Ray McGovern: Accountability for Torture

On November 12 I went to hear former CIA analyst Ray McGovern speak on “Why Accountability for Torture is Crucial for Human Rights, Our Security and Our Souls,”  an event sponsored by the Washington State Religious Campaign Against Torture (WSRCAT) and co-sponsored by our local Amnesty International groups among others.

As the evening’s program notes:

Ray McGovern was a CIA analyst for 27 years. He is active in Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) and has been an outspoken critic of the flawed intelligence used to justify the Iraq war and of the use of torture.

Rep. Jim McDermott

Representative Jim McDermott spoke before Ray McGovern. McDermott was one of the few members of congress willing to speak out on the lies leading up to the Iraq War, as well as against the use of torture.

Ray McGovern

Ray McGovern spoke of the documents now available online detailing the Bush Adminstration’s justification and use of torture, including:

The Senate Armed Services Committee Inquiry into the Treatment of Detainees in US Custody:

http://levin.senate.gov/newsroom/supporting/2008/Detainees.121108.pdf

The International Committee of the Red Cross Report on the Treatment of  Fourteen “High Value Detainees” in CIA Custody:

http://www.nybooks.com/icrc-report.pdf

The Department of Justice memos (available on the ACLU website):

http://www.aclu.org/accountability/released.html

and the CIA Inspector General’s Special Review of Counterterrorism Detention and Interrogation Activities (September 2001 – October 2003):

http://luxmedia.vo.llnwd.net/o10/clients/aclu/IG_Report.pdf

Torture does not provide reliable information, so McGovern raised the question of “Why torture?”  As he noted, it’s great for getting unreliable information.  in the build up to the Iraq War, Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi was sent to Egypt to be waterboarded and confessed that Saddam Hussein was training  Al Qaeda operatives. This “intelligence” was used by the Bush administration to justify the war.

As Col. Lawrence B. Wilkerson, former chief of staff of the Department of State during the term of Secretary of State Colin Powell revealed in May (shortly before the d:

Likewise, what I have learned is that as the administration authorized harsh interrogation in April and May of 2002–well before the Justice Department had rendered any legal opinion–its principal priority for intelligence was not aimed at pre-empting another terrorist attack on the U.S. but discovering a smoking gun linking Iraq and al-Qa’ida.

So furious was this effort that on one particular detainee, even when the interrogation team had reported to Cheney’s office that their detainee “was compliant” (meaning the team recommended no more torture), the VP’s office ordered them to continue the enhanced methods. The detainee had not revealed any al-Qa’ida-Baghdad contacts yet. This ceased only after Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, under waterboarding in Egypt, “revealed” such contacts. Of course later we learned that al-Libi revealed these contacts only to get the torture to stop.

There in fact were no such contacts. (Incidentally, al-Libi just “committed suicide” in Libya. Interestingly, several U.S. lawyers working with tortured detainees were attempting to get the Libyan government to allow them to interview al-Libi….)

McGovern stressed to importance of speaking out, and before the question and answer session, Rob Crawford from WSRCAT came out to tell us what we could do locally, and another WSRCAT member handed out action sheets to contact members of the Obama administration and congress.

 

Rob Crawford

During the q&a, someone asked about what had changed for Ray McGovern, given his 27 years in the CIA, that he was now speaking out.  Interestingly enough (and I recall Bob Baer on the Amnesty International panel in San Francisco), McGovern didn’t have a problem with what he had been doing as an analyst with the CIA, which was providing accurate intelligence information to the White House. His job, as he noted, was “to speak truth to power.” Of course, often the President for other political reasons didn’t listen.  One case he noted was Johnson’s bombing of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam, which none of the CIA analysts thought would work.

What the problem was (and Baer said this too), was adding in the former spies to the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency, who’s mission was to provide accurate intelligence in one place.  Also, Presidents telling the CIA to start wars, which totally goes against the mission of providing objective information.

Another reason for torture that McGovern brought up in the q&a session was the intimidation factor.  Citing the case of John Walker Lindh, who was the first person tortured in “the war on terror,” McGovern raised the issue of whether they really expected to get any information from Lindh, a misguided young man who had only recently joined the Taliban?  The green light was given despite the fact of Lindh being an American citizen.  Part of the message was “Don’t mess with us,” as McGovern notes, not only to those abroad, but to those in the US who might question what they were doing.

A major change McGovern sees is that we no longer have a free media reporting on what’s happening in DC and around the world (“the fawning corporate media”, is how he refers to them). I know others have noted how even papers like the New York Times and Washington Post have become stenographers for those in power, not questioning.  On the other hand, as McGovern notes, if you know your way around the web, you can find out considerably more than was possible in the past. Information most of the American public doesn’t see.

