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.
***********
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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.
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.
716-332-3904 wnypeace.org April 24, 2019
Dear Friends,
Please join us this Friday, 4/26, for an Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Sri Lanka, 5-6pm, Niagara Sq.
It will be focused on prayer and solemn intention for condolences, safety, and relief for the people of Sri Lanka, in love and deepest concern.
In a devastating tragedy on Easter Sunday, simultaneous explosions in churches and hotels claimed the lives of nearly 400 people and injured hundreds more. Sri Lankans at home and around the world are in shock and grieving. We come together in solidarity and prayer with those affected, and pledge to work for a world of peace, nonviolence, and healing.
As we are not going for a permit (no need nor time – it is, however, fully legal), we will not have a PA system. There may be some music; and possibly communal prayer out loud with a people’s mike (people repeating short phrases said by the speaker/prayer).
Prayerful signs are welcome.
In case of rain, we’ll meet at Buffalo City Hall Steps – rain is predicted both before and after the vigil time, tho [currently] not during.
Organized by the WNY Peace Center, with the Interfaith Peace Network, Tasneem Hamead, and the Muslim Women’s Council of UB.
Cosponsors also include Lincoln United Methodist Church, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Pax Christi of WNY, PeaceJam Buffalo, Riverside Salem UCC/DC Environmental Cottage, Ss Columba-Brigid Parish, and St. Joseph’s University Parish Social Justice Committee.
If you would like to cosponsor, please contact victoryross9@gmail.com. And we appreciate your publicizing it whether you co-sponsor or not.
Peace/Salam/Shalom/Shanti/Saama/Camatanam.
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