3/7: Now: Planned Parenthood, 2697 Main; 3/8 Women’s Day; back to back events
Dear Friends,
You’ll never believe how many things are going on! So wear your raincoat, bring some water (and coffee if you indulge), and get ready – it really is fun to do the right thing with all this good company.
Please come out to Planned Parenthood today at 5:30pm, 2697 Main St, to stand in support of health care, and women’s reproductive health care and rights! Women’s rights are human rights!!
Weds, March 8, is International Women’s Day – “A Day Without Women” – a National Strike Day for Women. Come join us in that and at a brief gathering and press conference now at 4pm sharp on the steps of City Hall, then marching on to Elmwood and Tupper for Amplifying Women Power. See immediately below.
Thanks so much to the many who joined us at the Jewish Community Center for Hands Across the JCC. Assemblyman Sean Ryan and many in our community showed solidarity in the wake of recent anti-Semitic (includes anti-Muslim) acts. We could have gone around the community center at least twice – or more. We’re ALL in this together!
Please notice there are back to back events Thurs (Indivisible, Jose Coyote, NYers against gun violence) and Fri (Indigenous Peoples Solidarity, Harriet Tubman, Miko Peled). Click on our calendar at wnypeace.org for a full line-up.
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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GENDER JUSTICE TASKFORCE
* Weds, March 8, International Women’s Day – “A Day Without Women” – National Strike Day for Women. Strike means no paid or unpaid labor. And as part of this we have:
* 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 4pm brief press conf and gathering on the City Hall Steps. Then marching up to:
* [Weds, Mar 8] Amplifying Women Power on International Women’s Day, 4:30-7pm, Elmwood and Tupper, demonstration organized by International Action Center.
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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.
There’ll be a rally in his support at
* Thurs, Mar 9, at 6 PM – 9 PM, at Congressman Chris Collins’ office at 2813 Wehrle Dr, Williamsville/Lancaster.
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
* Fri, March 10, Harriet Tubman Day Stand Tall Against the Wall March and Rally, 4:30pm Main and E Utica Sts. Marching on to the Merriweather Library, with refreshments across the street. Please come out for this important event organized by We Are Women Warriors.
* 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
* 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. For more info, contact
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CAMPAIGNS:
*
IMPEACH TRUMP NOW!!
Enough is enough! Please go to
Impeach Donald Trump Now (RootsAction); or
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!!
*
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.
*
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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Other regularly scheduled efforts 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. 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 Solidarity! Si, se puede!
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