In closing, Ray McGovern said he did see the glass as half full, and was encouraged by the steps Obama has taken in releasing documents and letting Holder investigate in the face of pressure not to. Also, that it is up to us to hold Obama and the rest of our government accountable.

Ray McGovern’s whole lecture from November 12 is currently online, thanks to Talking Stick TV, and I’ve included it above. 

I wish I could say my memory would be this good a week and a half after the event, but the truth is, I just watched it again and took notes.

Exploring San Francisco and Berkeley

I brought the rain with me to San Francisco when I was there for the Amnesty International conference two weeks ago (see last entry), although fortunately it didn’t stay around long. I emerged from the BART tunnel I took from the Oakland Airport to a warm rain.  I overheard a girl telling a guy, “. . .but I checked the weather before I left home. . .”  Sorry about that, I always seem to pack some from Seattle. . .

First thing I did after checking into the hostel (conveniently across the street from the conference hotel this year, the Hilton) and eating (at my former favorite cheap Tenderloin restaurant, sadly not as good as I remembered, nor as cheap), was to hop a cable car. 

I had bought my 7 day MUNI Visitor Passport (good on buses, cable cars & trolleys) from the booth near the cable car as soon as I got out of the BART tunnel. Still the best deal if you like to ride the cable cars like me (which are otherwise $5 for a one way trip, no transfers), MUNI Passports are currently $11 for one day, $18 for 3 days and $24 for 7 days. Another $3 for a system map is a good idea if you’re also planning on taking the buses.

I passed the strike against the Hyatt I mentioned in my last entry on the conference (where two of the striking workers spoke), going through Chinatown to Fisherman’s Wharf.

On my second trip of the day via cable car, I had forgotten it wasn’t a good idea to get caught in the long line later in the day on a Friday if you had someplace to be like an Amnesty International conference opening night event. Fortunately, there was a one man band, unfortunately playing for very little in tips, to pass the time in line at the cable car turnaround at the end of the Hyde Street line.

Bonus!  I ended up on the running board on the way back!  Always a fun way to ride.  Unfortunately, I ended up riding backwards because the running board was packed, which gives me extreme vertigo.  In the words of U2: “Hello! Hello! This is no place for vertigo. o. . o. . .” I terrified both myself and the young guy next to me I kept reassuring I was alright.

Made it to the conference opener at Glide Memorial Church in one piece (see previous entry for details), and, of course, rode the cable car one more time that evening. 

Photo by JoJo Tran

After the long day at the conference Saturday, I went out to eat at Johnny Foley’s with Laura and JoJo from our Seattle Amnesty International group. The food was excellent and filling (which made up for it being a little expensive for my budget).

After dinner, I hopped the cable car again, this time with Laura and JoJo.  We stopped at the Musee Mechanique, which unfortunately was just closing, but we did get to put a couple quarters in Laughing Sal (video above from my 2006 trip).  We also wandered down to Pier 39, where we could hear and see in the moonlight the sea lions in all their noisy splendor.

Sunday after the conference, I walked over to Japantown to see the Peace Pagoda. After that, I stopped at Taqueria el Sol back near the hostel for a delicious lunch, then the Irish Castle Shop, where I found a cool Irish t-shirt on sale for $10.

UC Berkeley Gate: Photo by JoJo Tran

After that, I met up with JoJo, and we headed to Berkeley via BART to see our friend Michelle, a former AI Group 4 member who just started school at Berkeley on a scholarship this fall.  It took us a long time to drag Michelle away from her studies, so JoJo and I explored downtown Berkeley, the campus and Telegraph Ave. and took a lot of photos.

UC Berkeley library

Rasputin Music on Telegraph Ave.

We finally connected up with Michelle on Telegraph Ave., and went to Cafe Mattina, a restaurant JoJo had spotted that turned out to be a good deal for starving students (and tourists). Michelle and I had wine for $3, while JoJo had a huge salad with a slab of homemade bread for $3.50.

Photo by JoJo Tran

We talked for a long time about human rights, college and life.  The cost of living in Berkeley has become totally ridiculous, and adds to the stress of student life.  Michele found a fairly affordable apartment, but told tales of students splitting rooms (dorm style, not housemates like I had in Eugene) and still paying $1500 each a month! Eek. Of course, now California just raised their college fees by 32% and students are occupying buildings on both the Berkeley and Santa Cruz campuses (with the NY Times showing photos of cops in riot gear surrounding one of the Berkeley buildings I just walked by a couple weeks ago).

