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TJR EVENT ARCHIVE |
Saturnalia - a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture - was celebrated right around the time Christmas we declared. During the festivals the everyday rules were turned topsy-turvy. The masters waited on the servants. All sexual prohibitions were lifted. It was a time of true good will towards all men. So often only right winG preachers talk about sex and sexuality from the pulpit, we have got to be part of changing that. While many Christians will celebrate the virginity of Mary we will discuss healthy human sexuality and the beauty of the things that often happen in the dark.
Jason Lydon is our Congregational Director.
Featuring a special sale on books published by Pathfinder Press -- discounts on all titles of 15% and some special discounts of up to 50%
Books by Karl Marx, Che Guevara, Rosa Luxemburg, Malcolm X, Fidel Castro, Nelson Mandela, James P. Cannon and many more!
Discounts on the books that working people need today!
Books in English, Spanish, French, and a few titles in other languages including Farsi, Greek and Arabic.
Protests in response to the cop killing of a youth have swept Greece, and unions called a general strike against austerity measures and police violence. These take place in the context of the growing economic crisis throughout Europe where workers are facing layoffs and wage cuts.
In the United Kingdom port workers held a two-day strike to protest privatization. In Iceland the government took control of major banks as the country hovered on the brink of bankruptcy. In Sweden workers face a sharp rise in layoffs.
Speaker: William Leonard, representative Socialist Workers Party
Following BMLF's open house and book sale (see above)
Suggested Donation: $5 program, $5 dinner
"Jerusalem is the key to peace; without Jerusalem, there is no peace for anyone."
"Jerusalem: East Side Story" takes the viewer inside the Old City-home to several sites of key religious importance. The film relates the plight of the Palestinians in Jerusalem. The film includes interviews with Palestinian and Israeli leaders, human rights activists and political analysts.
Film director Mohammad Alatar is a Palestinian refugee born in Jordan who now lives in the U.S. He is a longtime peace activist and a founder of Palestinians for Peace and Democracy, a grassroots group "dedicated to educating the public about the plight of the Palestinian people and their struggle toward freedom and statehood." He has directed two films about Palestine, "The Iron Wall" (2006) and most recently Jerusalem: "East Side Story" (2008).
The Documentary Film & Discussion Series meets every 2nd Thursday and 4th Tuesday of the month for an in- depth look at important topics of our day. The discussions are often lively and thought-provoking.
from Dave Ascher, Newton Dialogues on Peace and War:
This year, both the Christman and New Years Day holidays fall on Thursdays, so we have decided that we will NOT hold our regular Thursday Vigil on either Christmas Day (Thursday, December 25) or New Years Day (Thursday, January 1).
We will go back to our normal Weekly Vigil Against the War in Iraq (and other related terrible things) starting on Thursday, January 8 at 5PM. As usual, we'll be at the intersection of Beacon and Center Streets, Newton.
As the days will be getting longer, it might not be as dark at 5 o'clock as it is now.
If Peace breaks out before then, we will definitely reconsider.
Enjoy your holiday celebrations.
FFIPP Winter Educational Tour to Palestine/Israel, December 28, 2008 - January 8, 2009 For faculty, educators, students and peace activists The program will be similar to the 2008 summer educational tour, it will likely includes: Meetings with Palestinian and Israeli Peace activists, community leaders, local faculty and students, a tour of settlements around Jerusalem, a tour of Jafa, visits to Ramallah and Bilin, to the Applied, Research Institute of Jerusalem, the Alternative Information Center, Dheisheh refugee camp and the Ibdaa center, a meeting with the Arab Association for Human Rights in Nazareth, visit to Kibbutz Lohamei HaGetaot and to the remains of the 48 village al-Ghabisiyya. Price: Program fee: $1000. The program fee does not cover airfare, accommodations and food. FFIPP will arrange transportation in Israel/Palestine, meetings, and assist in making hotel reservations. To reserve your space in the tour, a non-refundable deposit of $200 is required -- this deposit will be applied to your program fee. Please pay by check, paid to ffipp- usa, P.O.Box 2091, Amherst MA 01004 or via the Donate button. For more information, call FFIPP-USA, 413-256- 0349 or email us at: info@ffipp.org
New: Alternative Winter Break for College students in Palestine/Israel, December 28, 2008 - January 6, 2009 Make a week last a lifetime by involving yourself in service for human rights and social justice. This winter FFIPP is organizing a 10 days educational program that includes one week of volunteer work on a community project in Nablus, the occupied Palestinian territories, and 3 days of intensive orientation, at the beginning of the program, that includes visits to Jerusalem, Haifa, Tel-Aviv, and the Galilee. Program fee: $2050 = 1494 EUR. What's not included in the program fee? * International airfare and airport taxes * Domestic and international phone calls. FFIPP can help in organizing fund raising activities for interested participants.
