February-March 2008 Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation Newsletter

8/8/2019 February-March 2008 Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation Newsletter

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Olympia Fellowship of ReconciliationFebruary/March 2008 Issue #214

INSIDETHIS ISSUE3 IMPEACHMENT MOVEMENT PROGRESS!

4TCTV

FEB. : POVERTY, HOUSING, &THESTATELEGISLATUREMARCH: THEOLYMPIA-RAFAHMURALPROJECT

5-7 NEWS - RESOURCES - OPPORTUNITIES

8-9 BUILDINGAN EFFECTIVE PEACE MOVEMENT10 BIG PICTURE TCTV DOCUMENTARYSERIES

11 CONTACTINGYOURSTATE LEGISLATOR

11 MEDITATIVE PEACEWALKINHONOROF MLK12-16 LOCALCALENDAR

17-19 OUT-OF-TOWN CALENDAR

Our Mission Statement: The Olympia Chapter of the Fellowship of Reconciliation seeks to replace violence, war, racism, in-tolerance, and economic and social injustice with nonviolence, peace and justice. We are an organization of many faiths com-mitted to active nonviolence as a transformative way of life and as a means of profound social change. We model these princi-

ples by personal example. We collaborate and dialogue with the larger community to educateand to engage in nonviolent and compassionate actions.

As we close this year on the low of Congress givingBush more billions for war, and the assassination ofBenazir Bhutto in Pakistan, let's remember some ofthe year's gains that can revive our spirits for the NewYear. Here are just ten:

1. With the exception of the White House, this has been abanner year for environmental consciousness and action.

Al Gore and the scientists of the IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change won the Nobel Peace Prize.Green building and renewable energy have exploded.Congress passed the Green Jobs Act of 2007, authoriz-

ing $125 million for green job training. Over 700 U.S.mayors, representing 25 percent of the U.S. population,have signed a pledge to reduce greenhouse gases by2012. Illinois became the 26th state to require that someof the state's electricity come from renewable sources,and Kansas became the first state to refuse a permit fora new coal-fired power plant for health and environ-mental reasons. That's progress!

2. On the global environmental scene, the Bush dinosaurs were tackled head on. When the US delegation at theUN climate change conference in Bali tried to sabotagethe negotiations, the delegate from tiny Papua New

Guinea threw diplomatic niceties to the wind and saidthat if the U.S. couldn't lead, it should get out of the way. Embarrassed by international and domestic out-rage, the U.S. delegation buckled, and the (cont. page 2)

Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation 5015 15th Ave SE, Lacey WA 98503 (360) 491-9093 www.olyfor.org

Tom Rawsona banjo-playing, crowd-delighting folksingerperforms songs of peace, social justice and just plainfun on Saturday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. at TraditionsCaf at the corner of 5th and Water SW in downtown

Olympia. (Note change of location fromprevious years.)

Rawson has charmed and invigorated audi-ences throughout the Pacific Northwest

with his infectious wit, energy and songsthat you just cant resist singing along with.

As Steve Durfee wrote in the Victory Re-view, Tom Rawson-Pete Seeger. These two run together inmy mind. We gladly follow his lead and sing with the cho-rus from the very first song First timer or old fan, oldsong or new, it always seems we are singing our favoriteswith an old friend.

Admission to Rawsons performance, a benefit for theOlympia chapter of the Fellowship of Reconciliation(FOR), is based on a self-determined sliding scale donationof $10-$25.

We encourage buying tickets in advance either fromTraditions Fair Trade, 5th & Water SW, Olympia, or from

the Olympia FOR. To buy tickets by mail, please sendchecks payable to Olympia FORto 5015 15th Avenue SE,Lacey, WA 98503-2723.

The Olympia FOR (www.olyfor.org) has been active since1976. It is the local chapter of a 92-year-old nationwide(www.forusa.org ) and international (www.ifor.org ) paci-fist organization that has opposed every war since World

War I. While working for peace in foreign relations, theFOR has simultaneously worked for nonviolence and socialjustice throughout society.

For more information contact Glen Anderson at (360)

491-9093 or [email protected]

TOM RAWSONS FOLKMUSIC CONCERTTO BENEFIT OLY. FOR SAT. MARCH 8

TEN GOOD THINGS ABOUT 2007- BYMEDEABENJAMIN 12/30/07


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OLYMPIA FELLOWSHIP OF RECONCILIATION

TEN GOOD THINGS ABOUT 2007 - CONT.

way was cleared for adopting the "Bali road map." Al-though it is a weak mandate, it lays the groundwork for astronger climate agreement post-2012 when the firstphase of the Kyoto Protocols ends.

3. Imagine living in a waste-free urban society? Well, it's nolonger a utopian dream but a well-thought-out plan forIndia's state of Kerala. The plan to be "waste-free"

within five years includes waste prevention, intensive re-use and recycling, composting, replacing unsustainablematerials with sustainable ones, training people to pro-duce these materials, and providing funds for setting upsustainably run businesses. The ground-breaking plan,spearheaded by a local grassroots movement, demon-strates how citizen groups can advance pioneering poli-cies to heal the planet.

4.While the war in Iraq rages on, a new war was stopped.The specter of war with Iran loomed large throughout

the year, with Washington accusing Iran of killing U.S.soldiers in Iraq and being a nuclear threat. Then in De-cember came the National Intelligence Estimate show-ing that the Bush administration knew all along that Iranhad shelved its nuclear weapons program in 2003. Itexposed the Administration claims of an Iranian threatas unjustifiably inflated, and the winds of war were sud-denly subdued. Nothing is guaranteed, but a U.S. mili-tary attack on Iran is less likely now than it was earlier inthe year.

5.This year also brought a decrease in tensions with North Korea. Hostilities flared after

North Korea successfully conducted a nu-clear test in 2006. But the Bush administra-tion, bogged down in Iraq and pushed byinternational pressure, agreed to negotiate.Following a series of six-party talks involvingNorth Korea, South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, andthe U.S, on March 17, 2007, an historic agreement wasreached. North Korea agreed to shut down its main nu-clear facility and submit a list of its nuclear programs inexchange for fuel and normalization talks with the U.S.and Japan. During this age of raw aggression, it is a wel-come example of putting diplomacy first.

6. The Iraqi people have little to celebrate, but there wasone important victory for the people this year. Remem-ber how the Bush administration and Congress wereinsisting that the Iraqi Parliament pass a new oil law?

Touted as a way to "share oil revenue among all Iraqis",the oil law was really designed to transform the country'scurrently nationalized oil system to one open to foreigncorporate control. But opposition was fierce inside Iraq,especially from the nation's oil worker unions. In a raresign of independence from Washington and concern for

domestic opinion, the Iraqi Parliament withstood intenseU.S. pressure and refused to pass the oil law.

7. In early 2007, few Americans had heard ofthe private security company Blackwater.By year's end, Blackwater had become infa-mous for the killing of civilians in Iraq.

The radical privatization of our military tocorporations like Blackwater that are ac-countable to no one was exposed for all tosee. This frightening process is still well under way, withmore private contractors in Iraq than soldiers, but atleast the issue has now entered the public dialogue. AndBlackwater has received such a black eye that it's unlikelyto get a new Iraq contract when the present one expiresin May.

8. One victory on both the war and environmental frontscame in Australia, where Labor Party's Kevin Rudd beat

conservative John Howard to become Prime Minister.Howard was an enthusiastic backer of George Bush'sdisastrous war on terror, from defending theGuantnamo prison and extraordinary rendition to send-ing troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. Howard also joinedBush in refusing to ratify the Kyoto Agreement, arguingit would cost Australians jobs. After assuming office onDecember 3, Kevin Rudd immediately signed the Kyotoagreement and he has promised to remove Australia'scombat troops from Iraq by mid-2008.

9. Sometimes a loss is a win. Hugo Chavez had initiated aconstitutional referendum that would have, among other

changes, scrapped term limits. His immediate acceptanceof a razor-thin margin of defeat before all the votes wereeven counted showed his democratic colors and made ita lot harder for Bush and the corporate media to labelhim a dictator. Despite the loss, Chavez remains ex-tremely popular, especially among the poor and workingclass in Venezuela. And throughout Latin America, thehistoric transformation led by progressive leaders likeChavez continues to blossom.

10. Last but not least, this year saw the resignation of someof Bush's closest allies in government-Donald Rumsfeldresigned as Secretary of Defense, Alberto Gonzalez as

Attorney General, and Karl Rove as Deputy Chief of

Staff. Best of all, we can give thanks that we only haveONE YEAR left of the criminal, war-mongering, consti-tution-shredding, rights-violating, torture-sanctioningBush Administration! It's just GOT to get better thanthis!

So here's a toast to a green future, diplomacy, and surviving thelast throes of the Bush regime. Que viva 2008!

Medea Benjamin ([email protected]) is cofounderof CODEPINK and Global Exchange.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.globalexchange.org/http://www.globalexchange.org/mailto:[email protected]


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IMPEACHMENT MOVEMENT MAKES TREMENDOUS PROGRESS!

Progress in Congress:

On January 23 Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio announced that he will introduce Articles ofImpeachment against Bush on January 28, the day of Bushs State of the Union speech. Referringto the hundreds of lies Bush and his staff told about the need for the war in Iraq, Mr. Kucinich said,

We know the State of the Union. Its a lie.He also criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, who keeps saying that impeachment isoff the table. Kucinich charged, If impeachment is off the table, truth is off the table. If truth isoff the table, then this body is living a lie.

