News

News from KNOW – November 13, 2014

News from KNOW – November 13, 2014 – election analysis, drones, and more from Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War
“Critical” Election Analysis on Youtube
Click http://youtu.be/TT7O8RQ4qr8 to watch the Critical Issues/Alternative Views cable access show from November 7, 2014 which offers an analysis of the results from the 2014 midterm elections.  Panelists are Kalamazoo City Commissioner Don Cooney, WMU Criminal Justice Professor Ron Kramer, and WMU Communications Professor Emeritus Lynwood Bartley.

FYI, several past episodes of the show can be found here https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCriticalIssues In addition, for those with cable, the show is broadcast on Kalamazoo Public Media Network channel 188, on Sunday 8:00 pm, Tuesday 8:00 pm, Friday at 6:00 pm, and Saturday at 9:00 am.


Save the dates:  Saturday morning, December 13th, Diane Randall from Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), a great peace making resource, will be speaking at Kalamazoo Friends Meetinghouse.

Saturday January 10th, the annual KNOW retreat to make plans for the coming year.

Cookie volunteers wanted:  If you would like to help bake holiday cookies to raise money for the Joe Gump Memorial Fund, please reply to newsfromknow@gmail.com.

It is so important for us to respond to the call from Palestinian civil society for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against the Israeli occupation.  If you are interested in working on BDS here in Kalamazoo, a group of us will soon be getting together to discuss the possibilities of working for peace and justice in Israel/Palestine.  Reply to newsfromknow@gmail.com


Please join us every Sunday for a vigil for peace,  from noon to 1:00 pm in front of the downtown Kalamazoo Federal Building, corner of Park and Michigan.



The struggle against war by remote control at the Battle Creek Air National Guard base continues.  While unmanned aerial drones are touted as a safe, accurate and low-cost means of waging the war on terror, the truth is that they are responsible for hundreds of civilian deaths, the terrorizing of civilian populations, and the perpetuation of the cycle of violence.

The Saturday, November 8th protest against drone warfare at the Battle Creek Air National Guard base, was very successful in bringing the issue to the public.  We counted over 75 participants in the vigil at the gates, which included speeches and songs.  A large group came from Detroit and Lansing, and we had folks from as far away as Iowa and Chicago.  Plans for further actions were discussed at a delicious soup dinner at the First United Methodist Church in downtown Battle Creek.  Thanks to Peace House and Battle Creek Voices of Peace for all their great work.  A sampling of the media coverage is below:

http://woodtv.com/2014/11/08/demonstrators-protest-against-drones-at-bc-base/

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/11/peace_groups_plan_drone_protes.html

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/local/2014/11/08/drone-mission-draws-activists-fire-bc-guard-base/18715955/

http://wincountry.com/news/articles/2014/nov/09/protesters-appear-at-air-national-guard-base-near-battle-creek/


Traveling to School of America’s Watch Vigil
November 20, 2014

Next week Thursday on the 20th, a group of 16 people from the Kalamazoo Peace Center (KPC) at WMU are headed to Fort Benning, Georgia to the School of America’s Watch Vigil, which is a yearly gathering of peacemakers and shakers that demand that the School of Americas (now WHINSEC), closes. WHINSEC is a school that is paid for by the tax dollars of the American people, that specifically exists to teach local and international people violence, torture tactics, war mongering, and terrorism.

Every year this trip is a bonding experience for everyone involved, where we learn, grow, get energized, have fun, and get inspired to dismantle the war machine.

The KPC seek funds every year from various sources, but are still short a few hundred dollars. If you would like to contribute to travels, growth, and creation of peacemakers and leaders, you can mail a check addressed to the Kalamazoo Peace Center at 2101 Wilbur Ave Kalamazoo, MI 49006. It would be greatly appreciated.