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As WESPAC Director, I will use this blog as a means of keeping in touch with the WESPAC Community.
May 02, 2012
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Local coverage of Occupy May Day Westchester:

 

Video from Journal News online (lohud.com) featuring Rachel, Andrew and Roger:  http://bcdownload.gannett.edgesuite.net/westchester-mobile/37861007001_1616383121001_me050112occupy.mp4

 

TV from News12 Westchester (for Cablevision subscribers) http://www.news12.com/articleDetail.jsp?articleId=318163&position=1&news_type=news

 

Congratulations and thank you to all the organizers for the tremendous effort in putting together this event under extremely challenging conditions! When the wind blew a table upside down we knew it was time to collect the flyers off the tables.  It was great for the kids to learn about Citizens United by playing a fun tossing game. We made great new connections.  Onward!

 

 

 

 

Actually, scroll down for Andrew's photos:

 

 

 


 

Hello everyone!

 

Both Andrew Courtney (WESPAC) and Dina Sciortino (White Plains Patch) took beautiful photos from yesterday's Occupy May Day Westchester that was held at the White Plains Library Plaza.  It was a bit of a windy, blustery day with two glass bottles of juice falling off tables and making a mess (thank you so much to all who helped clean up including Diane, Carol and Roger and others!).  We spent good time running after flyers that were flying off tables.

 

You will see Ted in her clown outfit with the sign "Stop Clowning with Our Lives" and Jeanne was very photogenic with her famous hat with all the buttons including "Close Indian Point".  Geoff wrote up a sign "Justice for Kenneth Chamberlain" and Alberto and Marlen wore fabulous t-shirts: "Undocumented, Unafraid, Unapologetic".  Thank you Betsy (and kids!) and HVCC for coming out and supporting. And to Bart Worden and Oliver and Beverly Swift (Ethical Culture), Marilyn Katz, Murray Beaver, Priscilla Read (JVP), Linda Berns (LHV Civil Liberties Union), Cora Miles (ARA and MLK Institute), and members from CVH and to all of you.

 

Thank you so much to Rachel for all your amazing work and leadership on this and for bringing your beautiful children, and thank you to all the other lead organizers including Marjorie (MoveOn.org), Teal, Dennis (MVUT), Steve, Diane, Carol, Ted, Diane and several more . The large banner ended up working very well for the march around downtown where people wrote their thoughts, as well as the games for kids and adults that Rachel and Steve organized. A big thank you to our musician, John Scardina from City Island who donated his time and to Ted for inviting him.  A big thank you to Elias for helping us financially so that we were able to print thousands of beautiful postcards and posters and buy food and supplies for yesterday.  Thank you, Dina, for coming out and covering the event: http://whiteplains.patch.com/articles/westchester-s-99-occupies-may-day#photo-9785186

 

I will send Andrew's photos as there are too many for the listservs; and please join us on Thursday, May 10th at 7pm at the Greenburgh Town Hall on the 2nd Floor for our evaluation mtg and next steps.

 

Best,

 

 

 


Nada,  Share with the others if you like.    Andrew





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Mar 22, 2012
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Crime, Punishment and the Rutgers Case

Published: March 21, 2012 NYT

 

To the Editor:

Re “Jury Finds Spying in Rutgers Dorm Was a Hate Crime” (front page, March 17):

This case raises critical questions for the gay community and for us all. How do we balance justice and compassion? Should this young man be imprisoned for up to 10 years for a cruel and immature act that had a dreadful consequence he did not foresee and would not have wished?

What is accomplished by imprisoning him, apart from satisfying our urge for retribution? Is this really the way to end bullying, or are we in danger of becoming the bullies we abhor?

We suggest that Dharun Ravi be sentenced to work for a gay rights organization. There his prejudices would be confronted every day simply by coexisting with people whom he might grow to like and respect.

We hope that a prominent gay rights organization will intervene in the sentencing hearing, saying: “Justice has been served. We applaud that. The message has gone out that harassment and bullying of gay people will not be tolerated. However, we do not support the maximum sentence for this young man and ask the court for leniency.”

