OMNI NEWSLETTER: EVENTS AND ACTIONS AUGUST 15, 2004 OMNI CENTER FOR PEACE, JUSTICE, AND ECOLOGY Corner of Maple and Storer in Fayetteville in Presbyterian and Disciples Student Center OMNI contact Dick Bennett jbennet@uark.edu 442-4600)(website: www.omnicenter.org) Changing Society for a Culture of Peace. Since peace is not the absence of war, but is the active presence of justice and compassion, a Culture of Peace is created by countering the War System in all of its manifestations. U. S. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121. All that follows are pieces in the process of building a permanent and growing peace, justice, and ecology structure in Arkansas. AUGUST 18, 1:00 P.M, MT. SEQUOYAH WOODS TRAIL At the corner of Williams and Skyline Drive, the Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association, Mayor Dan Coody, and the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce invite you to a ribbon cutting at the entry to the Mt. Sequoyah Woods. AUGUST 19, SUNDAY, STEERING COMMITTEE MONTHLY MEETING Potluck 5:30, 6:00 business. All are welcome to attend. If you are interested in being nominated for SC membership, and or you want the Agenda for this meeting or minutes of past meetings, contact Dick. AUGUST 21, SATURDAY, UUF WORLD PEACE GARDEN WORK DAY. Contact Nana Mejier. nanam@ncat.org Phone: 236-9569 The Garden Party we had planned for August 28 will be postponed until the irrigation and stone work has been completed, most likely in October 2004. AUGUST 21, UNA-USA ARKANSAS CHAPTER MEETING IN MAUMELLE 4 to 8 p.m. Contact Dick. - AUGUST 22, SUNDAY, 7P.M., VIDEO UNDERGROUND AT OMNI on FOX NEWS "Outfoxed" examines how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, have been running a "race to the bottom" in television news. This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public's right to know. The film explores Murdoch's burgeoning kingdom and the impact on society when a broad swath of media is controlled by one person. Running Time: 77 min. You can order a VHS or DVD copy for $9.95 plus $3.50 for shipping, at www.moveon.org/outfoxed. Much of the research and broadcast monitoring came from Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR). Its devastating study of a Fox Program, "Special Report with Brit Hume," can be seen at www.fair.org/extra/0407/special-report.html. Please help Pippin and Greg advertise UV. AUGUST 22, SUNDAY, 1:30 P.M., free Concert and Sing-Along led by Richard Mekdeci, singer/songwriter and humorist from Nashville, at Unity of Fayetteville on Wedington Road (1 1/2 miles West of 540). The event is entitled 'The Art of Peace'. [AUGUST 22 UA classes begin.] AUGUST 26, THURSDAY, 6-9 P.M., Northwest Arkansas Regional Caucus. Ozark Electric Cooperative 3641 Wedington Dr. Fayetteville, AR Arkansas Public Policy Panel www.arpanel.org 870-861-5152 AUGUST 30 The 2004 Republican National Convention (RNC) is set to be held at Madison Square Garden (MSG) from Monday 30 August to Thursday 2 September. The planned RNC protest looks to be the largest protest since George W. Bush moved into the White House. Many NYC locals are offering accommodation to activists, campgrounds are being set up, and rides are being organized by and for activists coming in from all over. The RNC protest officially kicks off Sunday 29 August with a scheduled march past MSG and on to a rally site organized by 'United For Peace'. Carl Barnwell offers a ride: By the way, anyone who wants to attend the RNC protest in NYC and needs a ride may contact me (soon) at cbarnw "AT character" centurytel.net . Here are a few websites relevant to the RNC and the protest: http://www.2004nycgop.org; http://counterconvention.org; http://www.unitedforpeace.org; http://www.notinourname.net/rnc, http://rncwatch.typepad.com; http://www.rncnotwelcome.org BANNERS ON 71B Our banners made originally against the invasion of Iraq (advocating nonviolence and protesting killing) have been repaired and placed in the same place north of the Mall (across 71B from the Springdale Golf Course) by Bob Billig. If you see a stake loose, stop and hammer it in! If you think such signs are an effective agency for peace, lead the way for more. It’s another way we can walk our talk, and thousands of cars pass it every day. Thank you Bob! WHO IS OMNI? OMNI is guided by a group of people who seek world peace, human rights, social justice, and environmental stewardship. DANA COPP. Co-founder of OMNI. Dana furnished our office, built the Peace Pole rock garden at UUF, and in countless ways promoted peace and justice in Fayetteville before moving to Austin, TX. JOANIE CONNORS. Joanie is one of Fayetteville’s most long-serving and steadfast peacemakers. She has been a member of OMNI’s Steering Committee since its inception, sustained our Open Mic since its beginning, organized our film series on spiritual leaders, led our anti-invasion Coalition, and in many other ways has helped build OMNI into an effective voice for peace, justice, and ecology. She is also a psychologist and works with women's programs in Fayetteville through MatriArts. MORE 2004 OMNI MEMBERS: THANK YOU! L. Russert-Kraemer, Anne Prichard, Emily and David Hart, Bob Billig (Dove Member), Art Hobson and Marie Riley, Victoria Bransford, Steven Skattebo, Thomas and Joy Caffrey (Dove Member). FREE SPEECH TV: THANKS TO CAT! CAT 8-4 5A.M. a powerful FSTV opposition documentary against U. S. militarism and wars, flag patriotism, Vietnam War, arms race, Iraq War, and much more. CAT noon 8-4 showed a remarkably comprehensive (in one hour) documentary history of US imperialism in the Middle East Many of the defenders of the recent Iraq invasion and present occupation, I suspect, are ignorant of these lamentable histories, which are suppressed by our government and underreported by the mainstream media. . CAT 5a.m. 8-7, filmed lecture on media monopoly—the Telecommunications Act of 1996, etc. Will you purchase copies and host showings of these films at your house or at a public place? And remember that CAT cannot initiate FSTV: the films must be requested. Join RAPID RESPONSE WRITERS. Contact Larry Woodall. I trust you are all aware of the increase of vigorous progressive letters to our newspapers. Moyers’ NOW 8-6: 3 programs focused the entire hour on Artists and Politics. John Sayles’ new film, Silver City, on Bush. Al-Jazeera. And Sarah Jones’ one-act play of 14 new immigrants to the US. Political art at a high level. 