Minutes of Past meetings (Reverse Order)
Minutes: Social Action Committee
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
January 22, 2012
Attending: Sue Willis, Chair; Diane Beeney; Martha Gallahue, Interim Leader; Betty Levin; Gus Lindquist; Lisa Novemsky
We began with reports:
• Sue said that the latest collection of stationery for immigration detainees at the Elizabeth detention center is on its way to First Friends/IRATE.
• Gus reported that he filled the back of his car with warm things collected at the Society in our committee’s clothing drive, and they have already been distributed by Valley Settlement House The need continues, however, for more clothes, especially for children, but all kinds. Gus will continue to gather them up and take them to Valley Settlement.
As a follow-up to the clothing collection, the committee decided to continue collection for another four weeks, through the balance of the cold weather. We will ask especially for children’s clothing, but all clean clothing will be welcome.
Next, Martha reported on the updates to the AEU’s Elliott-Black award process. Last year, we nominated Paul Surovell, but the award went to the very high profile Frances Fox Piven. The AEU has changed its requirements to include “significant positive impact. and the achievement of ethical ideals, whether or not this is done at significant personal risk,” but the likelihood of us coming up with a successful candidate seemed small. Martha suggested that we co-sponsor with another Society, thus throwing our support behind a figure we respect, but do not have to interview, etc. Martha will check with the other societies about who they are likely to nominate.
The committee is also interested in writing a resolution to put before the AEU assembly, and Martha will provide us with the guidelines for that. We should all be thinking about what we would like to see the AEU speak out on.
We also discussed the excellent idea, coming out of today’s platform with Gus and Betty, of helping organize a Society wide Vision Brunch at which members would sit around tables and discuss assigned topics leading, we would hope, to the beginnings of a Vision for the Essex Ethical Society that might help us then create programs expressing the vision of the whole group. One place to begin would be with our rôle as the First Peace Site. This might take place on a Saturday in late March.
Betty announced that her committee will be choosing an art object to recommend tot he Board in early February, for its decision.
We set the next meeting for March 11, 2012, and then adjourned.
Minutes: Social Action Committee
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
December 4, 2011
Attending: Anja, Gus, Zia, Sue, Lisa, Diane, Marty, Barbara
Chair Sue Willis reported that Elaine is working on getting immigration attorney Steve Sklar to give a platform updating the community on immigration issues. We are especially interested in the new immigration detention facilities in Essex County.
We continue to collect stationery for the immigration detainees serviced by First Friends.
Anja and Gus updated us on work going on at the Valley Settlement House and how pleased Valley Settlement was to receive nearly $500 from our society’s special collection a couple of weeks back.
After our successful collection of warm weather clothing for Kenyans in September, the Committee decided we would like to collected coat/warm clothing to be distributed at Valley Settlement house. Gus has volunteered to deliver what we collect. The collection will be announced next week (December 11) at platform and take place during the following two weeks, December 18 and 25.
Gus also said that there is a need for art supplies, and we’ll work on that as a social service project in the winter and spring.
Next, Sue then read a letter from member Betty Levin asking for volunteers to visit a sculptor with her as she continues to research on her idea for a peace art project. Anyhow interested should phone Betty directly.
Finally, we had a fairly lengthy discussion of issues centering on immigration and especially the new Essex County facilities for immigration detainees in Newark. The question is, what are the core issues about immigration that we want to work on? We decided against seeking out another speaker from IRATE of Pax Christi this year, preferring to get a general view from an immigration lawyer. After hearing him, however, we hope to come to a position that on some specific immigration reform for which we can do letters, cardings, and possibly another resolution to offer to the AEU.
We can, of course, simultaneously give support to individual detainees (visits, stationery) and perhaps constitute ourselves as an oversight group for the new Essex County facility.
The next meeting will be Sunday, January 22, 2012, after platform.
Minutes October 30, 2011
Brief meeting after platform (also, these will be brief minutes-- Sue has no electricity and is borrowing computer wifi to write this!)
Attending: MSW, Anja, Lisa, Betty, and Martha.
MSW reported on successful completion of the September Kenya clothing drive with things packed and sent. Anja is to look into a coat drive.
