CURRENT NEWS FROM KNOW
 

August 6, 2007	Dear friends, This will be the last issue of NEWS FROM KNOW that we, Tom and Nancy, will edit. Five years ago, in September, 2002, we began collecting e-mail addresses at the Sunday and Tuesday vigils and sending out NEWS FROM KNOW, usually two or three times a month. Five years is enough. It is time for us to move on. We’re not leaving behind our concern with nonviolence; we are simply shifting and broadening our focus. We shall be putting up a web site on climate change, continuing our newsletter on habitat restoration, and starting a new newsletter on climate change and caring for the earth. KNOW has been an important part of our lives for these five years, and the peace movement in Kalamazoo for much, much longer. We appreciate your support, your friendship, your commitment. Thank you for keeping the faith. Next month, we’ll send out a fifth-anniversary letter from the two of us. And we’ll forward KNOW Action Alerts until someone else takes over the e-mail lists and KNOW develops a new procedure. Meanwhile, we hope you’ll visit the KNOW web site frequently and join the KNOW Yahoo Group to keep up with news from KNOW. Meanwhile, there's a lot of local and nationwide action and news in the following newsletter. Join the action! Peace be with you, Tom and Nancy +++++++++++++++++++++++++ AUGUST 6 & 9—DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE The horrors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 62 years ago, must not be forgotten. As the BULLETIN OF THE ATOMIC SCIENTISTS warns, the world still “stands on the brink of a second nuclear age.” Moreover, “Climate change now poses threats nearly as withering as those posed by nuclear weapons.” OPPOSE A NEW GENERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND A NEW GENERATION OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS. NO NEW NUKES! NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT AS CALLED FOR IN INTERNATIONAL TREATIES! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Monday, August 6, 12 pm to 1 pm W E L C O M E . H O M E . F R E D . U P T O N Stop Global Warming Celebration LOCATION: Fred Upton's Office, 157 South Kalamazoo Mall (meet outside on the sidewalk). Join community members at Rep. Upton’s office and tell him to stop global warming. It’s summer recess for Congress. We’re welcoming home the Congressman, and letting him know we’ve been feeling the heat here in SW Michigan. We’ll have a “Welcome Home” cake, along with a big incandescent light bulb filled with handwritten letters, postcards, and photos to show him how much we care about global warming. When he goes back to Washington, D.C., he’ll know we want him to act on global warming NOW! Rep. Upton is starting to hear our voices and feel the heat. Here in Michigan we’re seeing more dangerous heat waves in the summer, with serious drought affecting the agricultural sector, unpredictable winter weather, and increased pressure on the Great Lakes. Through Greenpeace’s Project Hot Seat and your conviction, Congress is waking up to see that action is required NOW, and Rep Upton needs to feel the heat and lead the change. We must start an "Energy Revolution" by promoting clean and renewable sources of energy, instead of dirty, dangerous sources like coal or nuclear power. Now let’s welcome home Rep. Upton back to SW Michigan and get him going on real solutions to global warming! SPONSOR: Greenpeace Project Hotseat. <www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/project-hot-seat-heating-up-co> INFO: justin.trezza@wdc.greenpeace.org or call 908-601-9100 ********** Tuesday, August 7, 7 p.m. A R C H B I S H O P . D E S M O N D . T U T U WMU's Miller Auditorium 1903 W. Michigan Ave. Desmond Tutu, recipient of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize, will share his thoughts on love, forgiveness, and a vision of hope for our time. A free event. SPONSOR: the Fetzer Institute: www.fetzer.org/rsvp/index.aspx/ ********** Saturday, September 1, 2007 The Campaign for the Department of Peace is having a Fundraiser Yard Sale! Bake Sale and Tabling for DoP, too! Front lawn of Skyridge Church of the Brethren 394 S. Drake Road in Kalamazoo (1/2 mile south of West Main and just south of the Post Office) Public hours: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Workers needed: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm Please contribute any general household items (no clothes) you think someone can use. The proceeds will greatly help DoP campaign efforts. Drop off your goodies at the Church the evening before the sale, or call Marilyn Eccles 269- 381-6207 for other alternatives. +++++++++++++++++++++++ EAT LOCAL, KALAMAZOO! ONE OF THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELVES, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE EARTH IS TO BUY AND EAT LOCAL: you strengthen the local community, eat better food, avoid the immense expenditure of energy and the contribution to global warming made by transporting your food over long distances (the average distance traveled by food on the American dinner table is 1500 miles) “Eat Local, Kalamazoo!” is a MONTH-LONG celebration of local foods, bringing together farmers, food workers, restaurateurs, students, teachers, merchants, food distributors, neighborhoods, community groups—anyone who eats! Throughout the month of September, the Eat Local Challenge will encourage Kalamazoo Community residents to purchase local foods. The many events taking place include: Sunday, September 9, 5:30 PM Harvest Dinner at Kirklin Farm Enjoy slow relaxed dining under the stars, on farm soil, with good company. Proceeds from this dinner benefit Slow Food and local food organizations. Call Food Dance for this reservation-only, sell-out event. 269.382.1888. Saturday, September 15 & 22, 7AM - 11AM Shop the Local Markets with Food Dance's Julie Stanley After picking the best of what's local from the Kalamazoo Farmers' Market and the Food Dance Market, Julie will do a cooking demo at 11 AM. Group size is limited, please call Food Dance for a reservation, 269.382.1888 Sunday, September 23, 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. SW Michigan Community Harvest Fest at Tillers International, Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. `Journalist Alisa Smith and her partner, writer J.B. MacKinnon, co-authors of PLENTY: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally (The 100 Mile Diet), will give the keynote address at the Harvest Fest. The fest is a celebration of a year's work and of the harvest. Sorghum is cooking in the evaporator, and the Tillers’ shops are busy with smithing and woodworking tasks. Watch as wheelwrights set a tire. Try your hand at plowing a furrow with a team of oxen. Take a hay ride, and enjoy the season with a walk along the Mill pond. Purchase sorghum, honey, pumpkins and other produce grown on the farm. Exhibits, information, food, and fun for the whole family. If you don’t know about TILLERS, go to www.tillersinternational.org. And join the celebration. For a map and directions, go to www.tillersinternational.org/about/map.html Monday, September 24 Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon will make an additional appearance at Kalamazoo College for a forum on social justice. Tuesday, September 25, 7:00 PM Meet the Authors: Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon, authors of PLENTY: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally (The 100 Mile Diet). Authors will give a public talk about the book with a book sale and signing to follow at Kalamazoo Public Library Central Branch - Van Deusen Room Wednesday, September 26 Why Local Still Matters in a Global Economy Thursday, September 27, 7:00-9:00 PM At Home in the World: Insights from Student Studies Abroad - Local Foods Around the Globe, at Kalamazoo Public Library Central Branch - Van Deusen Room. For more information, or to find out how you can get involved with Eat Local, Kalamazoo! contact Seema at seemajolly@gmail.com. Speaking of Eating Local, the KALAMAZOO FARMER’S MARKET will be open extra hours during the peak of the produce season: in addition to the regular hours, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7 am. to 2 p.m., the Market will be open TUESDAY EVENINGS from 3:30 to 7 p.m., from Aug. 7 to Sept. 11. The variety and quality of food available now at the Market is quite wonderful. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ September 14 - 21, 2007 The Declaration of Peace Days of Decision: "We The People Declare Peace!" A Week of Nationwide Coordinated Actions at Every Congressional Office Across the Country: Nonviolent Actions to End the Funding for the War on Iraq and Establish A Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq The U.S. War on Iraq Will Be At A Crossroads in September: + General Petraeus will deliver his “report” on the war. + Congress will face a decision on funding another year of war. We, the people, must set the agenda for a change in U.S. policy in Iraq. Therefore, The Declaration of Peace calls upon people across the country to take nonviolent action in September to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Building to the Days of Decision: Between Now and September 14th: + Lobby your members of Congress to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Ask them to pledge not to vote for more war funding and to support a real plan for peace: The Declaration of Peace campaign's nine point Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq. + Join or organize a delegation visit or town hall meeting with your Senators and Representative during the August recess. + Start organizing mid-September nonviolent action in your city. + Host a Nonviolent Action Training. During the Days of Decision -- September 14 - 21: + Declare Peace! by taking nonviolent action -- including nonviolent civil disobedience or other forms of creative, peaceful witness -- at Congressional offices or other sites anytime from Friday, September 14 through Friday, September 21, the International Day of Peace. These actions should include two important components: 1. A Public Declaration of Peace. Exhibit, Present, and Publicly sign the campaign's nine-point framework for a Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq. 2. Nonviolent actions to dramatically highlight the reality of the war. The Declaration of Peace is working with many other anti-war initiatives this summer and fall -- to consolidate our actions to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq. These initiatives include Occupation Project II (beginning August 6th); National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance (D.C. action - September 20th); The Iraq Moratorium (a monthly day of action beginning September 21st); No War, No Warming (October 21st -23rd); and Regional Mobilizations being planned by United for Peace and Justice and member groups (October 27th). Organize Locally ~ Coordinate Nationally The Declaration of Peace: http://declarationofpeace.org ++++++++++++++++++++++ NO WAR, NO WARMING—A CALL TO ACTION! for Justice, Peace and Clean Energy From October 21 to 23, 2007, join a global movement rising up against war and global warming by participating in a massive intervention in Washington DC or your own community. It is the USA’s addiction to oil that drove our country into war with Iraq and could fuel future wars with Iran. Climate Change threatens us with new conflicts over resources such as oil, land, and water. Additionally, the US Military is the largest single consumer of petroleum in the country, so as the military grows, so does our addiction to fossil fuels. We recognize this vicious cycle of resource wars and Climate Change and demand that our government take immediate action to bring our troops home and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. The US must immediately shift to a clean energy economy and end its addiction to oil, coal, natural gas and nuclear energy. Imagine if we shifted the billions of dollars being spent every month on war in Iraq to investment in energy conservation and good, safe jobs in a renewable, clean energy economy. Bring our troops home now and invest in green jobs to rebuild our communities! We Need to Take Immediate Action… STOP the war in Iraq and future resource wars by ending our addiction to fossil fuels. SHIFT government funding to rebuild New Orleans and all communities suffering from racism and corporate greed. GO green and promote environmental justice with new jobs in a clean energy economy Here’s What You Can Do: ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, WE WILL TAKE ACTION. Come to Washington, DC, the Nation’s Capitol, to speak truth to power! Join the following powerful actions so that we can have the greatest impact on U.S. and global policy makers. October 19 –20: The IMF and World Bank will be meeting in Washington DC and there is an international call for global justice actions. October 19-22: The Energy Action Coalition is gathering thousands of students for Power Shift, a student-run conference focused on climate change. October 21-23: No War, No Warming is calling for a massive intervention in Washington, DC, with solidarity actions around the US and internationally. On