[pjw] REPORT BACK: window symbolism: Friday rally #191 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello "we who believe in freedom"*

Before I get to the report back, I just wanted to let you all know I 
impulsively wrote back to an email we got from Senator Jeff Merkley about 
Veterans Day, thusly:


  Senator Merkley
  I'm sure you're aware that this holiday is called "Armistice Day" in most
  of the rest of the world and marks the end of World War I, the "war to
  end all wars." In that spirit, please call for a full cease-fire in
  Israel/Palestine and not just "humanitarian pauses." People have lived
  for a month in Gaza with insufficient water, food and medical supplies,
  which constitutes collective punishment and thus, a war crime.
  dan handelman
  peace and justice works

One other bit of housekeeping: last week I said it was the 22nd 
anniversary of the rally that started in "November, 2021" and two 
people noted I meant "2001." Always appreciate feedback!!!

OK, now on to last night's Friday Rally for Peace and Justice, which was 
attended by 7 people (and an eighth person who wandered by, asked for a 
sign, wanted to know how to get info on Palestine solidarity rallies, and 
then had to leave to get on a MAX train about 10 minutes later). It felt 
kind of subdued, maybe because dark evenings fell on us quickly due to 
last weekend's time shift, but we still had plenty of people honking horns 
and giving other indications of support. I THINK there were some 
distractors but they don't enunciate very well and say their piece while 
driving away, not a very effective means of communication.

I think I've mentioned before that along the route there are two parking 
garages which create echoes so we yell into them (usually "no war!"). The 
one at the Royal Sonesta Hotel is right next to the dining room. For the 
first time in 3.5 years of shouting into that garage, we prompted some 
diners to get up and give us thumbs-ups at the window. Quite exhilarating.

So what did we talk about... probably you can guess the main topic is the 
same as it's been for over a month now.

--On Thursday, Israel began giving Gazans three hours of notice that there 
will be four hour "pauses" in their relentless bombing campaigns. Hardly 
enough time to pack up your whole life and flee to... where, exactly?

  https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-begin-four-hour-pauses-northern-gaza-white-house-2023-11-09/

---A US Deputy Secretary of State admitted that because there's too much 
chaos to get accurate counts, the death toll in Gaza is likely higher than 
the 10,000+ that has been reported.

  https://thehill.com/policy/international/4301551-gaza-deaths-likely-higher-than-cited-us-official/

---US diplomats abroad are warning President Biden that the US stance 
supporting Israel right or wrong is losing support for America in the 
Middle East (and probably elsewhere).

  https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/09/politics/biden-diplomats-warn-middle-east-fury/index.html

---Over 750 journalists wrote a letter condemning the media coverage 
which, by dehumanizing Gaza, makes it easier to kill Palestinian civilians 
and more broadly, journalists trying to cover the war.

  https://www.protect-journalists.com/

---There have now been a total of 46 attacks on US troops in Syria and 
Iraq since October 17. Say it with me, "WHY ARE THERE US TROOPS IN SYRIA 
AND IRAQ?"

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/11/09/four-more-attacks-on-us-bases-in-iraq-and-syria-after-us-airstrikes/

---- ... and the US admits its bombing in response doesn't help stop those 
attacks from happening.

  https://www.voanews.com/a/iran-backed-militias-respond-to-us-strike-with-more-attacks-/7348976.html

---- ... and due to the attacks on US bases, Secretary of State Blinken 
made a surprise visit to Iraq this week.

  https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/05/politics/blinken-makes-unannounced-visit-to-iraq/index.html

---Protests against the war included at least 300,000 people marching in 
Washington, DC last weekend.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/timelapse-shows-estimated-300000-protesters-marching-in-dc-demanding-ceasefire-in-gaza/vi-AA1jxUkk#details

---- ...and others in New York shutting down the statue of liberty.

  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/06/statue-of-liberty-protest-gaza-ceasefire

---Despite warnings against _other countries_ not to expand the war, 
Israeli drone strikes killed four civilians in Lebanon this week.

  https://www.newarab.com/news/fury-funeral-lebanese-civilians-killed-israel

---Similarly, though Israel's been bombing Syria for many years 
unabated, the Syrian airport has now been shut for a month due to Israeli 
bombings

  https://archive.vn/Y89Ye
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/security-aviation/2023-11-09/ty-article/.premium/damascus-intl-airport-shut-for-a-month-following-reported-israeli-strikes/0000018b-b3e9-df42-a78f-bfebf9590000

--In other news, Russia withdrew from a 1990 treaty on the deployment of 
armed forces that went into effect after the end of the Cold War. Good job 
NATO and USA, we're now in a new one.

  https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article281530258.html

--Sixteen bipartisan congresspeople, including (I kid you not) Marjorie 
Taylor Greene and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez signed a letter calling for the 
release of Julian Assange.

  https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/trumpist-republicans-left-wing-democrats-unite-to-lobby-to-free-assange-20231109-p5eipg.html

The letter itself doesn't seem to have signatures on it in the above 
article, but the full list is here, and no, nobody from Oregon:

  https://news.yahoo.com/ocasio-cortez-greene-among-lawmakers-181224919.html

In local news, as I noted in the action alert yesterday, City Council will 
be voting Wednesday on a seriously weakened version of the oversight board 
that was recommended by the Police Accountability Commission. My latest 
rant is that the changes made by the City Attorney are _political_ edits, 
not legal ones. Let the Council know what you think! Here is the link to 
the Council Agenda which has links for written testimony or signing up to 
speak at 2 PM Wednesday (in person or virtually):

  https://portland.gov/council/agenda

Here I will note that the Council's evisceration of the plan, which grew 
out of the Black Lives Matter movement, coincided with the last George 
Floyd murals coming down from the side of the Pioneer Place Mall. Sadly 
symbolic, it shows the City no longer thinks that Black Lives Matter.

Along the march route I added another tidbit about the Israeli war: They 
have killed over 140 people in the West Bank now since October 7, meaning 
their brutal military tactics are being perpetuated on both sides of 
Israel. In occupied territories. With the support of your tax dollars.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/3/israel-kills-at-least-seven-palestinians-in-occupied-west-bank

As we got close to the end of the march, I relayed that while Congress is 
still tied up trying to pass their $880 Billion war budget, the Army is 
asking for an extra $3.1 Billion for artillery. Probably because they gave 
all theirs away to Ukraine. No worries about people living in the streets, 
with no health care and an environment on fire.

  https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/11/08/us-army-eyes-31-billion-ammo-production-boost-in-new-spending-ask/


The Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign froze up (on the "US Out" 
message) by the Gucci store and turned off around the corner across 
from the Apple Store. At that time we were right next to the 
re-opened windows at the Louis Vuitton so I noted the missing 
plywood to the marchers.

Please feel free to join us any Friday if you feel up to it. Still keep in 
mind COVID safety but getting information out is a good way to lift your 
spirits!

Final note this week: The Saturday peace gatherings by Alliance For 
Democracy that I let folks know about back in September are going to 
start at 3 PM now because of the time shift... so, 3:00-4:30 Saturdays on 
the east end of the Burnside Bridge at MLK.

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

* - Mary Rose sang "Ella's Song" at the end of the memorial for Yvonne 
Simmons last month so it's rattling around in my head.