SPFP Mtg. 9/9/06

• Val Krehbiel called the meeting to order just after 10am. In attendence: Angela, Sharon, Randol, Paul, Dave, James, Val, Fred S. and Vern.
  
• Val brought dialogue from the ACLU regarding the NSA spying program. Part 1: Top 10 Myths About the Illegal NSA Spying on American's, Part 2: NSA Spying on American's is Illegal, Part 3: Get Involved - Help Stop the Abuse of Power, Part 4: The Challenge to the NSA Spying
  
• James gave the Treasure Report $322.03 positive balance
  
• Minutes of the last meeting were discussed
  
• Float Prep discussion - Signs, Copies & Leaflets
  
• Dave gave us a copy of the press release which will be given to the Journal on the 17th
  
• Dave also brought the group copies of the sources in the book Worse than Watergate by John Dean
  
• James read a letter to the editor he submitted to local papers recently.

SPFP Mtg. 8/26/06

• Call to order at 10:00 a.m. with a song, "Turn of the Century" sung by moderator Martin.
  
• Present were: Martin B., James S., Bill P., Mary Anne P., Dave C., Hugh I., Sr. Marie C., Sr. Esther P., Ralph K., Paul D., Randol L., Sharon L., Vernon S., Val K., Willow L., Angela S., and Janie S.
  
• Synopsis of minutes of last meeting read and discussed. Old Business: Discussion of Tri-Co. Fair, Vigil for War Victims, Visit to Rep. Moran's visit to deliver the Declaration of Peace for Rep. to sign. Media liason Dave C. suggests getting new releases in to paper early in order to have better and more timely coverage, and to meet with Salina Journal staff to determine how to help them cover our issues better.
  
• New Business: Proposed Events Calendar Thurs., Aug. 31st Srs. of St. Joseph of Concordia are hosting Sgt. Shriver Poverty Law Center presentation in Concordia from 1-4p.m.
  
• Thurs., Sept.21: rally at KWU (I have found out today--Aug. 27th that that day will not work for the rally, so we will update asap)
  
• Friday, Sept. 22: Solidarity Fast
  
• Sat., Sept. 23rd: Santa Fe Days Parade--SPFP will have a float entitled, e.g. " Peacemakers Thru the years," with members in costume on a flatbed trailor provided by Val K., as a famous peacemaker, and members walking beside the float handing out flyers explaning the characters. Float Committee: Angela, Willow, Val, Dave C.
  
• Sun. Sept 24th: TBA
  
• Monday Sept 25th: Convoy around Ft. Riley
  
• Tuesday Sept 26th: TBA
  
• Wednesday Sept. 27th: TBA
  
• Thursday Sept 28th: Rally at KWU? Pick up Declaration from Moran? TBA
  
• Week of Sept. 21-28: Electricity Fast in solidarity with those in war zones who consisitently have none
  
• Val K. is teaching Peace is Possible, beginning Nov. 2, at the Salina Mennonite Church.
  
• Vern S. recommends reading Fiasco, and Take This Job & Ship It.
  
• Next mtg. Sept. 9th, 10:00 a.m. at Riverside Plaa, 600 E. Elm in Salina.

SPFP Mtg. 7/22/06

• 16 people met for Salina People for Peace at Riverside Plaza, 600 E. Elm. Present were: Martin Bates, Janie Stein, Adam Hulstine, Gib and Carolyn Urban, Jim Cole, Val Krehbiel, Fred Schwirret, Rand and Sharon Lister, Angela Sidener, David Norlin, Hugh Irvin, James Sager, Mary Anne and Bill Powell.
  
• Everyone reported on what projects they’ve been working on, from being with family, to RESULTS lobbying, supporting Access TV, which needs to raise 140,000 due to the shortfall from decreased government funding, calling on Congressional Representatives to stop funding violence and injustice around the globe, working at Ft. Riley, which is putting up more buildings, staying current with international issues, as well as many other activities. Many members are facilitating communication with their friends on justice and peace issues and are getting positive results as more and more people understand that the present administration in Washington, D.C. is not making our country safer and is in fact, doing just the opposite, while our citizens are harmed in many ways because of the present policies.
  