JoJo got some more of that good homemade bread from the Cafe Mattina and shared it with me on the way back to the BART tunnel. We also stopped for $1 ice cream for JoJo in downtown Berkeley (which I sadly can have no more, but enjoyed vicariously).

Monday morning I took the cable car to Fisherman’s Wharf again and wandered through the Maritime Park, checking out the ships and machinery.

Then I went back to Pier 39 to see the sea lions in the day light.  Wow! They had a population explosion since I was last there two years ago, as you can see from the video above.

Hopping the cable car back, I was thinking of getting off in North Beach to go to a cafe, but stayed on, only to hop off near the Cable Car Museum while it was stopped there awhile, going to the Gallery Cafe across the street first.

In addition to all the old cable cars and equipment (and video from the 1800s on a continuous loop), the Cable Car Museum is also the gear house, which runs the whole cable car system (shown above).

Then I took the cable car to Sacramento Street and hopped a bus to the neighborhood near China Beach.  I walked by a lot of ritzy houses and followed the signs to the public beach.  I dipped my feet into the ocean.  Ahh!  It’s cold and rainy in Seattle tonight, but it was warm and pleasant at the beach in SF a couple weeks ago. 

After that, I walked by some of the fancy houses again until I reached the Lands End Trail in Lincoln Park.  It’s a beautiful walk, and one of those places you can get away from the city while you’re still in the city.

I walked way down to Mile Point Beach off the trail, which as you can see above, is a much rockier beach than China Beach, and had a good surf going.

I hiked all the way to the Sutro Baths and went down to explore them. Only the ducks bathing in them these days.

I hopped a bus going down Geary Street back to downtown. 

I was hungry when I got back, and I thought I’d take advantage of staying at the hostel and cook.  While I was thinking of going to the Whole Foods in SOMA, I thought I’d check out the shops at the Ferry Building first.  I found a pre-seasoned chicken breast cut for $2 and also got myself a roll at the bakery to take back and fix in the hostel kitchen.

After checking out and locking my things in a locker, I went over to the Amnesty International office with JoJo on Tuesday morning and picked up batches of AI literature for our local group back in Seattle.  I went back and left those in the locker, traveling light as I hopped the cable car again. 

I took the Mason Street line to it’s Taylor Street turnaround, then headed back to North Beach (Little Italy).  I didn’t walk up Coit Tower this trip, but proceeded down Columbus Ave.  I had coffee and a cookie at Caffe Roma, where local neighbors were hanging out, some using the free wi-fi.

I wandered up Green Street because it looked interesting walking by a number of restaurants and the 101 Music store above and discovered Grant Ave. in North Beach which I had missed on my previous trips (being more familiar with it’s Chinatown stretch).

I walked by more businesses, including another record store and an Irish pub, and proceeded on toward Chinatown.

I walked by the famous City Lights Book Store and walked through their alley checking out the murals on City Lights and a building on the other side of the alley as I cut through to Chinatown.

I was getting hungry, so I started checking out the menus as I walked by, stopping to browse at a shop and coming out with a small dragon statue on my way. 

The cartoon above the New Woey Loy Goey Restaurant menu amused me and brought me back, saying I know there’s good food at this restaurant because Chinese people were eating there.  Right on both counts.  I believe I was the only one not of Chinese ancestry in the restaurant, where noon hour conversations in Chinese were going on around me.  I sat at the lunch counter where the menu behind it was all in Chinese except the prices (but, yes, I ordered off an English menu, and knew what I was getting).

I stopped at a fruit stand for desert, then headed off toward the cable car line for what I knew would be my last ride.

I met up with JoJo and gave him my MUNI pass as he was staying longer than me (and the MUNI pass doesn’t work on BART anyways). Then I went back to pick up my luggage from the locker and headed back to the BART station on Powell to the Oakland Airport and my flight home.

Dignity & Dancing – AI Conference in San Francisco

Amnesty International USA’s Western Regional Conference in San Francisco two weeks ago started Friday night with a program at the Glide Memorial United Methodist Church near the Tenderloin.

Larry Cox listens to Rev. Cecil Williams

A fitting place, given AI’s new Dignity Campaign focusing on poverty as a human rights issue, and the work Glide does in the impoverished community surrounding them.  Each time I go to San Francisco, the plight of the homeless just gets worse and worse as the gap between rich and poor widens.

Local hotel union members speak

In addition to hearing from Rev. Cecil Williams and other members of Glide Church and AIUSA Executive Director Larry Cox, members from the local hotel union who I had seen picketing in front of the Hyatt from my cable car ride (and were in negotiations with the Hilton, where the AI conference was held) spoke.

