PeaceSmiths Archives: A garden scene

Kimberly’s personal reflections on the December Coffeehouse…

I just thought of something. An old rule of thumb for teachers making lessons, is that you open…teach the lesson…and close. The opening and the closing helps create focus and a remembering. Maybe we should think of that more with our gatherings and events. 1. Opening: planning and publicity 2. The lesson: sharing/learning 3. The end: Networking afterwards (the parking lot scene, the diner) and/or report to the community.

I believe that activists and peace folks don’t always celebrate our work enough, or slow down to review our achievements and creations.

So, anyway, here is (part of) the close of the PeaceSmiths event:

Kimberly’s informal, December PeaceSmiths Coffeehouse report:

-We had a great flier by artist/musician Gary Ivan. It was original art of Santa playing guitar. Used some as hand-to-hand fliers, and some to post and send around on-line.

-There were at least 5 new people I counted! I think that is awesome. One was a young man who came early, and was there to catch George Mann. It was a cozy crowd for a freezing night. Probably around 30 people, and definitely enough to feel like the room was full and it was worth making the coffee!

-George Mann played a full set at the beginning, and a wrap-up set after the open mic. It was gracious of him to stay for the whole open mic. (We like when performers do that.) I was busy, so I didn’t hear all the music. But, it was good. There is a beautiful new song about the effect of war on children. George commented that it feels different not having Julius on stage…

George’s new CD that is a compilation of songs about veteran’s, “Until You Come Home” is going to be out probably next week, and he is taking orders. Then, he will have a new solo CD coming out soon.

-The poet was Kathaleen Donnelly. She never performed at PeaceSmiths before. She has a book, “PAUMANOK: Poems and Pictures of Long Island.” She was well received. She has a few of her own poems and pictures in the book. There are refreshing images of nature on Long Island. Lots of glowing beauty in the performer and the book.

Fri. Dec 11th: George Mann and Kathaleen Donnelly at the coffeehouse!

PeaceSmiths Coffeehouse
Friday, December 11, 2009 at 8pm
First United Methodist Church in Amityville
$7 suggested donation, more if possible, less if necessary.

Music by: George Mann
Poetry by: Kathaleen Donnelly
Presentation on a project for veterans by: George Mann
Finale music by: George Mann

Moday, Nov 30th: Peace March from LI to NYC

For Long Island info (ie: taking a train or bus, meeting others) see: here.

Bernard Lafayette to lead the World March for Peace and Nonviolence across Brooklyn Bridge

What: The World March for Peace and Nonviolence starts a three-day tour of the USA with a March over the Brooklyn Bridge led by Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Civil Rights activist and adviser to Martin Luther King.

When: Mon. Nov 30, starts 1 pm, finish 3pm

Where: Starting at Brooklyn Boro Hall to City Hall, via the Brooklyn Bridge.

Who: The international base team of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence with their international Spokesperson, Rafael de la Rubia, Dr. Bernard Lafayette, hundreds of nonviolence activists from around the State, all the students and teachers at Brooklyn International High School and others, religious leaders, Consuls and New York City Council Members.

Why: The World March for Peace and Nonviolence is travelling through 100 countries on 6 continents calling for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and the withdrawal of troops from foreign territories among others.  Starting on 2^nd October in Wellington, New Zealand, the March is due to arrive in Punta de Vacas, Argentina on the 2^nd of January at the end of a 93 day tour.

Endorsements: Presidents of 11 countries; Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, Daniel Ellsberg, Cate Blanchett, Martin Sheen, Yoko Ono, Art Garfunkel, Philip Glass, Ed Asner and hundreds more.  For a complete list, go to www.theworldmarch.org

Video: Max Wheat at November Coffeehouse

Max Wheat says, “Students can write poetry that is literature.” This short excerpt is from a presentation at PeaceSmiths Coffeehouse in Long Island, New York. Maxwell Corydon Wheat, Jr. — who was Poet Laureate of Nassau County from 2007-9 — reads a poem by student Halle Gumpel. Halle is one of the many students published in the book “Young Voices: An Anthology of Poetry by Nassau County Students”, edited by Judy Turek, presented by Maxwell Corydon Wheat, Jr., and published by Allbook Books.