• Much discussion centered around the info booth at the upcoming Saline County Fair on Aug. 9-14. We’re planning on having buttons, bumper-stickers, books, bracelets, key-chains, magnets, flyers, brochures, fortune-cookies, etc., either on sale for donations, or free to get information out to the public, that PEACE IS POSSIBLE. Our message is that we support the troops—maybe more than other people—because we want to bring them home where they belong, not have them continue in an illegal war. David will contact Willow about enrollment packets for the school district, and if they contain an opt-out form for parents to sign, taking their children’s information out of the hands of recruiters. In the No Child Left Behind Act, military recruiters automatically receive this info unless parents sign an opt-out form; many schools just omit this form and information about it.
  
• UPCOMING EVENTS: Thursday, July 27th, 7:00p.m. Non-violence Training. This event at Riverside Plaza, 600 E. Elm is open to anyone who wishes to learn more effective ways of dealing with situations that can be confrontive and possibly escalate to violence. It will be an evening of interactive role-playing facilitated by Val, with time to discuss emotions felt during the role-plays, and ideas on how to best communicate our message for those who do not understand and may be antagonistic toward us.
  
• Sunday, Aug. 6th, 3:00p.m. Hiroshima Anniversary Peace Vigil at corner of 9th Street and Crawford. Bring signs, flags, etc., we will have plenty of signs, bring your friends! Wednesday, Aug. 9th Anniversary of Nagasaki Bombing Opening Day of SPFP Booth at Saline Co. Fair. We can use some help between 3:00-5:00, putting the booth up, getting information sorted, etc. Booth will be open for business from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug.10th-Saturday, Aug. 12th SPFP Booth open at Saline Co. Fair. Hours: 8/10: 3:00-8:30 pm 8/11 3:00-8:30 pm 8/12 10:00-8:30 pm
  
• The usual scheduled meeting on Aug. 12th is cancelled, and everyone is encouraged to come by &/or help out at the co. fair booth. The next meeting will be on August 26th at Riverside Plaza, 10:00 a.m. Sat., Sept. 23rd is the likely date of a proposed action with KWU students and International Declaration of Peace and Pledge of Resistance members. Sept. 21st is the deadline set by Declaration of Peace advocates to engage in peaceful protest if a comprehensive, concrete, and rapid plan for an end to the US war on Iraq is not established and begun. Adam will be speaking with students and will report back at the next meeting, and hopefully bring some students to the meeting so we can plan for solidarity actions if the deadline for peace is not met.
  
• Meeting adjourned for a showing of a 12 min. DVD by the ACLU and pot-luck at St-ates.

SPFP Mtg. 7/8/06

• Present at this meeting were James, Val, Fred, Gib, Mary Ann, Bill, Carm, Carolyn, Angela and Vern.
  
• Treasure report indicates we have a positive balance of $46.03 in the bank after paying for the booth at the Tri-Rivers fair. There was also a $32.00 deposit since last meeting.
  
• It is official, SPFP will occupy booth 39 at the Tri-Rivers Fair!
  
• We will be taking donations for the Any Soldier project all three days.
  
• Sister Carm will donate prayer cards to distribute.
  
• We also need a 1 inch design for a button... Peace is Possible is the theme!
  
• To sign up for a shift at the booth please call James Sager 825-0395. We hope to have two members at the booth at a time for two hour shifts.
  
• Next meeting we will discuss ways to resolve conflicts peacefully and respectfully. We hope to do a little role playing to get members thinking on their feet!!!
  
• The group discussed North Korea and a possible peaceful solution to the mounting crisis.
  