After that we had music and dance from a world music group composed of teachers from East Bay area teachers, who went down into the audience and got the whole Amnesty International crew dancing!

AIUSA Executive Director Larry Cox

Then we all came back Saturday, across the street at the Hilton, for a long day of workshops, panels and voting.  Nearly everything was squeezed into Saturday’s schedule this year, except for the opener at Glide on Friday and the final voting Sunday morning.

Esha Momeni is presented a Free Esha t-shirt.

We opened with another speech by Larry Cox at 9 am, followed by a panel on the human rights crisis in Iran, including two generations of Iranian women activists, Elahe Amani and Esha Momeni, who’s case, as you can see by the t-shirt presented to her, AI members have worked on.

After that, I went to a grassroots feedback workshop, followed by one of the lunch & resolutions working parties, and then the local group caucus. 

Counter Terror with Justice panel

Then it was time for a Counter Terror with Justice panel on closing Guantanamo and the need for accountability for the torture that has already taken place.  Panelists, including AIUSA policy director Tom Parker; John McCary, a former military interrogator; and Bob Baer, a former CIA operative, once again refuted claims that torture yields any useful intelligence (the ticking time bomb theory popularized by tv shows), as well as the immorality and real damage torture does both to the victims and our safety here in the US.

Immigration Panel

After that, an immigration panel, which included a discussion of the Mayor’s attempt to eliminate San Francisco’s sanctuary policy, by SF Board of Supervisors member David Campos, who invited us all to the then upcoming board meeting to over-ride the Mayor’s veto. One of the ideas being that for police to get involved in checking people’s immigration status is bad policy as witnesses to crimes will not come forward if they or their families may be in danger.

Debra Bingham speaks about maternal mortality in California

Our final panel of the day, running form 5:45 – 6:45 pm, was on maternal mortality (women dying during childbirth), one of the focuses of AI’s new Dignity Campaign.  What we learned was that, sadly, the US has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality, 41st in the world. Maternal mortality is higher than anytime since the 1970s, and is rising.  Maternal mortality is way higher for African-American women than other races (see racial disparity chart for California at http://www.cmqcc.org/maternal_mortality). 

Debra Bingham from the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative talked about the rates and efforts in California to end preventable maternal deaths. Obstetric (OB) hemorrhage is the leading cause of pregnancy related deaths, and her program is working on protocols for best standards to prevent hemorrhaging.

I missed a number of possible workshops running at the same time as the panels, as we always have too many options to choose from at these conferences.  Came back on Sunday morning for the final vote on resolutions, and fortunately had scheduled a couple extra days at the hostel on my own dime to see some more of San Francisco. Our local AI cluster covered air fare and my first two nights for the conference.

More on my latest San Francisco trip to come!

Aztec Dancers & Altars

While I didn’t do much for Halloween this year, on November 1^st I attended the opening ceremonies with other Amnesty International friends for the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) altar exhibit at El Centro de la Raza in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood.  While the Aztec Dancers won’t be there, the altars, including AI’s on the Women of Juarez, will be on display at El Centro de la Raza until the end of this week, November 20.

El Centro de la Raza

I got there early, thanks to the new light rail system that stops a block away (and maybe a miracle, for people who know my lack of timeliness), and joined in the brunch before festivities started. 

Aztec dancers opened with a ceremony in the gazebo of El Centro.

After that, we all went in to view the altars constructed by a number of community organizations.

Altar on the history of slavery

People viewing Amnesty International Altar

Our Amnesty International group constructed ours to honor the murdered women of Juarez and Chihuahua, Mexico.  As the Amnesty International website notes:

Since 1993, almost 400 women and girls have been murdered and more than 70 remain missing in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua, Mexico. While Amnesty International commends the recent measures taken by the Mexican government, the response remains inadequate.

AI Altar on Women of Juarez

Unfortunately, the violence has spread in Juarez due to drug cartels, with some newspapers now referring to Juarez as the “murder capitol of the world.”

According to the London Telegraph:

The city of 1.5 million people just across the border from El Paso, Texas, had 1,600 murders last year but in 2009 that total was exceeded by late summer.

Latest figures from the Chihuahua state attorney general’s office showed there were 195 this month alone.

The annual murder rate has now reached 133 per 100,000 inhabitants, surpassing Caracas, Venezuela. The comparable murder rate in New York last year was six per 100,000.

El Centro de la Raza artwork on the Women of Juarez

On the way out, I realized ours was not the only display on the Women of Juarez.  El Centro de Raza’s artwork on one of their stairs included crosses with the names of some of the dead young women of Juarez, with a green glass moon with a face in the center.

