WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributing Producer: Carolyn Coe

Segment 1: The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs heard testimony in Augusta today, on LD 1237 “An Act to Prohibit Bullying in Schools”. The legislation is sponsored by Representative Terry Morrison, who says that it would provide a clear definition of bullying, and guidelines for prevention that are consistent throughout Maine’s schools. Opponents, including the Maine Christian Civic League and representatives of some of the state’s school boards, spoke against the legislation. They say the legislation is unnecessary, removes local control and impedes free speech. The Maine Civil Liberties Union testified as neither in support nor opposed, citing concerns about the scope of the legislation, which they hope can be addressed in an upcoming legislative work session.
Everyone seemed to agree, however, that bullying IS a problem in Maine’s schools. Here is what the high school students who testified at today’s hearing, had to say.

Segment 2: Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh, who lives in Beit Sahour in the West Bank. He teaches at Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities. He spoke at USM in Portland on March 27 during his book tour for his most recent book, Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment. His talk titled “Connections: The Palestinian Connection, Arab Popular Resistance, and the US” highlighted examples of sixty-two years of largely nonviolent Palestinian popular resistance and described US-Israel relations.

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Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Contributors: Lawrence Reichard, Carolyn Coe

Segment 1: Lawrence Reichard concludes his series of reports on the 1 -year anniversary of the coup in Honduras

Segment 2: Produced by Carolyn Coe. As Israeli settlements continue to expand in the West Bank, the Palestinian farmers’ ability to grow food to support themselves has been threatened or made impossible. Farmers have responded with nonviolent resistance, replanting trees and making efforts to continue working on the lands declared by the Israeli Defense Force as closed military zones.
Speakers:
M’hamed Zagig, member of the Beit Ummar popular committee; Mousa Abu Maria, member of the Beit Ummar popular committee and cofounder of the Palestinian Solidarity Project;  Ala’ Abu Maria, resident of a house in Beit Ummar frequently occupied by the Israeli military; Souad, 63-year-old farmer in Saffa M’hamed (Awad) Abu Swai, farmer in Artas who works for the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture; Nassima, interpreter Reem Al-Banna, singer at the Nakba remembrance event in AlMa’sara on May 14
FMI: www.palestinesolidarityproject.org  www.peacenow.org.il

Segment 3:  Carolyn Coe reports on the demonstration at AlMa’sara

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Producers/Hosts: Amy Browne, Carolyn Coe, Meredith DeFrancesco

Topic: Palestinian nonviolent resistance in Aida Camp

(Aida Refugee Camp is one of three Palestinian camps in Bethlehem area of the West Bank.)

Speakers: Mazin Qumsiyeh, Prof. at Bethelehem and Birzeit Universities
Abdel Fattah Adelsour, Director and Founder of Alrowwad Cultural and Theater Training Centre in Aida Camp

They describe camp conditions and ways Palestinians have taken nonviolent action to preserve their cultural heritage and to challenge the Israeli occupation.

www.alrowwad-arts.ps
www.ashoka.org (Dr. Adelsour mentioned being a fellow of this organization of social entrepreneurs.)

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Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Contributors: Carolyn Coe, Lawrence Reichard

Segment 1:  Husam Zomlot and Ann Wright, speaking at the United for Justice with Peace strategy conference titled “Breaking the Siege of Gaza” on June 19,2010 in Cambridge, MA :  What are activists doing to build the movement and to end the seige of Gaza and U.S. support for the occupation of Palestine?  What was the experience of the passengers aboard the humanitarian flotilla raided by the Israeli navy?  Producer: Carolyn Coe

Segment 2: Lawrence Reichard report on conditions in Honduras, on the 1 year anniversary of the coup.

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Executive Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Contributing Producer: Carolyn Coe

Topic:  Demolition of homes and forced eviction in East Jerusalem

Guests: Ahmed Abdullah, Nassima Ait-Saadi (interpreter), Douad Nassar, Tent of Nations, Julia Alfandari, Israeli Coalition Against House Demolition

Admed’s house was demolished.  Douad’s family received 9 demolition orders for structures on family land.

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Producers/Hosts: Meredith DeFrancesco & Amy Browne

Today, as we wait to hear back from the most recent delegation of human rights activists to visit Gaza, we bring you an interview with Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian peace activist now living in the U.S.  Meredith spoke with him in June 2009, when he was in Bangor, speaking at an event was co-sponsored by the Eastern Maine Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom (the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace) and The Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution (CRDC) at George Mason University, where Aziz Abu Sarah is a Senior Research Associate.

FMI: www.gmu.edu/departments/crdc , www.azizabusarah.wordpress.com

You can also hear the talk given by Aziz Abu Sarah (recorded by Carolyn Coe, and broadcast on WERU’s Weekend Voices in June 2009), here:  http://archives.weru.org/voices/weekend-voices-62709

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Executive Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributors: Carolyn Coe and Matt Murphy

Segment 1: Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian now living in the U.S., speaking in Bangor, Maine on 6/24/09 on the topic of Palestinians and Israelis working together for peace. The event was co-sponsored by the Eastern Maine Chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom (the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace) and The Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution (CRDC) at George Mason University. In just four years, Brit Tzedek v’ Shalom has become America’s largest Jewish peace group with over 45,000 supporters, and 40 chapters nationwide. This event was part of a Speaker’s Series they are sponsoring. For more information about Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, contact Barbara Kates at bkates50@hotmail.com or 207-947-6858. For more information about CRDC: www.gmu.edu/departments/crdc

Segment 2: Maine Folklife Center needs community support and involvement as it struggles to survive following budget cuts. Matt Murphy talks with Executive Director Pauleen MacDougall. FMI: www.maine.edu/folklife or 207-581-1848

Segment 3: All the latest news from the Bagaduce Music Lending Library and Flash in the Pans with the Blue Hill Pops— an interview with Mary Cheney Gould, Founder, Organizer and Music Director
The Blue Hill Pops Concert will be Friday July 3rd at the George Stevens Academy gym in Blue Hill, Maine. FMI: www.bagaducemusic.org

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Producer/Host: Cathy Melio
Contributor: John Greenman

Segment 1: Center for Maine Contemporary Art’s “Artists Voice” feature.
Segment 2: Tomorrow (Wednesday) at Husson University, Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian peace activist from the West Bank will share experiences of his life and as a member of the Bereaved Family Forum, a group of Israeli Jews and Palestinians who have lost close family members in the violence. Ahead of this even, John Greenman talks with Alex Grab, an Israeli who is active with the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace. Grab teaches at the University of Maine and is an outspoken advocate for a middle eastern peace that recognizes the 1967 borders.

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