Spring Newsletter
NEWSLETTER FOR THE TUCSON BRANCH OF THE
       Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Spring, 2010                                    WILPF  SPRING  PROGRAMS                              Volume  12 , Number 2


We meet at the Friends Meeting House, 931 N. 5th Ave.  When parking, please leave curb space free north of the
Meeting House.  CHILD CARE PROVIDED if requested in advance. (please call ahead…791-9535)

January 16: 2 pm. “Mickey Mouse Monopoly” Do you ever wonder how much influence Mickey Mouse and his
cohorts have in the development of the world's children.  Join the discussion facilitated by Jenise Porter, doctoral
candidate at the University of Arizona in the department of Language, Reading and Culture.

February 20:  2 pm. “Haiti”  The intersection of education and human rights in Haiti in the 21st Century
presented by Dr. Deborah Dimmett, educational researcher and Tucson public school teacher.

March 27:  2 pm. “Human Rights, Equal Rights and Unequal Wrongs”  Wingspan speaker will present an
update on life and pending legislation in the civil and military communities, affecting us all.  Wingspan's mission is
to promote the freedom, equality, safety and well-being of LGBT people. (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and
Transgender)

April 17:  2 pm.   “Inside the Prison-Industrial-Complex”   Rev. Alison Harrington, Pastor, Southside
Presbyterian Church, former chaplain at Santa Clara County (CA) Jails, and her husband, Bryan Smith, former
prisoner, currently an Addiction Counselor and speaker on Victim Offender Reconciliation and Restorative
Justice. Both will relate personal experiences of the waste of human lives in the prison ware-housing business,
and advocate for prison reform with specific ideas leading to personal transformation.
May 15:  1 pm.  Pot Luck Luncheon,  Program 2 pm  “Successes of the Ethnic Studies Programs, and why it is
Under Attack”  Join Dr. Augustine Romero, TUSD Ethnic Studies Department  and Dr. Julio Cammarota from the
University of Arizona for a discussion of the successes of the Ethnic Studies program and why it is under attack by
the Arizona Superintendent of Education.

                                                Special WILPF Events

WILPF is attempting to select issues of current interest which also impact our lives, and by collective action to
really Make A Difference!  Please read the sections below and PLEASE JOIN US…WE NEED YOU!  

Israel-Palestine Film Series & Discussion,  7 pm  each 2nd Wednesday. This film showing will be held at the
Sonora Cohousing Common House, 501 E. Roger Rd. (3rd driveway west of 1st Ave., north side of Roger) The
series is organized by Mohyeddin Abdulaziz, Dina Afek, Racheli Gai, Betts Putnam-Hidalgo and sponsored by
WILPF.  For more information, contact Racheli at  racheli@sonoracohousing.com or 407-1432  See www.wilpf.
org/wcusp (Women Challenge U.S. Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East.) for actions WILPF
WCUSP has taken and advocates.

Want to be an actor in this Important Play?  "Seven Jewish Children" is a very short but provocative play
that is neither about nor for children. Written by well-known British author Caryl Churchill following the 2008-2009
Israel military strike on Gaza, it addresses the human effects on the Palestinians. It has seven scenes spread over
70 years. It has been produced by small groups throughout the U.S.   WILPF/Tucson is planning to do so as well.
We have an experienced director, we are now seeking participants, and believe we will be ready to show in mid-
February. Please call Nancy at 908-9252.

Join WILPF’s Annual Tax Day Leafleting  Thursday, April 15 WILPF members and friends give leaflets to
postal patrons telling taxpayers how our tax monies are spent and how we think they SHOULD be spent.  Sun
Station Post Office on Speedway, east of Campbell from 9 am to 5 pm; Main Post office (Cherry Bell Station) from
5 pm to midnight. To participate, Call 312-9988.

Do you wannabe a Raging Grannie?  WILPF’s outrageous singers invite new members! Call  885-3908.