Kucinichs Articles of Impeachment against Cheney (H.Res. 799) are in the House Judiciary Com-mittee. Impeachment supporters are urging Committee membersespecially Congressman JohnConyers of New Yorkto hold hearings and move H.Res. 799 to a vote. For more informationabout the Call to Action to activate the House Judiciary Committee contact the Citizens Move-ment to Impeach Bush/Cheney at (360) 491-9093 [email protected]

The most comprehensive nationwide website is www.AfterDowningStreet.org

Progress in the State of Washington:

The Legislatures website, www.leg.wa.govhas a lot of specific information. Also see page ____ of this newsletter for in-formation about contacting your state legislators.

Hundreds of impeachment supporters attended a hearing on Senate Joint Memorial 8016 (SJM 8016) on January 17, andthousands more urged state legislators to support it. On January 21 the Senate committee passed it and moved it along. Im-peachment supporters are urging their state senators, the Rules Committee, the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor tomove it to the Senate floor and a successful vote.

A companion bill in the House (HJM 4027) was introduced and sent to the House Committee on State Government andTribal Affairs, which is chaired by Sam Hunt, a legislator serving the 22nd Legislative District, where most readers of thisnewsletter live. Impeachment supporters are urging Representative Hunt, other members of the committee, and their ownrespective representatives to hold hearings and support it in every way they can.

In late January the King County Democratic Central Committee passed a resolution supporting impeachment and specificallysupports SJM 8016 and HJM 4027. It will be considered by the Washington State Democratic Central Committee at its Janu-ary 26 meeting.

Statewide information is posted atwww.WashingtonForImpeachment.org

Many people who will be attending their Republican Party and Democratic Party precinct caucuses on Saturday February 9will bring resolutions urging impeachment. For sample resolutions, contact the group listed below.

Progress in the greater Olympia area:

The Olympia-based Citizens Movement to Impeach Bush/Cheney attracted 234 persons to its Impeachment Party on De-cember 28. Most participants were from Thurston County, but some came from Lewis, Clark, King, Grays Harbor andother counties.

The massive turnout convinced people that there truly is a critical mass of local folks who want to impeach Bush and Cheney. Follow-up activities are energizing and mobilizing evenmore people to help in many specific ways.

The next meeting is Mon. Feb. 4 at the Olympia Center, 222 Columbia NW.Info: (www.CitizensImpeach.org) and (360) 491-9093 or 491-1540.

If impeach-ment is off the

table, truth isoff the table.If truth is offthe table, then

this body isliving a lie.


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MARCH: From Palestine to Puget Sound:The Olympia-Rafah Mural Project

Did you know that welfare payments to poor families which were already terribly lowhave not been raised since

1993?

Did you know that a person whois unemployable because of atemporary physical or mentaldisability receives only $339 amonth also stuck at the 1993level?

The two decades of massive in-

flation in home prices also in-creased the cost of rent, so poorand working class people aresqueezed terribly.

Grassroots people are organizing and pressuring the Wash-ington State Legislature for practical and humane ways torelieve the worst pains of poverty.

The Olympia FORs February TCTV program focuses onthe specific issues and legislation theyre working on. Twoguests will lay it all out for us.

Monica Peabody works with the Parents Organization for

Welfare and Economic Rights (POWER). This new en-tity replaces Olympias Welfare Rights Organizing Coalition(WROC), for which Monica had provided outstanding lead-ership. Contact POWER at 352-9716 or [email protected]

Pat Tassoni works with the Thurston County TenantsUnion (TCTU), which provides practical infor-mation and advocacy from an office down-town. Contact TCTU at 943-3036 [email protected]

For quite a few years Olympias peace community beenbuilding strong relationships of solidarity with Palestini-ans working for peace and justice there. Efforts increasedafter an Israeli military bulldozer murdered OlympiasRachel Corrie in Rafah, Gaza, Palestine, nearly five yearsago while she was nonviolently protecting a Palestinianfamilys home that the bulldozer was poised to destroy.

Now a new solidarity project is being organized: a muralin Olympia affirming the links between Olympia andRafah.

Although the Olympia City Council shied away from rati-fying a sister-city relationship with Rafah, the Olympia-Rafah Sister City Project (www.orscp.org ), the RachelCorrie Foundation for Peace and Justice(www.rachelcorriefoundation.org), and other support-ers of peace and justice are moving ahead with a variety ofactivities and projects, including a mural in downtownOlympia.

Dr. Susan Greene, a Jewish-American artist/psychologist/educator with the San Francisco Art Insti-tute, has 20 years of experience with collaborative com-munity-based mural projects, including many in the Pales-

tinian Occupied Territories. Since 2005 she has beenworking with the Rachel Corrie Foundation for a mural inOlympia.

Our TV guests will be Cindy Corrie, Erin Genia and Ro-chelle Gause.

FEBRUARY: POVERTY, HOUSING,ANDTHE STATE LEGISLATURE

For 21 years the Olympia FOR has produced one-hour TV programs on issues related to peace, social jus-tice, economics, the environment, and nonviolence. The Olympia FORs program airs on Thurston Com-munity Television (TCTV), channel 22 for Thurston Countys cable TV subscribers. Each program airsEVERY Monday at 1:30 p.m. and EVERY Thursday at 9:00 p.m. for a full month. This creates manyopportunities to watch each program.

Grassroots peopleare organizingand pressuringthe WashingtonState Legislaturefor practical and

humane ways torelieve the worstpains of poverty.
http://www.rachelcorriefoundation.org/http://www.rachelcorriefoundation.org/http://www.rachelcorriefoundation.org/


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Olympia FORNEWS - RESOURCES - OPPORTUNITIES

Urgent action: U.S. war resisters seek sanctuary in Canada and need our help now: More and more U.S. military troops are re-fusing to fight our illegal, immoral wars. Many of them (about 200 currently) are seeking sanctuary in Canada, but theCanadian government has not welcomed them. The Canadian Parliament might vote on the matter as early as Febru-ary. Peace folks in the U.S. are encouraged to ask the Canadian government to allow them in and allow them to staywhile necessary. People are visiting, writing, phoning, and e-mailing Canadian government offices in Canada and Ca-

nadian Consulate offices across the U.S. Please tell the Canadian government that you support U.S. service memberswho are taking a stand against the Iraq war and dont want them deported to face prosecution for following their con-science and upholding international law. Many opportunities exist for U.S. peace folks right now, and our help isneeded right now. Info: www.salsa.democracyinaction.org and United for Peace and Justice 212-868-5545www.unitedforpeace.org and Project Safe Haven, 206-499-1220 [email protected] Send letters ofsupport to resisters c/o War Resisters Support Campaign, Box 13, 427 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1X7CANADA.

Bush implies Palestinians dont have it so bad after all: Bush recently visited Israel and Palestine . The Israeli government hasbeen sharply criticized by human rights supporters worldwide for its horribly repressive and humiliating military checkpoints that detainPalestinians for many hours at a time and sometimes even prevent ambulances from taking Palestinians to hospitals. Delays at check-points are a very sore issue for Palestinians. After Bushs first day in the West Bank he commented to reporters at a checkpoint, You'llbe happy to know, my whole motorcade of a mere 45 cars was able to make it through without being stopped.

Who is making progress in health care? Researchers studied how well various countries were reducing rates of preventable deaths.The researchers found that while most countries surveyed saw preventable deaths decline by an average of 16 percent, the Uni ted Statessaw only a four percent dip.... Other countries are reducing these preventable deaths more rapidly, yet spending far less. The 19 coun-tries, in order of best to worst, were: France, Japan, Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Neth-erlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States." www.opednews.com/maxwrite/linkframe.php?linkid=49161

Health care reform in Washington: More and more people are coming together to work for a better health care system in our state.The Washington Health Security Coalition (WHSC) is a nonprofit association of diverse organizations, health care advocates and profes-sionals working together to secure comprehensive, high quality, affordable health care for all. WHSC wants a health care system thatguarantees quality affordable health care for all residents of Washington State and residents of the United States It supports: (1) Patientsfreedom of choice of their health professionals and providers; (2) Continuous health care coverage; (3) Accessible to individuals andfamilies; (4) Affordable and sustainable for society; (5) High quality and comprehensive health care - effective, efficient, safe, timely andpatient-centered; and (6) Equitable, fair and culturally competent health care for all. Info: toll-free 877-502-1873

www.wahealthsecurity.org. The statewide organization that specifically works for a universal, single-payer system is Health Care for AllWashington, toll-free 877-903-9723www.healthcareforallwa.org Both organizations are active in the current state legislative sessionand year-around at the grassroots.

What do Washingtons children need from our State Legislature from now to mid -March?The Childrens Alliance, a well respectednonprofit organization that helps Washington States kids in many ways, has strong priorities laid out in its 2008 Legislative Agenda, in-cluding help for foster kids, food and nutrition, health coverage, and early education. See www.ChildrensAlliance.org for plenty ofgood information. You can also track progress of these and other issues at the State Legislatures own website,www.leg.wa.govAlso,the Olympia FORs February TCTV program (see page ___) will focus on legislative priorities for poor families and renters.

82 people arrested at U.S. Supreme Court while opposing torture: On January 11 about 400 persons held a solemn march from theNational Mall to the U.S. Supreme Court. The march included a procession of activists dressed like the Guantnamo prisoners in orangejumpsuits and black hoods. Inside the U.S. Supreme Court and on its front steps, 82 people were arrested as part of Witness AgainstTorture's action marking six years of unjust imprisonment and abuse for the men held in Guantnamo. Many of the arrestees were de-nied food and water for most of the 30-some hours they were detained. When arrested, about 70 of the arrestees withheld their legal

name and instead gave the name of a detainee. Today in court they gave their legal name but stated that their arrest on behalf of a de-tainee. Thus one of the main goals for the action was achieved because a number the court dockets as well as individual citations nowhave one of the detainees' names on them. Info:www.witnesstotorture.org

Cost of protests? Cost of war? The Olympianhas published many letters to the editor accusing the people who protested the militariza-tion of the Port of Olympia with wasting their tax dollars. The government and Olympian estimated the cost of policing,etc., to be $110,000 over that period of approximately two weeks. How much did the Iraq war cost during that time? TheNational Priorities Project (www.nationalpriorities.org andwww.costofwar.com) calculates a running total of the warscostand breaks it down by state and local community. It shows that the taxpayers of Thurston County have spent$374 million on the Iraq war through the end of 2007 . Investing $110 thousand to stop a $374 million loss sounds like apretty good bargain.


