features archive

Stumping for 4 revolutionary, progressive initiatives & Free Breakfast
Saturday, October 12 from 9 AM to Noon: activists and volunteers of Measures 23, 25, and 27 AND volunteers from the PUD initiative will join forces to leaflet the neighborhoods of Portland. The event is sponsored by the Multnomah county chapter of the Pacific Green Party and will be held at their headquarters, 3534 SE Main. [ Details ]

Peace Rally & Forum this Sat. 10/12
Peace Rally on Saturday morning, October 12 at 11:00 am: gather at Terry Schrunk Plaza, 3rd and Madison for a rally and walk through central Portland.
Saturday evening, October 12 at 7:00 pm: a forum on the CHOICE IS OURS: WAR IN SPACE OR PEACE ON EARTH -- Dangers of current US Military/Foreign Policies and Peaceful Alternatives. Ballroom, Room 355, Smith Memorial Student Union, 1825 SW Broadway (at Harrison Street), PSU Campus [ Details ]

Fun Fundraiser for Local Development of Illustrated Vegetarian Book
This Saturday night - the 12th - will be a night of great entertainment in support of the creation of a fully illustrated "nonfiction comic book" all about the environmental, health, and ethical reasons to not eat animals. Red and Black Caf? @ 2138 SE Division. [ Details ]

From the open publishing newswire: Robin (last name unknown), called in the woods by the name Naya, had just arrived in Santa Cruz from Arcata, CA where he may have been involved with direct action in the Mattole area of Humboldt county. He was eager to go to the forest and defend against logging that would harm Steelhead Trout at the southern end of the coastal redwood forests. He was found Tuesday night by employees of Redwood Empire at the base of "Esparanza," the tree he had been sitting in for about 12 hours. He was taken by helicopter to Valley Medical Center in San Jose where he died earlier today. He would have been 22 years old on Thursday, 10 October. While he enjoyed rock-climbing, this was Naya's first treesit. [ Read more... ]

[ Santa Cruz Earth First! | portland indymedia forest activism stories ]

From the open publishing newswire: Critter has had an accident and injured his wrist and one of his toes. He has stopped getting letters from friends and supporters and we need to let him know that he is not alone--that we support him and we will continue to do his work while he is incarcerated!

Letter from Critter:
"There are many people out there, rejecting society as we know it. The numbers of these people are growing everyday, some may see this as a good thing, however, I don't see this as a solution to the growing environmental crisis. While these people who pull away from civilized society are one up on those who take part in this death race called civilization, many are doing nothing to dismantle the machine that's killing all of us. As I see it, the people who flee from consumer society but don't fight it are cowards.

"By fighting it I don't mean coming up with ways to avoid consumerism, I mean smashing the fucking corporations that endanger and eradicate any/all life forms. We do need to relearn alternative ways of living, but relearning how to coexist with nature is only one half of the equation, because no matter how well you live with nature, when everything dies you will too." [ Read more... ]

[ Info about Critter & other political prisoners, including mailing addresses | Anarchist Black Cross Network ]

From the open publishing newswire: As you know, there is a steady increase in war rhetoric from Bush and his administration and the vote authorizing Bush to declare war in Iraq will most likely happen this week in the House and Senate. Because of this, local organizers have decided to extend vigils in Eugene for the next several days. Everyone is encouraged to go to the Federal Building (7th & Pearl) from 4:30 to 5:30. Join many others who are standing and voicing their opposition to this outrageous and inexcusable decision that will undoubtedly authorize the killing of thousands of innocent lives. [ Full story ]

[ Eugene PeaceWorks ]

Be a Stopping Traffic Advertisement for Peace
I have been pondering my recent episode of blocking/stopping traffic during the Not in Our Name Rally. It is a tactic that many protestors do not agree with,I know. There are tactics that I do not agree with as well. We all do what we have to do.

