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Keep the Oregon National Guard Home campaign
Leah Bolger, Veterans for Peace Chapter 132, 05.02.2009 - 08:32
Today's (2/5/09) Press Release reminds us of Southern Oregon's support for this important campaign. The following local organizations have signed on: Citizens for Peace and Justice, Peace House, Rogue Valley Veterans for Peace Chapter 156 and Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice. Portland, OR, February 5: Early this week, Oregon became the sixth state to introduce measures in its state legislature with the goal of challenging the use of the National Guard in Iraq. A bill, now known as HB 2556, would give the Governor the authority to withhold the Guard from federal deployment when there is no legally valid authorization. Identical House (HR 4) and Senate (SR 1) resolutions then call on the Governor to withhold the Guard deployments from Iraq and Afghanistan because the terms of the 2002 Iraq authorization by Congress have been met, and the 2001 "War on Terror" authorization improperly delegates warmaking powers to the President, resulting in a perpetual call-up of the Guard.
Leah Bolger interview, guest on the Brain Labor Report radio show (2/5/09 edition)
http://www.kskq.org/brainlabor/?p=460 Oregon Guard Home Campaign Page
http://www.pjw.info/guardhomecampaign08.html Read more > >
"Illegal People" northwest tour report
D A V I D * B A C O N, in his own words..., 04.02.2009 - 15:47
Southern Oregon hosted author/photographer David Bacon on his book tour on Feb. 2, 2009 in Medford, Oregon. The Rogue Independent Media Center is pleased to present a northwest tour report back by David Bacon, in his own words...
Dear folks,
This is a collective thank-you to all the people who helped to make the book tour for "Illegal People" possible. It was a real success and collective achievement, by any measure.
20 speaking events
2330 people we reached in those events
124 books sold
In every meeting we were able to connect the issues of immigration and the displacement caused by corporate globalization to the many needs of working people -- for immigration reform, single-payer healthcare, the employee free choice act, and the jobs programs promised by a new administration.
Photos from Medford event Feb. 2, 2009, (click pics to make them bigger)
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Roe v. Wade 36 Year Anniversary Celebration
Planned Parenthood of Southern Oregon, 21.01.2009 - 13:21
Ashland's Standing Stone Brewery was the place to be Sunday, January 18th when folks gathered to celebrate 36 years of reproductive freedom. A good size crowd gathered for the occasion which was organized by Planned Parenthood of Southern Oregon. You can view some event photos below.
The featured keynote speaker was Oregon State Representative Peter Buckley who delivered a fiery speech telling the gathering to not stop pushing ahead. He quoted the late Senator Wellstone saying, "Organize, organize, organize." Leaders from Planned Parenthood also spoke and there was a musical performance by The No Where Men. Also heard was poet Liz Robinson. Artist Betty LaDuke honored "Women in Art" and had on display two of her wonderful paintings.
click any pic for larger view
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Anne Feeney Rocks Ashland at Inaugural Party!
INDEPENDENT MEDIA BRINGS YOU THE NEWS, 21.01.2009 - 10:06
Ashland's Siskiyou Pub had an overflow crowd with an exciting buzz from Inauguration Day 2009. Anne Feeney sang some old and some new labor songs and told some stories to a jubilant crowd that was ready to celebrate. The sing-along songs were the biggest hit as a roomful of voices filled the Pub. A special guest stopped by to partake in the festivities at this Inaugural Ball...Take a look at the photos and see if you can spot him.
This concert and the inaugural party were brought to Southern Oregon by the Southern Oregon Central Labor Council and Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice. Special thanks to Move-On.Org for the support and outreach.
click any photo to make it bigger
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Eagle Pt. Teachers/Staff Standup for FAIRNESS
SOUTHERN OREGON JOBS WITH JUSTICE/Rogue IMC, 15.01.2009 - 15:48
1/14/08--HUGE RALLY IN EAGLE POINT, OREGON A disrespectful school board gets an ear full of solidarity
This report is in three parts:
1) Introduction
2) Photos of the event
3) Messages from Teachers & Staff that were delivered to the School Board.
INTRODUCTION
The room was packed, in fact over-packed. The Fire Department showed up with fire code concerns, however by that time the meeting was nearly over. It was not the Fire Dept. but the School Board who called the meeting short. Looking at his watch (see very last photo) Board Chair Jonathan Bilden denied the request of 5 more minutes for the teacher/staff presentations and he kicked the teachers and staff out of the room.
