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30th Annual Membership Dinner and Program

activistnation — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:26:30 +0000

CFPA 30th Annual Membership Dinner
for Coalition for Peace Action

ACTION URL: http://njpon.org/actions/?id=4632

ACTION NAME: CFPA 30th Annual Membership Dinner

DATES: Jun 04, 2010 through Jun 04, 2010

TIME: 5:00 pm

ORGANIZATION: Coalition for Peace Action

DESCRIPTION: 30th Annual Membership Dinner and Program

LINK: http://peacecoalition.org/component/content/article/39-cfpa/114-30th-annual-membership-dinner-and-program.html

The Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Barry Blechman will keynote its 30th Annual Membership Dinner and Program on Friday, June 4 in McKay Campus Center of Princeton Theological Seminary. Reservations can now be made through the secure section at the bottom of this web page.

30th Annual Membership Dinner and Program
Friday, June 4
McKay Campus Center, Princeton Theological Seminary

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Barry Blechman

Dr. Barry M. Blechman is the co-founder of the Henry L. Stimson Center, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington D.C. focused on issues of national and international security. He was also the founder and president of DFI International Inc., a research and consulting company in Washington, DC, until its sale in 2007.

Dr. Blechman has more than forty years of distinguished service in the national security field. An expert on political/military policies, military strategy, and defense budgets and industries, he has worked in the Departments of State and Defense and at the Office of Management and Budget, and is a frequent consultant to the US Government on a wide range of subjects. Among other boards and commissions, Dr. Blechman served on the Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States (1998-99), the Defense Policy Board (2002-06), and the Mayor’s Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Program Advisory Committee in the District of Columbia (2004-06). He is currently a member of the Department of State Advisory Committee on Transformational Diplomacy. A Georgetown PhD in international relations, Dr. Blechman has written extensively on national security issues and has taught at several universities.

Dr. Blechman has been a pioneer in advocating multilateral negotiations toward a verifiable treaty globally banning nuclear weapons. He is the author of numerous books and articles on nuclear weapon issues. In the February 19, 2010, edition of the New York Times, Dr. Blechman published an op-ed entitled Stop at Start. He is the editor of the recently published book, Elements of a Nuclear Disarmament Treaty: Unblocking the Road to Zero, which will be available for sale at the Membership Dinner and Program.

Honorees:
Representative Rush Holt, Congressional leader for policies to advance peace and ban torture.
William H. and Judith M. Scheide, Stalwart peacemakers and major philanthropic supportersof CFPA’s mission.
Cathy Leary, Volunteer Leader with Bucks and Eastern Montgomery County, PA Chapters.
John P.C. Matthews, (posthumously) A faithful and active CFPA supporter since its founding in 1980.

Date: Friday, June 4, 2010
5:00 PM Sponsor Reception with Speaker
6:00 PM Catered Dinner
7:00-9:00 PM Program
Place: McKay Campus Center, PrincetonTheologicalSeminary
For map of Seminary, click here.
For driving directions and other transportation, click here.

If you aren’t yet a member of the Coalition for Peace Action and wish to attend, you must click here and use the first option to join before registering below. Members who haven’t renewed for 2010 should also first click the link above.

For further information, contact the Coalition for Peace Action
at 609-924-5022 or cfpa@peacecoalition.org

Membership Dinner Reservations may be made online here
Deadline May 28, 2010

Membership Dinner Reservation details:
Sponsor at $100 per person (includes pre-dinner reception, dinner and program, and listing in program; $50 tax deductible)
Dinner & Program at $50 per person ($25 tax deductible)
Limited Income Dinner & Program at $25 per person
Program Only at $15 per person Suggested Donation

Please indicate type and number of Dinners: # Vegetarian (gluten free) # Chicken

To reserve by phone call: 609-924-5022 weekdays.
To reserve by check, please make payable to
“Peace Action Education Fund”
and send by May 25th with your name and address, phone number
and e-mail, along with the above form to:
Coalition for Peace Action
40 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08542

Source www.njpon.org

BURMA / MYANMAR

activistnation — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 03:31:40 +0000

The 2008 Constitution: An Obstacle to Free and Fair Elections in 2010?
February 18, 2010
777 United Nations Plaza
10th Floor
New York, NY 10017
11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Senior General Than Shwe, current head of state of Burma, announced that the military junta will hold general elections in Burma during 2010. Despite any appearance of democratic administration of the elections, a free and fair election is presently unattainable due to fundamental flaws embedded within the 2008 Constitution that undermine certain basic democratic principles. Without revision, the 2008 Constitution cannot provide a foundation for future democratic governance in Burma.

