John Day and Chile

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.

John Day doesn't much care for Nazis

Go, Grandma!

The good people of John Day, Oregon, had a thing or two to say in response to Paul Mullet and the Nazis who are entertaining the notion of setting up shop in Grant County.  They took to the street in downtown John Day, waving signs and banners.  The crowd on Saturday, February 20th included 80 people.  On Monday, February 22nd, another 60 people showed up to demonstrate.  That's pretty damn good for a town with a population of less than 2000 souls.

Said Delilah Michael, a grandmother with mixed race grandchildren, "[I]t ain't going to happen here, with my grandkids."

On Friday, February 26th, the Blue Mountain Eagle newspaper, (which tells the whole story here), hosted a community meeting featuring Idaho attorney Norman Gissel who has been dealing with hate groups for a couple decades.  The meeting was packed full of concerned citizens.  My coworker, who grew up in Grant County and who first alerted me to the event, said she had never seen anything like it.

All of this came about when Paul Mullet, the leader of the Aryan Nations, showed up in town looking to buy some property to serve as a national headquarters for his gang.  He even pitched the benefits that his mob would bring to John Day, saying they would perform community services like patrolling the streets to keep drugs and crime at bay.  (Doesn't that just make you feel safe?  Bands of Nazis patrolling the streets?)

Well, Grant County residents, God bless 'em, are having none of it.  Reports are that signs are going up in shop windows and restaurants reserving the right to refuse service to anyone.  The owner of one piece of property that Mullet's group had apparently considered has said that the property is not for sale.

It is not over yet, of course.  According to Paul Mullet, his group seeks to create a homeland for "white people."  Quoth he:  "That area is the Pacific Northwest," he said. "The blacks have Africa, the Jews have Israel ..."

Well, I got news for ya, Paul:  You can kiss my half-white ass!

Let's see where it goes from here...

Earthquake in Chile

 Fear in the aftermath

A massive earthquake, registering 8.8(!) on the richtor scale struck off the coast of Chile last weekend.  Chileans, living in the tumultuous Andes Mountains, are no strangers to earthquakes and, thankfully, they are more prepared for such contingencies than were the poor people of impoverished Haiti. Nonetheless, Chile will need help.

Caras de Chile

When I heard the news about this quake, I immediately thought back to my trip to Chile, in late 2004.  I wondered about all the people I met down there.  I hope they are alright.

Let's go, America!  Even though things are tough for us, we're not so bad off that we can't help others in need, eh?