Americans Move to Canada

Toronto Star: "Americans heading North" (Aug. 6, 2007)

For 34-year-old labour organizer Tom Kertes, the move last April from Seattle, Wash., to Toronto was based on human rights. . . .

He moved to Toronto with his partner Ron Braun and the two plan to marry, something they could not do in Washington state. He also cited the war in Iraq and the torture of Iraqi prisoners by Americans – and the failure of the Bush administration to clearly disavow such practice – as contributing factors to what is a major decision. read more

Opposing the War in Iraq

Seattle PI (Letter to the Editor): "Confirming Bush choices confirms his policies, too" (Jan. 30, 2005)

To the Editor:

I am deeply disappointed with Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. Voting to confirm Condoleezza Rice to serve as this nation's top diplomat validates the illegal, immoral and dangerous actions of the president under the direction of his top advisers, including Rice.

These are not ordinary times. More than 101,000 U.S. troops and Iraqis have died in a war of aggression sold to the Congress and the American people on lies. read more

Seattle Times (Letter to the Editor): "Vetoing the pullout: another decision in conflict with Americans" (May 3, 2007)

To the Editor:

. . .President Bush's war in Iraq was sold on lies because Americans are reluctant to use force unless there's an absolute need for it. We had neither the need nor the right to invade and occupy Iraq, and more than 3,000 American soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have paid the highest price for the president's illegal occupation of Iraq. We are now trapped in a civil war in a distant land, with no end in sight.

. . . President Bush is not alone in blame or responsibility for the tragic outcome of the occupation of Iraq. The Democrats who refused to stand up to the president's lies and who stood by when the war was before Congress share in Bush's blame. read more

Right to Housing March

I worked with Friends and Residents as a communications consultant. Friends and Residents was an organization of public housing residents whose neighbourhood was about to be displaced by the housing authority. I worked with residents on media and communications strategy.

• Friends and Residents home page
• Washington City Paper coverage

Puget Sound Learning

Bremerton Sun: "The owners of Children's Garden hope weather damage will prove to be positive." (May 6, 1999)

During the next several months, the owners of Children's Garden, a toy and educational supply store, will discover if the storm clouds that dumped tons of snow on their roof two years ago had a silver lining. They hope the catastrophe, which destroyed $200,000 in inventory, will help the Garden grow anew. . . .

The tutoring services and special classes offered at Children's Garden will come under the umbrella of the new business, Puget Sound Learning. [Tom] Kertes has 100 children enrolled in ongoing classes or tutoring, 600 in the summer reading club and thousands who participate in various activities at the Children's Garden throughout the year. . . .

"Although the next transition is tough to face, it's still families learning together. And that's been our philosophy all along. If this works out, it'll be like a garden growing again," [said Kertes].

Speaking Out in High School

Silverdale Reporter: "Students have their say: CK and Oly high school students organized a Silverdale rally" (Jan. 23, 1991)

. . . After a few students spoke, Olympic High School student Tom Kertes spoke emotionally to the crowd about his feelings.

"Our violence against Iraq has brought out violence against Israel and against ourselves, " he said.

Kertes, who has participated in war protests in Seattle, said protesting lets President George Bush and others know that many people are against war and the reinstatement of the draft.

In Context: "We're the Solution" (Spring 1991)

The cradle of civilization was being smashed to smithereens by, among others, the military forces of my country. I was paying for this, and doing darned little about it. I was feeling pretty dismal. Waiting for a ride under a viaduct on a rainy evening, I noticed [Tom Kertes,] a nice looking young man, carrying signs that told me he had been demonstrating against this death and devastation. I thanked him, and told him it cheered me to see him.

As we chatted, I learned that he was a high school student in a military town, that he was using organizational skills developed over years of youth advocacy and lobbying for education reform to encourage other students to express opposition to the war - and that it was unexpectedly tough going. I was so impressed with the literature he had prepared and with the apparent scope of his efforts that I asked him to write something about his work to get people active and involved in change.