War is a Government Riot! (Mouseover)

War is a Government Riot!
(this is a mouseover - try it! move your mouse over the image if you're curious)

"Fighting for Peace is like Fucking for Virginity"

Olympia, Washington
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I must admit that I am not a fan of this particular slogan. For one, I don't like the comparisons between fighting and "fucking", nor peace and virginity. For two, I think it isn't family friendly, nor particularly welcoming.

But I do like the photo, and the person holding the sign.

more information about the protest: Army Recruiting Station Protest

One thing is for sure, we need to end these wars - and we need to end all imperialism - for the sake of the well-being of all people.

The War Stops Here - Olympia, Washington

I love the sign, "The War Stops Here," that one of these vigilers was holding in this photo:

Friday, January 8, 2010
Women in Black - Olympia, Washington Silent Vigil
The War Stops Here!
Olympia, WA

some more recent photos: 01/10/2010 Recent Photos | OlyBlog

Against Imperialism, Against All Wars

Shut Down the War Machine

Olympia, Washington
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

More: OlyBlog | Army Recruiting Station Protest

President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Protest

President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Protest

“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

State Violence Against Civilians

Went to Tacoma in the past couple days to observe a trial brought by protesters of military shipments at the Port of Olympia against members of the Olympia Police Department. The allegation was use of excessive force.

I wrote more about the trial, about the protests, and about society in relation to those two topics, on OlyBlog: olyblog.net/protesters-v-police-—-use-excessive-force-allegations

Stop Socialized Medicine

politics politics

Stop Socialized Medicine

part of:
Seattle, Washington, Single Payer Health Care Rally and March, Saturday, May 30, 2009

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

Couple of Recent Posts on OlyBlog

Couple of recent posts on OlyBlog to draw your attention to:

1) Drop Charges Against Oly 26 Protesters: a group of 26 protesters is being charged with alleged crimes related to their efforts to oppose and resist the enabling of an illegal military operation via the use of municipal port facilities. These protesters ought to be hailed as heroes—not charged with crimes!

2) 13 Mouseovers: get to know Olympia via photography.

Peace,
Berd

War is Bankrupting the U.S.

Here I am posing for a photograph after a weekly peace vigil that I participate in. The vigil has been going on for almost 10 years every Friday. It's sponsored by the Olympia chapter of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. It's at the North end of the Percival Landing City Park in Olympia Washington. Everyone is welcome.



War is bankrupting the U.S.. Yes it is. Imagine taking materials and energy that are poured into the destructive war economy and turning them toward positive and beneficial efforts. We could all be very wealthy economically if our government and its keepers weren't bent on destruction and domination.

bert

Bush Adminsitration Special Interests v. Public Interest

The war of choice on Iraq, perpetrated by members of the Bush Administration, is a good example of special (private) interests taking over the public realm of government.

Instead of using tax dollars to fund a humane and sustainable energy policy, the White House (hi-jacked by oil industry executives) used the public infrastructure and tax dollars of the American People towards acts of aggression.

Instead of funding research and development into alternative technologies, into programs that would promote conservation and efficiency, the Bush Administration has launched the country into a many years war that will cost, when all is said and done, well over $2 Trillion. The monetary losses are nothing in comparison to the true economic and human costs: Millions of people have been killed or lost loved ones, and are suffering as a result of the wrongful and unnecessary war.

Damn. For the love of humanity and the planet, we must enforce accountability over our government. Of, by and for the people - may those words eventually ring true.

The situation is dire. It's severe. We need to take action because the planet is in distress. People are in distress. Species continue to go extinct at alarming rates. For the sake of the well-being of future generations... Please, ask of yourself what you can do, even if it just a small part, to effect change for the better.

For example, you could go all out and behave in a consistently nonviolent manner on a day-to-day basis - choosing to act only in ways that truly serve life.

Or you could try something decidedly more modest - say, driving strictly at or under the (posted or otherwise) speed limit, in an effort to conserve gasoline, and reduce pollution and violence associated with emissions and extraction (conserving gas also supports the troops).

Okay. Have Fun. Brainstorm. Breathe. Love. Be well.