STEPHEN KARAKASHIAN
ORLANDO RODRIGUEZ
PHYLLIS RODRIGUEZ
Milwaukie, Ore., March 18, 2012

The writers are, respectively, a gay rights activist, a criminologist, and a peace and reconciliation activist. The Rodriguezes’ son died in the Sept. 11 attack.


Mar 01, 2012
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WESPAC Foundation

www.wespac.org

914.449.6514

 

For immediate release: WESPAC to help coordinate the 2012 National Ground the Drones Tour with kick off WESPAC Panel on drones scheduled for Monday, March 12th at 7pm at the Mapleton Conference Center at Good Counsel, 52 North Broadway, White Plains, New York

 

For more information, contact WESPAC Board member Geoff Smith at 914.323.8945     

 

Drones are big business.  They promise War Lite, Precision Death for political and military adversaries, and massive intelligence gathering everywhere. Activists for Peace, Immigrants Rights, International Solidarity and Human Rights Monitoring are directing attention to the impact of this new technology.   Military drone technology is now being applied to police surveillance and private, commercial information gathering.

 

            If you have concerns for international policy and conflict resolution abroad or privacy and civil rights here at home, you will want to know more about drones -- their capability, their present and future use, and the legal principles that govern their use.

 

            The National 2012 Ground the Military Drones Tour will cover the Congressional Districts of Members of Congress who belong to the Unmanned Vehicle Caucus in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and California.  These Districts are also home to companies engaged in manufacturing and assembly of military drones.  The Tour will present demonstrations and teach-ins to raise public awareness about the impact of the use of drones.

 

            The Ground the Military Drones Tour is speaking out on all these issues

in White Plains, NY, on March 12, 2012, at 7PM at the Mapleton Conference Center in Good Counsel located at 52 North Broadway in White Plains, NY.  Long-time anti-war activist Nick Mottern has constructed replica drones, videos and other exhibits that demonstrate the use of military drones.  He will give us a history of use and what future capability is in the works.  Nick examines the growing drone industry’s resistance to civil liberties objections in a multi-million dollar PR campaign.

 

            Former Director of the NYC Military Law Task Force, Attorney Geoff Smith will discuss the legal constraints on the use of drones, examining principles of international law and conventions, Laws of War, Humanitarian Law and the criminal laws of the US and the site countries where drones are engaged.  Are drones so accurate in targeting individuals not in the theater of battle, not posing a military role or threat, that they should be treated as extrajudicial executions with criminal law culpability?  Have the legislative and judicial branches of government been taken out of the picture in modern war making?

 

            WESPAC Researcher Enrique Lopez will present a case study of the use of drones by Israel.  We will have up to date reports from Iran and Pakistan on the use of military drones as well as the work of European organizations critical of the use of militarized drones.


Feb 29, 2012
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http://electronicintifada.net/content/transforming-finkelstein-bds-attack-opportunity/11008


Feb 27, 2012
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From WESPAC Board member Jeanne Shaw:

Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition

Calendar of Events for Fukushima Awareness Week

This detailed calendar of events is an overview of the different events planned from March 4 through March 31. A complete and updated list of events is maintained at www.RadiationTruth.org. Do post and distribute the attached flyer for March 11 as widely as possible.

We need bodies in front of Indian Point on March 11 and we need donations now to help cover the cost of tickets for our Japanese visitors.

The Sierra Club, Lower Hudson Chapter, has offered us a matching grant.

If we can raise $1,000 from our membership they will match it.  If everyone writes a check for $25 (or whatever is affordable) we can do this.

Regard it as membership dues in a very good cause. Write your check now!  Make it out to Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition and mail it to IPSEC, PO Box 131, Ossining, NY 10562-0131.

For more information call the IPSEC number at 1-888474-8848 and leave a message. Your call will be returned promptly.

 

 
 

Sunday, March 4, 5:00 pm Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive, NYC,. Following in Fatal Footsteps. Visiting Japanese  experts on disaster relief, radiation, and evacuation meet with the public. Mr Saburo, a contract laborer at Fukushima Dai-chi nuclear power plant and  union organizer, will talk about his first hand experiences in the relief efforts following the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. Chris Williams, author of Ecology and Socialism – Solutions to Capitalist Ecological Crisis, will also talk about his recent visit to Japan. 

