GREENBELT PEACE MONTH -June 2017(updated 5/26/2017)

 Reposted By: Ed Fallon MUPJ

Peace Month is proclaimed by the City of Greenbelt- updates will be posted at greenbeltmd.gov Peace Month calendar is coordinated by Prince George’s County Peace & Justice Coalition in cooperation with the City of Greenbelt. All events are free and open to all.

June 1-30 Message to Tomorrow

Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Lobby

The City celebrates its anniversary by inviting Greenbelters to write themselves a letter, outlining their hopes for the future and the actions they commit to taking to improve their community and the world.

June 3 & 4   Greenbelt Day Weekend Happy 80^th Anniversary, Greenbelt!   Events/exhibits calendar at http://www.greenbeltmd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1868

June 3 Greenbelt Concert Band Saturday, 3 pm, Greenbelt Community Center gym

A musical tribute to peace will be featured in this anniversary celebration. Joan Rackey conducts the band.Contact Band General ManagerElihu Zimet, zimete@verizon.net.

June 4   Naturalization Ceremony Sunday, 12 noon, Greenbelt Community Center gym

U.S. Citizen & Immigration Service administers oath of allegiance to new citizens.

June 4 Growing Trust, Understanding and Love in Families and Communities

Sunday, 2-4 pm, Greenbelt Community Center room 114

Adults and children over 7 years of age are invited to participate in a workshop with a fun and engaging process called the Peacemaking Circle, to help people have happier and more peaceful relationships and more easily to resolve disagreements in ways that work for all.

June 11   Building Trust and Safety in Schools

Sunday, 2-4 pm, Greenbelt Community Center room 114

For high school students and adults, a workshop is offered on Restorative Justice,an alternative approach to resolving conflicts in schools and society. It differs from traditional discipline by addressing root causes of conflicts, peacefully engaging the community, and giving voice to all parties in the conflict. Workshop presents history of Restorative Justice in the US and its growth in the MD/DC/VA area.Both workshops by Prince George’s County Peace & Justice Coalition- contact Jane McMahon, 202-684-5974.

June 16 Open Readings and an Essay on Peace

Friday, 7:30 pm, Greenbelt Community Center

Read poems and quotes about peace from favorite books. Participate in an essay on “If you were U. S. President, what would your plan be to bring about world peace.” Greenbelt Writers Group- contact Barbara Ford, barb.ford@comcast.net.

 June 19 “Reel & Meal at the New Deal”

Monday, 7pm, New Deal Café, 113 Centerway

View I Learn America, a film that follows five immigrant teenagers at an international school in Brooklyn as they strive to master English and learn about America, their new home. Three of them are undocumented, one is a refugee and one is a devout Muslim. Discussion will explore ways we can welcome immigrants in our local communities. Co-sponsor Prince George’s County Peace & Justice Coalition- contact Donna Hoffmeister, 301-441-9377, donna.hoffmeister@verizon.net

June 24   Rain Garden Workshop and Walking Tour

Saturday, 10 am-12 noon, Greenbelt Public Works, 555 Crescent Road

Learn how to design and install rain gardens and then get a rebate through the Rain Check Program. Take a tour of local rain gardens. Greenbelt Public Works in partnership with Prince George’s County Department of the Environment-

contact and RSVP to Connor Roessler, croessler@greenbeltmd.gov, 240-542-2150.

June 25 Collection of Greenbelters’ Artifacts and Stories about Promoting Peace

Sunday, 1-5 pm, Greenbelt Museum’s Historic House, 10B Crescent Road Greenbelters, how have you promoted peace over the years: anti-war demonstrations, protests, or other events? The Greenbelt Museum is interested in your peace-related artifacts, photographs, and newspaper clippings. It would also like to record your peace-promoting stories and memories to share them using the StoryCorps App. Drop by the historic house for this special collecting initiative. Greenbelt Museum- contact Ennis Barbery Smith, greenbeltmuseumstsaff@gmail.com or 240-542-2064.