CHILDREN’S AWARD-WINNING BOOKS DONATED TO TUCSON SCHOOLS.  WILPF, through its educational
affiliate, the Jane Addams Peace Association, has each year since 1953, selected outstanding children’s books
for use in our communities. The panel guidelines include: promote the cause of peace, social justice, world
community and equality of the sexes and all races, as well as meeting conventional standards for excellence. This
past year our Branch bought two sets of six books and donated one set each to the Hohokam Middle School
library and the recently inaugurated Pima County Juvenile Detention Center library.  We encourage you to read
about these excellent books via the JAPA web site: www.janeaddamspeace.org.

                             Community Events

FREE COMMUNITY SING IN MEMORY OF DR MARTIN LUTHER KING, Sunday, January 17, 2 to 4 pm,
St Mark’s Presbyterian Church, Calvin Room, 3809 E. 3rd St.  We will revisit the living legacy of the Civil Rights
Movement through songs crafted and bequeathed us from those who cared and dared and made those days to
share. No songbooks or instruments needed.   For more information: Ted Warmbrand – 623-1688.
"Songs gave them the courage to believe they would not fail" -PETE SEEGER in "Take it from Dr. King".

Martin Luther King, Jr. March & Rally, Monday, January 18  At 8:30 a.m., gather at Old Main on the U of A
Campus, and march to Reid Park for the 10 a.m. rally at the amphitheater in Reid Park (entrance on Country Club
north of 22nd Street). Check newspapers for many other events happening that weekend.    

 
Monday Evening Film-Discussion series continues: Voices Against War, Racism and Oppression will
resume on Monday, February 15, 2010, with a visit from award-winning Mexican filmmaker Luis Argueta and
excerpts from his new film, "Abused: The Postville Raid."  The film documents the brutal, expensive US
Immigration Customs Enforcement raid in Postville, Iowa, and its effects on migrants. We have also invited Dahr
Jamail back for a presentation in conjunction with the UA Festival of Books in March. This popular series is held at
the U of A, AME Building at Speedway & Mountain, Auditorium S – 210. Convenient free parking is available on E.
Helen St adjacent to AME.

Annual Peace Fair Saturday, Feb. 27.  Special…Cindy Sheehan to be at the Fair, for book signing and for
other local events. Don’t Miss this Great Annual Event 10 am to 4 pm at Reid Park Band Shell.  Come hear WILPF’
s Tucson Raging Grannies!  Help at the WILPF booth!  Enjoy this Fun Day!  Call 791-9535 for further info.

Ongoing Weekly (or Monthly) Protests:           For info, parking, etc., on protests, call 319-2281.
Wednesdays:  8 to 9 am at Recruitment Center, 2302 E. Speedway; Stop Militarization of Our Culture.
Thursdays:  5 to 6 pm at the Federal Building, 300 W. Congress.  To Oppose U.S. Intervention Everywhere.
Fridays: 5 to 6 pm at Euclid & Speedway, opposing violence in Middle East & Everywhere (Women in Black).
Once a month at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Golf Links & Craycroft entrance.
Once a month at Raytheon Missiles Factory, Nogales Hwy, 3rd light south of Valencia.


CALL! E-MAIL! To President OBAMA, Congress, Media….OFTEN!!!

Our progressive voice is ESSENTIAL if we expect The Change that we desperately need:  Renewable energy;
Single Payer Health Care; Stop Wars & Occupations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and elsewhere; Close ALL U.
S. military bases abroad; No Weapons in Space; Re-Join CTBT and work for nuclear disarmament; Close
Guantanamo, Stop ALL Torture; Jobs to re-build infrastructure; Restore environmental & economic regulations.

White House: Phone (pay): 202-456-1111; Fax: 202-456-2461; E-mail: www.whitehouse.gov/contact

Toll-Free #’s for CONGRESS:  1-800-828-0498; 1-877-851-6437 (remember time change for D.C.)

