2008

Friday, January 11: Iraq in Fragments

7:00 pm, Trumansburg Fire Hall

An opus in three parts, Iraq In Fragments offers a series of intimate, passionately-felt portraits: A fatherless 11-year-old is apprenticed to the domineering owner of a Baghdad garage; Sadr followers in two Shiite cities rally for regional elections while enforcing Islamic law at the point of a gun; a family of Kurdish farmers welcomes the US presence, which has allowed them a measure of freedom previously denied.

American director James Longley spent more than two years filming in Iraq to create this stunningly photographed, poetically rendered documentary of the war-torn country as seen through the eyes of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds. Winner of Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Editing awards in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival documentary competition, the film was also awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 2006 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2007.

Description is from the web site www.iraqinfragments.com .

Run time 94 minutes; discussion to follow.

2007

Friday, December 14: Breaking Ranks

Breaking Ranks is a moving documentary about the plight of four U.S. soldiers seeking sanctuary in Canada as part of their resistance to the war in Iraq. With intimate access to four American military deserters, their lawyer and families, this film documents their experiences as they try to exercise their consciences amidst profound emotional, ethical and international consequences. If deported, they face the venom of mainstream American opinion and one to five years in prison. If Canada instead follows the legacy established by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau during the Vietnam War, when Canada welcomed tens of thousands of war resisters, there may well be an unprecedented crisis in U.S.-Canadian relations.

Filmed over the course of the refugee process, this provocative film explores the meaning of duty through the powerful testimonies of these young soldiers. In so doing, Breaking Ranks poses challenging political, cultural and historical questions for Canadians and the world.

Sharing stories of moral awakening and the burden that it brings, the emotional core of Breaking Ranks is formed by candid interviews with these four young men as they take us on their journeys from the moment of recruitment to the momentous decision to desert.

Directed by Michelle Mason, an award-winning filmmaker whose first film, The Friendship Village, was an inspiring account of reconciliation between American and Vietnamese veterans, Breaking Ranks reveals the everyday lives, hopes, and idealism of another generation of young soldiers as they become controversial peace activists.

Breaking Ranks is a universal story about the painful forming of character, of men growing to manhood in more complex ways than they expected. Heroes to some and traitors to others, as these young men navigate the international controversy caused by their decisions, their stories raise challenging questions about citizenship and the meaning of duty.

Friday, Nov 30: Steve Coffman

What would the founding fathers have thought of George W. Bush? Steve Coffman, author of Founders v Bush will be here to discuss the fundamental conflict between the policies of George W. Bush and the intentions of the founding fathers.

Beware of pretend patriotism.
-George Washington, 1796

Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God´s service when it is violating all His laws.
-John Adams, 1816

By oft repeating an untruth, men come to believe it themselves.
-Thomas Jefferson, 1813

Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad.
-James Madison, 1798

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Coffman grew up in South Bend, Indiana, then attended the University of Michigan where he later taught Dramatic Literature and Creative Writing. Several of his plays have been produced in college theaters and at The Smithsonian. A dozen of his stories have been published in national journals including four in Redbook. His non-fiction books include two political memoirs, Peace Meal and Messy Freedom, and a country memoir How To Walk A Pig, which he expanded last year and republished as Chicken Justice. Steve settled in the Finger Lakes in 1972, when he was "heartsick with our mainstream culture during America's unconscionable war against Vietnam. My wife Bobbie and I staked our claim in the boonies of Yates County, hoping to make our life closer to nature and form basic relationships that we could understand, and to some degree control."

SPECIAL EVENT!:

Steve will read excerpts from Founders v. Bush on Sat, Nov 24 at 2 pm at the One Green Horse bookstore on Main Street, Trumansburg (next to Gimme! Coffee). Steve will be there from 2-4 pm to chat and sign his book; the reading will be from 2:00 to 2:10 pm.

Friday, Nov 9: The Corporation

The 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.
-Noam Chomsky

This film explores the nature of corporations as legal "persons" and their role in American society and democracy.  If you wonder sometimes why a government instituted for the purpose of "promoting the general welfare" fails so miserably at that fundamental task, look no further than the corporation, which haunts the republic like a Frankenstein monster bent on destroying its creator.

WINNER OF 26 INTERNATIONAL AWARDS! 10 Audience Choice Awards including the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.

Directed by Jennifer Abbott and Mark Achbar. Based on the book The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power by Joel Bakan.

More about this film:
* The Corporation website
* The Wikipedia entry for The Corporation has an outline of the movie.

Friday, Oct 26: Planning for Energy Descent

7:00pm Trumansburg Fire Hall

Whether we voluntarily reduce our use of fossil fuel to deal with climate change or are forced to do with less as a result of oil depletion, it's becoming increasingly clear that we face a future in which we will be using much less energy, with profound and unavoidable consequences for our way of life. The effects of energy descent include reduced material wealth, economic upheaval, high food prices, reduced mobility, and shorter manufacturing and retail supply chains. No combination of technical fixes will be able to change the basic outlines of this future reality.

TCLocal is a group of citizens researching and planning for energy descent in Tompkins County, New York. This presentation explains energy descent, describes relocalization as a strategy for coping with energy descent, shows the kind of questions that must be answered in preparing for relocalization, and outlines the steps that should be taken now to prepare for self-sufficiency and a more local way of living.

