The Thunderbolt 211222 — Be Careful What You Wish For
Dana Walker
The Thunderbolt
News — Commentary — Calendar of Activist Events — Dumb Jokes
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1) FYI Section:
1A) Annual Update from POWER
1B) Free Online Activist Workshops
1C) Backbone Campaign Year in Review
1D) Jewish Voice for Peace Report
2) Bonus Tip of the Day
A detailed description of all events is located after the News and Commentary section
To go directly to an event description just type the index entry above into a search box
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Be Careful What You Wish For
211222
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Illegal Smile
Hey, People!
Sometimes when I get depressed over all of the ridiculous and unenforceable laws and/or crazy and monomaniacal leaders we must contend with — I just need to consider North Korea, as they actually make our own leadership seem like wise men by comparison…
John Prine wrote a song about ‘illegal smiles’, and evidently North Korea leader Kim Jong-un has taken that song to heart as President Kim has literally made smiling illegal in North Korea on July 8th, which is the official day of mourning for the late North Korean President Kim Il-sung, who died in 1994.
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On the other hand, perhaps they are in jail because when a house fire broke out they saved their children rather than a picture of one of Korea’s former presidents. Every home in North Korea is required to have paintings of its past leaders Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung and if a fire should break out at a home, the law states that locals must first save those paintings before anything else — even family members — and there are reports that in at least one case a mother was prosecuted for doing just that.
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Transistorized Humans
Scientists are working on transistors the size of a virus that can interact with living cells.
https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2011/01/virus-sized-transistors
Again — as is almost always true with tech like this — the potentials are truly miraculous and the dangers are truly profound…
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The 13th Day of Christmas
So everyone’s head the ‘12 Days of Christmas’, with its partridges in pear trees and with all those lords a dancing everywhere?
Well — a family in South Africa had sort of a “13th Day of Christmas” when they found a boomslang in a Christmas tree…
Literally.
(Actually their cats found it, but whatever…)
That presented something of a problem since boomslangs are one of the most venomous snakes in the world.
However, the ‘Wild’ family (that is literally their name) called a local expert who came and captured the deadly serpent without incident — and since evidently boomslangs are totally non-aggressive, and since the handler knew how to handle them without alarming them, then the Wild children even got the opportunity to view the creature close up as the snake handler held it.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/14/africa/christmas-tree-snake-scli-intl/index.html
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So geez — I guess that solves the mystery of why no mice were stirring at the Wild household!
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Be Careful What You Wish For
So everyone on the left is probably cheering all these prosecutions of the January 6th coup plotters. This is, in fact, the largest mass-political prosecution in American history. They are being charged with things like ‘sedition’ and ‘conspiracy’, which terms basically mean whatever the government says they mean — and therein lies the problem: Any time we give extraordinary police powers to any government agency everyone always hopes and prays that those agencies will use those powers responsibly and will not abuse them even though every agency that has ever been given extraordinary police powers has always abused them. The left is cheering all of these sedition and anti-terrorism prosecutions and pushing for gun control laws evidently completely oblivious to the fact that these same tools of oppression will soon be used upon everyone else as well. And even if you’re chill with extraordinary measures being taken to prosecute and persecute the January 9th rioters, keep in mind that such police powers in the United States have traditionally been used far more extensively against the oppressed than against the oppressors and against the left much more than against the right — and keep in mind that those extraordinary police powers will still be extant when the political landscape changes and right wingers inevitably get their nasty little paws on the tools of oppression and suppression once again.
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What do you think their definitions of ‘sedition’ and ‘conspiracy’ are likely to look like?
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It’s time to get to work…
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The Olympia Action Alert
Week of December 22nd thru December 28th, 2021
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FYI Section:
1A) Annual Update from POWER
POWER has been busy and the just sent out their annual report. I got this message from Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights:
Thank you for your past support and generous donations. We hope these interesting times are finding you as well as can be expected.
