ActivismNewsletter

Veto the National Defense Authorization Act,

2011-12-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

NDAA VETO

NDAA VETO
Richard Johnson / National Post
Urge President Obama to Veto the National Defense Authorization Act, Scale back the US military & block legislation that makes it more difficult to close Guantánamo.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2012 will authorize $662 billion dollars for US military operations at a time when the US government is waging overt and covert wars and occupations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia, and dangerously escalating sanctions and threats against Iran.

The Obama administration has expanded the use of drone strikes and has authorized the targeted killings of individuals beyond any recognized zone of armed conflict. The NDAA also reaffirms the government’s expansive power to hold individuals in indefinite military detention without charge or trial.

The sorry state of our democracy means that the Obama administration is not accountable to anti-war voices and movements seeking an end to a bloated US military and a belligerent US foreign policy that causes harm to the lives and aspirations of millions of people around the globe, and makes people in the United States neither more safe nor more free.

Yet as the NDAA arrives at Obama’s desk, we must continue to raise our voices against this state of affairs. Write and call the White House and tell the President that you oppose $662 billion dollars being spent on war making rather than peace building. Demand that he meaningfully scale back the size of the US military and uphold his promise to veto the NDAA as long as it contains provisions that would essentially prevent him from sending Guantánamo detainees home or resettling those men who need asylum in third countries.

More than half of the men currently detained at Guantánamo – 89 of the 171 – have been unanimously cleared by the CIA, FBI, NSC and Defense Department for transfer or release. Yet no one has been transferred since last January, when Congress created restrictions similar to those the NDAA would make permanent. This marks the longest period without a transfer in the prison camp’s entire 10-year history and only underscores the president’s broken promise and failure to close Guantánamo.

Write and call the White House. Tell the President to veto the NDAA and change Guantánamo from being what it has become—Obama’s forever prison.

http://www.writingresource.info/actnow.html

Tax Wars are Very Real. The Middle Class & the Poor are losing.

2011-12-10T14:41:00.000-08:00

Thank You, Elizabeth Warren!

Finally, a progressive who knows how to fight back hard against the ridiculous "class warfare" charges from the mean right wing spin machine. (http://activismnewsletterat.blogspot.com)

In one fell swoop, Elizabeth Warren, candidate for the US Senate from Massachusetts, delivered a powerful knock-out blow against this right whing rhetoric. It is time to debunk the junk and get rid of this nonsense. We should draft this woman for president and send her to Occupy the White House.

Send Elizabeth Warren a "thank you" note. Thank her for standing up for progressive values, and for showing other Democrats how to fight. Warren's point was simple: Nobody gets rich on their own. You can watch the video below, but here's the key part:

"I hear all this, you know, 'Well, this is class warfare, this is whatever,'" Warren said. "No. There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own -- nobody.
"You built a factory out there? Good for you. But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police-forces and fire-forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn't have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory -- and hire someone to protect against this -- because of the work the rest of us did.
"Now look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea. God bless -- keep a big hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is, you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along."¹

Progressives take note: THIS is how it is done. THIS is how you fight back
hard, and THIS is howwe can defeat the mean right wing, Fortune 500, Fox
News talking points. And THIS is why Warren has moved AHEAD and
the Occupy mobilization is winning....

Send Elizabeth Warren a "Thank-You" Note!
http://www.angelfire.com/blues/writing/actnow.html
Thank her for standing up for progressive values, and for showing other Progressives how to fight. Convince her to accept our draft as our candidate for president. It is time we were provided with a real choice for actual change.

Elizabeth Warren on Debt Crisis, Fair Taxation - YouTube
► 2:06► 2:06	www.youtube.com/watch?v=htX2usfqMEs You +1'd this publicly. Undo Sep 18, 2011 - 2 min - Uploaded by LiveSmartVideos Elizabeth Warren on the debt crisis and fair taxation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htX2usfqMEs

http://www.activismresource.org

2011-12-07T01:33:00.000-08:00

For the past 40 years, we have been
creating a corporate culture: where
the rich pay less and less for the costs
of running the nation, while the middle
class pays more (and shrinks) and the
poor are often left to fend for themselves,
suffer, or die.

In the new, post Occupy 2011 culture,
we will see responsible government,
with our civil rights restored. We will
end the use of our troops to provide
protection for corporate invasions,
occupations, and exploitations abroad.
We can use that funding to rebuild America.

We will restore the American dream and make the USA able
to complete in the global marketplace by taking
insurance companies off the table and providing
universal health care for our people. We will
force banks to repay their extortion (called a
bail out) and begin serious reforms with these
recovered resources. And we will put teachers
back in charge to repair our schools.

If some on the far right do not understand this
cultural shift, it might behoove them to wake up
and smell the coffee. December 12th, the 99%
will shut down all ports on the West Coast.
The 1% are beginning to listen.

Banks have already retreated on additional fees.
Mortgage fraud is now being investigated and
will be treated as a crime. Banking reform will be
brought before congress.

The 99% are the majority, and those who want
to continue a platform of endless war and
corporate profiteering will be forced to either
reinvest and comply with regulatory agencies
or be subject to criminal prosecution and fines.

They sold us up the river while they bailed
out the banks. But the people of this nation
are standing in solidarity with everyday people
all over the planet to say enough is enough.