We had an October 16 carding in support of humane treatment of inmates at the new Essex immigration detention center facility. Just under twenty post cards were written, signed, and sent. Sue also talked to an information officer at the Board of Chosen Freeholders, and he said that the deal is done. His position is that Essex County is at least closer to people’s families than some place in the west or Midwest; that Essex County has already been doing this for five years and is thus good at it; that there will be lots of oversight from the Federal government.
The committed agreed to continue to push for humane conditions, and to get a speaker to update us on immigration issues. Elaine agreed to try and get Steve Sklar to come soon.
The next meeting will be after platform on DECEMBER 4, 2011.
Issues to be discussed include next steps on Detention center; Art for EC as a Peace site; coat drive.
Minutes
Social Action Committee
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
September 18, 2011
Attending: Barbara Cotler, Betty Levin, Anja Moen, Martha Gallahue, Zia Durrani, Judith Molis, Lisa Novemsky, Meredith Sue Willis, Chair
The meeting opened with an update on our clothing collection for Kenya. We have one more collection day (September 25), and then the clothing will be given to Mrs. Hellen Mkwanjeru, committee member Mira Stillman's friend, for shipping to Nairobi. Mrs. Mkwanjeru came to platform today and spoke briefly about where the clothes will go– some to her large extended family, others to a religious organization. We also collected some cash fro the committee toward the shipping costs.
Anja suggested that later in the season we collect some winter coats and other warm things to be distributed through the Valley Settlement House in Orange, and the group agreed to do that.
Next, Zia reported on her research on finding a group overseas that helps women, and thus families. As it happens, our Ethical Board has decided to "adopt" a woman through Women for Women International. This Board-led project will be kicked off with a platform in December, and our committee decided to offer any support needed. Sue will buy a couple of used copies of books that will be background for the platform and the project: A Thousand Sisters and Half the Sky. The books will be made available to Society members to read.
Betty brought up the idea of a piece of art to celebrate the Society's position as the first peace site, and the need for help with this, and after a number of opinions were expressed, it was decided to wait for next steps on further action from the board and possibly the membership.
Finally we had an update on the Essex Immigration Detention Center. Sue had heard from Kathy O'Leary of Pax Christi New Jersey (she came with the IRATE/First Friends speaker last year), whose organization appears to be taking the lead on this. The Essex County Freeholders have (over community objections) signed off on a 5 year contract to house an additional 1200 immigrant detainees in the Essex County Jail and the neighboring privately owned Delany Hall.
Pax Christi is asking people to sign the petition opposing this at: http://www.change.org/petitions/oppose-expansion-of-immigration-detention-at-a-jail-accused-of-inhumane-conditions, and to contact the Freeholders and ask them to
1. Revoke the contract with ICE
2. Improve conditions in the jail
3. Create a community oversight board for the detainees in both he jail and Delaney Hall.
Several people signed the hard copy petition, and every one agreed to a carding which will probably take place on October 16. Lisa dn Betty were interested in joining Sue with a possible meeting with Deborah Davis-Ford to hear the Freeholders' position on this. Sue will approach Deborah about this.
Anja and Marty also brought up the problems with our proferred resolutions for the AEU this past spring. It was agreed that we would retool our approach, begin early, and perhaps get an immigration lawyer for a platform. Lisa will suggest Steve Sklar as a speaker to Elaine, and Martha might be interested in sharing one of her platforms.
Marty pointed out the necessity of getting the facts right, and we all agreed we'll work farther in advance and with clearer factual basis for future resolutions. And also avoid resolutions that require the AEU to spend money!
We set the next Social Action Committee meeting for Sunday October 30 after platform, and were adjourned.
Minutes of the Social Action Committee
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
August 22, 2011 7:30 PM
Attending: Zia Durrani, Sue Willis
With only two people attending, we had some wide ranging discussions and brief reports. Zia reported on the work she has been doing with members of her family and Gus Lindquist at the Valley Settlement House in Orang. Sue reported on a thank you note from IRATE and First Friends stating that the most recent drive for stationery supplies for the Elizabeth detention center detainees had included, all-told, 17,000 sheets of paper, 3,000 greeting cards, and 5, 440 envelopes plus stamps! Sue also reported that, as requested at the last meeting, she sent a note Paul Surovell thanking him for his continuing work for peace and offering the Committee's support should he want to use the Society Building for Peace Action Events.
