WEEKLY PEACE VIGIL
Each Saturday 11 AM to Noon
Corner of Canyon and Broadway Streets
Boulder, Colorado
NOTE:
We Shall Resist Trump's War-mongering Violation
of the International Iran Nuclear Deal
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CONTENTS BELOW
Each Saturday 11 AM to Noon
Corner of Canyon and Broadway Streets
Boulder, Colorado
NOTE:
We Shall Resist Trump's War-mongering Violation
of the International Iran Nuclear Deal
*******************************
CONTENTS BELOW
1- The May 21st Event -- Monday
2- The May 22nd Event -- Tuesday
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PLEASE POST / PUBLISH / FORWARD...
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1- The May 21st Event:
Propaganda as Reality: How "we" are Manufactured in the Media
NOTE: This is a free-of-charge public mini-workshop offered by the Media Literacy Collective of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (RMPJC) By: Moji Agha WHEN: Monday, May 21, 2018 -- 6:30 to 8:30 PM WHERE: CU Hellems 241: University of Colorado in Boulder, Hellems (Arts and Sciences) Building, Room 241--Near University Memorial Center and Euclid Ave. Parking Garage
SUMMARY: Building on David Barsamian's insights in his "Why You Can't Trust Corporate Media" RMPJC-hosted presentation (on May 9th here in Boulder, Colorado) in this general-audience two-hour "next-step" mini-workshop, Moji Agha will introduce the topics of Culture-analysis and Hermeneutics, for a relatively easy to digest un-packing of the often hidden methods by which our mass media manufacture (usually for private corporate profit) the "unconscious" reality that "we" often take for granted. A seemingly "highly objective" root-source news item (perhaps from the NY Times--most likely related to Trump's decision regarding the fate of the Iran nuclear deal) will be analyzed in this open to the public free-of-charge interactive educational gathering. A mini bio for Moji can be found here: https://www.laprogressive.com/
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2- The May 22nd Event:
From Standing Rock to (inside) Iran
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/event
SPECIAL NOTE:
This special gathering for peace and decolonization has an informed panel of contributors (bios below), one from INSIDE IRAN, who would join us live (via Skype, phone, etc.) IF SAFE and possible. The "Event Announcement: Detailed" section (below) has essential information, including a list of dedicated co-sponsoring groups for this event. Also per below, and if possible, this event will be webcasted live.
Propaganda as Reality: How "we" are Manufactured in the Media
NOTE: This is a free-of-charge public mini-workshop offered by the Media Literacy Collective of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (RMPJC) By: Moji Agha WHEN: Monday, May 21, 2018 -- 6:30 to 8:30 PM WHERE: CU Hellems 241: University of Colorado in Boulder, Hellems (Arts and Sciences) Building, Room 241--Near University Memorial Center and Euclid Ave. Parking Garage
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2- The May 22nd Event:
From Standing Rock to (inside) Iran
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/event
SPECIAL NOTE:
This special gathering for peace and decolonization has an informed panel of contributors (bios below), one from INSIDE IRAN, who would join us live (via Skype, phone, etc.) IF SAFE and possible. The "Event Announcement: Detailed" section (below) has essential information, including a list of dedicated co-sponsoring groups for this event. Also per below, and if possible, this event will be webcasted live.
EVENT CAPSULE:
From Inside Iran to Standing Rock:
NO to WAR! YES to Decolonization!
A Special Peace/Dialogue Event, FORMALLY STARTING at 7:00 PM, Tues. May 22, 2018; Room 150, Eaton Humanities Building, University of Colorado in Boulder.
PRESS SYNOPSIS / EVENT SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION:As dangerous war tensions keep rising, and the attention of the world's media is again focused on the conflict between U.S. (Israel, Saudi Arabia) and Iran, the herein-outlined special peace/dialogue/decolonization event is following Trump's war-mongering decision to violate the Iran nuclear deal.
DIALOGUE OF DECOLONIZATION:Pending sufficient interest, and if/when possible, we hope that this special mini-seminar could be the stimulus for a number of "peace town-halls" (see below in the program section) in which Iranian and American people would talk live, face-to-face (via Internet) about common interests and peace, i.e., a people-to-people dialogue of decolonization. Again if/when possible, we dream that the first of such decolonization gatherings to happen on a "reservation" of our indigenous sisters and brothers, perhaps the Standing Rock?
