This week, we're talking short- and long-term planning. So many activities to do, and so many ways to do them together~!
My scheduling emphasis in THIS diary is for the Motor City Kossacks. But in truth, I hope very much that we can GROW THIS FORUM to include other events state-wide, to supplement the regional groups' announcements.
We had a really pleasant and productive meetup at BFSkinner's house last Sunday. Thanks again to BFS for hosting, and to everyone who brought such delicious food to share. (Sorry, navajo, no food pr0n this time.) There were seven of us in attendance, five regulars and two newbies. Welcome, newbies! We were very happy to see you. ;)
We decided that we need two logistical supports to make our local organizing more successful. First, an annual calendar of events happening in our area with which we can plan to get involved, knowing that they are coming up; second, an ongoing community bulletin board for demonstrations, marches, public activities of all kind happening in the near future. This diary will contain some entries for both.
Here are some public demonstrations taking place in a neighborhood that might be near you:
TOMORROW EVENING, Thursday September 10th: #NoWarWithIran
Join a Vigil for Peace and Diplomacy near you!
CHECK OUT THIS LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO RSVP.
Over 100 demonstrations are happening tomorrow, to send this message from Move On and many other local and national sponsors:
When members of Congress return to Washington DC after Labor Day, they will vote on whether to send us down the path of peace and diplomacy or the path of continuing hostility. We will urge Senator Gary Peters and his colleagues down the right path.
In Ann Arbor, it'll be in front of the Federal Building, starting at 6:00 PM. "This could be our last chance to send our message loud and clear to Congress: Support peace and diplomacy over war and militarism."
In Buchanan--in Berrien County, so here's looking at you, West Michigan Kos!--it's planned for the parking lot at Redbud and Front starting at 6:00 PM.
"Diplomacy Can Win" is the message they'll send.
In Detroit, it's happening at Grand Circus Park starting at 7:30 PM, right outside the Swords into Plowshares Gallery of Central Methodist Church.
Here's the agenda:
Meet in front of the Swords into Plowshares Gallery and Peace Center for brief speeches and some serious photo ops. At 8:00 pm or so we cross Woodward to the west side of Grand Circus Park where we join with the Cities of Peace Detroit and the Detroit Light Brigade to create an iconic photo for peace. Vigilers will be asked to post photos to Facebook, as well as email and tweet photos to Senator Peters and his colleagues. Bring a camera, if you have one. Otherwise, we'll share photos you can send.
In Lansing, it's on the East Steps of the State Capitol starting at 7:30.
In the words of the local organizer, Bob Alexander: "We want to demonstrate that many Mid Michigan people of all ages, faiths and social standings OPPOSE our nation attacking Iran and URGE and SUPPORT our US Senators voting YES for the Nuclear Treaty."
Isn't this exciting? I'm getting fired up just listing these! I plan to attend the one in Ann Arbor, though the one in Detroit looks great.
There are TWO local demonstrations happening on Saturday, October 3rd. Please SAVE THE DATE pending more information. One is taking place in Ypsilanti, billed as a Unity March for the community; the other, the March for Justice, will happen in Detroit starting at noon in Roosevelt Park (right in front of the Michigan Central Station).
The March for Justice is co-sponsored by the Sierra Club and the AFL-CIO, among others. It'll be a major event to draw national attention to the plight of metro Detroiters who suffer from a shortage of justice/surfeit of injustice in multiple dimensions. From the promotion page on the Detroit People's Platform site:
Detroit didn’t just put the world on wheels.
The Motor City created a living wage and made social justice a reality for workers across America. And in a Wall Street economy where justice too often takes a back seat to profit, Detroit is still fighting for a living wage — and for clean air, access to drinking water, and freedom from pollution that is disrupting our climate and threatening our lives.
It’s a fight that touches all of us, every day, but it’s a fight some of our leaders want to ignore.
Here’s something our leaders can’t ignore: thousands of workers, families, doctors, children, teachers, faith leaders, and activists from all walks of life — all marching in the streets of Detroit.
I'm not sure that I can attend both of these but I will do my best. Surely we can organize a Daily Kos contingent at the March for Justice, don't you think? (It might be time to work on a Motor City Kossacks banner even. Hmmmm.) It's important to get out into the streets: it's empowering and energizing to see people rise up; it's helpful to make connections and build coalitions; it's useful for raising awareness among those who haven't yet joined the movement for change.
Lastly, for now, we have the issue of long-range planning. For example: last weekend was the Detroit Jazz Festival. Tens of thousands of people are downtown from Friday to Monday. Just think of the opportunity for voter registration! Next year it'll be essential for as many of us to get there for as many shifts as we can.
Closer in time, we have more meetups to consider. If you think we should have a holiday-season meetup, please speak up. When and where? Now's the time to think about that, odd as it may seem.
And if we were to have a monthly meetup for the Motor City Kossacks, what date should we pick? Obviously, not everyone can make every meetup. But having a standard rotation of--let's say, second Saturday in even months and third Sunday in odd months, just for discussion's sake--might help.
That's all I can post for now. But YOU might have more to share, so I hope you do. Thanks for being here tonight.
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