Dear Friends, 3/12/17 716-332-3904 or 716-931-3520 for more info
Hope you’re ready for a busy day! We hope you’ll come out to our
fun(d)raiser 4-7pm at the Sportsmen’s Tavern to hear great music while
supporting the WNYPC!:
* MPP – Major Progress Program: A Benefit Concert for the WNY Peace
Center! Sun, March 12, 4-7pm, Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St.,
Buffalo. ($10). Paul Yates, George Puleo, Greg Opalinski, Paul Swisher,
David Kane, Myron Deputat, Jack Prybyeski, Jim Linsner, Frank Pusateri,
and special guest the Dooleys.
And before that, we hope you’ll make it (again today) to
* “Journey of the Universe” showing, 2-4pm, Burchfield-Penney Art Center,
1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo. Come see this award-winning documentary about
how our beautiful planet came to be. Organized by the Interfaith Climate
Justice Community.
* 4pm Riverside-Salem UCC/DC progressive program and potluck. This week
White Privilege exploration. 3449 West River Road, Grand Island.
Some of you have asked how the Huddle went that we had a few weeks ago. We
had about 150 people, communicated about national days of action, and had
break out groups – some of which connected to our taskforces, and some of
which continue as an entity unto themselves. Main groups were Indivisible,
the Women’s Group (closely connected to our Gender Justice Taskforce),
Environmental Justice, Health Care, Racial Justice and Economic Justice.
We’ll have another similar gathering soon. Meanwhile we continue to
organize!
Thanks so much for your participaqtion on International Women’s Day – “A
Day Without Women” – remember iti’s Women’s Month (also Social Work
Month!).
As usual many announcements follow. Sorry for the length - we have a lot
of campaigns currently!! Many thanks, and see you out there!
Peace/Salam/Shalom/Shanti! Nya weh/Asanti/Gracias/Tashakor/Thanks!!
***
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TASKFORCE
* See 3/12 movie above!
* Elma Town Board Meeting, Weds, March 15 7:00 PM 1600 Bowen Road, Elma,
NY 14059. Citizens need to press their local town officials to make sure
they are communicating with National Fuel and have a coherent Safety
Plan/Evacuation Plan coordinated in case of an emergency such as the
February 7 Elma/East Aurora Fracked Methane Gas Leak. For more info - Or
to ask Jennifer if she will speak at YOUR next town meeting contact:
Jennifer Marmion- SycoNB@gmail.com or call Cell: (716-997-2841)
***
INDIVISIBLE
About 150 people came out at #VotersNotDonors, to protest Chris Collins
who was getting an award at Salvatore’s. That didn’t include the 10
counterprotesters. A peaceful time was had by all.
***
RACIAL JUSTICE TASKFORCE
* Mon, March 13, 5:30pm, NAACP Monthly Meeting, Merriweather Public
Library, Jefferson & Utica Sts., Buffalo.
Cariol Horne Whistleblowers’ Fund, created by the WNYPC
to support police officers who face reprisals from their department for
choosing to strictly uphold their oath to protect and serve the community,
is named for Cariol Horne, former police officer, who faced reprisals
when she saved the life of a citizen who was being subjected to excessive
force on her duty. She was fired just prior to earning her 20-year pension.
The goal of the fund is to encourage good police officers to follow their
moral
conscience if and when it conflicts with the infamous blue wall of silence.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_wall_of_silence). More than $1,000 has
been
raised. Please go to
https://www.gofundme.com/cariol-horne-whistleblower-fund to contribute.
Many Thanks!!
***
PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION
* Tuesday, March 14, 6pm, National Days of Action Planning Session, 1272
Delaware Ave., entrance round back. Come help plan for upcoming events
including
March 25 – People for a Free Press (Erie Co Community Col, downtown, 11am)
April 15 – Tax March
April 22 - March for Science (starts at Soldiers’ Circle, 1pm, continuing
to Del Park.)
April 29 – People’s March for Climate and Peace
May 6 – Immigrants’ March
[June 3 – Dyke March; being planned by Pride Center; also June 10 or 11
National GLBTQIA}
* Weds, March 15, 5:30pm, planning meeting for Sept 16,
Peace-Justice-Nonviolence Festival and March (also national day of action
for juggalos/insane clown posse!).
