Venezuela Embassy Protection Collective illegally arrested this morning

716-332-3904 5/16/19 wnypeace.org

Dear Friends,

As you likely know, the Venezuela Embassy Protection Collective has defended the Venezuelan Embassy for 34 days from falling under the control of the right-wing supporters of the failed U.S.-backed coup attempts in Venezuela. Their access to food, water, and electricity have all been blocked by the Secret Service, State Department, DC and other police agencies, as well as by the violent right-wing crowds who have gathered outside. This morning US governmental agents broke in and **arrested the four in the Embassy**. We will forward info on where to donate to support them when it becomes available. Meanwhile, CodePink, Veterans for Peace, and Popular Resistance have all been heavily involved.

We URGE all those who can to answer the call put forward by the Embassy Protection Collection to go to the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C. this Saturday. And/or please come out to the Burning Books (420 Connecticut St) event, The Plot to Overthrow Venezuela, this Weds, 5/22, at 7pm.

We seem dangerously close to [more] war, but there is still a chance for peace to prevail. Congress has not authorized war in Iran nor Venezuela, meaning any action taken by the Trump administration would be yet another unconstitutional military action. Please call your senators and representatives at (202)224-3121 and urge them to support and co-sponsor these vital bills!:
• The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019 (S.1039 in the Senate and H.R.2354 in the House)
• The Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act (S.J.Res.11 and H.R.1004)
Both these bills prohibit funds being used for military action in their respective countries, preventing Trump and Bolton from engaging in a conflict without congressional approval. Neither bill has been supported by our legislators yet. We need to change that. Please call!!

Lots of other events and campaigns are going on. See below, with more on our webpage (wnypeace.org, on both a longer Weekly News Post, and on the Events Calendar). Also check out our Facebook Page, and follow us at wnypeace on both twitter and instagram. We’re all in this together, and we need to both pace ourselves, and #UnitetheStruggles. #WeShallOvercome

Peace, Thanks, Solidarity, and yes Love. #LoveisLove

Other events this week:

“The Tent of Abraham”
May 16 @ 4:45 pm – 9:00 pm
Fourteenth Annual. OPEN TO ALL 7: 00 PM Islamic Center, 745 Heim Road, Amherst, NY. (Or join walk at any point and time listed below, incl starting point of North Presbyterian Church {300 North Forest Road, Williamsville, NY, 14221-5056}, gathering at 4:45pm) ***** At the Mosque: an evening of friendship and conversation of our shared values as we “break the fast” together. Enjoy an ethnic dinner with your friends and neighbors. In keeping with MPAC tradition, non-perishable food items and cash donations (matched by MPAC) will be collected for distribution to the needy in our community.
***** You can make your tax-deductible contributions to MPAC Foundation and indicate for “Tent of Abraham”
***** Eleventh Annual “The Walk of Abraham” OPEN TO ALL From: North Presbyterian — 300 N Forest Rd, Williamsville, NY 14221 To: Islamic Center, 745 Heim Road, Amherst, NY Thursday, May 16, 2019 (Ramadan 11, 1440) The schedule for the evening is as follows: * 4: 45- 5: 00 PM Forming for 4.5-mile walk at North Presbyterian Church; * 5: 00 PM The walk begins * 6: 15- 6: 30 PM Forming for 1-mile walk from the Heim Middle School; * 6: 30 PM The walk from Heim begins * 7: 00 PM Tent of Abraham activities begin at the Islamic Center; * 8: 30 PM Iftar (breaking the fast) and dinner For reservations and for any question, please contact wny@mpac.org

Film Screening & Panel – Justice for Home Care
May 16 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Isaias Gonzalaz-Soto Library, 280 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY. A short film on home care workers’ struggles against working* 24-hour shifts for only 13-hour’s pay,* and panel discussion featuring home care workers and disability rights self-advocates. Light dinner will be served, childcare available upon request.

Give Riders a Voice Rally
May 18 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Bidwell Park, Elmwood and Bidwell (one block north of Delavan), Buffalo, NY. Come out in support of elevating Rider’s Voices!! You don’t have to be a rider to want the people to have a voice in the system. A better transit system benefits everyone.