Some people ask what it accomplishes, besides "pissing motorists off". In truth, it is not my intention to piss anyone off. In fact, I am not attached to their response. I am simply doing what I feel I need to be doing. I am making a plea for peace. [ Read more... ]

Photos & stories from Oct. 5 in Eugene: [ Don't Leave the Left Behind | Taking the Streets of Eugene - In the Name of Peace | Not in Our Name Rally in Eugene | Let Peace Begins With US | Young People Speaking Their Minds | Kids Education Not War Devastation ]

From the open publishing newswire: This billboard is located on I-5 in Portland between Terwilliger and Barbur Blvds. and is most easily seen heading northbound. It was first seen at 5 o'clock, durring rush hour traffic on Wednesday October 9, 2002. [T]he original billboard said, "God Bless America" [ Larger photo ]

[ other re-faced billboards: PDX Media Jammers Take On Coors Brewing | Eugene billboard gets a makeover | Foundation for a Better Life billboards | more info: Billboard Liberation Front ]

From the open publishing newswire: About 25 people showed up at the downtown Eugene branch of stUmpqua Bank to protest the bank Chairman's (Allyn Ford) involvement in old-growth logging on public lands in Oregon. Allyn Ford is also the sole owner of Roseburg Forest Products which is currently logging the Peak timber sale adjcent to Crater Lake National Park. The Mazama Forest Defenders have been fighting this sale in the forest for several months and are currently having their lives endangered by Mr. Ford -- logging is taking place within 15-20 feet of one of the tree-sits. [ Eugene Rally ]

Solidarity Protests at Umpqua Banks Resistance continues at the Peak timber sale

In ongoing resistance to the replacement volume program, statewide solidarity actions will take place at Umpqua Banks in Portland, Eugene, Grants Pass and Medford. Umpqua Bank has been the target of protests due to their complicity in forest destruction. Allyn Ford, owner of Roseburg Forest Products (RFP) and Scott Timber, is chairman of the Board of Directors of Umpqua Bank. [ Solidarity Protests ]

Mazama Forest Defenders Construct Tree-sit at Ashland Umpqua Bank
Mazama Forest Defenders constructed a tree-sit at the Ashland branch of Umpqua Bank wednesday morning as part of a statewide day of action in solidarity with the tree-sitters at the Peak timber sale. A large banner proclaiming "stUmpqua Bank: Complicit in Forest Destruction" was hung from the platform high in a cedar tree directly across from the entrance to the bank. [ Read more... ]

in Portland activists rallied outside and told costumers of the horrible acts of allyn ford. A few costumers said they would consider closing there account. [ Read more... ]

From the open publishing newswire: Jihad.Muslim. In the United States these words are synonymous with terror. To consumers of corporate culture there is no difference between Islam and Al Qaida. They are fed lines in the Times, Washington Post and even the Oregonian like "Seeking Terrorist Plots, F.B.I. Is Tracking Hundreds of Muslims" or "Agent discovers traces of TNT in bag linked to Islamic leader". What the corporate media won't tell you about is the history of nonviolence within the Islamic faith. Contrary to what the corporate media would have you believe not all Muslims are suicide bombers. [ Full story ]

[ Muslim Peace Fellowship | Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center ]

From the open publishing newswire: We were gifted last night with firsthand accounts about the effects of free-market globalization policies in Ecuador, and about the growing indigenous farmworker movement working to oppose the free market policies being forced on Ecuadoran people. The Alliance for Democracy hosted a speaking event Tuesday featuring William Trijillo, who is working with and representing a growing movement in Ecuador called The Confederation of Social Security for Farmworkers in Ecuador. This group represents over a million indigenous farmworkers from all over Ecuador and Latin America and has been working for positive social change in a variety of ways.

"In the beginning, we [in this confederation] were struggling for land, roads, and other things... "[ Newswire article ]

[ www.stopftaa.org | FTAA News Updates | audio of the event ]

From the open publishing newswire: Two Vietnam veterans took the podium at an anti-war rally in Eugene, OR, on October 5, 2002, to speak out against the threatened war on Iraq.

Irwin Noparstak: "War in Iraq ... makes no sense. Current US military policies are a disgrace to US security, and world peace and protection. This is no way to bring about peace. I certainly don't feel protected or secure. As a citizen and veteran, I will continue to speak out and struggle to resist any adventure that so gravely risks the suffering and death of American military personnel and citizenry of other countries ... and that clearly promotes neither security nor peace. I invite you to speak out as well."

Ed Reiman: "It is not 'unpatriotic' to see the truth, and it is not unpatriotic to shout about it. What is unpatriotic is buying into the big lies that the ultra-right is marketing. This coming war is just one of their lies. A week or so ago that over-hair-sprayed draft-dodger Trent Lott said that the Congressional delegation in Iraq, led by three congressmen who just happen to be Vietnam Combat Vets should '...should not question the veracity of the President" and '...should come home and shut up'... Those in this administration who did not serve in the military in times of war - and that's most of them (in spite of all their mealy-mouthed excuses) don't have a clue - and that's why we're going to war for oil. It is that simple and it is that pathetic." [ Full story ]

[ Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist | When I'll Wave The Flag (poem by a U.S. veteran) ]

From the open publishing newswire: Today, the Eugene Homeless continued with their month long campaign for decriminalization of sleeping, and the establishment of a public camp site to call home. The day began with the Lane County Sheriff's Department rounding up, the possessions of the homeless, who have been protesting at the courthouse for over one month now. As the homeless were moving their possessions over to the City Hall Building for a press conference, the Lane County Police came out and rounded it up. One Gentleman, protested this and was then arrested...

