Please go to our new site www.chicago.worldcantwait.net
 Seats are limited, and your advance registration helps us plan this exciting event!
$25 per person $10 students/umemployed (lunch included)
See you Saturday, Feb. 16!
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What: Climate Crisis Conference
When: Saturday, Feb. 16, 8:30 am to 5 pm
Where: IIT Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams, Chicago
Haven’t we all felt outraged and frustrated when we read another horror story about the devastating impact of climate chaos on life around the planet? Yet decades of international conferences and non-binding ‘agreements’ have done nothing to moderate the spreading destruction. Instead, our government has sabotaged those talks and passed draconian laws to brand environmental activists as “terrorists.” We must and can come together to consider this situation, deeply, and dedicate ourselves to reversing it – because humanity and the planet come first. And we’re doing that, here in Chicago, at the Climate Crisis Conference on February 16!
At the opening plenary, Dr. Mark Potosnak of DePaul University will present the climate science and the scenarios ahead if we do not act. Carl Wassilie, a Yup’iak Alaskan, is coming from Alaska to bring us the story of the first climate refugees in the US. He will describe the struggle of Alaska’s Big Village Network to save 31 Native villages facing imminent threat from rising waters.
The science is clear, and the impact on those who have contributed the least to the problem will be evident. So what are some of the obstacles to acting on that science? At our second plenary, “Roots of the Problem,” Orpheus Reed, a writer with Revolution newspaper, will address the capitalist economic and political system. Bob Goldstein, a Lutheran minister, will critique the traditional Christian understanding of “man’s dominion over creation.” And Barney Bush, Native American poet and environmental activist from downstate Illinois, will outline the inheritance of colonial domination and the settler mindset.
And those are just the morning sessions! After lunch and a chance to network and visit the groups tabling, the afternoon will feature breakout sessions led by organizers working to stop various attacks on the environment, using a range of approaches. No one should leave without a way to act! Finally, we will come together to consider where we go from here in building a powerful movement.
After the conference, we invite everyone to stay for a send-off party for people from this area leaving Saturday evening to join thousands in Washington, DC, for the “Climate Forward” rally to demand “NO Keystone Tar Sands pipeline!”
Register today for this amazing event – space is limited, you don’t want to miss it!
At the opening plenary, Dr. Mark Potosnak of DePaul University will present the climate science and the scenarios ahead if we do not act. Carl Wassilie, a Yup’iak Alaskan, is coming from Alaska to bring us the story of the first climate refugees in the US. He will describe the struggle of Alaska’s Big Village Network to save 31 Native villages facing imminent threat from rising waters.The science is clear, and the impact on those who have contributed the least to the problem will be evident. So what are some of the obstacles to acting on that science? At our second plenary, “Roots of the Problem,” Orpheus Reed, a writer with Revolution newspaper, will address the capitalist economic and political system. Bob Goldstein, a Lutheran minister, will critique the traditional Christian understanding of “man’s dominion over creation.” And Barney Bush, Native American poet and environmental activist from downstate Illinois, will outline the inheritance of colonial domination and the settler mindset.
And those are just the morning sessions! After lunch and a chance to network and visit the groups tabling, the afternoon will feature breakout sessions led by organizers working to stop various attacks on the environment, using a range of approaches. No one should leave without a way to act! Finally, we will come together to consider where we go from here in building a powerful movement.
After the conference, we invite everyone to stay for a send-off party for people from this area leaving Saturday evening to join thousands in Washington, DC, for the “Climate Forward” rally to demand “NO Keystone Tar Sands pipeline!”
Register today for this amazing event – space is limited, you don’t want to miss it!
“Join” our event on Facebook and invite all your friends too!
On Friday January 11th about 75 people gathered at Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago. In observance on the 11th anniversary of Guantanamo several organizations spoke out against the practice and policy of indefinite detention and torture by the U.S. abroad and here in this country. Participating groups were World Can’t Wait, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Christian Peace Maker Team, Illinois Coalition Against Torture, NATO 5 Defense Committee, Gay Liberation Network, Amnesty International, and Tamms Year Ten. The speakers covered related topics such as Bradley Manning, the need to stand up for Muslim Americans as a targeted population of FBI repression, the 5 young men known as the NATO 5 who are being held on bogus terrorism charges, Bagram detention center, and Zero DarK Thirty, a film that can oly be described as a propaganda film for U.S. torture. The rally and press conference emphasized the humanity of those still held at Guantanamo and highlighted 55 of the 86 cleared for release and yet remain in Guantanamo by having images of the cleared on posters and reading their names. 
