They also have consistently done this without contacting direct service providers. Organizations like the one I work for, Bread & Roses, and our close partner EGYHOP, can at the very least provide harm reduction services to campers who are forced to move. I feel justified in saying that I don't trust the City of Olympia to effectively advocate for individuals transitioning from one campsite to another. It's not their job to be advocates, which is why they should seek out advice and help from those whose job that is. I should be very clear, however, that this is not a role I'm willing to fill over and over for years to come. I simply will not be a part of people being pushed around from one unsafe environ to the next. I think that viewpoint reflects the overall view of the homeless advocate community.

Being that there is going to come a point, likely sooner than later, where advocates are going to start refusing to aid the City in this capacity, the City should think long and hard on one question. 'Where can people go and be left alone?'

If Steve Hall, the Council, or Staff can quickly answer that question, then a lot of time can be saved on providing people with stability, which we've learned from Camp Quixote is therapeutic and empowering.

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It is important, when living in communities, that everyone in the community gets to be heard. So I've created this thread in order to have a conversation about May Day.

First, I want to clear up a misconception about my role in it all. I had nothing to do with any of the planning or organizing of any of the events of this year's May Day. Last year I did, this year I was too busy and decided to let others organize and to just attend.

I've been accused in a couple of places of having some part in some of the property destruction that took place. Nothing could be further from the truth. I disagree wholly with what took place on May Day in regards to the tagging at the Capital as well as the rocks thrown into the banks. Both are examples of tactics that hijacked the purposes of the day, which were solidarity among workers, and introducing a conversation about Olympia as an amnesty city for war resistors and immigrant workers. Whether or not Olympia was to ever become an amnesty city because of this proposed ordinance or not, it would have begun a conversation about it. I realize that to many a conversation is not enough, but we have to start somewhere. The fact that the banks were open and people were inside of them makes this act even worse. Putting innocent human beings in danger of serious injury is never OK.

Hope to see you all down at Sylvester Park at noon for a day of fun, learning, and solidarity.

The answers we get here have the potential to serve as building blocks for vitalization, so let's hear it.

I took down Norm's thread, after contacting Norm about it, because I believe that it's best to praise in public, and reprimand in private.

Good day.

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to Utah through his son Brendon, who was an intern at Bread and Roses. Utah heard about B&R and what we do and agreed to perform at a benefit for us. He played in front of a packed Capital Theater audience. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life (those Wobbly songs always get me going) and we raised much money to continue our work. Utah spent the day he was in town hanging out at the advocacy center chatting with staff and guests alike. He was friendly, open, honest, wise, and immediately made us all feel like he was our dear friend. A truly rare person.

-Rob

Utah Phillips is very, very ill. He can no longer perform and urgently needs financial help. He has given so much to the One Big Union and progressive people everywhere. Now is the time to show him what we learned from him and to put into practice the solidarity he taught us.

I.W.W. Musician, Singer, Poet, Writer, and, most of all Organizer - Utah Phillips has spent his life uplifting the spirits of all struggling against the bosses to build a better world. At all his concerts he had it stipulated that wobblies would be present to fundraise and organize.

He has been the voice for "...all those thousands of unnamed wobblies buried in unmarked graves throughout the west." Don't let that voice go unanswered.

Cards, messages and money can be sent to:
UTAH PHILLIPS
BOX 1235
NEVADA CITY, CA 95959

While these events are taking place in Tacoma, many Olympians were involved in the organizing and many more will be attending.

There are many local groups working on immigration issues if you would like to become involved, first try contacting The Cielo Project, a community based organization here in Olympia that provides support and solidarity to the Latino community.

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For Desecration of the American Way of Life.

A rat is a contractor that does not pay all of its employees the Area Standard Wages, including either providing or making payments for family health care and pension benefits. Businesses that choose this breed of contractor are guilty as well. When contractors underpay their workers, often the rest of pick up the difference when we pay our taxes.

Shame on GVA/Kidder Mathews for contributing to the erosion of Area Standards for area carpenter craft workers. The Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters has a labor dispute with Davis Schueller Inc. performing work in the Vance Building in Seattle. Davis Schueller Inc. does not meet area labor standards, including providing or fully paying for family health care and pension for all of its carpenter craft employees.

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You are cordially invited to the 1st annual Olympia Anarchist Bookfair! We will be gathering from Friday, April 18th to Sunday, April 20th to share skills, give workshops, and to nurture the growth of our communities. We welcome those interested in becoming self-reliant and developing healthy, radical, anti-authoritarian alternatives to the dominant social order. Those who are curious about or new to anarchism, or may not identify as anarchists but have similar goals are especially welcome. There will be limited housing available to travelers and lots of free food!

At The Eagles Hall 805 4th Ave (on the corner of 4th and Plum)

Friday - 2:30pm-6pm
Saturday - 10am-10pm

For a full schedule, or more information, visit The Olympia Anarchist Bookfair:
on the web
and on myspace

or contact olympiabookfair@gmail.com