From the press release: "The Eugene Homeless Initiative is a group of homeless people who have been occupying the Wayne Morris free speech plaza for over one month. We have two simple demands, have the city of Eugene temporally lift the camping ban and to let us use a parcel of land for a creation of something similar to Portland's 'Dignity Village'." [ Newswire article and Press Release ]

From the open publishing newswire: Attorney General John Ashcroft, at the request of President George W. Bush, called on local judge William Alsup to issue an injunction ordering an end to the lockout of West Coast port workers. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) was contacted by the White House this morning and asked to accept a 30-day contract extension in order to avoid a Taft-Hartley injunction. The ILWU accepted the proposal for a 30-day extension. The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) was also contacted by the White House, but the PMA refused the proposal. This refusal demonstrates clearly that the intent of the PMA was never to bargain in good faith with the ILWU, but rather to seek government intervention to force workers back to work under conditions demanded by the PMA.

In his letter of solidarity with the ILWU, Secretary-Treasurer Walter Johnson stated: "If you take on the ILWU you are taking on the entire labor movement. We intend to give new meaning to the words that are part of the foundation of labor: Solidarity Forever." [ Full story ]

Just Checked and...Port Gates are OPEN
From the open publishing newswire: I drove by all the ILWU picket lines in Portland and honked at the picketers between 7:00 and 8:00 on my way to picket with Local 4 in Vancouver, but by the time I got to the Port of Vancouver the picket lines had vanished without a trace. The terminal gates were open and the "Closed to All Traffic" sign was gone. When I drove back to the Port of portland, no pickets there either. A longshorman told me they got official notification around 7:30 of the Taft-Hartley injuction going into effect. [ Newswire item ]

From the open publishing newswire: A critique of the major arguments in President Bush's Oct 7 speech on the use of force against Iraq reveal several factual and logical fallacies. Extracts from the President's speech are in italics and my comments in plain text follow.

First, I'm asked why Iraq is different from other countries or regimes that also have terrible weapons. While there are many dangers in the world, the threat from Iraq stands alone because it gathers the most serious dangers of our age in one place. Iraq's weapons of mass destruction are controlled by a murderous tyrant who has already used chemical weapons to kill thousands of people. The same tyrant has tried to dominate the Middle East, has invaded and brutally occupied a small neighbor, has struck other nations without warning and holds an unrelenting hostility toward the United States.

The term "weapons of mass destruction" (WMD) is at this point meaningless and has been much-abused by both our political leaders and the chattering classes. What are WMD? The term is shorthand for nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, all three of which are very different and represent varying levels of threat. Chemical and biological agents are very different from nuclear weapons. Biological vectors or chemical agents are extremely difficult to control and could just as easily contaminate friends' as well as foes' infrastructure. The deadliest nerve agents are sensitive to heat, sun, and can be dispersed too easily by light breezes. Also, Iraq does not possess an effective weapons delivery system necessary to hit a target in the U.S. At best they have unmanned aircraft (drones) and short-range ballistic missiles (Scuds). For these reasons, Iraq cannot use chemical or biological weapons against long-range targets. They are most effectively used by Iraq on a battlefield where artillery can target concentrations of advancing troops. Therefore U.S. soldiers are very much at risk in a ground war while civilians back in the States are in no danger. [ Read more ]

From the open publishing newswire: Last night, more than 1000, maybe 1500, rallied & marched in Olympia WA. The rally was intelligent & well-done. The march was vigorous, with chants, percussion, candlelight. The demographic was broad, showing just how much this community distrusts the would-be dictator. The march began at Sylvester Park, wound thru downtown, & ended at Cong Brian Baird's office, where some left their signs for Baird's staff to see this morning. Cool sign: "There's A Terrorist Behind Every bush!" Cool quote (from an Evergreen State College prof): "If bush wants to arrest every terrorist, he should go to Maine & arrest his father!" Thanks, Olympia, for adding to the spirit, the spirit of Peace, based upon Justice, something the power-mad in DC would not know about. We will teach them! Onward! [ Newswire article ]

This is the [latest] in a series of essays concerned with male domination posted to the open publishing newswire: One of the most influential books of the past 150 years is THE ORIGIN OF THE FAMILY, PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THE STATE, by Frederick Engels... In the opening pages of this book Engels asserts: "...the determining factor in history is...the production and reproduction of immediate life..." He includes in these two categories the means of existence (food etc), and the reproduction of human beings.

