[lavplist] Report from LAVP meeting 12/11/06

[Rob Weltman]

Report from LAVP meeting 12/11/06

- Katrina was meeting facilitator, Rob took minutes

- Introductory thoughts
   - Katrina saw this quotation from Herodotus at the Mountain View Library:
   "No one is fool enough to choose war instead of peace. For in peace sons bury 
fathers, but war violates the order of nature, and fathers bury sons."
   - Good article by Jimmy Carter in the Mercury News on the Israeli-Palestinian 
conflict as the core issue to resolve in the Middle East

- Report from the vigil 12/9
   - About 50 people
   - First event cosponsored by Los Altos Voices for Peace, Mountain View Voices 
for Peace, and Sunnyvale Voices for Peace
   - Speakers: Kevin, King Lear, Tim Oey, Mike Fischetti, Ray, Jim Swanson, Judy 
Staton
   - Folk music by Paul Prochaska
   - Many people took turns reading the 289 names of California soldiers killed 
in Iraq
   - LAVP will contribute $30 as thanks to Paul for attending and livening up 
the vigil

- Letter to Ricky Clousing
   Katrina read the story of Sargent Ricky Clousing who went AWOL from Fort 
Bragg to avoid being sent back to Iraq, where he came to find the war immoral 
and the treatment of the Iraqis unacceptable. He was sentenced to three months 
in military prison. LAVP decided to send him a letter of support and encouragement.

- Helping veterans
   Barbara presented three ways to support veterans of the war. LAVP decided to 
contribute $50 to the local VA hospital for veterans and their visiting 
families. Barbara will also be organizing the delivery of calling cards financed 
by contributions through WorkingForChange to veterans at the VA hospital so they 
can call home. Delivery will be on 12/18 between 4PM and 6PM. Contact Barbara 
O'Reilly by email at kbor2 at earthlink.net if you would like to attend.

- Foothill College Scholarship Project
   Katrina has sent off the $300 that LAVP earlier decided to contribute.

- LAVP finances
   We have $451 to our name.

- Enemy Aliens
   John Christgau's new play that binds together stories from the internments of 
the second world war with what has been happening to perceived muslims in the US 
the past five years will debut April 28 at the new San Mateo Library. LAVP 
decided to cosponsor the event and to publicize it.

- Mandate for Change
   Jim Swanson of moveon.org presented the current photo petition campaign for a 
"Mandate for Change". Photos and signatures are being gathered to be presented 
to the congressional representatives (Anna Eshoo in our case) whom we are asking 
to fulfill the desires of the voters for health care, an end to the war, clean 
elections. The meeting participants posed for a group photo and signed the petition.
   Jim also mentioned an upcoming event around "Peace in Africa" at the United 
Methodist Church on Sunday 1/14.

Next meeting: Monday, January 8, 2007


Rob