With apologies for the last minute nature of this event, you are invited to join us to support an Oklahoma man who is one of the Iraq war resisters in Canada who is facing deportation. Let’s show support for one of our own.

[And please pass this info on if you have time in the short time frame.]

Date/time: 10-11 AM, 6/3/09
Place: Joy Mennonite Church, 504 NE 16th, Oklahoma City (just a few blocks south of Capitol on Lincoln)

There will be an event for Joshua in Toronto tomorrow, and we decided to do a solidarity event here in Oklahoma. Here’s details from the event organizer, James M. Branum, one of Joshua Key’s attorneys.

Josh grew up in Guthrie, Oklahoma. After joining the Army, he later deployed to Iraq where he had a horrific time (as detailed in his book “The Deserter’s Tale”).

He then came back to the US and while on leave, left his unit and hid out for some time before making his way to Canada.

Josh is now fighting it out in the court-system in Canada to get to stay and on June 3rd he will be facing one of the most significant fights of this struggle.

Our friends in Canada are holding a vigil tomorrow in Toronto outside the Immigration and Refugee Board while the hearing is taking place, so I would like for us to have a similar demonstration here.

So starting at 10 a.m., I’m asking participants to meet at the Peace Pole on the grounds of Joy Mennonite Church, We’ll have a time of quiet meditation and/or prayers (for those so inclined) and then we’ll walk a few blocks north to the state capitol, where we will deliver a statement in support of Joshua Key to the Governor’s office, the Republican and Democratic leaders of the state legislature and to the press.

Participants are welcome to bring small signs and banners for the walk but know that they probably won’t let you take them into the state capitol building.

And if you can’t come to the walk, please write a letter of encouragement to Josh and send it to:

Joshua Key
c/o Joy Mennonite Church
504 NE 16th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73104

You can also email letters to me at girightslawyer@gmail.com

We’ll then forward the letters to Josh by way of his attorney in Canada.

Lastly, I’ll post more information soon on other ways we in Oklahoma can support Josh from a-far.

–*– end of message from James

This sounds like an interesting project:

During the January ice storm, Twitter served as a powerful reporting tool – crowdsourced news. What if we had used it to find people who needed help, then organized to help them? So, I’m proposing that Central Oklahoma Twitter-ers think about how we can make our own “service club.” We can’t save the world, so we won’t try, but we can make things a little better for the Oklahoma City metro area. What do you say? I’ll be organizing a tweet and greet in the next two weeks to talk about how we can make this happen

I had two meetings today, have two paying (!) jobs on my plate, one of them with a tight deadline, and Mom is feeling better and want to get back to car shopping. So don’t be surprised if I don’t post much for the next few days — if I do, it probably means I’m procrastinating.

In the meantime, please peruse the Oklahoma City Progressive Events Calendar (covering the greater Metro area, including Norman), which I’ve been working hard to keep better updated this year. I make no claims that it’s comprehensive, but I’m putting as much on it as I can find and have time and sanity to keep up with.

Here’s the current list of events. If you have more time than I this coming week, you can surely find something to do. I’ll be tweeting and checking in at Facebook when I can.

Join us to celebrate release of war resister Daniel Sandate on his release from Ft. Sill & welcome him to OKC, Thursday, Jan. 22 at 6 pm (after 5 pm press conference)

The Oklahoma Center for Conscience and Joy Mennonite Church would like to invite you to help us celebrate the release of war resister Daniel Sandate from military prison.

Daniel is a veteran of the Iraq War who came to see the war as wrong and to resist it. He fled to Canada after his first deployment to Iraq because his unit refused to give him treatment for his PTSD. Daniel lived underground in Canada until last year when he was deported to the US and sent to Fort Carson, CO. He was court martialed there, given an Other Than Honorable discharge, and sentenced to 8 months.

He was released from the brig at Ft. Sill this past Tuesday (in time to watch President Obama be inaugurated).

We are having this event to show Daniel and our community that we stand with him and support him. Please join us and welcome Daniel to Oklahoma City. Bring a dish of your favorite food, and your friends. We want to pack the house with supporters of Daniel!

OCC helped sponsor Daniel’s lead attorney, James M. Branum, in his case at Ft. Carson. OCC is supported by Joy MCC, Veterans for Peace, Oklahoma City Friends Meeting, Oklahoma Catholic Peace Fellowship and Tulsa Peace Fellowship.

The event is free, though we will gratefully accept donations so we may continue to provide legal support for Iraq war resisters and conscientious objectors seeking discharge from the military.

WHERE: Joy Mennonite Church, 504 NE 16th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73104

WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

SCHEDULE:

5 p.m. (press conference — if you can come for this to show support for any media attending, it would be great)

6 p.m. (potluck dinner)

6:30 p.m. (Daniel will speak and answer questions)

***

Handwritten statement by Daniel while in jail: http://centerforconscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/sandate_on_war.pdf

Can you help out a local activist whose home was completely lost to a fire two days before Christmas?

