PRESS RELEASE:

Blumenauer Speech Draws Protest to Bus Project Conference:

Reboot Democracy: control, alt, IMPEACH

In Portland, on Friday, January 11 at 1:30 PM Individuals for Justice, Veterans for Peace and members of the Surge Protection Brigade and Code Pink will picket Earl Blumenauer's keynote speech at the   "Rebooting Democracy"  Conference at Montgomery Park, 2701 NW Vaughn St in Portland.  Blumenauer, who has refused constituent requests that he support impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives, will address the conference at 3:00 Friday.   The demonstration is also supported by Impeach Northwest (http://www.impeach-nw.com ), a network of local activists who are a part of a national movement encouraging the House of Representatives to initiate hearings on an impeachment resolution.

Joe Walsh began organizing the protest after calling upon the Bus Project to find a speaker who is more supportive of holding Bush and Cheney accountable for numerous violations of the U.S. laws and the Constitution.  When the Bus Project chose not to replace Blumenauer, activists decided to demonstrate at the conference.

Joe Walsh, who is also known as the "Lone Vet", also initiated weekly protests in front of Blumenauer's office that are now in their 23rd week.  Walsh and two others were arrested for impeding access to Blumenauer's office building on December 20.  Walsh is frustrated that Blumenauer continues to ignore the majority of his constituents who support impeachment.   His motivation for the protest is simple:   "Earl Blumenauer is my voice in the House of Representatives and refuses to stop, in any meaningful way, the corruption that is now called the Bush Administration. Impeachment hearings must start now, today and not tomorrow. I will protest everywhere Rep. Blumenauer goes until President Bush and Vice President Cheney are out of office or Blumenauer calls for impeachment."

Veterans for Peace from Eugene plan to bring their own bus to the Bus Project conference.  Gordon Sturrock, one of the owners of the "Squadron 13" bus ( http://www.squadron13.com/deployed/) says the bus will arrive with banners made for the occasion:   "REBOOT the White House, Control, Alt, IMPEACH."  Since November 7, 2006 the Squadron 13" bus has carried veterans to protest against the war and in support of impeachment throughout the Pacific Northwest.   This bus has a history of humanitarian work, peace and anti-war actions dating back to 1998 including a round trip to Boston promoting peace, protested the School of the Americas at Ft. Benning, GA.

Grant Remington, of the Portland Chapter of Veterans for Peace, says he is disgusted with the failure of elected representatives to stop the war and to impeach Bush and Cheney who have violated their oaths of office.   He says, "Double standards don't cut it with those of us who put our lives on the line while wearing the uniform of the United States. When we joined the Armed Forces we raised our right hand and took an oath that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic . If we violated that oath we would face Court Martial and prison. The President and Vice President have violated their oath of office and those who have the responsibility to hold them accountable have refused to do so. By not doing so, they have also violated their oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
 

Bus crew (VFP 72-Portland) just prior to drop off at the protest site.
 

Joe Walsh (Lone Vet) speaking to OPB reporter
 

The scene just outside the Mongomery Park Hotel where the Reboot Democracy Convention was held.
The subject of our protest Democrat Congressman Earl Blumenour managed to slip in unnoticed by us.

The protest activity did not go unnoticed by nearby schoolchildren.
 

Joe chatting with one of the city police officers.
 

The motel security and city police officers were quite cordial, most likely due to our reputations and well known commitment to non-violence.
We were allowed to set up a small table at a prime spot near the front door to hand out our literature, our protesters occupied key positions
at vehicle entry ways, and a break out group was scheduled the next day to accommodate a discussion on Impeachment.
 

 
 

Discussing what happened inside the event while Blumenaur was speaking.
 

One of our members who managed to get in with a press pass spoke up while Blumenaur was speaking. She asked
him a question regarding impeachment. The police were called immediately. No arrests were made.
Blumenaur does not allow questions from his constituents.

After Action Report from "Lone Vet":

We arrived at our destination in front of the building, which was going to host Rebooting Democracy08 at 1:45 PM. We had been in contact with Ms. Caitlin Baggott, one of the members of the Bus Project and were given permission to hand out our leaflets outside the doors. When we made the turn into the parking lot there were about a dozen or so protesters along the street to greet the Peace Bus. Yes, we arrived with members of Chapter 72, to the cheers of our friends in a 30-foot bus with peace messages and impeachment signs all over the bus.

