November Newpeople

Thomas Merton Center Pittsburgh’s Peace and Social Justice Center

PITTSBURGH’S PEACE & JUSTICE NEWSPAPER VOL. 44 No. 11, November 2014

Jeremy Scahill to Receive 2014 Thomas Merton Award

by Francine Porter The Thomas Merton Center is thrilled to bring investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill to Pittsburgh to receive the Center’s Thomas Merton Award on Wednesday, November 12th, at The Sheraton Station Square at 6 PM. Scahill is a founding editor of the online news publication The Intercept and author of Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army, which won the George Polk Book Award. His book Dirty Wars was published in 2013, and the documentary film of the same name was released shortly after with Scahill producing and narrating it.

Scahill is a Fellow at The Nation Institute. He got his start as a journalist on the independently syndicated daily news show Democracy Now! Discussing the roots of his activism, Scahill said: “I think we all have to remember something that Dan Berrigan, the radical Catholic priest said about Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement. He said ‘she lived as though the truth were true.’”

Scahill and Amy Goodman were corecipients of the 1998 George Polk Award for their radio documentary “Drilling and Killing: Chevron and

Nigeria’s Oil Dictatorship”, which investigated the Chevron Corporation’s role in the killing of two Nigerian environmental activists.

In 1998 Scahill traveled to Iraq for Democracy Now! and Pacifica Radio, where he reported on the impact of the economic sanctions on that country and the “No Fly Zone” bombings in Northern and Southern Iraq. In October of 2013 along with Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras, Scahill founded the online investigative journalism publishing venture The Intercept dedicated to publishing reports about information contained in documents disclosed by Edward Snowden concerning the National Security Administration (NSA).

In 1999 Scahill covered the Kosovo conflict, reporting live from Belgrade and Kosovo. Between 2001 and 2003, Scahill reported frequently from Baghdad for Democracy Now! and other media outlets. Scahill has reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, Yugoslavia, and post-Katrina Louisiana.

Scahill is a frequent guest on a wide array of programs, appearing regularly on The Rachel Maddow Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, and Democracy Now! He writes regularly for The

Year Award, a spot on both the Barnes and Noble and Amazon lists of the Best Nonfiction Books of 2007, and notable mention in The New York Times.

Scahill’s work has sparked several Congressional investigations. In 2010, Scahill testified before the US House Judiciary Committee on the United States shadow wars in Pakistan, Yemen, and elsewhere.

Scahill has been an outspoken critic of Source: Creative Commons President Obama’s drone strikes in the Times, The Sunday Telegraph, the Middle East. When the public became BBC, The Independent, The Los aware of Obama’s “kill list”, Scahill Angeles Times, Z Magazine, Socialist was frequently cited as an expert on the Work, International Socialist Review, topic of extrajudicial killings.

The Progressive, In These Times, and Scahill exposed the presence of The Guardian.

Blackwater contractors in New Orleans Scahill has been a vocal critic of after Hurricane Katrina and his private military contractors, particularly reporting brought about a Congressional Blackwater Worldwide, which is the inquiry and an internal Department of subject of his book, Blackwater. The Homeland Security investigation. book received numerous accolades, (Continued on page 3) including The Alternet Best Book of the

Jeremy Scahill will receive the Thomas Merton Award on November 12th, at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel, register at: www.thomasmertoncenter.org/scahill or send your check to the Thomas Merton Center.

Tickets for the dinner are $50 per person.

In this issue Scahill ... 1, 3,& 4 Know Your Legislator ... 5 Justice Now … 7 End War ...10, 11 & 12 Human Rights ...13 & 14

Protesters in Pittsburgh make economic arguments against war Oct 4th - Photo by John Rubino

The Thomas Merton Center works to build a consciousness of values and to raise the moral questions involved in the issues of war, poverty, racism, classism, economic justice, oppression and environmental justice.

TMC engages people of diverse philosophies and faiths who find common ground in the nonviolent struggle to bring about a more peaceful and just world.

November 2014

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The New People Editorial Collective Eric Bergerud, Paola Corso, Neil Cosgrove, Ginny Cunningham, Michael Drohan, Russ Fedorka, Martha Garvey, Bette McDevitt, Diane McMahon, Andrew Karl, Kenneth Miller, Joyce Rothermel, Molly Rush, K. Azmal Thahireen, Jo Tavener, Scilla Wahrhaftig

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The East End Community Thrift (Thrifty) is an all volunteer-run thrift shop which provides quality, low-cost, used clothing and household goods to the surrounding community. The East End Community Thrift (Thrifty) is an all volunteer-run thrift shop which provides quality, low-cost, used clothing and household goods to the surrounding community. Thrifty needs volunteers and shoppers! Please don’t hesitate to contact us at (412) 361-6010 and ask for Shirley or Shawna, or stop in at 5123 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224. Email shawnapgh@aol.com.

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TMC Projects

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Anti-War Committee info@pittsburghendthewar.org www.pittsburghendthewar.org

Allegheny Defense Project, Pgh Office 412-559-1364 www.alleghenydefense.org

Book‘Em: Books to Prisoners Project bookempgh@gmail.com www.bookempgh.org Capital’s End 724-388-6258, iamholtz@iup.edu CodePink: Women for Peace francineporter@aol.com, 412-389-3216 www.codepink4peace.org

Association of Pittsburgh Priests Sr. Barbara Finch 412-716-9750 B.a.finch@att.net Amnesty International info@amnestypgh.org - www.amnestypgh.org Battle of Homestead Foundation

412-848-3079

East End Community Thrift Shop 412-361-6010, shawnapgh@aol.com

The Big Idea Bookstore 412-OUR-HEAD www.thebigideapgh.org

Economic Justice Committee drohanmichael@yahoo.com

The Black Political Empowerment Project Tim Stevens 412-758-7898

Environmental Justice Committee

CeaseFirePA

environmentaljustice@thomasmertoncenter.org

www.ceasefirepa.org—info@ceasefirepa.org

Fight for Lifers West

Global Solutions Pittsburgh 412-471-7852 dan@globalsolutionspgh.org www.globalsolutionspgh.org

fightforliferswest@yahoo.com

www.fightforliferswestinc.com Formerly Convicted Citizens Dean Williams 412-295-8606 Greater Pittsburgh Interfaith Coalition Anne Wirth 412-716-9750 Harambee Ujima/Diversity Footprint Twitter @HomewoodNation Human Rights Coalition / Fed Up (prisoner support and advocacy) 412-802-8575, hrcfedup@gmail.com www.prisonerstories.blogspot.com Marcellus Shale Protest Group melpacker@aol.com 412-243-4545

Citizens for Social Responsibility of Greater Johnstown Larry Blalock, evolve@atlanticbb.net PA United for a Single-Payer Health Care www.healthcare4allPA.org www.PUSH-HC4allPa.blogspot.com 2102 Murray Avenue Pgh, Pa 15217 412-421-4242 Pittsburgh Area Pax Christi 412-761-4319

marcellusprotest.org

Pittsburgh Cuba Coalition 412-303-1247 lisacubasi@aol.com

New Economy Campaign gabriel@thomasmertoncenter.com

Pittsburgh Independent Media Center info@indypgh.org www.indypgh.org

Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Community Alliance

North Hills Anti-Racism Coalition 412-369-3961 www.northhillscoalition.com

Pittsburgh Campaign for Democracy NOW! 412-422-5377, sleator@cs.cmu.edu www.pcdn.org

Pittsburgh North People for Peace 412-367-0383 pnpp@verizon.net

412-512-1709

Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition jumphook@gmail.com; www.pittsburghdarfur.org

Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee info@pittsburgh-psc.org www.pittsburgh-psc.org Raging Grannies 412-963-7163 eva.havlicsek@gmail.com

Pittsburgh Haiti Solidarity Committee rothermeljoyce@gmail.com 412-780-5118

www.pittsburghraginggrannies.homestead.com

Pittsburghers for Public Transit 412-216-9659 info@pittsburghforpublictransit.org

SW PA Bread for the World Donna Hansen 412-812-1553

Progressive Pittsburgh Notebook 412-363-7472 tvnotebook@gmail.com School of the Americas Watch W. PA 412-271-8414 drohanmichael@yahoo.com Shalefield Stories 412-422-0272 brigetshields@gmail.com

Religion and Labor Coalition 412-361-4793 ojomal@aol.com

United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) 412-471-8919 www.ueunion.org Veterans for Peace kevinbharless@yahoo.com 252-646-4810 Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Eva 412-963-7163 edith.bell4@verizon.net

Stop Sexual Abuse in the Military 412-361-3022 hildebrew@aol.com

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Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Martha Connelly 412-361-7872, osterdm@earthlink.net

Table of Contents Page 1  Jeremy Scahill Page 3  Jeremy Scahill Continued  Baldwin Residents Walk for Transit Service Page 4  Grid Emergency!  Why Voter ID Laws? To Suppress the Vote  Jeremy Scahill on What Matters Page 5  Know Your Legislators Page 6  With Hiroshima Eyes  Call to Action: Spring 2015 Page 7  Book Review: “The Battle for Justice in Palestine”  B-PEP Hotline

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Page 8  The New Economy Campaign is About You  Corporate Tax Breaks vs Funding for Higher Ed? Page 9  Are We Really Praying for Peace or Another Form of War?  Forum on Income Inequality - Nov. 16  Nov 21-23 School of Americas Vigil  Final Lecture in APP Fall Speakers Series Page 10  Pope Francis on War and Bombing  Maryknoll’s Janice McLaughlin Named Distinguished Daughter of PA Page 11  Creating Fictitious Enemies/Threats  Senator Ferlo: A Voice at Anti-War Rally Page 12  Children of the Occupation  How to Wage War without End in 60 Words

or Less...

Page 13  Towards Better Policing?  Festival & Write-a-thon for Human Rights on December 8th in Shadyside Page 14  An Open Letter to Incoming Police Chief McLay  A New AFSC Resource for Youth Empowerment Page 15  TMC is Looking for New Space  Sr. Mary Clare Donnelly Celebrates her 50th Jubilee  Why I am a TMC Cornerstone Sustainer  Meet Azmal Thahireen, the NEW New People Coordinator Page 16  November Activist Calendar  We Remember

Justice Today (Continued from front page)

Scahill has won numerous awards, including the prestigious George Polk Award twice, numerous Project Censored Awards, and the Izzy Award, named after the muckraking journalist. I. F. Stone. He was among the few Western reporters to gain access to the Abu Ghraib prison when Saddam Hussein was in power and Scahill’s story on the emptying of that prison won a 2003 Golden Reel Award from The National Federation of Community Broadcasters. In 2013, he was awarded the WindhamCampbell Literature Prize, one of the richest literary awards in the world.

With the recent announcement by President Obama to escalate the US military campaign against ISIS, Scahill offered a damning assessment of the administration’s strategy. He said that not only is the militant group ISIS the product of failed military adventurism, but that continued attempts to bomb Al Qaeda out of existence simply creates a cycle of “blowback” that is self defeating and counterproductive. “President Obama, for all the criticism he gets from Dick Cheney,” argued Scahill, “is actually far more effective at the ‘War Games’ than the neocons were, because he’s able to also sell his rhetoric to the liberal base.”

A press conference at 5 PM is planned before the dinner on November 12th, as well as a book signing from 6 pm until 7 pm. On Thursday, November 13th Scahill will lead a discussion on war/ethics on the campus of CMU from noon until 2 pm. That same day, Scahill will speak at Pittsburgh Filmmakers from 5:30 pm until 6:30 pm before the showing of his fantastic documentary Dirty Wars.

Francine Porter is the coordinator of Code Pink Pittsburgh, a member of the Thomas Merton Center Anti-War Committee and a long time activist working to end the wars.

Source: Creative Commons

Demand for Transit Service in Baldwin

by Molly Nichols At least 100 Baldwin residents and transit supporters came out Saturday, September 6th, to walk one mile along Churchview Avenue, just half the distance it takes many residents to get to the nearest bus stop. Residents walked with their own handmade cardboard bus to highlight their need for transit service. They ended with a rally at the Baldwin Borough building.

