Upcoming Progressive Events 2006/01/11
Here's a reminder of some selected events of special interest,
including our monthly PAA meeting on Thursday.
More details (when, where, why, maps, flyers, etc.) on all these
events and more are on the PAA calendar, which you can get to from
http://progressiveactionalliance.org/ -- just click on the PAA
calendar link at the top right side of the page, or on any of the
events listed in the right column for details on that particular
event.
You can also find links to online versions of calendars from Houston
Indymedia, the HPJC, and other organizations on the top right side of
our home page at http://progressiveactionalliance.org/ .
To add your own event to our calendar, click on the "Submit an Event"
link at the top of the right column of our home page.
Meetings & events highlighted below:
Jan. 12: Progressive Action Alliance Monthly Meeting
Jan. 14: Turn Texas Blue Precinct Development Workshop, Block walk
Jan. 16: MLK parade--Help PAA distribute Impeach flyers there
Jan. 16: Harris County Green Party Monthly Meeting
Jan. 16: Lecture & Movie: Remember Ken Saro-Wiwa, Slain Ogoni Leader
Jan. 25: Ann Wright speaks on Dissent in A Democracy
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Thurs. Jan. 12: Progressive Action Alliance Monthly Meeting
Time: 7:30 - 9:30 pm
Come to the monthly meeting of the Progressive Action Alliance
starting at 7:30 p.m. (30 minutes later than usual) this Thursday.
Come early (before 7:30 this month) to visit with other activists
before the meeting.
You are welcome to bring some non-messy refreshments if you wish.
Agenda items this month include:
* building pressure to impeach Bush & Cheney - flyers at MLK parade,
freeway blogging, etc.
* protest at State of the Union speech
* continuing to work for withdrawal from Iraq
* helping progressive Democrats get elected to leadership positions
in the state and local party
* organizing and resolutions for Democratic conventions this spring
* helping Greens get ballot access
We meet the 2nd Thursday of each month to discuss recent and upcoming
activities. Join us!
Location
Leisure Learning Unlimited
2990 Richmond Ave., just west of Kirby
6th Floor, Room 6
Houston, TX, 77098
more info, link to map: http://www.paa-tx.org/node/1185
- - - - - - - -
Sat. Jan. 14: Turn Texas Blue Precinct Development Workshop, Block walk
Harris County Democratic Party, Democracy for Houston, the
Progressive Populist Caucus, and the Bay Area New Democrats invite
you to a workshop for precinct organization.
Please RSVP! Registration starts at 8:00 am.
Time: 8 AM - 5 PM (if you stay all day; afternoon is optional)
Schedule:
8:00 AM -- Registration and Social
Bay Area New Democrats will provide coffee and donuts.
9:00 AM -- Workshop. Expert trainers & their topics include:
*Stan Merriman
Organizer, Precinct 148; Co-founder, Chair Emeritus, Progressive
Populist Caucus of the TDP
Winning One Precinct at a Time: Organizing and Mobilizing your Precinct"
*Phillip McNutt
Executive Steering Committee Member, Democracy for Houston
"TURN TEXAS BLUE-Activate Your Precinct"
*Murvin Auzenne
Executive Steering Committee Member, Democracy for Houston;
Communications Committee, HCDP
"Talking Politics-Influence the Undecided, Stand up to Bullies"
*Jane Vidales
Chair, Harris County Democratic Party's Clubs Committee
"Block Walking Tips from the Trenches"
12:00 N -- Buffet lunch after training
1:30 PM -- Block Walking
Join Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) to put the training to practical
use and block walk a precinct in the Clear Lake area.
5:00 PM -- Dinner and drinks
Everyone is invited back to Franca's to hear the results of our day,
compare notes on our block walking efforts, and celebrate with us.
Event Contact: John Cobarruvias, BAND, 281-486-5203
Location
Franca's Real Italian Restaurant
1101 East Nasa Road 1
Houston, 77058-3301
more info, link to map: http://www.paa-tx.org/node/1167
- - - - - - - -
Mon. Jan. 16: MLK parade--Help PAA distribute Impeach flyers there
Time:
9 am - 10 am: Distribute Impeach Bush/Cheney flyers
10 am - 11 am: Parade
The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. parade is in downtown Houston, and
we plan to be there to remind people that the struggle for peace and
justice continues and that we need changes now as much as we did in
the 1960's.
We now know that Bush & Cheney have wiretapped US citizens just as
Nixon wiretapped MLK, and have lied to us about a terrible war,
similar in many ways to the one that King protested in the 60's. If
King were alive today, I can imagine what he'd be saying about the
Bush regime, about corruption and torture, about the govt. response
to Katrina, and about the Iraq invasion and occupation.
The two groups which have had separate MLK parades here for the last
10 years have come together for a single parade honoring one of the
great heroes of civil rights, peaceful non-violent civil
disobedience, and peace. It's a great place to reach a lot of people.
We plan to arrive early (while people are waiting for the parade to
start) and distribute flyers to educate attendees about the reasons
why Bush and Cheney should be impeached, and what attendees can do to
help make it happen. We'll probably distribute Impeach bumper
stickers, too. We'll be there, rain or shine, as long as the parade
goes on.
Last year, we had lots of interest in literature we passed out before
parades, and most folks were very receptive. I hope you can help
with this. It's fun, easy, and you get to watch a parade, too!
