Damnit Janet – Page 3 – Progress Pond

Peace Vigil 8/2/06

Every Wednesday evening from 6:30 to 7:30 across from the Beaverton, Oregon, public library.

Danni with our sign from Ft. Lewis vigil.

Singing Songs…

and carrying signs…

Peace Mongers!!!

My son… watching and waiting for honks.

My daughter patiently sits with her sign…

Last week we received an email stating that there were 57 in attendance along with two profiles of sign holders. I’ll try to include that information in later photojournals.

Signing out from Beaverton… Peace.

National Day of Education: Lt. Watada

On August 17, U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ehren Watada will face a pre-trial hearing for refusing to deploy to Iraq. “It is my conclusion as an officer of the armed forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong but a horrible breach of American law. The war and what we’re doing over there is illegal,” explained the first military officer to publicly take such a stand.

As supporters internationally gear up for the “National Day of Education” on Aug 16 to ask the question “Is the Iraq War Illegal?,” support from Iraq combat veterans continues to mount for Lt. Ehren Watada

Below are just a few statements of support from the many that the “Friends and Family of Lt. Watada” have received.

Take from the Action Alert at Thank you Lt dot org
Snippets from Action Alert Email on how to support the men and women in uniform from having to engage in an illegal occupation via… Courage to Resist

Below are just a few statements of support from the many that the “Friends and Family of Lt. Watada” have received.

Cloy Richards, US Marine Iraq War infantry/artillery

“Lt. Watada, along with every other service member who has the courage to stand up and say no to this illegal war are MY WAR HEROES. Thank you Lt. Watada for standing up for me and every veteran. I admire your courage and patriotism. I wish I was brave enough to stand up and say no when it really counted. Instead I said OK and went along with the lies I was told.”

Clifton Hicks, US Army Iraq War tanker

“You’ve done something to be proud of man, you’re setting an excellent example for every soldier in the armed forces. History will prove that you were right.”

Chad Hetman, Captain, US Army infantry

“Hopefully this officer will set an example for other officers to follow…This is what courage and ethics looks like.”

Garett Reppenhagen, US Army Iraq War sniper

“Thank you Lt. Watada. I was a sniper in the 1st Infantry Division and spent one year at FOB Scunion in Baquaba Iraq. I went to war believing that I had an obligation to my country because I signed a contract and gave an oath that I would be the weapon of my democracy. After my experience in combat I firmly believe that, that social contract has been broken.”

Howard Zinn
Lt. Watada and anyone else who refuses to fight in this immoral and illegal war in Iraq deserves the support of all who believe in peace, justice, democracy. As a former officer in the military I know how difficult it is to break away from the mindset of viiolence, war, and obedience, so I applaud his courage.

Veterans For Peace

Veterans For Peace applauds First Lieutenant Watada’s courage to follow his convictions and refuse deployment to Iraq.
Veterans For Peace Executive Director Michael McPhearson states, “The Bush administration continues to put our nation’s service members in harms way for no good reason. Today our troops face the long shadows of Abu Ghraib and now Haditha…

“I understand that many of our troops believe the U.S. occupation to be just and must follow their conscience. Other soldiers, while they do not believe in the war, feel obligated to follow the orders of their leaders or fear the consequences of resisting. However, more and more men and women are coming to the realization that they have the right to follow their conscience to resist this immoral war and are willing to face whatever consequences lay ahead. As a leader and officer, 1LT Watada has an obligation to steward the physical, mental and moral health of his troops. I imagine it has become clear to the LT that his duty to them can not be served by leading them in an endeavor based on deceit and half truths. Veterans For Peace supports the courage of this young man and other service members like him.”

For more information about 1LT Watada, please visit www.thankyoult.org . For more information about VFP, please visit www.veteransforpeace.org .

Veterans For Peace is a national organization founded in 1985. It is structured around a national office in Saint Louis, MO and comprised of members across the country organized in chapters or as at-large members. The organization includes men and women veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, other conflicts and peacetime veterans. Our collective experience tells us wars are easy to start and hard to stop and that those hurt are often the innocent. Thus, other means of problem solving are necessary.

