Veterans for Peace “Walk to New Orleans”
Every Bomb Dropped on Iraq Explodes Along the Gulf
About the March
MARCH-CARAVAN SCHEDULE
13 MAR 06
3 PM – 4:30 PM
Press Conference at 100 Bessemer Avenue, Prichard, AL. Remarks from
Paul Robinson , President (MOBILE CHAPTER (Chapter 130) — VETERANS FOR PEACE); from Michael McPhearson (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR — VETERANS FOR PEACE); from Kelly Dougherty (FOUNDING MEMBER — IRAQ VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR); and from Vivian Felts (SAVIN’ OUR SELF — [SOS]); Scott Saterwhite, President (PENSACOLA CHAPTER (Chapter 135) — VETERANS FOR PEACE).14 MAR 06
5 PM – 6:30 PM
Moss Point/Pascagoula Press Conference and Survivor Speak Out.
BASIC REPRESENTATIVE OPENING REMARKS (30 minutes): David Cline,
Vietnam Veterans Against the War, President — Veterans For Peace; Ann Wright, Veterans For Peace (Former Foreign Service Officer, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army); Michael T. McPhearson, National
Executive Director — Veterans For Peace; Stan Goff, Veterans For
Peace, Military Families Speak Out (Retired Special Forces Master
Sergeant, father of Iraq veteran); Michael Dean Cuzzort, Iraq Veterans
Against the War (hurricane survivor from New Orleans, veteran of
Afghanistan); Camilo Mejia, Iraq Veterans Against the War (war
resister, went to prison to protest the war in Iraq, combat veteran of
Operation Iraqi Freedom); Kelly Dougherty, Iraq Veterans Against the
War (combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, co-founder of IVAW);
Paul Robinson, Veterans For Peace, Hurricane Survivor, Savin’ Our Self
(SOS); Vivian Felts, Hurricane Survivor, SOS; Niki Wilson, Relief
Worker, Slidell Louisiana.Cynthia Seawright-Wright, a hurricane survivor and recovery organizer
will introduce the work of Outreach of Love; Four local survivors will
tell their stories; Iraq Veteran Jesus Bocanegra OF IVAW and talk about
the war in Iraq and his impressions of the Gulf Coast.15 MAR 06
6 AM
First Call. (This is a general wake-up call, done with three short
blasts of an air horn. It will not be followed up. It’s just a courtesy
alarm clock. The goal is to have everyone on the bus by 8 AM.)6 AM – 8 AM
Coffee, Breakfast, Hygiene, Packing. Home stays return to camp.8 AM – 9 AM
Shuttle to starting point, Leg 3 – Old Spanish Fort & Museum,
Pascagula, MS. Message at Spanish Fort, delivered to press in remarks
by IVAW member, Camilo Mejia. Just as the Spanish pushed out the Native Americans, the US Government is now trying to push out hurricane survivors. We cannot let this stand, and the military must not be used this way around the world or in the Gulf.9 AM – 12 PM
March Leg 3; from Pascagoula to City Hall in Gautier, MS (pronounced
Go-SHAY).12 PM – 1 PM
Lunch. Local speak-out with Gautier hurricane survivors. Opening
remarks from Reverend McCoy of Mt. Pilgrim AME Zion Church, Gautier.1 PM – 1:30 PM
Shuttle to starting point, Leg 4 — Hwy 90/Hwy 57 Junction, Ocean
Springs, MS.1:30 PM – 4 PM
March Leg 4; 90/57 Junction to Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Ocean Springs.4 PM – 4:30 PM
Vigil at MS Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Dave Cline, of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and National President of Veterans For Peace, will make remarks alongside Vietnamese immigrant and hurricane survivor now living in Mississippi; another wrong war. Larger group will leave individual flowers.4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Press Conference at Macedonia Baptist Church” Benediction and welcome from Reverend Jesse Trotter, Bible Study Baptist Church.BASIC REPRESENTATIVE OPENING REMARKS (30 minutes): David Cline,
Vietnam Veterans Against the War, President — Veterans For Peace; Ann Wright, Veterans For Peace (Former Foreign Service Officer, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army); Michael T. McPhearson, National
Executive Director — Veterans For Peace; Stan Goff, Veterans For
Peace, Military Families Speak Out (Retired Special Forces Master
Sergeant, father of Iraq veteran); Michael Dean Cuzzort, Iraq Veterans
Against the War (hurricane survivor from New Orleans, veteran of
Afghanistan); Camilo Mejia, Iraq Veterans Against the War (war
resister, went to prison to protest the war in Iraq, combat veteran of
Operation Iraqi Freedom); Kelly Dougherty, Iraq Veterans Against the
War (combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, co-founder of IVAW);
Paul Robinson, Veterans For Peace, Hurricane Survivor, Savin’ Our Self
(SOS); Vivian Felts, Hurricane Survivor, SOS; Niki Wilson, Relief
Worker, Slidell Louisiana.SOS will speak, as well as members of the Mississippi Immigrant Rights
Alliance. Black-Brown Unity is the theme. The contractors who hire
Latino’s are taking advantage of the poverty the US enforces abroad to
exploit immigrant labor. The same contractors seized the contracts in
both Iraq and the Gulf Coast. They abuse and refuse to pay immigrants
because they can, and they can’t with residents. Latino’s are not the
enemy. Black and Brown should unite against a common enemy… and it’s not in Mexico or Central America. It’s in the nation’s capital.
