Syracuse Peace Council Pages

compiled by Carol Baum

Bush Must Go! Campaign Bursting with Energy

Just over three months remain to unseat the squatters in the White House. Now is the time to act if you haven’t already.

Protest the RNC
SPC sent two busses to the massive August 29 Republican National Convention (RNC) protest in New York City. United for Peace and Justice, the coalition organizing the demonstration, expected 250,000 people to attend. A legal training sponsored by SPC and the CNY Chapter of the NYCLU held on August 25 prepared Syracuse demonstrators for potential encounters with law enforcement. Protests will continue throughout the RNC, which runs from August 30 to September 2.

Protect the Earth – September
The Bush Administration has been devastating to our environment – from reneging on the Kyoto Protocol on global warming, to gutting the Clean Water Act, to calling for more nuclear power plants, to using depleted uranium munitions and cluster bombs in warfare (and more – see pages 11-14). A group of enthusiastic environmentalists is working with SPC to get this information out.

· Brochure. The center four pages of this PNL have been reprinted as a brochure, for door-to-door distribution in Syracuse. Please join us in that effort – we’re not knocking on doors, just leaving brochures in the doors. Thanks to Karen Kerney for her artistic vision and flair, and Emily Aaron, Carol Baum, Laura Schmitt, and others for their editorial work.

· “Plants and Animals Against Bush” will debut soon. Costumes, a leaflet, and signs have been made (a “tree” carries a “More Trees Less Bush” sign). We’ll join weekly peace outreaches, and demonstrate outside the State Fair and at the Westcott St. Cultural Fair. Anyone can join in – costumes are one size fits all. Sunflower (“Sunflowers for Solar Power”), lily and pansy (“Flower Power Not War Power”) costumes have been made for any kids who want to participate.

Special thanks to Robin Miller for making the costumes; Sarah Miraglia, Wendy Yost, and Chris Florack for decorating them; Lisa Maynard and Tina Musa for sign-making; and Peter Pedemonti and Carol Baum for creating the leaflet.

· Bush Must Go! lawn signs continue to be a hot item. The original printing stated “Human Need Not Corporate Greed.” We now have some saying “Protect the Earth” (see photo). For those who already have signs and would like a new message, the “Protect the Earth” overlayscan be taped onto the signs. Contact SPC for one.

· Plans continue to develop. To keep posted, call SPC or join the SPC Announcements low-volume email listserv. Just send a blank email to <spcannouncements-subscribe@lists.riseup.net>.
To learn more, contact Carol.

Bush Balloon
Look for the new Bush Must Go! helium balloon in the sky over the S

yracuse area. Help is needed locating potential sites and moving the balloon. Contact Andy.

Bush Must Go Rally – Oct. 17
The Peace Council is calling for a major “Bush Must Go!” rally in downtown Syracuse on the afternoon of Sunday, October 17. We’ll work with other organizations to bring out a wide cross-section of Central New Yorkers who are committed to voting out the Bush/Cheney regime. A speaking invitation has gone out to Michael Moore who will speak later that evening at SU. Contact Andy.

Bye Bye Big Brother – October

Planning for the October phase of the Bush Must Go! campaign begins soon. The focus is the Bush Administration’s dismantling of our civil liberties. October 26 is the third anniversary of Bush’s signing the Patriot Act into law. Contact Carol.

Special Election PNL – Oct. 21

The Peace Newsletter’s special election issue arguing that Bush Must Go! will be ready October 21. Many extras will be printed — to help us distribute them widely contact Andy. The December PNL, including a “Where Do We Go After the Election” feature, will be published in mid-November (earlier than usual).

Boston Social Forum and DNC

In late July several SPC activists attended the Boston Social Forum, a regional forum within the World Social Forum process. There were over 500 events, including workshops, cultural events, plenary sessions, and giant convocations on a wide range of topics.

SPC intern Emily Aaron stayed for the Democratic National Convention. She joined thousands of activists from around the country to push the Democrats to support progressive issues. While there was much pre-convention hype about the “free-speech zone” and the likelihood of mass arrests, very few were made and most protesters chose to gather elsewhere (or used the “free-speech zone,” which a judge described as looking like an internment camp, as a demonstration prop).

Draft Workshop Sept. 26

Concerned about a possible return of the draft? Come learn more and have your questions answered. “Draft Registration: Where Does it Lead” will be an interactive program on Sunday, September 26 from 3-5 pm at the Westcott Community Center, 826 Euclid Ave., Syracuse.

The program, facilitated by Paul Frazier, will include presentations, role-plays and discussions addressing Selective Service Registration, Conscientious Objection and the prospects of a new draft. Contact Andy.