With most of the US military aid under the so-called "Plan Colombia" delivered, Pres. Pastrana unilaterally withdraws from the peace process engaged with the FARC guerilla (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and steps up violence in this 50 year-quasi-civil war. But what is left of the initial anti-narcotics purpose of the US "Plan Colombia"? After 20 years of drug- wars in the Andes resulting in a two fold increase of cocaine import in the US in the last ten years alone, what is to be expected from a plan focusing primarily on spraying coca-fields in rebel-held parts of the country when coca is grown all over Colombia? Is the US Government even concerned still with fighting drugs when the post 9-11 rhetoric made it easy for the State Dep. to now single out the leftist FARC as the enemy #1 in Colombia on the ground that they use what might be viewed as "terrorist tactics"?
Many interviews including Noam Chomsky, Ramsey Clark, Colombian Presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt (now a hostage of the FARC), US MCs Paul Wellstone and John Conyers, US Gov. officials, a WWF scientist, many different Colombians from all walks of life, including guerilla-leaders, will shed light on the complex issues of drug-trafficking and civil struggle in Colombia. The doc. also looks at the impact and result of the current chemical-spraying campaign carried out by US Defense-contractor Dyncorps, it will probe the US plan in search for alternate motives to a drug-war that the US gov. has seemed so keen on losing over the past 30 years.
From Lexington Global Warming Action Coailtion LGWAC
In an 11th hour, blatant, political move that is similar to the one Ted Stevens tried to pull in 2005, on December 12, Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN) launched an effort to derail Cape Wind (proposed windfarm of 130 turbines in Nantucket Sound off Massachusetts).
Oberstar sent a letter to Commandant Thad Allen of the Coast Guard "requesting" an extraordinary and unprecedented review of the Coast Guard's OK as regards navigation hazards.
Oberstar's letter comes at the request of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, a group backed and fronted by Bill Koch, CEO of Oxbow. Oxbow's primary businesses are the mining and marketing of energy and commodities such as coal, petroleum coke, oil production, and composite pipe manufacturing. The Alliance's central mission is to stop Cape Wind, no matter what it takes, and has spent well over $15 million dollars, primarily on lawsuits, lobbying efforts and deliberate public relations campaigns promoting fearmongering and misinformation.
So we need you to help resist this maneuvering, and here's how.
ACTIONS:
1. Call Chairman Oberstar's offices
Washington DC: (202) 225-6211
Duluth, MN: (218) 727-7474
Tell him he should withdraw his request to the Coast
Guard Commandant.
2. Call the Coast Guard's public affairs office:
Telephone: (202) 372-4620
Tell them you support their efforts and to stand up to
Oberstar's bullying and that the American people
support Cape Wind and clean renewable energy.
3. Hit up Commandant
Thad Allen on his Facebook page
Tell him you support him and will join him in standing
up to Oberstar's bullying and that the American people
support Cape Wind and clean renewable energy.
Please call right away.
KeyBank: Stop Using Taxpayer Bailout Money to Finance Oak Harbor's Workers Rights Violations!
KeyBank was approved for $2.5 billion as part of the national bailout. But instead of using the money to give relief to those hardest hit in the current economy, KeyBank is using their bailout money to increase corporate profits by buying other banks and underwriting Oak Harbor Freight Lines, a company that has cancelled its retirees health care and violated US and international labor laws affecting hundreds of striking Teamsters in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
Last week, Jobs with Justice Coalitions in Portland and Seattle protested at KeyBank branches as part of the People's Bailout National Week of Action. More actions are planned this week in six cities throughout the country. Tell KeyBank: We won't back down until we see justice!
You can take action on this alert here via the web
JWJ encourages you to take action by January 15, 2009.
Get An Impeachment Cap and We'll Throw In A Free Impeachment Play DVD
Because justice must always have an tireless advocate, we will continue to press for impeachment until the last minute, and we just got in the latest huge shipment of the new bright orange "Impeach Both!!!" caps, have been working all holiday weekend to get them packed up. So if you have already requested yours they will be going out as soon as the post office opens again.
But if you still have not requested yours, or if you would like to give them as gifts to friends for the holidays, as our own special holiday gift to you, if you make a donation of any amount for one of the "Impeach Both!!!" caps, we will throw in for no extra charge at all the beautiful DVD of the dramatic impeachment play staged this summer in San Francisco as a full scale theatrical production.
