[pjw] REPORT BACK: honoring a "dangerous man": Friday rally #169 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello peaceful people

The first announcement at this week's rally was about the death of Daniel 
Ellsberg, who I said should have his picture in the dictionary when you 
look up the term "whistleblower." Kissinger called him the "most dangerous 
man in America." In their obituary national news said he was either a hero 
or a traitor-- yeah, I guess when you expose that the government is lying, 
you somehow are being a traitor??? Rest in power Daniel Ellsberg.

  https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/16/daniel-ellsberg-vietnam-pentagon-papers-obit-033499

A total of 12 people attended the event, though one didn't stay long and 
others joined a little late, it was still a good showing for the Friday 
Rally for Peace and Justice. We had a lot of positive feedback, including 
one person who asked if he could hold a sign and ended up joining the 
whole march. One woman asked me about my sign which says "Iraq US out." 
"What does that mean?" I actually enjoy getting the chance to say the US 
still has 2500 troops and the world's largest embassy in Iraq.

Here are the other headlines we talked about:

--Claiming they need to confront Russian "aggression" in the air, the US 
has flown F-22 jets to Syria. A country where the Russians were invited in 
but the US barged in like an 800-lb gorilla. (Apologies to gorillas for 
this stereotype.)

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-deploys-fighter-jets-to-middle-east-after-unsafe-and-unprofessional-behavior-by-russian-planes/ar-AA1cyz1D

---Also uninvited, Israel bombed Syria again this week, killing one 
soldier. And... still haven't heard about anybody taking action against 
these attacks.

  https://sana.sy/en/?p=310931

--Joining the UK in turning the conflict into a radioactive one, the US is 
planning to sent Depleted Uranium weapons to Ukraine. I guess they agree 
with the Brits that slow-motion Hiroshimas are not dangerous to health or 
the environment.

  https://archive.is/xbQaL
  https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-set-to-approve-depleted-uranium-tank-rounds-for-ukraine-f6d98dcf

--President Biden and some European nations are floating the idea of 
adding as many as six new permanent seats to the Security Council-- 
without veto power. Along with the five current permanent members who 
won WWII they want Germany and Japan to join. Why not, the US lost its 
imperial wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Viet Nam. Other nations being 
considered include India and Brazil and an unnamed African country.

  https://archive.is/2QmdB
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/12/biden-un-security-council-reform/

--Despite multiple media sources confirming it, including one that 
interviewed people in the Israel government, the US is denying they're in 
secret talks with Iran about exchanging lowering nuclear refinement in 
exchange for sanctions relief. The Israelis oppose the idea but "could 
live with it."

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-wants-iran-de-escalate-tensions-free-detained-americans

--The Army has names combat vehicle for a soldier who died in Iraq in the 
2003 invasion, which just... well, why do we keep building weapons much 
less naming them anyway.

  https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/06/10/us-armys-new-combat-vehicle-named-for-soldiers-killed-in-iraq-wwii/

In local news, Portland's Settlement Agreement with the US Department of 
Justice, which has been in place since (checks watch) 2012, requires a 
Compliance Officer to ensure the Police Bureau is taking agreed-upon steps 
to use less force, especially against people in mental health crisis. 
(Notably, the percentage of those who've been shot by the PPB who are in 
crisis has gone UP since the DOJ came to town.) ANYWAY, the original 
Compliance Officer is retiring July 1 and two people bid to replace him. 
His assistant, who bid a $797,000 contract, and a person who once headed 
Portland's oversight system, who bid $440,000. The assistant won the 
contract but is only being given $493,000 to do the job. Go figure.

  https://www.portland.gov/council/documents/report/accept-report-recommending-replacement-cocl-appointment-and-authorizing

Along the way I told two stories about Israel:

1--the House voted 413-13 to expand the so-called "Abraham Accords" to 
include Saudi Arabia, The no votes were 11 democrats and two 
Republicans. All Oregon reps voted yes.

  https://mondoweiss.net/2023/06/vast-majority-of-house-dems-vote-to-advance-trumps-abraham-accords/
  https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/118-2023/h251

2--Several former Israeli police chiefs called to oust National Security 
Minister Itama Ben-Gvir because of his use of the police for political 
purposes, including improper punitive measures against Palestinians.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-ex-police-chiefs-call-removal-ben-gvir-minister

As we got back toward the start point, I noted there are some fissures 
appearing in Congress as spending in Ukraine averages $2 billion a month. 
However there seems to be a consensus that it's ok to spend that money on 
war if Ukraine succeeds. Wouldn't want to spend it on, I don't know, 
giving people homes, health care and jobs or fixing the environment?

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/a-marathon-how-long-will-us-support-a-brutal-war-in-ukraine-much-rests-on-counterstrike/ar-AA1cD009
The parking garage door I wrote about last week was down again but a few 
of us yelled through the small 6-inch by 3-inch portals. Good echo.

This week the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign kept going from 4th 
to Yamhill again. Weirdly, it froze on the first part of the message 
about the Norman Solomon livestream so it just said "Tues 6/27." I 
figure we could tell people to save the date and say why later.

Which reminds me, here's the link to that event once again-- thanks to the 
sharp-eyed supporter who noticed that yesterday's announcement said it was 
on June 27, 2022 (!!!). It's fixed now. (The poster said 2023 all along.)

  https://pjw.info/solomon_livestream062723.html

It was great to have a sizeable crowd including at least one person who 
hasn't been down to the Friday rally for years... probably since before 
the pandemic began. We're masking up and distancing for safety but aren't 
strict enforcers in any way. Join us if you can!

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