Mar 4, Noon-1:30 Peoples Education Justice; Drone Resisters Acquitted!; more!

Dear Friends,                                     716-332-3904 or 716-931-3520 for more info

Wanted to notify you all that the People’s March for Education Justice tomorrow will just be Noon-1:30pm. Bundle up – it’ll be cold but we’ll have our love, devotion to our children, and solidarity to keep up warm:

* People’s March for Education Justice – Sat, March 4, Noon-1:30pm. See under Peaceful Conflict Resolution below, or go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1852721354984691/

You also need to know that FOUR DRONE RESISTERS WERE AQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES IN A GREAT VICTORY FOR NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION AND AGAINST WEAPONIZED DRONES IN DEWITT (OUTSIDE SYRACUSE) NY. See below for the entire press release, or tune in to our radio show (1-3pm at 91.3FM, WBNY, see Regularly Scheduled Listings at end of missive below) to hear former codefendant James Ricks tell about the case and the issue!

And please join us this Sunday, March 5, at 2pm at the Jewish Community Center, 787 Delaware (& Summer), for Hands Across the JCC. Assemblyman Sean Ryan and the Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo will host “Hands Across The JCC”, a community event to show solidarity with the Western New York Jewish community in the wake of recent anti-Semitic acts of hate directed at Jewish community centers and cemeteries across the country. We’ll unite against acts of hatred by locking arms together.

Join the Day Without Women – all-day strike, with a special gathering on City Hall Steps at **4pm** sharp. It’ll be a brief press conference as well. Wearing red – and bringing signs – is requested. After the press conf, come join us joining with IAC at a demo at S Elmwood & W Tupper (4:30-7pm). Mysogeny runs deep – it’ll take all of us to get equal rights and respect for women. And we will get there!!

As usual many announcements follow. See you out there!

Peace/Salam/Shalom/Shanti!    Nya weh/Asanti/Gracias/Tashakor/Thanks!!

 

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Please put our fun(d)raiser on your calendar! Don’t miss a way to feed two birds with one crumb: having fun and supporting the WNYPC!

* MPP – Major Progress Program: A Benefit Concert for the WNY Peace Center! Sun, March 12, 4-7pm, Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St., Buffalo. ($10). Paul Yates, George Puleo, Greg Opalinski, Paul Swisher, David Kane, Myron Deputat, Jack Prybyeski, Jim Linsner, Frank Pusateri, and special guest the Dooleys.
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LATIN AMERICAN SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE

* Mon, March 6, 7- 9pm, LASC monthly planning meeting, El Buen Amigo. Planning all our future LASC events and actions, including protection of immigrants, Cuba program in April, water for Haiti, progressive labor and the future of NAFTA, publicity, and migrant farmworker issues. Everyone welcome.
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GENDER JUSTICE TASKFORCE

* Weds, March 8, International Women’s Day – “A Day Without Women” – National Strike Day for Women, as well as

* Weds, March 8, International Women’s Day 8-5pm A Day of Action at City Hall;. 8:00 am – 5:00 pm A day of pre-scheduled constituent meetings at Buffalo City Hall with all nine Buffalo Common Council members and their staffs to discuss the Buffalo CEDAW ordinance. You do not need to be a resident of the City of Buffalo to attend the Common Council advocacy day. Special 3:30am Gathering on the City Hall Steps.

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IMMIGRANT & REFUGEE JUSTICE TASKFORCE

* Sat., Mar 11, 2-5pm, An Afternoon of Sereni-Tea. Fundraiser for Rahama, a support organization for Muslim women, stopping domestic violence.

* Workers’ Center member and leader, Jose Coyote Perez, was detained by ICE in Batavia. He is also a father of four children and community leader in Upstate and Central NY, member of the Workers’ Center of CNY and other community organizations. His case was administratively closed in September, but he was detained on February 24, 2017.

Please continue to call the Buffalo Fed. Detention Facility office of the Chief Counsel (716) 551-4741 and press 4# (four followed by the # sign)

“Proposed script: My name is ______ I want to bring to the attention of the Chief Counsel the case of Jose Coyote Perez, A#099757267, who is in Batavia detention Center. He is the father of four children and community leader in Upstate and Central NY, member of the Workers’ Center of CNY and other community organizations.”

Be prepared! They may tell you that is not the place to call but just tell them you want to leave the message for the Chief Counsel (if she doesn’t answer), it is very important to tell them the A#.

Jose is in good spirits, he knows he has a lot of support from all over Upstate and Central NY. Thank you for the support you have already shown and let’s continue to show our support!

Si se puede!

