Showing posts with label peace and justice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peace and justice. Show all posts

Pacific Northwest Peace Walk for a Nuclear Free World and Racial Justice

Friday, August 7, 2020

Some of the Peace Walkers gather in LFP


20 people were present on August 6, 2020 in Lake Forest Park at the Peace Pole on the corner of Bothell Way NE and Ballinger Way NE for the start of the day for the Pacific Northwest Peace Walk.

The theme this year is for a Nuclear Free World and Racial Justice.

Peace Walkers on Bothell Way
 
The Peace Walk was shorter than in past years due to the pandemic. The Peace Walk began in Tacoma on August 5th and will end at the Trident nuclear submarine base at Bangor, Washington on August 8th.

Rev. Senji Kanaeda speaks of the need for racial justice

Rev. Senji Kanaeda of the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple on Bainbridge Island held the ceremony on the 75th year remembrance of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan and spoke of our need for racial justice and peace.

The Peace Walk on August 6th ended the day at Green Lake.

--Photos by Karol Milner and Glen Milner



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Pacific Northwest Peace Walk for a Nuclear Free World and Racial Justice

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Photo by Rev. Senji Kanaeda


The annual Pacific Northwest Peace Walk will start the day on Thursday, August 6th in Lake Forest Park for the 75th year remembrance of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. 

Rev. Senji Kanaeda of the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple on Bainbridge Island will conduct a short ceremony for peace at 11am at the Peace Pole on the corner of Bothell Way NE (SR 522) and Ballinger Way NE (SR 104).

The theme for the Peace Walk this year is for a Nuclear-Free World and Racial Justice.

The Peace Walk is much shorter this year due to the pandemic. The Peace Walk on August 6th will be a distance of seven miles, with the procession beginning in Lake Forest Park and ending in Seattle at Green Lake. 

This day is part of a four-day walk that begins in Tacoma on August 5th and ends at the Trident nuclear submarine base at Bangor, Washington on August 8th.

All are invited to participate in the short ceremony in Lake Forest Park and for all or part of the seven-mile Peace Walk to Green Lake. Participants will wear masks and practice social distancing.

For more information, please contact Rev. Senji Kanaeda or Rev. Gilberto Perez at 206-780-6739 or 206-724-7632 (cell), or Glen Milner at 206-979-8319.




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In support of Black Lives Matter, Lake Forest Park for Peace returns to weekly street demonstrations

Monday, June 8, 2020

Lake Forest Park for Peace

Photos by Karol and Glen Milner

In support of Black Lives Matter and activists for social and racial justice across the U.S., Lake Forest Park for Peace members returned to the street corner of Bothell Way NE (SR 522) and Ballinger Way NE (SR 104) on Saturday, June 6, 2020.

Hannah McFeron


This marked a resumption of demonstrations after an eleven-week pause for the coronavirus pandemic, with their last vigil on March 21st.

Lake Forest Park for Peace has maintained a weekly demonstration since it was formed on December 14, 2002 in opposition to the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the upcoming Iraq War.

Hannah and her mom, Alisa McFeron
 
In March 2011, Lake Forest Park for Peace members donated a Peace Pole to the City of Lake Forest Park which marks a permanent call for peace at the Bothell Way NE and Ballinger Way NE street corner.



A young man in a vehicle at the intersection briefly joined the group with his sign stating: No Justice, No Peace.

You are invited to join them, too, every Saturday from 11 am to noon.



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Lake Forest Park International Day of Action Saturday

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Lake Forest Park International Day of Action Saturday: No War With Iran!

Join CODEPINK and co-hosts Lake Forest Park for Peace, et al. across the world as we demand peace with Iran. 

Bring your sign and stand for peace.

January 25, 2020 at 11am - 12pm
Corner of Bothell Way NE (SR 522) and Ballinger Way NE (SR 104)
Lake Forest Park 98155
Email for more information or see the event page


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Lake Forest Park for Peace 17-year Anniversary on December 14, 2019

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Photo by by Colleen Arima

Lake Forest Park for Peace members will celebrate their 17-year anniversary on Saturday, December 14, at the street corner of Bothell Way NE (SR 522) and Ballinger Way NE (SR 104) from 11am to noon. Members will also meet at the Lake Forest Park Town Center from noon to 2pm. All are welcome.