THE SPEAKERS

Jon Bosak is a technical standards specialist who has spent the last several years researching energy descent and organizing TCLocal in Tompkins County.

Bethany Schroeder is a writer and educator, with a special interest in health care. She serves as the secretary for TCLocal.

Monday, October 22:
Ulysses Town Board Candidate Forum

7:00 pm Trumansburg Elementary School Auditorium

On Tuesday, November 6, voters will elect two new members to the Ulysses Town Board. There are four candidates running for the two open seats being vacated by Roxanne Marino and Don Ellis. Republican candidates are Heather Hartwell and Scott Sherwood. The Democractic candidates are David Kerness and Liz Thomas.  Those elected will serve a four-year term of office.

Whoever we elect to these two seats will shape the future of our town. What is our vision for our town? What do we want the Comprehensive Plan to look like? Do we need to invest in water infrastructure projects? Are there aspects of our town we want to preserve as we face inevitable growth and change? What do you think are the Town's most pressing problems?

On Monday, October 22 at 7 PM at the Trumansburg Elementary School Auditorium, voters will have a chance to MEET THE CANDIDATES. The four citizens vying for the position will each have about 10 minutes to introduce themselves and their platforms.  Voters will then have an opportunity to ask the candidates questions and voice their concerns. Please spread the word to your neighbors. Come out and inform yourselves by attending the forum, and most importantly, VOTE!

Friday, October 12: Michael Moore's SiCKO

The words "health care" and "comedy" aren't usually found in the same sentence, but in Academy Award winning filmmaker Michael Moore's new movie 'SiCKO,' they go together hand in (rubber) glove.

Opening with profiles of several ordinary Americans whose lives have been disrupted, shattered, and -- in some cases -- ended by health care catastrophe, the film makes clear that the crisis doesn't only affect the 47 million uninsured citizens -- millions of others who dutifully pay their premiums often get strangled by bureaucratic red tape as well.

After detailing just how the system got into such a mess (the short answer: profits and Nixon), we are whisked around the world, visiting countries including Canada, Great Britain and France, where all citizens receive free medical benefits. Finally, Moore gathers a group of 9/11 heroes -- rescue workers now suffering from debilitating illnesses who have been denied medical attention in the US. He takes them to a most unexpected place, and in addition to finally receiving care, they also engage in some unexpected diplomacy.

While Moore's 'SiCKO' follows the trailblazing path of previous hit films, the Oscar-winning BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE and all-time box-office documentary champ FAHRENHEIT 9/11, it is also something very different for Michael Moore. 'SiCKO' is a straight-from-the-heart portrait of the crazy and sometimes cruel U.S. health care system, told from the vantage of everyday people faced with extraordinary and bizarre challenges in their quest for basic health coverage.

In the tradition of Mark Twain or Will Rogers, 'SiCKO' uses humor to tell these compelling stories, leading the audience conclude that an alternative system is the only possible answer.

(This synopsis is from MichaelMoore.com)

Friday, Sept. 28: Dr. Sylvester Johnson

The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture:
How to Achieve an 80% Reduction in Emissions by 2050

Dr. Johnson will describe, with compelling graphics, the several accelerating repercussions of global warming. The presentation emphasizes positive action steps that can make a real difference.

Friday, September 14: Eric Massa

Former U.S. Naval Officer Eric Massa, who will run against Republican Randy Kuhl for the 29th Congressional District seat in 2008 will join us for the evening. Bring your questions and ideas.

Massa lost to Kuhl in 2006 in a very narrow race in which Kuhl had the advantages of incumbancy and Republican money.

Massa served in the Navy for 24 years and was an aide to then-NATO commander Wesley Clark, and later worked for Clark's presidential campaign. He was one of the "Fighting Dems" -- more than 50 military veterans running as Democrats because of their strong opposition to the Iraq War, Bush's destructive foreign policy, and his administration's manipulation of the troops for political gain.

The security of our economic future is not clear and becomes more in question every day. Jobs are being shipped overseas, access to health care is more difficult and more expensive. The deficit fueled by tax cuts and unrelenting government spending has created a true toddler tax of over $27,000 dollars for every new child born in this nation. We are failing to secure the future for our children. This is what brings me here today, and I want to turn that around.
-Eric Massa

Friday, August 24: Bo Lipari

We follow-up Hacking Democracy with Bo Lipari, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Verified Voting will fill us in on the status of voting machine legislation in New York. Bo is another individual who works long volunteer hours to help protect our voting rights. He has addressed our group several times. Lately he's working for a voter-verified paper record to assure us that our votes will count.

Friday, August 10: Hacking Democracy

We've heard a lot about how the voting machines don't work, but what exactly are the problems? Come see this thorough accounting of many of the glitches and weaknesses in our new-fangled (and old-fangled) system. Problems range from software that doesn't work to machines that can be remotely accessed to incompetent, careless, or corrupt officials whose decisions help determine whether our vote counts. The film features Bev Harris, an ordinary Seattle grandmother, who began questioning the decisions made by her local county, and ended up taking on the voting-machine industry. With the help of computer security experts, she demonstrated that the software in Diebold machines, as well as that of other manufacturers, was subject to massive, undetectable hacking. She went on to show many other problems in many communities in the United States.