The National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) cordially invites you to participate in an open panel discussion concerning the impact of the 2008 Constitution on the free and fair 2010 elections and the advancement of democracy in Burma.

The panelists will provide background on the development of 2008 Constitution and highlight specific aspects of the 2008 Constitution that would prevent free and fair elections in 2010 and the advancement of democratic institutions, such as the disproportionate influence of the military within the legislature and the military’s effective control over amending the Constitution. The panel will also provide their views on actions the international community can take – in the near term – to promote democracy in Burma.

Our esteemed panelists will include:

Meghan Stewart, Esq.
Post-Conflict Constitution Expert and Burma Program Director, Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG), Washington, DC.

Professor David C. Williams
John S. Hastings Professor of Law and Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Democracy, Maurer School of Law, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Myint Soe
Secretary, National League for Democracy – Liberated Area (NLD-LA).
A question and answer session will follow the panelist presentations.

If you have any questions, please contact Moe Chan at (646) 643-8689 or oway_student@yahoo.com

Source
RiseUp.net

Democratic Socialism Real Change for a Change

activistnation — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 03:18:26 +0000

Friday, March 5th – Sunday, March 7, 2010 at
Norman Thomas High School
111 E 33rd St.
New York, NY 10016

Join young activist from all over the country for a unique opportunity to attend interesting workshops, lecutures and discussions, while connecting with youth working for radical social change.

Source:
Carol the Artist

Donations for Surgery for Eymad Bornat of Bil’in – Urgent

activistnation — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:02:35 +0000

Donations for Surgery for Eymad Bornat of Bil’in – Urgent Emad Bornat, a resident of the West Bank Village of Bil’in, photographer, father, and active member of the non-violent movement against the occupation, specifically the wall and settlements that take 56% of his village’s land for Israeli use, was badly injured a little over a year ago in an accident in which he was hit by a tractor while filming construction in the Modi’in Illit settlement, which stands to this day on Bil’in’s land. At the time of the injury he was in critical condition, but after 50 days in the hospital and intensive medical treatment he recovered. Now, a year later, he needs to undergo an additional operation in order to close his abdominal area, which was only temporarily closed previously for medical reasons. The operation will cost 22,000 shekels (the equivalent of USD $5,895), and he needs to pay this amount by this coming Tuesday!!2/3/2010 the Palestinian Authority they are unwilling to cover this last piece of his series of treatments for the injury, and he is forced to come up with the sum out of his own funds (of which he has none). I am coordinating the collection of these urgent donations for Emad, and I can accept payment through cash, PayPal ( emilyschaeffer@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ), check or bank transfer. For my details, please email or call me ASAP.Or to http://www.bilin-ffj.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=9&Itemid=129 Lastly, I would very much appreciate if you could pass this on to anyone you think would be able to help my dear friend to finish his last step in his treatment and return to providing for his family and to participating in the just non-violent movement against the separation wall and the settlements. Thank you very much in advance, Emily Schaeffer +972-52-6763384 Iyad Burnat +972-547847942 +972-598403676 or conact emad by his email emadbornat@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it “The trouble is that once you see it, you can’t unsee it. And once you’ve seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing, becomes as political an act as speaking out. There is no innocence. Either way, you’re accountable.” — Arundhati Roy

—Source
www.bilin-ffj.org

March 4 Day of Action to Defend Education

activistnation — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:38:58 +0000

Rally at Paterson’s office, 4pm-6pm, 633 3rd Avenue (between 40th and 41st streets) and march to the MTA, 347 Madison Avenue

The Bail Out the People Movement endorses the March 4 National Day of Actions to Defend Education. Students, teachers, faculty, workers, concerned parents and community activists in New York City have called for a unified protest and march beginning at 4pm in front of Governor Paterson’s office, located at 633 3rd Ave. The march will proceed to the MTA, at 347 Madison Ave. Earlier in the day local demonstrations will take place at campuses and schools throughout the city.

The effects of the economic crisis have been felt in all sectors. Hundreds of thousands have faced having their homes foreclosed on or being evicted. Millions have lost their jobs and have added to the millions of unemployed, especially people of color. Many families face hunger on a daily basis.

The crisis has not abated but continues like a storm and now federal, state and local governments are cutting back on vital social services, closing schools, defunding education, health care, other needs and laying off more workers.

The Governor’s Office has proposed a new budget that slashes education funding and reduces aid to local municipalities.

