CALENDAR July 21 to August 30
Hudson Valley Activist Calendar, Issue #699
To subscribe contact us at jacdon@earthlink.net, or Http://Activistnewsletter.Blogspot.Com ——————————
The Calendar is updated with new events every few days. Check in again later this month. New items begin with this mark: √√.
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The new Activist Newsletter will be posted in a few days
For July 9 Activist Newsletter go to 7-9-16 in the blog archive to the right.
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It was 71 years ago Aug. 6 in Hiroshima and Aug.9 in Nagasaki that the United States became the first and only country so far to drop nuclear weapons on civilian cities. The conservative version of the death toll is 225,000. Higher estimates exist. The danger of a new nuclear war has not ended or even receded. As we mentioned in the July 9 Newsletter, "World War 3 is all too imaginable to ignore, but ignore we may until it is too late." We must put banning all nuclear weapons back on the broad peace movement agenda. (Three Capital District commemorations are listed below.)
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They survived, but most of the dead were women and children since many of the men were in the military, distant from home. |
EVENTS:
Friday, July 22, WOODSTOCK: A 7 to 9 p.m. panel discussion on Gov. Cuomo’s executive order attacking the right of New Yorkers to boycott Israel will take place in Town Hall, 76 Tinker St. Constitutional lawyer Allen Levine, and Jewish Voice for Peace board member Donna Nevel will discuss both the First Amendment and moral arguments against Cuomo’s order that would create a blacklist of organizations and groups working for peace and justice in the Middle East. The panel, part of the www.WoodstockFreeSpeech.org campaign, is sponsored by Middle East Crisis Response (www.mideastcrisis.org), Hudson Valley Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (www.hudsonvalleybds.org) and Catskill Mt. Veterans for Peace. Information, nicabramson@riseup.net or (845) 679-5301.
Sunday, July 24, NEW PALTZ, RENSSELAER (CAPITAL DISTRICT), AND KINGSTON to PHILADELPHIA: Many thousands of climate activists from all over will participate in a "March for a Clean Energy Revolution" in Philadelphia today, the day before the Democratic Party National Convention begins in that city. This is big. Scores of buses are transporting marchers to the event, mostly from the East Coast but further west as well. Buses will be leaving from New Paltz, Rensselaer (Capital District), Kingston and other New York State locations. The event begins at 12 noon at South Penn Square near Philadelphia's City Hall. Demands are: Ban Fracking Now, Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground, Stop Dirty Energy, Environmental Justice For All, Quickly and Justly Transition to 100% Renewable Energy.
Information about the Philadelphia demonstration: http://www.cleanenergymarch.org, http://www.cleanenergymarch.org/get-involved/organizations/
New York Buses: From New Paltz, organized by the New Paltz Climate Action Coalition. Leave the New Paltz (exit 18) Park and Ride at 8 a.m. Sunday, July 24, returning about 9 p.m. The full cost is $25; full and partial scholarships are also available. Bring lunch and rain gear (if necessary), etc. etc. Contact: 845-255-9297 or 845-255-7711.newpaltzclimateaction@gmail.com.
Rensselaer and Kingston, Stop N.Y. Fracked Gas Pipeline is sponsoring a bus from Rensselaer to Kingston (for additional passengers) then to Philadelphia for the march. The bus will leave Yankee Trails Bus Company 569 3rd Ave Extension Rensselaer. For costs, times, etc., contact Ruth Foster at 518-588-0187, rmfoster@nycap.rr.com, or 518-781-4686.
Sunday, July 24, PHILADELPHIA:
Among the important activities taking place here the day before the Democratic Convention will be a public meeting calling on President Obama to grant clemency to Mumia Abu Jamal, Leonard Peltier and all political prisoners in the United States. The event begins at 5 p.m. at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. This meeting is endorsed by Pam Africa of International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, NYC Free Peltier committee, Eddie Conway — a member of the Black Panthers who was framed and imprisoned for 44 years until his release two years ago, Jasmine Heiss of Amnesty International (assigned to Peltier's case), Betty Davis (New Abolitionist Movement), political prisoner Lynne Stewart, Ralph Poynter of the Justice for Lynne Stewart Organization, Eugene Puryear of Party for Socialism and Liberation and author of Shackled and Chained: Mass Incarceration in Capitalist America, Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio, Theresa Shoatz (daughter of long time prisoner Russell "Maroon" Shoatz), ANSWER Coalition, Jenefer Ellingston of the D.C. Statehood Green Party, Jericho Movement, National Muslim Council for Justice, International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, and the Hudson Valley Activist Newsletter, among others. This meeting was initiated by the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which stated: "Join us for a convergence of political prisoner advocates from a wide range of individual cases. We will rally supporters old and new, give updates, strategize and raise the profile of this critical issue. It is within President Obama's power to grant clemency to all the political prisoners incarcerated in federal prison, and exert huge pressure on state officials to do the same. As his second term comes to a close, it is crucially important to build pressure around the demand of clemency."
