Minutes for the September 2024 meeting

 AIUSA Group 342 meeting

18 September 2024 (hybrid)
In attendance (in person): Barbara, Bob, Marsha, Alex

In attendance (via Zoom): Frank, Struan, Shreya

GREETINGS AND CHECK-IN

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION (Bob)

• July 2: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a challenge to Illinois ban on assault weapons
• Assault weapons were used in both assassination attempts on Trump. Democrats have called for a ban on them; Republicans are silent. 
• A few months ago, two ghost gun makers sad they would stop selling in Philly. One has closed up shop completely.
• September 4 shooting in Georgia
• The shooter is 14 years old and will be tried as an adult.
• The father is also being charged. (This is a new tactic by prosecutors.)
• Kentucky highway shooting: assault weapon used
• The Trace website: investigates gun violence in the USA
• Recent report: through 8/11/24, 400 fewer people were shot in Philly over the same period in 2023 (a 39.2% decrease)

AIUSA REGIONAL CONFERENCES

• NYC—October 26
• Phoenix—October 19
• Georgia—September 28

AIUSA PRESS RELEASES

• Apache High School shooting
• AI reaction to US release of $320 million in conditioned military aid to Egypt
• Egypt is supposed to meet certain human rights standards but hasn't.
• The State Department overrode Congress to give the full amount to Egypt anyway, in spite of human rights abuses.

BANNED BOOKS WEEK 

• Barbara met with Shreya last week, will visit her high school group soon
• Presentations:
• Kamile Wayite (Marsha)
• Nidal al-Waheidi and Haithem Abdelwahed (Barbara)
• Alberto Amaro Jordan (Bob)
• Unite Against Book Bans (Barbara)
• The BK-16 (Barbara, briefly; Shreya, more fully later)
• mnesty International calls for a ceasefire and suspicion of weapons shipments [petition to Biden]
• Salman Rushdie's new book, Knife (about the August 2022 attack on him at Chatauqua)

ACTIONS

• Petition to US senators to support S. 761: Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2023

Next Meeting: Wednesday, 20 November, 7:30 pm (hybrid)