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oregon & cascadia

Cascadia is the northwest coastal region of North America, including the area surrounding the Cascade mountain range extending from Humboldt County, Calif., to the Alaskan panhandle, and covers much of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.

A narrower definition of Cascadia refers to the area influenced by the Cascade mountain range and the 100 miles of coastal lands between it and the Pacific Ocean. Cascadia is a Pacific Rim nation-state concept and a possible basis for regional autonomy, as plans are made to secede from the respective countries that envelop the Cascadia bioregion. For many residents of the Pacific Northwest, Cascadia is a state of mind fostered by the lifestyle of this unique biosphere and has become a geographical identity spoken of with pride.



environment | forest defense | gender & sexuality 02-Jul-2009 14:27

Cascadia Trans’ & Womyn’s Action Camp 2009 Reportback

From the open publishing newswire: This year Cascadia made home to the now annual Trans & Womyn's Action Camp.
Cascadia hasn't hosted a camp of this sort in a few years, unfortunately. This camp alone brought out so many new faces and introduced them to the radical environmental movement that we decided it must continue out here, in coordination with other Trans and Womyn's spaces that correlate with future Earth First! Rendezvous.
Taking place in workshops spaces such as Learn First! and Share Garden, the schedule was widely diverse with issues of forest defense techniques, tactics of non-violent direct action, strategic campaigning, supporting mental health wellness & burnout, gender identity, sex work, DIY reproductive health (where many women saw a cervix for the first time!), how to call out oppressive behavior in a constructive way, etc. There was a large focus on anti-oppression by having three unique AO scheduled workshops, with additions of an impromptu critical discussion on privilege and oppression in the larger EF! movement, which eventually turned into a discussion about environmental racism and environmental justice. And prior to that there was an in-depth discussion on how to incorporate the safer space of TWAC- trans-inclusiveness, solidarity, and anti-oppression- at the upcoming EF! Round River Rendezvous, which eventually turned into trying to rally folks to attend the EF! RRR.

Beyond having some really amazing & critical workshops, we also had lots of fun ones!

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police / legal 01-Jul-2009 16:16

Murdering thug, William Bergin does jail time

From the open publishing newswire: Former Sandy Cop, and murdering, stalking, drunk driving, thug, William Bergin plead guilty to a very reduced charge last Thursday: From the original indictment by a (not so) grand jury, for felony identity theft, first-degree official misconduct and use of an invalid driver's license, he was allowed by the infamous John Foote (DA for Clackamas County), to plead guilty to misdemeanor "official Misconduct," and to do the perp walk to jail for a very harsh sentence: twenty four freakin hours in jail, no doubt in the VIP suite. WTF?

Mr. Bergin, for those who do not remember, is one of two (protect and serve) officers from Clackamas County, who, finding a badly burned, injured, naked (clothes burned off his body) and totally unarmed, "catatonic" according to their statements, Fouad Kaady, could think of no way to help him, so they tasered him until their alter penises were completely discharged of electricity, and then pumped five shots into his body.

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neighborhood news | sustainability 01-Jul-2009 16:03

Columbia River Crossroads: info on the Columbia River Crossing

From the open publishing newswire: A 10 lane bridge, while still too big, would be preferable to the current 12 lane concept, and there are signs that a smaller bridge might become the new concept
One of the things that jumped out at me from the fact sheets I got at the recent Columbia River Crossing "open house", (last Wednesday), was a projection from a sheet titled, "Traffic Effects of 8, 10 and 12 Lane Scenarios." This sheet compares the "local streets impacted by I-5 backups" in a 10 lane and 12 lane bridge scenario. In the 12 lane scenario, of course, there are no local streets impacted by an I-5 backup, either in Portland or Vancouver.

But in the 10 lane scenario, there are six streets or highways that are impacted. All but one of them are in Vancouver. So this really is a Clark County thing. The new bridge must be as large as possible so drivers from the northernmost reaches of Clark County, and probably beyond, can get to Portland in time for...whatever.

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imperialism & war 01-Jul-2009 15:58

Olympia Fuck the War 4th of July Bash to Support Anti-war organizing and PMR

Party More, Really! From the open publishing newswire: Fuck the war! On July 4th we're throwing a party to support anti-war organizing and Port Militarization Resistance (PMR). BBQ starts at 4:00 (vegan food available), DJ Arrives (read: partying starts) at 9:00. It's at 8th and Cushing, Olympia. This is a great way to get involved in anti-war organizing in the area, meet some new friends, and kick it with old ones. You won't want to miss this one!

