KC AFSC Peace and Justice Alert July 24, 2014 AFSC Peace and... · In war there are no winners, only losers. 2. To thrive, humans need peace, which cannot be created by war. 3. We

KC AFSC Peace and Justice Alert – July 24, 2014

Educate Yourself. Share your knowledge. Take Action! For information about the American Friends Service Committee,

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“We must work to end all war because:

1. In war there are no winners, only losers.

2. To thrive, humans need peace, which cannot be created by war.

3. We need all our ingenuity, creativity, technology and will to find a

solution to runaway climate change.

We cannot afford the military-industrial complex.”

~Sally Reynolds, Abingdon Peace Group

Send this link to others so they can subscribe to this weekly Peace & Justice E-

newsletter.

Dear Peacemakers and AFSC Supporters, My thoughts and prayers go to the people of Gaza, to the people in Iraq and Syria, to those living in the Ukraine, to all those who are being killed and losing loved ones to the insane sickness of violence and war infecting the human consciousness.

There are many opportunities for online advocacy and to write letters to the editor. Don’t just sit

back. Speak up for your vision of a peaceful just world. Please check out the full Peace & Justice Alert for an Action Alert including the Sojourners,’ article, Let's Tell the Truth About This International Madness. Also check out the newly posted videos from the Reverse the Power Festival organized by youth who participated in our Social Change Institute. We are also excited by our community listening project speaking with leaders about unmet needs in our community and the impact of budget cutting. We have heard from almost 30 leaders and have a goal to speak with a total of forty by mid-August. Join us at our next Move The Money / Listening Project Meeting on August 12, at Tuesday, 5:30-7:00pm, at the AFSC office or contact me to volunteer to help. And check out upcoming events and articles in full Peace Alert below. Thanks for your support and involvement. Sincerely,

Ira Harritt KC Program Coordinator American Friends Service Committee 816 931-5256, [email protected]

Check out these events below: July 27, Sunday, at 2:00pm. Rally to Support Unaccompanied Minors in

Immigration Crisis At Washington Square Park , Pershing & Grand Blvd., KCMO

August, 7, Nuns on a Bus: Come meet Sr. Simone Campbell. Hear about the

Faithful Budget; Medicaid Expansion and Immigration Reform. 5:30pm, reception for sponsors / 7:00pm Presentation open to the public, Community Christian Church, 4601 main, KCMO

August 9, Saturday, Hiroshima / Nagasaki Rememberance, Loose Park Lagoon, 53rd

& Wornall Rd., KCMO. 6:30pm potluck; 7:30pm program.

August 10, Sunday, All Souls service, "Lifting the Nuclear Shroud: The Joy and the Oy!" at 11:15 a.m., All Souls UU Church, 4509 Walnut, KCMO, with service led by Jim Hannah of PeaceWorks.

August 12, Tuesday, 5:30-7:00pm, Move The Money / Listening Project Planning

Meeting. At AFSC, 4405 Gillham Rd.,KCMO

News and Alerts in Full Peace & Justice Alert:

Let's Tell the Truth About This International Madness

How corporations skip tax with overseas maneuver

38 Organizations Support the Iraq War Powers Resolution

Campaign Rally to defeat "Right to Farm" amendment to MO Constitution

Almost 70 years after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

See full alert for complete calendar of events

Upcoming Peace and Justice Activities

Click on link or scroll down for more information about the peace and justice activity

July 26 at 10:00am, Saturday, Campaign Rally to defeat "Right to Farm" amendment to MO Constitution. “Right to Farm” is model legislation from corporate-funded ALEC and, if passed, would benefit Big Ag corporations by strengthening their "equal protection" claims against local community ordinances. 919 W. 47th Street, KCMO. See more in Peace and Justice Alert below. July 27, Sunday, at 2:00pm. Rally to Support Unaccompanied Minors in

Immigration Crisis We invite all immigrants, families of immigrants and progressive peoples to gather in front of the Kansas City Immigration Court at Washington Square Park. We will rally against the inhumane detentions of Central American refugees, most of whom are children, and stand in solidarity with the families of those held hostage, being processed for deportation, in US immigration detention centers. At Washington Square Park , Pershing & Grand Blvd., KCMO. For more info call: 816- 379-3942

August, 7, Nuns on a Bus: Come meet Sr. Simone Campbell. Hear about the Faithful Budget; Medicaid Expansion and Immigration Reform. 5:30pm, reception for sponsors / 7:00pm Presentation open to the public, Community Christian Church, 4601 main, KCMO

August 9, Saturday, Hiroshima / Nagasaki Rememberance, Loose Park Lagoon, 53rd

& Wornal Rd., KCMO. 6:30pm potluck; 7:30pm program. August 10, Sunday, 11:15am, Hiroshima / Nagasaki Rememberance Service at All

Souls UU Church, 4501 Walnut, KCMO August 12, Tuesday, 5:30-7:00pm, Move The Money / Listening Project Planning