Victoria Cintra will speak for MIRA. Cynthia Wright, an African
American survivor who lives in Ocean Springs will tell her story.
Janeth Perez, a Latina survivor and worker will tell her story, as well
as Melquiades Vicente (a 16-year-old injured worker) and Santos Moran (another injured worker, with Victoria Cintra translating). Also
speaking will be Peruvian immigrant Javier Ruiz del Aguila, who
chauffeured the press through the area after the hurricane and watched George W. Bush staging his photo ops. Jose Vasquez of IVAW will MC, and provide concluding remarks about the war and his decision to become a conscientious objector.6:30 PM – TC
Supper (Organized by Macedonia Baptist Church) & Socializing, Camp
Preparation, Home Stays.16 MAR 06
6 AM
First Call. (This is a general wake-up call, done with three short
blasts of an air horn. It will not be followed up. It’s just a courtesy
alarm clock. The goal is to have everyone on the bus by 7:30 AM. There is a long shuttle this morning.)6 AM – 7:30 AM
Coffee, Breakfast, Hygiene, Packing. Home stays return to camp.7:30 AM – 9 AM
Long Shuttle around Biloxi Bay to starting point, Leg 5 — Hwy 110/Hwy 90 Junction in Gulf Port, MS.9 AM – 12 PM
March Leg 5; 110/90 Junction (Gulf Port) to Junction of HWY 90 and
Cowan Road (along the beach).12 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch & ad hoc Interviews. Done on the beach. A simple stop along the
road. Opportunity for short nap.1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
March Leg 6; 90/Cowan Road Junction to ruined City Hall in Long Beach.
(THIS IS AN AREA OF EXTREME DAMAGE!)4:30 PM – 6 PM
BASIC REPRESENTATIVE OPENING REMARKS (30 minutes): David Cline,
Vietnam Veterans Against the War, President — Veterans For Peace; Ann Wright, Veterans For Peace (Former Foreign Service Officer, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army); Michael T. McPhearson, National
Executive Director — Veterans For Peace; Stan Goff, Veterans For
Peace, Military Families Speak Out (Retired Special Forces Master
Sergeant, father of Iraq veteran); Michael Dean Cuzzort, Iraq Veterans
Against the War (hurricane survivor from New Orleans, veteran of
Afghanistan); Camilo Mejia, Iraq Veterans Against the War (war
resister, went to prison to protest the war in Iraq, combat veteran of
Operation Iraqi Freedom); Kelly Dougherty, Iraq Veterans Against the
War (combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, co-founder of IVAW);
Paul Robinson, Veterans For Peace, Hurricane Survivor, Savin’ Our Self
(SOS); Vivian Felts, Hurricane Survivor, SOS; Niki Wilson, Relief
Worker, Slidell Louisiana.Survivors’ Speak-out, organized by Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church.