National Day of Education – Lt. Watada

Below are just a few statements of support from the many that the “Friends and Family of Lt. Watada” have received.

Cloy Richards, US Marine Iraq War infantry/artillery
“Lt. Watada, along with every other service member who has the courage to stand up and say no to this illegal war are MY WAR HEROES. Thank you Lt. Watada for standing up for me and every veteran. I admire your courage and patriotism. I wish I was brave enough to stand up and say no when it really counted. Instead I said OK and went along with the lies I was told.”

Clifton Hicks, US Army Iraq War tanker
“You’ve done something to be proud of man, you’re setting an excellent example for every soldier in the armed forces. History will prove that you were right.”

Chad Hetman, Captain, US Army infantry
“Hopefully this officer will set an example for other officers to follow…This is what courage and ethics looks like.”

Garett Reppenhagen, US Army Iraq War sniper
“Thank you Lt. Watada. I was a sniper in the 1st Infantry Division and spent one year at FOB Scunion in Baquaba Iraq. I went to war believing that I had an obligation to my country because I signed a contract and gave an oath that I would be the weapon of my democracy. After my experience in combat I firmly believe that, that social contract has been broken.”

Summertime Blues

Gonna take two weeks

Gonna have a fine vacation

Gonna take my problems
To the United Nations

Well I went to my congressman
He said, quote: “I’d like to help you son,
But you’re too young to vote.”

Sometimes I wonder what I’m a’gonna do
Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues.

Lyrics: The Who

Citizen Activist: Our Children

“You fight every day, not because of what you hope to achieve, but because it’s the right thing to do.” – writerscramp

Danni’s letter from a year ago, and the journey it created for so many. This is about what we can learn from all our children. For they are truly Citizens of the World.
Many of us were stopped in our tracks over the pictures of the children in Tal Afar who were instantly orphaned when their parents’ car was gunned down at a “check point”. My daughter wanted to do something. Anything. So she decided to draft out a letter. After a week (lots of stuff going on at school and martial arts commitment) she finally got a letter she liked.

She handwrote in Hello Kitty sparkle glow pen in the To: field and signed them all and addressed each envelope herself. Amongst the several who recieved the letter: Unicef, Howard Dean, Pelosi, Clinton-Rodham, John Kerry (who she contacted once and mailed him campaign posters she made herself in a school mock election) Her teacher and principal, Nickelodian, AirAmerica, Barbara Boxer.

She received ONE letter back. State Senator Wes Chesbro (D-CA) wrote a non-standard letter to her telling my daughter that he had nothing to do with the vote as he was a State Senator. …

Here are her words from Jan 31, 2005

Last week a car in Iraq with two parents and five kids were on their way home. The soldiers shot the front of the car and the parents died. Then the five kids were alone. Shouldn’t this be on all the news? It wasn’t.

Kids have to stop the killing of kids. That’s because adults don’t believe each other and grown-ups aren’t doing their jobs. Killing an Iraq kid is just like killing a kid from the United States.

How can I help? Writing a letter is all I know what to do. Kids are suffering and nobody’s doing anything about it. Please help me find a way to stop the killing. It’s just not right. People shouldn’t just kill people. Killing kids has nothing to do with freedom.

Thank you so much.
Sincerely,

Danni Nicole snipped – 10-year-old 5th grader

P.S. I’m writing this to a lot of people but not George Bush because he won’t do anything and he doesn’t care. Again, thank you very much!

That was a year ago.

So much has happened since then. So much happened before. But it is my daughter who is truly the activist in this family. It is her who inspires us all. She has inspired her father to join Veterans For Peace. She’s become a bit of a creative consultant for our local CodePink chapter.

(Danni had the idea for how to make “flames” on the Mother Day’s “Bombs” for the protest/meeting at the Senator’s Federal Building)

(Danni’s own photo she took of Lt. Watada)

I think many of us are driven due to our children. Many want a better future for their loved ones. I am blessed because my daughter is helping me walk this journey.