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Federal budget action is happening now! What do you think? February is an important time for the public to push Congress for apeaceful, humane federal budget. Bush will release his budget proposal on February 4. Then Congress will immediately start crafting thefederal budget and spending plans for fiscal year 2009, which starts October 1, 2008. The Friends Committee on National Legislation(FCNL) is a tremendously well informed and well respected nonprofit group that distributes information and lobbies Congress basedupon Quaker values of peace and justice. FCNL relies upon volunteersincluding a great many non-Quakersto supplement the work

of its limited paid staff. Please seewww.FCNL.org for federal budget information and specific ways you could help.

Dont buy Bushs wars: How much of your tax payment this year would

you like to allocate for waterboarding in Iraq or an invasion of Iran? Around the world, people are puzzled as to why the U.S. public allows theBush administration to wage illegal wars and usurp our power. Why do we tol-erate it and continue to pay for it? Chris Hedges wrote in the December 10issue of The Nation, I will not pay my income tax if we go to war withIran I will go to court to challenge the legality of the war. People havetaken all of the responsible actions that good citizens do. Weve written toBush and Congress, marched in the streets, and even voted for a new Congress that had campaigned against Bushs wars. But the newCongress continues to fund Bushs wars with our tax dollars. A growing number of peace supporters are pledging to refuse to pay forillegal, immoral wars. Some people have done this individually for yearswith information and support from the National War Tax Re-sistance Coordinating Committee, (www.nwtrcc.org 1-800-269-7464 PO Box 150553, Brooklyn, NY 11215). NWTRCC is supporting a

2008 War Tax Boycott. Contact NWTRCC for information. Other folks have started a new pledge stating, When I am joined by100,000 other U.S. taxpayers, I will join in an act of mass civil disobedience and refuse to the portion of my taxes that pays the U.S. mili-tary occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. They say its time for taxpayers who oppose this war to join together in nonviolent civil dis-obedience and show Congress how to cut off the funds for this war and redirect resources to the pressing needs of people. Former Secre-tary of State Alexander Haig once said, Let them march all they want, as long as they pay their taxes. And he was right. We can marchall we want, but if we cooperate with the funding of the war, we are culpable. As Chris Hedges explained his reasons for tax refusal, Ihave friends in Tehran, Gaza, Beirut, Baghdad, Jerusalem and Cairo. They will endure far greater suffering and deprivation. I want to beable, once the slaughter is over, to at least earn the right to ask for their forgiveness. The world and history will judge us by how vigor-ously we resist the illegal and immoral war tactics of the Bush Administration. Some of the wording in this announcement was providedby Jodie Evans, a co-founder of CODEPINK: Women for peace. Info at NWTRCC (above) and atwww.dontbuybushswar.org

Burma: U.S. House gives Congressional Gold Medal award to Aung San Suu Kyi: Grassroots pressure convinced the U.S. Houseof Representatives to pass a bill 400-0 to award the Congressional Gold medal to Burma's imprisoned Aung San Suu Kyi, who has beenBurmas nationally recognized nonviolent leader for democracy since 1988. Please help persuade the Senate to follow! The Congres-

sional Gold Medal is the highest honor that the U.S. Government can award. Previous recipients include Mother Theresa, WinstonChurchill, Nelson Mandela, his Holiness the Dalai Lama, Martin Luther King Jr, Robert Frost, and Elie Wiesel. In 1988 she had joinedthe National League for Democracy (NLD) political party and gave many speeches calling for freedom and democracy. The military re-gime killed perhaps as many as 10,000 freedom-seekers of all ages and placed Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest before yielding topopular demands for an election in 1990. When the NLD won a staggering 82% of the seats in parliament, and she should have led thenew government, the military regime clamped down again and began another reign of terror that has continued ever since. She has beenin and out of prison and house arrest ever since, including in 1991, when she won the Nobel Peace Prize. The military maintains an ex-ceptionally brutal and violent control over the nation, which it has renamed Myanmar. Courageous people in Burma especially Bud-dhist monksstruggle nonviolently for democracy, and a worldwide campaign seeks Aung San Suu Kyis immediate and unconditionalrelease and restoration to the leadership role to which she was elected so many years ago. (By the way, several U.S. corporations shame-lessly do business with the brutal government.) Information: www.uscampaignforburma.org

Science Debate 2008: Can we talk about issues now? The U.S. blocks climate agreement in Bali; American children trail the industri-alized world in math; stem cell researchers are preoccupied with getting around the embryonic stem cell ban; the green revolution is di-

verted to feed SUVs instead of people; political hacks rewrite scientific reports to suit fundamentalists and lobbyists; and creationists areconspiring to teach their religious beliefs in public school classrooms. In todays U.S., science is being pushed backward. An impressivenumber of science leaders have already signed on to an effort urging presidential candidates to discuss science seriously and accuratelyduring this election year. Seewww.sciencedebate2008.com

Third world debt: Update: In May 1998 some 70,000 people formed a human chain around the Birmingham, England, meeting of theG8 (the nations on top of the worlds economy) and demanded that rich countries drop the debt owed by the poorest nations. Majoractivities in May 2008 will mark the 10 th anniversary, celebrate some accomplishments, and keep the pressure on politicians to finish thejob. Supporting organizations include: Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, CAFOD, Methodist Relief and Development Fund, Oxfam, WorldVision, ActionAid, Practical Action, Tearfund, TUC, UNISON, National Union of Teachers. Seewww.journeytojustice.org Especiallyworth celebrating is the fact thatafter a 7-year campaignthe West African nation of Gambia has finally had $140 million of its debt

NEWS - RESOURCES - OPPORTUNITIES -CONT.


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canceled. Gambia is so poor that 60% of its population lives on less than 1 dollar a day. Efforts are underway to wipe out another $374million of its debt. Info: www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/gambia More info about the Jubilee Debt Campaign is atwww.jubileedebtcampaign.org

What did Congress do about peace and justice in 2007? The Friends Committee on National Legislation provides reliable informa-

tion and interacts with Congress. FCNL identified 10 important Senate votes and 15 important House votes and tracked each membersvotes on those issues. Locally, Sen. Patty Murray voted for peace and justice 8 of the 10 times, voted wrong once and did not vote once.Sen. Maria Cantwell voted correctly all 10 times. Congressman Brian Baird (3rd Cong. Dist.) voted for peace and justice 9 of the 15 op-portunities, voted wrong twice and did not vote four times. Congressman Adam Smith (9th Cong. Dist.) voted correctly 12 times andwrong 3 times. Please bear in mind that this is a limited sample of votes, but FCNL regards these issues as very important. More infor-mation is at FCNL, toll-free 800-630-1330 andwww.fcnl.org

New Jersey legislature votes to end death penalty: On December 13 New Jersey became the first U.S. state to legislatively abolishthe death penalty since the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. The state Assembly (equivalent to our House of Repre-sentatives) voted 44 to 36 in favor of a bill to scrap the death penalty, and substitute it with life in prison without the possibility of parole.New Jerseys Senate had voted to abolish it a few days before, and Gov. Jon Corzine, an opponent of capital punishment, signe d it intolaw. The victory follows a long, vigorous struggle of grassroots organizing, efforts by religious bodies, and other efforts for abolition.New Jersey, which has not executed anyone since 1963, became the 14th state without a death penalty. Nationwide, its use is decliningyear by year.

United Nations General Assembly strongly opposes the death penalty: The UNs largest, most representative body, the GeneralAssembly, recently voted 104-54 (with 29 abstentions) to adopt a moratorium on death penalty executions, arguing that the death penalty"undermines human dignity." The majority envisioned the call for a moratorium as a step toward total abolition. Worldwide, 134 coun-tries have abolished the death penalty.

Progressive Secretary a very easy way to communicate messages to government officials: Just one click is all it takes to sendmessages on any of a variety of peace and justice issues to governmental officials, both elected and appointed. Its easy and free to joinProgressive Secretary, a small non-profit organization that composes very brief messages and offers them for your approval. They are

very brief and quick to read. All you need to do is click Send. Youll be offered just a few per week. Infowww.ProgressiveSecretary.org

A surge in Iraqi refugees: Before the U.S. attacked Iraq, Sunnis, Shiites, Christians, Jews, and others lived pretty harmoniously. TheU.S. war and military occupation of Iraq have has created political conflicts and the current civil war. Horrible hardships have triggeredreligious animosities and ethnic cleansing, both of which have forced millions of Iraqis to leave their homes. Some are refugees in

other parts of Iraq, and some have gone to other countries, where they stress the local economies and political balances. More than 4million Iraqis have fled their homes for fear of violence and persecution. The U.S.which caused the problemhas set a goal of reset-tling only 12,000 of these 4 million by September 2008, but our actual progress is lagging behind even that modest goal. When politiciansand the mainstream media claim the surge is working, they neglect to admit the surge of refugees. The U.S. has a moral obligation to

solve the problems we have created. Before funding any more war, lets fund the needs of the people we have in-jured and made homeless by the war weve been conducting thus far. A great many sources of information about Iraq arelisted on the Iraq tab near the top of the Olympia FORs website, www.olyfor.org

International Womens Day on Saturday March 8 Special planning is starting now: The local chapter of theNational Organization of Women (NOW) invites community groups to try something a little different this year.Instead of an event to mark International Womens Day, NOW wants to develop a cooperative project that willhonor our link to women globally and the issues that affect us all. To participate in their planning meeting as anindividual or member of an organization, please contact Liana Francisco at 359-1290 [email protected]

Artists invited to submit works on relationships with Latin Americans: The Thurston-Santo Tomas Sister Com-munity Association invited local artists to submit works and images exploring our relationships and history with peo-ple who live south of the U.S. border. They may become part of an exhibit in Olympia May 1-5 as part of the events

for the 9th delegation of guests visiting from Santo Tomas, Chontales, Nicaragua, from April 23 through May 13. Registration for artsubmission is Fri. Feb. 29. Info: (206) 753-0942 [email protected] A related conference on Immigration and Border Dia-logueswill occur May 15-18.

