DC Conference on Civil Disobedience Jan 24 & 25/squatt workshop
Tom Boland (wgcp@earthlink.net)
Thu, 22 Jan 1998 23:14:34 -0800 (PST)
FWD via FNB list
"If a law is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of
injustice to another, then I say, break the law. Let your life be a
counter friction to stop the machine."
-Henry David Thoreau
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
FINAL UPDATE AND SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
JANUARY 24TH AND 25TH
Civil Disobedience is an old and effective technique of resistance and
protest which has led many oppressed groups to freedom. Today, civil
disobedience is being used by many different groups for many different
liberation struggles around the world. It has become timely, important,
and quite necessary to learn from each other's struggles while keeping in
mind the lessons of those who have fought before us.
This conference provides one of the first opportunities to
coordinate such a dialogue. The variety of workshops represents the
countless struggles around the world and we hope that the diversity of
people in attendance will be able to not only learn from these workshops
but also contribute their one of a kind experience and expertise to the
community. We hope that activists will leave with a variety of tools on
how to fight using nonviolent civil disobedience to take home, practice,
and teach others. Finally, our goal is to coordinate this conference on
a regular basis. If you are interested in helping out for future events,
please contact us.
WORKSHOPS AND SPEAKERS
Welcoming and Opening address - Dr. Abdul Aziz Said, Director of the
Peace and Conflict Resolution Department at The American University and
The AU Center for Global Peace
How to Radicalize Your Life - Colman McCarthy, founder and
director of the Center for Teaching Peace and wrote for The Washington
Post for over 25 years. McCarthy is a nationally renowned speaker and
lectures at over 20 colleges and universities a year. He is a pacifist,
a vegetarian and has been commuting to work on his bicycle for over 20
years.
LOCAL ISSUES
Fighting Nuclear Growth and Weaponry - Fran Teplitz, policy director of
Peace Action Education Fund.
Ending Homelessness an Hunger Through Nonviolent Action - Keith
McHenry. Keith McHenry is one of the original eight founders of Food Not
Bombs. He founded the San Francisco chapter of Food Not Bombs whose
activists have been arrested over 1000 times for serving free food. He
has been arrested 104 times for civil disobedience and has been
threatened with life imprisonment for one such prolonged action.
Bikes: A means of Mass Protest - Sponsored by Critical Mass,
Roundtable discussion with Mark Adams and Critical Mass Richmond
Squating, Squaters Rights, and the end of Homelessness - Nate,
from Baltimore Food Not Bombs and The Anarchist Black Cross, is currently
facing both felony and misdemeanor charges for trying to squat an
abandoned building for Homes Not Jails.
Pirate Micro-Radio - Electronic Civil Disobedience - Radio Mutiny
Collective, Pirate micro-broadcasters from West Philadelphia. Learn why
you should and how you can start your own pirate radio station
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
Consumer and Economic Means of Protest: A Case for Burmese Liberation -
Sponsored by The Free Burma Coalition at American University
Escaping the Capitalist Market System: the Silent Revolution in Africa -
Dr. Fantu Cheru, Professor of Development Studies in the School of
International Service at American University. Specialty in Urban
Development, Economics, Development, and African Studies.
East Timor and the US Government: How to Fight - Lynn Fredrikson,
Washington Office of East Timor Action Network. She is also a Plowshares
(disarmament) activist and spent a year and several months locked up for
an action to disarm a nuclear-capable F-15E in North Carolina in '93.
Fredrikson has been arrested for actions around homelessness, nuclear
weapons and testing, and human rights numerous times.
Techniques, Methods, and Skills for Conflict Resolution - Colman McCarthy
(Bio above)
Spirituality and Civil Disobedience, Focus on Plowshares activism,
Closing the School of the Americas(Assassins), and ending the sanctions
against Iraq - Sponsored by Dorothy Day's Catholic Worker
Defending Our Environment - Kathie Berrey, Earth First Activist for over
20 years, nonviolence trainer for 10 years, Native American rights
activist, and experienced in several types of civil disobedience.
ANIMAL RIGHTS ISSUES
Maximizing the power of CD -Civil Disobedience and Animal Rights: Theory
and Action - Freeman Wicklund is the founder and former editor of "No
Compromise: The Militant, Direct Action Magazine for Animal
Liberationists and Their Supporters." He also founded and coordinated
the Student Organization for Animal Rights at the U of MN where he
organized and participated in dozens of civil disobedience actions.
Currently, he is the Executive Director of the Animal Liberation League.