Organizer: Chris Williams, .of  Shut Down Indian Point Now, is a long time environmental activist, and adjunct professor at Pace University, where he teaches courses in energy and the environment, physics, and chemistry.  He is also the chair of the Science Department at Packer Collegiate Institute, and vice president of the Union of Adjunct Faculty at Pace.  646-234-0553, chriswilliams66@hotmail.com

Monday, March 5, 6:30 pm, Connie Hogarth Center for Social Action, Manhattanville College, 290 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY, 914-694-2200,. Eyewitness Fukushima. First Responders Conference.. Opening Remarks by former County Executive Andy Spano followed by reports from visiting Japanese experts. The same experts will act as a panel to answer questions from first responders. American experts will also speak and answer questions from the audience.  Complete program is available.

Contact the organizer, Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Director at Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. 845-807-1270, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Tuesday, March 6, 8 to 9 pm Eco-Logic, , with program producer, Ken Gale, live  interview on WBAI, 99.5 FM or live streamed on http//www.wbai.org,. The topic is Fukushima, the guests include Professor Chris Williams, an author and teacher at pace University who has recently returned from Japan, Minori Nakamura, who has been organizing events about the anniversary of the disaster and other guests.

Contact Ken Gale, host and producer. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Wednesday, March 7, 5 to 6pm,  3394 Crompond Road (Route 202) in front of Chase Bank, across the street from BJ’s.. Silent Vigil  in honor of the lives lost in the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster at Fukushima.  . Bring your own sign or use one of ours. 

. Organizer.- Dale Saltzman, Call IPSEC at 1-888-847-8848 for directions and more information.  Your call will be returned promptly

 Thursday, March 8,  9:30 am, Wall Street, Zucotti Park, 1 Liberty Plaza,  NYC,:No More Fukushimas Peace Walkers They are walking from the oldest reactor in the country, Oyster Creek in New Jersey, to Indian Point and then on to Vt. Yankee. The walk will connect all three reactor communities.  On this day they will walk from Wall Street to the George Washington Bridge. Join them for all or part of the walk.

 Organizer: Christian Collins, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , c413320-2856 and with the walk, Jules Orkin 201-566-8403.

Thursday, March 8, 6:00pm, Puffin Institute, Puffin Way, Teaneck, New Jersey.

Potluck with the Peace Walkers and Informational Program with Mr Saburo, a Japanese activist and contract worker at Fukushima Dai-chi nuclear power plant.  He has come to the United States to tell the story of the victims of the catastrophic release of radiation at Fukushima.  Also presenting, Mr. Syd Goodman, author of Asleep at the Geiger Counter  and long time critic of the nuclear industry.

Organizer:   [Contact info]

 

Thursday, March 8th, 4 to 6pm, Stony Brook, Meeting of the Environmental Club. A Name of Japanese professor and Tomoi Zeimer will speak to the Stony Brook Environmental Club. All are welcome.

 Organizer: Heidi Hutner, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 Friday, March 9, Press event with Mr SaburoDetails to be announced.

 Sunday, March 11, Union Square, NYC, [time?] We Are Pregnant With Fear of Radiation. Demonstrators will wear a balloon under their clothes; and march to the Japanese Embassy to stomp the balloons and demand better protection from radiation for the children and all people of Fukushima.

 Organizers: Tomoi Zeimer, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , http://311newyork.wordpress.com, Chris Williams, Shut Down Indian Point Now, 646-234-0553, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , .and others.

Sunday, March 11, 1:00, Shop Rite on South Riverside Avenue (Route 9/9A) near the train station in Croton-On-Hudson.. Meet the No More Fukushimas Peace Walkers and walk with them as they set off on the final leg of their journey to Indian Point. Leo Wiegman, Mayor of Croton, will present the walkers with a Proclamation of Support. Walk with them all or part of the way to Indian Point.  They have a support vehicle available which can take people back to their cars as needed.

Organizers, Christian Collins This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , c413-320-2856 and Gary Shaw, IPSEC, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Sunday, March 11, 3:30, Meet at the Gates of Indian Point 300 Bleakley Street at the intersection of Bleakley and Broadway, Buchanan. . Sponsored by the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Sierra Club,- Lower Hudson Chapter and Riverkeeper.

