Saturday, October 8 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fresno Center for Nonviolence will hold its Annual Book Sale (dvds, cds, tapes etc) at the southwest corner parking lot of Van Ness and Olive. We are still accepting books etc. for the sale but no textbooks or VHS tapes.. Volunteers for sorting books on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before the sale, and for shifts on the 8th are also needed. For more information or to volunteer call the Center at 559-237-3223 or email Angela Price at angela.price41@comcast.net.
Wednesday, October 12 at 3 – 3:30 p.m. on KFCF 88.1 On the Center’s “Stir it Up” monthly radio show Richard Stone will have as his guest Michael Black Bull who will be speaking on “American Indians: United States Original Sin”. Call-ins are welcome at 559-266-8888. For information call (559)237-3223.
Wednesday, October 12 at 12 noon and 7 p.m. (potluck at 6:30 p.m.), FCNV, 1584 N. Van Ness (SE Corner McKinley and Van Ness). The Fresno Center for Nonviolence will present John Pilger’s new film ‘The War You Don’t See’ It was nominated for the ‘Documentary Award’ at the 2011 One World Media Awards.
On 7 June 2011, the Lannan Foundation in the United States banned the film and cancelled a US visit by John Pilger without explanation but Pilger is making the film available to stream for viewing for a small fee. Americans are not able to buy the DVD unless they live in the U.K. or Australia.
The film is a powerful and timely investigation into the media’s role in war, tracing the history of ’embedded’ and independent reporting from the carnage of World War One to the destruction of Hiroshima, and from the invasion of Vietnam to the current war in Afghanistan and disaster in Iraq. As weapons and propaganda become even more sophisticated, the nature of war is developing into an ‘electronic battlefield’ in which journalists play a key role, and civilians are the victims. But who is the real enemy?
John Pilger says in the film: “We journalists… have to be brave enough to defy those who seek our collusion in selling their latest bloody adventure in someone else’s country… That means always challenging the official story, however patriotic that story may appear, however seductive and insidious it is. For propaganda relies on us in the media to aim its deceptions not at a far away country but at you at home… In this age of endless imperial war, the lives of countless men, women and children depend on the truth or their blood is on us… Those whose job it is to keep the record straight ought to be the voice of people, not power.”
Free to the public and wheelchair accessible. For more information call the Center at 559-237-3223.
Sunday, October 30, 2 to 4 p.m. “RENT EVENT”, Café Corazon, 1306 N. Wishon north of Olive. Richard Stone is hosting a monthly event to help meet the increased expenses of the Fresno Center for Nonviolence. Joining him will be readings by “Partners in Prose,” a writers’ group comprising our host Richard Stone with Polly Brewer, Vida Samiian, Sky Sweet and Isaac Weil. The readings will range from memoir to short fiction to fantasy–and maybe a brief play for good measure. Only guarantee: “It’s all good.” No admission is charged but donations will be solicited for the Center. For more information call 559-237-3223 or 559-266-2559.
Other important peace and justice events in our area:
1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month: “Keeping It Real” with Dr. Jean Kennedy. 8:00pm-10:00pm – KFCF. FM.88.1
Saturday,October 1 • 1 –4 p.m.
Jim Hightower will be the keynote speaker in Fresno at a forum addressing the topic of “Strenghthening Our Voice-Bringing Valley Progressives Together.” This event will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church,2672 E. Alluvial,Fresno. Following Hightower’s address,there will be a facilitated dialogue laying the groundwork for more effective collaboration and a greater progressive voice in the Valley. Ticket are required and are available for a suggested donation of $10.00. For more information contact:Connie Peterson c.peterson8784@sbcglobal.net .
Saturday,October 1 • 6:30 –8:30 p.m.
Evening Dinner with Hightower,entertainment and no host bar at Arte Americas,1630 Van Ness Avenue in Fresno. Only 70 tickets will be sold. Cost $50 per person. RSVP by submitting contact information and check to:Fresno MHS,P O Box 842,Fresno Ca 93712-0842. For more information contact:Connie Peterson at (559) 325-8941 or c.peterson8784@sbcglobal.net .
Saturday’s events with Jim Hightower are co sponsored by Volunteers for Change-Fresno,the Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Committee of Fresno,Community Alliance,Central Valley Progressive PAC,Fresno Mental Health Services,and Central Valley-Sierra Progressives (Local Chapter PDA).
Sunday,October 2 • 4 –6 p.m.
Ghandi’s 142 birthday celebration –Followed by Candle Light Vigil for World Peace at the Fresno State,Peace Garden (just north of the Library). Free Admission.
Program includes:
Garlanding &Flower Ceremony
Special Guest Speakers
Classical &Folk Dances
Musical Tribute and Peace Concert
Short Speeches by youth leaders on
“How To Deal With Corruption in Our Life &Society
Brief statements by community &civic leaders
Meditation
Pledge Against Hate &Violence
Photo Exhibition on Life of Gandhi
For more information contact:Dr. Kapoor at 559.435.2212,Dr. N.P. Mahalik 559.278.2995
Central Valley Cultural Heritage Institute at Fresno State 559.278.6946. Stop the Hate,Build a Culture of Peace.
Monday,October 3 • 6 –8 p.m.
A panel discussion on “Media Responsibility,Ethics and Civility” will be held at the Peters Education Center adjacent to Sav-Mart Center on the CSUF campus. Listening to broadcasters like Rush Limbaugh,Sean Hannity and Fresno’s own Ray Appleton,you may well have asked yourself,“Can they really say that?” And the answer,under our nation’s principles of free speech,is usually,“Yes”,even if the statement in question has no basis in fact and/or seems defamatory.
An alternative set of questions we at CCAM have been asking involves not the rights of the individual commentator to speak his or her mind,but the responsibility of privately-owned media outlets—especially TV and radio stations which are granted licenses to serve the public interest on valuable space on the broadcast spectrum by “we the people”. Should owners have the legal right to use their stations to lionize one political position and demonize others while squelching all debate? Do they have the ethical right to call demonstrably false statements “news”,and then defend themselves saying they only provide entertainment? Should they be held accountable for the effect of their programming on unbalanced,violence-prone listeners?
Then,too,there are larger questions of community viability. Do we as a city or county,or state or country,have sufficient cohesiveness and mutual respect to continue living together? Can we disagree vigorously yet maintain civility…or are divisions over religion and economics,matters of survival and justice,creating the grounds for another civil war? Should the public airwaves be made available to undermine community sustainability?
Such questions will be addressed at a forum to be held under the auspices of the Leon S. Peters Ethics Lecture Series entitled “Media Responsibility,Ethics and Civility”. Panelists will include:
Les Kimber Founding Editor,California Advocate and representative of CCAM
Juan Esparza Loera Editor,Vida en el Valle
Betsy Lumbye Executive Editor,Fresno Bee
Ben Ingersoll Editor-in-Chief of the Collegian
Faith Sidlow Channel 24 news anchor,MCJ Faculty
The panel discussion is free and open to the public. Parking permits can be obtained at the campus vending machines:to get the code check the website at csufresno.edu/ethicscenter. The event has been organized by the Ethics Center Lecture Series Committee,in conjunction with CCAM and the “Stop the Hate,Stop the Violence,Build a Culture of Peace” events committee.