Lake Forest Park for Peace was formed on December 14, 2002 in opposition to the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the upcoming Iraq War. Members have publicly demonstrated for peace on over 880 consecutive Saturdays as well as demonstrating at hundreds of other events

Members held a candlelight vigil for peace on the evening of March 20, 2003 when a driver stopped to inform them that the U.S. had just started its bombing campaign for the invasion of Iraq.

John Makey, who has attended the Lake Forest Park vigil since it first began, stated, “We represent a living democracy—placing ourselves and our demands for a peaceful society into the public arena.”

In March 2011, Lake Forest Park for Peace members donated a Peace Pole to the City of Lake Forest Park which marks a permanent call for peace at the Bothell Way NE and Ballinger Way NE street corner.

Photo by Colleen Arima


On Monday, December 9, 2019, the Washington Post released the first of a six-part series, titled, The Afghanistan Papers A secret history of the war, based upon court-released federal records. The 2,000 pages of interviews revealed that “senior U.S. officials failed to tell the truth about the war in Afghanistan throughout the 18-year campaign, making rosy pronouncements they knew to be false and hiding unmistakable evidence the war had become unwinnable.”

Since 2001, more than 775,000 U.S. troops have deployed to Afghanistan, many repeatedly. Of those, 2,300 died there and 20,589 were wounded in action, according to Defense Department figures.

Political leaders now express shock and alarm with some in the U.S. Senate calling for an investigation. Meanwhile, Congress is preparing to pass a $738 billion National Defense Authorization Act, ensuring for more endless wars and establishing a sixth branch of the armed forces, U.S. Space Force, to further advance weapons in space. And as our President proposes sending 14,000 troops more troops to the Middle East.

Please join with us.




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Film: Paris to Pittsburgh - Americans and the Paris Climate Agreement

Saturday, November 2, 2019


Sunday, November 3, 2019 at 11:30am the Peace and Justice committee of the Richmond Beach Congregational United Church of Christ will screen the movie Paris to Pittsburgh.

The Climate for Change is Now

Movie snacks and beverages provided. Lena Vories Room, 1512 NW 195th St upper level



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Op-Ed: Protest child detention Sunday, August 25 from 10:00am to 11:00am

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Protest in Lake Forest Park
Photo by Luanne Brown


By Luanne Brown

For the past several weeks, a small group of people have been gathering at the corner of Ballinger Way and Bothell Way NE (SR 522) with signs to protest the separation of children from their families at the U.S. Mexico border.

Participants object not only to the separation and incarceration of asylum-seekers, but to their reported treatment by government-funded private facilities where they are said to be held in squalid conditions without adequate nutrition, hygiene, physical, and emotional safety. 

These neglectful conditions have resulted in the deaths of several children. And the cruelty toward these dependents grows harsher by the day as the Trump administration rips screaming babies from their mothers’ arms, threatens longer detainments, and claims they will not vaccinate detained children in border detention facilities during the coming flu season.

Attendees of last week’s protest included concerned citizens from Lake Forest Park, Shoreline, and Woodinville and surrounding suburbs. 

Charles Anstett, an activist from Lake Forest Park and one of the organizers, said “We are protesting because we think the separating children from their parents and detaining them by locking them in cages is immoral. All Americans of good conscience need to stand up and speak out.”

Another activist, Lael White of Mountlake Terrace said she came because, "I want people to think about how our government is conducting severely inhumane treatment of innocent people at our border, families who are seeking asylum."

Doug Margeson, of Woodinville, brought his American flag to the protest. “I just came to support the cause. It’s not right to separate families,” he said.

Linda Baarslag-Benson of Lake Forest Park, who attended the protest with her husband Ross Baarslag-Benson, said “We have been shocked and sickened by the news of this inhumane treatment of immigrant children at our border and felt a strong call to action ourselves. We set out to do our own weekly vigil in Lake Forest Park. 

"Our goal is to bear witness to this dark time in our country and to highlight this truth, that ALL children are OUR children.”

