Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Blue Hearts 13.4.18.06
Hey Blue Hearts,
You know what they say, "If you want something done, give it to someone who's busy". Apparently this adage holds true for me. Thus, you are receiving your 3rd Blue Hearts blog in April.
Thanks to everyone who attended our last meeting at The Stower's Institute. I've only heard fabulous responses to our visit. I know how eager we are to learn about the issues that affect us. What better way than to go straight to the source. The people from Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures were incredibly informative. The tour was fascinating. Most of us have never spent much time in a professional lab, where great minds meet to do their research. It's exciting to think it could be done right next door, assuming the initiative passes.
If you're in the KC area, I encourage you to visit www.MissouriCures.com and set up a visit with Traci Weishaar. She can even host your book club, investment club, Bunko group, or church/temple group. It'll be worth it.
If you're out of town, you can still learn much from the Missouri Cures link. Please educate yourself. Education allows us to go into the world and correct all the misinformation being "shared" by others.
Kristin
HUMOR
=======
George Bush goes to a primary school to talk to the kids to get a little PR. After his talk he offers question time. One little boy puts up his hand and George asks him his name.
"Stanley," responds the little boy.
"And what is your question, Stanley?"
"I have 3 questions. First, why did the USA invade Iraq without the support of the UN? Second, why are you President when Al Gore got more votes? And third, whatever happened to Osama Bin Laden?"
Just then, the bell rings for recess. George Bush informs the kiddies that they will continue after recess.
When they resume George says, "OK, where were we? Oh, that's right: question time. Who has a question?"
Another little boy puts up his hand. George points him out and asks him his name.
"Steve," he responds.
"And what is your question, Steve?"
"Actually, I have 5 questions. First, why did the USA invade Iraq without the support of the UN? Second, why are you President when Al Gore got more votes? Third, whatever happened to Osama Bin Laden? Fourth, why did the recess bell go off 20 minutes early? And fifth, what the hell happened to Stanley?"
GENERAL INTEREST
============
Anger at Bush May Hurt GOP At Polls (We can only hope and pray... Kristin)
Turnout Could Favor Democrats
By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, April 17, 2006;
Intense and widespread opposition to President Bush is likely to be a sharp spur driving voters to the polls in this fall's midterm elections, according to strategists in both parties, a phenomenon that could give Democrats a turnout advantage over Republicans for the first time in recent years.
Polls have reflected voter discontent with Bush for many months, but as the election nears, operatives are paying special attention to one subset of the numbers. It is the wide disparity between the number of people who are passionate in their dislike of Bush vs. those who support him with equal fervor. Lately, there have been a lot more of the former -- and even Republicans acknowledge that could spell trouble in closely contested congressional races.
"Angry voters turn out and vote their anger," said Glen Bolger, a pollster for several Republican congressional candidates. "Democrats will have an easier time of getting out their vote because of their intense disapproval of the president. That means we Republicans are going to have to bring our 'A' turnout game in November." The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll showed 47 percent of voters "strongly" disapprove of Bush's job performance, vs. 20 percent who said they "strongly approve."
In the recent past, this perennial truism of politics -- emotion equals turnout -- has worked more to the Republican advantage. Several weeks before the 2002 midterm elections, Bush had 42 percent of voters strongly approving of him, compared with 18 percent in strong opposition. Democrats were stunned on election night when Republicans defied historical patterns and made gains in the House and Senate. The president's party usually loses seats during the first midterm elections after he takes office.
The premise behind the Democrats' hopes this year is simple, though not easy to quantify: People impassioned by anger or other sentiments are more likely to vote -- even in bad weather and in relatively low-profile races -- than are those who are demoralized or less emotional. "In a midterm election, motivation is the biggest factor," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), head of his party's House campaign efforts this year.
Whether anti-Bush sentiments portend a political tidal wave in November is much debated, but Democrats hope they are hearing early echoes of 1974 and 1994. There was massive turnover of congressional seats in those midterm elections, as fired-up voters first punished Republicans for Watergate, and later turned on Democrats because of President Bill Clinton's failed health-care initiative and because of anger over House ethics abuses.
The intense opposition to Bush is larger than any faced by Clinton. For all the polarization the 42nd president inspired, Clinton's strong disapproval never got above 37 percent in Post-ABC polls during his presidency.
Democratic pollster Geoff Garin said GOP House candidates have reason to worry. His surveys find that 82 percent of Americans who say they voted for Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) in 2004 plan to vote for a Democrat for the House this year. But only 65 percent who voted for Bush say they will vote for a Republican House nominee, Garin said. The remaining 35 percent say they are open to voting for a Democrat or staying home.
"We get a large chunk of Bush voters who are not motivated to go out and vote for Republicans this fall," Garin said. "That puts a lot of red districts into play." Republican officials acknowledge Bush's problems but predict they will not translate into significant setbacks this fall. "I don't think that intensity is going to be a problem at all" in key House races, said Carl Forti, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Both parties will spend heavily on those races, he said, "so every person who's going to vote will have seen TV ads, gotten phone calls, gotten mail." That will give them ample information to base their decision on the candidates, not on their feelings toward Bush, Forti said. He noted that polls continue to show that most Americans approve of their own House member even if they dislike Congress as a whole, and that bodes well for the party in power.
"They may be upset nationally," Forti said. "But clearly that does not mean they're not going to go vote for their congressman." House elections will turn mainly on local issues and nominees, he said. The Post-ABC News poll found that 59 percent of registered voters approve of their own representative, a lower number than in past months. But only 35 percent approve of the way Congress is doing its job. Forty percent said they plan to vote for a Republican in this year's House elections, and 55 percent said they will vote for a Democrat.
Republicans will court voters such as Johanna Lee, an insurance customer-service representative from northeast Maryland, a state with sharply contested races for Senate and governor. Lee, 62, describes herself as a conservative Democrat who regrets voting for Bush in 2000 and 2004. She opposes his willingness to grant guest-worker status to illegal immigrants, who she feels "should be taken out of our country." Lee initially supported the invasion of Iraq, but says now "we should come out of the war because we're not doing any good there." Despite her discontent, Lee said she would consider voting for Republicans for Congress and governor this fall. "I don't vote party," she said. "I vote for the candidate."
Other voters are less charitable. Shirley Jackson of Woodbury, Minn., said she formerly considered herself an independent voter "and my husband used to be a staunch Republican. But now we're both Democrats." The main reason, she said, is Bush's handling of the war. "My husband and I think he lied to us, and he won't admit he's lied to us," said Jackson, 69. She said she believes Bush launched the war to avenge Iraq's reported plan to assassinate his father. Jackson is following the competitive race to replace retiring Sen. Mark Dayton (D), and she doesn't like Republican candidate Mark Kennedy. "I won't vote for him, I'm pretty sure," she said.