State school aid will be cut by $1.1 billion. This will amount to a $469 million cut to New York City’s Department of Education. It is estimated that as many as 8,500 city teachers could be laid off as a result. This would come on top of the decision by Bloomberg to close 19 public schools in the city.

Funding to SUNY schools could be reduced by as much as $212.4 million. CUNY faces an additional $84.4 million cut. The budget would also free both CUNY and SUNY from state oversight of tuition hikes, paving the way to regular tuition increases as they see fit.

The state’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is also expected to be hard hit by the budget proposal.

The MTA has threatened to eliminate the student Metrocards that provide more than 500,000 K-12 students with the public transportation they need to get to and from school. Join Bail Out the People Movement this March 4 as we support the educators and students that will be marching from Governor Paterson’s office to the MTA to demand:

* Stop the school closings and privatization of public education!
* Stop the cuts to K-12 and higher education!
* Restore the free student MetroCard!
* Full funding for all educational needs!
* Education is a right – Free, high-quality education for all!

Source
International Action Center
www.iacenter.org

The Death and Life of American Journalism: A Conversation

activistnation — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:28:19 +0000

This will be at the NY Society for Ethical Culture.
2 West 64th Street at Central Park West
Wednesday, February 3
7:00 PM (doors open at 6:30 pm)
Auditorium
Everyone agrees that a free society requires a free press. But a free press without the resources to compensate those who gather and analyze information, and to distribute that information widely and in an easily accessible form, is like a seed without water or sunlight. So how do we save journalism?
In their forthcoming book, The Death and Life of American Journalism, John Nichols and Robert McChesney make the patriotic case for government action. In a special forum, Nichols and McChesney will discuss and debate the most hopeful remedies for the malaise of the media with media experts David Carr of The New York Times and Pamela Newkirk of the New York University Journalism School in a conversation moderated by GRIT TV’s Laura Flanders. Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel will perform the introduction. The panel will be followed by a book-signing by Nichols and McChesney.
Presented by The Nation. Co-sponsored by New York Society for Ethical Culture, Free Press, and Nation Books.

–Source
Carol The Artist

GAZA, One Year Later: Dr. Mads Gilbert & Human Rights Watch’s Fred Abrahams

activistnation — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:01:50 +0000

Date: Wednesday, February 3rd at 6:30pm

Location: Room 1501, International Affairs Building, 420 West 118th Street, New York, NY, 10027

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=286695823831#/event.php?eid=286695823831

Is there a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and how, if at all, is the international community helping? What are the humanitarian concerns? What is Israel, America, and the international community’s responsibility to Gazans? Was there, in fact, a breach of international humanitarian law and human rights violations?

Come hear Dr. Mads Gilbert’s eye-witness accounts treating patients in Gaza during the war, and Fred Abrahams–senior researcher for Human Rights Watch’s emergencies division–speak about the humanitarian crisis, international law and human rights in Gaza, one year later.

Dr. Mads Gilbert, internationally acclaimed Doctor, Head of the Department of Emergency at the University of North Norway, Professor, and local politician will describe his experiences in Gaza last winter, during “Operation Cast Lead.” During the Israeli offensive against the people of Gaza, Drs. Mads Gilbert and Erik Fosse were the only foreign doctors allowed into the region, spending days and nights at the busy and over-crowded Al-Shifaa Hospital in an area forbidden to the rest of the world. With a complete blockade on Gaza, including medical aid and media, Dr. Mads Gilbert became a common face, keeping the world informed of the conditions in Gaza. He has appeared on BBC, CNN, Democracy Now, and more.

Fred Abrahams, specializes in human rights crises and armed conflict. He has documented human rights and international humanitarian law violations in places such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Uganda, Lebanon, Libya, Gaza, Iraq, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia. He coordinated Human Rights Watch’s coverage of the 1998-1999 Kosovo war, and in 2001 he testified for the prosecution in the case against Slobodan Milosevic.

Sponsored by the Arab Students Association at SIPA and the MSA
Co-sponsored by TURATH and Adalah-NY

***Food & refreshments will be provided

Ali Abunimah Speaks on: Global Grassroots Activism & the Gaza Freedom March

activistnation — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:23:15 +0000

Is grassroots activism a credible and effective way of resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict? How effective is the “Electronic Intifada”, non-violent protests and the idea of a global grassroots?

ALI ABUNIMAH, author of “One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse” and co-founder of the Electronic Intifada (EI), which is one of the primary news media resources that offers sound analysis and refreshing perspective on the Israel-Palestine conflict, will speak on his experience on the March, grassroots activism, and the current state of the “peace process.”