It is time to end poverty and hopelessness in
America. Our people deserve universal
health care and education. And the richest
and most powerful nation on earth need not
allow itself to be blackmailed by corporate
trans-nationals. The clock has stopped ticking
and the pendulum has swung.

Welcome to the 99%. Not to worry, we are
on your side and you are one of us, even if
you do not know you are being exploited.

George W. Bush & Tony Blair guilty of war crimes

2011-11-27T14:03:00.001-08:00

George W. Bush & Tony Blair guilty of war crimes

A War Crimes Tribunal in Malaysia has found former US President George W. Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair guilty of war crimes for their roles in the Iraq war, Press TV reports.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/211590.html

Joe Hill Night Celebration!

2011-11-16T03:24:00.000-08:00

For Immediate Release http://www.theportlandalliance.org/joehhillnight
Contact: Jim Cook - 503.703.1693
**********************************************
Joe Hill Night Celebration----Fanning the Flames of Discontent
Music by General Strike and I Wobble Wobble
http://www.generalstrikeband.com/
Saturday, November 19, 2011
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

STAR E ROSE --- NE 24th and Alberta
Portland, Oregon

A Benefit for The Portland Alliance Newspaper
http://www.theportlandalliance.org

Suggested Donations at the Door - $5 - $20

Join General Strike and I Wobble Wobble for
a Portland tradition since 1990, celebrating the
songs and spirit of Joe Hill and other radical
song writers. Joe Hill, an organizer for the
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was
framed on a murder charge and executed by a
firing squad in Salt Lake City, Utah on
November 19, 1915. Some of his last words
echo today, "Don't mourn for me, Organize!"

Joe Hill's famous song,
"The Preacher and the Slave"
is said to have been first released
and sung on the streets
of Portland, Oregon about 1910.
General Strike will sing
and lead Joe Hill songs,
and other rabble-rousing music.

General Strike, along with the Portland IWW
and others, has been celebrating Joe Hill Night as a Portland
tradition since 1990.

General Strike has led songs on picket lines and social justice rallies
in Portland and the Pacific Northwest since 1987.

Join us in this radical song and history celebration to benefit for
the Portland Alliance Newspaper.

For more information contact Jim Cook at 503.703.1693.

Support Alternative Media & Education!

2011-11-08T17:57:00.000-08:00

Breaking News!	Brutal Attacks on Peaceful Occupy Oakland gathering! http://www.theportlandalliance.org/occupation	CourageConquers Fear Stand up for the 99%
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News Bytes: http://www.theportlandalliance.org/bytes

Our Community Calendar is where thousands of organizers in the Pacific Northwest discover opportunities for action or submit their own events!
http://www.theportlandalliance.org/communitycalendar

If you want to learn more about the Alliance, please examine the seven issues we have published in 2011 at this address:
http://www.theportlandalliance.org/issues.html

Or visit our Blog and carry on a conversation with our staff.
http://portlandalliancenews.blogspot.com/

We are the news for Occupy Portland, the Occupy Portland Alliance is on site. Check with Andrea Townsend for the Occupation Alliance http://www.theportlandalliance.org/occupyportland send stories, articles pictures for online or print issues!

THE PLAN PLAN FOR THE OCCUPATION

2011-10-01T23:09:00.000-07:00

October 6-7 is the 10th anniversary of the ongoing war and
occupation of Afghanistan. It is not going well.
So we are taking it to the streets.

But these Wall Street police assaults on citizens are unacceptable:
... ...slamming one young man's head into a fender for no reason,
spraying mace directly in a nonviolent young woman's face for
... no reason. And an administrative police officer yanked a
frightened older woman out of a crowd by reaching across
a line of street police and then drug her screaming and
unresisting, but terrified...across the concrete. Again, for
no reason except because the officer could and did get away
with it. Nothing will be done to press charges for these crimes,
even though videotape has been broadcast of the perpetrators.

Police across this nation are writing their own laws, redefining
our diminishing civil rights, abusing citizens, (and even beating and
kicking terrified frail young man, James Chassee to death, in public,
on a street corner in Old Town, Portland Oregon), ... because they can.

And we let them. Until and unless we enforce the rule of law and
remove these lawless thugs from Police Bureaus, more of us will be
beaten, tortured, and killed under the auspices of police authority.
Today, the department said the police officers who beat the kid's head
against a fender, maced a young woman, and assaulted an older woman
"did nothing wrong." Case closed. Now both the officers and the
department are culpable for these crimes against the state, and her people.
Officers are sworn to protect and serve, but too often assault and maim.
When cops undermine the moral authority of the law and hold themselves
above the law, we need a new chief or mayor, on Wall Street or in Portland.

The Portland Alliance will continue takin' it to the streets October 6th,
at 12:30 pm at 1020 SW Naito Parkway and SW Ankeny. No fear,
no surrender, and some courage can stop the machine. We can take back
our lives, homes, jobs, and communities. Today a few were beaten and
assaulted, but we will be back.

Police abuse of citizens is a symptom of a much deeper problem.
Neo-colonialists, neofascists, and simple war profiteers have run
roughshod over our people to buy, cheat, lie, or steal their way into
all three branches of government. These transnational economic
cartels are more concerned with their bottom lines than with the
health and welfare of everyday people. And politicians, businesses,
leaders, generals, or presidents who have abused their authority and
abused our trust must be removed so legitimate and responsible
Everyday people can help take it back. October 6th is a day for
Accountability & Action. It is tough love.

