[pjw] REPORT BACK: No fooling around: Friday rally #106 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello again peace loving people

Last night we again had nine people at the Friday Rally for Peace and 
Justice, all of whom went on the march this time. We stayed masked up and 
distanced, still awaiting more signals from the trainsit rules (maybe 
expiring April 18) and PJW's policy. For the last two weeks, we've been 
missing one of our regulars due to health issues (no, not COVID) and wish 
them a speedy recovery and a quick return to the events. We had a lot of 
supportive passers-by in vehicles and on foot, it felt particularly 
enthusiastic yesterday especially when a patron at an on-street restaurant 
table gave us a round of applause.

This was the thirteenth week where the worst weather so far has been a 
little drizzle.

As far as I know, nobody played any pranks on us although it was April 
Fools' Day.

Here is some of what we talked about:

--President Biden firmly stated that Russian President Putin can't stay in 
power, then his aides scrambled to walk it back so as not to imply regime 
change was a goal.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-denounces-putin-as-he-ends-europe-trip/ar-AAVzLHE

---A US general wants more troops in Europe _after_ the war in Ukraine ends

  https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/03/29/top-general-believes-us-will-still-need-more-troops-europe-after-ukraine-war.html

--The US canceled its talks to help stabilize the Afghan economy, as the 
UN Security Council voted to call for that country to allow girls to 
attend high school. I'm not sure linking the catastrophic need for 
humanitarian aid to that worthy goal is the way to go.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/un-security-council-asks-taliban-allow-afghan-girls-attend-school-2022-03-28/

--With the Iran nuclear deal almost ready to be signed, the US has assured 
Israel a completed deal will not "tie their hands" if they want to take 
military action against Iran. Nice. (Sarcasm)

  https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-envoy-says-israels-hands-not-tied-on-iran-even-if-nuke-deal-signed/

--In Iraq, where the US created, you know, a stable country by destroying 
it in 2003, they have failed their third effort to elect a President, 
raising the question whether anti-US cleric Moqtada al Sadr can find a way 
to form a government.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/what-next-for-iraq-amid-deep-political-schism/ar-AAVHntF

--So as the war in Yemen enters its eighth year, which is horrifying but 
also much shorter than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for instance...

  https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/we-are-lost-yemenis-face-eighth-year-struggle-war-grinds-2022-03-25/

...the parties have agreed to a two month cease fire.

  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/01/yemens-warring-sides-accept-two-month-truce-starting-in-ramadan

In local news, first of all the *second* citizen committee meant to ensure 
the City is complying with its obligations under the US Dept of Justice 
Settlement Agreement is being put on a 60 day hiatus, exactly what 
happened to the *first* group before they got disbanded five months 
afterward:

  https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2022/03/31/39809059/portlands-court-ordered-police-oversight-board-hits-a-familiar-wall

...and the City Council is poised to give $58,500 to a man who was walking 
with a cane and trying to take pictures of a protest in 2018 when a cop 
hit him in the head with a baton, causing a brain injury.

  https://www.portland.gov/council/documents/ordinance/settlement-leo-and-debra-hall-bodily-injury-lawsuit-58500

Backstory:
  https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2020/02/09/disabled-photographer-sues-portland-police-officer-for-allegedly-assaulting-him-with-a-metal-baton-at-2018-protest/

Along the march route, I noted that Israel, in a way under cover of the 
world's attention being focused Ukraine, is preparing for escalation with 
West Bank and Gaza after Palestinian attacks on Israelis described as 
"terrorism":

  https://archive.ph/g1YVg

(This link is to "Archive" because the original article is behind a 
paywall.)

And as we were getting ready to wrap up, I relayed the horrible news that 
Biden has asked for $813 billion for the military budget for 2022-23, $40 
billion more than this year's and what this article says is a "peacetime" 
record. (We can debate what "peacetime" means I guess.)

  https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-wants-813-billion-defense-ukraine-crisis-raises-alarm-2022-03-28/

I got the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign a few more feet than usual by 
hugging the outer curb, but the Gucci store's negative vibes made it turn 
off again anyway.

At the end of the march I said "no fooling, we are hosting a livestream 
event with Ann Wright on June 20th"-- about which we will post formal 
information soon, just wanted to give everyone a heads up.

Just as I was leaving a woman with a slavic accent came up and said she is 
hoping to do a rally at the Square with school children to sing "Give 
Peace a Chance" and "Imagine." That'll be nice.

We continue to be out every Friday at 5 PM at SW Yamhill and Broadway, 
feel free to join us there if you are up for it.

Thanks
--dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group