Remember, you can always get one of the impeachment play DVDs for no charge regardless. If you just want the DVD of the impeachment play you can request one from the page below and no donation is required, unless you feel inspired to help support our work, so use the link below for that. Or use the link above if you want the caps and the DVDs together.
Because of the tens of thousands of our action page submissions in the last couple weeks, the mainstream media is actually talking about the prospect of blanket pardons, including the despicable act of Bush planning to pardon himself. The White House has even been forced to issue a non-denial denial, saying that Bush is "disinclined" to issue such pardons.
Oh please, how gullible are we supposed to be? And we are very sure that Lucy is definitely going to let Charlie Brown kick the football this time, really. Really. And did you notice that Bush made a special point of pardoning TWO turkeys for the White House Thanksgiving this year? If that is not a harbinger of blanket pardons to come we don't know what is, as Bush prepares to pardon ALL the turkeys in his own administration.
Take A Free Impeachment Play DVD As The Pen's Way Of Saying Thanks To You
Although most are preoccupied with the general election right now, impeachment is STILL on the table in OUR hearts and minds, and just after Nov. 4th we are on it again full bore.
The entry of a donation amount is NOT required for the form submission to go through. You can even watch the entire play from end to end on line at this same page.
Impeachment Play DVD and Video .
The new feature documentary STEALING AMERICA: Vote by Vote is available online - FREE to view, FREE to download!
"STEALING AMERICA: Vote by Vote does for American democracy what An Inconvenient Truth did for global warming."
Why is this film a "must see"? Inaccurate vote counts, illegal purging, improbable machine errors, and more have led millions of people to believe that recent national elections were stolen. Look at the evidence in this film and decide for yourself.
Will the 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION be stolen?
Watch STEALING AMERICA Vote by Vote by OSCAR- nominated, EMMY-winning filmmaker Dorothy Fadiman Narrated by Peter Coyote.
A quick note about why Cuba turned down US aid offer: US aid was conditioned on accepting an inspection by a USAID team. Spain, Brazil, and many other countries have offered aid without any conditions; only the US plays politics with human suffering. And all the aid that the US had to offer is $100,000 (initially) when much smaller countries like Timor Leste have offered $500,000 and without any conditions. The Cuban government rejected the aid as hypocritical and asked that Cuba is allowed to buy food and construction materials using credits offered by private business willing to do so, like any other country does (The Bush administration introduced a legislation that requires that Cuba buys from US business only with cash).
The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) in Jerusalem has been informed that its request for re-funding has been rejected, in high probability because of pressure brought to bear by right-wing Israeli neo-cons who have campaigned obsessively against our funding while threatening publicly to close us down.
Tax-deductible donations needed.
As you all probably know, a few weeks ago Luis Moreno- Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) recommended that the ICC should indict Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for war crimes including attempted "genocide".
This threat to prosecute President Bashir is outrageous for a lot of reasons.
Ocampo attacked Bashir to divert attention from his own sex scandal.
Bashir is respected and popular in Darfur and throughout Sudan and has not committed these crimes. People from the entire political spectrum in Sudan, including Bashir's political opponents, are denouncing the prosecution as a foreign attack against Sudanese sovereignty.
Bashir is an important person in the peace process and process of reconciliation of factions in Darfur and South Sudan and other parts of Sudan. So an indictment and arrest warrant against Bashir is a threat to peace in Darfur and throughout Sudan. ...
For more details: David Rolde
Sign petition against US missile offense in Poland
In a few days, the US government will likely sign an agreement with the Czech Republic government allowing the US to place a radar satellite system in that country. The satellite system is part of the US "missile defense" installations designed to be placed in Poland.
We can join our voices in support of the Czech people to say "no" to a US radar system in their country.
Please add your voice to support this effort by signing the petition.
Understanding that this empire-building strategy by the US could lead to a new arms race which threatens the Czech people, the majority of whom oppose this project. The opposition which began with a few activist voices now includes over 70 percent of the population who oppose any US military presence in the Czech Republic.
Even thought the Czech President may sign the agreement, it has to be ratified by the Czech Parliament. And the situation is far from clear, because the government has a very small mandate - not even have a majority. They were only able to pass a confidence vote after seven months of negotiations, and thanks to some two members of parliament that didn't vote against them. So they have a very weak mandate, and it is far from clear how the vote will go.
The Czech people have asked for support from around the world to bolster their campaign. They are looking for a million signatures on their petition to take to the parliament to defeat the agreement.
To everyone in the Boston area progressive community, After months of development and testing by a few dozen folks, Open Media Boston, the new progressive news, views and arts web portal, has just launched and is now ready for your participation.
