Posted by Web Editor on June 13th, 2008
Peace & justice activists have such ambitious agendas! We care about everything, see problems everywhere, and jump from one crisis to another. We have strong values and bold visions. Therefore, when we achieve a victory we typically fail to celebrate it – or even notice it – because we always see the unfinished business of bigger goals ahead. Deep down, we might feel guilty – or not radical enough – if we were to celebrate the victories we achieve.
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Posted by Web Editor on June 14th, 2008
We enjoyed a lively and upbeat annual meeting on Monday evening May 19. Various persons briefly summarized our wide-ranging activities during the past 12 months. We elected Steering Committee members and officers. We generated creative ideas for the future. We enjoyed each other’s participation. … All this, and we ended on time!
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Posted by Web Editor on June 14th, 2008
Rising Oil Prices Show the Peak Oil Crisis Is Real
by Glen Anderson
Rising oil prices are hurting the public. Mainstream politicians and news media keep diverting attention from the real cause and real solutions. Yes, political instability in some parts of the world interfere with supply, and yes, oil companies’ profits are obscenely high, but those are not enough to cause the problem. The main problem is that the Peak Oil crisis is actually happening.
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Posted by Web Editor on June 13th, 2008
Puget Sound Interfaith Youth Camp needs young people and adults to sign up by June 17: Kids who will enter 7th 8th or 9th grade this fall are warmly invited to build a more peaceful and just world by enjoying a week (Aug. 24-29) of fun with kids from other religious faiths. Most of the time campers swim, kayak, create art, hike, play sports and games, and sing around the campfire. What differs is the time spent talking and learning about one another’s religions, beliefs, and customs. Kids have the opportunity to be themselves, have a great time in a beautiful natural setting, and discover more about their common humanity. Organizers hope that campers’ growing understanding of each other’s worldviews will result in greater respect, appreciation, empathy and compassion. Campers have been a mix of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Baha’i, Unitarian, Native American, Atheist, Quaker, and other religions or spiritual affiliations. An adult faith leader for each religion also participates. Proselytizing is not permitted. The organizers must have 30 camper applications and 10 adult staff applications (counselors, nurse/medic/faith leaders) in order to proceed with this year’s camp. The fee for the camp is $100, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. This is a project of our local Interfaith Works and Associated Ministries of Tacoma-Pierce County. Info: www.soundinterfaithcamp.org and Interfaith Works 357-7224
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Posted by Web Editor on June 13th, 2008
This is the fourth of a series of articles exploring various ways the peace movement can strengthen itself and become more effective. These articles recognize that: (1) The way to win peace and social justice is through grassroots organizing to build an ever-larger movement of the general public; (2) To win public opinion, nonviolence is both necessary and powerful; (3) We need to strategize carefully to build this movement through a variety of smart campaigns and activities; and (4) Details that might seem small can mean the difference between success and failure. Each issue of the Olympia FOR newsletter includes an article related to one of these topics, although not necessarily in this 1-2-3-4 order. Previous articles will soon be posted on our website, www.olyfor.org
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Posted by Web Editor on June 13th, 2008
Posted by Web Editor on June 5th, 2008
| 5 June 2008 |
| 7:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
Thurs June 5: Hear Joel Salatin present “A Sustainable Agriculture Response to the Food Crisis” – Joel Salatin is a farmer, a visionary, and an expert in the practice of sustainable agriculture. His Polyface Farm achieved iconic status as the livestock farm featured in the New York Times’ bestseller, Omnivore’s Dilemma. Salatin’s speeches are both conviction-based and humorous, akin to theatrical performances, often receiving standing ovations. 7:00-9:00 pm in Lecture Hall 1 at The Evergreen State College. Supported by TESC, the Olympia Food Coop, Bainbridge Island Graduate Institute, Olympia Slow Food, and Olympia Climate Action Group. Info: R.J. Burt, Alumni Director, 867-6568
Posted by Web Editor on May 4th, 2008
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Posted by Web Editor on May 2nd, 2008
This is the third of a series of articles exploring various ways the peace movement can strengthen itself and become more effective. These articles recognize that: (1) The way to win peace and social justice is through grassroots organizing to build an ever-larger movement of the general public; (2) To win public opinion, nonviolence is both necessary and powerful; (3) We need to strategize carefully to build this movement through a variety of smart campaigns and activities; and (4) Details that might seem small can mean the difference between success and failure. Each issue of the Olympia FOR newsletter includes an article related to one of these topics, although not necessarily in this 1-2-3-4 order. Previous articles will soon be posted on our website, www.olyfor.org
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Posted by Web Editor on May 2nd, 2008
Each year the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation’s Annual Meeting is a celebration as well as a meeting. This year we’ll enjoy ourselves again, and YOU are invited! We’ll gather on Monday May 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Traditions Café, 5th & Water downtown. You might want to arrive early and order food long before the kitchen closes at 6:00, and enjoy social time before the meeting. We promise to end on time by 8:30 p.m.!