THE STANDING ROCK CONNECTION:
A noteworthy aspect of this gathering is that ALL members of its panel have:
- Travelled to North Dakota and were quite active participants in the Standing Rock uprising (Albert Bender and Moji Agha);
- Reported on the struggle (Albert Bender and David Barsamian);
- Lectured about it as a leading nonviolence activist (Kathy Kelly);
- Supported the uprising materially by donations (Ron Forthofer);
-And in the case of the brave Iranian nonviolence leader, Mostafa Tajzadeh, he has been a supporter (to the extent possible) of the brave Standing Rock nonviolent/decolonization struggle, even from inside the infamous Evin prison in Tehran, Iran.
LIVE ONLINE BROADCASTING OF THE EVENT: If technically (and financially) possible, we will try to make the LIVE broadcast of this special gathering available online, for example on Facebook Live, YouTube Live, and... Thus, we hope that this self-explanatory initial announcement (and "pre" press release) would be disseminated far beyond the Boulder/Denver region in Colorado. Thanks for spreading the word of this timely gathering, as far and wide as possible.
Peace and justice on a thriving (not threatened) Mother Earth,
Moji Agha (Mojtaba Aghamohammadi)
(520) 325-3545 (cell/text)
Skype and Facebook: moji.agha
PS NOTE: This link (https://www.laprogressive.com
Also, please see this page, which is (in a sense) the "Mother" initiative for the NATR project: https://www.facebook.com/
EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: DETAILED
Welcoming Statement:
Veterans for Peace (Chapter 120, Boulder) and Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center in Boulder, Colorado, cordially invite you/all to this special peace/dialogue gathering, convening just a few days after Trump's violation of the Iran (and 5+1 countries) Nuclear Deal:
From Inside Iran to Standing Rock we say:
From Inside Iran to Standing Rock we say:
NO to "Colonial" Sanctions and War on Iran, Syria, etc.
Democracy at Home, Peace Abroad / DECOLONIZATION Everywhere!
WHERE: CU Humanities 150: University of Colorado, Boulder, Eaton Humanities Building, Room 150; Near CU's Main Library and Parking Lot # 380--by the Sewall "green" Field; Street Address: 610 Pleasant Street (at Macky Drive/University Ave), Boulder, CO 80302
WHEN: Tuesday, May 22, 2018 -- STARTING FORMALLY 7 to 9:15 PM
PROGRAM SUMMARY--Times are approximate:
6:30 to 7:00 -- INFORMAL GATHERING / RUMI POEM SYMPHONY AND INSIDE IRAN SLIDE SHOW.
7:00 to 7:05: Representatives of the event's co-host organizations welcome the audience;
7:05 to 7:20:
a) Prayerful reading of a Statement (our thanks to the Right Relationship organization here in Boulder for providing it to us) to mournfully, respectfully, prayerfully, and thankfully acknowledge that this gathering is being held on land from which Arapaho Cheyenne, Utes and other Native peoples were removed with the ugly force of settler-colonial theft and brutality;
b) Special "Decolonization Everywhere" remarks by an indigenous Turtle Island/Standing Rock panel member (see below), joining the gathering remotely--via Skype or phone;
7:20 to 8:15: Other panel members speak (or if our special guest from inside Iran cannot be with us live, his--hopefully video--message will be translated from Persian);
8:15 to 8:20: REALLY SHORT BREAK (and related announcements, if any), allowing those who may need to leave to do so;
8:20 to 9:10: Moderated Q & A and Dialogue--hopefully with the participation of our Iranian special guest from Tehran;
9:10 to 9:30: For those who are interested--see above: Brief planning discussion, exploring preliminarily, if and how "live online town-hall" face-to-face peace gatherings, of Iranians and Americans, could possibly flow from this event.
NOTE: This is a free and open to the public event *** Donations appreciated, so this work can continue effectively.