THE PLAN PLAN FOR THE OCCUPATION

On Oct. 6th, 12:00 pm, thousands will gather at the Waterfront near SW Ankeny and Naito Parkway (http://tinyurl.com/44rl474) to march to Pioneer Courthouse Square. This is solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, where thousands have been staying near the Wall Street stock exchange to protest the corruption of Washington politicians, misdeeds of big banks, and the cancerous reign of corporate ...lobbyists. Bring friends, family, passion, and supplies for the night because we will be in this for the long haul. Once we are done for the day we will then march back to the Waterfront and set up for the night.

WHAT TO EXPECT

As with most protests, this will be non-violent. Certain members of the group will cover what and what not to do. Where to be, how to behave, as well as where to go. We have a set route that we will march, which departs at 2:30. From the meeting place we will head to W Burnside, and walk until SW Broadway. From there we will continue south until reaching Pioneer Courthouse Square. Due to the property within the Square being privately owned, we may be asked to protest on the sidewalks surrounding the block.

When we depart from the Square, we will move down to SW Taylor and follow it back to the Waterfront. It is then that we will start the full Occupation.

WHAT TO BRING?
Aside from a spirit for change, everyone attending is asked to refer to the Needs of the Occupiers list.See More
45.522344,-122.669799 - Google Maps
maps.google.com
Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps

Joining Forces for a Major State Capitol Rally!

2011-05-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

Activismresource.org, AFSCME, Alliance for Democracy, JWJ,
Peaceresource.org, SEIU, Unionresource.org
& Others are Joining Forces for a Major State Capitol Rally!

This Friday, May 20, thousands of Oregonians and dozens of advocacy groups

will come to the Oregon state capitol to rally against budget cuts and to stand
up for the middle class. We’ll be there, and we want you to join us.
http://www.theportlandalliance.org/jwjupdates
What: Rally for A Better Way for Oregon
When: Friday, May 20, 11:30 a.m.
Where: Front steps of the State Capitol, Salem
Go here to sign up now, and we’ll see you this Friday as we make history.
To make it easier to get to Salem, some people are meeting up for buses
or carpools. To find out more, visit SEIU’s website.
Mark down May 20 on your calendar — you'll want to be in Salem.

A major state capitol "Better Way For Oregon" rally on May 20. The event is staged partially to support state employees represented by the two unions — both of which are currently in difficult contract bargaining — and partially to send a broader message to the Legislature about the state budget and funding priorities.

"This will be a huge event, and we need everyone possible in attendance," said Oregon AFSCME Executive Director Ken Allen. "This is not just about state employees — we need members from every AFSCME sector there. I strongly encourage our members to take the time to make this event."

May 20 is a furlough day for many state workers; SEIU's goal is to turn out 5,000 people on their own. The capitol steps rally will begin at 11:30 a.m., includes a (free!) picnic lunch on the capitol grounds and some time for visits with legislators.

Don't worry about buying gas for the trip to Salem; bus transportation is available to and from Salem:
Rally for a Better Way for Oregon

Friday, May 20th at the Oregon State Capital at 11:30 AM
Politicians are proposing drastic cuts to services that working famlies provide, at the same time they are considering cuts to wages and benefits while letting Wall street bankers and corporate executives off the hook. There is a better way to protect children, seniors, and middle-class families trying to make ends meet!Now’s the time to STAND UP for fairness.
Click here for more information, register for the event and to schedule a ride down on the bus.
http://pdxjobswithjustice.blogspot.com/

Opportunities for Activism in Portland, Oregon

2010-08-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

First Monday, every month... 5:30pm, JWJ Steering Committee
at 6025 E. Burnside
(South on 71 from rail or east on 20 from downtown

