Next Regular GVCP Meeting is Sunday, August 28th, 1:00 PM (Lunch), 1:30 PM (Meeting). Omega Restaurant, 4182 Lakeville Rd (Route 20A) Geneseo. We hope some of the students from Geneseo Peace
Action will join us. The students have just arrived in Geneseo, and classes start Monday, August 29th. So, logistically, it may be difficult for the students to attend. Still, I’m hopeful they’ll be there. (Incentive—GVCP is pleased to cover the costs of the students’ meals.)
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Save the Date: JUSTICE AND FREEDOM: KEYS TO PEACE IN PALESTINE MR. MIKO PELED
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2016 7:00 PM
SUNY GENESEO CAMPUS NEWTON HALL 204 [location tentative, but the day and time are confirmed]
Internationally known speaker Miko Peled is the son of a famous Israeli war hero and peace activist, General Mattityahu Peled. Miko Peled is the author of the book: "The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine." See <https://mikopeled.com/> and <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miko_Peled>
Mr. Peled is an outspoken critic of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians, and speaks from his experience growing up in Israel, and his service in Israel’s Special Forces. As was his father before him, he is quite critical of the Israeli land seizures that followed the 1967 Six Day War.
Earlier this year, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order Number 157, which penalizes public and private organizations in New York for their participation in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. The BDS campaign supports basic human rights for Palestinians living under occupation by the government of Israel. Executive Order Number 157 penalizes either the direct engagement in, or the promotion of, any activity that limits commercial relations with Israel.
This executive order threatens free speech and academic freedom. It could be used to penalize any member of the SUNY Geneseo community for merely promoting BDS as a legitimate political response. We feel that SUNY Geneseo is a place where open discussion and debate of vital issues should be fostered, not stifled. The speaker, Miko Peled, promotes and supports BDS activities.
Don’t miss this important event!
Note: This announcement is a modified (with permission) version of an e-mail from Prof. James Swarts. For more information, write to one of these three organizers:
Anthony J. Macula, Mathematics Department, macula@geneseo.edu
James Swarts, History Department, swarts@geneseo.edu
Dana Carmeli, Student, dc21@geneseo.edu
This Month’s Letter: NO MORE NUCLEAR WEAPONS!
President Obama’s visit to Hiroshima on May 27 was historic. It was the first visit of a sitting U.S. President to that city. As the President laid a wreath at a Hiroshima peace memorial, he made note of the horrible suffering caused by the use of nuclear weapons. Despite this, the administration has set in motion plans to spend at least $1 trillion over the next 30 years to “modernize” the entire US nuclear arsenal: the warheads, submarines, missiles, bombers, production facilities, and command and control infrastructure. This plan is clearly incompatible with the commitment to abolish nuclear weapons. Instead of spending taxpayers’ money on costly and destructive nuclear weapons, we want our government to invest this money in healthcare, education, infrastructure, and other programs to enrich our society. [Excerpted, in part, from a mailing from Ursula Rozum at Syracuse Peace Council.]
Please write/call President Obama. Urge the President not to support the expansion of the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal.
White House comments line is: 202-456-1111
E-mail: <http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments>
Postal address:
Pres. Barack Obama
The White House
Washington DC 20500
Peace,
Arnie Matlin for GVCP
GVCP is proud to be a chapter of Peace Action New York State