User login

Who's online

There are currently 1 user and 32 guests online.

Online users

  • The Fire Inside

Support OlyBlog

OlyBlog is run by volunteers who care about Olympia. If you like what we're doing, make a donation:

OlyBlog is powered by:

Who's new

  • systematist
  • itsthewater
  • tsunamizombie
  • Brooks
  • Teresa Marie Staal

Poster Calendar

July

    Creative Commons License
 
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Thu, 05/22/2008 - 12:04pm.
I went to the city council meeting last Tuesday and here are a few remarks I would like to share in retrospect. I will also attempt to connect the dots between some of the topics of the meeting.

Olympia City Council Meeting Farmer's Insurance Secure Cities Award Photo OpportunityNear the beginning was the Police Department's presentation: "Telling our story." The Chief of Police, Gary Michel, told of some of the recent accomplishments of the department, including the city's very low statistics for certain crimes, like burglary for example. I couldn't find information about the presentation in the council meeting packet (I didn't take notes, sorry.). The Chief's presentation made the police department sound very good. If all I had to base my understanding on was the presentation, I might think that there were very few to no problems with the police department's operations.

»
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 8:22pm.

Interview on the BridgeToday is the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by the US Government and I had the opportunity to participate in a weekly peace vigil at Sylvester Park (sponsored by the Olympia FOR). The weather was good and so was the turnout. I had some great conversations, including with a couple of conservatives, one of whom was very reasonable! A young gentleman from Spokane, who was toting a suitcase, approached me and we had a lengthy conversation about the difference between the response by the left to Clinton Administration foreign policy Aggression when compared with the response by the left to Bush Administration Aggression. It is too bad that the left was not more vocal in opposition to Clinton's Aggression, but the left was not silent. There was opposition. The reasons that a more vocal opposition to the aggressive foreign policy of the Clinton Administration didn't arise are multiple but for one, he [Clinton] acted within the auspices of the UN Security Council and for two, his behavior was not as flagrant, or belligerent, relative to the machinations and blatant aggression as evinced by members of the Bush Administration. The traveler from Spokane and I fully agreed on one thing, which is the problem of the Military Industrial Congressional Complex. It was a good conversation; we both gained in understanding.

read more
»
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Sat, 03/01/2008 - 2:38pm.
[via email:]
Thursday, February 28, 2008

This is the statement that Jeff wrote and read to the Judge this morning

Jeffrey (Free) Luers Resentencing Hearing, Feb. 28, 2008

Statement of Jeffrey Luers to Judge Billings at Sentencing

It has been many years since I first stood in court to be sentenced for these actions. I now not only have the benefit of hindsight but also possess the knowledge and understanding that comes from leaving the naiveté of youth behind.

I can now say with all honesty that I was wrong to think that arson would inspire social change. But, my failure in understanding that does not mean I have changed my opinion of radical activism.

Mr. Hassleman has a written statement from me in which I have acknowledged being wrong. I have also committed to living the life of a law-abiding citizen and promoting my activism through legal means and channels. Understandably, the prosecutor has expressed some skepticism of my sincerity. I wish to lay those fears to rest.

I am truly excited about my future. Through the love and support of my family, friends and many people I do not even know, I have numerous options available to me. I am looking forward to furthering my education, and pursuing my goals through hard work. I am ready to share my life with my loved ones and I am dedicated to giving back to the community that has shown me so much love and support through these years of imprisonment. That is not the lip service the prosecutor may fear, but my sincere desire to move on with my life.

However, choosing to take a new path and recognizing my mistakes and failures does not make me ashamed of them. I am sorry if my actions instilled fear or the sense of victimization in the Romania family. That was never my intent.
»
Submitted by wildleaf on Sat, 02/16/2008 - 8:21pm.

You get what you give. What goes around comes around. As the call, so is the echo. All these sayings come from traditional wisdom. That wisdom guides us in how we treat the people in our community. If we look at our own lives history often we can see this is true. Unfortunately the police are determined to seek retribution beyond what is fair. Unless we stop them, rationality and wisdom will be defeated by vengeance and abuse of power.

The Olympian states, “Physically damaging or disabling an emergency vehicle constitutes first-degree malicious mischief, a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.”

Historically, challenges to power have been met with fury and retribution in orders of magnitude larger than what could be considered fair and just. One destroyed cop car is not equal to ten years in jail served by people used as scapegoats. The police officers will receive no punishment for beating and dousing the public, yet again, with pepper spray, sending one student to the hospital with bruised ribs. Instead they will receive over time pay, which will continue to increase the costs of the incident.

The police have detectives issuing subpoenas for photos and videos taken of the riot. "We will get it," said Sheriff Dan Kimball.