We then planned for the September Kenya Clothing Collection which will gather clothes to be shipped to Nairobi by Mira Stillman's friend Helen Mukwanjeru, who ships them to her son who distributes them to members of her large family and to two organizations through her daughter. The organizations are Christian Worship Center and Hope of Life Ministries, both situated in Mombasa Kenya.
We will announce the clothing drive at the first platform on September 11, then collect on September 18 and September 25. We are looking for all types of clothes, men's, women's, and children's, mostly for a tropical climate, but also light jackets or sweaters. Most people wear long pants. Sue will post on the web site and email the message out– we also hope to have Ms. Mukwanjeru possible come in person at some point.
We also discussed whether or not we might consider some support one of the excellent organizations that help families by centering on the needs of women, including Women for Women, which is an international organization; Women for Afghan Women (we had speaker Naheed Bahram on June 5, 2011– see website http://www.womenforafghanwomen.org ); or an organization in the South Bronx run by an old classmate of Sue's called Whedco (Women's Housing and Economic Development). See the website at http://www.whedco.org/ .
Zia will do further research and report, but please take a look at those websites before we meet again.
We tabled until we have a larger group further discussion on Lisa Novemsky's idea for a Freegan event and next steps with the Essex Immigration Detention and/or IRATE First Friends.
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Minutes Social Action Committee Meeting
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
June 20, 2011
Attending: Zia Durrani, Betty Levin, Lisa Novemsky, Mira Stillman, Sue Willis
The committee had its first summer meeting in the kitchen of a very busy Ethical Society building at 7:00 PM , beginning with chair Sue Willis reading Society President Anja Moen's report on the disposition of our resolutions for the AEU assembly. Anja wrote: "The immigration [resolution] has some factual faults that some other societies pointed out - we need to rewrite it to go for the whole country, and everybody was happy we brought up such an important issue. We can send it in later for social action resolutions done by the Board. The [resolution about the Pentagon budget] was about having an educational campaign, again - there were consensus on the principle but AEU is just recovering from disastrous financial times and have absolutely not a dime for this. We would not have gotten consensus on any of these, so it was better to withdraw. That was my decision. When I come home at the end of July and beginning of August, I will rewrite these, as I think we should send them off.
"We could only work on what we had sent before deadline, so Betty's did not work, but we had the key speaker Dot M. from Peace Institute and the organization is active in this area....[The three resolutions that did pass with consensus were] Statehood for Washington DC ; against Fracking - the new way to get gas out; and against having corporations be individuals who can sponser candidates in elections." We hope to work with Anja on reworking our resolutions for possible passage by the AEU Board or at next year's AEU Assembly.
Next we discussed State Senate Bill 2718, which New Jersey Citizens Action opposes as being the beginning of chipping away at the right of collective bargaining for public employees. See more at http://www.njcitizenaction.org/ . Lisa's son works for the Communications Workers of America, who are involved in this, and she will try to get more information for him, with an aim towards educating ourselves and possibly leading a letter-writing/carding on the issue.
Zia and Betty reported on a new committee of the Board to work on commissioning a sculpture for the front of the building commemorating the Ethical Society as a peace site. The idea is to send out an invitation to art schools and to offer a prize for a design.
We then discussed projects for the coming year. First, we decided to go ahead with Mira's idea to collect clothing to be sent to Kenya by a Kenyan woman she is associated with. Our idea is to do this immediately on three Sundays in September as a quick way to get active in the coming year. Mira will get details on what kinds of clothing are needed and exactly who will get them.
We also talked about going ahead with a "Freegan" outdoor swap. One idea was bicycles, another was electronics, and Lisa will talk with Ethical Board member Fred Sebastian who works in this field. For Freegan Information, go online to http://freegan.info/.
We also hope to continue to support First Friends/IRATE. Sue is to find out how many people are needed for a training session for preparation to visit immigrants in the detention centers.
Finally, after a discussion comparing the idea of "peace" to the idea of "anti-war," and whether the Society ought to take an anti-war position as well as being a place of peace, we decided to have the chair write a note to Society member Paul Surovell praising his work with South Mountain Peace Action and encouraging him to continue using our facility for his projects.
The next meeting has been set tentatively for Monday, August 22, at 7:30 PM.
Social Action Committee
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
Sunday, May 22, 2011 After platform
Attending: Diane Beeney, Barbara Cotler, Marty Cotler, Zia Durrani, Gus Lindquist, Lisa Novemsky, and Meredith Sue Willis, chair. Visitor: Shirley Steiner.
