Calendar @ 1st UU
in Columbus
and Beyond
B.R.E.A.D. Newsletter
Every Tuesday through March 14th 4:30pm-8:00pm
Conference To Look At Direct Democracy
Register for March 3rd
Million Voices for Darfur Campaign
date: 02/09/06
RURAL FINANCE PROGRAM INFLUENCES
AGRICULTURAL POLICY AROUND THE WORLD
date: 02/08/06
The President's Scandalous Budget
date: 02/08/06
Voting Rights Forum
date: 02/03/06
Universal Healthcare - SPAN Ohio
date :01/29/06
B.R.E.A.D.
date: 01/29/06
Scholarships Available for Central Ohio UU Youth
date: 01/24/06
Congratulations, it's a girl!
Letter from Linda Cox dated: 01/22/0
B.R.E.A.D. Newsletter
Every Tuesday through March 14th 4:30pm-8:00pm
Pizza, pop, and the anti-war movement
Every Tuesday through March 14th 4:30pm-8:00pm
OSU Campus, Ramseyer Hall, Room 110, Corner of High Street & Woody Hayes
(across the street from Wendy’s & Buckeye Donuts)
Free Pizza & Pop, Movies & Political Discourse
Selections for Tuesday, February 14th
Red State Road Trip www.redstateroadtrip.com IndyMedia’s Gleneagles Scotland G8 summit raw coverage.
Through the Wire www.undergrowth.org/features/through_the_wire_by_pip_starr
Falluja http://www.deepdishtv.org/fallujah/
Selections from What I’ve Learned About US Foreign Policy & the War Against the Third World http://www.addictedtowar.org/dorrel.html
Million Voices for Darfur Campaign
date: 02/09/06
The humanitarian disaster in Darfur has been going on for three years. Some 400,000 people have died, violence has forced more than two million from their homes, more than three million are starving. Despite evidence linking the Sudanese government to the Janjaweed militias responsible for much of the violence against Darfur's civilian population, that government continues to deny involvement and to allow the Janjaweed free rein.The U.S. and the international community have done nothing to stop the bloodshed-even after 2004, when our government officially recognized what was happening in Darfur as genocide. The only international force
authorized to operate in the region are a small number of troops fielded by the African Union, with neither the mandate nor the resources to stop the killing-only to protect observers assigned to monitor a 2004 ceasefire that failed almost before it was signed.
The Bush Administration actually cut U.S. aid to this force, although it has been reinstated in its 2006 budget request. Can we do something to help end this humanitarian disaster?
We can. The Save Darfur Coalition, of which the UUA is a member, has mounted the Million Voices for Darfur campaign. In cooperation with more than 150 faith-based, advocacy and humanitarian aid organizations, the campaign hopes to deliver a million postcards to the White House and Congress, demanding a more effective U.S. response. We are asking first, for a restoration of and increase in funding for the small number of African Union forces charged with monitoring the 2004 ceasefire; and second, for the U.S. to support sending in a UN peacekeeping force, large enough and with sufficient authority to stop the killing. Add your voice to those already calling for action by holding a "Save the People of Darfur" Sunday sometime in March or early April. We're hoping to collect 25,000 postcards from Unitarian Universalists before
the Rally for Darfur in Washington, DC, on April 30 and May 1.
Go to: www.uua.org/news/darfur/congaction.html for more information on how your congregation can participate in the Million Voices for Darfur campaign!
Please read Rev. Bill Sinkford's letter on the Million Voices for Darfur campaign, access our list of lifespan religious education resources (including Danielle Sinkford's Story for All Ages), and view uua.org's past coverage on the Sudan crisis at http://www.uua.org/news/darfur.
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Rural Finance Program Influences Agricultural Policy Around The World
date: 02/08/06
-- A little-known Ohio State University program has been shaping rural finance policy in developing countries around the globe for more than four decades.
The Rural Finance Program, in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, began as a cooperative agreement between the university and the United States Agency for International Development back in the 1960s.
Through its collaborations, the program has helped draft new central bank laws for the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, swayed financial reform in the Philippines and other Asian countries, and
influenced international donors such as the World Bank and USAID.
SEE: http://oncampus.osu.edu/article.php?id=690
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The President's Scandalous Budget
date: 02/08/06
To quote Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), the President's FY 2007 budget is "scandalous" for its cuts to health care and education. We would add that the budget is shameful for abandoning investments in many vital services - and for recklessly handing out still more unaffordable tax cuts.
For more details, click here:
http://www.chn.org/pdf/060208presbudget.pdf
http://www.cbpp.org/2-6-06bud.htm
This budget requires sacrifice from those with modest incomes, but provides still more billions to the wealthiest.
Domestic programs except homeland security are cut by $182 billion over 5 years, including $36 billion in Medicare, nearly $14 billion in Medicaid, and billions in cuts to education, nutrition, social services, and a host of other investments America needs.
