Thursday, December 13, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public 
Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Report back from Joe Lombardo on the First International Conference Against US/NATO Military Bases in Dublin, Ireland on November 16-18. In addition we will have a post election discussion on the results of the midterm voting. Everyone is welcome. Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Facebook Link Information: 518-466-1192.
Friday, December 14, 7:00 pm, Oakwood Community Center, 313 10th St., Troy, NY. The James Connolly Forum: The Mexican Election: Its Meaning for the US and the World Friday, December 14, 7:00 pm, Oakwood Community Center, 313 10th St., Troy, NY. The James Connolly Forum: The Mexican Election: Its Meaning for the US and the World. President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador is expected to shake up Mexico’s political scene and its relations with the United States. Margaret Cerullo and JoAnn Wypijewski served as election observers in Mexico earlier this year. Margaret Cerullo teaches at Hampshire College. She has lived and worked in Mexico for over 20 years. JoAnn Wypijewski has written for the Nation, as well as for Harper’s, CounterPunch, The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian of London and other publications. Co-Sponsored by: Bethlehem Neighbors For Peace, The Solidarity Committee of the Capital District, Capital District Socialist Party, James Connolly Social Club. Located Exit 9E off 787 Collar City Bridge for Rte 7: on left at 2nd light between 9th and 10th Sts. Parking on left on 9th St., Old Fire station building parking lot left on 10th Use the door facing Hoosick St., Donation of $5 requested, $2 unemployed and students more information: 518 407 3582
Friday, November 16, 4:00pm – 5:00pm, Leo O’Brien Federal Building, 1 Clinton Square, Albany. Rally in Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Refugees. We are deeply concerned that the Trump administration has been trying to close US borders to people fleeing violence and persecution. Amnesty International (AI) fears that Trump may try to ban Central Americans and others from claiming asylum at the southwest border. The administration announced that it was sending as many as 15,000 troops to the border with Mexico, in anticipation of the arrival of a caravan of a few thousand asylum-seekers. Over the past few months, there has been extreme demonization of immigrants and asylum-seekers, even as families and individuals are taking a dangerous journey to seek safety here. We are concerned about mass pushbacks of Central American asylum-seekers, use of excessive force by Customs and Border Patrol and other US officials, separation of families at the border and detention of individuals and families.
Local AI representative Carrie Kuehl said, “We are both saddened and angered by the baseless, racist fearmongering and vilification of the migrants/asylum-seekers traveling through Central America and Mexico, towards the U.S. border. They are neither an invasion nor a national security threat.” Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA said, “The people whose lives are endangered by this unspeakably cruel proposal are simply not national security threats. They are people just like you and me, except many have been forced to run for their lives from violence and persecution. All they are asking for is a chance to seek safety. They deserve our compassion, not our contempt.”
We affirm that seeking asylum is a human right, and that families fleeing violence and persecution deserve safety, not separation or jail. Hate and fear must not divide us. The America we believe in welcomes asylum-seekers and refugees. Sponsored by Amnesty International, local group 361. Co-Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace and other organization promoting peace and justice. For more info or to co-sponsor this event, contact Carrie Kuehl 518-453-0545 or Karen Beetle 518-424-7516.
Friday, November 16, 7:00 pm, Oakwood Community Center, 313 10th St., Troy, NY. The James Connolly Forum: The Fight for Veterans Health Care: Suzanne Gordon. Federally-funded veterans’ health care is now being restructured so that billions of taxpayer dollars will flow to private doctors and for-profit hospitals with little experience treating veterans. Suzanne Gordon is an award-winning journalist and author. She has written for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Nation, The Washington Monthly, The American Prospect, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, JAMA, The Annals of Internal Medicine, The BMJ, and others. She is the co-editor of the Culture and Politics of Health Care Work series at Cornell University Press. Suzanne has written 20 books including Life Support: Three Nurses on the Front Lines, Beyond the Checklist: What Else Healthcare Can Learn from Aviation Teamwork and Safety. Her latest book is The Battle for Veterans’ Healthcare: Dispatches from the Frontlines of Policy Making and Patient Care.
