Just checking in to let everyone know that Salem’s Oct. 5th event was a fantastic success! Though the Portland-based “local” television news completely neglected us, instead opting to cover the police violence in Portland, we had a great turnout and an energetic yet peaceful march through the heart of Salem.
And even though our “local” Gannett rag, the Statesman Journal, ran
the event in their calendar for two days before Oct. 5th, the only
mention of it the day AFTER consisted of a small caption next to a
picture of the half-dozen older people remaining at the capitol who
couldn’t join the rest of us for the march. So the Statesman completely
missed the hundred or so people who walked right by their
building.
The Salem cops were amazingly gentle (how often do you see police
described as “gentle”?!), so we can’t say enough in praise of them. We
are NOT kissing ass here, it’s just that we know what assholes some
Salem cops can sometimes be, and on this occasion, they were simply not
assholes. So thank you, Salem Police Department, for giving your
neighbors the breathing room to express themselves! Of course we’ll
insist on expressing ourselves whether or not law enforcement
“approves,” and we stand in solidarity with the Portlanders who got
shot with beanbags for their peaceful civil disobedience, but we must
always applaud Police who conduct themselves in a manner that respects
citizens’ constitutional rights.
People came to our event from places like Scio, Silverton, Corvallis,
Eugene, and obscure points even farther afield. It’s amazing how an
opportunity to really express ourselves brings so many out of the
woodwork!
See an excellent video report of Salem’s event at Salem-News.com:
http://salem-news.com/articles/october052006/salem_demonstration_10506.php
For everyone who came: Keep in touch! Read the Peaceworker, keep
meeting at Chemeketa and Liberty Streets at noon on Wednesdays and
Saturdays, and check in on occasion with Salem Resistance at the Blue
Pepper Gallery and Cafe downtown on Commercial Street every Thursday at
7:00pm. See you around!