Sunday and Monday we will organize trainings for nonviolent direct action / civil disobedience and meet to plan and coordinate our actions. The intention of No War, No Warming is to hold Congress accountable; we will hold an intervention by taking over Capitol Hill on a day that Congress is in session. We will put our bodies on the line to say enough is enough. We will take positive action to make visible the cost of these failed government policies and to creatively manifest the world we know is possible. Until our Government representatives change course off the path of destruction, we have no choice but to get in the way. Some of us may gather in the intersections and set up windmills or solar panel blockades. Others may hold people’s assemblies in front of the doors or create a bicycle bloc in front of a parking garage. Actions may bring to light the cost of war and climate change through die-ins or cough-ins. Others may sit in silent prayer, or form a chorus of resistance in the streets. Across the country and world the message of No War, No Warming may be taken to Federal Buildings, US embassies and directly to the offices of corporate profiteers. Form a group and make plans to send some folks to DC or organize an action at home! Let’s show the American people, our government and the world that we are taking immediate action to STOP this war and break our addiction to fossil fuels, SHIFT funding to support a sustainable economy and GO green, just and renewable! Join the Intervention! Another World is Possible. It is up to us to make it happen. www.NoWarNoWarming.org +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The INTERNATIONAL FORUM on GLOBALIZATION, INSTITUTE for POLICY STUDIES, and GLOBAL PROJECT on ECONOMIC TRANSITIONS Announce A T E A C H - I N -- Sept. 14 - 16 , 2007 G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n U n i v e r s i t y , W a s h i n g t o n , D C. Confronting the Triple Crisis: C L I M A T E C H A N G E P E A K O I L (The End of the Era of Cheap Energy) G L O B A L R E S O U R C E D E P L E T I O N (And Species Extinction ) Toward an International Movement for Systemic Change: New Economies of Sustainability, Equity, Sufficiency & Peace 60 SPEAKERS AND 20 WORKSHOPS THE SPECTACULAR, INTERNATIONAL LIST OF CONFIRMED SPEAKERS INCLUDES: Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, Martin Khor, Winona LaDuke, David Korten, John Cavanagh, Jerry Mander, Maude Barlow, Wolfgang Sachs, Wes Jackson, Ross Gelbspan, Frances Moore Lappe, Helena Norberg-Hodge, David Suzuki, David Pimentel, John Passacantando, Randy Hayes, Anne Leonard, & many more. REGISTRATION FOR THE TEACH-IN: $35 FOR ALL THREE DAYS, $20 FOR SENIORS, STUDENTS, AND LOW INCOME. TICKETS & INFORMATION: INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON GLOBALIZATION 415-561-7650 WWW.IFG.ORG ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CODE PINK Campaigns for PEACE WITH IRAN The U.K. Guardian recently reported that Dick Cheney is winning the battle to push an attack on Iran. Neo-cons know this could be their last gasp and are gunning hard to move forward with an assault. We have seen what even one voice can do as we witnessed and supported CODEPINK hunger striker Leslie Angeline's efforts to prevent war in Iran, ultimately leading to a meeting with war proponent Senator Lieberman. We have seen what small groups can accomplish, too, as we met up with young Iranians bicycling around the US and Europe for peace. Here’s what you can do today: * Get your city to pass a resolution for diplomacy, not war, with Iran. So far, only three cities have passed such resolutions. Let's show a groundswell of support by passing these resolutions all over the country. * Sign our statement calling for peace with Iran and get your friends to sign up. * Join a Citizens Diplomacy tour to Iran. You can travel to Iran with our sister organization Global Exchange to forge your own people-to-people ties and come back speaking out for peace. * Bring an Iranian speaker to your community, church, school: One of the best ways to build support for peace with Iran is for people to meet and learn from Iranians themselves. * For more great ideas, visit Code Pink’s Prevent War with Iran page. If you'd like to help organize this campaign for peace with Iran, contact iran@codepinkalert.org +++++++++++++++++++++++ Deader Than Ever: Biofuels could contribute to Gulf of Mexico dead zone Still think corn-based biofuels will save the world? Here's another piece of the no-they-won't puzzle: Researchers say more intensive farming of more land in the Midwestern U.S. -- in part a result of the push for more corn production -- could contribute to the largest-ever "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico this summer. The zone is created when fertilizer and other runoff find their way down the Mississippi River and into the gulf, encouraging algae to grow. The algae's decay process sucks up all the available oxygen, leaving none for anything else. Last year's dead zone was 6,662 square miles; scientists modeling the zone for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say this year's could be as big as 8,500 square miles. Source: BBC News, 18 Jul 2007 ++++++++++++++++++++++++ From Oxfam International Alarming humanitarian crisis in Iraq Oxfam’s new survey of conditions in Iraq recognises that armed conflict is the greatest problem facing Iraqis, but finds a population "increasingly threatened by disease and malnutrition". The report suggests that 70% of Iraq's 26.5 million population are without adequate water supplies, compared to 50% prior to the invasion. Only 20% have access to effective sanitation. Nearly 30% of children are malnourished, a sharp increase on the situation four years ago. Some 15% of Iraqis regularly cannot afford to eat. The report also said 92% of Iraq's children suffered from learning problems. It found that more than two million people have been displaced inside the country, while a further two million have fled to neighbouring countries. Many are living in dire poverty. "Basic services, ruined by years of war and sanctions, cannot meet the needs of the Iraqi people," the director of Oxfam International, Jeremy Hobbs, said. Recent reports indicate that virtually the entire power grid in Iraq could collapse at any time. Widespread blackouts have increased in recent weeks. ********************************** INTERNATIONAL ANSWER AND COALITION CALL FOR MASSIVE MARCH ON D.C. SEPTEMBER 15 The September 15 March on Washington DC will be taking the anti-war movement to a new level. These will be Days of Decision as General David Petraeus issues the Pentagon and White House report on September 15 insisting that the war must drag on for years to come. The September 15 Coalition, initiated by ANSWER, is organizing people from all over the country to descend on Washington at that critical moment. Iraq war veterans and their families, as well as active duty U.S. servicemembers, will form a large front contingent of the demonstration. Following a permitted march they will lead a large scale Die-In of thousands of people who will dramatically symbolize all those who have fallen in the Iraq war. This part of the demonstration will be a civil disobedience action and those participating will be prepared to risk arrest. ALL MARCHERS will have the option of participating only in the permitted march and rally. The mass civil disobedience action will be led by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). The demonstration will be addressed by Cindy Sheehan; Malik Rahim of Common Ground Collective in New Orleans; Ramsey Clark; Mahdi Bray of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation; Mounzer Sleiman of the National Council of Arab Americans; Jonathan Hutto of Appeal for Redress; IVAW leaders, including Garett Reppenhagen, Adam Kokesh, Liam Madden; Tina Richards, and others. http://www.answercoalition.org/ +++++++++++++++++++ OUT OF IRAQ NEWSPAPER AD FROM KNOW Kalamazoo Non-Violent Opponents of War is planning to run an ad in the Kalamazoo Gazette and St. Joseph Herald Palladium on September 9, 2007. The hope is to have these ads show the names of 1500 individuals and 20 organizations and to raise $12,000+ to pay for newspaper space. A signatory need not be a registered voter. Residents of MI 6th Congressional District are preferred. There are no age restrictions except those parents impose on their children. An $8.00 contribution per signature is suggested. Some can give more, others less. It will balance out. How to participate by e-mail: Go to http://www.kzoo4peace.org/ There you will see “Out of Iraq. Sign the petition now.” Make a contribution thru paypal online then send an email to Steve Senesi stevesenesi@charter.net confirming with him that you paid online. Postal Mail: Write a check made out to KNOW and send to Joe Gump, 45511 CR 380; Bloomingdale, MI 49026 For questions about this action or KNOW, contact Steve Senesi, 269-998-1524 daytime or 269-343-3875 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Michigan Peace & Environmental Organizations Oppose Permits for BP, Urge Boycott Both the Michigan Peace Network and Environment Michigan are opposing the new permit for BP (British Petroleum) to increase dumping of toxic materials in Lake Michigan. Despite citizen and organizational opposition, the EPA has declined to revoke the permit. BP (British Petroleum) has recently received approval from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to increase its dumping of ammonia into Lake Michigan by more than 50 percent. This would put more than 1400 additional pounds of ammonia into the lake each day, on top of what BP dumps already. Also, BP would be allowed to dump 5000 additional pounds of toxic sludge into the lake every day. This is the first time in 40 years that any corporation has gotten an exemption from regulations that protect Lake Michigan water. (BP is also seeking a variance to permit an increase in the plant’s emissions that contribute to air pollution.) You may sign Environment Michigan’s petition to the EPA urging them to stop BP's permit at https://www.environmentmichigan.org/action/protect-lake-michigan/petition-epa?id4=ES. Individuals can support a boycott of British Petroleum by clicking here: http://www.michiganpeacenetwork.org/boycotts/index.php?bid=1#signatures. The boycott is supported by CITIZENS FOR LAKE SAFETY, which provides the following information: Ammonia is a nutrient for algae, so an increase in ammonia will create algae blooms that choke off the oxygen that the fish in the lake need to survive. The plant's sludge is chock-full of concentrated mercury, selenium, and other toxic heavy metals. Fresh water is a precious resource. The additional dumping would be done at BP’s one-hundred-year old oil refinery just over the border from Chicago in Whiting, Indiana, where BP is expanding that refinery's capacity. BP and other petrochemical giants have, in recent years, shown record profits. BP has the money to clean up its discharge, and the technology is available and proven. For more information, see www.citizensforlakesafety.org ++++++++++++++++++++++++ SIGNS OF HOPE (Plus a Few Signs to the Contrary) These days, we find many of our signs of hope in the actions of local governments and, especially, in communities of people coming together for a common purpose, to help each other at the same time they help the earth. Go Green: "Cool Counties" Lead the Way Counties from across the country have joined the Sierra Club in the announcement of a new Cool Counties initiative to reduce global warming emissions. The counties -- led by King County, WA, Fairfax County, VA, and Nassau County, NY, pledge to reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050 -- an achievable 2 percent a year. The counties are urging the federal government to follow their lead and fix our badly broken energy policy. _____________________________ Cities Say No to Plastic Bags & Bottles San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have issued executive orders prohibiting the use of city money to buy bottled water, and the Ann Arbor City Council has approved a measure calling for all city events to be bottled-water-free. Americans spend $10.8 billion dollars annually for 8.25 billion gallons of bottled water, most of which is domestic and is merely tap water. More than 75% of the billions of soft plastic bottles used every year for water do not get recycled’ they end up in landfills or, worse yet, in surface waters, including the ocean. 