The following writeup is from Pax Christi Tampa Bay
July 7, 2010
Pax Christi Tampa Bay E-mail Newsletter
Good folks,
Below are four important new listings for events occurring in July and
two updated items. Following that is a chart showing the cost of
the U.S. wars as of July 5th, and six items of recent good news about
the death penalty, send out by Mark Elliot of Floridians for
Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Items listed in the previous
newsletter, including ASAP’s HUB grand opening this Saturday, and
the Weekly Calendar follow Mark’s list.
Pax Christi Tampa Bay
NEW ITEMS
PASTORS FOR PEACE AID BENEFIT UPDATE: Last week’s benefit for
Pastors for Peace was rained out, so the documentary film and silent
auction in support of the 21st aid caravan to Cuba is rescheduled for
the Cafe Bohemia, 937 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg tonight,
Wednesday, July 7th. The film, Man of Two Havanas, is a
documentary by Vivien Lesnik Weisman about her father, journalist Max
Lesnik, who fought alongside Fidel Castro, then left Cuba for Miami
after a falling out with Castro. For his later attempts to open
dialogue with the Cuban government, he and his family were the targets
of death threats, bombings and drive-by shootings from CIA-trained U.S.
citizens.
The silent auction begins at 8:00 PM; the film begins at 8:30.
Films are shown in the outdoor courtyard, so dress accordingly.
FMI on the event, click here; FMI on the film, click here; FMI on
Pastors for Peace, click http://www.ifconews.org/
SLOW FOOD SAMPLER: Slow Food is a movement that encourages healthy,
tasty, environmentally friendly local food. Slow Food Tampa
Bay’s Slow Food Sampler event will feature samplings of locally
produced food supplied by Whole Foods of Tampa and prepared by Chef
Dave West of The Rolling Pin Kitchen Emporium of Brandon. The
Sampler will be 7:00-9:00 PM this Thursday, July 8th at the Studio@620,
620 1st Avenue S. in St. Petersburg. Tickets are $10. FMI
and to buy tickets online, click here FMI about Slow Foods Tampa
Bay, click here
LIVING BEYOND THE “END OF THE WORLD”: The St.
Paul’s Social Justice Ministry Green Team will study Living
Beyond the “End of the World”: A Spirituality of Hope by
Margaret Swedish. This book examines the global ecological crisis
and outlines the values and spiritual resources needed to create an
ecologically sound future. The first meeting will be from
7:00-9:00 PM on Wednesday, July 14 in the Parish Center of St.
Paul’s Catholic Church, 1800 12th Street North in St. Petersburg.
The group will meet on alternating second and fourth Wednesdays after
that. The meetings will include prayer, scripture reading, and
support for those trying to live more environmentally responsible
lives. FMI on the book and to order a copy, click here. FMI
on the group and the book study, contact Mary Ann at
walt231@mindspring.com.
RESILIENT RELATIONSHIPS: A Workshop in Nonviolent Communication: Join
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) practitioner Mercedes Frace, MLS for a
workshop to develop skills for empathy and honest, open
communication. The workshop is designed to deepen conversations
and relationships; provide skills to resolve arguments; reduce
annoyance with others; help participants escape the cultural traps of
blaming and judging; and help people live a life more aligned with
their personal values.
The NVC workshop will be on Saturday, 24 from 9:30 AM-5:00 PM at 1011
First Ave. N. (front entry on the second floor) in St.
Petersburg. Doors open at 9:00 AM for registration. Cost is
a sliding scale from $40-$70. Call (941) 492-9279 FMI and
registration; deadline is 4:00 PM on Wednesday, July 21. Workshop
facilitator Mercedes Frace wants everyone to have access to the
training, so if cost is a problem, call to discuss options.
Participants should bring a bag lunch. FMI on Frace, click here.