In Collierville, Tenn., school bus driver Charlotte Bruce is worried Bush will prove ruinous to GOP candidates this fall. "He's making such fools out of Republicans that no matter what the Democrats present, that's the one that's going to get in," she said. "And that's frightening," because the country needs bipartisan balance, she said.
Bruce, 54, said she is a moderate Republican and has given money to the party, but now she is exasperated with Bush and his economic policies. She recounted a conversation with neighbors who support Bush because of "moral issues." "I said, 'While he's not killing babies, he's killing you' " with high gasoline prices, a soaring deficit and other problems, Bruce said. "He is going to bankrupt us all."
She said she will vote for Democrat Harold E. Ford Jr. in the contest to replace retiring Sen. Bill Frist (R). She called Ford, a five-term House member from nearby Memphis, "a wonderful gentleman." Garin predicts that Bush's unpopularity will produce many voters like Bruce and Jackson in November. "The rule this year," he said, playing on an adage, "may be that all local politics is national."
Chris Cillizza, a staff writer for washingtonpost.com, contributed to this report.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company
-----------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE NOTE, DFA NIGHTSCHOOL IS TONIGHT, APRIL 18TH. Also, I need someone who can get the information from the DFA's night school sessions and share it with Blue Hearts. That way, we could be prepared to go out on Sat. May 13th with the rest of the volunteers. We could even bring our children, for those interested in getting them started young. Please contact me if you think you can be the Blue Hearts representative. Thanks, Kristin
-----------------------------------------------------------
From: "Tom Hughes, Democracy for America"
Subject: 209 Days to Spread the Word: Night School Starts Tonight
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:31:28 GMT
Dear Kristin,
Do you want to know the key to victory in November? It's you.
Your phone calls, your petitions, your letters and your rallies have already helped lead to the resignation of Tom DeLay, the
investigation into the CIA leak, and the lowest approval rating ever for the Bush administration.
These initiatives were a great start. But we'll need to go much further to elect a Democratic Congress in November. We'll need
to reach out to millions of Americans -- one person at a time -- and persuade them to vote Democratic.
The next three DFA Night School sessions will continue to teach campaign techniques you can use to reach out to people in your community. We'll cover volunteer recruitment, how to make phoning fun, and the rules of the road when you go door-to-door.
The goal is to build a grassroots army that can organize locally and expand the progressive coalition one voter at a time. There's no question that this is an uphill battle. But by working together, it's one we can win. Now let's make sure we do
it in the best way we know how. Join the DFA Night School today and get the skills to win in 2006... 2008... 2012...
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/nightschool
We have the opportunity this year to take back Congress and pick up hundreds of local offices around the country. But we won't win if we restrict our focus solely to swing districts in swing states. We need to spread the field by supporting great
candidates in every region across the country. To do this, Democracy for America has launched the month-long "Spring into
Action" campaign.
Earlier this week, nearly 1,000 DFA members joined the first DFA Night School teleconference workshop on "Moving Our Message." The positive feedback has been tremendous. And Night School will continue for the next three weeks with more sessions on key strategies and tactics.
Then on Saturday, May 13 -- the DFA Day of Action -- we're taking what we've learned at Night School and organizing
hundreds of volunteer events across the country. We'll be knocking on doors, making phone calls and recruiting more
volunteers for your local progressive candidates who will be on the ballot in November.
You can sign up for a Day of Action event, or organize your own today: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/spring
You have the power to create a tidal wave of progressive activism in your community. DFA Night School will help you be
more effective delivering our message and recruiting others to our cause. And the May 13 Day of Action will put your new skills to work.
We can't afford to settle for the usual strategy of waiting until a month before Election Day. We need to start now. Will
you help lead the effort by organizing an event today? http://www.democracyforamerica.com/spring
The latest polls show that almost two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the President's job performance -- and we are all
fed up with the Republican-led Congress. The political climate is right for a huge Democratic victory in November. But if we
want to win, we need to start organizing locally now.
Thank you,
Tom Hughes
Democracy for America
P.S. If you missed Tuesday's DFA Night School session, you can download the presentation here:
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/nightschool
Future DFA Night School sessions
April 18: Building a Grassroots Army: Volunteer Recruitment
April 25: Rules of the Road: Canvassing
May 2: How to Make Phoning Fun
Day of Action
May 13: Organize an event or find one in your area
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/spring
LOCAL: KC
========
From: "Debra Schneider"
Subject: Blue Alert: 3 Upcoming Events
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 13:04:29 -0500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missouri Pro-Vote, GKCWPC Endowment and Education Fund, GKCWPC, and MO Women’s Leadership Coalition
Cordially Invite you to a
Reception for William McNary President of USAction
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
7:00 pm—8:30 pm
Townsend Place Meeting Room 1st Floor
411 West 46th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64112
(1 Block North of the Plaza above the Pottery Barn)
· Mingle with other progressive women and men.
· Hear from the president of the largest coalition ofn progressive organizations in the nation.
· Learn where the progressive movement is headed nationally.
For more information, directions, and to RSVP please call 816-753-3044 or email us at kcprovote@sbcglobal.net.
(labor— donated)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've sent this to you already so you should already have it in your calendar!!!!! Kristin
You are so very cordially invited to a Press Conference
Announcing the Launch of Buying Influence Inc. www.buyinginfluence.com
A new Kansas City-based non-profit organization focused on influencing publicly-traded corporations with the purpose of encouraging them to makemore socially responsible business decisions.
Press Conference Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - Time: 11:45 a.m.
National Equal Pay Day Celebration
Following the Press Conference - Time: 12:15 a.m.
Presenters
Carlos Salazar, ED, Project Equality
Vicki Walker, President, Midwest Centerfor American Values
Ingrid Burnett, VP, Kansas City School Board
Meg Harding, AAUW
Address: Helzberg Auditorium, Kansas City Public Library, 14th W. 10th Street, 5th Floor, Kansas City, MO
A light lunch will be served
Dr. Maria Kunstadter, Founder and CEO
Ms. Linda Eakes, President/Executive Director
Please RSVP by 4/20/05 to (816) 931-7896
Or via email to LindaE@buyinginfluence.com
One hour of free parking provided in the parking garage
----------------------------------------------------
Monday, May 22, 2006
Unity Temple on the Plaza
Jaime Lerner will talk about “Transforming Curitiba, Transforming Kansas City” at Unity Temple on The Plaza on Monday, May 22, 2006.