Taxes are cut by at least $285 billion over 5 years, with the benefits flowing very disproportionately to millionaires - over 10 years, the group with incomes of one million dollars or higher will gain $600 billion.
The President's budget abandons investments in shared prosperity for all Americans.
Education spending is slashed by 29 percent in one year.
The budget closes off routes to good jobs by continuing to cut student loans and to freeze Pell grants, and by making deep cuts in vocational education.
19,000 fewer children will be enrolled in Head Start because funding is not keeping pace with inflation.
The budget reduces vital help to vulnerable people.
470,000 elders, mothers and children will lose food packages because the President would eliminate the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Once again, the budget proposes eliminating Food Stamps for 300,000 low-income parents and children in working families and ending free school lunches for 40,000 low-income children.
Services for abused and neglected children and elderly will be cut, along with many other services, because the Social Services Block Grant is cut by 30 percent in one year, from $1.7 billion to $1.2 billion.
The budget cuts services that strengthen low-income working families.
At least 400,000 fewer children will receive child care assistance between now and 2011, under the President's proposal, on top of the 250,000 children who have lost child care since FY 2000.
Support will diminish for a range of community services that help families - Head Start, energy assistance, weatherization, etc. - because the budget eliminates the Community Services Block Grant, $670 million in funds for local Community Action Agencies that administer these and other services.
The budget makes most of us less secure, and is even more reckless with the security of future generations.
The budget will make the problem of unaffordable health insurance worse, not better. Its use of $52 billion in health care-related tax breaks benefit people with high incomes while making health insurance still more expensive for everyone else.
The budget attempts to revive the unpopular proposal for Social Security private accounts, threatening the security in Social Security. At the same time, the budget cuts $6.3 billion in current Social Security benefits over 10 years, denying dependents' benefits to children over the age of 16 if they are not in school, and ending the one-time $255 death benefit, often used towards funeral expenses.
Deficits continue recklessly into the future - severely worsened by the tax cuts and military spending, and paid for by our children and grandchildren.
Speak out about these wrong choices! We hope you will use these points to let your members of Congress and the public know that this is a scandalous budget. Send a letter to the editor using these points now, and share a copy with your senators and representative. Sources of state-specific background data are available here:
http://www.chn.org/pdf/makingitrealstateimpacts050203.pdf
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Voting Rights Forum
date: 02/03/06
Community Forum –A Community Relations Commission Event
Tuesday February 28, 2006 at 6 pm
BACKGROUND The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-10) outlawed the requirement that would-be voters in the United States take literacy tests to qualify to register to vote, and it provided for federal registration of voters in areas that had less than 50% of eligible voters registered. The act also provided for Department of Justice oversight to registration, and the Department's approval for any change in voting law in districts whose populations were at least 5% African-American. It was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965.
The Voting Rights Act was necessary because many African-Americans were being intimidated not to vote or register to vote. Although the right to vote regardless of race is guaranteed by the Fifteenth Amendment, some argued that primary elections were an internal party affair, and that the party was a "private club," so the government had no authority over its criteria for membership and other factors relevant to participating in primary elections. The campaign to bring about federal intervention to rectify this situation culminated in the Selma to Montgomery marches.
The Voting Rights Act has been renewed many times and remains in force. It was renewed in 1970 and 1975. In 1982, Congress amended and renewed the Act for another 25 years. Some portions of the Act are up for renewal in 2007. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act )
EVENT COMMUNITY FORUM
WHEN: Tuesday February 28, 2006 --- 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: MID-OHIO REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION –note location change
285 E Main Street. Columbus, OH 43215; Telephone 614-228-2663
INTRODUCTION James Stowe, Executive Director, Community Relations Comm.
MODERATOR Ahmad Al-Akhras, Community Relations Commission
PANELISTS
Jennifer Bruner, former Judge of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court
Matthew Damschroder, Director of the Franklin County Board of Elections
Samuel Gresham, Acting Executive Director, Common Cause Ohio
Peg Rosenfeld, Election Specialist, League of Women Voters
Daniel Tokaji, Professor of Law, The Ohio State University
INFORMATION Community Relations Commission, 614-645-1993
Ahmad Al-Akhras, ahmad@cair-ohio.com
PARKING FREE Parking
SPONSORS City of Columbus Community Relations Commission; Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Ohio; Ohio Civil Rights Commission
Light refreshments will be served
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Universal Healthcare - SPAN Ohio
date :01/29/06
Single Payer Action Network (SPAN Ohio) continues to collect signatures on an initiative petition to place Health Care for All Ohioans on the ballot in 2007. Expanding the use of paid petitioners is being considered. Candidates are encouraged to contact Alice Faryna. Upcoming public events:
State Council, February 11, 10-2 at the AFSCME Council 8 in Worthington; the Columbus Chapter's regular meeting
Thursday, February 16 at the Lane Road Library in Upper Arlington, 6:45 p.m. Guest speaker is Stephen Loebs, Professor Emeritus, OSU School of Public Health. He will address: Can We Afford the Status Quo in Health Care?