Are you curious about other faiths? Are you curious to hear what a Buddhist has to say about Buddhism? Or what Bahai is all about?Would you like to hear about Jewish holy days from a Jew? Perhaps your congregation, Sunday school class, youth group, or nonprofitorganization would be interested too! If youd like to invite a speaker from another faith community, the staff of Interfaith Works couldhelp you find a speaker. Info: 357-7224 [email protected]

NEWS - RESOURCES - OPPORTUNITIES -CONT.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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BUILDINGAN EFFECTIVE PEACE MOVEMENTThis is the second of a series of articles exploring various ways the peace movement can strengthen itself and become moreeffective. These articles recognize that: (1) The way to win peace and social justice is through grassroots organizing to buildan ever-larger movement of the general public; (2) To win public opinion, nonviolence is both necessary and powerful; (3)

We need to strategize carefully to build this movement through a variety of smart campaigns and activities; and (4) Detailsthat might seem small can mean the difference between success and failure. Each issue of the Olympia FOR newsletter in-

cludes an article related to one of these topics, although not necessarily in this 1-2-3-4 order. The firstarticle, GrassrootsPeople-Power Can Win Hearts and Minds, appeared in our December-January newsletter and is on our website,www.olyfor.org

WHATNONVIOLENCE MEANSAND WHYIT WORKS - GLEN ANDERSON

For peace & justice activists, is nonviolence simply a given something that that we practice without thinking? Or as somefolks imagine it is merely a set of specific tactics, like linkingarms together and sitting down to frustrate the police? Or assome other folks imagineis it spiritually based and largely over-lapping with their religious faith? Oras some folks imagineisit a consciously chosen way of life that guides how we live our

daily lives, what we eat, what jobs well perform, and how we raiseour kids?

Perhaps nonviolence is like the story of the blind people andthe elephant. Each person touched a different part of the ele-phant and characterized the elephant as being like that part.

Actually, nonviolence is probably all of those thingsand moreand lessand different. Its amazing how different people under-stand nonviolence so differently! The explanation below offerssome useful ways but not the only possible ways to un-derstand nonviolence. The national Fellowship of Recon-ciliations website www.forusa has additional information, asdoes www.nonviolence.org We also recommend the writings of

Gandhi, King, Gene Sharp, and others. Contact the OlympiaFOR at (360) 491-9093 or [email protected] for additional re-sources and referrals.

A creative alternative:

Peacemaking involves some methodologies and some techniques.But a great deal of peacemaking has to do with attitude and faith.If we approach situations with a peaceful attitude (friendliness,openness, respect for all, etc.) and with faith in the deep dynam-ics of nonviolence (e.g., the assumption that its possible to de-vise a workable solution without violence and the principles ex-plained below), we are likely to do fairly well. If we happen toknow some technical peacemaking methodologies and techniques,so much the better!

In school we learn that there are two basic responses to danger:fight or flight. Actually, there is a third alternative: nonvio-lent action. This third option is to actively deal with the danger

without using violence (fight) and without running away(flight). Nonviolent responses might include variousstrategies of talking with the adversary (negotiating, appeal-ing to conscience, re-framing the conversation, sayingthings to catch the adversary off guard, etc.). A variety ofcreative nonviolent actions and behaviors can also be used

to rewrite the script of what the adversary has in mind andwhat the conflict is really about.

Books and history and our own personal lives are full of theseexamples, but they are not often recorded as nonviolent re-sponses. The history we learn in school is mostly a sequence ofwars and generals, so people are not taught to imagine let alone

practice creative nonviolent alternatives to the fight orflight dichotomy. Nonviolence is often referred to as acreative third way.

And it actually works!

Military violence is so widely accepted as a legitimate way to con-duct foreign policy that our society ridicules people who reject war and call for a nonviolent foreign policy. Mainstream politi-cians assume that its OK to attack other nations and to over-throw governments that the U.S. government doesnt like. Non-violence needs to challenge these basic cultural assumptions.

Nations have tried war for thousands of years, and it only resultsin deaths, bitterness, bankruptcy, and another cycle of wars. War

has a proven track record of making problems worse. Violenceis not only immoral but also ultimately self-defeating. Howironic that pacifists are ridiculed as nave, while militarists andmainstream politicians think that even after thousands of yearsof failurethe next war will fix everything!

Actually, nonviolence works better than violence especially overthe long haul. Martin Luther King often said, The arc of themoral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. As weall know from our 10th grade geometry class, an arc is a line thatcurves a little. It doesnt need to curve very much to qualify as anarc instead of a (geometrically straight) line, but an arc curvesnonetheless. And King affirms that historys long track is on theside of justice!

Indeed, there is a long history of nonviolence actually working.Gene Sharps amazing 3-volume series, The Politics of Nonvio-lence, documents 198 methods used over the past few thousandyears. The Olympia FOR has articles, books and videos docu-menting nonviolences success rate a success rate that hasgrown remarkably over the past several decades! Nonviolencereally works!

The people who dismiss nonviolence as too nice and moralfor the real world dont realize that nonviolence is also very


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practical and has a great track record of success.

Conflict has always existed, and conflict will always exist.What nonviolence does is change the dynamics of conflict sothe parties are able to pursue workable solutions.

Ends and means:

I agree with Martin Luther Kings faith that The arc of the moraluniverse is long, but it bends toward justice. I believe that themoral universeand actual human societywork better:

- When we practice justice rather than injustice;- When we live peacefully rather than violently;

- When we speak the truth rather than deceive others;- When we respect the environment rather than abuse it.

Our responsibility is to live our lives in ways congruent withhow the universe was designed to function a world of jus-tice and peace. We need to actively work to promote justice and

nonviolence in our local community and in the world around us.

One of the most important reasonswhy nonviolence works so well is thatnonviolence uses means that are con-sistent with the ends. If we want tobuild a world that is peaceful and just, we must use methods that are peacefuland just. What we do sows the seeds ofthe world that will grow. Violent and

unjust seeds produce a violent and unjust world. Peaceful andjust seeds produce a peaceful and just world.

Violence keeps us stuck in cycles of vengeful and ineffective

reactions. In contrast:- Nonviolence rewrites the conflicts script and creates freshalternatives that allow people to actually solve the problems.

- Nonviolence is consistent with how the universe wants to workthe arc that bends toward justice.

Nonviolence is sustainable:

Nonviolent solutions are sustainable because they are basedon truth and they preserve the human dignity of all of theadversaries.

- Nonviolence recognizes the essential humanity of our adversar-ies, even while we may strongly disagree with their behavior.

- Nonviolence engages and cultivates the conscience and personal

dynamics of the adversaries.- Nonviolence engages and cultivates the conscience and personal

dynamics of the other people around us.- Nonviolence also protects and cultivates our own human

dignity.

We live in a world and in a nation that seems think it isexempt from the laws of nature:

-That global climate problems dont affect us; - That we can use as much oil as we want for as long as we want;

- That we can dominate and exploit other nations year after yearwithout any repercussions;

- That we can use violence against others without provokingviolence in return

Our society is just now starting to understand that in environ-mental matters we cannot ignore Mother Natures laws withoutsuffering serious consequences down the line. Disregard for theenvironment is not sustainable. Neither is disregard for humandignity. Arrogance, violence, militarism and violations of humanrights are chickens that come home to roost. Our societys con-tempt for peace and human rights around the world is hurting usat home too. The 9-11 tragedy is only one piece of evidence.Others are all around us, and more will appear.

In contrast, the values supporting nonviolence (truth, love, jus-tice) are congruent with how the universe works best, so thesevalues and nonviolence are sustainable. We need to realign our-selves with the justice-based universe and resolve problems non-

violently.Choosing a nonviolent future:

Working for nonviolence is an uphill struggle, because the worldspowerful entrenched systems are built on power, greed, violence.It will take a lot of work to turn things around. Our society ac-cepts violence as a given, so every day we need to re-learn thetruth and power of nonviolence and substitute it in place of the lieand weakness of violence.

In a time when the domineering politics-as-usual is taking awayour freedom, we need more freedom. In a time when the domi-neering politics-as-usual is taking away due process for everyone, we need more due process for everyone. In a time when the

domineering politics-as-usual is imposing secrecy and interferingwith people finding the truth and exchanging ideas, we need moresearching for truth, and more open exchange of ideas. We needto make our means consistent with our endsand we in thepeace & justice movement need to practice what we preach.We need to walk our talk. We need to practice the mostscrupulous and profound nonviolence.

If we do this, we can succeed, because although the arc of themoral universe might seem very long, it does indeed bend to-ward justice!

