[SDCPJ] Monday Feb 2 7pm - planning meeting for 3/21

PLEASE NOTE:  We will not be meeting in the Church Sanctuary as usual, but in the Education Building which is down the stairs to the west. 

 

There will be a

Planning meeting for the March 21 demonstration

Monday, February 2, 7pm,

Church of the Brethren, 3850 Westgate Place, San Diego.

 

On March 21, the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the SDCPJ will gather at 5^th and University (Hillcrest) and march to the Balboa Park War Memorial, for a 230pm rally.  We will be calling for:

US out of Iraq and Afghanistan Now

Money for jobs, housing, healthcare, and pensions – not for wars and occupations

End U.S. support for the occupation of Palestine

We encourage all peace and justice activists to join with us in planning and building this event. The new administration has brought hope for change, but real change will require action from below. We need to work together. Come to the planning meeting on February 2.

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[SDCPJ] Blackwater Banned From Iraq; George McGovern calls for a Time Out on Afghanistan

Blackwater Banned from Iraq! 
WASHINGTON (AFP) 1/29/09 — "The US State Department said Thursday it will comply with Iraq's ban on controversial US security outfit Blackwater but still had to decide on the "next steps" to ensure security for its employees."  Read more at www.prcsd.org

Calling a Time Out! 
Washington Post, 1/22/09
George McGovern tells Obama, "To send our troops out of Iraq and into Afghanistan would be a near-perfect example of going from the frying pan into the fire...."  Read this article at www.prcsd.org

[SDCPJ] Weapons Training in High Schools Protest Feb. 10

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[SDCPJ] FW: January 28th Zace Sisters Action Postponed!

 

 

The action in support of the Zace sisters, which was scheduled for tomorrow, January 28th,
is not the best course of action at this time. 
We are postponing until further notice.

 

We thank you for your understanding during
this very delicate situation.   

 

Rabbi Laurie

 

 

 

Wishing you a blessed and beautiful day,


Elizabeth "Lisa" Maldonado
Outreach Coordinator 
Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice of San Diego County
Changing the future for workers and their families!
Join us by making a tax-deductible donation today!

Tel: (619) 584-5740
Fax: (619) 584-5748 fax
3727 Camino Del Rio South
Suite 100
San Diego, CA  92108
http://www.ICWJ.org

 

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[SDCPJ] Rally in Support of Releasing Zace Sisters apprehended by ICE: Wednesday Jan 28th 11am, Federal Bldg Downtown

For Immediate Release
January 27^th, 2009

 

Contact:    Rabbi Laurie Coskey, (858) 231.9933, RabbiLaurie@ICWJ.org

or Elizabeth Maldonado, (619) 417.8197, Elizabeth@ICWJ.org

 

Community outcry over sisters apprehended by ICE

Two SDSU students from Albania threatened with deportation

                                       

SAN DIEGO – Seeking to halt the deportation of two sisters who have lived in San Diego most of their lives, clergy leaders and the faith community will hold a rally and press conference tomorrow in front of the federal building downtown. Over the past year, the sisters have been supported by local members of a faith-based sanctuary movement.

Rally in Support of Releasing Zace Sisters!

11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28

880 Front Street, San Diego 92101

 

At 6 a.m. Friday, January 23 Aluisa and Ledia Zace were woken by flashlights shining in their bedroom window and banging on their front door.  The two sisters are now detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Otay Mesa Detention Center, pending deportation. 

 

The sisters came to the United States at ages 8 and 9, when their family sought political asylum from their native country of Albania.  In 2007, after ICE deported their father to Albania, they turned to the New Sanctuary Movement (NSM) for support. 

The NSM is a national movement of faith communities committed to supporting immigrant families and advocating for comprehensive reform of unjust immigration laws.  In San Diego, three families, including the Zace sisters, have been given sanctuary.

 

John Joyce met the sisters when they began attending his church 12 years ago, and said he considers himself a part of their family.

