Week of January 13, 2011



Udated January 15, 2011 



"The fabric of democracy is always fragile everywhere
because it depends on the will of citizens to protect it, 
and when they become scared,  
when it becomes dangerous for them to defend it, 
it can go very quickly."

Margaret Atwood, The Progressive, Dec 2010/Jan 2011




Friday Morning Rally for Civility in Southampton


Civil Rights Activist Bob Zellner on Violence in Arizona and the South 


Cities of Peace Festival at Guild Hall: Program for Saturday Jan 15


Martin Luther King Day Observances


Clothing Drive for workers in East Hampton:


What are needed are jackets (not full-length coats, too hard to work in), sweaters, sweatshirts, knit hats or earmuffs and, most especially, GLOVES.

Call 917 224 7098 to arrange pickup or e-mail  carlaash@msn.com

Clothing needed in Southampton:
 Please call me if you have men's winter coats or other warm winter clothing you are not using.
I have info for donating this for day-laborers in the Southampton area.

Tony Ernst
631-259-2482
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Winter in the Holy Land 
As winter arrives we keep warm as best we can but what if our house were destroyed by an occupying army? .... more





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Bernie Sanders Stands Tallest  Stephen Herrington in Huffpost: It's in the hands of the capricious gatekeepers of history now, this day December 10 of the year 2010. There have been filibusters, but not in the memory of any living American has such a rhyme to the ages and passion to justice been brought to the floor of the United States Senate.



Senator Bernie Sanders: how we address the deficit crisis in a fair and progressi 

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From the Sag Harbor Express: 


A Conversation with Elizabeth Haile, Rev. Holly Haile Davis and Rev. Alison Cornish 
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from WPKN Radio News Jan 14: Congressman Bishop Will Continue Public Meetings



WPKN News, Friday January 14, 2011

Eastern Long Island Democratic Congressman Tim Bishop says he will continue having public meetings with his constituents despite the events in Tucson, Arizona last weekend. He was speaking at a meeting on the steps of Town Hall in Southampton today.

WPKN’s Henry Letcher reports:

Bishop, New York’s First District Representative says that threats to members of Congress are not part of a campaign of intimidation.  He says they are an expression of extreme anger.  


"I think it is a reflection of a level of anger that exists in this county that is  not only unproductive, it is destructive."

Congressman Bishop who had already scheduled a series of public meetings with his constituents says he wil continue with the meetings.


"I'm doing one at the end of January at the Rogers Memorial Library here in Southampton.

I'm doing community office hours tomorrow in downtown
Patchogue at the office of the Mayor of the Village.

In order to do my job properly I have to stay connected to the
people I represent so I'm going to continue to do them."

During his campaign for re-election last summer Bishop was confronted by members of the Tea Party who tried to shout him down at public meetings. Police were called in to protect Bishop. In a statement published in the Suffolk Times of Southold, Suffolk County 9-12 Project, a tea party organization, condemned the horrific attack in Tucson.

For WPKN’s East End News Team this is Henry Letcher.


CITIES OF PEACE FESTIVAL: DREAMING PEACE



Sat, Jan 15, 2011 1:00 PM-5:00 PM

Guild Hall
158 Main Street
East Hampton

Honoring Martin Luther King's world changing speech "I have a dream" that inspired and galvanized the civil rights movement.

1:00 pm Gilding Workshop: A participatory workshop using Egyptian papyrus, gilder's clay, glue and 22 karat gold leaf! For parents and children as well as serious artists. Led by Artist Ellen Frank with intern Emily Deutchman.

2:00 pm Film: "The Making of Cities of Peace": Academy Award Winning Filmographer Don Lenzer with Eric Glandbard Editor.

2:15 - 3:00 Poetry Jam: With Danny Simmons creator of Def Poetry Jam, Chairman of NYSCA, and co-founder with his brother Russell Simmons of Rush Arts.

3-4:00 Peace Music Jam: Anna Barie and Pat Noecker with Brooklyn-based band These Are Powers and Mike Garcia, lead singer from Flaming Pink with peace inspired acoustic set with guitar.

