Harry arrested at single payer protest

Word comes from my friend Anne Trudeau that Harry Kershner, radical leftist (although he calls himself a centrist in step with the majority of Americans) was arrested at yesterday's single payer health care protest at Portland Community College, Cascade Campus, where Earl Blumenauer and Howard Dean were speaking.  (Or as Harry would say, "lying their asses off".)

Say what you want about Harry, who many view as a dogmatic ideologue.  But never deny that Harry Kershner has the courage of his convictions:

He walks his talk. 

That's more than can be said about most of us who share his views on health care, American foreign policy, and the disgusting timidity of our elected Democratic political leaders.

Comments

[anne t.]

I was at the town hall on healthcare, although, like many single payer advocates, I was not issued a ticket to go in. From what I saw in the video broadcast the speakers were saying "Single payer....later". That sounds pretty cruel when you realize that 22,000 people a year die from lack of health care, or when you read the salaries of health care insurance executives. I am suspicious of any plans that perpetuate the health care insurance industry that puts profits over people's lives.
Single Payer Action organized the demonstration. Go to singlepayeraction.org for more information. Members of Jobs with Justice Healthcare Committee and Physicians for National Healthcare Program (PNHP) were there as well as many other individual activists.
Here is a link the video of the civil disobedience at the Senate Health Care committee in Washington DC last month. RNs from California Nurses Association and doctors from PNHP were arrested when they simply tried to get a Single Payer on the table for the healthcare reform discussion. Senator Baucus, chair of the committee has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from health insurance companies. Charges were later dropped.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xntn4Zv17oc&feature=PlayList&p=E79AFE35F2B8536E&index=4

[Harry Kershner]

Thanks, Terry and Anne.

But "dogmatic ideologue"? My favorite description of myself is "self-righteous prig" (thanks to Cristy M. for that).

It's the dogmatic corporatism and hegemony of the dominant parties that's ideological. My dogmatic prigishness is non-ideological.

[lonevet2008joe]

Town Hall my Ass!

I attended the fiasco called a Town Hall Meeting with Congressman** blumenauer and Dr. Howard Dean on Friday afternoon. The was the worst run “Town Hall” I have ever attended. At best it was a major screw up on the part of willie smith and the earlman and at worst was a planned shutout of any of the activists who support and are willing to fight for Single Payer. I was ashamed that I had spent 40 years in the democratic party, and was glad I finally left it in disappointment. This meeting was modeled after the bush/cheney idea of a Town Hall; control the tickets, load the place with party officials, and exclude any real people who might ask the hard questions. Willie Smith, you are a LIAR!

Lie: “Anything that gives a false impression.”

We were invited to the Town Hall by e-mail, we were told that Blumenauer’s staff were overwhelmed by the response and had to have a lottery to pick for the tickets, we were told that they would let us know who won the lottery. Two days before the event we were told, “We” lost!

I say we, because the activists who are the leaders in Portland for Single Payer were excluded, any members of Individuals for Justice were excluded, and members of any protest group that are known were excluded. It is not possible to have a random lottery and come out with those results, the fix was in and heads should roll. But we can’t even get the earlman to call for the arrest of mass murderers, why would he apologize for screwing his base one more time. But there is good news.

From the reports coming out of the “Invited guest meeting” things heated up inside when Dr. Howard Dean recognized the noise outside the doors and acknowledged that the democratic party must move towards Single Payer. I was not inside so I am dependant on others for what was said. I know there will be video soon of the rigged event, so we shall see. The protest became sad when a wonderful, peaceful man named Harry was arrested by the campus police.

I call Harry a friend of mine, because he makes me proud when I stand and say enough! He has refused to surrender to police power on any level when his rights are challenged. Talking to him after his release it was obvious to me that once again a cop was asked by what law do you order me under and that caused Harry’s arrest. I hope he writes about his arrest, as this part of the event is his story. I am just proud to be around people who will stand and say---I am an American and you are not going to violate my rights without one hell of a fight, Thanks Harry!

We shall see how all this plays out, more and more people are coming to realize that our politicians are not representing our interests, but their own. They belong to a club that will never invite you or I to the table, they must be replaced, every goddamn one of them: blumenauer, wyden, wu, etc. etc. (give Merkley a few years of grace or not)

There will be more written about this event, this again is how I saw it. I did enjoy chasing willie smith around with my makeshift megaphone yelling, the best I could, Liar, willie you are a liar---you lie!

Some think that people who had tickets are also supporters of Single Payer, I disagree---if they supported our battle then they would be standing with us and not validating the rigged town hall manipulated by willie smith and the earlman! ENOUGH!

**Refuse to capitalize due to disrespect and/or disappointment

Joe Walsh-Lone Vet
VVAW-Veterans Against Torture
Individuals for Justice
American

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