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Posted by Web Editor on December 2nd, 2007
Very clearly Bush and Cheney have committed impeachable offenses. The Olympia-based Citizens Movement to Impeach Bush/Cheney and the nationwide After Downing Street have plenty of information. The impeachment movement continues to grow, but some people worry about impeaching Bush and being stuck with Cheney. Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) produced a remedy, H.Res. 333, which focuses on impeaching Cheney. Recently H.Res. 333 became H.Res. 799.
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Posted by Web Editor on December 2nd, 2007
| 28 December 2007 | | 5:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
“Who ever thought impeaching Bush & Cheney could be this much fun?”
Yes, it really is possible to impeach Bush and Cheney! Yes, there really is time to do it!
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Posted by Glen Anderson on December 2nd, 2007
Growing number of reports suggest that world oil production likely reached its peak in 2006, and that less oil will be extracted this year and in each year henceforth. Meanwhile, global demand for oil keeps growing every year. The law of supply and demand dictates that oil prices will rise ever-higher.
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Posted by Glen Anderson on December 2nd, 2007
Olympia peace activists made local, national and international news again in mid-November for their courageous nonviolent resistance to the Port of Olympia’s complicity in the illegal U.S. war and military occupation of Iraq.
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Posted by Glen Anderson on December 2nd, 2007
The American people are intensely frustrated with the way things are going. Public opinion polls show ever-larger majorities saying our country is headed in the wrong direction. It’s the war, the economy, political corruption, campaigns sold to the highest bidder, dangerous products sold to consumers, loss of privacy, inadequate health care – the list goes on and on.
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Posted by Web Editor on October 20th, 2007
by Bob Zeigler
We need to broaden the definition of peace work. Complete peace work is more than stopping armed conflict. It is healing people of physical and psychological wounds, allowing people to have control over their lives and live in sustainable communities. It is healing the earth and restoring community.
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Posted by Web Editor on October 20th, 2007
Friday evening Nov. 9 to Saturday 2:30 Nov. 10
Every year the Western Washington FOR holds a fascinating Fall Retreat at a pleasant retreat site in Lacey. This year’s theme is “Resisting the War Machine.” We protest and write to Congress, but wars and militarism persist. People get frustrated. What else can we do?
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Posted by Web Editor on October 20th, 2007
Note #1: After Congressman Brian Baird declared his support for Bush’s “surge,” local people have been visiting Baird’s local office, 120 Union SE, Olympia, to convey information and express feelings to the staff. People have also been gathering there on Fridays between 12 noon and 2 p.m. to do this as a group.
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Posted by Web Editor on October 20th, 2007
A year ago most knowledgeable people— even within the peace movement— were dismissing as unlikely the rumors that the Bush-Cheney regime was planning to attack Iran with military violence. It was perceived as posturing and threatening in order to bully Iran, but not representing a likely military attack. In recent months, however, growing numbers of reports and articles from credible sources indicate that the U.S. is likely to actually make war on Iran. For example, the UK’s Guardian newspaper reported these statements:
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Posted by Web Editor on October 19th, 2007
Iraq Moratorium – 3rd Friday of Every Month
The Iraq Moratorium will occur on the third Friday of every month. On this day a growing number of people will devote time and effort to show the U.S. government that it must stop the occupation of Iraq. The Iraq Moratorium is something everyone can get involved with, either as an individual or as part of a group.
