This is the second half of the live broadcast from the Occupy ICE encampment.
Transcription:
[0:00] You are listening to KBOO Portland on 90.7 fm K282BH on 103.4 fm and K220HR Hood River on 91.9 fm and on the web at kboo.fm. Hi I’m Dale Holiday coming to you from Corvallis Oregon in the bountiful Willamette Valley. Welcome to my show Valley Dees, a forum for sharing relative topics relating to people and issues in the Willamette region. There’s a national group called SURJ, Standing Up for Racial Justice and there’s a branch in Portland, Corvallis, Oregon, and many other parts of the U.S. From what I understand, one of the main goals of this group is to organize white people to speak out against racism and to call out the systemic racism that surrounds us. The thought is that white people too often dismiss this message when it comes from people of color but they may listen to fellow white people when they say, “Yes racism does exist and this is what it looks like.” I was invited to attend one of the Corvallis SURJ meetings. As part of my appearance, I asked to read a piece I’ve written about some of the things white people do that makes me angry. I’m talking about white people who you’d think to know better, but they don’t. I read the piece to the group to try to give them some insights of my experiences as a black women in Corvallis because I know that many of the residents here think that Corvallis is a progressive town, so how could there be racism or racist acts here. And yes, Corvallis is a progressive town in many aspects, so many communities across this nation are but that does not mean that cultural awareness exists. So before I read this piece, I want to say that I’m not speaking for all African Americans, but these are things that have happened time and time again to every single black woman that I know in some form or another. And it’s not just in Corvallis. So here we go: 11 things that white, liberal, progressive, educated, enlightened people do that as a black woman I really, really hate. Number one, when we know each other through work or the neighborhood, but you never greet me unless I say hi first. Even if we’re the only two people walking towards each other in the hallway or on the sidewalk. If I don’t initiate the greeting, you get a fearful kind of deer-in-the-headlight expression as if you fear I’m going to stab you. If I say nothing, you say nothing, and we pass like strangers. But I get really weary of making the first friendly gesture every single time. Number two, when you mix me up with other African American woman of vastly different skin shade, height, weight, age, and hair type. And not just once, constantly. Number three, when you ask me to tell you about an unjust or racist encounter to better understand the dynamic. When I begin to tell you, calmly and without blame, you one, argue with me about my experiences, telling me that it wasn’t racism, or two, claim that I’m being negative. No, I’m not being negative. I’m relaying negative experience. Number four, when you literally back away from me when I’m calmly relaying information to you to make a point, give feedback, or explain something unsettling that has occurred that I need to share. I’m not being negative; I’m relaying a fact about something negative that occurred. See previously number three. Five, when during the course of conversation, you ask me to share my observations that regard inequality and societal barriers that blacks and other people of color face. I try to explain how the privileged dynamics connect. You get defensive, shut your ears, shut your eyes, and run away. Remember, you asked. Six, insisting that you’re color blind! Nonsense! But if that really is true, you’re blind to the realities and experiences that comprise my life. All the things that relate to defining who I am and how I navigate the world.
[5:00] Seven, when you use the term post racial America and actually believe that term has validity. Eight, when you're just a little too eager to inform me that you've adopted a brown skinned child or that someone in your family is dating or married to a brown skinned, the person. I'll have to go take a side here and say, I never want to ever again here the term coco baby or Choco baby or chocolate baby that I've heard far too often from women referring to their mixed grandkids. Number nine, when you're conversing with other whites, all of you listing your ancestral lines, Scotch, English, Irish, Swedish, etc. Then become jaw drop astonished when I list my own African, Native American, French, German, Welsh, Haitian. Are you so ignorant of historic realities? Colonization, slavery, and yes, even freewill have all resulted in my family tree being as multiethnic as yours. Number 10, talking in black dialect, and I'll put quotes around black dialect, at anytime for any reason I don't care who you are mimicking or if you've heard some name brand, celebrity of any color doing it on tv and that's what you know. Talk that mimic tree from anyone. Number seven, and this is not limited to educated progressive liberals, but I had to put it in here anyway because it's happened so often. Far too often. When I approach a clerk, receptionist or some type of info staff who scowl at me the moment I enter the establishment and before I even speak, I've witnessed them smiling and warmly greeting each white person who approached them ahead of me, but I get the icy stare in the clip. Can I help you? The sense I get is that they think I don't belong there, I'm going to make a problem for them or I'm just trouble. I present my needs clearly and in English. Yet they continued to scout, not “understanding” and “what I'm saying”. I seem to throw them even with a very simple question like, how late is the store open today? Or where's the ladies' fitting room? In his 1903 work, the souls of black folk WEB Debois posed the question, how does it feel to be a problem? He posed this to black folks. Well, I hope that I've given you just a taste of what that can feel like. To quote the genius author James Baldwin, to be black and conscious in America is to be in a constant state of rage. A truer statement was never spoken as far as I'm concerned To survive racism without going crazy. You can't ignore it. Many well meanIng white people try to sweep it under the rug, whistling past the graveyard. my husband likes to call it. They say it's an unpleasant topic, makes them feel bad. I say, if it makes them feel bad, how do they think I And others like me feel? I wish it weren't the case, but anger is not a stranger to me. But anger is not necessarily a bad thing either. Anger gets kind of a bad rap these days. Being angry doesn't mean you're going to go out and hurt somebody. I say it's normal to get angry about racism; shows you're thinking. Anger helps you push back. Anger can be the fuel for fighting racism as well as other injustices in our society. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Thanks.