Bev has a website BlackBoxVoting.org, and has written a book, Black Box Voting

Friday, July 27: In Debt We Trust

Danny Schechter's IN DEBT WE TRUST: AMERICA BEFORE THE BUBBLE BURSTS
2006; 98 minutes

Join us in watching award winning journalist Danny Schechter’s (Weapons of Mass Deception) newest documentary, which investigates the deregulation of the lending industry, a collusion between the Bush Administration and credit card companies, media conglomerates and lobbyists, and the devastating consequences for the middle and working classes, as credit card debt continues to skyrocket in this country.

Schechter leaves no stone unturned as he talks to a number of different people, including real estate experts, soldiers returning from Iraq, government officials, college students dependent on student loans, and people who have declared bankruptcy, while making the connection between the growing debt load in this country and the negative consequences for all Americans.

Take action: go to Stop the Squeeze!

Friday, July 13: Marino Cordoba

In co-operation with Cornell's Committee on U.S.-Latin American Relations (CUSLAR), Back to Democracy presents an evening with Marino Cordoba, founder and first president of the Association of Displaced Afro-Colombians (AFRODES).

Born in the small community of Rio Sucio, Colombia, Mr. Cordoba was displaced from the community following a brutal massacre committed by paramilitary death squads alongside the Colombian military. He fled to the capital, Bogotá, where he helped found AFRODES. After multiple death threats and attacks Mr. Cordoba received asylum in the US, where he continues to work on behalf of Afro-Colombians.

A "powerful and gripping" speaker, Mr. Cordoba will discuss the situation of Afro-Colombians, who make up 25 percent of Colombia’s population. More than 3.5 million people have been internally displaced over the last decade in Colombia, and at least a third of these are Afro-Colombian. According to the international NGO Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, "Forced displacement in Colombia is primarily a way to seize agricultural land from peasants and small farmers, and only to a lesser degree the unintended consequence of fighting between warring parties." It should also be noted that this displacement is contributed to by US taxpayers, in the form of US aid to the Colombian military, and by US corporations who are often complicit with the paramilitaries.

AFRODES, the Association of Displaced Afro-Colombians, was founded in 1999 in response to the mass displacement of Afro-Colombians from their ancestral lands. AFRODES works to defend the rights of displaced Afro-Colombians, raise awareness, preserve cultural heritage, and seeks to guarantee all Afro-Colombians the conditions necessary to live with dignity.

Friday, June 29: The Road to Universal Health Care

Come join us at the Trumansburg Fire Hall for a discussion with Rebecca Elgie and Bernie Fetterly of the Tompkins County Health Care Task Force.

Achieving Universal Health Care has become the number one domestic issue. The problems of our current system have reached the crisis point as it leaves millions without insurance and millions more underinsured or in financial ruin. We will discuss various plans which are being proposed and what we believe is a solution to this growing problem. Please join us with questions on this important issue.

The Tompkins County Health Care Task Force is a health care reform organization linked to many other national organizations working for health care reform in the United States. The Task Force opened its doors in 2001, but members have been working for health care reform for more than 20 years with different organizations.

The Tompkins County Health Care Task Force works primarily for a Single-Payer system that is a government-financed health insurance program like Medicare. It would be a comprehensive, affordable plan which would end the inefficiencies of our current for-profit program. We know that it is the only answer to a just health care system and that it will be the only program that will address our growing health care needs.

Friday, June 8: Kilowatt Ours

Jeff Barrie's 2006 documentary takes us on a journey from the coal mines of West Virginia to the solar panel fields of Florida. Along the way, Jeff and his wife Heather share a plan to eliminate their use of coal and nuclear power at home through energy conservation and the use of renewable sources. Kilowatt Ours invites us all to help build a "net zero" nation. Learn 10 simple steps to save $600/year on electricity.

More info at the Kilowatt Ours Website. Please join our circle discussion after the film and share your energy-saving ideas and questions!

Friday, May 11: Loose Change 2

We will show the revised documentary film about September 11, LOOSE CHANGE 2, by Dylan Avery, Korey Rowe and Jason Bermas. The premise of this film is that the United States Government was at least criminally negligent in allowing the 9/11 attacks. As usual, an open discussion will follow.

Friday, April 27: Local Sustainability

Gay Nicholson, PhD, Program Coordinator of Sustainable Tompkins will present a 30-minute slideshow showcasing a variety of green initiatives taking root in Tompkins County. A circle discussion for sharing ideas will follow, to be co-facilitated by Gay and folks from Sustainable Trumansburg.

If you're tired of all the bad news oil dependency generates, come enjoy the good news that energy self-reliance brings us!

Friday, April 13: Big Easy to Big Empty

On Aug. 22, 2006, independent journalist Greg Palast and producer Matt Pascarella documented how poor residents of New Orleans were marched out of their houses at gunpoint. Palast takes you inside the offices of the Bush Administration's political cronies responsible for this tragic evacuation. Here's the real story of Hurricane Katrina that you won't get on commercial news. During its production, Palast and Pascarella were charged with criminal violations of the anti-terror laws by Homeland Security.

That´s what they want us to do. They want us to get discouraged and to leave. I´m going to stay here long enough to see it come back. - Henry Irving Sr.

Run time: 60 minutes, including Amy Goodman's interview with Greg Palast.