* Fri, March 17, 2:45pm, Raise the Age press conference and gathering,
East High School. Please come out to show your support for not treating
16-17 year-olds as adults in the Criminal Justice System. NYS and NC are
the only states that do!! Let’s stop it now!!
***
RESIST MILITARISM! TASKFORCE
Press Release re Drone Resisters: Civil Resistance Acquitted and Validated!!!
Four drone resisters, James Ricks, Daniel Burns, Brian Hynes, and Ed
Kinane, from the 2015 big books action were found innocent of all charges
at 11pm at the Dewitt Town Court. After deliberating for only about a half
hour, the jury returned with a verdict of not guilty on all charges.
Applause erupted in the courtroom upon the jurors’ announcement of the
verdict. The four were charged with obstruction of government
administration, disorderly conduct, and trespass and faced a year in jail.
Following the rendering of the verdict, a juror approached Brian Hynes and
said “I really support what you are doing. Keep doing it.”
During the trial, Brian Hynes told the jury, “This is not a case about
contested facts, this is a case about contested meanings.” Hynes went on
to explain to the jury that they could, in the words of the 4th Circuit of
Appeals, acquit for any reason which appeals to their logic or passion. In
powerful testimony, James Ricks told the jury about meeting the families
of drone victims and seeing the wreckage of hellfire missiles. Jurors were
brought to tears several times. Daniel Joseph Burns said, “Would any of
us deem it acceptable for our precious loved ones to be sacrificed for
another nation’s anticipatory self defense. Of course not! Moreover, if
drones were being aimed at my children by another country, I would hope
with all my might that the citizens of that country might try and stop
their country’s illegal and immoral actions.” Ed Kinane told the jury in
clear and powerful language about his time living in Iraq during the war
and about the terror sown by drones. Closing arguments were given by
lawyers Daire Irwin and Jonathan Wallace as well as James Ricks and Brian
Hynes (Heidi Schloegel Hynes).
The trail resulted from an action on March 19, 2015. On the 12th
anniversary of the U.S.’ illegal invasion of Iraq, seven members of the
Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars shut the main gate
of the Hancock Drone Base (near Syracuse, NY) with a giant copy of the UN
Charter and three other giant books – Dirty Wars (Jeremy Scahill), Living
Under Drones (NYU and Stanford Law Schools), and You Never Die Twice
(Reprieve).
​The nonviolent activists also held a banner quoting Article 6 of
the U.S. Constitution, stating that every treaty signed becomes the
supreme law of the land. They brought the books to Hancock to remind
everyone at the base of the signed treaties that prohibit the killing of
civilians and assassinations of human beings. The group attempted yet
again to deliver a citizens’ indictment for war crimes to the Hancock Air
base chain of command. #####
*Thurs, March 9, 1-2:30pm. Resist Militarism! Taskforce Meeting, WNYPC,
1272 Delaware Ave, Buffalo (entrance and parting round back). Will discuss
upcoming events, including showing “National Bird” (re drones) and
producer, Sonia Kennebeck to Buffalo, dealing with ICE (Rapid Response
Team?), NFARS next steps, etc.
* 2nd and 4th Thurs of month, next one March 9: Resist Militarism!
Anti-Weaponized-Drone Vigil at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station,
3:30-4:30pm. Call Russell, 570-5200 for carpooling.
***
IMMIGRANT & REFUGEE JUSTICE TASKFORCE
* VIVE is facing 200 or more refugees who need their shelter and help.
They say they can handle 150, and they had been able to move 50 a while
ago, but they are back to 200 again. They need:
sheets (twin/single), blankets (any size), towels, toiletries
(shampoo etc), as soon as possible, and
places for people to stay, churches, or families, even for a few
people, even for a few days.
VIVE's phone is 892-4354. Sr Beth is working on this ext 607. Anna
Ireland is the director.
Please share this where you can, church on Sunday would be good if
you're there.
Thank you.