Monday, July 25 thru Thursday, July 28, PHILADELPHIA
Monday, Aug. 25 thru Thursday, Aug. 28, PHILADELPHIA: There definitely will be protests and demonstrations at the Democratic Party Convention in Philadelphia this week. But the issues will be completely different than those struggled over at the Cleveland Republican Convention by the far right, the religious far right, the party establishment right wing and the winning if dangerous, racist and enigmatic Trump extremist right. In Philadelphia the liberal-left wing of the Democratic Party — suppressed for decades by the party center-right establishment but now seemingly liberated by the social democratic campaign waged by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont — will be demanding more concessions from the center right. The liberal-left has already won some demands and has clearly pushed Hillary Clinton somewhat to the center, judging by her rhetorical adoption of issues Bernie has articulated over the last year. Nearly 2,000 Sanders' delegates will be at the convention and will be speaking up. The venue is the Wells Fargo Center with some caucus meetings at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Much information about the protests has yet to be revealed publically. In addition, left and socialist groups will engage in protests outside the convention itself. The following three websites will give you and idea of what, where and when these events will take place:
1. Sanders Delegation Plotting in Public and Secretly to Shake Up Democratic Convention:
2. Bernie or Bust Democrats plan convention protests:
3. Meet the Organizers Behind Planned Protests at Philly DNC in July"
Monday, July 25, KINGSTON: The End The New Jim Crow Action Network (ENJAN) will meet 6-8 p.m. at the New Progressive Baptist Church, 8 Hone St. ENJAN is a Hudson Valley network dedicated to fighting racist policies of racial profiling, police brutality, and mass incarceration. (The next meetings are Aug. 8 and 22) Information, (845) 475-8781 or www.enjan.org.
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| FARC guerrilla forces agreed to settlement with Colombian government after decades of war. |
Wednesday, July 27, ALBANY: What's the meaning of the new peace agreement brokered by Cuba between the government of Colombia and rebel forces? This topic and the question of Washington's current role in Latin America will be addressed by Caldwell Manners, a human rights solidarity activist and social documentarian currently based with Christian Peacemaker Teams in Colombia. The 4 p.m. meeting is at Albany Friends Meeting House, 727 Madison Ave. This free public event is sponsored by Upper Hudson Peace Action and co-sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information, Paul Rehm at Kprehm@aol.com.
Wednesday, July 27, POUGHKEEPSIE: ENJAN (End The New Jim Crow Action Network) will meet 6-8 p.m. in the Sadie Peterson Delaney African Roots Library, Family Partnership Center, 29 N. Hamilton St. ENJAN is a Hudson Valley network dedicated to fighting racist policies of racial profiling, police brutality, and mass incarceration. The next meetings are Aug. 10 and 24. Information, (845) 475-8781 or www.enjan.org.
Thursday, July 28, WOODSTOCK: Middle East Crisis Response (MECR) will meet from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Woodstock Public Library, 5 Library Lane. MECR is a group of Hudson Valley residents joined together to promote peace and human rights in Palestine and the Middle East. (The following meetings are Aug. 11 and 25.) Information, (845) 876-7906 or www.mideastcrisis.org.
Friday, July 29, BEACON: A free public showing of the documentary Warrior: The Life Of Leonard Peltier will be screened at 7:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Beacon, McKinley Hall, 50 Liberty St. This film depicts the true story of political prisoner Leonard Peltier, the American Indian leader imprisoned for life in Leavenworth Penitentiary for the alleged murder of two FBI agents during a bloody shoot-out on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1975. Doors open at 7 p.m. (For an article about Leonard's current plight see the July 9 Activist Newsletter.) Information, (845) 838-2415, (914) 907-4928, www.moviesthatmatterbeacon.org.
Monday, Aug.1, NISKAYUNA (Schenectady County): The one-hour 1986 American documentary Hellfire: A Journey from Hiroshima will be screened between 6 to 8 p.m. at the Public Library, 2400 Nott St. E. Written and directed by John Junkerman, this Academy Award-nominated film charts the careers of Japanese artists Iri and Toshi Maruki. The Marukis went to Hiroshima after the destruction of the city to assist the burned and dying. They were forever impacted and created a series of murals of the Hiroshima nightmare to educate the public. Over time, they expanded their work to include other atrocities of war and history, and became universal voices for peace. The film explores the use of art as a means to testify about war, process war experiences and prevent further war. The film is free and the public is invited. A discussion will follow, time allowing. Sponsored by Schenectady Neighbors for Peace and Upper Hudson Peace Action. Information, Elaine Klein <elaineklein@hotmail.com>.
