Mn-prog-events Mailing List: Progressive Calendar 12.17.06

[David Shove (shove001]

            P R O G R E S S I V E   C A L E N D A R     12.17.06

1. Coldwater solstice 12.17 2pm
2. YAWR               12.17 2pm
3. IRV                12.17 2pm
4. IMPACT potluck     12.17 3pm
5. Haiti potluck      12.17 4:30pm Northfield MN
6. Solstice vigil     12.17 5:30pm

7. Green Party/StPaul - Military has no place in StPaul schools
8. Kevin Zeese - Can you be a real anti-war politician in a pro-war party?

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From: wamm <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Coldwater solstice 12.17 2pm

Sunday, December 17, 2:00 p.m. Minnehaha Park, 54th Street South,
Minneapolis (South End of the Pay Parking Lot). Celebrate the Winter
Solstice at <http://www.friendsofcoldwater.org>Coldwater with Twin Cities
Reclaiming, an earth-based spiritual community, Earthtones, a women's a
capella choir, and Friends of Coldwater. Bring a gift for the spring sage,
tobacco, flowers, or a good-sized rock or interesting piece of wood to add
to the labyrinth. Wood is also needed for the fire. Folding chairs and
maybe a thermos of hot coffee are recommended. If desired, bring a
container to collect spring water. Dress for the weather. Open to the
public. Free of charge. Children welcome. Please leave beloved pets at
home. Sponsored by: Friends of Coldwater. FFI: Email
<info [at] friendsofcoldwater>.


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From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: YAWR 12.17 2pm

Sunday, 12/17, 2 pm, meeting of Youth Against War and Racism, Ty's house,
3024 Chicago Ave, Mpls.  against.war [at] gmail.com


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From: "Kantner, Elizabeth" <ekantner07 [at] moundsparkacademy.org>
Subject: IRV 12.17 2pm

Dear IRV Committee,

The meeting this weekend on the 17th will be at Lorrie's Coffee House at
1441 Cleveland Ave in Saint Paul. The meeting is at 2:00, and we will be
presenting information on IRV. See the schedule below for specific
details.
Libby Kantner

2:05-2:20: Agenda
2:20-2:45: Informational Slideshow
2:45-3:00: What works in Selling IRV
3:00-3:00: Open Discussion


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From: Eric Angell <eric-angell [at] riseup.net>
Subject: IMPACT Potluck 12.17 3pm

IMPACT hosts a POTLUCK !
Sunday, Dec. 17th, 3 pm:
MAYDAY BOOKSTORE (301 Cedar Ave)
Below Midwest Mountaineering, corner of Cedar and 3rd
One block north of Cedar and Riverside Aves, Mpls

Anyone who has ever attended an IMPACT event is a part of the IMPACT
community.  Please participate as we look backwards and forward.  We want
to learn how we can build a stronger community, how IMPACT can better
serve that community, and how we can all work together against corporate
tyranny.  Let us know what is going well, what should be worked on, and
how we can energize the community to make IMPACT even more effective in
the coming year.  A great opportunity to feed the mind and the body!

**if you can, bring a dish or something to share.  You are welcome to
consider the vegans and vegetarians :-)


--------5 of 8--------

From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Haiti potluck 12.17 4:30pm Northfield MN

Sunday, 12/17, 4:30 to 9 pm, holiday pot-luck and art sale for Haiti, plus
2005 film "Aristide and the Endless Revolution," home of Paul and Sharon
Miller, 2118 Erie Dr, Northfield.  biego001 [at] umn.edu


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From: "Krista Menzel (Merriam Park Neighbors for Peace)" <web [at] mppeace.org>
Subject: Solstice vigil 12.17 5:30pm

4th Annual
Winter Solstice Peace Vigil
Light a Candle for Peace on the Darkest Night of the Year

Sunday, December 17, 2006
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Corner of Snelling and Summit Avenues, St. Paul

Bring a candle and join neighbors from throughout the Twin Cities to
quietly witness for peaceful solutions to world problems.

After the vigil, warm up and socialize at a local Grand Avenue restaurant
or coffee shop (to be determined).