For details, including where to meet to pick up flyers & bumper
stickers to distribute, the parade route, etc., please check the PAA
web site at http://progressiveactionalliance.org/ this weekend for
more information. We should have details posted by Sunday.
Please e-mail me as soon as possible at if
you'd like to help on Monday, or if you'd like flyers to distribute
at other upcoming events.
- - - - - - - -
Mon. Jan. 16: Harris County Green Party Monthly Meeting
Time: 6:30pm- 9:00pm
Harris County GREEN PARTY General Membership Meeting
Tentative MAJOR TOPIC: Help Make Election Plans 2006
Come out and join members of Harris County Green Party for this
regular meeting -- open to all interested people.
Our meetings start shortly after 6:30 PM and end before 9:00 PM...
Many of us continue to discuss matters afterwards, so be sure to mingle.
** NEW** Location
Central Market
3815 Westheimer Rd. at Weslayan
2nd Floor, meeting room
Houston, TX, 77027
For more Information: 713-705-5594 or
http://www.harriscountygreenparty.org/calendar/calendar.htm
more info, link to map: http://www.paa-tx.org/node/1186
- - - - - - - -
Mon. Jan. 16: Lecture & Movie: Remember Ken Saro-Wiwa, Slain Ogoni Leader
Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm
US OIL COMPANIES CONTINUE TO RAVAGE THE NIGER DELTA (NIGERIA)REMEMBER
KEN SARO-WIWA, SLAIN OGONI LEADER
Please join us for a radio interview (Thursday) by a prominent local
Nigerian Ogoni activist Mr. James Nalley, leading up to a lecture and
movie Monday evening. (see below for details).
Since the late 1950's and under the protection of various repressive
Nigerian governments, the Shell and Chevron Oil Companies have
exploited the huge high quality oil reserves existing in southeastern
Nigeria in an area known as the Niger Delta. The Ogoni, as well as
other native people of the Niger Delta, receive little to nothing in
compensation for the exploitation and destruction of their homeland
and traditional way of life.
Beginning in 1990, (MOSOP) the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni
People, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, rose to international acclaim after a
massive non-violent 1993 public protest campaign against Shell Oil.
On Nov. 10, 1995, the Ogoni leader, Ken Saro-Wiwa, was illegally
executed by the US supported Nigerian military dictator General Sani
Abacha.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International both continue to
strongly condemn the Nigerian Government for gross violations of
human rights against the Ogoni as well as the extra-judicial
execution of their leader, Ken Saro-Wiwa.
Today, Nigeria has emerged from decades of strict military rule, but
oil companies like Shell and Chevron continue to devastate the Niger
Delta while poverty and growing instability plague the indigenous
Niger Delta communities.
RADIO INTERVIEW:
WHEN: THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2006 at 7 PM. KPFT 90.1 FM, Radio Program:
Radio Program Name: "The Progressive Forum", hosted by Mr. Wally James.
WHO: Mr. James Nalley, Chairperson - Houston Chapter, MOSOP
(Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People)
Statement by the leader of MOSOP (Mr. Ledum Mite).
WHAT: Discussion regarding the exploitation and oppression of the
people of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and the struggle of the
Ogoni people.
LECTURE AND MOVIE:
WHEN: MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2006 at 7:30 PM
WHERE: THE BLACK LABRADOR PUB (Banquet Room), 4100 Montrose (north of
Richmond), 713-529-1199
Lecture: by Mr. JAMES NALLEY (Chairperson - Houston Chapter - MOSOP,
Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, http://www.mosop.org/
).
Movie: "The Drilling Fields": Glen Ellis Documentary about the
exploitation of the Ogoni and their homeland by Shell Oil and the
repressive and violent Nigerian government (52 minutes) (See
description at http://www.paa-tx.org/node/1184).
$5.00 donation is suggested but no one will be refused entry.
Event Sponsor: MOSOP, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People
Event Contact: Dino Marcaccio, 281-788-5879,
more info, link to map: http://www.paa-tx.org/node/1184
- - - - - - - -
Wed. Jan. 25: Ann Wright speaks on Dissent in A Democracy
Time: 7 p.m.
at the Montgomery College Theater, Building D
Montgomery College is located at 3200 College Park Drive off hwy. 242 in The
Woodlands.
A suggested donation of $10 is requested for this event.
This promises to be a great event. Ann Wright was a 30-year foreign
service diplomat and Army Colonel who resigned her post in protest
the month before the Iraq invasion.
Besides having very strong diplomatic and military credentials, Ann
has been very active in the Peace movement. She came to Camp Casey in
August "for a few days" and ended up staying all month camping in the
ditch(es).
She's a wonderful person, and a very eloquent speaker.
This event is being sponsored by Northwoods Unitarian Universalist
Church. Please call 281-298-2780 for additional information.
We'll try to get this posted on our PAA calendar soon, with a map
link and other info.
- - - - - - - -
Remember, you can get details on any of these events from the PAA
online calendar or others, which you can find at
http://progressiveactionalliance.org/
To get the Houston Peace and Justice Center's calendar of events
e-mailed every two weeks, please e-mail Herb Rothschild
<> and ask him to add you to the HPJC
calendar e-mail list. I encourage you to sign up. They don't have
all the events listed in my e-mail (not ones scheduled in the last
few days, or regular meetings), but they have numerous others.
Peace,
Bill