DEPARTMENT OF PEACE

O'Kelly McCluskey, Action Chair, Chapter 92 VFP

VFP Chapter 92 endorses HR 1673 calling for a U.S. Dept. of Peace and leads the nation in urging the national convention of the VFP at San Francisco to adopt the resolution at their own.

My main point of contact with the convention committee:The convention needs a section on promoting the Dept. of Peace concept.

Sitting in the cabinet advising the president are the Secretaries of Commerce, Labor, Education, et al, and the Sec. of War but no Sec. of Peace.

The nation is entitled to have its Congress and President get balanced, sage advice as a part of the decision-making process.

Imagine a Sec. of Peace seated to the left of LBJ as he made the Tonkin Gulf decision. The Sec. of Peace (e.g., Daniel Ellsberg) might have said, "LBJ, you know damn well there was no attact on the Turner Joy. If you try to trick this nation into an unjust war, I will resign and tell the people of your deceit." Possible result, no Vietnam.

U. S. Peace Academy

The War Dept. has its military academies. The Peace Dept. would have full scholarships where high school students could study peace. Thoreau, Ghandi, King, Zinn, Tolstoy's War and Peace, etc. War as a last resort. Carved on the main

gate: "Beware the Military-Industrial Complex", Ike.

Cliff Wells adds, “I think we should push for a responsible military. When the JCS says "I'm sorry, Mr. President, but I'm afraid I can't do that", then a control of the military could be the solution we are looking for. Until then, do we think we need a department of sickness to counter the department of Health & Welfare (or it's current name)? Maybe a department of Industry to counter the EPA. I would like to see a time when Peace is so common that a department of Peace might be as necessary as Departments of inhale and exhale. Maybe we need to give more information on all of this.”

see http://dopcampaign.org/

Kucinich at VFP National Meeting FROM CONGRESSMAN DENNIS J. KUCINICH

(This article published Spring 2003)

Dear Friends,I know you can spell my name -- "www.kucinich.us" -- because our presidential campaign has been surging in the last two weeks with people flocking to our website.

Today we shook the political world with our showing in the MoveOn Primary -- 2nd place, 24 percent and 76,000 votes! Tens of thousands of these voters are new recruits to our campaign. I

want to thank all of our volunteers, online and off.

You've proven the media pundits wrong. They had hoped we would disappear.

But, along with our big vote in MoveOn, our campaign has raised more than $1 million this quarter (and federal matching funds will double that). Almost all has come in small donations through the Internet. And there are still days left before the June 30 filing deadline. So don't stop now. Donate at https://www.kucinich.us/contribute.php

Why are all these good things happening?

1

ContentsDepartment of Peace page 1

Kucin ich at Nat ional VFP Meet page 1

Peace Values Essay Contest page 2

"No Chi ld Lef t Un-recru i ted" page 2

WW*VFP*92 History page 3

Resolut ions Passed page 4 Page 5

Rachel Corr ie page 6

Free Stephen Funk page 7

Resources page 7 Page 8

SpeakOut P

Vol. 2 No.1 Chris Pringer, PublisherAugust 6, 2003

VFP92

Continued on Page 8

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VFP’s H.S. Student Essay Contest

Elizabeth Simmons-O'Neill wrote about the idea’s origins: “One of the things the Veterans for Peace are interested in is to present a counter argument for students to the military recruiters in high schools. ... O'Kelly [McCluskey] has suggested that the VFP could also hold essay contests in high schools and junior highs on the importance of peace and working for peace in the world. Winners could be awarded small scholarships. ....”

Below are just a few considerations selected from a most impressively comprehensive list presented by Todd Krebsbach:

On Purpose or Mission of Essay Contest::- To bring students to think about alternatives to violence & war in solving world problems. - To help students to understand factors contributing to war. - To foster a healthy skepticism of government authority and policies. - To broaden students understanding of patriotism and democracy.- To encourage a spirit of activism in students. ...