Meeting. Join us in planning and conducting a community listening project on the unmet needs in our community and the impact of budget cutting. We’ve spoken with over 25 community leaders. Our goal is to listen to 40 leaders by mid-August! After we finish listening sessions we will hold forums, meeting with media and elected officials and mobilize community members in calling for budgets that meet community needs. At AFSC office, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EVERY Tuesday, JOIN THIS Peace Demonstration between 5PM - 6 PM in the median strip

on the south corner of the intersection at 63rd & Ward Parkway, Kansas City, Mo. For more information email '63rd Street Patriots' at [email protected]

Weekly Wednesday, Noon, Jericho Walk for Immigrant Rights gather outside KansasCity

Immigration Court, 2345 Grand Blvd., KCMO Info at http://www.ijamkc.org/

Every Sundays, 3:00pm, Weekly Letters to Prisoners Kansas City, Every Sunday

from 3pm until we're tired (we promise to stay at least until 4pm)! Informal gathering to write letters to prisoners... Writing assistance, supplies and stamps provided. We can provide you with a pen pal, you can write one-time notes of solidarity, letters to complain to prison officials are always appreciated, or write to people you already know. Pancho's Mexican Food, 3540 Main St., fKCMO. Organized by Greater Kansas City IWW General Defense Committee Local 15

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News and Alerts

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Let's Tell the Truth About This International Madness

by Jim Wallis 07-24-2014 | 2:51pm, Sojourners

The horrible human costs and increasing danger the world is now facing in Gaza, Ukraine, and

Iraq show the consequences of not telling the truth. And unfortunately, we seem to mostly have

political leaders who are unwilling to admit the truth of what’s happening, deal with root causes

instead of exploiting symptoms, and then do everything possible to prevent the escalation of

violence and further wars. Instead we have politicians who are mostly looking for opportunities

to blame their political opponents, boost their own reputations, and protect business interests. As

people of faith, we are called to speak the truth in love. It’s time for some truth telling.

In Gaza, do we really believe that Palestinian lives are less valuable than Israeli lives at dozens to

one? Why can’t we say that both Hamas and the Israeli government are responsible for this

escalation and conflict that has already killed hundreds of people? If Hamas is morally

responsible for targeting its rockets at civilians in Israel, why isn’t Israel morally responsible for

killing hundreds of civilians and children, including four Palestinian boys on the beach who are

the same age as my youngest son? Their weeping mothers cursed the actions of both Israel and

Hamas — I’m with them. As Secretary of State John Kerry revealed in a microphone mistake

before a Fox News interview, the Israeli attacks are hardly a “pinpoint operation.” And if Hamas

is responsible for opposing a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, why isn’t the

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also held responsible for continually blocking a fair

and just two-state solution while continuing to expand Israel’s brutal and unjust occupation in

Palestine and continued oppression in Gaza? Why don’t we hold all those morally accountable

who refuse political solutions and only work in favor of military solutions that have and will

always fail? Can we just continue to ignore the enormous human suffering caused by such failed

political leaders — on all sides?

It seems almost certain now that it was Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine who shot down a

passenger airliner carrying 298 people, with missile launchers supplied by Russia. Vladimir

Putin’s lack of truth telling about Russia’s involvement in this morally indefensible act is

consistent with his disingenuous statements about his intentions in annexing Crimea and

deliberately destabilizing the Ukraine. But clearly confronting Putin’s lies and moral complicity

in the killing of almost 300 civilians is something that European leaders — who are worried

about Russian influence in their economies — have yet to agree to do.

More> http://sojo.net/blogs/2014/07/24/lets-tell-truth-about-international-madness --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Video:

How corporations skip tax with overseas maneuver

By Robert McIntyre updated 4:15 PM EDT, Tue July 22, 2014

(CNN) -- One can hardly read the news these days without learning that yet another American

corporation has announced plans to invert, which is corporate-speak for restructuring as a foreign

company to avoid U.S. taxes.

It's a trend that has increased exponentially over the past decade with barely a peep from

Congress. Now that corporate giants such as Pfizer, Walgreen, Medtronic and Mylan have made

bids to invert by merging with foreign companies and will be eligible to claim their headquarters

are offshore to avoid U.S. taxes, Congress may finally act.

Video and More> http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/22/opinion/mcintyre-corporate-tax-loophole-foreign-mergers/index.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

38 Organizations Support the Iraq War Powers Resolution

July 23, 2014

Dear Members of the House of Representatives:

Representatives Jim McGovern, Walter Jones and Barbara Lee have introduced H. Con. Res.

105, a privileged resolution to direct the President to remove U.S. troops from Iraq within 30

days, or no later than the end of this year. We urge you to co-sponsor and support this important

resolution.

This resolution, which provides an exception for those troops needed to protect U.S. diplomatic

facilities and personnel, is likely to be voted on in the full House before the end of July. The

sponsors are using the special procedures outlined under the War Powers Resolution that

requires the House to take up this bill after 15 calendar days.

Last month, President Obama announced that 300 personnel would be sent to Iraq, including

intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, augmented by Apache attack helicopters

and drones, after military aggression by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. A few days later, he

announced another 200 personnel were soon to be deployed. There are promises to send many

additional Hellfire air-to-surface missiles.

