2004.04.30: Antiwar Bulletin — Sat., 3 p.m., Jews Against the Occupation

From: Michael Letwin
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2004 12:49 PM
To: 1199 Members; ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Antiwar Bulletin — Sat., 3 p.m., Jews Against the Occupation

Join Jews Against the Occupation in bringing the struggle against the Apartheid Wall to Union Square.

When:  May 1, 3pm
Where: Union Square (south side)

A GHETTO IS A GHETTO – TEAR DOWN THE WALL.

Sixty-one years ago, on the first night of Passover 1943, an armed revolt broke out in the Warsaw Ghetto. The Jewish Fighting Organization held off the Nazi occupying army and delayed the ‘liquidation’ of the ghetto and its remaining population for weeks. While the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising did not bring down the walls which surrounded the ghetto, it has remained a symbol of resistance to oppression and occupation.

This year, the Israeli government has erected a wall – cement, barbed wire,machine-gun towers, checkpoints – cutting farmers from their fields and orchards, students from their schools, families from relatives. As we look at how the Wall has been built to surround the Palestinian city of Qalqiliya on all sides, as we look at towns throughout the West Bank imprisoned by this new facet of occupation, we cannot help seeing the walls against which the Warsaw Ghetto rose up.

Both the Uprising and the Intifada raise complicated and difficult questions about the forms resistance takes, and about the ways that international solidarity can support struggles against occupation. This year, during the weeks of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising’s height, Jews Against the Occupation – NYC explores them through a series of events connecting Warsaw and the Wall.

Download the flyer:  http://www.jatonyc.org/riseup.pdf

—————–
Jews Against the Occupation is an organization of progressive, secular and religious Jews of all ages throughout the New York City area advocating peace through justice for Palestine and Israel.
jatonyc@yahoo.com
http://www.jatonyc.org/

2004.04.29: Antiwar Bulletin

From: Michael Letwin
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 12:43 PM
To: 1199 Members; ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Antiwar Bulletin

CONTENTS

1. Urgent Response to U.S. Attacks in Iraq

2. Useful Links

=======================================

1. Urgent Response to U.S. Attacks in Iraq

Contact the White House right away with a simple message:
DON’T ATTACK FALLUJA. STOP THE SIEGE OF FALLUJA, NAJAF, AND KARBALA Web email for White House is at https://sawho14.eop.gov/PERSdata/intro.htm
Bush email: president@whitehouse.gov
White House tel. no.: 202 456 1111 (M-F, 9-5, EST)

Two Protests:  Saturday May 1, 12 Noon

Manhattan — Emergency Demonstration
Times Square Armed Forces Recruiting Center 43rd Street & Broadway Stop the Siege of Fallujah Bring the troops home now End the Occupation Money For Jobs and Human Needs – Not War Support GI Resistance, No Draft

Bronx — Picket and Rally
Fordham Rd and Grand Concourse in front of the recruitment center.
(D to Fordham Rd.)
Fight against the U.S. occupation in Iraq and the world End the military occupancy in Puerto Rico End ROTC recruitment in schools Get the NYPD out of our schools Stop the recruitment of our brothers and sisters

2.  Useful Links

ALJAZEERA
Dedicated journalists with their multi-national education and diversified backgrounds share a common set of attributes: objectivity, accuracy, and a passion for truth.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/54C8AFC7-8C97-4C4F-B38D-D41E6169C42E.htm

AL-AWDA
Broad-based non-partisan global democratic association of thousands of grassroots activists and organizational representatives concerned for the Palestinian Refugees Right of Return.
http://www.al-awda.org/

BRING THEM HOME NOW!
Our mission is to mobilize military families, veterans, and GIs themselves to demand: an end to the occupation of Iraq and other misguided military adventures; and an immediate return of all US troops to their home duty stations.
http://bringthemhomenow.com/

CAMPUS ANTIWAR NETWORK (CAN)
Independent, democratic, grassroots network of campus-based anti-war committees
http://www.campusantiwar.net/

CITIZEN SOLDIER
Defending GIs who stand against illegal policies. . . . Through advocacy and public education we can reduce the role of militarism in our society.
http://www.citizen-soldier.org/

GI RIGHTS HOTLINE
Network of nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations who provide information to servicemembers about military discharges, grievance and complaint procedures, and other civil rights.
http://girights.objector.org/

