Westlake Saturday - 04/09/2011

Two demonstrations were held at Westlake Center this afternoon. Peace Activists held an "art in" and open mic in support of jailed whistleblower Bradley Manning. Representatives from PETA and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society also gathered to protest the opening of the annual Canadian harp seal hunting season.

Pamphlets:

Canadian Sea Hunt
Free Bradley Manning

SPD Rally and Counter Protest - Southwest Precinct - 04-08-2011

Approximately 50 pro-SPD demonstrators gathered outside the Southwest Precinct at the corner of Delridge and SW Webster on Friday evening in the third of a series of rallies organized by the families of SPD officers. A small group of counter protesters, supporters of the October 22 Coalition, were also in attendance.

Noise was the weapon of choice on both sides. A large number of the pro-SPD supporters had brought their children to the event. Give a pack of grade schools shiny new whistles, and they'll make noise -- even if they don't know what they are supporting. The counter protesters made up for their small numbers with generous use of the bullhorn.

The more of these rallies I attend, the more convinced I am that the SPD supporters have miscalculated in organizing them. It's hard to argue that the Seattle Police Department should "keep up the good work, " as one sign announced this evening, with stories detailing incidents of police brutality and mishandled cases piling up in the press. Assuming a contrite tone and waiting for the public's attention to shift would be a safer public relations approach for the SPD. These rallies represent another opportunity for the press to rehash the abuse allegations and SPD's critics to take to the street.

October 22 Coalition pamphlet.

The Week in Review with Lady Paula Merry

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Lady Paula gives her option on the Libyan no fly zone and watches some game shows.

Direct Mail Craziness

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Received the following mailing from Saint Matthew's Churches the other day telling me all about the miraculous power of their "prayer rug." A poster, included in the mailing, that has brought physical healing and financial blessings to the thousands who have used it.  If you believe that, there's a friend my mine I'd like you to meet. He's a Nigerian prince and he's having some trouble securing his inheritance.

Saint Mathews does not operate churches (plural) or even a church (singular). It's direct mail operation founded by James Eugene "Gene" Ewing.  In the 1980s, Ewing's former church-by-mail enterprise was ruled as a "for profit" organization by IRS and there's evidence that Ewing routed millions from evangelical activities to purchase real estate in Beverly Hills.  Saint Matthews has managed to retain it's tax exempt status, despite using the same tactics and providing no accounting of how funds are used.

The mailing utilizes all the cheesy direct mail devices -- fake underling, handwritten fonts, testimonials from past donors that would be impossible to verify. This mailing serves as phase one of the Saint Mathews fund-raising strategy. Individuals who reply to this mailing receive follow-up letters indicating the specific monetary donations required to see their "prayers" answered.  I'm tempted to mail it in, just to behold the craziness of phase two and learn how much salvation is going to cost.

The Hydra and other Mythical Beasts

International Day of Action / US Uncut / 03-26-2011

Supporters of US Uncut gathered outside the Westlake Bank of America branch to protest the billions of tax revenue lost every year via offshore tax shelters utilized by multi-national corporations. Through foreign holding companies, corporations such as Google and Amazon perform tax dodges known as the "Double Irish" and "The Dutch Sandwich" to move income off-shore and avoid paying U.S. corporate taxes. These tax maneuvers are the chief cause of the austerity measures depleting the budgets of social welfare and education programs nationwide, according to US Uncut. 

The Bureau of Economic Analysis released a report Friday showing U.S. corporations experienced all-time record earnings in the forth quarter of 2010 (Huffington Post: Corporate Profits At All-Time High As Recovery Stumble).  With last year's decision in the Citizen's United case, corporations now have more power to lobby and influence the results of elections than ever before.  With more money to spend, and a greater ability to spend that money however they choose, the embodiment of "corporate person hood" in U.S. law and legal precedent becomes increasingly problematic when considered against the interests of the average voter.

Behold that great behemoth: the corporation. A monster of our own creation, it's thick skin and writhing heads making it impossible to kill.

Fresh Air Story on "the Double Irish."

US Uncut - Seattle Facebook group

USA Uncut Pamphlet

Photos via flickr:

Seattle Clinic Defense / U-District / 03-26-2011

Coming on the heels of last weekend's Planned Parenthood rally in Capital Hill, a small group of protesters gathered outside the former location of Life Choices Pregnancy Center in the University District this afternoon to raise awareness of misleading practices at Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs). These centers, many operated by religious and pro-life groups, attempt to divert young pregnant women away from Planned Parenthood and other clinics that offer abortions by disguising themselves as medical clinics.  Clients walk in the doors expecting a free pregnancy test and professional medical advice, only to receive biased and often false information on the physical and psychological side-effects of abortion from pro-life advocates. The Stranger recently ran a feature that demonstrated some of the more deceptive practices found at CPC's in the Seattle area (Six Pregnancy Tests in One Week by Cienna Miller).