House guests, of the Baarslag-Bensons,’ Bobbi Crane and Tom Arvidson from Missoula, Montana joined their hosts at the protest. According to Crane, “We don’t get too many opportunities to protest in Montana, so we welcomed the opportunity to support this effort.”

If you believe that it’s wrong to crush young lives with such cruelty, join us next Sunday. Let the world know that the north-end residents have had enough and demand kinder, more compassionate treatment that reunites families, not separates them.

Protests are planned every Sunday for the indefinite future.

10am to 11am
At the corner of Ballinger Way and Bothell Way NE (SR 522)



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Lake Forest Park peace activist arrested at Bangor submarine base

Thursday, August 15, 2019

A flash mob from Bothell danced to the song War (What is it good for).
Video on Facebook page


Glen Milner, of the Lake Forest Park for Peace group, was arrested in front of the Bangor submarine base on the Kitsap Peninsula on Monday, August 5, 2019 for being in the roadway leading to the base during rush hour traffic.

He was part of a group of 60, including two other members from Lake Forest Park, who staged a demonstration in front of the gates to the base. The demonstration marked the 74th Anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bombing.

11 demonstrators, including Milner, blocked the road holding signs. They were removed by the Washington state patrol and cited under RCW 46.61.250.Pedestrians on roadways.

About 30 minutes later, and after being cited, Milner and four others reentered the roadway carrying a banner with a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which stated, “When scientific power outruns spiritual power, we end up with guided missiles and misguided men.” 

The five were removed by the Washington State Patrol, cited with RCW 9A.84.020, Failure to disperse, and released at the scene.

The demonstration on August 5th was the culmination of a four-day event at Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action. On Sunday, August 4th, David Swanson, a longtime peace activist, author, and radio host spoke at the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action. His presentation: The Myths, the Silence, and the Propaganda That Keep Nuclear Weapons in Existence.

There are eight Trident SSBN submarines deployed at Bangor. Six Trident SSBN submarines are deployed on the East Coast at Kings Bay, Georgia.

Each Trident submarine was originally equipped for 24 Trident missiles. In 2015-2017 four missile tubes were deactivated on each submarine as a result of the New START Treaty.

Currently, each Trident submarine deploys with 20 D-5 missiles and about 90 nuclear warheads (an average of 4-5 warheads per missile). The warheads are either the W76-1 100-kiloton or W88 455-kiloton warheads.

The Navy is currently planning to implement a smaller W76-2 “low-yield” or tactical nuclear weapon (approximately 6.5 kilotons) on ballistic submarine missiles at Bangor, dangerously creating a lower threshold for the use of nuclear weapons.

One Trident submarine carries the destructive force of over 1,300 Hiroshima bombs (the Hiroshima bomb was 15 kilotons).

The nuclear submarines do not normally travel through the Shoreline side of Puget Sound.

Milner was cited, but not detained. He will appear in court in Port Orchard on September 4, 2019.

Correction as to route of nuclear subs

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Shoreline activists to participate in gun violence vigil Saturday

Friday, August 9, 2019


Local activists will be participating in a Seattle area Gun Violence Vigil on Saturday, August 10, 2019 at 7pm in Seattle's Occidental Square, 117 S Washington St, Seattle 98104 in Pioneer Square.

The vigil is to honor and remember the victims of the Chicago, Brooklyn, El Paso, Dayton, and Gilroy shootings. 
We believe that in times of hardship, it is crucial for the community to come together to show strength and demand action from those in power.

For more information, email MFOLWA@gmail.com



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Photo: Orange the Overpass

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Orange the Overpass


Shoreline Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America hosted an “Orange the Overpass” event at the I-5 overpass at NE 185th St in Shoreline from 3:00 to 6:00pm under threatening skies on Friday evening.

About Wear Orange
In 2013, a small group of teens at a South Side Chicago high school asked their classmates to honor the life of their murdered friend Hadiya Pendleton by wearing orange – the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others and a color that reflects the value of human life.

They inspired the Wear Orange campaign (wearorange.org), which is led by a broad-based coalition working to reduce gun violence in America. Spearheaded by Everytown for Gun Safety, the campaign asks Americans who want to save lives from gun violence to do one simple thing on June 7, National Gun Violence Awareness Day: Wear Orange. 

