Troy Davis and the Death Penalty
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THE
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Civil Rights Movement Bus Tour Page 12
Dr. Vandana Shiva
PITTSBURGH‘S PEACE AND JUSTICE NEWSPAPER Published by the Thomas Merton Center
VOL. 41, No. 8 October, 2011 Photo by Nic Paget-Clarke
MERTON CENTER HONORS GLOBAL ACTIVIST VANDANA SHIVA By Mike Pastorkovich
occurred as she reflected upon the fact that India has "the third biggest scientific community in the Physicist, environmental activist, and ecofeminist world...[yet]...we are among the poorest of counDr. Vandana Shiva, named one of the seven most- tries. Science and technology are supposed to creinfluential women in the world by Forbes maga- ate growth, remove poverty. Where is the gap?" zine in 2010, will be the keynote speaker and an- After taking three years to look at science policy nual award recipient at the Thomas Merton Cen- issues, she says she "found that dominant science ter dinner scheduled for Thursday, November 3, and technology serve the interests of the powerat the Sheraton Station Square Hotel in Pittsful." burgh. Much of Dr. Shiva's environmentalist energy has been focused on biotechnology and the In the late 1980s, Dr. Shiva founded the Research patenting of life-forms. A frequent target of her Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology criticism has been the multi-national corporation which concentrates on biotech and patenting isMonsanto which specializes in producing pestisues, and in 1991 she founded Navdanya, a nacide-resistant seeds, and she has been quoted as tional movement in India to protect the diversity saying "instead of rewarding them [Monsanto] and integrity of living resources, especially native with a patent, they should be punished for pollut- seeds. These organizations, according to Dr. ing our food chain." Shiva, are "committed to resist patents on seeds and life forms promoted by...World Trade OrDr. Vandana Shiva was born in 1952 in Dehra ganization which lead to the privatization of bioDun, Uttarakhand, India to a forest conservator diversity and piracy of traditional knowledge." father and a nature-loving mother. Having reDr. Shiva is now "focused on preventing impericeived an undergraduate degree in physics, Dr. alism over life itself." "I don't want to live in a Shiva received a PhD in philosophy of science world where five giant companies control our from the University of Western Ontario in Canada health and our food, " she says. Navdanya's work in 1979 with her doctoral dissertation "Hidden has resulted in the conservation of more than Variables and Locality in Quantum Theory". 2000 varieties of rice in India, and the Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Ecology Dr. Shiva's turn toward environmental activism has successfully challenged
the biopiracy of Neem, Basmati, and Wheat. For Dr. Shiva, ecology and feminism are "inseparable" because, among other reasons, "women are the custodians of biodiversity, the providers of food security...the conservers of the cultural diversity of food traditions." She also promotes a vision of Earth Democracy and sees the mission of the organizations she has founded to be "to meet people‘s needs while protecting the earth, defending our ecological and cultural heritage, and strengthening livelihood and food security." Mike Pastorkovich is a former shop steward with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He is now active with the Sierra Club, the TMC Anti-War Committee, and Pax Christi.
Dr. Shiva will accept the Thomas Merton Award in Pittsburgh on November 3,2011. For more information please se page 10.
TMC 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 October, 2011 NEWPEOPLE - 1 world.
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IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE THOMAS MERTON CENTER 5129 PENN AVE., PITTSBURGH, PA 15224 Phone: 412-361-3022 — Fax: 412-361-0540 — Web: www.thomasmertoncenter.org Editorial Collective Mana Alibadi, Erica Augenstein, Frank Carr, Nicole Coast, Rob Conroy, Deyja Donohue, Michael Drohan, Russ Fedorka, Rory Henc, Steven Green, Charles McCollester, Kenneth Miller, Francine Porter, Jordana Rosenfeld, Molly Rush, Florence Wyand TMC Staff, Volunteers and Interns Viv Shaffer, Thomas Merton Center Coordinator Roslyn Maholland, Bookkeeper / Mig Cole, Assistant Bookkeeper Shirley Gleditsch, Manager, East End Community Thrift Store Shawna Hammond, Manager, East End Community Thrift Store Dolly Mason, Furniture Manager, East End Community Thrift Store Corey Carrington, Public Ally Jordana Rosenfeld, Summer Intern TMC Board of Directors Casey Capitolo, Rob Conroy, Kathy Cunningham, Michael Drohan, Mary Jo Guercio, Wanda Guthrie, Edward Kinley, Shawna Hammond, Jonah McAllister-Erickson, Charles McCollester, Diane McMahon, Jibran Mushtaq, Francine Porter, Dominique Reed, Chadwick Rink, Molly Rush, Courtney Smith, Carole Wiedmann STANDING COMMITTEES Board Development Committee (Recruits board members, conducts board elections) Building Committee Oversees maintenance of 5123-5129 Penn Ave. Membership Committee Coordinates membership goals, activities, appeals, and communications Editorial Collective Plans, produces and distributes The NewPeople Finance Committee Ensures financial stability and accountability of TMC Personnel Committee Oversees staff needs, evaluation, and policies Technology Team Provides technical advice and assistance to TMC Special Event Committees Plan and oversee TMC fundraising events with board and staff Anti-War Committee info@pittsburghendthewar.org www.pittsburghendthewar.org Book‘Em (books to prisoners) bookempgh@gmail.com www.thomasmertoncenter.org/bookem CodePink (Women for Peace) codepinkpgh@aol.com, 412-389-3216 www.codepink4peace.org
Demilitarize Pittsburgh: War-Profiteering Education & Action Network 412-361-3022, info@demilitarizepittsburgh.org www.demilitarizepittsburgh.org Diversity Footprint (art, justice, community) draw3rd@verizon.net
Sustainable Living Project landslide@riseup.net, 412-551-6957 Three Rivers Area Medics (TRAM) 412-6419191 or thefunnysmith@yahoo.com
Economic Justice Committee economicjustice@thomasmertoncenter.org
Urban Arts Project mbbpgh@yahoo.com
In Sisterhood: The Women’s Movement in Pgh 412-621-3252, pmulbrich@yahoo.com Literacy for Ziguinchor 724-549-4933, elainekuhar@gmail.com
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October, 2011
Events & Calendar Items ............. www.bit.ly/tmcevents
In this Issue Page 3
Renew your Merton Center Membership!
Page 5
Low Cost Wind Energy
Page 7
Pittsburgh—Haiti Partnership
Page 11
The Death Penalty
Page 13
The Big Idea Bookstore
Page 13
Gaza in Crisis Book Review
Page 14
PA Anti-Torture Conference
TMC AFFILIATES and FRIENDS The Africa Project 412-657-8513, peterokema@gmail.com www.africaproject.net Allegheny Defense Project, Pgh Office 412-559-1364 www.alleghenydefense.org
Association of Pittsburgh Priests Molly 412-343-3027 molly.rush@verizon.net
East End Community Thrift Shop 412-361-6010, shawnapgh@aol.com
Food Not Bombs pittsburgh_fnb@yahoo.com http://fnb-pgh.2ya.com
Submissions .................................. newpeople@thomasmertoncenter.org
Pittsburgh Campaign for Democracy NOW! 412-422-5377, sleator@cs.cmu.edu www.pcdn.org
Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition jumphook@gmail.com; www.pittsburghdarfur.org
Fight for Lifers West 412-361-3022 to leave a message fightforliferswest@yahoo.com http://fightforliferswest.mysite.com
Or info@thomasmertoncenter.org
Amnesty International info@amnestypgh.org www.amnestypgh.org
Roots of Promise 724-327-2767, 412-596-0066 rootsofpromise@gmail.com (Network of Spiritual Progressives) spiritualprogressives.pgh@gmail.com
Human Rights Coalition / Fed Up (prisoner support and advocacy) 412-802-8575, hrcfedup@gmail.com www.thomasmertoncenter.org/fedup
General information ..................... www.thomasmertoncenter.org/contact-us/
Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Community Alliance 412-867-9213
Pittsburgh Works! (labor history documentaries) connections05@hotmail.com
Conscience 412-231-1581 www.consciencepgh.blogspot.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Pittsburgh Progressive Notebook Call 412-301-3022 for more info The Palestine Film Festival Call 412-301-3022 for more info Westmoreland Marcellus Citizens Group Wanda Guthrie 724-327-2767 murrysvillemarcellus@gmail.com The Pittsburgh Totebag Project Sue Kerr, 412-228-0216 P.O. Box 99204 Pittsburgh, Pa 15233 www.tote4pgh.org
The Big Idea Bookstore 412-OUR-HEAD, www.thebigideapgh.org Black Voices for Peace Gail Austin 412-606-1408 Citizens for Global Solutions 412-471-7852 amy@wfap.org Citizens for Social Responsibility of Greater Johnstown Larry Blalock, evolve@atlanticbb.net Haiti Solidarity Committee jrothermel@pittsburghfoodbank.org, 412-271-8414 www.thomasmertoncenter.org/hs
412-563-1519 lisacubasi@aol.com Pgh Independent Media Center info@indypgh.org www.indypgh.org Pgh North Anti-Racism Coalition 412-367-0383 Pgh North People for Peace 412-367-1049 Pgh Palestine Solidarity Committee info@pittsburgh-psc.org www.pittsburgh-psc.org Raging Grannies 412-963-7163, eva.havlicsek@gmail.com www.pittsburghraginggrannies.homestead.com Religion and Labor Coalition 412-361-4793 ojomal@aol.com School of the Americas Watch of W. PA 412-371-9722, soapittsburgh@gmail.com United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) 412-471-8919 www.ueunion.org Urban Bikers urbanbikes@yahoo.com
PA United for a Single-Payer Health Care (PUSH) www.healthcare4allPA.org Molly Rush molly.rush@verizon.net
Veterans for Peace Icwheaties@aol.com
Pittsburgh Area Pax Christi 412-761-4319
Voices for Animals voicesforanimals@gmail.com 1-877-321-4VFA
Pittsburgh Committee to Free Mumia 412-361-3022, pghfreemumia@gmail.com
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Eva 412-963-7163 edith.bell4@verizon.net
Pittsburgh Cuba Coalition
TMC MEMBERSHIPS These are organizations or coalitions in which TMC has formal membership, including payment of dues to and fulfillment of other agreed-upon responsibilities as an organizational member Abolition 2000: W. Pa. Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons 724-339-2242 / danfine@igc.org Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty 412-384-4310, osterdm@earthlink.net
Pennsylvania
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Food Security Partnership: Twelve Counties Five Years, One Focus—Closing the Hunger Gap By Joyce Rothermel
