BACP-BLUE Meeting Minutes, December 2, 2024

Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace and Brainerd Lakes United Environmentalists (BACP-BLUE) held our monthly meeting on Monday, December 2, 2024.   The BACP-BLUE meeting was held online on the Zoom website.  Dean Borgeson, Trish Miller, Richard Schiller, Mary and Chuck Benson, and Doug Olson joined the BACP-BLUE meeting.

The BACP-BLUE meeting:

1.  Discussed and voted in favor of the resolution for BACP-BLUE to join the Central Minnesota United Front Brainerd Lakes Area Democratic Socialists of America (BLA DSA) is forming to defend civil liberties and democracy.   BACP-BLUE is the second organization to join the proposed Central Minnesota United Front, after BLA DSA.   At least one more organization needs to join the Central Minnesota United Front for the group to become active.   BLA DSA co-chair Julius Kapushinski plans to invite several progressive Central Minnesota organizations to join the proposed Central Minnesota United Front.

2.  Reviewed the peace vigil held in Little Falls on Saturday, November 9.   Fellow BACP-BLUE members Larry Fisk, Gayle Nielsen, and Robin Hensel organized the vigil.
The vigil demanded an immediate end to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.   The vigil went well.   The majority of the response the vigil received from passing motorists was positive.   BACP-BLUE plans to hold more peace vigils in Little Falls next year.

3.  Discussed plans for the peace vigil being held on Saturday, December 7.  The vigil demanded an immediate end to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.   The vigil went well.   The vigil received a mostly positive response from passing motorists.   Five people joined the peace vigil.   The next BACP-BLUE peace vigil will be held on Saturday, January 4.   The vigil will be held at the intersection of Highways 210 and 371, Baxter, near Kohl's.   The vigil is scheduled to last from 1 to 2 p.m.

4.  Discussed the Minnesota Anti-War Committee's statewide divestment campaign call held on Sunday, November 17.   Peace activists from the Twin Cities, Brainerd, Mankato, and Northfield joined the call.   The call discussed plans for the Minnesota Anti-War Committee's Divest Minnesota Week of Action (Sunday, December 1-Sunday, December 8) and the Free Palestine Coalition attending the State Board of Investment meeting on Tuesday, December 10 to urge the Board to withdraw state funds from Israel and companies benefiting from the oppression of the Palestinians.   More information about the divestment campaign can be found at https://divestmn.com/      Unfortunately, the State Board of Investment ignored the Free Palestine Coalition's call for divestment from Israel and companies harming the Palestinians at their meeting.   The Free Palestine Coalition is not deterred and will attend the next State Board of Investment meeting in March 2025.

5.  Discussed BLA DSA's Leftist Holiday Potluck Social scheduled for Saturday, December 14 and accepted BLA DSA's invitation to BACP-BLUE to be a co-host.  
The Brainerd Area Labor Council, Minnesota Democratic Socialist Caucus, and Northwoods Socialist Collective also co-hosted the social.   The Leftist Holiday Potluck Social went well.   Despite less than desirable road conditions and weather, 20 people, including many BACP-BLUE members, joined the social held in the Brainerd public library's large conference room.   There were great conversations and good food at the social.   Julius plans to make the Leftist Holiday Potluck Social an annual event.          

6.  Discussed fellow BACP-BLUE member Trish Miller's idea for BACP-BLUE to host more film presentations at the Brainerd public library next year.   Among the films BACP-BLUE could show are Bad River: A Story of Defiance about the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's resistance to Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline, Americans With No Address about homelessness in the United States, No Other Land about the Palestinian struggle to survive under Israel's apartheid regime, and classic anti-war films such as All Quiet on the Western Front, Beach Red, and Born on the Fourth of July.

7.  Discussed fellow BACP-BLUE member Barb Cromwell securing a table for Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) at the Happy Dancing Turtle's Back to Basics event.  Back to Basics will be held on Saturday, February 15 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pine River-Backus High School.   Pine River-Backus High School is located at 810 First Street North, Pine River.   For more information about Back to Basics, please visit https://www.happydancingturtle.org/back-to-basics    If you are interested in volunteering at the CCL table at Back to Basics, please contact Barb at cromwell.eb@protonmail.com

8.  Discussed possible charitable donations BACP-BLUE could make.   BACP-BLUE meeting attendees agreed to donate $50 each to the Brainerd United Church of Christ, the Women's Center of Mid-Minnesota, and the Giiwedinong Treaty Rights and Culture Museum in Park Rapids.   The Giiwedinong Treaty Rights and Culture Museum, located in the former Park Rapids public library, has exhibits on Indigenous history, culture, art, environmental issues, and treaty rights.

9.  Decided BACP-BLUE will hold a meeting in January.   Meeting participants agreed a meeting in January was a good idea so BACP-BLUE members could discuss the Back to Basics event more, review the January 4 peace vigil, and share our thoughts about the incoming Trump Administration's domestic and foreign policies.   
The BACP-BLUE meeting will be held on Monday, January 6, 2025, at 7 p.m. on the Zoom website.


BACP-BLUE Meeting Minutes Submitted by Doug Olson