Sponsored by:
Merriam Park Neighbors for Peace
www.mppeace.org

More Information:
<mailto:info [at] mppeace.org>info [at] mppeace.<mailto:info [at] 
mppeace.org>org or (651) 641-7592

<http://www.mppeace.org/events/index.htm>


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Green Party of St. Paul/4th Congressional District
Contact:  Rhoda Gilman, 651-224-6383

MILITARY HAS NO PLACE IN ST. PAUL SCHOOLS

The Green Party today declared its support for students of Central High
School and other members of Youth Against War and Racism (YAWR) in their
demand that military recruiters receive no preferred treatment at St. Paul
public high schools.  While recognizing that the federal No Child Left
Behind Act makes it almost mandatory for schools to admit military
recruiters, the students ask that the military, like college and job
recruiters, be restricted to the school's Career Resource Center.

They also feel that Central High School is unfairly targeted by the
military because of its large minority enrollment, and they ask that they
be given a week's advance notice before recruiters arrive.  This would
allow them time for preparing information to counter what they believe are
false promises about career advancement and education that are held out to
low-income and minority students.  Their petition will be presented to the
school board at its meeting on December 19.

"In a community that places value on nonviolence in both interpersonal and
international relations," says Richard Broderick, "military recruitment
and programs such as Junior ROTC have no place." Broderick is a well-known
poet and writer and a former Green Party candidate for the school board.
Both his children have attended St. Paul public schools.

Rhoda Gilman, another St. Paul Green, whose daughters attended Central
High School, points out that the Green Party, in cooperation with many
local peace groups, has for years asked that the JROTC program be ended.
"It glorifies war and violence in the minds of young people, and it is a
drain on St. Paul taxpayers," she says.  In its Vision for the City of St.
Paul, released two years ago, the Green Party advocated that the schools
replace JROTC with a positive program of instruction in conflict
resolution and peaceful solutions to interpersonal and social problems.

The Green Party of St. Paul and the 4th Congressional District is founded
on the principles of ecological wisdom, social and economic justice,
nonviolence, and grassroots democracy.  www.gpsp.org.


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Can You be a Real Anti-War Politician in a Pro-War Party?
Dennis Kucinich's Strange Mission
By KEVIN ZEESE
CounterPunch
December 15, 2006

On December 12, 2006 the anti-war movement got a standard bearer on the
road to the White House. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, former mayor of Cleveland
(the youngest person ever elected to be mayor of a major city) and a five
term Congressman announced his second run for the presidency.

In his announcement he made the centerpiece of his campaign opposition to
the Iraq War. Further, he is running against the leadership of the
Democratic Party who is supporting the continued funding of the war. Rep.
Kucinich said:

"On November 7th, the people voted for a new direction for our nation.
They voted for the Democrats because they expected us to end the
occupation and to bring the troops home from Iraq. On October 1st Congress
appropriated $70 billion for the war in Iraq. The money is in the pipeline
right now to bring the troops home. Unfortunately our Democratic leaders
have already announced they will support an additional appropriation for
the war of up to $160 billion dollars. Not only are we not listening to
the voters and taking steps to withdraw our forces quickly, we are
actually planning to spend twice as much on the war as we did last year!
Somebody didn't get the message. And unfortunately it is the leadership of
the Democratic Party and the consequences may be disastrous for our party,
our nation and the world."

            Iraq War Results in Making Problems at Home Worse

Kucinich gets a 99% rating from Peace Majority Report but his campaign
will not be a single issue campaign. Rep. Kucinich shows how all issues
are impacted by the illegal and disastrous war and occupation of Iraq.
Kucinich highlights the economic failures in Ohio and the nation because
of the nation's "misplaced national priorities," he sees factories and
businesses, large and small, closing, people losing their jobs, their
middle class status weakening and many pushed into poverty, people losing
their homes and their retirement. He notes the millions of Americans
without health insurance and the many more who are underinsured. He
describes cities, schools, and the nation's infrastructure crippled by
debts and lack of funds. Kucinich notes the rising cost of energy that is
further tightening the already tight budgets of Americans. And, he sees
the loss of opportunity describing "millions of entrepreneurs whose
ingenuity will create new jobs by bringing forth advanced clean energy
technologies being starved for capital."