NVC is the work of Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D., educator, global mediator
and Nobel Peace Prize candidate. FMI on Dr. Rosenberg and NVC,
click here
TRUTH IN MILITARY RECRUITING FACT SHEET: Veterans for Truth in Military
Recruiting has produced a brief, easy-to-read handout with information
and questions for students, parents and educators when they are
approached by military recruiters. The sheet has been prepared by
military veterans and has contact information including the GI Rights
Hotline (800-394-9544). For a copy of the handout, contact Dwight
at dlawton2@tampabay.rr.com
PAX CHRISTI FLORIDA 2010 ASSEMBLY UPDATE: “Prophetic Challenges
to Unjust Structures,” Pax Christi Florida’s 2010 Statewide
Assembly, will be September 11-12 at the DaySpring Conference Center in
Ellenton. The conference will feature workshops on incarceration
and prisoner re-integration, the Middle East, immigration, Haiti, and
keeping the reforms of Vatican II alive. FMI, including
registration, a schedule, and speaker biographies, click
here
Cost of the War as of July 5, 2010
Iraq
Total Number of U.S. soldiers
killed:
4,411
Deaths – State of
Florida:
193
Financial Cost to U.S. Taxpayers: $731,000,000,000+
Cost of Iraq War to Taxpayers in FL $ 40,000,000,000+
Afghanistan
Total Number of U.S. soldiers
killed:
1,152
Deaths – State of
Florida:
72
Financial Cost to U.S.
Taxpayers:
$281,000,000,000+
Cost of Afghan War Taxpayers in
FL $
15,000,000,000+
Source: National Priorities Project and iCasualties.org.
SIX ITEMS OF GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY:
-Troy Davis of Georgia presents evidence of innocence in Federal court:
Last week, Troy Davis was allowed to present previously unheard
evidence that may prove his claim that he is innocent of the murder of
Savannah officer Mark MacPhail. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered
this evidentiary hearing and mandated that Davis must prove his
innocence to a federal judge. Judge William Moore heard from more
witnesses who recanted their previous testimony implicating
Davis. Also heard was a witness that claimed he saw Sylvestor
Coles commit the murder and several witnesses testified that Coles had
admitted killing officer MacPhail. In this courtroom, Davis is
presumed guilty until proven innocent instead of innocent until proven
guilty. Proving innocence is much more difficult. Judge
Moore asked for lawyers to submit final documents by July 7 and said he
will rule soon thereafter. If Davis cannot prove his innocence to
the judge, he will face execution for the fourth time. For more on Troy
Davis, please go here.
-The Florida Innocence Commission is formed: Florida Supreme Court
Chief Justice Charles Canady formally created the Florida Innocence
Commission on Friday. Seth Miller of The Innocence Project of
Fla., Sen. Mike Haridopolos, FSU Pres. Emeritus Sandy D’Alemberte
and many others worked hard to make this happen. The commission
will focus on Florida’s many wrongful convictions and submit a
preliminary report in one year and make final recommendations two years
from now. Unlike some other states, Florida’s Commission is
not planning to include finding and releasing wrongfully convicted
prisoners, but will focus on how so many innocent people were convicted
and what can be done to correct the situation. Any effort to
openly and honestly examine the issue of wrongful convictions and how
so many innocent people have been sent Florida’s Death Row is
welcome, especially if it gets the attention of the public, politicians
and the press. For more on this and a list of panelists, please
go here.
-The U.S. Supreme Court has decided that, in certain situations,
condemned prisoners may have extensions of rigid deadlines for appeals:
The U.S. Supreme Court decided 7-2 in favor of a Florida Death Row
inmate who missed the one-year deadline to file a federal
appeal. In Holland vs. Florida, the court found that Albert
Holland’s attorney was responsible for missing the deadline to
file and that the ironclad one year limit to file federal appeals under
the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, AEDPA, is
too rigid.
John Holdridge, director of the American Civil Liberties Union Capital
Punishment Project, said the decision is "a victory for basic
fairness." For the first time, Holdridge said, death row inmates "will
now have an opportunity to show that they should be allowed to file a
petition if the deadline has passed because of attorney misconduct or
gross negligence." For more on this, please go here.