Trumansburg Fire Hall, Rte 96/W Main St, Trumansburg, NY 14886 (near junction of Rte 227).
Parking available in the lot, but please don't block the bays in front or back of Fire Hall. Extra parking in the Park 'n Ride (across Rte 96, right off Rte 227).
Free of charge and open to all; handicapped accessible.

For info contact Margo 387-5080 or e-mail Jan.

Friday, March 30: The Workers Rights Movement

Pete Meyers, Coordinator of the Tompkins County Workers' Center (formerly Living Wage Coalition and Workers' Rights Center) will join us in a discussion of workers' rights.

In a society dominated by the rights of capital, the "worker" is a marginalized figure, yet the contribution of workers to the quality of life for middle-class Americans is fundamental. At one time, child labor, starvation wages, long hours, and dangerous working conditions were the norm. Thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of organized labor, that is no longer the predominant case, yet workers have lost ground since the peak of unionization in the '50s.

Pete will show two short films. In an 11-minute segment from Anne Lewis's Morristown, American workers from Tennessee and Mexican immigrant workers sacrifice for their common interests during a strike against a chicken processing plant. The second film is In the Shadow of the Tower, about labor practices at Cornell, and the struggle of the United Auto Workers Union to gain a living wage for Cornell employees (30 min).

Following the films, Pete will facilitate a conversation about the importance of workers' rights and a living wage. He will also discuss the role of class in building a grassroots movement for democracy and social justice, locally, nationally, and globally.

Saturday, March 17: Tompkins County Marches for Peace

In solidarity with nationwide actions protesting the 4th year of the Iraq War, Trumansburg's Back to Democracy has joined with a coalition of groups throughout Tompkins County to hold a march & rally on Sat, March 17th.

Groups are organizing carpools in their townships, destined to park at various lots on the outskirts of Ithaca. From there, these groups will march to The Ithaca Commons, where we'll rally together at 3 pm.

Why? Our themes include the illegality of this war, honoring those who have died, the consequences to our communities, the growing threat of the war with Iran, and holding accountable the current administration. We will walk to honor the soldiers; we will walk to honor all of those who have been wounded or died in this conflict; and we will walk to express our strong support for using diplomacy instead of violence to achieve world peace.

Confirmed speakers include Congressman Maurice Hinchey, current representative of New York's 22nd Congressional District, Matt Hrutkay, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War; Martha Robertson, a Tompkins County Legislator who will address the war's local consequences; and Marty Luster, a former NY State Assemblyman who will address the war's illegality and offer a petition to sign that calls for investigation into impeachment. The Burns Sisters and John Simon will provide entertainment.

Urge your friends to come. If they say, "It won't do any good," here's what you could tell them:

1) We need hundreds of signatures on this petition. Marty, along with concerned citizens, will take it up to the Tompkins County Legislature. Many other towns, counties and even some states are doing the same thing. Even if impeachment does not pass in the Senate, the purpose of this grassroots nationwide impeachment campaign is to show government officials, and the rest of the world, that we hold the White House accountable for its illegal war.

2) The press will be there -- TV, radio and newspaper reporters -- so our event coverage will be seen by our reps and the general public. Also, by submitting digital photos of it to web sites like www.unitedforpeace.org and www.afsc.org, we'll communicate to the global community that we do not condone this war.

3) It is our DUTY, in times like this, for citizens to assemble, protest and petition. Recently, when asked how effective demonstrations are, Marty Luster said, "If 100 people show up on March 17, that wouldn't say much. But if 1,000 people show up, the reps definitely take notice!"

4) Historically, this is how progress has been made in America. In the 30s, it's how we got labor unions and social security. In the 60s, civil rights and medicare. Now let's call for an end to illegal wars, war-profiteering and torture.

Here's the itinerary for those who wish to carpool from the Town of Ulysses & walk together in Ithaca. We have allowed extra time at each meeting location in order accommodate lateness and maximize participation:

12:30 - Carpoolers meet at Park 'n Ride, Trumansburg (junction of Rtes 96 & 227; loc. of Tburg Frmr's Mkt)

1:00 - DEPART for Cass Park Ice Rink lot (on Rte 89 in Ithaca)

1:30-2:00 - Converge at Cass Park Ice Rink lot (allows extra time to connect with latecomers or use bathrooms)

2:00 - DEPART on foot for The Commons, walking (on sidewalk) along the lake inlet, turning left on Buffalo St. This walk is 1.7 miles total, and should take us about 45 minutes.

2:45-3:00 - ARRIVE at The Commons for regional rally at 3 pm.

If you can help with poster-making, flier distribution, and phone calls, please contact our volunteer event coordinator for Town of Ulysses: e-mail Katherine Ludwig or 387-6282.

RSVPs: Since we welcome last-minute participants, RSVPs are not required, but we'd like to report our expected numbers to the bigger planning committee. Plus, hearing back from you keeps up our morale, so please email Katherine if you plan to participate.

For those interested in walking further, meet at Stick 'n Stone Farm on Rte 96 by 11:45 AM. We will march down Rte 96 and meet up with fellow marchers coming from Cass Park @ 2:10 PM and continue to march to the Commons for the rally. For more info, call or write Lou Johns (582-6336) or Michael Dineen (532-9288).

For more information, please visit Ithaca Peace Vigil.

We can't end the war by ourselves, but together, we can. We're counting on your participation, and look forward to seeing you on March 17!

