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--A.W.A.R.E. Meeting Minutes-- Sunday, July 11, 2004 minutes by Nicky D. Meeting led by Gabe who is leaving town with a big bang which we are all invited to witness at his (grandmother's) house next Saturday (he's having a pot-luck party). She won't be home, so the biggest concern will be the weather. INTRODUCTIONS we all said our names and told about something exciting or some exciting trip coming up for us this summer. NEWS OF THE WEEK All the news was in the form of individual contributions. Here they are, in brief summary: The 4th of July parade (including the prize-winning AWARE float) was rebroadcast on UPTV There are 2 good articles to read in the Independent: "Iraq in Reverse" (which might be able to be turned into a flyer for AWARE) and another one called "The New Iraq" The new U.S. sponsored Haitian government has been refused recognition by the Caribbean community. The U.S. and Mr. Sharon seem to be ignoring the International Criminal Court decision which stated (15 to 1) that extending the Wall in Israel is illegal. Folks are also trying to rationalize recent bombings as an inevitable response to this ruling. Since the "terror alert level" has put us all in danger of "imminent attack," there may be some sort of delay in upcoming (presidential?) elections. There are many, many poor Indians in Iraq right now, shipped in as subcontractors of subcontractors of subcontractors to rebuild the place. These workers are in pretty bad way for they are signed up to work in Iraq for many months for conditions and pay that amounts to a scenario comparable to indentured servitude. They are hired out through Kellogg, Brown and Root, a Halliburton Subsidiary. It's been difficult for farmers in Afghanistan to replace their revenue and acreage from poppy crops with crops that provide comparable income at the same time as a recent U.N. report that global poppy yield is higher this year than in a long time (especially in Afghanistan). There is still ethnic discrimination and expulsion and abuse of minorities in Kosovo, a region we thought we mucked through and straightened out years ago. The Electoral College has flip-flopped on their statement about the U.S. military in Iraq. There original objections have been replaced by a blander affirmation of the whole affair. [ed. note (REC) - I believe the above is in reference to the Kucinich "deal" that was made with the Democractic establishment over the party's platform on Iraq. Here's a short summary from July 14th edition of Democracy Now!: Democratic Party delegates supporting presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich struck a deal this weekend with representatives of John Kerry over the Party's stance on the Iraq war. The deal happened this weekend at the Democratic Party Platform convention in Miami. Kucinich's delegates withdrew their proposal for a quick withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.] The U.S. now says that it is okay for Cuban Americans to send gifts (non-plant, non-veterinary) to their immediate family members still in Cuba. The Pentagon regretfully announced that some of GWB's military records were accidentally destroyed. WORKING GROUPS Commentary on WILL-AM: Kim, Randall's contact there, is on vacation and when she is in the office she is having a few slight communication delays/difficulties in convincing the right person [ed. note (REC)- Jay Pearce] about the proposed weekly commentaries from AWARE for the radio station Democracy Now on UPTV: there are over 450 signatures on the petition! and 500 seems likely by Monday's meeting with the Commission. There is no "overt opposition" to any part of the proposal, save trying to interpret a "small degree of tight-lippedness". The Commission meeting where the AWARE petition will be presented is at noon on Monday, July 12 at the Urbana Council Chambers. There is also the exciting revelation that AWARE might be able to have a short underwriting announcement at the beginning and end of the broadcast. Tabling at Boardman's: Jan has been re-stocking the AWARE table at the theater every couple of days and has collected about $140 since the Taste o' Champaign. She reports that most people are being honest about money in the box. Mitch, an assistant manager at the theater, has been very nice. We are left to wonder if the AWARE table will be allowed to remain through the runs of some up-coming films: Control Room, The Corporation, Michael Moore Hates America. Legal Committee: Only to remind that the meeting with the Chief of Police and the City Attorney is still scheduled for July 20th. Farmer's Market: The table was devotedly tabled last weekend from 7am to noon and people there are absolutely rabid and raving about the yard signs. There was a small disaster with the tent so the purchase of a new one (for less than $200) is being investigated. $143.50 were collected at the table from sales of pins, signs, stickers, etc (more bumper stickers, it was decided, will be ordered this week). Finances: There's $2432.71 in the bank. Recent subtractions were made to secure a spot at the Sweet Corn Festival and an ad in the CCHCC dinner program. Prospect for Peace: Even in the pouring rain a couple dozen people and their umbrellas had a colorful presence last Saturday out on the corner. Literature Committee: Work is in progress for the new pamphlet on U.S. Foreign Policy (I believe). New pamphlet ideas proposed: Iraq and Nuclear Weapons; the latter to be completed, possibly, by August 6. Stencil-Spray-Do-It-Yourself Yard Signs: A good time to practice spraying the 3 signs (a patriotic dove, PEACE IS PATRIOTIC, and REGIME CHANGE) might be at Gabe's house Saturday evening. People could perhaps rummage for some spray paint to bring along to the party. Ricky has loads of old signs in his garage we can use to paint. It seems like it will be a good Farmer's Market activity and the proposed small-scale stencil just for kids is in the works. Nicky is leaving town the 1st week of August, though, so hopefully a good method for getting the signs painted will be worked out by then. EVENTS OF THE WEEK JUST PASSED: Everybody is sunning in the splendor of the 3rd place trophy for the AWARE float in the 4th of July Parade. We all got to see a lovely slide show of the making of the glorious float. Peaceniks from California joined the AWARE stream of parade-walkers. Belly dancers were flocking to float to offer their services in the parade. They were turned away as tactfully as one can dismiss a gaggle of eager belly dancers, but the barbed wire would have been a problem. NEW IDEAS: The Z-net article discussion may perhaps be deferred til fall because...folks need to pick their positions, because there needs to be a day set, because there may be more interested people when the season changes and brings to Urbana some who are always in migration. UPCOMING EVENTS: I'm sorry I can't report this better, but: Adrienne is coming back to town from adventures abroad, with slides, proposing an evening viewing at her house after next week's meeting. SIGN MAKING PARTY ON JULY 16TH AT 7PM AT 605 W. OREGON STREET, URBANA A Gathering at the Alma Mater (corner of Green and Wright) on AUGUST 6th AT NOON to remember HIROSHIMA, to protest low-yield nuclear bombs, bunker buster bombs, etc. GABES GOING-AWAY LAWN PARTY at grandma's house ON SATURDAY (but I don't know where that is....) BRING FOOD, AND A CHAIR OR TABLE. The pie was yu-ummy!