*One of our two recently declared Sanctuary Churches, Pilgrim St-Luke’s needs to put in showers for people staying there! Please send your contribution (payable) to:

Pilgrim St-Luke UCC
335 Richmond
Buffalo, NY 14222

with Sanctuary Care in the memo. Or go to their website here to donate on line. Also any plumbers who would be willing to work pro bono or at a discount should contact Rev. Justo Gonzalez (716-989-9207; or pastor@lovefaithjustice.org). For the Buffalo 25 and their families you can also send contributions for them Payable to

Trinity Episcopal Church (with #Buffalo25 on the memo line of your check); to Trinity Episcopal Church; 371 Delaware Ave.; Buffalo, NY 14202.

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INDIVISIBLE

* Thurs, March 9,  5- 6pm #VOTERSNOTDONORS. Come join us to draw attention to Rep Collins and Assemblyman DiPietro’s being available to $100/plate attendees, but not the populace – that’s us, outside Salvatore’s Italian Gardens (6461 Transit Rd, Depew), effectively silenced so putting tape over our mouths. https://www.facebook.com/events/257416794698975/permalink/263528454087809/

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RACIAL JUSTICE TASKFORCE

* Mon, March 13, 5:30pm, NAACP Monthly Meeting, Merriweather Public Library, Jefferson & Utica Sts., Buffalo.

*Cariol Horne Whistleblowers’ Fund, created by the WNYPC to support police officers who face reprisals from their department for choosing to strictly uphold their oath to protect and serve the community, is named for Cariol Horne, former police officer, who faced reprisals when she saved the life of a citizen who was being subjected to excessive force on her duty. She was fired just prior to earning her 20-year pension. The goal of the fund is to encourage good police officers to follow their moral conscience if and when it conflicts with the infamous blue wall of silence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_wall_of_silence). More than $1,000 has been raised. Please go to https://www.gofundme.com/cariol-horne-whistleblower-fund to contribute. Many Thanks!!
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PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION

* Sat., March 4, 10:45am-11:45am, Planning meeting for Gathering to support Free Press and Democracy!, Spot Coffee, 227 Delaware Ave., Buffalo.

* Sat., March 4, ***Noon-1:30pm***. People’s March for Education Justice. Students, teachers, parents and community members across New York will come together in their local cities to speak up for education justice. In Buffalo, we’ll start with a rally at Erie Co Holding Center, continuing up Delaware Ave to end at Hutch Tech HS (256 South Elmwood Ave). Help us in demanding that Governor Cuomo fulfill his promise to stand up for all communities.

Cosponsoring with Citizens’ Action, and more. Please help promote on facebook at link.

* Thurs, March 9, 6:30pm NYers Against Gun Violence Organizational Meeting, St. Columba-Brigid RCC, 75 Hickory St, Buffalo. Topics include advancing gun safety legislation locally and stopping gun proliferation legislation nationally.

* Fri, March 10, Speaker Miko Peled, “Why the son of an Israeli General is speaking out about Palestine,” 7-10pm UB North Campus Student Union Theatre. Organized by UB-Students for Justice in Palestine.

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RESIST MILITARISM! TASKFORCE
Press Release re Drone Resisters: Civil Resistance Acquitted and Validated!!!

Four drone resisters, James Ricks, Daniel Burns, Brian Hynes, and Ed Kinane, from the 2015 big books action were found innocent of all charges at 11pm at the Dewitt Town Court. After deliberating for only about a half hour, the jury returned with a verdict of not guilty on all charges. Applause erupted in the courtroom upon the jurors’ announcement of the verdict. The four were charged with obstruction of government administration, disorderly conduct, and trespass and faced a year in jail. Following the rendering of the verdict, a juror approached Brian Hynes and said “I really support what you are doing. Keep doing it.”

During the trial, Brian Hynes told the jury, “This is not a case about contested facts, this is a case about contested meanings.” Hynes went on to explain to the jury that they could, in the words of the 4th Circuit of Appeals, acquit for any reason which appeals to their logic or passion. In powerful testimony, James Ricks told the jury about meeting the families of drone victims and seeing the wreckage of hellfire missiles. Jurors were brought to tears several times. Daniel Joseph Burns  said, “Would any of us deem it acceptable for our precious loved ones to be sacrificed for another nation’s anticipatory self defense. Of course not!  Moreover, if drones were being aimed at my children by another country, I would hope with all my might that the citizens of that country might try and stop their country’s illegal and immoral actions.” Ed Kinane told the jury in clear and powerful language about his time living in Iraq during the war and about the terror sown by drones. Closing arguments were given by lawyers Daire Irwin and Jonathan Wallace  as well as James Ricks and Brian Hynes (Heidi Schloegel Hynes).