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Posted by Web Editor on June 9th, 2007
U.S. strong-arms Iraq’s parliament to pass oil law:
In a massive rebuff to Iraq’s sovereignty, the U.S. government and news media are forcing Iraq’s Parliament to pass a bill surrendering control and profits from Iraq’s oil to Western (primarily U.S.) oil companies.
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Posted by Web Editor on June 9th, 2007
It’s good for the world and good for our souls.
Throughout our nation’s history almost every bit of social and political progress has occurred as a result of nonviolent grassroots organizing. Nothing was a gift from government or big business. The labor, civil rights and environmental movements; women’s right to vote; growing acceptance of GLBTQ folks; stopping nuclear weapons testing in the atmosphere; blunting the development of nuclear weapons in the 1980s – all of these victories were rooted in ordinary people’s organizing at the grassroots level.
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Posted by Web Editor on June 8th, 2007
| 13 June 2007 | | 5:30 pm | | 6:30 pm |
Everyone is invited to the Olympia FOR’s first potluck picnic of the summer at 6:30 p.m. in the Rose Garden kitchen area at Olympia’s Priest Point Park. Go north on East Bay Drive, turn right into the park, loop around through the woods and end up nearly all the way back to the road. The Rose Garden kitchen area is the open-air building on your left.
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Posted by Web Editor on June 8th, 2007
| 22 June 2007 | to | 24 June 2007 |
St. Michael Church will present the national FOR’s nonviolence training, “Creating A Culture of Peace,” from 2:00 p.m. Friday June 22 through the afternoon of Sunday June 24. It will draw from the same curriculum used in the two nonviolence weekends Olympia FOR presented in September 2005 and February 2006.
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Posted by Web Editor on June 8th, 2007
A good turnout of Olympia FOR folks on Sunday afternoon May 6 enjoyed our Annual Celebration and Meeting. Holly Gwinn Graham entertained us with peace & justice songs, Steering Committee members and Traditions Café provided delicious and satisfying food and refreshments, we all celebrated the huge amount of work the Olympia FOR has accomplished since last May, and we elected the 2007-08 Steering Committee and officers.
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Posted by Web Editor on June 8th, 2007
This article is by the Rev. Sanford “Sandy” Brown, a United Methodist minister. He is executive director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle (CCGS). This article appeared in the May 2007 issue of the CCGS’s monthly publication, The Source.
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Posted by Web Editor on June 8th, 2007
Abolishing the death penalty will require a grassroots movement that grows ever larger until a strong majority of public opinion insists on abolition. Then the governmental decision-makers will finally go along with the new majority. The Olympia FOR’s Committee for Alternatives to the Death Penalty is considering an ambitious plan with an ever-widening set of activities to accomplish just that.
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Posted by Web Editor on May 23rd, 2007
by Glen Anderson
We spend a lot of our time protesting against problems but not enough envisioning and creating solutions. Let’s take a few minutes to reflect on what nonviolence is – and imagine what a nonviolent society would look like.
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Posted by Web Editor on April 4th, 2007
In the past few months – both before and after the November election – a number of persons have confessed to me their profound frustration with politicians who fail to stand up for peace and who fail to hold Bush accountable.
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Posted by Web Editor on April 4th, 2007
With Holly Gwinn Graham performing!
Sunday May 6 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Each year the Olympia FOR’s Annual Meeting is a celebration as well as a meeting. This year we’ll enjoy ourselves again, and YOU are invited! We’ll gather on Sunday May 6 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Traditions Café, 5th & Water downtown.
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Posted by Web Editor on February 1st, 2007
As a general principle, anything based on lies is bound to produce bad results. The whole foundation of Bush’s war in Iraq is based on lies. Therefore, it is illogical and hypocritical for the people who have supported Bush’s war to shift the responsibility to peace advocates for generating workable solutions to that mess. War supporters blame peace supporters for being unable to solve the horrible problems that Bush created. Despite the rhetoric, there is no way to “win” a war that is fatally flawed. The sad truth is that “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men” could not put Humpty Dumpty together again.
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Posted by Web Editor on December 2nd, 2006
The Top Ten reasons for impeaching Bush & Cheney:
- Violating the United Nations Charter by launching an illegal war of aggression against Iraq without cause, using fraud to sell the war to Congress and the public, and misusing government funds to begin bombing without Congressional authorization.
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