WHATNONVIOLENCE MEANSAND WHYIT WORKS - CONT


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OLYMPIA FORS BIG PICTURE DOCUMENTARYSERIES ON TCTV

In addition to the Olympia FORs TV series of locally produced interview programs (see page ____), we also air thought -provokingdocumentaries that youre not likely to see elsewhere on TV. Under the series title The Big Picture, Carol Burns finds suitable docu-mentaries and arranges to show them on Thurston Community Television (TCTV channel 22 ) for cable subscribers in ThurstonCounty. Thanks to Carol for continuing to inform the people! You can watch these programs at 10 p.m. every Sunday evening and3:30 a.m. every Wednesday and Friday morning for a full month. Info: Carol 866-7645 [email protected]

FEBRUARY: THE ELECTION FILES

Investigative journalist Greg Palast is the author of the New York Timesbestseller, Armed Madhouseand anotherNew YorkTimesbestseller, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. Palast is best known in his native USA as the jour-nalist who, for the Observer(UK), broke the story of how Jeb Bush purged thousands of Black Florida citizens from voterrolls before the 2000 election, thereby handing the White House to his brother George.

Palasts reports on the theft of election 2004, the spike of the FBI investigations of the bin Ladens before September 11, th esecret State Department documents planning the seizure of Iraqs oil fields have won him recognition six times by ProjectCensored for reporting the news American media doesnt want you to hear. His web page iswww.GregPalast.com.

Greg Palasts video reporting style is as confrontational, and as occasionally funny, as that of Michael Moore, but without thecontrivances.

The Olympia FOR is happy to feature Greg Palasts films for both FEBRUARYand MARCH.

Our FEBRUARYBig Picture documentary will be TheElection Files, which reveals evidence of election fraud in2000, and 2004, and predicts fraud in 2008. This one-hourdocumentary will be followed by a 15-minute 2006 programabout Mexicos presidential election.

Our MARCHBig Picture documentary will be Big Easyto Big Empty, a one-hour documentary describing the fed-eral governments criminal negligence in failing to recognizethe threator respond to the disasterof HurricaneKatrina in New Orleans. It will be followed by the 24-minute report titledAssassination of Hugo Chavez.

GREG PALASTS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISMIS FEATUREDON OLYMPIAFORSBIG PICTURE DOCUMENTARYSERIESON TCTV

MARCH: THE BIG EASY
http://www.gregpalast.com/http://www.gregpalast.com/http://www.gregpalast.com/


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CONTACTING YOUR STATE LEGISLATOR

The Washington State Legislature is generally regarded as one of the mostopen, accessible and user-friendly in the nation. Here is some informationto help you make best use of the current session, which runs from January14 through March 13. This is the short session (60 days, including week-

ends and holidays). In odd-numbered years the session still begins on the sec-ond Monday of January, but it runs twice as long.

The front of the Olympia phone book lists state government agencies, including theHouse and Senate. It lists the phone numbers of all House members and all Sena-tors under these respective headings.

The Legislatures website, www.leg.wa.govhas a place to click where you can findout who your legislators are. Simply type in your address and click to see theirnames, photographs, biographies, committee assignments, and contact information(office address, phone, e-mail, etc.). The same website lets you look up each piece

of legislation by bill number or topic, see and print the text of any bill, track committee hearings, and more. Its very infor-mative.

Besides their office phone numbers, you can call toll-free 1-800-562-6000 (TTY 1-800-635-9993) and leave messages for yourlegislatorseither for any one individual or for or all three at once and for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. Thistoll-free phone operates during the legislative session every weekday from 8 a.m. to 8 pm and on Saturdays from 9 am to 1pm. Some other language translation services can be arranged within a few minutes for people who speak other languages.

Each legislators e-mail address follows this formula: [email protected](e.g., [email protected])

You can write to Representative _____ at P.O. Box 40600 or Senator _____ at P.O. Box 404__, where the last two digits ofthe State Senates PO box are the number of the senators legislative district. The zip code is Olympia WA 98504.

SUCCESSFUL PEACE WALK IN HONOR OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the South Sound Buddhist Peace Fellowship (SSBPF) conducted a silent peacewalk in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. The walk was on Sunday January 20th. Though it was a cold, blustery day, about60 people walked in silent meditation around Capitol Lake in support of peace and non-violence. There were no banners orsigns, no chanting and no cheering. People simply walked in silent dignity for peace - honoring the memory and prin-ciples of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate of 1964, Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. nominated Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh forthe Prize in 1967. Since that time Thich Nhat Hanh has becomeone of the most beloved Buddhists teachers in the world. Rever-end Nhat Hanh offers a practice of "mindfulness" that is relevantand beneficial for people of all faiths, by helping us resist andtransform the aggression and violence of our modern society. TheBuddhist Peace Fellowship is an international organization ofEngaged Buddhists which aims to employ the wisdom and com-passion developed through Buddhist practice and social activism.

SSBPF, the local Olympia chapter, plans to make this a twiceyearly event, please join us the next time, probably in early August.

For info about our Buddhist Peace Fellowship group: please visitour website: www.ssbpf.org or call 357-2825

Who yougoing

to

call?


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LOCAL

LOCAL

LOCAL CALENDARWithin Thurston County

FOR-sponsored events have abefore them.

These TCTV programs use cable

channel 22 in Thurston County.The events on this page occur every week.

The Every Every Every Every Department:

Every Sunday evening at 10 pm and every Mondayand Wednesday morning at 3:30 am: Big Picture Videos on TCTV: The Olympia FOR airs interestingdocumentaries on TCTV at 10 pm every Sunday duringthe month. Watch Greg Palasts films in February andMarch! FEB: The Election Files MARCH: BigEasy to Big Empty . See article on page ______. Info:Carol 866-7645 [email protected]

Every Monday through Friday from 5:00 to 6:00 amAND from 4:00 to 5:00 pm: Democracy Now with

Amy Goodman on TCTVEvery Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 10:00 am:Democracy Now with Amy Goodman on KAOS89.3 FM

Every Monday through Friday from 5:00 to 5:30 pm:Free Speech Radio News on KAOS 89.3 FM

Every Monday from 6:00 to 7:00 am: ReclaimingDemocracy, a locally produced program on TCTV, ad-dresses issues related to big business, public policy, de-mocratic values, etc. Info: www.sounddemocracy.orgor Rus Geh 705-0862 [email protected]

Every Monday from 1:30 to 2:30 pm: OlympiaFORs TCTV Program: FEB: Poverty, Housing andthe State Legislature. MARCH: From Palestine toPuget Sound: The Olympia-Rafah Mural Project.APRIL: Creative Nonviolence and Iraqs HumanFace. See article on page ______.

Every Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:00 pm: PeaceVigil in NW corner of Sylvester Park (corner of Legion &Capitol Way). Please come for all or part of the hour to

witness in a very friendly way for peace and nonviolence. We provide plenty of signs, or you may bring your own.Info: 491-9093 [email protected]

Every Thursday from 12 to 1 pm: Parallel UniversityonKAOS 89.3 FM features inter-

esting, informative programsabout peace, social justice, theenvironment, progressive poli-tics, and other alternative view-points. Info:[email protected]

Every Thursday from 9:00 to 10:00 pm: OlympiaFORs TCTV Program: FEB: Poverty, Housing andthe State Legislature. MARCH: From Palestine toPuget Sound: The Olympia-Rafah Mural Project.APRIL: Creative Nonviolence and Iraqs HumanFace. See article on page ______.

Every Friday from 4:30 to 6:00 pm: Peace Vigil atsouth end of Percival Landing near W 4th Ave. Please joinus for whatever length of time you can. We provide plentyof signs, or you may bring your own. Sponsor: OlympiaFOR. Info: 491-9093 [email protected]

Every Friday from 5:00 to 6:00 pm: Women inBlack Silent Vigil for Peace on the south side of W. 4th

Ave. near the fountain. Women only. Please wear black.Some signs are provided. Women in Black is a loosenetwork of women worldwide committed to peace withjustice and actively opposed to war and violence since1988. Info: Karin Kraft 754-5352 [email protected]

Every Friday from 6:00 to 6:30 pm:Reclaiming Democracy, a locally pro-duced program on TCTV, cable channel22, addresses issues related to big business,public policy, democratic values, etc. Info:

www.sounddemocracy.org or Rus Geh 705-0862 [email protected]

The Every Every Every Every Department:


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Wed Jan 30 through Wed Feb 13: 5th Annual Middle EastFilm Festival sponsored by Students Educating Students About the Middle East (SESAME). Watch films from andabout the Middle East, Central Asia, North Africa and theArab World, and hear a variety of speakers. Enjoy the Open-ing Night Hip Hop Show on Friday January 18. Wrap up theseries with a discussion of ending the war and military occupa-

tion in Iraq. Program info:www.evergreen.edu/sesameSun-Fri Feb 3-8: War/Dance filmat Olympia Film Society examinesUgandas child soldiers: This new 105-minute U.S. film was shot in northernUganda, where a terrifying group calledthe Lords Resistance Army has been inrebellion against the government for 20years, often abducting children and forc-ing them to be soldiers. Music and danceare important in Uganda, so this filmfeatures music and dance contests that

include war orphans. It is difficult for people to believe ourstory, 14-year-old Dominic says at the beginning of this enor-mously emotional and spirit-raising film. But if we dont tellyou, you wont know. The film won the documentary direct-ing award at the Sundance Film Festival and might win anOscar. Olympia Film Society at Capitol Theater, 206 5th AveSE, on Sunday the 3rd at 5:00 pm, Monday the 4th at 9:00 pm, Tuesday the 5th at 6:30 pm, Wednesday the 6th at 9:00 pm, Thursday the 7th at 6:30 pm, or Friday the 8th at 9:00 pm.www.OlyFilm.org

Mon Feb 4: Poverty, Housing and the State Legisla-tureOlympia FORs February TV program debuts to-day and runs every Monday from 1:30 to 2:30 pm and everyThursday from 9:00 to 10:00 pm through Feb 28 on TCTVcable channel 22 within Thurston County. See page________. Info: Glen 491-9093www.olyfor.org