• Vern alerted us to the crisis in El Salvador, as well as the cuts to vetrans benefits highlighted on page C7, of the July 7, Salina Journal. Headline? "Budget woes force Army to cut services" We are all concerned about our returning vets, some members of SPFP have family members currently serving.
  
• Recommended Read: Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
  
  
  
  
  
  

  SPFP Mtg. 6/24/06

  • Meeting was in the Salina Public Library this week. In attendence were: Dave, Hugh, Val, Mary Anne, Freddie, James, Angela, Sister Carm and Sharon.
    
  • Dave brought information on traffic volume at various intersections in Salina so we can pick the most visible spot for our direct actions.
    
  • Angela will order Salina People For Peace business cards from Vista Print. Any suggestions for a message or quote on the card would be appreciated.
    
  • Salina People for Peace does support Lt Ehren Watada's refusal to deploy to the illegal occupation of Iraq. To thank and show your support of Mr. Watada, visit this site. For more information visit The Nation.
    
  • Great discussion filled the rest of the meeting. We have some great ideas and organization!!
    
  • Next meeting, July 8, will be located at Riverside Plaza... bring as many people as you can!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  SPFP Mtg. 6/10/06

  • James Sager brought information on obtaining a booth for SPFP at the Tri Rivers Fair August 9-13. The theme of the booth will be "Peace is Possible" and we hope to raise awareness among the community to the alternatives of war. Items will be donated to the group to raise money for community work.
    
  • HR 1217 is still in Committee
    
  • Salina People for Peace want to thank Congressman Jerry Moran for voting to close the School of Americas. The measure did not pass, but we are proud of our Congressman for this vote.
    
  • June 14, Flag Day, will be the next vigil at the corner of Crawford and Ninth St.
    
  • Great discussion filled the rest of the meeting. We have some great ideas and organization!!
    
  • Next meeting, June 24, will be located at the Salina Public Library.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  SPFP Mtg. 4/08/06

  • A public forum discussing abortion will be held on Sunday, April 9, from 2-4pm at the Nights of Columbus Hall. Members of SPFP are encouraged to attend.
    
  • Army Humvee on display at 1616 W Crawford until 2:30pm Saturday
    
  • Media Reform was discussed. We will target KAKE News first and try to apply pressure to get stories that matter covered. Email items of importance to news@kake.com
    
  • We discussed weekly vigils or other actions the group could take to make a bigger impact on the community. The group thought we might dilute the media attention with less turnout at each weekly event. We thought a better idea would be to work with the high schools and provide students with "question cards." They can use these cards to ask military recruiters about important issues when they are approached to enlist. Many were interested in making our presence regular at the schools despite the recruiters presence.
    
  • Discussion of fund raisers brought a lot of good ideas. We will try to organize a "Concert for Peace" to raise money to purchase commercial television ads. Other suggestions included an Auction made possible with donations, a karaoke marathon, or a BBQ dinner with a possible speaker.
    
  • Monday, April 10, Salina South and Central High Schools will walk out at 9am in protest of human rights violations committed by our government. They students will meet at Sunset Park to make a statement. The community is encouraged to support the action and witness their civil disobedience.
    
  • The bumper stickers which will be produced will need to be bold and simple. The group decided salinapeopleforpeace.com said it all. Many in the group thought the name only was best because that won't turn people off to the site, or create resentment in the community towards our purpose. Letters should be at least 2" high for easy visibility and recognition.
    