You've been listening to Valley Views. I'm your host Dale Holiday and I'd love to hear from you any comments, questions, ideas for future topics or other matters you'd like explored. Email me at [email protected]. I look forward to being with you again next time and remember as Dr. Who said, I'm not in charge, but I'm full of ideas. Bye!
[10:00] Support for KBOO programming comes from dark side cinema open every night featuring independent foreign and art house films. The dark side is located at 215 Southwest 4th Street between Madison and Jefferson in Corvallis, Oregon. More information and show times are available online at darksidecinema.com. KBOO community radio is proud to cosponsor Iran forum US withdrawal from nuclear agreement and path to war on Friday, June 29th at 6:30 at the First Unitarian Church in Portland. The Iran forum will feature Jamal Abdi, executive director of the National Iran American Council, journalist Reese Erlick, and local speakers in a discussion about withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. The sponsoring groups are involved in prevention of war and its supporting diplomacy and friendship with the people of Iran. Again, that's the Iran forum, US Withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and paths to war on Friday, June 29th at 6:30 at the First Unitarian Church,1211 Southwest Main Street in Portland. More information can be found at kboo.fm on the right side of the homepage under community events. I am out to sing songs that’ll prove to you that this is your world that will hit you pretty hard and knock you down. No matter how hard it's running you down and roll over you, no matter what color, what size are, how you're built to sing the song. It will make you take pride in yourself. I'm Lori Sonnenfeld and I'm Dawn Jacobson. Together we bring you Moving On Fridays from 12 noon to 1:30. We feature both traditional and contemporary folk music. We love to present live in studio concerts from local and national musicians. Tune in and hear our music that is socially progressive, moving, and heartfelt. Music occurred only on the left hand edge of the dial and only on cable every friday, noon to 1:30. You are listening to KBOO Portland before we returned to our live interviews on scene at the ICE PDX. A protest. We're going to play you this interview from yesterday with one of the individuals involved in the lockdown who was later arrested onsite.
[12:59] And that's why we're out here. Not because we're your enemies. We have a different point of view. You people represent the law but you're not right.
[13:13] So, um, in your experience, have you seen the type of situation that the United States is in right now before?
[13:22] I have never seen it. Not in United States. It's absolutely really unique and it's very scary. It's very scary because of the people who were supporting this president and they are anti immigration. They are anti white. A lot of them.
You mean the people that support the administration?
There's a big right wing, a cadre that's supports Mr. Trump and he tends to follow their policies and one of them is anti immigrants. That's only one of them. The other thing is that, um, we were a nation made for all people. Everybody is supposed to be equal. The rich are not more equal than the poor. Yet at the same time, Mr. Trump, fills his cabinet with only extremely rich people who have a very narrow wish for what is done in this country and he's following it and the rest of the country is going fallow. It’s just going right down the drain. So I'm really sorry about it. This is only a symptom. This is only a symptom, not the cause. And I don't know what can be done about it. It's very scary at my age because I'm an american and I've supported America. And to see America reduced to this is very, very sad.
[14:54] What do you think is the cause?