cated to acting as a collaborative forum and using 5. Ensure more efficient administration of systhe strength and momentum of working together tems and resources. For 31 years, Greater Pittsburgh Community to turn the tide on regional hunger. Food Bank and Westmoreland County Food Your expertise is welcome in this endeavor to Bank, with the help of organizations like the Tho- The need has never been greater. Since August of close the hunger gap. To find out more, go to the mas Merton Center, have fought hunger in south- 2008, more than 2,500 new households a month Food Bank‘s website at western Pennsylvania. Together we have have been turning to food pantries and soup kitch- www.pittsburghfoodbank.org and click on the achieved record levels of food distribution (more ens for food assistance, including a large number SW PA Food Security Partnership logo below. than 31.5 million pounds of food this fiscal year of recently unemployed people who, for the first To join the Partnership, contact Vic Papale, the alone), raised awareness of the problem, and ad- time in their lives, find themselves needing help director at vpapale@pittsburghfoodbank.org, or vocated for responsible public policies regarding to feed their families. 412-466-7711. food and nutrition. Even so, according to the latest census, 14 percent of our Southwestern Penn- Hunger is not inevitable. There are solutions. The Joyce Rothermel is the Co-Chair of the SW PA sylvania population -- 370,000 people – are still Southwestern PA Food Security Partnership‘s Food Security Partnership. food insecure. mission is to maximize the efforts of our community partners already doing heroic work across our We know that poverty causes hunger. But we in region through increased communication, sharing food-banking and food assistance work also know resources, and bringing all the stakeholders to the all too well that hunger can cause poverty. We see same table. While we will continue to advocate the effects of hunger on adults unable to compete for better public policy at all levels of governsuccessfully for jobs, on children whose futures ment, we don‘t have the luxury of waiting for nacould be permanently affected by impaired health tional or statewide solutions. If southwestern and development, on seniors who have worked all Pennsylvania is to thrive as a region, we must their lives only to face illness and dependency in meet this most basic of all human needs. their "golden years." The five goals of the plan now being impleIn 2010, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food mented by the Partnership are: Bank assembled more than 50 representatives 1. Increase access to and utilization of public and from food-banking, human services, faith-based private food assistance programs. communities, health care, public education, gov- 2. Build broad community engagement in ending ernment, and corporations whose charge was to hunger. mobilize our region to end hunger. Together we 3. Advocate for strong public policy surrounding created a comprehensive plan to end hunger in hunger relief. Southwestern Pennsylvania in five years. This 4. Partner with other social service providers to group has officially become the Southwestern address the larger issues of poverty. Pennsylvania Food Security Partnership, dedi-
Low-cost wind energy comes to Pittsburgh By Dan Papia
Energy, a low-cost/high-value electricity provider. TriEagle agreed to create a product that More and more Pennsylvanians are now shopping would be 100% backed by certified wind RECs for the best deal on electricity, and surprisingly, the best-priced product available is a 100% wind product. The Squirrel Hill based non-profit organization Citizen Power, Inc. joined up with TriEagle Energy, LP to offer a 100% renewable wind electricity plan in the Duquesne Light service territory, which covers most of Allegheny and Beaver counties. The certified 100% wind Green Eagle 24 product, currently available only through Citizen Power‘s Green Energy Cooperative, beats every other product, green or otherwise. This is largely due to the maturing of wind generation technologies, which has brought down the price of wind electricity considerably in recent years. Additionally, Citizen Power‘s utilization of the non-profit/cooperative business model has allowed TriEagle to offer a very attractive rate. (renewable energy credits) from Pennsylvania and neighboring states, and Citizen Power offered to According to Executive Director Titus North, provide the marketing in exchange for the lowest Citizen Power was frustrated by the lack of low- price for consumers. priced wind alternatives available to electricity consumers. Marketing costs are high in the elec- "Our mission is the promotion of renewable entricity industry, and marketing to what is consid- ergy," said North, "and we believe that this is the ered the niche environmentalist population is just most effective way to do so." North sees public not worth it to the big power companies. Citizen concern about the environment on the rise due to Power has a long history of fighting on behalf of nuclear crises, oil spills, fracking, and climate electricity consumers and the environment, and change. "People want to do something positive, felt that it was well positioned to present a lowbut in this economy, not many people can afford cost green product to the public. After taking its to purchase a hybrid car or put solar panels on idea to numerous electric generation companies, their roof. However, with this program you can Citizen Power decided to partner with TriEagle help the environment and save money at the same
time." Switching from Duquesne Light's default service saves consumers more than 20% off of the generation portion of their electric bills. Duquesne Light will continue to handle the billing and line maintenance for its customers who switch. Back in the 1990s when Pennsylvania deregulated electricity, electricity generation was separated from transmission and distribution. Regardless of who generates the electricity, the local utility (Duquesne Light in our area) provides the distribution. This means that switching generation companies will not affect reliability. "The lights won't go out when the wind stops," North said. "The only change people will notice will be a lower electricity bill." To sign up for TriEagle Energy‘s Green Eagle wind product, visit citizenpower.com/GEC and enroll in the Green Energy Cooperative, a Citizen Power program. Membership is free, and members will then be able to sign up for the Green Eagle wind products from TriEagle. To find out more about this opportunity to save money and the environment at the same time, see www.citizenpower.com/GEC or call Citizen Power at 412-421-7029. Dan Papia is a U.K.-based journalist who writes about energy and environmental issues.
October, 2011
NEWPEOPLE - 3
ADVERTISEMENT
Vandana Shiva is one of the world's most dynamic and provocative thinkers. Born in India in 1952, she trained as a physicist at the University of Western Ontario in Canada. At the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, India, she did research in science, technology and environmental policy. In 1982, she set up the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Natural Resource Policy in her home town of Dehra Dun in the foothills of the Himalaya. The foundation's studies have validated the ecological value of traditional farming and have been instrumental in fighting destructive development projects in India.
2011 TMC Award Dinner Honoring Dr. Vandana Shiva November 3, 2011 Sheraton Station Square Register at www.thomasmertoncenter.org
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October, 2011
Dorothy Day biographer, Jim Forest October 14 & 15, 2011 Public Lecture & Book Signing - Friday, Oct 14th, 7:30 pm “All is Grace: A Biography of Dorothy Day‖ St George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, 3400 Dawson, Pgh, PA, 15213. $5 donation & Day of Reflection - Saturday, Oct 15th, 10 am – 4 pm " Dorothy Day: A Saint for Our Times?" at Holy Family of Nazareth 285 Bellevue Rd. Pittsburgh, near Perrysville exit off 279N $30.00 donation includes lunch
The Thomas Merton Center
The Thomas Merton Center Needs Your Membership! Become a MEMBER today, and together, we can create a peaceful and just world. Already a member? Now through December is the time to renew your membership! 2010 Membership Incentive: Those who join today will receive a free copy of “A Foundry of Consciousness” a Thomas Merton Center (TMC) documentary produced by a member and local videographer, John Detwiler. Simply fill out the form below and return it to the Thomas Merton Center – 5129 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224. The Thomas Merton Center’s mission is to instill a consciousness of values and to raise the moral questions involved with war, racism, poverty and oppression. Our members are people from diverse philosophies and faiths who find common ground in the nonviolent struggle to bring about a more peaceful and just world. Since the Center's beginning thousands of people have joined with us to work together on this important mission and goal. Through protests, as well as ongoing projects, the active involvement of our members has been the backbone of our success. In all, twenty-five organizing campaigns and projects are supported by the Center (see other side). Our monthly newspaper, The NewPeople, is a key source of information for peace and justice activists interested in participating in social actions, campaigns, and justice-oriented awareness and advocacy events. Our website provides an up-to-date action calendar, and we send out a weekly electronic newsletter with up and coming events to let our members know about what's going on in the area and how they can get involved. Become a TMC member today by completing the form below: * Members receive a yearly membership to the TMC newspaper The NewPeople, invitations to local, state and national peace and justice events, and weekly email blasts about happenings in the area. Name(s): ________________________________________________________________________ Organization (if applicable):_________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________ City: _________________________________ State: __________ Zip: _______________________ Home Phone: __________________________Cell Phone:_________________________________ Email: __________________________________________________________________________
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Thomas Merton and Dorothy Day Dorothy Day lived in New York City among the poor, and Thomas Merton was a monk in rural Kentucky. When I first came to the Catholic Worker in 1960, I was still in the Navy. I was 19 years old, working at the U.S. Weather Bureau as a very young meteorologist and taking kids to Mass on Sunday from a little institution in Washington where I was volunteering in my spare time. I found a copy of Dorothy‘s newspaper, The Catholic Worker, in the library at this particular parish, Blessed Sacrament, and became curious about the woman and went up one weekend from Washington to New York to see what the Catholic Worker was all about. In New York I was given a bag of mail to take to her in Staten Island. She was sitting there with a letter opener at the end of a table with half a dozen people sitting around. One of the rituals of life, as I discovered, was Dorothy reading the mail aloud to whoever happened to be there and telling stories. One of the letters was from Thomas Merton, and I was absolutely astounded that Dorothy Day, who was very much ―in the world,‖ was corresponding with Thomas Merton, who had left the world with a resounding slam of the door. Of course, they were both members of the Catholic Church and both writers, but Merton had taken the express train out of New York City for good, and Dorothy lived at its very heart. Dorothy periodically got arrested; Merton certainly did not. Dorothy was very much under a cloud from the point of view of many Catholics because of her anti-war activities, and Merton was regarded as one of the principal Catholic writers in the world. But if they had been brother and sister they couldn‘t have been very much closer. It was a very special friendship, a fruitful friendship for both of them. From an interview with Jim Forest, US Catholic, Nov. 2011, author , “All is Grace: A Biography of Dorothy Day”, will speak in Pittsburgh - See page 4
