[pjw] REPORTS BACK: still not "family fun": Friday rally #168 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

IAG supporters

This email contains TWO reports back-- the first is about the Rose 
Festival Protest (from which I just returned); the second is the usual 
Friday Rally report.

Eleven people were at the waterfront between Couch and Davis Sts. to 
remind the hundreds of people lined up for tours and walking down the 
sidewalk that Portland should stop militarizing its annual festival. War 
Resisters League brought its two six-foot-plus wide signs (each supported 
by two people) and I had the little green wagon of peace with the Ann 
Huntwork Peace Memorial sign. The only message: "Warships... are not 
family fun."

Several dozen people either signaled or stated their support. Some even 
came by to shake hands and thank us up-close and personally. A lot of 
people just ignored us. A few people seemed to be upset, but they were 
really a "vocal minority." The most memorable was one who was shouting 
something about Korea. Two reporters asked for interviews (one was from 
Oregon State U, the other Fox 12, so maybe it'll be on the news tonight?).

I noticed that of the 11 people, four are Friday Rally regulars and three 
others are occasional attendees, so there were just four other folks there 
who I don't see that often.

I was able to hand out one flyer for Norman Solomon (same as Friday). 
Overall, fine weather and company, and a good, if small, counter to the 
giant killing machines docked in our city. Oh yeah and two helicopters 
kept flying over, including one from the Coast Guard.

And, as has been true I think since after 9/11, signs posted by the 
warship warned "No Trespassing: Force Authorized." Yikes.

OK, as for last night, seven of us at the Friday Rally for Peace and 
Justice, but only five went on the full march. We had about an average 
amount of support which is good considering it had turned out to be an 
overcast day where drizzle stopped shortly before our event. One person in 
traffic repeatedly honked but rolled down their window to let us know it 
was for us. "Good work" another. One guy started going on about how 
Afghans torture people and focused on a woman at the protest saying she 
wouldn't have a chance. He asked what the protest was all about, and 
I said "Our country does a lot to mess up the world and we want to make 
the world a better place." That stopped his rant for a second, but then he 
started insulting one of our participants with horrible homophobic slurs 
and then walked away.

Phew, that's a lot. So in addition to announcing today's event here's some 
of what we talked about:

--Some guy who used to be President was unprecedently indicted for taking 
classified documents and obstructing the investigation. I won't say his 
name because like Beetlejuice he may show up if I say it three times.

--Four Senators made moves seeking to repeal the 2001 Authorization for 
Use of Military Force-- all Republicans! A few months ago, a similar 
measure only received 9 votes. It's likely a political game where each 
side claims they want to end war while the others are in the White House.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/06/08/republican-senators-introduce-end-endless-wars-act-to-repeal-2001-aumf/

--Iran and the US may agree to some sanctions relief in return for slowing 
down enrichment of Uranium. It's not a return to the full nuclear deal 
that Beetlejuice signed but perhaps a step toward avoiding war.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-us-nuclear-near-interim-deal-enrichment-oil-exports

--The US is accusing Russia of unsafe flights over its military bases. But 
these are the American bases in Syria which have no reason to be there in 
the first place.

  https://thecradle.co/article-view/25782/us-claims-russia-stopped-adhering-to-deconfliction-protocols-in-syria

--Ukraine once again affirmed they won't talk ceasefire with Russia until 
they are no longer on Ukrainian soil. Since they've been in Crimea for 9 
years at this point, maybe they hope to drag the conflict on and get more 
international military and economic aid. Why talk peace?

  https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-rejects-calls-freeze-conflict-foreign-minister-says-2023-06-07/

--Normally at the UN, non-permanent members don't really compete for open 
seats on the Security Council. This time Slovenia beat out Belarus 
on a 153-38 vote. It's probably because Belarus is seen as too close to 
Russia.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/five-nations-elected-un-security-council-belarus-denied-2023-06-06/

--For the third time in a month, there was a US airstrike in Somalia. This 
one killed three people. Where's that peace dividend again?

