[lavplist] Notes form January 8 meeting

[Darwin & Donna Poulos]

Notes from Los Altos Voices for Peace meeting of January 8, 2007

 

Katrina Smathers was the facilitator.  Barbara Kyser will facilitate
February and March meetings.

 

Inspirational:  Ray offered these quotes from 3 past presidents
regarding peace:

 

"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to
promote peace than our governments.  Indeed, I think that people want
peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of
the way and let them have it."  Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969)

 

"But peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone.  It lies
in the hearts and minds of all people.  So let us not rest all our hopes
on parchment and on paper, let us strive to build peace, a desire for
peace, a willingness to work for peace in the hearts and minds of all of
our people.  I believe that we can.  I believe the problems of human
destiny are not beyond the reach of human beings."  John F. Kennedy
(1917-1963)

 

"The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man or one party
or one nation.  It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort
of the whole world."  Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)

 

Protest Iraq War escalation:  Peninsula Peace and Justice Center has
called for an emergency protest the day after Pres. Bush's announcement
of a troop escalation.  We may join MVVP in a roadside rush hour
protest.  We are also urged to call elected officials to protest.  An
email to our LAVP list will be sent.

 

New Year's Day Vigil marking 3000 deaths:  Several LAVP members were
present.  Ray and Barbara O were interviewed and shown on Ch 11 news.
The many demonstrations were shown first on many news programs that
night.  Palo Alto Daily and MV Voice had stories.

 

Veterans' Hospital visits:  On Dec 18, several LAVP members visited the
Palo Alto Veterans' Hospital to support the wounded veterans there and
to hand out phone cards.  Over 100 phone cards were donated by Working
Assets and some LAVP members.  David Ledesma, a member of Gold Star
Families for Peace, organized the visit.  Ray also visited the hospital
on Christmas Day.

 

Treasurer's Report:  Katrina handed out quarterly financial reports.
LAVP has a balance of $393.91, after $300 was set aside for the Foothill
Peace Scholarship.  All present thanked Katrina for her good work.

 

Activities for 2007:  Art & Wine Festival:  Skip it, too expensive
($100) and little achieved.

Farmers' Market:  Good exposure, continue presence if volunteers are
available.

City Council election:  Interview candidates.  Contact them after they
file in August.

Community Picnic:  Continue presence.  Good community event.

 

Peace Scholarship:  Want to give $500.  It would be the first peace
scholarship at Foothill/DeAnza.  Require recipient to attend our June
meeting.

 

Plays about WWII internees at San Mateo library:  LAVP is a cosponsor
for April 28 event.  Details will follow.

 

Declaration for Peace:  Supports United for Peace and Justice's call for
a march on Washington D.C. on January 27 to end the war in Iraq and
bring the troops home!  On Jan 29, participants will lobby the new
Congress with that message.  MVVP may send 4 people and Ray may go to
represent LAVP.  He will hand deliver all letters that LAVP members
write to elected officials.

 

Dept of Peace:  Vince will attend the national conference in Washington
D.C. in Feb.  Chicago has endorsed a U.S. Dept of Peace and there is an
effort to add San Francisco to the growing list.  What about Los Altos?
We need to educate ourselves regarding its local impact before we
approach our City Council.  We will start by attending the monthly
breakfast Challenge Team meetings.  This program is a loosely knit
consortium of police and community groups.  "Violence as a default
setting in our culture," needs to be changed.  Katrina will provide info
about these meetings.

 

Request for meetings with Anna Eshoo:  On October 14, Sami sent a letter
requesting a meeting about the Iraq war.  He has not had a response.
The group decided to wait until after the President's announcement of
his Iraq proposal before following up.  We will look for her town hall
meeting.  

 

Lt. Watada update:  War resistor Watada's court martial is scheduled to
begin on February 5.  Sami (through Donna) reported that a painting
donated to the Arab-American Culture Center was auctioned in honor of
Lt. Watada.  Proceeds of $360 were donated to his defense fund.

 

Independent Iraq journalist requests help:  Dahr Jamail, who spoke after
a local showing of "Iraq for Sale" has requested financial help for some
friends in Iraq (who helped him as guides and translators) who now feel
it is too dangerous for them to stay.  They need to leave the country.

 

Counter-recruiting:  We reviewed what we have done (opt-out forms were
improved in local schools) and decided that this is not a local
priority.

 

Plan for 2007:  Katrina will make a calendar for 2007 activities.  We
will work to recruit more members!

 

Notes taken by Donna Poulos.

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