Well, I think it's a closer. A lot of voters who voted for the wrong person and why they did, they thought that they would get benefits from this president. They're getting nothing. Okay. Uh, and the misinformation they got that allowed them to vote that way, uh, amazes me. We elected this president. I mean, we are responsible, not me. I didn't vote for him, but certainly this country is. And it's sad that this country is responsible for somebody like that who can make laws like this. Ms I heard you earlier because I thought you said that the president's supporters are anti white. Did I mishear that?
No, they're pro white. That's a problem there. And answering immigrants, you know, or many of them are right outright white supremacists. Okay. Scary people. This is a democracy it’s supposed to be in democracy. It's not an oligarchy, although it's become an oligarchy because the rich rule in the world of rules are made for them. Democracy is right down the tubes. And this is an example.
Is there anything else you want to add for our listeners?
God bless the real America. God bless the real americans and they're on this side of the wall and not that side.
[16:32] You be willing to talk to KBOO? I guess so. All right. Um, what made you decide to come out here today?
Mostly I was. Well, first off, I've been with them all in spirit. I was here Sunday but not for very long. The fact that, that they hadn't been cleaned out of the federal area and somebody told me that they needed more people here. so I came.
I saw images of people knitting earlier. Were you one of the people that were?
I wish I had been smart enough to bring my knitting. It was my friend. She's gone.
Was that, uh, it reminded me of the raging grannies that used to go in front of the military recruiting. Is that any part of the organizing out here?
Not that I know of. Although they appear. I know one of the, one of the members was at the city council yesterday for either as or maybe as herself. I just happen to know she's a raging granny. And have you in your lifetime seen the type of situation that we have in the US right now? Overall, the division and the horrible hate? No, uh, I've, I've heard history of. There was a time that I think it existed not in my lifetime.
So I mean, what do you think are the dangers of the current situation?
[17:59] I'm afraid it'll keep getting worse to the point that we can't survive together. I hesitate to say civil war, but it appears to me that that could happen.
Well, am I understanding the United States came close to civil war in 1968. Were you around then? Do you remember that?
I was around, but I was not political at the time. I don't, I didn't get really into it until Nicaragua and those issues in the 80’s, do you think that the US involvement there sparked the wave of immigration that we've seen since?
Not only in Nicaragua, but Honduras and Guatemala and all of the elected government that we've overthrown and chaos that has resulted in dictators that have resulted. I'm sure that that's got a big part of it.
[18:57] And so what do you suggest for people to do at this point?
A combination would be nice if they'd come out here and we have more bodies out here. Both.
I think people may have been scared by the image of all of these riot police, uh, from this morning. What would be your advice to someone who is maybe fearful?
Well, so far it's been very calm and quiet and they're very restrained. No promises for the future, just like the stock market in it. Past performance doesn't guarantee future, but they have been very restrained.
Got, uh, some people holding a banner says abolish ice than on a rainbow.
[19:47] Would you have any comment for KBOO community radio?
Come down here if you can to, for people to come down? Yeah, absolutely. We need, we need more people. Um, it's still going. It's not shut down and we're going to be here.
Yeah. I think maybe people got afraid by seeing images of riot police. Um, what would be your advice to someone who maybe that made them afraid?
There was only a few people that were arrested and they were released later. Um, and that was the only people that are on the ice federal property. Anyone else that is on the, uh, the Portland’s trimet property so far has not been arrested and does not seem to be at risk of arrest. Yeah. And it looks like, I mean, the barricades are, are pretty hefty.
We originally set up the barricades because we're on a straight street and we were worried about extremists trying to drive through the camp because just last week some protesters were driven through via, I think it was a truck, I'm not sure, but um, we're, we're worried about that happening in our city, so we were trying to keep people saying.
[20:58] Your sign says stop dehumanizing immigrants. Um, what does that mean for you?
Well, I mean we're putting people in cages and separating families and treatIng them as second class citizens and just as not human. And I think that's really wrong and I think people need to think about what, what's actually happening here
What, in your opinion, what is actually happening. Like what's behind it?
I mean, I think it's a lot of racism and it's a lot of othering of people and propaganda.
[21:28] Back country is founded on immigrants. We've got a statue of liberty. It says, give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses. We shouldn't be turning away from people seeking asylum. They're arresting people who are seeking asylum officially at border stations where they’re supposed to go and taking their kids away and then they're saying to them, if you give up your asylum claim, we will give you your child back. That's unconscionable.
I mean, for a lot of people, that's a death sentence. If they have to go back to a place they're fleeing for their lives.
