#Marchfor Bernie, Dear Pyongyang showing, and other upcoming events

National events:

#MarchforBernie

Next Saturday, the 23rd, Bernie Sanders supporters are rallying across the country.  There could be events around here, but so far the closest listed event is in Washington, DC.  See the Facebook group:  www.facebook.com/events/729427727193497/

I'm supporting Sanders (berniesanders.com), though I have reservations about his foreign policy views and he is not a real socialist.   I don't know of any reasons to reject former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, but Sanders seems to have a better chance of winning the Democratic nomination.  If Sanders doesn't win, I'm leaning toward Jill Stein of the Green Party ( ww.jill2016.com/ ).  I think Workers World Party vice presidential candidate Lamont Lilly is connected to Durham. 

The leading Republican candidates are reactionary on domestic issues and probably warmongers in foreign policy, and Clinton will continue Obama's wars of aggression and probably start more if she wins, using so-called "R2P" or some other pretext, maybe with boots on the ground this time.  On the other hand, a Republican president would probably face more opposition than a Democrat even if they are both pushing the same foreign adventure.     

The primary will be March 15th in North Carolina and starting this year a photo ID will be required [there seems to be a way to cast a vote even without a photo ID, so don't let lack of ID stop you from going to the polls] (see the State Board of Elections website at www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/ and local information for Durham is online at dconc.gov/government/departments-a-e/board-of-elections ). 

[Social media campaign for Rasmea Odeh

A verdict in Palestinian American activist Rasmea Odeh's appeal against a conviction of Unlawful Procurement of Naturalization is expected shortly and the Rasmea Defense Committee ( justice4rasmea.org ) is launching a social media campaign on Wednesday, January 27th and calls for protests if her appeal fails and she is imprisoned. 

From the Rasmea Defense Committee: 

" #Justice4Rasmea Social Media Campaign Wednesday, January 27th
Join the Rasmea Defense Committee for a social media campaign Wednesday, January 27th, in support of Palestinian American icon Rasmea Odeh—and prepare for an Emergency Response to the appellate court decision!

In October 2015, Rasmea’s legal team delivered oral arguments in an appeal of her unjust conviction for Unlawful Procurement of Naturalization. The decision is expected any day now, and we have to be prepared!

Participate on Twitter and Facebook on Wednesday, January 27th, using sample tweets, hashtags, articles, memes, and other resources that we will be sending to everyone on Monday. Rasmea has dedicated her life to the cause of a #FreePalestine and to Arab communities across the world, including the past 12 years in Chicago, so we must continue to organize to win #Justice4Rasmea.

In addition, although we are confident that we will win the appeal and have the conviction overturned, there is a chance—as we reported right before the end of 2015—that the appellate court will uphold the conviction, ruling in favor of the government. If that happens, it is very likely that Rasmea will be ordered to turn herself in to federal prison authorities, as we petition to keep her out on bail.

We have developed an Emergency Response Plan for this contingency!

If this worst-case scenario decision comes down BEFORE 12 NOON, and Rasmea is ordered to prison, we are calling for protests the VERY SAME DAY at 5 PM at federal buildings across the country.

If the decision comes down AFTER 12 NOON, we are calling for protests the NEXT DAY at 5 PM. Allies and supporters across the world will also be participating in the emergency response by protesting at U.S. consulates and embassies everywhere.

Please forward widely and look out for our follow up announcement early next week. Tell all your family, friends, and colleagues to be ready to join us on social media Wednesday, January 27th, to demand #Justice4Rasmea!

Rasmea Defense Committee
January 22nd, 2016" ]

#SupportPalestineinDC2016

Al Awda -  the Palestinian Right to Return Coalition - and the ANSWER Coalition are sponsoring a National March on Washington to Support Palestine Sunday, March 20th, rallying in front of the White House and then marching to the DC Convention Center, where the Zionist lobby AIPAC is meeting.

Trotsky's "Amalgams"

Montclair State University Professor Grover Furr's newest book, Trotsky's "Amalgams:" Trotsky's Lies, the Moscow Trials as Evidence, the Dewey Commission. (Trotsky's Conspiracies of the 1930s, Volume One) has been published by Erythrós Press & Media.  It is available at erythrospress.com/store/trotskys-amalgams.html and www.amazon.com/dp/069258224X .
Erythrós Press' summary:

"The Harvard Trotsky Archive was opened to researchers in 1980. In it, researchers found evidence that Leon Trotsky deliberately lied many times and about many people and events. Other evidence of Trotsky's lies comes from his own writings and in documents from former Soviet archives.

Drawing upon primary sources from the Harvard Trotsky Archive and from former Soviet archives Grover Furr subjects the testimony of Moscow Trials defendants to a source-critical check and verification. His conclusion: their testimony is genuine, reflecting what the defendants chose to say.

The same primary sources, plus Trotsky's own writings, demonstrate that Trotsky lied about virtually everything concerning the Soviet Union in his writings about the three Moscow Trials of 1936, 1937 and 1938, his writings on the assassination of Sergei Kirov, and in his testimony to the Dewey Commission in 1937.

This book will revolutionize the understanding of the Moscow Trials. Trotsky’s writings and activities during the 1930s must be seen in an entirely new light.

The results of this research reveal much about Trotsky’s conspiracies in the 1930s."