Thousands of Americans will also participate in events during the Wear Orange weekend on June 8 and 9 with nationwide days of action. Those who wear orange promise to honor the lives of Americans stolen by gun violence, to help keep firearms out of dangerous hands and to protect our children from gun violence. Orange is the symbol of the gun violence prevention movement, and is used by activists all over the country to raise awareness.



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Wear Orange: Shoreline and LFP declare Friday as National Gun Violence Awareness Day

Friday, June 7, 2019

Present for the photo were: local gun violence prevention advocates wearing orange, Mayor Hall, Deputy Mayor McConnell, Shoreline City Council members Chang and Roberts, and State Rep Davis of the 32nd LD.



Shoreline and Lake Forest Park city councils proclaimed Friday, June 7, 2019 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day as part of a nationwide effort.

On Thursday morning Mayor Will Hall of Shoreline and the Shoreline City Council proclaimed Friday, June 7th, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day in the company of volunteers with the Washington Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

He joined Mayor Jeff Johnson of Lake Forest Park and the Lake Forest Park City Council who issued a similar proclamation during their Council meeting on May 23rd.

Following National Gun Violence Awareness Day, nearly 750 Wear Orange events will take place across the country on June 8th and 9th during Wear Orange weekend. More than 1,000 influencers, brands, mayors, partner organizations and buildings and landmarks in nearly all 50 states and D.C. will participate in the Wear Orange campaign. Learn more about Wear Orange here.

School Board member Heather Fralick
and Shoreline City Council member
Chris Roberts at Orange the Overpass

Volunteers from the Shoreline local group of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America hosted an “Orange the Overpass” event at the I-5 overpass at NE 185th St in Shoreline from 3:00 to 6:00pm on Friday evening.

On Saturday morning, June 8, there will be a “Clean Up the Underpass” event starting at 10:00am at Ronald Bog Park, N 175th and Meridian. Go to wearorange.org and put in zip code 98155 for further details.

On Sunday, June 9, volunteers from the Shoreline local group will join volunteers with the Washington chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of Everytown for Gun Safety, to host a Wear Orange rally and a walk over the I-90 bridge in Seattle to honor the lives of those affected by gun violence and elevate gun violence prevention efforts nationwide. 

Gun violence prevention groups from across the Puget Sound region are supporting partners of this Wear Orange event.

Orange is the color that Hadiya Pendleton’s friends wore in her honor after she was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 15 — just one week after performing in President Obama’s second inaugural parade in 2013. Orange honors the 100 lives cut short and the hundreds more wounded by gun violence every day — and demands action.



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Reality Check Shoreline meets Thursday Mar 28 at Richmond Beach Library

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Reality Check Shoreline will meet on Thursday, March 28, 2019 from 6:30pm – 9pm at the Richmond Beach Library, 19601 21st Ave NW, Shoreline 98177 in an event they call "Smash the Patriarchy."

"We'll share some food, watch part of The Mask You Live In, deepen our understanding, build community, and work together to imagine a more gender-just world."

The event will start with potluck snacks and a little time for socializing. After a related ice-breaker, they will watch a short talk about intersectionality as part of framing, and spend more time on small and large group discussion. A selected 30 minutes from the film "The Mask You Live In" will be part of it.

"Reality Check Shoreline is a community of neighbors living north of Seattle who want to expand our understanding and deepen our thinking through connection. Reality Check Shoreline meets every other month to discuss specific social justice issues and support one another in taking action. Please follow our Facebook page to stay up to date."


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Making paper cranes to send the message “We stand with you” to interned children in Texas

Saturday, March 16, 2019


Origami cranes can’t really fly. But Japanese Americans from around the country hope they will bring a message of support to children and parents who are currently interred at the southern border at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas.

To support this national effort, a group of local people will gather upstairs at the Lake Forest Park Town Center on Wednesday, March 20th from 4:00 to 8:00 pm, to make and string paper cranes.

Then, the cranes will be sent to the organizers of the pilgrimage by Japanese Americans to be held on March 30, 2019. 