Thursday, March 15: Trumansburg Village Board Candidate Forum

Join Back to Democracy at the Fire Hall at 7:00pm for a discussion with candidates for Trumansburg village trustee in the upcoming March 20 election.

Candidates David Filiberto, Chris Thomas and Rordan Hart are vying for the two open seats for a 5-year term on the village board. Each candidate will spend ten minutes addressing their views on the ethics of the job, public accountability, and their vision for the future of the village. Members of the community will then have a chance for questions and conversation with the candidates and each other in a discussion facilitated by Back to Democracy.

Vote on March 20!
Polling Place: Village Office Building
56 E Main St, Trumansburg

Friday, March 9: Why We Fight

If you've ever wondered why our defense budget exceeds the defense budgets of all other nations of the world combined, why it continues to rise, why politicians don't even suggest lowering it, or why we attack foreign nations who don't attack us, come see this film. Eugene Jarecki's fact-filled, independent documentary made in 2005 uncovers the economic, political and ideological motivations behind US military aggression since WWII. Beginning with Eisenhower's famous warning about the growth of our "military-industrial complex," the film offers insights from the diverse points of view of government leaders, military officials, and ordinary citizens. Winner of the 2005 Sundance Grand Jury Award. Running time: 98 minutes.

More about this movie at Why We Fight.

Free & open to all. Handicapped accessible. Trumansburg Fire Hall; Rte 96/Main St (near junction of Rte 227). Free parking in the lot, but please don't block the bays in front or in back of bldg. For info about times, location, and parking, e-mail Jan.

Friday, Feb 23: Marty Luster

Marty Luster, former State Assemblyman and former City Attorney of Ithaca, has more recently worked as Co-editor of Positive News and as an activist on media reform, immigrant rights and other local and national issues of grassroots concern. He was a participant in the recent National Media Reform Conference held in Memphis, Tennessee.

Mr. Luster will host a conversation on impeachment. We will consider the pros and cons, learn what impeachment is and how it can be accomplished, including the way states may initiate the impeachment process, and consider especially grassroots activity, such as local impeachment hearings, and the contribution they may make to the accountability of public officials.

Bring your questions, comments, and ideas to share with the community.

Friday, Feb 9: Who Killed the Electric Car?

Chris Paine, former electric car owner, attempts to answer why GM crushed the most efficient vehicle it ever invented. His lively, independent documentary, completed in 2006, recounts the dramatic story of how activists fought GM to keep the cars they loved. After the film, we'll provide a brief update on their ultimate impact, leading to GM's electric car revival. Free & handicapped accessible. Rte 96/W. Main St (near junction of Rte 227). Parking available near the Fire Hall (please do not block fire truck doors), or in the "Park 'n Ride" lot across Rte 96.

For info e-mail Jan.

Saturday, January 27, 11:00 am

Join Us Is Protesting The Surge
WHERE: Trumansburg, in the park on the N side of Rt 96 at the intersection of Rt.96 and 227. Parking available at the Farmer's Market site across from the park and at the old Big M lot.

Back to Democracy will hold a demonstration of protest against Bush's "Surge" in Iraq. Many Americans from around the nation will be traveling to Washington, DC to protest there. Many in our community will not be able to go there, but would still love to express their revulsion to this escalation and the continuing needless destruction of lives, infrastructure, and resources in a country that never attacked the United States. Bring your friends, family, and neighbors. Bring your signs, your enthusiasm, and your voice to join us in expressing our democracy by lawfully assembling to "petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Phone Lisa daCunha-Koski at 387-4854 for more information.

Friday, January 26: Amnesty International

Wayles Brown of the Ithaca Chapter of Amnesty International will talk about about this important organization. Mr. Brown´s introduction:

Not everyone knows how we all came to have the same human rights in the first place. As a matter of international law, rights began to appear after the First World War, but really took off after the Second. The United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, as a set of principles that should be valid everywhere. Treaties protecting and defining various human rights were signed by almost all countries. But do the countries comply with all their agreements? Amnesty International (AI) started its first, now legendary, campaign in 1961 to insist that they should. AI is not the only organization standing up for human rights, but it is the biggest, with nearly 2 million members. At 45 years old, it has a lot of experience putting pressure on the governments of the world. It usually asks members not to work on cases within their own country, but U.S.-based Amnesty members have found more and more violations here at home that need our attention, be it governmental authorities acting unjustly, or bills that contradict the country´s legal system and treaty obligations.

Bring your questions and comments regarding issues such as the Detainee Bill, Torture in America, Abu Ghraib, Habeas Corpus, and the Geneva Conventions, etc.

Top 10 ways YOU can help close Guantánamo at Amnesty International's web site.

Friday January 12: The Ground Truth

The Iraq war is exacting a human toll that is mounting. Behind the happy talk of "Support the Troops" and the yellow-ribbon stickers on giant SUVs are the soldiers whose lives will forever be affected by the years of brutality in Iraq. But rarely are the soldiers themseves heard from. This film by director Patricia Foulkrod follows the soldier's odyssey from recruitment to the streets of war-torn Iraq and back again to the streets of America's cities where these young people attempt to put their lives back together again. Narrated entirely by the soldiers themselves, the film provides a glimpse into the lives of the men and women who responded to the administration's call for sacrifice.