Mon Feb 4: Citizens Movement to Impeach Bush/Cheney: Meet with other local folks to plan ambitious activi-ties to protect our Constitution and democracy from ExecutiveBranch abuse! 7:00 pm at Olympia Center, 222 ColumbiaNW, downtown. See page _________. Info: 491-9093 or 491-1540 or www.CitizensImpeach.org. Statewide info:

www.WashingtonforImpeachment.org. The most compre-hensive nationwide site iswww.AfterDowningStreet.org

Tues Feb 5: SPEECH Environmental groups annual

meeting with speaker on climate and Puget Sound: DougMyers, People for Puget Sounds Director of Science is thefeatured speaker (Climate Change Impacts on Puget Sound)for the annual meeting of the South Puget EnvironmentalEducation Clearinghouse (SPEECH), 7:00 pm at TraditionsCafe, 5th & Water SW, in downtown Olympia. Enjoy thespeaker, the annual meeting, and related discussions.SPEECH is the group that publishes Green Pages, the com-prehensive local newsletter about environmental issues and

activities. Info: Janine 791-7736 and www.oly-wa.us/greenpages

Wed Feb 6: Military draft? How would it work? Howcould you protect your rights? Conscientious Objection?Resistance? Glen Anderson from the Thurston CountyDraft Counseling Center presents information at 6:00 pm at

Olympia Free School, 610 Columbia SW, downtown. Repeats3 more Wednesdays: Feb 20, March 5, March 19. Info: 491-9093 [email protected]

Wed Feb 6: Stop big business abuses and corporate per-sonhood: The South Puget Sound Chapter of the Alliancefor Democracy meets on the first Wednesday of each monthfrom 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Olympia Unitarian UniversalistChurch, 2200 East End St NW, Olympia. Info:

www.sounddemocracy.org or Jacqui Brown Miller [email protected]

Thurs Feb 7: History and Current State of the DeathPenalty in the USPresentation and discussion led by Dr.

Robert Hauhart, Associate Professor and Chair of St. Martin'sUniversitys Dept of Criminal Justice. 1:30 pm in the base-ment Auditorium of the Quinault Bldg. at Panorama City(south on Sleater-Kinney Road), Lacey.

Thurs Feb 7: Training to deal with legislators about pov-erty and welfare rights: (Also see Mon Feb 18 listing below.)6:00 pm at First United Methodist Church, 1224 Legion WaySE. Sponsor: Parents Organization for Welfare and Eco-nomic Rights (POWER), 360-352-9716 or toll free [email protected]

Thurs Feb 7: Food and Our Future: Hope and Solu-tions through Biointensive Farming -- All of life on earth

depends on six inches of topsoil and the fact that it rains! Thesoil is a living organism that must be fed and nurtured to keepit feeding us. However, this basic understanding has been lostby most current forms of conventional agriculture. John

Jeavons will share eight essential aspects of grow biointen-sive, including: deep soil preparation, raised beds, compost-ing, intensive planting, companion planting, carbon farming,calorie farming, the use of open-pollinated seeds, and a whole-system farming method. Enjoy Q&A about small-scale farm-ing, long-term sustainable soil fertility, climate and marketchallenges. 6:30-8:30 pm at Traditions Caf, 5th & Water SWin downtown Olympia. Info: Tim McLeod 870-5946

Mon Feb 11: Refugee and Immigrant Legislative Day:Meet at 10:00 am in the Capitol Rotunda. Enjoy a self-guidedtour before the rally, which is planned for 11:45 am to 12:30pm. Sponsor: The Refugee Women's Alliance, a nonprofit,multi-ethnic organization that promotes inclusion, independ-ence, personal leadership and strong communities by providingrefugee and immigrant women and families with culturally andlinguistically appropriate services. ReWA advocates for socialjustice, public policy changes, and equal access to serviceswhile respecting cultural values and the right to self determina-


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tion. Info: Paul Myers 206-721-8442 [email protected]

Tues Feb 12: Protect the separation of church and state:The new local chapter of Americans United for Separation ofChurch and State will meet from 6:30 to 8:00 at the OlympiaUnitarian-Universalist Congregation, 2200 East End Street

NW (north on Division, left on 20th, right on East End to theend) Info: Barry Christianson, (360) 379-4055 [email protected]

Wed Feb 13: Interfaith Earth Stewardship committeemeets 12:00 noon in the library of First Christian Church, 7th& Franklin on the second Wednesday of each month. Info:[email protected]

Wed Feb 13: Olympia FOR SteeringCommittee meets to provide overall guidanceand decision-making. 7:00 pm at Dan Ryanshome, 123 Decatur (just south of W. Harrison)in West Olympia. Everyone is welcome to at-

tend. Info: 491-9093 [email protected] Feb 13: ACLU of Thurston County meets and hearsChristina Drummond, the ACLU of Washingtons director ofliberty and technology issues. 7:00 pm in Room 206 of theOlympia Center, 222 Columbia NW, downtown. Info:Heather Francks, [email protected]

Wed Feb 13: Abortion doctor/author shares personal ex-periences: Dr. Susan Wicklund, dynamic author of ThisCommon Secret; My Journey as an Abortion Doctor,speaks about her experiences and the struggles of women whomake difficult decisions. As a doctor she has worked hard toserve women with dignity and respect, and her book brims

with the compassion and urgency of a skilled physician. 7:00pm at Orca Books, 509 4th Avenue E. Sponsor: ThurstonCounty chapter of National Organization for Women (NOW).Info: Liana Francisco 359-1290 [email protected]

Wed Feb 13: Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace(OMJP) meets from 7 to 9 pm to plan a variety of activities towork for justice and peace everywhere. Olympia CommunityFree School, 610 Columbia SW. Everyone is welcome. Info:Larry Mosqueda 867-6513 www.omjp.org

Thurs Feb 14: Housing & Homeless Advocacy Day atthe State Legislature: Having a home is crucial for peopleslives, including education, health care, jobs and transportation.

This years theme, It All Starts At Home, is all about theconnection between affordable housing, supportive services,tenant protections and manufactured housing preservation andthe well-being of families, children and seniors. The day be-gins 8:30 am at United Churches, 11th Ave, just east of CapitolWay. Register online with the Washington Low Income Hous-ing Alliance atwww.wliha.org. Childcare and lunch available.Local info: Pat Tassoni, Thurston County Tenants Union 943-3036 [email protected]

Fri Feb 15: Iraq Moratorium occurs on 3rd Friday of eachmonth: The Iraq Moratorium will be an escalating monthlyseries of actions demanding an end to the war. Devote a sig-nificant part of today to build the peace movement and showthe U.S. government that our troops must be brought home,now! Take this pledge: On the third Friday of every month,I will break my daily routine and take some action, by myself

or with others, to end the War in Iraq. Info:www.iraqmoratorium.org

Fri Feb 15: Heartsparkle Players: Stories of Our Heart's De-sire-- Playback Theatre is a spontaneous collaboration be-tween performers and the audience. People tell moments fromtheir lives, then watch them re-created with movement, musicand dialogue. Heartsparkle Players is an outstanding localtroupe with a loyal following. This months performance is incollaboration with The Thunders, an ensemble of Playback per-formers. 7:30 pm at Traditions Caf, 5th & Water. A $5-$10donation is suggested, but no one will be turned away. Info:D e b e E d d e n 9 4 3 - 6 7 7 2 d e b e k @ o l y w a . n e t

www.heartsparkle.orgSun Feb 17: Veterans for Peace: All veterans and others areinvited to connect and work for peace. 1:30 social time. 2:00pm meeting. Traditions Cafe, 5th & Water. Info: Jody Tiller451-6591 [email protected]

Mon Feb 18: Poverty & Welfare Rights Lobby Day at theState Legislature: Meet at 10:00 am at First ChristianChurch, 7th & Franklin SE, downtown, for registration andbasic information. Lunch and meet with legislators at 12:00noon. Lunch and childcare provided. Sponsors: Parents Or-ganization for Welfare and Economic Rights (POWER) andthe National Organization for Women (NOW). The basic

welfare amounts (TANF and GAU) have not been raised for15 years!!! Register with POWER 360-352-9716 or toll [email protected]

Mon Feb 18: Alternative Health Care Advocacy Day atthe Legislature: Mainstream medical professionals use laws,regulations and other methods to exclude non-mainstreammedical practices. Health Freedom Washington is the advo-cacy group for wider choices. Meet from 10 am to 4 pm inthe Cherberg Bldg. (immediately SE of the Capitol Bldg.) 1st

Floor, Rooms A, B, and C. Organize to personally communi-cate to your legislators your desire to keep the freedom tochoose the type of alternative healthcare you want. HFW willschedule appointments for you in advance with key HealthLegislators for the afternoon of Mon Feb 18. Info: 360-357-6 2 6 3 h e a l t h f r e e d o m . w a @ g m a i l . c o m

www.healthfreedomwa.org Health Freedom Washington,PO Box 6555, Olympia WA 98507

Wed Feb 20: Military draft? How would it work? Howcould you protect your rights? Conscientious Objection?Resistance? See listing for Wed Feb 6.

Thurs Feb 21: Death penalty abolition committee of


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Olympia FORmeets at 7 pm in Tumwater. Everyone whoopposes the death penalty is invited to help strengthen themovement to abolish this atrocity. Info and location: Chuckor Rozanne, 705-8520

Sat Feb 23: Books-Brownies-Beans fundraiser to bene-fit local homeless families with young children: 10 amto 3 pm at Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation(OUUC), 2200 East End Street NW (off Division and 20 th inNW Olympia). All proceeds benefit Out of the Woods, thehomeless shelter and services provided by OUUC. Youllfind great bargains on used books, CDs, DVDs, games andvideos and youll enjoy coffee, brownies galore, and liveentertainment. Info: Jan Spiller 866-1921 spill-

[email protected] or www.olyuu.org (You may do-nate books at the church on Sunday mornings.)

