Human Rights Day 2003 - Event Details & Sponsors

Human Rights Day 2003 Event Details

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Are They Coming For YOU?!

What does the USA Patriot Act mean for you & your organization?

Event Schedule:

5:00 PM - READING OF THE UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARATION

& EARTH CHARTER DOCUMENT

(in front of Rochester City Hall - Church and N. Fitzhugh Streets)

Welcome & introduction by Jason Crane.

A Candlelight Vigil and Reading of the Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the Earth Charter Document.

5:45 PM - POTLUCK DINNER

Community Potluck dinner across from Rochester City Hall at the Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 N. Fitzhugh Street

 Tabling  by co-sponsoring groups will be encouraged.

6:45 PM - PROGRAM (following the Potluck dinner in the same location):

Facilitator: Barbara deLeeuw, Director Genesee Valley Chapter-New York Civil Liberties Union

Performance: Rochester's Raging Grannies

Presentation: Rochester Youth Action Network Theatre Group

· Michael Freeman - a co-founder of RYAN, the Rochester Youth Action Network, and coordinator of the Fairport Peace Club. He is currently a junior at Fairport High School.

· Kelly Miller - a senior at Pittsford Mendon High School. She is cofounder of RYAN and co-president of PMHS's Amnesty International, Environmental Awareness Club, and Gay-Straight Alliance.

Guest Speaker: Thomas Tobin, Deputy Editorial Page Editor for the Democrat & Chronicle. Mr. Tobin is eminently qualified to speak on issues such as privacy, freedom of expression, freedom to read as well as the implications for our community. His editorials have been sounding a public alarm calling out for the preservation of democratic freedoms since the passage of the so-called USA Patriot Act. His remarks will be followed by others in the community with backgrounds & interests in issues involving civil liberties.

Community Response/Reflection: How the Patriot Act affects our lives.

· Bill Abom, Western NY coordinator for Rural & Migrant Ministry and primary coordinator for the highly successful 330 Miles to Albany march for farmworker justice last April.

· Mary Boite, Politics of Food Resource Center Coordinator and international human rights activist.

· Yasmin Kabir, a Muslim American, mother of two children, supporter of peace, justice and dignity for all humanity.

· John Keevert, a retired Kodak scientist active in economic and social justice issues with Metro Justice and the First Unitarian Church of Rochester.

· Pat Mannix, a long-time activist and current member of Rochester’s Raging Grannies.

· John Perry Smith, President of Total Information, Inc, a bookseller for over 30 years, and a member of Board of Interfaith Action (a faith-based group organizing for the common good).

· Ken Maher has been a Quaker for about 35 years and does not want his seven children to grow up in fear of their government, even though he's beginning to feel that way himself.

Questions and Answers will follow the presentation

Call to Action: Attendees will be given the opportunity to take an action that will help restore our civil liberties in our community.

NOTE: Miami video footage: Two weeks ago in Miami several from the Rochester Indymedia group experienced intense repression unleashed by the state on peaceful demonstrators. Their five-minute video, pulling together footage of video that their group and dozens of other media activists shot, will be shown throughout the evening; and members of Indymedia will be there to talk about the ramifications of these police actions for future demonstrations.

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Benjamin Franklin

This event is free & open to the public. It will be interpreted for the deaf. Child care will be provided. The Church is handicapped accessible and the room is looped for the hearing impaired.

The 2003 Human Rights Day Vigil Committee:

Diane Apere, First Unitarian Church; Mary Boite, Politics of Food; Barbara Deming, Public Policy Committee Episcopal Diocese of Rochester; Martha Howden, Buddhist Peace Fellowship; Barbara deLeeuw, Genesee Valley Chapter-New York Civil Liberties Union; Sue Mihalyi, Alliance For Democracy-Rochester; Gail Mott, Justice Ministry of the Downtown United Presbyterian Church; Hank Stone, Citizens for a United Earth.

Contact: Gail Mott 381-5606 HumanRights@RochesterAlliance.org or

Mary Boite 232-1463 BoiteM@RochesterAlliance.org

Sincere appreciation to Interpreter for the Deaf Dawn Zuppelli of Rochester Indymedia, and to Dzindzi Asamoah-Wade for childcare.

Many thanks to Hank Stone for his annual gift of luminaria; to Rome Celli for internet communications; to volunteers Alice Gabriels, Sandy Cain, Dick Deming, Peter Mott, the Maintenance Staff at DUPC, and others who have pitched in to help tonight.