September Meeting Notes

NAWC Meeting Minutes, September 12, 2010
Present: Adam R., Steve W., Vern, Ellie, Emily H., Joel K., Carl S., Andy A., Robert J.

October 6, 7, 11
This week is part of a national week of local actions called by the United National Antiwar Conference. Student groups at CSS and UMD are possibly planning to hold anti-war actions on October 6, and CSS students are planning to do an action in support of the National Day to Defend Public Education on the 7th. NAWC will endorse and help build whatever October 6 actions the students come up with. Veterans for Peace is showing a video against militarizing space on the evening of October 7 at the Labor Temple.

The theme of the anti-war protest on October 11 is money for jobs and civil services, not for war. There will be a Books Not Bombs picket starting at 5 pm in front of the Historic Old Central High School on Second Street. At 6:00, the group will march with chants to City Hall. A "War Pigs" skit will start at 6:30 and will feature the auctioning of city hall to pay for the war. The rally will wrap up at 6:50 with announcements and a call for financial contributions by an MC, and people will be asked to go to the City Council meeting and express support for the council taking a stand against military spending.

Joel agreed to recruit people in advance to speak before the council and meet with councilors before hand, with the goal of eventually having a resolution or referendum put before council. He will also bring the big war spending banner and possibly print a professional-looking banner for the podium at CSS. Adam agreed to re-work the graphics on the flier and recruit people as actors and prop-makers for the skit.

Upcoming projects
Remember Fallujah week will be in November. We agreed to discuss plans for it at the next NAWC meeting. Bob K. is putting together presentations on the cost of war to be given to non-conventional audiences, which will start after October 11.

MoveOn
Vern is involved in creating a local chapter of the group MoveOn to better utilize their resources here.

Steering Committee
Joel has yet to send out a proposal for the steering committee, which he will do next week. He is looking for volunteers to serve on a nominating committee.

Immigrant Rights Resolution
Duluth's Immigrant Rights Coalition has formulated a resolution opposing Arizona's SB 1070 immigration law and a copycat bill in Minnesota. NAWC endorsed the resolution.

Announcements
Camp Class Struggle, Socialist Action's annual political camp out and social party, will take place September 18 and 19 on the Kurki Farm in Highbridge, WI. The carpool will leave at 2 PM Saturday from Superior and get back at various times on Sunday.

The CSS Peace and Justice Lecture Series theme this year is Terrorism and Human Rights. NAWC is co-hosting the final event with Colleen Rowley on March 22, and we have been invited to table at all of the events. She will be here two days and also available to speak on the campuses. For a full schedule of the series, see http://www.css.edu/About/Spotlight/Lectures/Alworth-Center-for-Peace-and-Justice-Lectures.html.

There will be a 1-hour meeting with Rep. Oberstar some time in October. Contact Joel for more info.