 

"We are simply heartbroken that Aluisa and Ledia have been taken away," said Joyce, an employee with San Diego City Schools.  "My wife and I have watched these two sweet girls grow up to be amazing young ladies with beautiful hearts.  Losing them would be a real travesty; the pain of such a loss cannot be described in word. "

Both sisters have excelled in academics and graduated from Serra High School with 4.3 and 4.6 GPAs, respectfully.  They currently are enrolled at San Diego State University, and both volunteer at their church and at a local hospital.

 

Nearly 100 people are expected to participate in tomorrow's rally.  Faith leaders, elected officials, community leaders and many people of faith will express their support for the Zace sisters and ask for a review of their case. 

######

 

 

Wishing you a blessed and beautiful day,


Elizabeth "Lisa" Maldonado
Outreach Coordinator 
Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice of San Diego County
Changing the future for workers and their families!
Join us by making a tax-deductible donation today!

Tel: (619) 584-5740
Fax: (619) 584-5748 fax
3727 Camino Del Rio South
Suite 100
San Diego, CA  92108
http://www.ICWJ.org

 

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[SDCPJ] THIS FRIDAY (1/30) Groundwork Books and La Otra SD Presentan ... The 4th World War!

Support the Last Enero Zapatista Event

Friday, January 30th 
6 p.m. 
Groundwork Books 
0323 UCSD Student Center, La Jolla 92037
Old Student Center between Revelle and Muir

A screening of the film
The Fourth World War (bignoisefilms.com)

Then…

La Otra San Diego* will be here to talk about Zapatismo, struggles in San Diego and how you can get involved. 
*La Otra San Diego is a coalition of local collectives, organizations, and individuals that are adherents to La Otra Campana (the Other Campaign). We are working from below and to the left to create a world in which many 
worlds fit.

http://otrasd.insurreccion.org /// http://groundwork.ucsd.edu

[SDCPJ] Anti-militarist Web site recently updated

This is to let you know that NEW articles and updated content have recently been posted at http://www.comdsd.org/, the Web site of the San Diego-based Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft (COMD).

 

Included in the current update are three articles from the 30th anniversary issue of COMD's printed newsletter, Draft NOtices:

- "A Strategic Blind Spot for Progressives," by Rick Jahnkow, demonstrates how peace and social justice movements in the U.S. are weakened by militarism in the educational system.

- "Sexual Assault in the Military," by Kathy Gilberd, examines the military's failure to effectively address this problem.

 

- "Don't Ask Don't Tell Revisited,"  an overview by Paula Hoffman Villanueva that highlights the military's hypocritical willingness to accept gays and lesbians when there is a need for personnel to fight a war, but then discriminate against them at other times.

 

To order the complete printed version of Draft NOtices, visit the Web site's Draft NOtices page. In addition to the above three articles, the current printed version includes:

- hopeful news of a possible school board consensus against JROTC rifle ranges in San Diego;

- excerpts from an Army Recruiting Command manual advising recruiters to use a strategy that seeks to influence students younger than high school; and

 

- news of a Pentagon effort to challenge two cities in court over a citizen initiative that would protect legal minors from aggressive military recruiting.

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[SDCPJ] Feb 5 - SDCPj planning meeting for March 21 demonstration

 

Mark your calendar now:

March 21 demonstration, 6th anniversary of Iraq invasion

February 2, planning meeting for March 21

At our last meeting on January 19, the San Diego Coalition for Peace and Justice decided to have a march and rally on March 21, 2009, the 6^th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

Adopting the themes of the National Assembly to End the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars (natassembly.org), which has called for a nationwide series of demonstrations on March 21, the SDCPJ will be calling for:

US out of Iraq and Afghanistan Now

Money for jobs, housing, healthcare, and pensions – not for wars and occupations

End U.S. support for the occupation of Palestine

On March 21 at 1pm, we will gather at 5^th and University (Hillcrest) and march to the Balboa Park War Memorial, for a 230pm rally.

There will be a

Planning meeting for the March 21 demonstration

Monday, February 2, 7pm,

Church of the Brethren, 3850 Westgate Place, San Diego.

We encourage all peace and justice activists to join with us in planning and building this event. The new administration has brought hope for change, but real change will require action from below. We need to work together. Come to the planning meeting on February 2.

