After 26 years of existence, Veterans For Peace is finally getting some notice, as is our offspring, Iraq Veterans Against the War. First in Boston and now in Oakland and elsewhere, the VFP flag is now a prominent presence at the OWS movement.
Six-year Navy veteran Joshua Sheperd holds a veterans for peace flag during a demonstration by Occupy Oakland at the intersection of 14th and Broadway Streets in Oakland, Calif. Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011. Photo by Erik Verduzco.
Brothers in arms
We all know the story of Scott Olsen so I won't repeat it except to say he is improving.
Scott Olsen, the Iraq war veteran who suffered serious head injuries after being hit by a projectile fired by police during the Occupy Oakland protests, has woken up and is lucid as he awaits surgery, hospital officials and family members have said.
Smedley Butler Brigade of Veterans For Peace members surrounded by Boston PD.
Boston Eyewitness Report from VFP Associate Member, Bob Cable
At our monthly meeting last night, new VFP member and committed Occupy Boston occupier Rachel O'Neill came to give a report on that wonderful protest encampment of the past 10 days. She was delayed, so Smedleys discussed and planned an action for Wednesday afternoon in support of Occupy Boston. We decided to rendezvous behind South Station and march over to Dewey Square with all of our VFP flags and 10-20 pizzas to donate to the People. (A collection was taken for this purpose.)
However, about 7:30 p.m., after Rachel arrived but before she could speak, someone got a message on their cell phone that the Boston Police were planning to shut down the protest tonight; so we voted to stop the meeting, continue it later if needed, and go to Dewey Square to offer our support in the crisis of the moment. Pat called his wife in Andover to ask that she bring all the Smedley flags to the site, and she did; they arrived about 8:00 p.m. Some Smedley's car-pooled and others took the subway to the protest.
...
We had linked arms across the path leading into the park, with big Henry Deeks on the far left, then me, then a husky young vet whose name I never got. Pat and Rachel were toward the middle. Rachel loudly and continuously led a chant of the Oath (I do solemly swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic; but she alternated it with "We have a permit. It's called the Constitution" and also "This is a peaceful demonstration." When she momentarily tired, others continued the chants, but she would always resume.
The police, however, seemed unimpressed. After a 2-minute warning to us, followed by a 30-minute warning, a burly line of Boston police advanced against our line of Smedleys. They "made contact" without a word. I was prepared to be arrested, as I think the others were; but I never heard the words "You are under arrest," or anything like it. A police officer in his 30s and about half again as big as I was walked right up to me and pushed me over--not pushed me back, but pushed me over. I fell onto the pavement of the path and rolled against some kind of stanchion. Protesters immediately began asking me if I was all right and if I needed medical attention; and they helped me to my feet. I hobbled over to the side after rescuing my fallen flag and then sat out the rest of the action. My back muscles were strained so I couldn't stand very long, so I went across the street and sat down to watch; but all I could see was the protesters exiting the park and the police standing on the periphery of the park (above the sidewalk) in a long standoff.
The Boston attack
Meanwhile in the "Village"
Leah Bolger of Oregon is the Vice President of Veterans for Peace, is occupying Freedom Plaza, and risked jail on Wednesday, with another case pending against her, to speak up in the Super Congress (Deficit Committee) hearing, in which she was arrested. She has been released.
Bolger comments: "I had to speak up. The witness, Douglas Elmendorf, was hiding the fact that military spending has increased dramatically in real terms and as a percentage of discretionary spending. He was focused on percentage of GDP, as if war spending should increase whenever it can, not whenever it has to. The simple deficit solution of taxing the rich and curtailing the militarism is favored by the majority of the public. The 99% had no other voice in that room to compete with those of the corporate lobbyists."
I recruited Leah into VFP about 6 years ago.
This is just some of what we do. Some of the projects we do can be found at the VFP Projects page.
OUR MISSION:
Veterans For Peace, Inc. (VFP) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational and humanitarian organization dedicated to the abolishment of war.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
We, having dutifully served our nation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace. To this end we will work, with others
(a) To increase public awareness of the costs of war
(b) To restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations
(c) To end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons
(d) To seek justice for veterans and victims of war
(e) To abolish war as an instrument of national policy.
To achieve these goals, members of Veterans For Peace pledge to use non-violent means and to maintain an organization that is both democratic and open with the understanding that all members are trusted to act in the best interests of the group for the larger purpose of world peace.
Join/Renew Veterans For Peace Membership
Veterans from any branch of military service are invited to join Veterans For Peace. Family members and friends are encouraged to join at the Associate Level. Please sign up or renew your membership below. Be a part of this growing movement!
* Membership is a minimum of $40.