Danni does not see herself as political or as anything but an artist, a poet and a “thinker of deep thoughts”.

My daughter … is not really “mine” at all, but all of ours. Just as each child who died yesterday and will die tomorrow are our children. They are not somebody else’s. We may never know their names, we will never know what they would have become… but we know what we must become for them.

For those lost and bloodied barefoot poets, the little artists whose hands will never hold a pencil again, “thinkers of deep thoughts”… the future young activists who are no more.

The Children.

We must listen to our children and stop killing our children. They are ALL ours.

X-My Left Wing

Sy Goat on the Stem-Cell Debate

In our never-ending quest to impose phony “Christian” values on all Americans, we sent Fox News’s Rita Cosby down to interview Sy Goat, a young American who has quite a stake in the embryonic stem-cell debate.
Cosby: Well, Sy, how does a young man such as yourself feel about being sliced up and experimented upon by mad scientists?

Frankly Rita, your remark is sexist. I have no sexual differentiation at my stage of development.

Cosby: Well then, as a weird and dangerous transvestite, did you chop up Natalee Holloway and dump the chum into the sea to be eaten by sharks?

That’s quite possible. But since I have no brain, I can honestly say I have no recollection of it.

Cosby: Fox News Alert! Breakthrough in Aruba! Now, as a human being and a citizen with rights, why should you be murdered in cold blood for this phony-baloney “science” nonsense?

1st Lt. Sharon Ann Lane, 2nd Lt. Pamela Dorothy Donovan, Lt. Col. Annie Ruth Graham, Capt. Mary Therese Klinker, 2nd Lt. Carol Ann Elizabeth Drazba, 2nd Lt. Elizabeth Ann Jones, Capt. Eleanor Grace Alexander, 1st Lt. Hedwig Diane Orlowski.

Cosby: Who the hell are they???

They died in Vietnam saving lives. Women are on the Wall, too. Even though I have only 3 cells, I can save even more lives than them. If it’s ok that they can be heroes, why not me?

Cosby: Cut! We can’t use this! Let’s go back to Aruba!

Autism Breakthrough!!! (real but satire)

Today my evening plans to attend a CodePink meeting in Portland were dashed.

How one sentence can make your evening plans go from

this:

to this:

“MOM! I JUST THREW UP IN MY MOUTH!”

But… this is not to seek pity, this is to remember where we have traveled. Come timewarp with me to April of 2000 when I first sent an autism support e-list my bittersweet “good news”.
Tuesday, 25-Apr-2000

Breakthrough!!!!!!

I hope you dont think the major breakthrough was in speech development.

Nope.

Hope you dont think Im so elated due to some miraculous agreement with school officials.

Nada.

Hope you didnt come here hoping to read about some new medicine. So what’s the big breakthrough? The thing that would have a mom so happy and wanting to share??

My son for the first time puked in a bucket.

Now I must preceed this with lettting you know we have been attempting this for years. And more recently, Ive been dealing with a sick kid for 4 days now. Not mildy sick – nopers we are talking about jet propulsion here.

The Saturday before last, I for some reason had the energy and time to rent one of those steam cleaners and I busted my hump on the carpet and was very happy with the outcome of my effort. This Saturday after the major Easter Egg Hunt put on by the local Lion’s Chapter (who seemed to have a surplus of chocolate, jelly bellys and those glorious hard boiled eggs) as they were passing them out left and right.

I kept telling Wesley that he shouldnt feel compelled to eat it all at once. But Wesley kept shoveling it in – for two hours he was content to eat anything and everything the Lion Club Members handed him. Maybe I shouldve taken his basket away and put my foot down? Ya right – I wasnt in the mood that day to engage in
WW3. You know what they say about taking candy from a baby – well they never tried to take it away from my kid.

After my daughter won the grand prize in age group (a huge box of… you guessed it more chocolate) we decided to head home. This is when my son started to say “tummy hurt”. At first I thought “well he had too much candy – he will get sick briefly and it will all be over”. So the first time he showed signs of appearing to be “sick” I was ready folks. I had towells and everything. Some would say I was helping my child in a time of illness – NO way, I was saving my newly cleaned carpet.

