Lone Vet: "Portland is corrupt"
There are times one remembers for the rest of their lives, wonderful but often sad. This last week I had lots of fun and many people had their mouths wide open; it was a time. Let me go back starting with last night, 4/10/2014 at the County where we had the Buckman Community Association holding a forum on the upcoming initiative that would take the water department and the Bureau of Environmental Services, (BES) away from our 5 shits. They’ve screwed up so badly this damn thing may pass. It would set up 7 individual districts that would run our water and sewers, raise or lower rates and boy, the rhetoric is getting nasty. I have not publicly supported this on the streets but there is part of me that is so angry that I have to calm down and think about this damn dilemma that the 5 shits have put me in and try to make a decision that is best for Portland and the water users. Last night did not help, I got into some negative feelings with Commissioner Fritz who had the courage to show up and listen. I like that about her; she does have guts, no support on the council but from time to time will fight for something she believes in like “Sick Leave.” We spoke for a few minutes and that did not go well, she is one politician who confuses me, one week I want to sing her praises and the next week want to run her off the council. She and Steve Novick have a shot at doing some good things if they would get one more shit to become human, but I don’t see that happening in the near future. Floy Jones and Kent Craford were good and Bob came across to me as a bit arrogant or off the wall a few times. I need more into before I join 99% of my friends and say no to the initiative. I had an argument with Bob Sallinger about this and I don’t like his approach to what Floy Jones is trying to do. Guilt by association never works for me because I and you hang with some shady characters. For some more info on this go here:
Thursdays are our good days because we go to the Multnomah County meeting and get to hang out with Steve, Lightning, Kathy, Sara, Malcolm, Charles and the five women on the board whom I like. Even the staff is noble, this is 180 degrees from our experience with the city council, which is one reason I will not go inside of city hall, the sulfur smell overwhelms me and I start to choke. We spoke on two topics, one during communications we spoke on civil rights and how we must celebrate but understand we are being attacked from many quarters and we must not think the battle is over. We activists did just that in 1975, thought we had beaten the corruption with the resignation of Nixon; we were terribly wrong. The other topic was an agreement between government entities, Portland, Gresham and the county to end homelessness or try to make it better. I don’t know much about the city of Gresham but Portland is corrupt. We all got to say our piece and we shall see, there was one part of the presentation that recommends putting the houseless/homeless on the committee that will work to help those in need. This was/is something we have been yelling about from the sidelines for years. That one item gave me hope.Wednesday was a fun day, we exorcised city hall.
I made up a costume that looks like a bishop or guy that would drive devils out of a building, and we did. About 0930, just as the council meeting began, (not a coincidence) I was in full dress, with my new bullhorn, we even had a special delivery of holy water from Tessa Roberts which we placed upon the ground--in front of the den of devils. We called on Mayor Charlie Hales, Dan Saltzman, and Nick the Fish to release the souls trapped inside of the building who reside at 1221 SW Fourth Ave. We tried to offer our blessing upon those wretched souls who have been known to steal blankets, medicines, and backpacks from the poor. We failed and must go back next Wednesday. The resurrection is on the 20th of April and we fear that we are not strong enough to fight the corruption that is called city hall. Will you come and join us, we try to laugh but be aware these devils are unpredictable. Mark, a noble friend, took some wonderful pictures that show we do have fun but tell all who would listen that there are problems afoot and we must take strong action.
We need citizen representatives to watch over us and our property, not steal it and laugh. We had high hopes that we could move over to the “Injustice Center” but we must return one more time. On May 20th you will cast your ballots for two city commissioners, fish and saltzman must go. Sharon Maxwell and Nicholas Caleb have decided to run and we will vote for them. Roberto and I went to the Eastside Democrats for a candidate forum and hated it. There were too many candidates and not enough time. We were not allowed to ask questions if the candidate did not have enough time left. I was not happy and told David Delk that the meeting could have been something special but ended up a very limited engagement. I will not return until there is some type of apology about the way that meeting was run.
Today I get ready to go to Chapman with hot chocolate and some snacks. I can’t bring clothes today because I am on the bus and train. We will be there about 2 and share what we can, I enjoy these meetings of activists and houseless people, it is a good way to exchange stories and info. Come and join us if you can, we do love our *HC and the laughter that is always present.
Joe, IFJ
*(Hot Chocolate)
Joe Walsh-Lone Vet
Individuals for Justice http://individualsforjustice.
Proud member of Oregon Progressive Party, http://progparty.org/
http://www.mfso.org/
An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.
Mohandas Gandhi
and I am a citizen of the world."
Eugene V. Debs
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