HUDSON
VALLEY ACTIVIST CALENDAR
October 5, 2013, Issue #675
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1. NOTE: IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE OCT. 3 ACTIVIST NEWSLETTER,
IT IS POSTED JUST BEFORE THIS CALENDAR.
2. Note correct time for Oct. 12 Monsanto rally (below) is 2 p.m., not noon.
2. Note correct time for Oct. 12 Monsanto rally (below) is 2 p.m., not noon.
Monday, October 7,
OLD CHATHAM: A free
public screening of the documentary “Five Broken Cameras” will take place 7-9
p.m. at Old Chatham Quaker
Meetinghouse, 539 County Rt. 13 (across from Pitt Hall Rd.). . The film is “a Palestinian farmer's chronicle of
his nonviolent resistance to the actions of the Israeli army. It was shot
almost entirely by Emad Burnat, who bought his first camera in 2005 to record
the birth of his youngest son. The footage was given to Israeli co-director Guy
Davidi, who edited it to be structured around the violent destruction of each
one of Burnat's cameras. The filmmakers' collaboration follows one family's
evolution over five years of village turmoil.” Information, (518) 794-0259, Bob
Elmendorf poetapoetus@taconic.net.
Monday, Oct. 7, NYC/UNITED
STATES: Today is the 12th anniversary of the U.S. invasion an
occupation of Afghanistan. In New York City at 5 p.m. there will be a
protest-commemoration at
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza
, 55 Water St. Sponsors include Veterans for
Peace, Military Families Speak Out (Metro), NYC War Resisters League, Code Pink
NY, Grannies Peace Brigade, Brooklyn For Peace, Grandmothers Against the War,
Manhattan Peace Action, Peace Action NYS. This ill-conceived imperial
war is supposed to end when U.S. troops pull out at the end of 2014, having achieved
little but death, destruction and stalemate. President Obama, however, wants to
keep thousands of U.S. Special Forces soldiers, CIA agents and drones in the
country until 2024 if a deal can be worked out with the Kabul government.
Tuesday, Oct. 8,
ALBANY: Today is the 74th birthday of imprisoned progressive lawyer Lynne Stewart, who was unjustly sentenced to 10 years in federal prison
for zealously advocating for her client. She has stage four breast
cancer but the federal Bureau of Prisons has so far refused her request
for compassionate release. A “Rally for Compassionate Release” will start
at 12 noon at the U.S. Federal Building, 1 Clinton Ave. Speakers include: Doug Bullock, Dominick
Calsolaro, Steve Downs, Joe Lombardo, Kathy Manley and Mark Mishler. The
rally is sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Muslim Solidarity
Committee, National Lawyers Guild, Project SALAM, NYCLU Capital District
Chapter, The Solidarity Committee of the Capital District, VFP Chapter 10,
and Women Against War. For information about Lynne’s case, http://lynnestewart.org.
To sign a petition to support her release, http://www.change.org/petitions/new-petition-to-free-lynne-stewart-support-compassionate-release.
Information, mkathy1296@gmail.com, http://www.projectsalam.org.
Wednesday, Oct. 9, POUGHKEEPSIE: “To Jail or Not to Jail?” is the title
of a public forum starting at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 67
South Randolph Ave. Three panelists will discuss the options being considered
for Dutchess County regarding its corrections system: Marc Molinaro, Dutchess
County Executive; Mary Ellen Still, Director of Probation for Dutchess County
and lead author of a study by the Dutchess County Criminal Justice Council; and
Diane Jablonski of the Dutchess County Democratic Women’s Caucus, which has
also published a report on the county corrections system. The Poughkeepsie
Journal’s John Penney will moderate. The sponsor is the Social Justice
Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Information, Pat Lamanna, patla42@gmail.com, (845) 452-3013.
Wednesday, Oct. 9,
TROY: Malalai Joya, the famed Afghan activist and writer, will speak at a 1
p.m. public meeting in Bush Memorial Hall on the Russell Sage Campus at 45
Ferry St. (at Congress St.). She will also speak in Albany at 7 p.m. (see
directly below). We are informed by the organizers: “Malalai
Joya, 35, first gained international attention in 2003 when she spoke out
publicly against the domination of warlords in Afghanistan. She was at that
time serving as an elected delegate to the Loya Jirga that was convened to
ratify the Constitution of Afghanistan. In 2005 she became one of 68 women
elected to the 249-seat National Assembly. An extraordinary young woman, raised
in the refugee camps of Iran and Pakistan, Joya became a teacher in secret
girl's schools, hiding her books under her burqa so that the Taliban couldn't
find them.” This important event is sponsored by Women Against War, Bethlehem
Neighbors for Peace and numerous other local organizations. The tour is
sponsored by The United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC). Information, (518) 466-1192,
Trudy Quaif, tquaif@yahoo.com.
Wednesday, Oct. 9, ALBANY: Malalai Joya, the famed activist and writer
from Afghanistan, will speak at a 7 p.m. meeting at the First Unitarian
Universalist Society of Albany, 405 Washington Ave. (See above for details). Sponsors are Women Against War, Bethlehem Neighbors
for Peace and numerous other local organizations. The tour is sponsored by The
United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC). Information, (518) 466-1192, Trudy
Quaif, tquaif@yahoo.com.
Friday, Oct. 11, NEW
PALTZ: There will be a free showing of Josh Fox’s second film against
fracking — Gasland 2 — at 8:30 p.m., Elting Library, 93 Main St. This
documentary revisits families whose lives have been changed from living near
fracking wells. He interviews politicians who have been trying to stop fracking
and aid those affected by it. He also interviews Tony Ingraffea, Cornell
Professor of Engineering, who says fracking can never be done safely. In
another segment, Stanford professor Mark Jacobson argues that the U.S. could
stop drilling for coal, oil and natural gas and derive adequate energy from
renewable resources such as wind, high-concentrated solar power, geothermal
power, hydroelectric power and tidal power. Sponsored by New Paltz
Neighbors for Peace. Information, Rosalyn
Cherry rosalyn@clutterkit.com.