Grover Furr's previous books in English are Khrushchev Lied ( http://www.erythrospress.com/store/furr.html and www.amazon.com/dp/061544105X/ )      

The Murder of Sergei Kirov ( www.erythrospress.com/store/kirov.html and www.amazon.com/dp/061580201X/ )

and Blood Lies ( www.redstarpublishers.org/bloodlies.htm and http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692200991/ )

 
Local events:

Main Library renovation meeting

There will be a meeting to update the public and get feedback about plans to renovate Durham's Main Library this Thursday, the 21st at 7pm at the Main Library.  There will be a bond referendum in the November election, and they hope to start renovating in late summer or early fall of 2017 and finish by early 2019.

Asian Film Series

UNC's Carolina Asia Center is hosting an Asian Film Series this winter, and it caught my eye that they are showing Dear Pyongyang (Agapimeno Mou Pyongyang) Monday, January 25th.  It was recommended as a good film to foster understanding, so I wanted to show it for Korea Peace Week, but it was very expensive to get a copy.  I haven't seen it before, but the synopsis says it is about the filmmaker's father, who moved from the ROK to Japan, but became a Marxist leader there and sent his sons to DPRK in 1971, but now regrets splitting the family across borders.  I've heard there was or is still a sizeable amount of support for DPR Korea among the ethnic Korean minority in Japan.  There will be a reception at 6pm and the screening will be 6:30-8:30 at the FedEx Global Center's Nelson Mandela Auditorium (301 Pittsboro Street).  There should be a lot of free parking at UNC in the evening, possibly including the parking deck under the FedEx Center.  For more information, see:  carolinaasiacenter.unc.edu/event/asian-film-series-dear-pyongyang-agapimeno-mou-pyongyang/ and there is a Wikipedia entry at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_Pyongyang.

[Proposed nuisance ordinance in Durham County

Also on the 25th, the County Commissioners ( dconc.gov/government/departments-a-e/board-of-commissioners ) are considering an ordinance to penalize people for having old cars, water-filled containers, open wells, vegetation over 12" tall, etc. in their yards.  There are places in Durham where it would be beneficial for the environment if people could be forced to clean up their litter, but the proposed ordinance could also reduce habitat for wildflowers and allow excessive regulation by unelected County officials.  In the City there is a similar issue, in which one person objected to ghost bikes (roadside memorials set up where cyclists have been killed by cars), allegedly for appearances, forcing their removal, though many people wanted them to remain.] 

[Presentation on Extraordinary Rendition at the Republican Liberty Caucus of NC

Tuesday, January 26th the NC Commission of Inquiry on Torture is making a presentation to the Republican Liberty Caucus of NC on the CIA's program that sent captives to third parties for torture.  The meeting will be at 7pm at the Rally Point Sport Grill (1837 North Harrison Avenue) in Cary and is open to the public (see www.facebook.com/events/1079502222067996/ ). 

Reverend Barber at UNC

Reverend William Barber of the NAACP will be speaking at UNC's Sonja Haynes Stone Center auditorium on Friday, January 29th, at 5pm [my information was wrong, it is actually at 6pm]. 

Islamophobia discussion at ERUUF

From an activist calendar: "Challenging Racism and Islamophobia:  Speaker Manzoor Cheema, a human rights activist who produces short documentaries and founded the Movement to End Racism and Islamophobia (MERI), leads talk and discussion. 1 to 3 PM, Sun, Jan. 31, Eno River UU Fellowship, 4907 Garrett Rd, Durham. 919-200-3585"  MERI and others have been giving local businesses posters condemning religious profiling and welcoming refugees. 

TPP Teach-in

Tuesday, February 2nd 6-7:30pm there will be a teach-in on the Trans Pacific Partnership, in the Hitchcock Room at UNC's Stone Center.  Note that it is often argued that these trade deals won't reduce protections under US laws, but recently a lawsuit under another trade treaty overturned rules about labeling meat with place of origin.  In addition, rather than just revising the law in accordance with this court ruling, it was extended to meats that weren't covered in the lawsuit.] 

Mardi Gras in Durham

Ice prevented a local celebration of Mardi Gras last year, but it is planned to go on February 9th this year, starting at 6pm at the CCB Plaza downtown.  

10th Anniversary HK on J

The annual Mass Moral March on Raleigh and Historic Thousands on Jones Street demonstration will be in Raleigh on February 13th, rallying at 9am and marching at 10 (see www.hkonj.com/ ) .  There will be buses and/or carpools from other cities.  This is part of the Forward Together Moral Movement that has been holding regular and large Moral Monday rallies against the State government's reactionary agenda.  [Buses will be leaving from downtown Raleigh in the afternoon to a protest at the Republican presidential debate in Greenville, South Carolina:  ncgreenparty.nationbuilder.com/protest_the_two_pro_business_parties ]  

Creek Week and Arbor Day

Durham's annual waterway festival Creek Week will be March 12-16th (closer to March, see keepdurhambeautiful.org for event listings).  Keep Durham Beautiful is also organizing Durham's Arbor Day Celebration, scheduled for Sunday, March 15th from 1 to 3pm outside Greystone Baptist Church (2601 Hillsborough Road).  The winners of the tree contest I mentioned last year will be announced.  I hope they say something about the arrival of the non-native emerald ash borer in Durham last year, but cankerworms seem to be the noisier issue, though all these native inchworms seem to do is hang down on silken threads and get on people.  2016 is Durham's 32nd year as a certified Tree City USA.