Be there for the body count. We need to demonstrate to the general public and the press that closing Indian Point remains a big deal. We have had demonstrations at this site in the past. Entergy no longer uses this as an entrance but there is a big Entergy sign and room to gather. If the space becomes crowded, people can line the sides of the road to greet the Peace Walkers as they approach.

Organizer,: Marilyn Elie, IPSEC, c914-954-6739, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,and many other amazing organizers and volunteers.

 

Press Conference, 3:30, moderated by Mark Jacobs. Mr Saburo, a contract laborer at Fukushima Dai-chi nuclear power plant and an union organizer will talk about his first hand experiences in the relief efforts following the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. Gary Null will speak about heath issues associated with Indian Point. Paul Gallay of Riverkeeper and  Manna Jo Green of Clearwater will speak as well.

 

Vigil, about 4:00,  The No More Fukushimas Peace Walkers arrive and the Vigil will begin. The Vigil will be led by Jun San Yasuda, a Buddhist nun from the Grafton Peace Pagoda.  Jun San walks for peace and a nuclear free world. She has recently returned from Japan and will lead the Vigil in the Buddhist tradition using her prayer drum and chanting . All are welcome to participate.

 

Potluck, 5:00, at the Old School House, 210 6th Street, Verplanck. The Old School House is 1.5 miles from Indian Point. Walk or drive west on Broadway. You will see numbered streets starting with 14th Street. Continue to 6th Street and turn right. Head down 6th St towards the river and you will see the red brick building on your left. There is parking in the front and back of the building. Bring food to share if you can. The food crew will be there prior to the Vigil so that you can drop off your covered dish prior to the rally and everything will be ready afterwards.

Organizer: Keiko Kaysaki, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

 

 

Commemorative Program, Fukushima: Year One, 6:00. Old School House in Verplanck, 210 6th Street. Music, poetry and  Voices from Fukushima. Stand in solidarity with the people of Japan as they mark this still unfolding disaster.  Dan Einbender and The Rivertown Kids with will start our program. Lydia Adams Davis, James Durst, Hope Machine, Jon Sholle, Rolland, Hiromi, Takeo Fukao, Sarah Underhill, and Dar Williams will perform. Listen to the Voices From Fukushima. We will hear from Jun San Yasuda who is just back from Japan and will talk about why she walks for peace and a nuclear free world.. Meet and speak personally with Mr.Saburo, a contract laborer at Fukushima Dai-chi nuclear power plant and an union organizer, who has first hand experiences in the relief efforts following the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster.

Stage Manager: Jane Shumsky, 914-271-0057,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Moderator: Marilyn Elie, 914-954-6739, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Monday, March 12, noon to 1:00 pm Entergy Headquarters, 440 Hamilton Avenue, White Plains. Vigil. The No More Fukushima Peace Walkers will conduct a Vigil. Everyone is welcome to join them.

Organizers Jeanne Shaw, IPSEC, WESPAC, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  and

Nada Khader, WESPAC, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 914-449-6514.

Monday, March 12, 6:30 pm, Puffin Foundation, 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck, New Jersey, Potluck and Program.  Share a potluck dinner with the No More Fukushimas Peace Walkers and hear why they walk for peace and a nuclear free world.  Mr Saburo, a union organizer who is currently working as a sub contractor at the Fukushima Dai-chi nuclear power plant, will talk about his personal experience with what is happening in Japan in regard to the plant, nuclear power in Japan and how that impacts the life of everyone on the coast of Japan to Tokyo and beyond.

Tuesday, March 13, Peace Walkers leave and continue on their walk to Vermont Yankee. They will arrive just before the old license for Vermont Yankee expires. The rest of us will take a breath and then continue to meet and work to close Indian Point.

Saturday, March 24, Noon to 1:00 pm, Entergy Headquarters, 440 Hamilton Avenue, White Plains. Vigil. As part of the nationwide Freeze Our Fukushimas Campaign sponsored by Beyond Nuclear.  We are standing in solidarity with others around the nation to honor the state of Vermont for its efforts to shut down Vermont Yankee.