On Establishing Themes of Essay Contest :- How will themes of essay contest be established?- How many alternative themes will students be provided to choose from in each contest? - How will students be guided to narrow their focus in writing? Will multiple questions or directions be given for each essay theme?- Will we attempt to coordinate the themes of the essays with subjects students are currently studying?

Tom also offered many points of consideration for Contest Rules, Judging Essays, Interacting with Schools and School Districts, Essay Awards, and Essay Name or Dedication

More brainstorming was passed on via a teachers email list in response to questions by Elizabeth, in response to which she was sent this: “Have you considered making the contest more interactive? For example, could there be a project piece? I am a former principal and founder of a high school in N.Y. We found that our students really got involved when they were interacting with historical and social material. I

am thinking that it would be interesting to have the students interview veterans and get their impressions and feelings about war and peace. It might also be interesting to challenge them to exhibit what they learn from these encounters in any creative format they can construct. So, one student might choose to present his findings as a straight interview. Another student might do it as a videotaped documentary, a third might choose to do a dialogue poem. A fourth might choose to do a play, or a mural, etc. I see that you have an essay contest in mind and I'm wondering if you feel at all flexible about your product? -C.”

Elizabeth added, “I think there are several questions to be answered: the scope of the program (one district? more?), whether the

program is seeking committed activists or students who are able to talk about/present/argue

concerning peace, and (regardless of the answer to the first two questions) whether students will be judged on their ability as writers or their choice of modes of presentation from a variety of media (which might actually be more inclusive). ”

Chris Pringer added in with regard to some questions he would like to see addressed: ”One of my favorite topics for questions [that] I'd love to get kids thinking about [is the] cause of apathy and how to address it. We might think that could be too advanced, even for high schoolers. Yet even from junior high there is so much pressure to maintain a performance image, that any psychologist would acknowledge that denial of apathy becomes a key coping mechanism for many students ... On the opposite end of the stick, there is the pretending of apathy by other students ... And there's all that in between these two courses of response to pressure. Granted, only a small percentage of the students may even be conscious of the mechanisms they use to cope [with]. But by the time they've gotten to college they have played or witnessed first hand the full gamut of roles .... ...My purpose for [encouraging consideration of] these dynamics is to at least start a seed in [understanding] how political apathy develops. And thereby, [we might] stimulate a sense of responsibility in spotting apathy and exercising some level of preventative maintenance in time to remedy the situation - for self, for a friend, for the community, etc. Pringer offers several web pages of such considerations, including “Recovering Democracy at the Crossroads,” ... and suggestions for an “anti-burn-out” class for citizens and activists. (See Resources Section)

As of this writing, the Essay Contest Committee is still in brainstorming mode, but share excitement about the possibilities.

Issue Vol. 2 No. 1, August 2003

Western Washington Veterans For Peace

VFP92 SpeakOut2

"No Child Left Unrecruited"

USE THESE FORMS to get the recruiter off your case or off your child's case: http://members.aol.com/PeaceAction98020/VFP/StudentForm.doc for students, and http://members.aol.com/PeaceAction98020/VFP/Parentform.doc for parents

You may have to cut and paste this link to the address bar -- this means you as parent or student may opt out of the no child left behind act seeking information from the school about your child. thank you. Mike Dedrick. http://www.ed.gov/legislation/ESEA02/pg112.html#sec9528

SEC. 9528. ARMED FORCES RECRUITER ACCESS TO STUDENTS AND STUDENT RECRUITING INFORMATION.

POLICY

(1) ACCESS TO STUDENT RECRUITING INFORMATION- Notwithstanding section 444(a)(5)(B) of the General Education Provisions Act and except as provided in paragraph (2), each local educational agency receiving assistance under this Act shall provide, on a request made by military recruiters or an institution of higher education, access to secondary school students names, addresses, and telephone listings.