Well I thought I had done a mighty fine job and was pleased that I saved the day. I turned on the TV for Wesley and went about my work. That is when I heard his stomache making sounds that should never come from a human. That is when I realized we werent dealing with a case of “too much candy” – we were headed for “the flu”

Wesley went around the living room like a whirling dervish – he managed to hit every spot of the wall to wall carpet. He even managed to hit the backside of the couch. Our two labradors went running for cover as well. There was nothing I could do.

Now my son has always seemed to get very panicked when vomitting. This weekend he basically has undergone “sensory intergration” with this all and can now “get sick” with ease and no fear. The seventh time, I calmed him down and got him settled in with a new Pokemon video and then I sat in the kitchen and cried until my husband got home.

The cashier lady looked funny at me – and I told her “Yes, I just rented one of these machines last week but I need it again” She tried to tell me to just buy some stain remover and I told her that I was just lucky that our overhead fan wasnt running at the time. NO, a can of stain remover wouldnt help today.

My son doesnt always talk, let alone announce what he’s about to do. But this for us is a major breakthrough that he is now on his own using a bucket.

He has even “progressed” to saying “Wesley haffa cough” as he lunges for his very own bucket. Seems “coughing” is what he calls the feeling – and that is fine with me – at least its something. I feel bad that he is so sick and having a terrible time – but I feel like high fiving everyone – cause my kid has learned how to .. um no other way to say but to say it as it is..

My son can puke in a bucket. Hooray!!!

===
Another Mother Of A Child Like No Other

Ft. Lewis…hours before the big rally

Photos and report from the 4-6 Vigil

Earlier that day, from 10 to 2, a few people from Portland stood at the same spot to jump start the National Day of support for Lt. Watada and to stand with Tom Krebsbach a veteran who had been doing a one man vigil for days. Photos and his emails to follow.

Day 4 at Ft. Lewis

Today I spent another four hours outside the Madigan gate of Ft. Lewis, with sign and flag, hoping to ignite some sort of continuing vigil in support of Lt. Watada.

Watada has really offered a golden plum to the anti-war movement by making such a bold stand on behalf of international law. If his stand gains widespread media attention and continues to remain in the news, it could make the general public cognizant that there is a thing called international law which this country routinely ignores and often breaks. It could bring about self-examination and an earnest discussion. International law is a subject which is near and dear to my heart, as a result of this war, and that is why I am willing to put the time into standing outside the gates of Ft. Lewis for Watada.

There is a lot of belligerence to my standing there. Many people give me the finger or shout obscenities. Of course, anti-war vigilers are used to this sort of thing. It’s just a little more intense at this location.

One staff sergeant came over to give his opinion when I indicated I could not hear what he was saying. He told me he did not appreciate me standing there because he had been to Iraq and he was defending my right to stand there. I didn’t tell him that he shouldn’t mind my standing there if that was the freedom he was defending. I also didn’t tell him that Iraq had nothing to do with my freedom, or his for that matter. I did tell him that I appreciated his courage and the courage of others who went to Iraq. But I said that the war was illegal and a disaster. He indicated there was not much he could do about that. I said people could refuse to go there, like Watada. I gave him a couple of op-eds on the topic of the illegality of the war. He took them and tore them up and threw the pieces on the ground. Then he walked back across the street. I shouted after him, “Be stupid, then Be stupid.” Oh, well.

I sense these people know the war is a disaster. They know Bush lied to get us into it. But they do not want to confront the fact that it is so terribly wrong when they may well have to go back there. It’s hard to carry out a mission when you can’t get up for it. I can really empathize with them.

Actually it is surprising the amount of support I see. A fair number give thumbs up or honk in support. Maybe that’s because I am at the Madigan exit where there might be a lot of medical personnel driving through.

After I first got there a wife of a soldier came along on her bicycle and asked if she could take a picture of my sign which stated “Refusing to fight in an illegal war takes courage!” Watada’s picture is stapled next to the slogan. I gladly obliged her. She took the picture and said she agreed that Watada was very courageous.

