Facilitator: Brenda Collier - Note taker: Diana Forman
Eight organizations and neighborhood groups were represented; eleven people attended the meeting.
We began with introductions around the circle accompanied by descriptions of recent group activities. A brief discussion of counter recruiting ads and of the Eugene action against military recruitment offices was spurred by mention of neighborhood counter recruiting activities. Then we turned to the agenda.
Ellen Finkelstein described plans for the day-long conference this coming Saturday, May 14, organized and sponsored by FOR, SNOW, WPSR and other organizations. The strength of the conference is its author keynoter Michael Klare, the array of knowledgeable workshop presenters, and the impressive breadth of issues related to resource depletion, economic and social change, the environment and peace to be presented. There was discussion of ways to increase the number of attendees.
Tom Krebsbach from Lake Forest Park for Peace is planning an action in mid-June focused on countering the culture of militarism in Washington State. He is hoping that SNOW will spearhead the effort to organize a rally that addresses our violent culture and gets attention from the media while also creating a petition to be sent to the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure Commission) urging it to proceed with base closures in Washington State. He is looking at the date of June 19 for the event because he hopes to include college and high school students who should still be available then and with an eye on the final BRAC decisions that need to be made by September 8.
Much discussion followed Tom's proposal, which we agreed was both ambitious and well-thought-out. Concerns included failure to attract media attention to the 100,000 and Counting die-in in Olympia several months ago, the difficulty of SNOW's devoting time, energy, and resources to development of another major event following March 19 and the Beyond Oil conference planning, the small attendance at tonight's meeting making agreement to undertake a major event difficult, and expression of the need to focus on bringing the troops home and on the role of Boeing in the state's increasing militarism.
The group began offering revisions to Tom's idea in order to create an activity that would be more manageable and affordable by a small group. There was general concern about the current lack of enthusiasm in the peace community for rallies, so we focused on the petition to the BRAC Commission and seeking an audience with the Governor so that a small group of earnest folks could present copies to her. The Action of the Week could solicit signatures for the petition, and perhaps a workshop or other small event here in Seattle could also be organized to attract those willing to sign such a petition. In addition to Christine Gregoire, Norm Dicks might be a good choice to receive copies of petitions, and with lead time, the press might come – particularly if the presentation were not happening on a weekend when it's more difficult for Seattle media to dispatch staff to Olympia. We recommended that Tom go back to Lake Forest Park for Peace, who previously worked with him on a letter to Gregoire, to request their involvement in this initiative, and he expressed interest in scaling back the project to focus on the petition and its presentation to the governor. SNOW neighborhood groups may also be contacted to help gather signatures for his petition.
Faces of War – Coffee houses are beginning to display the Faces of War posters – notably in Chehalis and Olympia. Michael Ramos of the Church Council has agreed to mention the project in the next edition of The Source, the Church Council newsletter, and may also promote it on the council’s website by linking it to mention of the recent bus ads.
Lobbying in Olympia – The group went again to Olympia with their signs and handouts highlighting the cost of the war to Washington State. Group members talked to several legislators who wanted to know what they wanted, and their conversations may result in proposed legislation in a coming session.
Action of the Week - Maureen Jackson has been ill, but the most likely action will be related to the Real ID Act, which is still being reconciled in the Senate. Ellen also made the point that neighborhood groups should pick up on each action of the week and translate it into tabling efforts.
Military counter recruiting – We discussed the remarkable efforts of Clara Lightner and her Students Against the Draft and War group at Foss High School in Tacoma, who recently won a struggle with school administrators over the group’s right to exist as a school club, to have an Iraq War veteran speak to their group, to be notified two weeks ahead of the next visit of military recruiters to the school, and to place a table with anti-recruiting materials beside that table. The refusal of Bainbridge High School to allow the military to bring a Black Hawk helicopter to the job fair where the recruiters had taken a table was cause for more discussion.
On May 2 Alex Bacon of Seattle Draft and Military Counseling Center and AFSC held a productive meeting of those interested in military counter-recruiting actions. The group will choose a date in June to deliver materials to inductees near the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) site from the sidewalk because they can't go onto federal property. They might also consider approaching inductees at the hotels in Belltown where they spend the night prior to induction. In addition, an action such as the one held in Eugene, Oregon, against military recruitment offices is under consideration, possibly on 5th Avenue NE near Northgate or on Yesler near 23rd. This new, expanded counter-recruiting group is looking into various actions that could be taken, and with someone with a strong interest in "doing something" who is willing to take the lead, such as Kay Thode from West Seattle SNOW, actions may surface in other small groups, as well.
