Meeting of Peace and Social Concerns Committee, 2/1/2016

Present: Diane C, Roger C, Jane J, George M, Carol L, Ruth H, John L, Daniel G, Beth A.

The meeting began with a time of silent waiting.

1.Those listed for Nominating as on the Committee are: Diane C, George M, Jane J, Ka R, Roger C, Carol L, Daniel G, Frank G, Beth A. Carol notes that she may attend only infrequently.

2.George offered to clerk the March meeting.

3.Becky Reed will handle letter writing in February, with a special concern about GMO labeling, and Dan will do it In March. Roger will send instructions to Becky.

3.We approved the report of the concert series and Roger will send it to the Clerk for the Feb MfB.

4.The Black Lives Matter (BLM) sign issue: John gave some history, and Carol, who has become involved with Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ,) and Ruth spoke about SURJ and the BLM movement. Ruth read the mission statement of SURJ to clarify its aims and philosophy. We recommend that we replace the current BLM sign, containing the SURJ URL, with the BLM signs created by AFSC containing no such URL. We value the work that SURJ suggests for us and will work on ways to promote the things we need to do. One suggestion made is that we hope Carol and Ruth may write a newsletter article about SURJ.

Daniel mentioned “Citizens for Racial Amity” and he will put information about it on the listserv.

5.Ruth has been working on rewriting the “Faith Letter” discussed last time. The issue of the letter is the mishandling of indictments by the prosecutor McGinty in Cuyahoga County and an appeal for an special prosecutor be created to investigate the case of Tamir Rice’s death. Ruth read part of her draft letter and indicated how she will continue on it, with the goal of having a letter to be sent to our meeting for business and ultimately to the US Attorney General Lynch. Various suggestions were givenand we were grateful for Ruth’s start on it. She will bring her proposed letter to our meeting in March.

6.Kit J has withdrawn as the FCNL representative. Names which arose as people who may be interested in replacing him: Miryam E W, Erin T, Alice G, Eli or Emily G, Sylvia M, Jane C. Roger will make an announcement in the meeting for business, after a meeting for worship, and in the newsletter that we are looking for a replacement

7. Ruth and Carol are willing to work with Andy to facilitate a discussion of a concern that was raised about pipeline issue and statement, specifically about the differential impact of current and future energy development  in relation to race and class, and how to prevent future injustice in he environmental and economic impacts of energy technology and resources on people of color and low-income communities. The monthly race and class group that meets 4th Sundays during Quaker Marinade (February 28 is the next meeting) can host this discussion. Carol offered to try to find people who are informed on the economic and class issues involved, for example in the ClimateActionNow! or NoFrackedGasInMass groups, etc.Ruth is willing to work with Andy to see about facilitating a discussion about the pipeline issue and statement. She is willing to facilitate a discussion of the issues. Carol offered to try to find people who are informed on the economic and class issues involved, for example in the ClimateActionNow! or NoFrackedGasInMass groups, etc.

8. We are scheduled for an 11:40 on February 28, on the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) which Roger will present.

9.Jane went to the Jan 9 meeting about welcoming refugees, and Beth (and others) went to the Jan 30 dinner, also involved with welcoming refugees and other immigrants. The US is quite restricted in allowing in refugees, and for the time being they are being located to Springfield where social services are available. Beth will inquire about what the government requires in/of a community before placing a refugee family there.

10. Jane has communicated with Nina, her appointed liaison with Woolman Hill. Jane is collecting ideas about the use of the Nelsons’ cabin. The WH board is interesting in promoting farming in the area. The idea would be to have a space where people interested in simple living could use the space for that.

11. We concluded with a time of silence and with thanks to Diane for clerking. Unfortunately she has a conflict with may keep her away from our meetings for a time.