Not that the focus of the Dia de los Muertos is all gloom and doom.  There is a tradition of welcoming the spirits of your ancestors back (which, I believe is also part of the Celtic ceremonies for Samhain, also on November 1, of which my knowledge is also woefully lacking).  There were activities for children, including painting sugar skulls.

The moon was out over El Centro de la Raza by the time I left, hopping the light rail from the Beacon Hill station a block away.

Beacon Hill Light Rail Stop

Artwork inside Beacon Hill light rail stop

Altars will be on display from at El Centro de la Raza through the end of this week.  El Centro de la Raza is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 10 am – 6 pm and Wednesday 12 pm – 8 pm. Volunteers from our local Amnesty International group will be hosting the exhibit on closing day, Friday November 20.

Irene Khan on The Unheard Truth

Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan came to Seattle on October 26 to talk about her new book, The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights, at Town Hall.

Members of our local group came early to set up our information table, including t-shirts from the Western Regional Office to give to members who signed up that night.

Thanks to the generosity of former AIUSA Staff and Board Member (and current Social Justice Fund Northwest Executive Director, Magdeleno Rose-Avila (Leno) covering the table, all of us got to meet Irene Khan before the event.

 Irene’s new book, The Unheard Truth, focuses on poverty as a human rights issue, part of AI’s new Demand Dignity Campaign.

Amnesty International’s Demand Dignity Campaign works to end the human rights abuses that are a cause and a consequence of poverty. Poverty is not just a matter of lack of income – it is a matter of lack of security, inclusion and participation. These are human rights violations.

Irene highlighted how poverty itself is a basic human rights issue, how poverty works against people persuing other human rights – like a woman killed by her husband who didn’t have the money for bus fare to get help that was available, and the excuses countries like China gives claiming they can only lift people out of poverty by banning political human rights.

Maternal mortality is one of the issues Amnesty’s campaign and Irene Khan’s book focuses on.  High maternal mortality isn’t limited to poorer countries who have suffered recent wars like Sierra Leone. Sadly, the U.S. has a high rate of maternal mortality, and I’ll have more on that when I report back on AI’s Western Regional Conference held in San Francisco last weekend.

After Irene Khan’s speech, we signed up members for AIUSA, offering the t-shirts as incentive, and encouraged people to join our local group to work on Demand Dignity and other issues with a sign up sheet for our listserv and bookmarks with our website and meeting time and place information.

I feel like I haven’t said enough, but I’m also realizing, at nearly 3 weeks and at least 5 events behind in my blog, I’m probably going to have to learn to be briefer and let people follow links to learn more on their own if I’m going to keep up.

Folk Rocking Out at the Sunset Tavern

So, Friday night, following a stop at Milagros at Pike Place Market to pick up a few items for our Amnesty group’s Dia de los Muertos display, I headed over to Ballard to hear some music.

I wanted to catch Camille Bloom & the Recovery again.  I first saw them at the Rock School benefit that Mike McCready played last year. Then I saw that Christine Havrilla was also playing. Another musician whose music I’ve been listening to on the internet for years (probably dating back to the old mp3.com once again), and is from Philadelphia, so I wasn’t expecting a chance to catch anytime soon.

Christine Havrilla writes and sings insightful folk rock. Here she is with Every Now and Then at the Alberta Street Pub in Portland the following night:

Camille Bloom came out to sing with her later in the set.

Christine also borrowed Michael Cotta, Camille’s drummer at one point. Can’t say that I blame her!

I was especially impressed by Christine’s guitar playing.  Fresh Sanity from her Portland gig below:

Then it was time for Camille Bloom and the Recovery.

Camille had the whole band, so they were really rocking! Here’s Before You Told Them by Camille Bloom & the Recovery at the Columbia Theatre in Seattle:

They didn’t have the little guy on the bongo, though.  He also played a full drum kit at the Rock School concert.

In addition to Camille and Michael, the full band includes bass player Jim Watkins, cellist Katie Kreter, guitarist Paul Fischer and back up vocalist Gaelen Billingsley.

Camille evidentally didn’t play with the full band in Portland.  Here she is with Gaelen with Smells Like Rain:

Such a Northwest song, and perfect as it was a cold, rainy, fall night in Ballard.

Perfect night to be in listening to some great music. Alas, it was the early show, and over too soon!

Revenge, Revenge, More Revenge & a Very Scary Clown. . .

Last Thursday, during Seattle’s Live Theater Week, I went to see Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus for free (which, it turns out to be for it’s entire run, through Oct.31, Halloween night).