80% of the plastic in the ocean originates from land, not from ships. Wave action breaks down plastic into microscopic particles of plastic, which now outweighs phytoplankton 6 to 1 in the Northern Pacific gyre. The toll on sea creatures is incalculable. And there is no sign that any of the plastic is biodegrading; it merely breaks and grinds into smaller and smaller particles. Even so-called “biodegradable” polymers don’t go away; they just break up. Except for a small amount that’s been incinerated, virtually every bit of plastic manufactured in the last fifty years is still around, somewhere. Why aren’t the landfills overflowing? One reason is that a tremendous amount of the plastic winds up in “ocean-fills,” the great slowly whirling gyres that collect surface debris, like the Northern Pacific gyre, a 10-million-square-mile dump. Plastic bottles themselves contain toxic materials. Soft plastic leaches out chemicals when exposed to heat (such as in direct sunlight or left in your car on warm days), releasing phthalates, which contribute to infertility and breast and ovarian cancer. The older the bottle, the more it releases. Finally, the use of petrochemicals in manufacturing the bottles and transporting the water (1.5 billion gallons of fuel oil per year for transport, plus another 1.5 billion BARRELS of oil for the bottles) is a major contributor to global warming. It is dangerous to your health to re-use soft plastic bottles (#1). It is dangerous to the planet’s health to drink bottled water. Books and articles paraphrased and cited in this article include: Alan Weisman, “Polymers Are Forever,” in THE WORLD WITHOUT US (2007), pp. 112-128.. Greg Horn, LIVING GREEN (2006), pp. 40-43 Stevenson Swanson, “Advocates Hope to Turn Tide Against Bottled Water,” CHICAGO TRIBUNE, July 22, 2007, pp. 1, 12. “In Praise of Tap Water,” a NY TIMES editorial, Aug. 1, 2007, p. A22. _____________________ Department of Peace campaign is growing. Two additional legislative co-sponsors have recently agreed to support House Resolution 808 to establish a Department of Peace. You can help the DoP campaign by calling Rep. John Larson of Connecticut (202-225-2265) and Rep. Fortney Stark of California (202-225-5065) to thank them for supporting this important endeavor. The total number of sponsors for HR 808 is now at 68, the most the bill has garnered at this point in a legislative session. The city commission of Providence, RI, is the most recent community government group to support creation of a DoP. The vote by city commissioners on July 17, 2007, was unanimous. Providence joins San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Cambridge, Newark and other city, town and tribal councils around the country who have supported this effort to place a Secretary of Peace at the President's Cabinet table and the paradigm of peace building and nonviolence within the federal government. ___________________________________________ Gaviotas Finds How to Restore Rainforest In the Colombian Orinoco, Paolo Lugari and the community he founded, Gaviotas, have confounded the academic sceptics by regenerating thousands of hectares of rainforest from barren, acidic soil. In so doing, they’ve provided drinking water and jobs for the local population, jobs, produced millions of litres of biodiesel fuel, wood and wood pulp from renewable resources, and achieved remarkable biodiversity and carbon sequestration of up to 18 tons per hectare per year. The Gaviotas community is an oasis of energy independence and peace in an area where poverty and violence have seemed endemic. The ultimate goal is expansion of the project to 100,000 hectares, and sustainable livelihood for a population of millions of people. Thus, Gaviotas provides hope for what many scientists believed to be impossible: regeneration, in no more than a couple of decades, of devastated rainforest and sustainable use thereafter. Unfortunately, elsewhere, Orinocan and Amazonian rainforest is still disappearing, as it is slashed and burned for soybeans and other crops. Scientists warn that the Amazonian rainforest may be nearing the tipping point when, even if human beings stop destroying it, it will continue to destroy itself, with dire consequences for the climate of the entire planet. To learn more about the Gaviotas community and its methods, see the following: Alan Weisman, GAVIOTAS: A Village to Reinvent the World (1998) Gunter Pauli, “Rainforest Renaissance,” RESURGENCE, July/Aug., 2007, pp. 22-23. For possible consequences of destruction of the rainforest, see Fred Pearce, WITH SPEED AND VIOLENCE: Why Scientists Fear Tipping Points in Climate Change (2007), esp. pp. 63-67. ________________________________ WAR RESISTERS LEAGUE HONORS CCR The 2007 Peace Award from WRL will go to the Center for Constitutional Rights and The Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition for “TAKING ON THE TORTURERS.” If you’re not familiar with the courageous, crucially important work of the CCR, please take the time to go to www.ccr-ny.org +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Let everything give way to this. . . . Vote for no one who says “It can’t be done.” Vote only for those who declare “It shall be done.” --Alfred Russel Wallace, MAN’S PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE (1903), quoted in Tim Flannery, THE WEATHERMAKERS (2005), p. 296. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PEACE BE WITH YOU, Tom and Nancy, for KNOW
July 6, 2007	SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2007, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. SOS—END THE ASSAULT ON MOTHER EARTH Some of us have been lamenting the lack of any “Friends of Live Earth” gathering in Kalamazoo. Here it is, an invitation to all from Justin Trezza, the Kalamazoo organizer for Greenpeace USA’s PROJECT HOTSEAT, a nationwide campaign to persuade key Congressional Representatives to become leaders in the struggle to limit the effects of climate change. “Come all and celebrate the potential for a more hopeful and promising future. Now is the time for change and that can only be done if we come together and discuss. “Sit back on the grass with a glass of wine or fresh squeezed juice as we watch the concert of a lifetime and discuss how we as citizens can change our nation's addiction to fossil fuels. “Due to last minute planning on planners’ part we would like this event to be a potluck, so please feel free to bring whatever you like.” Time: Saturday, July 7 at 6:00 PM Duration: 3 hours Host: Justin Trezza Contact Phone: 908-601-9100 Location: Justin's Place), 1215 Wells Pl., Kalamazoo, MI 49001 Directions: From downtown Kalamazoo head south on Portage and make a left on Lake St. Take Lake about 3 blocks and make a right on James St and then an immediate left on Wells Pl. Look for the house with the Stop Global Warming lawn sign. Please Signup for 'End The Assault on Mother Earth' at the following web site: http:// /page/event/detail/4vx2j Editors’ notes: 1. If you haven’t met Justin or learned about Project Hot Seat, you should. Sign up for the event. Make the commitment for action. (See article later in this letter regarding the LIVE EARTH PLEDGE.) 2. We know of at least one other event in Kalamazoo that is not advertised because of limited capacity. No doubt there are others. ************************************* SATURDAY, JULY 14, NOON TO 8 p.m. 5th Annual Diversity Celebration of Kalamazoo Mayor's Riverfront Park (251 Mills St. in Kalamazoo) FREE ADMISSION Food Vendors Include: Dragon Inn, Rasa Ria, Las Juanitas, Gallagher's, Cynthia Tyson, Shawarma King, and more... Organizations Include: PeaceJam Foundation, Department of Peace, League of Women Voters, Michigan Festival of Sacred Music, Borgess Health, and many more... Activities Include: YMCA-Sponsored games for children, Children's Reading Corner, Henna Tattoos, Cultural Booths featuring many nations, World Trade Booth featuring items for sale from around the globe, etc... Performances throughout the day by: Mike & The Elastic Waste Band, Chinese Lion Dance, Dunuya Drum & Dance, Intercontinental Dance Troupe (Polynesian), Muslim Children's Choir, Tap Dancers, Bhangra Dance Troupe (Punjabi), Mariachi Singer, Native American Storyteller, Salsa Dancers, Ujima Drum & Dance, Indo-American Dance Team, Geno Hinton Band, Yoroka SimbaJahi Reggae Band, Cathay Dance Group, Irish Dance, Dai Dance, and more! Founded in the summer of 2001 as an Edison Neighborhood block party by one of Kalamazoo's City Commissioners, David Juarez, the Ethnic Diversity Celebration is a festival that celebrates the various ethnicities that make up the City of Kalamazoo. The Celebration is designed to enhance race relations, promote unity as well as economic growth, and build social capital within the Kalamazoo community. Celebrating together is a beginning; working together is progress; creating a unified future is success. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEWS FROM KNOW’S GOOD FRIEND, AMOLIA STAR MOORE (Amolia recently graduated from Western. She’s been the director of the Swords Into Plowshares Peace Center at the Wesley Foundation and very active with Progressive Community Alliance and in the peace and justice community.) Dear friends, THANKS!!! I have enjoyed the support of our tight knit Kalamazoo community for 5 challenging, rewarding, and joyful years. I am so thankful and forever indebted to all of you. I have been blessed to share this time in my life with you and will cherish these memories as I open an adventurous new chapter of life. I am about to embark on a learning, loving, living, traveling adventure. In a couple weeks I will board a plane to México City (D.F.), second largest city on the planet. I am set up for one month of working/sharing/learning on an organic farm in Puebla, MX, which is 70 miles (110 km) south east of D.F. After this my travel plan broadens including places as far north as Querétaro, with a projected destination of Chiapas in southern MX. If the time is right, I may slip down into Central America as well. I intend to continue offering what time and energy I have to support local, regional, and global efforts toward compassion and peace where- ever I am. I also intend to absorb and learn as much as possible in order to bring these lessons and gifts home. COMMUNICATE W/ME: I will attempt to verbalize and document my experiences on a LiveJournal page, which can be found here: http://mexico-mio.livejournal.com/ I’ll continue to use this same email address and will reply when possible. amoliastar@yahoo.com Kalamazoo will always be my home. Thanks, Peace be with you, Your sister in solidarity and struggle, Amolia Star Moore +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEWS BITS FROM KNOW Europeans See US as Threat to Peace By Daniel Dombey and Stanley Pignal The Financial Times UK, 1 July 2007 Europeans consistently regard the U.S. as the biggest threat to world stability, a new poll reveals on Monday. A survey carried out in June by Harris Research for the Financial Times shows that 32 per cent of respondents in five European countries regard the U.S. as a bigger threat than any other state. In the United States itself, North Korea and Iran are seen as the biggest risks. However, the youngest U.S. respondents share the Europeans' view that the U.S. is the biggest threat, with 35 per cent of American 16- to 24-year-olds identifying it as the chief danger to stability. Inhabitants of Spain are most concerned about the US, with 46 per cent of respondents naming America as the biggest threat. European poll respondents are increasingly concerned about China, which 19 per cent perceive as the biggest threat. Meanwhile, 17 per cent identify Iran as the biggest threat, 11 per cent Iraq and 9 per cent North Korea. Only 5 per cent single out Russia, despite increased tensions between Moscow and the west. ___________________________ BUSH HOLDS UP ISRAEL AS MODEL FOR IRAQ By JENNIFER LOVEN Associated Press Writer NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) - President Bush held up Israel as a model for defining success in Iraq, saying Thursday that the goal of the U.S. mission there is not eliminating attacks but enabling a democracy that can function despite continuing violence. With his Iraq policies under increasing fire from the American public and lawmakers from both parties, Bush went to the U.S. Naval War College to declare progress. . . . ++++++++++++++++++++++ OURS IS THE AGE OF DISPLACEMENT & DISAPPEARANCE An Editorial As many as four and a half million Iraqis have now become refugees, displaced from their homes. Jordan and Syria are now home to almost one million Iraqis. Tens of thousands have fled to Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Europe. Fifty thousand more leave their homes every month. Adelie penguins are being displaced from their homes in Antarctica as the West Antarctic sheet shrinks and thins, and the species is in danger of extinction. All over the globe, species are on the move, displaced by a human assault on the earth: by development, habitat and resource expropriation, and global warming. We are in the midst of the Sixth Great Extinction of Species, the most rapid and most devastating in 63 million years. I am struck by a passage in a book I am currently reading: John Berger, SELECTED ESSAYS, 2001. In a 1990 essay entitled “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye,” Berger writes as follows: “[In the last hundred years] people all over the world have travelled on a scale that is unprecedented since the establishment of the first towns, when the nomads became sedentary. One might immediately think of tourism: business trips too, for the world market depends upn a continual exchange of products and labour. But, mostly, the travelling has been done under coercion. Displacements of whole populations. Refugees from famine or war. Wave after wave of emigrants, emigrating for either political or economic reasons but emigrating for survival. Ours is the century of enforced travel. I would go further and say that ours is the century of disappearances. The century of people helplessly seeing others, who were close to them, disappear over the horizon. ‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’—as immortalized by John Coltrane.” I would go even further than Berger. We are also saying goodbye to countless species that have accompanied us on this immense journey of evolution. Perhaps, in the future, most of us will be, in some real sense, refugees—assuming we can move fast enough and far enough. The choices are more limited every day. We are under compulsion. Humankind’s war on nature must end; war itself is obsolete; we must change the way we live. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SIGNS OF HOPE We note Robert Weir and Department of Peace activists at many events these days. They seem not to miss an opportunity to distribute information, gather names, get signatures on petitions, mingle with people. The DoP campaign is gathering strength and momentum. Congratulations to Bob and to all the faithful DoP organizers and supporters. You help to give us hope. See www.thepeacealliance.org _________________________________ SEN. HARRY REID and REP. NANCY PELOSI have both signed the LIVE EARTH PLEDGE, thus committing themselves to work for a 90% reduction in carbon emissions within the next generation. Who knows exactly what signing the pledge means, especially for a politician? But consider: a year ago, only George Monbiot was arguing that a 90% reduction was achievable in one generation; a year ago, Reid and Pelosi would not and could not have signed the pledge. Awareness and pressure have grown exponentially in just one year. That is a SIGN OF HOPE. ____________________ Norway has pledged a 100% REDUCTION IN CARBON EMISSIONS by 2050. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DATES IN HISTORY JULY 8, 1777—230 years ago The newly formed state of Vermont, which broke away from New York, abolished slavery outright in its constitution, adopted July 8, 1777. The relevant section is Chapter I, subtitled "A DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE STATE OF VERMONT" I. THAT all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and unalienable rights, amongst which are the enjoying and defending life and liberty; acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety. Therefore, no male person, born in this country, or brought from over sea, ought to be holden by law, to serve any person, as a servant, slave or apprentice, after he arrives to the age of twenty-one Years, nor female, in like manner, after she arrives to the age of eighteen years, unless they are bound by their own consent, after they arrive to such age, or bound by law, for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like. After declaring its independence, Vermont existed as a free republic known as the Commonwealth of Vermont. It was admitted to the union in 1791, with a state constitution that also contained the slavery ban. The 1777 constitution entitles Vermont to claim to be the first U.S. state to have abolished slavery. There is now a quite serious movement in Vermont to secede from the Union and to establish the “Second Vermont Republic.” Leaders and supporters include some very interesting writers and thinkers on nonviolence and “decentralism,” including Wendell Berry, Thomas H. Naylor (co-author of AFFLUENZA), and Kirkpatrick Sale (author of, most recently, AFTER EDEN: THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN DOMINATION, a very challenging book). If you’re intrigued, go to www.vtcommons.org +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ AMERICANS AGAINST THE ESCALATION IN IRAQ held its first event in a three-month campaign to persuade Fred Upton to support withdrawal from Iraq when the September “re-evaluation” comes up. Billed as the IRAQ SUMMER KICKOFF!, the July 5th event involved a protest gathering in front of Upton’s office in St. Joseph. WSBT-TV, South Bend, covered the event. Here’s an excerpt from their coverage: “One group plans to protest at lawmakers’ offices to stop the war in Iraq. They began protesting Thursday outside Michigan Congressman Fred Upton's office. It was a small group Thursday, but members believe more will join their effort to put pressure on Congress as the summer goes on.” THE MESSAGE: “THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT WANT THE WAR IN IRAQ TO END!” FOR INFORMATION ON AAEI and its campaign, visit the website at www.noiraqescalation.org. For information on how you can help in southwest Michigan, call Joe Hawver at (202)425-0892 (the Washington # is a cell phone—Joe is available locally until September). Or, email him at michigan8@iraqsummer.org Joe Hawver, Field Organizer, Michigan Congressional District 6, Americans Against the Escalation In Iraq ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Saturday, July 30, 6 pm FOOD NOT BOMBS 620 Potter St. A couple of local folks have scheduled an exploratory meeting for a Kalamazoo Food Not Bombs chapter. They will be gauging potential interest, and hope to lay the groundwork for FNB action in the near future. Please bring friends and ideas! Food Not Bombs is dedicated to the principles of nonviolence and to providing free vegetarian food and literature to anyone without restriction. Each group is autonomous, has no leaders and strives to make decisions by consensus. Food Not Bombs is one of the fastest growing revolutionary movements and is gaining momentum throughout the world. There are hundreds of autonomous chapters sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people and protesting war and poverty. Food Not Bombs is not a charity. This energetic grassroots movement is active throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Food Not Bombs organizes for peace and an end to the occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. For over 25 years the movement has worked to end hunger and has supported actions to stop the globalization of the economy, restrictions to the movements of people, end exploitation and the destruction of the earth. MORE INFO: on the national movement at http://www.foodnotbombs.net/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement Spreads Across Region and Nation The U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement was signed by Portage Mayor Pete Strazdas on Tuesday, May 15, at a public forum on green building at the Portage District Library. It was not voted on by the Council. He signed it as an individual mayor. I was, however, personally assured, just this week, by Ed Sackley, member of the Portage City Council and manager for U.S. Rep. Fred Upton’s Kalamazoo office of the 6th Congressional District, that the Portage Mayor’s signature is not supported by any member of the Portage Council, that the “Agreement” has no power whatsoever to influence city policy, and that Portage (unlike Kalamazoo) does not concern itself with such things as the Patriot Act, same-sex marriage, and global warming that are none of its business. Notwithstanding Sackley’s vehement disclaimer, climate change does appear to be a growing concern among cities, states, and other governmental units across the nation. Almost 600 U.S. mayors, including 15 mayors of Michigan cities, have signed the agreement, pledging their cities to meet or exceed the CO2 reduction stipulated by the Kyoto protocol. Signatories include Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, Holland, and Sturgis. The Kalamazoo City Council approved Mayor Hannah McKinney’s becoming a signatory, but for whatever reason Kalamazoo is still NOT included in the latest updated list of Michigan cities. In other regional news, Grand Rapids has been awarded a very high honor: it’s the first city in the United States and only the second in North America (Toronto, Canada, was the first) to be distinguished as a Regional Center of Expertise by the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies for its excellent practices regarding sustainability and environmental education. GR Mayor George Heartwell’s Community Sustainability Partnership, with strong support from dozens of organizations including the West Michigan Environmental Action Council, is an outstanding example of what UNU/IAS lauds as “a network of . . . organizations aiming to deliver education for sustainable development to a region/local community.” Progress continues on the state level as well. This week, Hawaii became the second state to pass a statewide cap on global warming pollution. And New Jersey will become the third state to cap pollution statewide when Governor Jon Corzine signs the Global Warming Response Act. I note that Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom we might have thought an unlikely environmental champion a few years ago, has just made the tiptop of the GRIST environmental blog’s list of 15 top “Green politicians” in the world. Wangari Maathai, of Kenya, is #2. Mayors on the list include Greg Nickels of Seattle, Rocky Anderson of Salt Lake City, and Ken Livingston of London, England. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg fell into the almost-but-not-quite-top-15 category. For the full list see www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/06/26/politicians/ --Tom Small +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ “Our problems stem from our acceptance of this filthy, rotten system.” --Dorothy Day “Without a global revolution in the sphere of human consciousness, nothing will change for the better in the sphere of our Being as humans, and the catastrophe toward which this world is headed, whether it be ecological, social, demographic or a general breakdown of civilization will be unavoidable.” --Vaclav Havel, in an address to the U.S. Congress, 1990. +++++++++++++++++++ Peace be with you, Tom and Nancy, for KNOW
June 8, 2007	Dear friends, On TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2007, the ACLU, Amnesty International, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and National Religious Campaign Against Torture will bring thousands of activists to Washington, D.C., to rally and meet with legislators to urge an end to torture and the restoration of habeas corpus – the right to challenge one’s detention. When Congress passed the Bush-sponsored Military Commissions Act last September, people around the country were shocked that our government would try an end-run around the U.S. Supreme Court to prohibit detainees in Guantanamo Bay and other U.S. detention facilities around the globe from being able to challenge their detention in court. The Military Commissions Act also allows the president to make up his own rules on what is torture and abuse, instead of simply following the rules in the Geneva Conventions. The ACLU of Michigan is organizing a bus trip to Washington D.C. as well as coordinating a presence outside all six offices of Senator Debbie Stabenow, who voted in favor of the Military Commissions Act. Although Senator Stabenow has since said she will support the restoration of habeas corpus and an end to torture, we feel it is critically important that she continues to hear from constituents throughout Michigan that her vote was unacceptable and that she must do everything in her power to fix this draconian law. Some groups will conduct prayer vigils at noon on June 26th, while others plan to dress in orange to symbolize the Guantanamo detainees. There is plenty of room for creativity and people from all walks of life. We invite you and your organization to participate. More information about the Day of Action to Restore Law and Justice can be found at www.juneaction.org. Also from Mary Bejian, Field Director, ACLU of Michigan, 60 W. Hancock, Detroit, MI 48201. Tel. (313) 578-6817. *************************************** WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 8:30 P.M. Be-in-the-KNOW Films presents Who Killed The Electric Car? Kraftbrau, 402 E. Kalamazoo Ave It was among the fastest, most efficient production cars ever built. It ran on electricity, produced no emissions, and catapulted American technology to the forefront of the automotive industry. The lucky few who drove it never wanted to give it up. So why did General Motors crush its fleet of EV1 electric vehicles in the Arizona desert? WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? chronicles the life and mysterious death of the GM EV1, examining its cultural and economic ripple effects and how they reverberated through the halls of government and big business. The event is free, open to the public, and co-sponsored by the Swords Into Plowshares Peace Center and K.N.O.W. For more info, see www.beintheknowfilms.org ********************************** JUNE 27-JULY 1 US SOCIAL FORUM - Another US is Necessary! Thousands of organizers, activists and radical thinkers will gather at the first ever US Social Forum, in Atlanta, GA. A principal member of the organizing committee for USSF is the American Friends Service Committee. United for Peace and Justice is also an organizer and strong supporter of USSF. You need to be there! In fact, there are a lot of ways you can be there: 1. Come to the Forum! (the best way) Join the caravans of people coming from all over the country and witness the unveiling of the American movement for real change. There will be workshops on every aspect of the movement you could wish to explore, discussions with cutting edge thinkers, food and merchandise from socially responsible vendors, a soccer tournament, and a youth program. 