MSW reported that we presented our 2010-2011 annual report at the Annual Meeting on May 15, 2011, and that our two resolutions for the AEU assembly had been submitted.
The main business today was Betty Levin's proposed 3rd resolution, which had been distributed beforehand. MSW recommended presenting a revised version of Betty's resolution, attached below, as an addendum to the 2006 resolution in which the AEU supported the formation of a Department of Peace at the federal level (H.R. 808).
The committee especially empowered her to cut the language referring to domestic tranquillity, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Accord to limited research, Washington's "Sentiments on a Peace Establishment" of 1783 was about organizing militias and arsenals etc. There was, however, early talk in the new republic of something like a Department of Peace, in particulary from Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who wrote an essay about an office with equal footing to the Department of War. This interesting document (which included a demand for free schools and an American edition of the Bible to be provided at government expense to every family) was published in Benjamin Banneker's 1793 almanac.
The Committee will work on revising this third resolution through an email discussion. It will then be forwarded to Society president Anja Moen and Society interim leader Martha Gallahue for possible presentation from the floor at the AEU Assembly.
The committee then discussed a few ideas for possible projects for the coming months, including discussions and study leading to another Peace resolution for the AEU next year, focusing on domestic peace; a possible "Freegan" outdoor swap in early September (Lisa will consult with Nancy Bohn on feasibility); working on some project with veterans; continuing to work in some way on immigration issues and immigrant detention centers.
We'll consider these ideas and more at our next meeting, set for Monday, June 20, 2011 at 7:00 PM at the Society Building
Minutes of the Social Action Committee
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
April 10,, 2011 12:30 PM
Attending: Meredith Sue Willis, chair; Barbara Cotler, Marty Cotler, Zia Durrani, Betty Levin;
Gus Lindquist; Lisa Novemsky
The Social Action Committee had a short meeting today to choose and revise resolutions to send to the AEU for consideration at the annual conference. We also discussed several other matters, including the fact that our nominee for the Elliott-Black award, Paul Surovell, was not chosen. The choice was Frances Fox Piven, Ph.D.
Betty thanked Zia and Sue for coming over to help prepare folders for her upcoming appearance at the Vose Avenue Senior Housing for the monthly Open Luncheon, where she will be the speaker about the new Peace Department.
Betty also requested that the March 20 minutes be updated to reflect the language of the Peace Alliance about its new initiatives. She will send the wording to Sue by mail. Betty also reported on the most recent phone-in meeting of the Peace Alliance and talked about the proposed new publicity campaign: "I Am the Face of Peace."
We also discussed two proposals for AEU resolutions. We agreed to go ahead with the one on immigration issues (thre has apparently been no AEU resolution on this subject since 1960) and, if we may offer two, to include one updating the 2006 resolution on the Department of Peace.
After some discussion, Sue was asked to revise the Immigration resolution draft, which is below. Committee members with final suggestions should get back to her by email before Friday, April 15.
The suggested date for the next Social Action Committee meeting is Sunday, May 22, 2011 after platform. Please get back to Sue to say if that works for you.
– Meredith Sue Willis
Here is the suggested resolution:
Because of our Ethical Culture values, we are deeply concerned about inhumane conditions in immigration mass detention centers for people who want to live and work in the United States. These immigration detention centers appear to us to violate the human rights of the detainees.
Many of the centers for mass immigration detention bar family, clergy, and other humanitarian group visits. Detainees are treated as if they were worse than people accused of crimes, as they are not considered innocent until proven guilty but rather guilty until proven innocent.
There are also cases of US citizens being mistakenly detained and deported. Immigration detention disrupts families and removes working people from the community, and detainees are often from families in which at least one member is a legal permanent resident. There may also be children who are US citizens. We are deeply troubled about what happens to these children if one or both parents are detained.
We feel that it is particularly morally repugnant for incarceration companies to make a profit from the mass detention of immigrants when the centers are out-sourced. Sometimes, in both public and privately managed facilities, immigration detainees are mixed in with the general population of jails and prisons.
The time has come for a call to action: the mass detention of immigrants may be immoral in itself, but as long as we have immigration detention centers, Ethical Culture demands that conditions be made as humane as possible.