They are taking this action because they can’t forget what happened to loved ones who were interred in their own country, not because of what they did, but because of what they looked like. Painful memories still reverberate from WWII when 110,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated nationwide from February 19, 1942 to March 20, 1946.

“We want children and families separated and incarcerated in detention sites, or separated by the Muslim travel ban to know that Japanese Americans are fighting for them,” says Michael Ishii of New York, one of the pilgrims who will attend the march. 

Early in the day, the pilgrimage will visit the former Crystal City Internment Camp in south Texas, where thousands of Japanese Americans and Japanese Latin Americans were held during World War II. Then, they will march to the Texas detention center where the cranes will be hung on the chain link fence which surrounds the facility.

The South Texas Family Residential Center, located an hour south of San Antonio, is a 2,400-bed facility, the largest detention facility in the nation. Even infants are detained there. Earlier this month 12 babies were released from ICE custody after complaints by immigrant advocates that they were not receiving adequate care.

The infants were described as listless and were not engaged with their surroundings. There were also toddlers who were in even worse conditions. “There is a clear and obvious stunt in development,” according to digital reporter for CBS News, Kate Smith, who reported on the story.

Internment of families affects us all

Sally Yamasaki and Luanne Brown, both of Lake Forest Park, were inspired to offer this event for the Lake Forest Park community and surrounding area where they live.

For Yamasaki and Brown, the incarceration of asylum seekers hits very personally. 

Yamasaki recalls, “It’s meaningful to me because my dad was incarcerated during World War II. He was 17 and was supposed to be graduating from Queen Anne high school, but instead he was initially relocated to the horse stalls at the Puyallup Fairgrounds, renamed Camp Harmony. At that time, hardly any people spoke out for this injustice. However, one teacher did come to see him. That gesture struck him deeply." 

For Yamasaki, making these cranes is her way of speaking up for the incarcerated children and parents seeking asylum.

"Although we can’t be there for the march, we can still let those who are being held in Texas know that with each crane we make, we send the message, ‘you are not alone.’”

Luanne Brown said,
“When Sally asked me to join her in this effort, I was very pleased to do so. My father served in the WWII in the 278th FABN and he was one of the first officers into Dachau after the camp was liberated. He was stunned by what he saw there, and it impacted the rest of his life in profound ways. 
"He told me frequently, ‘Luanne, what happened in Europe during the war could happen here, in this country.’ His words have stayed with me always,” Brown said. “And we must all do what we can to stand against hate, whatever form it takes to make sure my father’s fears don’t come true.”

From the tutorial
The paper crane-making tradition

The Japanese tradition of making 1000 cranes comes from a senbazuru legend that says if you make a 1000 paper cranes you will be granted a wish by the gods. This tradition gained worldwide attention in the 1950s with a Japanese girl, Sadako Sasaki who contracted leukemia from being exposed to radiation from the Hiroshima atomic bomb. 

While in the hospital she started folding cranes wishing for her health and peace and healing to all victims of the world. She died when she was 12 having folded over 1000 cranes. Today, her story inspires people from around the world as a symbol of peace, hope, and good wishes to children and others who are ill or need of help in other ways.

The strings of cranes or tsuru from Lake Forest Park will be joined with others from across the country and the world. A donation of cranes is arriving from Japan, too. Paper and string will be supplied, and the folding technique will be demonstrated.

Will you help us fold?

If you’d like to start making paper cranes today or practice how to before the event, this tutorial is will help.

Cranes are being made by people all over the States and are being collected by Grassroots Leadership in Austin, Texas.

The Seattle crane project is sponsored by Seattle Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), APACE, and the Puyallup JACL.

Lake Forest Park Town Center is at the intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way NE. The group will gather in The Commons on the upper level.



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Shoreline's Moms Demand Action meeting Monday

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Anyone interested in joining the Shoreline chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is welcome to attend their next meeting. 

It will be this coming Monday, June 18, 2018 at the Shoreline Library - come find out more about us and what we're up to this summer.

You need not be a mom, all humans are welcome! More info and the RSVP link is here.




