Family's grief spans from Iraq to Iowa (my god, I can't stop crying)

[LynneSin]

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=3099

Family's grief spans from Iraq to Iowa


By Elizabeth Owens and Lynn Campbell / Des Moines Register

In a little more than a week, Ann and Bill Byers lost both their sons. One died in combat in Iraq; the other was struck and killed by a pickup a few miles from home.

Sgt. Casey Byers, 22, a member of the 224th Engineer Battalion of the Iowa National Guard, died June 11 south of Ramadi when a bomb exploded under his armored Humvee.

Justin Byers, 19, who was scheduled to leave for Iraq himself this fall with an Army Reserve unit, was killed Monday night near here.

Even more devastating news came Wednesday, about an hour before Casey Byers' funeral began in Denison: Justin's death was ruled a suicide.

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My god that is so horrible of a family tragedy. And I wonder just how much of the Iraq war affected Justin's reason for committing suicide

:cry:

End this war now - we've lost too many of our children

[deutsey]

1. Anti-war Demonstrations in September. Organize NOW

www.unitedforpeace.org
www.internationalanswer.org

[LynneSin]

2. Go to the DC forum here at DU

Hope to see you in DC on the 24th. We have a great crowd coming this time

[deutsey]

4. I'm organizing a group in my town to go to DC

I'm planning to hook up with you all after we arrive. Usually, everyone is on their own until we all need to be back at the bus, so it'll probably just be me and maybe one or two other people meeting you all.

:hi:

[justinsb]

3. They don't have to go...

Canada is still deciding on whether to grant assylum to war resisters, but it would be a short term safe haven. My guess is that there are, or will be, European countries ready to receive war resisters as well. It's not an ideal option, leaving your home country never to return, but it's a better option than suicide, and IMO a better option than going to Iraq.

[deutsey]

5. Get involved in the counter-recruitment movement

Get into high schools and provide info on alternatives to military service to kids being targetted by military recruiters.

http://rncwatch.typepad.com/counterrecruiter/

http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?list=type&type=48 (great resources here)

[rsdsharp]

6. And to make it even worse

(As difficult as that is to believe that this COULD get worse) the Phelps clan protested at the funeral.