How Some Iraqi War Veterans Will Be Celebrating the Inauguration

My god, is it 2008 yet?

I dream of JK leading a march on Washington with Iraqi war veterans, National Guardsmen and the Ready Reserve during this year's inauguration.

I dream of JK leading a march on Washington with Iraqi war veterans, National Guardsmen and the Ready Reserve during this year's inauguration.

Posted by: oncall | December 11, 2004 12:25 AM

I think it is all our dream oncall

Kangaroo

ARE YOU MARCHING?!!!!!!!!!

51capitalmarch.com

AMERICA NEEDS YOU DEMOCRACY NEED YOU

Kangaroo

This is so incredible. We don't give them armored vehicles, we don't give them proper medical care, we don't give them proper aid so they can have a home, and then the MILITARY supports BUSH over KERRY??

What is wrong with this picture? It is hard to believe that these soldiers and families getting screwed by this administration are still supporting this administration. I think it is part of the hype and the spin--like they even have toilet paper and flushing toilets in Iraq now.

PRESS ADVISORY
Congressman John Conyers, Jr.

Fourteenth District, Michigan
Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary
Dean, Congressional Black Caucus

------------FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:

December 10, 2004
Dena Graziano (202) 226-6888
REP. CONYERS, STRICKLAND, AND OTHER CONGRESSMEN, ALONG WITH REV. JACKSON TO HOLD 2004 ELECTION FORUM

Rep. John Conyers, Jr, and other Representatives along with Rev. Jesse Jackson will be holding a congressional forum in Columbus concerning new evidence of election irregularities and fraud in Ohio and to discuss legislative and other responses to the problems.

WHAT: "2004 Election Forum"

WHEN: Monday, December 13th @ 10:30am

WHERE: North Hearing Room, Ohio State Capitol, Columbus, OH

WHO: Rep. John Conyers, Jr.
Rep. Ted Strickland
Rev. Jesse Jackson, Founder Rainbow Push Coalition
Prof. Robert Fitrakis, Editor, The Free Press
Cliff Arnebeck, Arnebeck Associates
John Bonifaz, General Counsel, National Voting Institute
Gregory Moore, Executive Director, NAACP National Voter Fund

----

Please emial and encourage c-span to cover this important event in Ohio. We have to let the rest of America know that we expect every vote to be accounted for.

mailto:events@c-span.org

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/12/06/60II/main659336.shtml

It's sad to have homeless vets... there are still some left from the Viet Nam era, too....

The above link is to the CBS story about deserters. If you get the default page with the story, click on More for the transcript. In other words, not all the military personnel are shrubbie supporters; some followed their conscience and left because they knew bush's war on Iraq was wrong (they knew he was lying from the beginning), illegal, immoral, and unethical.

I'm not sure that I'm convinced the majority of military personnel DO support Bush. Not anymore. I'm getting a different message altogether. I think their support is rapidly waning in the light of his glaring incompetence. The media wants America to believe that the soldiers support their "Commander in Chief", but when you talk to the soldiers themselves, a lot of them are humming a different tune altogether.

I think they KNOW they're getting screwed, and they're none too happy.

KIK and Nonny,

I have to agree--I think we are getting lies, lies, and more lies from every aspect of the media. There is no way the military is supporting this unethical, immoral neocon regime in power.

They want us to believe it like they want us to believe they REALLY WON the election, but it does not add up. You do not support the group that is constantly kicking you in the teeth.

You never get the military vote from any of the media if the military vote went for the commander in chief they would have sung it from the rafters fox would have plugged it 24hrs they would still be plugging it down our throats the Idiot did not get their votes I will not believe that.

Kangaroo

Very interesting that NO REPUBLICAN was willing to join the House Judiciary committee hearing on the Stolen Vote--Do they know something they are all trying to hide? Do they hope we will go away? We will fight for every vote and for a change in the process--we will not go away--even if they decide not to show up.

Where are the morals?