As the United States knows from past, bitter experience in Vietnam, a small military engagement

can escalate into a major military war that is disastrous for the United States. There is little a few

hundred or a few thousand troops can do in Iraq that 140,000 could not do at the height of

American involvement in Iraq.

President George W. Bush signed an agreement before leaving office to withdraw all American

forces from Iraq by 2011. That decision should not be reversed.

Congress has the constitutional responsibility to debate the merits of American military

involvement in Iraq before the first American casualties. Whatever your position on Iraq or this

resolution, the measure provides an opportunity for sorely needed debate on a very critical issue.

We urge you to co-sponsor and support the resolution, and to oppose what is likely to be a

tabling motion before the end of July.

Sincerely,

Pat Alviso Military Families Speak Out

Fred Azcarate USAction

Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans CODEPINK

Becky Bond CREDO

Simone Campbell, SSS NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

Angela Canterbury Council for a Livable World

Jeanne Dauray Progressive Democrats of America

Carolyn Rusti Eisenberg United for Peace and Justice

Michael Eisenscher U.S. Labor Against the War

MoveOn.org

Carol E Gay NJ State Industrial Union Council

Andy Griggs Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace

William Hartung Center for International Policy

Susan Henry-Crowe, M.Div., DD The United Methodist Church- General Board of Church and Society

Jenefer Ellingston DC Statehood Green Party

Hannah Frisch Civilian Soldier Alliance

Anna Galland Matt Howard Iraq Veterans Against the War

Rev. Linda Jaramillo United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries

Kevin Kamps Beyond Nuclear

Aura Kanegis American Friends Service Committee

David Krieger Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

Rabbi Michael Lerner Tikkun Magazine’s Network of Spiritual Progressives

Paul Kawika Martin Peace Action

Stephen Miles Win Without War

Andrea Miller Progressive Democrats of America

Robert Naiman Just Foreign Policy

Jim O’Brien Historians Against the War

Jon Rainwater Peace Action West

Diane Randall Friends Committee on National Legislation

Paula Rogovin Teaneck Peace Vigil

Nathan Ruggles Intercommunity Justice & Peace Center

Susan Shaer Women’s Action for New Directions

Alice Slater Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, NY

Guy Stevens PeacePAC

Paul Walker Green Cross International

Jim Wallis Sojourners

Rabbi Arthur Waskow The Shalom Center

Jim Winkler National Council of Churches, USA

July 23, 2014

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KC Move to Amend will co-sponsor a Campaign Rally to defeat "Right to

Farm" amendment to MO Constitution

Kansas City MTA is working with other local and statewide organizations to educate the public about the

deceptively titled “Right to Farm” proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution -- which will be

"Amendment 1" on the August 5, 2014 statewide ballot.

The “Right to Farm” amendment is based on US Supreme Court-made law that illegitimately grants

corporations “equal protection” through the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. Since the 1980s

huge factory hog producers have fought efforts to restrict their harms (e.g., pollution from animal wastes)

by claiming ordinances passed by local communities constituted unequal protection. “Right to Farm” is

model legislation from corporate-funded ALEC and, if passed, would benefit Big Ag corporations by

strengthening their "equal protection" claims against local community ordinances.

Join Missouri’s Food for America, Cultivate KC, Kansas City Move to Amend, the Missouri

Farmers Union, and more at a canvass kickoff and campaign rally to defeat the Right to Farm

amendment! We’re getting together on the Plaza the hear from Missouri’s Food for America President

Wes Shoemyer, former Lieutenant Governor Joe Maxwell, Mary Lindsay with KC Move to Amend,

Cultivate KC and others before we head out to knock on doors for the campaign to defeat Amendment 1.

We’d love to see you there!

Saturday, July 26 at 10:00

919 W. 47th Street MAP

Kansas City MO 64112

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Almost 70 years after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Joseph Gerson, AFSC's disarmament coordinator, answers questions about the legacy of the 1945 atomic bombings.

Why do people each year commemorate the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Commemorations of the first atomic bombings held across the United States and around the

world provide a means to remind ourselves, our communities and elected officials that we

continue to face the danger of nuclear annihilation, and that action for nuclear disarmament is an

urgent necessity. Commemorations open spaces to educate the public—especially young

generations—about the human consequences of nuclear war. They provide forums and

encouragement to plan education and organizing in the year to come. In the United States, they

also provide an opportunity to face and learn from one of the greatest war crimes in U.S. history.

More> http://afsc.org/story/almost-70-years-after-bombings-hiroshima-and-nagasaki

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Contribute. Volunteer. Spread the word!

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American Friends Service Committee

4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110

(816) 931-5256

The information and events described in AFSC Peace and Justice Alerts are intended to educate and assist

members of our community in becoming active in working for a more just and peaceful world. Inclusion of a listing does not necessarily imply that AFSC KC agrees with all points of view that will be represented at the

event.

The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service.

Its work is based on the Quaker belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice

Ira Harritt KC Program Coordinator American Friends Service Committee 816 931-5256 [email protected] http://afsc.org/office/kansas-city-mo