Absolutely. They come here because there's violence and gangs, threats and all kinds of things where they are and, or ruined and economy because of the us.
And we probably ruined their economy. Exactly. We spent years 30, 40 years of interventions in central America, but, you know, cause this kind of thing and we need to, we need to welcome the stranger.
[22:30] We need it. We need to help people and not be so concerned about the borders, to have our humanity out there. That's what we've always been. We've been the beacon, the beacon of light in the world for, for human rights. And that's, that's my country. And I will defend that.
And um, what do you think about some of the people I've heard at these vigils and rallies saying that it's actually part of american values to take children away from their parents because it's part of american history of slavery and genocide and that's part and parcel for the american family.
That is accurate. I think that is true. And I think that that is something that we were capable of doing better and we do not need to continue that sort of thing. And we all know better. See, I grew up with that myth, you know, the group that we're a democratic country, that we are equal, you know, I'm 67 now.
[23:30] I've, I've, I learned when I was 19 that we weren't what we said we were and I protested during Vietnam and, but it was like having blinders taken away from my eyes. I was sick. I mean, I remember hearing the people that were on Alcatraz Island during AIM and the native americans that took over Alcatraz. Buffy, saint marie was singing and in this church and I, I left crying because I cleverly that that was my country. And I, I've been trying ever since I taught high school for 27 years trying to get people to understand things, you know.
I mean, you said that, that um, your blinders were taken off and you realized what was really going on in this country. What would it take for other people to have those kind of blinders removed? RejectIng this country? People who believe in the american dream.
Decent education system would be a good start. A free media, like you guys, would be a good start and having people come out and talk to people. I mean, I know that there's probably a lot of people my age and you know, white middle class, you know, waspy type people who, who would be afraid to come down here because they see a lot of people that look different than them. Well that's how to get over it is you come, you know, and you support people and then you'll learn that we all want for our children to have that love and that opportunity.
[25:26] Yeah.
[27:09] Today on Flash Points, we'll hear about a nationwide day of action against Trump's kidnapping policies featuring more than 700 events organized by the Families Belonged Together coalition and actually visit victory today. The united farm workers signed a major agreement that's actually good for the workers. Can you believe that? All this coming up, straight ahead on flash points. Stay tuned. And you're listening to flash points on pacifica radio. My name is Dennis Bernstein. This is your daily investigative news magazine. Well, didn't take long. It didn't take long at all. Trump on the stump pointing at the journalists, turning them into the enemy. Then his extreme right wing, sort of frontline force, provoca torres spokespeople, whatever you want to call them. Uh, among them, provocateur milo yiannopoulos. Just about 48 hours ago said the following: I can't wait for the vigilante squad to start gunning journalists down on site. That's what he said. And guess what? We'll listen to this.
[29:04] So I was on the phone with a client and heard a loud noise like an incredibly loud bang and I poked my head around the corner of my desk so I could see out our front door into the front door of the capital zag. And I saw a guy, I saw a guy holding a gun, uh, the door, the capital was that had been blown to pieces. It was shattered pieces on the carpet and this guy was holding what looked like a big shotgun and moving across the entrance of the capital gazette office, pointing the gun deeper into the office. Like he was targeting people.
Keith did that man say anything?
I have no idea. Uh, heard some indistinct shouting afterwards, a couple of minutes before there was some more gunshots. But he didn't, I looked at him for a second, right? I ducked my head back behind the wall as soon as I saw the guy initially, but I didn't hear him say anything distinct. After you hid after you tried to hide. What'd you do?