This note from local peace activist Moses and Sadie Mast explains.

Here’s a chance for you to help a local activist for peace and justice.

The evening of December 23, Camille Landry’s house burnt to the ground. There was no time to save anything. There will be a time to meet the family and offer our assistance at the Joy Mennonite church: 504 NE 16th, OKC.

This meeting will be held Sunday, January 18 from 12:30- 4. Feel free to come and go as you please. You can offer groceries, kitchen supplies or money. Up to $500 will be matched. Make sure checks are
made payable to Joy Mennonite Church. If you cannot come on this day and wish to contribute, you can send your donation to Sadie Mast at 4708 Outpost Drive, Spencer, OK 73084.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Moses and Sadie Mast

Camille has been involved in peace and justice work in Oklahoma City for years. She’s worked on nonviolence education, opposing the death penalty, and many other issues. She constantly volunteers her time and talents to our community. There has already been a good response, but this is an opportunity for her fellow peaceworkers to give back as a community and show the family our support.

Here’s a local news story and video about the fire from KOCO.

All sides should stop the violence and meet to work out a diplomatic and political compromise. But aggression, oppression, invasion, killing and wounding of civilians cannot be allowed and must be condemned.

Pray, if you pray. Contact your representatives, and especially President-Elect Obama. I’ll post analysis and action alerts later.

1.
Announcement: There will be a prayer vigil for peace in Gazaand the
world on Saturday evening, January 3, 2009, from 5-6 pm at the
Oklahoma Capitol building in Oklahoma City, OK. If you plan to attend,
you should bring blankets and a flash light, candles are not allowed.

Item 2:

CAIR-OK to Host Press Conference, Vigil for Middle East Peace

(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – 12/31/08) ­ On Monday, January 5, the
Oklahomachapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK)
will hold apress conference and a “Peace Vigil for Gaza” at the state
Capitol building inOklahoma City.
Vigil participants will call on public officials to help stop Israeli
attacks onthe Gaza Strip, restore the cease-fire and promote peace
with justice in theMiddle East during the coming year.

WHAT: Press Conference on GazaWHEN: Monday, January 5, 2009, 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Oklahoma State Capitol. 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 432 B.
OklahomaCity, OK

WHAT: Peace Vigil for GazaWHEN: Monday, January 5, 2009, Noon – 1 p.m.
(Please dress warmly and arriveby 11:30 a.m.)
WHERE: South Plaza of the Oklahoma State Capitol. 2300 N. Lincoln
Blvd.,Oklahoma City,
OKCONTACT: Razi Hashmi, CAIR-OK Executive Director,
405-415-6851,rhashmi@cair. com

Richard Falk, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in the
Palestinianterritories, told the BBC: “Israel is committing a shocking
series ofatrocities by using modern weaponry against a defenseless
population -attacking a population that has been enduring a severe
blockade for manymonths.”

SEE: Gaza Air Campaign ‘a First Stage’ (BBC)http://news. bbc.co.uk/
2/hi/middle_ east/7804218. stm east/7804218. stm>SEE ALSO: Family Mourns 5 Daughters as Civilian
Death Toll Mounts (Wash.Post)http://tinyurl. com/9ckcjo

CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 35 offices
andchapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance
understandingof Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties,
empower AmericanMuslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and
mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR-OK Executive Director Razi Hashmi, E-Mail: rhashmi@cair.
com; CAIR-OK Chairperson Lobna Hewedi, E-Mail: lhewedi@cair. com

Razi HashmiExecutive DirectorCouncil on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR)Oklahoma Chapter
CAIR National: http://www.cair. com

All around the country Monday night, Americans will be coming together to discuss the coming changes to our health care system, and how we want to influence the degree and outcome of those changes. Thanks to the work of those who worked on the Obama campaign here, those in and near Oklahoma City will be participating in the national dialog.

The events are being planned and coordinated through the new site change.gov. Obama’s nominee for the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle, who will oversee health care reform for the administration, has made this video introducing the project.

Here are the details for the local event:

Oklahoma Health Care Community Discussion (Meeting)
A moderated change.gov requested discussion with friends and neighbors about health care reform. We will draft a group submission with your findings and conclusions. This will help the Transition Health Policy Team flesh out key issues around health care and give the Team fresh ideas about the best ways to promote the President-elect and Vice President-elect vision of quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Sneak Peak: http://change.gov/participantguide

Monday the 29th, 5:30-7pm
Mayflower Congregational Church (Oklahoma City, OK)
3901 NW 63rd St. [map]
Oklahoma City, OK 73116

If you plan to attend, check out this participant guide.

It will be interesting to see, after all this “grassroots discussion” if the people really get listened to, and what they say they want comes to fruition, or if the insurance companies again get to call the shots. I suggest showing up, calling, writing and demonstrating to make sure it’s the former and not the latter.

First 1000 packages will be signed by band members, and 10 of those 1000 will have special tix to the Flaming Lips’ New Years Eve show in OKC. Only available on FlamingLips.com