Put the Passion and Creative Energy of Port Protesters to work for the City of Olympia

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Put the Passion and Creative Energy of Port Protesters to work for the City of Olympia

Submitted by Chia on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 8:01pm.

Dear Mayor Foutch and the Olympia City Council,

Wouldn't it be preferable to put the passion and creative energy of the compassionate citizens of Olympia to work finding ways to bring income to our City without a military contract than to continue to require the police force to brutalize the idealistic young and young of heart who only want to reduce the suffering in our world rather than feel the heavy weight of the responsibility of having stood by and done nothing to stop injustice from happening? Why not challenge the entire anti-war movement to bring ideas to the city council's table to replace these military contracts, close the ports to military shipment, and enjoy the power and beauty of citizens working together to resolve a problem we'd all like to see a solution to? Who knows, it may bring the benefit of some of the greatest minds in the peace movement to work for Olympia just for the assurance that the Port of Olympia will not be participating in the transport of war machines. I would think that people who would endure pepper spray, rubber bullets, and sit in front of very large trucks would be willing to work pretty hard to find an alternative, wouldn't you?

Thank you for your time.

Chia's blog
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War machines...

Submitted by security_six on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 8:09pm.

Until the port becomes wealthy enough to refuse cargo (and lets face it, who in their right mind wants to ship stuff all the way to a backwater port, with minimal facilities and infrastructure, and the very ass end of Puget Sound) then they will take any cargo they can get. If you truly do not like these horrible machines (sarcasm here BTW) then work to shut down that absurd money wasting cargo terminal.

As far as "war machines" it is not the machine, but the people ordering the use of the machine. Are you going to protest a Coast Guard cutter coming into the bay, a "war machine" that does everything from patrolling for terrorists, to vital search and rescue operations of distressed mariners?

Fight the people who started this, not the shipment of lifeless equipment. Shut down this money wasting cargo terminal and turn it into a park!

In fact I think the entire Port should be dissolved. The marina has no business competing with private business, lease it out on a rotating contract to private operators already in Olympia, turn the terminal into a park, and create an airport authority to operate the airport. The Port of Olympia is a waste of time, money and space. Target them, not the shipments.

Great Idea!

Submitted by Chia on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 8:57pm.

I'd love to see a park there, too.

As far as people going out

Submitted by Chia on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 9:32pm.

As far as people going out of their way for something worthwhile, it happens all the time. For instance, Rochester MN is way out of the way for most people but people travel internationally to get there because of the exceptional quality of the medical care there since it's the home of the Mayo Clinic.

And that's the point of putting heads together and collaborating to find something special enough to draw people or otherwise create a more peaceful use for the port.

Of course it's the people who started this who are the problem but taking away their tools is going to be a step toward stopping their violent behavior.

going out of the way..

Submitted by security_six on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 9:38pm.

From a logistics standpoint the Port of Olympia makes little sense to ship to, unless you are say trying to ship directly to Fort Lewis. Otherwise a cargo vessel, after entering the Puget Sound would have to choose to bypass, Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma, all of which have much bigger and better facilities than Olympia. Anything that gets unloaded here is out of desperation (like the cars a few months back) or is logs (going out) or stuff coming into Fort Lewis. The army probably divides it's traffic between Tacoma and Olympia to keep both ports happy with federal dollars. The windmill blades make absolutely no sense, especially when you consider that they are going to Portland off a ship that came from South America, and would have had to pass Portland on the way to the Strait of Juan De Fuca, and then travel all the way down the Puget Sound to our little backwater port, unload, and go all the way back. There was a political payoff there somewhere, I'm sure of it...

With very few exceptions, the Port of Olympia Marine Terminal is NOT worth going out of your way for.

Maytown

Submitted by Ehver Green on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 11:03pm.

This facility, if built, could change the port. The opposition will be massive, though. I don't think it gets done and if it does the activity at the Olympia port in support of Maytown won't exist.

What is Maytown?

Submitted by Chia on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 3:26am.

What is Maytown?

Maytown info

Submitted by emmettoconnell on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 6:25am.

Friends of Rocky Prarie

Port of Tacoma

The Port's Logistical Quandry

Thanks. I've known about

Submitted by Chia on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 7:56am.

Thanks. I've known about that for sometime, just hadn't ever heard it referred to as Maytown.

Just a random note:After the

Submitted by The Fire Inside on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 12:41am.

Just a random note:

After the City of Olympia began requiring all departments to conduct drug testing as a part of the application process.

The department I worked as a seasonal employed numerous TESC students and, while I was back in town prior to leaving for Basic Training back in February, was told the number of applicants had "decreased significantly."

So - uh - Chia, I'm going to guess most of the people protesting come from the same pool who decided that a drug test as a part of gainful employment was just too much to ask.

wow

Submitted by Rob Richards on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 11:46am.

That is a broad and ignorant assumption.

Port

Submitted by grandma on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 5:52am.

Chia - FYI, the Port Commission, not the City Council, is the deciding group about port activities, including contracts for port-related activities. The port commissioners are elected by voters of Thurston County.

Actually they just were elected

Submitted by emmettoconnell on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 6:21am.

One new port commissioner. And, aside from one candidate who lost in the primary (by just a little bit), I don't remember any of the port candidates ever bringing up military shipments.

Thanks. That's good

Submitted by Chia on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 7:54am.

Thanks. That's good information for people to have.

no port terminal for cargo would be a good move-

Submitted by chad360 on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 9:39am.

Sometimes less = more.

Less money to make mistakes with...

Less "business" to do...

Less overhead...

I don't like the port: it looms; a lurking hulk, inviting trucks & lit-up-at-night (such a waste of energy).

I'd rather see less in Oly, and rather see us (as a community & individuals) do more with what we have.

Don't need the Port, didn't want the war.

I don't know where to go from here...

>Go Chia!<

Good Idea: Can we start a development council & look for options for income vs. the Port?

I'd like to know how the City of Oly &/or Thurston Co. gets revenue from how the Port operates-

When it's foggy in the

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 9:42am.

When it's foggy in the middle of a Winter night and the orange lights glow in the mist it's a beautiful sight.

Please give me a second grace. Please give me a second face. I've fallen far down, the first time around, now I just sit on the ground in your way.
Nick Drake

damn Merwyn

Submitted by Rob Richards on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 11:47am.

That was poetic

I guess it is, didn't think

Submitted by Merwyn Haskett on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 11:50am.

I guess it is, didn't think of it that way. I've written lots of poems, most of them have never seen the light of day.

Especially now that I've gone over some that I wrote when I was 19ish. Lots I'm still proud of but others are pretty embarrassing juvenalia.

Please give me a second grace. Please give me a second face. I've fallen far down, the first time around, now I just sit on the ground in your way.
Nick Drake

Thank you for your comments

Submitted by Chia on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 1:15pm.

Thank you for your comments and questions, Chad. I hope that Oly can find a way to resolve this. I know that Oly is creative enough to do it if the motivation is there...and hopefully the port commission will meet us halfway with a willingness to drop military contracts.

It was really great to see you in LWB, btw. Hope to see you around town again sometime! :)

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