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From the newswire: Forest activists and others in Oregon have been served with subpoenas to appear before a federal grand jury now sitting in Portland. An unknown number of individuals began to testify before the grand jury last week after receiving visits by FBI agents at their residences or workplaces.

As one local activist states, "This is not your usual grand jury, where a local district attorney gets indictments handed down."

As attorney Brian Glick explained in the book War at Home:
"A grand jury subpoena carries legal penalties for non-cooperation. Those who refuse to testify, despite immunity from direct use of that testimony against them, can be jailed for contempt of court..." [ Read More ]

No Cooperation With Grand Juries
From the newswire: I feel it is a horrible decision on the part of those recently subpoenaed to the Portland grand jury to try to keep the situation low profile and secretive. As a community - not just in Portland but nationally - we have a right to know who has been subpoenaed and who is cooperating with this grand jury. The grand jury is not just about those subpoeaned, it effects everyone who in some way struggle against the state. One does not win against a grand jury by testifying and giving information or cooperating in any way with the system. This only leads to more people becoming subpoenaed, indictments being handed down and an affirmation of the grand jury system as a whole. [ Read More ]

[ Grand Jury FAQ | FBI Witchhunt Website | Protect Civil Liberties Website ]

Past Features Related to Grand Juries w/Background
[ 02/13/02 - Ben & Jerry's effectively labeled as 'Terrorist' at House Hearing on 'Eco-Terrorism' | 11/13/01 - Local activist faces grand jury in Eugene - grand jury delayed until january | 11/13/01 - Patriot Act: Silencing Dissent ]

CFA responses:
[ Let's stop doing the feds job for them | Here you go | You are all playing into the hands of the enemy | Another Anarchists perspective grand dury cointelpro returns | Indymedia is not a movement Gossip Column | apology of sorts ]

On the newswire, someone asked how it went at the Peace Parade at the Rose Festival, which was announced on this website. Here are quotes from the reply by comment:

"About 50 of us met at the Salmon St. fountain by the waterfront at 3:00. We huddled under trees while waiting for a drum corps member because it was POURING, and many of us, including myself, were totally unprepared. Once we started marching, the sun came out (yay). We marched by the Pepsi Corporate Fun Park (or whatever they called it), led by the rockin' drummers, and chanting away. We were told to be quiet when we passed by these poor little ponies who were attached to one of those rides that goes around and around - our noise scared them. So Chris, the Chant-Meister, led us in some whispered chants til we passed."

"After marching by the park, we split up into 2 groups and went onto both sides of the Morrison Bridge, where we hung 3 banners and held our signs for passing traffic. The banner I was helping to hold read: MAKE ROSE FESTIVAL A MILITARY FREE ZONE. The one next to me said something like: MONEY FOR BOOKS AND FOOD, NOT BOMBS. My sign said: TERROR LIVES IN THE WHITE HOUSE. We got a lot of honks and peace signs from drivers on the bridge." [ Read More ]

From the open publishing newswire: "About 15 people showed up, with several others stopping by. Age range of participants was 5 to 70. Among the signs displayed: 'We Are All the Same--Thou Shalt Not Kill', 'Why Not Peace?', 'One World, One Chance'. As usual, most of the people driving by on the busy road were enthusiastically supportive. Two white men in their 60's to 70's took issue with our presence, however. In separate incidents, each got out of his car and walked over to speak at us. Both may have been inebriated. The first said, 'I'm a veteran of WW2, and I wouldn't spit on you'. For that we thanked him. He walked away. The other man was quite agitated, got very close to us, and yelled that his daughter was in the Army in Afghanistan, that he was very proud of her, and that we were jeopardizing her safety with our messages. He delivered his objections in rather colorful language with a lot of body gesturing." [ Read more... ]

May 25 & June 1 vigils: "Astoria Post Office reclaimed!"
At the May 25th Saturday vigil in front of the Post Office in Astoria, activists dealt with "a man who said he represented the Post Master" who told them to "get off the PO property". They briefly complied, but then regrouped in front of the Post Office again. The following week, on June 1st, activists got "fiesty" with the man, who then retracted his "order", telling them they could be there "so long as the gathering was 'peaceful', and thare was no 'littering'." [ Full story ]

"Islam - A Brotherhood of Peace"
The "terrorist" act of September 11 has profoundly added to the suffering of the Islamic nation. With the blame of 9.11 being placed on a Muslim man with an alleged history of terrorism... and nineteen of his "followers", also Muslim, many people have amalgamated all Muslims as "terrorists". This sort of homogenous thinking is both obtuse and dangerous, a racism that has created many incidences of hate crimes against Muslims (as well as against people with non-white skin and individuals who wear turbans). These hate crimes include the U.S. government's systematic rounding up and imprisoning thousands of men with Arabic names but no history of criminality.