January 4-17, Peacemaker Teams Delegates will meet with Palestinian and Israeli Israeli human rights representatives and peace workers in Jerusalem & Bethlehem. US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation / PO Box 21539 Washington, D.C. 20009 Tuesday, Jan. 11, at 6:30 pm: Cross-Border Unity Against the Korea Free Trade Agreement, A Speaker’s Tour with the Korean Confederation of Trade Union’s Kim Kyung-Ran, Machinists Union Hall 3645 SE 32nd Ave • Portland, OR Friday, Jan. 14 William Hartung Booksigning for Prophets of War Powell's City of Books on Burnside 1005 W. Burnside, Portland, OR - 503-228-4561 Friday January 14th, 7:30PM Enthralling and explosive, William Hartung's Prophets of War (Nation Books) is an exposé of America's largest military contractor, Lockheed Martin. Hartung's meticulously researched history follows the company's meteoric growth and explains how this arms-industry giant has shaped U.S. foreign policy for decades. For more information contact: William D. Hartung, Director, Arms and Security Initiative, New America Foundation, 38 Greene St. 4th Floor, New York, NY 10013; 212-431-5808 http://asi.newamerica.net/home Friday, Jan. 14, at 4:30 pm: Peace Visibility Action: The “Gulf War” 20 Years Later SW 3rd and Madison by Terry Schrunk Plaza Rally and March The Smith Ballroom 1825 SW Broadway on PSU campus http://www.pdxakpsi.org/vikingfest Announcing a new Meetup for Portland Permaculture Meetup! What: Seed exchange / When: Sunday, January 16, 2011 5:00 PM Where: Ludemans farm and garden store at 12675 SW Canyon, in Beaverton , OR 97005 503 646 6409 Mark Ludeman has offered his space for a seed exchange. It is a large space that could accomodate 30 to 40 people or more if needed. He is starting up a garden center as an add-on to his fireplace and patio furnishings store in Beaverton. "There is plenty of parking and it is a couple of blocks to Beaverton central max station Check out the website for the address and directions, and bring your seeds to exchange. Now's the time to start planning next year's garden! RSVP to this Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Portland-Permaculture-Meetup/calendar/15872211/ Friday, Jan. 21, at 7:00 pm: The Bright Midnight is doing a benefit for The Youth Expression Project, This event, “Viking Fest 11,” will take place in the Smith Ballroom at 1025 S. Broadway at PSU Saturday, Jan. 26, at 6-8pm Portland Building, next to city hall. Presentation on Why US Labor Should Support the Palestinian Struggle. JWJ endorsed rally Saturday, Jan. 29, at 9am an interfaith meeting about Single "Payer Health Care: Should Oregon Go First? A State-Wide Conference and Forum at First Unitarian Church , 1211 SW Main Street Portland, OR http://sites.google.com/site/singlepayoregon/ National and local speakers, including • U.S. Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), Author of HR 676, The National Single Payer Bill • Dr. Margaret Flowers, Maryland Pediatrician & Congressional Fellow, Physicians for a National Health Program • Katie Robbins, Healthcare-NOW! national single payer advocacy group • Mark Dudzic, Labor Campaign for Single Payer national organizer (Everybody In, Nobody Out) Universal, Single Payer, Non-profit community heath care Under a single payer system, all Americans would be covered for all medically necessary services, including: doctor, hospital, preventive, long-term care, mental health, reproductive health care, dental, vision, prescription drug and medical supply costs. There would be no premiums or deductibles, simply a payroll tax that everyone pays into, much like Medicare. The Alliance recommends implementation. Tues., Feb. 1, from 5:30-8pm Public Forum about the Oregon State Bank Reception from 5:30–6 PM and Program from 6–8 PM, Portland, OR Location TBA see: www.facebook.com/OregonStateBank and http://www.OregonsforaStateBank.org/ Wed, Feb. 2, at 6pm Citywide Tree Project Goes to City Hall. Residents give public testimony at a public hearing on at City Council Chambers, City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave., the project will establish a cohesive, consistent regulatory framework for trees in Portland February 11-12, at Menucha, A Jobs with Justice Planning Session... Contact PDX JWJ for more info. The Portland Alliance needs help with bookkeeping, updating Quickbooks, selling ads, entering data, sorting files, doing mailings, writing grants, copy-editing, and Indesign layout. Please phone us at 503-327-8377 or e-mail editor@ThePortlandAlliance.org Thanks! Please Support us by supporting our advertisers Most small businesses don’t have a lot of money for advertising. So, it’s important those precious dollars are well spent. The next time you make a purchase from one of the advertisers in the Alliance pages, let them know you heard about them in the Alliance. They will appreciate their advertising dollars are working and continue to offer support. Think about placing an ad for your own business or nonprofit! Business card size in every copy starts at $40! Please send Calendar Events! editor@theportlandalliance.org We need a volunteer Calendar Event Editor!

Antiwar Organizing:

Do you think that instead of cutting needed funds for education and social services, we should cut the trillion dollar military budget? Do you want to see a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan? Are you against the $3 billion a year the U.S. gives to Israel to fund the siege of Gaza and the occupation of the West Bank? Are you sick of the military threats against Iran and the CIA drone attacks on Pakistan? Then let's organize! Whether you are an experienced activist or new to organizing, it is time to rebuild the antiwar movement! Come help organize and build for an antiwar rally in March 2011.

Anti-Occupation: What Will It Take to End Israeli Apartheid? The blockade on Gaza must end. Israel continues to block chemicals, medical instruments, construction tools, aluminum, steel and cement... making it impossible to rebuild homes, schools, hospitals, offices and factories destroyed by Israel in Operation Cast Lead of 2008-2009.

Every Monday, Tune in to 90.7 fm for Kboo Labor Radio – at 6pm!

http://sites.google.com/site/laborradiogroup/ http://laborradiocollective.blogspot.com/

These are lively and useful conversations!
Please call in and let us know what you think Studio Line (503) 231-8187

Jobs, Justice and Peace' March and Ralley in March 2011!

Opportunities for Activism in Portland, Oregon And Beyond!

Who should pay the bill for the spill?

2010-05-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Concerned Citizen
Pop quiz: Who should pay the bill for
the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?
A) Oil companies*
B) Taxpayers
*Clicking here will add your name
to this petition:
"Oil companies, not taxpayers,
   should pay for oil spill damages.
   Congress should get rid of the
   limits on oil spill liability."

Thanks for all you do.
–Steven, Kat, Adam, Ilya, and the rest of the team
at Move-On.org
http://pol.moveon.org/  Not authorized by any
candidate or candidate's committee.

Move your money!

2010-05-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

Let's put our money
to work creating jobs in Oregon.

