We Support Public Proclamations of Love...including Same-Sex Marriages!

And we offer our Peace and Justice Garden for wedding ceremonies!

Beginning Tuesday, June 17th, the Chico Peace and Justice Center will offer the opportunity for same-sex couples to marry. Ordained ministers will be available to perform the ceremonies. All services are available free of charge.

On May 15th, the California Supreme Court declared that the state Constitution protects a fundamental "right to marry" that extends equally to same-sex couples. With the recent budget decision by Butte County Clerk-Recorder Candace Grubbs to no longer perform civil marriages, the Chico Peace and Justice Center will offer a location and officiators to perform the service.

The wedding site is the Chico Peace and Justice Garden where community members and center volunteers cultivate a shady and landscaped retreat with vegetable and flower gardens. Reservations can be made by calling (530) 893-9078.

The July Edition of Peaceful Action Newsletter is now available

Click here to read the issue. You can also send an email to newsletter@chico-peace.org to order a subscription of Peaceful Action delivered to your home each month.

ADVANCED CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH

Friday, 11th at 6pm

Chico Peace and Justice Center (526 Broadway)

New class starting July 11th and continues every other Friday night (July 11th, July 25th, etc.) Leo Cedeno will offer the class free of charge.

We will continue to offer beginning and intermediate Spanish conversation every Tueday evening at 6-7pm.

JOIN THE REVOLUTION! Come to an Orientation to Find Out How!

Wednesday, 18th at 1pm

Chico Peace and Justice Center (526 Broadway)

Come to an informal meeting and get a better understanding of what the Chico Peace and Justice Center does and how you can get involved in the work. We need you!!!

Click here to learn more about working with the peace and justice community in Chico. Click here to download a copy of our handbook. A Spanish version of our handbook will be posted soon.

This meeting should last no longer than an hour. Please send an email to chico-peace@sbcglobal.net to let us know you are coming.

GARDENER'S SWAP MEET

Wednesday, July 16th at 6-8pm (every third Wednesday thru September)

Chico Peace and Justice Center garden

With an excess of eggplants and a shortage of tomatoes, a plethora of peaches but a craving for apricots, local farmers and non-farmers can their bags with extra (but edible) fruits and/or veggies and SWAP them with another grower for something they liked better. Bring your extra veggie, or just bring a bag and a smile. Any excess produce would be donated to GRUB (Growing Resourcefully Uniting Bellies)and/or a local food bank.

The complete 2008 schedule is:

1st Wednesday of the month at 6-8pm at The Cause (727 W. 4th Ave)

2nd Wednesday of the month at 4-6pm at the Chico Community Children's Center (2224 Elm Street) and at 6-8pm at the Chico Grange Hall (2775 Old Nord Ave)

3rd Wednesday of the month at 6-8pm at CPJC (526 Braodway)

4th Wednesday of the month at 6-8pm at W. 16th Street and Normal Ave

5th ANNIVERSARY RALLY & PUPPET PAGEANT

"Alternative Uses for a Trillion War Dollars"

"Ecotopia", statue formerly known as Liberty

"Tremendous" the Train Conductor

To everyone that made this a memorable day... from those that contributed the materials to create the puppets, to the folks that imagined and built them, from the drummers to the speakers, from the performers to the participants, we say...

THANK YOU!!!

Spiral Dance

Sending our intentions

Click here to see a slideshow of the day. All photos courtesy of Joe Smith. Thanks Joe!

Click here to read the Enterprise Record's coverage of the event.

Click here to read Susan Tchudi's description of the message of the puppets.

SIGN UP NOW TO SUPPORT IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS

...and send a message to Congress!

Rep. Robert Wexler (FL-19) and two other Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee - Luis Gutierrez (IL-04) and Tammy Baldwin (WI-02) - have called on the committee to begin impeachment hearings for Vice President Cheney.

They declared, "The charges are too serious to ignore. There is credible evidence that the Vice President abused the power of his office, and not only brought us into an unneccesary war but violated the civil liberties and privacy of American citizens. It is the constitutional duty of Congress to hold impeachment hearings."