Photos from Protest

Here are some photos from the August 2008 Port of Tacoma War Protest: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwhitlock/sets/72157606561556753/

Back from Protesting Illegal War at the Port of Tacoma

I just got back from the Port of Tacoma. I went to protest the shipment of a military cargo that was destined to further the occupation of Iraq by my government of the USA. Why would I protest? Lots of reasons, but there are a few, really just one or two, that stand out most prominently. The main reason that I protest is that the war is illegal. Of course, if you have been following my position on the war, you'll realize that this is nothing new. If you have been following my position on the war then hopefully you will understand the basic foundations of my assessment of the war's illegality. Yes, it is simply because the President (George W. Bush) lied to me (and to you) about the nature of the threat posed by the state of Iraq (Iraq didn't pose a threat).

Okay. So I am aggravated by the protest, and the Port of Tacoma's and Tacoma Police Department's willingness to enable an act of aggression by the federal government. Tacoma is enabling the needless slaughter and sacrifice of American soldiers and innocent Iraqis. It's disgusting - hideous - obscene, I could go on...

It was an interesting night altogether, and less so in terms of interactions with the police than for interactions I had with fellow protesters, some of them "black bloc." I had some interesting discussions about the role of the black bloc and how some of the black bloc people see themselves and their role in promoting social change (if those are the right terms - they might not be; it is late and I am tired.) Hopefully I will have more to write, and feel like doing so, about the details of the night's events. I took a few pictures that might turn out too. so stay tuned

ANYWAY, after discovering that the quick release on my rear bicycle wheel had been loosened and the brake cable released, I rode safely home through a beautiful night under a somewhat (Olympia is a moderate sized urban area) thick blanket of stars.

Ahhh... the beauty of the stars!

Port of Tacoma PMR Activities

I just posted an update about Port Militarization Resistance Activities in Tacoma to Olyblog.net. Check it out: olyblog.net/update-tacoma-pmr-activities

I also wrote something for the community blog at the Tacoma News Tribune: community.thenewstribune.com/node/41847

We have the power to stop the illegal aggression of our government.

Photos of USNS Brittin in Port of Tacoma

Here's a link to photos of USNS Brittin in the Port of Tacoma: http:// www.flickr.com /photos /rwhitlock /sets /72157606476390567 /

Peace Vigil and Protest of Nuclear Weapons (especially as they exist in an offensive capacity)

I returned yesterday from a the 50th Annual Western Washington (regional - Oregon included) Fellowship of Reconciliation Conference at Seabeck. It was a great weekend and I learned a lot about the activist community. I had fun and enjoyed the company of so many dedicated Peace and Justice activists. After the conference, a group of us drove a few miles North to the main gate of the Naval Base Kitsap Bangor for a peace vigil. I just uploaded some photos from that, but the set will eventually grow to include some from the rest of the weekend's festivities.

I held a sign that read, "This is an act of Love."

Think about it - we can choose to act out of either love, or fear. I choose love.

Protesters are right to oppose illegal war

letter to the editor published in today's The Olympian, June 30, 2008:

www.theolympian.com/letters/v-print/story/492269.html

The United States Senate Intelligence Committee recently approved a report that finds members of the Bush Administration have been peddling lies in order to justify the attack on Iraq. Given the knowledge of a lack of military threat posed by Iraq prior to the invasion, the attack can clearly be understood as an act of aggression.

Olympia City Manager Steve Hall wants to go after and persecute protesters who were engaged in a protected act of political speech as they attempted to petition for redress of grievances by preventing a military shipment that was destined to further enable an immoral/illegal war.

Hall should know that in the case of those who resist these enabling shipments, the protesters are the true sheriffs, because Congress is derelict in its duties to exercise appropriate and necessary oversight to put an end to the ongoing war crimes of the executive administration.

Protesters are right to nonviolently oppose and resist operations that enable an ongoing immoral/illegal war of aggression.

When our Congress takes appropriate action to hold members of the Bush administration accountable for flagrant crimes against humanity and crimes against the peace, then perhaps there won't be a need for citizens of the USA to take direct action. But until then, these citizens are right to stand in opposition to the illegal actions of their government.

President Bush and Vice President Cheney are abusing our troops. Protesters are supporting our troops by taking direct action to stop the war.

Robert Whitlock, Olympia

Olympia Washington May Day 2008 (photography and video)

Please see: May Day Editorial Comment [OlyBlog.net]

I have some photos and videos from the day too. Mine are quite different from the adversarial and controversial scenes and sounds that you will find in The Olympian and on their website.

