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'me' writes: [To] The guy that got $700 in tickets on his bike in Gresham: Hey, court was a few days ago, how about an update? Lots of us want to know how your trial went! Please update us and let us know if you got off on those bogus charges!

'Rider' replies: So I went to court but since i was pleading not guilty, I will have a trial which has now been scheduled for 5/23. I hate the delay but since I dont have any $$ I guess time is good.

I have learned a few other things since then. After filing a written complaint against Officer Durbin, I got a response from Sgt. O'Keeffe (Traffic Supervisor) It read:

Thanking for taking your time to complete our "Citizen Comment Form" regarding the contact you had with ne of our traffic officers.
I read your complaint and your comments on the "Portland Independent Media Center's" website. I also talked to my traffic officers about the contact.
It is obvious that my officer was unprofessional and rude. It is also just as obvious that you were just as unprofessional and rude.I cant dictate the conduct of the Public. I can only hold my Officers to a higher stndard tehn some of the people they have to deal with...

original post: [ Long story short, today I got $700 worth of tickets on my bike in Gresham ]

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After some very eloquent public testimony, the city council today took the historic first step in whacking our society out of its complacency in the face of creeping fascism. At approximately 8pm tonight, we became the first city in the nation to call off the dogs. I'm tired after a long day, and so I will try to make this brief. Suffice to say, there is finally a real mayor in city hall. Tom Potter took the time, both before and after the hearing, to talk to many of the people who came tonight, and to let them know they have been heard. At several points in the evening, he reminded people that he is the police commissioner, and he takes that responsibility seriously. Unlike the previous mayor, it seems, he does not intend to sit idly by while a rogue police force tramples the civil rights of the people of Portland. In a short speech he gave as the vote was being tallied, Mr. Potter referenced the corporate media's fearmongering attempts to force him to continue to blindly cooperate with the JTTF. He said that a media person had told him that, "If anything happens in the city, I'm toast." Not that this thought hasn't crossed my mind, or the minds of those who would like nothing more than to sabotage the effort to rid ourselves of the JTTF. But Potter calmly reassured those present that "the way we protect ourselves, is to take care of each other."

see also: [ WE ARE OUT OF THE PJTTF | Write a letter to Tom Potter and Randy Leonard - they are clearly on our side ]

related (previous to vote): [ Debunking Today's 'Oregonian' JTTF Coverage | JTTF: Fasten Your Seatbelts ]

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The crowd gathered at 5PM (about 65) There were some chants and Z21 interviewed several people. We chanted some chants:

-Don't give up the fight, our courts, our rights

-Save our courts

- E.M.P.I.R.E. does not spell demorcracy

We marched up Oregon Street to Wall, accross Greenwood and up the the Deschutes County Court house where several people spoke.

12:00 Noon on the stairs and sidewalk outside of the courthouse on Broadway and Main there was a rally, put on by MoveOn PAC. There were several speakers rallying the crowd to call senator Smith whos vote could stop this blatant corruption fo our system, and educating the public about this huge issue. The estimate was 600-775 people in attendance, all of whom were peaceful. After the rally ended, a small group of 50-100 (i never took a good count) people marched on the Portland office of Senator Smith in the World Trade Center to demand his office listen to our opinion. We marched up the skywalk and into the building intent on getting into the office, only to find the elevators shut down and the stairwell locked. One of the security officers forcefully ejected a female protestor from the elevator with no provocation. Senate majority (Republican) leaders have made it plain that either the Democratic majority must allow the Republicans to appoint Bush's extreme anti-environmental nominees for the Federal judiciary OR the Republicans will go ahead with what they (Republicans) coined as their "nuclear option" -- eliminating the long-standing Senate rule that allows unlimited debate on votes that rise to the level of issues of conscience for the minority. That's what filibusters have generally been about -- issues of conscience -- as when Oregon's Senator Hatfield attempted a one-man filibuster against the development of a neutron bomb back in the 1970's.

It turns out that the Senate Democrats have what they don't call, but could be called, their own "nuclear option." Democrats have made it plain that either the Republican majority must back down and allow vetting of Bush's extremist anti-environmental nominees for the Federal judiciary OR the Democrats will slow the Senate down to a crawl and block all legislation (except for matters of national security). When you look back at the history of this Congress, shutting down all legislation doesn't look like a bad idea. Shutting down the Senate would mean no more of Bush's so-called "reforms" -- bankruptcy "reform", tort "reform" -- and it would preclude any more talk of so-called "Social Security reform."

related: [ FilibusterFilibusterFilibuster | You don't have to be a Senator to fillibuster ]

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During World Week for Animals In Laboratories (April 23-30), activists hung a banner on the sign at the main entrance to OHSU's Oregon National Regional Primate center

According to a communication, activists encouraged others to: "Let the primate center know what you think of their crap research. Hang a banner. Visit a vivisector's house. Throw a brick. Invest in some spray paint. Let people know what's going on inside the hellhole of OHSU."