Unfortunately, the moment to bring this issue to the public's attention may have already passed - at least for this legislative session. Earlier this year, the Washington State legislature debated HB 1366 and SB 5274, legislation that would have required Crisis Pregnancy Centers to fully disclose all services offered (or not offered) and supply written results for any pregnancy tests performed.  It now seems clear that the House bill lacks sufficient support for a floor vote (Seattle Times: State House unlikely to take up pregnancy centers bill.)  The fact that Life Choices no longer operates a center at this location somewhat diminished the effectiveness of today's protest.  Seattle Clinic Defense, organizer of the event, plans to hold additional rallies in the near future.

Seattle Clinic Defense website

Seattle Clinic Defense on Facebook group

Seattle Clinic Defense pamphlets

Photos via flickr:

5Oth and Roosevelt / 03-26-2011

Photos of the current incarnation of NE 50th Street and Roosevelt Way NE in the University District  Here's a story from the Seattle PI detailing how this former tanning salon / spa became a semi-permanent showcase for street art: "City can't clean up notorious graffiti hub." With no definitive plans to demolish the building in place, it will be interesting to see how this develops as new tags cover old ones.

Support SPD Rally / West Precinct / 03-22-2011

Maybe bringing a box of doughnuts to a Support the SPD rally isn't the best idea?

Approximately twenty wives and family members of SPD officers gathered outside the West Precinct at Eight and Virginia on Tuesday night to show their support for the SPD and counter some of the negative press local police departments have received in recent months.  The timing of this rally did not work to the SPD supporter's advantage.  Last week, King County completed an inquest into the fatal shooting of David Young that occurred last August in Federal Way.  Over the weekend, another fatal shooting occurred involving a suspect armed with a machete in rural King County.  Monday brought news that improper handling of DUI cases by SPD has put dozen of cases on hold until an internal investigation can be completed, which prompted the usual line of excuses from Seattle Police Officer's Guild President Richard O'Neill.

The Seattle Police Department has a public relations problem that feel-good demonstrations like this one are not going to solve.  A good argument anticipates likely rebuttals and signs like "Landlords Back SPD" only confirm the arguments of anti-police critics that claim law enforcement only exists to protect the rights of privileges of wealthy elites.  Appeals to sentiment might not be the best coarse of action either: "my dad spends nights away from me to keep you safe" can be countered effectively by "a cop shot my dad in the head." If you want to be taken seriously, leave the kids and the doughnuts at home. 

The fact that no minority officers were represented at this rally also reinforced a common criticism of police departments. A bunch of white suburban soccer moms singing "Stand by Your Man" won't do much to convince Seattle's Native and African American communities that they're not subject to disproportionate police attention based on racial grounds. 

Additional rallies are planned for other Seattle precincts in the coming weeks.

Photos via flickr:

If war is not the answer, what is?

If war is not the answer, what is? As far as I can see, the various anti-war groups that gathered at Westlake Center this afternoon to commemorate the launching of the Iraq war on 03/19/2003 don't have any concrete alternatives to offer. Today's battle cry: no U.S. involvement in Libya. While it's difficult to claim than any U.S. action can be attributed to ideologically pure motivations, especially in the Middle East, not intervening against the Gaddafi regime could result in a major humanitarian disaster. “No matter how one feels about Libya today and the role of the Gaddafi government; regardless of how one evaluates the Libyan opposition, a U.S.-led war or intervention in Libya is a disaster for the Libyan people, and for people and progress around the world” according the International Action Center. On Thursday, Gaddafi threatened to level the rebel stronghold of Bengazi with many of its residents fleeing to the Egyptian border. The refugee situation alone is likely to claim thousands of innocent lives.

U.S. isolationism seems to be the only policy these activists would support. While Gaddafi doesn’t have the resources to become another Hitler or Hirohito, he’s still powerful enough to ravage the Libyan people. If Libya turned into another Rwanda or Iraqi Turkistan, will these people still say that the international community should sit on its hands. It’s important to pick one’s battles. During the Bush administration, the U.S. undoubtedly rushed into a war in Iraq based on trumped-up intelligence and suspect intentions. Failing to come to the aid of the Libyan people would mark an equally damning lapse.

