READ ARTICLE AND LISTEN TO INTERVIEW: http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/audio_robert_scheer_interviews_ron_kovic_on_the_continuing_struggle_for_vet
Saturday, Feb. 13, 3:00 pm
Location: Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura
5654 Ralston St, Ventura, CA 93003
Recently returned from 2 months in Palestine/Israel, serving
as a Third Party Nonviolent Intervention team member with
the Meta Peace Team.
Elliot will show slides, describe his experiences and answer questions.
He will talk about building peace with TPIN (third party nonviolent intervention): the practice of third parties opening up space for dialog, reconciliation and peace building. He will also speak about the use of International law, the collective wisdom of many cultures and nations agreeing to the fundamental basic rights of life.
Elliot Adams has transformed from a soldier to a nonviolent warrior, dedicating his life to stopping all war. He served as army paratrooper in Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and Alaska; National President of Veterans for Peace; President of school board, Mayor, President of Rotary, and Master of the Masonic Lodge. Elliot currently works with the Meta Peace Team and is co-chair of Creating a Culture of Peace.
This work has taken Elliot throughout the world. He has testified before the US Congressional Judiciary Committee and has been arrested for his activism. In 2014 and again in 2015 he spent several months as a member of the Meta Peace Team using third party nonviolent intervention in the West Bank and Palestine.
Please join us to engage with this dedicated man of Peace
For accessibility call: 805-701-9672
Greetings,
My name is Tim McHugh and I’ve written an anti-war song, Not In My Name Anymore, choreographed/produced as a hard-hitting video.
This song is dedicated to all who suffer needlessly at the hands of
policy-makers from soldiers to civilians to children. This song is particularly
relevant to what’s taking place now in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Palestine and
Israel–countries strafed by war. As a father myself, I feel compelled to
speak out.
I am reaching out to all anti-war groups, especially anti-war veterans’
groups like Veterans for Peace, and if you’ve received this more than
once, my apologies! I ran this video by some veterans to get some
feedback, and the response has been very positive though they found the
video to be deeply haunting.
“Tim McHugh has the audacity to believe that his music can change the
world. He may be right.”
— Bob Terrill, Program Director, KCSU Radio, Ft. Collins CO
If you are moved by this piece, please post far and wide on Facebook and
other social media sites to help spread the word.
In Peace,
Tim McHugh
http://timmchugh.net
President Obama – We demand you issue an Executive Order today to upgrade the discharges of 100,000+ gay and lesbian veterans who served their country honorably.
SIGN PETITION: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/upgrade-lgbt-veterans
We at Veterans United For Truth created a petition to President Barack Obama which
says:
“President Obama – We demand you issue an Executive Order today to upgrade the discharges of 100,000+gay and lesbian
veterans who served their country honorably.”
Will you sign this petition?
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/upgrade-lgbt-veterans?source=c.em.mt&r_by=4160584
How our military came to produce soldiers like this and a society like ours:
http://www.thenation.com/article/support-the-troops-and-support-me/
And sadly many of these soldiers, find their way into our police departments. After years in the military where rape is unpunished could this be the result?
The article does not say how many were former military but Black Lives Matter says that police who were former military are a big part of the problem. This story sent by Michael Novick reports on Oklahoma where an officer
went on a serial rape spree, preying on poor Black women with criminal records who would not report him.
Here’s an update on the rapist:
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/crybaby-serial-rapist-cop-put-suicide-watch-after-head-banging-courtroom-meltdown
And finally the Yemen story. It was in the LA Daily News.
http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20151201/with-us-help-saudi-arabia-is-obliterating-yemen
This essay is written by a former French soldier, but I would submit his recommended prescription for bringing back the draft is applicable to the US. After all, we are told we are in a virtual lifelong war on [of] terror around the world. Of course the power structure knows not to institute the draft, but I think we should passionately advocate it. I have never been a supporter of the volunteer army because in an imperial society such as ours, the volunteer army in effect serves as a mercenary military force with very little internal opposition – either in the civil society as well as within the military – since many more people are directly impacted at the emotional level.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/23/if-we-are-at-war-lets-bring-back-the-draft/
Order http://www.arlingtonwestfilm.com/order.html
This film chronicles the unwavering mission of the Old Veterans Guard to expose the serious breach of trust by the VA to honor the legal Deed of 1888 and permanently maintain this land as a National Home for disabled and disadvantaged Veterans. Instead, the VA continues to cut illegal back-room real estate deals to benefit affluent and influential cronies with the blessings of corrupt bureaucrats and politicians at the
highest level of government.
This day isn’t one our community takes pride in. We have always cringed at the “Thank you for your service” platitudes we are offered. Thanking us assumes that our service and support of the occupations is something to be grateful for, and it shuts off any chance for dialogue about the atrocities of wars. We refuse to forget what we took part in and we will not stop in working to end these wars of choice, wars of greed, wars manufactured by people who don’t bear their burdens.
Our community of veterans is marking this day a bit differently than most. Today, we are launching our #DropTheMIC (military industrial complex) campaign.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/drop-the-mic#/
Drop the MIC is focused on highlighting how U.S. militarism affects everyone’s lives- those living abroad facing the brunt of U.S. forces and weapons and those living here, facing over militarized police.
The same companies that provide weapons to Saudi Arabia and militias in Syria are equipping police departments with armored vehicles. U.S. militarism shows up in the recruiters in our schools, the surveillance aircraft monitoring our protests and the Pentagon sponsored ‘Salute our Veterans’ spectacles at sports arenas
across the country. It is immersed in our lives and we are committed to working to make the invisible seen and to put it to an end.
Today we ask for your support in two ways:
1.) Share the countless ways U.S. militarism shows up in your daily life. Post a picture on social media of the many ways militarism shows up in your community and use the hashtag #DropTheMIC (military industrial complex).
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/drop-the-mic#/
By using the hashtag on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, others will be able to search for like minded posts and see each way militarism shows up in communities across the country. If you don’t have a picture feel free to post a relevant article or video with the same hashtag. The goal is to have our friends and family thinking about how widespread U.S. militarism is here at home and abroad.
2.) Contribute to our ongoing Indiegogo campaign to fund our new
work areas. We are only $5,000 away from reaching our goal! It makes a big difference for our continued organizing and putting this work into the world. On a day that often feels more focused on hiding the wounds of war and ignoring the reasons we have so many veterans, we appreciate the fact that you are by our side in this struggle.
In Solidarity,
Matt Howard
Co-Director
Iraq Veterans Against the War
From theACLU
http://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/intercepts-drone-papers-shed-new-light-targeted-killing
Civil liberties groups call for an investigation
http://theintercept.com/2015/10/15/civil-liberties-groups-call-for-congressional-inquiry-into-assassination-program/
Today we find that US tanks entered the Kunduz hospital we bombed and destroyed evidence
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/15/us-tank-enters-ruined-afghan-hospital-putting-war-evidence-at-risk