Jaime Lerner is a visionary architect and urban planner who served three terms as mayor of Curitiba, Brazil (population 1.7 million), two terms as governor of the Brazilian state of Paraná, and a recently completed term as president of the International Union of Architects. Lerner implemented programs that revolutionized thinking about public transit, open space preservation, building renovation and reuse, and public service delivery. Lerner is perhaps best known for his innovations in bus rapid transit (BRT) system design that achieved performance comparable to a light rail system at a fraction of the construction cost and time.
The event is hosted by Bridging The Gap’s Environmental Excellence Business Network (EEBN), Mid-America Regional Council, and the Kansas City, Missouri Environmental Management Commission.
Agenda
3:00-3:30 Registration
3:30-5:00 Presentation followed by Questions/Discussion
5:00-6:00 Reception catered by Eden Alley, featuring music by the Sons of Brazil
Event Sponsors
Event sponsors include: Mid-America Regional Council; Jackson County; Kansas City Area Transportation Authority; The Brazilian Club; Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance; Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City; Port Authority of Kansas City; Johnson County Transit; City of Kansas City, MO; and University of Missouri – Kansas City
Admission if free, but please pre-register by calling
Karen Boyd at 816/235-6359
600 Broadway • Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64105
816/474-4240 • www.marc.org
---------------------------------------------------
Another success! Congratulations to all who worked on making this happen! Kristin
From: "Debra Schneider"
Subject: JCCC Nondiscrimination Policy update
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 22:25:09 -0500
Thanks to you, social justice and equality moved one step forward today.
At a special Board of Trustees meeting last night (Monday, April 10), the Johnson County Community College altered its nondiscrimination policy to include "sexual orientation" in addition to race, color, age, sex, creed, marital status, ethnic origin, disability, and veteran's status. By doing this, the Board of Trustees at JCCC showed it had the courage to do the right thing -- to protect students, faculty and staff from discrimination. Read today's KC Star coverage at http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14313201.htm (*see note at end of e-mail).
Over the last few weeks many of you made phone calls and sent e-mails to express your support regarding this effort. The Board of Trustees listened, and now is the time to let them know how much you appreciate their commitment to representing the true values of Johnson County and of Kansas. Let the Board of Trustees know that we can continue to be proud of JCCC as a leading educational institution where every person is respected and where civility is practiced.
Please spend just a few minutes to contact the following BOT members and thank them for voting for this positive change. Identify yourself by name, your place of residence and any relevant affiliations with organizations or persons related to this initiative.
Many thanks, and this is proof positive that activism works and fairness wins. This also illustrates the need to pay attention to all elections, and that local politics are critical in shaping the larger picture. Your actions do make a difference.
JCCC Board of Trustees
Elaine Perilla, Chair - elaine@vcjc.org
Lynn Mitchelson, Vice Chair - lynn@jccc.net
Shirley Brown-VanArsdale - shirley@jccc.net
Jon Stewart - jonstewart@jccc.net
Virginia Krebs - virginia@jccc.net (Virginia was unable to attend this meeting and vote; however, is an advocate of fairness ... please let her know you appreciate her perspective)
Benjamin Hodge - opposed this change
**The TBW Steering Committee would like to thank Mo Kierl and the Kansas Equality Coalition for all their hard work on this very important issue.
---------------------------------------------------
AFSC Peace and Justice Alerts
Educate Yourself. Share your knowledge. Take Action! For information about the American Friends Service Committee,
contact us at 816 931-5256 or afsckc@afsc.org
Determination and perseverance move the world; thinking that others will do it for you is a sure way to fail.” ~ Marva Collins
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join the Delegation to visit Your Senators and Congressperson’s offices on April 24 or 25
You are invite you to be a member of a delegations delivering the cards to our officials offices. We want to have 36 people visit the Missouri officials and 24 people the Kansas officials (one for each U.S. military person who has died from their state).
People wanting to be part of a delegation need to be available to make visits from 10am to noon on the day of the visits
(Monday, April 24 for Missouri officials and Tuesday, April 25 for Kansas officials) should contact me with their name, phone, email and city and state. Email me at iharritt@afsc.org or call 816 931-5256.
As of April 13th 2,368 U.S. service persons have been killed in Iraq and 17469 have been wounded in action according to DOD reports.
-------------------------------------------------
Dear Peace Activist,
I wish for the sake of the people of Iraq that the U.S. could repair the damage and make the violence and suffering caused by the Iraq war disappear.
But the reality is that three years of war has failed to bring stability or democracy, or much improvement in living conditions and employment for the Iraqi people. Continued U.S. presence will only result in more deaths, escalating violence and strengthening the most extreme groups in Iraq. According to a recent report by the U.S. Embassy and the military command in Baghdad, Iraq is “undergoing a de facto partitioning along ethnic and sectarian lines.” Countering the rosy picture of progress painted by the administration the report rated the overall stability of 6 out of the 18 Iraqi provinces as “serious” and one as “critical.”
I recently received an email on a meeting with Rep. Jim McGovern, sponsor of H.R. 4232 – End the War in Iraq Act of 2005. McGovern reported that members of congress are nervous about public opinion and the ability of the Bush administration to spin any anti-war stance as unpatriotic. He advised “Members are keeping fingers in the wind on this issue – they need to be pushed, visited, written to and harassed.”
We have the numbers, the majority is against the war. Now we need to transform that opposition to the war into a call for ending the occupation and beginning withdrawal of troops immediately! You can help!
At the Third Anniversary Peace Gathering hundreds of people wrote messages to their elected officials on the backs of the post cards shown below (one for MO and one for KS). Please write cards yourself and urge others to write their own, collect the completed cards and send them to KC Iraq Task Force / AFSC, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110 by Sunday, April 23.
Also we invite you and interested persons to join the delegations delivering the postcards (36 people for MO and 24 for KS delegations).
We will be delivering the collected cards on Monday, April 24 at 10:00am to the offices of Senators Bond and Talent and Rep. Cleaver and on Tuesday, April 25 at 10:00am to the offices of Senators Brownback and Roberts and Rep. Moore.
Please go to the link below, download the file, print, cut out the Missouri or Kansas cards (print or copy onto card stock if are able can) and have members of your group write a personal message calling for an end to the war. (As an alternative if you would like we can mail you copies of post cards while our supply lasts.) Make sure writers address the card to their elected official and that they include their name and address so the senator or congressperson knows they are their constituent.
Missouri postcard - http://www.kciraqtaskforce.org/postcardmissouri.pdf
Kansas postcard - http://www.kciraqtaskforce.org/postcardkansas.pdf
Or go to KC Iraq Task Force home page: http://www.kciraqtaskforce.org You can make the difference. We can end the Iraq War!
Our next meeting of the KC Iraq Task Force is Monday, April 24rd, at 6:30pm at the AFSC office, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO.
Send a message to your elected officials. Include your name and address so they know you are a constituent.