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/06/04/us-launches-second-airstrike-in-somalia-within-a-week/

--Speaking of which, though they weren't airstrikes, the US military was 
part of 38 missions against ISIS in Iraq and Syria in May. That's funny, 
everyone keeps saying the US is not in Iraq any more. (And see above for 
"and why Syria?")

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/06/07/centcom-says-it-conducted-38-operations-against-isis-in-iraq-and-syria-in-may/

--In a seeming escalation of the unnecessary tensions, a Chinese warship 
intercepted US warship in the Taiwan strait. Now really though which ship 
is closer to its originating country in this scenario, headline-writer who 
called this China's "belligerence"?

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-s-belligerence-in-taiwan-strait-poses-new-challenge-to-us/ar-AA1cdBAE

--A UN body says the US and 7 other nations violated the detention rights 
of a Saudi national who was tortured in Guantanamo. It's not clear what 
will happen with this information but it's important it came out.

  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-12161883/UN-body-faults-US-states-Guantanamo-prisoner-torture.html

--A British high court denied Julian Assange's appeal on extradition to 
the US. There's apparently only one more level of appeal to attempt to 
protect the journalist who exposed so many dirty secrets about the US 
including about the war in Iraq.

  https://thedissenter.org/justice-extremely-delayed-and-denied-uk-high-court-rejects-assange-appeal/

In local news, City Council voted on their ordinance that criminalizes 
homelessness. It was 3-1 with Commissioner Rubio the only "no" vote. As 
noted last week she wanted the City to fulfill its pledge that there would 
be no enforcement unless there's really somewhere for people to go. No 
dice said Mayor Wheeler and Commissioners Ryan and Gonzalez. As he was 
absent, Commissioner Mapps' supportive statement for the other three guys 
was read into the record by Wheeler.

Along the march route, two interconnected and then a third story about 
Israel:

--The Israeli parliament's speaker wants to recognize Morocco's land grab 
of 1975. No reason, just coincidentally it would imply that Israel's 
occupation of Gaza and the West Bank are cool too.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-should-recognise-western-sahara-part-morocco-knesset-speaker

---at the same time, Israelis joined the US for the first time for a
military training in Morocco.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/in-first-idf-sends-troops-to-participate-in-major-us-led-drill-in-morocco/ar-AA1casWv?cvid=1ef21c127317465f960872285ea6cb41&ei=15

---Also, one international definition of antisemitism is being used to 
quell the anti-occupation movement. Being against the actions of the 
Israeli government is not about religion or race, it's about human rights.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ihra-definition-antisemitism-used-suppress-criticism-israel-and-free-speech-across-europe-says

Finally as we headed back to the square I noted that $16 billion worth of 
tanks, helicopters and a warship may cut due to the debt deal. Boo hoo. 
But as was pointed out, Congress can likely just declare an emergency and 
lay out some more cash for those weapons.

  https://www.aol.com/news/us-debt-ceiling-deal-strands-161746428.html

There are two parking garages along the march route where some of us yell 
"No War" and other slogans, generating an echo. I forgot to mention that 
last week one had its garage door down for the first time I can remember. 
But it has little holes cut in it, so we yelled through those.

The Ann Huntwork Sign stayed on from 4th Ave to just around the corner on 
Yamhill again, having frozen on just the two words "US Out." It popped 
back on as I headed back to the car, that time stuck on the words "Justice 
4." Then it went out again, but in the garage it ran normally. Weird! This 
is the first time I remember running four messages-- those two plus the 
warships message and a promo for the June 27 Norman Solomon livestream.

  https://pjw.info/solomon_livestream062723.html

Though it can be tiring physically, getting out on the streets to demand 
an end to war is a great way to end a "work week." So come on down to SW 
Yamhill and Broadway some week at 5 PM if you can. We're still asking 
people to mask up, but it's not mandatory, just a courtesy in case we're 
around vulnerable people or those who live with them.

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