4:00 pm Special Cities of Peace Tour: Led by Ellen Frank, the visionary artistic director of the Cities of Peace project now at Guild Hall. Hear first-hand the personal stories surrounding the creation of the work

contact information:
Christina Strassfield
museum@guildhall.org
631 324-0806
http://guildhall.org/home.ihtml

Friday Jan 14: "Coming Together for Civility" - Invitation from Anna Throne-Holst

Approximately 75 citizens and public officials attended a meeting convened by Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst and Congressman Tim Bishop (NY 1st CD) Friday morning on the steps of Southampton Town Hall.  Speaking were Mr. Bishop, Unitarian Pastor Allison Cornish, Assemblyman Fred Thiele, local school officials and civil rights activist Dr. Bob Zellner.  Mr. Zellner
was credited by the Supervisor with conceiving this event.  His talk was cut short when a Fire District Commissioner succumbed to the 25F cold and passed out.

Members of all of Southampton's diverse communities were present although on the eve of the Martin Luther King holiday weekend no people of color were invited to speak.

The following sent  by Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst describes the event:

"In light of the tragic event that took place in Arizona over the weekend and the discussion that has ensued regarding the current “tone” of public discourse throughout the country, communities nation-wide are responding with commitments to be more respectful and civil in expressing their opinions and in their treatment of others.
 In support of this important movement to shine a light on our own actions and make a conscience effort to wield our treasured freedoms with more tolerance and grace, you are invited to participate in a “Coming Together for Civility” event Friday, January 14 at 9:00 a.m. on the steps of Southampton Town Hall.

  The goal of the event is two fold:

 (1) To express our sympathies together as one community regarding the tragic events that took place over the past weekend in Arizona and;
(2) To make a public commitment to civility within our own community regardless of personal beliefs or party affiliation.

 A wide spectrum of community leaders will attend including elected officials, fire and police chiefs, EMS leaders, VFW leaders, local ministers, school representatives and more.  The event will also be open to the public, so please share this invitation with your memberships, friends and neighbors.
  ......"

 Sincerely,
 Anna Throne-Holst
Supervisor
Town of Southampton
116 Hampton Rd
Southampton, NY 11968
Ph: (631) 283-6055

Bob Zellner: Violence in Arizona and the South


 The attempted assassination of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords reminds me of growing up in the South where violence seemed to be as American as cherry pie.


Children in the Bible belt were to be seen, not heard. Our little world was separate from adults for the most part except for the occasional housekeeper or baby sitter.  When company came for dinner, children sat at a separate table, often waiting for adults to eat before we were fed. 


When chicken was fried, we got necks, backs, the feet and occasionally chicken head.  Someone somehow ate all parts. Depression gripped the South and food was not to be wasted.  I didn’t know what second-class citizens were but we younguns were definitely that. 


Religion, philosophy and politics were discussed, if at all, out of earshot of children because, “Little pitchers have big ears.” Infidelity, violence, and scandal of any nature were discussed in hushed tones - never in the open, like today.  Our little ears, however, were full of everyday violence like the public lynching out from nearby Dothan, Alabama.  When I was five, special trains brought five thousand whites to watch the murder of a black man. Children were encouraged by their parents to stick forks in the charred flesh of the victim after he was dragged through the streets behind a pickup. 
Daddy’s “nervous breakdown” became the Zellner’s hushed up scandal.  Methodist ministers didn’t have emotional problems. An “eccentric” bachelor uncle or maiden aunt locked away in Southern attics, wearing Confederate gray or antebellum gowns, ubiquitous in literature, shows that mental disorder was something to be ashamed of.  The prevalence of mental illness made appearance paramount. Frantz Fanon explained imperialism and the resulting mental disorder among oppressed people. Thorough study of the mental illnesses of oppressors has not been attempted.


Dad’s KKK membership was, no doubt, the cause of his breakdown.  He was trying to be a minister of the gospel while practicing racial discrimination.  Although his Klan connection was never mentioned, Dad’s dilemma, like the American one, was professing one thing about race while doing another. Half the population lording over the other half, taking the best of everything while leaving the rest to make do on scraps, was bad business indeed.  Dad also concluded that holding black people down also impoverished white people.  Rich people, happy to let poor white trash do the dirty work, laughed at both.  They had always controlled blacks through terror, slavery being maintained only by a constant state of violence against the enslaved.  One human enslaving another is an act of war.


