Volunteering opportunity in Jamaica Plain

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on Aug 8, 2007 5:41 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Progressive Democrats of Jamaica Plain

I'm catching up on my emails...this is from early June, 2007...a good opportunity for progressives to "be the change we want" in our  community...

--aslam 

 

I’m hoping that you can connect me with the right people to be able to have Democrats collaboration be part of a great tradition that so many other schools,organizations and more already participate with us on.

I’d first off like to be invited to future events where volunteers are recruited/ presentations of local non profits are displayed to the group. I would be willing to come in numerous times to present an overview of the organization.

We are an organization which began in 1979. Our organization provides companionship to the low-income elderly without family and friends in Boston. The primary responsibility of the volunteer is companionship for low-income elders living alone in the city of Boston. Our elders are 70 years or older, live on less than $8,000 a year and have little to no friends or family. Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly in Boston has committed itself to enriching the lives of the elderly and their volunteers by fostering friendships that celebrate life. Such friendships are linked together by shared laughter, time-honored stories, and cherished dreams that teach us about ourselves. You should also check out our website: www.littlebrothers.org/boston. Volunteer with Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly!.

We’d really appreciate if you and like minded people would take on the responsibility for the success of an event by mobilizing your Democrats to volunteer.

As an example,- Would socially conscious members with cars drive elders to our events?

An example of this project, would involve finding drivers who would be willing to pick a maximum of 15 elders up on the way between where they live /study and the office here in 3305 Washington St, JP 02130 at around 9:15am-9:30am to have them here on time for 10am (thus about 5-8 drivers). It could also mean someone would be responsible for cooking, another for helping to clean up, and as many people who’d be simply interested in socializing with the elders while they are here. And then, having the drivers drop the elders they brought here back home and be done the whole event by about 12:30pm.

Another idea with a large group, (presumably over 15 people) I could arrange to have you visit an senior citizen community to invade and visit with them. I’m still unsure about the active size of the Progressive Democrats of Jamaica Plain group to create an appropriate event.

If you can call me, I’d much appreciate the opportunity to arrange the details.

I really hope to hear from you soon

Since Little Brothers is an independently funded agency, our efforts are made possible only through the volunteer time you donate and by your participation in holidays like these.

Thank you again for your support and your continuing friendship. Feel free to please call me at 617-524-8882 or email me at psalmanovich@littlebrothers.org:



Perry Salmanovich, Volunteer Coordinator
+1 617-524-8882
Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly – Boston
3305 Washington St
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Petition: Include Gore in next Presidential Pulse Poll

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on Aug 8, 2007 5:21 PM EDT

I received the following email today...

--aslam

 

Hi Boston!

I was hoping you could circulate this petition to your members - it calls on DFA to include Al Gore in the next Presidential Pulse Poll later this summer. Whether you personally support him or not, he came in third place as a write-in last time around, so there are clearly many that want to see him listed in some form or another. We (America for Gore, a broad coalition of Draft Gore organizations) would really, really, appreciate it if you sent this to your members. Thanks so much in advance.

dfapetition.americaforgore.com...

-James Skoufis

PS: we've been in contact with Jim Dean and will present the petition to him once we're done with the drive.

Grassroots Use of Technology Conference in Lowell, MA - June 22-23, 2007

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on Mar 6, 2007 11:37 AM EST

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!!!! 8th Annual Organizers' Collaborative -  Grassroots Use of Technology Conference
Friday & Saturday, June 22-23, 2007
http://organizerscollaborative.org/conference
 
co-located with the Grassroots Radio Conference
and hosted at the University of Massachusetts Lowell

 

Read more

Grassroots Radio Conferencein Lowell, MA - June 21-24, 2007

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on Mar 6, 2007 11:33 AM EST

GRASSROOTS RADIO CONFERENCE XII

http://www.grassrootsradioxii.org

June 21-24, 2007 - Lowell, MA

co-located with the Grassroots Use of Technology Conference and hosted at the University of Massachusetts Lowell

Read more

Statement on Diebold Touch-Screen Machines in MA

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on Oct 20, 2006 3:46 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Boston

John Bonifaz, voting rights attorney and former Democratic candidate for Massachusetts Secretary of State, issued the following statement today on the introduction of Diebold touch-screen voting machines in Massachusetts:

"The Massachusetts Town Clerks Association is reporting in its October newsletter [www.johnbonifaz.com/phplist/list...] that the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office has announced that Diebold touch-screen voting machines will be tested in certain cities and towns in the upcoming November election.