Suzanne is also the co-editor of eight books, including Collaborative Caring: Stories and Reflections on Teamwork in Healthcare (January 2015), edited with David L. Feldman and Michael Leonard and First Do Less Harm: Confronting Inconvenient Problems in Patient Safety, edited with Ross Koppel (May 2012). She is a co-author of From Silence to Voice: What Nurses Know and Must Communicate to the Public. She recently edited When Chicken Soup Isn’t Enough: Stories of Nurses Standing Up For Themselves, Their Patients and Their Profession. Suzanne is an Assistant Adjunct Professor at the UCSF School of Nursing and an Affiliated Scholar with the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine’s Wilson Centre. With Lisa Hayes, she has written a play about patient safety and teamwork entitled Bedside Manners. Suzanne is the Senior Policy Fellow at the Veterans’ Health Care Policy Institute. Co-Sponsored Bethlehem Neighbors For Peace, Capital District Democratic Socialists of America, Capital District Socialist Party, American Federation of Government Employees Local 3343, James Connolly Social Club
James Connolly Upstate N.Y. IWW Branch, Troy Area Labor Council AFL-CIO, SEIU Local 200 United. Located Exit 9E off 787 Collar City Bridge for Rte 7: on left at 2nd light between 9th and 10th Sts. Parking on left on 9th St., Old Fire station building parking lot left on 10th Use the door facing Hoosick St., Donation of $5 requested, $2 unemployed and students more information: 518 407 3582 Facebook Link
Saturday, November 24, 7:30 pm
Film: “The Black Power Mixtape, 1967-1975”
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus)
The Solidarity Committee of the Capital District continues its 2018-19 film series with the screening of “The Black Power Mixtape, 1967-1975” (2011, 92 minutes). This documentary draws on a treasure trove of film footage shot roughly a half century ago by Swedish journalists who came to the United States to cover urban unrest. Gaining access to many leaders of the Black Power movement―including Stokely Carmichael, Angela Davis, and Eldridge Cleaver―the filmmakers captured them in intimate moments and remarkably unguarded interviews. Decades later, this lush collection was found languishing in the basement of Swedish Television. Director Göran Olsson and co-producer Danny Glover then brought it to light in this mosaic of images, music, and narration chronicling the evolution of the Black Power movement. Given the persistence of racism in American life and efforts to overcome it, this remains a story of more than historical interest. Co-sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, the Social Justice Center, and Upper Hudson Peace Action, the film screening will take place in Room B-8 (basement level) of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, located at 405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus). Admission is free, and free refreshments will be provided. Everyone is welcome to attend. Information: 518-466-1192
Monday, October 29, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, BNP Vigil: “STOP THE HATE” , at the Four Corners, intersection of Kenwood and Delaware Aves. in Delmar. On Saturday, Oct. 27, a deadly shooting left 11 people dead, at the Tree of Life Synagogue, in Pittsburgh. On Monday, our vigil theme will be: “Stop The Hate”.
When white supremacists marched through Charlottesville chanting “Jews will not replace us” while demonstrating in support of Confederate monuments, President Trump would not condemn them, stating that there were some good people in their groups. This type of rhetoric and the continuing rants from the White House and others against immigrants, Muslims and all minorities are the backdrop for the recent pipe bombs that were sent and for the murders in Pittsburgh.The antiwar movement calls for an end to violence from Pittsburgh to Ferguson, from Parkland, FL to Yemen and Afghanistan. Join Us!
Bring your own signs or use one of ours. Possible signs:”STOP HATE SPEECH”, “STOP THE HATE”, “Stand Up Against Hate”, “Love Trumps Hate”, “Love Thy Neighbor”. Stay for a few minutes or an hour. 518-466-1192 for further information. Join us!
Thursday, November 1, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Tom Ellis Talk on “Israeli Violence: Myths and Realities”. Tom Ellis is a leader in several social justice groups including the Palestinian Rights Committee of Upper Hudson Peace Action. He has played an important role in many successful environmental campaigns including blocking the siting of a low-level’ radioactive waste disposal facility in rural New York, preventing the destruction of rivers in Canada, creating the community pressure that led the federal government to clean up the former NL Industries factory in Colonie, preventing the City of Albany from siting a landfill in Coeymans, helping preserve a 39-member Albany County Legislature, and educating the public about the just cause of the Palestinians. Tom is also a member of Save the Pine Bush and the Solidarity Committee of the Capital District and he regularly contributes articles to their newsletters. Questions and answers will follow his talk. Everyone is welcome. Information: 466-1192 Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information: 518-466-1192.
Saturday, October 27, 7:00 pm
Film: “Workingman’s Death”
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus)
The Solidarity Committee of the Capital District continues its 2018-19 film series with the screening of “Workingman’s Death” (2005, 2 hours). This award-winning documentary examines the harsh, brutal conditions endured by workers in five countries as they attempt to eke out a living. It suggests that, even in our technological era, heavy manual labor is not disappearing but only becoming invisible to those who don’t engage in it. Furthermore, difficult physical labor, once celebrated with hymns of praise, is increasingly ignored or devalued today. According to the New York Times, this unusual Austrian-German documentary, bereft of narration but drawing heavily on the comments of the workers themselves, has “the structure and tone of an epic historical poem.” A post-film discussion will be led by Professor Daniel Mosquera of Union College.
Co-sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, the Social Justice Center, and Upper Hudson Peace Action, the film screening will take place in Room B-8 (basement level) of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, located at 405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus). Admission is free, and free refreshments will be provided. Everyone is welcome to attend.PL EASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A LENGTHY FILM AND, THEREFORE, SCREENING WILL BEGIN EARLIER THAN USUAL – AT 7:00 PM. AS IT WILL BE SHOWN IN ROOM B-8, SEATING WILL BE LIMITED. Information: 518-466-1192
Friday,October 5, 7:30 – 9:30,The Listening Room at Eden Cafe, 69 Osborne Rd Loudonville, NY.