Tell them:
•Too many U.S. troops have died in Iraq. Too many Iraqis have been killed in this pre-emptive war of choice.
•The presence of U.S. troops is only increasing the violence and recruiting more insurgents and confirming the fears of anti-U.S group.
•Staying will not make things better in Iraq for the Iraqi people or for U.S. citizens at home.
•The only people benefiting from the war are military contractors and special interests.
•It is time to bring U.S. troops home!
Print or copy and cut out your post card. Write your message to your elected official and return to KC Iraq Task Force / AFSC, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110. Delegations will hand deliver the cards to officials offices in early late April or early May. For more information call 816 931-5256
Again thanks for your hard work! Thank you for standing for peace!
Sincerely,
Ira Harritt
Call 816 931-5256 for more information
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you concerned that the Bush administration might use nuclear weapons on Iran?
“Divine Strake”and the talk of a nuclear attack on Iran
by Andrew Lichterman
There have been two related sets of news stories in the past week involving nuclear weapons. Seymour Hersh, writing in the New Yorker, and the Washington Post ran stories regarding planning for a possible use of nuclear weapons in an attack on Iran. The reported rationale for considering nuclear weapons use is that some underground Iranian facilities might be difficult to destroy with conventional weapons. A scattering of newspapers have reported that a large conventional test explosion called “Divine Strake,” planned for June at the Nevada Test Site, will simulate nuclear weapons use. One purpose of the program of which that test is a part, according to Department of Defense budget documents, is to “develop a planning tool that will improve the warfighter’s confidence in selecting the smallest proper nuclear yield necessary to destroy underground facilities while minimizing collateral damage.”
Iran may well pose a threat. But threatening to use the "nuclear option" increases the perception of other nations that they need to develop nuclear weapons as a deterrent to our threat. Let Congress know that use of nuclear weapons is not an option. Americans don't support a pre-emptive nuclear attack on Iran, and Congress must act to prevent the president from launching one before it's too late. Please send a message to your representatives.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
---------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming Peace and Justice Activities
April 20th,Thursday, at 7pm, Earth Day and Peaceful World Service: in the Unity Temple Sanctuary, the Unity Temple Peacemakers will facilitate a 50 minute service dedicated to the vision of a peaceful planet. Allan Abrams and Ahmed El Sherif bring a message of hope and Gayle Schloemer offers a meditation of love. For more information call Vince Boudreaux at 913-961-8802.
April 20: Bias In the Media -- Oscar L Hampton, III. Oscar L Hampton III has been a practicing attorney for over 20 years. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia. His specializes in Civil Rights and Labor and Employment Law litigation. Over the course of his career he has successfully tried numerous cases involving complex and novel issues.
April 23, Sunday, 4:00pm to 5:30pm, Peace Vigil and Rally; 5:30-7:00pm, Reception and Talk with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) member, Cliff Kindy. Vigil -J.C. Nichols Fountain, 47th & Main Streets, KCMO; Reception - Community Christian Church Activities Center, 3rd floor Chapel, 32 E 46th Street, KCMO
April 24rd, Monday, 6:30pm KC Iraq Task Force Monthly Planning Meeting at the AFSC office, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO (Monthly meeting will now take place on the fourth Monday of the month.
April 27:Agriculture Imitating Nature-- Grant Mallett. The Land Institute is a not-for-profit agricultural research and educational center located in Salina, Kansas that has been in existence for twenty nine years. Our scientists are developing an agricultural system that draws its inspiration from nature. We are doing this by turning the major grain crops of the world into perennials. (This means they will grow up from the roots and not seeds and will not need to be replanted each year.) And these cereals will be planted with other plants in a polyculture like the native prairie. Grant is head of a new Olathe office. Grant’s talk will cover who we are, what we are doing - and why we are doing it - and how far we have to go.
EVERY Sunday: Iraq Peace Vigil, 4pm, JC Nichols Fountain, 47th & Main, Streets, Kansas City, MO
http://www.kciraqtaskforce.org/
EVERY TUESDAY: Join this Peace Demonstration Every Tuesday between 5PM - 6 PM in the median strip on the south corner of the intersection at 63rd & Ward Parkway, Kansas City, Mo. For more information email '63rd Street Patriots' - Bob Rowe (exgman47@yahoo.com) or Carol (schwartzkatz@mail.carrollsweb.com).
10 Reasons Why the U.S. Must Leave Iraq:
http://www.afsc.org/iraq/activism/10-reasons.htm
PEACE & JUSTICE TEACH-INS
When? Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.
Where? Westport Coffee House, 4010 Pennsylvania, First floor meeting room
New web spot -- peaceandjusticecoffeehouse.blogspot.com
Peace and Justice Teach-Ins are supported by: the Alliance for Democracy, American Friends Service Committee, Greens of Greater Kansas City, Holy Family Catholic Worker House ... and others. This support does not necessarily imply endorsement of the views of any speaker or presentation..
Peace and Justice Teach-Ins are meant to be a free speech forum for progressive thought. "Peace and Justice Teach-Ins" neither advocates nor endorses violent or illegal acts. For more information or to make corrections, or to suggest speakers, call (816) 931-5256
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Too Many Have Died! Stop the Killing! End the War! Peace Vigil & Rally
April 23, Sunday
4:00pm to 5:30pm
J.C. Nichols Fountain,
47th & Main Streets, KCMO
Our Rally Speaker will be Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) member Cliff Kindy. Cliff has spent much of the past three years in Iraq and has volunteered in Colombia, Gaza Strip and West Bank, Palestine, and Chiapas, Mexico. He will share his first hand experiences in Iraq and comment on the recent kidnapping of CPT members.
CPT is an ecumenical organization which places teams of trained peacemakers to work with local partners in situations of violent conflict around the world.
The Rally will be followed by a 5:30PM Reception and Talk at Community Christian Church Activities Center, 3rd floor Chapel, 32 E 46th Street, KCMO (one block east of the J.C. Nichols Fountain)
The event is sponsored by the KC Iraq Task Force, the American Friends Service Committee and PeaceWorks KC. For more information call 816 931-5256
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information and events described in AFSC Peace and Justice Alerts are intended to educate and assist members of our community in becoming active in working for a more just and peaceful world. Inclusion of a listing does not necessarily imply that AFSC KC agrees with all points of view that will be represented at the event.
The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the Quaker belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice
We need your support to keep our life affirming peacemaking work alive. Contribute. Volunteer. Spread the word!
Contact us and mail your tax deductible contribution to:
American Friends Service Committee
4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110
(816) 931-5256
Ira Harritt
Kansas City Program
American Friends Service Committee
4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110
(816) 931-5256
Fax (816) 561-5033
You know what they say, "If you want something done, give it to someone who's busy". Apparently this adage holds true for me. Thus, you are receiving your 3rd Blue Hearts blog in April.