Despite the challenges and limitations due to the COVID pandemic, we continue the important work of providing grassroots support to low income families. We are providing information and advocacy via internet and telephone, doing weekly outreach at local food banks and supporting low income entrepreneurs. We continue to work with other local grassroots organizations, we are fiscally sponsoring and mentoring the Black Rainbow Society as well as a new organization working to improve the lives of immigrant families, Elevate Mason County. We host some functions of Just Housing, an organization led by and serving houseless people in Thurston County. We also hosted the Olympia Free Fridge for a time, a resource that serves mainly unhoused community members providing food and hygiene supplies
Housing has reached crisis proportions for low income people in Thurston County. Rents have increased far faster than incomes and we are seeing an increase in unhoused parents with children contacting us for advocacy. We are currently working with multiple families who are homeless with their children, helping them access local resources, connect with community members and understand their rights. We continue to push forward laws and policies to alleviate poverty and understand and access increased resources coming from the Biden administration. It’s encouraging to have an administration that is working to reduce child poverty!
Thanks to your past support the Alchemilla Economic Collaborative has moved forward in exciting ways. We created a website for Alchemilla vendors. Check it out, especially if you want to support low income parents this gifting season! www.alchemillamarket.com.
We’re offering low income entrepreneurs office space, in person and online market options and have awarded $3,600 in microgrants to business owners, most of whom are low income people of color, trans, disabled and single parents. We partnered again with Helsing Junction Farms, to provide farm fresh produce available to families with food stamp benefits. Alchemilla Members restarted our pop up market and participated in Olympia’s bi-annual event, Arts Walk.
Here is what a POWER member told us recently:
“POWER has taught me that I have a voice and has given me the confidence to do more on my own. I love that no matter the situation, there’s no judgement, you take the time to listen. I never feel rushed, you are very personable and don’t jump to conclusions about what I need, but make sure you know everything about my situation before you offer suggestions and resources. I never felt like a burden, POWER’s always been a very welcoming place. I love that POWER welcomes diversity. Anyone who wants to volunteer, you snap them up like hotcakes. It’s what has kept POWER alive all these years. It takes a village to run POWER, and y’all are doing something right.”
Help us continue POWER’s valuable work with a donation today! You can send a check in the enclosed envelope or donate via paypal at our website, www.mamapower.org. Can’t afford to donate this year? Contact us to see what other ways you can provide support.
Thank you for caring about low income families.
Sincerely,
POWER’s Board of Directors and staff,
Monica Peabody
Mischa Gilraen
Laura Downing
Cat Sullivan
Shelly Robbins
Mary Vent
POWER
Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights
309 5th Avenue SE, Olympia WA 98506
Like us on Facebook.
POWER is an organization of low-income parents and allies advocating for a strong social safety net while working toward a world where children and care giving are truly valued, and the devastation of poverty has been eradicated.
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1B) Free Online Activist Workshops
Come get training from the pros! I got this message from Glen:
Choose a bold, positive future! Yes, we really can solve problems!
Nonviolent grassroots organizing really is effective in creating the positive changes we want for peace, social & economic justice, the environment & climate, humane politics, and more.
You can significantly develop your skills – and gain new resources – if you SIGN UP NOW for my series of FREE ONLINE WORKSHOPS every week for 6 consecutive weeks from mid-January through mid-February.
I offer the same workshop twice each week, so you may CHOOSE:
· EITHER Sundays afternoons (1:30-3:30 pm Pacific Time) starting Sunday January 16
· OR Monday evenings (6:30-8:30 Pacific Time) starting Monday January 17.
These workshops are FREE and user-friendly. They are good for people of ALL ages and ALL levels of experience.
People who have taken these workshops have found them informative, inspiring, and practical.
See the information I posted to my blog (including an informative flyer):
To sign up now, simply e-mail me at glenan...@integra.net or call me at (360) 491-9093 and tell me whether you want SUNDAYS or MONDAYS.
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1C) Backbone Campaign Year in Review
I got this message from the Backbone Campaign:
“Backbone Campaign has helped our Tribal Environmental Group by assisting our efforts to bring attention to the goal of breaching the four Lower Snake River Dams; they have been an integral part of our efforts.” - Julian Matthews, Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment, ID
Our light projection, in collaboration with the Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment, was featured on Trout Unlimited's quarterly magazine cover. A short video of the action highlights is HERE. More info on the Snake River dams is at BackboneCampaign.org/fts
“I’m proud and honored to work with Backbone, since early 2017 on numerous occasions. We’ve had nothing but good words from our leaders and matriarchs about Backbone and their willingness to come support indigenous people with our struggles.” – Dakota Case, Puyallup Water Warrior, WA
The fight against the Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Liquid Natural Gas plant - located at the traditional waters and land of the Puyallup Tribe - continues. Learn more.