The names were read in a sequence of ten at a time and at the tenth name we were led in the song “Courage My Brother” a song that came from the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa. We changed the title Courage Muslim Brother”
We all felt it was important to give a name and a face to those still held by the U.S. because the film Zero Dark Thirty portrays those captured and held as the “worst of the worst” and not worthy of human rights. Once the names were read a flash mob was formed and the posters of those held were placed against the glass of the federal building. 
We then had a sidewalk march towards the theaters were Zero Dark Thirty was playing.
We snaked through downtown by going to Daly Plaza first,
then to the Bean sculpture in Millennium Park. Hundreds of people saw us and fliers were passed out. As we were leaving Millennium Park a group of school children on the other side of a median joined us in our chant, jumping up down with fists in the air, and doing the call and response “What we want?, Close Guantanamo! When do we want it?, Now!”
We then marched to 600 N Michigan theater, and then onto AMC East 21 theater. 
Below is video of the rally and press conference by CAN TV here in Chicago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k6PloiSefo&list=UUSgXu3i7zx9V-MiAuLeOmtA&index=1
Yes, despite Pres Obama’s promises to close it, 166 people are still entombed at Guantanamo. This represents all that is wrong, morally and legally, with the “war of terror” the U.S. loosed on the world after Sept. 11 and the country the US has become. 86 of these men have been cleared for release – in other words, there is no evidence against them – yet our government refuses to release them. In September, the Obama administration released the names of 55 of those 86 cleared for release. Almost 3,000 people are also detained at Bagram detention center in Afghanistan, “the other Guantanamo,” without charges or right to counsel. And now all of this is being defended and celebrated in an award-winning film. Will you raise your voice with us to say, “No, not in my name?”
The Bush regime’s policy of indefinite detention has been institutionalized by the Obama administration. Now Obama has signed the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) for 2013 that authorizes military detention of US citizens, anywhere, any time. The media has largely abandoned these issues, and a bipartisan consensus has emerged to commit permanently to these horrific policies. Summarizing how the “war on terror” has become institutionalized under the Obama administration, Glenn Greenwald concludes, “Only outside compulsion, from citizens, can make an end to all of this possible.”
Join us this Friday, Jan 11, the 11th anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo, to say Shut It Down Now!
Where: Federal Plaza, Adams & Dearborn, Chicago
When: Noon
What: Press Conference, followed by procession to River East 21, 322 E. Illinois
We now live in a culture where the CIA and Hollywood work together to rewrite history and get people to go along with these crimes by making false claims that torture produces “intelligence” that will keep us safe. We say that no matter what, indefinite detention and torture are wrong! Zero Dark Thirty = Zero Conscience.
From Federal Plaza, we will process in orange jumpsuits through the Loop to River East 21 where Zero Dark 30 is screening. This film is an “apology for torture” that presents the CIA’s view of the world. We as a people are brutalized and degraded by torture committed in our name and further degraded by the celebration and justification of it in this film. Torture produced no useful intelligence in the pursuit of Bin Laden. Even the government has admitted this. Yet this film claims the opposite. Download our flyer here and be part of promoting the truth about this film.
Participating organizations include Chicago World Can’t Wait, IL Coalition against Torture, Christian Peacemaker Teams, IL Amnesty International, Voices for Creative Non-Violence, 8th Day Center for Justice, Wellington UCC, Gay Liberation Network, TAMMS Year Ten, Committee against Political Repression, Northwest Indiana Veterans for Peace and more.
Feb 16 2013 – Climate Crisis Mobilization – IIT Kent in Chicago
The Climate Crisis: It’s real . . . it’s here . . . and it’s up to US to stop it . . . !
February 16, 2013 (Saturday)
IIT Kent College of Law, Chicago
Chicago:
CLIMATE CRISIS
MOBILIZATION
The February 16, 2013, Climate Crisis Summit in Chicago will be a full-day working conference that will provide each participant with specific take-aways in three areas:
- How can I make sense of this? What responses are commensurate with the depth of this crisis? The science is clear; what IS blocking efforts to address the urgency?
- Which approaches to bringing about change make sense to me, and how concretely will I be involved in the days ahead? How can I get involved with key activist groups and make a real contribution?
- We need to build a movement — how can I help get the word out and engage others?
Morning plenary to be followed by afternoon breakout sessions to focus on action planning* and networking.
Email to reserve: climatecrisischicago@gmail.com
Help get the word out: share on Facebook!