Remarks by Abbie Pickett (IVAW, an Iraq combat veteran comparing what she sees in Long Beach and what she saw in Iraq) and Reverend Robert Landoor of Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church, followed by stories from three local survivors, first being Charles Guy. VFP member Ann Wright will close.6 PM – 7 PM
Shuttle to camping point, Long Beach, MS.7 PM – TC
Supper (Prepared by Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church) & Socializing, Camp
Preparation, Home Stays.17 MAR 06
6 AM
First Call.6 AM – 7:30 AM
Coffee, Breakfast, Hygiene, Packing. Home stays return to camp.7:30 AM – 9 AM
Long Shuttle to starting point, Leg 7 — Zapporo’s Bay Plaza,
Washington St. & MWY 90, Waveland, MS.9 AM – 12 PM
March Leg 7; Waveland to end of HWY 90 Service Road on right (app 8.5 miles).12 PM – 1 PM
Lunch in the middle of nowhere. (No event – no pressure)1 PM – 1:30 PM
Short Shuttle to starting point, Leg 8 — Shamrock Drive/Hwy 90
Junction.1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
March Leg 8; Shamrock/Hwy 90 to Camp Land-o-Peace, Slidell, LA. (This takes us up 190B to Slidell, left on HWY 11 [aka Front Street], turning right on Bayou Liberty Road.)4:30 PM – 7 PM
Press Conference with Bayou Liberty Relief. Relief worker Niki Wilson
makes opening remarks, emphasizing experience with FEMA.BASIC REPRESENTATIVE OPENING REMARKS (30 minutes): David Cline,
Vietnam Veterans Against the War, President — Veterans For Peace; Ann Wright, Veterans For Peace (Former Foreign Service Officer, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army); Michael T. McPhearson, National
Executive Director — Veterans For Peace; Stan Goff, Veterans For
Peace, Military Families Speak Out (Retired Special Forces Master
Sergeant, father of Iraq veteran); Michael Dean Cuzzort, Iraq Veterans
Against the War (hurricane survivor from New Orleans, veteran of
Afghanistan); Camilo Mejia, Iraq Veterans Against the War (war
resister, went to prison to protest the war in Iraq, combat veteran of
Operation Iraqi Freedom); Kelly Dougherty, Iraq Veterans Against the
War (combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, co-founder of IVAW);
Paul Robinson, Veterans For Peace, Hurricane Survivor, Savin’ Our Self
(SOS); Vivian Felts, Hurricane Survivor, SOS.Tina Garnanez, Native American Iraq Veteran Against the War will make
remarks, followed by Ronald and Cheryl Courteaux of the Grand
Caillou-Dulac Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogees (BCCM) and Naomi Archer, of Four Directions. Other speakers are:
Shequita Walker from Covington. She worked in the shelter in Pineview
though not with Red Cross; Kieth Long from Northern Washington
Parish–Mt Hermon; Barbra Gibson Mayor of Sun, La.; Alice Cothron from Isabell–Helped to feed and hold her community together from her small rural grocery store, cooking on a large barbecue till the shelves were empty; Lilliaian Blackburn from Franklinton–Bethal Church of Christ Holiness.Final remarks by Geoffrey Millard (IVAW) and Darlene Ong- Williams (an Iraq Vet’s Mother, Hurricane Survivor). Two survivors of Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina will testify to the continued neglect of FEMA there after SIX YEARS.
5:30 – TC
Press Conference (continued) & Cajun Cookout. Camp & Home Stays.18 MAR 06
6 AM
First Call.6 AM – 8 AM
Coffee, Breakfast, Hygiene, Packing.8 AM – 9 AM
Shuttle to Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge at end of Hwy 11
bridge over Lake Ponchartrain.9 AM – 10 AM
Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge Press Conference. Environmental Justice advocates will join this, with environmental justice organizer Reverend Lois DeJean, Gert Town Revival Initiative, giving opening remarks. Ward Reilly, a Vietnam Veteran, will speak about Agent Orange, and Iraq Veteran Rafael Naboa about Depleted Uranium.10 AM – 11 AM
Shuttle to starting point, Leg 9 (New Orleans) – Chalmette National
Military Cemetery/Jean Lafitte Park (commemorating the Battle of New
Orleans… we are inaugurating the Second Battle of New Orleans).11 AM – 12:30 PM
A veteran each from WWII (Gene Glazier), Korea (Ellen Barfield),
Vietnam (Billy Kelly), the Covert Wars (Stan Goff), Gulf War I (Michael
McPherson), and today’s war (Garret Reppenhagen), each will give a
brief bio, followed by remarks on the military and civilian casualties
from these wars. Remarks by Cindy Sheehan (GSFP). A hurricane survivor advocate, Kali Williams, will commemorate those who died in the storms or of neglect, hostility, and incompetence later.12:30 PM – 1 PM
Fast Brown Bag Lunch.1 PM – 4 PM
March Leg 9; Chalmette Cemetery to St Augustine’s Church, New Orleans, LA.4 PM – TC
Veteran’s Art Collective Event and camping at the church. Visual art
displays, spoken word, music, drama, etc., from vets and hurricane
survivors. Opening remarks by Cindy Sheehan (Gold Star Families for
Peace), Michael Cuzzort (Iraq Veterans Against the War) and Dave Cline
(Vietnam Veterans Against the War).19 MAR 06
7 AM
First Call.7 AM – 9 AM
Coffee, Breakfast, Hygiene, Packing.9 AM – 10 AM
March Leg 10; St Augustine Church to Congo Square – Armstrong Park, New
Orleans, LA.10 AM
Enter Armstrong Park and begin the rally.NOTE: Rally begins at 10:30 AM with music and speakers. Tentative
speakers list includes:Father Jerome LeDoux, St. Augustine’s Catholic Church
Paul Robinson, President, Veteran’s For Peace (Mobile, Alabama Chapter)Michael Cuzzort, Iraq Veterans Against the War — New Orleans Chapter)Ann Wright, Veterans For Peace
Vivian Felts, Saving Ourselves (SOS) Ward Reilly, C-3 (Concern, Community, Compassion), Veterans For Peace &
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
(Baton Rouge) Ishmael Muhammad, People’s Hurricane Relief Fund
Marty Rowland, C-3 (Concern, Community, Compassion)
Elliott Adams (VFP) Stan Goff, Military Families Speak Out
Malik Rahim, Common Ground Collective
Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families for Peace
Victoria Cintra, Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance
Niki Wilson, Bayou Liberty Relief
Colorado Communinities for Justice and Peace Winter Convergence Denver, 18-19 March, 06
Workshops and march/rally details HERE.
