2/25/08: ELECTIONS! + Angola 3 + Sign-making

Hello everybody,

This week is packed with events and opportunities, so we hope you take advantage of at least some. We apologize for canceling last week's meeting, as we were herded into the ground floor of the SLC during the tornado warning (which conveniently started just as we were). The Angola 3 case is rolling over to this week.

In addition, we are having elections this Wednesday for new officers for the upcoming academic year! Please join us if you are interested in participating more with Amnesty, or just want to help direct the activities for next year. Current officers are expected to participate.

Lastly, we will also be making signs for a newly planned demonstration in Atlanta. The demonstration will be focused on accountability for violations committed during the War on Terror. It will be held Wednesday, March 11th (yes, Spring Break) from 5:00-7:00pm at the corner of Peachtree and 14th Street in Midtown Atlanta (Colony Square, for those familiar with the area). We will be joined by several other student groups from the Atlanta area, the Atlanta Group 75, and other members of the community.

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More announcements:

Stand-Up is screening Rendition (2007) this Wednesday 6:15pm in SLC 171. If you want to catch the movie and discussion, but also want to participate in our meeting, please drop by at least for elections. We will make every effort to finish elections as quickly as possible.

Amnesty members also have an opportunity to have lunch with Martina Correia, human rights activist and sister of Troy Anthony Davis, this Saturday. The Law School is hosting a panel on the Death Penalty from 10:45am-12:15pm. Contact Zach at zach.l.fox@gmail.com ASAP to participate, as space may be limited.

Not For Sale Campaign anti-slavery event this Friday, hosted by UGA graduate student Ryan Willoughby. Modern day slavery and human trafficking are forms of organized crime and are truly awful human rights violations. Two times to catch the presentation and discussion: 1:30-2:30pm, 5:30pm-6:30pm, both SLC 150.

2/18/09: Angola 3 Louisiana Prison Case

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the late notice this week. We're doing an action on the Angola 3 (referring to Angola Prison in Louisiana) prisoners. Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox, who were convicted of a stabbing murder in Louisiana's Angola Prison while incarcerated there, have been held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day for at least 28 years. The two inmates also helped organize a prison chapter of the Black Panther Party. Since their convictions, additional restrictions have been imposed on their personal property, reading materials, access to legal resources, work and visits.

As the Troy Davis case has also illustrated to us, the criminal justice system in the United States suffers from some serious flaws and unwarranted or cruel and unusual punishments. Please join us to help end this injustice, and for more info on the Angola 3 case, please see this Amnesty USA press release (a bit outdated from 2007, but helpful nonetheless): http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGAMR511452007&lang=e.

Also, for those interested, we'll be going to see Milk following the movie. It just opened at Cine downtown and its $5 student ticket night Wednesdays! Dinner beforehand perhaps, too :).

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Other announcements:

-- GFADP Lobby Day is tomorrow (actually today!). If you've got a last minute urge to go (if you hadn't already planned on attending), the program runs 9am-1pm at the State Capital in downtown Atlanta. MARTA would be easiest, as the Georgia State station is very close to the Golden Dome.

-- We continue to work on our film festival to be held at the end of April. This will be a major event held at Cine downtown, with sponsorship from the national Amnesty organization and several organizations on campus. If you'd like to be a part of the planning process let us know ASAP.

-- Elections for officer positions for the upcoming year are scheduled for February 25th. THIS DATE IS SET IN STONE. If you are interested in becoming more involved with Amnesty on campus, please consider inquiring about the positions available! :)

-- African Night 2009 is being held at the Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, February 21, 2009 at 7pm. Tickets may be purchased at the Tate Cashier office, $5 for UGA Students, $10 for Non-UGA Students. For more information contact Joseph Abdallah, President of the African Student Union at jfabdallah@gmail.com or visit www.uga.edu/asu.

2/11/09: Valentine's Day Action for Women of Zimbabwe Arise!

Hey everyone,

I hope you got to enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend, despite it still being February!

This Wednesday we will be doing a solidarity action for WOZA, a womens' rights and human rights activist group in Zimbabwe. WOZA members and leaders have been harassed, detained, and beaten in some cases simply for trying to peacefully speak out against injustices in Zimbabwe. The group is also our current focus action for the Southern region! We'll be making paper roses (which are a symbol WOZA activists use) and a letter/card to be sent to the Zimbabwean embassy.

We also had a good time last week getting dinner and catching a movie at Cine last week ($5 student tickets Wednesday nights!), and we plan on doing so again this week. Let me know if you'd like to join us for dinner and movie if you can't make the meeting.

See everyone Wednesday :)

Zach
zach.l.fox@gmail.com

A few more opportunities:

-- The UGA Living Wage Campaign is hosting a rally and speakers this Thursday, February 12th at 3:00pm at Tate Plaza. The rally will conclude with a march up to President Adams' office where members of the LWC will present a letter to Adams. Amnesty will be in attendance to support this worthy cause, and so should you!

-- The annual Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (GFADP) Lobby Day at the Georgia State Capital is Tuesday February 17th. The day begins with training at 9:00am and concludes at 1:00pm. This is an excellent opportunity to work on lobbying skills while making your voice heard on an immensely important issue here in the state. More info soon!

-- The first 2009 Georgia cluster meeting of north Georgia (primarily Atlanta and UGA groups) Amnesty groups will be held Feb. 21st (Saturday) at the Atlanta Regional office. We'll be working with Atlanta groups to plan a coordinated action on the 100 Days Campaign. Let us know ASAP if you'd like to attend.

2/4/09: Red Hand Campaign against Child Soldiers!

Hey everyone,

Hope the weekend was relaxing and enjoyable. This Wednesday we'll be discussing the global (and growing) use of child soldiers. Obviously this is a very serious issue because the long-term individual and societal effects of children in combat can be devastating to communities. We'll also be taking part in the Global Red Hand Campaign. The campaign is a worldwide petition being presented to the UN on Feb. 12th. Come hang out with us, get some info, and have fun with finger paints too.

Also, we're planning on grabbing a bite to eat after the meeting and then catching a late screening at Cine. If you're interested just stick around for the planning meeting after the petition, or if you can't make the meeting but would like to go to the movie let Zach know at zach.l.fox@gmail.com.