At a minimum, we insist that all mass immigration detention centers permit:
– visiting hours that include week-ends and evenings;
– family members being allowed to touch each other;
– a service set up for visitors for people with no family nearby;
– unrestricted phone calls;
– decent medical care and mental health care;
– food that is healthy and allows for special diets, religious or secular;
– unrestricted access to religious services;
– time in the fresh air for recreation and exercise.
Minutes of the Social Action Committee
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
March 20, 2011 12:30 PM
Attending: Meredith Sue Willis, chair; Martha Gallahue; Betty Levin; Gus Lindquist; Lisa Novemsky; Mira Stillman
This was a shortened meeting because of a workshop later in the day for Board Members with Westchester Society leader Bart Worden. We began with several reports. Chair Sue Willis reported on our nomination of Paul Surovell for the Elliott-Black Award (John Lovejoy Elliott & Algernon Black) and on our carding of February 27, 2011 that asked the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders not to support a new Immigration Detention Center in Newark, and if it is built, to assure human conditions for the detainees. MSW passed out a few extra cards to be signed and sent to the Chosen Freeholders.
Next came a report from Betty Levin on her work for peace. She spoke about the Peace Alliance's decision to begin presenting itself with some new language, especially "Moving from 'Search and Destroy' to 'Seek and Talk.'" She is also scheduled to present her Imagine Peace workshop at the senior housing apartments on Vose Avenue in South Orange, and asked for help assembling materials into folders. Zia volunteered to help, and MSW will too, depending on her availability. Betty also reported on her Birthday Party/Peace Celebration earlier this month, which was a rousing social success as well as a fund-raiser for the Society. To learn more about the Peace Alliance, see their web page at http://www.thepeacealliance.org.
We scheduled our next Social Action meeting for only three weeks away, April 10, 2011, in order to discuss an opportunity presented to us by Society President Anja Moen. The AEU is welcoming submissions of resolutions from the organization, to be presented at this year's assembly, with a deadline of April 28. We may submit a one-page Ethical Action Resolution to be clear, concise language and including a "Call to Action." Past resolutions may be viewed at the AEU homepage at http://aeu.org/library/byresolution.php?case=resolutions. Our discussion will cover any issues that have not had recent resolutions, although MSW suggested we might want to have something related to immigrations since we have an ongoing interest in that. Martha committed to making some notes that might be used for this.
Gus invited us all to the April 9 film that may give us further ideas for the meeting, and he also announced that Maplewood has decided to give funding once again to the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race. He suggested individuals writing thank yous to the Mayor of Maplewood, and the group voted to send in addition to send a letter from the Committee, which Sue agreed to write and send in the committee's name.
Everyone is requested to look at the AEU resolutions from the past and think about this and be ready to discuss at the April 10th meeting.
We set our next meeting for Sunday, April 10, 2011 after platform and then adjourned.
Minutes Social Action Committee
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
January 23, 2011
Attending: M. Sue Willis, Chair; Barbara Cotler; Marty Cotler; Martha Gallahue; Gus Lindquist; Lisa Novemsky;
We began with a few reports and discussions, including the Ethical Culture Society having a table at the Community Coalition's Martin Luther King event on January 17, 2011. A lot of people took information and a couple signed up for the contact list.
Next, Sue passed around the thank you letter from Sister Regina of IRATE/First Friends for the stationery we sent for inmates at the Elizabeth immigration detention center. We have a speaker coming from them on February 13, and we discussed the possibility of a carding, but decided to wait and hear the message first.
We also discussed subjects and possible language for a carding in the next feel weeks, and Martha offered to come up with some environmentally oriented ones. Lisa and Gus discussed a proposed housing project on the edge of Memorial Park in Maplewood, which they and most people at a recent Public Speaks in Maplewood oppose. Lisa is to sketch out a possible carding sentence encouraging the Township Committee to reconsider or at least do more research on the project.
Anja had reported by email from Mexico (where Zia is also!) that the Social Action Committee has a budget of $50. Sue asked to use $15 of it for post cards for cardings, and the group agreed, with a caution from Marty to be frugal.
Next we discussed the possibility of nominating someone for the AEU's Elliott-Black Social Action Award, named for John Lovejoy Elliott & Algernon Black, to be presented in June. The deadline March 8, 2011. Martha suggested young Matthew LeClair, and Marty suggested local peace activist and Society member Paul Surovell. The group thought we ought to consider nominating Paul first, and Barbara will call him to see if he's willing to be nominated, and if he is, Sue will collect basic information on him for the biographical note.