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anti-racism 26-Jun-2009 12:01

Rose City Antifa: Statement on Anti-Semites and their Collaborators

From the open publishing newswire: Recent events have highlighted the fact that anti-Semitic organizers in Portland, Oregon are relying on "Leftist" spaces and groups to tolerate their efforts and ideology. On Wednesday, June 10, Valdas Anelauskas, a self-described "white separatist" who is involved with Holocaust-denial circles, gave a presentation to a group of sympathizers in Portland, Oregon. The event was sponsored by the Portland 9/11 Truth Alliance, and was initially scheduled to take place at the Laughing Horse Book & Video Collective... The Laughing Horse collective canceled the anti-Semitic event within 48 hours of being notified about its true nature. Valdas Anelauskas is a "racialist" (read: racist) activist currently based in Eugene, Oregon. Anelauskas is now active in the Pacifica Forum, a Eugene, Oregon organization which hosts Holocaust-denial speakers such as David Irving plus Mark Weber of the Institute for Historical Review.

While Portland 9/11 Truth Alliance activist Tim Titrud was one organizer for Anelauskas' talk in Portland, Titrud appears to have been assisted by a cast of several others, especially Tim Calvert... Calvert's conspiracy theories about Jewish power, and his denial of the Nazi genocide against the Jewish people, have been an open secret in Portland for years.

Rose City Antifa strongly opposes attempts to make excuses for anti-Semitism, or to pretend that it is any less poisonous than any other form of racism. Other organizations involving Tim Calvert, such as the Cascadia Education Project, are also advised to take notice. No compromise and no half-measures!

- Rose City Antifa / Portland ARA

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environment 22-Jun-2009 07:48

3 Earth First Roadshow Stops in Portland THIS WEEK!

All the West Coast Stops From the open publishing newswire: A band of eco-rebels is crossing the US Empire to renew a fighting movement that can stop this industrial nightmare from choking the life out of the earth: the Earth First Roadshow!

The need for resistance in solidarity with the wild has never been louder or clearer than it is today; the roadshow is a tool for growing that resistance. There are countless examples to draw from in the story of radical movements before us: militant labor organizing tours, anti-fascist resistance recruitment and international speaking tours to build cross-border solidarity. The origin of Earth First! itself is credited to a few roadshows that kicked it all off in the early 1980s. We are building on this tradition; akin to a fellowship crossing Middle Earth to amass insurgents to face Mordor head-on.

* Thursday, June 25th, 3p Laurelhurst Park (west side of Park) FREE
Learn all you want to know about Direct Action: Media, Lockdowns, Tri-pods & a DA role-play
------------------------------

* Saturday, June 27th, 7p Red & Black Cafe (12th & Oak) $ 3-5
- Music:
The Rising Phoenix Society (Old Timey Party Down Crunk)
Slow Teeth (Harmonic Folk Punk)
Here Comes Trouble (Ukelele Country Funk)
- Presentation:
Learn about Direct Action, the Greenscare, Earth Forst! History & more through a puppetshow, a slideshow and skits!
------------------------------

* Saturday, June 28th Let Live Animal Rights Conference
 http://www.letlivefoundation.org/conference

homepage:  http://www.earthfirstroadshow.wordpress.com

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actions & protests | gender & sexuality 17-Jun-2009 13:05

Albany: Queers Beat Nazi Ass

From the open publishing newswire: We found 41 year old "Spanish Blue Blood," a self proclaimed "stormtrooper" of the National Socialist Movement and senior moderator of the NSM's official party forum, sitting on a bus bench waiting for a crew that never showed... [And beat his ass]
Gang of queers force Nazi out of Albany Pride march.
The second he saw us he split for the street
but didn't get far til we caught up with him and gave him what he deserved.

"Spanish Blue Blood," who lives in the Colonie area of Albany, had been trying for weeks to draw up enough people to stage a counter protest of Albany's Capital Pride march but apparently he couldn't even get a single person out. He recently celebrated his 41st birthday on June 9th so we delivered some belated gifts-in the form of tightly
balled fists.

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government 17-Jun-2009 12:43

PacNW democrats love war

From the open publishing newswire: Not one democrat in U.S. House from Oregon & Washington voted against war supplemental.
Democrats in Oregon & Washington obviously are devoted to failed wars, are opposed to exit strategies, dearly love the current unreformed IMF, which ruins debtor nations, & support the totally unrelated & ridiculously inept cash-for-clunkers program. And of course these congresspeeps will dig deeply into their own pockets to come up with $100,000,000,000 for the war supplemental mishmash approved today. How much more in September, jerks!

