[act-ma] 6/23 Pastors for Peace Caravan Sendoff and more...

[July 26th Coalition]

*Nancy Kohn writes for Pastors for Peace*

Friends,

Please mark your calendar and plan to join us for the *Pastors for Peace 
Caravan Sendoff *at First Baptist Church in JP (across from the Post 
Office).
*Thursday, June 23rd at 7:00 PM.*

# 633 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 
<http://www.firstbaptistjp.org/site/cpage.asp?cpage_id=180030442&sec_id=180010206> 

Manolo De Los Santos will be our guest speaker.

He first visited Cuba in 2006 with the organization, Pastors for Peace. 
Pastors for Peace is a project of the Interreligious Foundation for 
Community Organization (IFCO.) IFCO’s mission is to end US aggressive 
policies towards Cuba. The organization seeks to promote peace between 
the peoples of the US and Cuba. Manolo’s focus at the Matanzas 
Evangelical Seminary is the study of liberation theology.
http://www.blackagendareport.com/node/4343

We'll be showing a brilliant new documentary called *The Power of the 
Weak, *illustrating the achievements of Cuban health care and education.

This documentary by German filmmaker Tobias Kriele, tells the story of 
Jorge, “Jorgito” Jérez, born in Cuba in 1993 during the special period 
with Cerebral Palsy. The movie shows how a society structured to support 
human development can make the disabled powerful. Provided with care 
from birth by Cuba’s health care and education system, Jorgito is now a 
self-sufficient, independent young journalist contributing to Cuban society.

*We're**/not /**collecting material aid this year but please do bring 
your check book - it's a fundraiser.*

Please post the flyer if you're able.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4379021/2016%20PfP%20Boston%20flyer.docx

Hope to see you there,

Nancy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*Brookline, MA Calls for The End of the Embargo Against Cuba*

*
*

On Tuesday, May 31, 2016, at the third and final session of the 
Brookline, MA, Annual Town Meeting, the following resolution was 
adopted, on the unanimous recommendation of the Board of Selectmen and 
concurring large majority of the Advisory Committee, by an overwhelming 
vote of more than 95% in favor:


VOTED: That the Town adopt the following resolution:


WHEREAS, in 1960, the United States government imposed an economic, 
commercial and financial blockade against Cuba; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. embargo against Cuba — what the Cubans call /el 
bloqueo/, “the blockade” — continues to inflict hardship on the men, 
women and children of Cuba by creating shortages of food, medicines and 
financial and trade opportunities; and

WHEREAS the 1996 Helms-Burton Act extended the territorial application 
of the initial embargo to apply to foreign companies trading with Cuba; and

WHEREAS, on December 17, 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban 
President Raul Castro announced a new era of relations and agreed to 
re-establish diplomatic relations; and

WHEREAS, Cuba and the United States re-opened their respective embassies 
in 2015; and

WHEREAS, despite the changes made by President Obama the embargo 
continues to be in place; and

WHEREAS, 191 countries voted at the United Nations General Assembly in 
October 2015 in favor of lifting the U.S. blockade against Cuba, with 
only two countries — the U.S. and Israel — opposed; and

WHEREAS the majority of the people of the United States believe this 
embargo is ineffective; and

WHEREAS the blockade denies U.S. citizens access to Cuban medical 
technology such as the diabetes drug Heberpot-P, vaccines for meningitis 
B and hepatitis B, monoclonal antibodies for kidney transplants, as well 
as the only therapeutic vaccine in the world against advanced lung 
cancer, CIMAVAX-EGF;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Brookline Town Meeting calls for an 
immediate end to the United States’ economic, commercial and financial 
embargo against Cuba; and strongly encourages Representative Joseph P. 
Kennedy III to support measures that achieves these goals.


= = = = =

  Peter Miller, a member of the July 26th Coalition, 
(peterm(at)igc.org), and the primary citizen petitioner, is available to 
provide support and advice for other Boston area municipal campaigns.