Visit of Mike Hoffman, Co-founder of Iraq Veterans Against the War - Mike Hoffman will be in Seattle the week of May 23rd and at the UW on that Monday at both 4:00 in Smith Hall and at 7:00 at the University Friends Meeting. His appearances will be put into the SNOW bulletin.
Labor Contingent from Iraq - A group of oil workers from Iraq will visit Seattle on June 23, and John Repp will attend the next organizing meeting to represent SNOW.
Japanese visitors - On April 28 Ruth Yarrow attended a dinner for a peace delegation from Japan on its way to New York City to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and demonstrate in favor of nuclear non-proliferation. The event was organized by June Casey, herself a "down winder." The delegation was composed of 49 Japanese citizens who gave each dinner guest from peace organizations in Seattle a portfolio of large photographs of the Hiroshima devastation and mementos of their visit. Ruth described the event and passed the photos around. She attended with Jean Buskin, who represented FOR, and they made a presentation folder for each person in the Japanese delegation that contained an Iraqi faces notecard and SNOW flyer as well as materials from FOR. She reported that the three posters of the two children and mother she took to set the stage for SNOW's work were well received by the visitors.
Two up-coming events related to nuclear non-proliferation -
Beginning on July 16 there will be a walk from Hanford to Bangor to underscore the cataclysmic and continuing threat posed by nuclear arms. The walk is being led by two Buddhist monks from Bainbridge Island and is open to all.
On Saturday, August 6, at 6:30PM, the annual Hiroshima to Hope lantern floating will take place at Green Lake in remembrance of the victims in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and all victims of war and violence. Anyone interested in helping with the event is invited to call FOR.
Presentation of the annual budget - Because the quorum necessary to approve the annual SNOW budget (20 people representing ten groups) was not present at tonight's meeting, the budget will have to be presented at the next general meeting whose attendance constitutes a quorum.
Jackie Renn has organized an informal afternoon of conversation with Ed Asner on Sunday, May 15, from 1-4PM, at C and P Coffee in West Seattle as a fund raiser for Voices of Conscience. Space is limited.
Phinney Neighbors for Peace and Justice will present "After Two Years of Occupation in Iraq: What Lies Ahead?" on Wednesday, May 18, at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church. Speakers are Maria Tomchick of Eat the State and Nikhil Singh from the UW.
On Sunday, May 15, Erica Kay and John Reese will speak at a Seattle Chapter FOR potluck on "Israel's Wall – Barrier to Peace in Israel/Palestine; Education Tool in the US." The couple will describe their 20,000 mile trip around the US hauling a replica of the Wall behind their car and talking with Americans about the issues it raises.
Michael Stern, anti-war singer/song writer will present a concert to benefit WWFOR on Saturday, May 21, at 7:00, at the Columbia-Lakewood Community Church in Seattle.Reclaim the Media is urging the city of Seattle to resist awarding the local cable and Internet service business to Comcast once again and to win a more favorable cable arrangement and real public benefit for citizens in return for the monopoly any company given the contract will hold. A fund-raiser to support their efforts will be held on June 4 with wine, food, music, and an auction between 4:00 and 6:00PM. Details can be found at www.reclaimthemedia.org
On Saturday and Sunday, May 28 and 29, at 7:00PM, at the Seattle Art Museum downtown, local individuals will read from "Voices of a People’s History," a new work by Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove featuring the "voices of struggle mostly absent from our history books." The event is an International Socialist Organization fund-raiser, and $10 tickets can be purchased for groups. Otherwise, the cost is $10 student, $12 general admission, $15 at the door, and $20 in solidarity.
An auction to benefit the E.K. Brant Rehab Fund will be held on June 4 from 4-6:00PM at the home of Bob and Gerri Haynes. Two silent auction areas are open from 4:00 until 5:15, and the live auction begins at 5:30. Karen Moore has details.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45. The next general meeting will be held on June 13, and the next meeting of the SNOW Coordinating committee will be May 23.
Minutes by Diana Forman