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environment | forest defense | green scare | prisons & prisoners 11-Jun-2009 20:41

Tre's Back!

From the open publishing newswire: Tre arrived in Portland Monday afternoon. Some folks met him at the airport bringing spring water, yummy food, coconut dates of course, and flowers. Lots of hugs and love before he rode a bike with friends to the halfway house he is staying at.

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green scare 05-Jun-2009 10:24

events for Day of Solidarity with Jeff Free Luers

free From the open publishing newswire: This June marks the 9th and final year that Jeff Free Luers will spend in prison. Jeff was originally sentenced to 23 years for setting fire to 3 SUV's at Romania Chevrolet to bring attention to global warming. Since then Jeff has won his appeal and was resentenced to 10 years. Jeff will be released this December 2009.

Events for the June 2009 Day of Solidarity with Jeff Free Luers are listed below. Celebrate our victory of helping to bring Jeff home!

Donations for Jeff's release and education fund are greatly needed.  http://freejeffluers.org/donate.html
A wish list for specific items is now available here:  http://freejeffluers.org/assets/pdfs/WISH_LIST.pdf

 http://freejeffluers.org

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actions & protests | forest defense 03-Jun-2009 18:39

Fall Creek Timber Project Occupied by Forest Activists

cascadia summer From the open publishing newswire: Do you remember the days of Fall Creek, Warner Creek, the first Cascadia Summers? Do you remember the lands that were saved by the direct efforts of concerned citizens? We remember, and it is within that greater tradition of non-violent forest defense that we now come to you proclaiming that a resurgence has begun.

As of June 1, 2009 tree-sits have been deployed within the Fall Creek Project planning area in defiance of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) propositions to clearcut 400 acres in the area. This action is taken as an escalation of the Cascadia Summer campaign against the Western Oregon Plan Revisions (WOPR) and corruption within the highest levels of the BLM. Perhaps the BLM will listen to these events, as they did not listen to the more than 30,000 Oregonians who filed formal protest against the WOPR. These are public lands and we will not sit back and watch the continuing devastation caused by government incompetence and corporate manipulation. As far as the economy is considered, do not be deceived, you will find no jobs on a dead planet.

 http://ForestDefenseNow.org

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actions & protests | environment 01-Jun-2009 20:16

PDX Está Presente: Resist Home Depot's prospecting in destruction of Patagonia's Rivers

From the open publishing newswire: Portland Represents: answering a call from International Rivers, requesting a stickering/photographing (Plus) campaign against Home Depot, which is prospecting on lumber from the "collateral damage" of Chile's destructive hydroelectric damming project.

The Chilean economic interests that promote damming Patagonia's Wild Rivers At Risk claim that dirty dams are the answer to Chile's climate change challenges. These dams would destroy forests and livelihoods, and the associated transmission lines would be the world's longest clearcut!

We are calling on The Home Depot to cancel contracts with the Matte Group (CMPC) and the Angelini Group (Arauco), and to stop being hypocritical about their promise to help customers be environmentally conscious consumers while defending the sales of products from interests that promote the flooding of native forests and the destruction of a delicate web of life.

More information about this campaign at:
 http://internationalrivers.org/patagonia

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animal rights | environment 26-May-2009 23:09

NOAA: Sea Lion Advocates and Fishermen Find More Common Ground than Expected

grassroots support  for sea lions growing! From the open publishing newswire: Two prominent Obama administration officials were in Oregon today to discuss salmon recovery. NOAA chief (and former OSU professor) Jane Lubchenco and White House Council on Environmental Quality chairwoman Nancy Sutley came to talk salmon, but pointedly did not allow participation from the public -- indeed, the doors were closed to almost everyone. Despite the incredibly short notice, dozens of people showed up with signs, banners, and lots of spirit.

I had actually expected to meet with some tension from the fishermen who had promised to be there. However, when I arrived and began talking to the other groups, I was pleasantly surprised and amazed at how articulate and well-informed this particular crowd was on this issue. Sea lion advocates and anglers immediately found common ground on numerous issues: All of us care about real salmon recovery; None of us believes killing sea lions is the answer; All of us want to see dams removed from the Snake river; All of us want to see habitat restoration. By the end, we were actually carrying each others' signs -- some of the fishermen carried signs supporting sea lions, and some of us carried their "science not politics" signs. [ Read More | Older articles | Sea Lion Defense Brigade ]

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