GI SPECIAL
News from Iraq and about the unjust U.S. occupation.
http://www.notinourname.net/gi-special/index.html

GUARDIAN (U.K.)
Excellent news and analysis.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/

INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE
News You Wont Find on CNN.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/

INTERNATIONAL ANSWER
Act Now to Stop War and Racism.
http://www.internationalanswer.org/

IRAQ BODY COUNT
Civilians reported killed by military intervention in Iraq.
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/

IRAQ COALITION CASUALTY COUNT
http://lunaville.org/warcasualties/Summary.aspx

MILITARY FAMILIES SPEAK OUT
Organization of people who are opposed to war in Iraq and who have relatives or loved ones in the military.
http://www.mfso.org/

NEW YORK CITY LABOR AGAINST THE WAR (NYCLAW)
Ad hoc coalition of labor activists in NYC and elsewhere who oppose war response to events of Sept. 11, 2001.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LaborAgainstWar/

NYC INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER
Grassroots organization committed to using media production and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic justice in the NYC Area.
http://nyc.indymedia.org/

OCCUPATION WATCH
International coalition of peace and justice groups, together with Iraqi counterparts.
http://www.occupationwatch.org/index.php

PALESTINIAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Established in 1995 by a group of Palestinian lawyers and human rights activists.
http://www.pchrgaza.org/

RACIAL JUSTICE 911
People of Color Against the War. Racial justice organizations dedicated to building broad-based opposition to the U.S. dangerous foreign and domestic policies, known as the War on Terrorism, among communities of color.
http://www.racialjustice911.org/

UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE (UFPJ)
Coalition of more than 750 local and national groups throughout the United States who have joined together to oppose our governments policy of permanent warfare and empire-building.
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/

U.S. & COALITION/CASUALTIES
Names of the soldiers, Marines, airmen, sailors and Coast Guardsmen whose families have been notified of their deaths by each country’s government.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/

U.S. LABOR AGAINST THE WAR (USLAW)
http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/index.php

VIETNAM VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR (VVAW)
Founded in New York City in 1967. . . . VVAW exposed the ugly truth about US involvement in Southeast Asia and our first-hand experiences helped many other Americans to see the unjust nature of that war.
http://www.vvaw.org/

2004.04.16: Senior Attorneys Caucus Report

From: Azalia Torres
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2004 11:24 AM
To: ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Senior Attorneys Caucus Report

The April 15, 2004 citywide senior attorneys caucus meeting was attended by 38 ALAA members from various offices and divisions (see below*), who voted on the motions below (maker and vote ((for-against-abstentions)) in parentheses).

Motions Adopted

1. Convene a committee of senior attorney volunteers to produce constituent letters in support of LAS budget requests (Katie Kelleher, unanimous).

2. Endorse “No Give-Back, No Layoffs: We Are a Fighting Union” (Brooklyn CDD, March 24, 2004) (Michael Letwin, 16-12-5) (attached).

3. Propose that the Delegate Council meet as soon as possible following issuance of Executive Board’s financial report (Katie Kelleher, 25-0-6).

4. Circulate a written statement and hold meetings to explain how seniors are fighting against layoffs and to discuss ALAA’s previous experience with layoff threats (Steve Terry, 19-6-4).

5. Hold a citywide meeting in six months to discuss other senior attorneys issues (Katie Kelleher, unanimous).

Motions Defeated

1. Call on the Union to demand that the Society fire all managers with fiscal oversight responsibility (Steve Pokhart, 10-20).

2. Endorse April 12, 2004 resolution from Brooklyn CDD delegates (attached)(Michael Letwin, 12-13-7).

Meeting Attendance (from sign-in sheet)

CHAIR
Azalia Torres (Senior Attorney Representative; CDD-Brooklyn)

[INDIVIDUAL NAMES OMITTED]

CAB
CAPITAL DIVISION
CDD-BRONX
CDD-BROOKLYN
CDD-MANHATTAN
CDD-QUEENS
CIVIL
CLO/VOLUNTEER
PAROLE REVOCATION
JRD

—–

No Give-Backs, No Layoffs: We Are a Fighting Union
Emergency Resolution on the Legal Aid Fiscal Crisis
Submitted by the Senior Attorneys of Brooklyn CDD
(Endorsed by Brooklyn CDD Membership and Citywide Sr. Attorney Caucus)