*
One of our Western council family needs our help. Dolores Bustamente is
scheduled for her fourth date in Immigration Court on March 15 at 9 AM at
the Buffalo Federal Detention Center in Batavia, NY. She has been told by
4 lawyers that her chances of remaining in this country are minimal after
having been stopped for speeding three years ago, after which time she was
handed over to Border Patrol.
Dolores has been involved in the Rural Women’s Conference and is a leader
in Las Mujeres Divinas (a women’s group here who have been developing
their leaderships skills and working for farmworker justice.) Her
daughter, Miriam Gonzalez, is in our youth group, JOY, and is a leader in
my Kids for College program. Miriam is a 16 year old junior in Sodus, a
DACA student, who right now is emotionally traumatized with the knowledge
that her life without her mother will be difficult.
I am hoping that those who know Dolores, and even those who feel compelled
to help defend her, will write a letter of support which will be presented
to the judge on March 15 at 9 AM. We are also asking for this message to
be spread around as much as possible and that anyone who can meet Dolores
at the detention center in Batavia for her court hearing would be making a
profound statement of solidarity to Dolores and Miriam and would send a
strong message to the courts that separating Miriam from her only parent
would devastate another one of our children. Letters from clergy hold
tremendous weight.
The letter should be sent by email to West
Cosgrove wcosgrovermm@gmail.com. (you can simply photo it on your smart
phone and email it to West).
Lory
John L. Ghertner, MD
Migrant Support Services of Wayne County
Kids for College
Greater Rochester Coalition for Immigration Justice
Rural and Migrant Ministry
* Workers' Center member and leader, Jose Coyote Perez, was detained by
ICE in Batavia. He is also a father of four children and community leader
in Upstate and Central NY, member of the Workers' Center of CNY and other
community organizations. His case was administratively closed in
September, but he was detained on February 24, 2017.
Please continue to call the Buffalo Fed. Detention Facility office of the
Chief Counsel (716) 551-4741 and press 4# (four followed by the # sign)
"Proposed script: My name is ______ I want to bring to the attention of
the Chief Counsel the case of Jose Coyote Perez, A#099757267, who is in
Batavia detention Center. He is the father of four children and community
leader in Upstate and Central NY, member of the Workers' Center of CNY and
other community organizations."
Be prepared! They may tell you that is not the place to call but just tell
them you want to leave the message for the Chief Counsel (if she doesn't
answer), it is very important to tell them the A#.
Jose is in good spirits, he knows he has a lot of support from all over
Upstate and Central NY. Thank you for the support you have already shown
and let's continue to show our support!
Si se puede!
*One of our two recently declared Sanctuary Churches, Pilgrim St-Luke’s
needs to put in showers for people staying there! Please send your
contribution (payable) to:
Pilgrim St-Luke UCC
335 Richmond
Buffalo, NY 14222
with Sanctuary Care in the memo. Or go to their website here to donate on
line. Also any plumbers who would be willing to work pro bono or at a
discount should contact Rev. Justo Gonzalez (716-989-9207; or
pastor@lovefaithjustice.org). For the Buffalo 25 and their families you
can also send contributions for them Payable to
Trinity Episcopal Church (with #Buffalo25 on the memo line of your check);
to Trinity Episcopal Church; 371 Delaware Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14202.
***
CAMPAIGNS:
*
>From Roots Action:
President Trump has called for a substantial increase in the number of
soldiers in the military. Already, recruiters who "chill” in the high
schools and lurk online are having a tough time meeting their quotas. They
will become even more aggressive.
The "Every Child Succeeds Act" contains a provision that compels high
schools to provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all students
to any military recruiter who requests the information. The law also says
that parents have the right to remove their kids' names from the lists
being sent to the Pentagon, and that schools have the responsibility to
tell parents that. A lot of school systems didn't get the message.
Only in Maryland are parents given an easy and directly presented means of
opting out. The choice remains theirs, and they are empowered to make it.
A right you do not learn about - or find any means to act on - is not a
right at all!
Maryland is the only state thus far to pass a law that puts the military
recruiter "opt-out" language on the school's mandatory emergency contact
form. As a result, large numbers of Marylanders have exercised their right
to opt out.
Click here to ask New York legislators to make our state the second to
take this step.