2. Support the Forum! Give financial support to organizations participating in the forum’s workshops. For instance, The Ruckus Society is bringing delegations from both the Indigenous Peoples' Power Project and the Not Your Soldier project to share their successful models of running long-term community-based action campaigns. Ruckus volunteers provide training in nonviolence, climbing, blockades, art in action, and more. Support Ruckus participants and trainers so they can get to the US Social Forum. Go to www.ruckus.org 3. Promote the Forum! There are still people who don't even know it is happening! If you have a platform as a writer, blogger or artist, put a USSF banner on your page! Spread the word that the forum is happening, and that folks should do all they can to be there. This moment in history requires our participation, and it’s time the U.S. had a forum comparable to the World Social Forum. 4. Volunteer at the Forum! There's a need for volunteers for the youth camp, childcare, translators, health support, media resource center, logistics. Email volunteers@ussf2007.org. Here is the opportunity to declare what we want our world to look like and begin planning the path to get there. A global movement is rising. The USSF is our opportunity to demonstrate to the world Another World is Possible! If another world is possible, another US is necessary. It won’t happen without you! For more information, go to www.ussf2007.org *************************************** OLGA CONTINUES TO PRODUCE FINE JOURNALISM Check out Olga Bonfiglio’s fine article on El Salvador, “Remembrance and Hope.” She went there last November through the St. Thomas More sister parish program. Go to http://www.americamagazine.org/gettext.cfm?articleTypeID=1&textID=5514&issueID=617 You should also take a look at Olga’s article, “Calling All Warriors for Peace,” where she weaves together thoughts from Ed Tick, Lt. Watada, Cindy Sheehan, and others in redefining the word “Warrior.” Her article is a follow-up to the Ed Tick's lecture/discussion here in Kalamazoo last year and his book War and the Soul. http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/29/1498/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A Drive for Global Domination Has Put Us in Greater Danger By Al Gore The Guardian UK, 24 May 2007 Moral authority, which is our greatest source of strength, has been recklessly put at risk by this willful president. The pursuit of "dominance" in foreign policy led the Bush administration to ignore the UN, to do serious damage to our most important alliances, to violate international law, and to cultivate the hatred and contempt of many in the rest of the world. The seductive appeal of exercising unconstrained unilateral power led this president to interpret his powers under the constitution in a way that brought to life the worst nightmare of the founders. Any policy based on domination of the rest of the world not only creates enemies for the US and recruits for al-Qaida, but also undermines the international cooperation that is essential to defeating terrorists who wish to harm and intimidate America. Instead of "dominance", we should be seeking pre-eminence in a world where nations respect us and seek to follow our leadership and adopt our values. With the blatant failure by the government to respect the rule of law, we face a great challenge in restoring America's moral authority in the world. Our moral authority is our greatest source of strength. It is our moral authority that has been recklessly put at risk by the cheap calculations of this wilful president. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ IMPEACHMENT RESOLUTION FOR BUSH AND CHENEY PASSED MAY 16 BY DETROIT CITY COUNCIL Here’s an excerpt from the resolution: “Be it resolved that George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, by such conduct, warrant impeachment and trial, and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States; “Be it resolved further by the City of Detroit, that our senators and representatives in the United States Congress be, and they are hereby, requested to cause to be instituted in the Congress of the United States proper proceedings for the investigation of the activities of the George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, to the end that they may be impeached and removed from such office.” ++++++++++++++++++++++ UNITED FOR PEACE & JUSTICE joins with CAMPAIGN TO END THE OCCUPATION for MASS MOBILIZATION in DC On Sunday, June 10, people from around the country will gather in Washington, DC, to protest 40 years of Israel's illegal military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Economic, military and political support from Washington has made it possible for this brutal occupation to continue. Representatives from the 300+ organizations endorsing the mobilization will be in the nation's capital to call on Congress to set a new direction for U.S. policy in the region. This mobilization is taking place as the crisis in Gaza gets worse: 46% of the population is hungry, and unemployment has grown from 30% in 2000 to 71% in 2007, while 80,000 security personnel and civil servants have not been paid for months. The internal divisions in Gaza are fanned by U.S. policies, which undermine the unity government elected by the Palestinian people. United for Peace and Justice is working with the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation on this timely effort. Without a just peace for all of the people in the region, there will be no end to the fighting and suffering. And without an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories, there will be no peace throughout the entire region. For the full statement from which the above is adapted and for more information, go to www.unitedforpeace.org or www.endtheoccupation.org Editor’s note, from Tom: I recommend, as helpful and illuminating, the discussion broadcast on DEMOCRACY NOW! this morning (Friday, June 8), involving Phyllis Bennis (Institute for Policy Studies), Tom Segev (Israeli historian and columnist for Ha’aretz), Mona El-Farra (Palestinian physician), and U.S. scholar and author Norman Finkelstein. See http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/06/08/1512241 I also recommend two histories which I found informative, well written, and judicious in their dramatization of events leading to the ongoing tragedy that is the Middle East. Tom Segev, One Palestine, Complete: Jews and Arabs Under the British Mandate (2000). David Fromkin, A Peace to End All Peace: the Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East (1989), a history of events leading to the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire (1914-1922), and the drastic changes that took place in the Middle East as a result. +++++++++++++++++++++ Peace Index: U.S. 96th Of 121 Countries The U.S. ranked 96th out of 121 countries in a Global Peace Index (GPI) released last week by the Economist Intelligence Unit and an international team of peace experts. This places us one small notch above our would-be next-war target, Iran (ranked 97th), in the standings. Our client state Iraq ranked dead last (121st), while our other client state Afghanistan is in such bad shape that it could not be scored due to lack of available data. With them at the bottom of the heap were: Sudan (120th, with its ongoing genocide in Darfur); our ally Israel (119th, with its continuing occupation of Palestine); and our sometimes friend-and-foe Russia (118th, with its bloody civil war in Chechnya). Factors bringing down the U.S. score include our: extremely high prison rates; massive troop deployments; excessive military spending; and potential for terrorist acts. But as Frida Berrigan points out, when it comes to military consumption and sales, we're still #1. "The United States alone spends what the rest of the world combined devotes to military expenditures." The top eight countries with the best GPI are: Norway, New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Finland, Sweden, and our neighbor Canada. *************************************** G-8 ENDS IN FRUSTRATION AND INDECISION What the NY Times, in an editorial last month, called the “Rose Garden Charade” on climate change has apparently been followed by the “G-8 Charade,” with George W. Bush managing to frustrate European efforts to set firm controls on greenhouse gas emissions. Even Angela Merkel seems to have rolled over and played dead. Only Greenpeace managed to kick up much of a ruckus, and two of their three marauding speedboats were rammed and protestors pitched into the water. Greenpeace climate expert Tobias Muenchmeyer summed up the G-8 result: "There is no breakthrough and there is no compromise. There are results now on the table which show that G8, the group of the eight biggest economies, has failed to live up to responsibilities when it comes to climate change. There is no consensus on reductions to 50 percent CO2 emissions by 2050, since the US is not willing to accept this." ++++++++++++++++++++++ Some Future Events that Should be on YOUR Peace Calendar If you’re thinking globally and acting locally, these two events are for you. First, for acting locally: SW Michigan 5th Annual Community Harvest Fest Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007, 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Tillers International, 10515 East OP Ave. Scotts, Michigan. A celebration of Local Food, Local Farming, and Sustainable Living [Please remember that, in order not to conflict with Harvest Fest, the Wild Ones fall plant exchange has been rescheduled from Sunday, Sept. 23, to Sunday, Sept. 16, 1:30 to 5 p.m.] Then, for thinking globally, here’s what sounds like the best teach-in since the IFG teach-in at the WTO protests in Seattle, in 1999: The INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON GLOBALIZATION, INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES, and GLOBAL PROJECT ON ECONOMIC TRANSITION A N N O U N C E A T E A C H - I N S e p t e m b e r 1 4 - 1 6 , 2 0 0 7 George Washington University, Washington, DC CONFRONTING THE TRIPLE CRISIS: CLIMATE CHANGE PEAK OIL (The End of the Era of Cheap Energy) GLOBAL RESOURCE DEPLETION (And Species Extinction) The Problems & the Solutions P O W E R I N G - D O W N f o r t h e F U T U R E Toward an International Movement for Systemic Change: New Economies of Sustainability, Equity, Sufficiency, and Peace 60 SPEAKERS AND 20 WORKSHOPS THE SPECTACULAR, INTERNATIONAL LIST OF CONFIRMED SPEAKERS INCLUDES: Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, Michael Klare, Martin Khor, Winona LaDuke, David Korten, John Cavanagh, Jerry Mander, Maude Barlow, Wolfgang Sachs, Wes Jackson, Ross Gelbspan, Frances Moore Lappe, Helena Norberg-Hodge, David Suzuki, Arjun Makhijani, David Pimentel, John Passacantando, Steve Kretzmann, Randy Hayes, Anne Leonard, and many more. TICKETS & INFORMATION: INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON GLOBALIZATION 415-561-7650 WWW.IFG.ORG ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON GLOBALIZATION Representing over 60 organizations in 25 countries, the International Forum on Globalization associates come together out of a shared concern that the world's corporate and political leadership is undertaking a restructuring of global politics and economics that may prove as historically significant as any event since the Industrial Revolution. This restructuring is happening at tremendous speed, with little public disclosure of the profound consequences affecting democracy, human welfare, local economies, and the natural world. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ We’ll Draw towards a Close with SIGNS OF HOPE! The United Nations has recently appointed three special envoys on climate change. One of them, Gro Harlem Brundtland, former prime minister of Norway and Director-General of the World Health Organization, declares that a 90% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 IS POSSIBLE. Her country, Norway, pledges a 100% reduction by 2050. “It is simple, really,” she affirms. “Human health and the health of ecosystems are inseparable.” ____________________________ On May 15, 2007, Tulsa, Oklahoma, became the 500th city to sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, a voluntary commitment by U.S. cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and global warming pollution in their communities to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. That is the same goal the United States would have been required to meet if President George W. Bush had ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Signatories include the mayors of Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids. Also in May, mayors of 15 of the world’s largest cities, including New York, London, Chicago, Karachi, Tokyo, and Toronto, agreed to a $5 billion program to make older buildings energy efficient. Since buildings are responsible for 40 percent of emissions in older cities, this project alone could reduce global carbon emissions by 10 percent. “Can Cities Save the Earth?” asks the NY Times in a recent editorial. Well, not by themselves; but they’re doing more than some national governments we can think of. +++++++++++++++++++++++++ What does it matter if you do not believe me? The future will surely come. Just a little while and you will see for yourself. -–Cassandra, in Aeschylus, THE ORESTEIA “The war was lost; the helmets were paid for.” --Bertolt Brecht +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Peace be with you, Tom and Nancy, for KNOW
