Remember James Watt.....

On This Day:

April 6, 1983 Pres. Ronald Reagan’s interior secretary, James Watt, banned all rock 'n' roll groups from the Fourth of July celebration on the Washington Mall. The bands scheduled to play included the Beach Boys, generally considered very wholesome. But Watt said such acts attracted the “wrong element.” ”We're not going to encourage drug abuse and alcoholism as was done in the past.” The president’s wife, a fan, complained directly to Sec. Watt, but he claimed never to have heard of the band.

Removed By Police Sunday............

Yesterday, Sunday 11-16-08, I posted this report about Veterans and Military Family Members occupying a scaffold at the National Archives Building in Washington DC



There is a quick update at the Veterans For Peace, "Veterans Occupy National Archives Again", website with a few Video's included below.

Over at AfterDowning Street, Dave only has this update:

UPDATE 4:30 p.m. Saturday from Tony Teolis: Security guards threatened to arrest everyone, but instead climbed the scaffolding, tore the banners down, and sent the activists on their way. It is getting to the point where you can do anything without getting arrested, and yet so few people do.

On the bold highlight, Yet, as to a certain group of Criminals!!

There are a few more Video's at the AfterDowning Street posting.

Not sure yet about the use of Saturday in that update by Tony and Sunday in the VFP quick report, but here's a few Video's:











"We either are or we are not a nation of law."

"that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic"

Message Being Sent By Veterans: Defending the Constitution

Veterans Occupy National Archives

photo from Tony Teolis

Washington – On Saturday, November 15, at 8:00 am, at the National Archives Building on Connecticut Ave., eight military veterans and a military mother climbed a 9-foot retaining fence and occupied a ninety-foot high scaffolding to raise two 450 square foot banners stating, “DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION. ARREST BUSH AND CHENEY: WAR CRIMINALS!" and "WE WILL NOT BE SILENT.” The same message will also be displayed at demonstrations in Santa Monica and Long Beach, California on Saturday.

UPDATE 4 p.m. Saturday: Activists plan to remain through Monday morning at least, if not longer. They lost the really big "Arrest Bush and Cheney" banner to wind but have a smaller version and still have the "We Will Not Be Silent" Banner. The Archives security chief, Mr. Adams, spoke with Elliott Adams of Veterans for Peace and offered to not press charges if they left and threatened to have arrest warrants issued for them all in 2 or 3 weeks if they did not get down immediately. The chose to stay, and Elaine Brower of Military Families Speak Out got on the PA system to announce their intention to make sure that Bush and Cheney are arrested for murder. She told her son's story and began reading the names of the dead. Also, the similar action in Santa Monica is going well.

According to Tarak Kauff, a VFP member, "People say Bush and Cheney will be gone soon so what’s the point? The point is, there is no statute of limitations on war crimes, and if not held accountable, criminality will continue regardless of who is in office. We either are or we are not a nation of law."

These individuals took part:

• Elliott Adams VFP: 61, Sharon Springs, NY, VFP President and former Army
paratrooper, Viet Nam
• Ellen Barfield VFP: 52, Baltimore, MD, former Army Sgt.
• Kim Carlyle VFP: 61, Buncombe County, NC, former Army Spec 5
• Doug Zachary VFP: 58, Austin, TX, VFP staff, former USMC Lance Cpl.
• Tarak Kauff VFP: 67, Woodstock, NY, former PFC, Army Airborne
• Will Covert VFP: 63, San Diego, CA, VFP lifetime member, former E4 Navy
• Elaine Brower MFSO: 54, Staten Island, NY, Military Families Speak Out, National Steering Committee, mother of USMC Sgt. James Brower on third tour in Iraq
• Matthis Chiroux IVAW: 24, Army Sergeant, served in Afghanistan, refused deployment to Iraq

And these people provided support on the ground:

• Mike Ferner VFP: 57, Toledo, OH, former Navy corpsman
• Debbie Tolson VFP: 52, Potomac, MD, associate member of VFP
• Michelle White MFSO: 24, Clarksville, TN, Military Families Speak Out, wife of Iraq war vet currently serving in Afghanistan
• Michael Marceau VFP: 59, Rockville, MD, VP VFP Chapter 16, former Army, Viet Nam
• Bruce Berry VFP: 62, Minneapolis, MN, former SPC 4 Army, Viet Nam
• Fred Nagel VFP: 65, Rhinebeck, NY, former SPC 4 Army
• Jay Wenk VFP: 82, Woodstock, NY, former rifleman, 90th Infantry Div., WWII
• Tony Teolis VFP

Hanging The Banner




PHOTOS WILL BE POSTED AT AfterDowning Street.org

"that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic"

Honoring the Fallen at Arlington West On Memorial Day 2008


Just north of the Santa Monica pier the Veterans For Peace erect a memorial to the fallen troops every Sunday. On Memorial Day weekend, it remains up overnight. Each white cross represents one American life lost in Iraq. Each red cross represents ten American lives lost in Iraq.

FIVE VFP MEMBERS OCCUPY NATIONAL ARCHIVES BUILDING

On Tuesday morning, September 23, 7:30am, at the front of the National Archives Building on Constitution Ave. in Washington, D.C., five military veterans will risk arrest as they climb a 9-foot retaining fence and occupy a 35-foot high ledge to raise a 22x8 foot banner stating, "DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION. ARREST BUSH AND CHENEY: WAR CRIMINALS!"



Those participating are Veterans For Peace Board President Elliott Adams, Board Member Ellen Barfield, staff member Doug Zachary, Kim Carlyle, Diane Wilson, and Tarak Kauff.