Here’s something else you can do! If you are the parent or guardian or a
high school student, download this form and send it to your school's
principal. Make sure you receive a reply.
*
>From Roots Action:
The time has come to abolish the CIA!
Click here to tell Congress.
Former President Harry Truman said he'd wanted to create the Central
Intelligence Agency for the same reason that George W. Bush said he'd
wanted to create the director of national intelligence, in order to have a
single agency reconcile conflicting information from various other
agencies.
"I never had any thought that when I set up the CIA that it would be
injected into peacetime cloak and dagger operations," wrote Truman, who
wanted the CIA restricted to "intelligence."
We've now had 70 years of government overthrows, election interference,
arming of terrorists, kidnapping, murder, torture, lies to justify wars,
bribery of foreign officials, cyber-attacks, and other sorts of "peacetime
cloak and dagger," plus open warfare waged by this unaccountable agency
including through the use of drones.
With vast sums of unaccounted-for money, much of it generated by
off-the-books proprietary companies and illegal activities like drug
smuggling, the CIA spreads corruption around the world. This corruption
undermines the U.S. government and the rule of law. CIA attacks on foreign
governments and peoples backfire against the United States time and time
again.
We've just learned that the CIA has been illegally keeping secret and
exploiting weaknesses in U.S. companies' technology, hiding flaws from
Apple, Google, and all of their customers.
Click here to add your name to this petition to Congress:
We urge you to abolish the Central Intelligence Agency.
*
IMPEACH TRUMP NOW!!
Enough is enough! Please go to
Impeach Donald Trump Now (RootsAction); or
https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/a_million_to_impeach_trump_loc/?bBjDzab&v=88657&cl=11897522612&_checksum=d45fca5e17ea16b8a93bb956b33c9271516f9fa8cef68c0de09729a46b65171c
to Impeach Trump Now! For more info, you can read the TruthOut Article on
the subject. And please spread far and wide – we need to minimize the
extreme damage being done!!
*
Join us on the PeaceAction NYS campaign to keep Donald Trump from pressing
the nuclear button at
NoRedButton or CredoAction’s at Stop Trump from Going Nuclear
and sign on a comprehensive PANYS campaign re his policies at No Fear, No
Hate, No Nukes.
*
Nekanesakt/Indigenous and Friends/Buffalo Supports Standing Rock Water
Protectors!
* Weekly meeting Tuesdays, 6:30pm. Burning Books, 420 Connecticut St.,
Buffalo.
* March 10: Indigenous Peoples’ March on Washington. Bus or van being
arranged.
* March 10: WNY Indigenous Peoples Solidarity March: 3pm rally at 130
South Elmwood Federal Bldg; march 4pm, to Bank of America, 10 Fountain
Plaza (Main and Huron), Buffalo. Come out to stand up for our Indigenous
brothers and sisters, and our Mother Earth!
***
Other regularly scheduled efforts in the One Struggle, One Movement:
Fridays 6pm: Stop The Violence Coalition, United Way Bldg, Delaware and
Summer
Sts.
Saturdays, Noon-1pm: Women In Black. Nonviolence vigil, Bidwell and Elmwood.
Sundays, 4pm Riverside-Salem UCC/DC progressive program and potluck. This
week White Privilege exploration. 3449 West River Road, Grand Island.
Mondays, 1-3pm, Talking Peace with the WNY Peace Center radio show on 91.3FM,
WBNY; with Avery Edwards, Vicki Ross, and special guests. Go to
wnby.buffalostate.edu or http://tunein.com/radio/WBNY-913-s27549/.
Tuesdays, 6:30pm Buffalo Supports Standing Rock Water Protectors! 420
Connecticut St, at Burning Books, with Indigenous Women’s Initiative,
NACS, WNY Peace Center, and more.
2nd and 4th Thurs of month: Resist Militarism! Anti-Weaponized-Drone Vigil
at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, 3:30-4:30pm. Call Russell, 570-5200
for carpooling.
1st and 3rd Thurs of month: Interfaith Peace Network meeting and breakfast-
luck, 8am-9:30am; NRC Bldg, 1272 Delaware Ave. Parking round back.
*****
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Peace and Solidarity! Si, se puede!
###