May 10, 2007	NEWS FROM KNOW—MAY, 2007 Dear friends, Saturday, May 12, World Fair Trade Day World Fair Trade Day was initiated in Europe by members of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), which held its first World Fair Trade Day celebrations in 2002. Since then, World Fair Trade Day has taken off worldwide. More people in the US are celebrating World Fair Trade Day every year. This Year’s Theme: “Kids Need Fair Trade” Fair trade aims to change the economic and social structures of our world and empower marginalized people to avoid or escape the poverty trap. If adults are paid a fair price for their work, their children are able to go to school and live a healthy and full life, rather than having to work. Fair trade not only benefits adults - it helps kids too! In 2004, 246 million children aged between five and seventeen were child workers, 73 million working children were less than 10 years old, 180 million worked in extremely dangerous conditions, and 6.4 million children were trapped in slavery, trafficking, debt bondage, prostitution, pornography and other illicit activities. Governmental programs to stop child labor and bring children back to school are having some impact on addressing these issues. But these cannot be effective without addressing the root cause of child labor: poverty. Join in the celebration. Support the movement. See www.fairtraderesource.org/ May 11. 10 AM – 6 PM, Global Gifts, 2055 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI World Fair Trade Day and Mother's Day Tea, featuring treats from recipes from Ten Thousand Villages Cookbooks, Fair Trade Chocolate and Tea Website: globalgifts@vertimark.com Info: (616) 245-2555. Email: wils@calvin.edu May 11, 11 AM – 9 PM, Ten Thousand Villages, 303 South Main Street, Ann Arbor, MI Website: www.villagesannarbor.org May 11, 10 AM – 4 PM, Lansing City Market, 333 N Cedar St, Lansing, MI May 12, 7 AM – 2 PM Bank Street Farmers Market, Kalamazoo MI Be sure to visit the People’s Food Co-op table for some fair traded and some locally produced goods. Many other artisans and growers bring local products to the market. Since the average distance traveled by items on our dinner tables is 1500 miles, our eating habits are MAJOR contributors to climate change, fossil-fuel dependency, and environmental degradation. If you need any convincing of how important it is that you buy locally (not just food, incidentally), read Michael Pollan’s THE OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA. Or even better, read Bill McKibben’s new book DEEP ECONOMY: THE WEALTH OF COMMUNITIES AND THE DURABLE FUTURE, especially Chapter 2, “The Year of Eating Locally.” Be warned, a few of Bill’s statistics and observations may startle you. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2 P.M. Please come to the first annual Meristem Art Auction: sell and buy local art while also helping your friends at your favorite local housing cooperative. Your participation will help to support the purchase of another co-op house for Meristem. Please email with any questions or if you would like to be added to the artist list. Ashley Bishop, (269) 650-3304 Kalamazoo Collective Housing: The Meristem Cooperative 113 W. Dutton, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 http://ksc.revolt.org/Main/HomePage See also Progressive Community Alliance of Kalamazoo: http://kzoopca.org/ ++++++++++++++++++++++ SUNDAY, MAY 13, Mother’s Day In the USA, Mother's Day originated in 1870 as a rallying cry for mothers whose husbands and/or sons died in the US Civil War - as a renunciation of war, militarism, and patriarchy. Here are some excerpts of the original "Proclamation" text by Julia Ward Howe, written in Boston in 1870: "Arise, then, women of this day! .... We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs....I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace." (Thanks to Olga Bonfiglio for reminding us. Speaking of Olga, you can pick up her article on Virginia Tech at www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/07/1018/) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FRIDAY, MAY 11, THROUGH OCTOBER 12 Engineering Social Justice Training Series: 'Putting Your Passion To Work' Six Friday Monthly Sessions: May to October Are you an activist or a progressive, passionate person who wants to create positive changes for your community but not sure how to begin? This six-session series will help you: * develop new skills * form better networks * become more politically effective * meet people who share your passion The goal is to create a stronger progressive community in Southwest Michigan. Sessions will be held monthly on Friday nights, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., from May through September, at Kalamazoo Valley Community College Arcadia Commons Campus in downtown Kalamazoo. Registration is free, but please register only if you are able to attend at least four of the sessions. The Sessions Friday, May 11: Principles of Activism KVCC Anna Whitten Hall, Arcadia Commons Campus Keynote Speaker Heath Wickline, of the SPIN Project, will discuss the principles of activism and share his extensive experiences regarding progressive issues. Friday, June 8: Activist Skill Building Keynote Speaker Shelli Weisberg, of the ACLU of Michigan, will discuss what sets effective activists apart. Friday, July 6: Building Effective Progressive Coalitions Friday, August 17: Political Effectiveness Friday, September 21: Activism that Lasts Keynote Speaker, from Young People for the American Way, will talk about intergenerational activism. Friday, October 12: Putting It All Together 6:30 p.m., Radisson Plaza Hotel Celebrate and share what you've learned. Talk with other series participants about "where we go from here." A fun evening with speakers, food, drink, and entertainment. A project of the Kalamazoo Alliance For Equality, in partnership with the Kalamazoo Gay & Lesbian Resource Center www.kalamazooalliance.org; www.kglrc.org Other Co-Sponsoring Organizations currently include Michigan Equality, Kalamazoo Valley Community College Gay-Straight Alliance, and Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War. This series was made possible through a generous grant from the Arcus Gay & Lesbian Fund: www.arcusfoundation.org +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MONDAY, MAY 14 The Camp Casey Peace Institute is calling for a march on Congress on Monday, May 14, to demand an end to the war and an end to the Bush Regime. The marchers will meet at the Ellipse at noon in front of the White House. For more information, see http://www.thecampcaseypeaceinstitute.org. The call is for peace advocates to join not only in traditional lobbying but in "extraordinary lobbying." The "Summer of Action" will build on successful efforts of activists in DC and around the country who have been engaging in "extraordinary lobbying" by occupying offices, protesting in the Halls of Congress, and sending a consistent message to end the war. It will build on the Occupation Project, Voices for Creative Non-Violence, and the Declaration of Peace. Already, key anti-war groups are supporting this effort including United For Peace and Justice (www.unitedforpeace.org) and Voters For Peace (www.votersforpeace.us). +++++++++++++++++++++++ MAY 19, 2 to 2:30 P.M. Drums Across America for Peace is DRUMMING FOR PEACE simultaneously across America on May 19 at 11 am PDT, 12 noon MDT, 1 pm CDT and 2 pm EDT for 1/2 hour. Drumming for Peace includes Peace vs. crime in cities and rural areas; Peace vs. domestic violence; Peace vs. violence in school and workplace; Peace between ethnic groups; Peace among people with different beliefs; Peace vs. war in Iraq and throughout the world. "Music creates order out of chaos: for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon the incongruous." --Yehudi Menuhin Bronson Park, downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan (rain site: First United Methodist Church, across Park St. from the park) Bring drums and other noise makers! Carolyn Koebel will lead the drumming. Contact: Raelyn Joyce: (269) 345-0489 +++++++++++++++++++++++ SUNDAY, MAY 20, 3 TO ?? Drums, Rhythm, & Rhyme: BENEFIT CONCERT FOR HAITI. KRAFTBRAU BREWERY, Gather with pan-African musicians Mady Kouyate and Dunuya to raise funds for medical relief efforts in the resource-starved city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. 3:00 Documentary :& Info Session 5:00 Yishai – reggae infused folk rock 6:00 A Matter of Minutes – rehab rock 7:00 Dunuya Drum & Dance 8:00 Mady Kouyate plays Kora With SPECIAL GUEST POETS . . . Ann Arbor Slam Team Nat'l Finalist Farmer Kate, and Detroit Team's Epiphany Poet. E-MAIL JAY-CUB AT jacoblibby@gmailFOR MORE INFORMATION! +++++++++++++++++++++++ FRIDAY, MAY 25, 5:30 to 8:30 P.M. AN EVENING FOR THE CHILDREN OF IRAQ A fundraiser for Iraqi Health Now. Please make plans now to attend "An Evening for the Children of Iraq," a fundraising event sponsored by Iraqi Health Now. Help the children of Iraq receive much needed medical supplies, while feasting on delicious middle eastern food and enjoying musical entertainment. The event will be held in the Dining Room at First Presbyterian Church, 321 W. South Street, downtown Kalamazoo. Tickets are $15 per person and may be purchased in advance by mailing a check made out to Healing the Children, with Iraqi Health Now noted in the memo, to IHN, P.O. Box 161, Paw Paw MI 49079. Children under 15 are admitted free with the donation of a new or gently used toy. Please consider donating one, even if you are over 15. The terrifyingly high cancer rate in Iraqi children, the high death rate of children under 5, coupled with the almost complete lack of medical supplies, have motivated us to help. We hope you share our concern and will take advantage of this opportunity to make a genuine difference in the lives of sick and dying children. Check us out at www.iraqihealthnow.org, or call a member of our Project Team. Haider Alsaedy 269 547-0045; Kathy Murphy 269 599-2350; Maia Justine Storm 269 384-5755 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SUNDAY and MONDAY, JUNE 10 and 11 The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and United for Peace and Justice are organizing a two-day mobilization in Washington, DC, on June 10-11, to protest the 40th anniversary of Israel's illegal military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip and to bring pressure on Congress to change US foreign policy in the region, to one that supports a just peace between Palestinians and Israelis based on equality, human rights and international law, and the full implementation of all relevant UN resolutions. Under the banner, "The World Says No to Israeli Occupation", the US Campaign and UFPJ will hold a massive rally, teach-in, and grassroots lobbying day. The mobilization joins opposition to the illegal U.S. occupation of Iraq with opposition to US support for the illegal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and the illegal expropriation of Palestinian land and water resources (Israeli policy amounts to what Fred Pearce calls “hydrological apartheid” in WHEN THE RIVERS RUN DRY: WATER—THE DEFINING CRISIS OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. Beacon Press, 2006, p. 160). The U.S. government provides Israel with the uncritical military, economic, diplomatic, and corporate support that it needs to sustain and expand its control of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. The Israeli peace group Peace Now has an analysis of recent expropriations and actions you can take at http://www.peacenow.org.il/site/en/peace.asp?pi=62&docid=2306 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dead Creatures Walking A Book Review, by Tom Small, of Terry Glavin, The Sixth Extinction: Journeys among the Lost and Left Behind. St. Martin’s Press, 2006. The Sixth Extinction is a love story. Written by a lover of stories and of all creatures—whether they fly, swim, slither, creep, or walk; a lover of all the different ways of life embodied and stratified in memory, languages, and cultures. A lover of apples, cougars, spinach, scarlet macaws, whales, petroglyphs, of all things lost or saved. It’s a paean to all other lovers who, against the odds, save whatever they can of all that is vanishing, or left behind—the ghosts, the living dead, surviving forlornly in zoos, parks, and remnants. It’s a book truly about diversity—all kinds of diversity. It treats, lovingly, angrily, the full range of ongoing losses in this, our era, the time of the Sixth Great Extinction, the most catastrophic in 64 million