Old business
1. Approval of Minutes for March 30: The minutes
were approved as written.
2. Progress Reports
a. Topic of the Month: Food Justice:
Rey had posted a good statement on this topic a few days after the last meeting
and no one commented on it. We read it over and thoughht it covered the topic
quite well. Ellyn hoped that we could add a sentence to the section on CAFOs,
encouraging the owners to find a way to capture the methane gas produced by
the cows both by burping and by passing gas. They should be able to run the
plant on this fuel source. We were concerned that folks are driving SUVs many
miles to get to CSAs. We decided to add a sentence to the solution section
as follows: Word of Caution: if getting to a CSA results in using more gasoline
than going to the grocery store, one needs to rethink the benefits of participating
in this type of agriculture. We also agreed that we cannot feed everyone a
balanced diet from unity or backyard gardens or local buyer/grower coops alone.
It is a good start on sustainable agriculture, however. We noted that one
can only order from the Purple Porch online and many folks do not have online
access in their home. Perhaps places like Broadway parish or Our Lady of the
Road could provide internet services for this purpose. Perhaps we could identify
clusters of neighbors to order from one of them who has internet service,
but this will be difficult to organize. Another problem with organic produce
is the lack of knowledge on how to cook it. Pam and Mary Jo handed out seeds
at the recent Earth Day celebration. We will post the revised statement on
the list serve for more comment. We will make a final decision at the next meeting.
b. Topic of the Month: Nonviolent Resistance to Corporate Influence: Lois was visiting her husband at the rehab center and was not able to attend. We thought to restrict the topic to corporate influence on politicians and try again for the next meeting. We noted that some lobbyists do good work (the ones we support)! We noted that corporations are not motivated to pay attention to the environmental impact of their production because this often reduces the bottom line profit. There is a general lack of accountability to people on the part of corporations.
c. Memorial Day Parade: The parade organizers approved our application and we are float 102. Lois and Rey will finalize plans to decorate his truck for the float when they meet this Saturday. They will also discuss wording for signage and let Pam know so Ron can prepare the signs. There will be two people riding in the back on portable recliners and two people in the cab. We need lots of walkers. Peter and Ellyn will be out of town We will contact Lee, Lisa, Caroline, Paul M., Kathy, Scott, Wes, Denise and her children, Caity, Rebecca,... Ellyn will talk to David James about music equipment. to play CDs. The theme is "Bring them home, Treat them right. We also may use signs like "Support the troops, Bring them home," or "Honor Vets, End War." Marchers are to gather at Navarre School on Western between 8:30 and 8:45 on Monday, May 31.
d. Tax Day - April 15: We had a decent turnout, with 2-4 people there during every shift from 6-10pm. We only gave out about 200 flyers. We decided to meet earlier in the day next year, perhaps downtown for a penny poll and leafletting.
3. Treasurer's Report: Our bank total is $240.02 with $11.32 in petty cash. . Peter was not able to get her an invoice for JWJ dues but will try again.
New Business
1. What do we (can we) do next? Ellyn will set up a meeting with Donnelly's staff and with Julie at Bayh's office in early June. Donnelly is supporting the President in Afghanistan. This war continues to kill civilians indiscriminately.
2. Relationship to IJPN: Rey noted that we are missing a conference call by participating in this meeting. He was surprised to learn that he was the only one getting emails from IJPN. He will notify Peter of the next phone meeting. We will put IJPN back on the agenda as an item to discuss at our meetings.
3. Topic of the Month: We decided to continue with the topic of Corporate influence in politics
4. Other Topics and Issues: On Saturday, May 22, the will be a Mamas vs violence community walk. Gather at Greater New Vision Missionary Baptist church on LWW at 9:30. There will be a short walk followed by a program.
On Thursday, June 17, at 6pm, CPNV is sponsoring a Summers Peacemaker Potluck. The potluck will focus on fellowship, food, and staying connected.
CPNV and Project Impact are sponsoring summer camps to teach young people about nonviolence. They hope to interest 20 inner city teens and train mentors in August.
5. Next meeting: The next meeting will be on Tuesday, June 8, at 7pm at 1036 N. Niles Ave., South Bend.