So here they are, first the flickr slide show (in case the embedded slideshow doesn't work for you, here's a direct link to the photoset: www.flickr.com/photos/rwhitlock/sets/72157604848281827/


I also took some videos, here are a few that I selected to post (In case the viewer embed doesn't work, here's a link):

PMR Civil Resistance

This is directly related to the PMR protests against the illegal war of occupation in Iraq. For legal expert Francis Boyle, those PMR activists who organized and engaged in civil resistance toward uses of the municipal Port of Olympia, which further and enable an illegal military action, are the true "sheriffs" [sentence updated for grammar Jan 17, 2008]. You can find this article on the UFPPC website. read on:

ANALYSIS: Francis Boyle distinguishes 'civil resistance' from 'civil disobedience'
Written by Madeleine Lee
Friday, 14 December 2007

In a lecture given at Northwestern Law School on Nov. 20, 2007, Prof. Francis A. Boyle asserted, as he has many times while defending Lt. Ehren Watada's refusal to deploy to Iraq, that the Bush administration is a criminal regime:

"[I]n many instances specific components of the Bush Jr. administration's foreign policy constitute ongoing criminal activity under well recognized principles of both international law and United States domestic law."

-- In addition, "all high-level civilian officials and military officers in the U.S. government who either knew or should have known" that those under them were involved in such crimes are also "personally responsible for the commission of international crimes."

-- It follows from this assertion, Prof. Boyle says, that "American citizens possess the basic right under international law and the United States domestic law, including the U.S. Constitution, to engage in acts of civil resistance designed to prevent, impede, thwart, or terminate ongoing criminal activities perpetrated by Bush Jr. administration officials in their conduct of foreign affairs policies and military operations purported to relate to defense and counter-terrorism."

-- Such action constitutes not civil disobedience but "civil resistance." -- Therefore the idea that those who resist must be willing to be punished for their acts is a non sequitur: "Nothing could be further from the truth! Today's civil resisters are the sheriffs! The Bush Jr. administration officials are the outlaws!"

-- "Civil resistance," Boyle said, "is the last hope America has to prevent the Bush Jr. administration from moving even farther down the path of lawless violence."

-- Thus the Port Militarization Resistance movement that began in the Pacific Northwest in 2006 is not civil disobedience with respect to unjust laws, but rather civil resistance undertaken to uphold the rule of law itself: "today's civil resisters are acting for the express purpose of upholding the rule of law, the U.S. Constitution, human rights, and international law. Applying the term 'civil disobedience' to such civil resistors mistakenly presumes their guilt and thus perversely exonerates the Bush Jr. administration criminals."

...

You can read the rest here.

Here are a couple more quotes that I like. Part of the first one was included above:

"Today in international legal terms, the Bush Jr. administration itself should now be viewed as constituting an ongoing criminal conspiracy under international criminal law in violation of the Nuremberg Charter, the Nuremberg Judgment, and the Nuremberg Principles, because of its formulation and undertaking of serial wars of aggression, crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, and war crimes that are legally akin to those perpetrated by the former Nazi regime in Germany. As a consequence, American citizens possess the basic right under international law and the United States domestic law, including the U.S. Constitution, to engage in acts of civil resistance designed to prevent, impede, thwart, or terminate ongoing criminal activities perpetrated by Bush Jr. administration officials in their conduct of foreign affairs policies and military operations purported to relate to defense and counter-terrorism." - Francis A. Boyle

and

"If you believe Dante may be right, that 'the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of moral crisis, remain neutral,' you need this book. . . . If you are concerned that our country lives by its Constitution and laws, its often-proclaimed principles . . . you too should read this book. . . . If you cherish freedom, here is your chance to learn how much you have. A person ignorant of her rights has little advantage over those who have none." - Ramsey Clark, Former U.S. Attorney General
[ Original source: Rowman & Littlefield]

[3/12/2008 Update:] Francis Boyle's most recent book is titled Protesting Power. Here's a link to the publisher's website: http://www.rowmanlittlefield.com/Catalog/SingleBook.shtml?command=Search&db=^DB/CATALOG.db&eqSKUdata=0742538923