Thanks to everyone who attended our last meeting at The Stower's Institute. I've only heard fabulous responses to our visit. I know how eager we are to learn about the issues that affect us. What better way than to go straight to the source. The people from Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures were incredibly informative. The tour was fascinating. Most of us have never spent much time in a professional lab, where great minds meet to do their research. It's exciting to think it could be done right next door, assuming the initiative passes.
If you're in the KC area, I encourage you to visit www.MissouriCures.com and set up a visit with Traci Weishaar. She can even host your book club, investment club, Bunko group, or church/temple group. It'll be worth it.
If you're out of town, you can still learn much from the Missouri Cures link. Please educate yourself. Education allows us to go into the world and correct all the misinformation being "shared" by others.
Kristin
HUMOR
=======
George Bush goes to a primary school to talk to the kids to get a little PR. After his talk he offers question time. One little boy puts up his hand and George asks him his name.
"Stanley," responds the little boy.
"And what is your question, Stanley?"
"I have 3 questions. First, why did the USA invade Iraq without the support of the UN? Second, why are you President when Al Gore got more votes? And third, whatever happened to Osama Bin Laden?"
Just then, the bell rings for recess. George Bush informs the kiddies that they will continue after recess.
When they resume George says, "OK, where were we? Oh, that's right: question time. Who has a question?"
Another little boy puts up his hand. George points him out and asks him his name.
"Steve," he responds.
"And what is your question, Steve?"
"Actually, I have 5 questions. First, why did the USA invade Iraq without the support of the UN? Second, why are you President when Al Gore got more votes? Third, whatever happened to Osama Bin Laden? Fourth, why did the recess bell go off 20 minutes early? And fifth, what the hell happened to Stanley?"
GENERAL INTEREST
============
Anger at Bush May Hurt GOP At Polls (We can only hope and pray... Kristin)
Turnout Could Favor Democrats
By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, April 17, 2006;
Intense and widespread opposition to President Bush is likely to be a sharp spur driving voters to the polls in this fall's midterm elections, according to strategists in both parties, a phenomenon that could give Democrats a turnout advantage over Republicans for the first time in recent years.
Polls have reflected voter discontent with Bush for many months, but as the election nears, operatives are paying special attention to one subset of the numbers. It is the wide disparity between the number of people who are passionate in their dislike of Bush vs. those who support him with equal fervor. Lately, there have been a lot more of the former -- and even Republicans acknowledge that could spell trouble in closely contested congressional races.
"Angry voters turn out and vote their anger," said Glen Bolger, a pollster for several Republican congressional candidates. "Democrats will have an easier time of getting out their vote because of their intense disapproval of the president. That means we Republicans are going to have to bring our 'A' turnout game in November." The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll showed 47 percent of voters "strongly" disapprove of Bush's job performance, vs. 20 percent who said they "strongly approve."
In the recent past, this perennial truism of politics -- emotion equals turnout -- has worked more to the Republican advantage. Several weeks before the 2002 midterm elections, Bush had 42 percent of voters strongly approving of him, compared with 18 percent in strong opposition. Democrats were stunned on election night when Republicans defied historical patterns and made gains in the House and Senate. The president's party usually loses seats during the first midterm elections after he takes office.
The premise behind the Democrats' hopes this year is simple, though not easy to quantify: People impassioned by anger or other sentiments are more likely to vote -- even in bad weather and in relatively low-profile races -- than are those who are demoralized or less emotional. "In a midterm election, motivation is the biggest factor," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), head of his party's House campaign efforts this year.
Whether anti-Bush sentiments portend a political tidal wave in November is much debated, but Democrats hope they are hearing early echoes of 1974 and 1994. There was massive turnover of congressional seats in those midterm elections, as fired-up voters first punished Republicans for Watergate, and later turned on Democrats because of President Bill Clinton's failed health-care initiative and because of anger over House ethics abuses.
The intense opposition to Bush is larger than any faced by Clinton. For all the polarization the 42nd president inspired, Clinton's strong disapproval never got above 37 percent in Post-ABC polls during his presidency.
Democratic pollster Geoff Garin said GOP House candidates have reason to worry. His surveys find that 82 percent of Americans who say they voted for Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) in 2004 plan to vote for a Democrat for the House this year. But only 65 percent who voted for Bush say they will vote for a Republican House nominee, Garin said. The remaining 35 percent say they are open to voting for a Democrat or staying home.
"We get a large chunk of Bush voters who are not motivated to go out and vote for Republicans this fall," Garin said. "That puts a lot of red districts into play." Republican officials acknowledge Bush's problems but predict they will not translate into significant setbacks this fall. "I don't think that intensity is going to be a problem at all" in key House races, said Carl Forti, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Both parties will spend heavily on those races, he said, "so every person who's going to vote will have seen TV ads, gotten phone calls, gotten mail." That will give them ample information to base their decision on the candidates, not on their feelings toward Bush, Forti said. He noted that polls continue to show that most Americans approve of their own House member even if they dislike Congress as a whole, and that bodes well for the party in power.
"They may be upset nationally," Forti said. "But clearly that does not mean they're not going to go vote for their congressman." House elections will turn mainly on local issues and nominees, he said. The Post-ABC News poll found that 59 percent of registered voters approve of their own representative, a lower number than in past months. But only 35 percent approve of the way Congress is doing its job. Forty percent said they plan to vote for a Republican in this year's House elections, and 55 percent said they will vote for a Democrat.
Republicans will court voters such as Johanna Lee, an insurance customer-service representative from northeast Maryland, a state with sharply contested races for Senate and governor. Lee, 62, describes herself as a conservative Democrat who regrets voting for Bush in 2000 and 2004. She opposes his willingness to grant guest-worker status to illegal immigrants, who she feels "should be taken out of our country." Lee initially supported the invasion of Iraq, but says now "we should come out of the war because we're not doing any good there." Despite her discontent, Lee said she would consider voting for Republicans for Congress and governor this fall. "I don't vote party," she said. "I vote for the candidate."
Other voters are less charitable. Shirley Jackson of Woodbury, Minn., said she formerly considered herself an independent voter "and my husband used to be a staunch Republican. But now we're both Democrats." The main reason, she said, is Bush's handling of the war. "My husband and I think he lied to us, and he won't admit he's lied to us," said Jackson, 69. She said she believes Bush launched the war to avenge Iraq's reported plan to assassinate his father. Jackson is following the competitive race to replace retiring Sen. Mark Dayton (D), and she doesn't like Republican candidate Mark Kennedy. "I won't vote for him, I'm pretty sure," she said.