"There are two major problems with this decision made by Secretary Bill Galvin.

"First, the Help America Vote Act (2002) [www.johnbonifaz.com/phplist/list...] required all states to have new voting equipment in each polling location to serve the needs of voters with disabilities by the first federal election of 2006. For Massachusetts, that meant September 19. Secretary Galvin failed to meet this requirement.

"On August 14, the Boston Globe cited Galvin [www.johnbonifaz.com/phplist/list...] as saying that he 'is near the end of a lengthy vetting process and could order the machines within days, depending upon an outside expert's evaluation of three models.' The Globe further reported that 'he hopes to have at least some of the machines for the primary but does not want to rush into purchasing a potentially flawed model.'

"There were no new machines in the primary. Two months later - and four years after the law's passage - Galvin has decided to purchase and test the flawed TSx Diebold machine during a critical election. Massachusetts remains one of only two states (New York is the other) that have yet to comply with the federal law.

"The second problem is the technology itself. The TSx model has been at the center of controversy for several years.

"California banned the use of any Diebold machines from its elections, pending further examination. The state also sued the company because of voting problems in four counties. Diebold eventually settled with the state and paid a $2.6 million settlement.

"The Maryland House, after several problems with the TSx machines, voted unanimously this year to approve a bill that would prohibit election officials from using the Diebold equipment in this fall's elections and use a paper-based optical scan system instead. Maryland's Governor has called for a return to full paper ballots and, just last month, Baltimore election director Gene Raynor resigned over the use of the TSx machines.

"In September, USA Today reported that Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia have also reported problems with touch-screen machines.

"Yet, here in Massachusetts, Galvin has green-lighted the use of the TSx machines in select cities and towns next month.

"This issue transcends any candidacy and any campaign. It goes to the heart of whether the integrity of our elections will be safeguarded. We must guarantee the openness and transparency of our elections with paper trails, hand-recorded paper ballots, access to the source codes and data for all electronic voting machines, and public control of our vote-counting process. There is no reason, in light of the problems the nation has witnessed with touch-screen electronic voting machines - especially Diebold's TSx model - that these machines should be introduced into our elections here in Massachusetts. Our right to vote, including our right to have our votes properly counted, must be protected."

# # #

Track Senate and House races here...

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on Oct 19, 2006 11:02 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Boston

www.electoral-vote.com...

Current senate projection: 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans, 1 tie

Endorsement poll in progress, for upcoming Democratic primary races.

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on Aug 28, 2006 1:23 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Boston

Ballots were emailed a little while ago, to members eligible to vote. In order to be eligible, a member must have attended at least two DFA Boston meetings, beginning January 2005. If you believe you are eligible but have not received the ballot, then please contact me at aslam@dfaboston.org.

The poll will close at 12 NOON on Friday, September 1, 2006. We will announce the result, via email, later that afternoon.

MA Secretary of State Candidate Endorsement Poll in Progress

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on May 24, 2006 12:36 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Boston

Ballots were emailed a little while ago, to members eligible to vote. In order to be eligible, a member must have attended at least two DFA Boston meetings, beginning January 2005. If you believe you are eligible but have not received the ballot, then please contact me at aslam@dfaboston.org.

The poll will close at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, May 31, 2006. We will announce the result on Friday, June 2.

Veterans and the peace movement.