The Listening Room at Eden Cafe Presents: One Serious Ride with Singer/ Songwriter Terry Phelan. Meet Terry Phelan and you will hear from a entertainer who will make you laugh and think at the same time. With his unique mix of original and remixes you won’t know where the time went by at the end of the evening. Experience a man of cause and hilarity who will assure you its all serious but nothing to let your coffee get cold over. Tickets are $8, and All proceeds to benefit Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Eden Cafe | 518-977-3771 | [email protected] | www.edenasc.com
Friday, October 5, 7:00 pm, Oakwood Community Center, 313 10th St., Troy, NY. The James Connolly Forum: Steve Ellner: “Venezuela Under Siege, Challenges from Within and Without.” Steve Ellner earned his Ph.D. in Latin American history at the University of New Mexico in 1980. Since 1977 he has taught economic history and political science at the Universidad de Oriente in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela . Among his book publications are: Venezuela’s Movimiento al Socialismo: From Guerrilla Defeat to Electoral Politics (Duke University Press, 1988); Organized Labor in Venezuela, l958-l991: Behavior and Concerns in a Democratic Setting (Scholarly Resources, l993); Rethinking Venezuelan Politics: Class, Polarization and the Chávez Phenomenon. (Lynne Rienner, 2008). His latest works are his “Implications of Marxist State Theory and how they Play Out in Venezuela” (Historical Materialism) and his edited The Pink Tide Experiences: Breakthroughs and Shortcomings in Twenty-First Century Latin America (Rowman and Littlefield, 2019). He has published on the op-ed page of the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Co-Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Located Exit 9E off 787 Collar City Bridge for Rte 7: on left at 2nd light between 9th and 10th Sts. Parking on left on 9th St., Old Fire station building parking lot left on 10th Use the door facing Hoosick St., Donation of $5 requested, $2 unemployed and students more information: 518 407 3582
Saturday, September 8, 7:30 pm
Film: “American Socialist”
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus)
The Solidarity Committee of the Capital District kicks off its 2018-19 film series with the screening of “American Socialist: The Life and Times of Eugene Victor Debs” (2018,97 minutes) Debs, perhaps the most daring, beloved, and important union leader in American history, was imprisoned by the federal government for his leadership of the great Pullman Strike of 1894. Co-sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, the Social Justice Center, and Upper Hudson Peace Action, the film screening will take place in Channing Hall of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, located at 405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus). Admission is free, and free refreshments will be provided. Everyone is welcome to attend. Information: 518-466-1192
BNP Summer Pot Luck Picnic
Sunday, September 9, 3:00-7:00 PM (Rain Date will be 9/23)
Join us for a chance to socialize and have fun! Nancy Lawson has invited us to her home, near Clarksville, for some much needed time to relax. This will be an outdoor event, and there is a pond for swimming and boating. Bring bathing suits and plan for a fun afternoon. Please bring a dish to share. Bring musical instruments to make music, stories, games etc., and lawn chairs or blankets. Join us for the social event of the summer! If the weather look stormy, we will reschedule for 9/23. For more information or to volunteer for set up or clean up, call Trudy (518)466-1192, If possible, RSVP with number attending and dish you are bringing to [email protected]
Thursday, September 6, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Discussion on Proposed Fracked Gas Plant in Sheridan Hollow. The Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy (SHARE) will provide three speakers for a panel discussion about the proposed Fracked Gas plant in Sheridan Hollow. Keith Schue, engineer, Mert Simpson county legislator and activist, and Susan Dubois expert on policy foiling are going to make up the panel. The presentation will be filled with history and engineering facts and there will be a discussion of public health concerns as well. The panel will also give us information on the status of the project’s approval and talk about what we can do to stop it. Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information: 518-466-1192.
Thursday, September 6, 7:00 pm, Oakwood Community Center, 313 10th St., Troy, NY. The James Connolly Forum: Mark Brenner talk titled ” I’m Sticking With My Union- Organizing an Open Shop America”. Mark Brenner was the longtime director of Labor Notes, a media and organizing project dedicated to “putting the movement back in the labor movement”. He is also the co-author of several books, including Secrets of a Successful Organizer and How to Jump Start Your Union. Co-Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Located Exit 9E off 787 Collar City Bridge for Rte 7: on left at 2nd light between 9th and 10th Sts. Parking on left on 9th St., Old Fire station building parking lot left on 10th Use the door facing Hoosick St., Donation of $5 requested, $2 unemployed and students more information: 518 407 3582
Monday, August 6, 11:00 AM,Townsend Park, Albany, NY. (Henry Johnson Blvd. & Central Ave.) Reading of John Hersey’s “Hiroshima”. The event is free and open to the public and the public is encouraged to join in the reading. Those interested in reading can sign up to participate when they arrive. Please bring folding chairs. Rain site is the Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany. On August 6, 1945 the United States of America used the atomic bomb for the first time to destroy the city of Hiroshima, Japan; on August 9, the U.S. used the atomic bomb again on Nagasaki, Japan. Over 200,000 people died immediately in the two bombings and over a hundred thousand more died in the following decades as a result of the effects of the radiation. Hiroshima by John Hersey tells the story of the bombing on August 6, 1945 by following the story of six of the survivors. The book version has been in print since 1946. Co-sponsored by the Poetry Motel Foundation, the Tom Paine Chapter Veterans for Peace, Upper Hudson Peace Action, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Women Against War. For more information contact Dan Wilcox, 518-482-0262, [email protected]
Monday, August 6, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, BNP Vigil: Hiroshima Day”, at the Four Corners, intersection of Kenwood and Delaware Aves. in Delmar. During the final stage of World War II, the United States detonated two nuclear weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945. We must never forget. Bring your own signs or use one of ours. Possible signs: “Ban Nuclear Weapons Now”, “Hiroshima, Never Again!” “Retire the Bomb,” “Remember Hiroshima and N
Saturday, August 4, 14th annual commemoration of arrests of Aref and Hossain. SAVE THE DATE
5:30 p.m.: Rally at Masjid As-Salam, 276-280 Central Ave., Albany
5:45 p.m.: March to Unitarian Universalist Church, 405 Washington Ave., Albany
6 p.m.: Dinner
7 p.m.: Performance of the play, “To Catch a Muslim,” written by Steve Downs
The Muslim Solidarity Committee will sponsor events to mark the 14th anniversary of the arrests in 2004 of Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain, two Albany Muslims later convicted in 2006 on spurious terrorism charges in a shameful “sting” trial. The events are free and open to all.