years. It’s a celebration. An elegy. A jeremiad. A call to action. Its author, a journalist and a professor at the University of British Columbia, would agree with the microbiologist Lynn Margulis, that “the essence of living is a sort of memory, the physical preservation of the past in the present.” He bears witness to the degradation of that essence, our collective memory, “the bleeding away of differences in the living world,” the “plague of sameness” descending on the plants and the cultures of the world. The statistics are disheartening. By 2040, 70% to 95% of forest in Africa will be gone; in Southeast Asia, 75%. In the oceans, as many as half of fish species are threatened with extinction. In the U.S., 29% of plant species are in danger of extinction—even without taking global warming into consideration. Among food crops, 90% of vegetable varieties are already gone; another goes extinct every six hours. All around us, a global pandemic spares nothing, objectifying, commodifying, wiping out the differences: over half the shrinking global seed reservoir is controlled by only ten companies. We all know the names: Monsanto, Dow, Novartis, Cargill, Dupont, Pioneer. The harvest has been stolen, and we are in the hands of a kleptocracy. As globalization flattens the world, entire cultures vanish; another spoken language dies every two weeks. It’s like, says Glavin, “libraries going up in flames.” In our struggle for power, we are forfeiting “the right of people to live sustainably on the natural resources around them.” Perhaps Richard Manning will yet be proved right: the green revolution, which brought us globalized industrial agriculture, is “the worst thing that ever happened on the planet.” But always, amid the lamentation, Glavin offers us hope. Conservation did not, he argues, begin with Rachel Carson. He cites the battle, in the late 1870s, in the Petoskey forests of Michigan, to save the passenger pigeon from extinction. He tells a compelling story of the Hawaiian botanists who lower themselves down a Kauai cliff face every year to pollinate by hand the surviving remnant of Na Pali alulas, because their only natural pollinator, a tiny moth, is now extinct. He lauds the World Conservation Society, working to protect the last tracts of habitat for endangered species, patiently saving one creature, one species, one ecosystem, at a time. He admires the Seed Savers, seeking out old “heritage” seeds forgotten in attics, lost species surviving in abandoned orchards and fields. In Costa Rica, he celebrates “efforts to maintain the diversity of living things that the rest of the world was losing,” made possible because “a constitutional prohibition on maintaining a standing army immunized Cost Rica from the U.S. government’s usual method of bullying, corrupting, and brutalizing Central American societies.” It is there, in Costa Rica, after a long vigil, that he finally sees what love and painstaking patience had made possible: the sight of “two impossibly beautiful scarlet macaws,” saved from the holocaust. Glavin’s litany of loss is also an index to growing recognition that our privileged view of the world has been much too narrow. Slowly, environmentalists recognize that there can be no hard-and-fast distinctions among human communities, domesticated species, and “the wild.” Slowly, we expand our notion of rights to include creatures other than ourselves. Slowly, we recognize that our notions of survival, of freedom, of intelligence, of culture, of diversity—all that we supposedly value—are anthropomorphic and elitist. Slowly, peace activists recognize that the bleeding away of freedom and of life itself is more than a matter of military and terrorist violence. Too slowly? Time will tell—not much time. Finally, painfully, we begin to comprehend (or rediscover) that all action and all suffering are related and have consequences. We live, says Glavin, among ghosts, in a “night of the living dead,” doomed creatures and cultures and intelligences passing among us and around us, almost unnoticed. For Glavin, Jeremiah said it best: “The summer is past, the harvest is over, and we are not saved” (8:20). But even if we are not to be saved, we can still be saviors. The good news is we still have choices. Choices, to be sure, that narrow every day, choices “every bit as stark and momentous as the choices we faced in the darkest moments of the twentieth century.” “Serious decisions require that we believe in things, and believe deeply.” Glavin is a true believer. If I may paraphrase an ancient Zen saying, to believe, and not to do, is not to believe at all. “You join the epic battle,” Glavin adjures, “with the demons that are devouring the world, and you do what you can. It’s all anyone can expect of you. You do everything you can.” ------------------------------------------- Other books cited or drawn on in this review include the following: J. M. Coetzee, THE LIVES OF ANIMALS (1999). Richard Leakey and Roger Lewin, THE SIXTH EXTINCTION: PATTERNS OF LIFE AND THE FUTURE OF HUMANKIND (1995). Richard Manning, AGAINST THE GRAIN: HOW AGRICULTURE HAS HIJACKED CIVILIZATION (2004). Lynn Margulis and Dorian Sagan, MICROCOSMOS: FOUR BILLION YEARS OF EVOLUTION FROM OUR MICROBIAL ANCESTORS (1986). Vandana Shiva, STOLEN HARVEST: THE HIJACKING OF THE GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY (2000) Gary Snyder, THE PRACTICE OF THE WILD (1990). ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CHALMERS JOHNSON INVOKES “NEMESIS” “If we continue politics as in the past, then I think there is no alternative but to say Nemesis is in the country, she’s on the premises, and she is waiting to carry out her divine mission.” (Chalmers Johson’s latest book, the third in a trilogy, is NEMESIS: THE LAST DAYS OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC. Nemesis is, as Johnson says, “the ancient Greek goddess of revenge, the punisher of hubris and arrogance in human beings.”) Other writers speak of other goddesses: e.g., James Lovelock titles his latest book THE REVENGE OF GAIA, invoking the ancient goddess of the earth; Terry Glavin, in THE SIXTH EXTINCTION: JOURNEYS AMONG THE LOST AND LEFT BEHIND, concludes with a chapter on “The Revenge of Kali,” the fierce Hindu goddess, creator and destroyer of worlds—specifically, destroyer of demons who are devouring the creation. ____________________________________ NAOMI KLEIN ANALYSES “DISASTER CAPITALISM” “You can have generalized mayhem,” says Naomi Klein, “you can have wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, threats of nuclear war with Iran, a worsening of the Israeli occupation, a deepening of violence against Palestinians, you can have a terror in the face of global warming, you could have increased blowback from resource wars, you can have soaring oil prices, but, lo and behold, the stock market just goes up and up and up. “In fact, there's an index called the Guns-to-Caviar index, which for seventeen years has been measuring an inverse relationship between the sale of fighter jets and executive luxury jets. And for seventeen years, this index, the Guns-to-Caviar index -- the guns are the fighter jets, the caviar are the executive jets -- has found that when fighter jets go up, executive jets go down. When executive jets go up, fighter jets go down. But all of a sudden, they're both going up, which means that there’s a lot of guns being sold, enough guns to buy a hell of a lot of caviar. “The only way to combat an economy that has eliminated the peace incentive, of course, is to take away opportunities for growth [by the war profiteers]. And their opportunities for growth are ongoing climate instability and ongoing geopolitical instability. Their threats -- the only thing that can challenge their economy is relative geopolitical and climatic peace and stability, so I suppose we have our work cut out for us to fight the war profiteers.” (Adapted from an interview on Democracy Now!) Naomi Klein’s forthcoming book is called THE SHOCK DOCTRINE: THE RISE OF DISASTER CAPITALISM. __________________________________ IRAQ WAR CALLED RISKIER THAN VIET NAM Military Experts Fretful Over Long-Term Consequences By Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post President Bush recently said that "there's a lot of differences" between the current war in Iraq and the Vietnam War. As fighting in Iraq enters its fifth year, an increasing number of experts in foreign policy and national strategy are arguing that the biggest difference may be that the Iraq war will inflict greater damage to U.S. interests than Vietnam did. "In terms of the consequences of failure, the stakes are much bigger than Vietnam," said former defense secretary William S. Cohen. "The geopolitical consequences are . . . potentially global in scope." "It makes Vietnam look like a cakewalk," said retired Air Force Gen. Charles F. Wald, a veteran of the Vietnam War. The domino theory that nations across Southeast Asia would go communist was not fulfilled, he noted, but with Iraq, "worst-case scenarios are the most likely thing to happen." Iraq is worse than Vietnam "in so many ways," agreed Andrew F. Krepinevich Jr., a retired Army officer and author of one of the most respected studies of the U.S. military's failure in Vietnam. "We knew what we were getting into in Vietnam. We didn't here." ++++++++++++++++++++++ Lots of Interesting Theatre in Kalamazoo this Month FRIDAY, MAY 11, and MAY 12, 18, and 19, 8 P.M. Henrik Ibsen’s GHOSTS Whole Art Theater Studio, 246 N. Kalamazoo Mall GHOSTS (1881) is the drama not only of Mrs. Alving and her tragic attempt to liberate herself and her son from their “inheritance,” but also the ironic tragedy of a culture which refuses to admit its hypocrisy and the degenerative disease which afflicts its substance and its soul. “I’ve only to pick up a newspaper,” she tells her Pastor and one-time almost-lover, “and I seem to see ghosts gliding between the lines. Over the whole country there must be ghosts, as numerous as the sands of the sea. And here we are, all of us, abysmally afraid of the light.” (Incidentally, the Living Theatre, one of the prototypes of the original Whole Art Theater, has resurfaced again, on Manhattan’s lower east side, with one of its co-founders, Judith Malina, directing a revival of THE BRIG, a still gut-wrenching depiction of life in a U.S. Marine prison. The original Living Theatre production was in 1963-- and the revival couldn’t be more timely. Asked whether she’s still an anarchist and pacifist, Malina, now 80 years old, responds, “How much can I do today to get toward that B.N.V.A.R.? You know what a B.N.V.A.R. is? It’s the beautiful nonviolent anarchist revolution. That’s what we work for every day.”) ________________________________ THURSDAY, MAY 17, 7 P.M. Magical Rain Theaterworks and Refuge Art at FIRE, 1249 Portage (the Portage St. Fire Station, across from the Washington Square Library). Stories of mythic and everyday wonders. “An alchemy of words, actions and music.” _____________________________________ THURSDAY, MAY 17, to MAY 20 Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m. The Madwoman of Chaillot Kalamazoo College Festival Playhouse Jean Giraudoux wrote “MADWOMAN” in the mid 1940's, but its plot resonates with contemporary events ranging from the Enron scandals to “blood for oil” to corporate terrorism. The play opens with a group of prominent business men discussing how their fortunes can be enhanced by clever manipulation of their stocks in the market. The men meet a “prospector” who convinces them that there is oil in the middle of Paris, but since he can't get a permit to drill, he decides to blow up the building where the commissioner works and thus persuade a new commissioner to be more receptive. The “Mad Woman” enters, with a cortege of poor, malcontent, non-important people, including a deaf mute, a doorman, three flower girls, a street singer and a rag picker. These unlikely “losers” are the true visionaries and the ultimate winners, by turning greed and deceit against itself. ++++++++++++++++++++++ “One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the U.S. around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better.” —Daniel Berrigan ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Peace be with you, Tom and Nancy, for KNOW