Moving BEYOND “White Fragility”
May 18 @ 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Honest and Effective Conversations About Race. At North Presbyterian Church (300 North Forest Rd, Williamsville, NY 14221.

Buffalo Anti Racism Coalition & Buffalo Save The Kids – Know Your Rights & Poetry Slam
May 19 @ 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
At Raqs Solidarity Space 322 Amherst Street, Buffalo NY 14207 Co-Hosted by: Buffalo Anti Racism Coalition & Buffalo Save The Kids as part of the National Week of Action Against Incarcerating Youth 2019, and in honor of the birth of Malcolm X. Community members of all ages are invited to come out.

Peace Coffeehouse: Brazil in Crisis
May 20 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Darien Lamen, Rochester activist & educator, on prospects for organized resistance to a new ruling elite there. Darien has spent many years in Brazil, and is working on a documentary about the role of liberation theology in the struggle for land reform in Amazonia. Canisius College – Science Hall convenient parking on Main near Delavan.

Renewable Energy – Lobby Day, Albany
May 21 @ 4:30 am – 11:30 pm
Lobbying effort in support of the NYS OFF Act (A.3565/S.5266) in Albany.The OFF Act supports 100% renewable energy in all sectors by 2030. See https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=&leg_video=&bn=A03565&term=0&Summary=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y We will be leaving Buffalo around 4:30 AM and returning late the same evening. If anyone is interested in this effort, please call Charley Bowman (716-908-8227).

PeaceJam Leaders (afterschool group; 10-14 yr olds)
May 21 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
At the Rafi Greene CAO Masten Resource Center, 1423 Fillmore Ave, Buffalo 14211. Come be part of an exciting newly forming PeaceJam leaders group for 10-14-year-olds. PeaceJam is national and international, with 13 Nobel laureates on the Board who all had major impact on the curriculum. The youth-led, adult-assisted program uses inspiration, education, and action. Weekly on Tuesdays through June 25.

The Plot to Overthrow Venezuela @ Burning Books
May 22 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Burning Books, 420 Connecticut St., Buffalo, NY. An analysis of the use of unilateral coercive measures by the US and Canada against the Venezuelan people in the name of “Democracy.” Presented by members of the AFGJ Deligation – End US and Canada sanctions against Venezuela.

Movement Morning sustainers’ breakfast, Open Buffalo
May 23 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Open Buffalo will be hosting a second annual Movement Morning sustainers’ breakfast at the Pucho Olivencia Center, located at 261 Swan Street. Come celebrate with us as you enjoy a hot breakfast, hear an inspiring update on Open Buffalo’s community impact, and have a chance to contribute towards our vision for equity and justice! Free Entry. Reserve Your Seat here! https://forms.gle/YfRFiarJhBEMsoW9A

Free Jerome Wright Rally
May 23 @ 5:15 pm – 6:00 pm
Lafayette Square, Main & Court Sts., Buffalo, NY. Jerome Wright, organizer for the statewide #HALTsolitary campaign, has been in jail for over 6 months, awaiting adjudication of trumped-up charges of violating parole rules. FREE JEROME. Solitary confinement in New York is torture, inflicted on thousands of people. Pass the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Bill to end this abuse.
Parolees are treated like serfs, told to follow any rule their parole officer lays down, and sent back to prison for years if they don’t, after an unfair hearing. Let’s have legislation providing justice for people on parole. #FreeJeromeWright #HALTsolitary #JusticeForParolees

General Strike to Support Planet, stop climate catastrophe
May 24 @ 12:00 am – 11:59 pm
All day work strike to support Stop Climate Change: Sunrise Movement (students working to stop climate change).

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More listings on calendar and in previous email posts.

To subscribe, write to weeklynews@wnypeace.org with “subscribe” in subject line.
To unsubscribe, write to weeklynews@wnypeace.org with “unsubscribe” in subject line. (Sorry for occasional delays!)

Please submit possible listings for consideration to weeklynews@wnypeace.org.

The time is now, and we are the people we’ve been waiting for.

And remember to tune in: DEMOCRACY NOW! IS NOW BEING BROADCASTMONDAY-FRIDAY, 8AM-9AM (LIVE) ON WBNY 91.3FM. Hear it over the radio or streaming live at wbny.buffalostate.edu.