Peace
This is what I can do
Mass March/Convergence Times Square Recruiting Station
Here is where others might find an action to participate in:
OUT NOW/International Days of Action Against the War
And here:
United For Peace and Justice Event Calender
Thanks for putting up UFPJ’s link. FYI, they are no longer connected with ANSWER. yay!
CodePink’s Calendar to find out what you can do in a town near you.
CodePink Portland Busy in Portland 🙂
Are we celebrating the infighting in the movement now?
Not that they were ever really “connected” anyway, just that they would occasionally agree to show up and march at the same time, at the same place, and with similar demands.
I suppose that even that small bit of cooperation is too much to ask for now, though.
ANSWER turned alot of people off to protesting/marching.
I and others refused to march in San Francisco due to ANSWER. Only to find out they had swallowed up the march details in DC.
I don’t celebrate the “infighting” I celebrate other groups being able to march on their own.
Most saw the ANSWER pre-march stuff on the TV during DC march – they didn’t see the march they didn’t see United for Peace and Justice concert/talks – and they were turned off by it.
How did they turn people off?
This is a common accusation, and I rarely see much to back it up. It would be just as easy to baselessly claim that UFPJ is “turning people off” with their pessimistic perspective and their playing to the middle.
What about all the people on the ground on S24? Where they “turned off” by the fact that the march was huge, because it was backed by basically everyone? Would they have preferred to have 2 marches, at different places, at different times, organized by different illegitimate “leadership?”
Would it have been better if every activist and every activist group had to choose between either taking sides in this pointless turf war, or supporting neither and staying home?
Thats the choice that people are going to have to make on April 25 in NYC. I, for one, am not looking forward to seeing that pie-fight within my local CAN chapter, and within the city anti-war coalition here.
I disagree with both ANSWER and UFPJ on a fundamental point: they don’t listen to their own members. they seem to be more interested in building their own organizations and getting support for all their other causes. (left-wing demands on one side, and the democratic party (its PACs, candidates, etc) on the other) Ending the war seems to be just an afterthought.
Debating out these sorts or arguments (eg, palestinian resistance, supporting the democratic party, US imperialism, etc) is good and healty. dividing the movement into warring factions based on these disagreements is utterly pointless.
If either of these coalitions listened to its members, we wouldn’t be in this situation.
Actually I agree with most of what you wrote 🙂
I did not go to DC to march with UFPJ nor ANSWER. I went on my own. I went to march as an individual alongside CodePink, VFP, MFSO… and with people who were opposed to this Red Regime.
The thing about ANSWER is they tend to swallow up the entire march organization control. Yes, they are great at getting coverage, licenses etc etc. And it’s better to have a march than none at all… and none of us had to march under their banner, but even my husband who knew why we were marching and knew of the details was turned off by the CSPAN coverage which was ANSWER. After Jackson and Sheehan there weren’t many other speakers speaking about Bush or the War.
It’s not my story but I have met several others who have tried to organize their march with ANSWER and to be blunt… it’s a pain in the ass.
I think the beautiful thing about LIberals or the Democratic party is also what makes it a pure hell to organize… is that it’s about people and not a party. It’s like herding cats. 🙂
I’m sorry if I offended you but I see the splitting away from ONE MAJOR march banner as a good thing. And this weekend we all will be marching together. But we don’t have to just rely on one or two major organizers.
Excellent!
I know a handful of Boomers are in this geographic area – See You There!
Dear all:
For anyone who hasn’t already heard, there will be a march and rally this Saturday, March 18th, to mark the third anniversary of the Iraq invasion and ongoing occupation. We will meet at the usual place, the Liberty Bell Veterans Park on Lincoln near 4th in Port Angeles, at noon, and will rally for an hour then march through downtown. We are hoping a couple of speakers will make it, including a woman from Oregon Military Families Speak Out. Otherwise we’ll spend the time doing much-needed networking. Sponsors of this event include the Green Party of Clallam County, Veterans for Peace, and the newly-fledged Clallam County Peace Coalition.
Hope to see you there!
I will be attending this March and protest in San Diego this Saturday. We had one that coincided with the DC march and over three thousand people showed up!
ANTI-WAR RALLY
AND
PEACE FESTIVAL
6TH & LAUREL
BALBOA PARK SAN DIEGO
PEACE FESTIVAL 1:00 – 5:00
ANTI-WAR RALLY 2:00 – 4:00