Senator Jon Kyl: local ph.: 575-8633; E-mail: www.kyl.senate.gov; click on “Message to Senator Kyl”.
Senator John McCain: local ph.: 670-6334; E-mail: www.mccain.senate.gov, click on “E-mail Senator”
Rep. Raul Grijalva: local: 622-6788; E-mail: www.grijalva.house.gov (Dist. 7),  “E-mail Raul”
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords; local ph: 881-3588, E-mail: www.giffords.house.gov (Dist. 8) “Contact”

OBTAIN CITIZEN’S DIRECTORY OF ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR Tucson City Council, Pima County Board of
Supervisors, State elected officials and more, from League of Women voters of Greater Tucson  327-7652
lwvgt@aol.com   www.lwvgt.org

To check federal legislation:  www.thomas.gov   (provide bill number or subject).

Do you listen to or watch Democracy Now? Local radio KXCI 91.3 FM at noon M – F  and on Cable TV  
   & Satellite   Check schedule options at www.democracynow.org or access her program on-line.


Corporate Media (National and Local):  
ABC: http://abc.go.com   Click “Contact us”       KGUN9   722-5486         kgun9news@kgun9.com
CBS: evening@cbsnews.com                            KOLD     744-1313     desk@kold.com
NBC: nightly@NBC.com                                     KVOA      624-2477    newstips@kvoa.com
Fox News    newsmanager@foxnews.com           KMSB      624-0180    commets@foxnews.com
PBS:  www.pbs.org/ombudsman/feedback.html   KUAT-TV 621-5828    azillustrated@kuat.arizona.edu
Huffington Post    www.huffingtonpost.com
Arizona Daily Star        573-4142        letters@azstarnet.com
Tucson Weekly        792-3630        listings@tucsonweekly.com                                
Arizona Republic                          newstips@arizonarepublic.com

                               WILPF  Information

Founded in 1915, Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF) works to achieve through
peaceful means: world disarmament, full rights for women, environmental sustainability, racial and economic
justice and an end to all forms of violence.  We work to establish those political, social and psychological
conditions that can assure peace, freedom and justice for all, and reduce the effects of global warming.

Check our Web Sites! Local: www.wilpftucson.org     Nat’l: www.wilpf.org    Int’l: www.wilpf.int.ch

We welcome your joining WILPF!  Dues support our national organization and include a subscription to Peace &
Freedom. Individual, $35; Household, $40; Student, low income, $15. Send check made out to WILPF, note for
“membership” to Deborah Livingston, 5901 E. Lester Dr., Tucson, AZ  85712
Your additional donation of $10 (separate check to WILPF, notation Tucson branch) will help us locally. If you
have any questions, call Deb at 882-4376.  We need your active and financial support!

Contact these Tucson Branch leaders with your ideas or questions:

President/Co-Chair  Mary MacEwan        622-5743                Membership       Nancy Graham      908-9252
Co-Chair                  Alma Berkowitz        791-9535                Legislative Rep   Pat Birnie                  661-9671
Treasurer                 Deborah Livingston  882-4376                Newsletter           Pat Pecoraro         885-3908
Raging Grannies      Margaret Pecoraro   885-3908                Webmistress       Karen Thompson  906-5005

Our Steering Committee meets 9:30 am the 1st Thursday of each month at Mary MacEwan’s home,
2451 N. Santa Rita.  All are welcome to attend and share ideas.  Confirm at 622-5743 or 791-9535.

Are you on our e-list?  If not, contact patbirnie@greenbicycle.net to join our frequent reminders of meetings,
action alerts and legislation that need our support, and lots more….


ATTENTION!!  If you receive this newsletter, and are not already a supporting member of WILPF, please send a
check to our treasurer (above) ($5 or more, if possible) to help cover expenses. We would like feedback from you,
telling us what your interests are, what you would like to do to participate in our Branch, how we can utilize your
talents & energies. (And also appreciate your telling us if you no longer want to be on our list.)