Urge our representatives to
create a public bank in Oregon.
On Wall Street, Goldman Sachs controls the action.
And while the SEC or the Attorney General might
yet find one or two of the investment bankers and
hedge fund managers guilty of actual crimes,
the real crime is that our financial regulatory system
is broken and no one has been paying attention.

We can wait for Congress to debate and possibly
pass meaningful financial reform on a federal level,
but we will accomplish a lot more, and faster, if we
take concrete steps to get our State's economy
back on track.

The Working Families Party has been leading an
effort to establish a publicly owned state bank
that would responsibly invest funds in our economy.

Sign our petition to create an Oregon State Bank now.
http://action.oregonwfp.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=847

Support
a
Public
Bank
for
Oregon. Our money should be put to work creating jobs
in Oregon, not supporting the big banks that have created
chaos in our economy. A state bank, modeled after the Bank
of North Dakota, we can use Oregon's money to get credit
flowing into our economy. Sign on to our petition to show
your support, and to let our elected leaders know that
Oregonians of all backgrounds support commonsense
solutions for the State's economy.
http://action.oregonwfp.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=847

Main Street not Wall Street

2010-04-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

Thousands are marching on Wall Street.
Here's how you can join in.
Call your senators
Senator Ron Wyden 202-224-5244
Senator Jeff Merkley 202-224-3753

Tell them it's time to put people in front of profits:

•Take back our democracy from big banks and corporations
•Make sure our economy works for all Americans, not just rich bankers
•Pass a strong Wall Street reform bill
Then click here to tel your friends

Vote for PDX Schools!

2010-04-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

This May,
Vote Yes
for Safe and Healthy Schools

Some ballot measure
votes are
complicated and confusing,
but this May
there are two easy
YES votes
on your Oregon Primary Ballot.
Oregon's K-12 schools, community colleges,
and universities need your help by voting
YES on Measures 68 and 69 to give students
of all ages a safe
and healthy
learning environment.

Right now,
enrollment in Oregon's
public schools is skyrocketing,
but our facilities aren't
able to keep up. The result is more and
more students crammed into classrooms,
while school buildings fall into disrepair
due to lack of maintenance funds.

Many districts are dealing with mold and
pest infestations, weather-damaged buildings,
and outdated facilities, putting students at risk.

Oregon's students--from kindergarten through
university--deserve to learn in safe and healthy
environments.

Measure 68 allows
local K-12 school districts
to fund maintenance, repairs,
and upgrades
to school facilities
with voter approval of local
bonds. It also allows the state
to issue bonds to
provide matching funds
for voter-approved projects,
preserving local control
while keeping costs low
for local communities.
Find out more here.
http://www.yeson68and69.com/?page_id=3

Measure 69 will allow community colleges and
universities to use bond funds to pay for purchase
and repairs to existing buildings, rather than just
constructing brand new buildings. This will save
precious state funds, make better use of existing
facilities, and is better for the environment.
Find out more here.
http://www.yeson68and69.com/?page_id=4

On May 18, vote YES for Safe and Healthy Schools
by voting YES on Measures 68 and 69.
find out more by visiting www.YesOn68and69.com.

How can we make a difference?

2010-03-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

Does the emergence of
The Working Families Party
divide up the left
into even smaller
factions?

Why not merge Greens with
single issue and identity groups
into a real movement?

Have you been wondering what the
Working Families Party has been up to?
Come find out: March 30, 6 p.m. at the
Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Ave.,
in Portland.

We are pleased to invite you to the
first Oregon Working Families Party
meeting of 2010. Since fusion voting
passed in July of last year, we have
been working hard to make the
promise of the WFP real, and we
want you to be a part of it.

We will be having meetings around
the State over the next few months,
but we're starting in Portland on March 30.

So, please join us on Tuesday, March 30th,
at 6:00 PM, for discussion about the issue
campaigns we are working on -- including
a state owned bank for Oregon --
our voter registration drive, and
our plans to take full advantage of
the first year of fusion voting in Oregon.

And please join us for the socializing
(and even dancing if you are so inclined)
that will follow as soon as business wraps up.

Please forward this invitation to friends,
family and co-workers, anyone you think
would be interested to learn more about
the Working Families Party.

See you at the Kennedy School,
Barbara
PS
Please think seriously about registering
to vote with the Working Families Party.
We need to build our numbers so candidates
and legislators see that we are a force to be
reckoned with. You can now register to vote,
or change your party affiliation, online, just
follow the link at http://www.oregonwfp.org/
For more information, visit
http://www.unionresource.org/

or visit Michael Munk's website
http://www.michaelmunk.com/

Another World is Possible

2010-03-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

Another World is Possible. Another US is Necessary. A New Detroit is Underway

Get Involved Visit http://www.ussf2010.org/ to join the planning for the road to Detroit 2010.

20,000 changemakers will be gathering in Detroit
in June from all different sectors and communities
to share vision, strategy, practice, and action.
Be a part of it. Plan it. Build it. Bring it.

DEADLINE EXTENDED
to April 20th by popular demand!

Workshop, Cultural Event, and
People's Movement Assemblies

The USSF is the next most important step
in our struggle to build a powerful multi-racial,
multi-sectoral, inter-generational, diverse,
inclusive, internationalist movement that
transforms this country and changes history.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to recruit
new members, network with other organizations,
and inspire others by sharing the work you're doing.