-The Florida Supreme Court has decided that attorneys for condemned
prisoners can challenge lethal injection procedures: The Florida
Supreme Court decided this week that Capital Collateral Regional
Counsels, the state lawyers who represent Florida Death Row inmates,
can challenge Florida’s lethal injection procedures in federal
court. The 4-3 split decision reversed their previous ruling that
barred these defense attorneys from pursuing federal civil rights suits
that challenged the constitutionality of the DOC’s lethal
injection procedures.
Former FBI Director, former State Attorney, former ABA president and
The Constitution Project join The Innocent Project’s appeal for
death row inmate: Paul Hildwin has been on Florida’s Death row
for almost 25 years. Hildwin was convicted of the rape and murder
of Vronzettie Cox. In 2003, DNA testing of samples from the
murder scene excluded Hildwin. The State of Florida has
steadfastly refused to put the murder scene DNA evidence in the state
and national DNA database to see if it matches someone else who may be
the actual rapist/killer. In 2006, the Florida Supreme Court, in
a 4-3 decision, denied Hildwin a new trial. Former FBI Dir.
William Sessions, Former State Atty. Harry Shortstein, former ABA Pres.
Sandy D’Alemberte and the Constitution Project have filed an
AMICUS brief in support of the Innocence Project’s request to put
these crime scene DNA samples in the databases to look for a match.
Annual fast and vigil to abolish the death penalty: The Annual Fast
& Vigil to Abolish the Death Penalty at the U.S. Supreme Court
concluded Friday at midnight. Anti-death penalty activists
converged on Washington, D.C. from June 29 through July 2 for four days
of activities commemorating the historic 1972 and 1976 Supreme Court
rulings that suspended the death penalty in the United States and later
allowed executions to resume. This is the sixteenth year in a row that
the Abolitionist Action Committee held its annual Fast and Vigil
between the dates of these two landmark decisions. Activists, many of
whom are fasting the entire four days, traveled to Washington D.C. from
across the United States and beyond. Thanks to all who
participated, sponsored and helped make this moving, high-profile event
a success.
Mark Elliott
Executive Director, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, FADP.org
P.O. Box 82943
Tampa, FL 33682
(727) 215-9646
PREVIOUS LISTINGS:
THE HUB GRAND OPENING: ASAP Homeless Services, Inc. invites the
community to the grand opening for The HUB, their new job readiness and
business center for the homeless on Saturday, July 10 from 12:00 noon
to 4:00 PM. The HUB is located at 1055 4th Street South in St.
Petersburg. A buffet lunch will be served and live
entertainment will be provided by the Gospel Revealing Truth Choir
(12:00-2:00) and the Soul Shakers (70’s-80’s R & B,
2:00-4:00 PM). Entry is free. Please join ASAP to see how
the HUB is revitalizing our community and putting the homeless to
work. FMI contact ASAP Executive Director Karen Bolden at (727)
823-5665 or kbolden68@yahoo.com. The HUB’s website is at
http://www.asapthehub.org/.
Five Films for a Future: The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the
Collapse of The American Dream is the second in the Five Films for a
Future series. The film will be shown on Tuesday, July 13th at
7:00 PM at the Sarasota Friends' Meeting House, 3139 57th Street
in Sarasota.
Other films in this monthly documentary series will include The Power
of Community (August 10th), No Impact Man (September 14th), and Fresh,
The Movie (October 12th). Admission is $5, but no one will be
turned away for lack of funds. FMI: (941) 408-3374. Five Films
for a Future is presented by WSLR 96.5 Community Radio, the Sarasota
PEACenter, and Transition Sarasota. Click on any of the
underlined film titles or group names for more information on
each.