San Diego Coalition for Peace and Justice

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[SDCPJ] Help Rebuild Gaza Community Mental Health Program

For Immediate Release
January 25, 2009

Help Rebuild Gaza Community Mental Health Program

Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, is seeking financial
donations to assist the Gaza Community Mental Health Program (GCMHP), which
has suffered massive damage to its headquarters during the recent Israeli
bombardment.

Help is needed urgently. At this moment in the Gaza strip, the destruction
caused by the recent murderous Israeli assault has resulted in patients
being out of touch with health care professionals. The victims of the recent
military action are in dire need of medical assistance to deal with the
consequences of war-induced trauma.

Concern has been raised among health care professionals world-wide. These
professionals have called for immediate actions of solidarity to help combat
the lasting impacts of murderous bombardment, ground invasion and carnage in
Gaza. Those most affected in the Gaza Strip are the elderly, women and
children who are at the greatest risk of long term mental health problems.

While the number of people in need of help is increasing fast there are
little resources to help. As a consequence of the continued bombardment and
blockade, the Gaza Strip has witnessed a terrifying growth in mental health
problems with victims suffering from stress related conditions including
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Medical sources have even noted how
some mental health workers have needed to receive counseling themselves to
enable them to cope with the terrors which have been imposed upon their
patients. Mental health services within the Gaza strip are "over-stretched"
and lack substantial funds. Without a properly functioning Gaza Mental
Health Program in the Gaza Strip, patients will continue to suffer and will
remain at a great risk.

The staff of The Gaza Community Mental Health Program provide crucial and
irreplaceable mental health services to thousands of Gaza residents with a
special emphasis on vulnerable groups such as children, women, and victims
of torture and human rights violations. For more information about the
program, see http://www.gcmhp.net/

How you can help: To help with the reconstruction of the Gaza Community
Mental Health Program, please donate online at http://www.al-awda.org .
Alternatively please address your check or money order to:

Al-Awda, PRRC
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA

Thank you for your support.

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-918-9441
Fax: 760-918-9442
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC) is the largest
network of grassroots activists and students dedicated to Palestinian human
rights. We are a not for profit tax-exempt educational and charitable
501(c)(3) organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of
the United States of America. Under IRS guidelines, your donations to PRRC
are tax-deductible.

[SDCPJ] Contact San Diego City School Board now!

GUNS and WEAPONS TRAINING in Schools?

San Diego Unified and a few other districts around the county have shooting
ranges in their high schools (for JROTC training). With today's problem of
gangs and teen violence, our schools should be teaching students how to solve
conflicts nonviolently. The schools have a ZERO tolerance policy for students
but allow JROTC guns. Recently, Serra High School had a break in and JROTC
air rifles were stolen from the campus. Is this safe? The weapons training
is often rationalized as a sport, but dozens of dangerous sports are not
represented or offered in the district, so why offer weapons training? The
district needs to hear from students, parents, teachers and community members.
The district needs to hear from YOU!

BEFORE Feb. 3, please write a letter to the San Diego Unified School Board:

Ø Tell them you want to know why the district violates the spirit of it'
s own zero tolerance policy.
Ø Tell them that teaching students to shoot is not the business of
schools
Ø Ask them to end all weapons training, just as Chicago City Schools did
10 years ago.

More ideas for points to make are below.

Letters received in the mail or by fax are the best tools we have to ensure
that the board will take notice and hear our concerns. Phone calls are also
helpful. E-mail is less effective.

Write To:
Shelia Jackson (President)
John deBeck
Kathryn Nakamura
Richard Barrera
John Lee Evans

Send letters to:
Member's Name:
Board of Education
San Diego Unified School District
4100 Normal Street, Room 2231
San Diego, CA 92103

Fax (619) 297-5624
Phone: (619) 725-5550
Email: board@sandi.net

For more Information, contact:
Education Not Arms Coalition at _educationnotarms@gmail.com_
(mailto:educationnotarms@gmail.com)
_www.projectyano.org/educationnotarms/_
(http://www.projectyano.org/educationnotarms/)
Phone 760-634-3604

Ideas for brief letters/postcards to Board of Education:

Dear Mr./Ms____________

Option 1
How can schools have a zero tolerance policy but allow weapons training on
high school campuses? This makes no sense to me! What a mixed message that
sends to students.
I hope that you will take a stand and eliminate shooting ranges in San Diego
Unified School District.