How to organize and execute an effective act of Civil Disobedience - Paul
Shapiro and Miyun Park, Co-directors of DC's only grassroots, direct
action, animal rights organization, Compassion Over Killing
What Happens When You Get Arrested? - Sean Day, lawyer and vegan activist
Incorporating Eastern Traditions into Social Action: Nonviolence and
Animal Rights - Norm Phelps. Norm is a Tibetan Buddhist of the Sakya
School and is currently the youth education director for the Fund for
Animals. He has been arrested twice for animal rights civil disobedience
and has been a vegan activist for over 15 years.
Politics and Reasoning Behind Fasting and Hunger Strikes as a Means of
Civil Disobedience - Dawn Ratcliffe, animal rights activist recently
released after a prolonged hunger strike while in jail for civil
disobedience.
DETAILS DETAILS DETAILS
Where: The American University, Washington DC - 4400 Massachusetts Ave
NW Tenleytown Metro Stop - Served by BWI, Washington- Dulles, and
Washington National Airports - Amtrack and Greyhound at Union Station
When: Saturday January 24 and Sunday January 25, 1998
Friday Night Registration: 7:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Mary Graydon Center,
American University. Saturday Registration: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Kay
Spiritual Life Center, American University
Price: $7.00 registration for all workshops, $15.00 to include two vegan
lunches.
Housing: First come students can receive free housing scholarships.
Limited low cost special housing for individuals and groups. For more
information on housing, contact Kate Lowe, housing coordinator, at
301-649-5838 or k8low@hotmail.com.
If you require housing, you must register in advance. People requesting
lunches are strongly advised to preregister. If your group would like a
table during the lunches, call nisha in advance - $5 per lunch. All
questions and registration may be directed to the contact information
below.
Nisha Anand, Conference Coordinator
lemurx@juno.com 202-686-7966
4519 Alton Place N.W.
Washington, DC 20016
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, January 23rd -- late night registration 7-12. Mary Graydon
Center, American University.
Saturday, January 24th -- Registration begins at 8:00 am in Kay Spiritual
Life Center.
9 - 9:30 Welcoming Address, Dr. Abdul Aziz Said, Kay Spiritual Life
Center
9:30-10:30 How to Radicalize your Life, Opening Workshop, Comean
McCarthy, Kay Spiritual Life Center
10:45- 12 Ending Homelessness and Hunger Through Nonviolent Action -
Keith McHenry, Kay Chapel
Escaping the Capitalist Market System:
The Silent Revolution in Africa, Fantu
Cheru - Kay Lounge
12-1:30 Lunch, Catered by Soul Vegetarian - SIS Lounge
1:45 - 3 How to Maximize the Power of CD - CD and
Animal Rights, Freeman Wicklund - Kay
Spiritual Life Center
Micro-Radio - Electronic CD, Radio
Mutiny Collective - Butler Board Room
3:15 - 4:30 Techniques, Methods, and Skills for Conflict
Resolution, Colman McCarthy - Kay
Spiritual Life Center
Bikes: A Means of Mass Protest, Critical
Mass - Butler Board Room
5:30-7 Critical Anti-Fur Protest. Neiman Marcus, Mazza Gallerie,
Friendship Heights Metro. Sponsored by Compassion Over Killing.
Sunday, January 25th
9:15-10:30 How to Organize and Execute an Effective
Act of Civil Disobedience, Paul Shapiro and
Miyun Park - Nebraska Conference Room (room may change)
Consumer and Economic Means of
Protest: A Case for Burmese Liberation - Beeghly 1
10:45 - 12 What Happens When You Get Arrested, Sean
Day - Nebraska Conference Room (room may change)
Fighting Nuclear Growth and Weaponry,
Fran Teplitz - Beeghly 1
12-1:30 Lunch Catered by Soul Vegetarian - McDowell Formal Lounge
1:45 - 3 Spirituality and Civil Disobedience, Focus
on Plowshares activism, Closing the School
of the Americas(Assassins), and ending the
sanctions against Iraq, Catholic Worker -
Kay Lounge
Defending Our Environment.
Kathie Berrey - Beeghly 1
3:15 - 4:30 Incorporating Eastern Traditions into Social
Action: Nonviolence and Animal Rights,
Norm Phelps - Kay Lounge
East Timor and the US Government:
How to Fight, Lynn Fredrikson - Beeghly 1
4:45 - 6 Politics and Reasoning Behind Fasting and
Hunger Strike, Dawn Ratcliffe - Kay Lounge
Squating, Squaters Rights, and the end
of Homelessness, Nate Bombast -
Beeghly 1
Other Activities -
Saturday Night, January 24th - 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Critical Anti-Fur
Protest. Nieman Marcus, Mazza Gallerie, Friendship Heights Metro.
Sponsored by Compassion Over Killing. 202-986-6599
Sunday, January 25th - 4:00 p.m. Serve with DC Food Not Bombs and
the Homeless of The Nation's Capitol. 20th and Pennsylvania
END FORWARD