Sun Feb 24: South Sound Buddhist Peace Fellowshiphosts an open meeting. SSBPF includes members of the localBuddhist community engaging in the Buddhist path of rightaction in regard to working for peace, justice and social

change. 3:30-5:00 pm. Location & more info: Robert Lovitt357-2825 [email protected] orwww.ssbpf.org

Wed Feb 27: Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace(OMJP) meets from 7 to 9 pm. (See Wed Feb 13 listing.)

Mon March 3: From Palestine to Puget Sound: TheOlympia-Rafah Mural Project. Olympia FORsMarch TV program debuts today and runs every Mondayfrom 1:30 to 2:30 pm and every Thursday from 9:00 to 10:00pm through March 31 on TCTV cable channel 22 within Thurston County. See page ______. Info: Glen 491-9093www.olyfor.org

Wed March 5: Military draft? How would it work?How could you protect your rights? Conscientious Ob-jection? Resistance? See listing for Wed Feb 6.

Wed March 5: Stop big business abuses and corporatepersonhood: The South Puget Sound Chapter of the Alliance for Democracy meets on the first Wednesday ofeach month from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Olympia UnitarianUniversalist Church, 2200 East End St NW, Olympia. Info:

www.sounddemocracy.org or Jacqui Brown Miller 236-9684 [email protected]

Sat March 8: Interfaith Works World Sacred MusicFestival will also include some visual arts this year: For the

first time, there will be a Sacred Art Exhibit in conjunctionwith the festival! Artwork will be displayed in the lobby ofthe Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget SoundCommunity College. Info: 357-7224 interfaith-

[email protected]

Sat March 8 International Womens Day: The local chap-ter of the National Organization of Women (NOW) invitesother community groups to try something a little differentthis year. Instead of an event, NOW wants to develop a co-

operative project that will honor our link to women globallyand the issues that affect us all. To participate in their plan-ning meeting as an individual or member of an organization,please contact Liana Francisco at 359-1290 [email protected]

Sat March 8: TC Pro-Net Fund-raiser: Let Them Eat Cake andLove Art! Enjoy an art auction,free champagne, cake walks, rafflesand food. Support our local county- wide network of progressive indi-

viduals, organizations and businesses Thurston County

Progressive Network. TC Pro-Net wants to buy an industrialstrength button maker for its members to use. Help raise thefunds. 8:00 to 11:00 pm at Sherri Goulets home, 3516 PiferRd SE, Olympia. (Pifer is directly across from the OlympiaHigh School Readerboard on North Street SE, a number ofblocks east of the brewery.) Info: 352-8225

www.tcpronet.org

Tues March 11: Protect the separation of church andstate: The new local chapter ofAmericans United for Separationof Church and State will meetfrom 6:30 to 8:00 at the OlympiaUnitarian-Universalist Congrega-

tion, 2200 East End Street NW(north on Division, left on 20th,right on East End to the end)Info: Barry Christianson, (360)3 7 9 - 4 0 5 5 p h o e n i x r e [email protected]

Wed March 12: Interfaith Earth Stewardship committeemeets 12:00 noon in the library of First Christian Church, 7th& Franklin on the second Wednesday of each month. Info:[email protected]

Wed March 12: ACLU of Thurston County meets at 7:00pm in Room 206 of the Olympia Center, 222 Columbia NW,

downtown. Info: Heather Francks, [email protected]

Wed March 12: Olympia Movement for Justice andPeace (OMJP) meets from 7 to 9 pm. (See Wed Feb 13listing.)

Thurs March 13: My Cousin Vinnie Watch asmart comedy about the death penalty: How unusual fora movie this funny to expose so many flaws about the deathpenalty! Enjoy plenty of refreshments and social time beforeand after watching this movie. Arrive between 6:30 and 7:00

Sat March 8: Tom Rawson folk music concert tobenefit Olympia FOR: This years location is changedto Traditions Cafe, 5th & Washington SW, downtown,7:30 pm. Please buy tickets ($10-$25 sliding scale) in ad-

vance if possible. (See page ____.) Info: 491-9093


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pm. The movie startsPROMPTLY at 7:00 pmSHARP. Glen Andersonshome, 5015 15th Ave SE(second house east of Rud-dell Road SE, Lacey). Spaceis limited, so please phone

or e-mail to reserve yourspace. This repeats Sun.March 16 at 1:30/2:00.Sponsor: Olympia FORsCommittee for Alternativesto the Death Penalty. Info:G l e n 4 9 1 - 9 0 9 [email protected]

Fri March 14: Heartspar-kle Players: Playback

Theatre is a spontaneous collaboration between performersand the audience. People tell moments from their lives, then

watch them re-created with movement, music and dialogue.Heartsparkle Players is an outstanding local troupe with a loyalfollowing. This months collaborating organization is MasonCounty Literacy. They do excellent work and deserve our sup-port. 7:30 pm at Traditions Caf, 5th & Water. A $5-$10 dona-tion is suggested, but no one will be turned away. Info: DebeEdden 943-6772 [email protected]

Sun March 16: My Cousin Vinnie Watch a smartcomedy about the death penalty: How unusual for a moviethis funny to expose so many flaws about the death penalty!Enjoy plenty of refreshments and social time before and afterwatching this movie. Arrive between 1:30 and 2:00 pm. Themovie starts PROMPTLY at 2:00 pm SHARP. Glen Ander-

sons home, 5015 15th Ave SE (second house east of RuddellRoad SE, Lacey). Space is limited, so please phone or e-mailto reserve your space. (Same as Thurs. March 13 6:30/7:00listing above.) Sponsor: Olympia FORs Committee for Alter-natives to the Death Penalty. Info: Glen [email protected]

Sun March 16: Olympia Veterans for Peace: All veteransand others are invited to connect and work for peace. 1:30social time. 2:00 pm meeting. Traditions Cafe, 5th & Water.Info: Jody Tiller 451-6591 [email protected]

Wed March 19: Deadline for Olympia FORs April-May Newsletter: Mail or e-mail articles, news, calendar items,etc., before this date if possible, or slightly past this date forlate-breaking news. Contact Glen 491-9093 [email protected]

Wed March 19: Military draft? How would it work? Howcould you protect your rights? Conscientious Objection?Resistance? See listing for Wed Feb 6.

Fri March 21: Iraq Moratorium occurs on 3rd Friday ofeach month: See listing for Fri Feb 15.

Sun March 23: South Sound BuddhistPeace Fellowship hosts an open meeting.SSBPF includes members of the local Buddhistcommunity engaging in the Buddhist path ofright action in regard to working for peace,justice and social change. 3:30-5:00 pm. Loca-

tion & more info: Robert Lovitt 357-2825

[email protected] orwww.ssbpf.org

Thurs March 25: Death penalty abolition committeeof Olympia FOR meets at 7 pm in Tumwater. Everyonewho opposes the death penalty is invited to help strengthenthe movement to abolish this atrocity. Info and location:Chuck or Rozanne, 705-8520

Wed March 26: Olympia Movement for Justice andPeace (OMJP) meets from 7 to 9 pm. (See Wed Feb 13listing.)

Thurs-Sat March 27-29 and Thurs-Sat April 3-5: Dis- pute Resolution Center offers 40 hours of excellent

training to mediate disputes: Thursday times run 5:00-9:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday hours run 8:30 am to 5:30pm. $565. Limited scholarships are available. Info: Marijke van Roojen, DRC Training Manager 360-956-1155 [email protected]

Thurs April 3: Creative Nonviolence and Iraqs Hu-man FaceOlympia FORs April TV program featur-ing Kathy Kelly and Bert Sacks debuts today and runsevery Monday from 1:30 to 2:30 pm and every Thursdayfrom 9:00 to 10:00 pm through April 28 on TCTV cablechannel 22 within Thurston County. Info: Glen 491-9093

www.olyfor.org

Tues April 8: Restoring America Glen Andersonspeaks at 1:30 pm to the Democratic Study Group at Pano-rama City in Lacey. Info: 491-9093 [email protected]

Fri-Sat April 11-12: Immigration/labor/human rightsconference at The Evergreen State College will bring a vari-ety of workers together to explore issues and empowerment.Sponsor: TESCs Labor Center. Info: Juan Jos Bocanegra360-867-5524 [email protected]

Sat April 26: Procession of the Species: Enjoy thisamazing parade at 4:30 pm in downtown Olympia.www.procession.org


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OUT-OF-TOWN CALENDAROutside Thurston County

FOR-sponsored events have abefore them

Hundreds of events and activities (mostly in the Seattle area) arelisted at Jean Buskins calendar at www.scn.org/activism/calendar. Shell e-mail it to you regularly if you request it [email protected] and specify text and/or RTF format.

Every Saturday: Peace Vigil in Centralia: 12 noon to1 pm on the edge of Washington Park at Locust & Pearl indowntown Centralia. Sponsor: Fire Mountain FOR. Info:Stephen Barlow 360-736-8784 or June Butler 360-748-9658

Every Saturday: People for Peace Justice and Healing(PPJH) meets 10 am to 12 noon at Associated Ministries,1224 S. I St.,Tacoma to plan local peace activities.www.associatedministries.org/pages/directions.htm

Every Saturday: Peace Vigil in Tacoma: 12:30-1:30 pmin front of Borders Books at 38th & Steele. Sponsor: Unitedfor Peace of Pierce County, www.ufppc.org

Sat Feb 2: Global Warming Activist Workshop: Global warming is a huge, over- whelming issue. Many feelsomething should be done,but don't know what to do.

