The Honorable President George W. Bush made a cameo appearance here in Portland, Oregon yesterday, after discussing his intent to increase logging here in the great tree state in an attempt to reduce the fires here. But that's not why he came to Portland, the city his father called Little Beirut due to the actions of protestors. No, Bush came here to raise money for the campaign of the local Republican Senator, Gordon Smith. For just the low sum of $25,000 one could get their photo taken with Mr. Bush, his mickey mouse hands and all. He helped to raise two million dollars for his good friend, who he called also an ecological-minded politician. I have no idea how much it is estimated his visit cost the city of Portland, what with the local police force is huge numbers, Blackhawk helicopters flying in between the buildings, and the shutting down of many businesses throughout downtown.
I work at an employment law firm downtown. I watched as the day progressivly turned... weird. Today is the 23rd of August. Yesterday, I watched people get shot with rubber bullets, and apparently (though I swore I heard and saw tear gas) much beating with batons and pepper spray insued. It was crazy. The protestors were in large number, and I felt a great amount of pride in this city.
I wanted only to make the situation more extreme. I wanted to practice William S. Burroughs' theories in the Electronic Revolution. Create a feedback loop to bring these people to a further action. I wanted to set up loudspeakers and blast godspeed you black emperor!'s world police and friendly fire, I wanted to make the city SCREAM! But I did not. I just motivated my self to find my girlfriend, and make sure she was okay, like a good domesticated primate. Which is fine, I guess. Almost disappointed in my self though.
For this attack oriented on the viable, I wanted everything to build and build! But, I avoid apocolypse; buy hope and soothed my self with Sigur Ros, and coffee--made my head dizzy with cigarettes. And now, I sit at work again, knowing the he, member of the Black Iron Prison resides in a hotel room, just blocks away... Back to my little police state, and my life of quiet desperation.