We have quietly been working away at TecsChange in Roxbury to refurbish computers. We recently sent one of our bigger shipments of 15 computers to a series of radio stations in Oaxaca, Mexico.
We work most Thurday evenings and Saturday afternoons
(1pm to at least 4 PM, usually longer)
We have one day a week where daytime volunteers come in. Presently it's Mondays but it might change soon.
Please call if you are interested.
TecsChange Office
617-442-4456
Mass. House Bill #4477, if passed, would finally make it illegal for drivers of motor vehicles in Massachusetts to use hand-held phones while driving (as in NY and elsewhere). This bill recently passed the House and now is languishing in the Senate and may not come to the floor for a vote unless you phone or send a message to your friends in various towns and cities to have them urge their state senators (617-722- 5551) to vote for this bill.
According to Senate Assistant Majority Leader Marian Walsh, what needs to happen is for senators to get many phone calls from their constituents in favor of this bill. Passing House #4477 is a matter of public safety. Please call your senator and what would make a significant difference is for you to contact your friends throughout Massachusetts so House Bill #4477 becomes law.
U.S. war provocation against Iran: Another Tonkin
Gulf? Take Action NOW to Stop War on Iran!
The Bush Administration has initiated an extremely dangerous war provocation just off Iran's coast, in the Strait of Hormuz. With Bush on his way to the Middle East to mobilize a collection of oil-rich U.S. client states against Iran, the U.S. government is working overtime to create a phony public-relations incident to heighten tensions in the region and threaten a new war.
S 1959 "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007" must be stopped at all costs. (It's already been approved by the House of Representatives by a HUGE majority.)
Pick up your phone and contact our US Senators' offices to instruct them to vote "NO" on S.1959, titled "To establish the National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism, and for other purposes".
If this bill is passed, and becomes law, your words and actions could be considered terrorism. S 1959 EVISCERATES FREE SPEECH, and empowers the govt. to declare ANYTHING they deem an "extremist belief system", instantly make you a terrorist, resulting in stripping of US citizenship, torture, and/or execution, with no habeas corpus rights, no ability to challenge even in the US Supreme Court.
Comcast has given us a glimpse of a world without Net
Neutrality, and it's a chilling sight.
An investigation by the Associated Press caught the
cable giant secretly inspecting online communications
and crippling users' ability to share information with
one another.
On 11-1-07, Free Press filed a legal complaint
demanding that the FCC take action to protect the free
flow of information on the Internet. By joining our
complaint, you can help stop Comcast and other
gatekeepers.
Doris Tennant and Ellen Lubell (of Newton) are representing a Guantanamo prisoner pro bono, so they are providing their time at no charge. However, their costs, including their own travel and that of a translator, translator fees, and Freedom of Information Act requests, are running at least $20,000 for this year, and will likely continue at that same pace or more. Most of the other attorneys who are representing Guantanamo detainees are members of large law firms that can cover these types of expenses, but in their case the two of them are the firm.
If you would like to make a contribution to help them defray costs, it would be much appreciated. Please make your check payable to "Tennant Lubell Detainee Fund." Your contribution will NOT be tax-deductible, but they promise to put it to good use to help provide fundamental legal rights to a man who remains in indefinite detention.
Doris Tennant, Esq.
Tennant Lubell, LLC
288 Walnut Street, Suite 500
Newton, MA 02460
617-969-9610, X 101
Fax: 617-969-9611
A call for all people of conscience
to donate to its Lebanon Palestine Emergency Relief Fund.
All donations will be used to help Palestinian and
Lebanese victims of the latest Israeli aggression.
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail link
Just a friendly reminder that the holidays are coming and what better gift to give than a bottle of fairly traded extra-virgin olive oil from Palestine. We have plenty of oil available and should be able to fill all orders for the holidays. Think about buying a case of oil and instead of bringing a bottle of wine to your next dinner party, bring a bottle of olive oil instead!
We now ship anywhere in the continental US; please see
our website for details . Olive Branch Olive Oil
comes directly from the Palestinian Agricultural
Relief Committees (PARC)
Olive oil is the backbone of the Palestinian agricultural economy. Eighty percent of cultivated land in Palestine is planted with olive trees, and the olive harvest provides between 25 to 50 percent of a farming family's annual income. As the political and economic situation in Palestine worsens, olive oil has become a matter of basic survival for many Palestinian families. Buying this oil is a constructive and tangible way to help alleviate poverty and build peace.