I called the police and they got here really fast. I mean, they got here real fast. Uh, the police were here and a couple minutes and they checked on us in our office and make sure we were okay,
[30:08] told us to just hunker down and they, uh, I guess, I guess got the guy pretty quick after that. Next to the, uh, occupy next to the ice building, immigrations and customs enforcement renting a building at 4310 Southwest Macadam Avenue. and uh, my name is Jenka. I am here with Theresa. Good morning. And uh, and then we've got a guest here. Vanessa, who is with the mental health support team. Vanessa, thank you for joining us. Thanks for having me. And we've also got Angela, who is a mental health support, a counselor here. Thanks. Happy to be here. Um, so Vanessa, maybe you could tell us a little bit about the kind of support that people are provided with here at the camp. I know mental health support is kind of hard to get, it's not covered by a lot of insurance, but uh, but it's something that is being provided freely for people here at the camp who need, who need that kind of support. yeah. Um, well I, we come from all different back backgrounds
[31:17] and different levels of experience and um, I think that me personally, I try to focus on the most vulnerable members of the community, um, lgbtq folks that, um, you know, a little more fragile, um, younger kids. There are some really, you know, young kids here that, that need support, houseless people and um, people with mental health issues. Um, so what we do is a lot of calming strategies, um, a lot of self care, encouragement. People get really excited about being here and working and being part of the team and supporting others and they burn out and aren't taking care of themselves. So when I see signs of that in a person, whether they're, um, really jittery, whether they're crying very emotional overemotional about small things, I um, encourage them to, uh, have a strategy for self care and, um, do some breathing and they can offload to me or another one of our counselors. Um, so the talk really helps, helps people get things off their chest, helps people to recenter. And then, um, hopefully I give them some takeaways that they can use in their lives.
[32:45] and, uh, you're in, in school to be a counselor. Yeah.
[32:49] And nsw and then,
[32:51] um, I'm going to be a school counselor actually feel like that's a great place to make a difference and create change.
[32:58] And, uh, and how about you Angela? What brought you out to, uh, to come in and support the camp as a mental health support person?
[33:07] Well, I've been watching the news and just heartbroken over and over and over again and I'm just really trying to figure out how I can show up and be a support. Um, when I learned of the camp and the work that was happening here. Um, it really spoke to me. This is my first time seeing the camp. I'm really wanted to come by and see how I could help, how I could support the supporters, you know, the people who are on the front lines and, and really, um, getting actively involved in protesting, um, the, you know, what's happening with ice and the tearing apart of families. Um, so, so that's what brought me here. and, um, I have to say I'm quite impressed with what I've seen so far. It's an amazing community. Everyone has really come together. And how could you not want to be a part of that?
[34:09]There's no doubt and anxiety producing to come here and be confronted by the police as you enter the camp. But then of course, once you get past the, uh, the camp barrier, it's a pretty peaceful place. Um, and yet I imagine that is mostly what y'all are dealing with is, is trying to help people deal with their anxiety. Absolutely.
[34:28] Yeah. I wanted to speak to that a little bit. Um, I was supporting the people that were chained together earlier and um, some of the people that came off that chain after being there for 12 hours, not moving, uh, in, in handcuffs type things, change to other people. Um, came out of that and just had emotional breakdowns, you know, as you can imagine, like very emotional, a lot of crying and um, some anger and just really wound up. So I was able to help those people calm down and get to bed because they were, you know, they couldn't sleep. They were like, I can't sleep now. I can't sleep now. They were hyper, you know what I mean? One of the women that was out front ended up staying out there for 21 hours. Wow. Yeah. Very strong person. Um, and then came off the line, went home, slept and came right back.
[35:33] One of the things I noticed yesterday, there were eight people arrested, um, and I understand that, that, um, they have all been released at this point. I don't know if there are charges, but, um, I guess we'll find out more about that. But I noticed that there were three people in the patty wagon and they were a joyfully singing, uh, in, in the patty wagon. And it was a joyous out of resistance there in the, uh, as they were arrested, um, from that, that locked down in the front of the, uh, of the gate.
[36:03] Yeah. And that's, that's what's so beautiful about this communIty and this movement is that, um, where at once deeply saddened by what's going on and yet we can turn something of it into a positive and that we can come together and we can work together and we can cooperate and we can support each other and love each other. And it's a beautiful, beautiful thing.
[36:32] The word heart keeps coming up. I was noticing that a previous interview, people are doing this out of heart, out of empathy. And so it's interesting that they can confront that anxiety that just being, just being here produces because, and, and in the case of Danielle, for example, a is here because she felt so badly to think that someone, a mother like her was being torn apart from her children. And yet ironically, she, like others is here. Um, you know, putting her own situation to her own life, her own quality of life on the line. And uh,
[37:11] Same. I'm a mother too. And um, I've also felt exposed being here. Um, you know, I was interviewed for a tv thIng. I didn't realize what I was doing and my name, my full name was on there, you know what I mean, like I could just like my address could be found so easily, like everything. So, um, I have felt and, and all the pictures that the officers have been taking, like here at camp, we're just here, not on their property, totally peaceful. I'm, I'm talking to people, I'm hugging people. People are cooking food for others and they're up there watching us with binoculars and long range cameras and taking pictures of us while carrying guns while carrying guns. And I mean, if that doesn't scream gestapo and fascism to you, then you know,
[38:07] it is armed intimidation and it’s become altogether too common. I think that, uh, people have gotten used to it. I was, I was commenting in the last hour that this is also a political technique because you can make people be afraid of something by being, by pretendIng to be afraid of it. It's just a common technique. It's a human reaction. And so by having guns and, and you know, at times armor and a military presence there pretending that this, this absurdly peaceful scene here on the trimet easement is somehow physically threatening or the equivalent of a military threat. And that's not something that could be said out loud without inducing laughter. But to do it by a gesture continuously over a period of years and, and to get people used to it is quite effective. And so I just want to bring it out of this. It's a, the use of these, this weaponry where it is not necessary. It is effectively a lie. It's a, it's a mundacious gesture that is intended to deceive.