Submitting a proposal is quick and easy, around 250 words.

Proposals received by April 1st will be given priority.

New: You can now print out the workshop proposal form.
Review the Call for Proposals, tracks used to organize workshops,
Cultural event and performance proposal form, and register
to submit a proposal on the USSF website.
If you cannot immediately pay we look forward to your payment very soon.

How to submit a workshop proposal:

Read the Call for Proposals

Register your organization

Login in to the USSF website

Go to http://organize.ussf2010.org/workshops
and click on “Propose a Workshop” (off to the right)

Fill out the form! That's it!

If you want to preview the form,
you can download it from the Call for Proposals.
If you experience challenges navigating the website,
you can report problems and get help at 877.515.USSF.

Fascism

2010-03-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

In January, a narrow Republican 5-4 majority
of the Supreme Court ruled Corporations
have the right to spend unlimited amounts
of money to elect or defeat candidates.

This includes ExxonMobil, which made
$45 billion in profits in 2008 and could
easily spend $5 billion to defeat every
Democrat in the U.S.

Tell Congress:
http://www.democrats.com/shareholders-must-vote

Unlimited Corporate spending on elections will destroy
American democracy by drowning out voters voices.
Every penny of Corporate spending will
come at the expense of shareholders.
Shareholders must vote on all Corporate spending,
just as they do in England. Urge your Representative
and Senators to co-sponsor
Rep. Michael Capuano's H.R. 4790,
the Shareholder Protection Act of 2010.
http://www.democrats.com/shareholders-must-vote

Restoring the Rule of Law

2010-03-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

     The Obama administration made the correct
decision in announcing the 9/11 suspectswould be brought to justice
in our federal courts
and the Guantanamo
experiment shut down.
     Reversing that course now
due to political pressure
would be a grave error.
Unlike military commissions which
fail to ensure basic due process guaranteed by
U.S. and international law,
our federal courts are capable of handling
sensitive security issues while preserving
American principles of justice and fairness.
     The legacy of torture and abuse at Gitmo derails
any process which stems from that failed endeavor.
     Our federal courts have successfully tried and convicted
more than 300 international defendants on crimes related
to terrorism -- before and after 9/11. And they can do it now.
     The Constitution does not include an on-off switch.
I am writing to urge you to stand by the decision to try
all alleged 9/11 conspirators in federal courts -- where they belong.
     And we must close down the travesty at Guantanamo
before our reputation is further sullied.
     with best regards, Tim

If you knew the president was going to make a decision—
possibly in a matter of days—
that was going to change the face of justice in our country,
what would you do?

Learn more right away and write to tell the president what I think.
http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=B196HqVeGc0dfMLPcMtNmg..

Wait to see what the decision is and then decide
if I agree or disagree with the president. http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=qBits-qg-8YJlP4CqaHojQ..

best regards, Tim....
Box 22/Lake Oswego,OR/97034-0003
503-697-1670 editor@writingresource.org
http://www.writingresource.info/: ResourceResource.org
Writing, Activism, & Creative Arts
(Clackamas, Multnomah, & Washington Counties)

National Day of Action

2010-03-02T17:33:00.000-08:00

The Jobs with Justice National Week of Action
to Save & Create Jobs is underway!
http://www.jwjblog.org/
Over 200,000 jobless workers will
lose unemployment benefits this
week as the cut-off to extend
benefits lapsed yesterday without
Senate action. 1.2 million people
will lose access to Emergency Unemployment
Compensation over the next year if
Congress does not act.

The average duration of unemployment
is now a record high of 30.2 weeks,
with a historic 41.2% of the unemployed
remaining out of work for six months
or longer. 11.5 million Americans are
collecting some form of unemployment insurance.

1) Take action today to make sure Congress
extends emergency unemployment insurance.
2) Find an action near you below.

Call your Senator and tell them to extend
jobless benefits through the end of 2010
to prevent further interruptions and
guarantee a lifeline for the jobless
as long-term unemployment continues
at staggering levels.
The message is simple--
Congress must act now!

Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at
(202) 224-3121 and ask for your Senators’ office.

Suggested Talking Points:

Millions of Americans are surviving on
unemployment insurance and simply can’t
find jobs. It would be irresponsible for
Congress to allow benefits to lapse due
to inaction. Enough is enough! The Senate
must extend unemployment insurance through
the end of the year. Support the unemployment
extension and push your leadership to act now!

Join local JwJ coalitions
at actions across the country this week!

Free Trade or Fair Trade?

2010-02-22T19:26:00.000-08:00

Voting Records

of Oregon

Senators

and Representatives

http://www.citizenstrade.org/orftc-votingrecords.php

Activism News!

2010-02-16T15:08:00.000-08:00

Opportunities for Activism in Portland, Oregon

http://activismnewsletterat.blogspot.com/2010/02/this-week-in-portland-oregoan.html
PDX Opportunities for Activism in Portland, Oregon
http://sites.google.com/site/pdxactivismnews/

add events to The Wordsmith Collection Interactive Calendar

______________________________________________________________
Dear Working Families Party Members and Friends,
About The minor party with major possibilities.

