[pjw] REPORT BACK: to a world without war: Friday rally #166 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Iraq affinity Group supporters

Last night at the Friday Rally for Peace and Justice, six of us gathered 
in the humid may evening to spread peaceful messages. Though foot and car 
traffic seemed slow (the three-day weekend?) we had a lot of supportive 
honks and waves from cars and several words of thanks from pedestrians.

One person, however, challenged our "No War on Russia" signs by saying if 
the US stopped its involvement, Russia would just take Ukraine. I thought 
of a comeback much too late, which is that the US is supplying arms to 
Israel to occupy Palestinian land, so to be consistent they need to switch 
sides on one of these two conflicts. A supportive man told us "don't just 
hold signs, go storm the Bastille!"

At the very end as we were heading out a man supported our message by 
saying how Vietnamese people never raided the west coast of the US (as 
suggested) and how millions of Vietnamese people died along with less than 
75,000 Americans.

Before talking about this week's headlines I announced the Norman Solomon 
livestream (at 7 PM on Tuesday June 27 as you know). I added a message on 
the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign promoting the event too.

  https://pjw.info/solomon_livestream062723.html

Before we marched, I talked about how PJW used to hold a Peace and Justice 
Fair on Memorial Day each year with the tagline that we should remember 
those who gave their lives in war by creating a world with no more war.

OK, headlines.

--Urkaine has admitted they are trying to kill Putin. I guess the US just 
shrugs off this violation of international law since they encouraged the 
deaths of Saddam Hussein, Mohamar Ghadaffi and so many others.

  https://www.thedailybeast.com/ukraine-intelligence-general-admits-plan-to-assassinate-vladimir-putin-and-yevgeny-prigozhin

---It was reported that a neo-Nazi militia used US vehicles to enter 
Russia, which I guess also isn't so surprising since at least one such 
militia was incorporated into Ukraine's military.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/05/23/neo-nazi-militia-used-us-armored-vehicles-in-attack-on-russias-belgorod-region/

--In joint drill by the US and South Korea, 2500 troops were mobilized 
using 610 weapons systems (!!).

  https://apnews.com/article/south-north-korea-us-firing-drills-9b0bb07c9392360412dba647c64a0009

--I thought there were only three US military sites in NE Syria, but this 
article says the new base that's about to be build will be the 
_twenty-fifth_ such location, despite no Congressional authorization or UN 
resolution allowing American soldiers to even be there.

  https://www.newarab.com/news/global-anti-coalition-building-new-base-northern-syria

--As the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan continues to worsen, the US 
has decided to suspend its aid program, claiming there's corruption by the 
Taliban.

  https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-183516

--The US is also going to build a new military base in Iraq (you know, the 
country we withdrew from in 2011 and 2021). Surprise: It'll be in an 
oil-rich area of Iraq.

  https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-eyes-new-military-base-in-iraqs-oil-rich-region:-sources

--To threaten Iran, the US military posted pictures of its giant 
bunker-buster bombs. They were taken down shortly after but the message 
was sent.

  https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-us-penetrator-bomb-c623a3e172298a244e47d5bf404fc55b

In local news, the City Council is planning to vote Wednesday on changes 
to City Code criminalizing houselessness including creating a new class 
called "involuntarily homeless" people who won't have as many consequences 
for camping on public property.

  https://www.portland.gov/council/documents/ordinance/house-bill-3115-updates

They're also poised to give $26,000 to a disabled veteran who was covering 
a protest in 2020 when police took her walker and threw it 10 feet away 
from her.

  https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2023/05/city-of-portland-to-pay-26000-to-settle-suit-by-disabled-veteran-who-said-officer-threw-her-walker-away-from-her-while-she-filmed-2020-protest.html

Along the march route I talked about the UN's coordinator on 
Israel/Palestine calling for an end to the occupation, as required by many 
UN resolutions, and the need to bring in humanitarian aid immediately 
due to suffering by Palestinians.

  https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136997

And as we headed back to the square, I noted how weapons manufacturers are 
price gouging because of the Ukraine war. Missiles that should cost 
$55,000 in 2023 money are selling $400,000 instead. (I calculated this 
based on the 1990's figure given in the article).

  https://www.newsweek.com/pentagon-defense-price-gouging-weapons-1801875

Now it's been three weeks (again) that the Ann Huntwork sign got from 4th 
Ave to Yamhill before shutting off. Wire you doing that? (a pun)

Oh, and some Trimet workers came to warn us that we might be on their 
property. I noted (a) we've been in this location for 22 years (ok, 21.5 
but still) and (b) part of the City Code I _just read that morning_ as 
part of the anti-houseless package describes exactly what parts of Pioneer 
Courthouse Square are Trimet property. It begins where the overhang is 
located about 20 feet from where we stand. They left us alone.

Willamette Week, in an article about home liquor delivery, wrote this: 
"President Joe Biden has told the nation that, notwithstanding the nearly 
1,000 people still dying every week from COVID, the pandemic is over."
On that note, we continue to mask up and stay distanced at the corner of 
SW Yamhill and Broadway when we meet each week at 5 PM. Hoping some of you 
can join us sometime!

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