Alas, Engels' own words prove Engels wrong. The determining factor in human history for the past ten thousand years is not production but destruction, carried out by men, which I call male violence.

Clarification: I define human violence as 1) Individual violence 2) the organized violence concerned with laws, prisons, and police; that is to say, the legal system and 3) the organized violence of war. If we analyze this statistically (see 'A Statistical Analysis of Violent Male Domination'), we observe that human violence is currently around 90% male, for individual violence, and rises to around 99.9% male for the most destructive form of violence, war. For this reason I feel completely justified in describing human violence as male violence. [ Read more... ]

previous essays: [ Part 1: A MODEST PROPOSAL CONCERNING MASCULISM | Part 2: TEN THOUSAND YEARS IS ENOUGH! | Part 3: THE MOVEMENT FOR MALE RESTRAINT | Part 4: HOW TO CHALLENGE VIOLENT MALE DOMINATION | Part 5: A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF VIOLENT MALE DOMINATION | Part 6: THE PROBLEM OF MALE OBEDIENCE | Part 7: WOMAN'S GREATEST FEAR ]

From the open publishing newswire: A group of concerned Portland residents and students announces that they will arrive at Senator Ron Wyden's Portland office (700 Multnomah St., Suite 450) at 8 AM this morning to demand the Senator vote no on Senate Joint Resolutions 45 and 46, which grant the President sweeping and unconstitutional powers to wage war on Iraq. Organizers wish to speak directly to the Senator by phone and intend to remain in the office until the Senator makes a firm statement of his position on the War Resolutions.

Urgent! Occupying citizens need your support! As of 10am, 15 people are occupying Ron Wyden's office until he makes a statement about the invasion of Iraq. Wyden's office has reported that calls there have been overwhelmingly against the war. They are not impressed. IMPRESS THEM. [ Photos ] Call Josh Karden [the one with the necktie] at 326-7525 in support of the people refusing to leave the office and demanding accountability. [ Newswire article ] [ Don't Attack Iraq! ] [ Wyden Announces Opposition to Resolution ]

UPDATE: Wyden Announces Opposition to Resolution, Calls upon memory of Senator Morris, says case for unilateral force not made?It wasn't as strident of a statement as one might have hoped for, but Senator Ron Wyden, in his just-concluded floor speech, has announced his intention to vote against the Iraq war resolution. A commenter writes: I got confirmation from the folks at the sit-in that they heard the speech and are headed home. [ Read more... ]

From the open publishing newswire: Consumer activist and former Presidential candidate Ralph Nader held a press conference in Portland on Monday, October 7 with the Oregon Public Power Coalition, calling for the citizens of five counties in Northwest Oregon to create Public Utility Districts (PUDs) out of the assets of Portland General Electric. Speaking on behalf of the OPPC, Nader said that a PUD is the PGE ratepayer's best option to create low-cost electricity with a board of directors directly answerable to the people.

"The preferred approach is for people to put on the ballot in March ... a measure that will establish public utility districts (PUDs) in each county ... which will be able to take over PGE and turn it into a locally controlled, environmentally sensitive, consumer-sovereign, stable [and] reliable provider of electricity for people and businesses in this area. I urge voters to sign the petitions that are circulating now in these counties ... and resoundingly establish these PUDs." [ Full story ]

AUDIO: Ralph Nader Press Conference

From an analysis by Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting, posted to the newswire: Activists contacting major media outlets regarding their coverage of Iraq seem to be having an impact on the coverage of this timely issue.