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Portland's decision tonite [Thursday @ 6:30p] is very important, not only for the people of this city, but for the nation. If we finally sever ties with the JTTF, we will be the first city in the country to do so. Our courage will be contagious. And they know it. It's that domino thing they hate so much.

Don't get me wrong, this is far from the unequivocal in-your-face pullout that I would prefer. Too many loose ends still dangle, too many loopholes remain open. But this, if it happens, is one small stone that starts the landslide.

And so, the pressure is on. Thank God we have a real mayor this time, who might just put the best interests of the people ahead of concerns about what the corporate media will say. In any event, it's been a bumpy ride and it's not over yet. All the commissioners are still tallying public opinion, so if you would like to voice your thoughts, now would be a good time to be calling their offices. And if you want to see an interesting show, come down to the city hall at 6:30 this evening. [ Read More ]

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On April 22, 1991, I was only 18 years old; I was out with some of my comrades planning to conduct a march and rally in the streets of our town, Beit Sahour, against the Israeli occupation of our land. This march was one of many peaceful protests held as part of what had become known as the 'first Intifada' (popular uprising), which had begun in 1987.

... on that fateful April morning in 1991, I discovered at one point during the demonstration that I was surrounded by a group of masked men who pretended they were also Palestinian protesters. They tried to talk to me in Arabic and ask me about "the location of the soldiers" in an attempt to fool me, but the man who spoke to me didn't pronounce the Arabic words correctly. It was at that moment I realized that I was actually surrounded by a death squad. [ Read More ]

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Recent reports indicate that budget negotiators are considering "splitting the difference" between House and Senate versions regarding cuts to entitlement programs that would require $43 billion in cuts, including $12 billion to Medicaid alone. This level of cuts to Medicaid is substantially higher than even the President's budget proposal of $7.6 billion to that program.

A delegation of a dozen senior, labor and consumer groups encouraged Senator Smith to continue to stand up for Oregonians. The delegation delivered a letter signed by a broad group of organizations, thanking the Senator for standing up and encouraging him to continue to oppose cuts. Oregon Action delivered a book with the stories of 50 Oregonians who's lives depend on Medicaid.

[ Oregonians for Health Security ]

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Torrance, CA: The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) issued a communiqu? April 21st in which it claims to have attacked a supplier for Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), a laboratory notorious for animal cruelty violations. The home and automobiles of Flora Sadeghi, CFO of Phenomenex in Torrance, were reportedly defaced with paint, according to the communiqu? received by the Press Office. Phenmenex has been supplying equipment used on animals to HLS for many years.

Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) has been exposed in five separate undercover investigations to openly abuse animals, killing 500 per day testing such products as oven cleaners and pesticides. HLS is a contract testing company with facilities in the United Kingdom and New Jersey. Its suppliers and customers have been under unrelenting attack by animal advocates for the last 3 years, driving them to near-bankruptcy.

related: [ ALF Communique: Forest Labs and HLS Under Attack (24.Apr.2005) | North American Animal Liberation Press Office ]

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Humboldt Co.,CA :Three days of preliminary hearing, attended by a full courtroom, in a felony assault case against forest activist, Ramsey "Phoenix" Gifford, culminated on Friday with the court ruling that there was no evidence to justify the felony charge. Ramsey, a life-long resident of Humboldt, in spring of 2003, free-climbed an ancient Redwood in Freshwater to witness a fellow activist being forcibly removed by Pacific Lumber-hired tree-sitter extractors, 160 ft. up.

The extractors' own tapes of most of the interaction with Ramsey, viewed in the courtroom throughout the hearing, clearly show Ramsey's attempts to avoid the extractors as well as violent acts perpetrated AGAINST Ramsey, who sustains injuries from that time.