Later a 20 year air force veteran and member of the Tacoma VFP came by and joined me for an hour. His name is Tom Daly. That helped to break up the tedium of the 4 hours.

After standing there for four hours, I left at 2 PM. I will go back again Thursday at the same spot from 10 AM to 2 PM.

Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile and if I am accomplishing anything. An even better question is “what is my goal?” I guess I’m really there to communicate with the officer corps. First, I want them to be reminded of his stand and maybe start thinking about why he is doing it. Do they have the guts and integrity to do something similar? Second, I want them to support Watada. It’s a long shot. But one can hope.

Tom Krebsbach

Tom and Ann

We were warned by the Ft. Lewis Police not to take photos of the Ft. Lewis gate/property or of vehicles entering or exiting.

Linda of CodePink on the on ramp.

Radiant Marianne and I stood on the opposite side of the bridge with O’Kelly.

O’Kelly, a WW2 Veteran for Peace.

THURSDAY, JUNE 29, ANOTHER DAY VIGILING AT FT. LEWIS

Mike Yanasak and I stood vigil outside the Madigan gate at Ft. Lewis once again today in support of Lt. Watada. Mike’s sign read, “The Occupation of Iraq is Illegal. Don’t go.” My sign read, “Who has the guts and integrity to stand with Lt. Watada?” on one side. On the other it read, “U.S. War Crimes: The Invasion, Abu Ghraib, Fallujah, Haditha, etc.”

For most of the time our vigil, which lasted from 10:15 to 2:00, was fairly nondescript. There were a few thumbs up and peace signs. There were quite a few more thumbs down, one finger salutes, and assorted verbal criticisms.

Clearly, many find us very annoying, like gnats that fly up the nostril. I enjoy this fact. It makes me feel like maybe we are having some effect. If we are simply ignored, then we are probably wasting our time.

The last half hour was somewhat more eventful, in that we actually had close up contact and communication with a few people.

First, a buck sergeant stopped his vehicle along side the on ramp to I-5 and came over to talk with me. He said he appreciated what we were doing, but thought that it was necessary to get rid of Saddam Hussein and his sons. He thought that the occupation should have ended after that was accomplished.

I said that things would have worked out a whole lot better if we had left at that point. I told him that the invasion itself was illegal. He said he thought Watada should uphold his contract. I said that he was upholding his contract, that his contract required him to uphold the Constitution and international law which the U.S. had signed onto. I said there were many war crimes being committed as part of the occupation in places like Abu Ghraib, Fallujah, and so on. He said that he thought higher ups should be held responsible for Abu Ghraib, which I agreed with. He indicated that Fallujah was carried out by the marines, who are a bunch of wackos.

I gave him a few articles to read on the legal status of the war. We made a little bit of small talk, shook hands, and he wished me a good day. I reciprocated.

Shortly after that, a guy pulled up in his older model Cadillac with one of those small American flags attached to the back window. As he got out and started walking towards us, he looked slightly threatening, like he might be a real redneck. He was husky, had long hair under a white cowboy hat, was wearing cowboy boots and strode like he was going to give us a piece of his mind. He looked a bit like Kenny Rogers. He walked over to me first and asked what was Watada. I said Watada was Lt. Watada. I asked him if he had heard of him. He said yes, but I don’t think he had. He asked me if I were anti-war and I said yes. He said that he was a Christian preacher and that he knew many Iraqis who were happy that we were over there. Then he walked over to Mike. I let Mike deal with him for about fifteen minutes. I felt bad about that, but I didn’t want to deal with him.