October, 2011
NEWPEOPLE - 5
International
The Case of the Cuban Five: Exposing the Injustice System By Michael Drohan
The most recent and shocking news in regard to Attorney, in a later case involving discrimination this case is the revelation that during their trial, against minorities, Ramirez v Ashcroft et al, arThe Cuban Five refers to five Cuban citizens who the U.S. government – through its official propa- gued that it was impossible to have a fair trial in were arrested and detained in Florida on Septem- ganda agency, the Broadcasting Board of Gover- Miami-Dade County. ber 12, 1998. Their names: Gerardo Hernandez nors – was covertly paying prominent Miami Nordelo, Ramon Labanino Salazar, Antonio journalists to inflame the public with false infor- The trial went ahead in Miami-Dade County with Guerrero Rodriguez, Fernando Gonzalez Llort mation. As the government conducted its prosecu- the situation being further inflamed by the govand Rene Gonzalez Sehwerert. The indictment tion, these paid journalists saturated the Miami ernment-paid journalists adding fuel to the fire of against them consisted of 26 separate counts. media with reports that were highly inflammatory hate against the Cubans. The prosecutor of the Most of the charges were minor, relating to the and prejudicial to the Cuban Five. These docucase, in his last argument to the jury, falsely and use of false identification (the three non-U.S. citi- ments, released due to a Freedom of Information prejudicially escalated the government‘s rhetoric zens among the defendants who used false pass- Act request in September 2011, extend some hope against the Five by declaiming, no less than three ports). The most serious charges alleged espiofor a new trial and an exoneration of the defentimes, that the defendants had come to America nage and murder; charges which carry life sendants. ―in order to destroy the United States.‖ In a U.S. tences. However, the indictment did not actually Court of Law, five men who had tried to prevent charge the defendants with those crimes terrorist acts from taking place were conbut rather with ―conspiracy to commit victed of doing exactly the opposite. Photo by Michael Drohan them.‖ With this charge, the prosecutors were relieved of actually having to prove With the stage set for a profound miscarthat any defendant actually engaged in esriage of justice, a Miami jury deliberated pionage or committed murder, or even that for only short periods over 4 days without such offenses had actually occurred. submitting a single note or query to the court and found the defendants guilty in all The defendants testified that they were at26 counts of the indictment. The verdict tempting to prevent terrorist attacks against was contested, and in August 2005, the 11th their country, Cuba, by Cuban exiles residCircuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georing in Southern Florida. They had successgia, unanimously ruled to reverse their conParticipants in 22nd caravan of Friendshipment to fully infiltrated some, if not most, of these victions and order a new trial. In the meanCuba July 2011 at US-Mexican Border. terrorist groups and reported on them to time, however, the Five have been lantheir government who shared the informaguishing in U.S. prisons, scattered throughtion with the FBI. If a U.S. citizen did this in a The details of the case itself are truly devastating out the country, for 13 years with no reprieve. foreign country and prevented a 9/11-like event, in what they reveal about the total miscarriage of he/she would be treated as a hero. The response justice in the U.S. The injustice began with the With the latest revelations of the U.S. government of the U.S. was to arrest the messenger and let the five being held without bail for 33 months in complicity in inflaming the case via paid journalterrorists continue their criminal work. While in prison between arrest and trial. In addition, after ists, there is a glimmer of hope for justice for the Cuba over the summer, I had the opportunity to being sentenced, they were kept for 17 months in Cuban Five. To get involved and work for justice meet with the anguished parents, spouses and sib- solitary confinement cells used to punish prison- in this case, go the following websites: lings of the Cuban Five. In Cuba, these men are ers guilty of assault and other violent behavior. www.reportersforhire.org or to held up as heroes, which they truly are, for their But that was only the beginning of the charade of www.freethefive.org . role in preventing terrorist acts. The shocking re- justice. The trial took place in Miami, and the ality that the case reveals is that the U.S. aids and defendants appealed for a new venue. They main- Michael Drohan is a political economist speabets the perpetrators of terrorist acts while incar- tained that it would be impossible to have a fair cializing in analysis of Third World economies cerating the opponents of terrorism. Luis Posado trial in Miami due to the inflammatory and vioand a member of The Thomas Merton CenCarriles, the alleged engineer of the blowing up of lent attitudes of the exiled Cuban community in ter‗s Board of Directors. a Cuban civilian airliner in 1976 walks freely in Florida. One of the defendants, Antonio Guerrero, the U.S. while the preventers of similar crimes told the sentencing judge that ―when it comes to languish in prison. Cuba, Miami is an impossible place for justice‖. The irony of the case is that the very same U.S.
Cartoon Corner Don McNeill
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October, 2011
Russ Fedorka
International
Pittsburgh—Haiti 15 Year Partnership Brings Students to Duquesne University
The bin Laden Assassination
By Peter Yehl
By Jim Scofield
This year marks the fifteen year anniversary of the Haiti Solidarity Committee‘s collaborative relationship between Fonkoze, Haiti's bank for the organized poor, and Duquesne University here in Pittsburgh. For 15 years now, the Pittsburgh Regional Haiti Solidarity Committee (PRHSC) has shown its commitment to strengthening the relationship between Haiti and the Pittsburgh community by sponsoring staff from Fonkoze to come to Pittsburgh to study for two semesters at Duquesne University. Duquesne University offers academic scholarships to the Haitian students for the twosemester long program. Fonkoze identifies the students and pays for their transportation to and from Pittsburgh, provides health insurance, payment for educational materials, and a small monthly stipend. The Haiti Solidarity Committee, in turn, seeks out host families who will provide the necessary room and board for the two Haitian students during their stay in Pittsburgh. Additionally, the Haiti Solidarity Committee contributes a substantial amount of social and financial support for the two Haitian students while they are enrolled in the Leadership and Professional Advancement program at Duquesne University. Through this program, the PRHSC seeks to enrich the Pittsburgh community through crosscultural contact with students from Haiti while at the same time providing for Fonkoze to enhance the work of its organization.
accounts receivable and payable. What do you hope to achieve by spending nine months here in Pittsburgh?
Photo by Becky Newlin Nickelson: I hope to Magdala Fenelon and Nickelson Pierre-Louis are studying at acquire a Duquesne University for two semesters as part of a program of deeper under- the Pittsburgh Regional Haiti Solidarity Committee. standing of social groups by studying sociology so that I can take part in the Nickelson: I am so excited to see social and economic development how friendly the American people of Haiti. I hope my knowledge are, and also how you pay attenwill also help Fonkoze to reach tion to Haiti through your proits objectives. jects. I like the transportation system and I enjoy the Pittsburgh Magdala: My goals for these Zoo. nine months in Pittsburgh are to speak English clearly, easily and Magdala: I like the way that the effectively. I also want to take American people received us. I other (non-ESL) courses for next also like their humor and hospisemester, to learn about diversity tality. I like when it‟s sunny; this in the United States. By the end, I reminds me of Haiti. want to increase my intellectual capacity and knowledge. Then, What message would you give when I come back to Haiti to con- to people in the United States tinue to work with Fonkoze, I about your country, Haiti? want it to have a good mission for the Haitian People. Nickelson: I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the What are your hopes for Fon- American people for their solidarity with Haiti after the koze and Haiti in the future? [January 12, 2010] earthquake. Nickelson: I hope Fonkoze grows Your help was really necessary. and keeps supporting poor people The country always needs your so that it continues to be the most support for reconstruction. important institution of development in the country. I suggest Magdala: Please, look at Haiti After welcoming this year‘s that other institutions follow in with another set of eyes. Love it. scholarship awardees, Nickelson the steps of Fonkoze to create a Your love can help us to advance Pierre-Louis and Magdala better future for Haiti. and progress. Keep thinking Fenelon, the Haiti Solidarity about us. Committee decided to sit down Magdala: Through my knowlwith them and try to get to know edge, I want to participate with If you are interested in helping to them a bit better and introduce Fonkoze in the economic develsponsor a student for one month, them to The NewPeople‘s readopment of Haiti, like helping please contact Haiti Solidarity ers. women to create their own busi- Committee member Peter Yehl at ness, and showing them how to peteralanyehl@yahoo.com. Also, if you have an interest in What did you do in your job at do it well. If you really want to Fonkoze before coming to Pitts- help poor people, you don‟t have becoming more involved with the to look far; just look at Fonkoze‟s work of the Haiti Solidarity Comburgh? example. All Haitians have to do mittee, please join us at our upNickelson: I was a loan officer. something beneficial to transform coming meetings on Sat., October That means I met with women in Haiti‟s situation. I don‟t have the 8th and Sat., November 19th at various communities, gave them money to do it, but I think I have 10:00 am at the Thomas Merton instructions and let them know something special, like my knowl- Center. how to get loans from Fonkoze. I edge, hard work and honesty. My opened individual and nonbiggest dream is to see a new Peter Yehl is a recent graduate individual accounts for customHaiti, where people can work, of Duquesne University and a ers. I also conducted meetings at care about their children, and member of the Pittsburgh Rethe center. have health insurance and social gional Haiti Solidarity Commitsecurity. I hope we can do that tee. Magdala: Before coming here, I together. was an accountant at Fonkoze‟s financial department in Port-au- What do you like most about Prince. I verified intercompany your time here in Pittsburgh so transfers, and I also verified the far?
