LOCAL MAN SHARES STORIES OF CIVIL RIGHTS ERA, 11/2

On Tuesday, November 2, Honesdale resident Dick Forman will share his experiences of working in the South during the Civil Rights era. His talk, sponsored by Waynepeace, will be held at the Wayne County Public Library in Honesdale, beginning at 5 PM.

Born and raised near Seattle, Dick moved to Swarthmore, Pennsylvania with his family in 1960. After graduating from Cornell University in 1966, he joined the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA Program). After training by the Urban League, Dick was assigned to a public housing project in Atlanta’s West End, where he established numerous community action projects for pre-school, youth, adults and seniors. 1n 1967, Dick was accepted by the United States Teacher Corps and assigned to teach African-American students in segregated public schools in Galveston and Aldine, Texas. He also worked with the Community Action Council of Galveston as a community organizer. After two years of service and completion of a Master of Secondary Education Degree at the University of Houston, he was recruited by the University to teach in an innovative resident on-campus program with 18- to 23-year-old Mexican-American migrant worker youth from the Rio Grande Valley.

In the 1970’s, Dick worked with a large construction trade union safety, education and training program as Education Director. He served for 25 years as Executive Director of the Associated General Contractors of New Jersey, retiring in 2006. Dick now lives in Honesdale with wife Sandi and a shelter dog, Savannah.

Come hear a unique and little-heard perspective on some of the momentous events of the 1960′s, and on the not-so-momentous but still impactful day-to-day work involved in the struggle for social justice. Refreshments will be served.

(The use of Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not constitute an endorsement by WCPL of Waynepeace’s policies or positions.)

 

 

Peace and Justice Center’s Sobol Lecture, 10/25

In partnership with the Economics Department of King’s College
The Peace and Justice Center announces:

The 2010 Barbara Sabol Lecture

“So much to be thankful for …”

by Rob Robinson of Picture The Homeless

Monday, October 25, 2010 at 7:00 PM
Burke Auditorium at King’s College

Please join us on Monday, October 25, 2010, 7:00 PM, Burke Auditorium, King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, PA.  Mr. Rob Robinson is a member of the Campaign to Restore National Housing Rights which is supported by the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative (NESRI).

He is also a member of the Land and Housing Action group of the Take Back the Land Movement which is coordinated by the US Human Rights Network.  Rob honed his skills as an activist working as a board member and housing campaign leader with Picture the Homeless, a grassroots organization in New York City.

The Take Back the Land Movement asserts that housing is a human right and, as such, the policies which violate that right are morally wrong and, therefore, must be directly challenged.  As such, organizations across the US are engaging in “live-in” campaigns designed to house human beings and directly challenge those policies and laws that promote vacant housing during this housing crisis.  Too many of our citizens are forced into overcrowded conditions.  Homelessness has soared to never before seen numbers while the very banks that foreclosed on our property are being bailed out by the tax dollars of the people they forced into homelessness.

The NEPA Organizing Center will be on hand to provide follow up information and related initiatives.

For more information, see the Peace Center’s website.

 

“MUSICAL POTLUCK FOR PEACE,” 10/17, 6 PM

Waynepeace will mark the eighth anniversary of its founding, and the ninth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Afghanistan, with a “Musical Potluck for Peace.” The event will take place beginning at 6 PM on Sunday, October 17, at the Grace Episcopal Church Parish Hall on Church Street in Honesdale.

“We’re inviting people to bring food to share, like a regular potluck,” says Waynepeace co-founder Skip Mendler, “but we also want them to bring their favorite songs of peace, along with their voices and instruments.”  Mendler anticipates “a wide mix of music – everything from hymns to punk anthems to folk classics.”

There is no admission charge for the event.  Monetary donations will be collected for the Central Asia Institute to help in flood recovery efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and canned and nonperishable goods will be collected to help local food pantries.

 

NOTE: change in monthly routine

At our last library event, it was decided we will try reading the names of the month’s soldiers dead after the Tuesday library event (Sept. 7th) rather than on the last Friday of August. We would also have a quick business meeting (5 to 10 minutes) just before the forum presentation. This is partly to save gas–only one trip a month instead of two–and partly to make it easier for more people to read with us. The reading will take place somewhere on the north end of Honesdale. Meet on the library porch at 7 PM following the forum. This is a trial to see if it works for us.

 

“NEW ECONOMIC VISIONS” DISCUSSION AT WCPL, TUESDAY, SEPT. 7

Waynepeace will sponsor a discussion entitled “ENOUGH: New Economic Visions for a More Peaceful World” at the Wayne County Public Library at 5 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010. The session will be moderated by Waynepeace co-founder Skip Mendler, who recently attended a workshop on economics education sponsored by United for a Fair Economy at the Highlander Center in Tennessee.

“Existing economic models, systems, and theories, both on the left and the right, have proven insufficient to deal with the rapid changes in our world,” says Mendler. “So to create a society that is just, sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous, we will need new ideas that both build on the progress we’ve made so far, and learn from the mistakes of the past.”

The program is open to the public, and refreshments will be served.

Note: Use of Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not constitute an endorsement by WCPL of Waynepeace’s policies or positions.

 

WAYNEPEACE PRESENTS “THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD,” AUGUST 3

Can you imagine representatives of Shell Oil apologizing to the residents of the Niger Delta? How about executives of Dow Chemical promising to make full reparations for the deadly chemical accident at Bhopal?