In Collierville, Tenn., school bus driver Charlotte Bruce is worried Bush will prove ruinous to GOP candidates this fall. "He's making such fools out of Republicans that no matter what the Democrats present, that's the one that's going to get in," she said. "And that's frightening," because the country needs bipartisan balance, she said.
Bruce, 54, said she is a moderate Republican and has given money to the party, but now she is exasperated with Bush and his economic policies. She recounted a conversation with neighbors who support Bush because of "moral issues." "I said, 'While he's not killing babies, he's killing you' " with high gasoline prices, a soaring deficit and other problems, Bruce said. "He is going to bankrupt us all."
She said she will vote for Democrat Harold E. Ford Jr. in the contest to replace retiring Sen. Bill Frist (R). She called Ford, a five-term House member from nearby Memphis, "a wonderful gentleman." Garin predicts that Bush's unpopularity will produce many voters like Bruce and Jackson in November. "The rule this year," he said, playing on an adage, "may be that all local politics is national."
Chris Cillizza, a staff writer for washingtonpost.com, contributed to this report.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company
-----------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE NOTE, DFA NIGHTSCHOOL IS TONIGHT, APRIL 18TH. Also, I need someone who can get the information from the DFA's night school sessions and share it with Blue Hearts. That way, we could be prepared to go out on Sat. May 13th with the rest of the volunteers. We could even bring our children, for those interested in getting them started young. Please contact me if you think you can be the Blue Hearts representative. Thanks, Kristin
-----------------------------------------------------------
From: "Tom Hughes, Democracy for America"
Subject: 209 Days to Spread the Word: Night School Starts Tonight
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:31:28 GMT
Dear Kristin,
Do you want to know the key to victory in November? It's you.
Your phone calls, your petitions, your letters and your rallies have already helped lead to the resignation of Tom DeLay, the
investigation into the CIA leak, and the lowest approval rating ever for the Bush administration.
These initiatives were a great start. But we'll need to go much further to elect a Democratic Congress in November. We'll need
to reach out to millions of Americans -- one person at a time -- and persuade them to vote Democratic.
The next three DFA Night School sessions will continue to teach campaign techniques you can use to reach out to people in your community. We'll cover volunteer recruitment, how to make phoning fun, and the rules of the road when you go door-to-door.
The goal is to build a grassroots army that can organize locally and expand the progressive coalition one voter at a time. There's no question that this is an uphill battle. But by working together, it's one we can win. Now let's make sure we do
it in the best way we know how. Join the DFA Night School today and get the skills to win in 2006... 2008... 2012...
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/nightschool
We have the opportunity this year to take back Congress and pick up hundreds of local offices around the country. But we won't win if we restrict our focus solely to swing districts in swing states. We need to spread the field by supporting great
candidates in every region across the country. To do this, Democracy for America has launched the month-long "Spring into
Action" campaign.
Earlier this week, nearly 1,000 DFA members joined the first DFA Night School teleconference workshop on "Moving Our Message." The positive feedback has been tremendous. And Night School will continue for the next three weeks with more sessions on key strategies and tactics.
Then on Saturday, May 13 -- the DFA Day of Action -- we're taking what we've learned at Night School and organizing
hundreds of volunteer events across the country. We'll be knocking on doors, making phone calls and recruiting more
volunteers for your local progressive candidates who will be on the ballot in November.
You can sign up for a Day of Action event, or organize your own today: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/spring
You have the power to create a tidal wave of progressive activism in your community. DFA Night School will help you be
more effective delivering our message and recruiting others to our cause. And the May 13 Day of Action will put your new skills to work.
We can't afford to settle for the usual strategy of waiting until a month before Election Day. We need to start now. Will
you help lead the effort by organizing an event today? http://www.democracyforamerica.com/spring
The latest polls show that almost two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the President's job performance -- and we are all
fed up with the Republican-led Congress. The political climate is right for a huge Democratic victory in November. But if we
want to win, we need to start organizing locally now.
Thank you,
Tom Hughes
Democracy for America
P.S. If you missed Tuesday's DFA Night School session, you can download the presentation here:
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/nightschool
Future DFA Night School sessions
April 18: Building a Grassroots Army: Volunteer Recruitment
April 25: Rules of the Road: Canvassing
May 2: How to Make Phoning Fun
Day of Action
May 13: Organize an event or find one in your area
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/spring
LOCAL: KC
========
From: "Debra Schneider"
Subject: Blue Alert: 3 Upcoming Events
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 13:04:29 -0500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missouri Pro-Vote, GKCWPC Endowment and Education Fund, GKCWPC, and MO Women’s Leadership Coalition
Cordially Invite you to a
Reception for William McNary President of USAction
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
7:00 pm—8:30 pm
Townsend Place Meeting Room 1st Floor
411 West 46th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64112
(1 Block North of the Plaza above the Pottery Barn)
· Mingle with other progressive women and men.
· Hear from the president of the largest coalition ofn progressive organizations in the nation.
· Learn where the progressive movement is headed nationally.
For more information, directions, and to RSVP please call 816-753-3044 or email us at kcprovote@sbcglobal.net.
(labor— donated)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've sent this to you already so you should already have it in your calendar!!!!! Kristin
You are so very cordially invited to a Press Conference
Announcing the Launch of Buying Influence Inc. www.buyinginfluence.com
A new Kansas City-based non-profit organization focused on influencing publicly-traded corporations with the purpose of encouraging them to makemore socially responsible business decisions.
Press Conference Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - Time: 11:45 a.m.
National Equal Pay Day Celebration
Following the Press Conference - Time: 12:15 a.m.
Presenters
Carlos Salazar, ED, Project Equality
Vicki Walker, President, Midwest Centerfor American Values
Ingrid Burnett, VP, Kansas City School Board
Meg Harding, AAUW
Address: Helzberg Auditorium, Kansas City Public Library, 14th W. 10th Street, 5th Floor, Kansas City, MO
A light lunch will be served
Dr. Maria Kunstadter, Founder and CEO
Ms. Linda Eakes, President/Executive Director
Please RSVP by 4/20/05 to (816) 931-7896
Or via email to LindaE@buyinginfluence.com
One hour of free parking provided in the parking garage
----------------------------------------------------
Monday, May 22, 2006
Unity Temple on the Plaza
Jaime Lerner will talk about “Transforming Curitiba, Transforming Kansas City” at Unity Temple on The Plaza on Monday, May 22, 2006.