  • Recommended Reads: Our Endangered Values by Jimmy Carter; American Theocracy by Kevin Phillips
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  SPFP Mtg. 3/25/06

  • we spent a lot of time discussing the Anti-Immigration legislation, the massive demonstrations in Milwaukee, Chicago and Los Angeles and possible local action
  • We discussed this weeks Media Reform program and filled in everybody who was unable to watch.
  • Information from the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space was presented to the group from Vern about the permanent military bases we are building in Iraq. He made copies for each of us to read at our leisure.
  • I shared the story from the Nation magazine about the soldier struggling in MO. The effect the war has had on his life, his wife's life and the community around him. These stories are missing from the mainstream media and the group agreed this is all part of the cost of war not being realized by the American public.
  • Mary Ann Powell invited everybody to the RESULTS meeting Monday night at the Public Library.
  • Loretha is going to look into "peer mediation" in the Salina school districts. She said she has a background working in education and is interested in introducing ciriculum to bring the youth in our community together. We talked about working with hispanic, african-american, asian and other local ethnic groups to involve them in our peace movement. James Sager said his Dr is the head of the Salina area NAACP and he would discuss bringing our groups together to reinforce our social justice actions.
  • We collected a total of 76 LBS of food to donate to Emergency-Aid... I wasn't sure when we would present that, but it is ready!!!
  • Val and James reported on the talk given by the retired Bethel Professor, it was a powerful message and sounds like a great history lesson on peaceful resolutions.
  • James reminded everybody to contact Congress about HR 1217 to close the School of the Americas.
  • We observed a moment of silence for the three CPT members who were rescued in Iraq.
  • Bill Powell recommended a new documentary "Confederate States of Amreica" which portrays what America would look like had the South won the civil war. Sounds very interesting!!!
  • Val invited the group to his final Wednesday class "Peace is Possible" at the Mennonite Church at 7pm
  
  
  
  

  SPFP Mtg. 3/11/06

  • 14 people in attendance: Angela, Hugh, Sharon, Val, Mary Ann, Jim, Vern, Dave, Carolyn, Gib, Ann and Jim, Marty and Janie
    
  • CPT statement at the death of Tom Fox was read, and a moment of silence observed
    
  • Consensus was to become a member group of United For Peace and Justice, as we all recognize the needs for coalitions to further our goals; Janie will donate $50 to officially join, to be reimbursed by SPFP;
    
  • There will be an Anti-war Convergence in Lawrence, April 6 from 9:30-6:00 at the Ecumenical Christian Minstries, Bldg. 1204 Oread Ave.; Marty and Janie will be taking their van, with room for 4 others.
    
  • Discussion re: increased # of Iraq vets and Ft. Riley personnel in Salina and surrounding areas, and the need to make sure we use the best words to convey our position—of supporting our troops by bringing them home. Many vets are returning to find total lack of support from the military, we wish to be there to assist them.
    
  • Our next vigil will be Sunday, March 19, 2006 at 2 pm at the corner of Crawford/Ohio. We will have coffins, US flags, VFP flags, and signs for peace and justice, as well as the Number of War Dead Display. (We may not have a die-in, as it will probably not be too visible from the street, and the coffins will say that message for us. Jms) At the vigil, we’ll have a big box for folks to leave food in for the Emergency Aid Food Drive; Dave Course will give the paper a news release to advertise for this event. Emergency Aid can especially use cereal, mac ‘n cheese, spaghetti sauce, and crackers. We’ll be dropping off food at Sideners Stained Glass, 1923 S. Ohio, where stickers will be placed on the food for the Emergency Aid, identifying SPFP as the donors.
    
  • Consensus was to order bumper stickers for salinapeopleforpeace.org, funded from our treasury.
    
  • More discussion re: nonesoblind.org (com), about prioritizing and forming coalitions to prevent fascism; class warfare; developing language/setting our own agenda vs. reacting to the right-wing agenda, e.g. changing the phrase “We are the terrorists” to “the neo-cons are the terrorists”; assisting New Orleans; dialogues speaking truth to power vs. trying to remain “non-confrontive”; using the current anti-Bush momentum to inform Americans to eliminate torture from our system.
    
  • Also, members will be providing input on our goals as a group: “Where are we going?” Are we going to focus on a few specific goals or a lot of them? What’s our priority—being leaders, forming coalitions, etc.
    
  • Next meeting: March 25, 2006 at Riverside Plaza, 10-11:30 am.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Cost of the War in Iraq
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