National security versus civil liberties

Wednesday, Aug. 6, Dennis Archer, former mayor of Detroit and incoming president of the American Bar Association, discusses the issues surrounding national security needs since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and how our civil liberties are affected in "Ensuring Liberty in a Post-9/11 World." Reception 5:15 p.m., program 6 p.m., Commonwealth Club of California, 595 Market, second floor, S.F. $15, free for members. (415) 597-6719.

Cover-up exposé

Thursday, Aug. 7, East Bay peace groups Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace and Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil present Metal of Dishonor: Depleted Uranium Education Project as part of a free film series focusing on the deceptions and cover-ups in the war on terror. This film investigates the Pentagon's use of depleted uranium weapons. 6:30 p.m., Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge, main meeting room, Berk. Free. (510) 981-6100.

Food bank help

Thursday, Aug. 7, and Thursday, Aug. 14, join the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program to assemble, stock, label, and repackage boxes of food for distribution at the San Francisco Food Bank. No heavy lifting is required; the RSVP encourages those over 55 to help in its fight against hunger. 10 a.m.-noon, San Francisco Food Bank, 900 Pennsylvania, S.F. (415) 731-3335.

Support for a new El Salvador

Friday, Aug. 8, join the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador for the kickoff celebration for its national convention, with a night of music, poetry, and guest speaker Schafik Handal, possible Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front candidate for the March 2004 presidential election. The FMLN is a grassroots political party founded on the struggle for social justice. The weekend-long CISPES national convention brings together organizers from across the United States and Latin America to strategize for the upcoming election. 7-10 p.m., San Francisco Women's Building, 3543 18th St., S.F. $8-$50 donation, no one turned away for lack of funds. (415) 648-8222.

Vets for peace

Friday, Aug. 8, and Saturday, Aug. 9, the nonprofit Veterans for Peace 2003 National Convention presents "Defeating Militarism and the Politics of Fear," with guest speakers including Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Maxine Hong Kingston and columnist William Rivers Pitt and music by Country Joe McDonald. The conference, hosted by Chapter 69 – Veterans Speakers Alliance, offers workshops on topics ranging from preemptive military strikes to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the role of veterans as peacemakers. Fri/8, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat/9, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m., San Francisco Veterans Memorial Building, 401 Van Ness, S.F. $100 for both days. (925) 254-6983.

Activist theater

Friday, Aug. 8, through Sunday, Aug. 10, catch the national launch of Kathryn Blume's Accidental Activist. The performance by Blume, cocreator of the Lysistrata Project, and musician Eliza Ladd explores Blume's experience as an out-of-work actress looking to save the world and become famous. The event is part of the "Art Is Peace" series by Berkeley's Upon These Boards, with a portion of the proceeds going to the international social justice organization Oxfam. Fri/8 and Sat/9, 7:30 p.m.; Sun/10, 2 p.m., Aurora Theatre Company, 2081 Addison, Berk. $20 donation. (415) 621-1216 or (866) 372-6849, www.frantix.net.

Lion dance

Saturday, Aug. 9, Self-Help for the Elderly's 21st annual Lion Dance Fundraiser brings out 16 lion-dance teams and martial arts demonstrations. All proceeds benefit Self-Help for the Elderly, a multiservice nonprofit serving more than 25,000 seniors since 1966. 3:30 p.m., Union Square, Geary at Powell, S.F. Free. (415) 982-9171, ext. 174.

Peace lantern ceremony

Saturday, Aug. 9, remember the victims of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki 58 years ago today, with a lantern-making and -launching ceremony accompanied by traditional Japanese music. Make your own lantern at the ceremony and commemorate victims of all wars. 6:30-9 p.m., Aquatic Park, Addison at University, Berk. Free. (510) 594-4088.

U.S. troops out of Iraq

Saturday, Aug. 9, join Bay Area antiwar groups to say no to war and the U.S. occupation of Iraq at a march sponsored by Global Exchange and Not in Our Name. One hundred days after President Bush declared that major combat in Iraq was officially over, U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians continue to be killed daily. The cost of occupation has skyrocketed to $3.9 billion a month, while domestic education and social services budgets have been slashed. Protest against the lies of the Bush administration. Noon, meet at 24th St. and Mission, S.F. Free. (415) 575-5555 or (510) 444-6466.

Antinuclear rally

Sunday, Aug. 10, attend "Hands around Livermore Lab," an antinuclear protest at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Livermore and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, both managed by the University of California, have designed the entire U.S. nuclear arsenal. Join Tri-Valley CAREs and the Livermore Conversion Project for the rally and march around the nuclear weapons lab. Transportation is available from the Ashby BART station, courtesy of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship and the Buddha Bus; call (510) 524-7989 for bus reservations. Bus leaves Ashby BART station 12:15 p.m. and returns 5:30 p.m., rally 1:30 p.m., march 3 p.m., Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, William Payne Park, 5800 Patterson Pass Rd., Livermore. $10 for bus ride. (925) 443-7148 or (510) 663-8065.

'Back to School with Healthy Kids'

Tuesday, Aug. 12, Oakland assemblymember Wilma Chan hosts "Back to School with Healthy Kids" at select East Bay farmers markets and community events throughout August. Today the "Chan van," Chan's mobile district office, passes out information on children's health, from nutrition to affordable insurance, as well as other local legislative issues, at the Alameda Farmers' Market. Free Frisbees and tote bags are available. 9:30-11:30 a.m., Alameda Farmers' Market, Taylor at Webster, Alameda. Free. (510) 286-1670.

Small-claims court help

Tuesday, Aug. 12, the New College of California School of Law presents the workshop "How to Present a Case in Small Claims Court." Lawyers can be extremely expensive and, when it's a small-claims situation, possibly not worth it, so this is an opportunity to learn how to forgo attorney fees. Low-income clients are encouraged to attend. 6 p.m., New College of California School of Law, 50 Fell, second floor, S.F. Free. (415) 241-1300.

San Franciscans for Kucinich

Thursday, Aug. 14, attend the monthly planning and networking meeting for volunteers campaigning for Dennis Kucinich, the Democratic presidential candidate (with Green support) for 2004. Meet other Kucinich supporters and learn about the campaign and the Democratic Party platform. New volunteers welcome. 6:30-9 p.m., New College of California, 766 Valencia, S.F. Free. (415) 305-5128.