According to the Qur'an (the word of God that was delivered by the Angel Gabriel to Muhammad), rigorous tests must be undergone before charges of guilt can be brought against someone... This is similar to our own justice system that declares that a person is "innocent until proven guilty". Storming Afghanistan (in search of a man said to be hiding in a cave) without ample evidence of his guilt, and holding men prisoners, without proof of any complicity, clearly indicates a breach of our own judicial contract, and in the eyes of the Islamic world, defies the word of Allah or God. [ Read more... ]

"'Jihad' is corrected - lecture at the Portland Rizwan Mosque"
Jihad is based on the Arabic "Jahada", which means to strive for a better way of life. "Holy War; the latter does not exist in Islam nor will Islam allow its followers to be involved in a Holy War. The word refers to the Holy War of the Crusaders."

Mainstream news sources have made the term "jihad" synonymous in the minds of most western readers with that of "holy war". Although defence is clearly allowed as a lesser form of jihad it is clear that a "holy war" is not called for. In response to what must be centuries of repetition of the linking of the the two terms in western minds and also to recent events the Portland Rizwan Mosque held a lecture this Saturday that gave the correct meaning of jihad and the following are some thoughts gathered from this lecture. [ Read more... ]

"Don't forget - 'Jihad' as we know it was made by the CIA"
Though the mainstream media seems to have forgotten, it is well documented that the CIA created the Taliban and supported Osama bin Laden as a way of fighting the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980's... "[T]here is lot of weight in the thesis that the modern Jehadi-Islam is a by-product of intrigues by the West to keep the Islamic world under its suzerainty, devoid of any kind of democratic processes. And also to use it as a whipping boy occasionally whenever attention needs to be diverted from issues raised by anti-globalisation campaigners." [ Read more... ]

Islam and the Arab world, have at times, been a pinnacle of human culture and there have been many great thinkers, philosophers and poets. People that were beacons of light in the world, and are still, even today. It is especially important to understand this, in this time of overt racism towards Arabs/Muslims.
[ IBN RUSHD (Averroes) | Rumi ]

From the open publishing newswire: "For the fourth consecutive Friday, students and community members in Eugene took to the streets to demand investigation into 9.11 and to expose the lies being told by the government and corporate media. This Friday's was the biggest action yet, with twenty people altogether participating... As we marched, students delivered speeches through the bullhorn. Talk about making a joyful noise! The rhetoric was filled with rage, and drove home the importance of finding out the truth. We attracted a lot of attention and handed out a bunch of flyers to people. Like last week, reception was mostly positive." [ Read more ]

"WAR IS PROFITABLE!"
Another account from the wire reads: "I was too happy to break out of study mode and march in a 'demanding truth' rally regarding the whole 9.11 thing. Being sufficiently roused after writing my final paper for my World Religion class (an article on Islam with the required theme of educating the public about Islam) and with a newly acquired piece of information that I read this morning about the Carlyle Group funding the Pakistan-India Conflict, I was ready to blow off some steam. My theme for this weeks rally: 'WAR IS PROFITABLE'. It is completely beyond comprehension to me that there are corporations and individuals who get rich at the expense of human life!" [ Read more ]

Previous 9.11 Truth Seeking rallies in Eugene: [ May 31: Students in Eugene march to expose '9.11 Lies'; Police cite two for handing out flyers | May 24: Rally in Eugene: "Bush complicit in 9-11 terror" | May 17: Citizens in Eugene rally to demand 9.11 investigation, launch signature campaign ]

Other expressions of dissent:

• Join the War on Terrorism - billboard alteration
• Pledge of Resistance - verse
• New American Flag - art
• Cut the head off the diseased body - Impeach Bush petition

An Indymedia activist once said, "[F]irst-hand news is better than second-hand news, IMHO. Seventeenth-hand news might be good for getting a Harvard etc. professorship, but that's not Indymedia style." Indeed, the open publishing newswire gives anyone with internet access the opportunity to upload their own first-hand thoughts in multi-media form. But the news is never just about facts, events and "straight" reporting; news outlets often contain analysis, opinions, editorials and the like, and Indymedia is no exception. Here are two pieces of analysis that were posted to the portland indymedia newswire about 9.11, the possible complicity of the U.S. government, and the joys and trials of living in such an intense time, as the "war on terror" shambles forward both abroad and at home. These views are under-represented (if not non-existant) in the corporate media, and their presence here showcases the possibilities of open publishing.

"Know Your Enemy"
THE BLITZKRIEG (a.k.a. "time's up!") Historically, this time honored high-pressure sales tactic has been very successful for the Bush clan. The basic idea is this: 1) Manufacture a crisis that forces people to act without thinking because of limited time. 2) Pound your answer to this crisis into their heads, keeping up the pressure until they finally see things your way. This tactic was used to brilliant effect during the 2000 presidential election. "The president must be confirmed and inaugurated at such-and-such a time!" the press screamed. "Our national stability is at stake! Gore needs to be a man and concede for the sake of our country!" Since when do we subjugate democracy to fit a schedule?

Then of course, we were served the Patriot Act, the war in Afghanistan, and now the Homeland Security "Department" in the exact same manner. Next course: the Invasion of Iraq. What bothers me is that these see-thru tactics appear to have worked on the American people. When will they realize there is no worse crisis than the one they have been embroiled in for months? [ Read more ]

"Why Bush thinks Ruppert is a terrorist, and why he is not"
On September 11, 2001 over 3,000 Americans were murdered in the World Trade Center in New York City by hijacked airplanes. The Bush administration quickly blamed an Islamic "terrorist" group based in Afghanistan. No sooner said than our military bombed and occupied that country causing a debatable several thousand more deaths. Almost as quickly, others charged President Bush and his team with complicity in the 911 crimes. Michael Ruppert, for example, claims Bush and his team: 1) knew about the 911 plot to commit mass murder, 2) were complicit in those murders, that is, they were not just criminally negligent, a situation where there were responsible for protecting Americans, but failed to do their job, but instead gave aid and encouragement to the terrorists, 3) had a motive in oil and drug profits which explain why they would murder Americans.

The events of 911, the charges and counter charges about Ruppert's claims define our time. Many of us would agree our goals of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" are at risk. I am not in a position to gather more facts to support or refute what Ruppert is saying. However, the leaders of our country tell us that because of what he's claiming, without hearing those facts, we should think he's confused or a traitor. I can address myself to this claim because such criticisms stand or fall on the arguments that Ruppert and the rest of us make. I will show his argument makes sense, so he is not loony tunes. I will show that if our concern is the protection of people, and the defense of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," he can not be a traitor. [ Read more ]

ODF to increase timber harvesting by 30 million board feet [mbf] a year in the Tillamook Rainforest.
From the open publishing newswire: "Despite hundreds of comments calling for a balanced approach in the Tillamook Rainforest ODF has decided to give into the demands of timber industry and the Forest Trust Lands Advisory Committee (FTLAC).

"The Oregon Department of Forestry will add an Eagle Creek size (28.3mbf) timber sale each year for the next ten years. This increase will be incorporated into the soon to be approved 10 year Implementation Plans (IP's). In order to achieve this increase ODF will do away with certain 'operability restraints' to better facilitate the deforestation of Oregon's coastal temperate rainforests.

"To greenwash this attack on our state lands, the Oregon Board of Forestry has joined with the Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI) (which is funded by taxpayers) and will run a series of TV ads assuring everybody that everything us just fine and dandy in Oregon's forests. In the TV spot, State Forester Jim Brown says it is important to balance the things we value that grow out of our forests - like clean water, recreation and a diverse economy - and invites Oregonians to help achieve that."