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As progressive rural Oregonians, the Rural Organizing Project, has worked for years to advance justice, democracy, human rights, and human dignity for all people. We have a vision of our communities united in beloved communities across the lines of race, gender, sexual orientation, and class. Now we realize that a great obstacle has been placed on our road. 9/11, the "war on terror," and especially the invasion of Iraq present a profoundly different vision of the future. These are not distinct, isolated events or issues of "foreign policy." Instead they represent a counter-vision, one that uses war and fear to isolate communities.

The Walk for Truth, Justice and Community in June 2005 will be our chance to create a common response to the "war program", to unite in action, declare our resistance, and celebrate our vision for the world that we want. In the name of truth, justice, and community, we will share our stories and declare our witness and continued presence in the struggle to build a better world. We will join together across the divisions and fragmentation of our world to create a community where everyone is included and treated not as objects but as fully human. We will connect with each other and with our passion for a better world and a better way.

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This lovely young woman, Amber Birmingham, is my daughter. She currently resides in the Josephine county jail. She was one of many brave souls who have helped bring attention to the illegal logging of the Biscuit through direct action. Like "Grandma Joan" Norman, Amber has refused to give bail money to a government that is intent on undermining our environmental laws that protect our children's health and future. "I may have broken a minor law," Amber said, "but this is an attempt to bring attention to all the environmental laws the Bush Administration and Forest Service are violating and gutting which are truly egregious and harmful to us all. We have to do what we can so folks everywhere might know what these greedy people are doing to the rest of us, our children and grandchildren." As she quotes underground slave liberator Harriet Tubman, she reminds me that we have a moral responsibility to, "defy the laws when the laws are wrong". Amber said, "In this case my friends and I are trying to protect the laws that are right and defy a government that is wrong."

As the campaign continues legal costs are mounting; money and attorneys are needed.

[ pdx indymedia: The Battle of the Biscuit ]

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Today marks the 21st anniversary of the press conference where it was announced that HIV was the probable cause of AIDS. Since that fateful day, almost all discussion relating to other causes of the two original illnesses defined as AIDS have been marginalized, if not nullified.

Over the years 27 more diseases would be attributed to the effects of infection with this retrovirus. The definition of AIDS itself has also changed since then. The public has accepted all of this unquestioningly. We've seem to have no difficulty believing the contradictory information concerning HIV and AIDS. We don't bat an eye when we're told what amazing feats this retrovirus is capable of. Worst of all, we simply don't question. Period.

It's way past time to start asking basic questions about HIV and AIDS.

Why is it so inconceivable that after the United States of America on executive order from its President deliberately spread smallpox in order to complete the clearing of the North American continent of its native human population while at the same time inoculating only white people - why is it so it inconceivable that the official body of the United States government would use disease to clear another resource rich continent, Africa.

other pdx indymedia posts: [ AIDS myths | HIV = AIDS is a lie | JOIN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE MYTH | Drugs Kill -- Not HIV. HIV=AIDS=DEATH is a myth! ]

related websites: [ Alive & Well | AidsMyth | VirusMyth | What is AIDS? ]

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On April 20, Santa Cruz Indymedia volunteers presented an outdoor midnight guerilla screening of A Call To Media Arms, Ring of Free Trade, To Protect and Serve (6 minutes of abuse at TUSC), Fuck The Corporate Media, and The Miami Model in the Quarry Ampitheater as part of Tent Univeristy Santa Cruz.

As the University of California Administration engages in a public relations campaign of lies, Santa Cruz Indymedia's open-publishing newswire is being utilized by UCSC students, staff, faculty and members of the community to expose the truth about the events that took place on Monday evening (4/18/05) at Tent University Santa Cruz (TUSC) and some of the many reasons for organizing TUSC in the first place.

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PCUN is calling on all supporters to contact key members of the House Democratic Caucus to urge them to reject this bill. A floor vote in the full Oregon House is expected next week.

Introduced at the request of the Oregon Farm Bureau and Oregon Association of Nurseries, HB 3258 would place farmworker collective bargaining under the Employment Relations Board (ERB), a state agency handling public employee unionization. The ERB has no capacity, expertise or funding to take on such a critical responsibility. HB 3258 also does not take into consideration the seasonal nature of farm labor, and does not include key provisions articulated by PCUN and supported by Oregon Governor Kulongoski, including mandatory binding arbitration of first contracts.

PCUN President Ramon Ramirez stated, "I find it ironic that growers are introducing this bill and say they are in favor of collective bargaining when this law will never give workers a contract." According to a report submitted by the ERB to the Oregon AFL-CIO, it typically takes 79 days for an election to be certified, well after most seasonal crops have been harvested and workers have left the area.

