Portland march today against US occupations

[warren pease]

Should have posted this earlier, so pardon the late notice. If anyone in the PDX area is interested, please see this notice and, if you can make it, great:

Portland March Info

Basically, it's a peace march, with plenty of side issues involved and probably on display via signs and handouts. One of which is my cause du jour, the awareness campaign re the upcoming counter-terrorism drills coming to Portland 10/15 and the possibility (remote, I hope) of them "going live." They're called TopOFF 4, which simulates (I hope) detonation of a dirty bomb, and Vigilant Shield 08, which simulates (I hope) imposition of martial law subsequent to the blast.

Something like 10 to 15 thousand federal, state and local security types are involved, as are a bunch of NGOs (Red Cross? Blackwater?), first responders and the like. More than 270 agencies are involved. They include the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense, the FBI and the National Guard. The Overlord himself will be here on the 16th, smirking and snarling over the simulated (I hope) carnage. As he said earlier this year:

"The greatest threat now is 'a 9/11' occurring with a group of terrorists armed not with airline tickets and box cutters, but with a nuclear weapon in the middle of one of our own cities… it’s a very real threat." Dick Cheney, April 15, 2007. I'm sure it is, Dicky, if your pudgy little hands are all over it.

Here's info from the Oregon Truth Alliance on this stuff. (Note that we are either paranoid loons, which would be just fine considering the alternative, or we're on to something horrendous, which would be the worst possible thing to be correct about.)

Anti-terrorism drills


Best,

wp

[Trajan]

1. I regret I was ill today ....

And in bed from 9 til 4:30 PM .....

I regret missing this ....

[warren pease]

2. If it's any consolation...

you really didn't miss that much. I'm no crowd-counting genius, but I remember that march back in early 2003 prior to the initial Iraq civilian mass murder campaign called shock and awe and this was maybe a 20th as large. Some march co-sponsors put the number at 1,000, which is probably within reason. Maybe 2,000 at the outside.

It was a pretty loose crowd compared to the uncontainable rage of the crowds whenever Bushie or Cheney shows up to rake in a few easy $$ million. Even the bike cops were relaxed and approachable. I had a quick conversation with three of them, trying to pry out information re the Oct. 15 dirty bomb and martial law exercises.

I told them I was worried about getting to work in the anticipated traffic snarls downtown and they told me not to worry because there wouldn't be a lot of activity downtown. They were kind enough to tell me where the exercise headquarters and C&C operations center are going to be located -- a piece of info I've been looking for for a couple of weeks. Unless the cops were told to spread disinfo about this and they lied to me (which really didn't seem to be the case: three cops, blocks apart from each other, same answer) DHS et al are running everything out of Portland Speedway.

Here's a page with links to other resources put together by people who are either prescient or paranoid loons (of course, I'm a member of this org. and I'm still trying to decide which of those two groups I fall into): Oregon Truth Alliance

Anyway, the speakers weren't particularly inspiring, the crowd wasn't very motivated and most seemed to be just out having a walk with friends. Like somebody shoved a sign into their hands and they figured they might as well join the march.

I think people are burning out; I think BushCo has succeeded in creating such an atmosphere of futility that lots of people who thought they could make a difference five years ago now understand that there's absolutely nothing they can do to influence BushCo -- or worse, the goddamn Congress they elected -- to end this occupation and stay the hell away from Iran.

Finally, I wouldn't expect much coverage, if any. I saw no TV trucks, no camera crews -- only a few still photographers who are either amateur camera fanatics or pros working for a paper (or freelancers trying to sell shots). I haven't looked at the Whoregonian yet, but I'd be surprised if it gets more than a column inch or so. And the crowd estimate will probably be a couple of hundred. Depressingly, this time they won't be too far off the mark.

Hope you get better soon.

wp

[Parche]

3. Hey

Where is it going to be....I get back from Hawaii on 13Octobra...............


:hi:

[warren pease]

4. Just in time, then...

Go here for a bunch of gruesome details, as well as links to articles and comment from outside sources.

The alleged hub of activity is the Portland Raceway and the alleged target of the dirty bomb is the Steel Bridge.

I'd recommend extending your Hawaiian vacation maybe another week. Or you can take your chances. Btw, Cheney's scheduled to be in town on the 16th. To survey the carnage? Push the button? Have dinner at Jake's? We don't know and, of course, he ain't talkin'.

He has had this to say on the subject, though: "The greatest threat now is 'a 9/11' occurring with a group of terrorists armed not with airline tickets and box cutters, but with a nuclear weapon in the middle of one of our own cities… it’s a very real threat." Dick Cheney, April 15, 2007.

wp