Through the fog of Legal Aid’s fiscal crisis at least one thing is absolutely certain: If Union members and leadership seem resigned to bearing the cost, management and government will not find the funds necessary to maintain staffing and compensation. And while the results are not guaranteed, ALAA’s history shows that our best defense against both layoffs and give-backs is a highly-informed, active membership united on a determined response.
To reclaim our tradition a fighting, democratic union, we call on the Delegate Council, “the highest authority in the union after the membership” (Bylaws, Art. V), to clearly, publicly and immediately reaffirm the positions adopted by ALAA in response to funding crises in 2000 and 2002:
(1) ALAA’s Position: No layoffs, involuntary inter-division transfers, or contractual give-backs for staff attorneys or 1199 support staff. The Society’s fiscal crisis must be addressed through such measures as:
•Increased government and private funding.
•Reduction in management size and compensation; and increased workload and/or reassignment for remaining managers.
•Voluntary staff attorney buyouts, inter-divisional staff attorney transfers, and unpaid staff attorney leaves.
(2) Implementation: ALAA’s leadership is directed to:
•Convey the above position to management and outside funding sources.
•Provide the membership with frequent, factual *written* reports, including the specific dollar amounts (by division) of: (A) Legal Aid’s cumulative deficit; and (B) City and state budget cuts.
•Closely coordinate with our sister union, 1199SEIU.
Dated: March 24, 2004

2004.04.13: Weds: Criminal Injustice Speakout

From: Michael Letwin
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 9:49 AM
To: 1199 Members; ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Weds: Criminal Injustice Speakout

**PLEASE POST!**

Victims of Criminal Injustice Speak Out!
From Police Brutality to Death Row

Speakers:

*Yusef Salaam Wrongfully convicted in Central Park assault case *Sharonne Salaam, Yusef’s mother *Shujaa Graham Former death row prisoner and Black Panther Campaign to End the Death Penalty *Bill Perkins NYC Councilmember *Call-in from Monique Matthews, sister of Ryan Matthews, innocent and on death row in Louisiana.

Wed., April 14th – 7:30pm St. Mary’s Church
521 West 126th Street – between Broadway & Amsterdam

CAMPAIGN TO END THE DEATH PENALTY

Info: 917-519-3819
http://www.nodeathpenalty.org
nyc@nodeathpenalty.org

2004.04.13: Brooklyn action on May 17

From: [JR]
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 3:08 PM
To: ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Brooklyn action on May 17

Yesterday, Brooklyn CDD delegates unanimously agreed to submit the action proposal below to our clusters and vote.

We also want the Executive Board to ensure that members in each office discuss this proposal and the previously-distributed “Brooklyn Senior Attorney” resolution (which has now been adopted by Brooklyn CDD as a whole) in preparation for a special Delegate Council meeting in the near future.

I think it is essential that all members get motivated and start preparing for the crisis moments that will invevitably come our way.

It is important for the members to discuss these issues that directly involve the Union’s response to the current crisis.  Feel free to suggest changes or additional ideas.  At the Brooklyn delegates meeting we came up with many ideas but are sending these first three to the EB meeting.

Below is the proposal that Brooklyn delegates are bringing to their clusters.  In addition, there is testimony listed below that we can use to our advantage in this fight.  (Brooklyn delegates – we meet again on Monday!!)

Proposal from the Bk/CDD Delegates, April 12, 2004

In anticipation of May 15 layoff notices:

1.  ALAA/1199 will hold an emergency mass press conference/demonstration on Monday, May 17, in which members, political and community allies should participate.  This event will seek to publicly dramatize how — in the absence of the necessary additional city and state funding — cost effectiveness, quality of representation and union jobs will suffer. [See below.*]

2.  From May 17 on, ALAA members who received a pink slip will wear a designated pink pin to the office and to court; all members will wear a black armband in solidarity.

————————————

*Details available at:

Testimony: The 2004-2005 Governor’s Budget, Topic: Public Protection
http://www.legal-aid.org/SupportDocumentIndex.htm?docid=123&catid=2

Testimony: The FY05 Mayor’sFY05 Preliminary Budget
http://legal-aid.org/SupportDocumentIndex.htm?docid=126&catid=2

2004.04.09: Antiwar Bulletin: Emergency Demo 4:30 Today

From: Michael Letwin
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 10:57 AM
To: 1199 Members; ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Antiwar Bulletin: Emergency Demo 4:30 Today

[Please reply here if you plan to attend today’s demo]

Can We Remain Silent?
This weeks’ partial toll:  36 G.I.s, 330 Iraqis in growing Falluja massacre (see below).

