On Wed. May 14th, Rockford Progressive Meetup will hold an informational meeting about
Globalization and the effects on the economy and jobs in the Rockford Area. Speakers and union members will discuss the impacts international corporations have on our local economy. Time will be given for public questions.
What: monthly RPM meeting
Where: Just Goods Store at 201 7th Street
When: Wed. May 14th 7 to 8:30PM.
Hope you can make it and add to the discussion
Be sure to come to our April Rockford Progressive Meetup next Wed. We will continue to cover the topic of the healthcare crisis in America. First we will show the video “The Healthcare Solution- One Care” produced by California’s campaign for universal healthcare.
Learn about the benefits of a national healthcare and what other states are doing.
Also, come and share your story of why national healthcare is important for your family and America.
—I have been contacted by the local media of their interest—so lets have a good turnout to tell the public this is important.
Details:
What: video and discussion on universal healthcare
Where: Just Goods Store at 201 7th Street Rockford
When: Wed. April 9th 7 to 8:30PM.
Other upcoming events to look for
• Action (with the National United Peace and Justice) to contact our congressman to support HR bill 5507 calling for funding only for the redeployment of our troops from Iraq, removal of contractor security forces, a ban on permanent bases, a ban on torture, a ban on illegal detention of prisoners, a strong regional & international diplomatic drive to help stabilize Iraq, funding for reconstruction, and reparations for the Iraqi people.
* Rockford Move on event April 24th Iraq and ”Recession Report Release”
* May RPM meeting with topic- effects of globalizations.
Thanks so much to all those that attended the peace
rally last Wed. Along with RPM, Pastor Kenneth Storck
from Gloria Dei Lutheran church sponsored the
successful rally. We also linked into the national
moveon.org, united peace and justice and code pink to
recruit participants on-line.
We had over 50 attendees from several states. What
was remarkable was that we had great coverage by our
local media. 4 TV stations and Rockford Register Star
made the rally front page news.
Check out the links for seeing some of the coverage.
____________
http://www.rrstar.com/multimedia/x1056534571
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1012429479
5 years later, people still calling for peace
By Chris Green
RRSTAR.COM
Posted Mar 19, 2008 @ 10:56 PM
Last update Mar 20, 2008 @ 08:43 AM
ROCKFORD —
Shortly after Operation Iraqi Freedom was initiated on
March 19, 2003, protesters organized and held signs on
a Rockford street corner.
Passing
motorists scorned them, calling them hippies, or
unpatriotic.
Five years later, some 4,000 U.S. servicemen
and women have lost their lives, another 30,000 have
been injured, wartime debt is approaching $1 trillion
and opposition to the war has grown across the country
— and in the Rock River Valley.
“It’s a lot different now,” said Michael Suess,
51, an Elkhorn, Wis., peace activist. “People aren’t
cussing at us. They’re honking their horns and giving
us the peace sign…..
Get ready for our RPM meeting on national healthcare by attending a showing of Michael Moore’s movie “Sicko” Have fun with like minded people as we cheer and boo together
When: Sat. March 8 at 10 AM
Where:Just Goods Store at 201 7th Street, Rockford
Free and open to the public
Attend our next RPM monthly meeting. We will meet to discuss the presidential candidates views on healthcare, listen to a physician view on single payer healthcare and learn the best way to frame the issue when talking to voters.
Also learn about what is happening with politics locally
Event Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Event Time: 7:00 PM
Venue Name: JustGoods Store
Address: 201 7th St
City: Rockford
State: IL
Zip Code: 61107
Handicapped Accessible: Y
Google Maps
We had a great meeting on Jan 9th and were honored to have delegates for Clinton, Edwards and Obama present. We had an enthusiastic discussion and then voted.
here are the results:
Clinton 3
Edwards 7
Gravel 0
Kucinich 6
Obama 8
Richardson 0
As you can see we were all over the place so our group can’t endorse one candidate over the other.
Who is your choice, and why?
Hope you had a great holiday season and are ready for working for a better America and a peaceful world in 2008.
Here is a reminder- We will also be holding a fun RPM meeting this Wed. We will have a free flow discussion about our choices for the presidential. It would be great to have you come and talk about why you are supporting a particular candidate. Meeting details
When: Jan. 9th at 7PM
Where: Just Goods Store 7th St. use the back entrance
We will follow the discussion by having a “push pin” vote using a bulletin board with a list of candidates. You can vote for your top choice and your last choice. It should be fun to see how our progressive group thinks.
We will also discuss possible activities for our group this year and want your input.
I sense a real change for an awakening America and we are a part of making it happen.
Hi Progressives.
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and have a wonderful upcoming holiday season.