“We are here to show decision-makers and the public how difficult it is for residents in Baldwin to get to a bus route. Many of us need to walk significant distances in all weather conditions, including up and down steep hills, just to get to the bus stop to go to work or school,” said Terry Breisinger, a visually-impaired resident who cannot drive. He often treks on roads without sidewalks to catch the 51 on Brownsville Rd. to get to his job in town.

The 50 Spencer route was cut in 2011, and Baldwin residents have been reeling from the effects ever since. In collaboration with Pittsburghers for Public Transit (PPT), they have been building a campaign to restore transit service in their community. Since May of 2014, 540 surveys have been completed by Baldwin residents. 97% indicate that public transit is important for their community. Residents have attended community meetings, spoken at Port Authority board meetings, sent letters to decision-makers, and met with Port Authority staff and board members and elected officials. Over 1300 petition signatures have been collected.

“We appreciate the Port Authority’s willingness to listen to our concerns, and we hope they will act to get bus service to our neighborhood. If they cannot restore an entire route immediately, we hope they can extend the current service to meet the transit needs of residents in our community. Baldwin has an exceptional gap in service, and this issue must be addressed,” said Karen Smith, Baldwin resident and lifetime bus-rider.

“Allegheny County and the public transit authority should prioritize the needs of people in communities badly damaged by transit cuts,” said PPT member, Jonah McAllister- Erickson.

Pittsburghers for Public Transit addressed County Council on Sept 23rd asking for them to support getting transit to under-served areas. PPT highlighted the 9.7 million dollars of surplus revenue in the county’s transportation fund (funded in part by the drink tax).

According to Judge Olson’s ruling in 2009 (from the Baldwin residents and supporters protest inadequate transit service. Sept. 6 Photo by Molly Nichols Court of Common Pleas), these funds could be used for operating costs.

Over the next few months, PPT will continue to advocate for public transit service to be provided to the most under-served communities throughout the county and to ensure that transit planning and decision-making are transparent and inclusive of transit riders, workers, and residents.

For more information or to get involved in our campaigns, go to our website: www.pittsburghforpublictransit.org PPT is a grassroots organization of riders, drivers, and transit supporters working to improve the public transit system in Allegheny County.

PPT is supported by The Thomas Merton Center and The Pittsburgh Foundation.

Molly Nichols is the community organizer for Pittsburghers for Public Transit.

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Action Requested Jeremy Scahill on What Matters

Grid Emergency!

by Bette McDevitt

by Tim Cimino The U.S. electrical grid is highly vulnerable to long-term collapse.

A 2008 Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) states to Congress: “Because of the ubiquitous dependence of U.S. society on the electrical power system, its vulnerability to an EMP attack, coupled with the EMP’s particular damage mechanisms, creates the possibility of long-term, catastrophic consequences.” [Report of the

Commission to Assess the Threat from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack.]

A 2012 National Research Council’s report: Terrorism and the Electric Power Delivery System states: “The electric power delivery system that carries electricity from large central generators to customers could be severely damaged by a small number of well-informed attackers.” [The National

Research Council’s report: Terrorism and the Electric Power Delivery System..]

The grid could be also knocked out by: a large solar flare, cyber-attacks, or physical attacks on just nine key transformers. In a hurricane situation, you can move out of the crisis zone, and help will come from unaffected parts of the country. But in this situation, potentially the entire continental United States is the crisis zone – for months or years.

I’m so concerned that I’ve built a website, GridEmergency.Org. It contains links to these and other official reports. It also has links on resources about how to protect yourself in the event of a long-term crisis.

Because few of us can store months-worth of food, water and medicines, and because we can’t afford long-term heat and electricity alternatives, the ultimate solution

When Jeremy Scahill takes to the lectern to receive the Thomas Merton Annual Award, he won’t be your usual after dinner speaker. Be prepared to be disquieted. He takes his role as a journalist seriously.

In a recent interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now, he said.

“There has never been a more intense, intensely dangerous time for journalists. On the one hand, you have episodes like this, where journalists are being beheaded…. Freelancers, and mostly Arab or Muslim journalists, are on the front lines being killed in record numbers… And then here at home, in the United States, there’s a war against journalists and a war against whistleblowers. The U.S. government is intent on tracking who is giving information to journalists that is not officially cleared by the White House. The message that they’re sending is: ‘We Photo by Jame Wheeler, Flickr only want the official statements to be out, or our official leaks.’”

He does not mince words; “When the Khorasan group popped out of is to push for legislation and also to pressure nowhere, and we were told this is the greatest threat—in fact, on NBC the electric utilities to make the needed News, there was Brian Williams, when he was announcing, the new, upgrades as soon as possible. latest, greatest threat, he had a graphic next to him that just said ‘the new An advocacy group is needed with enough enemy.’ And we could just take a picture of that, and every year or— members to make the local electric utilities apparently now it’s going to be every two or three months—we can just take notice. If they don’t respond have Brian Williams there with the new threat. It could become an annual productively, then we will need to make holiday in this country where we just celebrate whatever new war is going many more citizens aware of our great to give Lockheed Martin and Boeing and all these companies tremendous vulnerability. profits.”

I will be consulting a variety of Jeremy Scahill won’t be like Brian Williams or anyone else you’ve seen professionals, hoping to build a strong paraded across the TV screen. He will remind us, as he did on Democracy leadership team. If you’d be willing to do Now, what we face in this latest war; “What I’m saying is that the United very small amounts of action from home on States, through its policies, created the very threat that it claims to be this issue (phone calls or emails) please fighting now, and in continuing this policy, what President Obama is email me at timcimino@gmail.com. If you’d doing is embracing the very lies that made the Cheney-Bush Iraq War like to do more, for instance, play a possible. And in the process, he’s creating yet another generation of leadership role, put that in the email, too. people in the Islamic world who are going to grow up in a society where If about 500 people gave just 15 minutes a they believe that their religion is being targeted, where they believe that month, we could begin to have an impact on the United States is a gratuitous enemy. And so, this is sort of an epic the local utilities, and if necessary the public. formula for blowback.”

Scahill will no doubt refer to the experiences he had as the truth teller in Go to GridEmergency.Org to get the facts. uncovering the experiences he wrote about in his book “Dirty Wars: The Then join the campaign and invite two or World is a Battlefield” and the film of the same name. Before that, he three others. This is everyone’s issue wrote “Blackwater; the Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Army,” and he will no doubt speak about the upcoming trial of former Blackwater Tim Cimino is director of Group Genie, a operatives in the massacre of Nisoor Square in Baghdad. He had this to nonprofit creativity team and action say about that trial on Democracy Now, “It’s always the people down the network.

Why Voter ID Laws? To Suppress the Vote

by Michael Drohan Judge Richard Posner, a judge of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, recently gave an opinion on the Wisconsin Voter ID Law which is astounding. Posner is a conservative judge appointed by Ronald Reagan and has heretofore been in favor of Voter ID laws. In regard to the Wisconsin law he wrote in a brief arguing for its repeal as follows: "There is only one motivation for imposing burdens on voting that are ostensibly designed to discourage voterimpersonation fraud, and that is to discourage voting by persons likely to vote against the party responsible for imposing the burdens."

More specifically, he observes, photo ID laws are "highly correlated with a state's having a Republican governor and Republican control of the legislature and appear to be aimed at

limiting voting by minorities, particularly Blacks."

Further on Posner writes: “lists of the states that impose the strictest requirements imply that a number of conservative states try to make it difficult for people who are outside the mainstream, whether because of poverty or race or problems with the English language...to vote”.

Jeremy Scahill If ever there were a really Source: Creative Commons lucid statement of the motivation behind Voter chain that face the consequences. I believe that these men should be ID laws in so many Hear Jeremy Scahill prosecuted, should be convicted, for what they did, and they should be in states, including speak at an opening prison. But the leadership of Blackwater should also be there. And until Pennsylvania, this is it. we, as a society, stop cutting off who’s held accountable at the lowest reception for the showing of Coming from a ranks, nothing is ever going to fundamentally change.” his documentary “Dirty conservative Republican And he will probably have something to say about the sponsors of war: Wars” at the Melwood judge it is all the more “You know, Lockheed Martin is making a killing off of the killing, every powerful in its Screening Room at Tomahawk cruise missile that’s launched...The war industry is in its indictment of such laws. Pittsburgh Filmmakers on twilight right now, under Mr. Transformative President Barack Obama.

Thursday, November 13, His administration has been an incredibly great friend to the war industry.

Michael Drohan is a at 5:30 pm.

And outside of some small groups of loony bins that are in Syria and Iraq, member of the Board of The movie will begin at 6:30 the war industry is the greatest beneficiary of this policy.” Be prepared to TMC and of the be unnerved, in the tradition of being a good citizen.

Editorial Collective of pm. Admission is $10.

The NewPeople.

Pittsburgh Filmmakers Bette McDevitt is a member of the Editorial Collective and a member of Melwood Screening Room the Raging Grannies, since the beginning of the wars the US has waged 477 Melwood Avenue on the Middle East.

Pittsburgh, PA 15213 4 - NEWPEOPLE

November 2014

Pennsylvania Political Decision-makers Know Your Legislators and How They Vote 28th District—Mike Turzai (R)—Bradford Woods, Franklin Park, Marshall Twp., McCandless Twp., Pine Twp., Richland Twp. Activists know that party labels and campaign posturing often don’t tell us much 30th District—Harold A. English (R)—Fox Chapel, Hampton Twp., O’Hara about how those we elect to represent us will vote when it comes to legislation that Twp., Ross Twp., Shaler Twp. will or will not move our world closer to peace and social justice. In addition, 32nd District—Anthony M. DeLuca (D)—Blawnox, Penn Hills Twp., Plum, Merton Center members and affiliates know they must be knowledgeable about our Verona. representatives and how they vote when dialoguing with our fellow 33rd District—Frank Dermody (D)—Brackenridge, Cheswick, East Deer Twp., citizens. Consequently, The NewPeople has compiled, in time for this month’s Fawn, Frazer Twp., Harmar Twp., Harrison Twp., Indiana Twp., Oakmont, Plum, election, a list of members of Congress and state legislators who represent regional Springdale, Springdale Twp., Tarentum, West Deer Twp. and Allegheny constituencies. We have also provided information about how our 34th District—Paul Costa (D)—Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, readers can follow their representatives’ voting records regarding important East McKeesport, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, North Versailles Twp., legislation.

Pittsburgh, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, Wilkins Twp., Wilmerding.

35th District—Marc J. Gergely (D)—Duquesne, East Pittsburgh, Elizabeth Twp., Homestead, Lincoln, McKeesport, Munhall, North Versailles Twp., South PA Members of Congress Representing Area Constituencies Versailles Twp., Versailles, West Mifflin, Whitaker, White Oak. 36th District—Harry Readshaw (D)—Baldwin, Brentwood, Mount Oliver, U.S. Senate Pittsburgh, West Homestead, Whitehall.

Robert Casey (D) 38th District—William C. Kortz II (D)—Baldwin, Dravosburg, Glassport, Patrick Toomey (R) Liberty, McKeesport, Pleasant Hills, Port Vue, West Mifflin.

U.S House of Representatives (Approx. 710,000 residents in each district.)

39th District—Rick Saccone (R)—Clairton, Elizabeth, Elizabeth Twp., Forward PA 3rd District—Michael Kelly (R)--All of Armstrong, Butler, and Mercer Twp., Jefferson Hills, South Park Twp., West Elizabeth.

Counties; Parts of Clarion, Crawford, Erie and Lawrence Counties 40th District—John Maher (R)—Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair Twp. PA 9th District—Bill Shuster (R)--All of Bedford, Blair, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton 42nd District—Daniel L. Miller (D)—Bethel Park, Green Tree, Mount Lebanon and Indiana Counties; Parts of Cambria, Greene, Huntingdon, Somerset, Twp., Rosslyn Farms, Scott Twp., Thornburg.

Washington and Westmoreland Counties 44th District—Mark Mustio (R)—Aleppo, Ben Avon Heights, Collier Twp., PA 12th District—Keith Rothfus (R)--All of Beaver County, Parts of Allegheny, Edgeworth, Findlay Twp., Glen Osborne, Haysville, Moon Twp., North Fayette Cambria, Lawrence, Somerset and Westmoreland Counties Twp., Ohio Twp., Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills.