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On Thursday evening, I found encouraging news on the filibuster battle at Yahoo News. A private Republican poll, leaked to the Associated Press, had found -- among Republican voters! -- only 37 percent support for the GOP plan to deny Democrats the ability to filibuster judicial nominees, while 51 percent were opposed.

"Additionally, the survey indicated only about 20 percent of Americans believe the Republican statement that Bush is the first president in history whose court appointees have been subjected to a filibuster."

I thought to myself, the filibuster battle is over. It's nothing, I thought, but what "the Dude" in an article posted this evening calls the "SillyBuster" -- and the "nuclear option" threat is hollow and about to implode. What I did not count on was the perseverance of evil in the U.S.A. The Republicans do not ever see a negative poll as an indication that it's time to turn around -- it's just a challenge, requiring pouring some more money into the pot and stirring.

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Heartcheck is a 40 page zine with new, unpublished writings and artwork by political prisoners Jeff 'Free' Luers and Robert 'Los Ricos' Thaxton. The zine is printed on recycled paper by 1984 Printing in Oakland, California and has a 4 color cover.

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As some of you may know, I currently serve on the national committee of the Green Party of the United States. What many of you may not know is that I'm 17 and took my seat on the committee at age 16. On the national committee, I enjoy full equal voting rights with all the other representatives and am treated as an adult. Whatever you think about the state of the Green Party right now, I can say that they work to put youth in positions of equal power.

If I only I could say the same with local government bodies! I'm extremely frustrated right now with what's happened...

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At a joint press conference with Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Jordan this morning, Mayor Tom Potter announced that he will ask City Council to reassign the two Portland police officers currently working with the Joint Terrorism Task Force back to the Criminal Intelligence Unit of the Portland Police Bureau.

That decision comes after three weeks of negotations between the City and the Federal government, which were prompted at the end of March by the introduction by Potter and Commissioner Randy Leonard of a resolution which sought to establish specific criteria for Portland's continued participation in the JTTF.

In a letter dated April 18 and included in the material released this morning, Jordan praised Potter for having "clearly and eloquently articulated his responsibiility to oversee Portland's police officers.

"Unfortunately," Jordan wrote, "we are unable to find a solution that is mutally acceptable."

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One might have thought that the great social tyranny of the government in Washington D.C. did not extend too deeply into Oregon's political life. However this is only an illusion. The Oregon House of Representative has passed a bill requiring the recitation of the "Pledge of Allegiance" by students in public schools every day.

These corporate quisling republicans and quibbling liberals, who base their political careers on selling themselves to the highest bidders and addressing the people with meaningless slogans and sound bites, have the nerve to command us as to what, and in what manner, we shall devote our lives.

This is not a trivial matter. It is as if they had passed a proclamation supporting cannibalism, or enacted mandatory inoculation of all children with methamphetamines. It is an evil action.

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'Georgia on my mind?' posted an article saying: Blog forums, you know those quirky little places where you get an idea of what makes a specific group of people "tic"? Visiting the one representing the anti-LNG faction of Warrenton, Oregon, residents makes you think maybe the government might have a good idea where to place these storage tanks.

'Stop LNG campaigner' responds: Enough with the Hillbilly putdowns, Georgia. It's often an effective strategy for provocation and division, but it's a new day out, and it's not going to work on this one.

'resser' comments: the folks opposing LNG in Astoria are, in my experience, decent people who don't like the idea of having major energy companies and the Dept. of Homeland Security running their town and their port. It's too bad if anyone has been off-putting, but this LNG opposition seems to be pretty broad-based in the Astoria area. I guess I would say that, if there are harsh perspectives, it's because this development came out of nowhere and was plunked down on top of these little towns, and they've been left to fend off these huge energy companies. I think we could all do them a favor by being realistic about who would benefit from the LNG, and who is going to be taking the risks. Portland (and the rest of Oregon) should be on alert because they are the supposed "market" for some of this LNG, although I suspect it's actually intended for power plants and electricity for California.

Do you want it? Do you need it? Who profits? Who pays?

Please attend this public informational meeting about the proposed Bradwood liquified natural gas receiving facility, this one brought to you by an outfit known as Northern Star Natural Gas, which is purportedly out of Houston, Texas. Northern Star now has a telephone with a voice mail located on Durham Road in Tigard.

Con Men from Texas flying into Oregon to make it look like Houston. Come on, people, put up a fight!

[ ColumbiaRiverVision.org | previous posts about the LNG issue ]

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