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MOSTAFA TAJZADEH -- He lives in Tehran, Iran, and will participate in our gathering remotely; Former high-ranking reformist (loosely, "social democratic") Iranian official, and consequently, a political prisoner from 2009 to 2016; Seasoned civil society and peace/nonviolence ("Green Movement") leading activist. DETAILED INFO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Special Indigenous Guest--joining our gathering remotely from Nashville, Tennessee:
ALBERT BENDER (Cherokee Native) Active leader/participant (as water protector and journalist) in the Standing Rock struggle; Attorney, specializing in Native American Law; Chairperson, American Indian Coalition;Author, writer, and historian, currently writing a history of the Maya Indian role in the Guatemalan civil war of the late 20th century;Freelance reporter and columnist for News From Indian Country, and other Native and non-Native publications and websites; Former Chief Tribal Court Judge/Director of Native American Tribal Legal Departments; Recipient of multiple Eagle Awards. MORE INFO: https://www.tennessean.com/sto
DAVID BARSAMIAN (With an up-to-date special report and analysis of the events surrounding Trump's Iran nuclear deal decision); Award-winning independent investigative journalist and seasoned "Chomskyan" public intellectual and author of numerous books; He has travelled to the Middle East region extensively and has reported from inside Iran; Founder and Anchor, Alternative Radio. MORE INFO: https://www.alternativeradio.o
KATHY KELLY (Joining the gathering via Skype from Chicago); Nobel Peace Prize nominated award-winning American peace activist--and political prisoner; She has LIVED in solidarity in active combat zones in countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Gaza, Palestine; Author and Lecturer, with extensive experience in the greater Middle East; Co-Coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and Co-Founder of Voices in the Wilderness. MORE INFO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
RON FORTHOFER -- Retired Professor and Author; Seasoned peace activist and observer/analyst of (U.S.) foreign relations, especially focusing on the Middle East region, including Iran. His domestic (and international) social justice activism has focused (mainly) on health care, social security, and the U.S. budget. Prof. Forthofer's columns have informed numerous websites and newspapers, including the Christian Science Monitor and the Financial Times. He has been a progressive candidate for the U.S. Congress and for the Governor of Colorado. MORE INFO: https://dissidentvoice.org/aut
MOJI AGHA (Mojtaba Aghamohammadi) Organizer of the gathering; Will translate for our special guest.
CAPSULE BIO: Moji Agha is an Iranian-American reformist Muslim sufi "monk" or dervish--with a vow of poverty & service. A bilingual poet & writer, his writings include a book on how to quit smoking naturally. A "Chomskyan Activist" for 4 decades, he has had extensive academic, professional & clinical backgrounds in psychology, cultural (& ecological) studies, & in conflict understanding & healing. Moji's peace, social justice, human rights, democracy, interfaith dialogue & Mother Earth activism has been endorsed (among others) by Noam Chomsky, Cornel West & the Charter for Compassion's Founder, Karen Armstrong. His nonviolent “decolonization” analyses, especially of Iran and Islam, has been praised by many, including the experts just mentioned. MORE INFO--including brother Moji's mini bio--with links to his projects: https://www.laprogressive.com/
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CONTACT:
moji.agha@gmail.com * Phone/Text: (520) 325-3545 / carolyn@rmpjc.org * 720-509-3378
WELCOMING CO-HOSTS:
- George Newell, President of the Veterans for Peace (VFP) Chapter 120, in Boulder
- Carolyn Bninski, Facilitator, Global Peace Collective, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (RMPJC), Boulder
CO-SPONSORS--As of May 10, 2018:
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom--Boulder; Denver Justice and Peace Committee; Colorado Coalition for the Prevention of Nuclear War; American Indian Coalition; Seeding Sovereignty; Food not Bombs; Voices for Creative Nonviolence; Alternative Radio; Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Boulder Chapter; Idaho Campaign Nonviolence; Universal Coalition for Interfaith and Intercultural Knowledge and Action; And Prof. Noam Chomsky-endorsed projects--initiated by Moji Agha: Mossadegh Legacy Institute, Circles of Nonviolence/Community Collaboratives Initiative, and the Native/American Truth and Reconciliation Initiative. NOTE: This is a developing list of co-sponsoring groups; Others may be added in subsequent announcements.
