Have you RSVP'd yet for our fabulous, annual Peace Luncheon, which will be in Rockville on Saturday, May 19?
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The keynote will be by David Swanson, the dynamic and amazingly prolific peace activist and author. Don't miss your chance to hear this exciting, nationally renowned speaker!
In addition, the famous MoCo Peace Players will make a brief appearance, and we will be presenting the annual Maryland Peace Awards to several inspiring local activists. Lebanese Taverna is catering, and there will be vegetarian options--so you will have great food!
There is a suggested donation of $25 for the luncheon, but pay what you can. Proceeds from the luncheon will support the work of the Afghan Women's Fund and the national office of Peace Action.
Please come and invite your friends!!
But, very important: you need to RSVP so that we can ensure that there is
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Members of the MoCo Peace Players:
War Profiteer, Capitol and Grim Reaper War
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enough food.
Send an e-mail now and say you intend to come to the peace luncheon--or just reply to this e-mail. Do it today, as space is limited!
Date: Sat., May 19
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockville, directions
here.
This Budget is Not in My Name! Is it in Yours?
Major budget battles are revving up again in Congress, and Republicans are pushing for massive cuts to social programs while working to increase spending for the military, already at a level not seen since WWII.
Under the Republican budget, 703,000 people in Maryland would be at risk for reduced access to food stamps and/or reduced benefits. Maybe we can starve to death some of those pesky poor people--half of whom are children.
Basically, the House proposes to cut food stamp funding, Medicaid, and jobless benefits to pay for excessive military spending.
We need to tell our representatives to cut Pentagon spending now because we need jobs, education, healthcare and housing. Your congressperson needs to hear from you. E-mail or call your congressperson this week and make these points in your own words:
*Cut military spending. Cut the waste, stop building useless weapons, end the wars, bring the money back to our communities.
*Save Food Stamps, Medicaid, and other vital programs. Don't make us pay for Pentagon waste and corporate war profiteering.
*Take a stand for our communities. We'll support you.
If members of Congress don't hear from you, they will think you don't care. And we know you do.
In peace and solidarity, Adrienne, Alex, Fran, Jean, Larry, Mel, Melinda, Mike, Pam, Rick, Shelley, Steve, Sue, Tim
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Today's Quote
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Our country is now geared to an arms economy bred in an artificially induced psychosis of war hysteria and an incessant propaganda of fear. Gen. Douglas MacArthur |
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Wed., May 9: Steering Committee meeting of the Fund Our Communities, Bring the War Dollars Home coalition. Anyone interested is invited to participate. Contact Jean at info@peaceactionmc.org for more information.
Tues., May 15: 6:30 p.m., Lafayette Park in front of the White House. Commemoration of Palestinian Nakba in 1948 (loss of Palestinian Homeland). More information here.
Thurs., May 17: 7 p.m., Peace Action Montgomery meeting at the home of one of our members. All welcome. For directions, contact us here.
Sat., May 19: Peace Action Montgomery, Pax Christi, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockville (UUCR) invite all to Montgomery County's annual peace luncheon. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at UUCR, 100 Welsh Park Dr., Rockville. Keynote speaker will be David Swanson. Reserve your place by e-mailing us your RSVP today!
Thurs., June 21: 9 a.m. - noon, Campaign to End Torture, Enforced Disappearance and Impunity. Panel will include Juan Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Sponsored by Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC). At Catholic University of America. More info here.
Sat., June 23: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Lafayette Park in DC. TASSC's 15th annual survivor week vigil.
Every Saturday: Join the Olney Peace Witness, corner of Rt. 108 and Georgia Ave., 10:30-11:30 a.m.
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| | TO DO THIS WEEK |
RSVP for the Montgomery County Peace Luncheon, scheduled for May 19! E-mail us here.
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Invite us to make a presentation to your group, large or small, on American Militarism: At What Cost? E-mail us for details.
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Contact Congress and say no to more military spending, yes to social spending!
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Commentary
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Check out Jean's article about our recent dust-up in Montgomery County over the idea of a grant to Lockheed Martin.
Defense Trumps Poverty in Republican House, a good article in Politico that summarizes where we are in the budget battle.
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Those Who Died
April 7 - May 5 in Afghanistan |
Cpl Jack Stanley 26 England
Cpl Ramon Kaipat 22 Tacoma WA
Spc Philip Schiller 21 The Colony TX
Cpl Abraham Tarwoe 25 Providence RI
Sgt Tanner Higgins 23 Yantis TX
Sgt David Nowaczyk 32 Dyer TN
Cpl Aaron Faust 22 Louisville KY
Cap Michael Braden 31 Lock Haven PA
Pvt Connor Ray 21 England
Sgt Chris Workman 33 Boise ID
CWO Don Viray 25 Waipahu HI
Sgt Dean Shaffer 23 Pekin IL
CWO Nicholas Johnson 27 San Diego CA
294 Afghans and Pakistanis
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