ABOUT the Gaza Freedom March (GFM):

The Global grassroots initiative inspired by Gandhi/Mandela aims to break the blockade of Gaza.

The Gaza Freedom March that will take place in Gaza on December 31 is an historic initiative to break the siege that has imprisoned the 1.5 million people who live there. Conceived in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and nonviolent resistance to injustice worldwide, the march will gather people from all over the world to march—hand in hand—with the people of Gaza to demand that the Israelis open the borders.

Marking the one-year anniversary of the December 2008 Israeli invasion that left over 1,400 dead, this is a grassroots global response to the inaction on the part of world leaders and institutions. Over 1,000 international delegates from 42 countries have already signed up and more are signing on every day. Participants include Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, leading Syrian comedian Duraid Lahham, French Senator Alima Boumediene–Thiery, author and Filipino Parliament member Walden Bello, former vice president of European Parliament Luisa Morgantini from Italy, President of the U.S. Center for Constitutional Rights Attorney Michael Ratner, Japanese former Ambassador to Lebanon Naoto Amaki, French hip-hop artists Ministere des Affaires Populaires, and 85-year-old Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein.

Also marching were families of three generations; doctors; lawyers; diplomats; 70 students; an interfaith group that includes rabbis, priests and imams; a women’s delegation; a veterans group; and Palestinians born overseas who have never seen their families in Gaza.

Source: http://www.gazafreedommarch.org/article.php?list=type&type=416

MORE INFORMATION & ARTICLES ON THE GFM:

Christmas in Cairo: The Grassroots Comes To Gaza’s Aid
For OpEdNews: Medea Benjamin – Writer

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Christmas-in-Cairo-The-Gr-by-Medea-Benjamin-091226-606.html

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/1/7/viva_palestina_aid_convoy_arrives_in

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/01/world/middleeast/01gaza.html

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/12/31/gaza.march/index.html

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10983.shtml

http://www.laborforpalestine.net/wp/2010/01/01/gaza-freedom-marchers-issue-the-cairo-declaration-to-end-israeli-apartheid/

http://www.gazafreedommarch.org/article.php?list=type&type=416

http://www.codepinkalert.org/article.php?id=5213

Source

Carol the Artist

The Middle East in a Multipolar World

activistnation — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:09:42 +0000

Date: January 28, 2010 from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm EST
Location: Columbia University
Morningside Heights Campus
Knox Hall, Room 208

Contact: For further information regarding this event, please contact Leia Reisner by sending email to lrr2131@columbia.edu .

The Middle East Institute presents a brown bag lecture entitled, “The Middle East in a Multipolar World,” with Dilip Hiro.

Please join us in welcoming Dilip Hiro as he speaks about the fast-changing political and economic ties between the Middle East and the emergent Great Powers — China, the European Union and Russia.

Born in the Indian sub-continent, Dilip Hiro was educated in India, Britain and America, where he received a Master’s degree at Virginia Polytechnic & State University. He then settled in London in the mid-1960s, and became a full-time writer, journalist and commentator. He has published 31 books and contributed to another 16. He is most recently the author of After Empire: The Birth of a Multipolar World (2010). He has also written scripts for theatre, television drama and cinema and is a frequent contributor to the following online magazines: the Guardian’s Commentisfree at http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/dilip_hiro/; Yale University’s Yale Global at http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/; and the New York-based Nation Institute’s website at http://www.tomdispatch.com.

Columbia University
Morningside Heights Campus
Knox Hall, Room 208
(Between Claremont & Broadway)

Working Without Laws: Employment and Labor Law Violations in New York City

activistnation — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:53:55 +0000

Friday, January 29, 2010
8:30am to 10:15am
The Joseph S. Murphey Insitute for Worker Education and Labor Studies, CUNY
25 West 43rd Street, 18th floor
New York NY

A light breakfast will be served
RSVP by Monday January 25, 2010 to Eloiza Morales at (212) 642-2029 or eloiza.morales@mail.cuny.edu

Working Without Laws: Employment and Lbor Law Violations in New York City

Featuring
Annette Bernhardt
Policy Co-Director
National Employment Law Project

Terri Gerstein
Deputy Commissioner of Labor for Wage Protection & Immigrant Services
New York State Department of Labor

Ana Maria Archila
Co-Executive Director
Make The Road New York

Pat Purcell
Assistant to the President
UFCW Local 1500

Featuring