In the world of the Yes Men, such things are everyday occurrences… or rather, they should be. THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD, a documentary about the Yes Men and their ongoing campaign to expose corporate dishonesty and greed, will be shown at the Wayne County Public Library in Honesdale at 5 PM on Tuesday, August 3, in a presentation sponsored by Waynepeace.

The Yes Men are “gonzo activists” Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, who finagle their way into business conferences and the media, posing as spokespeople or executives of giant corporations, The Yes Men rose to worldwide prominence in 2002 when they created a fake website for the World Trade Organization (still online at GATT.org), which claimed that the WTO would soon disband, and then become “a new trade body … to ensure that trade benefits the poor.”

In one of the pranks included in the documentary, Bichlbaum, in the guise of a Dow Chemical spokesperson, announces on a BBC news program that Dow will finally clean up the site of the Bhopal catastrophe, at the time the largest industrial accident in history. The result: Dow’s stock promptly plummets, and the company loses two billion dollars in value.

Refreshments will be served, and a brief discussion will follow the film. More information about the film can be found at http://theyesmenfixtheworld.com. Use of Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not constitute an endorsement by WCPL of Waynepeace’s policies or activities.

 

“PLUNDER: THE CRIME OF OUR TIME,” WCPL, 6/1

On Tuesday, June 1, Waynepeace will sponsor a showing of the documentary PLUNDER: THE CRIME OF OUR TIME.  This hard-hitting documentary by veteran alternative journalist and muckraker Danny Schecter shows how the financial crisis was not just a matter of bad decisions or lax regulation but of intentional criminal activity.  The showing will be held at the Wayne County Public Library, 1406 Main Street in Honesdale, beginning at 5 PM.

Schechter speaks with bankers, respected economists including Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman, insider experts, top journalists, and even a convicted white-collar criminal, Sam Antar, who blows the whistle on intentionally dishonest practices.

“This is a story that must be told if economic justice is to have any meaning,” says Schechter. “PLUNDER demands a full investigation into who is responsible for the crisis, and appropriate punishment – a ‘jail out’ – for the wrongdoers …. This crisis is not about the unintentional mistakes of a greedy few, but a crime that affects us all.”

More information about the film can be found at www.plunderthecrimeofourtime.com.

The showing will be followed by discussion, and refreshments will be served.  There is no charge for admission.

Use of Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not constitute an endorsement by WCPL of Waynepeace’s positions or policies.

 

“IS OBAMA A ‘MARXIST’? (AND OTHER VOCABULARY QUESTIONS)” – MAY 4, WCPL

On Tuesday, May 4, at 5 PM, Waynepeace will sponsor a presentation entitled “Is Obama a ‘Marxist’? (and Other Vocabulary Questions).” This program will take place at the Wayne County Public Library (WCPL) on Main Street in Honesdale, as part of Waynepeace’s ongoing concern for the integrity of American democracy.

Conservative bloggers and media pundits are fond of labeling President Obama and his policies as “leftist,” “Socialist,” “Marxist” or even “Fascist.” This last was also frequently applied to the Bush administration by some on the left. But what exactly do these labels mean, and are they being applied accurately? What about other words in the political debate? As we move into the 2010 election campaign, and on into 2012, how can we as voters make accurate decisions without being swayed by deceptive rhetoric from all sides? Or do we actually prefer being swayed?

The public is invited to join in the discussion. Refreshments will be served. Use of library facilities by Waynepeace does not constitute an endorsement by WCPL of Waynepeace’s positions or policies.

 

WAYNEPEACE SPONSORS GAS DRILLING DISCUSSION, 4/6/10, AT WCPL

As part of its ongoing series of events addressing issues of sustainability, Waynepeace will host a discussion featuring activist Jay Sweeney on Tuesday, April 6, from 5-7 PM at the Wayne County Public Library on Main Street in Honesdale.

Jay is a founding member of the Wyoming County group Citizens for Clean Water, and was recently elected to the Executive Committee of the Northeastern Group of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Sierra Club.  Jay will report on recent happenings in Dimock and other places related to the gas drilling issue, and the discussion will focus on practical and political actions that citizens should be taking as gas drilling activity increases in our area.

“Gas drilling puts our ecology and our well-being at risk,” said Skip Mendler, a Waynepeace member. “If our neighbors are going to make this kind of gamble, as it seems they are determined to do, the rest of us need to do what we can to protect ourselves. Maybe drilling can be done safely – but for-profit companies, focused on the bottom line, certainly won’t spend the money needed unless they absolutely have to.”

Refreshments will be served.  Use of the Wayne County Public Library facilities by Waynepeace does not constitute endorsement by WCPL of any Waynepeace policies or positions.  For more information, call 570-251-3637.

 

REMEMBERING THE FALLEN, March 19th

Come join Waynepeace in reading the names of the U.S. servicemen and women who have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. All are welcome to join in the reading or to stand in honor for all or part of the ceremony, which is expected to last about two hours. The reading will start at 4:00 PM, on Friday March 19th, in Central Park, Honesdale. To date, the U.S. has allocated $1.05 trillion for both wars and has suffered nearly 5,400 lives lost. For more information, leave a message at (570) 251-3637.