WIP News Service covered May Day 2008 on extremely tight deadline, but the story which was published in May’s WIP seriously departed from the mission statement of Works in Progress, from human values, and from advocacy for justice.

The piece was published without an individual byline, but clearly argues in favor of the act of throwing rocks at events such as May Day. I quote: “Some will rightly point out that tactics need to be escalated…” “Anybody who is swayed against our cause by seeing people fight back was … never on our side in the first place.” These quotes are from an imaginary discussion with 20 imagined “anti-imperialists.” They are laid out in argument, counter-argument style in a common form of propaganda called false equivalence. The arguments are presented side by side as if they are equally valid, and the piece does not openly state that one or the other view is correct, except in its choice of the phrase “…rightly point out..” and “…our side,” as if we the readers are on the side of those who threw these rocks. The good intentions of those who threw rocks are also assumed by the author, opening the question of whether the author participated in this act.

At Safeplace tonight there is a community forum. We are gonna sit down and talk about sexual assault in our greater Olympia community and come up with some strategies and plans to address it.

5:30 pm /314 legion way olympia 98501/360 786 8754. repost widely.

After punctually showing up for the Democratic Legislative District Caucus at Capital High School this morning only to find the doors locked and a message that said the Caucus will be in two weeks from now instead of today, I went downtown to get some coffee and hang out. I stopped at the usual location and chatted with a couple of old timers. We talked a little about the financial market, the Bear Stearns bail-out and the Port of Olympia.

The prevailing consensus was that the Bear Stearns bail-out was the wrong move, and that it would have been better to let the mortgage industry experience the consequences of faulty lending practices. We also talked about other politics, including about the Port of Olympia. $400,000 profits via a shipment to support an illegal occupation in Iraq. The Port makes a little profit while the rest of the community is sucked dry by federal government spending on an act of aggression [images from Iraq]. It's also good to see hints of the broad-base of opposition to an oppressive foreign policy of global dominance, militarism, and violence.

I would like to see the Port of Olympia embrace a mission that is life-sustaining, rather that one that is based in the model of growth based economics. The industrial growth based economic model is in the basic service of the financial bottom line without adequate and appropriate consideration of consequences to society and health, to side-effects and externalities, especially as they relate to future generations. I would like to see more green space at the Port, more focus on ecological remediation and commerce that is prerequisite on ecological / economic sustainability. For example, I have no problem with log-export, except as the logs might be sourced from environmentally destructive clear-cuts. Clear cuts are harmful to soil health, biological diversity, and overall forest health. Some amount of clear cuts might be okay, but even then are they aesthetically desirable? Considering an expanding human population and subsequent increased resource demands, where is the sustainability line on clear cutting?

Some ideas for changes in Port management/mission: It would be encouraging to see the Port take the lead on ecological reparations and remediation considering the current state of pollution in Budd Bay... Another idea is for sustainable and benign economic development: it would be great to have a focus on recreation, education, and local consumption: fishing, sailing and kayaking, imagine if we could swim in and eat from the waters of Budd Bay in 30 (or some amount of) years!

[On the flip side: Farmer's Market Open, Oly Photos slide show, and a short review of last night's Actors' Gang performance of George Orwell's 1984.]

go to original

Earlier tonight I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Alice Rothchild speak at St. Martin's University. Dr. Rothchild spoke about her book, Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience. She also spoke about her experience traveling to Israel and Palestine, and her position on the conflict, as a Jew. She discussed the immoral nature of many aspects of the current occupation of historically Palestinian territory. The Doctor spoke of a moral obligation that people of all faiths (or lack thereof) and ethnic backgrounds, but especially Jews, have to speak out about the tragedy of violence, and the criminal policies of Israel, which are doing such grievous harm to both the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples.

Jeff Brigham:

"Olympia Police Officers Job Well Done! Thank You!"

I just went down to City Hall and filed a complaint against the Olympia Police Department.

I stated that the video shows the Olympia Police ignoring both chain of command and rules of engagement policies. These policies are there to prevent riots from forming out of peaceful demonstrations. Their negligence and stupid bravado caused the event to escalate needlessly putting officers and students in danger.

I stated that the Thurston County officers at the car who never felt threatened enough to use crowd control actions were engaged in the process of a peaceful resolution. The Evergreen policewoman had announced to the crowd that she would let him go, after being advised that that would be the best solution, and was in the process of getting his name and contact information.

The police on the scene first, and therefore in command of the situation, gave no indication that they approved or condoned the other officers coming in and using force. The police on the outside of the circle did not have a strategically limited position like the cops inside the circle making their use of force seem unwarranted and dangerous to the officers surrounded.

The Evergreen policewoman gave no indication that she knew they were coming or that they would be using force. During the forum on Tuesday she stated that she stood up to receive pepper spray in her face. Every indication in the video shown gives the impression that after an hour of the same level of commitment to a peaceful resolution shown by both police and students that letting the man go would have served as a symbolic gesture that would have dispersed the crowd peacefully.

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee." - Pulp Fiction