PA 14th District—Michael Doyle (D)--Parts of Allegheny and Westmoreland 45th District—Nick Kotik (D)—Bridgeville, Carnegie, Collier Twp., Coraopolis, Counties th PA 18 District—Tim Murphy (R)--Parts of Allegheny, Greene, Washington and Heidelberg, Kennedy Twp., McKees Rocks, Pennsbury Village, Robinson Twp., Scott Twp., South Fayette Twp., Stowe Twp. Westmoreland Counties 46th District—Jesse White (D)—McDonald, Oakdale, South Fayette Twp. PA Legislators Representing Constituencies in Allegheny County

by Neil Cosgrove

PA Senate—50 Members (Avg. of 245,621 residents in each district

Tracking Legislative Votes—Possible Challenges and Sources

Monitoring votes made by legislators on issues of importance to Merton Center 37th District—Matt Smith (D)—Aleppo, Bell Acres, Ben Avon Heights, Bethel members and affiliates is possible. However, there are challenges in determining Park, Bridgeville, Collier Twp., Crescent Twp., Edgeworth, Emsworth, Findlay accurately just what has happened regarding a particular piece of legislation.

Twp. Glen Osborne, Glenfield, Haysville, Jefferson Hills, Kilbuck Twp., Leet  First of all, informed citizens need to identify specific legislation up for a Twp., Leetsdale, McDonald, Moon Twp., Mount Lebanon Twp., North Fayette vote in a particular chamber of either the U.S. Congress or the PA Twp., Oakdale, Ohio Twp., Pennsbury Village, Pleasant Hills, Robinson Twp., legislature. What does the legislation seek to do? How does it support or Rosslyn Farms, Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills, South Fayette oppose policies favored by the Center?

Twp., South Park Twp. Thornburg, Upper St. Clair Twp., Whitehall. th 38 District—Jim Ferlo (D)—Aspinwall, Blawnox, Brackenridge, Bradford  Such identification sometimes requires tracking the proposed legislation as Woods, Cheswick, East Deer Twp., Etna, Fawn, Fox Chapel, Franklin Park, Frazer it is reviewed by the appropriate legislative committee (where it can undergo Twp., Hampton Twp., Harmar Twp., Harrison Twp., Indiana Twp., Marshall Twp., significant revision), and then when it is presented to the full chamber for a McCandless Twp., Millvale, O’Hara Twp., Pine Twp., Pittsburgh, Ross Twp., vote (which may never happen, or which may happen with dizzying Richland Twp., Shaler Twp., Springdale, Springdale Twp., Tarentum, West Deer speed). News organizations do employ reporters who monitor our Congress Twp., West View. and state legislatures, but the number of such organizations has dwindled, and 42nd District—Wayne Fontana (D)—Avalon, Baldwin Twp., Bellevue, Ben what is important to their editors may not be what is important to individual Avon, Carnegie, Castle Shannon, Coraopolis, Crafton, Dormont, Green Tree, citizens or to activist groups.

Heidelberg, Ingram, Kennedy Twp., McKees Rocks, Neville Twp., Pittsburgh,  Votes on legislation are often subject to various parliamentary maneuvers Reserve Twp., Scott Twp., Sharpsburg, Stowe Twp. that may disguise a legislator’s actual position regarding the issue.

43rd District—Jay Costa (D)—Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Homestead, Mount Oliver, Munhall, Oakmont, Penn Hills Twp., There are web sites that do provide information on votes taken by a Pittsburgh, Rankin, Swissvale, Verona, West Homestead, Whitaker, Wilkins Twp., legislature’s particular members: Wilkinsburg.

45th District—James R. Brewster (D)—Baldwin, Braddock, Brentwood, Clairton,  The Washington Post maintains a web site entitled “The U.S. Congress Dravosburg, Duquesne, East McKeesport, East Pittsburgh, Elizabeth, Elizabeth Votes Database.” This site breaks down the frequency with which individual Twp., Forward Twp., Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln, McKeesport, Monroeville, North senators and representatives vote with their party and also allows a search for Braddock, North Versailles Twp., Pitcairn, Plum, Port Vue, South Versailles Twp., individual members of Congress to see how that individual voted on specific Trafford, Turtle Creek, Versailles, Wall, West Elizabeth, West Mifflin, White Oak, legislation. The difficulty here is that an awful lot of Congressional votes may Wilmerding. have no relevance to our readers. You have to know what you are looking for, as discussed above. Here is the site’s URL: http:// PA House—203 Members (Avg. of 60,498 residents in each district projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/113/  Network, the Catholic social justice lobbying organization, does compile 16th District—Robert F. Matzie (D)—Bell Acres, Bellevue, Crescent Twp., voting records of members of Congress on issues the organization deems Franklin Park, Leet Twp., Leetsdale, Ross Twp. important. These compilations are published in the organization’s newsletter 19th District—Jake Wheatley Jr. (D)—Pittsburgh.

Connection, usually at the end of a particular congressional session. For 20th District—Adam Ravenstahl (D)—Pittsburgh, Reserve Twp., Ross Twp., instance, you can obtain a compilation of 2013 votes for each member of West View.

Congress at the following URL: www.networklobby.org/media/connection 21st District—Dom Costa (D)—Etna, Millvale, Pittsburgh, Reserve Twp., Ross  Both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature maintain web sites that list Twp., Shaler Twp., Sharpsburg. scheduled votes during a session and use pop-ups to describe the 22nd District—Erin C. Molchany (D)—Baldwin Twp., Castle Shannon, legislation. These sites also break down roll-call votes, so a viewer can identify Pittsburgh, Whitehall. how individual legislators voted on a piece of legislation. Here are the URLs: 23rd District—Dan Frankel (D)—Pittsburgh. www.pasen.gov/ www.house.state.pa.us/ 24th District—Ed Gainey (D)—Aspinwall, Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg.

25th District—Joseph F. Markosek (D)—Monroeville, North Versailles Twp., Neil Cosgrove is a member of the editorial collective and Professor Emeritus Pitcairn, Plum, Trafford, Wall. of English at Slippery Rock University.

27th District—Daniel Deasy (D)—Avalon, Crafton, Dormont, Emsworth, Glenfield, Ingram, McKees Rocks, Neville Twp., Pittsburgh, Stowe Twp.

November 2014

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Nuclear Disarmament NOW With Hiroshima Eyes

by Edith Bell Dr. Joseph Gerson gave a lecture on the significance of nuclear weapons in the past and present, titled With Hiroshima Eyes. The event was sponsored by Remembering Hiroshima/ Imagining Peace and the American Friends Service Committee.

Dr. Gerson is the American Friends Service Committee's Disarmament Coordinator. He had recently returned from the World Conference Against Atomic and Hydrogen Weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the NATO Counter Summit in Cardiff, Wales. He is currently coordinating U.S. and International Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) planning for the 2015 Nuclear Proliferation Treaty Review.

His emphasis was on human consequences, present continuing danger, and organizing towards disarmament.

When the U.S. dropped its bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, people were vaporized, burned alive, and many died later from radiation sickness. Hibakusha, the survivors, have told their stories at many peace conferences. Some suffered through many surgeries. They were ostracized and even feared for their disfigured appearances.

After the bomb was dropped, Japan was under military occupation and a total news black out was imposed. No

films of the devastation were released for several years.

The Hiroshima bomb created heat of one million degrees Fahrenheit, but compared to our current weapons, the Hiroshima bomb is only a small "tactical" weapon. The continuing testing of bombs caused severe consequences for inhabitants of the affected areas.

The Bravo H bomb was tested in 1954 at the Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, with effects larger than expected, so that the 236 people on neighboring Rongelap Island became the guinea pigs, dying of cancer, their bodies studied for the effects. Many more tests occurred on the Marshall Islands, displacing the natives into unsustainable circumstances. In Utah, downwind from Nevada testing grounds, people suffered high cancer rates. Uranium miners were not told of the dangers of exposure; as a result, they and family members suffered from leukemia, or cancer.

Dr. Gerson discussed the history of nuclear weapons, beginning with reasons for dropping the bombs on Japan in August 1945: 1) The war in Europe had ended.

President Truman wanted to end it in Asia, before the USSR entered the war against Japan, as he feared USSR influence in the Far East 2) Warning the Soviets "This is what we can do"

3) The investment of $2 billion in developing the atomic bomb should not be wasted.

4) Racism, a disregard of people of color, including the Japanese people.

Many of Truman's advisors opposed its use, among them General Eisenhower, who said, that it is not necessary to "hit them with that awful thing."

Since WWII nuclear weapons have been used to intimidate the Soviet Union, in the Cuban Crisis, against North Korea, China, Iran and Libya.

When the US government says "all options are on the table", it includes the use of nuclear weapons.

Dr. Gerson noted that the President is not in full control, and warned that accidents are waiting to happen.

Gerson discussed arms control. SALT was the first treaty between the US and USSR, freezing the nuclear arsenals.

The 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligated nuclear-weapon states not to transfer nuclear weapons, other nuclear explosive devices, or their technology to any non-nuclear-weapon state. They are also obligated, under Article VI, to "pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament.”

Non-nuclear-weapon States parties

undertake not to acquire nuclear explosive devices.

The nuclear powers are lagging on their commitments. They reduced the numbers of nuclear weapons; however, the US Congress recently allocated billions of dollars for nuclear upgrades.

The NPT has to be renegotiated every 5 years. 15,000 people marched for nuclear disarmament in 2010, including 2000 from Japan.

Gerson quoted UN Secretary Ban-KiMoon, "There are no right hands to handle these wrong weapons."

The International Coalition Against Nuclear Arms (ICAN) is planning major demonstrations for April 2015 in New York for the next conference. Thousands of people are expected to come from all over the world to promote abolition of nuclear weapons, the need for a peaceful world in order to stop climate change, and the move of money towards human needs.

Dr. Gerson ended his talk with encouragement for major local organizing for next year's events and the hope for reaching the goal of a million signatures on the petition for abolition of nuclear weapons.

Edith Bell is a member of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and Remembering Hiroshima/Imagining Peace.

CALL TO ACTION: SPRING 2015 MOBILIZATION For a nuclear free, fair, democratic, ecologically sustainable and peaceful future From Abolition 2000: Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons A nuclear weapons-free world can and must be achieved. Together, people’s movements and governments committed to securing human survival by eliminating the world’s nuclear arsenals can prevail.

Building on our popular mobilizations since the indefinite extension of the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1995, we call on all people who want to build a fair, democratic, ecologically sustainable and peaceful future to join us in the streets and meeting halls in New York and in your own capitals and cities worldwide in late April and early May, 2015, during the NPT 5-year Review Conference.

Joining with “move the money” and climate change forces we will press the nuclear powers to fulfill their Article VI commitments to engage in good faith negotiations for the complete elimination of their nuclear arsenals, for deep reductions of military spending in order to meet human needs, and for measures to reverse the devastation being wrought by climate change.

We issue this call at a crucial juncture in history, a moment when the unresolved tensions of a deeply inequitable society, great power ambitions and the destructive effects of an unsustainable economic system are exploding into overlapping

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crises. Tensions among nucleararmed countries are rising amidst circumstances that bear worrisome resemblances to those that brought the world wars of the last century.

For the first time in the nuclear age we are in a sustained global economic crisis that is deepening the gulf between rich and poor in a starkly two-tier world. Both climate change and fossil-fuel based economies generate conflicts within and among states. Extreme economic inequality and the economic policies that create it, NATO’s aggressive expansion, struggles over diminishing fossil fuels, food price spikes and crop failures drive wars and revive arms races from Iraq to Syria to Ukraine to South Asia and the Western Pacific. We face a moment in which policies that benefit a fraction of the world’s population feed conflicts that could precipitate catastrophic wars, even nuclear wars, and in which the power to make war is wielded by largely unaccountable elites.

The 2010 NPT Review Conference reaffirmed “the unequivocal undertaking of the nuclear-weapon States to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament.”