[39:06] Do you have anything? Yeah. Well, I, I just, uh, I agree with all of that. And so I think that that's why it is so important, um, to, to show up through the fear. Sometimes fear is supposed to tell us that we need to run in the opposite direction. And then sometimes it, it is, it is telling us that we need to dig our feet in and that we need to tighten our community and our support. And that's what I see happening here is that in the face of fear, people are, getting stronger. And that's
[39:51] by that I really am. I'm not risking in the same way because I've been on kbo for getting onto, let's say you have three decades. I've personally developed some minor notoriety, so I'm not risking much by coming here because, uh, uh, arresting me, uh, it has been expensive in terms of public relations. So I don't, I'm not risking that much. But there are people coming here who were risking just about everything. I'm very impressed by that. But a to actually just to show up here on this, as Jenka was pointing out this property, which is not ice properties adjacent to the ace ice property is not illegal. And every person who comes here for as much as five minutes a dilutes the impact of those, uh, intimidating gestures. So I just want to point that out for, for those who support the confrontation against the, uh, the no tolerance policy and the, uh, the racist totalitarianism that the, uh, the trump block is now projecting, I've noticed they're doubling down on this in a big way.
[40:54] Trump was definitely forced into, again, a mundacious gesture, which is all that he seems to be capable of signing an executive order is if he needed to, uh, as if he had not created the situation simply by expressing his well from the oval office. Uh, he has been cornered that much and that was impressive. And yet there are, uh, there are ongoing efforts because he has not backed down on the, uh, the no tolerance policy, which viciously and violently asserts that every person who is crossing the border, even though it's even though people have been forced here by their circumstances, pretending that all of these refugees, which europe has, has taken an in a much more welcoming,.....
[42:33] found
[43:58] they know is evil. and then get that this is a fairly developed quite a momentum to it. So can you comment on that? On about whiteness and about the separation policy and, and the, the general…..
[44:13] fantastic
[45:04] humanity about, about how
[45:06] cruel this was and trying to invoke their empathy and you know, on, and on and on and, and you know, I could see that behind their masks some of them were starting to break, but they are well trained and the training that they have is that their department and just like the military breaks them down, breaks down their humanity, breaks down their empathy, treats them like dogs, and then build them back up again. Now this is your family, this is your group. this is who will protect you.
[45:39] This militaristic, a military country that worships the military.
[45:44] Yes. And, and, and that kind of thinking is all about breaking down people's humanity and their empathy. Yes. Take the empathy away. Yes.
[45:55] No, I think that, that, you know, what stood out for me when you were talking, right is just an agreement of everything that you were saying as far as how, how this is happening, how this has happened time and time again, and how this is used as a tool. You know, the other ring, um, z, the dehumanizing that happens that has happened in this country, unfortunately this country is founded on it in many ways and um, you know, so what really comes to me is this, this other side, right? That you see that happening and as individuals, and this speaks to my experience as individuals, we feel very helpless and we feel very hopeless, right? How could we ever stand up to this? So you either join or you feel alone, but there is this other option and that is to show up and it, it doesn't seem as simple as that.
[47:00] But I Can tell you after just my experIence this morning, it's that simple. I showed up and already I'm feeling the hope. I'm seeing the hope. I'm seeing people coming together and saying this is not okay. We are not all right and we are not going to lay down and take this. And it's beautiful. Yeah. So what I would say, what I would say to anyone out there who is feeling helpless, who's feeling hopeless, who hears you know, just what feels like this, like just hailstorm, right? Of of Terrible things, um, find a way to show up whatever it is, however small and you will start to see that hope and you wIll start to see that community. You will see people on the other side who are starting to band together. And, and that is, that is what we can do it like sometimes, sometimes the fear doesn't go away, so you'll just have to do it afraid. Don't wait until that fear goes away, find a way to be involved.