One the underlying problems of the current anti-war movement is their lack of rhetorical focus. At today’s rally, speakers connected U.S. foreign wars with union busting in Wisconsin and the impending nuclear disaster in Japan. The global financial crisis and bank reform was also invoked at one point. The arguments being that prolonged military spending is the cause for current state and federal budget deficits, which forces cuts to domestic spending, and that nuclear power was originally developed for military applications only to be turned over to cost-cutting corporations in the public sector. There’s a much more straightforward explanation for the anti-union bills currently being proposed – a resurgent republican party and it’s long-term animus towards unions. As for taking aim at the transfer of technological innovations from the public to the private sector, I’d say the public has done all right in that exchange – including a little thing called the internet. The anti-war cause would be better served by a more straightforward line of reasoning.

Pamphlets

Photos via flickr:

Timber Corruption?

A small group of protesters gathered outside the FBI regional office at Third and Spring in downtown Seattle this afternoon to promote awareness of timber corruption in Sarawak, a Malaysian state located on the island of Borneo.   

Unfamiliar with the term "timber corruption?" Me too. The term is used almost exclusively in connection with Chief Minister of Sarawak, Abdul Taib Mahmud. In short, Taib Mahmud is a Malaysian version of Hosni Mubarak – a politician who grabs political power, maintains that power through corrupt elections and nepotism, and converts national resources into personal wealth.  For the past thirty years, Taib Mahmud has used his position (he also serves as Financial Minister and Planning and Resource Management Minister) to sell logging rights in the Sarawak rain forest in exchange for kickbacks. Taib Mahmud then proceeds to relocate these assets via bank accounts and real estate investments in more industrialized nations.  The site of the protest, 1110 3rd Avenue, is one such investment -- the building is owned by shell corporation operated by Taib Mahmud’s son.

More information:

Rain Forest Robbery – How Sarawak’s Chief Minister became a Billionaire

Bruno Manser Fund

www.stop-timber-corruption.org/

News from Crazytown

Further updates from Lady Paula Merry, who appears to be getting into the newspaper business.

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Down with Gaddafi!

In a repeat of last weekend's rally, Seattle residents gathered downtown to demonstrate their support for the pro-democracy protests taking place in Libya.

Photo's via flickr:

March to Stop Raids and Deportations / 02-25-2011

Demonstrators gathered Friday to protest SB 5407, a law workings its way through the Washington State Senate requiring proof of citizenship prior to the issuance of a Driver's license, and recent raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Ellensburg, Wa.  SB 5407 would effectively make it impossible for undocumented workers to obtain Driver's licenses and auto insurance in Washington State.  Another proposed piece of legislation, HB 1272, would require state employment agencies to verify that workers are qualified to work in the United State prior to referring them to potential employers. While these proposed laws don't rise to the level of the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act (SB 1070) signed into law last April in Arizona, they would contribute to making every day life more difficult for Washington's immigrant communities.

Like most groups that argue from the pro-immigration side of this debate, the activists that gathered friday ignore an essential fact: individuals subject to detention to ICE and deportation are in the United States illegally.  What these activists label "attacks against immigrant communities" are, in fact, lawful arrests.  Given the Republican sweep of the 2010 elections, immigration policy at both the state and federal level is headed towards more, not less, restrictive legislation. While it may be true that Latinos are the fastest growing demographic in Washington, what percentage of this population is in the state illegally? If you're not a citizen and can't vote, you don't represent a political constituency attractive to legislators.  Unless U.S. immigration policy gets in sync with the economic necessity of immigrant labor, through amnesty or guest workers program, Latino workers will continue to face the cost / benefit decisions that come with choosing to work in the U.S. illegally.  Until the U.S. decides to adopt a less schizophrenic attitude on immigration, the risk of deportation is not going away.

Pamphlets

Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Wheat Paste Goodness

Shepard Fairey style street art posted around Alaska Junction in West Seattle:

Please drop me a line if you can identify the artist.

Render unto Caesar

References to God and debt keep springing up among the evangelical preachers and pamphleteers. Here's a few examples:

Paid in Full

All About the Benjamins

$1 Million

While this isn't surprising, sixteen of thirty-eight parables in the New Testament deal either literally with the subject of money or evoke money as a symbol, it seems less apt in today's cultural and economic climate. The street preachers often speak of humankind's debt to Jesus / God for the gift of salvation. The millions of people who have recently lost this homes or jobs and are dealing with real world debt cannot find this message all that attractive. It feeds into the escapism that's inherent in Christian theology.  Yes, you're poor and miserable, but that doesn't really matter because someday you'll get to die and than everything will be ever-so-much better.

At least this message is consistent with canonical theology -- as opposed to the prosperity theology put forth by many contemporary televangelists. " I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" would seem to contradict the notion that "God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us." If Joel Olsteen ran into Jesus on the street, he'd probably mistake him for a hobo.