Hearing on Vote Suppression and Election Fraud Demand National Action

By Bonnie Yarbrough

12/09/04

The stunning and emotional hearing (an unofficial forum since Republican members refused to attend) of the House Judiciary Committee today demands action. Regarding the Ohio Vote primarily, the hearing was at times unbelievable, at times emotional, and very disturbing. The Spirit of the Ukraine seemed Alive and Well (and evoked several times). Several moments felt almost like the re-birth of democracy in America.

http://www.politicalstrategy.org/archives/000905.php#905

Lawmakers Help Wounded Soldier Get Home

Spc. Robert Loria of Middletown, N.Y., lost his arm in Iraq, but instead of a farewell paycheck from the Army he got a bill for nearly $1,800. On Friday a platoon of New York lawmakers came to his rescue. Loria found himself stuck in Fort Hood in Texas this week when Army officials said he owed money for travel expenses and for lost equipment.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=128

It's sad to have homeless vets... there are still some left from the Viet Nam era, too....

Posted by: NonnyO | December 11, 2004 01:07 AM

Hi Nonny

There are more than just some homeless Vet's from the Vietnam era, the majority of all homeless Vet's are Vietnam Vet's. 47% is the estimate from the VA of homeless Vietnam Vet's - http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm

Los Angeles has the highest population of hmeless Vet's in the nation, an estimated 27,000 - http://www.newdirectionsinc.org/about.shtml

That's more than just some and it is an outrage that there are so many!

Now we are seeing signs of Iraq Vet's that are becoming homeless, too...

This administration does not get it. John Kerry got it - http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/veterans/!

Why more people are not out in the streets protesting this war is beyond me. I know I am and I will continue to be until we end this ill gotten war!

Posted by: Pamela | December 11, 2004 04:04 AM

Thank you... I stand corrected and appreciate you pointing out it's more than "some" Nam vets who are homeless. You're right. I opted for the adjective "some" because I don't remember the number.

A few years ago a group of veterans organized in one of the areas in the Cities specifically to help homeless vets, most of whom are from the Viet Nam era, some from the first Gulf War, but a few are even Korean vets - I'm sure current Iraqi vets will be there in the future. They have tents set up for various things: showers, shaves, haircuts, meals, clothing, medical assistance or referrals, financial assistance, even job counseling and referrals for interviews. There was a segment on local TV about that in late summer this year.

Also every year there are people in several parts of this region (where temps dip way below zero at times during the winter) who hold fund-raising drives in the fall and winter - they sleep outdoors in tents where they gather money and pledges, some of this happens on college campuses, different organizations are involved - to raise money to help ALL of the homeless: individuals, families with children, and veterans. A month or two before the winter starts, TV stations and other organizations hold 'coats for kids' drives where people can donate 'new or gently used' coats, dry cleaning establishments clean the used coats, and another organization delivers the coats to those families who need them, wherever they are. Some still have homes but are the working poor, and some are in shelters. There are homeless shelters for people to go to, but even so, there are a few who refuse all help, even when it's available (and yes, among those who refuse all help even when it's available are people who were released from mental institutions).

It's a sad state of affairs that a country as affluent as ours has homeless people, whether it's veterans or people who are homeless because they lost jobs... and among those numbers are families with children.... That tells me this country isn't as advanced or "civilized" as we'd like to believe we are....

Archaeologists have produced skeletal evidence that paleolithic cultures had disabled people in their tribes or families or clans... which says they took care of the disabled among them and shared what they had for food, shelter, and clothing even if the disabled couldn't hunt or gather, but contributed to the group in other ways. If paleolithic cultures made sure all the members of their tribes or clans were fed and clothed and sheltered to the best of their ability, and everyone contributed their talents for the good of the entire group, I'm not sure we're evolving as human beings if we can't make sure everyone in our country is taken care of with at least basic necessities like food, shelter, and clothing.

Ah, sorry, I forgot myself for a moment.... We live in a country where capitalism is everything.... The neocons would howl that making sure everyone has food, shelter, and clothing is "socialism." And, of course, making sure everyone is taken care of with the basic necessities of life isn't a "value" unless there is corporate profit involved.....

Happy Birthday to you, John Kerry.

NAACP president Kweisi Mfume announced that he is stepping down as head of the NAACP. President Bush issued a statement about it today saying that this shows what a great country this is, when a black man can rise to the head of the NAACP." -- Jay Leno

It is all as it should be. Let them celebrate their pyrrhic victory through spectacle and orgiastic celebrations. Let them savor their moment of triumph, not knowing that it is instead a prelude to their destruction. Their house of cards falls between now and 2008, and then, our great work begins.

Posted by: NonnyO | December 11, 2004 07:08 AM

NonnyO

I agree with your assertion that we are not evolving if we are not caring for our own.

It's hard to fathom how in some ways we come so far and in others, we have regressed.