June 25   Bikes for the World Collection

Sunday, 10 am-2 pm, parking lot behind City office building at 25 Crescent Road

Recycle your repairable bikes, their parts, and accessories for use overseas. See www.bikesfortheworld.org. Greenbelt Baha’i Community- contact Jim Fischer jfischer2@verizon.net.

In three days we will march for truth. Will you join us?

We’re Indivisible, and we’re ready You can help us grow the Indivisible movement by forwarding this email to your friends, neighbors, and colleagues. If you were forwarded this email, sign up to get Indivisible updates delivered directly to your inbox here. Friends, We are just three days away from the March for Truth. On Saturday, June 3rd, people will be marching in nearly 140 cities around the world, including Washington, DC. We are marching for transparency, for accountability, for truth. The relationship between Donald Trump’s campaign and the Kremlin tears at the very fabric of our electoral democracy. By marching for truth, we demand: An independent commission in addition to the ongoing investigations by Congress and the special counsel; Immediate release of Trump’s tax returns to show any foreign ties or business interests; Public access to as much information as possible as soon as possible; And prosecution of any crimes or collusion discovered. Click here to join the march in Washington, DC this Saturday and #MarchForTruth. In solidarity, Indivisible Project Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address or to stop receiving emails from Indivisible, please click here.

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Bob Ross: 267-987-4817
President PGC Branch NAACP
2nd Vice President MSC NAACP
Charnell Ferguson: 301-448-9591
President MSC Youth & Division NAACP

“Enough Is Enough! We must not be silent and hope it all goes away
As We Seek Justice”

Arnold, MD., May 27, 2017 – President Gerald Stansbury, The Maryland State Conference (MSC) of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Branches, President, Charnell Ferguson, Youth & College Division (MSC) NAACP, Bob Ross, 2nd Vice President, (MSC) NAACP and President, The Prince George’s County NAACP Branch and other speakers are scheduled to speak at a press conference in response to the killing of Army 2nd Lt. Richard Collins III, age 23 and a student at Bowie State University, Bowie, MD.

Today, the (MSC) NAACP, Youth & College Division (MSC) NAACP and Prince George’s County NAACP Branch release the following statement as we stand in solidarity with the Collins’ family, members of NAACP and the community seeking justice for the senseless killing of Mr. Richard Collins III. It is not the time to be political, but the time to recognize that a family is grieving the sudden loss of a son.

It is important that we reserve any public statements until the press conference is held on May 30, at 6:30PM, County Administration Building.

Our prayers go out to the family of Army 2nd Lt. Richard Collins, III for the loss of their loved one and friend stabbed on Saturday, May 20, 2017 around 3:00 a.m., while waiting on an Uber driver with friends at a nearby bus stop. Mr. Collins succumbed to his injuries while in route to the hospital.

This year alone there have been reports of racist flyers, threats, incidents, and a noose found inside a campus fraternity house.

“Enough is enough! We must not be silent and we must speak out against crimes of hate!”

What: The Maryland State Conference (MSC) of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Branches, Youth & College Division
(MSC) NAACP and The Prince George’s County NAACP Branch are hosting
a press conference on the stabbing death of Army 2nd Lt. Richard Collins, III

When: May 30, 2017

Time: 6:30PM

Where: County Administration Building
14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772

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STAY CONNECTED:

Prince George’s County NAACP Branch Maryland, 9201 Basil Court, Suite 115, Largo, MD 20774

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Despite your record-setting efforts, the Democracy Amendment Resolution (DAR) did not get a vote in the 2017 General Assembly. A national organization is fighting us tooth and nail, and a key Delegate undermined our effort. Nevertheless, we did make progress in having access to and influence with leadership of the respective chambers, and we helped pass three bills on money in politics.

Special News Flash! Wolf PAC founder Cenk Uygur will be in Washington, DC, this weekend in connection with the climate march. Cenk generated the idea of using the Article V Convention to get a Democracy Amendment for free and fair elections. His Young Turks network is the largest online news show in the world.

Saturday Event – 11am WHAT: Climate March in D.C. WHEN: Saturday 4/29 at 11am ET WHERE: Intersection of Jefferson Dr SW & 3rd St SW, Washington, D.C.

