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Why I Support the Boycott of Israeli Goods from the Olympia Food Coop

By Peter Bohmer
Thursday, August 26, 2010
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The decision by the board of the Olympia Food Coop to not buy Israeli made goods and boycott them is a positive and important contribution towards ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine. It is part of a global grassroots boycott, divest and sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure the United States and Israel to fundamentally change their policies. I strongly support this courageous and important decision made by consensus by the Olympia Food Coop board on July, 15th, 2010.  

Sisters Organizing for Survival, a campaign of Radical Women, was at it again on Friday, agitating for justice and for changes to the way the state treats the poor and economically disadvantaged. Speakers at the rally celebrated women's rights relating to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which guarantees women certain access to reproductive health care regarding abortive measures, that is, for the termination of unwanted pregnancies.

During an open mic segment, one participant addressed the assembled crowd by pointing out that abortion has always been available to the wealthy (regardless of Roe v. Wade,) so that attacks on Roe v. Wade essentially amount to attacks on the economically disadvantaged.

Participants also called for an expansion of basic health services. In a time of revenue shortfall, it was suggested that the best way to cover the costs of basic health care for all would be through progressive taxation of income and wealth, and corporate profits.

[update here is an article from The News Tribune: Roe v. Wade rally attracts supporters to Capitol, there was also TV coverage by KOMO 4 and KING 5.]

Monday, January 18, 2010 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Concerned citizen activists rallied at the Washington State Capitol to call for racial and economic justice, and for solutions to the State Revenue Shortfall that will not target, and unfairly prey upon, those who are already vulnerable and disadvantaged by the system.

Racial justice report cards were delivered to legislators.

Some of the messages of the day included:

• Yes to racial and economic justice!

• No to exploitative and abusive economic policies and practices!

• In a time of economic hardship, it makes sense to take care of all people in society. Poor people do not deserve to suffer, and social supports ought to be not only maintained, but increased, in order to help people get out of poverty.

• End the war on the poor - fight poverty and not poor people! End Poverty once and for all!

There were a lot of other journalists there, including two or three TV news cameras at the rally. So keep on the look out for other reports.

UPDATE: video from Elliot Stoller: March on Olympia, and Martin Luther King Day

Here's a list of some sponsoring organizations, followed by photos:

[report back from the event: here]

This Monday!

March on Washington State for Jobs and Justice!

9am Summit, 11:30am March to Capitol
Visit Legislators and attend afternoon workshops

Demand Accountability -- meet with your lawmakers, share your story, make ending poverty a priority.

Key Issues :
•Racial and Economic Justice
•Progressive Revenue
•Health Care
•Opportunity for All
•Foreclosure Protection and Affordable Housing

*Transportation, childcare, food and Spanish interpretation are provided.

Registration is FREE and required for lunch and childcare. Please contact POWER - Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights 701 Franklin St SE Olympia, WA 98501 360-352-9716 or toll free 866-343-9716 welfarerights@riseup.net www.oly-wa.us/power/

POWER is an organization of low-income parents and allies advocating for a strong social safety net while working toward a world where children and care giving are truly valued, and the devastation of poverty has been eradicated.

Hey, this is an open thread. What's happening? A lot in the news recently. Hundreds killed in a battle in Afghanistan. The nation's largest and most powerful financical institutions need more capital. $15B for Wells Fargo. $35B for Bank of America... Lt. Watada's case at Fort Lewis clears one hurdle and moves forward. Port Protesters continue to resist the use of municipal transportation facilities to export the tools of imperialism. Unseasonaly big storm. A lot of rain. Big sales tax increase on tobacco and liquor. What else is going on?

Here's the May 7, 2009 Free Speech Radio News report:

Newscast for Thursday, May 7, 2009 | FSRN

AMERICAN MONETARY INSTITUTE
Stephen Zarlenga, Dir., Author, The Lost Science of Money.
http://www.monetary.org

FREE MONETARY
SEMINAR

Why is Our Money System
Broken Again?
Why doesn’t it work for America?
Learn more about money in 2 hours than some
economists learn in a lifetime.
The Seminar will Discuss:
* How America's Monetary Power has been
usurped and privatized, leading to war.
* How and why the money power must be
restored to society for the general welfare,
instead of corrupt private agendas.
* How the money power became privatized, and is
kept in place by false theory.
* And much more.
This is a hands on reality based program, not a theory,
with many U.S. historical precedents, and more
going as far back as Classical Greece and Rome.

Location: Traditions
Water Street and 5th Ave, Olympia, WA
May 14th, 2009, 7:30 pm
If you would like more information please contact:
Robert Poteat ~ 360 978 4226, or Michael Kelly ~ 360 339 3329
For the government to permit banks to issue money, borrow that money back,
and pay interest on it is idiotic!....Bill Hixson

An injury to one is an injury to all." IWW slogan

I just returned from a great event sponsored by Bridges Not Walls, and Immigrantes Unidos. St. John's Episcopal Church hosted a fundraiser for families impacted by ICE raids, and raised over $1200. yay. Why was this important? Because ICE, an arm of the Dept. of Homeland Security, scoops up about 100 people every single week, and puts them in the NW Detention Center where they have "a right to a lawyer, at no expense to the government," which means, no lawyer... It is so sad that for every person arrested by ICE, there are one or two or more family members trying to survive. It could be, this year, there will be a push to pass federal legislation to solve this problem. Will we be paying attention? I hope so. One need not be liberal to support justice for immigrants, and to oppose needless federal intrusion into our lives. What will you say when you are driving on the Oly peninsula and come upon a "random" Border patrol checkpoint? Be "unreasonable" and refuse to tell these meddling officers anything. You have a constitutional right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. Exercise that right, please.

Ciao.

The Thurston County local chapter of NOW (National Organization for Women) is coordinating an effort to pass the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) as a memorial bill in the Washington State Legislature.

There is a nationwide effort to pass memorial bills in state legislatures in order to persuade legislators to take up this issue. The UN General Assembly adopted the CEDAW in the late 1970s. Maybe it's time for the USA to join the rest of the world on this important issue.

via email from Glen Anderson:

Do you want to help eliminate discrimination against women around the world? Do you want to learn how to effectively have your voice heard?

Two speakers from Amnesty International will offer an educational and practical presentation focusing on the fundamentals of lobbying about CEDAW (The United Nations’ Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women).

Come learn about WA State National Organization for Women’s upcoming lobbying efforts to encourage the state legislature to pass a CEDAW memorial.

What:

Thurston County NOW presents:

CEDAW: Why You Should Care About “The Women’s Treaty”

When:

Friday, January 16th, 2009 at 7:00pm

Where:

Traditions Café and World Folk
300 5th Avenue
Olympia, WA 98501

Presenters:
Leanne Smith is the Washington State Legislative Coordinator for Amnesty International USA and Heidi Evans is the Chair of the National Training Program Steering Committee for Amnesty International USA