Five more years have passed; another Review Conference is in the

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offing. Nuclear stockpiles of civilization-destroying size persist, and even limited progress on disarmament has stalled. Over 16,000 nuclear weapons remain, with 10,000 in military service and 1800 on high alert. All nucleararmed states are modernizing their nuclear arsenals, manifesting the intention to sustain them for decades to come.

Nuclear-armed countries spend over $100 billion per year on nuclear weapons and related costs. Those expenditures are expected to increase as nuclear weapon States modernize their warheads and delivery systems.

Spending on high-tech weapons not only deepens the reliance of some governments on their nuclear arsenals, but also furthers the growing divide between rich and poor. In 2013, $1.75 trillion was spent on militaries and armaments – more than the total annual income of the poorest third of the world’s population.

The capacity to sustain a nuclear fuel cycle and to operate reactors provides the technological base for the production of nuclear weapons.

Many of the same institutions that insist that nuclear weapons provide political security claim that nuclear power can provide energy security.

While the NPT bargain wrongly

includes the right of all countries to develop peaceful nuclear energy, it does not obligate them to do so. With the dangers of proliferation and in the wake of the Fukushima power plant disaster, it should be clear that the human and ecological costs of nuclear power are unacceptable.

Countries that are free of nuclear weapons, supported by peace organizations around the world, have responded to the growing atmosphere of conflict and confrontation involving nucleararmed states with renewed, urgent calls for disarmament – calls the nuclear weapon states have largely ignored: For more information visit: www.abolition2000.org/?p=3546

Work for Justice Hope for Justice and Peace in Palestine Book Review: “The Battle for Justice in Palestine” by Ali Abunimah, 2014

by Michael Drohan This is Ali Abunimah’s latest book on the struggle for justice in Palestine and begins with the hopeful sentence, “The Palestinians are winning” - a puzzling beginning given the depressing news of a massacre in Gaza and the announcement of 2,500 more settlements in the East Jerusalem.

He does not flinch in describing the horrors of existence today for Palestinians, whether they are living in Israel proper or in the West Bank, and nevertheless comes out with optimism.

He is pessimistic, however, about the prospects for a two state solution because of the facts on the ground.

Cartoon by Russ Fedorka

Settlements in the West Bank have so slivered up what was once hoped to constitute a Palestinian state that the possibility of such a state has become impossible.

In addition, he points out that in reality “the peace process” is a delaying game as Israel gobbles up more and more Palestinian land, with the end game of taking over the entire region and exporting the Palestinians to other parts.

The US as the broker is clearly an aider and abettor while indulging in selfdelusion as an honest broker.

Abunimah is no more sparing in his critique of the Palestine Authority under Mahmoud Abbas. He sees the latter as collaborationist while he and a tiny Palestinian elite of land developers and tycoons live the good life. The physical impossibility of a two state solution is not the only reason he offers for abandoning this idea. He argues that the very idea of a state which is multicultural and multiethnic, namely Israel, can only be a Jewish State by relegating non-Jews to second class status, which is in fact the state of affairs. If a modern state is to aspire to anything that can be called democracy, then citizenship has to be based on the actual residency of all of its inhabitants and cannot be based on religion, ethnicity or race.

Abunimah argues very tightly that the only

B-PEP HOTLINE

by Kenneth Miller B-PEP (Black Political Empowerment Project) Planning Council meets in Conference Room B at Hill House, 1835 Centre Avenue in the Hill District at 6 PM on the 2nd Thursday of each month.

Good information about elections, government officials and political candidates responses to specific inquiries is provided. If you are organizing or exchanging ideas about how to stop police brutality and invoke greater protection of labor rights, you will find useful primary resources made available to you at the B-PEP meetings.

The votes and discussions of the BPEP Planning Council make a difference! You can join the B-PEP Planning Council when you show up at a B-PEP meeting. You will be invited to B-PEP press conferences and share activities that are important to you.

B-PEP supports new voices in the protests against police brutality and embraces groups struggling to develop the August Wilson Center. B-PEP is using every strategy they can think of to stand down the police and make the problems of Black on Black violence

everyone’s problem. The message of the Black Political Empowerment Project is that white people are invited to stand up with the Black community and help restructure the police department and treat the lack of jobs and failure of education systems like the emergencies that they are.

There are also quarterly B-PEP meetings scheduled with Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

The B-PEP HOTLINE number is on all of the B-PEP posters and voter registration material. Call Tim Stevens at the B-PEP HOTLINE today, (412)7587898 and plan to attend the next B-PEP meeting on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 6 PM at the Hill House, Conference Room B. (B-PEP was started by Tim Stevens as a student project in 1984 to encourage African Americans to vote in each and every Election.)

Kenneth Miller is a member of B-PEP, the Black and White Reunion, and the editorial collective.

democratic and just solution for the area presently composed of the State of Israel and the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza is a unitary multi-ethnic and multi-religious state. From his analysis of the peace process in Northern Ireland and South Africa, he comes to the conclusion that such an outcome is feasible and possible. In his mind, one should not be swayed by the present regime that has emerged in Israel over the last two decades. Similar tendencies characterized Northern Ireland and South Africa in the period immediately preceding the Good Friday Agreement of 1997 in N. Ireland and the fall of the apartheid state in South Africa in 1994. The last gasp of the old regimes in both N. Ireland and South Africa exhibited the same right wing extremism that today characterizes Israel. Abunimah devotes almost an entire chapter to outlining the developments in the breakdown of the colonial settler regime in North Ireland and the Bantustan cum white settler state in South Africa. With international pressure, especially through the instrument of a Boycott-DivestSanctions movement, he sees a similar transition on its way in Palestine-Israel.

He dismisses arguments that maintain Israel-Palestine is not comparable to N. Ireland and South Africa and argues that the Jewish population at large in Israel would ultimately be open to a unitary democratic and just state where no distinction is made between Palestinian and Jew. In the meantime, the resistance to this transformation is great and Abunimah describes in great detail the strength of the Israeli lobbies, both Jewish and Christian, in the US and elsewhere. The resistance mounted against the Presbyterian Church USA as it moved towards divestment from Motorola, Caterpillar and HewlettPackard because of their enabling the

occupation was intense. Churches such as the Presbyterian Church are portrayed as violating the ecumenical pact between Christians and Jews. Then, there is the “war on campus” as Abunimah describes it. This war is against universities and professors who give courses which are critical of the Israeli occupation and the Israeli successive wars on Gaza. A very strong, well-funded campaign exists to silence such voices and have the tenure of professors who teach them terminated.

Abunimah’s book is a very important contribution to understanding the nature of the conflict, as it clarifies and dismisses many shibboleths that cloud a clear discussion of the problem. There are many other aspects of the conflict and its resolution that he explores which cannot be detailed in this short review, such as the canard of any state’s right to exist, the similarities between racial oppression in the US and in Palestine and the difference between sovereignty and self-determination as expounded by Woodrow Wilson, just to name a few.

This book deserves to be read and studied by anyone interested in and committed to peace and justice in Israel/ Palestine.

Michael Drohan is a member of the Editorial Collective and of the Board at the Thomas Merton Center.

The Black Cat Moans Again on Black Friday - November 28, 2014

by Kenneth Miller

Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year and happens the day after Thanksgiving.

It is a day that is often targeted for agitating for workers’ rights as stores are filled with workers and packed with consumers. It is also known as “Buy Nothing Day,” to promote anticonsumerism and protest bad working conditions.

“The Black Cat Moans” will be distributed on Black Friday 2014 by the up-state New York “James Connolly” General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). This anti- sweatshop newsletter will include solidarity messages and specific factory and retail information from the National Garment Workers Federation of Bangladesh who organize for worker’s rights.

Paul Paulos, a member of the James Connelly IWW branch and the Bangladesh Working Group, is promoting the theme “We are all on

the same boat.” Paulos suggests that we drill down on just what the corporate bosses are paying out to the families impacted by the recent garment factory fires in Bangladesh.

The James Connelly Branch of the IWW has been protesting against sweatshops and talking about sweatshops to baseball fans in Cooperstown NY at the Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Fame for nearly a decade. Their experience with workers, consumers, security personnel and MLB executives and agents on the streets of Cooperstown is similar to the experience of talking to baseball fans about sweatshops at PNC Park, or in Milwaukee or Arizona, or 100 other major and minor league ballparks.

Please call (518-861-5627) for more information.

Kenneth Miller is a writer for the New People and a member of the Black and White Reunion.

November 2014

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Uniting Issue Areas for Deep System Transformation The New Economy Campaign Is About You

by Gabe McMorland Does economics make you think of dry lectures, dusty leather-bound books, and dizzying statistics?

Let’s talk about why you already want to join the New Economy Campaign of the Thomas Merton Center.

First, think about everyday choices we can all make in Pittsburgh. We support renewable energy instead of dirty fossil fuels, worker-owned cooperative businesses instead of global megacorporations, and local sustainable farms instead of harmful industrial agriculture. These choices support strong local

Great Climate March Photo by Joe Guthrie

alternatives to the dominant economy that relies on exploiting people and extracting resources in ecologically destructive ways.

You probably also agree that people should participate in the decisions that affect their daily lives. Many cities now experiment with practices that seek more direct collaboration with residents in making decisions about public resources.

Participatory budgeting and deliberative democracy are two clear examples of this grassroots decision-making process. We see this same ethic in the growing number of cities divesting their funds from fossil fuels.

Pittsburgh needs to make real choices about finding a fossil-free future. For New Work New Culture Conference in Detroit generations, Appalachian people Photo by Dan Little. have faced the false choice between poverty and environmental destruction.

You can join us in this work.

We need to ensure a good quality of life Stop by our open house at the Thomas Merton for everyone without sacrificing public Center from 6 pm to 8 pm on Friday, November 7th health and ecological strength. during the Unblurred gallery crawl on Penn Avenue.

Our New Economy Campaign will Stay informed by signing up for our monthly email support the growth of a strong local updates or come to a meeting to help plan our next economy rooted in social equity, event. Contact organizer Gabe McMorland to sign up cooperation, and ecological stewardship. for email updates or to get involved with planning our We will highlight the value of our future events. region’s many businesses and Stay tuned in November for our new website, a film community projects making this vision a screening, and a catchy new name for our campaign. reality. When we see opportunity for real impact, we could also help seed new Gabe McMorland is the Thomas Merton Center’s projects or change public policy in New Economy Campaign community organizer.

Pittsburgh.

Corporate Tax Breaks vs Funding for Higher Ed?

by Neil Cosgrove

In July, 2011, just as Pennsylvania’s public universities were increasing student tuitions in order to address a nearly 20 percent cut in state appropriations, Shell Chemical announced plans to construct an ethane “cracker” plant at one of three possible sites in three different northeastern states—Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Later in that 2011-12 academic year, in March, Pennsylvania had seemingly won the tri-state competition when Shell named a site near Monaca in Beaver County as the possible future location for the proposed plant. Almost three years later Shell still has not fully committed to building the plant, despite the state’s promise of billions in tax incentives for the multi-national corporation if construction actually takes place.

The first incentive, offered while Shell was supposedly choosing among the three states, was a 15-year tax amnesty for the plant. Then, this past June, while the legislature was approving the third straight year of flat funding for our public universities, state government offered Shell a second incentive, in the form of a credit for every gallon of ethane the plant uses which is purchased from the state’s natural gas drillers. The credits would last for 25 years and amount to an estimated $1.65 billion, considered the largest tax break in Pennsylvania’s history.

Budgets are value judgments, a

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setting of priorities, and Pennsylvania’s state budgets over the past several years clearly demonstrate that our politicians regard tax incentives for large corporations in the energy sector to have more immediate and potential economic value for the state than public universities. The question is: Are our political leaders making the correct assumptions? Do the facts, as far as they can be ascertained, support those assumptions?

The most constant reason given for providing tax incentives for corporations is that luring resource extraction and large-scale manufacturing to a state creates goodpaying jobs that eventually result in higher tax revenues. Estimates as to how many such jobs will be created commonly come from studies conducted by the industries themselves.

For years the Corbett administration has argued against a severance tax on oil and gas drilling in the state by pointing to large claims about job creation made at the beginning of the fracking boom.

