Draft Minutes for May 11th UJP Planning Group Meeting
Attendees: Duncan McFarland (chair), Carol Coakley, Shelagh Foreman, Ann Glick, Cole Harrison, Marilyn Levin, Lois Mastrangelo (notes), Virginia Pratt, Paul Shannon
Brief discussion re death of Osama bin Laden and implications for peace movement.
General consensus: re-invigorate efforts for pull-out from Afghanistan.
May 16th program -- Middle East and North Africa: New Hopes and New Dangers
- Paul to chair:
o Fundraising pitch (to cover expenses)
o Make announcements
o Urge action:
§ Call White House to urge withdrawal from Afghanistan (we need resources for domestic needs)
§ Local initiative: contact State legislators re revenue bill
- 6pm setup: Ann, Shelagh, Marilyn, Paul and Lois
- Paul and/or Cole to bring projector
- Screen needed for Dr. Elkerm’s slideshow. Paul to check AFSC. Lois to contact Tony Palomba about borrowing his.
- Cookies and lemonade/apple juice to be served
- Registration table: event committee to determine who will collect money
- Literature table
- Phyllis’ books to be sold
- Updated notice, emphasizing Phyllis has just returned from Egypt and Jordan, to be sent to various listserves, including university radio stations and Egyptian Solidarity Group via Facebook, and delivered to Community Church and other locations
UJP endorsements:
- Memorial Day for Peace, sponsored by Veterans for Peace and Military Families Speak Out, Christopher Columbus Park, 1pm
- $25 contribution for making peace music video by Iraq Vets for Peace
- Bring the War $$ Home, region-wide forum, May 21, 1-3 pm, Boston Public Library
Report of Afghanistan-Pakistan Task Force: Cole
- Kerry Town Meeting: Afghanistan focus. Kerry said cost of war is unsustainable.
- May 23-27: National Week of Action
o National call-in: Obama needs to make pull-out decision a month in advance to allow time for implementation
- Task Force needs new members
- Planning another Pakistan event
25% Solution Task Force: Carol
- Flyering on tax day re taxes and military spending: 30 countries participated
- Plans for next year: Global Day of Action on Military Spending
Fall Conference
- Possible speakers:
o Waiting for final word from Chomsky (he’s agreed to speak 10/1)
o Kathy Kelly could do 9/24
o If Max Elbaum is unable to speak, he would send someone.
o Michael McPherson could do either date
o Bill Fletcher thinking about it
o Paul to ask Jeremy Scahill re either date
o Elaine Hagopian will consider speaking
o Medea Benjamin, depending on date
- 2 Plenaries: 3 speakers each, followed by Workshops
- Next meeting: decision on date (will be 10/1 since that’s the date Chomsky can make) and speakers
- Location: pursue BU, Tufts and MIT
UFPJ 2011 Plan of Action
- UFPJ back on sound financial footing
- Michael McPherson hired as full-time coordinator
- Supports integrating peace movement with domestic issues
- Member group survey to be completed at next UJP Planning Committee meeting
FBI Task Force: Marilyn
- Need to mobilize city-wide FBI group
- Newton Dialogues sponsoring evening on Islamophobia June 26th at Grace Church, Newton Corner
Post new comment