Iraq Veterans Against the War kicked off their amazing tour in Boston toda

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

Today, January 30, 2005, Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) kicked off their Iraq Veterans Tour in Massachusetts with a powerful and moving presentation at historic Fanueil Hall in Downtown Boston. We were there. The tour is sponsored by Military Families Speak out and Bring The Troops Home Now, Veterans for Peace, and locally by United for Justice With Peace. The tour is comprised of a coalition of dozens of campus, youth, community, and labor organizations.

Nancy Lessin, Co-Founder with Charley Richardson of Military Families Speak Out chaired the meeting and began by introducing Chuck Turner, who stands apart as the courageous and effective member of the Boston City Council. Councilman Turner was greeted and thanked for his help in organising the event. He opened the meeting with a riveting message about how money is being diverted from education, health care and the needs of the community for the war in Iraq. He spoke of the losses to schools and the entire infrastructure of public education in the U.S. for the advantages of a wealthy elite and their dreams of empire.

Kelly Dougherty, 26, spent 10 months in Iraq as a Sergeant with her National Guard unit, the 220th Military Police Company. She is a cofounder of Iraq Veterans Against the War.

"When we first arrived in Iraq, part of what struck me was the poverty and desperation of the Iraqi people... I believe that as long as the U.S. continues to occupy Iraq, the Iraqis will continue to fight against us."

Kelly said that at the end of her tour she saw even greater poverty than that which was caused by the 1991 invasion and 10 years of devastating sanctions on Iraq. She spoke of how she served in the National Guard in Colorado for 8 years before being activated to go to Iraq. She told of how prior to the war in Iraq, her unit served the United States in national disasters such as the Columbine High School tragedy. She spoke of the losses of National Guard service to the American people because they are being diverted to the war on the Iraqi people

Story: http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_15377.shtml

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. That's what I've been saying about the Nat. Guard...

What happens when we need them here? What happens 15 years from now, when people are still too scared to sign up, because (Iraq) could happen again. Of course, when it's your only chance at higher education... :(

[Rockerdem]

2. Their cause is just

But, man, what bad timing. They should have waited in order to get some coverage.

[pacifictiger]

3. timing has nothing to do with coverage these days

if your message is not in line with Bushiespeak

[peacetalksforall]

4. We need to be pests. Demand that the media cover this effort.