The Muslim Solidarity Committee organizes these annual events to remind the public of the men’s unjust convictions and to ensure that the men and their families (who still live in Albany) are not forgotten. This year’s commemoration will also be a celebration, since Yassin Aref will be released from prison in October after serving his sentence of fifteen years.
Starting at 5:30 p.m. on August 4, supporters will gather outside the Masjid As-Salam, 280 Central Ave., for a rally. Aref was the imam there at the time of his arrest; Hossain was a co-founder of the mosque. Supporters will then march a few blocks to the First Unitarian Universalist Society, 405 Washington Ave., where dinner will be served at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., the Project SALAM Players will perform a short play written by Steve Downs, “To Catch a Muslim,” which treats the sting, the informant, and the Aref-Hossain trial and aftermath with irony and a little humor and takes some potshots at the government’s legal scheming to convict innocent men. After the play, supporters can write postcards to Yassin Aref to wish him well upon his upcoming release, and to Mohammed Hossain, who still has over two years before release.
Following the performance, a special guest, Tarik Shah, will speak about his own case. Shah, who was ensnared in a similar sting operation in New York City in 2005, was released from prison in March after serving thirteen years. An internationally acclaimed jazz bassist, Shah now lives in Albany, and his case was featured as part of the 2015 documentary film (T)ERROR, the first time that filmmakers had access to an active FBI informant in a domestic counterterrorism investigation. (T)ERROR won an Emmy award in 2016, and is available on Netflix.
Yassin Aref served 1½ years in the Rensselaer County Jail pre- and post-trial before being sent to several different federal prisons over the last thirteen years. He was given credit toward his sentence for that jail time and for a spotless disciplinary record. A native of Iraqi Kurdistan, he has requested voluntary deportation when his sentence is done. Mohammed Hossain, a naturalized U.S. citizen, will be released in 2020, and is currently incarcerated in a medical prison in Springfield, Missouri. He now needs dialysis due to long-term improper medical care from the Bureau of Prisons..
The events of August 4 are co-sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Capital District Coalition Against Islamophobia, Capital Region Chapter of Coalition for Civil Freedoms, Masjid As-Salam, New York Civil Liberties Union Capital Region Chapter, Project SALAM, Save the Pine Bush, Social Responsibilities Council of First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, and Veterans for Peace/Tom Paine Chapter. For more information: Lynne Jackson, (518) 366-7324, [email protected]
Thursday, August 2, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Film: The Bomb . “Oliver Stone’s Untold History of the United States: The Bomb” (58 minutes, 2012 ) was created and directed by Oliver Stone with historian Peter J. Kuznick. “The Bomb” examines the mythology promoted by the U.S government about the atomic bombing of Japan and how the blasts sowed the seeds of mistrust in the Soviet Union. This is the 3rd episode in a series of twelve, about the reasons behind the Cold War, the decision to drop the atomic bombs, and changes in America’s global role since the fall of Communism. Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information: 518-466-1192.
Thursday, July 12, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Film: All Government’s Lie: TRUTH, DECEPTION, AND THE SPIRIT OF I.F. STONE . All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, and the spirit of I.F. Stone (91 minutes, 2016) is a theatrical documentary created by a team of Emmy Award-winning filmmakers, who subscribed to I. F. Stone’s newsletter in their teens. Independent journalists Jeremy Scahill, Glenn Greenwald, and Michael Moore expose government lies and corporate deception, inspired by the legendary investigative journalist I.F. Stone. “We hope this film will inspire the next generation of independent journalists, many of whom are now in college, to carry on I.F. Stone’s legacy of speaking truth to power.” Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace.
Information: 518-466-1192.
