Posts published in “Uncategorized”

Activists blockaded the West Coast nuclear submarine base that would likely carry out a nuclear strike against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) should President Donald Trump give the order. Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, just 20 miles from Seattle, is home to the largest concentration of deployed nuclear weapons…

On July 30, 2017, I was honored to spend the day with some of the truly outstanding heroes of this world. By the grace of God they are still alive today. I had heard the words Ground Zero, but I had no idea what they were about. A friend invited…

Dear WIP, The prospect of more thoughtless building blight in downtown Olympia looms smack-dab in the middle of the oldest and most significant historic civic vista in Washington state. There is no more perfect place on earth to showcase the state’s most impressive attributes than the civic vista that stretches…

Dear Ms. Floyd, These are my official comments on the current “Views on Fifth” proposal for the Capitol Center Building on the Isthmus, a.k.a., Mistake by the Lake. My primary concern about any built structure proposed for the isthmus is the inappropriate participation of the City as the approving agency. This area…

Twitter tongued and alt-right minded The recent public statements by the president of the United States attributing moral parity to a neo-Nazi, white supremacist rally and counter-protesters in Charlottesville last month have generated well-deserved rejection and condemnation internally and abroad. Most of the criticism — understandably so — has been…

Olympia’s Poet Laureate, in conjunction with the City of Olympia and Intercity Transit, seeks submissions of poetry that will inspire and encourage positivity and celebrate community for an upcoming project to publish 12 poems at bus stops and possibly on buses around Olympia. Submission Guidelines: Submit up to 3 poems…

By denying climate activists the right to present their cases to a jury, judges are cutting democracy out of political trials Political activists challenging the ascendancy of President Donald Trump are increasingly availing themselves of the criminal legal system as a means of defending their ideas and confronting government repression. From Inauguration…

While Syria’s civil war has dominated our media’s reporting from the Middle East, Yemen’s grave and multifaceted crises have escaped the attention of most Americans. As the country enters a humanitarian and environmental calamity, a new signal from Saudi Arabia may offer a glimmer of hope in Yemen’s civil war.…

We can’t eliminate discomfort Democracy depends on real and meaningful ways for the governed to have a say in how they are governed. Part of the promise of local government is that it will make it possible for people to participate in decisions that directly affect their everyday life. When…

Be wary of those who say they’re on your side when it comes to the war on cancer. Cancer seems to be on everyone’s radar these days. The struggle against the disease is discussed openly in everyday conversation and constantly referenced in the media. But that’s a good thing, right?…

Works in Progress is a free newspaper that’s been produced and consumed in Thurston County every month for almost 30 years. Periodically, some WIP folks look up from their tasks and discover that it’s time to bring in some new and different people to keep the publication going strong. Check…

Then. In May, Evergreen faculty member Bret Weinstein went on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight where he stood by while Carlson mischaracterized the events of a day when students disrupted Weinstein’s class. Carlson’s programs are often culled for presentation on “alt-right” media. After Weinstein’s appearance, the college was the subject…

The words “economics” and “ecology” stem from the ancient Greek root oikos meaning the family and the family’s property. The two disciplines are founded on many of the same principles. Citizens working toward a better world face challenges that overlap and fall under both. We hope for a more equitable society. We hope to guarantee…

On July 11, local members of the Puget Sound Communities 4 Impeachment asked the Olympia City Council to adopt a resolution calling on Congress to investigate impeachment of US President Donald Trump. Twenty or more people gathered in front of City Hall, unfurled a banner and waved flags to the…

[Ed note: When the legislature left Olympia on July 20 this year (after three extra sessions) they had agreed on the amount and detail of the budget that funds all state-supported capital projects. It’s just that the Senate Republicans refused to vote on it. This reflected the increasingly frequent breakdown…

Last issue I had intended to publish an essay about the power of protest poetry, particularly highlighting the work in the 2016 anthology Of Poetry and Protest: from Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin, edited by Philip Cushway and Michael Warr, against the backdrop of more unjust verdicts, more tragic shootings,…

The City of Lacey just turned 50, and the city council held an appreciation ceremony at its meeting Thursday night for those who made the year long celebration a success. The accolades, though well deserved, along with the announcement of the city’s new song, “You’re Never a Stranger in Lacey,” could not have been more poorly…

The Puyallup tribe and other environmental activists are waging a heroic and determined fight against a disastrous liquid natural gas (LNG) plant at the Port of Tacoma, Wash. Planned and approved virtually in secret, it would feature a 140-foot-tall, 8 million gallon tank of liquid natural gas stored at –260ºF.…

When they come for you… Dear WIP, Here is a recap of the July 17 hearing in Seattle, where the issue is removing Zahid Chaudhry from the country.  Judge Paul deFonzo spent some time to mark exhibits and make sure each party had the same documents; then government side wanted…

Progressives don’t need to be reminded about the importance of acting on climate change. Few other issues we face will affect so many so dramatically while still managing to remain near the bottom of the priority list for many elected officials. And it’s certainly true that the election of November…

Many Americans voted for Donald Trump because he vowed to end the foreign conflicts in which the US had become entangled. So far, they have been disappointed. But this week a light flashed at the end of the tunnel. President Trump, according to numerous reliable Washington sources, has decided to…

It’s right around the corner now. On August, 21st 2017, the new moon will pass right in front of the mourning sun and completely block out the entire disk. I have yet to see a total eclipse myself but I’ve heard it is an experience so sublime it can restore…

Here in Olympia there is a problem in East Bay off of Budd Inlet. The problem is water quality. It does not meet federal clean water standards. Part of the problem is that Moxlie Creek, which flows into East Bay, is encased in a half-mile-long, underground, concrete pipe. This affects…

Readers of Works in Progress will likely know that The Evergreen State College closed at the end of May because of an anonymous caller to Thurston County Communications who said, “I’m on my way to Evergreen University now with a .44 Magnum. I am gonna execute as many people on…

“A Port is something Olympia doesn’t know she has,” the Chamber of Commerce told Thurston County voters nearly a century ago. When the people of Thurston County created the public Port of Olympia in 1922, the area was riding high on the great western timber boom. A Port District could…

It feels like we just had this talk. But it was actually ten years ago. Despite mentioning the topic rarely – if ever—during their campaigns last year, Thurston County commissioners have started the process for building a convention center. The weirdest part of their action is that they’re choosing an archaic…