Friday, Oct. 11, NEW PALTZ (SUNY campus): Three people will be speaking at a 1:15 p.m. public
meeting in LC 102 on the topic, “New Paltz Behind Bars.” One speaker is Mika'il DeVeaux,
who received his MA in Sociology from New Paltz in 1991 while incarcerated at Eastern
Correctional Facility. He now runs Citizens Against Recidivism, a reentry
organization for individuals coming out of prison, and is a doctoral candidate
Hunter College. He will be joined by Susan and Bill Philliber, who founded and
taught in New Paltz's MA program, which ran at Eastern Correctional facility
from 1984 until 1994, when Pell Grants were cut for people who are
incarcerated. Information, (845) 257-3756.
Saturday, Oct.
12, NEW PALTZ: A rally and march against Monsanto corporation’s genetic modification of food and certain pesticides begins at 2 p.m. at Peace Park, across from Village Hall on Plattekill Ave. (off Main St. at Starbucks corner). This is the second global action this year. In May 400 people turned out in New Paltz — and the organizers say, “come on back and
bring your friends; our movement is growing.” According to Hudson Valley for No
GMOs: “On Oct 12, we'll have informative speakers, free literature
(including tips on how to shop GMO-free) and other surprises. Make a sign
and if you are so moved, dress up for the March (if you wish). Activism against Monsanto is working. The Senate just voted to
kill the Monsanto Protection Act. In 2014, we can get GM labeling in New York,
too.” Information,
Saturday, Oct. 12,
NEW PALTZ: We have been informed a “Stop Indian Point” rally will be held in Peace Park
today at 3:30 p.m., immediately after the Monsanto protest. That’s all the
information we have, but we will update our blog when we receive more.
Friday, Oct. 18,
MILLBROOK: “The Lessons Learned From The Deepwater Horizon Disaster” is the
topic of a 7 p.m. discussion by marine scientist Samantha Joye. Following the
disaster, Joye and her team were the first to detect massive underwater plumes
of oil and natural gas. Impacts to ocean animals, post-spill recovery, and the
need for improved oil-removal technologies will be discussed. This free public event will be
held in the Cary Institute auditorium, located at 2801 Sharon Turnpike (Rt.. 44).
in Millbrook, New York. Space is limited. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Information, freemanp@caryinstitute.org.
Thursday, Oct. 17,
TROY: The extraordinary Bread and Puppet Theater will celebrate its 50th
anniversary with a special 7 p.m. performance at The Sanctuary for
Independent Media, 3361 6th Avenue (at the corner of 101 St.) in North Troy.
They will be performing five short shows spanning their 50 years. The
shows Bread and Puppet will perform include "King Story," an early
anti-war piece which was originally shown in 1967; "President and
Chair," which is a performance created in 1992 that pokes fun at
presidents, election campaigns and puppet shows; "The Foot," which
was originally performed in the march and rally in New York City in 1982 where
people demonstrated against nuclear weapons; and "A Man Says Goodbye To
His Mother," which was created and performed during the Vietnam War. Admission, $10 suggested, $5 student/low income. Tickets are
available for advance purchase at
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/462568, or at the door.
Information, (518) 272-2390, http://www.mediasanctuary.org.
Thursday, Oct. 24,
UNITED STATES: Today is the 75th anniversary of the federal
Minimum Wage, without which the plight of working people in America would be
worse. But it’s far too low at seven bucks and change. President Obama recently
called for an increase to
at least $9 an hour and proposed indexing the minimum wage to inflation. Many
members of Congress prefer $10.10 an hour. That’s better, but low wage workers
throughout the U.S. earning from minimum to $9 have been demonstrating for $15.
That seems right to us because if the minimum had kept pace with inflation it
would be $15.23 an hour today. The big corporate bosses — Walmart, McDonald’s,
Wendy’s, KFC, Tacco Bell, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, etc. — can easily afford it. The corporate CEO of McDonald’s
“earns” $10,669 an hour. We kid you not
(see Statistics of the Month in the Newsletter below).
Friday, Oct. 25, ROCK TAVERN: The documentary “Bidder 70” will be screened at 7
p.m. at the Orange County Unitarian Universalist Meeting House, 9 Vance Road. The
film tells the story of Tim DeChristopher, a young man who disrupted a
controversial BLM Oil and Gas leasing auction in 2008. He posed as a bidder
(#70) and bid $1.7 million to win 22,000 acres of land he had no intention of
paying for (or drilling on). His purpose was to save the land from
despoliation. Tim was federally indicted, convicted and served two years in
prison for his courageous act of civil disobedience. Now free, he continues his
activism. Cost: $5 - $10 donation requested; No one turned away for lack
of funds. Sponsored by the UU Social Action Committee. Information, VerneMB@aol.com.
Tuesday, Oct. 29, NEW PALTZ (SUNY campus): Award winning documentary filmmaker Josh Fox, the
director of the highly acclaimed Gasland,
will be speaking and showing clips of Gasland
2, Fox’s continued investigation into fracking, its side effects, and
the industry’s responses to the anti-fracking movement. Fox will be, discussing
the fracking issue and describing his experiences since the release of his
original groundbreaking expose. This free public event will be held in Lecture
Center 100 at 7 p.m. Sponsored by the SUNY New Paltz Environmental Task Force, Co-sponsors
include theSUNY NP chapter of United University Professions and Riverkeeper..