Monday, June 25, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, BNP Vigil: “END FAMILY SEPARATIONS!”, at the Four Corners, intersection of Kenwood and Delaware Aves. in Delmar. The theme for our weekly Peace Vigil will be “No More Family Separations!” . Bring your own signs or use one of ours. Possible signs: “END Family Separations!”, “Families Belong Together!” “Stop Separating Kids From Their Parents,” “Defund ICE.” Tell Donald Trump and his administration to stop separating kids from their parents! Families belong together, and we need to end this now. “What do we want? Free the children!”….. “When do we want it? Now!” Stay for a few minutes or an hour. 518-466-1192 for further information. Join us! Co-sponsored by Palestinian Rights Committee, Upper Hudson Peace Action, Veterans for Peace, and Women Against War. Facebook event.
Monday, June 18, 7:00 pm, Oakwood Community Center, 313 10th St., Troy, NY. The James Connolly Forum: Vijay Prashad, will give a talk. More information on the topic of Vijay’s talk, will be available soon. Located Exit 9E off 787 Collar City Bridge for Rte 7: on left at 2nd light between 9th and 10th Sts. Parking on left on 9th St., Old Fire station building parking lot left on 10th Use the door facing Hoosick St., Donation of $5 requested, $2 unemployed and students more information: 518 407 3582
Thursday, June 7, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Veterans for Peace member Tarak Kauff will give a talk on the movement to close the US military bases on Okinawa. Tarak Kauff has just returned from Okinawa and he will discuss the recent protests that Veterans for Peace have been involved in, to support the efforts of the Japanese people to shut down existing military bases, and stop the US from building additional military bases in Japan. Link to Tarak’s photos of the protests.We will also show a 13 minute film on this topic, titled: Hiroji Yamashiro: a leader of the Okinawa movement
against U.S. military bases.
“During our recent week in Okinawa the hundreds who blocked the construction gate at the US Marine base at Camp Schwab each day were mostly older people. Many of them have memories of the terrible Battle of Okinawa where at least one-quarter of the civilian population died in 1945 when the US attacked the island and defeated the Japanese occupiers. People there are deeply marked by WW II and fear another war as the Pentagon occupiers use Okinawa as an ‘unsinkable aircraft carrier’ aimed at China, North Korea and Russia. ” from Veterans for Peace member, Bruce Gagnon’s blog on the Okinawa protests. Information: 518-466-1192.
Monday, May 14, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, BNP Vigil: “PEACE with Iran, at the Four Corners, intersection of Kenwood and Delaware Aves. in Delmar. The theme for our weekly Peace Vigil will be “Peace with Iran” . Bring your own signs or use one of ours. Possible signs: Peace with Iran, No Sanctions on Iran, Honor International Agreements, No Nuclear Arms Race. Stay for a few minutes or an hour. 518-466-1192 for further information. Join us!
Thursday, May 3, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Mabel Leon: Kenya and South Africa-A Snapshot of Photographs and Impressions. Women Against War’s Mabel Leon will present her photographs, learnings, and impressions of a trip to Kenya and South Africa (January 2018). This inspirational trip, sponsored by Environmental Grant makers Ass.,included meetings with environmental activists, civic leaders, diverse communities and a visit to a wildlife and
biodiversity game park. Makoma Lekalakala, Director of Earth life Africa, leads a community meeting in Soweto, South Africa. Makoma , a resident of Soweto, is an environmental leader organizing community opposition to a proposed nuclear plant. Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information: 518-466-1192.
Tuesday, May 1, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, May Day March for Immigrant Rights, No Borders for Workers. Over a dozen area organizations will sponsor a march on May 1st, 2018 to call for immediate action for a just immigration policy. In light of recent attacks on immigrants and stepped up deportations by President Trump and his administration, area citizens are stepping up and marching for justice for immigrants in our community and across the land. As May Day is an international workers holiday and annual day to support immigrants, our theme is: No Borders for Workers. Our country and our prosperity has been built on the backs of workers welcomed here from all over the world, therefore, we stand in solidarity with them.The March kicks off after an interdenominational ceremony at 11:15AM in front of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Americas on the corner of Central and North Lake Ave. After a spirited March and Rally, there will be a free light lunch in the Community Room of the New York State Nurses Association. All immigrants and supporters welcome. Current sponsors: Solidarity Committee of the Capital District, New Sanctuary for Immigrants, Capital District Coalition Against Islamophobia, Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Americas, Upstate NY Industrial Workers of the World, Labor Religion Coalition of NYS, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Veterans for Peace, Women Against War, Hampton Institute Working Class Think Tank, Albany Catholic Worker, Albany Cuba Solidarity Committee, ICE-Free Capital District, Albany County Central Federation of Labor, Capital District Socialist Party in NY, List in Formation.Contact: [email protected]
Where: North Lake and Central Ave., Albany, NY
11AM Meet at Masjid As-Salam Mosque- Greetings
11:15AM Move to the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Americas, Prayer Assembly with flags & banners,
11:45 AM Begin March to Townsend Square to Rally,
12:30PM on to Armory for Public Vigil Picket,
1:00PM Protest at NYS Republican Headquarters,
1:30PM- 3PM luncheon & music at NYSNA.