[48:12] No. Uh, people, uh, across the country are engaging in this way. And again, if you are just tuning in, we're at the occupy ice encampment down at 4310 Southwest Macadam where broadcasting live. My name is Jenka. I'm here with Teresa and we're speaking with a couple of the people with the mental health support team here at the occupy ice encampment. We're speaking with Andrea and Vanessa, um, who are able to provide support for people who need mental health support. Here at the camp. There's also a medical tent where people can, can get their basic medical needs. And they saId they've been treating cuts and bruises. Um, they give people medicine for, for colds, there's um, you know, a few, a few medical supplies that they're able to support a basic basic injuries and things like that. There is also a kitchen where three meals a day, hot meals are cooked up and served by volunteers.
[49:18] It is very, very organized. They've got info tent, they've got, uh, people uh, can, can check out books from a, from a library free library. There is a kids' tent with activities for families to come and, uh, and, and get involved. And it is a very supportive environment here. Um, and I just, we were earlier talking about, um, what's happening in other places. Uh, speaking of kids, there's a kid coming by on a little toy car, uh, just as, as we speak. Uh, it's a, it's a peaceful feel here at the camp, uh, and uh, and a lot of support for one another. In New York city. They're saying this morning they are all set up 24/7 presence at foley square. They're doing art build today and a march this afternoon. And then tomorrow morning, the 10:00 AM march and family separation. Now that's a national event, the end family separation march, uh, here in Portland, there is a occupy, uh, a, a family belonged together march and that is beginning at Northwest Everett and 8th at 10:00 AM.
[50:31] And that is in the north park blocks. It's a family belonged families belong together, protest and rally for this same issue. So this is the breast elephant, isn't it? Yep, right around there, just north of Burnside. Um, and not just the community efforts of, uh, of all these volunteers that are coming out, uh, to show support. And people saying enough is enough. Local governments have also started to sever ties. So here in Oregon, the city of Springfield voted to end their contract with ice for housing, immigrants in it and the municipal jail. Awesome. That, uh, I don't know the details, but the New York times is reporting today that, that is one of a list of, uh, of cities across the country that are terminating contracts with ice. I'm including it in near Austin, Texas. There was a contract of a housing, um, migrant children who had been separated from their parents and the city decided to end that in Sacramento county.
[51:37] Um, they are also ending their contract with ice to house immigrants while they're awaiting hearings. It's happening all over and, and spreading then yes, they are urging. Yeah. And not just at the, uh, at the, at the kind of grassroots activists level, but city councils are taking action. Um, I know there was a big presence at the Portland City council on wednesday, uh, with a lot of people I'm calling for the city to take more action to abolish ICE as far as I know, the city of Portland hasn't taken that action, although they continue to declare this as a sanctuary city.
[52:16] It's pretty easy to get here even though the federal police have blocked Macadam avenue, but that's only one entrance to this area, which is very busy because of the, uh, OHSU and the apartments, et cetera. It's like, what's the new. It's the south waterfront, I think it's called. Yeah. How did y'all get here?
[52:31] Um, so I, um, took, um, I'm trying to remember what that street is Macadam down to. yeah. So I took Macadam and I went right past the tesla service center and you, um, you, I actually, I'm parked in a pay for parking, but there are all of these free spots as well that you can park so you can turn right before or right after, um, depending and you'll see the camps, um, and it may look, it may look a little Scary from the road just because you're seeing all of the dhs in their, um, in their riot gear and everything, but they are very separate from the camp and the camp itself is, is a little lower down and it's, it's very, um, it's very peaceful and it's a very different feeling once you get down here. One of the other things too is that there's a million and one ways to show up.
[53:36] So if you can't be a physical presence or that is too much, um, there's always need for supplies. So that's another thing that you can do, um, and you can even just drop them off at the front. Um, one thing, two things that they run out of a lot of that I've heard is snacks and coffee. So we want to, we want to keep them, we want to keep them with snacks and coffee. So if you just want to bring it down to the camp and kind of check it out, I really, really encourage you to do that.