However, according to the Keystone Research Center, the Marcellus Shale “play” has only resulted in 20,000 jobs directly related to drilling. Indirect jobs generated by equipment suppliers have been lower than expected, with much of the material coming from out of state.

One Penn State economist has characterized the tone of those early studies as “over exuberance.”

Similar claims are being made for the Shell “cracker” plant. Governor Corbett has argued the plant could generate up

November 2014

to 20,000 jobs, based on a model developed by the American Chemistry Council. But the plant itself would only provide 400 to 600 new jobs. Others would supposedly come from suppliers, and from a supposed “ripple effect.”

The forgotten perspective is that public universities also create jobs, income and tax revenue, as well as directly educate hundreds of thousands of skilled people each year. Yet they are chronically underfunded. The estimated value of the second incentive offered to Shell is more than three years of state allocations to the 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Most of those PASSHE universities are located in rural communities and serve as the most significant economic engine in those areas. Moreover, professional enterprises like universities generally pay salaries in excess of that of an average resident and therefore generate both more tax revenue and a larger economic “ripple effect” within a community.

Pennsylvania’s public universities are well aware of their economic importance and have conducted their own impact studies that use methodologies similar to those employed by the energy and petrochemical industries. PASSHE reports it has nearly 12,700 salaried employees and supports 41,000 ancillary jobs. The University of Pittsburgh employs “more than” 13,500 directly and claims 33,800 “Pittsupported jobs.” Penn State says it has

44,000 employees on its 24 campuses, with nearly 30,000 full-time.

Those three systems claim an overall economic impact of several billions, and also point to the tax revenues they generate as being well above their state funding levels. The obvious questions remain: Why are private corporations regarded as generators of economic prosperity and large public university systems are not? Is it because the university systems receive budget allocations directly from the state government and private enterprise does not? Is there that much difference between a direct allocation and tax “credits” and “amnesties?”

Finally, it can be argued that public higher education offers direct benefits for taxpayers across Pennsylvania and not just for some fortunate job-seekers within a particular area of the state.

How much would that benefit increase if Pennsylvania improved its dismal ranking of 47th among 50 states in percapita support of its public universities, thus leveling out student tuition and reducing the burden of student debt?

Next month The NewPeople will closely examine the multiple benefits public higher education bestows on not just individual students and their families but also on the commonwealth as a whole.

Neil Cosgrove is a member of the New People Editorial Collective and Professor Emeritus of English at Slippery Rock University

Spirituality Are We Really Praying for Peace or Another Form of War?

by Br. Christopher Johnson An Excerpt from Passion for Peace: Reflections on War and Nonviolence by Thomas Merton "To some men peace merely means the liberty to exploit other people without fear of retaliation or interference. To others peace means the freedom to rob brothers without interruption. To still others it means the leisure to devour the goods of the earth without being compelled to interrupt their pleasures to feed those whom their greed is starving. And to practically everybody peace simply means the absence of any physical violence that might cast a shadow over lives devoted to the satisfaction of their animal appetites for comfort and pleasure.

"Many men like these have asked God for what they thought was 'peace' and wondered why their prayer was not answered.

They could not understand that it actually was answered. God left them with what they desired, for their idea of peace was only another form of war. The 'cold war' is simply the normal consequence of our corruption of peace based on a policy of 'every man for himself' in ethics, economics, and political life. It is absurd to hope for a solid peace based on fictions and illusions!

"So instead of loving what you think is peace, love other men and love God above all. And instead of hating the people you think are warmongers, hate the appetites and the disorder in your own soul, which are the causes of war. If you love peace, then hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed — but hate these things in yourself, not in another."

There are many definitions of “peace” that circulate among many social circles in many different nations. Do you think an Iraqi

would describe peace differently than a Chinese national?

Perhaps a Mexican child, whose family Source: Creative Commons flees from violence and poverty only to be imprisoned and asked himself in reflection in the deported upon reaching their last paragraph of the excerpt. If northern neighbors, would give a indeed it is the Spirit, it will lead slightly different meaning to la paz always to greater and deeper love, than a Canadian? Is peace ‘love of others and love God above supposed to have so many all.’ Likewise if it is true and holy variations? Is peace solely relative? peace we desire, we will “hate Is there nothing objective about injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed” peace? because God also hates these In the earlier excerpt, Merton barriers to peace. Now the difficult challenges the false understanding part of our measurement tool for of “peace.” God has given us true prayer for peace is what exactly what we have prayed for, follows; “instead of hating the he contends, “another form of people you think are warmongers, war”. How often the prayer “Lord, hate the appetites and the disorder give us peace” caresses our lips yet in your own soul, which are the how seldom do we investigate its causes of war.” We are all aware origin. Any spiritual writer worth of how easy it is to deal with our their weight is convinced that true imperfections exemplified in prayer comes from the Spirit others rather than travel the road of praying through us. It is the Spirit conversion within ourselves. within us who understands the Lastly, if we are to be true pray language of God. It is the Spirit -ers for peace we must remove animating within us which allows anything that stifles the spirit. We us to hear God in the whisper, see must free ourselves from the false God in the sunrise, taste God in the idealism of peace created from Eucharist, smell God in the pine conscious or subconscious selfish trees, and touch God in the ambition. Allow the spirit within embrace of another. It is precisely us to pray through us. “Hate the this realization Merton is operating appetites and the disorder…” in from. Therefore, if the origin of ourselves simply so that our our peace prayer is from our understanding of peace might be subjective ideals of “peace” and built on a sturdy foundation of not the Spirit’s objective truth, we objective truth. After all, we should are simply asking for “another know what we’re praying for just form of war.” This consequence in case God decides to answer our Merton reproaches “…loving what prayer! you think is peace…”

How can we trust that our Br. Christopher Johnson is a prayer for peace is pure, objective Capuchin Franciscan Friar and and true? Merton gives the answer volunteer at the Thomas Merton to this very question I believe he Center.

Final Lecture in Association of Pittsburgh Priests Fall Speakers Series

by Joyce Rothermel It is with great excitement that we Jamie announce the Manson coming of the Creative final speaker Commons in this year’s Association of Pittsburgh Priests Speakers Series, dedicated to the Legacy of Fr. Neil McCaulley on Monday, November 10 at 7 PM at the Kearns Spirituality Center, 9000 Babcock Blvd. behind the Mother House of the Sisters of Divine Providence.

The final lecture will be given by Jamie Manson, entitled, “Making Sense of Your Catholic Faith in Today’s Culture”. Ms. Manson is a nationally known speaker, retreat

leader and media commentator on issues related to young adult Catholics and the future of the Church. Her award winning column, “Grace on the Margins”, appears in the National Catholic Reporter.

Does the Catholic Church have a future? For many young adults, especially in the U.S., the symbols and rituals of Catholicism no longer seem relevant. At the same time, older generations, fed up with Church scandals, are wondering why they call themselves Catholic at all. In the face of these challenges, Jamie Manson will explore why people identify themselves as Catholic, what elements of the Catholic tradition still resonate, and what the future of the Church may look like.

To register send $15 to the Association of Pittsburgh Priests, P.O. Box 2106, Pittsburgh, PA

15230. Advanced registrations are not required. You can pay at the door. For more information, call Sr. Mary Joan Coultas at 412-3661124 or email kearns@cdpsisters.org.

Forum on Income Inequality — November 16

By Dorothy Miller The Pope, the President, the public: everybody’s talking about the crisis in income inequality.

On Sunday, November 16, at 2 pm the Race & Reconciliation Dialogue Group of St. Paul Cathedral will hold a forum on Income Disparity at Synod Hall, 125 N. Craig St. in Oakland.

The forum will cover the global income gap, racial inequality in the US and Pittsburgh, the living wage and what it’s like to survive on “non-living” wages.

Moderating the panel and talking on global aspects will be Dr. Jerry McKinney, professor of economics at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.

An expert from the Pitt Center for Race & Social Problems will address local economic disparities, and members of the “Fight for 15” Pittsburgh Fast Food Workers Union will tell what it is like to live on less than living wages.

In his early encyclical Pope Francis decried worldwide economic disparity, calling for a Christian response to the moral issue of economic injustice.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 412-681-8528.

Dorothy Miller is the Coordinator of the Race and Reconciliation Dialogue Group at St. Paul Cathedral.

JOIN US! November 21-23 Protest at the School of the Americas Fort Benning, Georgia Travel with local Pittsburghers to protest the training of soldiers in torture techniques and other inhumane treatment of people in countries in Latin America. More at Soawatch.org/november.

To get on the bus with us—call (412) 361-3022 and ask for Mike Kostalis, Brother Christopher, Joyce or Diane. There is a cost for bus transportation and overnight stays.

To help support those who go to Fort Benning with a financial contribution, go to https://fs17.formsite.com/ tmcpgh/Donate/index.html. Put “Benning” in the specific purpose box.

Joint Retreat participants Oct. 10-12, 2014 at the Kearns Spirituality Center. Photo by friend.

Jamie Manson Creative Commons

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Radical Spiritual Transformation Pope Francis on War and Bombing

by Molly Rush “War is just ‘senseless slaughter’ and should never be seen as inevitable or a done deal,” Pope Francis said. [CNS] "War drags people into a spiral of violence which then proves difficult to control; it tears down what generations have labored to build up, and it sets the scene for even greater injustices and conflicts," he said in a written message to a September world summit of 300 religious leaders. "War is never a necessity, nor is it inevitable. Another way can always be found: the way of dialogue, encounter and the sincere search for truth."

Citing the wartime pope, Pope Benedict XV, Pope Francis said, "All war is ultimately 'senseless slaughter' that ruins lives and poisons relationships.”

In August he was interviewed by reporter Alan Holdren during a flight from Korea. Holdren asked, “Do you approve the American bombing?”

Pope Francis: “Thanks for such a clear question. In these cases where there is an unjust aggression, I can only say this: it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor. I underline the verb: stop. I do not say bomb, make war, I say stop by some means. With what means can they be stopped?

These have to be evaluated. To stop the unjust aggressor is licit.

“But we must also have memory.

How many times under this excuse of stopping an unjust aggressor the powers [that intervened] have taken control of peoples, and have made a true war of conquest.

“One nation alone cannot judge how to stop an unjust aggressor.

After the Second World War there was the idea of the United Nations.

It is there that this should be discussed. Is there an unjust aggressor? It would seem there is.

How do we stop him? Only that, nothing more.”

The Catholic Church has wrestled with the issue of war for centuries.

Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century formulated the elements of what has been called a “just war:” “•First, just war must be waged by a properly instituted authority such as the state. (Proper Authority means first: representing the common good: which is peace for the sake of man's true end—God.) •Second, war must occur for a good and just purpose rather than for self-gain (for example, "in the nation's interest" is not just) or as an exercise of power. (Just Cause: for the sake of restoring some good that has been denied. i.e., lost territory, lost goods, punishment for an evil perpetrated by a government, army, or even citizen population.)

•Third, peace must be a central motive even in the midst of violence.

(Right Intention: an authority must

Source: Creative Commons

fight for the just reasons it has expressly claimed for declaring war in the first place. Soldiers must also fight for this intention.)”

The 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church named four strict conditions for “legitimate defense by military force.”

“•The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; •All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; •There must be serious prospects of success; •The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated (the power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition).”

Pope Francis has gained the

admiration of millions for leaving behind the Vatican’s pomp and majesty, living simply and reaching out to the poorest.

In a visit last year to a homeless shelter he said, “To love God and neighbor is not something abstract, but profoundly concrete: it means seeing in every person and face of the Lord to be served, to serve him concretely. And you are, dear brothers and sisters, in the face of Jesus.”

The challenge now for Francis and for all of us is to learn how to love our enemies, protect the defenseless and, once and for all, to reject the notion of a just war.

Molly Rush is co-chair of the Editorial Collective, member of the Board and Co-founder of the Thomas Merton Center.

Maryknoll Sister Janice McLaughlin Named Distinguished Daughter of PA

Janice McLaughlin, MM

by Joyce Rothermel On Wednesday, Oct. 15, Sr. Janice McLaughlin was among four women from western Pennsylvania chosen as Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania at a recognition luncheon in the Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg, PA. Nominated by the Thomas Merton Center, Sr. Janice was selected for her leadership, service and commitment.

