Batch says “Poignant, playful and sweetly subversive with warm harmonies – acoustic music that zings!”

WHAT: Benefit Concert for Peace House & Church of the Open Arms

COST: Free Admission – (freewill donations during concert gratefully accepted)

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 13, 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30 for
refreshments & social)

SEE: www.checkeredpastmusic.com
- Hide quoted text -

Kansas City folk singers “Checkered Past” will perform a benefit concert, admission free, in Oklahoma City, Saturday evening, February 13th. Freewill donations during the concert will benefit the Peace House and Church of the Open Arms. “This event is for political liberals who love live music,” said Peace House board member Donna Compton. The concert begins at 7 pm, at Church of the Open Arms, 3131 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Oklahoma City. Doors open at 6:30.

Compton described Checkered Past as “a group of five dedicated social activists, wielding guitars, bass, mandolin, fiddle, flute, and vocal harmony in a war against gloom and resignation.” She said their original music includes “sweet and personal love songs, crusty blues, silly social commentary and jitterbugs.” One member of the group said, “If we can’t find the song we are looking for in the last 500 years, we just write one.” Event participants are invited to bring their own instruments to “jam with the band” after the concert.

Checkered Past was the only American band to perform at a global food conference, in Turin, Italy, in 2008. At the conference, some 5,000 food producers from around the world gathered to discuss sustainable and local food production to improve people’s health and harmony with nature. The group’s website is www.checkeredpastmusic.com.

I will be joining The Peace House folks and others tomorrow at a demonstration to say No to Escalation in Afghanistan. (I think there is also something planned for Tulsa [link added 2009-12-01].)

I will also be contacting my reps to once again say, end the war and find civilian solutions: Contact Congress & White House

Oklahoma City Demonstration:
NO to ESCALATION in AFGHANISTAN
Tuesday, December 1st
4:30-5:30 pm
NW 23rd Street & Classen Blvd.
Bring signs – - We will have ours.

Peace House Statement on Afghanistan, Nov. 14th
BRING TROOPS HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

• After eight (8) long years of war, we speak in unity: U.S. Military forces must be brought home.
• Military victory appears unachievable, or at the very least unsustainable.
• Our continued presence guarantees further escalation of long-standing anti-American sentiments.
• A surge in U.S. troop numbers will generate dramatic increases of casualties of our troops and Afghani civilians.
• We risk and even wider and deadlier regional conflict.
• Reconstruction and stability should be initiated and sustained by international peace-keeping entities and< non-governmental organizations.
• Urgent domestic budget priorities demand a redirection of our tax revenues from war in Afghanistan to meeting human needs at home. Thirteen million Americans are unemployed in this economic downturn.
• We petition Congress, and the Obama administration, to initiate withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan before the end of the year.

Modeled after Black and Women’s History Months, GLBT History Month highlights annually the achievements of 31 gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender Icons—one each day—with a free video, bio, bibliography, downloadable images and other resources.

How It Works

Beginning October 1, 2009, a new GLBT Icon is presented daily. Each day you’ll have access to his or her video, bio and resources, along with information on all the preceding Icons. Just click on the Icon’s name, corresponding with the day of the month (left).

Previous Icons

For access to the 93 Icons from GLBT History Month 2008, 2007 and 2006, click on the archives link.

The 2009 icons are:

  2009 Overview Video

1. Alvin Ailey Jr.

2. John Amaechi

3.Tammy Baldwin

4. John Cage

5. Ruth Ellis

6. Rainer Fassbinder

7. Michel Foucault

8. Harry Hay

9. Magnus Hirschfeld

10. Zora Neale Hurston

11. Jasper Johns

12. Cherry Jones

13. Kate Kendell

14. Alfred Kinsey

15. k.d. lang

16. Rachel Maddow

17. Deirdre McCloskey

18. Paul Monette

19. Pauli Murray

20. Joan Nestle

21. Todd Oldham

22. Suze Orman

23. Christine Quinn

24. Robert Rauschenberg

25. Jerome Robbins

26. Hilary Rosen

27. Yves St. Laurent

28. Esera Tuaolo

29. Urvashi Vaid

30. Gus Van Sant

31. B.D. Wong

The names will be links starting the day of the month corresponding to their number in the list.

I’ve actually met one of these 31 people! Not that she’d remember, but I met Urvashi Vaid at an event during Stonewall 25 in 1994 (or maybe it was the March on Washington in 93).

LATE-BREAKING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT:

PROGRAM: Nuclear Disarmament in Congress & around USA

Sunday, October 4th

4:30 pm – - – - – Gather: Snacks, Refreshments, Solidarity

4:45-6:00 pm – PROGRAM: speakers, power-point, short video

COMMUNITY HALL: Church of the Open Arms
3131 N. Pennsylvania Ave. OKC

Two speakers on a national tour supporting nuclear disarmament will be in OKC, Sunday, Oct. 4 to present a program including PowerPoint and short video. They represent www.prop1.org – - -  taking their program to 12 states including Oklahoma.

“We should all be nuclear disarmament activists, as we are all activists for abolition of the death penalty, racism, homophobia, and for sustainability.”
               – - – - – Nathaniel Batchelder

US Representatives, Eleanor Holmes Norton, re-introduced for the NINTH time her “Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act,” HR-1653, which was inspired by www.prop1.org.