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on Apr 27, 2006 2:40 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Boston

The following is from Christian Parenti's piece in the latest issue of _The Nation_ [www.thenation.com/doc/20060508/p...]:

The question for peace activists thus becomes: How is it that antiwar soldiers continue to fight? And what does it really take for an antiwar soldier to resist? The answers lie largely in the sociology of "unit cohesion" and the ways the military uses solidarity among soldiers as a form of social control. Similarly, the peace activism of IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War) requires the spread of an oppositional form of loyalty and camaraderie.

...

If veterans are supposed to be at the heart of the peace movement, then it would serve progressives to understand this new military culture. Understanding the world of the military is also important because it is a major force in the socialization of young working-class Americans. If you're 20 or 22 and you're not doing what many rich kids do (like a career-boosting summer internship in New York) or doing what some truly poor kids do (like going to state prison on drug charges), chances are you're learning about responsibility and adulthood, and escaping small-town or inner-city America, courtesy of the US armed forces. One of the key lessons you'll learn there is: Look out for your comrades, because they're looking out for you.

-----
Also in the same issue, a photo-essay [www.thenation.com/doc/20060508/p...] on Carlos Arredondo of Roslindale, who torched the Marines' van [www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/08/25/...] when they came to tell him that his son had been killed in Iraq.

Defend Liberty in Massachusetts

Written by: Aslam Karachiwala on Apr 7, 2006 7:03 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Boston

The following is from ACLU of Massachusetts:

1. Update on the State Senate Civil Liberties Resolution
With the US Senate poised to "legalize" the program of NSA warrantless domestic spying, we are still hoping that the Massachusetts Senate will endorse the resolution affirming the Civil Rights and Liberties of the People of Massachusetts. Its chief sponsor is Andrea Nuciforo (617 722 1625) and it may come to a vote the week of April 17.

To date, the following senators have signed on as cosponsors: if your senator is on the list, please call and thank him or her. Ask him or her to reject any amendments that would undermine its civil liberties message.
Robert Antonioni - 617 722 1230; Edward Augustus Jr. - 617 722 1485; Jarrertt Barrios - 617 722 1650; Harriette Chandler - 617 722 1544; Cynthia Stone Creem - 617 722 1639; Susan Fargo - 617 722 1572; Robert Havern - 617 722 1432; Patricia Jehlen - 617 722 1578; Thomas McGee - 617 722 1350; Mark Montigny - 617 722 1440; Robert O'Leary - 617 722 1570; Marc Pacheco - 617 722 1551; Pamela Resor - 617 722 1120; Stanley Rosenberg - 617 722 1532; Karen Spilka - 617 722 1640; Dianne Wilkerson - 617 722 1673.

We need only FOUR more co-sponsors to achieve a majority in the Senate. If your Senator is NOT listed above, please call and ask for his or her support for the Senate resolution affirming Civil Rights and Liberties:
Seven Baddour - 617 722 1604; Frederick Berry - 617 722 1410; Stephen Brewer - 617 722 1540; Scott Brown - 617 722 1555; Stephen Buoniconti - 617 722 1660; Robert Creedon - 617 722 1200; Jack Hart - 617 722 1150; Robert Hedlund - 617 722 1646; Brian Joyce - 617 722 1643; Michael Knapik - 617 722 1415; Brian Lees - 617 722 1291; Joan Menard - 617 722 1114; Richard Moore - 617 722 1420; Michael Morrissey - 617 722 1494; Theresa Murray - 617 722 1481; Steven Panagiotakos - 617 722 1630; Bruce Tarr - 617 722 1600; James Timilty - 617 722 1222; Richard Tisei - 617 722 1206; Steven Tolman - 617 722 1290; Robert Travaglini - 617 722 1500; Susan Tucker - 617 722 1612; Marian Walsh - 617 722 1348.
Thanks for all your efforts!

2. Rally for Comprehensive Immigration Reform!
Monday, April 10 from 4-7, rallying in the Boston Common, and marching to Copley Square. The ACLU of Massachusetts is a co-sponsor of this event. For more information: malmeida@miracoalition.org. Please plan to attend and show your support for immigrants' rights!