Poster for upcoming film "Occupation Has No Future."

“Occupation has No Future!”
MONDAY May 2nd 7pm
Live Oak Grange

Film & Discussion with Special Guest Speaker David Zlutnick, filmmaker

Part of the ReelWorks Film Festival.  Click here for more info and a complete schedule of films!

OCCUPATION HAS NO FUTURE.
A film by David Zlutnick, 2010, 84 min

In the Fall of 2009 a group of US veterans and war resisters traveled to Israel/Palestine to meet with their Israeli counterparts in an effort to strengthen connections and share experiences. Occupation Has No Future uses this trip as a lens to study Israeli militarism, examine the occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, and explore the work of Israelis and Palestinians organizing against militarism and occupation.

Through conversations with Israeli conscientious objectors, former soldiers, and Palestinians living under occupation, Occupation Has No Future creates a survey of the current atmosphere in the State of Israel and the West Bank. The film explores the Israeli social environment that creates such heightened militarism and leads to attitudes of fear, exclusion, racism, and ultimately aggression; and examines the consequences of Israeli policies both for the Palestinian people as well as for Israeli civil society.

Additionally, this documentary looks at the Israeli anti-militarist movement and those Israeli youth refusing conscription, refusing orders, and choosing to partner with a growing grassroots Palestinian campaign of civil disobedience to defeat the occupation. Honest about the extremely daunting challenges, Occupation Has No Future ultimately tracks the hope of a growing number of Israelis and Palestinians to live together, free from occupation, with peace and justice.

Speaker: David Zlutnick, returning filmmaker

Sponsors: Peace and Freedom Party, USLAW (labor against war), RCNV & Palestine/Israel Action Committee. For more information, call 831-423-1626.

FREEDOM PARTY IN DEFENSE OF CIVIL RIGHTS!

Tuesday, April 26
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave., Santa Cruz

Join us for a conversation on civil rights and liberties in a post-9/11era. Fill out your own Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request! Featuring Zahra Billoo, Esq., Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, and Summer K. Hararah, National Security & Civil Rights Program, Asian Law Caucus.

We all have a right to know if the government is investigating us, and we have a right to see the contents of our FBI files. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lennon, Cesar Chavez — the list of targets of domestic FBI surveillance is long and distinguished. Our right to inspect our own FBI file is guaranteed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The FOIA is a law ensuring public access to US government records. This evening will include brief presentations, discussion, and an opportunity to fill out a FOIA to seek information on government surveillance of you. Co-sponsored by the Defending Dissent Foundation, the Council on American-Islamic Relations SF Bay Area, the Asian Law Caucus, American Civil Liberties Union-Santa Cruz Chapter, Brown Berets and the Resource Center for Nonviolence.

Call 831.423.1626 or www.rcnv.org for more information.

A bus from the 2010 Pastors for Peace Cuba Caravan.

USA/ Cuba Update: Changes in Cuba’s economy – abandoning or updating socialism? Changes in US Cuba policy – positive steps or more subtle aggression?

Friday, April 29, 7:00p.m.
RCNV, 515 Broadway, Santa Cruz

A presentation by John Waller.

John Waller is the national coordinator of the annual Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba, a yearly act of civil disobedience against the economic blockade that the US government maintains against the small island nation. Through its people-to- people diplomacy and humanitarian aid caravan, Pastors for Peace creates a better understanding of Cuba and its policies for US citizens. John will speak about changes in the Cuban Economy, changes in US foreign policy to Cuba, and update us about the upcoming 2011 caravan scheduled for this July.

For more information: call Sandino, 831-423 1626 ext. 103.

$5-20 suggested sliding scale donation.www.rcnv.org

Dr. Dalit Baum, Ph.D.

Follow the Money: Who profits from Apartheid? with Dr. Dalit Baum

Tuesday April 12, 7:30 p.m.

Live Oak Grange

1900 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz

Dalit Baum, Ph.D., is the founder of “Who Profits from the Occupation”, an activist research initiative of the Coalition of Women for Peace in Israel (www.whoprofits.org).

During the last four years, “Who Profits” has become a vital resource for dozens of campaigns around the world, providing information about corporate complicity in the occupation of Palestine.

Dalit is a feminist scholar and teacher in Israel at Haifa University and the Beit Berl College. She teaches about militarism and about the global economy from a feminist perspectiv. This year Dr. Baum is visiting the U.S. as an activist in residence with Global Exchange, directing a new program titled Economic Activism for Palestine, which aims to support existing divestment campaigns in the U.S. as well as help new ones through education, training, networking and the development of dedicated tools. For more information on this economic activism project, visit http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/economicactivism.html

Dr. Baum’s presentation will include examination of the corporate involvement in the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and economic activist strategies to end the occupation, including the movement for boycotts, sanctions and economic divestment. A suggested of $8 – $20 donation (sliding-scale) is suggested. Co-sponsored by the Palestine Israel Action Committee. For more information 831.423.1626 or www.rcnv.org.

Unfortunately, the Study Group on Mazim’s book has been canceled.  Please check back for possible future reading and study groups.

Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh teaches and does research at Bethlehem & Birzeit Universities in Israeli occupied Palestine. He previously served on the faculties of the University of Tennessee, Duke and Yale Universities. Qumsiyeh is president of the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People and coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Beit Sahour. His most acclaimed book is “Sharing the Land of Canaan: human rights and the Israeli/Palestinian Struggle.” His new book “Popular Resistance in Palestine” reviews Palestinian nonviolent civilian resistance to displacement and occupation dating back to the beginning of the 19th century until today.

“Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of Hope and Empowerment”
7:30 pm at 404 King Street, Santa Cruz, near Walnut
Reading/Discussion of Mazin Qumsiyeh’s book by the same name. See previous post about the April 2 event above for more info about Dr. Qumsiyeh. You are welcome to attend any one or all three of the sessions.
$5-$10 sliding-scale suggested donation.
RSVP’s requested: 831.457.8003 or kenncruz@pacbell.net