Rep. Wexler is collecting 50,000 signatures to convince his Democratic colleagues that the American people truly support impeachment hearings. Sign his petition here. You can also send an email to Wexler's other colleagues on Judiciary from here

THE PROBLEM CONTAINS ITS OWN SOLUTION: Fund S-CHIP with War Dollars!

A permaculture principle states that we should "see solutions, not problems". One interpretation of this principle is as follows: What seems to be a problem may be a solution when viewed through different criteria.

On December 13th at Representative Wally Herger's office, this principle was crystal clear. A group of local MoveOn.org activists delivered over 500 signatures to Herger's office registering overwhelming opposition to attacking the non-nuclear country of Iran. By shear coincidence, the North Valley Sponsoring Committee from the Sacramento area was delivering petitions to Herger's office to demand funding of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP).

If we focus on the solutions, how about this for an idea: Let's redirect those military dollars to fund S-CHIP. If you have a minute, call Herger at (530) 893-8363 and tell him what you think of this idea. The photo above was taken at Herger's office and includes Maggie Chavez of the North Vally Sponsoring Committee and Karen Hamerquist of MoveOn.org.

LEGISLATION TO WATCH!

Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007

As California was burning and S-CHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) goes on the defensive, the United States House of Representatives slipped one by us. The House passed a bill with dangerously vague language and eerie implications, not to mention it being a fundamental challenge to the First Amendment. Many of you may not be aware of this bill that is quietly making its way through Congress. This bill has already passed through the House with only 6 dissenting votes and is on its way to the Senate.

Click here to learn more about this bill!!

Additional information here (truthout.org).

CHICO PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER CALLS FOR IMPEACHMENT!

The CPJC Board of Directors officially adopted the position that calls for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. The position states:

"The Chico Peace and Justice Center Board of Directors supports the impeachment of both President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. Although there are powerful and pragmatic arguments against pursuing impeachment, we see compelling evidence that the President and Vice-President have violated their constitutional responsibilities to the people and should be subject to the proceedings established by our constitution to safeguard the republic from the abuse of executive power. The fact that there may not be sufficient political will in many of our legislators to undertake impeachment proceedings is not a reason to neglect our civic responsibility to call our leaders to account. We therefore take a stand in favor of impeachment and call on others who share our conviction to make public their position as well. The willingness to do so is essential to the integrity of our civic life and provides visible support for those in our government who are committed to it. Whether successful or not, impeachment proceedings would be healthy for our democracy."

Click here to view the entire position paper that explains the rationale for the Board of Directors taking this stance.

AND THE WINNER IS...

Congratulations to the winners of the "What does social justice look like?" Window Display Contest. The Chico State University student organization Kappa Delta Pi was named the winner of the contest. Kappa Delta Pi is "a national honor society that intends to unite future teachers in learning about the field and volunteering within the community to bring fun and educational activities to students".

The North Valley Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) received an honorable mention for being the Most Inspirational. Judge Emily Alma described the FOR window as creating a "...very peaceful world, a world of dignity, cultural beauty and diversity." Other judges on the panel include Mayor Andy Holcombe and Joe Person.

Click here to read more about the participating organizations and to view photos of the displays

2007 PEACE ENDEAVOR AWARD RECIPENTS ANNOUNCED!

Congratulations to Emily Alma and Cathy Webster who were named the 2007 recipients of the Chico Peace Endeavor Award for their work in our community.

Emily Alma is the founder of the Community Collaborative for Youth. CCY is a coalition of community-based programs that serve youth from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in the North Valley. Click here for more information about CCY.

Cathy Webster is the founder of the national organization 1,000 Grandmothers, whose mission is pressure Congress to close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, also known as the School of the Americas. Cathy spent two months in jail in the spring of 2007 for her protest activities at the WHINSEC/SOA in Fort Benning, GA. Click here for more information about 1000 Grandmothers.

STUFF HAPPENS!!

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

Click here to view the video.