Comment from Allen Carstensen:
Our Back To Democracy film this month was The Ground Truth a documentary of the experiences of the soldiers before, during, and after combat in Iraq. It is a very powerful film. From the discussion afterward, it seemed everyone was deeply touched. The film pulls you into their troubled lives. Some of them lost limbs, some lost friends, some of them lost their ability to function back home, and some of them ended their own lives. Imagine if you could connect fully with the tragedy in their lives. Then multiply that out to encompass all of the wounded vets and all of the families of dead soldiers. Then imagine what it would do to your mind if you could really understand the horror of the 650,000 dead Iraqis and the millions of wounded, and the real effects of the depleted uranium. It´s a good thing nobody can make a documentary that could put all that in my head.

Thursday, January 11, 4pm to 7pm

Join Us in Protesting the Escalation "Plan". Cayuga Street End of Ithaca Commons. A rally to protest the troop escalation is planned for Thursday, January 11. This is also "Guantanamo Day", the day that the first prisoners arrived in Guantanamo to avoid international laws regarding prisoners of war. Come join your neighbors in expressing their revulsion to these policies. If you can't bring your own sign, we'll have some cards that say "NO MORE TROOPS!". There will also be petitions to sign. You can sign-up for the event at www.americaSaysNo.org, or through MoveOn

2006

Friday December 8: An Inconvenient Truth

A powerful and informative documentary about the most important topic facing humankind, created and presented by former VP Al Gore with passion and compelling scientific evidence. Since our "leaders" have chosen to ignore, and even suppress this problem, Americans will have to push for action. Get informed. This movie is the place to start.

You can learn more about An Inconvenient Truth and watch a trailer by going to the web site www.climatecrisis.net.

Sign Al Gore's petition to the new congress at AlGore.com

Friday November 10: Orwell Rolls in His Grave

Director Robert Kane Pappas' riveting documentary about the relationship between the government and the media. It consists of a series of interviews with media critics. Featured are Congressman (soon to be Senator) Bernie Sanders, Charles Lewis (founder of the Center for Public Integrity). It carefully document how our media has failed to live up to its responsibility to provide Americans with the information they need to make decisions in a democracy. Instead, it has become an Orwellian world where lies become truths and the real world of facts has been replaced with a managed "reality" designed to fill the needs of those who control power

Friday October 27: Elizabeth Garry

State Supreme Court justice candidate Elizabeth Garry will be here for an evening of information sharing on our court and legal system. Come with questions.

UPDATE: In November of 2006, Elizabeth Garry became the first Democrat ever elected to serve on the New York Supreme Court from the Sixth New York Judicial District.

Friday October 13: Iraq for Sale

This new film from Robert Greenwald, the director of Wal Mart: The High Cost of Low Price and OutFoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism analyzes the war profiteering that is rife in Iraq, and the administration's complicity in it. Funding for the film came from citizen donations.

Friday September 29: What Motivates People to Resist?

A discussion of why people commit acts of resistance. Some people devote their whole lives; others find themselves in circumstances in which they feel compelled to act. Many of us are feeling quite angry and helpless as citizens of an increasingly militarized nation and the seeming inability of our elected representatives to prevent this trend. The St Patrick's Four, a local war tax resister, and other area activists will share their stories. There will be ample time for questions and group discussion. Please come and listen and share in discussion with your neighbors.

Saturday August 26th: CLEAN MONEY CLEAN ELECTIONS

Free training session at the Ulysses Philomathic Library, Corner of South & Main Streets, Trumansburg, NY 14886, 9am - 1pm. Our trainer will be Citizen Action NY's "Clean Money Clean Elections" coordinator Jessica Wisneski. Free & open to all. Handicapped accessible. To register for the training, or for more info, contact: Margo Alexander (607) 387-5080; Please bring a snack and your own beverage.

Friday, August 25th

Bo Lipari, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Verified Voting (NYVV), will talk about recent developments in the fight for verifiable, auditable voting systems in New York State and around the nation. A retired software engineer, Bo developed software for both large and small companies throughout a 20 year career. In 2003, he became concerned about the rush to use touch screen electronic voting machines in our elections and began traveling, speaking and organizing all over NYS, alerting people to the problems with electronic voting, and the potential for compromising the integrity of our elections. In 2004, Bo founded NYVV (www.nyvv.org), a citizens group working for secure, reliable, accessible, and verifiable standards for voting systems and elections. NYVV has led the struggle in NYS for verifiable, auditable systems. In May, 2006, Bo was appointed as the League of Women Voters of NYS's representative to the NYS Citizen's Election Modernization Advisory Committee. Committee members will advise and assist the NYS Board of Elections in the examination of voting systems.

Friday, July 28th: Water Privatization

The topic of discussion will be local, national and international concerns and actions related to water privatization. There is a national movement afoot called "Defending Water for Life Campaign", organized by a diverse, bipartisan group of people who believe "secure and equitable access to clean water is a human right and must be protected for all generations and all living things." Come learn about what is happening locally with this issue, as the Fingerlakes have been targeted by large corporate water companies for privatization We will start the meeting by showing the documentary Thirst, which looks at the corporate drive to control & profit from water. The film demonstrates the ways citizens have mobilized domestically and internationally around the disputes over water rights. The second part of the meeting will be a discussion with people who are currently organizing locally on this issue.

