It's the 22nd Annual Veterans For Peace Convention comprising Veterans from WWII to the present day, and sadly growing, as our so called modern wars are frequent and are wars of choice not need.
Remember when a certain American Political party were screaming that the U.S. Military should not be the 'Police Force' of the World, well guess what, that same party, and it's leadership have turned our Military into the most destructive 'Police Force' on the face of this planet, for that's exactly what we are in Iraq and and to abit lesser degree in Afganistan!
The theme of this years convention:
VETERANS’ TRUTH - GATEWAY TO PEACE
Building Community to Achieve Justice and Abolish War
Veterans, applying their experience, strength and conviction to the abolishment of war, invest the Gateway Arch of St. Louis with new significance as a portal to peace.
And is being held at The Holiday Inn Select, 811 N. 9th Street - St. Louis, MO 63101
for anyone in St Louis who might want to drop by.
Now you might be wondering the why of posting about a convention of Peaceful Veterans, especially when it comes to how forgetful this nation is when our many conflicts have ended, especially as to Korea, still open, and Vietnam, of which I served, as to those who have served this nation, too many sacrificing their lives, limbs and minds.
Well a few years back, at the convention in Dallas History Was Made, a History that will live on, especially for the Peace Activists, always to few in numbers, but also as a part of what has occurred in the time span from 2000 to the present, and that time frame has now dictated what this country and world will be facing far into the future!
That History was started by one grieving mother, Cindy Sheehan an American Gold Star Mother, and a small group of friends and veterans, from that venue in Dallas. You can read what Cindy had to say in her speach to that convention shortly before embarking on down the road to Crawford Texas.
Cindy, by her stand and grief, managed to wake up an awful lot of people, who always stand way off to the side of their Right Of Activism seemingly not wanting to rock the boat in this country that supposedly practises Democracy, an ideology of For The People, By The People, that hire their representatives.
Will history be made at this years convention, doubt it, but hey one never knows. But wether history is made or not, this country better start listening to it's Veterans, especially those of us who really understand that Wars bring nothing but grief and more conflicts.
The Political game playing won't make a differance, the future is laid out before us, and the only way to stop what will be is by the people of this planet to come together and stop it themselves!
The United States, of which we are no longer United, must start living by what we preach it to be, and become the example we falsely think we are by our descriptions, while we allow our representatives to carry on the complete opposite. For leadership comes from living the example we set forth not by being a country of hypocrites, and now doing, in the open, what we condemn others for!
The Speakers for this years convention will be:
Israeli – Palestinian Combatants For Peace
"Combatants For Peace"
Korea Veterans For Peace
April Fitzsimmons - "The Need To Know" A play by April Fitzsimmons
Phyllis Bennis – Institute for Policy Studies
Charlie R. and Nancy L. – MFSO
Col. Janis Karpinsky
Sara Rich - Mother of Suzanne Swift
Jonathan Hutto - Appeal for Redress
Jeff Slocum - Appeal for Redress
David Cortright - Fourth Freedom Forum
Dennis Kucinich – U.S. Representative (OH-10)
Aimee Allison – Vet/Politician
The Iraq Veterans Against the War
Elaine Johnson - Gold Star Families Speak Out
Fernando De Solar - Guerrero Azteca Project
Fatemeh Keshavarz - Professor Washington University
Saturday, August 18
9:00am - 5:00pm - VFP Business Meeting (with simultaneous IVAW Business Meeting)
12:00pm - Lunch (more details on Open Mike Speak out TBA)
6:00 - 10:00pm - Banquet
MCs: Elliott Adams & Ann Wright
Speakers: Phyllis Bennis, Jonathon Hutto, and Dr. Fatemeh Keshavarz
Performers include Pat Scanlon
10:00pm - Movie - "Meeting the Resistance"
Steve Connors & Molly Bingham—producers available for discussion
Sunday, August 19
10:00am - Farewell Ceremony, Holiday Inn Select
Actions: March to the Arch - Begins at 10:30am
Learn more HERE!
If in St Louis you might want to catch some of what's going on, and the entertainment.
Now how many, who attended Yearly KOS, knew that there were well over 200 Veterans of Vietnam Veterans Against the War in Chicago, at the same weekend holding their convention. And if so how many visited and talked to the Vets!
Anyone in Chicago, next week, can join them for the following:
Chicago Homeless Vets Standdown: Chicago, Illinois
When: August 24, 2007
Where: The Armory on SE corner of North Ave. and Kedzie
What: A day of health care, food, and shelter for homeless veterans
Details: The Chicago Homeless Vets Standdown will be held on August 24 the Armory on SE corner of North Ave. and Kedzie. August 23 is the cleanup day. Hours are: 08:00 - 14:00 on the 23nd, 06:00 - 20:00 on the 24rd. Please plan on helping out in the kitchen, as usual. Contact me at the email address below with any questons.
Bill Branson
This country, still not on terms with the Vietnam fiasco, now has to contend with the present day debacles of Iraq and yes Afganistan! Because both have now set forth, as I noted above, the future of this country, and world.
This is just some of what this Whole Country will have to come to terms with and do All It Can for those who served:
Road to Recovery:
It has been six months since we first told the story of two soldiers struggling to recover from traumatic brain injuries, caused by roadside bombs in Iraq. Tonight, Bob Woodruff checks in with those soldiers and takes a look at their long road to recovery.
Sharing A Bond - Vets with TBI
War on the Brain: Understanding TBIs
Bob Woodruff Talks to Soldiers and Families Enduring the Long Road to Recovery
{according to a footnote, in the article above, ABC's Nightline will be having an extended version of Bob Woodruffs report on Mondays show.}
Mental BattleField
Treating the Psychologically Wounded in Iraq
Jay White helps soldiers cope with what they see on the front lines.
Keith Olbermann and Brandon Friedman,
Afgan and Iraq Veteran, of Votevets.org and author of The War I Always Wanted: The Illusion of Glory and the Reality of War: A Screaming Eagle in Afghanistan and Iraq , Discuss the Report out about the Rise in the Suicide Rate in the U.S. Army and also the effects of War as to Mental Trauma, PTSD!
A world, we as Responsible Adults, should have not shaped for the children now and to come!
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