Music and Street Theatre Weekend! And many Social Justice Opportunities

Music and Street Theatre Weekend! And many Social Justice Opportunities

716-332-3904 5/10/19 wnypeace.org

Friends,

Many events this weekend, and opportunities to make your voices heard.

There was another failed coup attempted in Venezuela. Our friends fighting for peace in Venezuela, who are currently occupying the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC need our help. Their current requests are that people call Secret Service at 202-406-8800 and tell them to stop allowing the harassment of the people in the embassy, and to allow food and medicine in. Also to call the State Department at 202-895-3500 and contact your representative here: http://house.gov/representative/find-your-representative. More info found in this post online.

Our president wants to increase nuclear power in US submarines. Representative Ted Lieu, along with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, Representatives John Garamendi, Earl Blumenauer and Senator Ed Markey have introduced the bicameral Hold the LYNE (low yield nuclear explosive) Act to stop this from happening. The legislation would prohibit the research, development, production, and deployment of low yield nuclear warheads for submarine-launched missiles. People have been requested to contact members of Congress and ask them to support the Hold the LYNE Act. [https://secure.everyaction.com/PnjZkTxba0WUMeeRvLmK_A2]

Food & Water Watch is holding a webinar about manure-to-energy and why it isn’t a solution for either the climate crisis or our factory farm problem. The webinar, titled Bio(gas)hazards: Dirty Air, Factory Farms, and Climate Change, will be held May 15 at 8:00 pm EST. Please RSVP here to join the conversation!

Those interested should join the campaign for the OFF Act for a lobby day at the State Capitol in Albany on Tuesday May 21 and testify at / attend the Assembly hearing on climate change in NYC on May 17. Please also submit letters to the editor in support of climate action.

Today marks the beginning of the 2nd Annual Music and Street Theatre Weekend, May 10-12, in Arkport, NY. 8614 Brown Road, Arkport, NY. (one hour south of Rochester, NY). Contact Peg Fink-Gefell at 607-295-7279 or peg.fink.gefell@gmail.com for more information and to register. The “Music and Street Theater Weekend” is a high-energy gathering of activists who want to increase their skills in integrating music and street theater in their social justice work.
You’re invited to join the Mayor and the DA at Building Stronger Communities Breakfast on Sat., May 11, 9-11am. Full breakfast and gathering at the William Emslie YMCA (corner of Emslie & William). Bring your determination for a stronger, more just and peaceful community. All are welcome.

Other events this week:

WNYPC Fund-Raising/Dinner Committee Meeting
May 13 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Come ahead to volunteer and help out with fund-raising events, including especially the Annual Dinner (to be 11/19). At the WNYPC, NRC Bldg, 1272 Delaware Ave (entrance and parking round back behind building).

Poor People’s Campaign Monthly Meeting
May 13 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Raqs Solidarity, 322 Amherst St., Buffalo NY. Join the Poor People’s Campaign in confronting the four evils of poverty, racism, militarism, and ecological devastation, as well as the distorted moral narrative of this country. The local PPC meets 2nd Mondays of the month at Raqs Solidarity. 6pm. https://www.facebook.com/wnypoorpeoplescmpgn

Resist Militarism! Taskforce Meeting
May 15 @ 7:00 pm
Regular monthly meeting, with agenda items including working on stopping war profiteers especially Lockheed Martin; possible Gaza flotilla; grounding the drones and ending the wars, etc. At Tipico Coffee, 128 Fargo, Buffalo.

“The Tent of Abraham”
May 16 @ 4:45 pm – 9:00 pm
Fourteenth Annual. OPEN TO ALL 7: 00 PM Islamic Center, 745 Heim Road, Amherst, NY. (Or join walk at any point and time listed below, incl starting point of North Presbyterian Church {300 North Forest Road, Williamsville, NY, 14221-5056}, gathering at 4:45pm) ***** At the Mosque: an evening of friendship and conversation of our shared values as we “break the fast” together. Enjoy an ethnic dinner with your friends and neighbors. In keeping with MPAC tradition, non-perishable food items and cash donations (matched by MPAC) will be collected for distribution in our community. mpac.org

Many more events on the website!