I will not celebrate this killing, this focused head-shot as a heroic mission or as feel-good progress some sanctioned triumph vindicating presidents' political swagger of revenge. I will not honor our death squads highly trained and proficient killers masters of covert executive policy kicking in doors with soldiery brutality on midnight raids, other assassinations. Or the remote deaths administered from terminals near Las Vegas, drone-sighted pictures of erased figures caught in real-time action all properly verified and wiped-out on camera before us. Ten years of a world war on terror as if the atrocious murderers of broken down buildings of that September morning demonstrated our innocence before or after as if we have no history in the Middle East countries invaded, occupied, bought off don't have to "hate our freedoms." How justified or not it's blowback against our unremembered domination. Each war finds its savage excuse So America's terrorist casualties and its most humane response become a global war and hatred against equally uninvolved bystanders endless sacrifices to appease a manufactured appetite for revenge Killing this criminal bin Laden is no balance for hundreds of thousands killed our suffered dead, their suffered dead it's the extra-judicial lawless world where power brags of what it can do, with a smug smirk of self-satisfaction, and how much it can still do. Jim Scofield is an associate professor emeritus at Pitt Johnstown, a local peace and justice advocate, and op-ed contributor to the local daily newspaper, the Tribune-Democrat.
In Memoriam: Wangari Maathai, 71, of Kenya died on September 25, 2011, after a long battle with cancer. She was the first African woman Nobel Peace Prize winner and an international voice for the environment in her native Kenya and throughout the world.
October, 2011
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Local News
Dr. Vandana Shiva - Who is this Woman? By Regina Birchem ―Shiva is a burst of creative energy, an intellectual power‖ – The Progressive.
nology and Ecology with a scientific focus on biodiversity. Shiva is currently associated with the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore.
with nature‘s rights are inseparable.
―Women producing survival are showing us that nature is the very basis and matrix of economic life through its function in life-support and liveliVandana Shiva is acclaimed internationally as a In 1984, after four days of massacres in Punjab hood, and the elements of nature that the domiprovocative thinker, scientist, writer and environ- and the Bhopal tragedy, a paradigm shift in the nant view has treated as ‗waste‘ are the basis of mental activist. The recipient of many awards practice of agriculture was sustainability and Dr. Shiva on Making Justice and Peace and honorary degrees, Shiva received the 1993 demanded. This lead to an the wealth of the prestigious Right Livelihood Award. Sometimes initiative called Navdanya. poor and the marPossible: called the Alternative Nobel Prize, the award hon- Both a movement and an orThese oppositional categories are simultane- ginal‖ (Staying ors those ―working on practical and exemplary ganization, Navdanya (―nine ously ecological and feminist: they allow the pos- Alive: Women, solutions to the most urgent challenges facing the crops‖) was born of the search sibility of survival by exposing the parochial ba- Ecology and Deworld today.‖ for nonviolent farming, to sis of science and development and by showing velopment, 1988, protect diversity, to defend how ecological destruction and the marginaliza- 2010, p 224). Dr. Shiva is a leader in the International Forum small farmers‘ rights and pro- tion of women are not inevitable, economically on Globalization (IFG) and the Slow Food move- mote organic farming Vandana Shiva or scientifically. ment fighting the merging of corporations and (www.navdanya.org). Women of the Third World have conserved has authored more government in her native India and around the than 20 books and those categories of thought and action which globe. ―The American people should see that cor- Navdanya has, so far, conhundreds of artimake survival possible, and which therefore porations have abandoned them long ago….The served more than 5000 crop make justice and peace possible. cles and speeches. people will have to rebuild democracy as a living varieties, including 3000 of Ecology movements, women‘s movements Some of the latter democracy.‖ Forbes magazine named her one of rice, 95 of wheat, 150 kidney and peace movements across the world can draw including interthe world‘s seven most influential women. After beans, and many varieties of inspiration from these categories as forces of op- views and films other important crops and position and challenge to the dominant categories can be found at Dr. Shiva on Biodiversity and Women: medicinal plants. of western patriarchy which rule the world today http:// Economics has rendered women‘s work as foodin the name of development and progress, even providers invisible. Because women provide for the After the 2001 9/11 attacks while they destroy nature and threaten the life of household, not the market, they have remained in- in New York, Vandana entire cultures and communities. vible as farmers despite their contribution to farming. Shiva and Satish Kumar, Science and technology have rendered women‘s in partnership with the UK Schumacher Col- www.zcommunications.org/zspace/vandanashiva knowledge and productivity worthless by ignoring lege, launched an education initiative, Bija Books include: Staying Alive: Women, Ecology the dimension of diversity in agricultural production. Vidyapeeth, to explore and practice principles and Development, a 1988 classic reprinted in According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of ecological living at Navdanya‘s Doon Val- 2010 with a new introduction (South End Press); report Women Feed the World, women use more ley organic farm. ―The school promotes a vi- Earth Democracy: Justice, Sustainability and plant diversity, both cultivated and uncultivated than sion of holistic solutions rooted in deep ecol- Peace (South End Press, 2005) gives the broad agriculture scientists have knowledge of. Contrasted ogy and democracy as an alternative to the scope of Shiva‘s research topics; Water Wars: with the monocultures promoted by western science, current world order that is characterized by Privatization, Pollution and Profit (South End in Nigerian home gardens women plant 18 to 57 blind policies guided by greed, destruction and Press, 2002); Soil Not Oil: Environmental Justice plant species… war.‖ in and Age of Climate Crisis (South End Press, In Guatemala, home gardens of smaller than 2008); Stolen Harvest: Hijacking of the Global 0.1 hectare have more than ten tree and crop species. Shiva weaves her research and views on Food Supply (South End Press, 2000); MonoculIn one African home garden more than 60 species of planetary destruction, global justice, women‘s tures of the Mind (Zed, 1993); Protect or Plunfood-producing trees were counted. In Thailand, re- rights, agriculture, cultural piracy, privatizader? Understanding Intellectual Property Rights searchers found 230 species in home gardens. In In- tion of water and natural resources, corporate (Zed, 2001). dia, women use 150 different species of plants for control and genetic engineering, and wars and vegetables, fodder and health care...Women are the violence in a powerfully urgent call for Earth Regina Birchem, Ph.D. is a Westmoreland biodiversity experts of the world. Democracy, non-violence and peace. County biologist, environment and peace advocate, past International President of Women's receiving her M.A. and PhD in Canada, Shiva Dr. Shiva found her inspiration for earth rights in International League for Peace and Freedom returned to New Delhi, India. She centered her the Himalayan Chipko movement in defense of (WILPF). research in science, technology and environthe forests and the mass participation of women mental policy. In 1982, she left academics to in the agrarian economy. found the Research Foundation for Science, Tech- For Shiva, ecology and feminism, women‘s rights
Northside Common Ministries ―Celebration of Caring‖ Honoring ~ Rev. Jay Passavant, Rev. John Welch and Nikki Heckman October 28, 6 PM – Grand Hall at the Priory, Northside The Celebration of Caring, a fundraising dinner and reception, hosted by Northside Common Ministries (NCM) will honor two renowned urban and suburban ministers who have valiantly worked to improve the lives of the hungry and homeless for more than three decades. NCM, a nonprofit organization founded by local church congregations, is home to Allegheny County‘s largest food pantry, in terms of numbers of families served, feeding more than 950 low income families. NCM also operating an emergency shelter for homeless men facing challenging life and economic circumstances.
to occur on October 28 at 6 PM at the Grand Hall, dearing souls.‖ Rev. Passavant explains further, located at the Priory on the Northside of Pitts―We are here to touch some of those lives every burgh. single day.‖ Another local community champion of the homeless and hungry, Nikki Heckman, owner of Bistro to Go, located in the East Allegheny neighborhood of Northside, will receive a Celebration of Caring Award at the dinner for her lifelong dedication to helping those in need.
As Reverend Passavant sees it, "With nearly 46 million Americans now living ‗in poverty‘; we may tempted to forget the plight of those living The ministers being honored, Reverend John everyday under the most serious of conditions. Welch of the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, There are thousands of hungry, homeless and opand Reverend Jay Passavant of the North Way pressed individuals and families right here in Christian Community Church, will speak to the Pittsburgh. Anyone who takes the Gospel seripower of caring for others at the dinner scheduled ously cannot turn away from these needy but en8 - NEWPEOPLE
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NCM is located at 1601 Brighton Road on the Northside of Pittsburgh and has served the hungry and homeless for thirty years with the help of committed congregations and local residents. The need for NCM‘s services is greater today although funding is more limited. All funds raised at the dinner support NCM‘s mission to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless. Individual tickets are $75 per person. Sponsorships are available. For more information call Jay Poliziana, Director of NCM, at 412-323-1163, or email jay.poliziani@ncmin.org.
Local News
Corey Carrington: The TMC‘s Public Ally By Ashlee Green ―I hope to reach an untapped population of people who normally don‘t know about human rights, civil rights or social justice: to get more people involved, to get more people to care or even just to pay attention.‖
Corey Carrington , a 23-year-old recent graduate of Slippery Rock University, will serve as the new Public Ally for the Thomas Merton Center through June 2012. Carrington, former President of the Commonwealth Association of Students and Treasurer of the Black Action Society at SRU, will work with increasing membership and The NewPeople. Though he is not yet sure of which specific tasks he will be working on for the organization, he is eager to begin.―The unknown excites me because it forces me to think on my feet, be creative and work hard,‖ says Carrington.
Carrington‘s passion for writing does not stop at journalism. Under the alias ―Grits Capone‖, earlier this year he performed his spoken word poetry at the Eargasm Poetry Slam, held at the downtown August Wilson Center. He has also performed at the Shadow Lounge in East Liberty.