8-13: film on a school which really does leave no child behind. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES If you wish to keep informed through the perspectives of the NCC, go to join-churchnet@list1.ncccusa.org Then help OMNI produce more forums on Religious Peace Traditions. Contact Dick 442-4600. SHORT TAKES AT CAT Filming Mondays 5:30, Tuesdays noon. Speak your mind or read an essay or story for 5 minutes. Leo arranges everything for you. Films are shown the following week three times a day. See Dick and Cliff Hughes the week of August 16-. OMNI’S PEACE, JUSTICE, ECOLOGY BIBLIOS OMNI needs someone to consolidate the biblios. into a single biblio. for a pamphlet. Bibliophiles arise! Contact Dick. SIERRA CLUB "Stop by our table at the Fayetteville Farmer's Market Thursday evening or Saturday morning to catch up on local action. Our '04 tee shirts and bumper stickers ("Tree good. Bush bad.") will be available soon. We will also be looking for ideas and energy to register voters, promote our community meeting regarding Forest Service burn plans, and, of course, to help us pull off the Big Train Ride (17 Oct)." Contact Cindy Sagers. IRAQ WAR COSTS: VICTIMS Horror's index: The Real cost of the Iraq war 987: Number of coalition forces killed between March 19, 2003, and July 5, 2004 693: Number killed after President Bush declared the end of official combat operations on May 1, 2003 9,436: Minimum estimate of the number of Iraq civilians killed as a result of the U.S. invasion and occupation 40,000: Estimated number of Iraqis injured 14: Average number of violent deaths per month in Iraq in 2002 357: Average number of violent deaths per month in Iraq in 2003 30: Percentage of Iraqis unemployed before the war 60: Percentage of Iraqis unemployed in the summer of 2003 $151,000,000,000: Amount spent on the war through the end of this year, pending Congressional approval $3,415: Monetary cost of war per U.S. household, on average 54: Percentage of Americans polled who felt that "the situation in Iraq was not worth going to war over" (Annenberg Election Survey) 52: Percentage of soldiers who reported low morale, according to a March 2004 army survey 28.2: Percentage of soldiers in Iraq who screened positive for traumatic stress, anxiety, or depression 34: Number of detainee deaths as a result of interrogation methods currently under investigation by the U.S. military 20,000: Number of private contractors performing traditionally military jobs in Iraq 1: Percentage of Iraqi workers involved in reconstruction projects $160,000,000: Amount spent by major contractor Halliburton on meals that were never served to troops 82,000,000,000: Number of U.S. children who could have received health care coverage with the funds allocated to the war by the Bush administration Sources: Foreign Policy in Focus, The Wall Street Journal. Will one of you keep up with these data and make sure our newsletter reports them. Contact Dick. OMNI is an organization run by activists engaged in advocacy for peace, justice, and the environment. ECOLOGY If you want your property to receive Backyard Wildlife Habitat certification contact the National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat). See article by Teresa Newton, TMN 7-28-04. Start an OMNI Home Habitat group to work with our own Bare Bones species protection committee and with Audubon and other ecology organizations. If you would like to know how much you contribute to global warming see the Climate Control Calculator on the American Forests Web site (www.americanforests.org/resources/ccc). OMNI needs a Climate Change Task Force to work with other environmental groups. Volume 2 of Punk Voter's "Rock Against Bush" -- This CD/DVD includes "Fixed in Florida" - 12 minutes of exclusive footage from Greg Palast's upcoming DVD documentary, 'Bush Family Fortunes: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy' - an update of the blistering BBC documentary shown in Europe, banned in the USA. Flip the DVD over and it's a CD ... with multi-platinum punkers Green Day, Grammy-winning band Foo Fighters, ska-punk all-stars No Doubt as well as long-revered and respected bands like Bad Religion, Rancid, Sleater-Kinney, Dropkick Murphys and Operation Ivy. And on the DVD side, you get six political documentary shorts (from Uncovered, Unprecedented, Unconstitutional, Honor Betrayed, Indy Media in the Time of War, & Fixed in Florida) three comedy pieces, and five music videos. RESISTANCE TO WRONGDOING:WHISTLEBLOWERS Citizens are the front line of opposition to abuses of power, that’s us folks. And conscientious public servants. Supporting us and them are investigative reporters and whistleblowers. I recently saw the excellent film "Marie" with Sissy Spacek again, about a whistle-blower’s successful struggle against a governor’s corruption. I will place it in OMNI’s film collection