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| VFP Archives: Past Meetings | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Agendas: February 26, 2004: Meeting Agenda March 25, 2004 : Meeting Agenda Minutes: Minutes from April 22, 2004 Meeting in Portland
VFP CHAPTER 001 MEETING AGENDA Results of the Recent Election of Officers Treasurer’s Report Regional Meeting Report Requests for Action: Ø Arlington Northeast Presentation Ø Legal Brief from Ramsey Clark to Impeach President Bush Ø March 20th Gathering in Augusta Ø VFP National Convention Ø Peace Action Maine February 28th Ø Auburn Spring Community fair (April 17th) Ø Global Network Conference in Portland (April 23-25) Ø Endorsement of Electronic Voting Machine Bill Ø Requests for VFP Newsletters Ø Requests for Money: Peace Action Maine ad; War Resisters League Charts; Hope Festival; BIW Action; Supporting Families in Distress; Global Network (membership and subsidize costs of one meal) Ø Request from National: Comment to Media List Other Business Next Meeting: March 25th? Augusta?
Some Information About the Items Above:
Ø Arlington: Richard and Rita Clement have put together the crosses at their own expense. Our question is this: where, when and how do we present this display? Some ideas that have come across the web about what we should do: 1). we should consider doing something to represent the number of wounded Americans as well. If a few pictures of them could be obtained (there are some on our web page http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/~rawlings on the Iraq/Afghan War page), we could enlarge them and include number of wounded so far; 2). Keep it simple like the Vietnam Wall or the graves of soldiers in France – no messages were needed at those sites; 3). Should these crosses also be displayed alongside an acknowledgment of Iraqi and Afghani deaths and injured as well?; 4). Should we include Jewish (Stars of David) and Islamic symbols (Crescents) for a certain percentage of the war dead?; 5). If we provide too much information, people’s eyes will glaze over and they’ll walk by the crosses and not see them for what they are. I think we need to be somewhat narrowly focused and try to get one main iodea across, and that being, there have been too many deaths of young Americans and we need to call an end to the Iraqi war. I like the idea of the first display being a “stand alone VFP” statement; 6). I can envision a silent message made clear with a vast number of symbols of death, a large sign asks the question: “How many does it take?” and another sign says: “Veterans for Peace.” A focus on one issue at a time is best. Save the issues of thousands wounded and civilian casualties, and presidential lies for another time.; 7). We could find a series of well placed fields throughout the state to install them in, display them prominently at road side and on well-traveled arteries; 8). We should include one symbol to remind us of the Iraqis; no political signs: it needs to be done respectfully and in a solemn manner; how about at various city parks? Across from Bush’s summer home?
Ø Legal Brief: Stan has information on this
Ø March 20th Gathering in Augusta: VFP has endorsed the march. Jack has suggested that we have a bull horn available and that we use some of the cadences used by Dave Cline in Washington, DC last year. We are leading the march, I believe.
Ø National Convention: See handout. Costs: Rooms for $55 per person per night; $115 registration fee; other costs for banquets to be determined. If you went to everything and stayed for all three nights, it would probably cost you around $400 to $500.
Ø Peace Action Maine: we gave them $75 to place this half page ad in their Peace Supper program book: “’The army that can defeat terrorism doesn’t wear uniforms, or drive Humvees, or call in airstrikes. It doesn’t have a high command, or high security, or a high budget. The army that can defeat terrorism does battle quietly, clearing minefields, and vaccinating children. It undermines military dictatorships and military lobbyists. It subverts sweatshops and special interests. Where people feel powerless, it helps them organize for change, and where people are powerful, it reminds them of their responsibility’(author unknown). Members of Veterans for Peace have fought for this army over the past twenty years. We welcome the opportunity to join with others in Peace Action Maine to continue waging peace for the next twenty years. Thank you Peace Action Maine for all that you do. We join you in a spirit of hope in these dark times. We will prevail.”
Ø Auburn Spring Community Fair: April 17th 10am to 5pm. $15 particpation fee. Can set up a table, pass out information, show videos. Application form available.
Ø Global Network: Request for VFP to become a member. Annual dues are on a sliding scale of $10 to $100. Also, I’ve volunteered to have VFP help with the meals during the April annual meeting. April 23-25 at the Woodsford Corner Church in Portland.
Ø Voting Machine Bill: to be submitted by Hannah Pingree. Should VFP join a coalition to support this bill? The bill requires “ that any electronic voting machines purchased for use in Maine be voter-verifiable (ie, create a paper trail).”
Ø VFP Newsletters: National would like to send extra copies of the newsletter to chapters for further distribution. How many extra copies do we want? Should we donate money to the National to help defray costs?
Ø Requests for Money (Total about $400.00):
o $75.00 for ad (request approved) o $36.00 for 500 Pie Charts o $70.00 (to be shared with Bangor Chapter): held April 17th from 10am to 4pm at the Brewer Auditorium. Tom Sturtevant has been there before and brought the literature needed. Costs include a $25 registration fee and $45 for an ad in a program book o $60-75 for bulk mailing for the BIW action o $50 or so to help a woman get to see her son down in Kentucky. Request was made from Bangor Chapter. We said “no” because we don’t want to set a precedent. o $100 (recommended) for Global Network to cover costs and to help subsidize a meal
Ø Woody Powell from the National Office would like to know who knows what (see handout) and is willing to speak to the media intelligently.
MARCH 25TH AGENDA ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAINE VETERANS FOR PEACE CHAPTER MEETING THURSDAY, May 27, 2004 – 7:00 PM
Augusta City Center Plaza Lower Cony Street
AGENDA ------------------------------------------------------------------- MAINE
VETERANS FOR PEACE CHAPTER MEETING
THURSDAY, June 24, 2004 – 7:00 PM
AGENDA Business Meeting Treasurer’s Report Introduction of new secretary Maine Veterans For Peace is pleased to announce an honorary membership to Maria Holt of Bath, Maine. Ms. Holt is only the second person so honored since the inception of Maine Veterans For Peace in 1985. Maria is a long time peace, social justice, environmental activist and former State Representative from Bath and has worked tirelessly for decades in the Maine peace movement; nowhere more actively than toward the economic conversion of Bath Iron Works from warships to other non-lethal and peaceful production. During the 1980's she participated in the Economic Conversion Project. This project opened a dialog between the workers, unions, management and the Maine peace community which continues to this day. Ms. Holt has always kept in mind the importance of insuring that BIW workers have meaningful, adequately paid, peaceful and productive jobs Ms. Holt was active in the successful action to close Maine Yankee. She assists to this day in the monitoring of the radioactive emissions that continue to be released from the nuclear plant.
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