July 22, 2009

Fall Strategy Conference

The date will be Saturday, Sept 26.   Paul was asked to reserve the Friends Center.    We started to discuss the agenda.

As to the speaker, something on the economy or the military budget is a good possibility.   We will also check back next meeting to see what international developments may require attention.

The conference will clearly be concerned with building for the fall mobilization.

The structure discussion is to be resolved at the conference.

A panel of community groups discussing their successes and challenges is another possible topic.

Task force reports are also likely to be on the agenda, like the last two conferences.

October Mobilization

The first meeting of the organizing committee on 7/13 drew 22 people from UJP, Stop the Wars Coalition (STWC), and NEU organizers from Connecticut.   The planning committee members should have received the minutes already; they are also attached here.

While there was a suggestion to reuse an existing structure such as NEU to sponsor the mobilization, a number of co-sponsors and a new organizing committee is judged more realistic by most.  The mobilization can be co-sponsored by these 3 groups as well as others that join.  Marilyn pointed out that for a regional mobilization, some organizing meetings should be held on weekends.

The Afghanistan/Pakistan Task Force is leading UJP's participation in the mobilization.  Cole asked for UJP planning committee members to help with the various components of the action such as logistics, program, etc.

The dates endorsed by the organizing committee are between 10/17 and 10/18.   Unfortunately 10/17 conflicts with the Grassroots Technology Conference, 10/18 with the Peace Action fundraising concert.

Structure Discussion

Outreach is needed to remind P&J and community groups to review the structure proposal and appoint their representative.    UJP needs a legitimate structure so it can move forward.

It was agreed that we should hold a special conference call or meeting about structure prior to the strategy conference.

BDS

The I-P task force presented its proposal to endorse BDS.   (It's attached here)

At the educational meeting in May, we did not hear any disagreements with endorsing BDS.   There may have been nuances about how to apply it, but there seemed to be general suport for BDS itself.

The members of the planning committee tonight agreed that we support the proposal.   The I-P task force will circulate the proposal once more and it will be presented for final adoption at the next planning committee meeting.

Grassroots Technology Conference

Suren Moodliar requested UJP to co-sponsor this conference.   We decided that we will make a contribution, possibly in the range of $100.   Members are asked to read the materials, which were sent out last night, and it will come up again at the next PC meeting.

Next Meeting

The next planning committee meeting will be in three weeks, on August 12, 7pm at AFSC.