Forest activists are encouraging people to visit the OFRI site and fill out a survey form to let them know you feel about this issue. [ Full article, with talking points for OFRI ]

Benefit for the Tillamook Rainforest
In related news, there will be a benefit for Tillamook Rainforest preservation efforts at the Snake and Weasel in Portland on June 19, from 7:30- 10:00 p.m., featuring a slideshow of the area.

Visit TillamookRainforest.com for more information on the issues.

The Ark Animal Sanctuary in Tillamook has finally been closed down due to chronic, extreme neglect of its animals. Assistance desperately needed to treat sick animals and find them homes!

"Quoted from the newswire: I was at Ark Animal Sanctuary yesterday and was both shocked and horrified at what I saw. I had heard from all of the reports that the facility was bad, but it was beyond my imagination. Starving animals, sick animals and animals in pain encompassed me. Filth and the accompanying stench was everywhere. There were trashed vehicles all over the place filled with debris...rotting buses, trailers and cars that animals hid in and lived in. Pigs whose home was a camper shell in the ground buried in the mud. The horse barn was the most disgusting place I had ever been in...animal waste and water were at times halfway up my calves. Burros whose hoofs were so bad that they could barely walk. Pregnant cats and cats with litters were at my feet.

"I tell you all of this not to upset anyone, but to let you know that the pain and suffering for these animals is almost over. But we need your help to end their suffering!"

[ June 6th: HELP!!! Ark Animal Emergency Evacuation Continues | June 4th: Animals in dire need of help! "Sanctuary" shut down for neglect. | Ark Animal Sanctuary Website ]

Two thirds of the way through an Oregonian article on the new FBI, the article quietly says: "The Portland Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which before Sept. 11 included nine police officers from Portland and Beaverton working with six FBI agents, now has 40 full-time local police investigators teamed with 12 FBI agents."

The article indicates this is a done deal. Has Mayor Katz and the city slipped by this change without informing people? If so, it is a troubling sign after assurances given at the JTTF Hearings last year, and the Oregonian is remiss for letting it pass without any questions on behalf of the people of Portland. The article also mentions 50 CIA agents joining the various JTTF's around the country, meaning that the Portland JTTF may also have one or more CIA agents.

Fortunately, Portland's activist community is vigilent and a local citizen has written a letter to Mayor Katz and the City Council asking some important questions:

1. When exactly did such a drastic expansion of the PJTTF become effective?
2. What, if any, public process took place around this? Was the Memorandum of Understanding between the FBI and the PPB amended? If so, did it go before the Council for approval? Will it go before Council in the future? If so, when?
3. If the MOU was amended without Council approval (a possibility alluded to last fall by Mayoral aide Sam Adams) under what legal authority was this done?

Full letter on the newswire

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have announced a series of public forums to be held from June 6-11 to share information and solicit comments about a proposed change in smallpox vaccination policy. Currently, the CDC does not recommend that people recieve smallpox vaccinations unless they are engaged in scientific research that brings them into proximity with the disease. But in the wake of 9.11, with bioterrorism on people's minds, the CDC is considering reversing this recommendation, and has announced that it will have 286 million vaccination doses ready by 2003 -- one for every U.S. citizen.

Support for vaccines is not universal, however. A growing body of research implicates vaccinations with sudden infant death syndrome, immuno-deficiency dysfunction, and other health problems. Some research suggests that they have been ineffective in disease prevention, and that the decline of communicable disease has been due to improved hygeine, i.e., plumbing, sewage disposal, water treatment. Other people are opposed to vaccinations on religious grounds.

But the freedom to say "no" to vaccinations if one wishes could be taken away by the Model Emergency Health Powers Act (MEHPA), which is currently being introduced to state legislatures everywhere. MEHPA was released after 9.11 and, like the USA PATRIOT Act, curtails basic constitutional rights. The American Civil Liberties Union describes it thus: "The Act lets a governor declare a state of emergency unilaterally and without judicial oversight, fails to provide modern due process procedures for quarantine and other emergency powers, it lacks adequate compensation for seizure of assets, and contains no checks on the power to order forced treatment and vaccination."