The Public Ally position is one of many service positions offered through AmeriCorps, a government program started in 1993 to tackle comPhoto by Jordana Rosenfeld munity issues throughout the nation. Public Allies work on behalf of several communities Corey Carrington, the TMC‘s newest addition. and nonprofit organizations throughout the country. Other nonprofit organizations participating in Pittsburgh are the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, Union Project, ―The Public Allies that are in my class right now, A+ Schools, and Pittsburgh Conservatory. are doing a lot of different things in a lot of different places, but the overall goal is to make the ―One of the main things that we are taught is how world we‘re in – Pittsburgh – and on a broader to be effective community leaders, whether that spectrum, the world, a better place,‖ says Carringcommunity be as small as a neighborhood or as ton. broad as a city or a country,‖ says Carrington. Carrington‘s interest in the TMC – The NewPeoCarrington underwent three rounds of interviews ple specifically – stems from his background in before he was offered the position with the Tho- journalism and communications. In the past, he mas Merton Center. Public Allies work four days worked for SRU‘s school newspaper, The Rocket, a week at their corresponding nonprofit organiza- The Northside Chronicle, KQV-AM and WAMO. tion and spend a fifth day leadership training with With his position at the TMC, Carrington hopes Public Allies leaders and sharing their progress to move ahead both personally and professionally. with one another. He explains:
―This job is going to open my mind up to different situations,‖ he says. ―I definitely think it‘s going to improve my poetry and my writing as a whole.‖ Public Allies positions are ten months long. Though he is unsure of what is to come after his time with the TMC, Carrington envisions many potential pursuits: Applying to the Peace Corps for education, literacy or HIV and AIDS awareness work or attending Graduate School for Creative Writing are two of them. ―I am very honored, privileged and excited to be working for the Thomas Merton Center, says Carrington. I will do everything in my power to be the best Public Ally that I can be.‖ Ashlee Green is a freelance writer, traveler and activist. She is currently working on a zine about racism in the U.S. prison system. Visit her blog at ashleegreen.wordpress.com.
UPMC and Highmark: ―Shame on You!‖ By Molly Rush Aggie Brose of the Bloomfield Garfield Corporation said it best, "I'm just in complete awe that you are our healthcare providers. Shame on you.‖
UPMC‘s Tom McGough‘s solution: subscribe to another insurance company. By the way, UPMC has its own insurance plan (conflict of interest?). Got a pre-existing condition? Well, that‘s your problem. Non-profit UPMC, by the way, in addition to its 15 hospitals in Western PA, runs three in Ireland, Italy and the UK. They are building a $250 million hospital in Monroeville, a mile from a competitor. Yet Highmark should not compete with them. This is just the way of our cut throat ―free market‖ health care system – if care is the right word.
She was one of about 300 people who showed up for a September 8th Town Meeting organized by Sen. Jim Ferlo to confront, in his words, ―a very ugly divorce.‖ That is, UPMC‘s response to Highmark‘s plan to purchase and run West Penn Hospital, which is in danger of closing. If the plan comes to fruition, Highmark subscribers would have to pay significantly higher ―out of network‖ charges for UPMC services. It also means they People lined up at the microphone to denounce may need to change doctors. the plan. When several speakers mentioned single
payer as an alternative, cheers rang out from the audience. Could UPMC unwittingly be helping the cause? A friend told me she once heard UPMC CEO Jeffrey Romoff say that single payer was the best solution, but ―I have a business to run.‖ Time to join Health Care for All PA, folks. Go to www.healthcare4allpa.org to sign up. You might add a donation to help fund an economic impact study of PA Senate Bill 400. Prime sponsor is none other than Jim Ferlo. Molly Rush is a member of the steering committee of PUSH - PA, Pennsylvanians United for Singlepayer Healthcare.
Fall Speakers‘ Series of Association of PGH Priests Continues By Joyce Rothermel
Center next to LaRoche College in Allison Park (behind the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Divine Again this year, the Association of Pittsburgh Providence). Sr. Maureen served for 26 years as Priests, an affiliate of the Thomas Merton Center, the Co-Director of the Quixote Center, a national is hosting a fall speakers‘ series. In September, faith-based justice center in the D.C. area. She Sr. Simone Campbell, an advocate for change in will base her talk on interviews of women rising the political system and current Executive Direc- to new leadership in multiple roles and faith traditor of Network, the Catholic social justice lobby- tions. Her hope is that it will open up a wideing group in Washington, D.C., spoke on ―Politics ranging discussion of the role of women in Roand the Contemplative Life.‖ man Catholicism and beyond. On Thursday, Oct. 13, Sr. Maureen Fiedler, radio host of Interfaith Voices, promoting social justice, peace, anti-racism work, gender equality, human rights, and women‘s ordination in the Catholic Church will speak on ―Breaking through the Glass Ceiling: Women Religious Leaders in Their own Words,‖ at 7 PM at the Kearns Spirituality
mysticism, and the Divine Feminine. The events are open to the public. A donation of $15 is requested. For more information, call Sr. Mary Joan Coultas at 412-366-1124. Reservations are not required. To learn more about the Association of Pittsburgh Priests, call Fr. John Oesterle at 412-232-7512. Visitors are also welcome at www.catholicpittsburgh.org
The final speaker is Edwina Gateley, whose talk is entitled, ―Knock Knock Who‘s There?: Explor- Joyce Rothermel is the Chair of the Church Renewal Committee of the Association of Pittsburgh ing our Call to Be Faithful and Prophetic in a Priests. Broken World and Church.‖ Ms. Gateley is a theologian, advocate, writer, poet and mother. She will speak from her own faith journey of discipleship, women in Scripture, justice, mission, October, 2011
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2011 TMC Award Dinner Honoring
Dr. Vandana Shiva
“Vandana Shiva is one of the world‟s most prominent radical scientists…In Staying Alive she defines the links between ecological crises, colonialism and the oppression of women. It is a scholarly and polemical plea for the rediscovery of the „feminine principle‟ in human interaction with the natural world, not as a gender-based quality, rather as an organizing principle, a way of seeing the world.” –The Guardian
November 3, 2011 Sheraton Station Square Register at www.thomasmertoncenter.org
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October, 2011
The Death Penalty
We Are Troy Davis By Frank Carr They killed Troy Davis. It keeps echoing in my head almost like poetry or insanity. The more I want to write about it, about the thousands gathered around the world, about the case against him that really didn‘t exist, about the witnesses who ―recanted,‖ who admitted perjury, whose testimony was accepted against their own admission… About Bishop Tutu and Jimmy Carter and the Pope and ex-FBI head Mueller all supporting him... About the three injections; the barbiturate to simulate painlessness, the paralytic to keep the witnesses at ease, about the final, suffocating poison... About the virulent silence of our President and the acquiescence of the Supreme Court, about the ―war on drugs,‖ about all of it... ...the less there is to say.
cution, tried to apply their religion, tried to end the death cycle that goes nowhere. But even he is Troy Davis in the end. They killed Troy Davis. And it‘s not supposed to matter. It is not supposed to interfere with our economic recovery. It is not supposed to pre-empt football. It is not worthy of the ―major‖ media‘s attention. Wall Street has been occupied for almost two weeks by the unemployed and the struggling, supplied with pizza from supporters around the world, camping in the rain. We are all the poor. Then they killed Troy Davis. And many went to Wall Street to stand with the economic victims. Then, and only then, was there a response. Police Troy Davis, a man executed by the state of Georgia on moved in. People were shoved. A young woman‘s September 21, 2011 despite major doubts about his guilt. head bounced off the concrete.
That connection, of Wall Street to Death Chambers, offended some who could give orders. Sud- We are all Troy Davis. They killed Troy Davis. denly the big pizza party wasn‘t funny anymore We are all Troy Davis. We are all Mumia Abuand had to move. Suddenly the connection was a Frank Carr is the Editor of The NewPeople. Jamal. We are all in line behind them. tripwire; all those poor people in jail, mostly for drugs less dangerous than the state forcibly injects In Texas, on that very same day, they killed anin prisoners, all those out of work college grads other man whose lurid crime made headlines, and moms and dads were coalescing. Suddenly, whose guilt was in fact beyond doubt... as if stifling a cough, power took notice and And the family of his victim tried to stop the exe- skipped a breath.
Justice Scalia Speaks at Duquesne Law School By Jordana Rosenfeld
of evidence against him.‖
In light of the execution of Troy Davis on September 21, 2011 in Georgia despite serious doubts about his guilt, the death penalty is as topical and controversial an issue as ever. On September 21st, minutes before Troy Davis‘s execution was scheduled to take place, the Supreme Court stepped in, not to issue a stay of execution, but to deliberate amongst themselves for three and a half hours only to unanimously and without explanation, allow the execution to take place. On September 24th, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia spoke at an event in honor of Duquesne University Law School‘s 100th anniversary. It was a unilateral decision made by the law school‘s dean, Ken Gormley, to invite Justice Scalia to speak. This address elicited a response from Pittsburgh organizations in favor of abolishing the death penalty. Justice Scalia believes that The Constitution does not stand in the way of the U.S. executing someone who, after being convicted of a crime in a full and fair trial, can prove his or her innocence. Scalia also alleges that an innocent person has never been executed in the U.S. legal system, despite organizations and private citizens who beg to differ.
The reactions of the entering audience to the protesters‘ message ran the gamut from enthusiastic to disdainful. One smartly dressed man, referring to the protesters that had approached him, greeted him, and offered him information on Catholicism and the death penalty, remarked, ―Let‘s get out of this mess.‖ At the other end of the spectrum, a Duquesne alum expressed deep dismay that Scalia had been asked to speak, given his own anti-capital punishment stance. Overall, the number of passersby who took pamphlets was substantial.
