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Submitted by clnwtrguy on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 5:34pm.
I would like to start this next entry by offering my kind regards, to those who had the time to read my last piece. It is my understanding that some folks did not like it, and it was removed for content. I guess this took only a couple of minutes. So, I value your kind words and your ability to speed read. Clearly, in your instances, the public school system did not fail you. I guess that I am a square peg, trying to force fit myself into a round hole, on this sight and in this town. It's funny, a lot of folks here, preach tolerance and say what we think and say counts, but I guess when you buck the trend, or latest fad, you get tossed out on your bum here on Olyblog and in Olympia. I am amazed at how in-tolerant this community is, when it comes to opposing popular thought. I think this town stinks and it isn't getting any better. I have lived here now for 5-years, and it just seems that I keep hearing folks whine about how bad things are outside of this place, and because of that line of popular thought, we all have to suffer with public temper tantrums like last week and in November. The fact of the matter is simply this, most folks who are down to earth don't care if you are gay, straight, black, white or whatever... Folks care about how you conduct yourself, and how it impacts them in their daily life. I mean hey, if you want to make love to knot-holes in pines fences, go for it, just make sure it isn't my fence, and watch out for those splinters.
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 12:57pm.
 Colonel (ret.) Ann Wright visited Olympia yesterday for a series of presentations on Iraq, on official wrongdoing within government, and on her new book, which is published by Koa Books. Dissent, Voices of Conscience: Government Insiders Speak Out Against the War in Iraq is co-authored by Ms. Wright and Susan Dixon. It chronicles the stories of about 25 government and military whistle-blowers who have come forward to expose corruption and wrongdoing in their respective professional settings.
Colonel Wright was a career diplomat with the US State Department. When the US Government, under the dictate of the Bush Administration, launched an invasion in Iraq she resigned her post (along with two other US diplomats.) I saw and listened to Ms. Wright give a presentation (on her experience vís a vís her professional career and Iraq) at South Puget Sound Community College. Her visit was sponsored by Washington Peace Action and BRICK (the SPSCC student group Building Revolution by Increasing Community Knowledge).
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 11:08am.
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Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 4:20am.
Mar 28 2008 - 4:30pm Mar 28 2008 - 6:00pm The Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace has wanted to mark the 4,000th U.S. military death in Iraq. During its meeting on Wednesday evening March 26, OMJP decided to mark this milestone by participating in the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation’s regularly scheduled peace vigil this coming Friday the 28th from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the south end of Percival Landing (4th & Water), in downtown Olympia.
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Wed, 03/26/2008 - 3:02pm.
 The weekly Wednesday Olympia FOR peace vigil went well today. I arrived shortly after 12 Noon. There were several people already lined up with signs when I got there, but thanks to FOR organizer Glen Anderson, there were still plenty of signs for me to choose from. I chose a sign that read, "War is not the answer." One of the things that I like about the peace vigil is the opportunity to put a friendly face on the peace movement. I believe that in order to be instrumental in the creation of a peaceful society, the peace movement must make itself into a desirable destination for peoples' involvement. A major part of that equation is making it so that the movement is welcoming and most importantly, fun.
As usual, I had good conversations. I talked with fellow peace activists about the lies of the  Bush Administration and in specific, about Scott McClellan's new book, in which he accuses high-ranking members of the Bush Administration (including President Bush, Karl Rove, Vice President Cheney, Andrew Card and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby among them) of encouraging him to pass false information to the press in regard to the Valerie Plame CIA leak case. As is usual in many of the cases involving corruption of high level government officials, this story was covered only glancingly. An in depth and hard-hitting journalistic coverage of the pattern of deception that emanates from the White House, as evinced by McClellan's account, has been negligible in the mainstream media. It would seem appropriate, that when a former Bush loyalist and senior Administration staffer comes forward with charges of corruption, that a serious and in-depth investigation would follow.
 At about half-way through the hour long peace vigil, the sign-holders experienced an interesting note of criticism. A woman, possibly reacting to the content of my sign ("War is not the answer") said, "We're fighting "there" so that we don't have to fight "here."" She promptly rolled up her window and drove off, so that there was not opportunity to enter into a discussion about her statement. I would suggest to her, however, that the reason "we" are fighting "there" is because of the desire, amongst prominent decision makers, for global dominance. The war is not about protecting the USA against some supposedly incorrigible and insatiable appetite for destruction, and/or terrorism. Indeed, wars of aggression, and a foreign policy of global dominance and economic conquest, are the principle causes of anti-US sentiment and terrorism.  So really, and honestly now, is global dominance in the national interest? My answer is no. Global dominance may be in the interests of certain multinational corporations (and those who profit from the activities of those corporations.) But global dominance is not in my best interest or, I argue, in the best interest of the American People or the Nation. The foreign policy of global dominance is hurting people, it is causing environmental and ecological destruction. We would benefit instead, as a nation, from a foreign policy that promotes neighborliness; cooperation; fair and equitable competition; nonviolence; and a vision for sustainability and respect for future generations.
Submitted by The Original Yoda on Fri, 03/21/2008 - 4:26pm.
Dear OlyBlog, As your attorney, I strongly advise you to chill out...
...it is Friday, after all...
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 8:22pm.
 Today 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.
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Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 1:05pm.
Mar 22 2008 - 10:30am Mar 22 2008 - 12:00pm  From press release: Olympia, WA - To commemorate the fifth anniversary of the bombing of Baghdad, Veterans for Peace Chapter 109 will host a rally in downtown Olympia to demonstrate the community's frustration with the ongoing war, occupation and U.S. casualties, which are nearing 4,000. "Each new death of a soldier or civilian was some mother's child." - Dennis W. Mills, PhD - U.S. Army 1966-69.
Submitted by sabalu on Wed, 03/12/2008 - 2:05pm.
Mar 14 2008 - 6:00am Mar 16 2008 - 1:00pm From March 14th to 16th, KAOS 89.3fm Olympia Community Radio will pre-empt regular programming to broadcast Pacifica Radio's coverage of the historic Winter Soldier gathering in Washington , DC . The three day live broadcast will be co-hosted by Aaron Glantz and former Ar my medic and KPFA host Aimee Allison.
Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Wed, 03/12/2008 - 8:41am.
Mar 12 2008 - 12:00pm Mar 12 2008 - 1:00pm
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