“Backbone provided the Stop Cambo campaign support and constant assistance during COP26, making sure that we developed the skills and knowledge needed to gain ownership and confidence around the action - which we did! As a result we now know how to successfully carry out guerrilla light projections to make our message visible to a global audience.”- Federico Pastoris, Stop Cambo Campaign, Scotland
At COP26 in Scotland, Backbone supported the indigenous bloc with a giant banner, as well as an international coalition of riverkeepers fighting dams, the STOP CAMBO and STOP EACOP coalitions with projection training, and we projected messages like "Reject False Solutions"; "Demand Real Zero"; "Cancel Debts of the Global South"; and "Climate Action = No New Oil & Gas Extraction".
“Backbone provides the materials, expertise and support for people to create their own magic while making their voices heard in their local communities. There is a lot of darkness but when the lights are turned on, there is always a moment of joy and solidarity. … Backbone has your back, from ideas through implementation and beyond." - Tina Marie, Portland, Maine
Working with Solidarity Brigade activists like Tina, Backbone developed new tools this year for light projection, including LED projection lights and DIY GOBOs, allowing more rapid-response actions.
“Backbone has always been there for any rapid response needs our community has had. We are so appreciative to be in power building spaces with their team!”
- Andrea Vidaurre, The People’s Collective for Environmental Justice, Southern California
Backbone coordinated our Solidarity Brigade Network and carried out Solidarity Projections in 11 cities for the youth-led Power Shift Network, amplifying calls for protection of the Gulf and that Climate, Racial and Economic Justice are inseparable and urgent.
“Backbone helped support a major rally in Lansing Michigan that was the first time in American history, as far as we know, that a rally this large (300-400 people) against mass incarceration was organized by incarcerated citizens who cannot vote. It was an honor to hold the banners Backbone donated to The Adolescent Redemption Project. We got excellent news coverage which raised the spirits of those in prison, who saw their voices represented in a rare media moment. All the Backbone principles - the power of artful activism -were reinforced for me. One of the key organizers said, ‘The banners made the rally!’” - Stephen Silha, The Adolescent Redemption Project.
Backbone Celebrates with Action! We turned 18 years old last week. That's an amazing accomplishment for a scrappy group like ours.
Our solidarity action support for groups from around the country and internationally relies on the generosity of people like YOU. Don't take our word for it - read what our allies say below and check out just a few of the 2021 actions supported.
The next two weeks set the pace for 2022. We need to raise $40,000 before December 31. Your tax-deductible donation is critical at this time.
(If you want to spread out your contribution, join the Lumbar Club - sustaining donors who provide our core budget with a monthly contribution according to their budget. )
Regardless of how you give or how much, know that we are grateful. We will leverage whatever you give to generously support bold, beautiful actions, to build a world where communities, nature, and our obligations to future generations are honored as sacred.
With gratitude & solidarity,
Bill Moyer, Amy Morrison and Team Backbone
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1D) Jewish Voice for Peace Report
I got this message from Jewish Voice for Peace:
It’s been a year of anger, grief, enormous amounts of work, and also enormous energy and transformation.
I’m not going to lie... it’s been hard.
In times like these, we draw strength from reminding ourselves that we come from generations of principled, brave people struggling for what’s right. Our movement ancestors fought for our own liberation when necessary, and fought alongside Palestinians in their struggle for freedom, justice, and rights. We see these fights as fundamentally connected: there is no true safety for anyone without solidarity. Today, we continue the work of those who came before—and we will continue until we win.
L’Dor v’Dor (generation to generation)—we draw energy and inspiration from the work of our ancestors and are humbled by the task of becoming the ancestors that the next generation—and the next, and the next—cry out for.
As you watch this video of our work over the last year, I hope you’ll feel the same promise and energy we felt putting it together—and its roots stretching back a generation and beyond.
Until liberation,
Tallie Ben-Daniel
Director of Special Projects
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2) Bonus Tip of the Day:
Be careful what you wish for.
Peace.
Dana
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LINKS:
To Donate:
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Online version of this week’s Thunderbolt newsletter:
https://dana98501.wordpress.com/2021/12/22/tb-211222-be-careful-what-you-wish-for/
The Thunderbolt newsletter archive (new editions posted every Wednesday morning) and the Thunderbolt radio program archive (new shows posted every Friday morning):
https://dana98501.wordpress.com/
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