In the Eagle Point School District the teachers and staff are all in one union, the Oregon Education Association, and they all speak with one voice.
At the meeting Teachers and Staff made brief presentations to the District's School Board. For those in attendance there was no doubt about the dedication of this workforce in spite of the lack of respect from the School Board and from Administrators who have already got their pay raise. Faculty & Staff are only asking for the same pay raise as the Administrators, and the words from an early presenter really set the tone for the evening when a teacher said: "This is like a family at dinner time when the parents eat first."
Unfortunately (but not a big surprise) press coverage of this HUGE event was horrible. One local TV station did cover the meeting, but that was it. And there was NO newspaper ink in the Medford Mail Tribune. What a disservice! Its no wonder that newspapers are in such steep decline. They don't report news anymore. That is why the Rogue IMC is proud to bring you this report.
"Thanks again for coming out and supporting us. I think we are energized again" were the words of grade school teacher Debbie Herzog in reference to the support from Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice members.
PHOTOS (click on a pic to make it bigger) Second set of pics here:
http://rogueimc.org/en/2009/01/14445.shtml
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LNG Rally in Salem
Oregon opposes LNG, 14.01.2009 - 20:06
This past Tuesday concerned citizens from Southern Oregon joined in a statewide rally on the steps of the Oregon Capitol to tell the Governor and our state legislatures to say “No to LNG ”. Approximately 400 Oregon residents from all walks of life from across the state gathered for a rally which was part of a citizen’s renewable energy day at the Oregon Capitol. A group of farmers brought a collection of tractors and horse trailers to represent their presence at the rally. These trackers were parked across the street from the capitol steps with signs voicing their opposition to LNG as a visual statement of who will be impacted by the terminals if they are allowed to be brought into Oregon. The salmon were also seen “swimming” throughout the crowds at the rally to show their opposition to LNG. As well as a rally, which lasted for about 2 hours, there were workshops throughout the day and in the afternoon groups and citizens had the opportunity to speak with legislative staff from their districts about their concerns about LNG terminals being allowed to be developed in Oregon.
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" HAMAS " The Untold Truth
Kamal Hassan, Palestinian Peace Activist, 11.01.2009 - 18:32
I've been watching the media very closely these days, and a very disturbing phenomena has been emerging. The Media War, The Israeli government has discovered that the Palestinians have been using the internet to inform people and tell the real story that has been distorted by the Israeli propaganda machine.... The truth of the matter is that, Hamas is not a terrorist organization nor that Hamas was the aggressor in any of the Israeli Palestinian confrontations.--Kamal Hassan
(NOTE: Kamal Hassan lives in Southern Oregon and is an active member of the Medford, Oregon based Citizens for Peace and Justice--rogue imc volunteer)
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Rally and Candle Vigil for Peace.
S T A N D I N G * U P * F O R * P E A C E, 11.01.2009 - 08:06
During the day Saturday on the Ashland Plaza approximately 40 people joined with rallies and marches around the globe to stand in solidarity with those in Gaza to say “We will not be Silent!” and to “End the Siege Now!”. The Rally was followed by a vigil at 7pm. It was a very cold Saturday evening on January 10th when over 20 people joined in a circle in Ashland's downtown plaza. Candles glowing with compassion silently shined light on the horrific killing which has been taking place in the Middle East.
The Ashland rally and vigil were forms of the many demonstrations that took place all around the world.
Here are a couple photos of the candelight vigil in Ashland, Oregon...
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Workers Understand Democracy, Want To Join Unions
Employee Free Choice Act NOW!, 09.01.2009 - 14:05
Almost eight in 10 Americans support legislation that would make it easier for workers to join or organize labor unions, according to a new national survey from Peter D. Hart and Associates released this week. Here in Southern Oregon people have been signing cards of support for the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). There is a growing groundswell of ordinary workers who are lining up to say they want to better their employment status by gaining a voice at work. Sign the online petition here:
http://www.freechoiceact.org/page/s/jwj?source=w We CAN turn this economy around! Support EFCA for a better future!--Wes Brain, Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice
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No LNG in Oregon, Yes to Clean Energy!
Rally in Salem, OR on 1/13/09, 30.12.2008 - 15:09
Several coastal locations in Oregon are proposed sites for highly explosive liquified natural gas (LNG) terminals, to be brought in to port via large tankers from overseas locations. In addition to legitimate concerns about dredging being destructive to the riparian estuary ecosystems, the highly explosive properties of supercooled natural gas present risks in known seismic areas of the Cascadian subduction zone. Read more > > (1 comment)