It is a pain that the early primaries are pushing up politics into the holidays. We are having an important RPM meeting on Dec. 12th with a candidate forum. Please, please come to meet the candidates who are giving us their time during this busy month. See below for details
The Green Communities Coalition is moving forward with working with the city. Their next meeting is the end of Dec. http://www.GreenCommunitiesCoalition.org/
Rockford Peace and Justice is having a special speaker on Mon. Dec 3rd and their annual peace program on Fri. Dec.7th Details below.
Also some of us are going to Dubuque IL on 12/8 to work for Obama. There are opportunities to help even if you can’t do door-to-door. Contact me if you are interested. Hillary has a local campaign coordinator in our area if you want to help her out. He is Victory Bell and can be reached at 815-963-1075. Please let me know if you have contacts for other presidential candidates campaigns in our area.
If you are interested in participating in Robert Abboud’s campaign for 16th District US Rep, he is having an special campaign meeting in Rockford Sun. Dec. 16th. Again, see below.
Hastert’s district, next to ours, will be a free for all. If you want to help out the progressive candidate, John Laesch, check out his website. http://www.john08.com/special-election
Phew—no rest for progressives. Hope you can find time for some of these events.
(I need to have a GO page)
Yours in taking back our country.
Holly
________________
1.RPM meeting-Candidate forum featuring local Democratic candidates
When: Wed. Dec. 12, 7PM
Where: JustGoods Store. 201 7th St. Rockford
3. Rockford Peace & Justice hosts a Coffee Talk, Monday, December 3, 2007, starting 7:30 pm. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockford, 4848 Turner St. “Disappearing Palestine - Prospects for peace in the holy land.” Speaker, Anna Baltzar is author of the entitled Witness in Palestine: A Jewish American Woman in the Occupied Territories.
4. Annual Peace Program honoring Iraq Veterans against the war.
When: Fri. Dec. 7, dinner 6, program 7PM
Where Court St. United Methodist Church 215 N Court St Rockford
RSVP for dinner $15 964-7111 (offering taken for Iraq Veterans Against the war)
4. Robert Abboud for Congress Campaign meeting- it will feature a chance for the attendees to hear from and interact with the candidate, a general strategy presentation by the campaign manager, and sub-committees formation along regional leadership and task specialization.
When: Sunday, December 16, 2007; 1:30-3:00 PM
Where: Teamsters, 5533 11th Street , Rockford , IL 61109
Rockford Peace and Justice and Rockford Progressive Meetup will be cosponsoring 2 upcoming events the next 2 Mondays, so we will not be holding our regular monthly meeting on our 2nd Wed. of the month in November. Don’t miss these events.
One is an amazing 70 minute documentary about the media and presidential spin that gets us into wars. I just watched it and the footage puts together the history of this phenomena in the last 50 years. The second event is a presentation and discussion about the “case for impeachment” it includes guests from the “World Can’t Wait Organization”. See below for details for both events.
Stay tuned for details about our December RPM meeting and the candidate forums before our primary in Feb.
1. What: documentary “War Made Easy”. This video exposes a 50-year pattern of government deception and media spin that has dragged the United States into one war after another from Vietnam to Iraq. http://www.warmadeeasythemovie.org/index.html
When: The event will be held on Monday Nov. 5, at 7:30 PM
Where: Unitarian Universalist Church at 4848 Turner Street.
2. What presentation: “The Case for Impeachment” includes a video of Bill Moyers’ followed by a discussion led by representatives from “The World Can’t Wait” organization
When: Monday, Nov. 12th at 7:30PM
Where: Unitarian Universalist Church at 4848 Turner Street.
We are in the full swing of things this fall. I want to remind you about our Rockford Progressive Meetup next week and an upcoming peace rally in IL. Hope you can attend these events.
1. Rockford Progressive Meetup meeting Details
What: a video and discussion “Quiet Revolution” by Alliance for Justice. It covers the topical issue of the recent appointment of ultra-conservative judges and its impact on our lives.
When: Wed. Oct 10th at 7 PM
Where: Just Goods Store, 201 7th St. Rockford.
2. Nation wide peace rally on Oct 27th
sponsored by the national United For Peace and Justice Group our local group RPJ is going to be a part of it. It has been decided it would be more effective to have several very large rallies rather than on big on in DC and it looks like Chicago is going to be one of the biggest. Consider joining us for the event.
Details
What: United for Peace & Justice has called for regional antiwar demonstrations
When: October 27 with kick of at !:30-6PM
Where: Union Park on the west side of downtown Chicago, followed by a march to the Federal Plaza
This is one of 11 regional demos, the Midwest demo in Chicago is shaping up to be one of the biggest. Already 200 organizations have endorsed, and trains are being reserved and busses chartered, bringing antiwar protesters from Detroit, Kalamazoo, St. Louis, The Twin Cities, Madison, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Cleveland and elsewhere. This promises to be by far largest Midwest peace manifestation of the war. And about time, too!