Civil Rights Leader, Leading Theorist of Nonviolent Activism to Speak at 7 p.m. on May 5 at Olympia’s Temple Beth Hatfiloh

(Olympia, Wash.) Civil rights leader and colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. James M. Lawson will be speaking at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 5 at Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 201 8th Ave SE in Olympia. Rev. Lawson will talk about building a community that both values activism – to promote better quality of life and greater equity among citizens – and ensures civility and respect for the rights of all. The event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the City of Olympia, The Evergreen State College, The Hispanic Women’s Network, Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation, Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace, participating members of Olympia Port Militarization Resistance, The Port of Olympia, Unity in the Community, and Veterans for Peace. For directions to the temple, visit www.bethhatfiloh.org/directions.html

Lawson is a leading figure in the civil rights movement. On the eve of his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called Lawson "the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world."

I sure like the open government laws. When citizens dig and request information we truly find out what our elected and appointed officials are doing. Story from the TNT:

The Port of Tacoma finds itself apologizing to the Port of Olympia and others after internal e-mails revealed Tacoma port staff withholding public information, insulting the Olympia port and calling people derogatory names.

The e-mails were discovered this week as the Tacoma port reviewed documents in response to public records requests, including one from Friends of Rocky Prairie, a citizens group opposed to the development of the South Sound Logistics Center in Thurston County. The Tacoma and Olympia ports have partnered in proposing the controversial rail center and industrial park.

The 40-plus binders of documents the port prepared for the group included embarrassing e-mails sent between Port of Tacoma staff and from port staff to port consultants.

www.thenewstribune.com

The Port of Tacoma has bought a 745 acre parcel of Rocky Prairie land located right in the middle of a sensitive area with Millersylvania State Park less than half a mile to the north and a state fish and wildlife reserve bordering it on the south. For 15 years, the state park and the wildlife dept have had their eye on this property, which, in combination with the neighboring McIntosh forest reserve, would create an amazing wildlife corridor and preserve several threatened native species. But the Port of Tacoma outbid them and wants to build a huge truck and train freight transfer station and possibly a solid waste transfer site (hauling garbage from all over the region) right in the middle of this precious swatch of undeveloped land.

If you have further questions please check out www.FriendsOfRockyPrairie.com or email forprairie@hotmail.com.

Please, if you can make it show up and show your support. For info on how to help check out this site or email alex.bertolucci -- at -- gmail -- dot -- com.

Sponsored by: The Center for Community Based Learning and Action and the Peoples Legal Defense Fund

WHERE: The Olympia Center - 222 Columbia St NW in downtown Olympia

WHAT: This will be a moderated conversation for the whole community on what happened at the port and why. Various groups will be represented and willing to answer questions. The goal is to achieve some closure on the events around the protests and to move into the future, not divided, but as a community.

Hope to see you all there.

[Phan Nguyen's op-ed in today's Olympian:]

For two weeks in November, the Port Militarization Resistance (PMR) confronted war operations in Olympia's backyard. Depending on one's perspective, it was either a show of the determination of concerned residents standing up to an illegal and immoral war and occupation, or it was simply all hell breaking loose. The perspective depends on what one chooses to focus on.