Friday, April 20, 4:00 pm, Townsend Park, (intersection of Henry Johnson &Central Ave), Albany, NY. End US Support for Israeli War Crimes in Gaza! For weeks, protesters in Gaza have held demonstrations as part of the March of Return, demanding their right to return to their homes and lands they were expelled from in 1967 and 1948, as guaranteed under international law. The Israeli military has met protesters with overt violence and clear disregard for human life, killing over 30 so far including children, and injuring hundreds with live ammunition. We condemn Israel’s blockade of Gaza and the U.S. for vetoing a recent security council resolution calling for an investigation of Israeli violence in Gaza. We support the rights of all refugees to return totheir homes and we urge our representatives to condemn Israeli aggression against Palestinians and the occupation of Palestinian lands. End US support for Israeli war crimes. The Palestinian Rights Committee along with the Albany Chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace,Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace and the Palestinian Youth Movement are hosting a vigil to call for an end to US support of Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Please bring relevant signs.Please RSVP on and share the Facebook event.
Friday,April 20, 7:00 pm, Oakwood Community Center, 313 10th St., Troy, NY.The James Connolly Forum: Yasha Levine, Author of Surveillance Valley, will give a talk. Yasha Levine traces the history of the Internet back to its beginnings as a Vietnam-era tool for spying on guerrilla fighters and antiwar protestersa military computer networking project that ultimately envisioned the creation of a global system of surveillance and prediction. Levine shows how the same military objectives that drove the development of early Internet technology are still at the heart of Silicon Valley today. Spies,counterinsurgency campaigns, hippie entrepreneurs, privacy apps funded by the CIA. From the 1960s to the 2010s this revelatory and sweeping story will make you reconsider what you know about the most powerful,ubiquitous tool ever created. Co-sponsored by Albany DemocraticSocialists of America, Upper Hudson Green Party, The SolidarityCommittee of the Capital District, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace.Located Exit 9E off 787 Collar City Bridge for Rte 7: onleft at 2nd light between 9th and 10th Sts. Parking on left on9th St., Old Fire station building parking lot left on 10th Use the door facing Hoosick St., Donation of $5 requested, $2unemployed and students more information: 518 407 3582
Film Festival: “The World is My Country”
Saturday, April 21, 7:30 pm
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus)
The Solidarity Committee of the Capital District continues its film series with the screening of three documentaries (2 shorts and a full-length feature) that outline the growth of an alternative to the nation-state system and to that systems accompanying problems of war,immigration restriction, and unaccountable multinational corporations. The feature film, The World Is My Country(2017, 84 minutes) looks at the remarkable life of Garry Davis,the daring, controversial World Citizen #1. Davis, a Broadway song and dance performer, was a U.S. bomber pilot during World War II who came out of that titanic conflict determined to prevent future wars. As a result, he plunged into an act of political theater so eye-opening and inspiring that it sparked a world citizens movement of millions, including Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Albert Camus. As Martin Sheen remarks in this film, Davis operated by taking on border guards, armies, and whole nations, showing us that we dont have to be awed by their props of power and control. Davis demonstrated that we the people can tear down the walls and write our own story.Co-sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, the Social Justice Center, and Upper Hudson Peace Action, the film screening will take place in Channing Hall of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, located at 405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus). Admission is free, and free refreshments will be provided. Everyone is welcome to attend. Information: 518-466-1192
Wednesday,April 11, 7:00-9:00 pm, First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany,405 Washington Ave, Albany, New York. U.S.-Cuba Relations: A NewPath. Miguel Fraga was appointed First Secretary in June 2015 to the hen Cuban Interests Section. From 2008 to 2011, he served at theCuban Embassy in Canada. Since 2006 he has worked in the Ministry ofForeign affairs in both the North American and U.S. divisions and theoffice of the Minister. From 2003 to 2008, Fraga was a member of thePeoples Power Provincial Assembly of the city of Havana which is theprovincial parliament in Havana. He graduated with a masters ofscience in foreign relations from the Higher Institute of ForeignRelations Raúl Roa García in 2005 and from the University of Havana,Faculty of Law in 2003. In his role as first secretary, Fraga has mademany visits to universities and communities throughout the UnitedStates to engage in education and outreach. As the Cubans choose a newleader later in April, there certainly couldn’t be a better time tohear from a Cuban representative on the future of Cuba’s relations withthe US. This event is free and open to the public. Sponsored byAlbany-Cuba Solidarity. Co-sponsored by Bethlemhem Neighbors for Peace. Facebook
Thursday, April 5, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Gun Violence in America- Discussion and Film: “The Yes Men #WeCallBS on Racist Murderous NRA”. We will watch “The Yes Men #WeCallBS on Racist, murderous NRA” (21 minutes, 2017). This film uses humor to reveal the NRA agenda. “In the wake of the Parkland shooting and the inspiring activism of teen survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the National Rifle Association and its Republican partners are facing intense scrutiny for their critical role in the rise of mass shootings and of homicides overall in America…..Thefilm communicates how the NRA and the Republican Party, tapping into deep racist fear for their power and profit, have turned America into the most violent high-income country in the world by a truly immense margin, both overall and specifically. (We have 7 times the homicide rate, and 25 times the rate of gun deaths, of the average high-income countrymainly thanks to Republicans and the NRA.)” ~ Yes Men website.