Organizer, Jeanne Shaw, IPSEC , WESPAC, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and

Kendra Ulrich, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 216-571-7340, beyondnuclear.org.

 

Sunday, April 1, 1 to 6pm  Stony Point  Conference Center, Stony Point, NY, Close Indian Point Convergence, 17, have accomplished, listen to Ayumi[who] and learn about her recent visit to India and the activists there who are fighting the construction of a huge nuclear complex.  Help formulate our strategy and our next actions to close Indian Point.

Co director and Facilitator, Rick Ufford-Chase.  For more information call Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition at 1-888-474-8848 and your call will be returned promptly.

 

Art Auction and Clearwater Fund Raiser for Legal Expenses.

Organizers: Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Director at Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 845-265-8080,

 Jeanne Shaw IPSEC, WESPAC,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 914-400-4336

ALL Details to be announced.

Sunday, April 5, Anniversary of Chernobyl.

 ALL Details to be announced.

Resolution Campaign,

Organizers, Gary Shaw, IPSEC, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and

 Manna Jo Greene, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

What We Need: aka Actions You Can Take

People who will deliver Invitations and a flyer to their local first responders, fire station, police station, favorite teacher.

People who will organize their friends to show up at the gates of Indian Point on March 11 at 3:30 pm..

People who will contact their local elected officials, tell them what is going on and ask them to show up at the gates of Indian Point at 3:30 pm March 11.

People who will contact their religious leaders and initiate discussions about people of faith standing in solidarity with the Japanese Bishop’s conference that called for an end to nuclear power.

People who are willing to take our Resolution to their town boards

IF YOU HAVE READ THIS FAR, YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CLOSING INDIAN POINT.  DO WHAT YOU CAN – BUT DO SOMETHING!  

OUR ORGANIZING EXPENSES FOR THESE EVENTS RUN INTO THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF PLANE TICKETS FOR OUR JAPANESE VISITORS.  THIS IS A CRITICAL OUTREACH TO FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE REACTON HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE.

THE SIERRA CLUB- LOWER HUDSON CHAPTER HAS OFFERED US A MATCHING GRANT.  IF OUR MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS THEY WILL MATCH IT!  IF EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES A LITTLE WE WILL HAVE OUR MATCHING THOUSAND. WRITE YOUR CHECK NOW!!

REGARD IT AS MEMBERSHIP DUES IN A VERY GOOD CAUSE. DO YOUR SHARE. SEND YOUR CHECK FOR $25, MORE IF YOU CAN, TO:

IPSEC

PO Box 131

Ossining, NY 10562-0131

For more information call IPSEC: 1-888-I-SHUT-IT (1-888-474-88488)

The Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition (IPSEC) is a coalition of environmental, health and public policy organizations, founded in 2001 to address the vulnerability of the nuclear reactors at Indian Point.  Over 20 million people live within 50 miles of the plant.  Our concerns include both existing radiation releases and potential additional releases from human error, aging infrastructure or terrorism, as well as the flawed, unfixable evacuation plan. Our grassroots efforts have enlisted the support of hundreds of local, state and federal officials

Nuclear power is neither clean nor green!  Conservation and renewable energy sources hold the key to a sustainable future for the Hudson Valley Region, and beyond. We welcome new members.  Contact us at:1-888-I-SHUT-IT (1-888-474-8848).  Visit www.shutdownindianpointnow


Feb 16, 2012
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Register soon for the Left Forum to be held March 17th and 18th at the Pace University NYC Campus: http://www.leftforum.org/ .  The WESPAC panel at the Left Forum has been accepted:

The Worker Cooperative Movement and Grassroots Approaches to Ending Poverty
Panel chaired and moderated by Nada Khader, WESPAC Director
Panelists will discuss the current worker-owned cooperative model and strategies for ending poverty, including embracing alternative economic models
Vanessa Bransburg
Vanessa Bransburg is the Cooperative Coordinator at the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park, Brooklyn: http://www.cflsp.org/. She works with immigrants and women in helping them establish cooperatively owned and managed businesses in the area of childcare, cleaning services and painting.