Born in Pittsburgh, Janice entered the Maryknoll

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Sisters. She attended Marquette University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts. In 1992, during her service in Africa, she received a doctorate in Philosophy at the University of Zimbabwe. The title of her thesis was “The Catholic Church and Zimbabwe’s War of Liberation: 1972-1980”.

Dr. Carolyn Y. Woo, CEO and President of Catholic Relief Services, wrote the following in her letter supporting Janice’s nomination: “For most of the tumultuous decade of the seventies, Sr. Janice projected the voice of the Catholic Church in Kenya by serving as communications coordinator and liaison to journalists and the press. When sent to Rhodesia to work for the Commission of Justice and Peace, she was duly arrested and deported for speaking out on the war crimes in that country. Between assignments in the US and over thirty years in Africa, Sr. Janice continued to give witness and call attention to the plight of the poor and those who do not have a place at the table.

Her work is reflected in a book titled ‘On the Frontline: Catholic Missions in Zimbabwe's Liberation War.’" Another friend and colleague of Janice’s, Dr.

Judith A. Mayotte, wrote: “…I visited Janice a number of times in Zimbabwe and witnessed first hand her commitment to her work on behalf of the Zimbabweans. She remained in Zimbabwe even as the economic and political crisis under Robert Mugabe intensified. Life there became extremely difficult. Frequently electrical and heat failures left the majority cold and in the dark. To find even bread, eggs and other basics became a challenge.

Still, with good humor and commitment, Janice remained.”

Janice has been an author, editor, journalist, and filmmaker on topics of justice over the years. In 2009, Orbis Books published Janice’s most recent book, “Ostriches, Dung Beetles, and Other Spiritual Masters: A Book of Wisdom from the Wild.”

For the past six years, Janice has served as President of the Maryknoll Sisters. With her term now ended, she is planning to return to Africa. We are hoping that she will visit Pittsburgh and the Merton Center before she goes.

The Merton Center nomination, concludes, “Janice McLaughlin, MM should be named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania because of her tenacious commitment to a just world, her steadfast solidarity with the economically poor and marginalized, her strong belief in women’s access to education, and her life work of giving voice to the voiceless.” We are delighted that she has been chosen for this recognition.

Joyce Rothermel is a member of the Editorial Collective of the Thomas Merton Center.

Saving Syria Creating Fictitious Enemies/Threats

by Michael Drohan As the U.S. government made its decision to enter the war in Syria against the Islamic State, it had at least two problems. The first was a lack of legal justification, since there was no viable claim of self-defense or U.N. approval.

The second was generating public support for a prolonged war in yet another Muslim country.

Then came a saving article by the Associated Press on September 13 which announced the appearance of a new jihadist group in Syria named the Khorasan Group. This group of socalled hardened terrorists were supposedly much more vicious than the Islamic State and unlike Islamic State they were planning attacks on the U.S. homeland via U.S. citizens that they would recruit in Syria to blow up U.S. planes. According to authors Ken Dilanian and Eileen Sullivan, the sources for their assertions were anonymous “American officials”.

None of the experts on the region had ever heard of the existence of this group, and people such as Patrick Cockburn of The Guardian seemed to be puzzled when asked about it on Democracy Now. Eventually, the mainstream media got on the bandwagon, highlighting this breaking news. On September 18, CBS’s Bob Orr pronounced “this morning we are learning of a new and growing terror threat coming out of Syria”. The New York Times weighed in on September 20, even giving the new group a leader named Muhsin alFadhli. The Washington Post, CNN, NBC and, of course, Fox News all went along with the hot news never questioning the veracity or reliability of the anonymous sources.

Once the stage had been set by the media, the Administration itself weighed in on September 18 when James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, declared “in terms of threat to the homeland, Khorasan may pose as much of a danger as the Islamic State”.

threat appeared in the form of differing accounts of what kind of imminent threat the group posed. It appeared that once the threat had served its purpose of justifying the air war, it could be rolled back. On September 23, Shane Harris in “Foreign Policy” declared “Khorasan

On September 28, the online investigative magazine “The Intercept” published an article by Glenn Greenwald and Murtaza Hussain entitled “The Fake Terror Threat used to justify bombing Syria”. In the article they follow closely the steps taken in the rolling out of the threat and then the rollback once its purpose had been fulfilled, namely justifying the bombing of Syria. The mainstream media played along, never questioning the material doled out to them by the anonymous government sources. They served obediently as conveyor belts of disinformation, all the while purporting to be the messengers of the latest developments in Syria and the Middle East.

During World War One, a British novelist and propagandist by the name of John Buchan claimed proudly “as far Source: Creative Commons as Britain is concerned the war could not have been fought for one month Eric Holder also added his piece on the has the desire to attack, though we’re without its newspapers”. With their help day following the initiation of the not sure their capabilities match their and cooperation, the war endured for bombing, stating that “we hit them last desire”, as he quoted a senior US four and half years, with 16 million night out of a concern that they were counterterrorism official. This was the people slaughtered in the process. Our getting close to an execution date of first hint of doubt being cast on the media seem to continue today in this some of the plans that we have seen”. reality of the threat and its immediacy. ignoble tradition. It is worthy of serious Finally, the President himself declared By September 25, the New York Times thought how long the decade long war on September 23 that “it must be clear was quoting a “senior American in Iraq and Afghanistan would have to anyone who would plot against official” as saying that the Khorasan lasted if we did not have our media as America and try to do Americans harm plot was “aspirational” and there did not transmission belts for disinformation on that we will not tolerate safe havens for seem to be a concrete plan in the works. weapons of mass destruction, nonterrorists who threaten our people”.

Gradually the imminence of an attack existent connections between Sadam The Administration had been handed was walked back by the different Hussein and al-Qaeda and the 9/11 a gift of a self-defense rationale for the Government officials leaking the story attacks. Now in Syria, we have a repeat new war through the announcement of until within the space of two weeks all performance, alas, of our mainstream the existence of Khorasan and talk of Khorasan had disappeared from unquestioning media. its designs for attacking the U.S.. In the statements by the Government and in days that followed the initiation of the media reports.

Michael Drohan is a member of the bombing, however, the first cracks in Board and the Editorial Collective of the story of the supposed Khorasan the New People

Senator Ferlo: A Voice at Anti-War Rally Statement Read at October Anti-War Rally

The neo cons of the Bush era have now expanded their base to include a broader coalition of moderate Democrats and a willing president who continue policies of endless war in the Mid-East.

We have been long time partners in funding and legitimizing autocratic regimes that have encouraged Islamic extremism – will we ever learn that we shall reap what we sow? Wasted expenditures of human life – be it the valor of soldiers, innocent civilians or a limited treasury-have continued unabated for all the years since the Vietnam War. In Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East we have now been engaged in the longest war in the history of our country. More bombing in Syria and Iraq will only add to destruction, loss of human life and will further exacerbate the Sunni-Shi’te sectarian divide. President Obama and a willing spoon fed media are now leading us into yet another quagmire. We will never be able to bomb our way to peace!

It is a harsh reality and contradiction that we are horrified by media images of beheadings as barbarism but when it comes to thousands of women, children and civilians being killed as a result of surgical and strategic unmanned drones we write it off as “collateral damage”.

“Mission creep” will soon become “mission gallop” with boots on the ground and with no Congressional Act declaring war. The American people have more sense than those in Washington and want an end to U.S. led military presence in the Mid-East. I believe our citizens favor redirecting wasted billions on war to rebuilding our schools, communities, infrastructure and creating a peacetime economy that recognizes the true threat of climate change.

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Peace and Non-violence Children of the Occupation

by Leila Richards Last month a full page ad authored by holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel appeared in a half dozen major American newspapers, including the New York Times. The ad described the conflict between Israel and Hamas as “a battle of civilization versus barbarism,” and compared the use of children as human shields by “Hamas death cults” to child sacrifice.

First, a word about human shields. According to the Israeli human rights group B’tselem, Hamas violated international law during the Gaza siege by firing at civilians in Israel, storing weapons in public buildings, and firing from structures close to populated areas.

(Gaza has a population density of 13,000 people per square mile.) It makes no mention of the use of human shields by Hamas, but notes elsewhere on its website that the Israeli army has used Palestinians as human shields during military action for more than a decade, despite an Israeli high court ruling that the practice was illegal.

The ad by Mr. Wiesel raises the issue of the vulnerability of Palestinian children growing up under occupation. Most military age men in Gaza and the West Bank have spent their entire lives under military occupation. The youngest of them, now in their thirties, were the children of the first Palestinian intifada, some of whom faced heavily armed Israeli soldiers with stones and slingshots. Admitted with tear gas intoxication, broken bones, and bullet wounds, they filled the wards of the church-run hospital in Gaza where I worked as a physician. According to UNRWA, the UN agency responsible for the welfare of Palestinian refugees, more than 4500 Palestinian children under 16 from Gaza were injured in 1988, the first year of the intifada. Over one thousand of them were five years old or younger.

Writing in Haaretz in September 1988, Zeev Shiff noted that in the previous month almost half of the Palestinians shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the

occupied territories were children.

“The killing of children has become a permanent feature and is widening the chasm between us and the Palestinians,” he added.

“We need to know why so many of [the children] are being killed.”

Gaza’s population has tripled since the first intifada, and more than half its inhabitants are now under 18. According to UNOCHA the scale of damage Gaza sustained during the recent Reuters / Ibraheem Abu Mustafa assault is unprecedented since the beginning of Israel’s 1967 occupation. International after sentencing. A child of 12 or 13 can receive a donors are reluctant to invest in reconstruction projects maximum sentence of six months imprisonment for in Gaza, anticipating they will be destroyed in the next stone throwing, but a child of 14 or 15, considered a Israeli assault. What role, if any, will Israel play in “young adult,” can in theory receive the maximum shaping a viable future for Gaza’s children? penalty of 10 years. Between 2003 and 2013 an During the first intifada Palestinian children throwing estimated 7000 Palestinian children were detained, stones at soldiers were shot at or beaten, and their interrogated, prosecuted and/or imprisoned within the parents were subjected to heavy fines. Today children Israeli military justice system. All of these practices aged 12 to 16 in the West Bank accused of stone violate international law. The UNICEF report throwing are tried in a juvenile military court--the only concludes that the “ill treatment of children who come such court in the world. (Despite its name the juvenile in contact with the military detention system appears to military court uses the same facilities and court staff as be widespread, systematic and institutionalized the adult military court.) throughout the process, from the moment of arrest until The detention of Palestinian children has been the the child’s prosecution and eventual conviction and subject of more than a half dozen reports by UN sentencing.” agencies and human rights groups, and of a recent Israel has ratified the 1989 Convention on the Rights letter to Pope Francis signed by more than 200 church of the Child as well as the 1984 Convention against leaders. According to a 2013 UNICEF report entitled Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading “Children in Israeli Military Detention,” Palestinian Treatment. Yet for more than a generation its military children suspected of stone throwing are frequently has enacted policies that terrorize and endanger awakened by heavily armed soldiers in the middle of Palestinian children. Surely this is not the “battle for the night, blindfolded and bound with plastic ties, and civilization” Mr. Wiesel had in mind. transported to a military prison. Most children confess during subsequent interrogation, long before they see a Leila Richards is a retired physician who has lawyer or family member. Children can be placed in worked under Israeli occupation in Lebanon, Gaza solitary confinement before their court hearing and

How to Wage War without End in 60 Words or Less ...

by Andrew Karl Without congressional approval, the Obama administration’s order to conduct airstrikes in Syria has opened yet another front in the “War on Terror.” Once again, the legal authority for this military intervention comes from a law, just one sentence long, written in the wake of the attacks on September 11, 2001.

“That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.”

This law, the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), was passed with the intent of providing the authority for the United States to specifically combat al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Initially the Bush administration had sought a more open-ended grant of authority, but soon compromised with congressional refusal to authorize

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force against any terrorist organization.

