Back to the Farmers' Market

For the first time this season, the Peace Panel Project was back under the old Magnolia tree at the Farmers' Market.  Last Saturday, 12/17/16, we unveiled two new Panels!!  "Why is the US ranked 41st in Freedom of the Press?" for the new book from Project Censored, Censored 2017, and a Panel for Breaking Through Power, Ralph Nader's new book. 

We are offering both books at 30% off retail.  Contact Charles (530-518-1417) to reserve your copies.
We got a lesson in religion from my Indian friend Pamie, who brought me a cup of tea. 

We reminded folks that Safe Space needs volunteers.  It was a good day.

Do you remember what happened on this day in1963?

It's important.
Learn the new information.

Why is the U.S. ranked 41st in Freedom of the Press?

Get your copy of the latest from Project Censored at 27% off retail from the Peace Panel Project.

Armistice Day Action

The original Armistice Day was about the end of war.  Check out the Veterans For Peace statement where in they remind us that in the U.S., now, it has been changed to Veterans' Day and the glorification of war.  Thanks to Chris we met in the Downtown Plaza to read the VFP statement and enjoy some community and solidarity.  We had a sequential message for the traffic going south on Broadway.  "We're Bombing 5 Counties Now",  A Lot of Your Taxes Make War", How Much of your Time Makes Peace?", "Support Your Local Peace Group".  That's what Howard Zinn said.

The Sunday Before

What were you doing on the Sunday morning before the election?  Izeck and I accomplished a goal I've had for years today!  We set up our "essential sequential seven" Peace Panels on the Esplanade just before you get to the Church on the Esplanade.  We had the Burma Shave peace message going on for the Sunday morning traffic .  From about 10 am to 11 am driving north on the Esplanade it read on your right, "We're Fighting 5 Wars Now!, How Many More Massacres..., Do You Want to Pay For?,  A Lot of Your Taxes Make War,  How Much of your Time Makes Peace?,  (we put a 16" x 14" post-it-note, with Remember written on it, on) Thou Shalt Not Kill,  and finally, Support Your Local Peace Group".  

Then we swapped  out the "We're Fighting 5 Wars Now" Panel for a new hand painted Panel that read, "We're Bombing 5 Countries Now!"  We thought it was a stronger statement. 

Then we sat and watched.  And it seemed like, to us, that cars were slowing down to read the Peace Panel Project (PPP) exhibit.  People were smiling and giving us the thumbs up.  Except for one guy who angrily shook his fist as he hung out the window and shouted, "That's illegal use of City property.  I'm calling the cops!"  It was a pretty conspicuous exhibit.

About 11 am the church crowd was thinning out, so Izeck and I started packing it up.  We got about 60% done and a reporter from KHSL Action News came up to me and asked if he could get a few words on camera.  So we put a few Panels back up and did a little TV interview that he said would be on the evening news.  What a bonus!

We finished packing up the PPP exhibit and I turned to Izeck and said, "Wouldn't it be great if a few actions like this actually perked up the peace movement in Northern California?  He agreed.

Project Censored's 40th Annual Media Freedom Summit

What an inspirational and information packed event!  With leaders in alternative media and educators from across the country the Media Freedom Summit was an event to remember! Media scholar Mark Crispin Miller, Abby Martin of the Empire Files and RT, Mnar Muhawesh of Mint Press, Mickey Huff, Peter Phillips and Andy Lee Roth of Project Censored were just a few of the luminaries that made this event so entertaining and informative.  Over the two days there were fourteen workshops to participate in from Student Strategies to Constructive Media Literacy; Community Engagement to Representational Framing.  We were encouraged to check out gcml.org and the Global Critical Media Literacy Project.  Taking notes and getting questions answered filled the two day event.  I look forward to writing up all my notes for reference.  Some of the books that were recommended, in addition to Censored 2017, included, Capitalism 3.0, Tribe by Junger, Super Survivors, Conspiracy Theory in America, Cruel and Unusual by Miller, and Propaganda by Bernays.  The Media Freedom Summit is a must see for all those interested in freedom of the press.  I'm already looking forward to next year's MFS.

Now with the books in stock the Peace Panel Project is offering Censored 2017 for 27% off retail and older Project Censored annual publications for half off.  Contact us today to reserve your copy.

Love Chapmantown

Last Saturday afternoon was the Love Chapmantown event and the Peace Panel Project was there to promote Career Builders, the Chico Peace & Justice Center and Chico Tree Advocates. There was a good turn out, good food, good friends and some great conversations. Kids were having fun. We made some neat connections. It was a good night. Thank you to Bill Mash for help with set up and the pack up. Thank you Bill.

The Touch of Chico 2016

The Peace Panel Project had a good showing at the "Touch of Chico" yesterday, (10/1/16).  This is a fun event I recommend highly. We sold a few books and a few CPJC Dinner tickets; had some good hugs and conversations.  Dan Casamajor made some great tunes and I got a massage out of the deal!  Thanks to Chris for the help setting up, Emily for help holding down the booth and to Jake and Jasper for help packing the exhibit up.  It was a good day.

Diversity Festival in Paradise

The Diversity Festival in Paradise was fun.  Nick, Jistin and I represented Alternatives to Violence, the Peace Panel Project and the Chico Peace & Justice Center.  We got to see Hmong dancers, listened to great music and some good food and I ended up with a great apple pie.   We set up seven easels that were well received.  We tabled next to the Ridge Coalition for Peace & Justice, Stonewall Alliance and Catalyst were also there.

Check out the write up we got in the Paradise Post:
http://www.paradisepost.com/general-news/20160920/diverse-crowd-inspires-unity

Chico Hi Career Day

Career Builders counter recruitment was on the job Tuesday, 9/13/16, at the Chico High School “Career Fair”. We talked to so many students and parents it might have been our best event yet. Thanks to Sue G. and Sue M. from the Ridge Coalition for Peace & Justice for their help in lining up our table at the event and bringing their Career Builder stand up exhibit and so many brochures. They brought the “Opt Out” forms that many took advantage of and many other hand outs that sparked some great discussions.

We had a table (not far from several military recruiters) and all three of us were busy talking to high school seniors and their parents probably 70% of the time from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

We had six stand up exhibits, we set up in a corner spot, by an exit, that turned out to have a lot of traffic. Many of the people who stopped by our table expressed gratitude to us for our being there. As we left a woman walked by and said, “Thank you guys so much for being here and sharing your information.” We got the feeling that we were doing a good thing.

 

9/11/16

The Peace Panel Project was on Main Street today, 9/11/16. Didn't want to let the anniversary pass without a little reminder of the truth. We brought a small contribution to Patrick Newman's "Friends On The Street" event that was happening as usual Sundays at 3 pm. About 30 people took advantage of the generosity. Pat and others brought boxes of apples, sandwiches, waters, toiletries and many other items. These were two goals I really wanted to accomplish: participate in Friends on the Street and set up the Peace Panels in front of the big military granite monuments of the Plaza.