Participating groups include: Citizens Act to Protect Our Water (CAPOW!) * Chicago Chapter, World Can’t Wait * Rainforest Action Network Illinois * IIT Kent College of Law Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild * Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS) * Occupy Kent * Protect Chicago’s Water * St. Luke’s of Logan Square, Social Justice Ministry * Stop the Frack Attack on Illinois … contact jtscarry@yahoo.com if your group wishes to join this critical effort.
*The CHICAGO CLIMATE CRISIS MOBILIZATION will include planning for a large scale event on Earth Day 2013!
To help spread the word, people should promote the Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/560388817309025
and distribute these flyers
News from Climate Crisis Chicago
Meeting Sunday, October 21, 4pm, 659 W Diversey
Our next Climate Crisis Chicago meeting will be:
Date: Sunday, October 21
Time: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Location: Next Door Chicago, 659 W. Diversey, Chicago
Our next Climate Crisis Chicago meeting will be an important decision-making meeting in regards to planning for a climate crisis summit. Specific proposals will be made and voted on for the summit. Please bring your proposals for consideration. Our network will start detailed plans for the summit after the next meeting. We can also discuss the 350.org divestment strategy and our network’s involvement. Please email Betsy at ews4@prodigy.net with your ideas for the next meeting’s agenda.
Please extend an invitation to our next meeting to other interested groups and individuals. Let’s grow our network so we can fight the climate crisis together and plan a large-scale summit in Chicago.
In This Post
- Protest on the anniversary of the longest U.S. War on Sunday Oct. 7th
- Not One More Day In Jail For Gregory Koger: Sign the New Statement to Stand with Gregory
- Climate Crisis Chicago Meeting Sunday Oct. 7th before the protest of the U.S. War on Afghanistan
What do YOU have to say to the longest war in US history? To the vicious prosecution of a fighter against injustice? Join us to oppose both!
Protest with us this Sunday – No More Decades of War on Afghanistan!
When: Sunday, Oct. 7, 3 pm
Where: Start at Tribune Tower Plaza (435 N. Michigan Ave.)
March to Obama’s Campaign HQ (E. Randolph & N. Michigan Ave.)
And on to Boeing Corp. HQ (100 N. Riverside Plaza)
On the 11th anniversary of the longest war in US history,
WE SAY NO TO ENDLESS WAR AND OCCUPATION!
… and NO also to Guantanamo and torture – prosecution/persecution of Bradley Manning and all whistleblowers – NDAA and all indefinite detention – drones – the threat of war on Iran …
Join us, Vets for Peace, CodePink and many others to show there are people living in the U.S. who say NO! to the crimes being committed in our name and demand an end to all of it. And yes, your presence is necessary. Friends, haven’t you heard? Some say we’re too hard on Obama. They say yes, he’s murdering civilians and laying waste to their countries – and signing off on assassination “kill lists” every Tuesday — but on balance, he has saved American lives with his enlightened health care and environmental policies.
What do YOU say to that? Debra Sweet, director of World Can’t Wait, has this to say: “[A]nyone who puts a preference on lives of people from this country over the rest of the planet, and who relegates the longest occupation in U.S. history to a side issue, is complicit in its continuance.”
If you can’t join us on Sunday, there are many other ways to support this action – forward this email to friends, “join” the event on Facebook and invite friends there to attend, and donate to World Can’t Wait so we can continue our work – thanks, because we can’t do it without YOU!
We say:
* Not One More Day in Jail!
*We Support Gregory Koger and Oppose this Wrongful Conviction!
Gregory Koger’s appeal of his outrageous conviction has been turned down by the Illinois Supreme Court. The State’s Attorney has moved to revoke his bond. The situation is urgent.
Chicago World Can’t Wait urges you to sign the above statement here. Even if you have signed previous statements opposing Gregory’s prosecution for videotaping a peaceful protest against censorship, this is a new statement opposing this new attack. It will be presented to Cook County authorities at an upcoming action – we will keep you posted!
Please read more, sign the statement and forward it to friends, including on Facebook!
We in Chicago World Can’t Wait believe that a climate crisis summit can attract both activists and (non-activist) people who are concerned – even distraught – about the devastation of our planet but have not seen a way to act to stop it. By coming together, we can form a network in this area and a foundation for coordinated actions, locally and even nationally.
Our next meeting will be this Sunday, Oct. 7, 11:30 am to 1 pm (so you can go to the Afghanistan war protest too) at Next Door, Blue Room, 659 W. Diversey, Chicago. Details and notes from recent meetings are available at our blog.