Lisa conveyed a report on absent member Betty Levin's peace activities, which recently included reading peace-related stories to second graders in a Millburn school. She also has planned a presentation of her free Imagine Peace workshop at the Valley Settlement House in Orange.
Gus reported on a long term plan to create an association between the Essex Society and that same Valley Settlement House through a gardening club/planting project to take place at our society for our members, and possibly be extended to the Settlement House. A local horticulturalist friend of his will possibly participate in some way. This project might be a long term way to bring diverse neighbors interested in gardening into the Society.
We set our next meeting for Sunday, March 20, 2011 after platform (which is Martha's Sunday), and then adjourned.
Minutes
Social Action Committee Ethical Culture Society of Essex County
December 5, 2010 12:30 PM
Attending: Chair Sue Willis; Barbara Cotler and Marty, Zia Durrani, Betty Levin, Gus Lindquist; Boe Meyerson, Anja Moen, Lisa Novemsky; Mira Stillman & Jerry; Tracey Woods (and friend!).
Reports:
1. UN Carding Sue reported that we did our carding to the New Jersey Senators (Lautenberg & Menendez) in support of the UN that was inspired by Martha Gallahue’s speech. If you haven’t sent one, please consider doing it. Here is the language we used:
We have just marked on Oct. 22, 2010 the 65th anniversary of the United Nations. We ask you to work in the United States Senate to support the UN and its commitment to promoting peace, development and human rights. The UN needs to do more, but its global mission to protect those caught up in armed conflict, to fight climate change and avert nuclear catastrophe, to increase opportunities for women and girls, and to combat injustice should be enhanced and expanded.
2. First Friends/IRATE She also announced last call for starionery for the Elizabeth detention center inmates. Several people contributed cash to cover $.98 stamps to include with donated stationery so the detainees can send cards overseas to families. First Friends/IRATE has a “packing party” and want volunteers on Sunday December 12, 2010– 1:00 PM, St. Joseph’s, 118 Division St. Elizabeth) For information about immigration and the detainees, see the website at http://www.irate-firstfriends.org, especially the video at http://vidnux.com/sq/778269/locking-up-immigrants-indefinitely.html . Also see http://www.aclu.org/immigrants-rights . We also have tentative dates for a platform from First Friends/IRATE for the beginning of February, probably Feb 13, 20, or 27.
3. Peace Issues Betty Levin then reported on several peace issues being worked on by the Department of Peace subcommittee. First, she met with the new superintendent of t he Millburn school district, and he was very open to some of her ideas.
She also encouraged our committee to call in to the monthly First Tuesday Department of peace call in at 712-432-1601 (access code 47082). Zia and Boe volunteered to try and join the call-in. For information about the Peace Alliance and Peace Department, see http://www.thepeacealliance.org/
Also, Betty is offering a free Imagine Peace workshop for anyone who wants to invited over a few friends. She distributed materials to give us information to tell our neighbors, and Sue volunteered to send out an email blast with Betty’s offer.
4. AEU Topic for the year Mira asked about the plans for the AEU taking on some single topic. Her suggested topic was the size of the military budget of the U.S. (approximately 2/3 of the entire Federal budget.) “We hear cries of poverty for most needed social programs at this time,” wrote Mira, “but the military budget only increases. Why is it so sacred and all other human needs so inconsequential in terms of our expenditures? Do the American people really want it this way, do they really believe that it wouldn't be better to relieve poverty in our country in these difficult economic times, to attempt to keep people in their homes, and to engage in urgent humane solutions across the globe with a goodly portion of the military budget instead of investing in weapons and more wars? Or are we mostly ignorant about the way our national treasure is used since, in general, our politicians do not raise this as an issue? I would hope that the AEU would undertake a program to educate themselves on this issue and would then, to the extent possible, both try to educate the public and to encourage debate on the values and practicalities of our country's current course.” Anja has passed it on the council of AEU Presidents.
5. Anja and Gus are making an effort to have all of 3rd Saturday Arts events include information on and support of four local social action groups, with links on the 3rd Saturday Arts website, www.3rdSatArts.org:
The Food Bank
South Mountain Reservation
South Mountain Peace Action
The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race.
6. Anja also announced plans for a spring food bank drive from the Society as a whole, with support of the Social Action Committee.