What does all this add up to? Some are fearing a new form of social control. [ Full story ]

Report from CDC Hearing on Smallpox Vaccination Policy in SF
From the open publishing newswire: "Alerted by a post at the Portland Indymedia site, I hurried to San Francisco, to make observations and add my two cents during the time allotted for public comments... There were so few people representing the "public" that the organizer invited me to speak first in the afternoon session (since I had to leave at 1:30 pm to take care of my children after school). I expressed my concern over the Emergency Health Powers Act which the Health and Human Services Department is trying to push through legislatures nationwide, and would grant virtually dictatorial powers to governers, including the power to force vaccinations, quarantine or isolation upon the public." [ Read more ]

On June 11th, 2002 Jeff "Free" Luers will have spent one year in the Oregon State Prison system for torching three SUVs in a Eugene car lot. He was sentenced to an astounding 23 years for this crime, leading many people to believe that the sentence was politically motivated and intended to intimidate environmentalists. For perspective, consider that, according to the Department of Justice, the average sentence given to a man who kills his wife is 13 years.

Here are Free's own words on his actions: "My name is Jeffrey Luers. Most of my friends call me 'Free'. I have been active since 1996 fighting for a range of issues such as animal rights, gender equality, anti fascism, eco-defense and others. These issues are not separate they are one struggle, one fight. My story is only a small part of a greater whole. . .

"In my lifetime I have witnessed an onslaught against the inhabitants of this world lead by the greed of industrialized nations. It is my belief that the oppression of people is rooted in the oppression and exploitation of nature. A fundamental disrespect for life that began with the conquest of Mother Nature and has led to the conquest of humankind.

"I struck back. In an act of resistance designated to raise awareness and draw attention to a problem that affects every human being, every animal, every plant, and every form of life on this planet. I am speaking of global warming, air, soil and water pollution. We are in the midst of a global environmental crisis.

"On June 16, 2000 I ignited a fire that would forever change my life. I torched 3 SUV's. I took extra care and used specific fuels to ensure no one would be injured." [ Read more ]

This week, "Anarchy: The Intentional Creation" continues in Eugene, and will feature a film about "Free". [ Details ]

From the open publishing newswire: "i decided to walk around downtown Portland yesterday afternoon with a few doctored US flag mini-posters that carried on them the inspirational (threatening?) caption 'United We Stand' and just to unscientifically gauge the reaction of those around me...

"i got the roughly 8'x11'-inch poster from a downtown Kinko's-like establishment. i saw the plentiful stacks of them sitting in the window and i decided to run an experiment. the US national flag motif was underscored by the phrase 'United We Stand.'

"i asked the clerk lady really nicely if i could have a few and she gladly offered them over (yay, free american flags--now if i could find an affordable place to reside or if the govt would let me build w/o all the costs).

"i then procured some white out from a print shop and proceeded to transmute the phrase United We Stand to 'United We S i n'.

"after this, i just stalked the downtown in a slow, methodical fashion while holding the poster so that the flag wash upside down--this is an international symbol of 'distress' as i'm sure more than a few joes and jane q. publics were aware of." [ Read more... ]

Some U.S. armed forces were told to kill women and children during 'Operation Anaconda' in Afghanistan, according to the Ithacha (NY) Journal, which interviewed a local soldier about his experience there. "'We were told there were no friendly forces,' said [Army Private Matt] Guckenheimer, an assistant gunner with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. 'If there was anybody there, they were the enemy. We were told specifically that if there were women and children to kill them.'"

Guckenheimer told the Journal that "he loved learning about tanks and guns and watching battle scenes on TV when he was young." He also mentioned the alienation he noticed in the U.S. upon returning: "After living in a Third World country, where people he didn't know would smile or say hello to him on the streets, it was jarring to return home, where contact among strangers is mostly shunned. 'These people who lived through life, they seemed to be more grounded,' he said. Coming home was like walking back into a 'clueless' society where over-consumption is commonly regarded as the route to happiness, he said."

...or was he?
A commenter to this newswire post pointed out that, in a letter published in the Ithaca Journal on June 4, Guckenheimer clarifies his quotation in the newspaper. Guckenheimer does not deny that he and other soldiers were told to kill women and children; he adds that they were to do so only if they showed hostile intent. "Noncombatants" such as infants were not to be killed at all.

