Resources > Meeting Minutes
AWARE Minutes: Sept. 5, 2004 Facilitator: David Green Minutes: Wendy (thanks Wendy) 1. Introductions: over 20 present 2. News of the Week: Including Jan and Durl Kruse's report from NYC, perspectives on media coverage of RNC. 3. P4P - Ricky - We will permanently be moving to the northwest side of Prospect and Marketview, next to the Red Lobster. Informing police went well, although Ricky did not know until 3:30 who the police contact would be for the last ½ hour. A discussion of eavesdropping laws ensued, with still some confusion. This issue is being addressed by our legal counsel, Robert Finch. Next demo, October 2. 4. Legal Committee: Susan has not heard from Mr. Finch. We will keep videotaping at P4P unless asked to stop. The issue of eavesdropping has been interestingly complicated by a concurrent case by the police against two African-American Champaign residents who have been taping police stops. They are being charged, and their tape has been prevented from being shown on UPTV. More information may be found at the mediageek.org website. On September 8 (Wednesday) at 3:30 at Courtroom F on Main Street, there will be a hearing concerning charges against these two men. Also, the News-Gazette has editorialized against this anti-eavesdropping policy. Thanks to Carol Inskeep for an overview of this complicated issue. 5. Tabling: We're no longer tabling at the Art Theatre, until a more appropriate movie is being shown. The Farmers' Market took in more than $200 Saturday. We have more buttons on the way, anti-chief bumper stickers, and deception dollars. Efforts should be made to distribute more literature. There will also be stamped postcards with Kerry address next week. These should be actively distributed. 6. Finances: $2584 is current balance, minus $500 payments, plus Saturday FM collection. 7. WILL: Randall is being put off by Jay Pearce. He should be e-mailed, especially by Friends of WILL, at jhpearce@will.uiuc.edu, with our displeasure. This issue is related to the UPTV issue, in terms of censorship. The possibility of writing an op-ed regarding this was discussed, and Al Kagan, Randall Cotton, and David Green will meet to pursue this before the meeting this Sunday. There is also a blog through the WILL website that should be checked out. This issue should be brought to a head as quickly as possible. 8. UPTV: Randall reminded of the meeting Monday, September 13, at the Urbana City Building 400 S. Vine St., noon. This is to protest censorship of Democracy Now. We now have well over 1000 signature. 9. Postcards for Peace: An event is planned for early November, and Peter and Rebecca Rohloff have put out a call to local artists. Much thanks to the Rohloffs for taking the initiative on what promises to be a great event. 10. Elections panel: This Sunday, September 12, there will be a discussion of election strategies prior to the AWARE meeting, at 3:30 at the IMC. Susan Davis, Mort Brussel, and David Green will lead this discussion, based on articles that can be found at znet.org. 11. Military Recruitment in the School: This evolved into two tracks, one to contact Joe Miller (Vietnam Veterans Against the War), to speak regarding local actions in schools. The second track concerns inviting a compelling speaker, such as suggested by Mort Brussel. A working group regarding the first track met after the meeting. 12. Co-sponsorship: Charlotte Green received approval from AWARE to co-sponsor a Quaker speaker from Kenya, Sept. 22, Wednesday, 7 p.m. at the Illinois Disciples Foundation. Her name is Malesi Kinaro, and she will speak about conditions in Central Africa-Burundi, Rwanda, the Congo, etc. There will be an informal meeting with her the following day. 13. WEFT sponsorship: It was approved that Linda Evans be allowed to exercise her judgment in extending our sponsorship and support of WEFT, either for 6 months or one year. 14. Educational Film: It was agreed that the video Hijacking Catastrophe will be shown prior to a meeting in October. Bob Illyes has a copy of this film. 15. On a personal note, I will be on News from Neptune this Saturday at 10 on WEFT, discussing the issue of the "new anti-Semitism" with Paul Mueth. 16. Danielle, a recent graduate of the U of I who has asked for our sponsorship in the past, was also at our meeting, and invited us to atttend a discussion of racist disparities in sentencing for drug crimes. This presentation will be at the IDF on Thursday (9/9) from 7 to 9 p.m.