This play was not for the faint-hearted (or stomached), as the Green Stage theater company putting it on warned everyone ahead of time. After billing the show as a “Hard Bard” production, they warn of every possible form of mayhem and adult theme including “lots of blood”. . .”a very bad clown, banjos & a hootenanny,” further warning that “the front row (at least) is a splash zone.”

Of course, this is Seattle, before the play started the house manager assured us the “blood” was corn-starch based and that no animals were harmed, further warning people with corn allergies to move out of the front row.

Titus Andronicus is early Shakespeare, and while having no great quotes, follows the familiar path of revenge, revenge and more revenge, and the play isn’t over until there are bodies strewn across the stage.  Don’t be fooled by everyone going out into the lobby on break.  This isn’t some modern play leaving loose ends hanging.  No, they’re gathered up and baked into a pie.

The play was simultaneously funny and disturbing. Spoiler alert.  How disturbing?

OK, I’m not usually bothered by clowns, but this one was very creepy. . .and he comes into the audience. . .

OK.  I was ready for all the mayhem and corn-starch blood, but they didn’t warn me about. . .clown sex!. . . un-protected clown sex!

Never have un-protected sex with a clown!

Enough said.  This is a scared straight production on that issue. . .

Definitely for Quentin Tarantino fans, with the rest of us a little queasy. . . In many ways, typical Shakespeare, though, as there’s terrible mayhem, revenge with more terrible mayhem, which continues until nearly everyone’s dead.

In many ways, it reminds me of modern day human rights.  So often the case, one side has done something terrible to the other, who in turn does something terrible to the other’s side, who. . .

An excellent cast, and I’ll have to catch some of them doing Shakespeare in the Park this summer, which is where the Green Stage Theater company usually plays. This one is playing indoors, a block from Cinerama, under the monorail, and across the street from Top Pot doughnuts.

All seats are free, although reserving ahead of time online is always a good idea, and donations are encouraged (and needed to put on the plays).

Further information, warnings and photos at:

http://www.greenstage.org/

 

Seattle’s LGBT Equality March – Youth Lead the Way

Sunday I headed over to Volunteer Park for a march and rally in support LGBT equality.  It seemed especially important to be there given Initiative 71 made it on the ballot. Initiative 71 was written by religious (and maybe non-religious) bigots to take away the “everything but marriage” civil rights our legislature gave to the LGBT community (and our senior citizens,who often stand to lose to many of their benefits they need to live on if they re-marry). 

Due to the way Washington State ballot measures are required to be written, now that we’re now voting on civil rights for a group of citizens in our state, you need vote to Approve Referendum 71 if you support equal rights for lesbians, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people.

It was a good size gathering, though not as large as I would have expected, given the size of our Pride marches. Not only not as many supporters like me as I would have thought, but not as many older LGBT activists.  As I discovered, the young people, once again, are leading the way, and some of their elders have lost touch with the need to take action and make change happen.

One of the speakers kept saying “This isn’t your father’s LGBT movement!”, which made me feel old since I knew I was the age of the fathers they were referring to, but they were right.  I was encouraged to hear of support for LGBT rights and against bigotry from straight frat boys and pro-football players these days.

I was also very disturbed to learn of Rep. Barney Frank’s comments: 

Rep. Barney Frank, the first openly gay member of Congress, has some advice for gay rights supporters: lobby, don’t march.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Frank called the demonstrations in Washington this weekend “a waste of time at best” and “an emotional release” that does little to cause change.

“The only thing they’re going to be putting pressure on is the grass,” the Massachusetts Democrat said Friday.

No, wait, his advice gets even more pathetic and out of touch:

Call or write your representative or senator, and then have your friends call and write their representative or senator,” Frank said. 
“That’s what the NRA does. That’s what the AARP does,” he said, referring to the two most effective interest groups – the National Rifle Association and the American Association of Retired Persons.

The AARP?!  If the AARP wants my support when they start asking for it in, umm, a few months, they better start taking lessons from these young people (or their own youth, when they were singing, with feeling, The Times, They Are a Changing).  As I recall, the AARP caved to Bush on prescription drugs! Yeah, lobbying with stogey old groups is what you do when you really want to make change. . .NOT!

As several of the young speakers pointed out, that was not how change was made in the 60’s.  People were out in the streets, staging sit ins at lunch counters. . . Activists were. . .active! The old. . .it’s not the right time (this time for marriage equality), just wait. . . was very familiar, too, as they noted.  That’s what Martin Luther King, Jr. and the other civil rights leaders were told.  If they hadn’t been ready to take a stand and ignore the advice of their not so helpful allies, they would still be in the back of the bus. Same bigots, and some of them haven’t let go of the racial issue yet, either, if you listen to the rabid right talk about our President.

