Vol. XXXVI, Number 2 The PortlandAlliance: Feb. 2016 http://www. ThePortlandAlliance.org/2016/February

Vol. XXXVI, Number 2   February 2016 http://www. ThePortlandAlliance.org/2016/February Speaking Truth to Power Since 1981

Does Bernie Sanders' Imperialism Matter? by Shamus Cooke   Critiquing Bernie Sanders from the left can be a lonely project. There is a "hope"-powered hysteria surrounding his campaign, and bursting the "hope" bubble can produce a fierce backlash. The Sanders "hope" explosion is so fierce because capitalism has become a hopeless place.

Visit Our Website http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/2016/February

Jobs with Justice Update! Event Calendar Thursday, February 18   OregonSOS - Fight High Rents & Low Wages   Oregon State Capitol 900 Court St NE, Salem, Oregon 97301 #OregonSOS Oregonians are sinking, and it's time to do something about it! Join us as we build a tent city on the steps of the capitol building to highlight and call for a housing state of emergency in Oregon. Demand solutions to this state of emergency such as rent control and a moritorium on no-cause evictions, a statewide $15 and local control of minimum wage laws, and an end to ODOT sweeps of houseless camps. Sponsored by Right to Survive, Right 2 Dream Too, 15 Now PDX, Don't Shoot PDX, Portland Rising Tide, Jobs with Justice, PSUSU, Hazelnut Grove, International Socialist Organization, and more. Endorsed by NW Alliance for Alternative Media and Education, The Portand Alliance, The Peaceresource and The Wordsmith Collection and others... more ______________________________________________________________ Monthly Steering Committee Meeting Monday, March 7, 2016 at 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm 1500 NE Irving Street, Suite 585 Portland, OR 97232                             First Monday of the Month Unless    info:  http://www.theportlandalliance.org/jwjupdates

Contact DEQ and Bullseye regarding carcinogenic and neurotoxic emissions W ednesday, The Portland Mercury reported that Bullseye Glass, located at 3722 SE 21st St, has been emitting "a monthly a verage of 49 times the state air-safety benchmark level for the neurotoxin and carcinogen cadmium, and 159 times the air-safety goal for the carcinogen arsenic." The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) plan to announce specifics of their collected data on Bullseye's toxic emissions recorded at nearby measuring stations. Also nearby are schools and a children's daycare located at Fred Meyer's headquarters, KinderCare Education LLC. rest of story:  http://www.theportlandalliance.org/breakingnews

 

Be sure to check out this issue!

http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/2016/February

And please send articles, essays, events, meetings, rallies and actions for March no later than February 21.  And thanks for all you do.  editor@theportandaliance.org.

https://thewordsmithcollection.wordpress.com/2015/08/03/the-portland-alliance-august-2015-speaking-truth-to-power/

August Portland Alliance:
http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/2015/August— at St John’s Bridge….Cathedral Park.

by Bette Lee                                                        pictures by Bette Lee
What an awe-inspiring, daring and utterly breath-taking direct action by Greenpeace activists at the St. John’s bridge in Portland, OR. 13 courageous and determined GP activists rappelled from the bridge, and were suspended for over 40 hours in their attempt to stop or delay the Fennica, an ice-breaker owned by Shell Corp., bound for the Artic to be used for oil-drilling. They were supported by the “kayaktivists” who bravely tried to block the Fennica from sailing past the bridge, but were overwhelmed by the coast guard in their motorboats. We will always remember the beautiful image of this remarkable direct action of these activists hanging from the bridge, with their colored flags flying in the wind.
see more:  Bette Lee Portal  http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/bettelee

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Stop Drilling in the Arctic! Obama betrayed us Again…

Why do people support Obama when he supports drilling in the Arctic, offshore drilling, murdering prisoners, 27 unnecessary wars of choice, the suspension of habeas corpus, sending illegal drones knowing each kills an average of fifty innocent people.
If you want this irresponsible drilling stopped, contact the most powerful man on the planet… as if if would do you any good.
https://thepeaceresource.wordpress.com/2015/07/26/stop-drilling-in-the-arctic-obama-betrayed-us-again/

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Revolution and Liberation… ~OO~

At home, American police bureaus, militarized and armed with machine-guns, have been provided a license to kill at will and our president claims a “right” to kill anyone, anywhere, any time, for any reason or without providing any reason at all. This amoral and extralegal extortion has been extended abroad in more than 25 corporate wars of choice. And what is most terrifying is that the American people have surrendered to this betrayal and treason.  With innocents executed at home and abroad, we are under attack and must stand up and fight back.
The revolution has begun.  ~OO~       http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/afewwords
     Take Action!  We are the change we seek!
more info:  www.theportlandalliance.org/activecommunity

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Black Lives Matter Portland 

 There was an African funeral at the Mississippi Street Fair  (aka the White Celebration  of Black Displacement)
for our siblings, Kendra James and Keaton Otis, lost to racist police murder.
We love and remember them.    find out more and get connected! http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/blacklivesmatter

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                                            Much More in the August 2015 Portland Alliance:

click here: http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/2015/August
We are walking the talk and producing a vehicle for progressive Portland.  Don’t let mainstream corporate media continue to ignore our community and provide inaccurate and dishonest versions of the news.  Please send suggestions, critiques, copy-edits, breaking news, events, ideas…  editor@theportlandalliance.org
Community Calendar: http://www.theportlandaliance.org/communitycalendar 

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Shannon Wheeler of Too Much Coffee Man fame!
http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/tmcm

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The Wordsmith Collection: Writing & Creative Arts

writingresource.blogspot.com/p/please-donate-to-keep-these-resources.html

The Occupation Stands United

The right wing press is delusional.
The Occupation is organized, funded, supported, and in charge
of its destiny and our own.  Democracy at its best. Get used to it.

The Occupation is endorsed by The Portland Alliance, KBOO,
Jobs with Justice, and every peace, justice, & freedom organization
on the planet. Unions stand in solidarity.  Public employees are
on board.  Most police and fire departments are in sympathy.
Teachers, universities, and schools are stepping up in support.
Mayors, governors, and national leaders have been tolerant
or supportive of this grassroots uprising.  

Our military personnel are tired, bruised, and must no longer be
misused and abused in corporate ambitions abroad when we have
chaos, foreclosure, job losses, homelessness, failing schools, and
skyrocketing health care costs at home.  Our military services
stand in fidelity with the people.  

Most everybody (99%) stands with Occupy Wall Street, Portland,
and the globe.   The 1% are going to have to face facts.

This does not stop or begin with America. This started in Spain,
spread to greater Europe and has crossed every continental divide. 

Corporate transnationals who sold out this nation and bought our
government have had their bought-and-paid-for legislators and
leaders give them "bail-out" corporate welfare. This allowed them
to export American jobs while stealing our homes and retirement
funds.  Endless corporate welfare for insurance cartels, munitions
firms, body bags, blood, and bombs is no longer an option.

Everyday people decided to rebuild this nation from the ground up.
Cities and communities of people have spoken. 

Profiteers, thieves, and con-men will have to reinvest, regroup, and
reform, pay reparations, or go to jail. This populist occupation
movement is peaceful, orderly, and determined. As Eisenhower
(a warrior-peacemaker who warned us about the military industrial
complex) reminded us:

"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it."

~Dwight David Eisenhower~