Build Common Ground! First Round

Images by Robert Lloyd, www.4comculture.com

The exhibition is a subtle reminder of where bigotry begins. I am placing myself outside my comfort zone in order to build my path to tolerance as an artist and a human being. I’ve often heard it said that we are all in this together.  Now I am seeking a consensus on where we can build common ground, around issues that we can support together. If you would like to help build a grassroots movement click on the image below and print it. Gather signatures and email addresses and mail them to: Robert Lloyd 3314 S. Grand Blvd. Spokane WA 99203.

Those of you in the Spokane area who have seen the show and would like to receive a print collect at least 25 signatures and email addresses and bring the list to the reception on Oct 4 4:30 – 6 pm at the JFK Library at Eastern Washington University. You will receive an unframed 11×14 matted print at the end of the show.

2017 Homeless Count

Homelessness is a national issue. This photo was taken in Washington DC September 2017.

This point-in-time count is a snapshot of people who are homeless in Spokane, counted by local teams on one night in January, a statistic that is limited by a variety of factors and not considered the complete picture. Because more homeless people were in shelters, and fewer were outside in hard-to-find places, it was easier to get a count, according to McCann and city officials. That might apply particularly to the chronically homeless, who are more likely to use emergency shelters.
In particular, the city’s super-tight rental market – with an estimated vacancy rate of 0.7 percent – makes it very hard for people to find affordable housing and pushes the homeless numbers upward. Nearly 500 people are qualified for federal housing vouchers but can’t find a place to use them in town, said Dawn Kinder, the director of the city’s Community, Housing and Human Services Department.
This year’s count showed:
1,090 homeless individuals, an 11 percent increase over last year. Eighty-seven percent of all people counted were in shelters. Around three-quarters of those were in emergency shelters, and one quarter were in transitional housing.

Spokane Demonstrates Against Allsup Invitation

Rev. Walter Kendricks, Pres. of SCAR (Spokane Community Against Racism)

Cecily Wright, Chairwoman of the Spokane County Republican Party, invited James Allsup, alt-right provocateur and member of Identity Evropa, to speak before Republican legislators and office holders at a Northwest Grassroots meeting in the Spokane Valley. The Rev. Walter Kendricks MC’d a demonstration at the Spokane County Courthouse where speakers expressed their disapproval and to asked for the resignation of these Republican politicians. The demonstrators also condemned all those who invited him, listened to him, and did not walk out or stand up against white supremacists and their message.

This Is How I Saw It: Our Concerned Citizens

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Photos by Robert J. Lloyd

See the Spokesman Review article by Chad Sokol:

Spokane GOP chairwoman defends alt-right provocateur James Allsup at tea party meeting

This Is How Allsup Is To Be Seen:

Here is what Allsup is about

“We cannot podcast, livestream, or tweet our way to victory,” said Allsup. “We can only change consciousness so much before we have to start changing the political infrastructure.”

This change, according to Allsup, started with taking over vacant seats in Republican offices. “The Republican party is comprised largely of white, aging, baby-boomers,” he said. “And as baby-boomers age out, the positions they hold will become vacant all throughout society and somebody will have to fill them.

This doesn’t just include elected offices but state representatives, county commissioners, precinct officers, and county party chairs as well. Allsup himself was a precinct officer; he said it takes up about five hours of his time per week.”

For all the publicity alt-right groups receive for cross burnings and tiki-torch protests, their ultimate goal is to become invisible, inserting themselves into the mainstream political process. Groups like I.E. adopt the business casual uniforms of polo shirts and khakis, and have strict rules against using “vulgar language” or mentioning “divisive topics” like National Socialism or the Third Reich. The rule prohibiting “vulgar language” states that “in order to foster a more positive culture for our people’s future, the use of crude and unbecoming language is not permitted. This includes, without limitation, excessive cursing, and any use of vulgar racial epithets.”

From: My Weekend With White Nationalists by Samuel Argyle June 18, 2018

Video of Allsup’s speech

 

 

 

 

 

How I Saw It: On July 30th

Would you like to visit our group before you start a coffee group like ours?

First Thursday Meeting At East Central Community Center Aug 2nd 10 AM 500 S Stone St.

Information on First Thursday Coffee Discussion

 

Consensus On Values

Gallery

This gallery contains 1 photo.

  “This” is our Values: Can We Get Consensus On This? We believe in justice for all * We believe in lifting up the disadvantaged * We believe in dismantling unjust criminalization systems * We believe in equal protection under … Continue reading

How I See It: Want To Help?

Canvassing, talking with everyone you know and a lot of people you don’t yet know about the candidates, the elections, and what is important to both of you is the most effective means of winning elections and actually getting to the issues. Even the little things like wearing a Lisa Brown T-shirt to the grocery or to a concert in the park (Want one? Call Eileen 509-939-9108) and smiling at everyone whose eye you catch has a ripple effect. Tack on some extra buttons and offer one to anyone who engages you.

Humanists, liberals, scientists, educators, mainstream Christians, Muslims, Jews, and ivory town intellectuals have been quiet long enough. We’ve sat in our armchairs with our books, read the polls, and shaken our heads in despair. It is time to buzz. It’s time for us to throw off that old dictum that one should not talk politics in “polite company.” Damn it. We ARE polite company and it is well past time to talk!

From “The Importance of Smiling” an email sent Thursday July 18, 2018 by Jerry LeClaire, Eastern Washington Indivisible Group. He sends out an email “most weekdays” with a short topical post, upcoming activist event opportunities and links to resources and information. Contact Jerry if you wish to receive his emails: jerry@jxindivisible.com

How I See It: Folks are Hurting This Song

Somebody’s Hurting My Folks *1,2,3,4,5,6

I am asking all of our Black ministers to ask their choirs to learn and sing this song. White folks in Spokane are lacking your soul when they sing this song. Please come to our next social justice event prepared to teach white folks how to sing and swing this song.

Click here for more about the Poor People’s Campaign and the song.

If you looked through the archives you will notice an absence of the African American Community at the marches, at the rallies, at the demonstrations, at the social justice community organizing meetings but at the Spokane Black Agenda Summit July 30, 2011  over 100 African Americans built a plan to action. What do you think happened after that? Click the above link to see what they planned.

  1. My folks – those that are showing up for social justice.
  2. Somebody’s  hurting my Black sisters and brothers.
  3. Somebody’s hurting poor people.
  4. Somebody’s hurting my church.
  5. Somebody’s hurting my community.
  6. Somebody’s hurting my global community.

 

Cathy McMorris Rodgers Doesn’t Represent Me

Cathy McMorris Rodgers represents Trump and doesn’t represent the poor and the marginalized.

Organize, doorbell, speak out, contribute, vote.

Why I Vote Democratic

HOW I SEE IT

By Bob Lloyd

I was asked by the Washington State Democratic Party to participate in a 30 second spot announcement. Being a visual artist I worry about the production process. When your ideas get turned into sound bites you never know what you are going to look or sound like. So here is the original full text of my testimonial about why I vote Democratic.

My Name is Bob Lloyd. I Am A Democrat.

I vote Democratic because I fought for self determination. I fought for desegregation of schools. I fought for public accommodations. I fought for the right to vote. I fought for open housing. I fought for economic development. I fought for affirmative action. I fought for equal and fair employment. I fought against the War in Vietnam.

All my life I have been fighting for the elimination of exclusion. The only place short of civil war is the democratic process. In all of my struggles for civil rights and social justice the Republican Party has been absent on all of the things that I hold dear. So I choose to vote Democratic and struggle within the party for inclusion, civil rights and social justice.