[pjw] REPORT BACK: hypocrite-in-chief: Friday rally #183 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Early morning greetings Iraq Affinity Group supporters

I have a five hour event to attend today so I thought I'd share this 
report back now. Last night at the Friday Rally for Peace and Justice, 11 
people rallied and marched, including one person who wandered upon us and 
decided to join! Two people handed out over 30 flyers for next week's 
special event on Syria and Afghanistan.

https://pjw.info/afghanistan22yl.html

There was a lot of supportive honking and comments from pedestrians-- a 
big uptick over last week. The weather was much cooler, maybe that was 
part of it. Two young people walked by shouting "No war, yeah!!!"

The Square was full of polka music. I wondered why are people trying to 
take more time away from me-- it's September and they're already having 
Oktoberfest. As a result, we moved two blocks down Broadway before doing 
this weeks announcements. Here are the headlines.

--Thursday was International Peace Day. If it's not in your calendar, it 
should be! A report back says about 50 people went to the Portland event 
that night. Anyway, it marks the opening of the United Nations session 
each year which is how it came to be.

---So, our illustrious President Biden used his speech to condemn Russia 
for walking away from treaties (hmm, sounds familiar USA) and for invading 
another country and violating its sovereignty (ditto).

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/09/19/bidens-un-general-assembly-speech-aimed-at-russia-exposes-us-hypocrisy/

--While Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was in America for the UN, he 
stopped by to go shopping for more weapons on Capitol Hill, and walked 
away with a new batch of cluster bombs.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/09/21/biden-gives-ukraine-more-cluster-bombs-during-zelensky-visit/

--Meanwhile, Japan has agreed to host a US Space Force base. We all 
thought that was a joke when Trump proposed the new military branch. Why 
Japan? Could possibly have something to do with the US wanting war on 
China.

  https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3234977/us-continues-build-space-force-strength-new-base-japan

--Remember in March when our Iraq anniversary protest included the awful
F-35 warplanes? One disappeared this week after the pilot ejected over 
South Carolina. Some very funny memes arose including one saying "have 
you seen my $80 million airplane?" (It's actually $100-220 million).

  https://taskandpurpose.com/news/f-35-missing-memes/

--The prisoner swap with Iran was completed, with five Americans and five 
Iranians going home. The US released $6 billion of Iran's _own money_ which 
is now in Qatar and can help relieve the humanitarian crisis _caused by US 
sanctions in the first place._

  https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/09/18/711092/Iran-Central-Bank-Mohammad-Reza-Farzin-frozen-funds-Qatari-banks

--Iraq will summon Turkish officials to explain drone strikes on an 
airport in the Kurdish region which killed six people there.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iraq-summon-turkish-ambassador-over-deadly-kurdistan-airport-strike-2023-09-19/

--A lawsuit has been filed against the psychologists who drew up and 
ok'd the torture program at Guantanamo. Hope they prevail!

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/guantanamo-forever-prisoner-files-lawsuit-against-cia-torture-architects

--Australian Ministers of Parliament were in DC and met with 
Congresspeople about freeing Julian Assange. It really feels as if 
Australia is upping the pressure to end his political prisonership. By the 
way this report is from _Fox News_ of all things.

  https://www.foxnews.com/politics/australian-delegation-meets-us-officials-members-congress-demand-julian-assanges-freedom

In local news, the Police Accountability Commission's report was 
unanimously accepted by City Council 5-0 after a nearly four hour hearing. 
But their acceptance was begrudging as they questioned why no police are 
on the new oversight board (because that's what the City Charter says) or 
on staff. Quick point to Council members who never really suffered at the 
hands of police: If you feel you were harmed by an officer and you call to 
complain and find out you're talking to a police officer, that's about 
where you give up.

  https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2023/09/portland-mayor-ted-wheeler-questions-exclusion-of-police-from-proposed-police-oversight-board.html

Along the march route I noted that Israeli forces were sneaking around in 
a refugee camp and a 15 year old Palestinian alerted people to their 
presence. The troops killed him.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/21/palestinian-boy-discovers-undercover-israeli-forces-they-kill-him-dcip

And in the ongoing saga of money for human needs, not war and the looming 
government shutdown, Congress is getting ready to shield one kind of 
government worker from their pay being withheld: the military. No worries 
about people providing health care or other actually productive services.

  https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2023/09/22/congress-eyes-protecting-military-pay-ahead-of-government-shutdown/

About the little green wagon of peace: (a) sorry I spelled "stanchion" 
incorrectly last week, just one of those things. (b) I repaired he damage 
done when I hit the parking stanchion by fortifying the literature rack 
hanging hooks. It is now the "Six Million Dollar Wagon"-- better, faster 
and stronger.*

The Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign froze up (on the message "US Out") by 
the Gucci Store at 4th and Morrison and went out across from the 
"Capitalist Zoo" of the Apple Store. There were huge lines there so it was 
a real missed opportunity. I guess there is a new smartphone out or 
something as reported in... Rolling Stone???

  https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/apple-drops-hotly-anticipated-iphones-205852237.html

Also don't forget that our October 6 rally will focus on peace in Ukraine, 
so if you only visit the corner once in a while you might consider one of 
the two next weeks as a good time to get the word out. Still asking folks 
to mask up-- the President just authorized free COVID tests are coming 
back...

  https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/free-covid-tests-will-available-order-government-starting-week-rcna108078

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

*- that's an old TV reference for those who missed it