Jaime Lerner is a visionary architect and urban planner who served three terms as mayor of Curitiba, Brazil (population 1.7 million), two terms as governor of the Brazilian state of Paraná, and a recently completed term as president of the International Union of Architects. Lerner implemented programs that revolutionized thinking about public transit, open space preservation, building renovation and reuse, and public service delivery. Lerner is perhaps best known for his innovations in bus rapid transit (BRT) system design that achieved performance comparable to a light rail system at a fraction of the construction cost and time.
The event is hosted by Bridging The Gap’s Environmental Excellence Business Network (EEBN), Mid-America Regional Council, and the Kansas City, Missouri Environmental Management Commission.
Agenda
3:00-3:30 Registration
3:30-5:00 Presentation followed by Questions/Discussion
5:00-6:00 Reception catered by Eden Alley, featuring music by the Sons of Brazil
Event Sponsors
Event sponsors include: Mid-America Regional Council; Jackson County; Kansas City Area Transportation Authority; The Brazilian Club; Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance; Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City; Port Authority of Kansas City; Johnson County Transit; City of Kansas City, MO; and University of Missouri – Kansas City
Admission if free, but please pre-register by calling
Karen Boyd at 816/235-6359
600 Broadway • Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64105
816/474-4240 • www.marc.org
---------------------------------------------------
Another success! Congratulations to all who worked on making this happen! Kristin
From: "Debra Schneider"
Subject: JCCC Nondiscrimination Policy update
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 22:25:09 -0500
Thanks to you, social justice and equality moved one step forward today.
At a special Board of Trustees meeting last night (Monday, April 10), the Johnson County Community College altered its nondiscrimination policy to include "sexual orientation" in addition to race, color, age, sex, creed, marital status, ethnic origin, disability, and veteran's status. By doing this, the Board of Trustees at JCCC showed it had the courage to do the right thing -- to protect students, faculty and staff from discrimination. Read today's KC Star coverage at http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14313201.htm (*see note at end of e-mail).
Over the last few weeks many of you made phone calls and sent e-mails to express your support regarding this effort. The Board of Trustees listened, and now is the time to let them know how much you appreciate their commitment to representing the true values of Johnson County and of Kansas. Let the Board of Trustees know that we can continue to be proud of JCCC as a leading educational institution where every person is respected and where civility is practiced.
Please spend just a few minutes to contact the following BOT members and thank them for voting for this positive change. Identify yourself by name, your place of residence and any relevant affiliations with organizations or persons related to this initiative.
Many thanks, and this is proof positive that activism works and fairness wins. This also illustrates the need to pay attention to all elections, and that local politics are critical in shaping the larger picture. Your actions do make a difference.
JCCC Board of Trustees
Elaine Perilla, Chair - elaine@vcjc.org
Lynn Mitchelson, Vice Chair - lynn@jccc.net
Shirley Brown-VanArsdale - shirley@jccc.net
Jon Stewart - jonstewart@jccc.net
Virginia Krebs - virginia@jccc.net (Virginia was unable to attend this meeting and vote; however, is an advocate of fairness ... please let her know you appreciate her perspective)
Benjamin Hodge - opposed this change
**The TBW Steering Committee would like to thank Mo Kierl and the Kansas Equality Coalition for all their hard work on this very important issue.
---------------------------------------------------
AFSC Peace and Justice Alerts
Educate Yourself. Share your knowledge. Take Action! For information about the American Friends Service Committee,
contact us at 816 931-5256 or afsckc@afsc.org
Determination and perseverance move the world; thinking that others will do it for you is a sure way to fail.” ~ Marva Collins
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join the Delegation to visit Your Senators and Congressperson’s offices on April 24 or 25
You are invite you to be a member of a delegations delivering the cards to our officials offices. We want to have 36 people visit the Missouri officials and 24 people the Kansas officials (one for each U.S. military person who has died from their state).
People wanting to be part of a delegation need to be available to make visits from 10am to noon on the day of the visits
(Monday, April 24 for Missouri officials and Tuesday, April 25 for Kansas officials) should contact me with their name, phone, email and city and state. Email me at iharritt@afsc.org or call 816 931-5256.
As of April 13th 2,368 U.S. service persons have been killed in Iraq and 17469 have been wounded in action according to DOD reports.
-------------------------------------------------
Dear Peace Activist,
I wish for the sake of the people of Iraq that the U.S. could repair the damage and make the violence and suffering caused by the Iraq war disappear.
But the reality is that three years of war has failed to bring stability or democracy, or much improvement in living conditions and employment for the Iraqi people. Continued U.S. presence will only result in more deaths, escalating violence and strengthening the most extreme groups in Iraq. According to a recent report by the U.S. Embassy and the military command in Baghdad, Iraq is “undergoing a de facto partitioning along ethnic and sectarian lines.” Countering the rosy picture of progress painted by the administration the report rated the overall stability of 6 out of the 18 Iraqi provinces as “serious” and one as “critical.”
I recently received an email on a meeting with Rep. Jim McGovern, sponsor of H.R. 4232 – End the War in Iraq Act of 2005. McGovern reported that members of congress are nervous about public opinion and the ability of the Bush administration to spin any anti-war stance as unpatriotic. He advised “Members are keeping fingers in the wind on this issue – they need to be pushed, visited, written to and harassed.”
We have the numbers, the majority is against the war. Now we need to transform that opposition to the war into a call for ending the occupation and beginning withdrawal of troops immediately! You can help!
At the Third Anniversary Peace Gathering hundreds of people wrote messages to their elected officials on the backs of the post cards shown below (one for MO and one for KS). Please write cards yourself and urge others to write their own, collect the completed cards and send them to KC Iraq Task Force / AFSC, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110 by Sunday, April 23.
Also we invite you and interested persons to join the delegations delivering the postcards (36 people for MO and 24 for KS delegations).
We will be delivering the collected cards on Monday, April 24 at 10:00am to the offices of Senators Bond and Talent and Rep. Cleaver and on Tuesday, April 25 at 10:00am to the offices of Senators Brownback and Roberts and Rep. Moore.
Please go to the link below, download the file, print, cut out the Missouri or Kansas cards (print or copy onto card stock if are able can) and have members of your group write a personal message calling for an end to the war. (As an alternative if you would like we can mail you copies of post cards while our supply lasts.) Make sure writers address the card to their elected official and that they include their name and address so the senator or congressperson knows they are their constituent.
Missouri postcard - http://www.kciraqtaskforce.org/postcardmissouri.pdf
Kansas postcard - http://www.kciraqtaskforce.org/postcardkansas.pdf
Or go to KC Iraq Task Force home page: http://www.kciraqtaskforce.org You can make the difference. We can end the Iraq War!
Our next meeting of the KC Iraq Task Force is Monday, April 24rd, at 6:30pm at the AFSC office, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO.
Send a message to your elected officials. Include your name and address so they know you are a constituent.
