A big toast to those attempting to close the "SOA"!

[G_j]

www.soawatch.org

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving when you share food with your friends and family, take a moment to think about the things that you are thankful for. One thing are all the amazingly courageous people throughout Latin America who continue to resist in the face of the overwhelming SOA repression. People like Brigida from the Colombian Peace Community of San José de Apartadó, who spoke from the stage at the gates of Fort Benning, only two days after her community was attacked by troops under the command of a School of the Americas graduate. Another is the 40 SOA Watch activists who were arrested last weekend at Fort Benning, Georgia as they spoke in solidarity with those who are under attack.

Four of those who crossed the line to carry the protest against the SOA onto the military base remain incarcerated in the Muscogee County Jail in Columbus, Georgia. Father Jerry Zawada, 68 of Indiana and Father Louis Vitale, 73, of San Francisco and Priscilla Treska, 66, of Cleveland Ohio refused $1,000 bond and remain in jail. One person, Christine Gaunt, 49, of Grinnell Iowa, pled guilty and has already been sentenced to six months in prison and a $2,000 fine. Another, Don Nelson, of Summertown TN, received a sentence of 90 days in prison.

Others are scheduled to go to trial on January 30th, 2006, while the real criminals and those responsible for the SOA torture manuals have never even been charged.

"Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience... therefore have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring."
- Nürnberg International Military Tribunal
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On Sunday, November 20, 19,000 people stood vigil at the gates of Fort Benning, remembering those who have been silenced by SOA violence.
The military erected a triple barbwire fence at the main gate of the base to prevent people from carrying the protest against the School of the Americas (SOA/WHINSEC) onto the military base. 40 human rights activists have crossed the line by climbing over or going under partly dismantled areas of the fence and been arrested by Military Police. Columbus Police arrested bystanders and people who lifted up the fence to open up the space for the activists.

U.S. laws allow the School of the Americas to exist – WE DO NOT!

14,000 People Raised their Voices on Saturday, November 19! - Click here to view a slideshow with pictures and to read a Newspaper article about the Saturday rally

Saturday reportback: Thousands of people converged today on Fort Benning, Georgia for the Vigil to Close the SOA! We heard powerful messages from Camilo Romero, an organizer with United Students Againt Sweatshops who helped to organize a protest at the Coca-Cola headquarters yesterday; from Patricia Isasa, an Argentinian torture survivor (pictured above); and Isabel Díaz-Ubillús, a Peruvian organizer and educator; from many unionists from the United Auto Workers; and from Brigida Gonzalez de Cartagena from the San José de Apartadó Peace Community, where another member of the community was tragically killed this week by a military brigade headed by an SOA graduate. Music by Francisco Herrera, Anne Feeney, Jon Fromer, Kuumba Lynx and the SOA Watch Musicians Collective kept the crowds inspired and dancing.

Over the years, the Vigil to Close the SOA at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia has grown into a massive people-power convergence with many important side events taking place throughout the weekend. Click here to see the schedule of events
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VIDEO SPECIAL | School of the Americas Protest
A Film by Rebecca MacNeice
http://www.truthout.org/multimedia.htm
Rebecca MacNeice reports from the 16th annual School of the Americas protest at Fort Benning, Georgia. 20,000 people participated in the protest, including 41 who were arrested. The protesters focused their attention on the School because of its involvement in the training of many Central American military officers who went on to commit human rights abuses

[Joe Chi Minh]

1. I'm sure the civilised world thanks God

for American patriots like you.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. I spoke to my son today, he's at Ft. Benning for basic training...

He said they took them off base to a "God Bless Ft. Benning" Rally. On the bus back, they saw "hundreds of Hippies" lining the streets. The guys waved to them and they waved back. I told him "us Hippies love our troops!" "I know Mom, I was thinking of you."

:loveya:

Three more weeks till he comes home. This has been so hard, and I know it will be 10000 times worse when he deploys. :cry:


edit for: freeperish sentence structure.

[G_j]

4. wow

good thoughts your way..

We must end this madness!

[Clara T]

3. Go here for excellent photos

http://www.soawne.org/05SOAPhotos/05SOAVigilPhotos1.html

SOA must be shut down!
Record numbers this year.

[G_j]

6. wonderful picks

very moving. Yes, a huge crowd this year!

thanks, and welcome to DU! :-)

[knitter4democracy]

5. I've been wanting to go for years.

I think I'll go next year if that blasted place is still open. I taught at the school where Sr. Dorothy Kazel taught, and her story and life still haunt me. They produce murderous thugs in that place, and we need to shut it down for good. El Mozote should not be pushed to the dustheap of history.