[pjw] REPORT BACK: 43% of tax for war: Friday rally #213 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello peaceful people

Last night at the Friday rally for Peace and Justice we had nine people, 
seven of whom went on the march. One attendee was a Viet Nam veteran we 
hadn't seen in a looooong time (not the same Veteran as last week). He had 
a sign that said "Viet Nam Veterans Support Gaza" which prompted some very 
angry person to ask him whether he supported fragging (when soldiers 
killed their superior officers). On the flip side we did have support from 
people including one Trimet MAX train conductor, horns honking along the 
march route and at the corner.

The weather was cooperative and we were able to hand out nearly all of the 
40 fact sheets we had this week-- which were the War Resisters League 
"Where Your Tax Money Really Goes" flyers for 2024.

  https://www.warresisters.org/topics/war-taxes

As I noted in the announcements, this fact sheet says that 43% of 
American's tax money goes to the military. Which is lower than past years 
when it was over 50% but still is way larger than the Government claim 
that the amount is 15%-- because they use non-discretionary funds like 
Social Security in their figures. (What? Our government isn't being fully 
forthright? Shocking!)

Other than that pre-tax-day reminder, here are other things we talked 
about:

--This week President Biden first said Israel should start a ceasefire, 
but then backtracked and put it on Hamas.

  https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/biden-its-up-to-hamas-to-agree-to-ceasefire-deal-that-would-free-hostages/

---A US General went to Israel to discuss the possibility of Iran striking 
Israeli territory in retaliation for the IDF's strike on the Iranian 
consulate in Syria last week. Here are some issues though:
(a) they're preparing to strike BACK at Iran for striking BACK at Israel 
for an unprovoked attack. Ridiculous endless war logic.
(b) all the parties should be able to go to the UN-- Iran to complain 
about the bombing and the US should bring Israel in and say "the Israelis 
apologize and we're sure this won't happen again." Unlikely!
(c) Iran actually stated that no Israeli _embassy_ is safe so the US hype 
that they will attack Israel on its own land is far-fetched, most likely 
if they do strike (and I hope they don't) they'll pick a country with ties 
to Israel that also has ties to Iran and won't object.

  https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4589088-top-us-military-officer-in-middle-east-in-israel-amid-fears-of-iranian-attack/

---The not-very-reliable US Agency for International Development (ie for 
imperialism) stated this week that there is famine in Northern Gaza, a big 
deal for the US to admit.

  https://www.axios.com/2024/04/11/us-official-famine-northern-gaza

---In two related stories, one less surprising than the other:

---> Sen. Elizabeth Warren called the Israeli war on Gaza a "genocide." 
Since she's one of the most progressive people in Congress, not a big 
surprise.

  https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/08/israel-gaza-war-elizabeth-warren-00151120

---> However, staunch Israel supporter Rep. Nancy Pelosi was among 40 
Democrats telling Biden to halt military aid to Israel until the 
investigation into the deaths of the World Central Kitchen workers is 
completed. That is surprising.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/04/07/nancy-pelosi-signs-letter-urging-biden-to-halt-weapons-transfers-to-israel/

--Also, Israel conducted three airstrikes on Lebanon this week, and who is 
stopping this escalating madness?

  https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-796592

--Speaking of which, this week Ukraine (which you remember got the green 
light from the US and NATO to attack inside Russian territory) used drones 
to bomb a Russian nuclear power plant three times, injuring three people. 
Russian media notes the West's silence on this is tacit approval. No word 
on any radiation leaks, so I guess that's good?

  https://tass.com/politics/1774123
  https://tass.com/politics/1772163

--For America's other new Cold War front, Japan's Prime Minister was 
in the US to tell congress they will work with us to fight the "challenge" 
of China's actions in the Pacific. Which are in response to the US' 
surrounding them. So, more spiraling war logic.

  https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3258710/japanese-pm-kishida-supports-indispensable-global-role-us-citing-threat-china

--Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al Sudani will visit the US next week for, 
I hope, a more fruitful conversation about how to get US troops the heck 
out of his country.

  https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense/2963295/us-troop-presence-iraq-important-part-prime-ministers-visit/

In local news, as noted last week Mayor Wheeler's new anti-camping 
ordinance will give way too much leeway for police to decide whether they 
gave a person a "reasonable" offer of shelter before throwing them in 
jail. The ordinance is coming up Thursday at 2 PM at City Council.

  320 Amend City Code to update existing public camping restriction
   policies
  Introduced by Mayor Ted Wheeler
  Time certain 2:00 pm
  Time requested 3 hours
  https://www.portland.gov/council/documents/ordinance/updated-manner-regulations

About halfway through the march, as usual, I gave more news about 
Palestine in which the US-backed Israeli Defense Forces killed two people 
in the West Bank this week, while a violent settler killed one (wonder if 
they'll be sanctioned). This brings the total to 460 people killed in the 
West Bank since October 7.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/three-palestinians-killed-in-west-bank-military-raids-and-settler-rampage/ar-BB1lwTvd

And as a special topping for the pie chart on tax money (see what I did 
there?) I then noted that the US claims to have spent $111 Billion in 
Ukraine since THAT war started, but reluctantly admitted the total is 
really $125 billion.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/04/10/biden-administration-has-undercounted-ukraine-spending-by-14-billion/

Oh and this article also mentions another $300 million was actually in the 
new spending bill approved two weeks ago.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/04/09/us-announces-138-million-hawk-air-defense-deal-for-ukraine/

I was trying to be conservative in the use of the Ann Huntwork Peace 
Memorial Sign because I forgot to check the generator's power level, which 
was down to 39% when I arrived downtown. A combination of turning it on 
later than usual and it conking out by the Gucci Store on SW 4th helped 
keep enough juice in it for me to also bring it to the Keaton Otis vigil 
that began at 6 PM. The generator held up for the full 45 minutes I was 
there, too! Next month marks exactly 14 years since the Portland Police 
racially profiled Otis and then riddled him with 23 bullets.

  https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForKeatonOtis/

I'm starting to see a pattern of more people showing up as spring has 
sprung, please feel free to join us some Friday at 5 PM at SW Yamhill and 
Broadway as we educate the world about the need for nonviolent conflict 
resolution.

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