Pro-Libyan Democracy Rally, 02-19

 

I headed downtown this afternoon expecting a rally in support of Wiki-leaks and Julian Assange.  At the appointed time, I found Westlake Center empty of protesters -- which is something of a rare sight on a Saturday afternoon.  Fortunately, a group approximately 30 Pro-Libyan democracy activists stepped up to fill the gap later in the afternoon.  I'm guessing this was an unscheduled or non-permitted event, given that the usual Socialist and Anarchist hangers-on were not in attendance.  A protest undiluted by distractions; it's a rare occasion when i find nothing to foster my cynicism.

Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Signal-to-noise

Tensions continue to mount in the streets of Seattle with Wednesday's announcement by King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg that criminal charges will not be charged against SPD officer Ian Birk for the fatal shooting of John T. Williams in August 2010.  Birk subsequently announced his resignation later that afternoon.  While the Native American community has consistently called for solutions to the problems of police brutality from within the system in the aftermath of Williams' death, a variety of voice from the far left have been calling for more racial approaches.  Marches organized on Wednesday (02/16) and Friday (02/18) were composed primarily of Anarchist and Pro-Socialist activists that have co-opted the issue. Friday's march turned violent with police deploying pepper spray after protesters vandalized a squad car.  Unfortunately, this march was scheduled in direct conflict with a more reasoned discussion of the problem hosted at the Chief Seattle Club, with a panel including representatives from the NAACP, ACLU and Seattle City Council.  It's becoming clear that these protesters are more interested in marching, destroying public and private property, and disrupting everyday life than advancing reforms with the Seattle Police Department.

Photos of Wednesday's march via The Stranger. Photos of Friday's march via MyNorthwest.com.

Some pamphlets distributed Friday:

All Cops are Bastards

Justice is Impossible

Fuck the Police

To Protect and Divide

Down with the American criminal injustice system!

Pamphlets from the Chief Seattle Club Forum:

U.S. Department of Justice: Community Relations Service
Know Your Rights!: A People's Council on Social Justice Forum
Respect: Youth Guide to Seattle Laws & Police Procedures

The material being put on by the City and Federal agencies in connection with the Williams shooting remains both non-specific to the problems at hand and tone deaf.  Calling for mutual respect between police and the public, given SPD's well-publicized instances of excessive force, isn't going to win any hearts or minds. 

Harry Potter made me do it

FAITH: 2.b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof

SUPERSTITION: 2. a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

How do you argue for the validity of one spiritual belief over another spiritual belief when the two concepts are basically equivalent? How is praying to a dead saint any different than talking to your dead mother? How is faith really all that different from superstition?  In this excerpt from the February 2011 issue of "Awake!" the Jehovah Witnesses attempt to address these questions, offering up an amusing bit of religious cognitive dissonance with dashes of western elitism.

For those unfamiliar with Jehovah Witness beliefs, one of their core principals is that the end of days began in 1914, when Jesus returned undetected to the earth and began to separate the saved from the damned. Prophesy indicated that Armageddon would occur "before the generation that was living in 1914 will have died out." A quick review of a life expectancy table will tell you that the Apocalypse is running a little late -- which has lead to a number of revisions to prophesy in recent decades. A comprehensive review of this theological backpedaling can be found here.

"You cannot be partaking of 'the table of Jehovah' and the table of demons." So watch out, fans of young adult fiction. Don't let your love of Harry Potter keep you out of heaven.

A revolution without dancing isn't worth having

Police Brutality Rally / Westlake Center / 02-12-2011

The activists that gathered Saturday afternoon to protest police brutality didn't add much to the on-going debate on how to reform the Seattle Police Department.  The usual cast of Anarchists and Socialist groups made up the majority of the crowd of approximately 100 demonstrators, along with a small contingent from victims advocacy groups such as The October 22nd Coalition.  Speakers took aim against the recent Police Accountability Forum hosted by The Stranger, calling the event a sham, and evoked the recent anti-Mubarak protests in Egypt as proof of the effectiveness of street activism.

The lack of a cohesive message at these events continues to undermine this movement. What are these groups demanding? Beyond the prosecution of Ian Birk for the shooting of John T. Williams, it's difficult to say. Many of these activists are so hostile to even the existence of a police force, it's difficult to find any logical starting point for a dialogue. And many are hostile to the idea of dialogue. When a posed this question to one activist in attendance, who was distributing literature for the Seattle Anti-imperialist Committee, his response was 'there's no dialogue with racist gun thugs."  

Hey, at least this revolution has a band.

Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Lady Paula Merry on the 2012 Presidential Election

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Looks like Joe Biden's days are numbered.