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Know Your Rights Training

Friday, June 8, 2018



Tuesday, June 19th, 6:00-8:00pm


Workshops will review what to do/say if approached by law enforcement or ICE and resources on how to make a family safety plan. Limited appointments immigration attorneys may be available for brief consultation.

One session will be presented in Spanish, and one in English.

Call 206-782-2050 for an appointment and ask for Lynn.



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Shoreline Social Justice Book Group

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Shoreline Social Justice Book Group
Sunday, June 10, 2pm,
Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline 98133

Where the Line Bleeds by Jesmyn Ward

The Shoreline Social Justice Book (SSJB) brings together residents and builds community by reading and discussing books written from diverse perspectives.

In addition to the book discussion, June 10th meeting will have time to vote on books for the fall. Books selected will focus on the experiences of people of color, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups, as well as social issues such as immigration and poverty.

Contact Denise Bugallo at dlbugallo@kcls.org with questions.



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Oranged the overpass

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Orange volunteers on NE 185th
Photo by Whitney Hardie of Hardie Photography

By Sue Whitcomb


Some end-of-the-workweek commuters got “oranged” from freeway overpasses north of Seattle on Friday by a large group of volunteers raising awareness of gun violence and advocating for more gun sense in our local communities, in Washington State and across the nation.

Friday was National Gun Violence Awareness Day. To mark the day and bring attention to the issue of gun violence, members of the local Shoreline group of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America came up with the idea of gathering in all their #wearorange gear at the NE 185th Street overpass on I-5 for the afternoon / evening commute.

Moms Demand Action volunteers wave at cars on I-5
Photo by Mardy Harding

The idea caught on with other local Moms Demand Action groups from Bothell / Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace / Lynnwood and the Eastside, which held their own gatherings at multiple overpasses on I-5, as well as several overpasses on I-405 and Highway 522.

“Awareness of the magnitude and impact of gun violence is critical if we are to come together in our communities and focus on ways in which we can save lives without compromising our Constitutional rights,” said Juliet Scarpa, lead for the all-volunteer Shoreline group of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. 
“We support Second Amendment rights, of course, but we are determined to find sensible ways to keep firearms out of the hands of those who may, even unintentionally, hurt themselves or others. We believe the majority of Americans want the same thing and will vote for candidates who will deliver gun sense solutions.”

Volunteers from Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Edmonds
lined the NE 185th overpass for the evening commute
Photo by Mardy Harding


Wear Orange is a campaign that was initiated by friends of Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 15, just a week after performing at President Obama’s second inaugural parade in 2013. Orange was the color Hadiya’s friends chose to honor her life and mourn that it was taken by gun violence. From that modest beginning, Wear Orange grew into a nationwide campaign.

This year, the mayors of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Mountlake Terrace, and Edmonds joined mayors across the region, Washington State and the nation in supporting the Wear Orange Campaign by proclaiming Friday, June 1, as “National Gun Violence Awareness Day.”

Additionally, in the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, FL, in February, school boards representing districts adjacent to Shoreline, including Seattle and Edmonds, have issued resolutions acknowledging the need for additional measures to prevent gun violence in our local schools and communities, and calling on our state lawmakers to pass legislation addressing the issue from both a policy and funding position.

Shorewood students Kayla, Colin, Rowan, Aaron
from the Students Against Gun Violence club
Photo by Mardy Harding

Additional information from Mardy Harding, MLTNews

Students from Shorewood High School proudly wore their orange tie-dye shirts on the overpass at NE 185th Street to represent their school’s club, Students Against Gun Violence.

Rowan Hurt started the club after the March 14 school walkout against gun violence. “It was formed to take action and make sure that students can do something, even though all of us can’t vote,” she said.

Hurt said it means the world to students that the community would come together for an event like Orange the Overpass.

“Even though this movement kind of started out with younger people, with their enthusiasm and passion, we need everyone involved to make any sort of change,” she said. “And certainly voters, we need all the voters to be on board with this so we can actually make change that will last.”


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League of Women Voters of Snohomish County finalist for National Award

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

The League of Women Voters of the United States has selected the League of Women Voters of Snohomish County as one of three Local League Finalists for its Strengthening Democracy award. 