Eventually he came back to me. There was no getting rid of this guy, so I unleashed the verbal arsenal. Did he know that, according to surveys, that 70 to 80 percent of the Iraqis want us out of there? If we are so liked, why do close to half of the Iraqis feel it is OK for the insurgents to kill Americans? What would he do if somebody invaded America? Would he simply allow them to do that without resisting? Would Christ have invaded Iraq? Would he have killed tens of thousands? If we are doing such a good job over there, why is the Green Zone the only secure place in the country? Did he know that Saddam Hussein had tried desperately to prevent war by offering to hold elections in Iraq, offering to allow 2000 FBI agents in Iraq to look for WMDs, offering to give the U.S. a good deal on oil, and offering to work with the U.S. to resolve the Israel/Palestinian conflict? Did he know that Bush had refused all this because he lusted for his little war? Didn’t he realize that you can’t export democracy at the point of a gun? Isn’t Iraq a lot worse off now, then before we invaded?

Eventually he didn’t have all that much to say except that I was passionate about my position and he wanted to know what was my Christian background. Mike came over and we had a few laughs. We shook hands with the cowboy preacher and he went off on his way.

We decided it was time to go and started walking back to the car Then a couple of young guys came over to talk to us. They had flipped us off earlier in the day. One asked me why the UN hadn’t done anything about the invasion if the war was illegal. I thought that was a good question. I said there wasn’t much the UN could do because the United States would veto any resolution which was critical of the U.S. action. I said China had attempted to pass a resolution after Kosovo that was critical of NATO and the U.S. and that the U.S. had vetoed it then. So what was the point of trying?

Mike asked them where they were from. One was from Oregon and the other from New York. They are infantry and are shipping out for Iraq tomorrow. I offered to give them some of my articles. The guy from Oregon said they couldn’t take them. They can’t be reading subversive material, don’t you know. Mike laughed and said, “C’mon. They can’t stop you from reading.” Then they took the articles. They seemed concerned about their pending tour but fatalistic. Mike said, “Well, don’t go.” They said they didn’t have a choice, that they could serve 5 years in jail. I said that they had a choice but that it was an extremely difficult one.

Mike told them not to try to be heroes over there. We told them to take care of themselves and each other and to make it back alive.

I felt bad for them. They are just kids yet, not quite men. They don’t deserve to go through this bullshit. Nobody does.

Tom Krebsbach

Posted at My Left Wing, too.

Support Lt. Watada 6/27 Action Alert

“My decision to join the army is one that I will never regret because my choice to reject unlawful and immoral orders in spite of the consequences, has taught me the true meaning of sacrifice, democracy, and freedom. I hope that my example shows other soldiers that they too have the power to choose right over wrong and that freedom is something that can never be taken away.” -Lt. Ehren Watada

Lt. Watada with his family at a unspecified location and time due meeting with friends and supporters. Photo taken by me.

Me and my family were fortunate to be able to spend some time with Lt. Watada who is resisting “just following orders” and will not participate in an illegal war, an act of aggression which goes against the United States Constitution. He is not a conscientious objector as he feel it is his duty to fight to defend the Constitution and America. He is not going absent without leave. He is standing up and resisting.

I will be laying in the street outside of Ft. Lewis main gate. He is very worried that the people wanting to shield him will be hurt. He has asked that anyone who can attend will bring video cameras so that the Citizens who feel responsible to defend his rights won’t be harmed. I am going to be setting up alerts and asking other groups and the “media” to attend this Saturday as I try to help an Officer who refuses to be a war criminal for Bush.

Promoted by Steven D.

BOHICA was there to introduce Lt. Watada and Jeff Patterson (the first soldier to resist going to the Gulf War was there to speak as well)

People across the country will take action on June 27th, when Ehren refuses deployment; and again in August (date to be announced)if he does he face the court martial, we’ll mobilize nationally, putting the war on trial! This is a tremendous opportunity to invigorate the antiwar movement in the U.S., following the leadership of Ehren and GI resisters.

To demonstrate our solidarity, we call for a National Day of Action on June 27th to support Ehren as he officially resists deployment.

These actions will include marches, vigils, protests, nonviolent direct action or civil disobedience in support of his legal and moral refusal, and against the war and occupation of Iraq. This is only the first step to building for mass national actions around the Court Martial days, which will likely be in August (although June 27th we’ll demand “No Court Martial!” we’ll begin preparing now in case this demand is not met).