Friday June 30th

CLEAN MONEY, CLEAN ELECTIONS Campaign Coordinator Jessica Wisneski of "Citizen Action of NY" will show a short video and moderate a discussion about getting big money out of politics through publicly-funded campaigns. Find out how to take legislative action like the citizens in VT, ME, NJ, NC, NM and AZ who have restricted or banned private donations. More info on the topic at www.citizenactionny.org.

Friday April 28th

Les Roberts will speak about his experiences in Iraq and abroad as an expert in the field of public health and water supplies and safety. He is the person responsible for the study and report which was published in The Lancet revealing the large number of Iraqi citizens who perished in this war.

Friday March 31st: Weapons of Mass Deception

We will show the documentary film, Weapons of Mass Deception. "Independent filmmaker Dan Schechter's 2004 documentary focuses on how the media shaped people's views of the Iraq War through their intense coverage from the war's inception through February 2004. Schechter's film examines how new methods such as satellites and embedded journalists affected the media coverage, and the competition between media outlets."

Saturday March 18th, 10am: Join Us to March for Peace

In front of the Trumansburg High School, we will gather as we did last year for a Peace March down to the small park across from where 227 meets Rte 96. Last year, we were 127 strong. This year, we are looking to double that number, so please consider coming if you did not, or bring a friend if you did!

Friday March 17th, 6-8pm: Vigil at Trumansburg Fairgrounds

We will hold a vigil at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds, calling for a real exit strategy from Iraq of US troops, corporations, and military contractors. This was the place and time that we vigiled for many months, before, during and after the invasion. It also is St. Patrick's Day and a way we plan to honor the work of the St. Patrick's Day Four. People can bring signs/posters of their choice.

Friday February 24th: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train

We will watch and discuss the 2004 documentary Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train about this prominent historian's lifetime of activism.

Friday January 27th

We will be watching and discussing Arundhati Roy's 2004 talk Public Power in the Age of Empire at 7pm in the Trumansburg Fire Hall, Main St, Trumansburg, just north of downtown

2005

Wednesday November 16th

In cooperation with the Tompkins County Workers' Rights Center, we will show Walmart - the High cost of Low Price at the Trumansburg High School auditorium.

Thursday October 6th

We will host a question & answer session with Democratic District Attorney Candidate Gwen Wilkinson. This is an opportunity to not only ask questions, but to inform her of our concerns-so please come & bring any registered voter who is interested.

Monday September 26th

MILITARY RECRUITING. Speaker Jim Murphy, a VietNam vet who has been working fin the schools doing counter-recruiting and who has been a peace activist for years. He was featured in USA Today earlier this year.

Saturday August 6

Hiroshima Day event in conjunction with the Perry City Friends monthly Peace Pot Luck. There will be a dish-to-pass dinner at 5:30pm with the program to follow at 7 pm. The meeting will start the program with a greeting & then a moment of silence, and time to honor those who perished and suffered in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There may be a speaker on the issue of depleted uranium.

Monday June 27

WHAT CAN WE DO TO SHUT DOWN GUANTANAMO?! A powerful video of the New York session of the World Tribunal on Iraq held on May 8, 2004 will be shown by Back to Democracy. The World Tribunal on Iraq is the final segment of Deep Dish TV's 13 part Shocking and Awful series on the U.S. led invasion and occupation of Iraq. Graphic footage of the war and its effects and eyewitness testimony of military and medical personnel are presented as well as testimony by experts in international law. After the film Back to Democracy member and lawyer Howard Engelskirchen will facilitate a discussion on War Crimes in Iraq, international law, our obligations, and our response.The meeting coincides with the last day of the final session of the worldwide World Tribunal on Iraq to be held at Istanbul from June 23 to June 27. Modeled on the Russell Tribunal on the War in Vietnam, preparatory sessions of the World Tribunal have been held across the world, beginning with London in 11/2003, Mumbai 1/2004, Brussels 4/2004, Barcelona and NYC 5/2004, Tokyo and South Korea 12/2004, and Rome 2/2005. The jury for the final session includes Ara Guler, Arundhati Roy, Chandra Muzaffar, Francois Houtart and others and the panel of advocates and witnesses includes Dennis Halliday, Dahr Jamail, Richard Falk, Samir Amin, Scott Ritter, Joel Kovel, Haifa Zangana and others.From the WTI Webpage: "The World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) is a worldwide undertaking to reclaim justice. It aims to record the severe wrongs, crimes and violations that were committed in the process leading up to the aggression against Iraq, during the war and throughout the ensuing occupation, that continue to be widespread to this day. It is our intention to also record the social, political, environmental and cultural devastation. In the end, the evidence gathered and presented will serve as a historical record that breaks the web of lies promulgated by the war coalition and its embedded press." WTI is a horizontal network of local groups and individuals worldwide that work together in a non-hierarchical system. The project consists of commissions of inquiry and sessions held around the world investigating various issues related to the war on Iraq, such as the legality of the war, the role of the United Nations, war crimes and the role of the media.

Monday May 23

Can American Democracy Survive the Corporate Media? We will watch Bill Moyers' keynote address at the first ever national conference on media reform: On Reforming the Nation's Media and Restoring Democracy. Discussion will follow.

Monday April 25: The Future of Food

We will watch the video, The Future of Food, a documentary which offers "an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind unlabeld, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade." It also offers viable alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture. There will be people present who are working in providing alternatives in this area able to speak with us after the video.