As we passed the security people standing at the gate, I knew the rules were about to be changed. We came off the bus, and Building Management with their security people looked like someone hit them with a brick---they did not know what to do with us progressives. First, they demanded we get out and off their private property. I explained we had permission to have people by the doors to hand out our leaflets, I called for Caitlin Baggott, “Caitlin come out wherever you are, no Caitlin--I knew this was not good. We talked and explained that we would move the bus, (parked at a yellow lined curb) but would not go away from the front door because we had permission to hand out our leaflets. The usual stand off began, they still did not know what to do except call the cops.

The police came and the negotiations began, I was talking to the supervisor when I noticed this guy who had a great hat on and asked, Who are you? “I am the City Attorney” was his reply--“cool,” I said, “We have a problem.”

Meanwhile, up on the street outside of the parking lot and off their private property the crowd was building, maybe thirty people now were standing with protest signs ranging from stop the war, impeachment now, to a picture of Earl’s bloody hands. We had banners, we had flags, and we had real progressives on the streets. and it was good.

The City Attorney was cool, he smiled a lot, I kind of liked him. The police were cool, they just laughed a lot; the building management and their security were in a tight spot, what to do with the little old vet who had, “A mouth that never stopped.”

Well, we agreed to move the bus into the parking lot, and have two people hand out our leaflets to the progressive democrats. I thought all our problems were resolved---boy, was I wrong. There was a woman who never identified herself but was part of the rebooting gang, said that Blumenauer was going to only speak for a few minutes at 2:40 or so. I looked at her and said, “The registration is not over until 3:00 PM and the Earlman is scheduled to run his mouth until about 3:45 PM. We will know when he starts and when he’s finished telling the kids how wonderful he is and always will be.” She went back into the woodwork with her two young assistants. Things were going OK.

About 3:00 PM we had about 50 people along the sidewalks and just outside the parking lot, you could not drive in without seeing us. The reception from the people coming in to hear our weak-kneed congressional representative was strange. They looked surprised and then fearful. They did take our leaflets and some did come over to talk to us. All that was left was for Blumenauer to finish his hot air for the “Bobble Heads,” and we were out of there. Two cop cars came into the parking lot and that always means there’s a problem somewhere.

Gordon from Eugene and a few other people were with me when we entered the building to find out what had happened, there was a major break in protocol, and someone had asked a question during or after the speech by Blumenauer.

Bad-bad-bad---Rebooting Democracy was not going to tolerate a member from the audience asking the welcoming speaker a question. The cops were called immediately and when I learned it was Bonnie who dared to ask a question, I started to laugh and asked the City Attorney and the rest of the protective force around this event, “You want to arrest a member of the press for asking a question of her congressman?” I looked around for Bush, but he was not there. Or was he?

Again it was resolved and even the police who had to come back seemed astonished that they were called for such a minor infraction of protocol. We were just about finished and most of us were worn out. Some went down to the Square to support the protest that goes on every Friday night; I just went home to bed. There was one part of the event that would happen on Saturday morning. Jeff Smith said he would set up a room for us to hold a work shop on Impeachment. I was taken by surprise by this offer. The arrangements were dubious from the start. Jeff was going to call me in the morning and let me know what time and I would call Dr. Jack Dresser and John Bradach to let them know what time etc. No phone call from Jeff.

I waited but never did get any message; Jack and Malcolm got tired of waiting and just went down to the event to see what was going on. John joined them and our work shop looked like it was going to take place. Only one of the progressive attendees signed up so as an alternate plan Jack, Malcolm and John got to sit at a lunch table and talk to a small group of kids who were assigned to their table. I will ask Malcolm, Jack or John to give their opinions on what happened because I was not there.

Bonnie did get to sell some red impeach shirts, but from what I understand sales to the progressives were slow and we may have to help her cover any loss she experienced. John et all did spend more time talking to people and that is always worth a few bucks. There was a cover charge of $50.00 for the day and I don’t think Bonnie covered her expenses.

What I learned from this experience is that I have very little in common with these progressives. They talk but don’t understand that democracy is a concept that is messy and must be defended every day, not just at cocktail parties with famous or not so famous people. For me, the real progressives were on the streets and we represented the wishes of the American people by any legitimate poll. The would be progressives were inside having a good old time. But that is just me.

I hope this gives you some idea of what happened from my vantage point and others should comment on how they saw the event.

There is something we should all start to think about, the defeat of the Earlman in 2010. We must run an independent candidate against him and we have three years to pull this off; let’s start the conversation now and form a group: Stop the Earlman!

Joe Walsh---Lone vet

Portland, Oregon.