LWVUS will announce the winner at the organization’s upcoming National Convention in Chicago on June 30th. The award category honors the grassroots efforts of LWV of Snohomish County to protect voting rights and increase voter registration and turnout.

The nomination focused on the Snohomish County League’s multi-faceted effort to “Spread the Vote” by partnering with local organizations and institutions to register eligible voters at the high schools, Community Colleges, various marches, markets and underserved areas of the County.

Their monthly KSER radio program spotlighted key issues, people and candidates. Their partnership with Everett Districts Now for a public vote to change the City Charter for a District form of Council brought voter registration directly to the neighborhoods of the City of Everett. Finally, their campaign to promote Civil Discourse and other educational forums extended opportunities for voter registration.

“It is a great honor to be selected as a finalist for this award. The Snohomish County League has spent a great deal of time focused on voter education and registration,” said Pat Fogarty-Cramer, current President of the local League. 
“Projects like this help to ensure that all eligible voters have the tools they need to cast their ballot and participate in our elections.”

“As defenders of democracy, the League of Women Voters is always vigilant against attacks on voting rights,” said Chris Carson, president of the League of Women Voters of the United States. 

“Our volunteers spearhead efforts to protect and inform our electorate. It is an honor to recognize such dedication to our greatest civic duty.”

Members of the local leadership team will attend the National Convention in Chicago, IL.

The League of Women Voters envisions a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge and the confidence to participate. We believe in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy.



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Find out about Moms Demand Action group at introductory meeting Thursday

We have an introductory meeting coming up this Thursday May 17, 2018 for folks interested in Shoreline Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Come find out about our work and our upcoming Wear Orange for Gun Violence Awareness events.

You need not be a mom, all are welcome!

More info and RSVP HERE



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Protestors demonstrate at NRA Foundation event in Mountlake Terrace

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Gathering in Echo Lake Park to prepare for march

By Rowan Hurt
Photos by Caleb Correos


On Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 3:30pm, a group of fifteen Shorewood students and community members gathered in Echo Lake Park to prepare for a march on the Nile Shrine Golf Course in Mountlake Terrace. At 5pm, the Nile Shrine Country Club was to host a fundraiser dinner for the NRA Foundation, also known as “Friends of NRA.”

The protestors' event page on Facebook said “By allying itself with the NRA, Friends of the NRA is sending a message that it supports what the NRA supports. This is the part that we oppose.”

Protestors stood on each side of the entrance
to the Nile Golf and Country Club

The NRA has, in recent history, opposed pretty much every attempt at gun regulation that has been proposed, from a ban on bump stocks to mandatory background checks. While the NRA Foundation is officially tax-exempt, tax-deductible, and not involved in political activities, and thus not affiliated with the lobbying branch of the NRA, it still uses the NRA’s name, which is, arguably, political.

The movement for gun reform has been relatively unfocused, because while it is easy for someone to say that they oppose all restrictions on guns, it is more complicated to specify which policies someone supports. In an effort to clarify that they are not about banning guns, and to provide a specific goal, the protest supported numerous policies.

The poster bears some of the names of those
killed by gun violence

These were: requiring a license to own a gun; comprehensive, mandatory background checks; a ban on large capacity magazines; heavier restrictions on assault weapons, to the same level as handguns; putting more resources into an emergency response system and a reporting service for schools; and mandatory de-escalation training for police officers.

Currently, in Washington, one needs a permit to concealed carry. A license is not required to own or use a gun. Every gun sale is subject to a background check, but if 10 days pass and the background check has not been completed, the firearms dealer may use their discretion on whether or not to sell the weapon. There is no law restricting the size of ammunition magazines in Washington. Magazines with 100 bullets, like the ones used in Las Vegas, are allowed.

Mountlake Terrace police were friendly while
ensuring that no trespassing took place

The protest was non confrontational. While quite a few people flipped protesters off or gave a thumbs down, the response was hand waving and peace signs. Police were there to ensure that no trespassing or violence occurred. They were friendly, offering the protesters sunscreen if it was needed. It reached 75 degrees, and outside the gates where they were standing was in full sun.

At 5:30pm, they left the gates of the golf course and headed out.


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