HOLY WEEK FAITH & RESISTANCE RETREAT

YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR
HOLY WEEK FAITH & RESISTANCE RETREAT
at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Church
16th and Newton Streets, NW, Washington D.C.
April 20 – 22, 2011

We will begin with supper at 6:00 P.M. on April 20, 2011
and move into the schedule our communities have drawn up for the retreat, continuing through a noon witness at the White House on Friday, April 22.

WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE THEME:  
PUT AWAY THE SWORD; FOLLOW JESUS IN NONVIOLENT REVOLUTION
(“Put away the Sword!” were the last words of Jesus to his disciples at the moment of his arrest)

We are also inspired by the first words of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 Angelus message Jan.1:
I would like to call out to the consciences of those who form part of armed groups of any kind. To each and every one, I say: Stop, reflect and abandon the path of violence!

We will follow the praxis of reflection/action/reflection –
seeking to grow from each public witness and preparation for and evaluation of each witness.

Join us, if you can.
Simple meals will be served at the Church; there is sleeping bag space there as well.

For more information, contact

Dorothy Day Catholic Worker Community, 503 Rock Creek Church Rd., NW, Washington D.C. 20010
202-882-9649
or
Jonah House Community, 1301 Moreland Ave, Baltimore MD 21216
410-233-6238 – e mail: disarmnow (at) verizon (dot) net

Join us! Friday, April 15th Film Screening

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price

Friday, April 15th at 7:30PM
Dorothy Day Catholic Worker   503 Rock Creek Church Road NW    

Wal-Mart recently announced plans to build 4 Wal-Mart stores in DC, including one on Georgia Ave NW, at the old Curtis Chevrolet site. The site is located just north of Missouri Avenue, in Ward 4.

As District residents, many of Ward 4 in particular, we are coming together to say “No!” to this; no to the the corporate takeover of our neighborhood, no to the higher unemployment that Wal-Mart will ultimately create, no to the driving down of wages in other retail jobs (caused by Wal-Mart’s low wages), no to the closing of small businesses (current and future) due to Wal-Mart’s presence, no to the poverty wages that Wal-Mart pays their employees, no to the sweatshop wages that the workers that make many products for Wal-Mart stores are paid, no to the funding of conservative political candidates by Wal-Mart executives and political actions committees  (some of whom oppose Statehood for the District), no to the tax burden that Wal-Mart adds by not paying its employees enough to afford the limited health care that it offers to some, no to Wal-Mart’s discrimination against women, and on, and on, and on.

Time is of the essence as the developers (Foulger-Pratt, which owns the Ward 4 site, plans to lease it to Wal-Mart) and Wal-Mart executives salivate over the DC market.

People are organizing across the city.  This will be one reference point among many for organizing efforts to STOP Wal-Mart from setting up shop in Washington, DC.  We are not interested in negotiating with Wal-Mart, but in having them not enter the city.

Go to walmartfreedc.org to learn more and get involved 

Contact Kevin Mason for event info (202)-882-9649 k14mason (at) yahoo (dot) com

 

March 21st Day of Action for Zimbabweans on Death Row

A Call to Demonstrate on March 21st for Six Zimbabwean Activists Facing the Death Penalty for Discussing Egypt

Join us Monday, March 21st at 12 noon at the Embassy of Zimbabwe 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW.

Bring signs, banners, bullhorns, and your desire for justice!

Six people in Zimbabwe are now imprisoned on charges of treason for organizing a meeting to discuss the mass movements in Tunisia and Egypt. For this “crime” they face a possible death sentence. They have been tortured and are now in solitary confinement.

 An international day of action to demand their release will be held on Monday, March 21, when they are scheduled for a court hearing. Our message is simple and urgent: We demand that the government of Zimbabwe drop all charges and release them immediately. At present, demonstrations on that date are planned for Britain, South Africa, and the United States, with more to be announced.

  The worldwide significance of the struggle to free the Zimbabwean prisoners is reflected in a recent statement of support from the Congress of South African Trade Unions.  “The Egyptian and Tunisian experience have inspired many workers and poor people all over the world to stand up and demand an end to dictatorship, corruption and injustice of whatever kind.”

