[pjw] REPORT BACK: into darkness & out: Friday rally #248 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Iraq Affinity Group supporters

On the cusp of the Solstice last night, I noted that this is only the 
third time in a century that Christmas and Hannukah will fall on the same 
day: last times were 2005 and 1959.

https://religionunplugged.com/news/2024-holidays-after-thanksgiving-and-black-friday-why-christmas-hanukkah-coincide-this-year

It's no coincidence these holidays are close together (along with Kwanzaa) 
as they all celebrate the shortest day of the year giving way to light.

So, six of us rallied last night and four went on the march, though there 
were a total of seven people (as one caught up with us just as the march 
started). The amount of honking was slow again but still present, and one 
driver passing the march yelled "ceasefire, yeah!" We got several 
pedestrians thanking us for being there and even handed flyers to a few of 
them.

As seems to happen pretty regularly, someone came upon us while I was 
reciting the week's news and decided that what they had to say was more 
important, so they kept talking while I was trying to share this research, 
but only for a little bit.

--In what was breaking news last night, Congress rejected the Trump/Musk 
demands to only fund the government for a few weeks and passed a bill for 
a three-month budget to avoid a shutdown. (The Senate voted late last night 
after the rally was over but it was clear that was on its way.)

  https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5051634-government-funding-shutdown-house-bill/

--In updates on the "Middle East," the US knew of the Syrian militant 
offensive and told its fighters about it ahead of time.

  https://archive.vn/EwKOf
  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/18/us-prepared-syrian-rebel-group-to-help-topple-bashar-assad/

---Continuing to seize upon the moment, Israel took over more territory in 
Syria, saying their 1974 agreement is no good because it was with the 
previous government.

  https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/occupying-israeli-forces-open-fire-on-syrians-protesting-seizure-of-2-villages-in-daraa-province/3430418

---Turkish and Kurdish forces continue to fight in northern Syria, despite 
Turkey's support of the faction which overthrew Assad. This of course is 
because the Kurds want independence still and Turkey calls them terrorists 
while the US supports them. One man's terrorist is another's freedom 
fighter they say.

  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-14207171/Syria-war-monitor-says-21-pro-Turkey-fighters-killed-near-flashpoint-northern-town.html

---The US launched airstrikes in Syria, killing 12 people they 
claim were part of the Islamic State.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/12/16/us-launches-more-airstrikes-in-syria-claims-12-isis-fighters-killed/

--Back in Gaza, Israel killed 200 but only 10 were identified as being 
part of Hamas. But that did not stop the IDF from labeling all of them as 
"terrorists" (hmm, sensing a theme here).

  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-12-18/ty-article-magazine/.premium/idf-soldiers-expose-arbitrary-killings-and-rampant-lawlessness-in-gazas-netzarim-corridor/00000193-da7f-de86-a9f3-fefff2e50000
  https://archive.vn/hFruD

--Elsewhere, Israel killed 9 people with airstrikes in Yemen.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/19/israel-carries-out-air-strikes-on-yemen

--Ukraine fired more US missiles into Russia, provoking a promise for 
retaliation.

  https://tass.com/politics/1890461

--The US Space Force wants to arm its craft so they can fire on enemy 
targets. This was something we all assumed but apparently their request 
for the firepower is new for 2025.

  https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/12/the-us-military-is-now-talking-openly-about-going-on-the-attack-in-space/

--Secretary of Wants More War Antony Blinken told Iraq that with Assad 
gone, now is the time to crack down on militias in their country. Iraq's 
response was, well, apparently not to respond.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/blinken-presses-iraq-on-iran-backed-groups-seeing-syria-window/ar-AA1vQWTU

--And for some good news, three people were released from Guantanamo this 
week, meaning there are only 27 left there in no-person's land. This could 
signal an effort to empty the place out before Biden leaves.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/19/malaysians-held-in-uss-guantanamo-bay-prison-returned-home-after-18-years

The downside of this, ha ha, is that I will have to update the flyer for 
our January 10 special Friday rally which still puts the number at 30.

  https://pjw.info/guantanamo23yl.html

In local news, not really DIRECTLY related to police/military issues, the 
City Council was sworn in 12 days early on Thursday, though they 
technically aren't in power until January 1. So, if the police do 
something really bad before New Year's, who's going to be held accountable 
for that-- the current Council or the new one????

  https://www.opb.org/article/2024/12/19/portland-oregon-city-council-politics-swearing-in-ceremony-newmark-theater/


Along the march route I shared the semi-shocking news that among the six 
people the US-backed Israeli Defense Forces killed in the West Bank this 
week was an 80 year old woman, AND that this new round of murder means 
over 800 people have now been killed there since October 2023.

  https://www.newarab.com/news/six-palestinians-killed-west-bank-israeli-raids

As we headed back to the Square, I updated last week's news about the new 
$895 billion "defense" bill, which now passed the Senate on an 85-14 vote. 
But guess what: Out of those 14, two no votes were both of Oregon's 
Senators Wyden and Merkley. Take that other "blue" states!! (And get with 
the program-- no more war, more money for human needs please.)

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/12/18/senate-passes-massive-895-billion-national-defense-authorization-act/

The Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign did not do very well this week, going 
out both before I got to the Apple Store on the way in and even before we 
got next to the Pioneer Place Mall on the march. But it popped back on 
again when we reached our endpoint. Christmas gremlins.

Noticeably the current City Council held their last ever meeting on 
Wednesday, in the revamped Council chambers that had to go from housing a 
five person Council to a 12 person one (and have room for the City 
Administrator and the Mayor too). They seem to be almost 
shoulder-to-shoulder now. As a colleagues said to me, it doesn't seem 
social distancing played a part in the re-design, even though it was drawn 
up and built after COVID supposedly taught us all a lesson. So remember to 
stay safe this holiday season.

Join us any Friday at 5 PM at the corner of SW Yamhill and Broadway, we're 
going to need to keep spreading the word that peace should prevail on 
earth.


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

PS a program note to those following along at home: I apparently never 
numbered our Friday Rally #188 but then sent out two listed as #245 last 
month, so the numbers were off for more than a year but back on track 
now.