Emergency Protest!

U.S. OUT OF IRAQ!
BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!
Money for Jobs & Education, Not War & Occupation!

Friday, April 9
4:30 pm, Times Square

———————

Warning:  Explicit pictures from Fallujah:

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/8CB7C17E-F69E-48A2-8034-DEA425192815.htm

———————

Chaos, killing and kidnap
Guardian, April 9, 2004

In house-to-house fighting to regain control of Falluja, the death toll of Iraqis was 330. The Americans have lost 36 soldiers this week, the worst casualty rate since the fall of the regime. . . .

America faces its most serious trial in Falluja, where the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force has sealed the town and spent the past four days trying to kill hundreds of guerrillas in fierce encounters. For the second time in the battle, US forces called in one of their most devastating weapons. An AC-130 gunship was heard over the city in the evening, as reports from inside Falluja suggested around 330 Iraqis had died and as many as 500 had been injured.

Witnesses suggest that Operation Vigilant Resolve, as the marines call it, has claimed the lives of dozens of civilians, including women and children.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1188850,00.html

———————

Marines Battle Insurgents in Streets of Falluja NY Times, April 9, 2004

[T]he cost in civilian lives [in Fallujah], shattered buildings and fractured good will — whatever was left after months of combative relations with United States troops — have already taken a toll, and wire services have reported as many as 300 Iraqi civilian casualties from the fighting.

“It is absolutely regrettable when noncombatants get hurt on the battlefield or killed,” General Sanchez said yesterday. “We regret that. We do everything possible to protect infrastructure, to protect noncombatants. But that is a fact when you’re on a battlefield of this nature in an urban environment” . . . .

[M]ilitary experts expressed confidence that their tactics of surrounding the city — allowing only women and children to leave, and relief aid to enter — would eventually succeed.

———————

Iraqis told them to go from day one
Resistance will continue to spread until the occupation ends Guardian, April 9, 2004

The unleashing of F16 fighter bombers, Apache helicopter gunships and “precisely” targeted bombs and tank fire on heavily populated areas is making the streets of Baghdad, Falluja and the southern cities resemble those of occupied Palestine. Sharon-style tactics and brutality are now the favoured methods of the US-led occupation forces – including the torture of prisoners, who now number well over 10,000. . . .

The US-led invasion is daily being unmasked for what it is: a colonialist adventure being met by a resistance that will eventually turn into a an unstoppable war of liberation.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1188857,00.html

2004.04.09: Re: Daily News article

From: Michael Letwin
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 1:12 PM
To: ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Re: Daily News article

At a time when we’re lobbying for millions of additional dollars, this is a disasterous approach. Why should anyone increase Legal Aid’s budget if ALAA is charging “massive malfeasance” by management?

What Union body authorized that public strategy?
http://www.nydailynews.com/04-09-2004/news/local/story/181996p-158002c.html

2004.04.06: Antiwar Bulletin: Support for G.I. War-Resister

From: Michael Letwin
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 12:05 PM
To: 1199 Members; ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Antiwar Bulletin: Support for G.I. War-Resister

Bush’s pretext for war stands exposed.  U.S. and Iraqi casualties skyrocket.  Returning G.I.s learn that the military has contaminated them with depleted uranium. <http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/180333p-156685c.html&gt;

For reasons such as these, Florida National Guard Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia has refused to return to what he calls an illegal and immoral war.  For this act of principle and courage, he is being held for trial on charges of desertion before a Special Court Martial.  If convicted, he faces up to a year in prison and a Bad Conduct Discharge.  (Additional information:  http://www.citizen-soldier.org/CS07-Camilo.html .)

Camilo’s mother, Maritza Castillo, is asking that letters in support of his conscientious objector application be sent to Camilo and his commanding officer (please also cc your letter here by return e-mail):

SSgt. Carmilo Mejia
A Company
USAG MED-HOLD
865 Hase Road
Ft. Stewart, GA 31315

Major General William G. Webster, Jr.
Commanding General, Fort Stewart
42 Wayne Place
Ft Stewart, GA 31314