From Friday, October 2th to Sunday October 4th, there will be a major conference on the causes and solutions to the current crises. We are calling it Econvergence: Northwest Gathering on the Economic and Ecological Crisis. The keynote speaker is Noam Chomsky, who will be speaking on Friday night, October 2 at the First Unitarian Church in Portland
Our website is www.econvergence.org Check it out. If you want to get involved with the Olympia group working on it, call me at 360 867-6431.
Reflections on activism, state of the movement in Olympia (notes)
Bio—parents, Austrian Jewish immigrants, holocaust survivors. Grew up, modest income, Queens New York, parents, values of equality but sense of powerlessness, 60’s made me feel possibility of change, activism matters—look yourself in the mirror and can effect things— Give example, nov. 69 march on WA-Nixon, was considering using nuclear weapons—people in power never admit, Victim of cointlepro Active in many movements-solidarity, anti-racist, tenants organizing, economic justice, labor solidarity, student, SDS, teaching at Evergreen since 1987
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Reflections on Activism
Talk at rally sponsored by El Comite pro Reforma Migratoria y Justicia Social
Gracias para venir a primer de Mayo!! Since December 2007, three million families have lost their homes, five million people have lost their jobs in the last year, and even more have lost health care coverage. These numbers will worsen. Are immigrants the cause of this economic crisis? No, they are part of the solution. Are workers wanting too much money the cause of the crisis, No!! Wages have been falling for most workers. We need to understand and challenge an unsustainable economic system that has been fueled by more and more debt…
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Talk at May Day Seattle
Because of the Israeli aggression against Gaza, Venezuela has expelled the Israeli ambassador.
Causes of and solutions to Economic Recession/depression and financial meltdown (talk notes)
Intro—I am Pete Bohmer, Thanks for coming. today’s forum will deal with 4 questions— beginning not an end. 1) What caused this financial melt-down—, 2) what are the implications of the bailout of banks and financial institutions last week and the related bailouts of financial institutions such as BearStearns, AIG. Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac—for the financial system, and more importantly the economic lives of the people of the United States and other countries—3) What is likely to happen economically over the next two years in terms of unemployment, wages, quality of life, and 4) what are alternatives to the bailout that we should be advocating for? Hopefully, today will help answer some of these important questions…
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Financial Meltdown Talk, October 9, 2008
I want to thank organizers of this event, one of thousands around the world. I want to thank Longshore Union, ILWU for calling for a work stoppage to protest the U.S. war against Iraq today on , May Day I want to thank Native Americans whose land we are on. I want to thank everyone who has come out today, especially immigrants, who are standing up for justice, in spite of serious risks. In May 1886, labor organizers, anarchists, socialists called for a strike demanding an 8 hour day. They were also calling for a different society—an equal one where working people controlled this country, not the rich. Hundreds of thousands, the majority of whom were immigrants, went out on strike in support for the 8 hour day…
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May Day Rally 2008, Olympia, WA
Outline of SDS Talk, Peter Bohmer, April 21, 2007
Thanks for inviting me. I will talk for about an hour about lessons of SDS for current SDS and related organizing, and am looking forward to a good discussion afterwards. As mentioned in my intro, I was active in New Left and SDS, continue to be activist for and a student of radical social change, and I am inspired by those like the people here, you–who are working for a society organized around economic and social justice for all. Let me start with some history of SDS, will include a little of my own in it. . 1. What was SDS- a central group of New Left. In the old left, big issue…
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Outline of Talk at SDS NW Regional Convention, April 2007
Slightly edited version of talk by Peter Bohmer, at Anti-War, Support Ehren Watada Rally at gates of Ft. Lewis, Monday, February 5. 2007
Thanks for coming. It is an impressive turnout. The Vietnamese resistance to the U.S. occupation in Vietnam together with the growing resistance inside and outside the U.S. military, forced the U.S. to withdraw from Vietnam. We can and will do the same in Iraq, hopefully sooner than later. The Bush administration has given many reasons for its invasion and occupation of Iraq: first: regime change, which actually began under Clinton; then Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) including building of nuclear weapons, and Iraq government support for 9/11 and Al Qaeda. Since April, 2003, the U.S. claimed the purpose of the war and occupation was bringing democracy to Iraq, then rebuilding it; then stopping a Civil War inside Iraq and a bloodbath if we withdrew; and now stopping a regional war and Middle East instability; and/or stopping Iran expansionism…
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Rally to Free Ehren Watada, Feb. 2007 near Ft. Lewis
Let Us Wage a War Against Poverty Not Against the Poor!! by Peter Bohmer, given at the OMJP Community Forum at the Olympia Center, December 6, 2006
The anti-homeless sidewalk ordinances passed last Tuesday, November28th are one more pinprick in the war against the poor, against homeless and street people. It is part of the ongoing attempt to criminalize the poor rather than to determine causes and solutions to poverty, racism, homophobia, the lack of affordable housing and the lack of meaningful work at livable wages. The city government in Olympia and many of its residents just like San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Seattle are very liberal when it comes to opposing Bush and the war in Iraq, in denouncing the Nazis, and preaching tolerance but unfortunately, this does not extend to doing what is necessary to end poverty and homelessness in Olympia. The city council, with a few exceptions, like TJ Johnson, represents the homeowners and the businesses owners, not those with the least power and resources. We need to make it clear by our words and actions that we want a city council, a school board…
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Housing and Homelsssness Panel Fall 2006, Olympia
Political Economy and Social Movements
10/24/06-Peter Bohmer
Introduction to Marxism-—Philosophy, Theory of History, Economics and Politics.
Marx and Marxism, Karl Marx, 1818-1883
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Lecture: Introduction to Marxism, 10/24/2006