April 8, 2008	Dear friends, Many of the events listed in this month’s newsletter from KNOW have to do with the environment. Particularly important are the many events, locally and all across the nation, on April 14, a NATIONAL DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION. For the first time the environmental movement and the peace-and-justice movement are joining in a single, decentralized but massive demonstration, recognizing that climate change has the potential to inflict immense suffering and to cause violent conflict over diminished resources. Please join with others at one of the many local and regional demonstrations on April 14, and attend as many other events this month as you can. Perhaps this is what David Korten calls “The Great Turning.” *********************************************** WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 7:30 P.M. Be-In-The-KNOW Film Series presents: Baghdad ER 1220 Chemistry Building, WMU NEW LOCATION: The "Chemistry Building" is located across from the Wesley Foundation/Peace Center and in between the Waldo Library and Wood Hall. PARKING: Visitors can arrive at 7:15 PM and pay 75 cents near the Bernhard Center. Parking is not enforced there after 8 PM. 12-time Emmy Award winner producer/director Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill capture the humanity, hardships and heroism of the US Military and medical personnel of the 86th Combat Support Hospital, the Army's premier medical facility in Iraq. Sometimes graphic in its depiction of combat-related wounds, BAGHDAD ER offers an unflinching and honest account of the realities of war. Free, open to the public, and cosponsored by the Peace Center and KNOW. http://kzoo4peace.org/ Contact phone: 387-2265. www.BeInTheKnowFilms.org +++++++++++++++++++++++ APRIL 14—NATIONAL CLIMATE ACTION DAY Step It Up 2007 has organized a National Day of Climate Action on April 14. Organizations and groups have already scheduled more than 1,300 rallies in all fifty states - locations vary from the melting glacier on top of Mt. Rainier, to the levees in New Orleans, to underwater in an endangered coral reef off the coast of Florida, to your neighborhood park, your church, your campus. One simple message will unite these rallies - "Step it up, Congress! Enact immediate cuts in carbon emissions, and pledge an 80% reduction by 2050.” No half measures, no easy compromises - the time has come to take the real actions that can stabilize our climate and save the planet from catastrophic damage. The call to action comes from Bill McKibben, who had it right about climate change back in 1989 in his book THE END OF NATURE, still one of the best books on the subject. His later book, HOPE, HUMAN AND WILD (1995), offers three examples of how we might “live more lightly on the earth.” Organizations joining in the call to action on climate change include Union of Concerned Scientists, United for Peace and Justice, The World Can’t Wait, Code Pink, Global Exchange, Voters for Peace, and dozens of environmental organizations. There are 40 actions scheduled so far in Michigan, FOUR of them in KALAMAZOO, all on Saturday, April 14: +++Step it up WMU!--1:00 PM to 2:30 PM+++ At 1:00 p.m., gather to listen to some great music and speakers, to discuss what you can do to live more sustainably and what actions you can take to influence local, state, and national governments. At 2:30 pm everyone will gather for a picture to be sent to Congress to let them know that we want legislation for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to be passed now. Wear WMU apparel, and bring anyone who wants to make a difference. Location: at the flag poles in the center of WMU campus Directions: http://www.wmich.edu/admissions/maps.html Questions: e-mail Scott Hamilton at Scott.s.hamilton@gmail.com +++Step It Up 2007, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM+++ Gather on the church steps with a collective voice of faith! For the rally and the picture taking we offer our steps at First United Methodist Church. The picture will look like it could be any steps at any church. Our statement will be "We are the church and we want action!" Kalamazoo First United Methodist Church, 212 S. Park St., sits right on Bronson Park in downtown Kalamazoo. +++Step it Up Congress, and Bush—Noon to 2 PM+++ We’ll stand at the usual gathering place for protests and for calls on the government to take action: in front of the Federal Building in Kalamazoo. Tell Congress "80% by 2050." Tell Pres. Bush he’s NOT doing “enough,” despite his current claims. “Step it Up Congress, and Bush”--stop global warming. “NO WAR—NO WARMING.” Come for all or any part of the scheduled two hours. And visit the other nearby protests in Bronson Park and on the steps of First United Methodist Church across from the Park. Bring your own signs. Questions. E-mail Tom Small at yard2prairy@aol.com +++Eco Party, 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM+++ A massive gathering of people in Bronson Park (right downtown) to show our support for the earth, our desire for a more Eco-friendly world, and our need to raise awareness and initiate action concerning global warming. People are encouraged to invite musicians and performers of all types. Music groups and independent musicians are all welcome. Drums. Storytellers. It’s free, it’s a celebration, it’s a rally, it’s a party. Bring signs, banners, information. Location: Bronson Park (200 W South St) Questions. E-mail Joe Lemien at Joseph.Lemien06@kzoo.edu There are many other demonstrations AND ACTIVITIES in the area, from St. Joseph to Detroit, from Granger, Indiana, to Traverse City. Battle Creek is hosting a BIG ONE: +++"Make the Change!"--10:00 AM to 7:00PM+++ Come and join the newly-formed Climate Change Coalition (www.climatecrisiscoalition.org) at Lakeview Square Mall for the signing of the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement by the Mayor of Battle Creek and for an Energy Conservation Expo. Compute your carbon footprint and learn about ways to improve energy efficiencies. (Let’s put the pressure on OUR mayor to bring Kalamazoo into this program.) Lakeview Square Mall, 5775 Beckley Road, just south of I-94 between exits 97 and 98A. An 80% reduction in CO2 may seem far-fetched, but it is, given the will to do it, quite possible; and it is, given the increasingly scary news of climate change already occurring, quite moderate. All we lack is the energy, the will, the perseverance, and the ACTION to MAKE IT HAPPEN. Download fliers, get more information and ideas, and sign up to participate in one of these events, all at: www.stepitup2007.org (Or organize another event of your own, at YOUR church or campus or community center.) PLEASE NOTE that there will NOT be an EARTH DAY IN THE PARK this year. Please celebrate EARTH DAY by joining the Climate Change movement on April 14 and then doing something FOR THE EARTH on Sunday, April 22 (and every day). +++++++++++++++++++++++++ MONDAY, APRIL 9 to THURSDAY, APRIL 12 EARTH WEEK EVENTS AT WMU Monday, April 9, 7 p.m. Earth Week Movie Night: "KOYAANISQATSI" RM 1260 in the Chemistry Annex The title is a Hopi Indian word meaning 'life out of balance.” Created between 1975 and 1982, the film is an apocalyptic vision of the collision of two different worlds -- urban life and technology versus the environment. Tuesday, April 10, 6 p.m. “Think Global, Eat Local”; A Local Food Feast FREE Dinner. Local Farmers. Author & Speaker Dr. Sandor Katz Rm. 4010 College of Health and Human Services http://www.wmich.edu/hhs/chhsbldg_directions.pdf The dinner will be prepared by local chefs with food from local farmers. The event is free and open to the public, so invite your friends! Keynote speaker is Sandor Katz, author of "The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved" and a new book he will be promoting at the event. His topic will be American food subcultures and the disconnect between what we eat and where it comes from. Wednesday, April 11, 5 p.m. “Climate Change: Consequences and Action.” Dr. Steve Bertman, Chemistry Dept. & Dr. David Karowe, Biology Dept., speak on the effects of global warming and the efforts to control it. 1260 in the Chemistry Annex Thursday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EARTH FEST. FREE food. FREE stuff. Games. Miller Plaza Free Music, information and food! Local environmental organizations unite to celebrate the Earth. Music provided by WIDR. Thursday, April 12, 7 p.m. Environmental Forum Bernhard Center A community Forum to address the dumping of toxic waste within Kalamazoo city limits. Thursday, April 12, 8 p.m. Students for a Sustainable Earth Benefit Concert Kraftbrau Brewery, $5 A concert to benefit SSE featuring “The Giving Tree,” “Happy Hour,” “The Mighty Narwhale,” and “Son and Heir.” For fans of The Shins, Jack Johnson, Wolf Parade, Guster, and The New Pornographers. Come help us out! There will also be a silent auction. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 7-9 P.M The Kalamazoo River and PCBs: A Public Education Forum Bernhard Center, Brown and Gold Room, WMU Panelists: Duane Hampton, Associate Professor, Geosciences, WMU Charles Ide, Director, Environmental Institute, and Professor, Biological Sciences, WMU Bruce Merchant, Director, Public Services, City of Kalamazoo Jeff Spoelstra, Coordinator, Kalamazoo River Watershed Council Lee Kirk, City Attorney, City of Kalamazoo Contact: Prof. Sarah Hill, 269-387-4150, sarah.hill@wmich.edu Campus map: http://maps.pp.wmich.edu/image.pl?Coord=446,286&Zoom=2&Campus=KaMai&Info=0 Sponsors: Environmental Institute & Students for Sustainable Earth Go to the following link for more information and comment about the planned PCB dumping from residents, Mayor Hannah McKinney and other city commissioners, and our State House representative Robert Jones: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wmuk/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1061883 ++++++++++++++++++++++++ WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 10 p.m. until ? Drop Beats Not Bombs Dance Party A Benefit Event for the Swords Into Plowshares Peace Center. Papa Pete's, behind Blue Dolphin Restaurant, 502 S. Burdick. If you just can’t make it, but would nonetheless like to contribute to the Peace Center and its excellent programs, send or bring your donation to Swords Into Plowshares Peace Center, Wesley Foundation, 2101 Wilbur, Kalamazoo 49006. (On the WMU campus just northwest of the central flag poles.) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MONDAY, APRIL 23, 7:30-9 A.M. For a Lively Discussion of Issues Affecting the Environment KALAMAZOO ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST We have invited State Senator Tom George, State Representatives Robert Jones, Jack Hoogendyk, Lorence Wenke, and legislative aides for U.S. Representative Fred Upton, U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow. Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N Westnedge. COST: $6 for continental breakfast RSVP: Reply by April 19. Email kay.chase@wmich.eduor leave a message at 388-3777 Include your name and phone number. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SATURDAY, APRIL 28 Impeachment Day. The World Can’t Wait—Drive Out the Bush Regime will join with other organizations calling for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney to stage demonstrations all over the country. For information, go to www.worldcantwait.org. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 8 P.M. Kalamazoo College will host a sneak preview of the new documentary about Doris (Granny-D) Haddock Room 103 Olds-Upton Hall. Free and open to the public. Presented by the filmmaker Marlo Poras. Go to www.kalfilmsociety.net for more information. +++++++++++++++++++++++ TUESDAY, MAY 15—INTL. CO DAY Since the 1980s, 15 May is celebrated as International Conscientious Objectors' Day. Since 2002, as part of War Resisters InternationaI's program on The Right to Refuse to Kill, WRI has helped to establish a tradition of international nonviolent direct action on 15 May in support of a particular CO struggle, with coordinated activities all over the world. Focus countries or regions of the last few years were the Balkans in 2002, Israel in 2003, Chile/Latin America in 2004, Greece in 2005, and the United States in 2006. This year, the focus is on Colombia. For more information on the program in support of conscientious objectors in Colombia, go to www.wri-irg.org. Click on “campaigns.” ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ JUNE 22 TO 24 The 2007 National United for Peace and Justice Assembly will be held in Chicago June 22-24 near O'Hare Airport. For information and registration, go to www.unitedforpeace.org +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ JUNE 27-JULY 1 U.S. Social Forum, Atlanta, Georgia A U.S. parallel to the World Social Forum, the USSF will bring together grassroots peace and justice movements from all over the nation for workshops, cooperation, and action, locally and globally. The American Friends Service Committee is helping to organize USSF. For information, go to www.ussf2007.org. See also http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1409 ++++++++++++++++++++++ THINGS YOU CAN DO—ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE Global Warming Alert Allowing temperatures to rise more than another 2 degrees Fahrenheit could mean the irreversible melting of the Greenland ice sheet, a 20-foot rise in sea levels, incalculable suffering and loss of life, and the extinction of innumerable species, including the polar bear. Make your voice heard. Tell your Senators and Representative to cut global warming pollution 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. For information on and analysis of global-warming legislation in Congress now, and to send messages to your Congressional representatives, go to www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/default.asp For late news and commentary on global warming, go to http://www.heatisonline.org/ ____________________________________ SUNDAY, APRIL 22, IS EARTH DAY. Do something on this day to help restore the earth, at your home, in your neighborhood, or in your