Minutes of General Meeting
September 30, 2011

A general meeting for USC4P&J was held at the Night and Day Bar in San Saba on September 30, 2011. Attendees: Ilona, Anna, Patrick, Marilee, David, Greg and Luke. Anna chaired and Ilona took the minutes.

As the meeting had been called at short notice the turnout was quite small, but sufficient to make decisions needed for activities and actions due to start in October. It was agreed that this meeting would deal with immediate concerns, and a fuller general meeting would be called at a later time with the aim of bringing together a larger group of members to discuss future activities.

The main points of the agenda items covered include the following.

1) Discuss possible group action(s) and/or collaborations with other Italian groups marking the 10 th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan (October 7), general anti-war actions and the national demonstration on October 15 (global mobilization day).

It was agreed to work quickly to identify those members available to participate in the October 15 demonstration in Rome and make necessary preparations via email. Regarding how to mark the anniversary of war in Afghanistan, and protest US involvement in the other ongoing wars/occupations in Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, and military expansion generally, the group proposed three possible actions:

a) organize a get-together at a member's home to call our Congress people on the 6th “Let's Make a National Clamor for Peace” day: http://www.truth-out.org/october-6-lets-make-national-clamor-peace/1317305972). However to speed and promote greater involvement, it was agree to send this information by email to members, as this was something everyone could do from their homes.

b) members should take photos and maybe a video of the group, including willing passers-by, with signs and maybe a banner expressing anti-war and other slogans (bring those $$$ home, human needs before corporate greed) that could then be posted on US websites (principally october2011.org), in solidarity with those who would be camping out in Freedom Plaza, Washington DC.

c) participate in the international demonstration march on Oct 15 in Rome from Piazza Republica to Piazza San Giovanni, carrying USC4P&J anti-militarism messages.

To move fast, it was proposed to combine b and c as the Rome march would be passing a number of sites that could form impressive backdrops to photos, plus members could ask other demonstrators to participate in the photos. Some photos could be also taken in advance in front of particular monuments. It was agreed that signs would be produced and that our “official” banner and other reusable items would be brought to the demo. Members would be asked by email to participate and assist with these preparations.

2) Review and approve Fall 2011 season of the group's “Eyes Wide Open” documentary film series, and canvas interest in potential, new Film Committee members.

The new season program was presented by Ilona and Patrick, members of the Film Committee, which was met with general approval and appreciation. It was hoped that one or two other members might like to join the current Committee which has only three individuals to help research and decide on films for the series.

3) Discuss status of the group, focusing primarily on clarifying current and future operating procedures re decision-making.

There have been some recent problems arising from the current (relatively ill-defined) system of decision-making as a group. It was agreed that a re-clarified ‘function and scope' of the group would help, in particular, members interacting with other activist groups, to keep our group's identity, aim, decisions and signature on petitions clear and significant. It was agreed that our current “core” group entrusted with decision making by email (including on whether to endorse appeals, campaigns and events, sign open letters, etc.) would require a minimum of five replies for any proposal put forward to be decided upon. Decisions taken would be based on a simple majority. It was also agreed that these core group members should be given a minimum of 72 hours to comment on whatever is being proposed before action can be taken.

It was also suggested that there should be a greater emphasis on U.S. issues of concern and that we should support more strictly Italian initiatives only when there was a possibility for integrated common actions.

The meeting ended with the agreement to circulate these proposals and decisions to the full membership of USC4P&J, and to call the next general meeting within 2-3 months.

Next general meeting: date to be announced. Join our mailing list for updates.

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