April 8 SPAN's annual meeting is at the Holiday Inn downtown
May 6, SPAN will observe Cover the Uninsured Week by holding a rally at the Statehouse.
Call Alice Faryna for info.
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Only 99 days to THE BIG ONE!
B.R.E.A.D. (Building Responsibility, Equality and Dignity) First UU Church is a charter member of the B.R.E.A.D. organization whose mission is "to draw together people of faith to act powerfully to address local community issues through processes of relationship building, direct action, and negotiation with decision-makers." B.R.E.A.D. gets the attention and respect of local decision-makers by exhibiting its strength at an annual Action Meeting. The following are opportunities to add to B.R.E.A.D.'s power to get things done:
Monday, February 20 - B.R.E.A.D. Team Meeting, 7:00 p.m. at First UU Church.
Tuesday, April 4 - Rally for Action (Registration 6:30 p.m.) at Oakley Full Gospel Baptist Church, 3415 El Paso Drive.
Monday, May 8 - Action Meeting (Registration at 6:15 p.m.) Congregation Tifereth Israel, 1354 East Broad Street. The B.R.E.A.D. Board has challenged all member congregations to turn out as many people as attend their weekly services.
-Alice Rathburn, Captain, First UU B.R.E.A.D.
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Scholarships Available for Central Ohio UU Youth
date: 01/24/06
The First UU Social Justice Committee is offering two $250 scholarships for Central Ohio UU Youth interested in participating in UUSC activities.
All that is needed to become a candidate for a scholarship is a 250 -500 word essay on your knowledge of or interest in a social justice topic or the UUSC activity you are seeking to register for - and - applicable UU principle(s).
The candidate will need to notify Rachel Tayse-Ballieul racheltb@firstuucolumbus.org or Cynthia Dillard cdillard@firstuucolumbus.org, First UU RE Co-Directors, (614-267-4946) of your interest and submit your essay by February 10, 2006. Electronic submission is easiest but not absolutely neccessary.
Include on the cover page of your essay your name, age, grade, address, phone, email, your UU congregation (Columbus, Delaware, Lewis Center, Reynoldsburg), the UUSC JustWorks activity you are interested in, and a detailed statement on how you intend to pay trip expenses that will not be covered by the scholarship.
Registration fills quickly. The camps further down on the schedule are our best bets at this point but please visit www.uusc.org to fully investigate the opportunities.
Shortly after the February 10 deadline two $250 checks for the qualifying submissions will be issued to UUSC to help offset the expense of the trips.
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Congratulations, it's a girl!
Letter from Linda Cox dated: 01/22/06
Hi Everyone,
I have made a major step in my transition. 30days ago I applied for a name change; January 19 2006 I had a court hearing. I stood before the judge and answered all of the questions to the fullest; as he wanted to assure himself that I was of sound mind and that he and I would not have any regrets in granting me my wish to change my name. After I explained to him that I live and go to my job as a woman and have done so for some time. Also that I work with other people who are transisitioning and educate people about transgender issues when ever the need arises. One of his major concerns was that I am not under the continuing and regular care of a psychiatrist. After talking to me for about 45 min he determined that I wasn't playing games or crazy (yes, some of you might think differently) and that I am ready for my name to change. Another concern was that I hadn't been on hormones for at least 6-8 months evidently th is is one of Ohio's guidelines for this type of name change. I explained that I do not have the extra money for the doctor bills and hormone therapy at this time. I told him hormones should not be a requirement for this type of name change as they do not work for everyone and some people cannot take them for health reasons. He then told me that he could not make this decision without conferring with another judge. He was gone for about an hour and when he returned he approached me and said " congratulations Linda its a girl ". After I gathered all of the papers needed for creditors, banks, title changes, SS, and drivers license name change I left the courthouse and thought 'yes there is a Santa Clause' until I got to the drivers license agency. I was told that since my drivers license no longer has my social security number on it I need my original SS card. The replacement attached card that came with the origin al card, from 'social security' will no longer be accepted. So if your license is about to expire and your 'Original card' is worn or you cannot find it the social security says it may take from 2 to 3 weeks to replace this piece of printed paper. First they need to make sure you are you and then print the piece of paper. I guess they do not have a computer and printer like 80% of American homes; Because, they told me they have to 'mail' your request to Washington, DC to be printed. You have to admire the Government in the 21 century. Anyway Life is good.
www.thecrystalclub.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transgendercolumbus
Huggs, Linda Cox