OMNI NEWSLETTER: EVENTS, ACTIONS, COMMENT
JUNE 24, 2005

This Newsletter invites you to take action for peace through justice, which reflects the struggle of memory against forgetting, which is part of the struggle against inhumane power. Remembering the abusers leads to action for justice.


JUNE 25, Saturday, Fayetteville Pride’s NWA GAY PRIDE PARADE 2005 is being held Saturday June 25, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. It will start on the southwest corner of the square in Fayetteville (Block & Mountain) will go East one block and turn and head north on East Avenue to Dickson Street. It will then turn and head west on Dickson Street to Powerhouse drive where it will turn and head south a block ending at Powerhouse Seafood & Grill.



JUNE 25, Fayetteville Dances of Universal Peace is this Saturday, 7pm at Unity of Fayetteville , 4880 Wedington Dr.



JUNE 25 What: FORUM: The Future of the Supreme Court - What's at Stake
When: Saturday, June 25, 2005 -- 10:30-11:45 AM
Where: > HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS,3121 Bankhead Drive, Little Rock
Please RSVP to Hadley Glover at hadleyglover@hotmail.com
Sponsors: People For the American Way, National Organization for Women - Arkansas,
and Sierra Club of Arkansas
.

JUNE 26, SUNDAY, PROTEST AGAINST THE WAR

12:30, Corner North and Garland. Contact Chris: elvis_4_peace@yahoo.com Signs will be available, or bring your own. Sponsored by OMNI.

ANTI-WAR PROTESTS EVERY SUNDAY IN FAYETTEVILLE
Please Join Chris & Others To Protest & Ask Those Passing By To Question Our Wars
When: Every Sunday Starting June 26 From 12:30 To 1:30pm
Where: At The Northwest Corner Of Garland & North St In Fayetteville, Arvest Bank Parking Lot
Please bring signs and drinks for the thirsty. Costumes are optional but can be fun & attract attention.
Volunteer Needed with large vehicle to Transport placards from Omni Center To Site and return.
Flyers. More Flyers Available at www.geocities.com/elvis_4_peace/flyers/
For More Info, E-Mail Chris At Elvis_4_Peace@Yahoo.Com



JUNE 26, Sunday, 1-5 p.m., 2nd Annual GAY PRIDE PICNIC, Agri Park

Sponsored by Interweave, UUFF’s GLBT group. For families—music, Kid Zone, bring T-shirts to create Pride shirt, etc. Contact Rachel, 750-9623; R_Sweet@sbcglobal.net
SUNDAY JUNE 26, 7PM, AT OMNI, VIDEO UNDERGROUND

In "The Cost of War", Iraq war veterans recount their views prior to deployment, their experiences in Iraq, and how those experiences changed them. Families and loved ones of those called on to fight in Iraq recount how the experiences of their loved ones have affected those they left behind. With an understanding of true patriotism born of experience, these men and women explain why they reject the claim that supporting the war is "supporting the troops". They represent a long established and rapidly growing group of service members, veterans and military families who challenge the notion that blind loyalty in time of war is the mark of the patriot.

This video will be shown at the OMNI CENTER FOR PEACE, JUSTICE, AND ECOLOGY located at 902 W. Maple in Fayetteville, in the basement of the Presbyterian and Disciples Student Center. This event will begin at 7:00 pm. Admission is free, donations are welcomed. View the Video Underground's entire video schedule at:

http://omni-vu-films.blogspot.com . View the Video Underground's lending library list: http://omni-vu-films.blogspot.comflib.htm .



JUNE 27, ACLU/OMNI Patriot Act Committee, 7pm, at OMNI

We need your help.



JUNE 28, OMNI ECOLOGY Committee, potluck 5:30 at Dick’s, 2582 Jimmie

Read the Earth Charter (google). We are choosing an ecological philosophy and set of principles. We might begin with The World Pledge (see below).



JULY 12, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC MEETINGS

Here is our opportunity to influence transportation policy in NWA for 2015 and 2030. Questionnaires will be submitted at the meetings. We must be sure the right questions are asked. Is the choice between more money on Interstate 540 or on alternate highway systems, such as parallel corridors to I-540 (opening up more land for more growth and development)? Which policies will best protect our air and water, our land and species? Which will least increase global warming? In Bentonville July 11, 11am to 2pm at Benton County Public Health Dept., and again from 5 to 7pm. The Fayetteville meeting will be at the Washington County Quorum Court Room, 2nd fl. Of Wash. County Courthouse, 11am to 2pm, 4 to 7pm.



August 4-7, Veterans for Peace 20th Annual Convention

Dallas, TX, U of Dallas, Irving, TX www.veteransforpeace.org



October 21, Friday, Forum on the United Nations at 60 Years and the Future of the United Nations, at UCA, Conway, Brewer-Hegeman Conf. Center. Contact Prof. Mullenbach, markm@uca.edu Go and represent OMNI.


