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January Calendar
COLUMBIA
Jan. 3, 7pm: Greater Columbia Central Labor Council monthly meeting, 2025 Marion St.
Jan. 8, 4-5:30pm: Carolina Peace‘s monthly planning meeting, 2025 Marion St. Opposing war, cutting the Pentagon budget, Mideast Peace, Nuclear issues, nonviolence trainings – help us chart the course for 2012!
Jan. 10, 7pm: Columbia Progressive Network meeting, 2025 Marion St. Come help make plans to Occupy democracy in the coming year. You don’t need to be a member to joins us. Newcomers welcome. Questions? Call 803-808-3384 or email network@scpronet.com.
Jan. 10, 11:30-1pm: Greet the SC Senate. We’ll meet at steps of State House (Gervais St. side), then go into Senate gallery to witness the beginning of a new session and to remind our state Senators that Occupy Columbia has not gone away. Bring your 99% buttons, wear your Occupy t-shirts and hats, and anything else that will silently get the message across. Do not bring signs.
Jan. 14, 10am-10:30pm: A People’s Lobby Critical Mass, SC State House. Help us welcome our legislators back. We will remind them that we are still here, we have been waiting for them, and that we are looking forward to working with them in the coming months. This is our state, the legislators are supposed to be representing us, and we must show them the strength of the people. They may have the money, but we have the people. This is your time to act. South Carolinians, unite! See more on Facebook.
Jan. 16, 9:30am: King Day at the Dome, SC State House, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s. advocacy for voting rights, and social and economic justice. Assemble at 9:30am at Zion Baptist Church (Gadsden and Washington). March at 10am for a 11:15am rally at the State House. For details call: 803-754-4584 or email info@scnaacp.org.
Jan. 18, 9:30am: Senate Medical Affairs Subcommittee Hearing on anti-choice measure, Gressette Building, Room 207. (Please arrive early so we can fill up the front row!) H.3408, the statewide ban on insurance coverage of abortion, is on the agenda for the senate medical affairs subcommittee meeting Jan. 18! This is our ONLY opportunity during the legislative process in the Senate to show legislators that South Carolinians oppose this divisive, politically motivated attack on reproductive health. If there is one time to get involved and take action, THIS IS IT! Without your presence on Wednesday, we cannot show legislators our power in numbers! Together, we can put pressure on the committee members to VOTE NO on H.3408! We recommend parking in the 1201 Main St. garage across from the State House, entrance at Lady and Assembly. For details, email sloane.whelan@pphsinc.org or call 401-529-2357.
Jan. 19, 5-7pm, Ringling Brother Circus Peaceful Protest, Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St. In the Ringling Bros. circus, elephants are beaten, hit, poked, prodded, and jabbed with sharp hooks, sometimes until bloody. Tigers are struck so they’ll perform difficult and confusing tricks. Be the voice for these animals! Signs and pamphlets provided, or bring your own. See Facebook event page, or email columibacircusprotest@gmail.com, or visit www.ringlingbeatsanimals.com.
Jan. 20, 1:30am: Progressive Network to hold press conference to announce plans to put clean elections measure on SC ballot, lower lobby of the State House. We’ll mark the second anniversary of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling that deregulated limits on corporate campaign donations and fueled record spending in the SC Republican presidential preference primary. Most South Carolinians are now feeling the effect of unregulated corporate cash that has flooded the state with record numbers of nasty political ads. While most bemoan the devolution of the campaign system – including some GOP candidates – some are redoubling efforts to do something about it. Please join us. For details, call 803-808-3384 or email network@scpronet.com
Jan. 22, 3-5pm: “Eyewitness Gaza” movie screening and discussion, Conundrum Music Hall, 626 Meeting St., West Columbia. Free to the public. Donations appreciated. A new documentary movie (60 min) about Gaza through the photography of Skip Schiel. Between 2004 and 2010 he visited Gaza five times, shortly before and after Operation Cast Lead, the unrelenting Israeli assault on a virtually defenseless people trapped in the Strip and under siege since 2006. Because Israel justifies its ongoing attacks by citing the rockets fired by Gazan militants into Israeli civilian areas, Schiel visited one of those towns, Sderot. less than 1 mile from Gaza. Directed by Tom Jackson of Joe Public Films, the 60 minute movie strives to open eyes and hearts to the reality of life in occupied Palestine. Sponsored by the Carolina Peace Resource Center. RSVP/share on Facebook.
Jan. 24, 7pm: Progressive Network Movie Night to feature THE UPRISING OF ’34: about the great textile strike in SC and the South, Conundrum Music Hall, 626 Meeting St. Free popcorn; beverages available for purchase. See preview here.
Feb. 18, 7pm: “Thunder & Lightning Awards,” The Big Apple, 1000 Hampton St. This is an annual celebration to recognize outstanding activists in South Carolina. This year, we will honor those who played a significant role in stopping the Photo ID law. Internationally renowned singer-songwriter Dave Lippman and his alter ego “Wild Bill Bailout” will entertain, and attendees can bid on silent auction items donated by local artists and activists. To RSVP, email network@scpronet.com or call 803-808-3384.
CHARLESTON
Jan. 11, 6pm: Addressing Racism in the Charleston LGBT Community: Battling racism, homophobia and gender discrimination, Charleston County Main Library, 68 Calhoun St. Program sponsored by AFFA.
Jan. 12, 6-8pm, Planned Parenthood Phone Bank, Planned Parenthood’s Health Center, 200 Rutledge Ave. Volunteers are needed to make calls to reproductive health advocates to gear-up to stop H-3408. The bill would impose a statewide ban on insurance coverage of abortion in both private and public plans, as well as vastly expand the right of healthcare providers to refuse to provide medical services with which they disagree. For details and to sign up, email sloane.whelan@pphsinc.org.
Jan. 12, 6pm: Party 4 a Purpose to support the South Carolina Women’s Choice Fund, Mad River Bar and Grille, 32B N. Market St. $5 at the door gets you a free drink and SCWCF gets to keep the $5. We’ll be collecting donations as well as holding a raffle for a Kindle Fire. Every day the SCWCF gets 5-10 calls from women seeking assistance. Please help make a difference in a woman’s life. For details, call 843-763-7304.
Network organizations are invited to email their calendar items to becci@scpronet.com.