Portland Area WFP Meeting (Party for the Party!)
By BARBARA DUDLEY

Please join us for the first OWFP meeting
(and party) of the year. There will be discussion
about the issue campaigns we are working on,
our voter registration drive, and our plans to take
full advantage of the first year of fusion voting in Oregon.

Most importantly, please join us for the socializing
(and even dancing if you are so inclined) that will follow
as soon as the business wraps up. Stay tuned for
upcoming meetings in other parts of the state.

What: Party for the Party! Portland Area WFP Meeting
(and party!)
When: Tuesday, March 30th, 6:00 PM

Where:
The Kennedy School Gym, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland (at Jessup St)
RSVP to info@oregonwfp.org
See you on the 30th.
WFP is pleased to invite activists and progressives to
the first Oregon Working Families Party meeting of 2010.
Since fusion voting passed in July of last year, WFP has
been working hard and we want you to be a part of it.
We will be having meetings around the State over the
next few months, but we're starting in Portland on March 30.
Please join us on Tuesday, March 30th, at 6:00 PM,
for discussion about the issue campaigns we are working on,
our voter registration drive, and our plans to take full advantage
of the first year of fusion voting in Oregon. Most importantly,
please join us for the socializing (and even dancing if you are so
inclined) that will follow as soon as the business wraps up.

*WFP will pass along full details of the event in the next week or so.
In the meantime, please let WFP know if you can make it by email.
"Barbara Dudley, Oregon Working Families Party" info@OregonWFP.org
And please feel free to notify your friends,
especially folks who are interested to learn more about the WFP.

There is a benefit for The Portland Alliance newspaper,
which is struggling with finances, on Saturday, April 3rd,
7:30 at the Flying Cat Coffee Co. 3041 SE Division ,
music by Steve Ulrich, General Strike and David Rovics,
come support Portland's longtime voice of the left.

Working People deserve Free Choice and Healthcare!
Public-Option" is NOT Single-Payer.
Everybody in and nobody out!

Monday Night Labor Radio, listen online at 6pm Monday nights
KBOO Community Radio 90.7 FM Call in and join the conversation!
Studio Line (503) 231-8187 between 6 and 6:30 pm at KBOO 90.7 FM

Email items to kboocommunitycalendar@gmail.com
or fax to 503-231-7145. ONLINE kboo.fm/event
________________________________________

Oregon Needs Jobs! Show up February 18th!

2010-02-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

Subject: FEB. 18: Tell Senator Wyden Oregon Needs Jobs!
Thursday, Feb. 18 * 4:30 pm
911 NE 11th Ave *Portland, OR
Be there if you dare!

With unemployment through the roof,
Oregon cannot afford to lose more jobs
to unfair trade deals. Senator Wyden is now chair
of the Senate Subcommittee on International Trade
and will play a major role in shaping future U.S. trade policy.

Join labor leaders, displaced workers and others
calling on Sen. Wyden to save Oregon jobs by
opposing business-as-usual unfair trade agreements
and supporting the TRADE Act.
Please try to show up at one of
these three events:

Rally Outside Sen. Wyden's PORTLAND Office
- featuring hellraising singer ANNE FEENEY
Thursday, Feb. 18 * 4:30 pm
911 NE 11th Ave * Portland, OR
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=298019367582

Press Event Outside Sen. Wyden's EUGENE Office
Thursday, Feb. 18 * 12:00 pm
405 E 8th Ave * Eugene, OR
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=291100133423

Delegation to Sen. Wyden's MEDFORD Office
Thursday, Feb. 18 * Time TBA
310 W 6th St * Medford, OR
RSVP to medford@oregonfairtrade.org

Take Additional Online Action Now --
You can also ask Senator Wyden to change his ways
on trade via the online webform at:
http://www.facebook.com/l/c1351;salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1034/t/7393/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=28152

http://www.peaceresource.org/

Get active!

2010-01-29T14:20:00.000-08:00

Last week the Supreme Court handed down
one of the worst decisions in its history.
They opened wide the floodgates to lobbyists
and corporate dollars. In response to the
Massachusetts debacle, many in Congress
are backing away from health care reform.

But in Oregon, we have good news.
We made it clear where we stand by passing
Measures 66 and 67. This is a harsh rebuke
to talking heads who think that what happened
in Massachusetts means that the American
people have lost their appetite for reform.

But we can't just hope politicians get the message -
we have to make sure they get it. Standing up for
working families and holding our elected officials
accountable to all Oregonians - not to big
corporate interests
-- is why the Working Families Party exists.

Send a message that we're determined to put the
economy back to work for working families.
Register to vote with the Working Families Party today.

Just click here to download and print the form:
http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg/sel500.pdf

Build a new party that stands up for working families.
It's about time.

best regards, Tim

Writing, Activism, & Creative Arts
editor@writingresource.org

Affiliated with the Labor Radio Collective,
Jobs with Justice, AFT, and The Portland Alliance
http://computerresource.org/
http://resourceresource.org/
http://peaceresource.org/
http://unionresource.org/
http://writingresource.info/

The Iranian Revolution...

2010-01-28T10:18:00.000-08:00

They did not hang my son today
But they killed hers.

He was nineteen, they say.
At dawn
(Always at dawn)
They took him and
Put a noose around his neck.

They did not hang my son today
But they killed hers.

What does it take
To force a young man to confess?
A pregnant sister's shivers,
A sick father's
Pleas?