Update for Mon. Nov 30th: World March for Peace LI to NYC

One week from today, on Monday Nov. 30th, the international World March Team arrives in the United States — 35 countries, 4 continents and 60 days after setting out from New Zealand. Now it’s our turn to express ourselves and take a stand: for the abolition of nuclear weapons, for an end to war as a means of resolving conflict, and for a new global consciousness based on nonviolence & the rejection of all forms of violence.
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Join the World Marchers for Peace and Nonviolence on their first day in North America.

1 PM: March Over the Brooklyn Bridge
3 PM: Press Conference/City Proclamation at City Hall
7 PM: “Beyond Violence”: Performance & Celebration at Riverside Church
More info: www.worldmarchinnyc.org

peace

Long Islanders will be riding peace trains and vans to Brooklyn where we will meet with the World March Team. Please bring your group banner, peace flags, peace signs.
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For train info, call Karen 631-875-8647
For van info, call Brian 631-327-1363 (vans are near full, please reserve for people unable to do the walk over the bridge)

Local and national (at Fort Benning, GA) SOA Vigil

For the national vigil, see more at PeaceSmiths here, or at the national SOA Watch website here.

***Action Alert***

Gather in Long Island to oppose the School of the Americas…

Please join the annual local protest of the School of Americas

Saturday, November 21, 2009
at 1:00 PM
in front of the office of Rep. Peter King
located at 1003 Park Blvd , Massapequa Park .

(Please take Sunrise Highway to Park Blvd —House of Pancakes is on south side of Sunrise H—and turn north.  King’s office is just north of Sunrise H/RR Station.  There is parking available behind the stores if there is no space on the street.)

This Long Island protest will be taking place at the same time as the yearly annual vigil is at the gates of the School of Americas in Ft Benning, Georgia .

Despite the long history of human rights abuses associated with the graduates of this institution it continues to exist.

Despite the fact it has been renames Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation it has not changed.

Organized by the South Country Peace Group in conjunction with Long Island School of Americas Watch

School of the Americas Vigil in Fort Benning, GA

For info on the local, Long Island vigil, go: here.

November 20-22, 2009
Friday through Sunday
Converge on Fort Benning, Georgia

Mass Mobilization to Shut Down
the School of the Americas (SOA/ WHINSEC)!

The military coup by SOA graduates in Honduras has once again exposed the destabilizing and deadly effects that the School of the Americas has on Latin America. The actions of the school’s graduates are unmasking the Pentagon rhetoric and reveal the anti-democratic results of U.S. policies. It is time for a change towards justice.

From November 20-22, 2009, thousands will vigil at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia, to stand up for justice, to shut down the School of the Americas and to end the oppressive U.S. foreign policy that the school represents.

For a schedule of events, go to the SOA Watch calendar: here.

LI Food Not Bombs Thanksgiving Week: Various sharing events

-Thanksgiving Lunch in Farmingville
Thursday, November 26th at 11am
Facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=346896860432

-Farmingville Food Share
Thursday, November 26th at 6:30pm

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The list of events and ways to help as described below is not all-inclusive. Please go to the Long Island Food Not Bombs website for more information and ways that you can donate (food, clothing, toys, books) to the efforts.

Starting November 21st and going through November 26th Long Island Food Not Bombs will be holding it’s largest endeavor to date; it will include parties, Food Shares, copious amounts of decadent foods, the sharing of clothing, books and the organized efforts of hundreds of community members and so much more!

-Hempstead Thanksgiving Food Share Bonanza
On Sunday, November 22nd at 2pm Long Island Food Not Bombs will be transforming the weekly Hempstead Food Share into what we’re calling the Hempstead Food Share Bonanza.
When: Sun, November 22, 2009 2:00pm – 4:30pm
Where: Hempstead, NY, NY

Shelter Rock Forum: Making Nuclear Abolition a Reality with Jonathan Schell

Thursday,November 19, 2009
7:30 PM

Jonathan Schell will speak on
“ Making Nuclear Abolition a Reality”
at the Shelter Rock Unitarian Universalist Congregation
48 Shelter Rock Rd, Manhasset