SNOW - Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War General Meeting 10/21/02 MINUTES (SNOW member orgs and full meeting schedule at end) NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, October 29th, 7 p.m. at Central Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill, 1710 11th Avenue.   SNOW is an explicitly Nonviolent Coalition to Prevent a U.S. War on Iraq; organizations and individuals interested in working with others who commit to nonviolence in our actions, including respectful language to all, invited to work together with 28 member organizations and growing; request Points of Agreement from Jean bb369@scn.org More info at F.O.R. 206-789-5565. Ruth Yarrow, facilitating, Jean Buskin & Marcia Mullins, notetakers WELCOME! By meeting facilitator. We are one month and 3 days old! We’ve done a great deal in little time. INTRODUCTIONS – name, neighborhood and organization, if any ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES Meeting Schedule – proposed and adopted. Full list through Jan. 7th at end of minutes. List Serve – a software patch seems to have cured whatever caused the listserve to be "down" over the week-end. Tom Shea (our listserve guru) reviewed ways to be a part of the listserve. Once one is a subscriber to this list serve, one can either get all of the emails as they are sent out or, if one wants to check into the postings but not have them appear on ones email, one can simply get the "archive" of postings. To do this: Go to http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/snow Log in, if necessary Click "My Options" For "Reception Mode", choose "No Mail" Click "Update"            You will not receive postings as they are sent but will need to check in yourself by going to the   above website when you want to get an update.  Click on "Archive" to see what's been posted.  Once can always go back to receiving postings when they are sent by reversing the above process.  Website – We now have a domain name. It is "SNOWcoalition.org". Carl Meyer has been the workhorse on this. (Cheers greeted him when he arrived at the meeting.) Thanks, also, to David Baum for his help. There are now links and information on this site. Carl will continue to update it for us and asks for feedback as well as digital photos of vigils, rallies, caravans, etc. which can be included on the site. Send Carl details of any SNOW event that you are planning and he will get information on the website. A proposal will be brought to the next meeting with further thoughts about our relationship with the "greenhammer" site. October 26th Endorsement - Howard Gale brought new details regarding the October 26th rally and march being organized by "No War Against Iraq". Logistics, content and intent were outlined. After some discussion, there was a vote to endorse the event. Birthday Party for U.N. - Mary Evans explained the idea and we agreed that this would be a SNOW event. The party will be held on Thursday, 10/24, at 6:00 at Westlake Mall. See details in earlier postings by Mary. Democratizing SNOW - A small committee will meet and bring a proposal to the next meeting regarding ways to administrate SNOW in a way that is democratic, inclusive and productive. REPORTS Cartop Signs – 130+ have been mounted and there continues to be interest and enthusiasm for more. Several caravans are planned for the near future. (See more on this in the "PRIORITIES" section below.) Other Signs/Fliers – A flier, "Statement of Religious Leaders" was distributed with thoughts on how to further the distribution of these in both large and medium formats. Large banners created by Susan Gordon, et al, are still around and need to be used for further events An 11 x 17 color poster featuring Iraqi Children is being created. Smaller fliers with the same photo were distributed and some will be available for distribution on 10/26. Yard signs "No Iraq War" are very popular and suggestions were made for selling them in high traffic areas such as supermarket parking lots, churches, etc. Vigils – Women In Black (Thursdays, 5-6 at Westlake Mall and Sundays, 2-3 at Greenlake are ongoing. Educational Materials - A leaflet is in the works in a "Q & A" format which addresses the reasons not to go to war. This will be finalized by the next meeting and, perhaps, by the 26th. October 26th Support – See previous email on this for details on how we all can work to support this event. Elections – We were reminded of ways to contribute (through the "Move On" site) to campaigns of those who were willing to "stick their neck out" on the Bush Resolution. (See more in "Priorities" section below.) Ceremony of Commitment – This is planned for early December. The sub-committee working on the event is looking for ways to broaden the issue with a theme something like, "Real Security, Not