Option 2
Schools are not the place for young people to learn to shoot guns. Why
would we encourage students to do this when we have a zero tolerance policy? You
can stop this craziness! Please do the right thing.

Option 3
With so much violence in our communities, WHY would we teach our students to
shoot guns? It makes no sense than most San Diego high schools have
shooting ranges. Please put an end to weapons training immediately.

Option 4
In San Diego, everyone I talk to is shocked to learn that most of the high
schools have shooting ranges. People really can't believe it! Times have
changed and zero tolerance means ZERO tolerance.

Option 5
I support the Education Not Arms Coalition. It is absolutely wrong to have
shooting ranges on our high school campuses. Please take a stand and
eliminate weapons training on our campuses.

Option 6
It is a ridiculous argument to say that weapon training is just another
sport. Teaching students to shoot guns in high schools is outrageous. It is a
complete contradiction of the Zero Tolerance policy. Weapons training must be
abolished.

Option 7
Chicago City Schools, has the nation's largest JROTC program, with over 40
units and several military academies, yet the Chicago district ended its rifle
training program in 1999, after the Columbine school shootings. If they can
show such common sense, San Diego can do the same.

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[SDCPJ] Reminder: Gaza Teach-In Monday 1/26, 7pm

ADC San Diego urges you to attend the following important special
teach-in that will discuss Israeli violations of international law,
human rights, and US arms export law. It will expose war crimes
committed in Gaza and explain the background to the war. It will also
discuss long-term action to build a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
movement against Israel in the US.

I S R A E L ' S I L L E G A L W A R O N G A Z A
what is to be done?

Monday Jan. 26 , 7pm
Four Points Sheraton

Speakers:
Audrey Bomse, United Against Torture Coalition
Marjorie Cohn, National Lawyers Guild
Nasser Barghouti, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Special reading of "Intifada" by poet Steve Kowit

Synopsis: Audrey Bomse is a human rights lawyer who has been working
in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories for much of the past
7 years, most recently as coordinator of the United Against Torture
Coalition, comprised of 15 Palestinian and Israeli NGOs working to
prevent and combat torture. Last month she led the coalition delegation
to Geneva to present its Alternative Report on Israel to the UN
Committee Against Torture. She has been an active
member of the National Lawyers Guild for 25 years, past co-chair of its
Prisoners' Rights Committee and current co-chair of the NLG Free Gaza
Subcommittee. She was a passenger on the second voyage of the Free Gaza
Movement in October and has been working on legal issues involving the
Israeli naval assaults on Gaza fishermen, their boats and international
accompaniers.
She was arrested on Dec. 4th, upon her return to Ben Gurion airport from
Egypt, held in detention for 4 days, and placed in solitary confinement
as punishment for insisting upon her right to speak with her lawyer and
have access to a representative from the US Consulate - These were
violations of her rights, which she is asking the US Consulate to pursue
with the state of Israel.

Marjorie Cohn is president of the National Lawyers Guild and a professor
at Thomas JeffersonSchool of Law, where she teaches criminal law and
procedure, evidence and international humanrights law. She is author of
Rules of Disengagement and Cowboy Republic.

Nasser Barghouti is president of the San Diego chapter of the
American-Arab Anti-DiscriminationCommittee. He is a member of the ACLU
and Amnesty International. He has been active on the issue of Palestine
for more than 25 years.

Four Points Sheraton San Diego
8110 Aero Dr, San Diego 92123
$5 -10 Donation Requested

Sponsors: National Lawyers Guild , American Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee, Peace & Democracy Action Group of the First Unitarian
Universalist Church, Activist San Diego, San Diego Coalition for Justice
in Palestine, San Diego Coalition for Peace and Justice

for info call: Tanja: 858-459-4650 or Ibrahim: 619-840-1945

Direction: 805 Exit Balboa East, Right on Kearny Villa Rd, left on Aero Dr,
left into hotel. Alternate route: 15 to Aero Dr west, continue to Hotel.

