Peace and Social Concerns Committee 7/18/19

Present: Diane C (clerk), Jane J, Dan G, Frank G, Ka R

We began with a period of silence, reflecting in particular on our loss of Roger Conant, the longtime heart of this committee.

1. The nuclearban.us effort and Treaty Compliance Campaign (promoting compliance with the 2017 Nuclear Ban Treaty by disconnecting from the nuclear weapons industry) was passed in MfB. David Ahlfeld will pull together action info, such as businesses to boycott or divest, for our Sept meeting.

2. Ka will serve as recording clerk temporarily, up to 6 months.

3. We are looking for ways to reinvigorate, recruiting new (more) members and possibly refocusing our purpose. We will invite people who used to be on P&SC to rejoin, even temporarily. Should we have an 11:40 hour to discuss purpose/ recruit? What does the meeting want from us? What level of interest is there in activism? Ka and Jane will draft an 11:40 proposal for the committee to consider at our August meeting.

4. We discuss areas of social justice that are not under the care of other Mount Toby committees (Climate Witness, Race and Class, Immigration). Renewing our commitment to Quaker peace testimony arose strongly.

5. We agree to change our meeting to fourth Thursday. Roger was to set up the Zoom trial; that will be taken up again before winter.

6. Ka will continue as FCNL liaison.

7. FCNL advocacy group: we agree it’s a good idea that is hard to pull off. We will return to this & reconsider over the next months. We like the idea of forming alliance with Noho Friends, Resistance Center, etc, as well as being a ‘known quantity’ to our elected reps.

8. Ka reported on the status of the ‘Judaica series’. The first program, June 23, was well-attended and people seemed eager to continue the conversation. The next program, a panel discussion Oct 6 2-4 pm, is taking shape. Planning meeting will be Aug 13, 3 pm at the Meetinghouse. Frank & Geoff will continue with Ka as planners. We anticipate a third program, probably during the winter.

9. Letter writing. We will skip July. We will move it to 2nd Sunday. Dan will do Aug, maybe carbon tax or maybe Congress-defense auth bill in Senate (an FCNL alert on this). Friends are reminded to consistently use the new format. Guidelines are here.

10. Concert series. Diane has somebody, not from Mount Toby, who has taken over Beth’s refreshments role. Big need: person to take money & keep books. We will continue to look for someone. Diane will put a note in Sept newsletter.

11. Common Share Food Coop. We were approached about receiving another presentation in support of the Amherst Food Coop. We think that since Andy Grant already spread the info, we don’t need another presentation.

Next meeting: Thursday, August 22, 7 pm at the Meetinghouse