 The arrest and prosecution of the six may seem like only the latest round of repression by Robert Mugabe’s government against opponents. But it is also an attack on the spirit of Tahrir Square, which has inspired people all over the world. The six prisoners include trade unionists, intellectuals, and activists in the struggle for women’s rights.

 The effort to suppress them – and even to kill them, whether by execution or through torture and denial of medical treatment while in custody – is a vicious assault on all of us. An injury to one is an injury to all!

Weekend Events

Veterans for Peace Rally & Action at the White House 

Saturday, March 19, 2011 – 12:00pm – 2:00pm

Resist the War Machine! Put your body on the line for peace and help make this the largest veteran-led civil resistance to the war machine in recent history! For more information, email stopthesewars@gmail.com.

  

Civil Resistance
1:00 pm, White House

For more detailed information email stopthesewars@gmail.com.

 Friday, March 18
Pre-Action Gathering
5-8 pm
Busboys and Poets, 5th and K Streets NW
Speakers and live music
Speakers include Medea Benjamin, Chris Hedges, and David Swanson
Music by Deadwood, with special guest Watermelon Slim

Sunday, March  20
Rally and March to Quantico for Bradley Manning
2 pm
Main St. and Rt. 1 (Jeff Davis Hwy.), Quantico, VA
See bradleymanning.org for more information.
Two 56-person buses have been reserved for five hours. Board buses in front of Union Station, 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, in Washington, D.C., at 12:30 p.m.
Buses will be boarding to return from Triangle/Quantico at 4:30 p.m.
To reserve tickets for the bus ($10 round-trip): www.couragetoresist.org/bus

Housing will be available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night at St. Stephen’s Church, 1525 Newton Street NW (corner of 16th Street), AFTER 9 pm. Please do not go to the church before 9 pm. Anyone staying at the church must be respectful of whatever else may be going on there at the time.You will need a sleeping bag. There are no secure provisions for leaving belongings at St. Stephen’s.

Saturday, March 19
Pre-event briefing
8:30-10:30 am, St. Stephen’s Church, 1525 Newton Street NW (corner of 16th)
 

Rally
12:00 pm, Lafayette Park, H and 16th Streets NW
Speakers: Elliott Adams, Chantelle Bateman, Brian Becker, Medea Benjamin, Zachary Choate, Ryan Endicott, Ayesha Fleary, Chris Hedges, Kathy Kelly, Mike Malloy, Michael McPhearson, Caneisha Mills, Ralph Nader, Debra Sweet, Ann Wright, Kevin Zeese

“Move the War Money, Save our Communities”

The Washington Peace Center, Military Families Speak Out, United for Peace and Justice and others are collaborating on this forum exploring the effects of our over-inflated military budget on our local communities. Hear from local DC organizers on how the economic crisis is affecting DC and how we can work together across issues to change the situation.

Panelists:

• John Feffer, Foreign Policy In Focus, Institute for Policy Studies
• Kathryn Perry, Luther Place Memorial Church and N Street Village
• Linda Leaks, Empower DC
• Chantelle Batmen, IVAW
• Representative from Save our Safety Net DC

When: 
Saturday, March 19, 2011

Dinner served from 5-6 pm (donation requested)

Forum from 6-8 pm… Concert afterwards!  (see below)

Where: 

Luther Place Memorial Church

1226 Vermont Avenue Northwest

Concert 8-10 pm: “Soundtrack for Refusal” CD Release Show featuring Ryan Harvey, Spoonboy and Jubilee – a fundraiser for Civilian-Soldier Alliance and Iraq Veterans Against the War.

This event is endorsed by the  Civilian Soldier Alliance, CodePink , Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES), DC Jobs with Justice, Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, Empower DC, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Peace Action, Luther Place Memorial Church, Save our Safety Net DC, SOAWatch, Stop These Wars and others.

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=192257244128465

Check the Washington Peace Center site for a full weekend of events commemorating the anniversary of the US Invasion of Iraq: http://washingtonpeacecenter.net/iraq2011

Contact 202-234-2000 or info@washingtonpeacecenter.org with questions.