[pjw] REPORT BACK: US hates peace: Friday rally #187 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

People who seek peace

We attracted a lot of people at last night's Friday Rally for Peace and 
Justice in the sense that numerous people stopped to talk, thanked us, 
honked in support, and in two cases, joined the march and rally! So a 
total of 10 of us were at the event. One person yelled at us that they 
like war. I wonder if they would do well thrust into the middle of one. 
Another repeated the Israeli government's talking point that this is like 
9-11, which of course leads to the logic that you are either with Israel 
or you are with the "terrorists." Nah, maybe you can want peace for 
everyone?

By the way a few Friday regulars were at the Thursday protest outside 
Wyden / Blumenauer's offices, which was reported on KGW:

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/nation-world/israel-hamas-conflict/portland-rally-israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-oregon-leaders/283-223483aa-85e3-4ef8-ac91-ea965223c499

Once again, almost all the stories we talked about the rally were about 
Israel and Palestine. Here's a rundown.

--I repeated the news from Thursday's email about the two aircraft carrier 
fleets and third US warship headed to the Mediterranean. Not a deterrent, 
really more an escalation and show of solidarity with a human rights 
violator.

--President Biden went on TV to ask Congress for $105 billion for warfare 
in Ukraine ($61 B), Israel ($14 B), Taiwan ($2 B?) and at the border ($14 
B).

  https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb

--A person named Josh Paul resigned from the State Department saying that 
the attack by Hamas was horrible, but the response will make things worse. 
A principled stand.

  https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/19/politics/state-department-official-resigns-israel-gaza/index.html

--Biden also said he backs Israel's plans for a ground invasion and 
immediately repeated their claims that the hospital strike the other 
day was due to an errant missile fired from Gaza.

  https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/us-gives-israel-private-backing-for-ground-invasion-of-gaza-nfvl7wc9k
  https://archive.ph/8JQ2D

This despite the fact that Israel has changed its story on that incident 
over and over, and has hit 51 healthcare sites hit since October 7.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/18/what-is-israels-narrative-on-the-gaza-hospital-explosion

--Also less reported on, at least 75 Palestinians have been killed in 
the West Bank in that same time.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/19/several-palestinians-killed-by-israeli-forces-in-the-occupied-west-bank

--The US shot down missiles coming out of Yemen, claiming they were aimed 
at Israel, but admitting they can't be sure. However they were sure to say 
that they thought that was the case and that Iran was to blame.

  https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/19/politics/us-navy-intercept-missiles-yemen/index.html

--Although a convoy of hundreds is waiting at the border of Gaza, the 
White House agreed to allow just twenty trucks in (for 2 million people 
starving and without water or medical supplies). So far over 4100 people 
in Gaza have been killed and just over 1400 Israelis. When will the blood 
lust be enough? (more on the 20 trucks below)

  https://www.npr.org/2023/10/20/1207370235/israel-rafah-border-crossing-gaza-humanitarian-aid

--Strong outrage in my email voice here: Brazil proposed a pause in the 
violence to allow for humanitarian aid, and the vote was 12 for, 2 
abstaining and one against. Unfortunately the one against was the USA 
which means their action vetoed the resolution. WHAT THE !@*!&(!!

  https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1142507

--I think I also mentioned this on Thursday, that the US is advising 
Americans to leave Lebanon because, well, they're going to provoke a wider 
war, really.

  https://www.thedailystar.net/news/world/news/us-allows-non-essential-embassy-staff-leave-lebanon-3446651

--While all this is going on the Israelis bombed the Syrian airport again, 
the second time in a few days, amidst the fighting in Gaza. So for those 
warning against a war on two fronts (Lebanon/Gaza) there's another for 
you.

  https://sana.sy/en/?p=318630

--Speaking of Syria, a drone attack on a US base there led to at least one 
injury.

  https://apnews.com/article/us-military-base-syria-drone-attacks-0909cb5b2717963dfd6c4e93522c5ae8

---And in a possibly related story (as these attacks may be provoked by 
the US support for Israel) a drone attack on a US base in Iraq led to 
several injuries.

  https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2023/10/18/us-military-intercepts-drone-attack-on-iraq-base/

--Some mildly good news: the US has lifted some sanctions on Venezuela as 
an agreement was made about how the next elections will be held. 
Unfortunately for the people of Venezuela, the sanctions lifted are only 
on the oil and gas industries, showing what the US really cares about.

  https://www.axios.com/2023/10/19/us-eases-venezuela-oil-sanctions-maduro-2024-election-deal

In local news, it's been reported that the two month pilot project of body 
cameras for the police has led to over 35,000 images and videos. It would 
be more interesting for a report on how many led to officers being held 
accountable for misconduct (what the cameras are supposedly for) and how 
many instead led to community members being prosecuted.

  https://www.kptv.com/2023/10/20/portland-police-wrap-pilot-phase-body-worn-cameras/

Along the march route, having given so much news about Israel and 
Palestine already, I talked about how the war has been coming home, with 
the horrible story about the Chicago area landlord who stabbed a 
Palestinian woman and her six year old son, killing the boy.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-6-year-old-palestinian-boy-fatally-stabbed-26-times-anti-muslim-landlord

As we headed back to the Square, I noted that Treasury Secretary Janet 
Yellen claims the US can afford to pay for two wars at once, referring to 
Ukraine and Israel. (a) that's not really the Treasury Secretary's job and 
(b) IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY!!! As PJW proved in our penny polls on tax day in 
the 1990s, if you ask people how they want their tax money spent, the 
lowest number of pennies will go into the military jar.

  https://news.sky.com/story/we-can-certainly-afford-two-wars-us-treasury-secretary-says-12985335

This week the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign froze again on the 
"Justice 4" message outside the Gucci store and went out right next to the 
second mystery box across from the Apple Store. So the same as last week 
despite no rain falling on us this time. Hmm.

I can't believe that it's been a week since I urged the President not to 
allow collective punishment on the people of Gaza by keeping humanitarian 
supplies away and the first "trickle" of 20 trucks only went through the 
border a few hours ago.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-gaza-live-updates/blinken-applauds-international-community-for-passage-of-aid-convoy-into-gaza-104194427?id=104049894

*Sigh.* Anyway, if you, like our two new guests this week, want to join us 
sometime, meet us downtown on a Friday at 5 PM at the SW corner of Pioneer 
Courthouse Square. We're still asking people to mask up for safety. Maybe 
see you there?

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