MEETING NOTES FOR PEOPLE FOR PEACE, JUSTICE, AND HEALING
People for Peace, Justice and Healing met on Saturday, November 8, 2008, at Associated Ministries at 10 a.m. Present for check-in were Colleen, Nancy, Louisa, Rob, Mark, Karen, and Sol. Discussion of general election results and the numbers. Question for the Agenda: Can we really?
AGENDA:
1. DINNER (Nancy)
Considerable discussion about our commitment to
the Puget Sound Interfaith Camp Reunion Dinner and pre-Thanksgiving service at First United
Methodist Church on Tues., Nov. 25. The dinner is to honor and celebrate
our Interfaith Campers prior to the traditional Ecumenical Service at
(I believe) 7:00 p.m. Dinner at 5:30 p.m. After a cell phone call to Sallie
in transit to Washington from Colorado, we determined that we've made a
commitment to help out Kevin in the kitchen, making cookies for one
thing, at First Methodist on the afternoon of the 25th. More information and
instructions to follow from Sallie when she's back in Tacoma at the
beginning of the week.
2. RANKED-CHOICE VOTING (Colleen)
Observations of possible (intentional?) snafus
and complications of initiating this voting process. Pierce County is
the first county in the nation to give ranked choice voting a try.
Colleen predicts that the major parties will continue to try to stop
this effort to make third-party participation more meaningful and
significant. A UPS professor, Richard Anderson-Connolly, will be holding a
meeting to discuss what happened, what that means and what steps can
and should be taken to support this effort. If not vigorously defended,
supporters fear the process will be defeated.
3. DEATH WITH DIGNITY INITIATIVE PASSES (Colleen)
Colleen, a strong supporter of this campaign,
principally sponsored by Booth Gardner, expressed her delight that the
initiative received such resounding support from the voters despite
well financed opposition.
4. THIRD BOAT TO GAZA (Nancy)
Nancy told a delightful story about a successful
maneuvering by the crew of the third boat to enter Gaza. Questioned by
an opposition patrol, they told them that they knew they were in open,
international waters, that their mission was a humanitarian one, that
they meant no harm and to contact their website for more information or
if they wished to contribute to the effort. After their third "command"
was answered in this way, the Israelites gave up and let the boat enter
the harbor with medical supplies. Discussion of the blackout by
national media of what is going on in Palestine and of the 14 persons
who have died there while fishing in the last couple of years.
5. THE ELECTION: WHERE ARE WE NOW AND WHERE ARE WE GOING? (All)
Discussion of our group choosing various areas of interest we'd like to
concentrate on and then share our information and work within the
group. Louisa suggested that we might create a "think tank." Various
areas of interest that were suggested: Palestine, war in
Iraq/Afghanistan, civil rights, the environment, the economy. Louisa
showed three books to the group she found helpful in organizing her
thoughts about how to be a more effective "activist." The books are
Move On.Org's FIFTY WAYS TO LOVE YOUR COUNTRY, subtitled "How to Find
Your Political Voice and Become A Catalyst For Change; THE ONE HOUR
ACTIVIST by Christopher Rush and THE ACTIVIST'S HANDBOOK: A PRIMER by
Randy Shaw.
Various ideas on how to work out the "think tank" included meeting with lap tops and using our email list serve to work out direct action ideas. Several members expressed strong desires to "keep the fight going." Colleen expressed an interest in "learning more," Sol in "connecting communities."
A discussion of the "symbolic" importance of this election and the significance of the triumph of Obama forces was informed by a group sense that we must press forward and make sure the Obama administration doesn't forget we're here.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen