A derailed oil train opens the path for living democracy
800 Words
By Patrick T. Hiller
Last week a train carrying crude oil in 14 tankcars derailed in the tiny river town of Mosier, Oregon—42,000 gallons spilled, 32,000 gallons burned, and 10,000 gallons clogged the municipal wastewater plant.
There’s Nothing Collateral About a Toddler Washed Ashore
815 Words
By Patrick T. Hiller
The heartbreaking pictures of three-year-old Aylan Kurdhi symbolize everything that is wrong with war. Following #KiyiyaVuranInsanlik (humanity washed ashore) is a painful confrontation with what some might call the collateral damage of war.
I don’t know any of the 13 activists who lowered themselves from the St. John ’s Bridge in Portland, Oregon, nor any of the dozens of kayakers paddling in the Willamette River below them, but they succeeded in a temporary blockade of the Shell-leased Arctic-bound icebreaker MSV Fennica. I know that the activists participated in our democracy—they were nonviolent and far more civil than many members of Congress.
The day the historic nuclear deal between Iran and the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, France and Germany (P5+1) was reached, President Obama declared that “the world can do remarkable things when we share a vision of peacefully addressing conflicts.” At the same time, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Javad Zarif expressed his appreciation of a “process in order to reach a win-win solution … and open new horizons for dealing with serious problems that affect our international community.”
It is easy to be a cynic listening to some of the more nonsensical chatter coming out of Congress. Despite the most comprehensive international agreement between the United States and its P5+1 partners (the members of the UN Security Council and Germany) with Iran on its nuclear program, the calls to bomb Iran are still too loud for them to be dismissed.
Let’s get one thing straight to begin with. Trade is good. We do it all the time. Trade has been pretty much part of recorded human history and evidence reveals prehistorical trade routes in many parts of the world. It becomes a little bit trickier when we look at large-scale international trade agreements. The question as to whether foreign trade promotes peace and development or destructive conflict has been debated for a long time.
The cycle of violence. When will it be interrupted? The attack on Charlie Hebdo was another incident of “Terror in [fill in the blank]… attackers part of [fill in name of terror network]”. It was an incident of home-grown terror, since the attackers were French-born second-generation immigrants. It is time to shift away from ineffective, reactive tactics and strategies of dealing with this kind of terror toward conflict transformation, by transforming the structures leading to terrorism.
Did you notice? Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel just announced plans to massively “upgrade” the US nuclear arsenal. It might have been swallowed by other breaking and ongoing news: ISIS and another beheading, Ebola, Ferguson, or the historic comet landing of Philae – at least one positive story. In addition to local news, stories in my own community of Hood River, Oregon include the transport of coal and construction of coal terminals, blast zone determination for oil trains, or the legacy of the Hanford nuclear production complex, which was part of the Manhattan Project.
The Wars Have Come to U.S. Soil
The Wars Have Come to U.S. Soil
867 Words
By Patrick T. Hiller
The tragic night of July 7, 2016 was the most visible manifestation of U.S. wars reaching our own soil. To be clear, I am not talking about the absurd and insulting notion that there is a war between the #BlackLivesMatter Movement and the police. This racist intellectual nonsense has been spewed by commentators like Rush Limbaugh labeling #BlackLivesMatter a terrorist group, former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) tweeting “This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming after you,” or in the New York Post’s headline of “Civil War”. These reactions are not only despicable in their tone and message, they are entirely missing the point.
Read more
A derailed oil train opens the path for living democracy
A derailed oil train opens the path for living democracy
800 Words
By Patrick T. Hiller
Last week a train carrying crude oil in 14 tankcars derailed in the tiny river town of Mosier, Oregon—42,000 gallons spilled, 32,000 gallons burned, and 10,000 gallons clogged the municipal wastewater plant.
Read more
There’s Nothing Collateral About a Toddler Washed Ashore
There’s Nothing Collateral About a Toddler Washed Ashore
815 Words
By Patrick T. Hiller
The heartbreaking pictures of three-year-old Aylan Kurdhi symbolize everything that is wrong with war. Following #KiyiyaVuranInsanlik (humanity washed ashore) is a painful confrontation with what some might call the collateral damage of war.
Read more
31
JulThe icebreaker and #ShellNo: How activists determine the course
By Patrick T. Hiller
I don’t know any of the 13 activists who lowered themselves from the St. John ’s Bridge in Portland, Oregon, nor any of the dozens of kayakers paddling in the Willamette River below them, but they succeeded in a temporary blockade of the Shell-leased Arctic-bound icebreaker MSV Fennica. I know that the activists participated in our democracy—they were nonviolent and far more civil than many members of Congress.
Read more
16
JulDeal with the Deal. Nuclear Nonproliferation, Sanctions Relief, Then What?
The day the historic nuclear deal between Iran and the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, France and Germany (P5+1) was reached, President Obama declared that “the world can do remarkable things when we share a vision of peacefully addressing conflicts.” At the same time, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Javad Zarif expressed his appreciation of a “process in order to reach a win-win solution … and open new horizons for dealing with serious problems that affect our international community.”
Read more
15
MayIran Nuclear Talks. A fresh tone in Washington with a breath of Oregon
It is easy to be a cynic listening to some of the more nonsensical chatter coming out of Congress. Despite the most comprehensive international agreement between the United States and its P5+1 partners (the members of the UN Security Council and Germany) with Iran on its nuclear program, the calls to bomb Iran are still too loud for them to be dismissed.
Read more
03
MayTPP, Peace and Conflict: It’s Not about Trade, It’s about How We Trade
Let’s get one thing straight to begin with. Trade is good. We do it all the time. Trade has been pretty much part of recorded human history and evidence reveals prehistorical trade routes in many parts of the world. It becomes a little bit trickier when we look at large-scale international trade agreements. The question as to whether foreign trade promotes peace and development or destructive conflict has been debated for a long time.
Read more
09
JanFight terror again, and again, and again. Or end it by refusing to participate in its creation
The cycle of violence. When will it be interrupted? The attack on Charlie Hebdo was another incident of “Terror in [fill in the blank]… attackers part of [fill in name of terror network]”. It was an incident of home-grown terror, since the attackers were French-born second-generation immigrants. It is time to shift away from ineffective, reactive tactics and strategies of dealing with this kind of terror toward conflict transformation, by transforming the structures leading to terrorism.
Read more
17
NovISIS, Ebola, Ferguson (nukes?)
Did you notice? Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel just announced plans to massively “upgrade” the US nuclear arsenal. It might have been swallowed by other breaking and ongoing news: ISIS and another beheading, Ebola, Ferguson, or the historic comet landing of Philae – at least one positive story. In addition to local news, stories in my own community of Hood River, Oregon include the transport of coal and construction of coal terminals, blast zone determination for oil trains, or the legacy of the Hanford nuclear production complex, which was part of the Manhattan Project.
Read more
15
OctUSS Oregon/USS Portland: Not in my name
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus was in Portland last Friday to announce the resurrection of the USS Portland and USS Oregon names for two new warships. I am offended that this is being done in my name and in the name of all other Oregonians who have for decades consistently professed values of non-violence and peace
Read more