Jalal Sabur
Jalal Sabur is the founder of the Freedom Food Alliance, a network of urban and rural food justice activists. They use food as an organizing tool for environmental, food, prison and economic justice. He has recently moved to upstate New York to help start a farming cooperative as part of the Freedom Food Alliance. He works with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Southern Black Farmers in Vermont.
Community Voices Heard

CVH has agreed to participate on this panel. Speaker's info will be submitted upon confirmation.

Alex Jackimovicz Graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst having studied Social Thought Political Economy and with a Bachelor's in Concepts of Identity in Social Theory. Licensed Master Electrician in Maine, and avid student of alternative economics and PROUT.


Feb 06, 2012
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WESPAC Updates -- Week of January 29, 2012

Reminder: WESPAC board member Sundiata Sadiq will be speaking at the Ossining Public Library on Wednesday, February 15th after a 6:30pm film screening of “Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre 1968.”

We have been keeping busy on the hydrofracking campaign. We are currently working with a team of Pace University students who would like to organize a community gathering at the end of March and invite environmental organizations that would like to ban hydrofracking. Please get in touch with our office if you would like to get involved.

The March for a Nuclear-Free World will take place on Monday, March 12th at 12 noon in front of the Entergy headquarters at 440 Hamilton Avenue in White Plains.

The No More Fukushimas Peace Walk will take place on March 2-21. We will march from Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant (Forked River, NJ) to Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant (Buchanan, NY) to Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant (Vernon, VT). For more information, visit: http://ecofeminism-mothering.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-more-fukushimas-peace-walk.html.

WESPAC will be coordinating the National Drone Tour headed by Nick Mottern from April through October of this year. We will need at least $5,000 to make this project a successful one. Nada will be sending out an email soon. For more information about the tour, visit: http://www.knowdrones.com/.

The WESPAC Awards Dinner will be held at the end of April. We will be sending out details in the next couple of weeks.

Good Counsel has invited WESPAC to participate in a tag sale at the Good Counsel cafeteria on Saturday, May 5th. However, in order to accept this invitation, we need to identify a volunteer coordinator for the event, and we need storage space. Set-up will take place on Friday, May 4th.

If you would like to participate in any of these activities, please contact our office at (914) 449-6514 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Also, please encourage your friends to “like” our Facebook page!


Nov 14, 2011
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Important - from Mike Levinson:

HELLO!
 
WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS GEORGE W. BUSH'S TORTURE AND DENTENTION REGIME has been more deeply institutionalized by the Obama Administration, and the failure to close Guantanamo is but one in a string of unkept promises.
 
JOIN A RALLY IN WASHINGTON D.C. THURSDAY, JANUARY 12 and help create a human chain of more than 2,000 people from the White House to the Capitol, representing the individuals still detained without charges or denied a fair trial at Guantanamo and Bagram.  The protest event is being organized by Witness Against Torture, and is co-sponsored by Amnesty International, Center For Constitutional Rights, War Resisters League and other peace and justice organizations.  Buses to D.C. will be leaving from cities across the country.  (See www.witnesstorture.org
 
DEMANDS INCLUDE: Close Guantanamo and End Torture at Bagram; Ensure Accountability for Torture--Investigate and Prosecute Acts of Torture and Provide Remedy for Victims; Ensure Torture Isn't Used Again; Fight Islamaphobia.
 
ALSO:  JOIN THE FAST  Dozens of activists will be participating in a Fast in D.C. during the first two weeks of January to protest torture and show solidarity will those being tortured at Guantanamo, Bagram and elsewhere. Those fasting as well as supporters will 'ghost walk' through the nation's capital each day, wearing orange jumpsuits and black hoods, stopping in front of appropriate government agencies and landmarks.
 
SUPPORT WAT ACTIVISTS ON TRIAL: 14 members of Witness Against Torture, including WESPAC Foundation member Mike Levinson from New Rochelle, will go to trial Tuesday, January 3 in D.C. district court for speaking out in the House of Representatives on June 23, 2011.  Supporters may attend the trial, or participate in events outside the court.  CONTRIBUTIONS to help pay for the defendants' expenses, such as travel, telephone etc. can be sent locally to:  MIKE LEVINSON, 97 WALNUT STREET, #4, NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK 10801  or write to Mike at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND UPDATES:  www.witnesstorture.org, or MIKE LEVINSON This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
HOPE TO SEE YOU IN D.C.!
 