Tell them:
•Too many U.S. troops have died in Iraq. Too many Iraqis have been killed in this pre-emptive war of choice.
•The presence of U.S. troops is only increasing the violence and recruiting more insurgents and confirming the fears of anti-U.S group.
•Staying will not make things better in Iraq for the Iraqi people or for U.S. citizens at home.
•The only people benefiting from the war are military contractors and special interests.
•It is time to bring U.S. troops home!
Print or copy and cut out your post card. Write your message to your elected official and return to KC Iraq Task Force / AFSC, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110. Delegations will hand deliver the cards to officials offices in early late April or early May. For more information call 816 931-5256
Again thanks for your hard work! Thank you for standing for peace!
Sincerely,
Ira Harritt
Call 816 931-5256 for more information
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you concerned that the Bush administration might use nuclear weapons on Iran?
“Divine Strake”and the talk of a nuclear attack on Iran
by Andrew Lichterman
There have been two related sets of news stories in the past week involving nuclear weapons. Seymour Hersh, writing in the New Yorker, and the Washington Post ran stories regarding planning for a possible use of nuclear weapons in an attack on Iran. The reported rationale for considering nuclear weapons use is that some underground Iranian facilities might be difficult to destroy with conventional weapons. A scattering of newspapers have reported that a large conventional test explosion called “Divine Strake,” planned for June at the Nevada Test Site, will simulate nuclear weapons use. One purpose of the program of which that test is a part, according to Department of Defense budget documents, is to “develop a planning tool that will improve the warfighter’s confidence in selecting the smallest proper nuclear yield necessary to destroy underground facilities while minimizing collateral damage.”
Iran may well pose a threat. But threatening to use the "nuclear option" increases the perception of other nations that they need to develop nuclear weapons as a deterrent to our threat. Let Congress know that use of nuclear weapons is not an option. Americans don't support a pre-emptive nuclear attack on Iran, and Congress must act to prevent the president from launching one before it's too late. Please send a message to your representatives.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
---------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming Peace and Justice Activities
April 20th,Thursday, at 7pm, Earth Day and Peaceful World Service: in the Unity Temple Sanctuary, the Unity Temple Peacemakers will facilitate a 50 minute service dedicated to the vision of a peaceful planet. Allan Abrams and Ahmed El Sherif bring a message of hope and Gayle Schloemer offers a meditation of love. For more information call Vince Boudreaux at 913-961-8802.
April 20: Bias In the Media -- Oscar L Hampton, III. Oscar L Hampton III has been a practicing attorney for over 20 years. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia. His specializes in Civil Rights and Labor and Employment Law litigation. Over the course of his career he has successfully tried numerous cases involving complex and novel issues.
April 23, Sunday, 4:00pm to 5:30pm, Peace Vigil and Rally; 5:30-7:00pm, Reception and Talk with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) member, Cliff Kindy. Vigil -J.C. Nichols Fountain, 47th & Main Streets, KCMO; Reception - Community Christian Church Activities Center, 3rd floor Chapel, 32 E 46th Street, KCMO
April 24rd, Monday, 6:30pm KC Iraq Task Force Monthly Planning Meeting at the AFSC office, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO (Monthly meeting will now take place on the fourth Monday of the month.
April 27:Agriculture Imitating Nature-- Grant Mallett. The Land Institute is a not-for-profit agricultural research and educational center located in Salina, Kansas that has been in existence for twenty nine years. Our scientists are developing an agricultural system that draws its inspiration from nature. We are doing this by turning the major grain crops of the world into perennials. (This means they will grow up from the roots and not seeds and will not need to be replanted each year.) And these cereals will be planted with other plants in a polyculture like the native prairie. Grant is head of a new Olathe office. Grant’s talk will cover who we are, what we are doing - and why we are doing it - and how far we have to go.
EVERY Sunday: Iraq Peace Vigil, 4pm, JC Nichols Fountain, 47th & Main, Streets, Kansas City, MO
http://www.kciraqtaskforce.org/
EVERY TUESDAY: Join this Peace Demonstration Every Tuesday between 5PM - 6 PM in the median strip on the south corner of the intersection at 63rd & Ward Parkway, Kansas City, Mo. For more information email '63rd Street Patriots' - Bob Rowe (exgman47@yahoo.com) or Carol (schwartzkatz@mail.carrollsweb.com).
10 Reasons Why the U.S. Must Leave Iraq:
http://www.afsc.org/iraq/activism/10-reasons.htm
PEACE & JUSTICE TEACH-INS
When? Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.
Where? Westport Coffee House, 4010 Pennsylvania, First floor meeting room
New web spot -- peaceandjusticecoffeehouse.blogspot.com
Peace and Justice Teach-Ins are supported by: the Alliance for Democracy, American Friends Service Committee, Greens of Greater Kansas City, Holy Family Catholic Worker House ... and others. This support does not necessarily imply endorsement of the views of any speaker or presentation..
Peace and Justice Teach-Ins are meant to be a free speech forum for progressive thought. "Peace and Justice Teach-Ins" neither advocates nor endorses violent or illegal acts. For more information or to make corrections, or to suggest speakers, call (816) 931-5256
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Too Many Have Died! Stop the Killing! End the War! Peace Vigil & Rally
April 23, Sunday
4:00pm to 5:30pm
J.C. Nichols Fountain,
47th & Main Streets, KCMO
Our Rally Speaker will be Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) member Cliff Kindy. Cliff has spent much of the past three years in Iraq and has volunteered in Colombia, Gaza Strip and West Bank, Palestine, and Chiapas, Mexico. He will share his first hand experiences in Iraq and comment on the recent kidnapping of CPT members.
CPT is an ecumenical organization which places teams of trained peacemakers to work with local partners in situations of violent conflict around the world.
The Rally will be followed by a 5:30PM Reception and Talk at Community Christian Church Activities Center, 3rd floor Chapel, 32 E 46th Street, KCMO (one block east of the J.C. Nichols Fountain)
The event is sponsored by the KC Iraq Task Force, the American Friends Service Committee and PeaceWorks KC. For more information call 816 931-5256
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information and events described in AFSC Peace and Justice Alerts are intended to educate and assist members of our community in becoming active in working for a more just and peaceful world. Inclusion of a listing does not necessarily imply that AFSC KC agrees with all points of view that will be represented at the event.
The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the Quaker belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice
We need your support to keep our life affirming peacemaking work alive. Contribute. Volunteer. Spread the word!
Contact us and mail your tax deductible contribution to:
American Friends Service Committee
4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110
(816) 931-5256
Ira Harritt
Kansas City Program
American Friends Service Committee
4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110
(816) 931-5256
Fax (816) 561-5033
# posted by Blue Hearts @ 5:18 PM 