Sunday Event – 12pm WHAT: Resistance Rally WHEN: Sun. 4/30, noon ET WHERE: Busboys & Poets, 1025 5th St NW, Washington, D.C.

Good Bills That Passed

SB 130 by Sen. Bryan Simonaire – Prohibits a foreign principal from making a contribution or spending money to influence the outcome of a ballot issue.
HB 898 by Del. Eric Ebersole – Defines “coordinated expenditure” to aid in enforcing the prohibition on coordination between campaigns and political parties, on the one hand, and dark money sources and so-called “independent spenders,” on the other hand.
HB 1498 by Del. Alonzo Washington – Requires so-called “independent spenders” to identify a human being who lives in Maryland as resident agent and requires that individuals who violate the law on reporting campaign spending must pay the fines levied against them or be barred from future participation in influencing elections.

Your Record-Setting Efforts for the Democracy Amendment Resolution in 2016-7

Our Education/Outreach Committee worked to create huge leaps in the number of GMOM speaking engagements and in the effectiveness of our social media presence

Our Legislative Committee secured support from Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Rep. Elijah Cummings, Pastor Delman Coates, MD Conference NAACP, and the Chesapeake Climate Action network.

	2.958 petition signers for 2017 – 77% more than in the prior year.
	3,200 new GMOM supporters (petition signers, callers, and others), equal to the total number recruited in the previous 3-1/2 years of our existence.
	22 co-sponsors for Senator Paul Pinsky’s version of the DAR, SJ 4. 61 co-sponsors for Delegate Tawanna Gaines’ version, HJ 6.
	Senate Pres. Miller told 3 GMOM Board members that he supports the DAR. House Speaker Busch invited us to meet with him after the completion of the 2017 session.

So What the Heck Happened? Why Didn’t We Get a Vote on the DAR?

The Senate passed the DAR in 2015, and the Senate President does not want to devote further floor time to the DAR until the House initiates action. The House version – HJ 6 – did not get a vote because the leadership determined that discussion on the floor regarding the Article V convention process created an unfavorable atmosphere.

That discussion on the House floor arose over another resolution – HJ 2/SJ 2, which repealed Maryland’s prior applications for an Article V convention. The prior calls were passed between 1939 and 1975.[i] We supported that Resolution because we agree that actions taken between 42 and 78 years ago should not bind Maryland now and that “[t]he need to advance these various policy reforms should be debated anew.”

Unfortunately, Rules Committee Chair Anne Healey urged passage of this Repeal Resolution on the faulty grounds that a convention of the states would be dangerous and could lead to amendments that would damage individual citizens’ protections under the Bill of Rights.

Her speech closely tracked the misleading talking points provided by Common Cause, which has obstructed efforts in many states to achieve the 28^th Amendment using the Article V Convention process. Common Cause routinely fails to mention that any amendment proposed by a Convention would have to be ratified by three-fourths of the states – a formidable barrier to the enactment of an unwise amendment. Common Cause also implies that a “Constitutional Convention” could “enact” amendments. In fact, Article V permits “a Convention for proposing Amendments” (emphasis added), not a “Constitutional Convention.”

In taking that course, Del. Healey rejected a key element of the U. S. constitution – an element which was provided to protect citizens from an unresponsive or corrupt Congress. Del. Healey chooses to avoid directly confronting the forces supporting big money in politics on the basis that we should be afraid of them. You can listen to Del. Healey and her exchange with other delegates here. And you can hear GMOM volunteer Susan Ogden refute her points here.

Common Cause’s only strategy for winning an Amendment is to persuade Congress to propose it. We believe – and our supporters in the Congress confirm – that no progress will be made toward the 28^th Amendment using a Congress-only path for the foreseeable future. In addition, the appointment of Justice Gorsuch means that the Supreme Court will not be overruling itself any time soon on campaign finance matters.

Get Money Out believes strongly in pursuing both paths laid out in Article V of the Constitution to build support for the 28^th Amendment. To do otherwise is to ask citizens to fight voter suppression and big money in politics with one hand tied behind our backs. Click here for our full explanation of why we reject the “runaway convention” theory and other fear-based opposition to the full use of Article V.