Run the Rascals out!

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DEAR ACTIVISTS:
My arrest at AIPAC

Standing on the Hawthorne Bridge, in Portland, Oregon during what is now a weekly event to protest yet another war that America has started, (the bombing of Libya) Barbara, Roberto and I were talking about the lack of response from our City Council when it came to the Joint Terrorist Task Force. The JTTF is a hot item here in Portland and most of the organizations who work with street people are against us joining with the FBI to do anything.

Most of the progressive organizations like the ACLU, Cop Watch, Oregon Progressive Party, Individuals for Justice, Sisters and many more have testified more than once against any agreement to join forces with the Feds. The reasons are simple, we don't trust the FBI and we are trying to begin the process of re-trusting our own police. But the council under the direction of Mayor Adams keeps coming back with another offer, the latest has been rejected by most of the organizations listed above.

In the middle of this disagreement we now learn that the city council is also considering giving in to the EPA on an issue that will cost anywhere from 500 million to one billion dollars to fight against a bug which does not exist in the Northwest. There is a way out of this nonsense but the council has rejected any action that will call for a waiver from the EPA. The water department has already been given the ok from the city to spend 5 million dollars and is going ahead with plans to build a new treatment plant and cover the reservoirs at Mt. Tabor and Washington Park. Most people with a working brain are against this "boondoggle." Commissioner Randy Leonard seems to be the power behind this outrage, he should be replaced. There are three members of our council who are up for re-election in November of 2012, Mayor Adams, Commissioners Amanda Fritz and Randy Leonard; they should all be challenged by a serious candidate. My hope is that the Oregon Progressive Party will run candidates for all three seats and rattle some people. There must be consequences for this council's refusal to listen to the people of Portland, a challenge from the left would be a good start. This new party must get out and fight for what it believes in and show the other parties that it can be done. We should call on the Green Party, the Independent Party and the Working Family Party to join us in putting up three candidates this coming election. It is about time for organizations who fight for the rights of others to join a local coalition and "Run The Rascals Out Of Office." Will we just continue to run our mouths in front of City Hall or start to take actions that will make our City Commissioners very nervous; a nervous politician is a good politician. Even if you like a Commissioner, (and I do) as a group they are non-responsive and that must end. This is a very controversial concept and will be criticized, but if we start the conversation that would be good. What you think?

These are two issues that should be deal breakers, a vote for either one and you are out of office. The future could be ours but we have to change the way we do things. See ya in the streets.

For Justice,Peace and *Laughter,
Joe Walsh-Lone Vet
Individuals for Justice
Veterans Against Torture
Proud member of Oregon Progressive Party, http://progparty.org/

War is failure, occupation a disgrace!

"Funding these wars is killing our troops"
http://www.mfso.org/

* Why laughter?? Because without it I would have gone insane years ago.

Sen. ** harry reid must be replaced as Majority Leader, call me when you agree or just go away!

An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.
Mohandas Gandhi

Thoreau may have also brooded over the reaction of Emerson, who criticized the imprisonment as pointless. According to some accounts, Emerson visited Thoreau in jail and asked, "Henry, what are you doing in there?" Thoreau replied, "Waldo, the question is what are you doing out there?"

Authors Bio:
Short Bio

I was born in Brooklyn, New York in May of 1942. My first memory was the wonderful block parties that celebrated the end of WW2. I don't remember much but it was exciting and I could see how joyous people could be during a major event.

My cousin Danny and I lived near or actually in the same house for most of our childhood and shared great adventures together. We went from playing marbles to dating girls; it was a magical time in Brooklyn.

I attended Our Lady of Good Counsel grammar school, my early teachers were women and in the fourth grade we were taught by the Franciscan Brothers.

High School was the beginning of a journey that continues to this day. I wondered where I was going and why I was making the trip. I entered the Capuchin Seminary after the eighth grade to study for the priesthood. After 15 months I left the seminary and returned home. My studies allowed me to pick which Catholic high school I was going to attend. I lasted less than a year at Trinity High. One of the teachers excommunicated me from the Catholic Church because I thought birth control was a good idea.

After leaving Trinity, I started full time work, and completed high school at night; I was only sixteen and already lost in the world. I worked at Dictaphone for about four years and played on their softball team. I loved sports and was a good center fielder.

In 1962 I entered the Navy and spent nine years traveling around the world, including two tours in Vietnam. In 1970 I openly opposed the war and asked to be released.

In 1971, I was given an honorable discharged and once again I was looking at a whole new way of thinking. I was married, entered college and in 1979 finally received my Bachelor of Arts from the College of New Rochelle. I went to work at Long Beach Naval Shipyard and retired from civil service in 1995. I was a Union Official most of my time at the yard but did take a supervisory position for the last three years of service.

Since retirement I have been a substitute teacher in Nevada and teacher's aide in Oregon. My two great loves are my four grandchildren and my wife Pat.

Since arriving in Portland in 1999, I have been part of the protest against the Bush Wars, torture and what I see as a loss of our liberties. I am the co-founder of Individuals for Justice, Veterans Against Torture, member of Vietnam Veterans Against War, (VVAW.) I support the Veterans for Peace, Coed Pink and the fight for Single Payer Healthcare. I have been arrested three times, once in Gordon Smith's office, again outside of Congressman's Blumenauer's office, and the last time protesting AIPAC.

My favorite books are: Life of Pi by Yann Martel, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, How To Know God by Deepak Chopra, almost anything written by Stephen King.

My favorite movies are: The Shawshank Redemption, Wolfen, Lawrence of Arabia, The Quiet American.

My preferred hobbies are: Enjoying time with family and friends, listening to music and creating things with my hands. I love to write, and completed a play called, -"The Trial of George W. Bush.-"-