Portland Area Marks Anniversary of Attacks

Activities throughout the Portland-Vancouver area will commemorate the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. on Sept. 11, 2001.The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people.
An anti-war rally, a community conversation and a memorial service are planned through the weekend.
Portland area peace groups will gather at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, in Pioneer Courthouse Square for a rally called, "Just Say No to the 'War on Terror': 9/11 Five Years Later."
Co-sponsored by the Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group, the rally will include speakers and a march. It will address ongoing issues including the United States' destruction of the infrastructure and economy of Iraq; U.S. efforts to control the world economy and the flow of Middle East oil; U.S. support for Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza — and its past and current attacks on Lebanon; and the stripping away of civil liberties in the name of fighting "terrorism."
The rally also will promote a forum planned at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the First Unitarian Church.
For more information contact Peace and Justice Works at 503-236-3065 or iraq@pjw.info.
Steve Wax, federal public defender, will present a lecture at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, in the Collins Gallery at the Central Library, 801 S.W. 10th Ave. The lecture is part of the September Project — a community-wide commemoration and conversation about the values and ideas that define us as Americans. This year's theme is "Privacy and the Public Good."
During September, the community is encouraged to read about privacy and its implications for public life. A list of suggested readings can be found at www.multcolib.org/events/september.html. A public lecture and four follow-up discussions on the topic will take place at select Multnomah County libraries.
Wax will discuss the constitutional underpinnings of the protections for individual privacy and how those protections stack up against considerations of safety and national security. A federal public defender for the District of Oregon since 1983, Wax has represented Brandon Mayfield and is currently representing detainees being held at Guant"namo Bay.
At 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11, the following libraries will host moderated follow-up discussions: Gresham Library, 385 N.W. Miller Ave., Gresham; Hillsdale Library, 1525 S.W. Sunset Blvd.; Hollywood Library, 4040 N.E. Tillamook St.; and Midland Library, 805 S.E. 122nd Ave. The September Project events are being presented by Multnomah County Library, City Club of Portland and Oregon Council for the Humanities. All viewpoints are welcome and admission to all events is free. For more information, visit www.multcolib.org/events/september.html.
A solemn public commemoration of the 2001 attacks on America will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, at Vancouver Landing on the Columbia River. The event is free and open to the public.
The observance will begin with a formal flag ceremony conducted by honor guard members representing the Vancouver Fire Department, Vancouver Police Department, Clark County Sheriff's Office and 104th division U.S. Army Reserves.
Comments will be delivered by speakers from the local fire service, law enforcement and military. Vancouver Mayor Royce E. Pollard also will speak.
The program will include music, prayer and a wreath laying ceremony featuring the Portland Fire Bureau's fireboat David Campbell. The Campbell will deliver a red, white and blue aerial water display.
The memorial ceremony will conclude at 3:15 p.m. with a fly-over by two F-15 fighter jets from the 142nd Air National Guard.
The Vancouver Landing facility is adjacent to the Quay at 120 Columbia St.