- Free Parking --

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[SDCPJ] PEOPLE'S BALL is Sat, Jan. 24th; A Gala Event - Party with Progressives - Don't Miss it! ~~ Buy 'Advance Tickets' by Fri. Midnight!

PLEASE FORWARD - PEOPLE'S BALL;  Don't Miss it! - Sat, Jan. 24th ~
~ Buy your tickets NOW to save at the door!

 ASAP, time to buy tickets "in advance" Purchase by FRI @ Midnight!!!

http://www.activistsandiego.org/peoplesball2009.html

Will you be there?

Look who is coming:  Council Woman Donna Frye and Marti Emerald, Vets for Peace, Mike Aguirre, Mike Davis, Sierra Club, Orange County Military and Veterans for Change, Peace Resource Center, the Palast Family, Enrique Morones and Border Angels, Gracia de Pick, Coalition for Justice in Palestinian, La Mesa City Councilman George Gastil, Stop Blackwater Task Force, Mike Copass - Progressive Democrats, members of the Si Se Puede Coalition, Fernando Suarez del Solar - Guerrero Azteca Peace Project, Nasser Barghouti - Arab American Anti-discrimination Committee (ADC), TranscenDance Youth Arts Project, Mario Torero, Stephen Whitburn, Share Network, Craig Rose & Barbara Jaffe-Rose, Walter Davis (Community Coalition), members of the SD Coalition for Peace and Justice, San Diego Coalition for Marriage Equality (SAME), Peter Zschiesche - San Diego Community College Boardmember,  union members from:  SEIU – 221, , Palomar College Faculty Federation, American Federation of Teachers, IAM Machinist Union Locals 389, 726, 755, & 1125 and hundreds of other progressives …

Activist San Diego’s 2009
People’s Ball

A Gala Event to

Celebrate The End of an Error!

 Democracy under construction!

Inaugurate grassroots social change!

Saturday, January 24, 2009
7:00p. m. – 11 p. m.

Fabulous Dance Music by Agua Dulce!
FREE Food, Entertainment, Cultural presentations
Kick your shoes off, get down and party! Dress Eclectic!

Shoe Hurling to Shoo Bush!

For info:  PeoplesBall@activistsandiego.org • 619-528-8383

LOCATION:      Balboa Park Club  

http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/balboa/permitsites.shtml

 ASAP, time to buy tickets in advance. Purchase by Fri @ 9 pm!!!

http://www.activistsandiego.org/peoplesball2009.html

[SDCPJ] Army enlistments continue to drop in San Diego County

In trying to understand why the Army recently sent four of its top recruiting personnel to speak to the San Diego school board (http://www.sandi.net/board/reports/2009/0113/video.html), we discovered the following information (data source: the National Priorities Project):

 

Army enlistments in San Diego County have steadily gone DOWN over the last five years, even though the overall recruitment success rate for the Army has gone up slightly since 2004.

 

2005 was the year when the Army missed its total national recruiting goal by about 15% (it missed it by an even larger percent in SD County). Ever since then, because of lowered standards and increased enlistment bonuses, the Army has met it's national recruiting goals. However, not in San Diego County, where the Army recruited almost 200 fewer people in 2008 than it recruited in that disastrous year of 2005! (See tables below.) The rate of enlistments per 1000 15-to-20-year-olds has also gone down locally.

 

It's hard to identify with certainty all the possible causes of this, but one thing we've had here that doesn't exist in most places is a collective effort by counter-recruiters to reach and educate thousands of youths and parents each year. It seems highly likely that this has contributed to the poor recruiting trend in our county.

 

Rick Jahnkow

Program Coordinator

Project on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities

760-634-3604

www.projectyano.org

 

Total Active-Duty Army Recruits
in San Diego County, CA
for Years 2004 to 2008

	San Diego County, CA
Years	Total Active-Duty Army Recruits
2004	736
2005	654
2006	526
2007	497
2008	484

 

Army Active-Duty: Total Recruits per 1000 15 to 24 Year Olds
in San Diego County, CA
for Years 2004 to 2008

	San Diego County, CA
Years	Army Active-Duty: Total Recruits per 1000 15 to 24 Year Olds
2004	1.7
2005	1.5
2006	1.2
2007	1.1
2008	1.0

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