Following the film, we will have a panel discussion on gun violence in America. We hope to have several students from the Bethlehem Central High School, talk with us about their concerns. We will also have a peace activist give a perspective on the connection between wars abroad and violence at home. In addition, we will discuss some possible next steps to support the March for Our Lives movement. (March For Our Lives, Albany, will be holding a rally in West Capital Park, Albany, on March 24 at 10 am.) Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information: 518-466-1192.
Friday, March 30, 7:00 pm, Oakwood Community Center, 313 1th St, Troy, NY. The James Connolly Forum presents “A Strategy for Decline: The Political Economy of the Trump Years”, a talk by Doug Henwood. Doug Henwood published the Left Business Observer, a newsletter on economics and politics, from 19682013. He continues that work on a blog, lbo-news.com.” He also hosts Behind the News,a weekly radio show covering economics and politics on KPFA, Berkeley, that is rebroadcast on several other stations across the U.S., and has a worldwide audience via its Internet archive.He is the author of Wall Street, How it Works and For Whom.His writing has also appeared in The Nation, Harper’s Magazine, Grand Street, Village Voice, Newsday, the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, and Extra!. He is a contributor editor at The Nation. He has been quoted or cited in a range of media including The Asia Times, The New York Times, and The Times of London. Located Exit 9E off 787 Collar City Bridge for Rte 7: on left at 2nd light between 9th and 10th Sts. Parking on left on 9th St., Old Fire station building parking lot left on 10th Use the door facing Hoosick St. Donation of $5 requested, $2 unemployed and students. co-sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. More information: 518 407 3582
Monday, March, 19, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, BNP Vigil: “My Lai: Never Again, at the Four Corners, intersection of Kenwood and Delaware Aves. in Delmar. The 50th anniversary of the My Lai Massacre is Friday, May 16. This vigil is dedicated to remembering My Lai and the struggle of the Vietnamese people. One of the most painful moments of the US war in Viet Nam, was the deliberate murder in My Lai on March 16,1968, of 504 innocent civilians, including women and children. There are events being held around the country and internationally. Bring your own signs or use one of ours. Possible signs: “My Lai: Never Again or 50 Years since My Lai: 50 years of Violence and War. Stay for a few minutes or an hour. 518-466-1192 for further information. Join us! Historians for Peace and Democracy Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Capital District Democratic Socialists of America, Tom Paine Chapter (#10) Veterans For Peace and Women Against War.
Palestinian resistance speakers and Film
Tuesday, March 20, 7:00 pm
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus)
In 2002, the International Solidarity Movement grabbed world attention by bringing volunteers from around the world to defend Palestine through nonviolent resistance. They stayed with resistance fighters in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem. They brought medical supplies to the besieged Palestinians in the ancient Nablus Casbah. They documented and filmed the destruction and mass killing of Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp. In 2002 and 2003, thousands participated at their own expense. One was Rachel Corrie, who was killed trying to prevent demolition of a home in Gaza. Another was Tom Hurndall, killed by a shot to the head. ISM has operated continuously since then, serving at the request of the Palestinian community through participation in Palestinian nonviolent resistance. In 2009, 2012 and 2014, ISM volunteers were with the Palestinian people in Gaza, reporting the Israeli invasion and helping in the hospitals, clinics and schools that were attacked even as they served the refugees. The presentation will include a screening of an abridged version of The presentation will include a screening of an abridged version of Radiance of Resistance, a film produced by three ISM volunteers serving in Nabi Salih and featuring Ahed Tamimi and her cousin, Janna Ayyad. Sponsored by: Albany Palestinian Rights Committee, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace and Jewish Voice for Peace.Radiance of Resistance, a film produced by three ISM volunteers serving in Nabi Salih and featuring Ahed Tamimi and her cousin, Janna Ayyad. Sponsored by: Albany Palestinian Rights Committee, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace and Jewish Voice for Peace. For more information: 518-281-1968 Admission is free, and free refreshments will be provided. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Monday, March 5, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, BNP Vigil: “Remembering the Victims of Gun Violence “, at the Four Corners, intersection of Kenwood and Delaware Aves. in Delmar. Stay for a few minutes or an hour. Peace vigil to remember the victims ofgun violence and to advocate for legislation to ban assault weapons. We support the student survivors of the Parkland, Florida mass shootingand join them in calling for action now. In the days after the shooting at Parkland, thousands of students, teachers and others across thecountry rallied together to protest the federal governments lack of gun control. We support these students, and students who staged adie-in in front of the White House to honor those killed in Parkland and to protest President Donald Trumps lack of action. We alsocondemn Trumps suggestions to arm teachers in schools. Some possible sign messages include: “Enough is Enough”, “Say NO to the NRA”,”The NRA is a Terrorist Organization”, “Federal Action on Gun Control Now!” , “Ban Assault Weapons Now!”, “STOP the NRA” ,”How Many More Kidswill Die?”, “Protect Kids, Not Guns” “Arm Teachers with Books, NOT Guns!” Let’s stand together forpeace and justice. 518-466-1192 for further information. Join us!
