[pjw] REPORT BACK: Just four words: Friday rally #159 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Iraq Affinity Group supporters:

Last night our peaceful presence brought out a break in the 
on-again-off-again showers and we were able to gather for the Friday Rally 
for Peace and Justice under at least partially blue skies. There were 
eight at the rally and six who went on the march. There were a 
significantly large number of positive responses from people, mostly those 
in cars. It was hard to tell but some singled out the "free Palestine" 
sign as an area of agreement. One driver read every sign and cheered their 
content, asking what they get in return? So we got him a fact sheet. 
Overall, at least 45 fact sheets went out last night.

One semi-detractor said he generally agreed but thought WWII was a "good 
war." Well, we can talk about how the US and its allies' interactions with 
Nazi Germany helped foment that war in the first place, including such 
keen policies as turning away Jewish people fleeing persecution and 
having corporate ties even after the European war began (Ford, GE, IBM 
and others), but that will have to wait for another day.

What did we talk about at the rally?

I began by noting there was a big story that so saturated the media, these 
were the only four words worth saying:

Trump went to court.

(No, I'm not linking to any of the 24 hour news coverage, saying that name 
three times is like summoning Beetlejuice.)

--A drone strike in Iraq did not hit three US military personnel 
accompanying a Syrian Kurdish leader. But that collaboration and the 
US presence provoking such actions are a remnant of the US 
invasion.

  https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/04/drone-strike-targets-us-syrian-kurdish-ally-mazlum-kobane-turkey-suspected

--On the other hand, the US killed at least one person in a drone strike 
in Syria, which as we've established never invited the US to have a 
military presence within its borders.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/04/04/centcom-says-us-strike-killed-isis-leader-in-syria/

--After being the country pushing NATO for a timeline to get Ukraine to 
join, the US now opposes such a timeline. Likely because that lets the war 
continue endlessly, making big bucks for weapons manufacturers.

  https://www.ft.com/content/c37ed22d-e0e4-4b03-972e-c56af8a36d2e
  https://archive.is/dptCI

---However, Finland has now formally joined NATO, pushing the Alliance 
even more in Russia's face rather than de-escalating a conflict that could 
spiral out of control.

  https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/04/europe/finland-joins-nato-intl/index.html

--Taiwan's president met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, 
prompting more pushback from the Chinese government. It's almost as if the 
US enjoys perpetual conflict.

  https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3216119/us-house-speaker-meets-taiwanese-president-california?module=lead_hero_story&pgtype=homepage

--North Korea called US-South Korea military drills provocative toward a 
possible nuclear war, which is potentially real since they (and we) have 
nukes. I'm hoping it's just bluster, but again, CUT IT OUT USA!

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/6/brink-of-nuclear-war-north-korea-warning-on-military-drills

--Past articles about the US' renewed presence in the Philippines made it 
sound as if they were building their own new bases, which is not allowed 
by agreement. Instead they're now expanding to four more bases after 
having been granted access to five others, to, y'know, confront China.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/3/philippines-announces-locations-of-4-bases-to-be-used-by-us-army

--As Congress investigates the evactuation of Afghanistan, which you may 
remember was negotiated by President Trump (Beetlejuice), the 
administration agreed they should have evacuated earlier. I was looking 
for the phrase "20 years earlier" but I don't see that in the article.

  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/06/us/politics/evacuations-afghanistan-war-biden.html

--In slightly hopeful news, the US may offer a deal in which Iran can have 
sanctions lifted if they take certain actions around their nuclear 
program. This means the Iran "nuclear deal" isn't 100% dead, I think.

  https://www.axios.com/2023/04/03/iran-biden-proposal-freeze-nuclear-activity-deal

--In annoying news, administrators from Reporters without Borders were 
denied access to Julian Assange because the British government decided 
that since they represent reporters, they are reporters.

  https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/04/04/reporters-without-borders-barred-from-visiting-julian-assange/

In local news, a brother and sister and four children who were living at a 
motel got evicted with the help of the Portland Police. The law considered 
them tenants since they'd lived there over 6 months, but the cops didn't 
ask. In voting for the $15,000 settlement, the Mayor talked about how the 
police are in a tricky situation being asked by a property owner to 
trespass people, but "the law is the law." An important part of this 
story: The settlement would have been on the "consent agenda" if Portland 
Copwatch had not pulled it for discussion, and the Mayor would not have 
heard the City Attorney admit that no training or policy has occurred for 
the PPB despite this being flagged as an ongoing problem.

  https://www.portland.gov/council/documents/ordinance/passed/191227

As best as I could keep up with the escalations in Israel by 5 PM Friday, 
here's what I talked about along the march route:

Israeli soldiers beat mosque-goers at Al Aqsa mosque, one of the holiest 
sites in Islam during one of the holiest times of the year (Ramadan, 
coinciding this year with Passover and Easter). This led to rockets 
being fired from Lebanon and Gaza, and Israel bombing back in 
retaliation. Rockers in, rockets out.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-gaza-bomb-lebanon-rockets-fired

Then, Israeli police cracked down on Palestinians who were protesting 
within Israel's original internationally recognized borders.

  https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-police-assault-protesters-1948-palestinian-towns

For the third week in a row, the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign stayed 
on past the Gucci store but went out as we rounded the corner by the 
Apple Store.

Although the new masking policies have taken effect for Oregon's health 
care facilities, following the lead of several such facilities asking 
people to mask up, PJW is still asking that people wear masks at our 
indoor and outdoor events; we'll revisit the policy again next month when 
the national emergency ends pandemic support, and probably regularly again 
after that. If you feel up to it, come on down and see us some week!

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