April NAWC Meeting Notes

Attendance: Steve W., Joel K., Andy A., Ron M., Carl S., Margie N., Scott B., Josie J., Adam R., Bob K., Kathy A., Ellie C.

1. Free Democracy Summit: Carl reported on the Free Democracy Summit, which will be a week long series of events taking place on the last week of April, culminating in a picnic/rally on May 1st at 4:30pm at the Central Hillside Community Center in Duluth. NAWC will have a speaker at this event (Carl) and a table. Email Carl at northlandiguana@gmail.com for more info about the Summit.

2. DFL Convention: Joel reported that the Minnesota Democrats are meeting in Duluth on April 24. To take advantage of this situation there is going to be a healthcare for all rally on April 23 starting at 5:30pm at the MN Power Plaza, and on April 24 there is going to be a noon time press conference calling for a repeal of the Patriot Act. Email Joel at jrkilgour@yahoo.com for more info on these events.

3. March 19 Report: Adam reported that to mark the 7th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq NAWC held three pickets in different neighborhoods of Duluth. The morning picket in West Duluth drew 10 people, the noon time picket by the Coppertop Church drew 10 folks, and the evening picket downtown drew 40. Two TV stations covered our events. We also ran an ad in the Hillsider newspaper before hand.

4. Wednesday Vigils: Joel reported that NAWC has been holding weekly noon time vigils in front of Congressman Oberstar's and Sentator Franken's offices, and delivering letters from local groups and petitions calling on them to vote against the war supplementals. Attendance has been between 6-15 people. The Duluth Central Labor Body has endorsed this project.

5. Tax Day Protest: Joel reported that on Thursday, April 15 NAWC will be holding a protest against war spending starting at 4:30pm at the MN Power Plaza. At the plaza we'll have three speakers - Brandon Clokey, Patrick Doyle and Colleen Rowley. After the speakers we'll be carrying a 50 foot banner down Superior St. to the Bayfront Park, where the Tea Party will be holding a rally. From there we'll march through Canal Park, and then back to the MN Power Plaza. We plan on having drummers, chants, music and leaflets, petitions and collection cans to distribute. The Duluth Central Labor Body has endorsed the protest. That same evening, Colleen Rowley will be giving a presentation titled "Patriotism, Democracy & Common Sense" at 7:30pm at UMD in Room 120 of the Solon Campus Center.

6. Nuclear Disarmament: Kathy reported on the recent news regarding reducing the nation's nuclear weapons stockpiles. She proposed making nuclear weapon abolition a major, ongoing project of NAWC. A committee will be formed to work on this. Contact Kathy at (218) 724-1891 if you are interested.

7. UMD Report: Steve reported that Students for Peace is going to be holding its second annual Young Activist Summit on April 24 in the Garden Room on campus. It will run from 10am to 4pm. The keynote speakers will be from the RNC 8 and will be speaking from 10:30-11:30am. Activist workshops will be held at 10am and at 1:30pm. Students for Peace will also be holding a day long "Expressions of Peace" art exhibit on May 1 from 10am to 4pm at the Lincoln Park facilities of the Duluth Art Institute. Contact Steve for more info about either event at wickx079@d.umn.edu.

8. Strategy/Future Campaigns for NAWC: It was decided to postpone this discussion until a later date.

Announcements:

-The National Assembly is putting together a United National Antiwar Conference in Albany, NY on July 23-24. The website for it is www.nationalpeaceconference.org. NAWC will be sending a delegation. Mark you calendars, and email Adam at wainosunrise@yahoo.com if you are interested in attending.

-The Vagina Monologues will be hosted at UMD in Bohannon 90 on April 16th & 17th at 7pm. $5 for students, $8 for non-students.

-The Duluth City Council will be voting on Monday at 7pm on whether to support a project to get the state of Minnesota to put together a single payer health care system.

-The National Peace Project will be coming to Duluth to recruit local folks to help with their efforts during the last week of April. Email Joel for more info at jrkilgour@yahoo.com

-Jesus Sepulveda, the author of a "transforming" book/essay, The Garden
of Peculiarities, will be at the College of St. Scholastica on April
11-12. Jesus Sepulveda is a Chilean poet, philosopher, and anarchist,
currently a professor at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Email Margie at mnelson4@css.edu for more info.

*meeting notes taken by Adam R.