Monday March 28

Fair Trade vs. Free Trade. Meaghan Sheehan from CUSLAR and Risa Sokolsky will be presenting information on the general topic and specifically on the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) which Congress will vote on in the next few months. Discussion will follow. Click here for resources and iformation about what you can do.

Saturday March 19 10:00 AM

Peace March in Trumansburg. We will meet at the T-CAT bus stop in front of T-Burg Schools on Main St. (Park on Main St.) The theme will revolve around messages such as "war is not the answer", the "human and financial costs of war", and "love thy enemies." After marching through downtown, we will gather in a circle for silence to honor those dead or wounded in the Iraq War. Then there will be time to speak out from the silence. This is the date two years ago that the US began this war, and the toll to humanity has been devastating. We must keep pressure on to insist that we do not want this bloodshed to continue in our name.

Monday February 28: The Control Room

The War in Iraq will be the focus of the meeting. We will plan for a march in Trumansburg on the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. There will be a screening of the documentary, The Control Room which looks at the "controversial and often dangerous operations of the seven year old Al Jazeera news network...which has become the most accepted informational resource in the Arab community."

Friday January 28

"Are you tired of working for peace & paying?" We hold power that government officials can understand in our wallets. Join us for a presentation on boycotts as a political strategy by Linda Finlay and Mary Loehr, both long-time activists, with a discussion ot follow. Ongoing and potential boycotts will be addressed. 7pm at the Trumansburg Firehouse, Rt. 96, just north of downtown.

2004

Monday December 20: The Ground Truth

The Ground Truth is an ongoing documentary project. Currently, U.S. Troops and the Iraqi people are experiencing the daily horrors of war. This film is an opportunity to hear and see our soldier's experiences in this war, and understand the critical and necessary treatment for these soldiers upon returning home. The Ground Truth invites Congress and the American people to bear witness to these soldiers and their families, and to consider the human cost of war, above all else. Discussion will follow the film.

Monday November 29

Was Our Election Stolen? Concerns about voting machines, voter suppression, media coverage & current investigations related to election. There will be a short presentation by Jan Quarles with discussion to follow. Websites with relevant information:

• www.verifiedvoting.org
• www.votersunite.org
• www.electiononline.org
• www.votefraud.org
• Bev Harris' investigations in FL and other states: www.blackboxvoting.org
• To sign a petition on national reform: www.PetitionOnline.com/uselect
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_U.S._Election_controversies_and_irregularities
• New Yorkers for Verified Voting: www.nyvv.org
• Voter Protection Center: https://voteprotect.org/?jsc=1

Saturday November 13

Town Meeting cosponsored by many likeminded groups to ferret out, as a community, what the next steps of our progressive movement should be. People broke up into groups with common interests to start that process.

Tuesday November 2

Watch the election returns together starting around 10pm.

Monday October 18

We will be dicussing what activities we want to be involved with as a group between now and the election. We will have a brainstorming session, then divide into action groups based on our interests and time availability. Please bring your ideas and energy. Everyone is welcome as always.

Wednesday October 13

Presidential Debate. The topics will be economic and foreign policy.

FridayOctober 8

Presidential Debate. Town-hall style with questions from audience members. Equal balance of foreign and domestic policy questions.

Tuesday October 5

Vice-Presidential Debate. There will be an equal balance between foreign and domestic policy questions.

Thursday September 30

Presidential Debate. The topics are foreign policy and domestic security.

September 27

Democracy and Education: No Child Left Behind? Presentation and discussion facilitated by Judy Kugelmass, Associate Professor in the School of Education and Human Development at Binghamton University.

September 13: The End of Suburbia

Video preview of The End of Suburbia about the depletion of the world's oil supplies. This will be followed by a discussion led by Michael Doliner.

August 30

Democratic Primary Race, 29th Congressional District: Half hour presentation by candidates Jeremy Alderson and a representative for Samantha Barend. The victor will face Randy Kuhl in November.Discussion of selected 2004 presidential platforms: Click to download or see the platforms in advance: Democratic, Republican, Green, Nader/Independent, Libertarian and Working Families. Individuals will present six issues of each platform: "strength" (i.e. military, terrorism, war in Iraq), education, environment, world social justice, healthcare and trade.

August 16: Outfoxed

Robert Greenwald's documentary Outfoxed (www.outfoxed.org) "examines how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, have been running a 'race to the bottom' in television news." The movie was be shown then followed by a discussion on how we get our news and can improve it. There has been a legal challenge filed to oppose Fox News' patent on the phrase "Fair and Balanced" because it is "false and misleading."

August 2

Panel discussion about reinstitution of the draft. For more information about the evening, click here. Included are the young people's pro-draft and anti-draft comments and the text of the proposed draft bill.

July 19

Discussion of the Patriot Act led by Brian Eden, Coordinator of the Tompkins County Bill of Rights Defense Committee. See http://www.bordc.org for information on this issue.

July 5

The video Bridge to Bagdad with discussion following regarding reactions to the video and the true cost of the war. Discussion moderated by Zillah Eisenstein, Professor of Politics, Ithaca College.

June 21

Media discussion with Linda Robertson, Professor of Media and Society at Hobart-William Smith and moderator of Plato's Cave.

June 7

The "Help Americans Vote Act" (HAVA) and issues about computerized voting, presented by Bo Lipari.