We must support soldiers whose resistance upholds principles and democracy, and who can by challenging the military from the inside literally end the occupation of Iraq. Ehren joins a growing number of resisters in this war, building off the legacy of GI resistance that has historically played a vital role in ending wars. As the antiwar movement builds its support for these brave people and their important actions, we hope to encourage more to take their stands knowing they won’t be alone. Those of us outside the military must match his bravery by escalating our support for all GI resisters. They’ve got to know we’re out here for them!

GET INVOLVED!

Your group can:

1) EDUCATE:
Raise awareness in your organization, networks and communities about Lt. Ehren Watada’s case and the growing wave of GI resisters. (more online info at www.CouragetoResist.org)

2) MOBILIZE:
Organize a coordinated action in your community for June 27th supporting Ehren’s refusal of orders. Use this action to build awareness and momentum for planning an even bigger action for the National Days of Action around the court martial or the weekend before (we’ll update people immediately when the military sets the court martial date.) We urge people to consider engaging in non-violent direct action against a war and occupation which has killed hundreds of thousands of people, and which the majority of people in the world–and in the U.S.–want to end.

3) BUILD CONTINUED SUPPORT
for soldiers who have the courage to refuse. You can do this by signing up to participate in the National GI Resistance Alert Network that will alert you when and how support is needed.

4) DONATE:
Can your organization or community contribute to legal and organizing expenses? Fundraising events are also a great way to help raise awareness and build support. [Make a Donation to Lt. Watada’s Defense Fund www.ThankYoult.org]

**Please email supportlt@couragetoresist.org with your organization, contact info, and which of the above your group will commit to.

RESOURCES FOR YOUR USE:
We will provide a local regular updates and a downloadable mobilizing and education kit (a flyer and poster with space for your local info/dates, a sample press release and packet, background materials, everything you need for a teach in or public event,post your event on our website, etc)

**Check out [Courage to Resist www.CouragetoResist.org]for more resources as this campaign develops.

WHEN:
Tuesday, June 27th is the first National Day of Action. Following that, we expect the court martial date to be between late July and August. Sign up for alerts, and we’ll tell you as soon as the date is set. But you don’t have to wait to start educating your community and organizing for June 27th!

Statement of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada
(June 7, 2006)

“Family, Friends, Members of the Religious Community, Members of the Press, and my fellow Americans–thank you for coming today. My name is Ehren Watada. I am a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and I have served for 3 years.

It is my duty as a commissioned officer of the United States Army to speak out against grave injustices. My moral and legal obligation is to the Constitution and not those who would issue unlawful orders. I stand before you today because it is my job to serve and protect those soldiers, the American people,
and innocent Iraqis with no voice.

It is my conclusion as an officer of the Armed Forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong but a horrible breach of American law. Although I have tried to resign out of protest, I am forced to participate in a war that is manifestly illegal. As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order.

The war in Iraq violates our democratic system of checks and balances. It usurps international treaties and conventions that by virtue of the Constitution become American law. The wholesale slaughter and mistreatment of the Iraqi people with only limited accountability is not only a terrible moral injustice, but a contradiction to the Army’s own Law of Land Warfare. My participation would make me party to war crimes.

Normally, those in the military have allowed others to speak for them and act on their behalf. That time has come to an end. I have appealed to my commanders to see the larger issues of our actions. But justice has not been forthcoming. My oath of office is to protect and defend America’s laws and its people. By refusing unlawful orders for an illegal war, I fulfill that oath today.

Thank you.”

Front Paged at My Left Wing -http://www.myleftwing.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=9537#122554

Cross posted at DailyKos

CodePink Action: Troops Home Fast

Cindy Sheehan, Diane Wilson, Dick Gregory, and CODEPINK Co-Founders Medea Benjamin, Jodie Evans, and Gael Murphy are calling on people around the country to join the Troops Home Fast. This open-ended hunger strike aims to galvanize public attention, invigorate the peace movement, build pressure on elected officials, and get our troops back home FAST! The ongoing fast will generate a lot of attention in Washington, DC, but our fast will only be a success with your local participation. Through local legislative pressure, we hope that a major victory of this fast will be a significant increase in the number of Congresspeople who sign onto legislation calling for a troop withdrawal by the end of the year, and increased local visibility for the anti-war movement. Below are ideas and information to make your participation in the fast a success.