PAX CHRISTI USA CONFERENCE: Join Rev. Bryan Massingale, STD, Jeremy
Scahill, Elena Segura and peacemakers from across the country for Know
Justice, Know Peace: Ending War at Home and Abroad, the Pax Christi USA
conference from July 16-18 at the Rosemont Hotel O'Hare in
Chicago. FMI, click here
CARING CONFERENCE: The 2010 Annual Community of Caring National Conference will be July 16-17 in Sarasota. FMI click here
SMALL FARMS CONFERENCE: With the theme "Sustaining Small Farms;
Strengthening Florida's Communities," the Florida Small Farms
Alternative Enterprise Conference will be held July 31-August 1 at the
Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee. FMI click here
ASAP BOWLING: A bowling tournament to support ASAP Homeless Services
will be Sunday, August 8 from 12:00-2:00 PM at Sunrise Lanes, 6393 Dr.
M. L. King St N. in St. Petersburg. FMI on joining or reserving a
lane, call ASAP at (727) 823-5665.
WEEKLY CALENDAR
JUSTICE RADIO: Overnight Underground is a radio program featuring
lively socially conscious and politically provocative music;
announcements of local peace and justice events; good news about those
in the struggle for peace and justice; and listings of social services
in the Tampa Bay area. The show is broadcast from 1:00-4:00 AM
every Tuesday morning on WMNF 88.5 FM. Each show is available
online for the week following the broadcast at
http://wmnf.org/programs/329
DUNEDIN PEACE CORNERING: Cornering is at Alternate 19, in front of the
Dunedin Marina in Dunedin, 4:30-6:00 PM on Wednesdays; parking is
available at the Dunedin Marina. For more information (FMI): Melissa or
Kim
PEACE FIRST JULY SITE: Peace First will gather at the corner of 38th
Avenue and 4th Street North each Wednesday in July from 5:00-6:00
PM. Participants usually gather afterward at a nearby restaurant
for a meal. FMI: SMcCown@tampabay.rr.com
WEEKLY PEACE DEMONSTRATION: The Pasco County Peace Vigil is held at US
19 and Ridge Rd. in Port Richey every Friday from 7:30-8:30 AM.
Participants meet at Denny’s afterward for breakfast. FMI:
www.flpan.org or bettejo@flpan.org
SILENT PEACE VIGIL IN SARASOTA: Join the Southwest Florida Coalition
for Peace and Justice for a silent vigil for peace on Fridays from
4:00-5:00 PM at the Sarasota Bayfront (near Marina Jack's) off Route
41, just after the Ringling cutoff. FMI: http://www.swfcpj.org/
FRIDAY PICNIC AND SHARING IN ST. PETE: At 7:00 PM each Friday, the St.
Petersburg Friends sponsor a picnic that provides food for between 50
and 125 people each week. The picnic is at the Unitarian
Universalist Church, 719 Arlington Avenue N. on Mirror Lake Drive in
downtown St. Petersburg. Volunteers, supplies and food are
needed, especially food that is easy to carry and slow to spoil, such
as peanut butter sandwiches, cheese and crackers, etc.
Toiletries, jeans or work pants, and clean t-shirts are needed. FMI and
to help: Ed at (727) 327-1954 or Dottie at (727) 647-6929.
PEACE DEMONSTRATION: Join the Nature Coast Coalition for Peace and
Justice at the corner of U.S. 19/Commercial Way and State Road
50/Cortez Boulevard from 10:00 AM-12:00 noon every other Saturday in
Spring Hill. FMI: brianmor@tampabay.rr.com or (352) 686-9936.
BRADENTON PEACE GATHERING: Join the Green Bridge Patriots to protest
the war every Sunday at the base of the Green Bridge beginning at 11:00
AM in Palmetto. FMI: alvinlevie@hotmail.com or (941) 747-0941.
STAND FOR PEACE: The Social Concerns Committee and the
Youth Group at Spirit of Life Unitarian Universalist in Odessa is
sponsoring a Stand for Peace at the intersection of Tarpon Springs Road
and Burrell Road on the third Sunday of every month from 12:45 -
1:45 PM. FMI: http://www.spiritoflifeuu.org/
Contact Pax Christi:
paxchristi@stpeteforpeace.org
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