OMNI NEEDS GRAPHIC ARTISTS For Flyers and Posters

Contact Dick Bennett



IRAQ WAR AND CUTTING BUDGETS
TMN 6-24 offers a half-dozen articles that, juxtaposed, expose the war system and give a call to OMNI and the peace movement. Two articles on the Iraq war, one on “Explosions Part of Life in Iraq” (479 car bombings killed 2,174 people since handover of gov’t. to Iraqis) and “Top General Says Insurgency Not Weakening” tell us where our money is being squandered on another Vietnam-type, fanatical occupation. Simultaneously we are told of the struggle to save Public Broadcasting budget (the Republican chair of the House appropriations subcommittee cutting the budget said “we have limited amounts of money”) and of the 20% cut in the Fayetteville schools budget. In none of these articles is the connection made between the war and the decline of public services. We can serve signally by making that connection loud and clear. Will you help?

DOWNING STREET MEMO
In just over a minute, you can see why President Bush owes our troops -- and every American -- an explanation. Watch the video, and then send it to as many people as you can: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/memo_movie
The more people we can reach with this movie, the closer we come to the day when we bring our troops home alive. Sincerely, Tom Hughes, Democracy for America
P.S. If your computer has a hard time handling Flash -- or if you want to read the Downing Street Memo in full -- you can go right to our petition to "Demand that Congress hold full hearings." Here's the link: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/downingmemo



CONGRESS WATCH

CONG. BOOZMAN

“Washington Roundup” in NAT 6-19 reveals that Rep. Boozman voted 3 times with Democrats Berry, Ross, and Snyder: to restrict Patriot Act access to library and bookstore records, to relax somewhat the Cuba embargo, and to uphold federal prohibition of medical marijuana. Apparently Boozman is becoming less of a Bush clone. Senators Lincoln and Pryor voted for 2 bills to decrease dependence upon fossil fuels: to increase alternative energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal) by 10% by 2020 (it passed), and to reduce oil imports by 40% during next 20 years (failed). (If I err in these summaries, send correction.)



MEDIA WATCH (CONGRESS WATCH)

Not long ago media companies, which enjoy the public’s air waves without payment, had to renew their license every three years and meet stringent requirements. Now it’s only every 8 years, and the process is perfunctory. But licenses can still be challenge. Check the FCC web site for method. We might invite commissioners Copps or Adelstein to Fayetteville. Would you lead that? Get informed and contact Lincoln, Pryor, and Boozman.


ENERGY/GREENING/CONGRESS WATCH

Thomas Friedman in NYT (3-27-05) “Geo-Greening by Example” reviews the catastrophic energy policies of the Bush Admin. and urges 3 basic actions to turn it around: 1) Gasoline tax to raise prices to $4 a gallon to change the car-buying habits of our population from guzzlers to hybrids, 2) Carbon tax to move industries from coal to wind, hydro, and solar power, and other cleaner fuels (he cites many other good results from this tax), and 3) Build nuclear power plants again, because the risk of np is less than the global warming from fossil fuels, and np is safer and cleaner than in the past. Study the issues and contact your congressional reps.


FLAG PATRIOTISM

The US House again passed the constitutional amendment to outlaw flag burning, 286-130. You will find Robert Goldstein’s Saving “Old Glor”: A History of the American Flag (1994) worth reading, and more generally on US patriotism read The Captain America Co9mplex by Robert Jewett. I have a reading list on flag “desecration” and would be glad to mail it to you (I typed it on an previous computer, and the file was lost when I updated, but I had printed copies.) Engage Boozman, write him, send good arguments about why he should stop voting for it. And Senator Pryor said he would vote against it, so thank him. Lincoln?


RECRUITMENT

The Student Privacy Protection Act of 2005 seeks to amend section 8528 of the No child Left Behind Act, requiring public high schools to provide contact info. on students to military recruiters. The SPP Act would prohibit recruiters from contacting students unless minors and their parents specifically consent. See: www.LeaveMyChildAlone.org. Tell Boozman your opinion.


FSTV

Some recent films: 1) Thorough explanation of the “National Security Strategy of the United States” document published in Sept. 2002, which exposes US imperial intentions. Consequences of Iraq War on U. S. soldiers: killed, injured, committing atrocities, suicides, mental breakdowns (psych. PTSD), unhelpful bureaucracies on return, number and severity of injured not reported, especially mental (see Military Familes Speak Out, Gulf War Resource Center, www.Iraqbodycount.net, www.iraqpeaceteam.org). 2)Panel on “Broadband Media Politics in a New Era,” panel on FCC, etc. at National Conference on Media Reform, St. Louis, May 2005 (attended by Carl Barnwell for OMNI); see: www.grassrootscable.or; www.freepress.net The FCC panel by one former (Nicholas Johnson) and the two present public interest commissioners (Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein) conveyed the urgent need to resist corporate monopoly, which has for 30 years stripped away the public interest from media. 3) Satirical team traveling to WTO conferences to ridicule the WTO by impersonating WTO officials and saying outrageous things in the name of the WTO, but audiences don’t seem to catch on. Etc.


PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Our contest continues. Here’s the World Pledge from the World Pledge Project. You can acquire it on a poster and study guide from Wayne State U: www.pcs.wayne.edu/wpp.htm; 313-577-3453. “I pledge allegiance to the world, to care for earth and sea and air, to cherish every living thing, with peace and justice everywhere.”

OMNI SEEKS A WORLD FREE OF WAR AND THE THREAT OF WAR, A SOCIETY WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY PERSON’S POTENTIAL MAY BE FULFILLED, AN EARTH RESTORED. WORLD PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS, SOCIAL JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. Thanks to FCNL and AFSC.