Announcements:

The Network of Spiritual Progressive's Global Marshall Plan

On April 8, 2008, Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison introduced the Network of Spiritual Progressive's Global Marshall Plan in the U.S. Congress.

Full text of the House Resolution--a document now listed in MAP's Resources:
http://mapm.pjep.org/uploads/docs/1207584174.pdf

This News item was submitted by Bruce Fisher of the Network of Spiritual Progressives, Minnesota.

Posted on 4/7/08 by Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers

MAP Supports the Release From U.S. Prisons of the Five Cubans

In the meeting of the Delegates of June 10, 2008, Ev Kalambokidis, on behalf of the Veteran for Peace, Chapter 27 presented the story of the unjust, ten year long, incarceration of the 5 Cuban patriots, who came to Miami to uncover the criminal plans of terrorist acts against Cuba and thus save lives in their country. Then Ev read the following Resolution, which was seconded and endorsed unanimously:

The Council of Delegates of the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers is joining the growing international demand for the release from the US prisons of the Five Cuban patriots:

Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero, Ramon Labanino, Fernando Gonzalez, and Rene Gonzalez,

who came from their country to uncover the plans of terrorist groups based in Miami and report on any dangers back to Cuba; groups which had already planned and executed horrendous criminal terrorist acts against the Cuban people and the Cuban economy.

Let this resolution be communicated extensively to the press, government, and peace and justice organizations.

Minneapolis June 10, 2008

MAP President Rebecca Janke has written a letter apppealing to Minnesota Citizens to join in the effort, in any way they can, for the release from prison of the Five Cuban fighters of terrorism.

The letter can be downloaded and printed from:
http://mapm.pjep.org/uploads/resources/1217188594.doc

Posted on 6/23/08 by Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers

Minnesota Peace Team (MnPT) Training

August 2008
For service during Republican National Convention (RNC)

As many thousands of people converge on St. Paul, Minnesota during the Republican National Convention, many people are concerned about being able to safely use their political voice during the events of the convention.

The Minnesota Peace Team is being formed and trained for service during the convention and following the convention at other events. Learn about this powerful tool and the techniques that can be used to de-escalate violence whenever voices of different perspectives seek to be heard.

Training will be conducted for people interested in being on the Peace Team. Training is 8 hours and sessions will be held on August 9, 10, 22, 23 and 28. A two-hour orientation will be conducted before each session. To register or to learn more about the training or the Peace Team contact minnesotpeaceteam@gmail.com or call 612-483-6041.

The Minnesota Peace Team (MnPT) is a group of people trained in nonviolent techniques who serve to protect life and human rights in potentially violent situations. We do this by reducing fear, bringing an attitude of openness and respect for all, increasing trust through relationships, and at times by being a presence or barrier in a physical conflict.

The Minnesota Peace Team is nonpartisan, we protect people on all sides of a dispute from physical violence. We do not interfere with civil rights, do not protect property, and do not enforce laws. The Minnesota Peace Team affirms human dignity by training Minnesotans in nonviolent techniques and responding to community requests to be present in potentially volatile situations.

For printable Announcement, Training Information and Registration Form see:
http://www.mapm.org/MnPT/

Posted on 7/22/08 by Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers

FairVote Minnesota to Intervene in Lawsuit against Instant Runoff Voting

Minneapolis, MN (July 31, 2008) - Today, FairVote Minnesota, the organizational anchor of the Saint Paul Better Ballot Campaign, announced that it will seek to intervene as a defendant in an on-going lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of instant runoff voting (IRV). In 2006, Minneapolis voters and its City Council authorized the use of IRV in city elections, with implementation planned for 2009. The lawsuit that FairVote Minnesota seeks to join opposes IRV in Minneapolis and was brought by a small group of activists who support the return of partisan local elections.

"Joining this lawsuit as a co-defendant is the most logical and efficient manner for us to resolve the constitutional question," said FairVote Minnesota Board member and Saint Paul IRV Campaign Coordinator, Ellen Brown. "We will help dismantle the St. Paul City Council's cover for blocking this important reform."

Both the plaintiffs and the City of Minneapolis have indicated that they will support the intervention request.

"Intervention is the right of a third party when it feels it can be of assistance to the court in arriving at a just decision," said former Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi attorney and FairVote Minnesota board chair, Tyrone Bujold. "Our plea will be to expedite the case so a decision can be reached as soon as possible."

On July 2, the St. Paul City Council blocked a certified petition submitted by more than 7,000 voters. The petition would have placed a charter amendment on the ballot this November to authorize use of IRV in future municipal elections. The block was justified in the eyes of the Council leadership based on a city attorney opinion that raised questions of constitutionality. After blocking the initiative, the Council voted unanimously to put the measure on the ballot once the constitutionality of IRV is resolved in the Minneapolis case.

The St. Paul Campaign does not believe the Council may legally block petition initiatives except in cases of "manifest unconstitutionality." "The Council, with the exception of Ward 6 member Russ Stark, had chosen to interpret the muddled attorney opinion as providing legal cover for their action. In doing so, the St. Paul Campaign believes that the Council has overstepped its legal authority," said Brown. The St. Paul Campaign considered suing the City to force a court interpretation of "manifest unconstitutionality" but decided this route was not likely to produce a decision in time to allow for sufficient voter education before the 2008 election, and might not have resulted in a definitive conclusion to the matter.

James Dorsey of the Fredrikson & Byron law firm and Keith Halleland of the Halleland, Lewis, Nilan and Johnson law firm will serve as lead co-counsel in the matter. Assistance will be provided by Jay Benanav, Alan Weinblatt, Weinblatt and Gaylord; Steve Kelley, Humphrey Institute Center for Science, Technology, and Public Policy; David Schultz, Hamline University; Tyrone Bujold, FairVote MN chair; Aaron Street, Center for Law and Politics; Gena Berglund, National Lawyers Guild; Cecily Hines, retired attorney; Andrea Rubenstein, attorney at law; and Teresa Ayling, Mansfield, Tanick and Cohen P.A.; and Jane Prince, attorney at law.

Coast Guard calls off live fire training plan on Great Lakes

The Safe Lakes Petition effort and your activism has put a stop to the live fire training - for now. Read the article below, from MPR, or read (or listen) on their website here:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/12/18/superiorlivefire/

Coast Guard calls off live fire training plan on Great Lakes
December 18, 2006
Washington D.C. — (AP) - The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday it was withdrawing plans to periodically close 2,500 square miles of the Great Lakes for live machine-gun firing exercises, responding to safety and environmental concerns.

The plan had been criticized by several U.S. and Canadian mayors, business leaders and environmentalists who said it could be unsafe and disruptive. Environmentalists had said they worried about the consequences of lead going into the Great Lakes.

"The Coast Guard appreciates the thoughtful comments we received and we will work with the public to ensure the Coast Guard can meet any threat to public safety or security," said Rear Adm. John E. Crowley Jr., commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District in Cleveland.

"We are committed to addressing the concerns that training be safe, preserve the diverse uses of the Lakes, and protect the environment," Crowley said.

Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., said Monday he learned about the decision from Admiral Thad Allen, the Coast Guard's commandant, who was "was dissatisfied with the process by which the Coast Guard undertook this activity."

We are committed to addressing the concerns that training be safe, preserve the diverse uses of the Lakes, and protect the environment.
- Rear Adm. John Crowley, Coast Guard"We understand the need of the Coast Guard to be in a top state of readiness, but they must respect the public's concern for safety and the environment," said Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wis.

Crowley said he would "take the time to get this right" and would not conduct live-fire training in the lakes to meet non-emergency training requirements. Crowley said he planned to reconsider public concerns and was committed to finding "environmentally friendly alternatives to the lead ammunition we currently use."

Coast Guard officials had stressed in hearings around the Great Lakes in recent months that live-fire practice was an essential part of weapons training and noted they have safely conducted live-fire tests in the nation's coastal waters for years.

The Coast Guard had said the plan was designed to create test zones and schedules that would have minimal effect on the environment and Great Lakes boat traffic.

The training zone proposal followed the Coast Guard's decision to mount automatic weapons on about 150 Great Lakes vessels as it has done on vessels on the East, West and Gulf coasts.

Each of the 34 "safety zones" on lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario would have been closed to private vessels for four-hour spans about four to eight times a year.

Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said the withdrawal of the plan was "good news for the people of northern Michigan and for all residents of the Great Lakes region."

He said the Coast Guard noted "the placement of the live-fire zones, the need for proper public notification and the possible use of environmentally friendly ammunition as matters that cannot be overlooked."

MAP Resolves to Request Repeal of US Embargo Against Cuba

At the October 17 MAP Governing Council meeting, the following resolution was passed:

"The Delegates representing the Member Organizations of MAP resolve that the US Government must expeditiously repeal the illegal, punitive, unprovoked, cruel embargo against Cuba. Such an Act will bring about a climate of peaceful, neighborly, mutually beneficial coexistence between Cuba and the United States and contribute to the promotion of peace in the broader region. "

The .pdf version of the letter, sent to UN Ambassador John Bolton, can be read here:
http://map.actionsoptions.org/uploads/resources/13.pdf

MAP Issues Resolution on Mideast Crisis

MINNESOTA ALLIANCE OF PEACEMAKERS (MAP) RESOLUTION
ON THE SITUATION IN LEBANON, ISRAEL AND PALESTINE

Profoundly concerned by the gravity of the current strife in the area encompassing Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine (both the West Bank and Gaza) and convinced that enduring peace cannot be achieved through war, the Delegate Council of the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers (MAP), in conformity with its Guiding Principles, as cited below, urgently calls on the government of the United States, other concerned governments in the region, and the United Nations to work for speedy achievement of the following objectives:

a) an unconditional cease fire in Lebanon, Israel and the Gaza Strip;

b) provision of emergency humanitarian assistance to needy civilian populations and of essential repairs to the infrastructure rendered unusable by the current conflict;

c) immediate and verifiable cessation, from whatever source, of all shipments of arms and military equipment to the region.

d) exchange of all prisoners currently held by Hezbollah, Israel and the Palestinian Authority;

e) withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Lebanon and Gaza and their replacement in areas adjacent to Israel by a robust United Nations peacekeeping mission or by other neutral peacekeepers, subject to UN approval, for as long as circumstances may warrant.

Additionally, convinced that there can be no enduring peace without justice, the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers calls for a high-level, impartial, UN-sponsored panel to consider the manifold causes and consequences of hostility between Israel and its Palestinian and other Arab neighbors and to recommend measures for promoting justice for all people in the region to the maximum feasible extent. Being further convinced that the vigorous promotion of justice will ultimately be much less costly than an indefinitely long prolongation of hostility, we urge the United States and others in the international community to commit the financial, technical and personnel resources needed to ensure a just, viable and durable peace in the region.

This resolution was adopted by the unanimous vote of the Council of the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers at its meeting of August 8, 2006. The Alliance is composed of sixty-seven member organizations committed to the advancement of peace, justice and global sustainability (http://www.mapm.org/member.htm for list of members.) Participants in MAP organizations include thousands of concerned citizen activists.

Relevant Guiding Principles: (all Guiding Principles of MAP can be found at http://www.mapm.org/mission.htm )

The Primacy of Justice. Enduring peace requires social and economic justice at all levels of human interaction, ... global, national [and] ... local.

A World Based on Law rather than Force. Social organization at any level must be based on the force of law, not the law of force.

Disarmament and Conflict Resolution. The enormous waste of the world's resources on weapons and militarization must cease. All forms of peaceful conflict resolution are to be supported.

Support for the U.N. System. The United Nations provides a necessary institutional framework for nations to work together to avoid conflict and seek peace and justice.....

Fundamental Human Rights. All human beings are entitled to fundamental civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.... Persons who have been denied fundamental rights, no matter what the circumstances, deserve special concern.

Responsibility and Accountability. The enjoyment of rights implies the acceptance of responsibility and accountability, whether by individuals, governments, religious groups, ... or ay other human institution.

Printable .pdf version here.
http://www.mapm.org/MAPResolutionOnMEAug806.pdf

United Plea for Mideast Peace

Minneapolis Star Tribune
Last update: August 08, 2006 - 10:02 PM
link to story, http://www.startribune.com/462/story/603482.html

United plea for Mideast peace
Peace was the plea of Maronite Catholics, who have close ties to Lebanon, and others at an interfaith gathering in Minneapolis.
Pamela Miller, Star Tribune

The word "peace" was spoken scores of times and in several languages Tuesday night at St. Maron Maronite Catholic Church in Minneapolis, and always it sounded like both a lament and a plea. For the Lebanese-American members of St. Maron, the violence in the Mideast is painfully personal. About half of the church's 600 members have relatives in the region, where warfare rages between Israel and Hezbollah...