January 2004 Meeting
        Fell Room of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal, IL
        January 4, 2004


    The monthly general meeting of the Bloomington-Normal Citizens for Peace and Justice (BNCPJ) was convened by citizen Bob Broad, with 20 participants present. Also present were members of the Peace is Cool Kids Club. Broad outlined the proposed agenda, and added items suggested by participants:
    
        Announcements and updates
    
        Stream of e-discussion about BNCPJ
    
        Liaison work (ACLU Patriot Act discussion group; PABN; Indy Newspaper)
    
        Non-Profit Organization status for BNCPJ
    
        Video (if time permitted)


    Announcements:

        March 20-Mass mobilization in Washington DC, organized by Peace With 
Justice and A.N.S.W.E.R.

        Feb. 20-22-education for action state-wide event coordinated by 

        Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC), including discussion of nuclear plant(s) at Clinton. See website nukereality.

        Jan. 9-No New Nukes meeting, to follow-up Dec. 18 community meeting held in Clinton, IL. Other organizational resources include Nuclear Information Resource Center (NIRC) and Public Citizen; and personal contacts for BNCPJ include Cheryl Shineberg and Carolyn Treadway.

        Spring-Mary shared brochures about the "Global Art Project for Peace." Children artists exchange artwork with children in another area. Kids at BabyFold have been paired with kids in Florida. Registration is due by the end of February. Art is created in March, and exchanged in April. Contact information: phone 520-628-8353, internet www.global-art.org, e-mail josten@concentric.net.

        Jan. 10-Community Banquet in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., sponsored by the Bloomington Human Relations Commission and the Normal Human Relations Commission, at the Interstate Center in Bloomington.

        TBA-Patriot Act meeting in the Normal Public Library Community Room. Discussion of efforts by other communities (Evanston, Chicago), which express support for the war on terror but don't want to lose civil liberties. Contact: local American Civil Liberties Union. The Bloomington Human Relations Commission is scheduled to discuss the matter at their January meeting; the Bloomington City Council would then act on the Human Relations Commission's recommendation.

        Peoria CoalitionÉand Peoria Peace NetworkÉ

        Interfaith Alliance of Bloomington-Normal is being revived, and meets at 7:00 p.m. on the third Sunday evening of the month at the Unitarian Universalist Church. Those attending over Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend will discuss various faith traditions' contributions to the understanding of nonviolence.

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BNCPJ Organizational Strengths and Challenges: Jan Carroll, Scott Reynen and Phil Huckelberry summarized a string of e-discussion messages over recent days, about how the BNCPJ is trying to define itself. Jan had copies of the 25-page discussion stream available.

Maria Schmeckle reviewed the origins and status of planning for a "Future Search" process climaxing with an intentional weekend retreat. The idea emerged a few months ago in light of concerns about the BNCPJ structure, organizational maintenance, and sustaining the longer-term vision and mission. 

An open call to BNCPJ participants led to special meetings in October-December, including discussions with Mary Broad of Maryland, who has attended BNCPJ meetings while in town for Peace is Cool Kids Club events. The purpose is to plan for a weekend meeting focusing on galvanizing for the BNCPJ mission.



General Meeting participants shared mixed views about the timing for a Future Search weekend, with some suggesting dove-tailing the March 6-7 and March 13-14 weekends of ISU Spring Break, and others suggesting avoiding those times. 

Participants also advised to avoid the weekend of the Nuclear Reality conference, and to check the Progressive Alliance of Bloomington-Normal calendar. Jessica Montgomerie and Scott Reynen will communicate Future Search updates.



Participants shared several discussion points about the state-of-BNCPJ:

    How does the nature of "Future Search" address basic meeting mechanisms, month-by-month, such as announcements, minutes, and changing by-laws?
    These "simple things" were factors behind pursuing a "Future Search" process.

    BNCPJ organism needs structure and flexibility to "breathe in, breathe out" as times and dynamics change. Evolving self-understanding can help ensure organizational sustainability, so that participants not only respond to war and anti-war headlines, but also reclaim that part of BNCPJ mission/vision about supporting local and global efforts to promote sustainable and participatory "cultures of peace."

    Future Search process is to energize the group, and enable BNCPJ to survive lapses.

    If one has not led such an organization, one won't realize how much work it is. The B-N community has experienced grassroots activist burnout during the Central America solidarity movement, and during Anti-Gulf War activities. Ask the Hisers and/or Mary Appleton. The group needs to survive between the times of crisis.

    This (20 present) is an impressive number for a group of this kind, in these times. It is hard for some to stay involved/motivated in light of the U.S. governmental actions and onslaught (towards peace activists as well as towards countries?).

    BNCPJ includes a steady core, but also enjoys new faces at each meeting. For example, at the December 7 general meeting there were several newcomers, including some from Springfield.

    BNCPJ brochures should be available at meetings, and posted at libraries and other community information outlets.

    BNCPJ is indebted to John Wilson of the Indy Newspaper for helping the organization communicate "in spite of ourselves," and for being a one-person clearinghouse for multiple organizations. 

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Interim BNCPJ organizational steps:

    Bob Broad solicited commitments for various tasks between now and the next meeting on February 4.

    Jim Nelson will relay meeting notes to Jan Cox at e-mail jkcox30@msn.com, who will post them to the group.

    Vic Connor (phone 452-9919, e-mail v.connor@insightbb.com) and Bob Broad will help plan agendas for the next two months.

    Others will serve as facilitators; note-takers; senders of reminders; minute takers.

    If something is not done, participants should step forward to do it, e.g., make copies of the BNCPJ brochure. There is no need to wait for group permission to do so.

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Desired Education-for-Action Topics and Actions:

    Rebecca Saunders is coordinating the local segment of a speaking tour by two Iraqi women. The group invited more information, and BNCPJ involvement.

    The group would like to get Move-On's video "Uncovered" to be broadcast on Access TV. Cost per Hisers would be $35. John Wilson has a copy of the video. Suggestion was to coordinate the schedule with the Students Peace Action Network "Peace Week" around Feb. 10. Efforts would be made to publicize through Public Service Announcements, the free "Daily Digest" section of the Pantagraph, the Indy, etc. A half-page ad in the Pantagraph costs about $600. A friendly story might be published for free. The current BNCPJ treasury balance is about $300. Some felt that publicity for this broadcast could be something that 100 friends on the BNCPJ listserve might contribute to. Some felt that there are more cost-effective means of publicity, and that the budget should support brochure printing, organization-building, and sponsorship of events/activists' travel to mobilizations. Even if extensive publicity for the video "Uncovered" is not pursued, the group felt the video should be aired soon, and then aired another time by building upon achieved tasks and timing. That is, participants felt that as people see BNCPJ sponsoring things like this, people will come forward to help with other specific tasks. Vic, John and Sue will check into pursuing the right media mix of publicity. 

    Discussion of yard signs underscored the risks of varied perceptions and backlash as well as potential value for neighborhood "civil discourse."

    Development of By-Laws was discussed, and whether they come very soon or should emerge from the Future Search meeting. Similarly, the trade-offs of filing for 401(c (3) status should be weighed. Future Search process would primarily address BNCPJ's mission statement, action agenda, and organization structure.

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Next General Meeting of the BNCPJ will be Sunday afternoon, February 1 from 4:00-5:30 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal. All meetings January-May are scheduled for this space according to the current schedule of venue rotation.