MARCH & RALLY

With Support for LEONARD PELTIER and all Political Prisoners

Saturday, October 8, 2005

U.S./CANADIAN BORDER

HOSTED BY:

The American Indian Movement
Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, & Vancouver, B.C.

MARCH to the PEACE ARCH

Leaves at 12 Noon
From Sallshan Park in Blaine, WA (at the corner of Blaine & Alder)
(Marchers are responsible for arranging their own drop off & pick up)

RALLY at the PEACE ARCH

Begins a 1pm

MC’s: Elder Harold Belmont & Pete Sanchez

With invited: Aztec Dancers and Native Rap Group – Steve G.

Opening Prayer Dorothy Ackerman

Invited Speakers: 1. Russ Redner; 2. Ramona Bennett; 3. Juan Bocanegra; 4. Shelly Vendiola; 5. Arthur J. Miller; 6. Kelly White; 7. Steve Hapy; 8. Nuha Mousa; 9. Women in Black; 10. Ago; 11. Arron Dixon; 12. Ray Williams; 13. Michael One Road; 14. Community to Community (Rosalinda Guillen)

POTLUCK & RAFFLE

Begins at 5pm in the Park House (no cooking facilities available)

CARAVAN FOR JUSTICE

Leaves Seattle at 8:30am from 23rd & Jackson.

For more information contact: Jack W. (206) 329-3251 or Harold B. (206) 723-5393

The Idaho Statesman carries this piece giving an economic analysis of the Knight-Ridder takeover of the Olympian. The gameplan for K-R:

"The value these local newspapers bring to the table is their ability to generate local content," Vallecillo said. "If you're good at developing that content, packaging it and distributing it effectively, you can still make some good money in this business."

The editorial page of the Olympian came out against the values ordinance today:

Council members should allow the proponents of the community values ordinance an opportunity to speak their mind and air their proposal. But council members should not waste staff time or city resources pursuing this feel-good measure that is unlawful, unworkable and just plain silly.

Here is the text of the proposed ordinance.

Some things to note about the piece:

• The main source is David Schaffert, president and chief executive officer of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce. He calls the ordinance "subjective."
• The piece contains the claim that only "a core group of about 15 people" are behind the proposal.
• The piece claims that "Under the proposal, those businesses that don't measure up would have two months to leave town." What the proposal actually says is that those businesses with a score below 50 must stop local operations in two months, rather than "leave town." One presumes that if they reapply and score better, the business can reopen.
• The piece raises the question of equity, claiming that because the ordinance only applies to large business, it is discriminating against stores like Wal-Mart. It doesn't mention the inequity in resources that these corporations have brought to bear against small towns like Olympia. In perhaps the most interesting quote, Schaffert states:

  "Our community wants to embrace diversity, yet when it comes to businesses, some people in this community want to put all businesses into 'good' or 'bad' categories based on subjective measures.

OlyBlog's view: It is convenient for Shaffert to call the proposal "subjective". In fact, it seems quite objective. By the numbers: do these businesses contribute a specified percentage back to the community? Do they contribute a specified percentage to health care? Etc. Finally, rather than call names (silly?), perhaps the Olympian should engage in a discussion about the ordiance. Rather than use a single source, Schaffert, the Olympian should solicit input from the wider community. Perhaps the Olympian should examine the underlying value that the ordinance expresses, that big businesses should be good citizens in this community, and contribute something back.