On September 30, FAIR issued an action alert documenting the limited coverage of a major anti-war demonstration in London. The demonstration merited only passing mentions in the Washington Post and New York Times, so hundreds of activists contacted the papers to ask about this news judgment. On October 6, Post ombudsman Michael Getler, while not mentioning FAIR by name, agreed with the activists' concerns. Getler wrote:

"Last Saturday, antiwar rallies involving some 200,000 people in London and thousands more in Rome took place and nothing ran in the Sunday Post about them. On Monday, The Post's London correspondent produced an informative, front-page article surveying broad European concerns about U.S. policies, with references to the rallies. A picture of the protesters in London accompanied the story. Nevertheless, the failure to report the news of the rallies when they occurred produced complaints from readers and an organized e-mail campaign assailing the paper for this lapse." [ Read more... ]

[ Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting ]

From the open publishing newswire: I've been watching the news a lot latey, looking for the way that things are spun. I have reason to beleive that the citizens of the city of Portland are about to be targeted. A few months back, the Office of Homeland Security announced it's Operation TIPS. in the July 16, 2002 Washington Times an artile titled "Planned Volunteer-Informant Corps Elicits '1984' Fears" said: "The Terrorism Information and Prevention System (Operation TIPS), a national reporting pilot program, is scheduled to start next month in 10 cities, with 1 million informants ? or nearly 4 percent of Americans ? initially participating in the program."

There was a lot of complaint, and congress didn't pass TIPS as part of the OHC. Ashcroft and Ridge maintained, though, that they didn't need congressional approvel and that was that. We havn't heard mention of TIPS and the 10 cities since.

Yesterday, Gillian Flaccus of The Associated Press wrote an article titled "Small-time Portland attracts radical elements" This article says that portland is a forgiving place where terrorists are going. Pair this with Ashcrofts announcement that he's found a band of Al Quida living in Portland. I'm afraid that we have been targeted. I don't think we should be afraid though. We should use our status as a City of Commonsense and "Livability" to show that it is the administration that is dangerous. [ Discussion ]

From the open publishing newswire: Its obvious this forum is touching nerves both locally and worldwide. IMCs and of course the people who post the street truth will be attacked. It is a good measure of the success and empowerment of this communications tool.

We all know of the -possibly paid- posters who take this site seriously enough, who think this reach is wide enough, who attempt to disrupt the waves of information and ideas flowing from you outwards. IMC centers in Greece, Australia, and Switzerland, have all faced threats of governmental intervention. Switzerland IMC was eventually shutdown.

The thing that would most likely hurt mass media conglomorates in the US- who are directly charged with dispelling the opinions offered by such "threats" as the people who use IMCs- is that to acknowledge a forum is to advertise a forum. That can't mustn't happen in any respect -so you have the spectacle of Grecian media attempting to finger the Athens IMC without naming it directly!!-. Paid "trolls" are the order of the day without having to interfere directly, depending on shock value to blunt and discourage (Rush Limbough and others of that ilk). [ Discussion ]

A Field Guide To Rightwingnut Posers - A Must For ALL Progressives
Lurking behind every Bush (ahem!) is a rightwingnut or several hundred. These folks, not longer content to just post obscenities or threaten liberals with bodily harm now use deceit and sabotage every opportunity they can get to undermine any opposition to their self-serving cause. Here's an article to help you spot these losers quickly and efficiently! [ Read more... ]

Confronting the Warmongers
The Corporate media (particularly in the States) is drumming to the beat of war. Their favorite team is ready to play hand grenades and there ready to cheer them on. It's quite pathetic really. Instead of being a watchdog on power the media is acting more like an attack dog for power. Those that refuse to blindly accept the party line are being labelled as Un-American or Anti-American. If we care about democracy and freedom we must reject such concepts. Speaking out is our duty when our governments are acting in such ways that we don't approve of. The mouthpieces for power want us to shut up, wrap ourselves in the flag and march in the parade, exactly what is expected out of those who live in totalitarian states.

The Bush administration has it's crosshairs set on Iraq for the second time. Bush Jr. seems intent on finishing what his old man refused to finish. So let's look at some of the justifications we are hearing put forth by the bandits in the White House. [ Read more... ]

From the open publishing newswire: This morning all four access points to the Peak timber sale were blocked. Logging began at the timber sale just recently and a closure was issued to the area. Four gates were erected at the four entrances to the timber sale. Gates plus some woody debris, with the help of pad locks and super glue, surely the forest diservice will have there hands full for the day. The Peak timber sale is over 200 acres of just about clearcutting that will degrade water quality and wildlife habitat. The timber sale is part of the ever-so-controversial Replacement Volume Program.

Forest activists will keep up the pressure, two tree-sits remain in the peak timber sale. Do your part in coming to one of the state-wide-solidarity actions on wednesday. In portland people will be converging upon the Upmqua bank on 15th and NE Wiedler [at 11a.m.-1p.m]. In Eugene people will be having an event at 11th and Oak at Noon. [ Full story ]

[ Mazama Forest Defenders | pdx indy forest activism stories ]