Many thanks, peace, solidarity, and yes – Love
We shall overcome #Unitethestruggles #Loveislove #PowerWITH-NOTPowerOver
No hate, no fear as we are #StillResisting. Peace, Thanks, Solidarity, and yes Love.

***********
More listings in previous email posts.

To subscribe, write to weeklynews@wnypeace.org with “subscribe” in subject line.
To unsubscribe, write to weeklynews@wnypeace.org with “unsubscribe” in subject line. (Sorry for occasional delays!)

Please submit possible listings for consideration to weeklynews@wnypeace.org.

The time is now, and we are the people we’ve been waiting for.
And remember to tune in: DEMOCRACY NOW! IS NOW BEING BROADCASTMONDAY-FRIDAY, 8AM-9AM (LIVE) ON WBNY 91.3FM. Hear it over the radio or streaming live at wbny.buffalostate.edu.

Thanks for (Interfaith) Praying for Sri Lanka

Many thanks for all who came out to the Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Sri Lanka – and to all those who prayed, wherever you were. The loving and steadfast group of two dozen who came out in the rain for the People of Sri Lanka are both compassionate and committed. So especially is Tasneem Hamead, the Muslim UB Student from Sri Lanka who was the initiator of the vigil. We stood in love, determination, and solidarity with her. She offered the following wonderful words:

To rekindle hope in turbulent times

Friday, 26 April, 2019

Niagara Square, Buffalo, NY

In a devastating tragedy on Easter Sunday, simultaneous explosions in churches and hotels claimed the lives of nearly 300 people and injured hundreds more. Sri Lankans at home and around the world are in shock and grieving. Sri Lankans have been sleepless since Sunday. The atmosphere surrounding my country and its people is one of fear-induced paralysis. Many have described their feelings as being in a haze or a dream, a dream in which there is no sleep, nor dreaming nor waking.

The perpetrators of this heinous crime have been identified as belonging to a radical Muslim group. Churches are now closed with the Archbishop of Colombo cancelling this Sunday’s service. There can be nothing worse than people being frightened to go out to pray. Muslim Friday prayers were also not held at some mosques today in a show of solidarity and also due to fear of reprisals.

As a Sri Lankan and Muslim, I would like to speak for all Sri Lankan Muslims and say how deeply grieved we as a community are. These vile attacks were carried out in the name of Islam, however much it pains us to say it. Yet apologies will not bring back the hundreds of people we have lost or console their families. It breaks me to tell you that Sri Lankan Muslims at large have not been able to protest this heinous crime against humanity as a state of fear persists along with the fear of being mistaken for terrorists.

Back home, when news of the bombings first surfaced, my best friend was visiting my family. I was suddenly struck by the realisation that she is Christian and I Muslim. Here was my Christian best friend, in a Muslim home, when Christians were being massacred in churches by Muslims. These attacks had suddenly placed the two of us in different boxes, boxes we were not previously aware of. This is what the terrorists wanted. To divide us and reduce the hundreds of innocent lives to mere victims: our people who have left us too soon are not victims. They are martyrs. And they will remain martyrs.

            I wish I could say we are on the path to healing and recovering now. I wish I could tell you Sri Lanka is solely focused on supporting our grieving people, but we haven’t been allowed that. Sri Lanka is so tense that it hasn’t been able to attend to its grieving population due to multiple threats, fears of more attacks, fear of reprisals. We have not been able to protest these horrific attacks: we have not been able to grieve as one community. We have only just come out of a brutal war since 2009; we were slowly beginning to rebuild, but Sunday’s attacks took it all away. Our hope is that this gathering might do a little, konjum, poddak from far away what our people cannot do at home. That we can come together, across oceans and within the island, at this hour of great need and feel for each other. To rebuild a sense of hope in us all.

Statement read by Tasneem Hamead at vigil for the victims of Sri Lanka’s Easter tragedy in Niagara Square, Buffalo, New York on Friday, 26 April, 2019. The vigil was organised by the Western New York Peace Centre, Tasneem Hamead, and the Muslim Women’s Council of the State University of New York at Buffalo.