It is said that the largest determining factor in whether or not someone being tried in a capital case will receive the death penalty is the race of his or her victim. Since 1973, 77% of death row defendants have been executed for killing white victims, despite the fact that African-Americans make up about half of all homicide victims. Additionally, over 130 people have been exonerated from death row since 1973, and it is calculated to be significantly more expensive to kill someone than to keep them in jail for life. I canPicture by Jordana Rosenfeld not help but feel, after encountering not only the facts above, but the overwhelming amount of A handful of protesters gathered outside of the evidence that describes the death penalty as rac- Carol Gonzalez protests Judge Scalia‘s pro-death penA.J. Palumbo Center where Justice Scalia spoke ist and classist, that any rationally minded per- alty stance to hand out leaflets on capital punishment and son could be persuaded to oppose the death penencourage entering audience members to bring up alty if presented with similar information. It is Jordana Rosenfeld is a human rights activist the death penalty were there to be a Q&A session this conviction that keeps me and the September and a high school student who was a summer with Scalia after his speech. Becky Newlin, one 24th protesters leafleting, tabling, and lobbying for intern at The Thomas Merton Center. She forof the protesters speaking out against Scalia‘s matted and helped to edit this edition of The death penalty abolition. views, spoke to me about the importance of restoNewPeople. ration and rehabilitation in our justice system and warned against ―definitive punishments‖ like the death penalty. She said she is ―appalled that Troy Davis was executed after all the outcry and lack October, 2011
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Civil Rights Movement Bus Tour—Summer 2011 By Theresa Chalich
activism sustained the movement to end the Jim Crow laws and the prohibition of voter registra―The end is reconciliation, the end is redemption. We visited with Mrs. Juanita (Ralph) Abertion, the end is the creation of the beloved com- nathy who boastfully talked about the women who ―came up with ideas‖ and did all of the work munity.” while the ―men got the credit.‖ The women on ~Martin Luther King, Jr. The final days of the the trip especially liked her! In Selma we spent Montgomery Bus Boycott 1956 the afternoon with Joanne Bland who remains a Greensboro. North Carolina. Atlanta and Albany, fiery community activist. During the first attempt Georgia. Montgomery and Birmingham, Alain 1965 to march from Selma to Montgomery bama. Little Rock, Arkansas. Memphis, Tennes- over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, she was attacked see. and arrested (at the age of 11!). In Albany, Georgia, we sang songs of the movement with a FreeThe cities of the south that were imprinted on my dom Singer, Rutha Harris. impressionable adolescent mind as I watched the marching and singing that heralded the Civil Reverend Samuel Kyles talked about Reverend Rights movement on television. And I could not Martin Luther King, Jr.‘s last evening with him in have missed the ferocious attacks on the sit-ins, Memphis. He was standing next to Dr. King on freedom rides, and voter registration attempts the Lorraine Hotel balcony when he was assassiboth on TV and in the photos of LIFE magazine. nated. Reverend Kyles seemed tired and his History was being made and presented to me, and memories must be painful, but you could still hence propelling me into the social justice move- sense his strong resolve that we cannot quit in our ments of the 1960s and 1970s. quest for racial equality. Minijean Brown Trickey, one of the Little Rock Nine who inteThis past June I had the opportunity to go on a grated the Little Rock Central High School in nine day “Returning to the Roots of Civil Rights” 1957, was also extremely inspirational. It is hard bus tour of these cities. This trip was organized to grasp how a teenager could have had the courby Geneva College Professor Todd Allen. We age to walk through the gauntlet of screaming visited the Woolworth‘s in North Carolina, the protesters to get her education. Would I have had site of the first lunch counter sit-in, the Rosa the guts to do this? I don‘t know. In Nashville we Parks interactive exhibit in Montgomery, the Ebe- spent the day with several Freedom Riders as this nezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Reverend year marks the 50th anniversary of their work to Martin Luther King, Jr. preached his ministry of integrate interstate travel and its accommodations. nonviolence, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham which was bombed in 1963 resulting Initially, I viewed my traveling into the south as a in the death of four girls, Memphis‘ Lorraine Mo- civics lesson, but what I came away with was a tel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassilesson in how the conviction of religious beliefs nated, the Little Rock Central High School that formed the foundation of the civil rights leaderwas desegregated in 1957 by President Dwight ship and movement. The churches were more Eisenhower‘s order, and many more memorial than just sites for mass organizing and meetings. parks and museums. In the church Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and others preached that to be nonviolent in the What made the trip so meaningful was the oppor- face of confrontations was to show Christian love. tunity to meet with several of the people whose It was the church that was the witness to this love.
On this trip I was introduced to the movement‘s theological principle of building a ―beloved community.‖ Throughout the trip we asked our speakers if they ever had a chance to meet with the people who assaulted or taunted them. And, if so, was there an opportunity to talk about what happened, and did anyone ask for forgiveness? We learned there have been very few chances for any dialogue and reconciliation. When we talked about forgiveness, I thought about Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission when apartheid was uprooted in South Africa. I wondered what the status of our nation‘s race relations would be if we had done the same. This is not a new question, and it lingered with me throughout the trip: Would I, a white person, have embraced the Civil Rights movement and been as brave as the people I met? If so, would I have been able to practice being nonviolent as preached by Dr. King? Could I have forgiven people who willfully and knowingly killed my loved ones or physically attacked me with dogs and water cannons? I need to study how to build that ―beloved community‖ through my actions of forgiveness and love. As Charles Marsh writes in his book about the ―beloved community,” ―It is rather about bearing witness to the Prince of Peace in a violent and suffering world.‖ Reference: Marsh, Charles. The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice from the Civil Rights Movement to Today. Basic Books: New York. 2005. Charles Marsh also wrote God’s Long Summer: Stories of Faith and Civil Rights where he profiles five people and how their religious convictions led to support or to opposition to the Civil Rights movement.
Fight for Lifers West Gives Credit Where Credit is Due Fight For Lifers West, a project of The Thomas Merton Center, wishes to thank R.E.S.I.S.T., for sending us a grant in the amount of $2,000.00.
Photos (by Michael Drohan) from a September 24th rally to save public transportation
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For more than thirty years, R.E.S.I.S.T. has funded progressive organizations like ours, that are actively part of a movement for social change. Without their gracious help over the past several years, we may not have survived, and for that we wish to express our gratitude. Those who would like to contact R.E.S.I.S.T. to find out more information about their fabulous organization or apply for a grant can do so at: 259 Elm Street; Somerville, MA 02144. Phone: 617-623-5110. Website at: www.resistinc.org
Book Review:
Gaza in Crisis: Reflections on Israel’s War Against the Palestinians by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe, Haymarket Books, 2010 By Michael Drohan Late this month (September 2011), Palestinians will be making a bid for statehood at the UN. It is likely to be vetoed by the U.S. At first glance, the Israeli and U.S. position is perplexing in that officially both have frequently said that they are in favor of a ―two state solution, whereby Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace.‖ In order to understand the contradiction here, there is nowhere better to begin than by reading Chomsky and Pappe‘s book. Chomsky is well known to TMC members and supporters as the recipient of last year‘s Merton Award, and Pappe is an Israeli citizen who is a Professor of History at the University of Exeter in the UK. While in agreement on most of the issues concerning Palestine and Israel, the two authors differ on a possible solution. Chomsky advocates a bi-national state while Pappe believes in a nuanced manner in a one state solution.
state solution while expanding settlements in the occupied Palestine, making a two state solution impossible. At present, with the expansion of settlements all over the West Bank and in East Jerusalem, all is left to the Palestinians is a number of Bantustans separated by highways and walls. In several parts of the book, the authors address the question about the role of the collusion of the US and the Israeli lobby in the U.S. in preventing a solution. They make it clear that primacy resides with the US. and as soon as the U.S administration decides that unequivocal and unquestioning support for Israel is not in the U.S.‘s interest, then the lobby will disappear. Pappe points out that ―Israel appears as a liability and not an asset‖ when Middle Eastern policy is looked upon through the prism of ―black gold,‖ the control of which is primary in US foreign policy. To date, the U.S. somehow believes that Israel can be its gendarme on the ground in curtailing Arab nationalism and making the Middle East safe for oil exploration.
months with the fall of Mubarak in Egypt and the threats to the dictatorships of Jordan, Tunisia, the Yemen, Bahrain and Syria. In the last week, the Israeli Embassy in Cairo was attacked by protestors and its Ambassador withdrawn. Much of the events of the ―Arab Spring‖ suggest a rapid isolation of Israel in the region. The opinion of Chomsky is that ―when U.S. power rejects its goals, the lobby (Israeli) disappears‖. As an example, he mentions the rejection by the U.S. of Israel‘s insistence that the U.S. should attack and take down the Iranian regime. Now this weekend the deal has come to light of the United States selling bunker-blasting bombs to Israel, seemingly with no strings as to their use!