But another commenter to the article says, "I was in the 82nd 504th Batt in the infantry - The Ithica reporter got it right the first time. One of our chants was 'Kill the babies, rape the women'. Just as there was a hatred of children and women there was a fierce hatred of anything that lived on the other side of the barrel."

Was Guckenheimer misquoted by the Ithaca Journal? Or was he too candid with them during the interview and pressured later to make his clarification? Read the discussion and join in.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee plans to tackle legislation (S J Res 34) this Wednesday that would overturn Nevada's veto of the use of Yucca Mountain as the nation's nuclear waste repository. Senator Wyden and Senator Smith are on this committee. They have not stated how they plan to vote though Sen. Ron Wyden will likely vote against the project and Sen. Gordon Smith is leaning toward voting for it.

Eugene Peace Works, and others, are urging people to contact Wyden and Smith Tuesday or early Wednesday and say "vote no against the Yucca Mt. proposal in committee".

According to Michael Carrigan of Eugene Peace Works, "Waste from the Trojan nuclear power plant and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington may pass through through Oregon to Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that 3,324 truck shipments of highly radioactive waste will travel through Oregon along Interstate 84, or as many as 649 train shipments of the waste will travel alongside Interstates 84 and 5. This cargo may pass through Eugene, Oakridge, Klamath Falls and other cities in Oregon."

"The nuclear industry is spending thousands of dollars on full page color ads in the Register-Guard and other newspapers urging Oregon's Senators to vote yes on Yucca. A broad coalition of Oregon peace, environmental and church groups is waging an active campaign to get Sen. Wyden and Sen. Smith to vote against the Yucca Mountain proposal. It's a classic struggle between big money and the power of the grassroots."

From the open publishing newswire: "The 'Left' continues to be divided on the issue of investigating 9.11, even now, when the issue is breaking into the mainstream. One point of view holds that 9.11 was due to incompetence on the part of U.S. intelligence agencies (which is essentially the government's current story). Another sees clues that suggest foreknowledge or complicity by elements within the corporate/governmental power structure. A diverse array of theories and questions are being put forth by this second camp, and cynics from the first camp are broad-brushing them with the label 'conspiracy theories'."

"This week, two new essays came out from 9.11 investigation skeptics. In 'The September 11 X-Files' David Corn, of the Nation, takes 9.11 investigators to task, but fails to put the government under the same sort of scrutiny: 'As of now, there is not confirmable evidence to argue that the conventional take on September 11--bin Laden surprise-attacked America as part of a jihad, and a caught-off-guard United States struck back--is actually a cover story.' His article has stirred up a lively debate on the newswire: [ Read more, join the discussion ]

"In 'Conspiracies Or Institutions: 9-11 and Beyond', Stephen R. Shalom & Michael Albert of Z Magazine present a thesis that is at once ponderous and snide, and try to jam the entire discussion about 9.11 into a false dichotomy of 'institutional' vs. 'conspiracy' theories. Their effort is as unconvincing as it is overly-wrought. (Which is to say, 'very'.) This post, too, has spawned an active discussion: [ Read more, join the discussion ]

"Not everyone on the 'left' is digging in like Corn, Shalom and Albert, though. Peter Phillips, the well-respected editor of the venerable 'Project Censored' series, has gone on record accusing the Corporate Media of "defaulting" on 9.11. The magazine In These Times has stepped out into the field with a well-balanced article entitled, "Nightmares of Reason: Sorting fact from fiction in 9/11 conspiracy theories". Alexander Cockburn's Counterpunch magazine published an article by Bernard Weiner called "The Bush 9/11 Scandal for Dummies" that lays the subject out clearly without a jot of venom or froth. Still others feel that this is not an issue of 'Right' or 'Left' at all, but simply of truth.

"When it comes down to it, it's too early to say if the full truth of 9.11 is already out or will never come out... But we need proof, and we don't have that yet. We need a full and public investigation to unearth that."

[ Full article: The Liberals strike back ]

From the open publishing newswire: "Several University of Oregon students in Eugene have begun an aggressive letter writing campaign to show solidarity with the wrongfully-imprisoned Leonard Peltier, whose next parole hearing will be around the end of this month.