They did not hang my son today
But they killed hers.

He had taken to the streets
Did he yell out their death?
Did he spell their end on walls
With green colored spray?

They did not hang my son today
But they killed hers

How foolish it would be to try
To comfort her!
To tell her that he is a hero
That this boy, her son,
With his last innocent breath,
Sealed Evil's certain death.

- - - - - - -

"Iran sentences 11 demonstrators to death and hangs 2 today"

www.Writingresource.info/iran.html

Help Haiti Today

2010-01-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

Donate now at this link. http://www.mercycorps.org/fundraising/aspcccascade

Mercy Corps’ team has started arriving in the region to respond to the
7.0-magnitude earthquake that rocked Haiti earlier this week.

They need our help to speed clean water, food, shelter and other supplies
to families in the aftermath of the worst disaster to strike the region in years.

Mercy Corps will focus first on the immediate humanitarian needs on the
ground — for water, food, temporary shelter supplies and much more.
As the most basic needs are met, Mercy Corps’ response team will
transition from relief to long-term rebuilding and recovery efforts.

They plan to focus on three areas:

Health, clean water, and sanitation

Mercy Corps plans to help survivors access vital clean water and
sanitation services, through collaboration with two partners.

Psychosocial support

Mercy Corps is preparing to provide post-trauma help to kids using
Comfort for Kids, a counseling methodology developed by Mercy
Corps and Bright Horizons, a global workplace childcare provider.
Mercy Corps has used Comfort for Kids to help children process
post-emergency trauma everywhere from Darfur to New Orleans.

Job creation

Mercy Corps is planning to initiate some form of cash-for-work in Haiti,
paying earthquake survivors a daily wage to clear debris, restore buildings
and repair basic infrastructure. In post-tsunami Banda Aceh, Indonesia,
Mercy Corps employed thousands through cash-for-work, enabling entire
communities to rebuild, work together, and have the dignity of earning their
own money and getting their economies back on track.

The affected area, home to three million people, has suffered catastrophic
damage — eyewitnesses describe the aftermath as “total disaster” and
chaos. Haitian government officials are estimating death tolls in the
thousands, and thousands more are living in the ruined streets of the
country's capital.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is plagued by hunger
and political instability. This disaster has drastically increased the needs of
families who had little to lose in the first place.

Please donate to our Haiti Fund at this link.
http://www.mercycorps.org/fundraising/aspcccascade

More info about Mercy Corps may be found here:
http://www.mercycorps.org/haiti

from Kendi Esary, M.Ed
Student Leadership Programs
Portland Community College, Cascade Campus
kesary@pcc.edu

The Iranian Regime Tries to Divide the Opposition

2010-01-14T15:14:00.000-08:00

Was it Israel, or Rogue elements within the government?
Different ideas regarding the assassination of
Professor Alimohammadi in Iran can be found at:

http://enduringamer ica.com/
2010/ 01/13/iran- analysis- nuclear-myths- rogue-elements
- and-professor- mohammadis- murder/

ActivismNewsletter

Veto the National Defense Authorization Act,

NDAA VETO

Tax Wars are Very Real. The Middle Class & the Poor are losing.

Thank You, Elizabeth Warren!

Elizabeth Warren on Debt Crisis, Fair Taxation - YouTube

http://www.activismresource.org

George W. Bush & Tony Blair guilty of war crimes

George W. Bush & Tony Blair guilty of war crimes

Joe Hill Night Celebration!

Support Alternative Media & Education!

Breaking News!
OccupyPortland

THE PLAN PLAN FOR THE OCCUPATION

Joining Forces for a Major State Capitol Rally!

Opportunities for Activism in Portland, Oregon

Antiwar Organizing:

Who should pay the bill for the spill?

Move your money!

Main Street not Wall Street

Vote for PDX Schools!

How can we make a difference?

Another World is Possible

Fascism

Restoring the Rule of Law

National Day of Action

Free Trade or Fair Trade?

Activism News!

Oregon Needs Jobs! Show up February 18th!

Get active!

The Iranian Revolution...

Help Haiti Today

The Iranian Regime Tries to Divide the Opposition

ActivismNewsletter

Veto the National Defense Authorization Act,

NDAA VETO

Tax Wars are Very Real. The Middle Class & the Poor are losing.

Thank You, Elizabeth Warren!

Elizabeth Warren on Debt Crisis, Fair Taxation - YouTube

http://www.activismresource.org

George W. Bush & Tony Blair guilty of war crimes

George W. Bush & Tony Blair guilty of war crimes

Joe Hill Night Celebration!

Support Alternative Media & Education!

Breaking News! OccupyPortland

THE PLAN PLAN FOR THE OCCUPATION

Joining Forces for a Major State Capitol Rally!

Opportunities for Activism in Portland, Oregon

Antiwar Organizing:

Who should pay the bill for the spill?

Move your money!

Main Street not Wall Street

Vote for PDX Schools!

How can we make a difference?

Another World is Possible

Fascism

Restoring the Rule of Law

National Day of Action

Free Trade or Fair Trade?

Activism News!

Oregon Needs Jobs! Show up February 18th!

Get active!

The Iranian Revolution...

Help Haiti Today

The Iranian Regime Tries to Divide the Opposition

Breaking News!
OccupyPortland