Thursday, Aug. 4, DELMAR: There will be a free public showing of Michael Moore's hilarious new film Where To Invade Next?, 6:30-8:45 p.m.
at the Bethlehem Public Library,
451 Delaware Ave. A discussion will follow the film, which is sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information:
(518) 466-1192.
(518) 466-1192.
Thursdays, Aug. 4, NEW PALTZ: The Climate Action Coalition meets every Thursday in New Paltz Village Hall (upstairs), 25 Plattekill Ave. The 5-6:30 p.m. meetings, led by Ann Guenther and Miriam Strouse, feature weekly reports on local current actions in solar, composting, fracking and pipeline resistance, energy transition and more. Information,www.newpaltzclimateaction.org/, or www.facebook.com/#!/pages/New-Paltz-Climate-Action-Coalition/440970735951732
Friday, Aug. 5, WOODSTOCK: A free public screening of the film Je ne suis pas Charlie [I am not Charlie] will begin at 7 p.m. in Woodstock Town Hall, 76 Tinker St. Filmmakers Max Blumenthal and James Kleinfeld will be on hand to explore the post-Hebdo climate in France to find out what happens when the state tries to regulate what political expressions are acceptable in a free society. The film is part of www.WoodstockFreeSpeech.org, the campaign to roll back Gov. Cuomo’s executive order forbidding the boycott of Israel. Sponsored by: Middle East Crisis Response (www.mideastcrisis.org), Hudson Valley Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (www.hudsonvalleybds.org) and Catskill Mt. Veterans for Peace. Information, Jane.toby7@gmail.com, (518) 291-6808.
Friday, Aug. 5, SCHENECTADY: A demonstration to commemorate the nuclear obliteration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and to demand the abolition of nuclear weapons and power is scheduled for 12 noon at the corner of State St. and Erie Blvd. Join Schenectady Neighbors for Peace in remembering the horrific loss of life and continued threat of nuclear disaster. Bring signs, banners, artwork, puppets, etc. to make the statement that we must work together to avert further nuclear deaths and disaster. Information, Elaine Klein <elaineklein@hotmail.com>.
√√ Friday Aug 5, HYDE PARK: A panel discussion begins at 7 p.m. on the topic “From Anti-Lynching to Social Security to Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter: Exploring the Progressive Legacy on Racial Justice.” The event takes place FDR Presidential Library & Museum, 4079 Albany Post Rd. The panel will be moderated by Jonathan Jayes-Green, co-founder of UndocuBlack, and panelists will include: Andrea Flynn, Roosevelt Institute Fellow and co-author of Rewrite The Racial Rules: Building An Inclusive American Economy; Carl Amritt, Roosevelt Network member and a student at Bard College; and Paul Sparrow, director of the Library & Museum.
Hyde Park, NY 12538. Information, (845) 486-7770.
√√ Saturday, Aug 6, 2016, NEW PALTZ: Arts for Peace will commemorate the horrendous bombing of Hiroshima by the United States 71 years ago on Aug. 6, 1945. All are invited from 4-430 p.m. to Peace Park across the street from the New Paltz Village Hall at 25 Plattekill Ave. David Levy will be playing flute and chanting in honor of the Hiroshima victims. Information, jsb0534@gmail.com.
Saturday, Aug. 6, ALBANY: As part of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki observances, there will be a public reading of John Hersey’s classic 1946 book Hiroshima from 11a.m.-3 p.m. in Townsend Park, Henry Johnson Blvd. and Central Ave. The public is encouraged to join in the reading. Those interested in reading can sign up to participate when they arrive. Please bring folding chairs. The event is free and public. Rain site is the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave. Sponsored by the Poetry Motel Foundation, the Tom Paine Chapter Veterans for Peace, Upper Hudson Peace Action, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information contact Dan Wilcox, 482-0262, dwlcx@earthlink.net.
Sunday, Aug. 14, KINGSTON: The LGBTQ Task Force to Undo Mass Incarceration and Institutional Racism meets 3-5 p.m. on 2nd and 4th Sundays at the LGBTQ Community Center, 300 Wall St. Information, Janet at 845-797-7691.
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Until next Time Keep in Mind:
