[pjw] REPORT BACK: Godfather-in-Chief: Friday rally #258 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

People who support peace:

Last night at the Friday Rally for Peace and Justice, nine of us rallied 
and eight headed out on the march; two peeled off about halfway through, 
leaving six of us at the end. One rallier/marcher came upon us and 
praised God for leading them to the rally, took one of pretty much every 
piece of literature, and only didn't make it to the end because nature 
called, so to speak.

We had a lot of supportive feedback from pedestrians and motorists. A few 
hecklers, though they only got as creative as saying "whatever." The 
weather was an amazingly dry 66 degrees in February in Portland. !.

Once again I reminded everyone that we're now just three weeks away from 
our special March 21 Friday Rally to remember 22 years since 
the invasion of Iraq. A regular attendee showed up just before the march 
and was able to hand out about two dozen flyers.

  https://pjw.info/iraq22yl_flyer.pdf .

Here are most of the news headlines we talked about, I may be forgetting 
something.

--As noted previously, there was a hearing on Thursday on a bill that 
would require a Congressional declaration of war before the Oregon 
National Guard could be deployed. Updates on the bill can be found here:

  https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/SB667

---> Not sure why I did not include this in the previous email, but did 
you know the Oregon Guard has been deployed in Egypt since October? 
"Implementing the security aspects of the 1979 Treaty of Peace between 
Egypt and Israel."

  https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2024-10-22/oregon-national-guard-mobilization-egypt-israel-treaty-peacekeeping-15593099.html

--Too bad they're not there to enforce the ceasefire agreement between 
Hamas and Israel, as the Israelis have now refused to withdraw from the 
corridor they created to split north and south Gaza. Even though that is a 
requirement of the agreement.

  https://archive.vn/JP6iY
  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-02-27/ty-article/.premium/israel-wont-leave-philadelphi-route-israeli-official-says-ahead-of-saturday-deadline/00000195-4677-df18-a1fd-cef7b7120000

---An interesting poll found that 59% of US Jews oppose the plan to 
ethnically cleanse Gaza and set up a resort. While that's sadly lower than 
100%, it's remarkably above 50.

  https://www.timesofisrael.com/almost-2-3-of-american-jews-oppose-trumps-gaza-displacement-plan-survey/

--In Lebanon, Israel is defying THAT ceasefire agreement by not 
withdrawing its troops from the southern part of the nation. They are 
saying the US gave them permission to stay. Great diplomacy all around.

  https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-forces-stay-south-lebanon-buffer-zone-minister

--In Syria, the alliance of Gulf nations have called on Israel to stop 
conducting airstrikes after yet another round took place on Tuesday.

  https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gulf-cooperation-council-calls-for-decisive-action-to-stop-israeli-strikes-on-syria/3495584

--Ah, yes, the subject line for this week. Mafia Don Trump tried to make 
Ukraine an offer they could not refuse. But instead of getting access to 
Ukraine's minerals, Trump and VP JD Vance got into a loud argument in 
front of the media and the deal was called off. The US isn't asking for 
this as protection money, just claiming that Ukraine needs to pay us back 
for past expenses. Either way, seems like a shakedown.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2025/02/28/trump-vance-clash-with-zelensky-during-white-house-meeting/

--The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran has enriched 
more uranium to the not-weapons-grade 60%. Instead of repeating Trump's 
big reveal that the Iranian leadership does not want a nuclear weapon, the 
media freaked out and helped create more fear.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2025/02/27/hysteria-after-iaea-issues-quarterly-report-on-irans-uranium-enrichment/

--17 immigrants, significantly from Venezuela, were added to the ranks 
who've been put into the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay (not, as noted 
before, the facility that was set up to temporarily house migrants). Just 
this last round of unlawful detention is larger than the 15 supposed 
"terrorists" already there. Defense Secretary Pete "Fox News" Hegsgeth 
visited the torture hole to show his support.

  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-14435385/Pentagon-chief-visits-Guantanamo-US-pushes-deport-migrants.html

--Speaking of Venezuela, although Trump generally sides with strong 
leaders with questionable election histories, he reversed the 
Biden-era exemption for Venezuela's oil to be sold in the US. Maybe Maduro 
is just too anti-capitalist for Trump to befriend.

  https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-trump-oil-license-chevron-election-4c0357961d7978e6fbac16127b0a759e

--In Iraq, there has been a dispute between the central government and the 
semi-autonomous Kurdish region for two years, leading to the oil from that 
region not getting exported to the marked. Godfather Trump threatened to 
put sanctions on Iraq and they suddenly agreed to let the oil flow.

  https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-piles-pressure-iraq-resume-kurdish-oil-exports-sources-say-2025-02-21/

In local news, the Portland Police Association President made a rare 
appearance at City Council this week to strongly oppose a Councilor's 
effort to define what is meant by "bias for or against the police" that 
might exclude people from the new civilian oversight board. He managed to 
get support from other bargaining units-- actual unions who represent 
workers that don't arrest, beat and shoot people. They should really 
distance themselves from this manipulative tactic to equate making fair 
rules for the Board with being anti-union.

   https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2025/02/22/councilor-kanals-proposed-tweaks-to-police-accountability-board-inflame-police-union/

Along the march route, I noted that a non-governmental organization now 
estimates that 45% of the West Bank is controlled by Israel. This is part 
of the Israeli strategy to build settlements and create "facts on the 
ground" making it hard to establish a Palestinian state... even though 
they should not have ANY presence in that occupied land.

  https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/palestinian-organization-unveils-map-that-shows-israel-controls-445-of-west-bank-amid-increased-settlement/3494201

Oh, boy, sorry to those who thought cutting government waste would bring 
more money to housing, health care and the environment: The House voted 
(217-215) add $100 billion to defense, while cutting $4.5 trillion (!) 
in income by creating more tax breaks (for the President and Shadow 
President and their cronies).

  https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-02-25/house-budget-resolution military-spending-trump-16955380.html


The Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign turned itself back on when I 
got to the Square (after going out by the Apple Store on the way 
in), then lasted for about four extra feet past the "mystery spot" before 
turning off along the march. Is there a weather correlation? Were the 
gremlins basking in the sun? Who knows.

In the realm of our community health care, it's reported that this may be 
one of the worst flu seasons on record in Oregon. So we do encourage 
masking and distancing when attending Friday rally, and that you all stay 
safe! It was COVID that led to our sponsoring these events and it's part 
of the respiratory ailment swamp that's ongoing...

  https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/25/oregon-influenza-a-flu-shot-vaccine-health-seasonal-virus-science-portland-hospitals-cdc/

thanks
dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group