[pjw] REPORT BACK: omissions of history: Friday rally #175 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Iraq Affinity Group supporters

Last night a total of 11 people, one dog and two cats were part of the 
Friday Rally for Peace and Justice, with 10 going on the march. One of the 
participants wandered upon us, picked up a sign and joined in, which is 
happening a lot lately. (Notably, though, most of these folks don't come 
back even when told it's a weekly event.)

We had a good smattering of honking horns of support (but fewer than you'd 
think with a sign that said "Honk if you love peace"), and that security 
guard at the restaurant gave us the thumbs up again.

I didn't mean to offend and sports fan last week with my remark about the 
World Cup, I was more pointing the critique at the media who have never 
given space for our marathon (21.5+ year) event.

OK, so, here are some of the news items we talked about:

--The movie "Oppenheimer" came out, and a progressive publication noted 
the movie didn't address the first victims of the nuclear era, those 
exposed due to the testing in the US. The weird thing? The word "Japan" 
doesn't appear in the article.

  https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2023/07/21/what-oppenheimer-leaves-out/

---This gave me a background to announce that the Hiroshima/Nagasaki 
memorial will be on Wednesday August 9 at 6 PM at the Japanese-American 
Historical Plaza. We had some of the signs (more next week that said "The 
US Has Nuked Two Countries, NEVER AGAIN."

  https://www.oregonpsr.org/h_n_memorial_2023

--I also reminded everyone that Thursday (the day before the rally) marked 
70 years since the armistice... not a peace treaty... halted the active 
shooting in the Korean War. It's time to end that war. Here again our 2003 
fact sheet which is only missing updated names and info on N. Korea's 
nuclear weapons (oh, and the pages are still backward):

  https://pjw.info/korea_facts072503.pdf

--The great bastion of democracy the US is giving billions in 
military aid, Ukraine has extended martial law again and delayed their
elections which had been set for October.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-extends-martial-law-ruling-out-october-parliament-vote-2023-07-27/

---Also, Ukraine took responsibility for drone attacks on Moscow, and 
promised there are more coming. Maybe the US isn't saying anything since 
the restriction is on using American weapons in Russia and these aren't 
American drones?

  https://www.kyivpost.com/post/19781

--A military coup in Niger has caused the 1100 US troops there to hunker 
down, not knowing whether they are still welcome to work on 
"anti-terrorism" operations. Maybe stop stationing troops in other 
people's lands?

  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/army-niger-backs-coup-us-forces-country-assess-situation-rcna96610

--As a certain cartoon dog would say, "Ruh roh!" It's almost exactly 34 
years since Kuwait slant-drilling under Iraqi soil for oil led to the 
"Gulf War," now Kuwait wants to drill in a disputed oil field which is 
claimed by Iran.

  https://new.thecradle.co/articles/kuwait-to-drill-in-disputed-gas-field-without-iranian-consent


---The US has sent marines and yet another warship to Gulf due to Iran 
allegedly intercepting commercial ships.

  https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/20/marines-warships-iran-tension-00107494

--In a sixth incident in a month involving Russia, US drones were hit by 
flares. But the kicker is that these incidents are happening in Syrian 
airspace, so... why again is the US flying drones in Syria when nobody 
invited them there?

  https://news.yahoo.com/russian-fighter-jet-strikes-another-201642245.html

--Sending a "message to China," the US has tested a new missile deployment 
system that allows cargo planes to drop cruise missiles using parachutes.

  https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-rapid-dragon-mobility-guardian-2023/

--In northern Iraq, Turkey has conducted another drone strike, which 
killed four people. And...... nobody's doing anything to stop them. After 
all if that's wrong then the US would have to stop using drones in Syria, 
Somalia and Yemen, plus if they want to resume use in Iraq, Pakistan and 
Libya.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/four-killed-turkish-drone-strike-against-pkk-members-iraq-2023-07-28/

In local news, a young Black man living with mental illness named PoniaX 
Calles was shot and killed in Gresham last Saturday after he allegedly 
killed a security guard at Good Sam hospital, about 17 miles away. Gresham 
Police, Multnomah Sheriffs Deputies and Portland Police all confronted him. 
Guess which was the only agency to use deadly force? The one that has been 
trained for 11+ years to de-escalate situations involving mental health 
crisis: only the three Portland cops killed Calles.


  https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2023/07/gunman-in-hospital-shooting-who-was-later-killed-by-police-identified-as-33-year-old-portland-man.html

Along the march route, I noted that the US has explicitly said it won't 
cut funds to Israel after they pushed through judicial reform that weakens 
their "democracy" (where Palestinians are second class citizens at best).

  https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkc008op53

--The vote in the Knesset (parliament) was 64-0, with 56 opposition 
members walking out.

  https://www.timesofisrael.com/coalition-passes-1st-judicial-overhaul-law-limiting-review-of-government-decisions/

And in the "money for human needs" talk near the end of the route, it's 
become a long saga about the $886 billion "defense" bill, where the 
Senate's fight was to take out social issue restrictions, not to cut 
funding.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/us/majority-us-senate-backs-sweeping-defense-policy-bill-voting-continues-2023-07-28/

The vote was 86-11. Two of those eleven are BOTH our senators from Oregon, 
Wyden and Merkley. Hey other states wake up!! (In revisiting the roll call 
I see the others included both Massachusetts senators, Warren and Markey, 
both Vermont Senators Sanders and Welch, Corey Booker, and four 
Republicans Braun, Lee, Paul and Vance).

  https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00212.htm
The Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign froze up on the "US Out" message 
in front of the Gucci store on 4th, and went out by the first junction 
box on Yamhill again. I saw two Trimet workers as I was leaving the 
rally but they JAYWALKED IN FRONT OF ME so I couldn't catch up to see 
if they could explain.

Two more households closely linked to our work at PJW also were struck 
with COVID, so that's three in just over two weeks. Be careful, come join 
us if you can, and thanks to those who show up and those who show up in 
spirit!

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