Finding someone to blame is a priority for the police force. Anyone who was there knows that it is impossible to fairly blame one person or even a small group of people. How many people were shouting ‘fuck the cops’? A hundred. I stood in front of the cop car, I shouted to ‘let him go’. I stood unable to stop the increasing mayhem, provoked by the police. I watched people getting angry as their friends and community members were crying from pain.

»
Submitted by Jeff Brigham on Thu, 02/14/2008 - 11:18pm.

Check out this article in the Olympian.   These two twin brothers came home and found a burglar in their house.  One of the brothers "assisted" the burglar out of the house.   I wonder if the brothers just getting over a visit to the dentist had any effect on this?   Great job to the two brothers!

"Published February 14, 2008

Before arrest, burglary suspect was seeing double

Christian Hill "

 See http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/358894.html for the rest of the story.

 

Jeff Brigham


"America’s greatest chapter is still to be written, for the best is yet to come."
President Ronald Reagan
»
Submitted by rebecca on Sat, 02/02/2008 - 7:16pm.
The subject of rape (both response to false accusations of rape and actual rapes that don’t get followed up on) has surfaced in a couple of blogs lately. However, neither of those threads was the right place to engage in a deeper discussion of the topic. I was one of those interested in discussing the issues further, so I am creating a place to do so.

I believe in the right of women to choose whether they are willing to have sex or not, who they are willing to have sex with, when, how, etc. I believe in the right of women never to be coerced into a sexual relationship.

Every woman has the right to refuse to become or remain sexually intimate with any man. These rights of women are inalienable. They are not conditioned upon economic means, social standing, or race. In their strictest sense, they are not even conditioned upon the laws of the country in which she lives.

If government has a responsibility to do anything, it is to protect firstly the persons and secondly the property of all those within its jurisdiction.

One of the blogs really brought it to my attention that perhaps we have a big problem of injustice in how the government responds to rape. It was a post by Rob Richards regarding a homeless woman who was repeatedly raped. According to him, the local police refused to investigate the crime.

There are aspects of this issue about which, at this time, I cannot claim to be an expert. I’m just a young college student. I’m fortunate in that I’ve never been the victim of a serious crime. I hope that I never will be. If I am, then I hope that my case will receive the attention it deserves by the police and the legal system.
»
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Wed, 01/23/2008 - 8:42pm.
Many of society's current stresses and strains can be traced to unethical behavior. Some are quick to assume personal benefit - even if it is at the sake of another's well-being.

The planet is suffering. The oceans' fish stocks are in decline and commercial fishing (of wild stock) is expected to fail before mid-century. Human society is causing global warming, the pH of oceans is rising with the absorption of massive amounts of carbon. Humans kill each other over territory and resources. Innocent people are hurting because of the specific actions of others.

I am interested in discussing how ethical decision making (or the lack thereof) in business and government affects the individual and society.

»
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Sun, 01/20/2008 - 1:02am.
Jan 24 2008 - 7:00pm
I am reposting this from email:
Bringing Resistance Home with Kathy Kelly
Thursday, Jan 24
7pm
The Evergreen State College
Lecture Hall 2

Kathy Kelly is the co-founder of Voices for Creative Nonviolence which has deep, long-standing roots in active nonviolent resistance to U.S. war-making. Begun in the summer of 2005, Voices draws upon the experiences of those who challenged the brutal economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and U.N. against the Iraqi people between 1990 and 2003. She is the co-author of Other Lands Have Dreams: From Baghdad to Pekin Prison and appeared in Live from Palestine: International and Direct Action Against the Israeli Occupation.

»
Syndicate content

OlyBlog.net

OlyBlog is devoted to hyperlocal news and discussion specifically about Olympia, Washington. Contributors to OlyBlog are citizen journalists who care about their community and are tired of corporate media.

If you'd like to contribute, please register for an account. Here is a list of local news beats that need to be covered. You can post your news as a personal blog entry, and it will be reviewed (and possibly edited) for promotion to the front page. You can also send news via email. All members of OlyBlog agree to abide by our Social Contract. You should also look at our comment and fair use policies. If you are frustrated about something said in a comment thread, go here.

Olyblogger of the Month:

decorabilia

Sponsored by:

Docents are fellow citizen journalists who volunteer to be at your service in order to help with any blog-related issues. They are:

Rob Richards
Interests: community building; participatory art, democracy and economics; local politics; citizen journalism.

emmettoconnell
Interests: City Council, developing a local issues forum.

enpen
Interests: OlyBlog poster calendar, Olympia public art, local artist interviews, his family, poetry and stuff.

Robert Whitlock
Interests: peace, justice, nature, nonviolence, media, environment

Rick
Interests: citizen journalism, hyperlocal media, the knowledge commons.

Get Firefox!

OlyBlog is a site for news and discussion about Olympia, Washington.
free hit counter