"All people are encouraged to write on behalf of Peltier, whose two-consecutive life sentences for crimes he did not commit are a true miscarriage of the (in)justice system. He will be up for parole later this month, around the 25th or so, so any and all letters to the parole board are greatly needed!"

"Eugene activists have taken up the call to action, launching a week long makeshift letter-writing campaign, independent of any organization. The tabling effort consists of solely of 3 or 4 concerned students (one recently evicted and now temporarily homeless). The response has been better than anticipated. Perhaps 100 letters may be sent out as a result of today's effort alone.

"Leonard has been imprisoned for over 26 years for the murder of two FBI agents on Jumping Bull property in the Pine Ridge Reservation - murders he clearly didn't commit. Over 6,000 secret documents have been kept from the courts, documents which could well prove his innocence. Ballistics evidence proves that he did not fire the weapon that killed the agents."

From the open publishing newswire: "Here are two No on Fast Track activists from Corvallis, (in photo), and we are asking for your help. Here we are standing on the Capitol steps in Salem and looking into a future expansion of NAFTA, Chapter 11, FTAA and GATTS if we do not defeat the Fast Track bill heading to conference in the US House. We all must CALL all the Oregon Representatives and let them know how very very important this issue is to Oregonians.

"Please call and urge others to call Rep. David Wu at 503 326-2901 and Rep. Earl Blumenauer at 503 231-2300 and Rep. Darlene Hooley at 503 588-9100 and Rep. Peter DeFazio at 1-800-944-9603 and thank them for believing in a democratic Oregon and voting to defeat Fast Track the first time it was before the House in December. It passed then by only ONE VOTE so do not think that your call is not important. It may be your one call that makes the difference this time around. If you make just one call to Congress this year then make this the call and take action. Urge them to vote aganist giving Fast Track to Bush.

"Corporate America is going all out to lobby them to get them to change their votes and if they don't hear strongly from us then they just might do it. Also do not let Republican Walden get away with his first vote for FT and let him know that Oregon is watching. Call Walden at 1800-776-4646. If we fail to act on this then we are in for an ugly ride as we get Fast Tracked right into FTAA and worse by the end of this year. CALL please, its important."

From the open publishing newswire: "Over Memorial Day weekend, I went to Ashland, Oregon, with another portland indymedia volunteer to meet with local activists about indymedia and how easy it is to get involved. What we found was an already established media collective at Southern Oregon University sporting the indymedia ((i)) logo over their door and in their newspaper, Soapbox. Turns out they've been there for going-on two years, as long as portland indymedia has been in existence !!

"The new issue of Soapbox had just come out, and an article entitled 'IMC POD' discussed the idea of regional indymedia 'pods', a concept that was introduced in a portland indymedia newswire post back in April."

"While in Ashland, we taught some of the media collective folks how to upload features to the website. They've already been posting to the newswire, and had been thrilled when these stories became center-column features. We figured it made sense to cut out the 'middle-men'. So these folks are now part of the editorial team and will be working from Ashland."

"portland indymedia volunteers encourage everyone around the state to become more involved with this website. At least a couple of us love to travel, and we'll come to your town, or meet you somewhere between, if you want to talk about establishing a 'pod'. Send an email to imc-portland@indymedia.org to start that conversation. In the meantime, post to the open publishing newswire and get your story up here now!"

From the newswire:

"In this time of terrible violence in the mideast many of us feel there is so little we can do. Here is something positive that can be done! The school year is ending now, for high schools and for universities. Make contact with one near you and find out if there are books which are being discontinued that can be donated to this wonderful cause. Do it. Make a difference. It is just that simple!"

From the Book Campaign of the Palestine Children's Welfare Fund:

"We are sponsoring a drive to collect books and software for the children in the refugee camps in both languages English and Arabic. We are collecting books and software in the academic fields of mathematics, science, social studies and other relevant subjects."

Overnight, Portland Media Jammers "correct" a billboard at the corner of SE 11th and Madison. (Photo credit: "Hovering")

The original text of the billboard said, "Here's to twins". It seems to be part of the beer company's "Summer Exposure" ad campaign, which features lots of skin and little responsibility or respect.

[ "PDX Media Jammers Take On Coors Brewing" | Billboard Liberation Front | Adbusters Jammer's Gallery ]