 We had music by Jared Douglas at the opening rally.  Someone I’m, of course, clueless of, but the young people were very into.

Here’s a clip of Crazy Thing from the rally on YouTube:

 

A young woman talked about not wanting to be quiet about her love because she loved another woman, and why should she?  Why should people be offended by any public show of affection from a gay or lesbian couple they wouldn’t be bothered by if it were a straight couple?

A young man read poetry of love that seemed much too old for his age (like not knowing how to love in this century).

Then State Rep. Jamie Pedersen came up and talked about coming out in Puyallup and his former girlfriend’s mom telling her she could get AIDS from talking to him. 

Now, Jamie’s election is a case in point as to why these young people should ignore older politicians like Barney Frank.  I remember the endorsement party for the 43rd the year Jamie was elected.  I remember thinking I was toward the young age of the people there, which was not a good sign as I was in my mid 40s and the 43^rd District takes in the U District and Capitol Hill, neighborhoods heavily populated by young people. Seriously, Capitol Hill is even more so than over here near the U.  What happens to people over 30 on the hill? I keep expecting to see Charlton Heston warning “Soylent green (no, wait: tofu) is people!”

About the only young people at the endorsement meeting were Jamie’s friends and those of Stephanie Pure, a member of then City Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck’s staff.  I felt bad when Stephanie came in dead last in the endorsements.  Jamie didn’t do so well either.

Actual election? Stephanie did a lot better, I think better than the 43rd’s endorsements did, and Jamie, of course, won. If you left it to the old, out of touch, political machine to decide, no doubt Jamie would be still waiting to lead. This being Seattle, and the 43^rd, his being gay wasn’t even an issue (other than bringing in a few more votes, with Capitol Hill also having a large gay population).

Then we marched.  Out of Volunteer Park and down Broadway before turning downtown.  They were chanting for people to come out of the bars and into the streets (unfortunately, not too many takers).

Marched ending up at the Federal Courthouse on 7^th & Stewart and another rally.  One of the issues mentioned there was “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which President Obama says he wants to end but. . .hmm. . .but, wait. . .?  One thing that strikes me about that issue, at a human rights rally last year a young woman who just got out of the service as a medic noting no one is particularly concerned about whether you’re gay or straight when they’re wounded. . .

Ending the rally were two young women performing hip hop.

All in all, an encouraging day of youth activism.  My one thought at the moment, is hoping they’ve also found a way to reach out in the suburbs and rural areas of the state.  Seattle’s vote in support of Ref. 71 should be an easy one. 

While the issue isn’t marriage, at least for this election, indeed, why not marriage?  Who should have the right to say others can’t marry who they wish in a civil marriage?  If we go by religion, who’s religion?  The Catholic Church, where I was raised doesn’t recognize 2^nd marriages.  Should they decide for everyone else only a 1^st marriage will be recognized and legal?

What if you had to ask everyone’s permission to get married (as this Irish video makes the point)?

Pearl Jam’s Local Shout Outs

I have been meaning to give a shout out to Pearl Jam’s local shout outs at their second Seattle show (the one I didn’t go to, being one of their poorer fans). Maybe now is good timing anyways, given that the official bootlegs of the Seattle shows are available on cd and to download in the Pearl Jam goods section (see my previous blog entry for a review and YouTube clips I found from show 1).

First, a shout out by Eddie to his “favorite record store in West Seattle, Easy Street Records” and a driving version of (what else?) – Spin the Black Circle!

I wonder if some of their younger fans even get the lyrics:

See this needle…a see my hand…
Drop, drop, dropping it down…oh, so gently…
Well here it comes…I touch the plane…
Turn me up…won’t turn you away…

or

Pull it out…a paper sleeve…
Oh, my joy…only you deserve conceit…

Ah, remember?

You’re so warm…oh, the ritual…when I lay down your crooked arm…

Although, they were selling a lot of records (or, vinyl, as the kids now-days call it) at Easy Street’s midnight sale. So, they have fans that don’t just remember!  Still, I remember how old I felt coming across a discussion on the Pearl Jam message board of one young guy trying to explain “vinyl” to another, then saying that this was all in theory only, he’d never actually played a record!

At least we still have Easy Street and a few other independent record stores in Seattle.  I gather from reading other posts that they’ve disappeared from some communities. I especially like how Easy Street features and respects local artists, both long time bands like Pearl Jam and the new, up and coming ones. They have a lot of in store concerts, and an in store cafe at the West Seattle branch to bring in a little extra money. I also like how Pearl Jam is selling the cd and record at independent record stores like Easy Street (which is one of the things they negotiated for with the Target deal, no matter what you may think of them selling it there).

