WOBO!

I don’t count myself as a bike fanatic. I don’t even own a single piece of fancy specialized bike clothing. I don’t subscribe to Walking, Running, or Biking Magazines.   However, I am an avid pedal-pusher and enthusiastic walker.  Call me strange, but I enjoy enjoying the world a little slower pace sometimes.  And of course I appreciate smooth, marked bike lanes and not being run down by vehicles.  I also like bike racks outside of the stores, cafes, and offices I frequent.  I also have this strange notion that a more bikeable and walkable city is a more pleasant city and a more sustainable city–in terms of health, environment, and community.  These are all things that have to advocated for.

Jobs & Service vs. Jobs & Service

Yesterday, I attended the looooong and crowded MTC meeting addressing the funding of the Oakland Airport Connector (at one point I was literally edged out of the main auditorium onto the outside patio).  I wrote an article about it on Oakland Local and wanted to make a few comments.

Unlike most who showed up I went in without an absolute preconceived advocacy position, though I have to admit I was leaning against the OAC, for all the reasons opponents cited.

Then I started talking with layed-off workers.  Some of them haven’t worked in many months, some have lost their health insurance and homes or soon will.  It is hard to talk with someone and tell them, “No, this project in which you place so much hope, it’s not a good idea.”  These are people with skills and needs, but can’t get work because there is little construction going on.

Some construction union members criticized

Report Back from Plant-Ins For Peace

On the 1-year anniversary of Obama’s inauguaration last week, a Bay Area coalition of peacemakers held a series of actions as a reminder of the travesty of our permanent war economy while domestic problems related to healthcare, education, and jobs continue to haunt average Americans.  In particular, we focused on the need to step up and continue pressure on Congress to put a check on the president’s executive war-making powers as the Constitution requires and to say no to funding the escalation in Afghanistan.  As one of the slogans of the day said: “We took out the Bush, but the Roots of War run deep.”

Which Dr. King Will We Honor?

[ See a shorter version of this published on Truthout]

Once again, as we observe the life and example of Martin Luther King, Jr., the question arises, “Which Dr. King will we honor?”

Will we yet again observe a polished, scaled down, and non-threatening MLK, Jr.—the mere shadow of the man and his dream? At least we will recognize the leadership of the man who called for racial equality and for us to be of service to our neighbors–as we should.  We will even recognize that “we have come a long way” and “there is still further work to do” — as we should.  The further work do be done is invoked almost as an absolution, affirming our commitment to the dream, but without further specification and without discussing our troubling ongoing racial inequalities in our schools, health-care, jobs, housing, and criminal injustice system.

But gone will be the King who called for an end to militarism and far-flung imperial wars,  who said, “I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such” and who called his government “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today.”

One Year Later: January 20 Day of Action to End War & Occupations

January 20, 2010: One Year After the Inauguration, Where Will You Be? Have you seen the Change you Hoped for?

If not, on January 20 there will be a series of actions representing different sectors–rather than one large demonstration–to oppose the ongoing wars & occupations. I, along with CodePink, BFUU Social Justice Committee, Planting Justice, The Homeless Coalition, and other peace folks, will be conducting PLANT-INs at BART stations, Market St., and street corners with the theme: “We took out the BUSH, Now let’s GROW PEACE”–

Supporting Teenage Israelis Refusing to Enlist in Occupation Forces

On a cold Saturday morning I was one of a handful of folks conducting a street canvas action at the Embarcadero. It was hosted by the folks at Dialogues Against Militarism, whose peace delegation just got back from Israel & Palestine. The occasion was a day of solidarity with Israeli teenagers who have refused to join the IDF (or IOF, Israeli Occupation Forces)–and who have been imprisoned as a result.   We handed out information about the Palestinian situation and about these Israeli teenagers and Palestinian human rights activists who have been arrested. Then we asked people to write letters to those still in Israeli prison.