Both authors suggest that U.S. policy could change ―if the United States became a functioning democratic society, in which an informed public has a meaningful voice in policy formation‖. That this comes about is ―the task for organizers and activists‖ within the U.S. Pappe advocates a BoyRegarding the question of the opposition of the cott-Divest-Sanctions (BDS) mobilization tool U.S. and Israel to the UN bid of Palestine for Is there any hope then of unlinking the Israeliwithin the U.S. and other countries as a means statehood, the authors suggest that it is no surU.S. connection? Both authors countenance this towards achieving both the democratization of the prise; in reality both countries are against Palespossibility. After all, the U.S. did not become ab- U.S. and the ending of the U.S.-Israeli tinian statehood. Pappe explains it in this way: solute in support of Israel until the 1967 war be- ―unbreakable‖ alliance. In a word, it all depends ―From its origins, the Zionist movement has un- tween Israel and the surrounding Arab nations. on the activism of peace and justice workers in derstood that to achieve its goals, the best strategy The Israeli demolition of the Egyptian and Syrian the U.S. and elsewhere. would be to delay political settlement, meanwhile armies cemented the alliance. Pappe addresses the slowly building facts on the ground. Even the oc- fragility of the alliance when he maintains that the Michael Drohan is a political economist specializing in analysis of Third World economies casional agreements, as in 1947, were regarded by U.S.‘s unconditional support could end ―with a the leadership as temporary steps towards further collapse of its Middle East policy, mainly through and a member of The Thomas Merton Cenexpansion.‖ This policy is played out to the pre- the downfall of one of its allies‖. Well, the world ter‘s Board of Directors. sent as Israel proclaims its commitment to a two has experienced this downfall in the last nine
[Insert Another Joke About the Size of Our Ideas] By Hannah Dobbz
with the help of the Keystone Development Center (an organization dedicated to helping co-op In 2001, a group of kids in Pittsburgh organized a start-ups in the Keystone State), we began to unbookstore based on non-hierarchical principles. ravel the mystery of the cooperative world—an They called it The Big Idea Bookstore, and, underground realm that is kept quiet within the amazingly, the place lasted for a decade, despite wage labor system. its rotating cast of unpaid diehards and flaky onetime volunteers. I joined the bookstore when it We fell down the rabbit hole and became enamwas already in its eighth year—its fifth year in the ored by the phantasmagoria of worker-owned coclaustrophobic cubby hole on Millvale Ave. This operatives. Attending the Eastern Conference on incarnation of the Big Idea was great and all, but I Workplace Democracy in Baltimore in July, I fell could feel that we were growing out of the tiny a little deeper, uncovering the truths about incorplaypen that seemed big enough in 2004 when the poration, about self-governance, and about being lease was signed. successful businesspeople outside the worn template of hierarchical labor. The possibilities for In early 2010, I made a pact with my coworker-ownership flickered and gleamed in the volunteer, Brian, that someday we would move to conference sessions and among attendees—each a a bigger space and make the Big Idea our regular, dedicated cooperative business-owner in their sustainable job. We agreed that such a reality respective fields. And in this underground world would be a dream come true (no more being of horizontal labor, we weren‘t competitors or bossed around at jobs we don‘t care about), but it bosses to each other; we were supporters and alcertainly seemed unlikely. By October, however, lies. So, after months of searching, we finally we had begun laying plans for a worker-owned found our new space (it was just around the corcooperative. We weren‘t entirely sure where to ner all along!). Many supporters donated their begin, but we knew that if we were to make the time and help to make the move successful: bookstore into a sustainable business, we would Shaun did our vinyl sign, Santiago painted our inhave to complement it with another service—like store mural, Artnoose letter pressed our member a café. This complicated things, because not only cards, and a handful of helpers carried heavy obwould we have to figure out how to suddenly be- jects with us on moving day. On July 30, at our come businesspeople, we would also have to first member drive, we softly opened our doors to learn the business of caféteering. Further, every prospective consumer-members for a party with lawyer we talked to assured us that incorporating samples from our new café menu and an enas a cooperative was actually impossible in the hanced selection of books. In mid-August, we state of Pennsylvania, which both confused us learned that we were chosen for a Sprout Fund and dampened our spirits about the project. But grant to facilitate our Community Curation Pro-
gram—a program for select local organizations to recommend titles from their fields and organize pertinent events in our space. At our new location we will offer you café drinks, light café fare, more new radical books, more used books, and more zines. Plus our calendar will be packed with events ranging from movie screenings to lectures to workshops and classes. Not only this, but we are also working with other local co-ops and coop supporters to plan something big for Co-op Month in October and the official U.N.sanctioned Year of the Co-op in 2012. I bet you didn‘t know such a thing existed. At the risk of repeating a joke that‘s far too old at this point, we will become the biggest idea yet!
October, 2011
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Carole Wiedmann Wraps up Her Tenure on the TMC Board By Bette McDevitt
on Craig Street.
When Carole joined the board, she said that she lisCarole Wiedmann will complete her third and last term tened for the first few years. ―It was a new milieu for as a Board Member of the Thomas Merton Center in me," she said. ―The activity at the Merton Center was December. ―It‘s always been in my genes," Carole stimulating, and it was rewarding to find people who said, referring to her commitment to progressive felt like I did, which I had been missing all these causes, which got a good workout over the last decade. years.‖ Her feelings will resonate with many of us, who have found a second home at the Merton Center. Carole has a background as a nurse, and had been active in her community in Ohio Township, in a What I remember from those years - as our board times women‘s club, and an auxiliary to the fire department. overlapped - is that she was dependable, always there I reminded her of the ―Ladies Auxiliary‖ song written to carry heavy loads, both physical and mental, and sit by Woody Guthrie and often sung by Pete Seeger. at the endless number of tabling events. Guthrie wrote it, off the top of his head, in response to a complaint from the Ladies Auxiliary of the CIO, that With her quiet way, she was an unlikely person to be they were not mentioned in ―Union Maid.‖ It‘s a fine involved in one of the most dramatic confrontations song. with the police in the Center‘s long history. She was bitten by a police dog and poorly treated by the police Moving on from the Ladies Auxiliary, Carole went to during the episode. Washington. DC. with her son John and daughter Katherine to protest the inauguration of George Bush, As Carole recalls it, ―I was on the way to the Saturday in 2001. ―In the fall of 2002, when the winds of war vigil on the North Side and Jeremy Schenk, staff perwere stirred up, and you knew George Bush was up to son at the center, asked me to stop by an action in Oaksomething, I saw pieces in the Post-Gazette about the land, at the military recruitment center. The police Merton Center. I started going to the Saturday vigils on came, and the next thing I knew, the police dog bit me the North Side at the Unitarian church and met Ed (in the thigh). The police officer then put me in handBortz and Sandy Hazley, who told me to come to the cuffs, along with Deanna Caliguiri. We were put in a anti-war committee of the TMC. In January of 2003, paddywagon, but then the police changed their minds just before the war, my son and I went to a big rally on and took me to Presby-Emergency Room. I had bite the South Side.‖ Bill Neal‘s refusal to be caged up in marks, but the skin was not broken. The police sat outBeaver County when Bush was speaking also caught side for a while, talking to each other, and then left. I her attention. had to pay the bill, and walk to my car which was up
―I was then charged with failure to disperse, and I contacted Mike Healey to be my lawyer. I had to go to court hearings, and lots of people came to support me. I was exonerated, but my husband said I should file a complaint with the Citizen Police Review Board, which I did, and thereupon I was re-charged by the police, and had to go and have more mug shots and fingerprints. They lowered the charge, but it was not dismissed, so I went to appeals court, and on the second time, the case was dismissed. Deanna and I filed a civil suit, and the city offered to settle before the G-20, in 2009, and gave us a financial settlement, which was divided between us, the Center for Constitutional Rights and the attorney. Our goal had always been that the police establish a protocol, known to the public, about the Canine Corps and the use of tasers. I heard that Officer Sculli, who filed the charges, no longer has the dog detail, but I am not certain of that. ―The board has been a working board, and we aim to become another model, that of a decision making board, but some members have worked very hard. We did things that had to be done, with the sale of the building and the layoff of the staff- we are very sorry for that - but it had to be done.‖ Thanks, Carole for all the heavy lifting, and not just the boxes. Bette McDevitt is a local writer for the PG and other publications, former board and staff member of TMC.
―In their fight to survive the onslaughts of both, women have begun a struggle that challenges the most fundamental categories of western patriarchy – Its concepts of nature and women, and of science and development. Their ecological struggle in India is aimed simultaneously at liberating nature from ceaseless exploitation and themselves from limitless marginalization.‖ ~Dr. Vandana Shiva
PA Network Against Torture Conference By The American Friends Service Committee
has regularly trained and supervised professionals, legal teams, volunteers, famAs I write this invitation to you on this morning ily members, and organizations across the nation of September 22, we grieve for the death of Troy from a wide variety of disciplines. She will lead Davis. We deeply respect how he presented his Saturday workshops on how to better care for surlife and fate as part of an educational effort to vivors of torture, war trauma, and soliwork for justice for others suffering similar cirtary confinement, and will also facilitate action cumstances. Attorney King Downing, the AFSC's Program planning for organizations who wish to work toAnalyst for Healing Justice work, will overview gether to organize such trainings for care of surviMany, many people around the globe educated how groups around Pennsylvania and the country vors across the state. themselves, organized themselves, and committed are working on reforms, considering models of themselves to stand up for Davis and others success to energize and structure our own efforts. We invite you to take part in this work. Whether whose fates are highly representative of wideWe will then work together on a draft of legisla- you are an individual who hopes to end torture, a spread, long-ongoing patterns of inequity within tion to end the torture of prolonged solitary con- professional hoping to better serve your clients, or a judicial and prison system that disproportionfinement in Pennsylvania and plan lobbying efa representative of an organization working to ally metes out cruel and unusual punishments ac- forts to help pass that draft into effective law. build action partnerships, please join us to help cording to class, culture and color. end torture and care for survivors. John Humphries, Director for Program CoordinaWe have much work to do to end cruel and untion for the National Religious Campaign Against A bus will be transporting participants from Pittsusual punishments, not only across the globe, but Torture, will briefly cover the recent history of burgh to the conference for $30, with scholarships here in the prison systems of Pennsylvania. We U.S.-sponsored torture and how this country has available both for transportation and for the $20 invite you to join in that work at the PA Network come to increasingly practice and normalize tor- conference fee - please register as soon as possiAgainst Torture conference, Oct 28-29th in Har- ture as official government policy. He will lead an ble to secure your place in the workshops of your risburg. A diverse range of individuals action planning session on how we might coordi- interest and a bus seat. For more information and organizations will come together to coordinate grassroots advocacy, effectively educate the about the conference and to register by October nate training, public education and action planpublic, and work for new legislation banning tor- 15th, please visit our website: ning across the state, with a focus on: ture and holding our leaders accountable. www.panetworkagainsttorture.org or call Scilla Ending torture in our domestic prisons, Wahrhaftig or Helen Gerhardt of the American with a special action planning session Our keynote speaker and workshop leader, Dr. Friends Service Committee at 412-371to prepare legislation addressing soli- Kate Porterfield, clinical psychologist at the 3607 and panatconference@gmail.com. tary confinement in Pennsylvania Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, 14 - NEWPEOPLE
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Ending U.S. Sponsored torture and rendition Training for professionals, volunteers, family members and/or friends who work with or support survivors of torture, trauma, and solitary confinement.