There are 800,000 homeless in this country & 5000 live in my county, many under bridges because shelters only hold 100. Seattle & Portland are the only cities that sanction tent cities & we have had 4. We had "Hoovervilles" back in the Depression & it looks like we are back to that under Bush.

Yes, Iraq vets are returning to homelessness, joining their Gulf War & Vietnam brethren.

I read a long article on the homeless in my city today & returned to my own warm home to see a sack on my doorknob. It was from a local highschooler who is doing a community service project. He asked me to fill the bag with kitchen & bathroom goods for a center devoted to helping people out of homelessness.

I do not feel like having Christmas this year, but it felt good to work on this worthwhile project.

From Elizabeth:

http://www.realclimate.org/

Website set up by scientists aimed at interested citizens and journalists. The aim is to provide a quick response to developing stories and provide
the context sometimes missing in mainstream media. Discussion is restricted to science, not politics. I found this http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com

This is the Preamble to the Charter for
the local voter protection organization

MÖBIUS: The Permanent Campaign is an organization of Washington State citizens dedicated to promoting Democratic policies and candidates and to safeguarding and improving election laws and procedures. MÖBIUS is rooted in the Voter Protection Project, a State-wide effort of Washington attorneys to ensure that no eligible voter was denied the fundamental right to vote on November 2, 2004. While remaining committed to voter protection and election reform as a central focus, MÖBIUS aspires, in cooperation with like-minded groups, to develop persuasive means of communicating progressive views to our fellow citizens of Washington State.

(As me if you want more info - this can & should be done in any/every state)

I am so happy to see this blog back!!

Today at Upper Left http://upper-left.blogspot.com

(The Brilliant and Beautiful Bride of Upper Left sez "That's a long one, isn't it?" Well, yes. And a pretty good one, I think. Maybe it helps to think of it as something other than a blog post. A manifesto of sorts, perhaps...)

After a few decades in Democratic Party politics, post-defeat recriminations leading to intra-Party civil war shouldn't surprise me. I am a little off balance, though, when I realize that this time my sympathies don't rest as securely with the insurgent faction as they have in the past. After all, my primary candidates - Kennedy, Hart, Jackson, Brown, Bradley - haven't fared so well, so I've generally been on the "I told you so" side.

No such excuses this time. I thought John Kerry was our best choice for 2004 all along, and started actively campaigning for him early in 2003. I still think I was right. After all, the Kerry campaign raised more money and got more votes than any Democratic candidate in history, while espousing the most liberal agenda a nominee has offered in, well, in my not so short memory.

Of course, in the process of securing the nomination, he had to take some folks out, and in doing so left behind a healthy contigent of potential "told you so's." Just as I've often been unable to resist in the past, some of them are succumbing to that temptation now.

read the rest at http://www.upper-left.blogspot.com

CSPAN 2 - some interesting-looking programs tonight. (Eastern Std Time listed)
~~~~~~~~~~~
08:43 pm ET
Thomas Frank talks about his book "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America"
~~~~~~~~~~~
10:56 pm ET
HOW US PRESIDENTS have DEALT WITH their POLITICAL ENEMIES
Panel discussion:
-John W Dean, Attorney, Author: "Worse than Watergate"
-James MacGregor Burns, Prof, Univ of MD
-Joyce Appleby, Professor Emeritus, UCLA
-David Halberstam, Author: "War in a Time of Peace"
~~~~~~~~~~~
01:07 am ET
"Exit to Freedom. . . Wrongful Conviction Overturned by DNA Evidence"- Calvin Johnson, Author ~~~ Mr Johnson served MORE THAN FIFTEEN YEARS behind bars, convicted of a rape for which he was exonerated. The book describes Mr Johnson's efforts to have his case re-opened.
~~~~~~~~~~~
02:30 am ET
US government is conducting SECRET OFFENSIVES against countries & terrorist orgs that the CITIZENS of America DON'T KNOW ABOUT ~~~
"America's Secret War: Inside the Hidden Worldwide Struggle Between the United States and Its Enemies" - George Friedman, author
~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks! I would watch C-span for those.
I'm headed to my boss's Christmas party & I'm very sad because I'm wearing the dress I was wearing in Boston when I heard JK say, "I'm John Kerry, reporting for duty" & I read the nostalgic Iowa article again.

I am disappointed in large segments of this country. I hate mainstream media.

Thanks to all who did not let us down.