Citizens for the Future

Merry Christmas!

Here's a treat I want to share with you, it's from a while back. I hope you enjoy! Peace, Berd


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On the trail through an urban rainforest "wilderness". This is about as wilderness as it gets in an urban setting. To the best of my knowledge, Watershed Park is a first growth forest. The reason it was never cut during the logging boom was because it provided the city's drinking water . It provided the bulk of Olympia's water until the 1950s when the city switched to other water sources. After the switch, it then took a lot of hard work by a dedicated group of citizens in order to save the forest from being logged to death. Those Citizens for the Future were successful some 50 odd years ago, and Olympia has a true gem of a park to thank them for today.

International Relations in a Culture of Conquest

This is from a book called "2/15". It's a documentary about protest in the run up to the war for and against Iraq.

"There is a power which can serve as a check against abuses by a government or by government officials and that power is the power of the informed citizen — one who has read enough, who understands enough, who has developed a base of knowledge against which to judge truth or falsehood.

"Participation in the great debates of our time must not be relegated to the power elites in Washington. An informed citizenry has to participate, ask questions, and demand answers and accountability to make a country like ours work."

— Robert Byrd, Senator from West Virginia

City of Olympia Nuclear Free Zone Act Repeal

The Olympia City Council just voted to repeal the 2005 Nuclear Free Zone Act. It seems that the City of Olympia no longer feels that it is important, or appropriate, to legislate against the nuclear weapons establishment. There were many arguments in opposition to the repeal, and many similar arguments in favor of retaining the ordinance. Many people turned out to express their opinion. I wasn't counting, but it seemed like there were about 40 who went on record in support of retaining the ordinance. There were exactly two people at the meeting who expressed approval for repealing ordinance.

Wow. I was shocked when I heard of the motion to recommend repealing the ordinance. Now I am shocked again by the seemingly sudden decision to repeal. Let me say to make it plain and clear that it is my opinion that the Council Members did not adequately address the arguments of the citizens whom were gathered to express opposition to the repeal.

The meeting got underway at about seven. There were a few items of business before public comment. And an interesting matter of note occurred before public comment. Two Council Members spoke up to express their concern over the new council's practice of limiting public comment to 30 minutes. With two contentious issues (the noise ordinance was also on the agenda to be decided) on the meeting agenda tonight, there were a lot of people who wanted to speak. Many people were turned away at the door, told that they would not be allowed into the council chambers.

Frankly, I am in shock. This new council seems bent on changing Olympia. It's not [only] the repeal. It's the special maneuvering to enter the motion to repeal on the consent calendar (i.e. to pass it without discussion). It's the Council Members' inadequate rebuttals of their constituency's statements of support for the ordinance. It's a lot of things.

I have a lot to say about this and I will probably write more. You may have already read the letter I sent to the Council last week. I also provided oral testimony at tonight's meeting, and submitted a written version of that testimony. Maybe I will post a copy of that tomorrow, but hopefully that will show up in the public record in relation to tonight's decision to repeal the NFZ ordinance. This meeting will definitely provide for your entertainment. It was riveting at many points. Almost non-stop great testimony, so much eloquence on the part of citizens for a City Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons.

I seriously wonder what is going on. What is going on with Olympia? I am pretty much ready to wonder if our Council Members are serving the public interest.

One of the things that Mayor Mah said is that if the people who support the NFZA ordinance were to put as much energy into it at the national level, that he thinks something might come of it. All I have to say is that believe me. Our elected officials at the national level are not hearing this argument. Nor are they interested in establishing a nuclear free zone. That's why the local aspect is important.

If enough localities take important stands against the immoral and unethical manufacture and maintenance of nuclear weapons, then it makes it more possible for those at the national and international levels to take action. This is about principled leadership. This is about setting an example. This is about empowerment, and education. This is about knowledge, and awareness. This is about respect for history and a desire to see a better tomorrow - to create a better world. A world that is rid of the subtle yet pervasive looming threat of nuclear Armageddon.

Lots of emotion. Lots more rebuttals. This is a rough draft. I am going to publish it now. But know, please, that there is a lot more. I want answers. I want to be represented.

Public officials at the national level are not doing their job. They are not promoting the important tasks of nonproliferation and disarmament. Instead of doing those things, they are actually using the threat of nuclear weapons to intimidate their adversaries. Hardly fulfilling the public interest. For three years we had representation at the local level here in the City of Olympia. Now this. Sad. Shocking. To whom or what can we now turn for representation on this important issue?

You'll be able to find a link to a page with a link to video of the meeting at this page: City of Olympia Council

Here's a more direct link to the video: City of Olympia September 9, 2008 City Council Meeting Video

plain url (maybe subject to change): http://olympia.granicus.com/mediaplayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=386

[This move has aspects that are reminiscent of shock doctrine.]

[updated september 10th, 2008]

Karl Rove Arrest Attempt

[UPDATE Wednesday July 30th: the House Judiciary Committee has voted to recommend holding Karl Rove in contempt of Congress for ignoring a subpoena to appear and testify. Apparently, the contempt charge will move to the full house for a vote.]

