May calendar

PEACE & JUSTICE TEACH-INS

May –2006 -- May

When? New Day: 3rd & 4th Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.

Where? Westport Coffee House, 4010 Pennsylvania
First floor meeting room

May 17: Camp Casey -- Anne Pritchett. Anne recently joined the group demonstrating near the Bush ranch in Texas. She will show slides and discuss the relevance of this on-going action.
May 24: "If you want peace, work for...?" John Fish Kurmann.The sticker advises us "If you want peace, work for justice," and that's fine for a soundbitten bumper-message, but what do we actually need to do? Community activist John Kurmann proposes that, if we truly want a more peaceful world, then we have to address the root causes driving the American empire to make war on Iraq and station troops in over 100 countries around the world. What are those root causes, and how can we change them? Here's a hint: "If you want peace, work for sustainable, place-based economies." John is active in the Food Circle.


No further meetings of the teach-in group until August.


April 6: Political Parties in Israel and Palestine – Allan Abrams and Ahmed El Sherif. The political parties in both Israel and Palestine are undergoing significant realignment. What does this mean for the peace process? The second of two talks, this one is focused primarily on the Israeli elections

**April 13: Freedom Files: Religious Freedom – Craig Lubow. "The ACLU Freedom Files video features real clients and the attorneys who represent them, along with well known actors, comedians, and activists. The right to practice religion, or no religion at all, is among the most fundamental of freedoms guaranteed by the Bill or Rights. In this episode, you will meet Americans fighting for religious freedom: Parents who challenged the teaching of 'intelligent design' in the classroom; Billy Warsoldier, a Native American who was punished for adhering to his religuous tradition while in prison; and Abbey Moler, a high school valedictorian who was asked to contribute some words of wisdom to her yearbook but was censored when she turned in a Bible verse. This program is a crucial reminder of the founders' intent regarding religion--that it be a matter for individuals, not the government."
At Unity on the Plaza

April 20: Bias In the Media -- Oscar L Hampton, III. Oscar L Hampton III has been a practicing attorney for over 20 years. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia. His specializes in Civil Rights and Labor and Employment Law litigation. Over the course of his career he has successfully tried numerous cases involving complex and novel issues.

April 27:Agriculture Imitating Nature-- Grant Mallett. The Land Institute is a not-for-profit agricultural research and educational center located in Salina, Kansas that has been in existence for twenty nine years. Our scientists are developing an agricultural system that draws its inspiration from nature. We are doing this by turning the major grain crops of the world into perennials. (This means they will grow up from the roots and not seeds and will not need to be replanted each year.) And these cereals will be planted with other plants in a polyculture like the native prairie. Grant is head of a new Olathe office. Grant’s talk will cover who we are, what we are doing - and why we are doing it - and how far we have to go.