The trail resulted from an action on March 19, 2015. On the 12th anniversary of the U.S.’ illegal invasion of Iraq, seven members of the Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars shut the main gate of the Hancock Drone Base (near Syracuse, NY) with a giant copy of the UN Charter and three other giant books – Dirty Wars (Jeremy Scahill), Living Under Drones (NYU and Stanford Law Schools), and You Never Die Twice (Reprieve).

The nonviolent activists also held a banner quoting Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution, stating that every treaty signed becomes the supreme law of the land. They brought the books to Hancock to remind everyone at the base of the signed treaties that prohibit the killing of civilians and assassinations of human beings. The group attempted yet again to deliver a citizens’ indictment for war crimes to the Hancock Air base chain of command. #####

*Thurs, March 9, 1-2:30pm. Resist Militarism! Taskforce Meeting, WNYPC, 1272 Delaware Ave, Buffalo (entrance and parting round back). Will discuss upcoming events, including showing “National Bird” (re drones) and producer, Sonia Kennebeck to Buffalo, dealing with ICE (Rapid Response Team?), NFARS next steps, etc.

* 2nd and 4th Thurs of month, next one March 9: Resist Militarism! Anti-Weaponized-Drone Vigil at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, 3:30-4:30pm. Call Russell, 570-5200 for carpooling.

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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TASKFORCE

* Sun, March 12, 2pm, “Journey of the Universe” showing, Burchfield-Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo. Come see this award-winning documentary about how our beautiful planet came to be. Organized by the Interfaith Climate Justice Community.

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CAMPAIGNS:
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IMPEACH TRUMP NOW!!

Enough is enough! Please go to

Impeach Donald Trump Now (RootsAction); or

https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/a_million_to_impeach_trump_loc/?bBjDzab&v=88657&cl=11897522612&_checksum=d45fca5e17ea16b8a93bb956b33c9271516f9fa8cef68c0de09729a46b65171c

to Impeach Trump Now! For more info, you can read the TruthOut Article on the subject. And please spread far and wide – we need to minimize the extreme damage being done!!

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Join us on the PeaceAction NYS campaign to keep Donald Trump from pressing the nuclear button at

NoRedButton   or CredoAction’s at Stop Trump from Going Nuclear

and sign on a comprehensive PANYS campaign re his policies at No Fear, No Hate, No Nukes.

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Nekanesakt/Indigenous and Friends/Buffalo Supports Standing Rock Water Protectors!

* Weekly meeting Tuesdays, 6:30pm. Burning Books, 420 Connecticut St., Buffalo.

* March 10: Indigenous Peoples’ March on Washington. Bus or van being arranged.

* March 10: WNY Indigenous Peoples Solidarity March: 3pm rally at 130 South Elmwood Federal Bldg; march 4pm, to Bank of America, 10 Fountain Plaza (Main and Huron), Buffalo. Come out to stand up for our Indigenous brothers and sisters, and our Mother Earth!
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Regularly Scheduled Events in the One Struggle, One Movement:

Fridays 6pm: Stop The Violence Coalition, United Way Bldg, Delaware and Summer Sts.

Saturdays, Noon-1pm: Women In Black. Nonviolence vigil, Bidwell and Elmwood.

Sundays, 4pm Riverside-Salem UCC/DC progressive program and potluck. This week Annual Business Meeting. 3449 West River Road, Grand Island.

Mondays, 1-3pm, Talking Peace with the WNY Peace Center radio show on 91.3FM, WBNY; with Avery Edwards, Vicki Ross, and special guests including James Ricks, fully acquitted Drone Resister of Big Books action; and Tanya Loughead, Canisius Col Prof and Chair of WNYPC Gender Justice Taskforce. Go to wnby.buffalostate.edu or http://tunein.com/radio/WBNY-913-s27549/.

Tuesdays, 6:30pm Buffalo Supports Standing Rock Water Protectors! 420 Connecticut St, at Burning Books, with Indigenous Women’s Initiative, NACS, WNY Peace Center, and more.

2nd and 4th Thurs of month: Resist Militarism! Anti-Weaponized-Drone Vigil at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, 3:30-4:30pm. Call Russell, 570-5200 for carpooling.

1st and 3rd Thurs of month: Interfaith Peace Network meeting and breakfast-luck, 8am-9:30am; NRC Bldg, 1272 Delaware Ave. Parking round back.

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Peace and Blessings.

 

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