Members of Veterans For Peace alert at their occupation of the National Archive in Washington DC.
I received this in today's E-mail from my local Veterans For Peace Chapter 27 in Minneapolis, MN. Just wanted the members of the API to know that action is being taken to defend our Constitution. Now I'm wondering if I should go to DC and be with them, if not actually on the ledge, but to support them by my presence. After the Veterans For Peace National Convention and the RNC and all the turmoil I have been witness to right here in my own town, I am reluctant to go and put myself in the midst of more actions, yet a part of me tells me that the fight of a true Warrior will never end until justice is served. In any event, I will be thinking hard about this and whether I go or not, the fact will remain that these people standing up for our Constitution are courageous individuals.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 23, 2008
Contacts: Elliot Adams 518-441-2697, Ellen Barfield 410-948-8023, Tarak Kauff 845 249-9489
VETERANS OCCUPY NATIONAL ARCHIVES BUILDING
“Arresting Bush and Cheney for war crimes will honor our oath to the Constitution,” vets say.
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!”
The group has declared its intention to stay on the ledge, fasting for 24 hours “in remembrance of those who have perished and those still suffering from the crimes of the Bush administration,” according to a written statement. With a portable PA system, they will broadcast recorded statements from prominent Americans for the impeachment and/or arrest of George W. Bush and Richard Cheney. “Citizens Arrest Warrants” will be distributed to people waiting in line to enter the National Archives.
The veterans emphasized they are taking this action because “Bush and Cheney’s serial abuse of the Law of the Land clearly marks them as domestic enemies of the Constitution…they have illegally invaded and occupied Iraq, deliberately destroyed civilian infrastructure, authorized torture, and unlawfully detained prisoners. These actions clearly mark them as war criminals…accountability extends beyond impeachment to prosecution for war crimes even after their terms of office expire.”
“We take this action as a last resort,” their statement added. “For years we have pursued every avenue open to good, vigilant citizens to bring these men to justice, to re-establish the rule of law, and to restore the balance of power described in our Constitution. We are not disturbing the peace; we are attempting to restore the peace. We are not conducting ourselves in a disorderly manner; our action is well-ordered and well-considered. We are not trespassing; we have come to the home of our Constitution to honor our oath to defend it.”
(more)
pg. 2 VFP National Archives action
Those participating are all members of Veterans For Peace and include Elliott Adams: 61, NY, VFP President and former Army paratrooper in Viet Nam; Ellen Barfield: 52, MD, former U.S. Army Sgt., full-time peace and justice advocate; Kim Carlyle: 61, NC, mountain homesteader, former Army Spec 5, 828-626-2572; Diane Wilson: 59, TX, shrimp boat captain, former Army medic, 361-785-4680; Doug Zachary: 58, TX, VFP staff, former USMC LCpl discharged as a conscientious objector, 512-791-9824; and Tarak Kauff (ground support) 67, NY, painting contractor, former U.S. Army Airborne.
Founded in 1985, VFP has 120 chapters throughout the country and has actively protested the Afghanistan and Iraq wars since their inception. Membership includes men and women veterans of all eras and duty stations spanning the Spanish Civil War, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq. VFP is an official Non Governmental Organization (NGO) represented at the UN.
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"May the innocent find peace; may the dead find grace; may the wounded find healing; may the homeless find shelter; may America find forgiveness; and may justice find the guilty." - Veterans For Peace Ch. 39
15 comments:
I thank the Veteran for Peace for helping to uphold the shrinking honor of our genocidal country.
God Bless You for taking a stand.
as a disabled veteran I am proud there are still veterans willing to stand up for real justice SALUTE
THESE are the troops I support! The ones that fight for the HONOR of our country and the principles upon which it stands.
Bush is the worst president in American history. Bush facilitated the 9/11 attacks. Subsequently, Bush lied to Congress and the American people relative to the reasons for invading Iraq. Bush purposefully misled Congress and the American people. Then, Bush murdered more than 4,000 United States service members. And Bush wounded more than 30,000 United States service members. In torturing prisoners of war, Bush patently violated the Geneva Convention. Bush unlawfully wiretapped United States citizens. In using “signing statements” to challenge hundreds of laws passed by Congress, Bush violated the Constitution. Bush has ignored global warming. Bush is guilty of criminal negligence relative to the response to Hurricane Katrina. Bush disobeys our democratic values and Constitution. Bush is a disgrace to the United States.
Indeed, Bush should be prosecuted for war crimes.
Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang
B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
These clowns are nutcases, deserters, frauds (Jesse MacBeth) and traitors.
Raoul... Who are the nutcases? The Veterans who are demonstrating or the president and vice president? Just curious as to where your comment was directed.
Also wondering where is the membership of the API and why isn't anyone checking in on this action. I see multiple comments from anonymous, are they all from Andrew?
Peace to All.
The illegitimate Iraq War is a waste of the nation's blood and treasury. It diverted resources away from the legitimate Afghan War and the military modernization. It overstretched our troops with repeated deployments. Many veterans with PTSD and other mental health issues were wantonly abandoned to fend on their own. It is time for somebody to stand up for PEACE!
These are truly America's Best.
These are the troops I support the most strongly.
God Bless REAL Patriotism!!
I wish I could be there, but I must point out that nothing CAN be done until we have a congress that honors the oath IT took, to serve US, the people, and not the corporate war-mongers who control our government. Only a complete clean-out of congress and a fresh, new, and RESPONSIBLE infusion of blood can do the job.
Good for them!
Blow it out yer ass, Raoul.
Hey,
Isn't this great - what a small group of vets can do! Thanks for posting this. We have the photos of our visit with you and I will post here tomorrow and e-mail you. I have been quiet of late but am overwhelmed by the experiences of the entire last month up to and including the bailout.
Hey,
Isn't this great - what a small group of vets can do! Thanks for posting this. We have the photos of our visit with you and I will post here tomorrow and e-mail you. I have been quiet of late but am overwhelmed by the experiences of the entire last month up to and including the bailout.
Sorry for both my abscence and my silence, Brother. Work has been brutal of late, when you start at 0600 and finish at 19:30 you are too dam tired to turn a computer on, much less blog. You know, you've been there.
I salute these courageous Vets and the stand they take in our names and the names of all true Patriots.
I have finally finished my last job and am enjoying a little down time before the next. Therefore I have started posting again and visiting your sites. Please do not hesitate to e-mail me whenever you feel I need a kick in the ass on a particular subject. Don't worry, I've got a pretty thick skin.
Raoul, one question. When and where did you serve?
d.
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