David Cline We Salute You
A leader, mentor, and friend passes away, 1947 - 2007
David Cline passed away early September 15, 2007. Most of you know that David was a giant in the Veteran’s anti-war and Peace movements. A national coordinator and long time member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War as well as former President of Veterans For Peace, David was a crucial part of the explosion in VFP’s growth and led us in our planning and actions as we have resisted the invasion and occupation of Iraq. David was a giant among people who motivated all of us to action by modeling leadership and providing inspiration.
David was my boss, mentor, friend and I loved him. He recruited me into VFP by simply being the person he was, a veteran working for peace. There are few people outside of my family whose death means such a loss to me personally. There are few in our nation whose loss means so much to our movement.
A quote David loved so much guided his thoughts and actions. He carried it in his wallet so that he could whip it out to motivate us at any time. Of course he also had it memorized.
"If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what a people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." Frederick Douglass
David Cline we Salute You.
Letter from Executive Director, Michael T. McPhearson
See Online Memorial
A few other Tributes, one is mine:
Anti-war Vet Dave Cline Is Dead
A Tribute To A True American Veteran, Passionate Peace Advocate, and Friend
of Dave Cline and his brothers
And this added to celticshel's KOS diary above:
RIP
Dave Cline
d. Friday September 14, 2007
Vietnam 1967, 25th Infantry
wounded three times and permanently disabled
Bronze Star with V Device; Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters; Combat Infantryman Badge; New York State Conspicuous Service Cross; and other medals. Veterans for Peace; Vietnam Veterans Against the War; Jersey City Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee; Military Order of the Purple Heart; 25th Infantry Division Association; Veterans of Foreign Wars; featured in the documentary “Sir! No Sir!”
He fought alongside you, then
He fought to honor you.
He fought that others like you not suffer your fate.
He has joined you in death but his memory, like yours, lives on.
We will continue his work.
We will fight in your names, and now in his.
You have fallen, but you are not forgotten.
Your sacrifice was not in vain.
We remember.
We always will.
-a friend, in peace
September 15th Jailbirds (and Dave Cline)
From Fellow Veteran and VFP Member, Stan Goff, posted over at Huffington Post
Dave Cline...
In memory of Dave, I am linking the four-part series Spearpoint that described the Veterans and Survivors March for Peace and Justice, from Mobile, AL to New Orleans, conducted in March 2006. Dave was the person who put that idea in our heads.
Spearpoint PART 1
Spearpoint PART 2
Spearpoint PART 3
Spearpoint PART 4
And a mention by David Swanson, of After Dowing Street, in this article:
Is Peace or Impeachment Possible?
It's great to see such a crowd and so many groups represented. I especially want to thank Veterans for Peace. Dave Cline was a great leader and will be badly missed. We should all go out and do as much as he did with his admirable life.
1 comment:
I am the oldest daughter of Gladys Simer and she is in the midst of mourning for David, so she has not been online. I tell her every day about the touching comments and memorials that i find. It really comforts her heart to know that she's not alone. We all have lost David and she has asked me to post her heartfelt thanks and gratitude. I can't say enough how comforting it is to see all these memorials.More importantly, that you all continue the struggle. David would not want us to stop and think about it, he wants us to go out there and do something. Whatever it is you believe in, live your life with pride and robust, that is the best way to honor David. thank you one and all!
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