[54:08] Really makes for an interesting contrast because the, I remember the ice building going up years ago and I was actually, I am now retired trimet bus driver and that's how I made my living. And so I would drive the number 35 past here and I see it going up and I could see that it was a prison. Um, and uh, so I remember talking about that on the air some years ago when the, when the building was going up, when they completed it. Uh, one of the creepy things about this prison, um, I refer to it often as a dungeon, is that there is a rather excessive hvac. If you, if you look at the drone footage, for example, you can see maybe a little bit on democracy now this morning, uh, if you look at the top of the building, you can see that it has a really massive h vac that's not just because of the size of the building, but because, uh, there was a decision for the sake of propaganda, um, and to be terroristic, uh, ice decided that they would, uh, they, they intentionally induce exposure in their victim can bring people in to this facility and they, they bring them with vans a, when what is operating normally, they bring them in with vans that have steel plate over the windows, which looks pretty damn creepy from the start when they get inside.
[55:17] The temperature is intentionally too low, especially for people from the southern to well tolerate. And that's what all that equipment on the roof is about. So it's the, the building itself as sort of, as an expression of racist, creepiness and has been from the start. By contrast, we have this, this camp here on the, the, the trimet easement, a adjacent to it, which is all about respect. It's all about cordiality. Uh, it's, it's calm, uh, even the tents are in a row for gosh sakes. It's, it's such a different. It, it shows that the american people once aware of the sort of thing will not collaborate with it, I think. And, uh, it's encouraging to hear Jenka that as you say this, uh, this rebellion seems to be spreading and it should, uh, this is, uh, I mean the, for example, amy, Amy Goodman, talking to you about a three year old clambering over a table.
[56:09] As you know, insensibly of course is given a piece of paper with no, no legal representation in accord, a three year old being tried in a court. That's how sick the country has become. And I think people have decided, well, this is, this is where we draw the line. And so I see this line being drawn and the people, there are people standing listening to us right now and I've seen this look of determination on. And it's not, it's not an angry look, it's just a look that comes from the heart that there pardon me, that they are there still being no more of this descent into madness and fascism.
[56:41] Yeah. Yeah. And I also wanted to mention, Jenka was talking about some of the services provided here. Um, to me the most important service is that there's an immigration tent, so families that are showing up for their appointments with ice that have not been told that they're canceled because the building was closed. Um, they can't even afford them that basic decency. So family is not speaking english and not knowing their way around the country get here and they're confused. The doors are locked. And so our volunteers are bringing them into their tents. Um, there is translation, there are resources for them. Um, they make phone calls for them and find out where their appointment might have been moved. They encourage them to take pictures in front of the building to show that they showed up for their appointments and if their appointment has been moved somewhere else, they will actually put them in a taxi or an uber or lyft and give them money because we've been raising a lot of money. People are donating and this is the way we're using it to actually help immigrants. And I know that, um, a lot of the money that we've raised, if that all is going to go to an organization, which I've forgotten the name of, but it is an organization that helps. Um, no, no, it was a you or something. Oh yeah. So I think that's really like the heart of.
[58:10] That's another contrast. Let's see that everything you're. Pardon me, everything here is transparent as opposed to the mendacity of the Trump administration, before an international forum today doubling down on the lie, the pretense that is constantly being brought forth in order to produce fear of the, the idea that people coming in, that, that refugees are more inherently more violent than the general population. And this is easily and constantly disproven. And so they are simply using the big lie technique and repeating it as often as they can so that it stays in people's minds.
[58:42] Yeah. Another fascist technique. Yeah.
[58:45] Here we see there's a little. When you, when you come into the area, which I was saying earlier is just, uh, just south of the, uh,
[58:56] oh, looks like we're just about out of time. I'll say we're at 4310 Southwest Macadam. Yes. So we've, uh, we've, we've been, uh, here at live, at occupy ice and uh, in Portland. And you can check our website kboo.fm for when we will be live from the, uh, from the encampment again. And uh, so do keep tuned Into kboo 90.7 fm kboo Portland. And we're signing off. thank you so much to our guests for joining us from occupy ice.
[59:31] Thank you so much, KBOO community radio is proud to cosponsor Iran forum US withdrawal from nuclear agreement and path to war on Friday, June 29th at 6:30 at the First Unitarian Church. Important. The Iran forum will feature Jamal Abdi, executive director of the National Iranian American Council, journalist Reese Erlick, and local speakers in a discussion about withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal.
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