However, in the years since its passage, the AUMF has led to a bewildering series of events that have given rise to the longest war in American history, blurring the lines between war and peace. Over the past 13 years, these 60 words have been interpreted to provide the legal foundation for everything from indefinite detention at Guantanamo Bay, to extraordinary renditions, to covert Navy SEAL raids, to a campaign of targeted killings in Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, and elsewhere.

Since its passage into law, the AUMF has been reinterpreted to expand the powers given to the President. For instance, the phrase “all necessary and appropriate force” has been interpreted to permit the indefinite detention of enemy combatants who need not be charged with any crime. This definition of “force” has also allowed the U.S. to secretly abduct, transport, and torture suspected terrorists from anywhere in the world.

Despite congressional efforts to specifically tether the authorization to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, the Bush and Obama administrations

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have over time read in another catchall category into the AUMF “associated forces”.

While the underlying principle of co-belligerency is well established, previous declarations of war have included these associated forces, which were then approved by Congress.

When the Bush administration began targeting co-belligerents in 2004, the president failed to receive subsequent authorization from Congress. Inexplicably, these “associated forces” remain classified, and were unknown even to the Senate Armed Forces Committee until 2013.

Still, much of how the Department of Defense interprets the AUMF remains unclear- even to Congress, including how closely associated these groups must be to warrant military action.

For instance, while the Islamic State has embraced part of Al Qaeda’s agenda, their missions are incompatible and the groups have even renounced ties to one another.

The relationships between al Qaeda and other known “associated forces” are similarly tenuous.

Reinterpreted, the AUMF provides the legal authorization for a

boundless war without geographical or temporal limits. Ranking Department of Defense officials have stated that they expect military operations against al Qaeda and “associated forces” to continue for another ten to twenty years in a war that has already included military interventions in at least five sovereign states. It is a war in which the enemy is often classified, as is the process for determining who the enemy even is.

Thirteen years after it was passed into law, the AUMF framework remains unchanged. However, on the ground, the Taliban, who harbored al Qaeda, have been removed from power; al Qaeda has been reduced to a ghost of its former self; Osama bin Laden has been killed. After more than a decade of war, it is time for a legal framework that reflects these realities. President Obama has spoke of engaging with Congress to repeal the 2001 AUMF, but his rhetoric has not yet been backed by action.

Andrew Karl is a member of the Anti-War Committee and holds a degree in International Political Science from Penn State University.

Overcoming Human Rights Oppression Towards Better Policing in Pittsburgh?

by Mark Ozark On October 8th, WESA Radio broadcast its program “Essential Pittsburgh” live, featuring a studio audience and panelists Mayor Bill Peduto, Police Chief Cameron McLay, Alliance for Police Accountability President Brandi Fisher, and former policeman Sheldon Williams. Leon Ford was in the audience.

The Mayor recapitulated the record of his efforts to date to reform the law enforcement system. He has appointed people who respect community input to key positions, such as City Solicitor, Public Safety Director, Head of the Office of Municipal Investigations, and Chief of Police.

Mr. Williams quoted a policeman’s creed: “gain, maintain, or regain control,” supposedly in order “to protect and serve." He reiterated the practical suggestion supported by police and other groups to obey now, even if one's rights

are being violated, and object later.

Ms Fisher emphasized that skepticism of police integrity and reluctance to "obey now" are justified by the apparent total lack of punishment for obvious police wrongdoing, while minorities are too often unjustly punished without recourse for little more than being minorities.

False accusations, threats and torture that coerce plea bargains from innocent people, and incarceration without trial exist. Belief in those realities will make taking a chance on fleeing or resisting arrest seem like a good bet, given the perceived alternatives, until there is a an unambiguously clear reality of genuine police accountability for wrongdoing.

Chief McLay described becoming aware of “implicit” racism, which is subtler and more difficult to perceive in oneself than “explicit” racism. Ironically, when he was asked by an audience member to describe one of his successes

working with a minority community, the story that came to his mind was about busting a drug gang.

Most of the panel seemed to believe that good people, including at least two of the panel themselves, are in place and will make a difference. For now that is hopeful and necessary, but to stop reform there would be merely foolhardy.

Policies that are idiosyncratic to specific individuals in power can be ephemeral.

Durable, enforceable, structural and institutional reform must follow the success of personalities. Pittsburgh’s backsliding after the expiration of consent decrees and the removal of officials who supported those reforms should not be ignored.

Most of the panel also seemed to believe that ultimately decisions about the shape of reform should be left to the new powers that be. They might solicit public input, but an official channel for the community, not the insiders, to set

the standards for the strict operational meaning of “to protect and serve” and "accountability, integrity, respect.” did not seem to be on the panel's radar.

Law enforcement personnel are warning their colleagues that a Ferguson could happen anywhere. It is not clear, however, what "a Ferguson" means. Are they more concerned with genuinely reforming policies that excuse violations of rights, or with avoiding public backlash when such violations occur?

Law enforcement misconduct does not in itself stimulate change; stakeholders in the status quo sometimes pay attention to disruptive and embarrassing public outcry.

Mark observes the Citizen Police Review Board for the Black & White Reunion and sometimes writes a report.

Festival & Write-a-Thon for Human Rights on December 8th in Shadyside

by Mark Ozark and Chris Mason Amnesty International USA’s Pittsburgh Group 39 will host its annual Human Rights Fair and Write-a -Thon at Calvary Episcopal Church, at the corner of Shady Avenue and Walnut Street, on Monday, December 8, 2014, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. That is the Monday immediately before International Human Rights Day, December 10th. Numerous local Human Rights groups have been invited to join with the Amnesty members and to send representatives to give brief presentations and participate in the candle lighting ceremony.

At the event, tables will be set up with descriptions of selected human rights cases or issues of human rights repression of interest to Amnesty International. At least 10 cases are highlighted and information sheets about each person or group, along with sample letters, are provided. Most of the cases are international, but some domestic cases may be included.

Writing materials are provided, and

postage is applied at a central “post office” table.

Participants write letters either directly to the victims, showing support, or to government officials who are responsible for bringing justice to bear on the cases, in accordance with international human rights laws and treaties, and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The symbol of Amnesty International is a candle imprisoned by barbed wire, but nevertheless burning and shining its light. The letters written by Amnesty members, friends, and guests let responsible officials know that there are people who watch, who see the light of human rights through the darkness that some governments use to shroud it.

Every year the event’s goal is to generate 1,000 letters for human rights and to bring justice to those suffering around the globe.

Many human rights groups focus their efforts solely on local or domestic issues. As the events in Ferguson show, it is critical for Americans to retain and expand human rights here, and it has been protests by concerned citizens that have started some positive movement. Amnesty International invites everyone to take some time for people, places and situations where things are much worse, where protests, like the ones after the killing of Michael Brown, would not be permitted or even imagined. We in Pittsburgh are fortunate to have voices

that we may use on behalf of human rights everywhere.

Amnesty Group 39 invites everyone to do just that on December 8th. The event is free; you can stop in for a few minutes or spend a couple of hours learning about human rights issues, and the groups and individuals working hard to protect people's rights, as well as write some letters!

Refreshments and all letter writing materials will be provided.

For more information, www.amnestypgh.org.

Mark Ozark and Chris Mason are volunteer members of Amnesty International Group 39 in Pittsburgh.

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Human Rights An Open Letter to Incoming Police Chief McLay October 10, 2014 Dear Chief McLay: We write this open letter to offer our congratulations on your becoming the new chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and we welcome you to our city. We wish you well in your effort to rebuild public’s trust in our police force, and we offer our support in your work to combat the problems we’ve seen in the past.

As you may have learned, in 2011 Pittsburgh’s City Council passed the Human Rights City Proclamation making Pittsburgh the 5th growing network of residents who are organizing a Human Rights City Alliance to move this vision forward. We look forward to working with you and other public officials and community members to bring about changes that reflect our status as a Human Rights City in all areas of governance.

Building on lessons from Human Rights City initiatives around the world, human rights defenders in our city are developing a Human Rights City Action Plan that we will make public on Human Rights Day (December 10th) that advance our Human Rights City.

A high priority is improving the work of our police force and enhancing its representativeness and responsiveness to the needs of all residents.

Given your record, we are optimistic about your tenure in Pittsburgh. The fact that you worked transparently with the community to examine their concerns regarding police abuses, despite the possibility that it could have revealed some hard truths, is demonstrative of the type of leader we feel Pittsburgh needs to implement needed reforms and make the police force responsive to the needs of its citizens.

We look forward to working with you to identify priorities and strategies for improving community relations, ending racial profiling and discriminatory practices that affect some of our most underrepresented, underserved and underutilized residents. We look forward to discussing these ideas with you and welcome you as a partner in our work to bring about a more just and equitable society that serves the needs of all people in our region.

Best of luck to you as you begin your duties here in our great city.

Sincerely,

Human Rights City Alliance in the United States * The Action Plan identifies specific policy and community objectives and timetables Human Rights City Alliance www.pghrights.org.

Human Rights City Alliance Allies and Participants • American Friends Service Committee PA • Fight Back Pittsburgh Civil and Human Rights Committee • Garden of Peace Project • Global March for Peace and Unity-Pittsburgh (Facebook) • Great Public Schools Pittsburgh • Just Harvest • Marcellus Protest • New Voices Pittsburgh • One Pittsburgh • Pittsburghers for Public Transit • Civil Action Movement • Sierra Club of Allegheny County • Summit Against Racism • Thomas Merton Center--Environmental and New Economy Campaigns

A New AFSC Resource for Youth Empowerment

by Amanda Gross Five Years, 40 Teenagers, and One Human Rights City Proclamation later, the American Friends Service Committee Pennsylvania’s racial justice through human rights curriculum is out, free, and available for you to use.

Just!Us! Peacebuilding, Human Rights, and Empowerment was developed by AFSC PA staff along with youth group members who tested

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the exercises and gave extensive feedback. This group of youth, mostly high school students, represents a diversity of racial, cultural, religious, and geographical backgrounds, coming from suburban, inner city, and home schools that are private, public, and charter.

Just!Us! Peacebuilding, Human Rights, and Empowerment is a flexible curriculum that begins with icebreakers, team building, respectful listening and dialogue, and consensus decisionmaking exercises.

The

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curriculum’s trajectory introduces a human rights framework and then explores impediments to human rights such as violence, racism, gender inequity, and economic disparity. In response to these impediments, Just!Us! investigates active nonviolence and social change movements and invites the participants to create and implement their own action plan for change in their communities.

The program uses a model of popular education that gives youth a different experience from the more formal education model of schools. The curriculum requires active participation and uses a variety of techniques for imparting information, recognizing that different people learn in different ways.

The curriculum is a guideline; its goals can be achieved in many ways.

Facilitators should ideally be creative and flexible in their use, and feel free to pick and choose exercises that work in

the moment and allow for group and individual self-direction.

Just!Us! Peacebuilding, Human Rights, and Empowerment is available online as a full pdf or in blog format., with limited print copies available. We think it’s an important resource for working with youth (and adults too) around social justice and change. Please use it, share it, and let us know how it can support your own work. http://www.afsc.org/document/justuspeacebuilding-human-rights-andempowerment-curriculum Blog - http:// justuscurriculum.wordpress.com For information on print editions contact Amanda Gross at agross@afsc.org. Amanda is the Pennsylvania Program Director for the American Friends Service Committee.

Thomas Merton Center Community TMC is Looking for New Space leaders and partner organizations are very involved with community organizing challenges, meeting at the Center and using the available resources.

This has revitalized the Center in a number of ways, but most importantly, it has resulted in a high-level of activity.

As a result we have outgrown the space that we now occupy, which is. less than 1000 square feet on the first floor. Our basement, which is about the same amount of space, houses our Book’em: Books to Prisoners Project. It is filled with books that are sent to prisoners requesting them in the state of Pennsylvania.

We welcome your ideas and

by Diane McMahon suggestions as the board and staff work Over the past four years the Thomas to find a new space that will help us to Merton Center has opened a new chapter continue to grow our successful peace in its history of working to create a more and justice mission. We especially would peaceful and just world in the Pittsburgh appreciate your ideas on what you region. envision to be a neighborhood that might After taking time to reflect on, and welcome and join with us in our goals. overcome some of its internal challenges, Please send your ideas, the center has now entered into a period recommendations, and suggestions to of growth and re-engagement with the Marcia at community.