Thursday, March 1, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Film: Water & Power: A California Heist. (2017,1hr 18 minutes) Directed by Marina Zenovich this documentary shows how privatization of water rights is making one of our most basic necessities, unavailable to local residents. In California’s complex water system, a handful of corporate land owners took advantage of a state-engineered system and gained control of the state’s most precious public resource, while drought left local homeowners with dry wells. New York Times Review . ” Fed-up residents tell of contaminated drinking water or no water at all; but only when the movie turns from small-town specifics to the uncertain future of our global water markets does the real chill set in.” Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace.
Information: 518-466-1192.
Monday, February 26, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, BNP Vigil: “Close Guantanamo! Return the Land to Cuba! Stop the Torture!”, at the Four Corners, intersection of Kenwood and Delaware Aves. in Delmar. Stay for a few minutes or an hour. Let’s stand together for peace and justice. UNAC( United National Antiwar Coalition) has called for actions around Feb 23, the 115th anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Navy base on Cuban land. This is generally considered the first U.S. foreign military base. The call for actions was made at the Baltimore conference against U.S. foreign military bases. UNAC is calling for the closing of the base, returning of the land to Cuba and freeing of the political prisoners held there. You can see a list of the actions here. 518-466-1192 for further information. Join us! Co-sponsored by Albany Cuba Solidarity.
Thursday, February 15, 7:00- 9:00 pm, Oakwood Community Center, 313 10th St., Troy, NY. The James Connolly forum presents a talk by Alex S. Vitale, “The End of Policing”. The fact that violent crackdowns on protesters, rough treatment for criminal suspects, and brutal mistreatment of immigrants are seen as simply prerogatives of the police is indicative of a fundamental crisis in police legitimacy, writes sociologist Alex Vitale in his forthcoming book, The End of Policing (Verso, 2017). While the police tend to argue that such behavior is necessary to keep people safe and society in order, the leniency we have seen being offered to armed white nationalists this summer suggests that violence is not meted out equally. Co Sponsored by: The Hampton Institute, Albany Democratic Socialists of America, Capital District Socialist Party,Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Upper Hudson Green Party. Located Exit 9E off 787 Collar City Bridge for Rte 7: on left at 2nd light between 9th and 10th Sts.Parking on left on 9th St., Old Fire station building parking lot left on 10th Use the door facing Hoosick St.Donation of $5 requested, $2 unemployed and students more information: 518 407 3582
Film: “Awake, A Dream from Standing Rock”
Saturday, February 17, 7:30 pm
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus)
The Solidarity Committee of the Capital District continues its film series with the screening of “Awake, A Dream from Standing Rock” (2017, 88 minutes). In 2016-2017, the Water Protectors at Standing Rock captured world attention through their peaceful resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline. This powerful documentary captures the story of the heroic Native-led defiance that dramatically changed the fight for clean water, the environment, and the future of the planet. Crafted as a labor of love, the film is a collaborative effort between indigenous filmmakers and better-known Oscar nominees. One of the filmmakers explained: What began in North Dakota has become a worldwide rallying cry for resistance to corporate power and its relentless drive for profit at the expense of human needs, rights, and dignity. Co-sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, the Social Justice Center, and Upper Hudson Peace Action, the film screening will take place in Channing Hall of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, located at 405 Washington Avenue (across the street from the downtown SUNY campus). Admission is free, and free refreshments will be provided. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Thursday, February 1, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY. Presentation by Melinda Lawson and Kenneth Aslakson titled, The Lost Cause of “The Lost Cause”: Unpacking the Controversy Surrounding Confederate Monument Removal. Over the past few years, cities across the south have fiercely debated the fate of prominently located monuments to Confederate leaders. The recent deadly riots in Charlottesville are but one example of the extent to which this issue has stirred heated and at times violent controversy. Does removing these statues erase history? Does leaving them up endorse white supremacy? In this talk, we weigh the importance of the statues, consider the issue in historical context, and discuss a variety of proposals for change. Melinda Lawson and Kenneth Aslakson are both professors in the History Department at Union College. Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information: 518-466-1192.
Pepe Rossy: Talk on Puerto Rico, After the Hurricanes
Friday, January 19
7:00 – 8:45 pm
Bethlehem Public Library
451 Delaware Ave., Delmar, NY
PeppyRossy wil give a talk on Puerto Ricos situation following hurricanes Irma and Maria. Pepe has been working with others on a hurricane recovery initiative specifically focused on Vieques, PR. Vieques, and its sister island Culebra (both the target of bombing by the military, as well as other NATO members for many decades), were the most affected Puerto Rican municipalities, by Hurricane Irma on Oct. 6, the first Category 5 hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in the past century. Hurricane Irma caused much damage to the infrastructure of Vieques, particularly to its electric grid, and damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes. Then exactly 2 weeks later, on Oct. 20, Hurricane María, the most devastating hurricane in Puerto Ricos history, hit Vieques again. Today, three months after Hurricane Irma, except for the lucky few with electric generators, practically everyone in Vieques remains without electricity (not expected until 2018), there is no landline or cell phone communications, water supply is intermittent and unreliable, most workers have been laid off, gas and food is hard to get and expensive, the hospital is not fully operational, and schools are closed. While electricity and other services has been restored to other municipalities, as a recent Washington Post article summed it up: Vieques remains isolated, dark and silent. Information: 518-466-1192