The following minutes of the Jan. 2,
2007 meeting are from notes taken by Muhammad, Gloria, and Judy with comments
from Terri.
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Those attending the Jan. 2, 2007, Alliance for Peace and
Justice meeting were Diana Jordan Allende, Lu Stand,
Gloria Bowman, Muhammad and Jehanera Ali, Terri
Albrecht-Schmitt and Judy Collins Cumbee.
We determined not to have a Jan. 11 anti-torture/close Guantanamo rally in
conjunction with international actions; Judy will try to write letter to
editor;
The primary topic was planning
for what will be the 4th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Interfaith Vigil for
Peace at Toomers Corner, Sunday, Jan. 14, at 5:00
p.m. (rain or shine).
Terri will try to write letter to
editor about MLK event/s.
Muhammad will contact Anwar about possibly providing canopy, particularly in case
of rain.
Diana called Connie Salts who will
ask the Pot Luck Drum Choir about drumming for the first part of the vigil,
5:00-5:20 or so..
Judy agreed to call Jessie
Williams, asking whether members of her Sweet Chariot Singers can sing a song
and lead the group in a couple of peace/freedom songs (Jessie agreed!).
Lu will contact Ernestine Robinson
about singing.
Gloria will provide paper cups for
candles.
Terri will again provide the MLK
quotes used last year for individuals to read.
Muhammad agreed to print them on
card stock and cut into individual cards.
We are inviting representatives of
various faith groups to share a short--30 second to 1 minute peace reading from
their tradition.
Diana
will contact Mike Friedman with Temple Beth Shalom, Muhammad will talk with
others in the Islamic Community, Lu will contact
Janice Ross (one of the founders of the first 2003 vigil) with the Buddhists,
Gloria will contact Tom Brawner with the Quakers,
Judy will contact Sandy Pouncey, Native American;
Christian was not determined nor was Unitarian specified.
Additionally
we determined to have "Youth Voices for
Peace" with three young people presenting their personal perspective
(about 2 minutes). WE WANT TO STRONGLY PROMOTE YOUTH PARTICIPATION.
Judy
will talk with Barbara Pitts about selecting an African American youth to
present,
Diana
and Lu will somehow determine a UU youth,
Muhammad
will talk with the Ahmeds about Azeem
or Aleem presenting.
We
want to have presentations interspersed with songs and times of silence,
declaring a particular period of silence for those killed in Iraq war,
possibly all killed from state-sanctioned violence. Terri, Muhammad and Judy
will work that out as they weave together the program. Judy will look for the
responsive reading used for last year's vigil, she will ask whether John Zellars can again supply a microphone and will contact
Chief Frazier in Tuskegee
who may want to video the vigil.
APJ
brochures will be distributed if available and a handout listing upcoming
events of APJ will be inserted or distributed [WHO WILL PRINT UP and make
copies of this calendar of events on one page, possibly front and back (size
1/3 of an 8.5x11 paper) to be inserted in the tri-fold brochure, if the
brochure is available? If not it doesn't matter what size the calendar is].
Muhammad will send Gloria copy of the brochure.
ANNOUNCEMENT below: Judy sent to
Ethel Wed. (phone numbers are Ralph's and Terri's)
The 4th Annual Martin Luther King,
Jr., Interfaith Vigil for Peace will be held Sunday, Jan. 14, at Toomer's Corner, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Brief readings on
peace from Dr. King and other religious perspectives will be interspersed with
songs and prayerful silence. "Voices for Peace" will be those of
three youth presenting their own views. The Pot Luck Drum Choir has been
invited, providing West African rhythms to begin our vigil. Community-wide
participation is encouraged. Please bring a candle. For information call
823-3005 or 821-5187.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************Judy
said that she was exploring the possibility of Eric LeCompte,
D.C. coordinator of SOA Watch to speak for us before or after the vigil on the
14th. He is a very active peacemaker, having lived in Latin
America and having worked for both Witness for Peace and, she believe, Fellowship of Reconciliation. He will be speaking
in Bhm the 13th for SCLC & the Bhm Peace Project. She could bring him to Auburn from Bhm.
People confirmed the Alliance
sponsoring him if that can be arranged.
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MLK Community Service, Jan. 15, noon.
We strongly encourage people to attend at AME Zion Church, Hwy 14 (576 Martin Luther King Dr.), about 2
blocks west of Donahue (on right as drive west)
NEXT MEETING-- Tues, Feb. 6: 6:30
Brief business meeting, moving to sanctuary for 7:00 p.m. public
showing of Ground Truth, with Iraq vets denouncing the war
(unfinished essential business after the movie). Church
availability to be checked by Diana.
Sabeel Conference in Bhm Feb. 9-10 re Israel/Palestine (Judy already
forwarded email to list serve). Sis Levin and Rachel Corrie's
parents will be among the presenters. Diana suggested the possibility of our
having a reading of I Am Rachel Corrie. Could ask permission in Bhm.
MARCH 6 BRIEF MEETING-- 6:30, Discussion on Jimmy
Carter's book, Palestine,
Peace Not Apartheid, at 7pm, after APJ meeting. Judy will contact former
Presidential Symposium coordinators inquiring whether there is any way AU would
bring Carter to campus. She will also try to contact Millard Fuller. Others
will explore other AU avenues for getting Carter to Auburn.
APRIL 4---40TH ANNIVERSARY DR. KING'S RIVERSIDE ADDRESS--Muhammad
will try to get video/audio tape of Martin Luther King's speech at Riverside Church delivered on April, 4th 1967 for
a public showing. Diana suggested that there should be an introduction given
before the tape is played, and a discussion afterwards.
AMERICA, THE MOVIE---Diana
suggested our showing this, sometime prior to tax day, Apr. 15.
[I, Judy, am adding we really need
a publicity chair and someone willing to use their telephone # on the brochure
and in announcements as a contact. Ralph & Terri agreed to be listed for
Jan. 14 announcement above. Add this to Feb. agenda, plz].
************************BULLETIN---LATEST NEWS********ERIC
LECOMPTE TO SPEAK FOR US JAN. 14***********************
Judy is working on time and place.