SnowdenM@thomasmertoncenter.org.

Today, our 19 board members, 600+ members, 16 interns, 8 regular Diane McMahon is the Managing volunteers, and more than 50 project Director of the Thomas Merton Center.

Why I am a Thomas Merton Center Cornerstone Sustainer

Sr. Mary Clare Donnelly Celebrates her 50th Jubilee

by Diane McMahon

South Miami, Florida.

When Sr. Mary Clare returned to One of Pittsburgh she worked in several the Thomas parishes. One "full-time" position Merton included two parts: working mornings as Center's pastoral associate in a newly-merged own is parish, and working afternoons with celebrating kindergarten-age children. "That was one a special of my favorite ministries, meeting both moment on ends of life daily, and realizing how her spiritual similar they are," she states. journey this Sr. Mary Clare pioneered the former year.

Mercy Hospital "Cub Corner," a child Sr. Mary Photo by Diane McMahon care service center. She also worked at Clare Providence Day Care Center in south Donnelly, who has served for decades at Pittsburgh. the Thomas Merton Center and East End Today, Sr. Mary Clare works and Community Thrift Store, is recognizing volunteers at the Thomas Merton Center, her 50th year as a Sister of Mercy nun. full-time, where she finds herself Sister Mary Clare entered the Sisters of "creative, busy, and involved with roles Mercy from St. Elizabeth of Hungary, a in justice, peace, and simplicity." parish in Pleasant Hills, and graduated Here at the Thomas Merton Center we from Carlow University in Pittsburgh. are very grateful for the time, concern, She furthered her studies at Carlow, and energy that Sr. Mary Clare gives so Slippery Rock University, and Barry willingly to the volunteers, interns, and University in Miami, Florida. member. She is a blessing among us!

During her fifty years of ministry, she was a primary school teacher Diane McMahon is the Managing and principal, and for 12 years she directed the religious education program Director of the Thomas Merton Center. at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, in

Meet Azmal Thahireen, the NEW New People Coordinator This past month, Azmal Thahireen joined the Thomas Merton Center staff and editorial collective to take on the role of the New People Coordinator. Azmal is a student at Carnegie Mellon University who is working towards a Biology and Biomedical Engineering Degree. In a recent interview, Azmal shares more about his experiences of Pittsburgh, his background, and his work with the Thomas Merton Center Editorial Collective.

Azmal, why did you choose to come to Pittsburgh?

Personally, when choosing a college, I had always wanted to be in an urban environment; there’s just so much to explore in a city and life never gets dull. As a result, when I got into CMU, I could definitely envision myself living here in Pittsburgh. I also especially preferred Pittsburgh over other cities because of the plethora of opportunities for medicine-related careers.

Source: World Council of Churches

by Leila Richards Why am I a Cornerstone Sustainer? I’m old enough to remember the storefronts of the 1970’s, when it seemed as if the Establishment was being challenged on every street corner. I even volunteered at a storefront in New York City, prophetically named Merton-Buber House, operated by the Jewish Peace Fellowship and the Catholic Peace Fellowship, which provided free draft counseling for those facing the prospect of fighting in the Vietnam War. Most of those storefronts are long gone, casualties of dwindling contributions and/or lack of visionary leadership. Yet the Thomas Merton Center has prevailed! What are the magic ingredients that have kept it going?

I’ve lived in Pittsburgh for just a few years, but this is what I see there: a dedicated staff, hardworking volunteers, an unswerving commitment to issues of social justice, and real professionalism when it comes to working together to get a job done.

Moreover, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves! I want to keep this spirit alive.

That’s why I’m a Cornerstone Sustainer.

Leila Richards is a cornerstone sustainer at the Thomas Merton Center.

Tell us a little about your experience as editor while you were in high school?

I began working as a writer for “The Ram,” Ramsey High’s student newspaper, and later worked my way up to copyeditor. During the three years that I spent working on the staff, we facilitated unprecedented change for the paper, transitioning it to an online publication and growing our staff tenfold. My fondest memories from my time on the paper would definitely have to be the hours we spent after school before the monthly deadlines, putting the finishing touches on the issue.

Why are you interested in peace and social justice topics?

While in high school, in Ramsey New Jersey, two other organizations that I was involved in were Students Take Action Now – Darfur (STAND) and the Model United Nations team that I co-founded. These two clubs that I partook in fostered an appreciation for social justice, as well as global perspectives organizing events, such as nonviolence week, and video conferences with Chilean education activists.

What has been your experience with working with the New People so far?

While compiling the paper at the end of the month is a substantial amount of work, I definitely enjoy it a lot. Even though I mostly deal with the layout of the articles, I try to read almost all of them because it’s so interesting reading through so many different perspectives. I find it amazing the amount of coordination and teamwork that occurs in the New People staff; the people I get to work with here are truly a wonderful group of individuals.

Please share a little bit about your roots?

My parents and I immigrated to America (and New Jersey) when I was one year old from Sri Lanka, where the majority of my family still reside.

What do you think about Pittsburgh so far?

The weather so far has definitely been a surprise, for one thing. I just love how there’s just so much to explore in so many neighborhoods: so many restaurants, historical sites, museums, it’s an entirely a new experience for me, and I love it.

What do you like about being the New People Coordinator so far? Do you have any thoughts on how you might contribute going forward?

I like being surrounded by so many wonderful people, reading all the articles that come in, and learning about the editorial process. I hope to leave my mark on The NewPeople paper, though I’m not entirely sure yet how I will do this, but I’m looking forward to it.

November 2014

NEWPEOPLE - 15

November 2014 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Regular Meetings

1 ANOTHER WORLD IS NECESSARY Pittsburgh Athletic Association 10:30-3:30 pm isopgh@gmail.com

Molly Rush Co-founder of TMC

2

3

Citizens of Israel - Jews & Arabs: Challenges and Opportunities William Pitt Student Union Kurtzman Room, University of Pittsburgh 1-4:30pm More at JFEDPGH.org

9

10

Iraq / Syria Intervention Panel - Church of the Redeemer - 5700 Forbes Avenue, Squirrel Hill 1:00 pm

Final Lecture in Association of Pittsburgh Priests Fall Speakers Series - Kearns Spirituality Center, 9000 Babcock Blvd 7 to 10 pm

4

5

Election Day: Remember to Vote!

Day of Ashura The tenth day of the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar marks a significant day in the Muslim calendar.

11

13

8

TMC New Economy Open House @ TMC 6-8 pm Open during UNBLURRED

Town Hall Debate on Police Oversight– Cathedral of Learning - Room 231 3-6pm

Sermon on the Mount John Dear Villa Maria Friday & Saturday 724-964-8886

CLEVER inDeed Holiday Trunk Show Shopping Event - 2-8pm Circuit Center & Ballroom, 5 Hot Metal Street

14

15

Jeremy Scahill introduces his Register by Nov. 7 film Dirty Wars www.thomasmerto at 5:30PM ncenter.org/Scahill Melwood -$50/person Screening Room Call (412)361-3022 477 Melwood Avenue Pgh. PA Paul Sheldon: 15213 Sustainability and the Social Services followed by a 12-1:30p Cathedral showing of the of Learningfilm at 6:30 pm

18

APP Meets the third Monday of this month only.

Prince of Peace Rectory 162 S. 15th Southside (Changed only

23

24

19

20

Pittsburgh Socialist Forum: An Evening with Steve Brouwer 7-9pm - First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh Undercroft Gallery 605 Morewood Avenue, Pittsburgh 15213

TMC Board Meeting 6:30 pm

TMC Anti-Drone Warfare Committee Mtg @ 11:30 am followed by Anti -Drone Warfare Panel - 12:30 pm Both at East Liberty Presbyterian Church

25

26

21

22

Nov. 21-23

PodCamp Pittsburgh 9 am - Point Park University Saturday & Sunday 9-5 pm

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29

Thanksgiving Day

As a member, The New People newspaper will be mailed to your home or sent to your email account.

You will also receive weekly e-blasts focusing on peace and justice events in Pittsburgh, and special invitations to membership activities. Now is the time to stand for peace and justice!

Join online at www.thomasmertoncenter.org/join -donate or fill out this form, cut out, and mail in.

Mail this form and membership donation to: Thomas Merton Center, 5129 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15224 16 - NEWPEOPLE

November 2014

Select your membership level:

____$15 ____$15 ____$50 ____$100

Wednesdays: Human Rights Coalition: Fed-Up! Every Wednesday at 7p, Write letters for prisoner’s rights at the Thomas Merton Center Darfur Coalition Meeting 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 7-9 pm, 2121 Murray Ave., 2nd Floor, Squirrel Hill.

412-784-0256 Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (PADP) 1st Wednesdays, 7-8pm, First Unitarian Church, Ellsworth & Morewood Avenues, Shadyside

Thursdays:

Fridays: Unblurred Gallery Crawl 1st Friday after 6 pm, Penn Avenue Arts District, 4800-5500 Penn Ave., Friendship and Garfield 15224 Hill District Consensus Group 2nd Friday, 10 am — 12 pm, Elsie Hillman Auditorium, Kaufmann Center 1825 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 People of Prisoners in Need of Support 3rd Friday, 7:00pm New Hope Methodist Church, 114 W. North Ave, Pittsburgh 15212

Saturdays:

"I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the civil rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice. But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of brother-and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people." (Coretta Scott King)

Subscribe to The New People by becoming a member of the Thomas Merton Center today!

Mondays: SW Healthcare 4 All PA /PUSH Meeting 1st Monday, 7:30 —9 pm 2101 Murray Avenue, Squirrel Hill Association of Pittsburgh Priests 2nd Monday, 7—9 pm, Prince of Peace Rectory 162 South 15th, Southside, Pgh. PA 15203 Amnesty International #39 2nd Monday, 7—9 pm First Unitarian Church, Morewood Ave. 15219

International Socialist Organization Every Thursday, 7:30-9:30 pm at the Thomas Merton Center Global Pittsburgh Happy Hour 1st Thursday, 5:30 to 8 pm, Roland's Seafood Grill, 1904 Penn Ave, Strip District Green Party Meeting 1st Thursday, 7 to 9 pm, 2121 Murray, 2nd floor, Squirrel Hill Black Political Empowerment Project 2nd Thursday, 6 pm: Planning Council Meeting, Hill House, Conference Room B

School of the Americas protest at Fort Benning, Georgia Trip To join SOA Watch Pittsburgh on the bus call 412-361-3022

27

Day of the Covenant Baha'i

30

7

Room 2017

17

Income Disparity Forum 2- 4pm Synod Hall, 125 N. Craig St. in Oakland

12

The Healthcare Movie: Documentary Viewing - 12-1pm Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes and Murray Avenue

Thomas Merton Award Dinner -

Journey of Hope Sr. Yankoski Kearns Spirituality Center - 3 pm

16

6

Sundays:

Book’Em: Books to Prisoners Project First three Sundays of the month at TMC Contact: bookempgh@gmail.com Anti-War and Anti-Drone Warfare Coalition 3rd Sunday at 1:30 pm at TMC, 5129 Penn Ave., Garfield, PA 15224

Low Income Membership Youth / Student Membership Individual Membership Family Membership

Project to End Human Trafficking 2nd Sat., Carlow University, Antonian Room #502 Fight for Lifers West 3rd Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 pm, Thomas Merton Center

We Remember Faith Stenning passed on last month. She lived 89 years and was a Raging Granny for three of them and an active member of B-PEP (Black Political Empowerment Project).

We are grateful to Faith Stenning for living out her values through her witness in these two fine organizations.

Please complete and return to TMC. Thank you!

Name(s):__________________________________ Organization (if any): ________________________________ Address:_______________________________________________

___Check here if this is a gift membership

_______________________________________________________

____$500+ Cornerstone Sustainer Membership ____Donation $____________________________

Home Phone:______________________________

Or Become an Organizational Member:

__$75 Organization (below 25 members) __$125 Organization (above 25 members)

City:_________________ State:______ Zip Code:__________ Cell Phone: _______________________________ Email:____________________________________

Mail to TMC, 5129 Penn Ave. Pgh. PA 15224