Month: February 2019

Had about 10 people come to FCM’s monthly social get-together and discussed issues until Midnight. Next FCM meeting is scheduled for 3/9 – but may have to reschedule. Next potluck/gathering will be probably 3/23.

Saturday’s presentation by Medea Benjamin was well-attended in spite of freezing rain and snow conditions.

This Friday 2/22/19 at 7 PM there will be a social gathering of people interested in media reform at 3707 Pennsylvania in Kansas City. There will be a potluck, so if you can bring something, that would be fine.

Medea Benjamin – Building a Peace Movement in an Era of Endless WarSaturday February 16, 6:30pmAll Souls UU Church, 4501 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64110
Medea is co-founder of Code Pink and Global Exchange. She’s famous for her gutsy confrontations with powerful plutocrats, an expert on the Middle East, a leader in the peace movement and she is a frequent guest on KKFI’s Democracy Now. Her most recent book is Inside Iran; The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Saudi Arabia book was published in 2016.

Spencer Graves has set up a meeting at All-Souls on Wednesday to discuss our shrinking news environment and solutions. Here’s the text of his message:

Hello, All:

      I’m primarily focused on trying to organize a local nonprofit 
news organization to replace the shrinking Star.  The Institute for 
Nonprofit News (inn.org) is hosting a “Town Hall” to describe how 
different communities are doing this.  You can sign up to participate in 
this from anywhere via 
“https://inn.org/event/inn-town-hall-possibilities-in-nonprofit-news/“.

      Or you can come to the Conover Rm in All Souls UU Church this 
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2 PM.  A group of us will watch it together there 
and then discuss what, if anything, people want to to here about this.

      The Kansas City Star will reportedly be laying off up to 50 more 
employees, shrinking from 250 to 200 (down from 2,000 in 2007).  INN is 
a network of close to 200 nonprofit newsrooms and is ideally placed to 
help new ventures like this.

      However, if we can improve the media, it will be much easier to 
make progress on virtually all our other concerns.

      Spencer