Study Group First Fall Meeting

SPC’s Study Group on the US Global Agenda will have its first fall meeting Monday, September 13 at 821 Euclid Ave., Syracuse (Friends Meeting House) from 7-8:30 pm.

No experience is necessary — just a desire to learn, willingness to discuss ideas respectfully, and general support of the SPC Statement of Purpose (see page 2). We meet two Mondays a month.

At this first meeting, we’ll discuss what to read next. Last spring we read Chalmers Johnson’s The Sorrows of Empire, and several articles from The Nation and the PNL. We look forward to hearing your ideas. Contact Carol.

Hiroshima Day

Friday, August 6 was the annual commemoration of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. A solemn, theatrical procession through downtown Syracuse mourned the Japanese killed, as well as those all over the world who have been harmed by the nuclear age. We distributed hundreds of leaflets noting the chilling similarities between 1945 and 2004, and asked people to view Hiroshima as a wake-up call for today. A rally at Columbus Circle followed.

Thanks to the organizing committee: Emily Aaron and Carol Baum (SPC), Kate Bell (Peace Action), Tim Judson (Citizens Awareness Network), and Chrissie Rizzo (American Friends Service Committee). Thanks also to Kathy Barry, Brian Caufield, Colleen Kattau, Jessica Maxwell, Paul Pearce and Diane Swords.

Our Summer Interns

This summer has been livelier than usual, thanks in part to our summer interns. By August 20, Emily Aaron, Lisa Maynard, and Dave Salati will be gone, but not without leaving their marks.

Emily came as a full-time intern from Antioch College. Her spunk, humor and spirit have brightened the office. She dealt with her fear of phoning strangers, organized the buttons and bumperstickers, set up tabling, walked in parades, helped organize several events and the “Protect the Earth” phase of the Bush Must Go! Campaign, and took on many daily offices chores. Her parting gift is a manual for future interns.

Lisa came as an SU graphics design student, worked two days a week in the office, plus many hours at home. Her enthusiasm and cheerful willingness to provide yet another version of a graphic have become legendary. Thanks to her we have attractive display boxes for PNLs and Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation (NOON) booklets, ideas for a new logo, T-shirts for the Corporate Challenge recycling volunteers, a bumpersticker display and a great start on an SPC brochure.

Dave, an SU communications and political science major, worked about two days a week with SPC. We appreciate his willingness to stretch himself and question. Dave almost single-handedly organized SPC’s recycling program at the Corporate Challenge Race, involving 15 SPC volunteers and raising nearly $700. He was one of the the weekly Peace Outreach regulars, transporting signs there.

Plowshares Moves to Nottingham HS

After 13 years, Plowshares, SPC’s winter craftsfair and peace festival, has outgrown the Southwest Community Center (SWCC). We’re moving to Nottingham High School (3100 E. Genesee St., Syracuse), which has much more space for crafters, and easier parking. So mark your calendars for the Plowshares Craftsfair, December 4-5, at Nottingham High School!

Thanks to SWCC for having been a comfortable home for so long.

Bikes 4 Peace!

SPC volunteers offered five free bike clinics this summer. We met outside the Northeast and Westcott Community Centers, sharing tools and skills with youth to help them fix their own bikes or donated bikes. We have worked with over 50 youth so far as well as a few parents! Hopefully the youth who participated are not only riding safer bikes but also gained skills maintaining their bikes and an appreciation of working together. We hope to make this project a permanent part of SPC’s summer programming. Contact Jessica.

SPC-Dunbar Partnership

On August 9, SPC activists Rae Kramer and Jessica Maxwell led the first session in a 10-month project with the Dunbar Center’s youth program. Fifteen youth attended the opening session that focused on getting to know each other and sharing some beliefs about our neighborhoods. Over the course of our work together, we hope to identify and implement a community project addressing the ongoing violence in Syracuse neighborhoods.

PROTECT THE EARTH

SPC’s Monthly Program
Thursday, September 23
7-8:30 pm

Westcott Community Center
(corner of Euclid and Westcott, Syracuse)
followed by refreshments & discussion

A panel discussion on the Bush administration’s attacks on the environment, and ideas on how we each can make a difference.

Syracuse Peace Council

924 Burnet Ave., Syracuse, NY 13203
(315) 472-5478
spc@peacecouncil.net, www.peacecouncil.net

Staff Email Addresses:
Andy Mager <andy@peacecouncil.net>
Carol Baum <carol@peacecouncil.net>
Jessica Maxwell <jessica@peacecouncil.net>