What is the root cause of these problems? "The war, tax cuts for the
already privileged, and our trade policies have become a massive engine to
redistribute upwards the wealth of our nation and to transfer our national
wealth out of the country," says Kucinch noting further such policies are
"inherently un-American." For Rep. Kucinich they are un-American because
we are the "United" States and these types of policies do not unite us,
they divide us.

Kucinich has a history of standing strong for peace and justice against
powerful interests. He lost his mayorship of Cleveland when in 1978 he
stood up to Cleveland Banks who were insisting he sell Cleveland's 70 year
old municipally-owned electric system to a private corporation that the
banks had a financial interest in. While he lost re-election the next
year, in 1998 the Cleveland City Council honored him for, "having the
courage and foresight to refuse to sell the city's municipal electric
system." And, in Congress he has championed causes he views as right, no
matter how they are perceived by the establishment. For example, he has
urged a Department of Peace because he believes that peace, not war, is
inevitable, if we are willing to work for peace.

                   Lessons from the 2004 Campaign

In the last presidential run, Kucinich's anti-war stands were muffled by
the loud campaign of Howard Dean. When the progressive, Internet advocacy
group, MoveOn, ran their on-line primary, Kucinich received 24% coming in
second to Dean who received 44%. By the time Dean imploded it was too late
for Kucinich to gain momentum. Kucinich ran in all the primaries only
endorsing Kerry just before the convention. Many were disappointed when he
endorsed Kerry who ran to "manage the war" better rather than end it.

This time around Kucinich may be the only clear peace candidate. The other
Democrats tend to criticize the war, say change is needed and call for the
beginning of a troop reduction but none call for a complete withdrawal in
the foreseeable future. So, Kucinich has a clearer message at a time when
anti-war sentiment in public opinion is rising steadily.

However, even with this I've already heard from 2004 Kucinich supporters
who are not as excited this time. Why? Some Kucitizens see his involvement
inside the Democratic Party as problematic because they have learned that
neither of the wealthy, special interest funded parties can really stand
for the people. They worry, as one 2004 Kucinich supporter told me, he
serves as a "gatekeeper to keep folks from leaving the party." As another
supporter said on a Kucinich discussion list:

"I must admit to being still struck by Dennis' eloquence when he is
permitted his moments on television, and I too gave an incredible amount
of time and energy last time around. But I know many of us are convinced
there is no room for progressive thought inside the Democratic Party. The
'relief valve' Tony speaks of, sometimes called the 'border collie' role
by others, is dead on. I respect Dennis and don't regret one moment or
dollar I spent. But I think it may be a waste of time for him to run again
as a Democrat. The left will back him less than last time, given four more
years of proof that Democrats don't share any of our priorities; the
'realists' and electability freaks are emboldened by the midterm results,
and I expect even more bullying this time around."

Some are particularly upset about his endorsement of John Kerry despite
views that are very different from Kucinich's on key issues like the war,
Patriot Act and corporate globalization. Many past supporters are
uncomfortable giving a megaphone to someone who, if he is unsuccessful,
will cheer on candidates like Hillary Clinton or Barak Obama who are not
even advocating a complete withdrawal from Iraq and remain quietly
supportive of military action against Iran.

Rep. Kucinich needs to reassure these anti-war voters that they are not
throwing away their vote on the pro-war Democratic Party leadership by
supporting Kucinich, and that he will not be keeping anti-war Democrats in
the party if there is an anti-war alternative outside the party. He needs
to be an uncompromising anti-war, anti-corporate candidate who will not
endorse a pro-war Democrat if he fails to win.

He will have a steep, uphill climb against the monied candidates who
represent the dominant DLC center of the party, candidates like Vilsack,
Clinton, Obama and Biden. Certainly during the Democratic primaries
Kucinich is the anti-war candidate and if he can reassure voters that he
is an uncompromising anti-war candidate he deserves support from all
voters opposed to the Iraq War.

The Kucinich for President website is at http://www.kucinich.us/

Kevin Zeese is executive director of Democracy Rising and a co-founder of
VotersForPeace.


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   - David Shove             shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu
   rhymes with clove         Progressive Calendar
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