Olive Branch Olive Oil is extra-virgin and comes in 750 ml (25 ounce) green glass bottles. Produced from the first pressing of the olives, extra- virgin olive oil contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin olive oil. Unopened bottles of olive oil are generally good for up to two years, and should be kept in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Palestinian farmers traditionally care for their trees without the use of pesticides or sprays.
Olive Branch Olive Oil is an outgrowth of a 2003 effort by Middle East peace activists in the Boston area to support Palestinian farmers. Since then, it has evolved into an ongoing volunteer project to create a U.S. market for Palestinian olive oil. Our goal is to make a tangible difference in the lives of the farmers and their families.
Any funds that are raised above and beyond the cost of the oil, importing fees and administrative and marketing costs are re-invested in purchasing more oil. Out of that amount, 15% is donated directly to worthy projects in Palestine. Past donation recipients include:
Gush Shalom Emergency Relief Convoy
Badil
Palestinian Children's Relief Fund
Gaza Community Mental Health Program
Zochrot
Palestinian Medical Relief Committees
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions
Birthright Unplugged
American Friends Svc. Comm. Middle East Crisis Fund
American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA)
Olive Harvest Coalition
Union of Palestinian Women's Committees
Ibdaa Cultural Center
Grassroots International
Taayoush
How to Order
On our website with PAYPAL
or send a check to P.O. Box 1064, Arlington, MA 02474.
Each case contains twelve (12) 750ml bottles.
Prices for local pick-up in Arlington or Cambridge:
Case price $170/case
Bulk price for 7+ cases: $150/case
Bulk price for 10+ cases: $145/case
Case price shipped within continental US: $195/case
3 Bottles shipped within continental US: $65/3 bottles
For more information.
Harvard's Palestine Solidarity Committee will be holding a vigil for Gaza from 11:45 am to 12:15 pm on the steps of Memorial Church in Harvard Yard. All who care for Palestine are invited to attend. Please wear black and spread the word widely.
These are the meetings where we decide on events and discuss strategies to end the war. Anyone is welcome -- from seasoned activists to beginners and we look forward to building a dialogue with anyone opposed to the war. Our main tenent is that we are independent of both the Democratic and the Republican Party, such that we can build an anti-war movement that survives elections and continues to oppose the war, regardless of which candidate is in office.
Meet briefly at the statue to exchange thoughts,
then walk silently around the Yard and nearby streets,
returning to the statue by 12:30pm.
Southeast corner of Rt 27 and 30 (nearest to Brooks Pharmacy).
Come for all or part. Bring a candle, lantern, or flashlight.
Organizer: Sandy Coy.
Join the Boston Tea Party Conference call,
Participant call in: 402-756-9100; Access code: 680903#
Socialist Alternative Radio, 91.5 FM Boston
listen anytime on the Web at WMFO.org. A democratic socialist, working-class view of politics and culture, including solidarity announcements, interviews, music, and more.
Write to us at BostonSAradio@aol.com.
Join a Friday fast and/or protest in solidarity with illegal detentions. The fast began in 2005 when Nobel Peace Laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Adolpho Esquivel, (Argentina), along with others around the world, chose this method to seek the release of our unjustly detained and tortured brothers and sisters.
In Boston, local activists Susan McLucas and Phoebe Knopf have joined the Friday fast and will protest every Friday in front of the JFK Building from noon to one. The action, which is rooted in nonviolence, includes speakers, music, hand-outs and petitions to create public pressure to stop all illegal detentions and to try those responsible for the illegal treatment of thousands of detainees, most of whom are Arab and Muslim men. Susan and Phoebe will be wearing orange jumpsuits.
On this day, Friday and from there on!, we hereby declare the
establishment of a new DeMilitarized Zone where all those who wish can
congregate to denigrate and repudiate the war machine and celebrate the
growth of the new movement from coast to coast willing to oppose the war and opression in
this country and around the world. Bring your signs, and minds, let's
chalk, talk, play music, paint art with caring and sharing and declaring
that we are "chilling *against* the villins" in this zone to show our
independence!!!!!
We declare our solidarity with the people of the Middle East who share
the misfortune of living on top of the largest oil reserves on the
planet which is the reason behind the current war on Iraq. We declare
our condemnation of those who support this criminal war commanded by
criminals who promote a criminal ideology with criminal intent and
crimes against humanity. We repudiate with prejudice the general assault
on our rights: abuses, excuses, jailings, raids, lies, spies,
xenophobia, torture, extraordinary rendition, and the general police
state system that says we must stand together and support this
generalized oppression. We are no longer the silent generation but are
now willing to Stand Apart and against the mass murdering villins who
are doin the real killin. Join us in the DMZ!!
Chillin against the villin's!!!
Our *DMZ* and our Independence.