SUBMIT! your stories, letters, poems, essays, cartoon, photos to the NEWPEOPLE or they may never find an audience! Please limit submissions to 600 words. Photos or art should be sent as JPEG or TIFF. Postage or articles may be mailed to The Thomas Merton Center, 5129 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224. Manuscripts will not be returned. All submissions become property of NEWPEOPLE, a publication of the Thomas Merton Center of Pittsburgh, and may be edited. ADVERTISING IS AVAILABLE. CONTACT NEWPEOPLE@THOMASMERTONCENTER.ORG DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS OCTOBER 15TH THROUGH http://thomasmertoncenter.org/newpeople/submit-article/
East End Community Thrift Store 5123 Penn Avenue, Garfield (a few doors down from TMC)
Come in today Tuesday — Friday: 10 AM - 4 PM Saturday: Noon - 4 PM
What you donate, what you buy supports Garfield, supports the Merton Center.
~ TELEVISION ~ PCTV21 (COMCAST Channel 21/ VERIZON FIOS Channel 47) PROGRESSIVE PGH NOTEBOOK (check www.pctv21.org for schedule) Internet=( www.progressivepghnotebook.blip.tv ) DEMOCRACY NOW= 8 AM: AJ STREAM=9 AM ; FAULTLINES=9:30 AM(W/Thom Hartmann, both are on Free Speech TV) CITY COUNCIL (COMCAST Channel 13 / Verizon FIOS Channel 44) Tuesdays Council Meetings; Wednesdays Standing Committees 10 AM Repeated at 7 PM / Repeated Sat & Sundays 10 AM and 7 PM (www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/council Legislative Info Center
~ INTERNET RADIO ~ ITUNES click ―Radio‖, Double Click ―News/ Talk‖ , and Click ―KPTK 1090 PROGRESSIVE TALK= THOM HARTMANN NOON – 3 PM (Check other programs on KPTK and ITUNES) LYNN CULLEN MON-FRI= 10 AM www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws
~ LOCAL RADIO ~
In the coming months, we hope to televise Progressive Council Forums on a variety of issues listed above. We need Teams to make all these things happen. If you are interested, email Carlana Rhoten at Rhotencouncilforum@gmail.com or phone her at 412-363-7472.
WRCT 88.3 FM DEMOCRACY NOW = 8 AM, MON – FRI RUST BELT RADIO = 6 PM on MON, and 9 AM on TUES FREE SPEECH RADIO = MON – FRI, 5:30 PM LAW AND DISORDER = 9 AM MON
KDKA 1020 AM “CHRIS MOORE” = SUN, 4 – 9 PM. 353-1254
CALL IN NUMBER 412-
WMMY 1360 AM ‖Dr Scott Shalaway, Birds & Nature‖ = SUN, NOON – 2 PM WKFB 770 AM “UNION EDGE RADIO TALK” = MON-FRI, NOON – 1 PM WESA 90.5 FM, MONDAY TO FRIDAY
BBC = 11PM—5AM SATURDAY
BBC = MIDNIGHT—7AM
EARTH BEAT = 7AM
ALLEGHENY FRONT = 7:30 AM SUNDAY
BBC = MIDNIGHT—6AM TRAVIS SMILEY = 4PM
October, 2011
NEWPEOPLE - 15
SOCIAL ACTION
CALENDAR
Recurring Meetings and Meet Ups SUNDAYS __________________________ Anti-War Committee meeting Every other Sunday 2:00pm - 3:30pm Merton Center, 5129 Penn Ave., Garfield Book 'Em Packing Day Meets every Sunday 4:00pm - 7:00pm Thomas Merton Center, 5129 Penn Avenue Join others sending requested books to prisoners. Bring a group. For more info call the Thomas Merton Center, 412.361.3022 Human Rights Letter-writing Salon Meets every Sunday 4:00pm - 6:00pm Kiva Han, 420 S Craig St Write letters to combat human rights abuses! Meet local Amnesty International activists and other human rights enthusiasts, change the world, and have a grand old time. MONDAYS _______________________ Weekly North Hills Weekly Peace Vigil 4:30pm-5:00pm In front of the Divine Providence Motherhouse, 9000 Babcock Blvd., Allison Park Sponsored by the Pittsburgh North People for Peace & the Srs. of Divine Providence WEDNESDAYS ______________________ Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition Meets the 1st Wednesday of every month
5:30pm - 7:00pm Squirrel Hill Carnegie Library 5801 Forbes Avenue Meeting Room B Write On! Letters for Prisoner's rights Meets every Wednesday 6:30pm – 9:00pm Merton Center, 5129 Penn Avenue, Garfield We need help answering our 60 letters a month from people in prison dealing with abuse and neglect. Come and learn about people in prison while advocating for their rights! Info 412-361-3022 PUSH [Pennsylvanian United for Single Payer Healthcare]/Health Care for All PA Meets monthly on the second Wednesday 6:15 pm office, 2101 Murray Avenue, Squirrel Hill All welcome Info: drdoneagain@yahoo.com Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (PADP) meeting Monthly on the first Wednesday 7:00pm - 8pm First Unitarian Church (Ellsworth/Morewood, Shadyside) For more information, call 412-384-4310. THURSDAYS _________________________ Green Party meeting First Thursday of the month 7:00pm - 9pm Citizen Power's offices, 2121 Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill, second floor
~ October ~ Sunday, October 2nd ____________________ Dreams of Hope 1:00 pm to 4 pm Call for Performers - Rehearsals Gay and Lesbian Community Center, 210 Grant Street - downtown Pittsburgh Dreams of Hope is a creative and performing arts organization for LGBTA youth Performance Troupe. info@dreamsofhope.org Sunday, October 2nd ____________________ God's Mosaic: Celebrating Immigrant Cultures 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Calvary United Methodist Church, 971 Beech Avenue Pittsburgh, Pa. 15233 This three fold event of worship, conversation and table talk is designed to celebrate the gifts of immigrants both past and present, and to help us find a way to move forward together in the Pittsburgh area. abolds@comcast.net Monday, October 3rd ____________________ Pennsylvania's Freedom March for the Wrongfully Convicted 12:00 pm-2:00 pm City County Building,414 Grant Street Pgh, PA Keynote Speaker: Jeffrey Deskovic Thursday, October 6th ____________________ OFF THE RECORD XI: NO FRACKING WAY! 8 to 10 PM Byham Theater Sixth Ave., Downtown Pittsburgh Benefits Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Band And Others. Musical Satire, lampooning Pittsburgh politics, personalities and culture, with a special emphasis this year on Marcellus Shale Drilling. www.offtherecord.com * Event Contact Email: jhaer@aftra.com Saturday, October 8th____________________ Project to End Human Trafficking Carlow University, Antonian Room #502, Oakland PEHT Information and Training Seminars are held the second Saturday of every month. RSVP by the Wednesday before to smohler@endhumantrafficking.org PEHT website www.endhumantrafficking.org smohler@endhumantrafficking.org Saturday, October 8th____________________ PA Wants to Work; Jobs Now! Rally, Resource And Unity Fair 12pm to 3:30pm Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Building 10 South Nineteenth Street (by the Wharton St Giant Eagle) at the River, South Side, 15203. dave.nine@hotmail.com 16 - NEWPEOPLE
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SATURDAYS ________________________ Project to End Human Trafficking Volunteer signup 2nd Saturday of each month 10:00am - 12:00pm Campus of Carlow University Project to End Human Trafficking (PEHT) offers FREE public volunteer/information. Please pre-register by the Wednesday before via smohler@endhumantrafficking.org. For more information check out our website www.endhumantrafficking.org PEHT Information and Training Seminars Second Saturday of every month 12:00pm - 1:00pm Carlow University, Antonian Room #502, RSVP by the Wednesday before to smohler@endhumantrafficking.org Open to the public. Peace Vigils to End the War Every Saturday, following locations & times Regent Square Peace Vigil Corner of Forbes and Braddock 12:00pm - 1pm *Black Voices for Peace Anti-War Protest Corner of Penn & Highland in East Liberty 1:00pm - 2:00 pm Beaver County Peace Links Peace Vigil Beaver County Courthouse, 3rd Street (Beaver) 1:00pm - 2pm
Friday-Sunday, October 14th through October 16____________________ Building Change: A Convergence for Social Justice 9:00 am to 11:00 pm Heinz History Center Building Change: A Convergence for Social Justice is a conference for social change for Southwestern Pennsylvania, a conference unlike any you‘ve ever attended! There will be skill-building workshops, community dialogues on key issues, speakers, art, networking, entertainment, a film festival, and more. Admission is low, and it will be accessible to people with disabilities. trcf@trcfwpa.org Friday, October 14th___________________ Jim Forest, author, "All Is Grace" on Dorothy Day Speaks 7:00 pm-9:00 pm St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral Blvd. of Allies at Dawson St Oakland Jim Forest will discuss his acclaimed new book, "All is Grace" on Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker in 1933, He co-founded the Catholic Peace Fellowship and was one of the "Milwaukee 14" who burned draft files during the Vietnam War. He is now international secretary of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship. The Merton Center is co-sponsoring his visit Saturday, October 15th____________________ 1-day Retreat: "Dorothy Day: A Saint for Our Times?" 10:00 am-4:00pm Holy Family of Nazareth Retreat Center. 285 Bellevue Rd., off Perrysville exit, 279 Jim Forest, author of "All Is Grace" a new biography of Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement, will lead the retreat. Space is limited, reserve a place now. $20 includes lunch. Teacher41@aol.com Molly.rush@verizon.net Friday, October 21st____________________ Sleep-In for the Homeless Organized by Community Human Services 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM Schenley Plaza in Oakland (Pittsburgh, PA), 4100 Forbes Avenue across from Hillman Library and Carnegie Library in Oakland For more information call Diane at 412.246.1608 or email DMcMahon@chscorp.org. Friday, October 28th/29th____________________ PA Conference Against Torture: A Phobia of Hope: Reflections from a Psychologist, Kate Porterfield, in Guantanamo 7:00-8:30 pm Market Square Presbyterian Church, 20 South Second Street, Harrisburg, PA .