The bill was first introduced in 1994, then 1995, 1997, and 1999, when U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey (CA) joined Ms. Norton and several experts on nuclear disarmament issues to announce active support for the legislation, and again in 2001, 2003, and 2005, when Representative Woolsey, plus John Lewis and Cynthia McKinney of Georgia, and Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas, quickly signed on, and in 2007 (see Ms. Norton’s announcement).

Other co-sponsors have included Fortney Pete Stark (California), David Minge and James Oberstar (Minnesota), Charles Rangel (New York), Al Wynn (Maryland), Earl Hilliard (Alabama). As each Congressional session ends, all unvoted-on legislation expires and must be re-introduced. Your help is needed in obtaining LOTS of co-sponsors in this Congress! So far Representatives Dennis Kucinich (OH) and John Lewis (GA) have agreed verbally to co-sponsor. Bipartisan support would be very helpful.

It’s nice that they stopped here, and I plan to attend, but the chances of getting any Oklahoma legislator to co-sponsor this idea anytime soon are nil. Nonetheless, the education is important.

Dear MoveOn member,

August is the make-or-break month for health care reform.

Can you come to an event with Senator Tom Coburn in Oklahoma City tomorrow at 12 p.m.?

Right-wing extremists have been crashing tons of events and trying to dominate the national debate. We can’t let them succeed—so MoveOn members are pushing back with Real Voices for Change, an ambitious campaign to show that the overwhelming majority of Americans support President Obama’s plans for change.

Now, we need to make sure Sen. Coburn knows that his constituents are counting on him to pass health care reform with a real public health insurance option—that’s the key to expanding coverage and helping bring down costs for all of us. Important votes on health care will come up as soon as Congress returns to Washington, so this is the critical moment to stand up for health care reform.

The event location in Oklahoma City is: Chase Bank, Lobby. Click here to RSVP:

[...]

We’re in a critical month for President Obama’s agenda. Corporate lobbyists are trying to weaken or kill both his health care and energy plans.

And recently, right-wingers have been hijacking town halls and other public events. They’re even using fraudulent tactics, like bringing in people who don’t live in the district.¹ We urgently need to make sure everyday constituents are heard in the public debate over health care—and coming to this event is a timely and easy way to do that.

Can you be there on Monday at 12 p.m.?

[...]

Thanks for all you do.

–Nita, Anna, Lenore, Ilya and the rest of the team

Source:

1. “Local Fox Reporter Attends Town Hall And Finds ‘Some Attendees Admit They Don’t Live In The District,’” Think Progress, August 4, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51716&id=16955-17202657-Tp1h66x&t=8

But later I got an email from the Oklahoma County Democratic Party promoting the event, so it’s on; local progressives are on it and fighting back.

Can you come to an event with Senator Tom Coburn in Oklahoma City or Del City? Join fellow Democrats in attendance at the Coburn Town Hall Meetings.

Important votes on health care will come up as soon as Congress returns to Washington, so this is the critical moment to stand up for health care reform.

Downtown Oklahoma City
Monday, August 24, 2009
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Chase Bank building lobby
100 North Broadway, NW Corner of Main and Broadway
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Del City Town Hall
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
4:00 PM -5:00 PM
First Southern Baptist Church of Del City
6400 South Sooner Road
Oklahoma City, OK 73135

Take a few minutes to read through the facts, and possible misrepresentations, before going to the meeting, we have provided a couple of links below.

Here is a web site that offers many useful tools and resources including signs you can print out at home to bring to the event (signs found down at #6, Share with Others): http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2009/08/all_hands_on_deck_we_need_your.html

Here is information offered by the White House that may also help you.

If you cannot link directly, please visit healthreform.Gov : http://www.healthreform.gov/

Why Oklahoma Needs Health Reform:

• How Health Insurance Reform Will Benefit Oklahoma
• Why Oklahoma Needs Health Care Reform: By the Numbers
• Why Middle Class Americans Need Health Reform
• Health Care in Rural America
• OK State Report: Lack of Competition in Health Insurance Market
• Health Insurance Coverage in Oklahoma Keeps Shrinking as Premiums, Family Costs Continue Climbing
• Health Reform Is Good for Doctors and Patients

Clearing Up the Myths: Debunking the Junk in the Health Reform Debate

• Reality Check: Reform will eliminate insurance discrimination against the disabled
• The return of the viral email
• Reform will stop “rationing” – not increase it

• The “euthanasia” distortion on help for families
• Vets’ health care is safe and sound
• Reform will benefit small business – not burden it
• Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform
• Fight the Smears
• Answering your questions on health reform
• Sorting facts from fiction in health care reform
• Stop Distorting the Truth about End of Life Care
• No ‘death panel’ in health care bill

 

We need to make sure Sen. Coburn knows that his constituents are counting on him to pass health care reform with a real public health insurance option—that’s the key to expanding coverage and helping bring down costs for all of us.

Thanks for all you do!

Oklahoma County Democrats

Deeds of Giving are the Foundation of the Democratic Party

So if you have quixotic courage and faith in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds (this IS Coburn we’re talking about), join me and others to show Oklahoma that there are sane alternatives to the tea bag fear and madness.

Note that MoveOn suggested getting there at 10 AM for the Noon event.