"Torturing Human Beings is Never Acceptable." -- Mike Levinson, remarks in U.S. House of Representatives June 23, 2011
 

Nov 08, 2011
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Andrew Courtney's "African Palestinian: Ali Jiddah" will be featured next week in the International Black Man Film Festival.
Congrats, Andrew.  By the way, for any one who has not seen it, it is a very interesting film and can be purchased online at redhillfilms.com

Message from Andrew:
 

"I will be going to Atlanta next week for this festival.

My film  'African Palestinian: Ali Jiddah"
is being awarded there at the screening.  My film and the others will be shown in Atlanta and Accra, Ghana simultaneously.

See the site and click on 2011 Program.

Andrew"


http://www.blackmanfilmfest.net/


Nov 03, 2011
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Hello everyone,
WESPAC is delighted to be working with the Westchester MLK Institute for Nonviolence, the LOFT and the Memorial United Methodist Church (MUMC) this year to plan the 14th Annual Margaret Eberle Fair Trade Festival.  This year the festival will take place on Saturday, December 3rd from 10am to 5pm in the Asbury Hall at MUMC in White Plains.  You will be receiving a postcard and electronic invitation soon to share with family, friends and colleagues.

The planning committee has authorized a social justice educational component to the festival that will take place simultaneously in the rooms close to Asbury Hall for the benefit of all.  I have been invited to coordinate this aspect of the festival and would love your input into the planning.  Ideas so far include an Occupy Wall Street panel (Roger and Tracy have already been working on this), a food justice presentation, a collective meditation workshop with Alan Levin (Sacred River Healing) interspersed with films on fair trade, the dark side of chocolate (exploitation of agricultural workers) and Tracy and Scott's film on hydrofracking.
We need lots of volunteer help to make this successful:
VENDORS
If you have ideas of potential new vendors, please send the information soonest to Joan Indusi who is coordinating the vendor applications This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Ideas include local artisans who make their own soaps, ceramic artists, other local craftspeople and of course other vendors who sell fair trade items from around the world.
KITCHEN HELP
Charlie Olson will spend the day in the kitchen coordinating the food deliveries and the serving of lunch.  He will need at least six volunteers to help him run the kitchen that day.  Please note that the planning committee has made the environmental decision not to use paper or plastic cups, plates and silverware which means volunteers will need to spend time washing plates, cups and cutlery.
FOOD DONATIONS
The planning committee is looking for volunteers to donate soups (to be delivered by 10:30am to the kitchen), bread, and homemade baked goods
ADMISSIONS TABLE
The planning committee will need people to staff the admissions table from 10am to 5pm
WESPAC TABLE
WESPAC will need volunteers to staff the WESPAC table from 10am to 5pm in two hour shifts.  Please let me know if you can commit to a two hour shift that day (10am to noon; noon to 2pm; 2pm to 4pm; 4pm to 6pm - last shift will include help with cleanup).
VENDOR RELIEF
We will need to designate people who can go around asking the vendors if they need a food or bathroom break.  Some of the vendors come alone and cannot leave their tables unattended.
CLEANUP
At 5pm we will need a strong crew to help leave Asbury Hall in excellent condition.
This year the planning committee has agreed to designate a portion of the proceeds to benefit a women's collective in Nicaragua that Margaret supported and loved.  The rest of the proceeds will be divided by MLK, the LOFT, MUMC and WESPAC.  Please note that MUMC will barely cover their costs involved with this festival including the heating of Asbury Hall and the other rooms, the use of facilities, the use of kitchen, the wear and tear and other costs.  We deeply appreciate Memorial's ongoing generosity with the progressive community in providing access to their space.
I am the designated volunteer coordinator for this year's festival.  Please email me directly if you would like to help out on December 3rd and in what capacity (food, admissions, clean up, kitchen) so that I can keep track of the master list of volunteers and keep the planning committee informed.  We hope you will join us to make this year the most successful year ever as we celebrate fair trade, support local and international artisans and honor the legacy that our beloved Margaret has left behind.
 

Nada Khader
Executive Director
WESPAC Foundation
914 449-6514

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