Today you can learn how totake action as a concernedcitizen and make a difference!

No experience is necessary to attend this workshop. Learnabout global warmings impacts and what you can do.Learn skills for lobbying and working with the media.Sponsors: East Lake Washington Audubon and the Cas-cade Chapter of the Sierra Club. 9:00 am to 3:00 pm atBastyr University, Kenmore (NE of Seattle). The cost isonly $15 for the all day workshop, including lunch and ma-

terials. A limited number of scholarships are available forthose with a financial need. Info and registration: 425-576-8805 or [email protected]

Sat Feb 2: Americas Response to Global Poverty A Public Forum: The worlds 191 nations have united tomake hunger and extreme poverty history. Many people are working hard on this. Tonights panel consists of Rep.Adam Smith (WA-9), sponsor of the Global Poverty Act of2007; Samuel Worthington, President of InterAction, our

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nations largest coalition of non-governmental organizationsfocused on global poverty; and Craig Nakagawa, Presidentof VillageReach, a Seattle-based NGO providing healthcarein developing countries. The moderator is Dave Ross fromKIRO radio. 6:00-8:00 pm at Town Hall, 8th and Seneca,Seattle. A $5 donation is suggested. Many high quality,respected sponsors, including Bread for the World, JubileeNorthwest, Lutheran Peace Fellowship, the ONE Cam-paign, RESULTS, UNA of Seattle, and the Puget SoundMillennium Goals Project. Info: [email protected]

Sat Feb 9: Nonviolent Peaceforce of Western Wash-ington plans activities for 2008: This ambitious organiza-tion that provides nonviolent accompaniment and otherservices in global areas of conflict also carries out a varietyof nonviolence trainings and other opportunities in our ownregion. Join with other nonviolent activists to review NPs2007 activities and plan what to do in Western Washingtonduring 2008. 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (with potluck lunch),

probably in the greater Seattle area. Info: David [email protected]

Sat Feb 9 (and every 2nd Saturday): Vigil for HumanRights at the NW Immigrant Detention Center: Com-munity to Community Development invites all social jus-tice, faith, labor and community groups to vigil peacefullyfrom 11 am to 4 pm on the second Saturday of each monthat the privately-run Northwest Detention Center in the in-dustrial area near Tacomas tide flats. As the US govern-ments Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)clamps down on immigrants,people are coming together

protect their human rights.Come with signs that showsupport for immigrant work-ers inside and outside thismodern day concentrationcamp. Consider bringingcoffee, water and bakedgoods or sandwiches forfamilies visiting their de-tained relatives inside. Stayand learn how to get in-

volved with the growing im-migrant rights network the

region! (From Olympia, go north on I-5 to Tacoma, takethe right-lane I-705 exit north, take the left lane exit towardCity Center and Tacoma Dome. Take the E 26th St. exit,turn right onto E 26th, turn left onto E D St., which be-comes E. 15th St. Turn right onto E. J St. and end at 1623E. J St.) Info: 360-381-0293 [email protected]

Sun Feb 10: Fire Mountain (Lewis County) FORmonthly meeting: 2:00 pm at the Centralia Timberland


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Library. Info: Larry Kerschner 360-291-3946 or June Butler360-748-9658

Fri Feb 15: "Not Forgotten:Leonard Peltier and the Denial ofJustice" Watch Michael Apted's1992 film "Incident at Oglala"and hear Tacomas expert ArthurMiller discuss the Leonard Peltiercase. 7:00 pm at King's Books, 218St. Helens Ave., just north of down-town Tacoma. Info: United forPeace o f P i e r ce Coun ty ,

www.ufppc.org

Sun Feb 17: Sister Jackie Hudson speaks on LivingNonviolence: Our Hope for the Future1:00-4:00 pmat Shoreline Librarys main meeting room, 345 NE 175th,Shoreline (north of Seattle). Sponsors: Ground Zero Cen-ter for Nonviolent Action and Lake Forest Park for Peace.Everyone is welcome. No fee or donation requested. Info:Karol or Glen Milner 206-365-7865 [email protected]

Sun Feb 17: Tacoma FORenjoys a 3:00 business meet-ing, 4:00 program, and 5:00 potluck at the Tacoma FriendsMeeting-House (Hillside Community Church), 2508 S 39thSt., Tacoma. Info: David Lambert 253-759-2280 or ViviBartron 253-572-4912

Sun Feb 17: Preventing a War on Iran SeattleFOR topic: Join the Seattle FORs monthly gathering (5pm finger-food potluck, 6 pm announcements, 6:30 - 8 pmprogram) at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church, 225 N

70th (on Phinney Ridge near Greenwood Ave N), Seattle.Free, but dona-tions will sup-port peace ac-tivism. Info:206-789-5565

Fri-Sun Feb 22-24: Nonviolent Conflict Interventiona Training for Trainers: The Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP)offers a one-day training to introduce general audiences toNonviolent Conflict Intervention. NPs Western Washing-ton chapter is seeking volunteers to learn this curriculumand serve as trainers to provide this workshop to commu-

nity groups throughout our region. Sign up now for theTraining for Trainers to be held in Seattle from Friday eve-ning the 22nd through Sunday the 24th in Seattle. Experttrainers who developed the Nonviolent Conflict Interven-tion curriculum will come from Detroit and Boston to leadthis workshop. You do NOT have to be an experiencedtrainer to take part in this training. The organizers ask thatyou be willing to provide (with others) at least 4 communitytrainings during the next year. The cost of the training is on

a sliding scale from $35 to $125 based on ability to pay.Meals will be provided. Info: [email protected]

Sun March 8: Fire Mountain (Lewis County)FOR monthly meeting: 2:00 pm at the Centralia

Timberland Library. Info: Larry Kerschner 360-291-3946 or June Butler 360-748-9658

Sat March 8 (and every 2nd Saturday): Vigil for Hu-man Rights at the NW Immigrant Detention Cen-ter: See description for Sat. Feb. 9.

Fri-Sun March 14-16: Untraining White LiberalRacism This thorough multi-session series contin-ues Sat-Sun April 12-13 and Sat-Sun May 3-4 (1:00-6:00 pm) to help white people who are motivated toinvestigate their white conditioning so they can be bet-ter allies for social justice. 2100 Building in SE SeattlesRainier Valley. The Untraining includes experientialexercises, journaling, readings, and group discussion. It

gets beyond the dichotomy of 'good white person' ver-sus 'bad racist' and helps whites find the white training

within ourselves. Pre-registration required. Slidingscale of $550 to $700. Info: Swan Keyes [email protected]

Sun March 16: Tacoma FOR enjoys a 3:00 pmbusiness meeting, 4:00 pm program, and 5:00 pm pot-luck. Tacoma Friends Meeting House (Hillside Com-munity Church), 2508 S. 39th St., Tacoma, just west ofBorders Bookstore on 38th St. near the Tacoma Mall.Info: David Lambert 253-759-2280 or Vivi Bartron 253-572-4912

Sun March 16: Seattle FOR: Join the SeattleFORs monthly gathering (5 pm finger-food potluck, 6pm announcements, 6:30 - 8 pm program) at Wood-land Park Presbyterian Church, 225 N 70th (on PhinneyRidge near Greenwood Ave N), Seattle. Free, but do-nations will support peace activism. Info: 206-789-5565

Sat March 22: Peace demonstration at Fort Lewis: will mark the 5th Anniversary of the Iraq War (3-20-03). Sponsor: Iraq Veterans Against the War. Lookfor publicity of other events that will be organized

around these dates.Wed-Wed April 2-9: 9th Annual White PrivilegeConference in Massachusetts. The theme "CriticalLiberation Praxis" will clarify, describe and create prac-tice/praxis that focuses on where we are going(liberation), rather than where we are coming from(oppression, racism) and on what we want(liberation), rather than on what we don't want (racism,oppression). Info:www.uccs.edu/-wpc/
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Wed April 9: Washington State Nonprofit Confer-ence: For the past 13 years this one-day conferencehas gathered nonprofit community leaders, supporters,and board members to explore how to strengthen thenonprofit sector. Connect with more than 500 non-profit and community leaders from a wide variety of

organizations and positions statewide. Enjoy 21 cut-ting edge sessions led by respected community leaders;open spaceroom; nationally renowned keynote speak-ers; more exhibitors and vendors; and the ever-famousfree latte cart! 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at MeydenbauerCenter, near I-405 in downtown Bellevue. Severalprominent sponsors. Register now. $135 before Feb.15 or $175 after. Info: [email protected], or 206-328-3836

Mid-April: The Dalai Lama is scheduled to speakin Seattle sometime between April 12and 15 at the Seeds of Compassion

Gathering. Tickets and info will bea v a i l a b l e s o o n a twww.seedsofcompassion.org

Tues April 22: Earth Day

Sat April 26: Living and WorkingCooperatively the Western Wash-

ington FOR Spring Assembly: Join with FOR folksand others in our region to explore issues and activismbased on nonviolence and cooperation. A great oppor-tunity for issue-based networking, information-sharing,and movement-building! Arrive 9:00-10:00 am. The

Spring Assembly starts promptly at 10:00 am and runsto 4:00 pm in West Seattle. Sliding scale around $15includes lunch. Carpooling from Olympia. Look forinformation by March 1 at www.OlyFOR.org andwww.scn.org/wwfor and in your March-April issue ofthe WWFORs Pacific Call newsletter. Info: 491-9093in Olympia or 206-789-5565 in Seattle.

Thurs-Sun July 3-6: Fellowship of Reconcilia-tions 50th Annual Regional Conference at Seabeckin Kitsap County

February-March 2008 Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation Newsletter

Documents

Transcript of February-March 2008 Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation Newsletter