War". The "ceremony" would include speeches by people from many groups talking about what they are determined to do to prevent war. Others would be asked to "commit" publicly to resist the war in whatever ways they choose to do this. There might be a reading of names of people who have signed the "pledge". (NOTE: FOR office needs help from anyone willing to do data entry to keep up with the volume of pledges received each week. Call 776-5565 if you can help.) C.D. and Court Dates – The 12 SNOW members arrested in an action in the Cantwell/Murray offices last month will be arraigned on Thursday, November 7 at 8:45. There was discussion of how this arraignment could be publicized to bring more media attention to anti-war efforts. The 12 have been issued a Federal charge which carries a possible 30 day prison sentence. OTHER PROJECTS TO CONSIDER Neighborhood anti-war rallies Church Council Watchful Eye Project through "Hate Free Zone". Call them at 1 866 hfzone for information or to help. Way to highlight the fact that Bush is not upholding his oath of office. Leafleting not only marchers but folks on the sidewalks at the 10/26 event PRIORITIES (Listed, to some extent, in chronological order) October 24th – UN Birthday Party (see other postings for details) October 26th - Lots of help publicizing the event and a SNOW contingent as part of the rally and march. Fliers which get our name out will be ready for distribution. Snow arm bands will be available. October 28th – Meeting at Marcia Mullins’ house (2600 E Helen Street, 206-322-8846) at 7:00 p.m. plan for media attention at the 11/8 arraignment of SNOW members. All are welcome. Please call, if possible, in advance to let her know if you plan to attend the meeting. November 2nd – Cartop Caravan on the Eastside. Email Linda Ellsworth at sandboa51@msn.com or call her at 425-865-9368 for further information or to help with this event. November 7th – Media focus on arraignment Early December – Ceremony of Commitment ANNOUNCEMENTS Videos of Scott Ritter’s speech in Seattle earlier this month are available from the FOR office (776-5565) for $10.00 each. Daily vigil from 5-6 at the Federal Courthouse in Tacoma through October 25th. Iraq Teach-In on Wednesday, October 23, 7:00 p.m. at the Rialto Theater (310 S 9th, downtown Tacoma) with several speakers Potluck fundraiser at Guadalupe House (1417 S "G" St., Tacoma) to raise money for those going to the Annual School of the Americas protest in a few weeks. Call 572-6582 for more information. FOR  fundraising auction on November 2nd. People can have FUN and help FOR at the same time. Call 776-5565 for details. Let Jean Buskin(bb369@scn.org) know if you have a place for any of our upcoming meetings. We’ll try to be geographically sensitive in planning these. If you can be a "Peacekeeper" for the October 26th event, call Larry at 206-579-7024. Send feedback on cartop project to Mike at 206-200-5068 (cell) or write to him at Two-3Episcopalians@attbi.com Non-Violent Training, October 27th, 2-7 p.m. at University Friends Meeting, social hall, 4001 9th Ave NE. RSVP to Rosy Betz-zall and info at 206-782-9305 Meeting Schedule Tuesday October 29 (Central Lutheran Church – 1710 11th Avenue.) Wednesday November 6 Thursday November 14 *** Skip a week Monday November 25 Tuesday December 3 Wednesday December 11 Thursday December 19 *** Skip a week Monday December 30 Tuesday January 7 Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War SNOW Member organizations as of 10/21/02 (**=new) 2 or 3 Episcopalians (Seattle) American Friends Service Committee, Pacific Northwest Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Seattle Chapter Church Council of Greater Seattle Eastside Friends Meeting Fellowship of Reconciliation, Olympia Chapter Fellowship of Reconciliation, Seattle Chapter Interfaith Network of Concern for the People of Iraq (INOC) Lutheran Peace Fellowship No Name Affinity Group (Seattle) Nonviolent Peaceforce Seattle Affinity Group Palestinian Solidarity Committee (Seattle) Pax Christi Pacific Northwest Peace and Justice Resource Center (Seattle) Peace Studies Working Group at Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma) People for Peace, Justice, and Healing (Tacoma) Plymouth Congregational Church - Peace Action Group (Seattle) **St. Patrick Catholic Church Social Justice Committee (Seattle) Seattle International Human Rights Coalition Seattle Mennonite Church Seattle Women In Black Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace Leadership Team Social Action Board of University Congregational United Church of Christ (Seattle) **The Interfaith Community Church of Seattle University Friends Meeting (Seattle) University Unitarian Church Peace and Justice Committee (Seattle) Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Wizards and Clowns for Peace