Vietnam." Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information, (518) 466-1192, tquaif@yahoo.com, http://www.BethlehemforPeace.org/.
Thursday, Jan. 14, WOODSTOCK: The Middle East Crisis Response group of Hudson Valley residents opposed to Israeli and U.S. policies toward the Palestinians meets 7-8:30 p.m. at the Library, 5 Library Lane, just off Tinker St. All welcome. Information, (845) 876-7906, http://www.mideastcrisis.org , gale@mideastcrisis.org.
Saturday, Jan. 16, WAPPINGER FALLS: Take note that the long standing Saturday peace vigil — at the grassy knoll on the corner of Rts. 9 and 9D, 12 noon-2 p.m. — will include a climate change aspect to it as well as opposition to Washington's wars. Organizer's statement: "There is no Planet B, but a better world is possible." Information, (845) 632-1552, richierc@optonline.net.
Saturday, Jan. 16, MOUNT KISCO: The documentary film "A Crude Awakening" will be shown at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Westchester, 236 Bedford Rd. at 7 p.m. The film focuses on our planet's shrinking petroleum resources. A discussion will follow. Information, http://www.transitionwestchester.org/calendar.htm.
Sunday, Jan. 17, WHITE PLAINS: The same film listed just above, "A Crude Awakening," will be shown at Community Unitarian Universalist Church, 468 Rosedale Ave. at 7 p.m. Information, http://www.transitionwestchester.org/calendar.htm.
Sunday, Jan. 17, WOODSTOCK: The "20th Annual Birthday Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. begins at 2 p.m. at Woodstock Community Center, 56 Rock City Rd. Twenty years! Well done, friends — particularly Terry and Pierre Leroy and so many others we can't name them all. This year's theme is "From Montgomery to Woodstock, Speaking Out Against War." Speakers include Pam Africa, of International Concerned Friends of Mumia Abu Jamal, and Rev. Modele Clarke, of New Progressive Baptist Church. Performers include, actor/playwright, Michael Monasterial, performing King's Riverside speech; dancer/choreographer Janine Williams with Naomi Eshe and dancers; the Princes of Serendip with peace songs; Debra Burger singing freedom songs; and Ras T and the Asheber Posse providing roots rock. Sponsored by MLK Day Planning Committee, Town of Woodstock, and Haitian People's Support Project. Information, Terry Leroy (845) 679-7320.
Monday, Jan. 18, KINGSTON: "Journey to Freedom," a benefit concert for the group "Save Them Now," will be held at Pointe of Praise Family Life Center, 243 Hurley Ave. at 3 p.m. Performers include Kim and Reggie Harris, Rabbi Jonathan Kliger, Bill and Livia Vanaver, with their Caravan Kids, and special guest — Pete Seeger. Suggested minimum donation, $10. Sponsored by Save Them Now, a Kingston religion-based group that provides housing and rehabilitation for nonviolent ex-convicts, and recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. For donations contact Sandi Armstrong of Woodstock Jewish Congregation, (845) 679-2218, Rita Worthington of New Progressive Baptist Church, rmwpdw@aol.com, Bob Cohen of Ulster County Religious Council, rcohen4@hvc.rr.com, or the Administration office of Pointe of Praise Family Life Center, (845) 339-4615.
Sunday, Jan. 24, ROSENDALE: The film, "Freeing Silvia Baraldini" will be screened at the Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main St. at 2:30 p.m., followed by a discussion and wine and cheese reception with the filmmakers. This documentary follows the life of an Italian-American activist who spent 24 years in prison following her conviction for helping to free Black Panther Assata Shakur from prison. Sponsored by The Haitian People's Support Project and The Martin Luther King Day Planning Committee. Snow date: Jan. 31, 2:30 p.m. About the film: http://www.thinedgefilms.com/.
Monday, Feb. 1, OLD CHATHAM- The film, "A Man Named Pearl" will be screened at 7 p.m. at Powell House Quaker Conference and Retreat Center, 524 Pitt Hall Road off County Route 13. The film documents the topiary artist Pearl Fryar, a sharecropper's son, and his rise to fame in his field in the poorest county in South Carolina, and the hope that he gave to the people there. Sponsored by Old Chatham Quaker Meeting. Free and public. Information (518) 766-2992. Directions, http://www.oldchathamquakers.org/
