[pjw] REPORT BACK: really, not at war?: Friday rally #228 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Iraq Affinity Group supporters:

We had eight people at the Friday Rally for Peace and Justice last night, 
and seven of us went on the march. One person was a friend of a rally 
regular, who came in their wheelchair bedecked with pride rainbow 
decorations of all sorts. The temperature was slightly warm but 
reasonable. We had a lot of low-key signs of support, starting with a 
firefighter in a fire truck flashing a peace sign! Another driver said 
they wanted to honk but their horn was broken. We had otherwise a 
smattering of horns and a few people stopping by to chat/thank us, etc.

I forgot that I had given all my remaining Hiroshima Day flyers to someone 
to pass out in the community, so we didn't hand any out yesterday, but 
then again we ended up only handing out one leaflet all evening.

Remember, the Hiroshima Day event is Tuesday, August 6 at 6 PM.

Flyer:

https://www.pjw.info/Hiroshima2024flyer.pdf

About:

https://www.oregonpsr.org/hiroshima_nagasaki_remembrance


Here are some of the news items we talked about this week:

--Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to congress, and 
said people protesting the war in Gaza support evil and are "Iran's useful 
idiots." Uh, maybe people who are protecting the war are looking at images 
of some of the 39,000 Palestinians you've killed so far and made up their 
own minds to demand an end to it? His rhetoric led to standing ovations.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/07/24/netanyahu-slams-american-protesters-in-congressional-address-receives-standing-ovation/

---Too bad the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Netanyahu 
has been held up by a flurry of court filings seeking to slow it down... 
including by the good ol' US of A. Someone could have performed a citizens 
arrest while he was "in town."

  https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/dozens-filings-flood-iccs-israel-hamas-case-causing-delays-2024-07-23/

---China scored one for diplomacy by bringing together Hamas, Fatah and 12 
other Palestinian factions to agree on a unified government once the war 
ends. Hello Antony Blinken, guess who won't be nominated for a Nobel 
Peace Prize-- you!!!

  https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3271553/palestinian-factions-agree-end-division-pact-brokered-china
  https://archive.vn/SfdaA

--Meanwhile, Blinken's boss President Joe Biden made a speech about 
stepping aside from his campaign, claiming that the US is not at war 
anywhere in the world. As it happens, the US bombed Yemen again _on 
that very day._ Proxy wars, drone and airplane bombings don't count 
in his world.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/07/25/president-biden-claims-us-isnt-at-war-as-us-bombs-yemen/

--Speaking of proxy wars, a poll of Ukrainians in "front line" areas of 
that war showed that 44% want a peace deal, 35% do not, and 21% 
are undecided. "Gee, I see my fellow countrypeople being blown up and our 
economy in tatters and our government perpetuating martial law, I don't 
know..."

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/07/21/trump-speaks-with-zelensky-says-he-will-work-to-end-the-war-in-ukraine/

--So far, the US has given $300 million to Kenyan forces who have gone 
to rectify the violent turmoil in Haiti (with violence). I guess maybe 
after over 100 years of overt American militarism there it's better 
they're in the background. But the purse strings imply a deeper role.

  https://www.africanews.com/2024/07/23/haiti-us-ambassador-visits-kenyan-police-announces-additional-funds/

--This is not the same story as last week... more rockets were fired at 
a US base in Iraq with  no casualties.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/four-missiles-launched-iraqs-ain-al-asad-airbase-security-sources-say-2024-07-25/

---And it seems the Iraqis are quite aware that would not happen if 
there WERE no US bases in their country, and they want America 
to start withdrawing troops in September with a one year deadline to 
get out fully.

  https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554526/middle-east

In local news, the Portland Police Bureau published an annual report which 
is mostly about crime statistics. It mentions the number of 
officer-involved shooting, but not who was shot, the fact that they 
compile stop data, but not who was overly stopped (guess!), and that 
Internal Affairs investigates misconduct, but not how often it was found.

The Report has to be presented in all three Precincts, but because they 
are virtual you don't have to live in the precinct (or commute anywhere) 
to attend. The final one is this coming Tuesday, July 30 at 6 PM. I will 
be there, trying to ask questions (though the Public Information Officer 
usually sanitizes them for the Chief.)

  https://www.portland.gov/police/events/2024/7/30/north-precinct-annual-report-meeting

Along the march route I noted that Israel has built 25 new illegal 
outposts in the West Bank since Oct 7. So while the world is watching it 
reduce Gaza to rubble, they feel it's a good time to expand their 
occupation of the other Palestinian territory.

  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-07-25/ty-article/.premium/israel-erected-25-new-illegal-outposts-in-west-bank-since-gaza-war-started/00000190-eb35-d298-a592-fb375f200000
  https://archive.ph/TvorF

Also, the final news story I shared was a follow up to when the Pentagon 
found hundreds of millions of dollars in their couch cushions to send more 
aid to Ukraine than what Congress authorized. This week they found another 
$2 billion by recalculating from depreciated value instead of replacement 
value. Those are some generous couch cushions!

  https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-finds-another-2-billion-accounting-errors-ukraine-aid-2024-07-25/

This week, the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign went out before we 
turned the corner of Pioneer Place Mall. It'd be really nice one day 
to ensure the people in the Apple Store can see it. But then again 
their heads are in their electronic devices so why would they look?

I just noticed that the Covid statistical counter I've relied on in the 
past stopped tracking in April this year-- just before the resurgence in 
the last few months. Their "final" tally of how many Americans died is 
1,219,497. I fortunately have not heard of other people connected to this 
group coming down with it for the last few weeks, but still-- remember the 
long term effects on those with vulnerable immune systems and mask up when 
you can. Hope to see you at the corner some Friday!

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