One more shout out from their September 22 Key Arena show, Eddie changed the lyrics to their new Supersonic song to relate to the late Supersonics basketball team, who used play the Key until they were shipped to Oklahoma and became the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Eddie had another shout out for Seattle at the Vancouver show, though.  One we really didn’t want to hear. More at a later date, but . . .

Ouch!  Are Seattle crowds really that bad?

Libraries for All, Except the Homeless?

I stopped off at the Capitol Hill branch of the Seattle Public Library today while I was in the neighborhood to take advantage of the all day Sunday 4 cent happy hour copies at Perfect Copy and Print to make copies for our upcoming Amnesty International meeting.

I hadn’t been in the Capitol Hill branch since the remodel, and I really liked what they did with it, especially the cushioned window seats where people can sit and read. I’m really envious.  We don’t have anything like that at the University District branch.

I noticed the rules for the window seats and especially with the ones on not laying down or sleeping struck me as targeting the homeless, and indeed a homeless man was warned while I was browsing the stacks, claiming he had just nodded off while reading. 

Then there was the rule on not taking off your shoes in the window seats, where college students with their laptops and moms with their children were sitting in with their feet up on the cushions in their shoes. Hmm, my mom always said shoes off the furniture!

Another sign warned against bringing too large of a backpack, which also seemed to me to be targeting the homeless carrying all their worldly possessions.

Another backpack rule I witnessed a homeless man run afoul of yesterday evening at the University District Branch (yes, our’s is prettier, though – an old Carnegie building) was a rule that you can’t leave your possessions unattended or the library will immediately confiscate them.  This was broadcast by loudspeaker to the whole library (as you can see, a very small branch) before the librarian talked to the homeless man who was reunited with his belongings and warned.

All these rules of the library, and even though I remember reading something about rule changes to harass (oh, I’m sorry, bring civility) to the homeless, most of which I wasn’t aware of even a couple of days ago, and any of which I could have run afoul of, too.  Though probably not, because I’m not homeless (though I can look pretty scruffy some days). . .

It turns out the actual library rule is against “appearing to be sleeping” in the library.  I believe I have rested my eyes sometimes when I have came in a little tired and sat down with my books at a branch while browsing. 

I’ve been worried about the 14 x 17 x 20 rule on backpacks, which appears elsewhere (or maybe smaller? at Bumpershoot or for the Mariners game) and I haven’t found the measuring tape to check mine, but according to a story on KUOW it’s set to airline carry-on bag regulation and I’ve never had trouble there (in fact before the liquids issue forced me check my bag with shampoo, etc., my backpack was my “personal item” stored under my seat.  Granted, I was starting to get leg cramps.). While I can go with a purse to a concert or game, the very nature of the library means hauling books both directions most visits, and I travel by bus. . .

Leaving my belongings though? Well, I wouldn’t go very far, having learned my lesson at the Portland State University Library when I was a returning student.  I was sick that day and ignored the sign about thieves when I needed to go to the ladies’ room while studying.  It was gone when I got back, though fortunately the police recovered it with a bunch of other stolen goods a day or so later.  It had all my notes!

Back to using Seattle’s libraries. . . I have been known to put my backpack down and browse nearby or even get up and look for another book after I have my notebook out and bag open, all within sight of my bag; but still, was I in violation of this regulation I didn’t even know about?  Again, not that it probably would matter, unless I look homeless that day.

When did it become part of a librarian’s job to harass the homeless?  I’m kind of glad I didn’t go back to school to get my library degree now. What I loved about working in libraries through high school (at the St. Helens Public Library in Oregon) and both times at college was helping people and encouraging them to read and helping them find material, not driving them off.

While some or maybe most of the library rules are reasonable and necessary, the ones about things like sleeping (or appearing to sleep) and regulating backpacks are part of the move toward criminalizing homelessness. Of course the homeless often have all their possessions (if they can’t find any shelter or public locker to store them) and may be a little sleepy.

Then there is those always paired regulations against “having offensive odor or personal hygiene” and not using library facilities to bathe.  While certainly not the ideal situation; the reason it is a problem at the library is that is the attitude toward the homeless in general.  While everyone is offended that they smell, we often don’t have the facilities available for them to bathe, and in fact the same people opposed to odor are against funding hygiene centers.

I know part of what’s behind regulating/criminalizing the homeless is the “broken windows” theory.  That somehow the allowing the homeless in, to use the library, for example, and more bad things will follow.  I think the real “broken window,” though, is that there are homeless, that we don’t have enough places for them to stay.