Please help us with publicity by adding a Troops Home Fast button to your local group website Click here to download the button.

Fast on the 4th of July

While many Americans will be expressing their patriotism via barbeques and fireworks, we’ll be fasting in memory of the dead and wounded, and calling for the troops to come home from Iraq. If you are willing to commit to fasting for one day or more, please sign up by clicking here

Make your fast public by fasting with a group at a local Independence Day parade. Write on a t-shirt and/or make signs that say “I support the Troops Home Fast!”

Announce your group’s fasting plans on July 3rd with a press event. Connect your local events with our fast launch in DC, where we’ll march from the Gandhi statue to the White House and hold a “Fast Supper” press conference. We will have a sample press release for you to use soon.

Ignite the spark of peace! Take sparklers to the evening firework show and hand them out to people waiting to see the show. Give them a flyer with info about the ongoing war in Iraq and what they can do to make a difference and get involved in your local peace actions.

Support the Ongoing Fast

Solidarity Fasts and Sit-Ins at Congressional Offices

Historically, public fasts have taken place on the doorsteps of the person or institution that fasters are seeking to change. That’s why Cindy Sheehan, Dick Gregory, and Diane Wilson are taking our fast to the White House gates. The Troops Home Fast aims to reach the doorsteps of elected officials around the country. In solidarity with the fasters in DC, you can organize your community to put pressure on your elected officials and demand an end to the war in Iraq.

Legislative Strategy

Our goal is to get Congresspeople to sign onto the most forward-thinking bill to bring our troops home, which has been introduced in both the Senate and the House: Senate Congressional Resolution 93 and House Congressional Resolution 348. These bills demand no permanent bases in Iraq, no US control of the flow of Iraqi oil, and the troops out of Iraq by the end of the year. To read the text of the bills click here

Here’s how you can effectively lobby for your Congresspeople to sign onto this bill:

Contact your Congresspeople

Call your Senators and/or Representative and find out if s/he has signed onto this bill. Call Congress at (202) 224-3121 or toll-free at (888) 355-3588 Click here to find out who your Senators or Representative are, or to get local contact information. If your Congressperson has already signed onto the bill, you can thank her or him (and even give a pink badge of courage!). If not, tell the legislative aide that you’d like to urge your Congressperson to sign onto this legislation calling for troop withdrawal. Schedule a meeting to talk about this bill with an aide. Find out where your rep stands on this bill. To find out if your Representative has supported any legislation to stop the war, and to learn more about legislative strategy from United for Peace and Justice, please click here. This site has talking points, tactics, and detailed info on lobbying elected officials.

(photo taken from CodePinkPortland action)

Action Plan

Connect with other local peace groups, clergy members, and individuals who you think may be interested in doing a fast action with you. You can connect with other activists doing legislative work by clicking here to register with the United for Peace and Justice Legislative Action Network.When you register, United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) will share your e-mail with other UFPJ activists in your legislative district and/or state so that you can begin to work together For more outreach ideas, click here.

Meet with your local group and decide on a strategy to get your Congressperson to sign onto the bill. We recommend that local groups fast to pressure Congresspeople to sign onto legislation calling for troop withdrawal from Iraq. You may also decide to do a sit-in or other civil disobedience. If you have questions about your legislative strategy, please contact Sue Udry, legislative campaign coordinator for UFPJ, at sue@unitedforpeace.org.

Voters for Peace Pledge

In solidarity with the fasters, you can take action to build momentum for a powerful peace voting block in the upcoming midterm elections by signing onto the Voter’s Pledge and collecting signatures for the pledge.

Groups that collect over 500 signatures will receive a special surprise from CODEPINK!

Click here to sign onto the Voter’s Pledge.

Click here to download a sign-up sheet that you can print out and take to events.

Thank you! From CodePinkPortland