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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 2016)
Page 6 October 5, 2016 Your Carpet Best Cleaning Choice O PINION Martin Cleaning Service Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG. $45.00 A small distance/travel charge may be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 Each Area Pre-Spray Traffic Areas (Includes: 1 small Hallway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area (Hallway Extra) Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services) : $25.00 Area/Oriental Rugs: $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool) : $40.00 Minimum Heavily Soiled Area: Additional $10.00 each area (Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $109 - $139 Chair or Recliner: $25 - $49 Throw Pillows (With Other Services) : $5.00 ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949 Voting is Vital, so is Protest and Dissent Kaepernick, Rapinoe and the election l eW C hurCh As GOP nominee Donald Trump makes inroads towards occupying the Oval Office in this fall’s campaign, those of us who support Hillary and other women candidates for office believe it is vital to turn out to vote in Novem- ber, but to also mobilize support for dissenters like Colin Kaeper- nick and Megan Rapinoe who think our country is headed in the wrong direction. As Ron Daniels correctly as- serts (Portland Observer, Sept. 21 issue) dissent is central in our democracy to fight for civil rights and for social justice. A few years ago, as a senior in high school in a conservative southern California town, I chose to “read the announcements” at the beginning of our home room class. Instead, I gave an impromp- tu speech protesting our home room teacher’s personal critique of students at our school for not turning out sufficiently for the Marine Corps band, for not being sufficiently patriotic, and not sup- porting the Vietnam War. Many of us felt that this was that teacher’s First Amendment right (even in our classroom at a public school) but that we also had the right to use the First Amendment. by In response to my five minute, an- ti-war protest speech, our teacher sent me to the school counseling office. That councilor, a bit more liberal than our teacher, agreed the Vietnam War needed to be stopped and suggested it was our teacher who needed some counseling. Today, Kaepernick has been getting death threats for his pro- testing the National Anthem at sports games and for his support of Black Lives Matter. Many of us from Portland State Universi- ty were happy to occupy Portland City Hall last month and shout “Black Lives Matter” outside the office of mayor Charlie Hales. Since Kaepernick began his protest, other sports figures have joined the campaign, includ- ing former University of Port- land women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe, now playing for Seattle. Rapinoe stated that, as an out les- bian and white person, she felt it important to sit with him or take a knee during the anthem in support of Black Lives Matter. Some older white gentlemen who are low-income tenants that we have been doing outreach to at PSU (and who both support Donald Trump for president in November) have said that they oppose Black Lives Matter -- that “all lives matter.” But language is a way to fight oppression, in- cluding the murder by police of unarmed African-Americans in cities around the country (and Mr. Zimmerman of Trayvon Martin). Taking a knee or sitting during the anthem is a form of speech, protected by the First Amend- ment. Donald Trump’s response to Kaepernick’s protest, of course, was to say he might “be more comfortable in a different country that is more to his liking.” This is a classic and racist dodge. But oppression, as Rapinoe pointed out, targets many people. Trump himself in fact has been castigating journalists, Mexicans, judges, black folks, immigrants, Muslims, Hillary, and a host of other people. At Portland State, we were saddened at the same time to see that the pro-gun, pro-NRA lobby burned in effigy our Democrat- ic governor Kate Brown (who is openly bisexual) because of her excellent support of better gun safety laws. Women, like other minorities, are often targeted by racist individuals; those Hillary calls “the despicables.” Here in Portland, a progressive, activist woman and small business owner, Chloe Eudaly, is now in a November runoff in the election against incumbent Steve Novick for a seat on the Portland City Council. So far, the opposition to Eudaly’s insurgent, grassroots campaign has been polite, but is still showing signs of “the old boys’ network.” While former mayor Tom Potter has endorsed Eudaly’s campaign, which focuses on affordable hous- ing for all and rent control now, many current (white, male) pol- iticians have endorsed Novick’s reelection bid. The three Anglo gentlemen also on City Council (Charlie Hales, Dan Saltzman and Nick Fish) have all endorsed Novick. Notably, Amanda Fritz, the only woman on city council, has yet to endorse either candi- date. If Eudaly wins that seat, she will be the second woman on our City Council and only the 8th woman in 150 years to be elected to the office. Ben Franklin once said the U.S. is “a democracy, if you can keep it.” At the national level, while it may be easy for some to vote for Trump, or cast votes that help Trump (the Greens, the Libertarians) or to not vote at all -- in our PSU activist coalition, we believe that Hillary is the one candidate this election who will represent human rights and so- cial justice, at home and abroad. Trump, he has made clear, will represent Trump. Voting is vital, but as Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe are representing, so is dissent, protesting and organizing against inroads by those who seek to con- trol, to exploit, to marginalize and to demonize most of the people who live on our small planet. Lew Church is coordinator of the PSU Progressive Student Union and founding publisher/ editor of the PSU Rearguard and PSU Agitator, activist papers on the left.