The rhetoric and reality of violence and war, consequently, permeates our history and our politics.  Sarah Palin, however, should apologize for placing crosshairs over the district of Congresswoman Gifford.  Ms Palin defended herself by saying she is only playing politics as usual.  Making herself the victim, she claims she suffered a “blood libel,” an insult to Jews who actually suffered.
Listen tonight to our great President Obama as he binds    the wounds inflicted in Tucson.  His political style is the opposite of the current crop of rightwing haters.  With real commitment we can all work together to bring peace to politics.

Bob Zellner January 12, 2011

Teacher, activist and author Bob Zellner lives in Southampton.  Bob Zellner's Blog

Martin Luther King Day Observances

List provided by Eastern Long Island Branch of NAACP:


    FRIDAY JANUARY 14:12--3 PM SUFFOLK COUNTY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
                                                           COMMISSION ,INC. 21ST ANNUAL AWARDS LUNCHEON
                                                           HYATT REGENCY WIND WATCH 1717 MOTOR PARKWAY
                                                           HAUPPAUGE, NY.  CALL FLORENCE JOYNER FOR TICKETS.
                                                           631-841-0841 OR CELL  516-819-5479
 
            FRIDAY JANUARY 14: 6 PM- ESPN TOWN HALL MEETING AT THE HISTORIC EBENEEZER
 
                                                        BAPTIST CHURCH IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA
                                                        IMAGE OF THE BLACK ATHLETE
 
            SUNDAY JANUARY 16: 3 PM  AT CANIO'S BOOKS  290 MAIN ST. SAG HARBOR
                                                      FAITH & the SOCIAL MINISTRY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
                                                      A TALK BY REV. ANDREW BLAKE
 
            SUNDAY JANUARY 16:  7: PM   AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN SOUTHOLD- MAIN RD.
                                                          SOUTHOLD TOWN ANTI BIAS TASK FORCE.
 
            MONDAY JANUARY 17: 8-10:30 AM    26 TH ANNUAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. 
                                                             MEMORIAL BREAKFAST HOSTED BY THE
                                                             FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF RIVERHEAD AT THE
                                                             HYATT REGENCY  WINDWATCH  1717 MOTOR PARKWAY
                                                             HAUPPAUGE ,NEW YORK  CALL 631-727-3446 FOR TICKETS.
           
            MONDAY JANUARY 17: 10:00 AM   ROGERS MEMORIAL LIBRARY
                                                                  WINDMILL LANE
                                                                  SOUTHAMPTON , NY     **  631 .283.0774 LIMITED SEATS
                                                                  RESERVATIONS ARE NECESSARY.**
 
            MONDAY JANUARY 17:  1:00  PM    CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH
                                                                   EASTHAMPTON   SPEAKER  MS. AUTHERINE DUNN
 
            MONDAY        "              2:00  PM     FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH BRIDGEHAMPTON
                                                                    SPEAKER REV. RAMEEN JACKSON
 
            MONDAY        "              7:00  PM     ST. PAUL AMEZ CHURCH NEAR THE LIGHT IN QUOGUE
                                                                   REV. DR. CALVIN B. MARSHALL III A CIVIL RIGHTS
                                                                   CONTEMPORARYOF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.WILL
                                                                   BE THE SPEAKER. REV MARSHALL WAS THE POPULAR
                                                                   PASTOR OF VARICK AME ZION CHURCH IN BROOKLYN
                                                                   FOR 40 YEARS.
 

Winter in the Holy Land


As winter arrives we keep warm as best we can but what if our house were destroyed by an occupying army?  On November 25 in the illegally occupied West Bank (Palestine) a house where 15 children lived was demolished because a construction permit can not be obtained for a Palestinian's house. The International Solidarity Movement was able to supply tents for the homeless family and they prepared thevideo linked here. When this house was demolished (Nov 25) it was very cold.  Since then, the region has been experiencing record-breaking rains and wind. We wonder what it's like to be in this village today.

How is it possible that our government approves this, or abets it with funding for this same military force?  That is the case. Tell Congressman Bishop what you think about this!  And support the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (www.icahd.org) working to expose the destruction of thousands of homes in the occupied territories and in Israel.

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