Human Rights Peace Activists attempted to arrest Karl Rove for his alleged criminal involvement in various frauds and abuses of power during his time in the White House:

go to original

Group Attempts Citizen's Arrest Of Karl Rove

July 28, 2008 8:28 a.m. EST

Amy Beeman - AHN

Des Moines, Iowa (AHN) -- Four people were arrested Friday for attempting to make a citizen's arrest on Karl Rove.

The group of three Catholic workers and a retired Methodist minister and Peace and Justice Advocate were cited for trespassing and released after trying to enter the Wakonda Country Club in Des Moines where Rove was scheduled to speak at a Republican Fundraiser.

The small group were acting under Iowa law that states private citizens have a responsibility to arrest someone if they believe a felony has been committed. That person is then turned over to police officials and a judge for formal indictment. Under the law a federal judge must evaluate the charges and decide if an indictment should be made.

This is the second attempt by two members of the group to arrest Rove, whom many believe should be held accountable, along with other members of the Bush administration, for war crimes, murder and lies to the public related to the Iraq war.

The retired minister, Rev. Chet Guinn, 80, told reporters who were on site for the pre-arranged arrest that everyone who remains silent when major crimes are being committed against all humanity becomes an accomplice.

Testimony about Port Militarization Resistance Actions

Here's a link to about 4 minutes or so of testimony from a forum in response to Police Violence that has occurred recently in Olympia, Washington.

More audio is available here.

"Impeachment Investigations," Nation, Land and Humanity

I attended a rally and hearing yesterday in support of Washington State Senate Joint Memorial (SJM) 8016, which would, if passed by the Washington State Legislature, call on the US Congress to begin a thorough and uncompromising investigation of actions by the Chief Executive, and the Vice of that office, that could lead to impeachment...

You can find a photo album of the event here.

After thinking about yesterday's events, the rally and the hearings, I have realized that they were a very profound experience for me.

During the hearings, I listened to the testimony of the expert witnesses and my fellow citizens as they urged the Senate Committee to adopt this bill (SJM 8016). The testifiers told their truths and then thanked the Senators for their work and for listening.

I felt a great sense of pride for being not only a Washingtonian, but also, an American. But the reasons for my feelings of pride were not the usual feelings of pride in country. They were only due to the courageous and grave actions of my fellow citizens, and a few of my elected officials, to confront the wrongs of my government. My fellow citizens and elected officials came together to discuss the very serious and dangerous time we live in. A time when the actions of the office of the Chief Executive are contrary to what is good and right, as well as contrary to both domestically and internationally recognized legal agreements.

As I listened to the testimony I realized that to investigate the president is the right thing to do, and without question. There is no way, indeed, to justify not investigating the actions of this man. These are actions which have cost us so dearly - so much in economic strength, as well as in human life and moral principle.

To turn a cold shoulder and say that there are more important things to do is an extraordinary breach of responsibility and would set a grievous and dangerous precedent.

As I listened to the convincing testimony I thought about how great it was to be among my fellow citizens and to be taking part in this momentous activity - and I was sure that the passage of this important memorial was an eventuality which I could look forward to with great certainty!

To be honest, there was some doubt (yes I am jaded by the horrors committed by my government - in my name,) but the doubt was very minimal (at the time.) After all, the testimony was truthful and accurate and highly persuasive.

So, with some doubts in mind, I couldn't help but think about what might happen if this memorial doesn't gain approval in the full Senate and isn't, subsequently, forwarded to the US Congress with the express importance of approval of the Washington State Legislature. What if? Indeed, what then, I asked. And that set me to wondering, and maybe even worrying a little.
"What then" is where I am still. What if Bush escapes after 8 years without being impeached, or even investigated, for the grievous and heinous trespasses upon civil rights, upon privacy, and indeed upon the very fabric of humanity itself - what then?

A very real question came to me then. I asked myself, do I want to be part of a nation that has no respect for humanity, no respect for civil rights, no respect for the very Rule of Law that has ordered civil society for hundreds of years? Do I want to live under tyranny and oppression? Well, of course not!

Well then, what can I do? What can I do to avoid being part of and contributing to this government? Well, I could move. I could go North, I could go to Canada. I could go South to Mexico, or Central - or South America. I could go to Europe. Yes I could, probably, if I put my mind and energy toward it. The government, which belongs to me has betrayed me, and I have very good reason to reject and abandon it.

But there is more to it than that. As much as I disagree with the government that belongs to me, I feel kinship with the Land that I belong to. Indeed, I feel a belonging to this land, not only Olympia, or Washington State, but the whole of America (much of which I have had the opportunity to visit in travel.) I was born an American (in Minnesota, specifically) and I belong to this land - but I do not belong to the government - no, it is the government that belongs to me, and it is supposed to be here to serve me.

But it is not serving me. And by allowing the government to run rough shod over me, over humanity and over the land - I am not doing justice to that which I belong.

I won't leave. I belong to the land! I will stay and I will resist the onslaught of tyranny, oppression and fascism.

I will rise up and with a clear voice armed with the truth, I will defend myself, my fellow human beings and the very land, to which I owe this life.

cross-posted at OlyBlog and Daily Kos