(2) CONSENT- A secondary school student or the parent of the student may request that the student's name, address, and telephone listing described in paragraph (1) not be released without prior written parental consent, and the local educational agency or private school shall notify parents of the option to make a request and shall comply with any requestnot to serve.

91.3 FM, 6-8pm Mon.-Fri

“A Time Comes When Silence is Betrayal” --Martin Luther King

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Issue Vol. 2 No. 1, August 2003

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A History of Western Washington Veterans For Peace, Post #92

For this chapter history -- in our first printed chapter newsletter -- we are to thank Gary Davis, Mike Kearney, and O’Kelly McCluskey. At our last meeting, Gary Davis handed me a couple of hand-printed note pages describing the early days of the chapter and the actual personal lead-ups to the first meeting and afterwards. Likewise, Mike Kearney gave me a letter size sheet, neatly typed and formatted, giving a summary of the chapter activities since January. Settling in for meeting, we exchanged greetings as I briefly gathered recogni-

tion of the data, and tucked them into my folder. Next day, O’Kelly called to let me know more about how the members first met. I’ll do my best to put that together here. Many more photo’s are at our Chapter Home Page at http://www.wwvfp92.cjb.net/.

Oct 26, 2002 was a Rally around the world for peace. Congress had just given its power to make war to the President. Gary was with 10,000 people who marched through downtown Seattle and back to Denny Park. Says Gary, “I had joined national VFP and hoped to meet up with other vets. I did not meet any. “I got on line and found Lewis Block in Portland. Lewis sent me about 10 names of VFP members he had phone numbers for in Washington. I called all ten and two called me back. Don Broadwell and O'Kelly McCluskey.”

The interesting part about this is that we had a Viet Nam veteran, Gary Davis, reaching out to a WWII veteran, O’Kelly McCluskey -- on December 7th. On that highly symbolic day, plans were made for the first meeting, a very task oriented gathering, of those who would latter officially form the Western Washington Veterans for Peace, Post 92.

Gary says, “O'Kelly and I met on December 8 at Garfield High School at the S.N.O.W. [Seattle Non-Violent Opponents to War] Neighborhood Build-ing Meet-up.” Tamere Perkins, Larry Kershner, Charlie Knok, O'Kelly Mc-Cluskey, Gary Davis, James Hauser, and Gabe

Miller all met at the Garfield Event. Gary believes Jim Hauser said that he heard the Turner Joy was at Bremerton, and that they should visit it for an action -- “We concluded to PO a recon and organize a VFP chapter in Western Washington.” Gary gathered names and numbers and began to pass around a petition after a few days. He met Don at his house in Maple Valley, after which Don carried a petition with him to South West Washington. Larry Kershner was also very busy gathering people to our cause from the Centralia area. The combined efforts of O’Kelly, Don, Larry, and Gary brought reward in mid January, when Don sent the petition in to the National Veterans for Peace. Gary says that after that “We met first on line and later with Mike Dedrick and Mike Kerney - and others that was filmed by Randy Rowland.”

"Western Washington Veterans for Peace: The first Six Months"by Mike Kearney, interim V.P. (USA/1962-5; 3rd InfDiv), now somewhere west of Wuerzburg & Tikrit.

From the inception of our Chapter (#92) at the end of January 2003, we may be said to have hit the ground running. Our first official action was a demonstration and press conference in Bremerton, Washington, in cooperation with other anti-war activists, at the site of the U.S.S. Turner Joy monument, combined with a marching presence across Puget Sound in Seattle at the International Day of Pro-test against an Iraq War, on 15 February. We have since marched banners and leafleted at every mass demonstration in Western Washington; our members have addressed forums on Depleted Uranium; presented Draft, Conscientious Objector, and other military counseling to High School students; spoken on war opposition topics in radio talk shows; collaborated with comrades in Vietnam Veter-ans Against War/ Anti-Imperialist (V.V.A.W./A.I.); initiated contacts with the National Veterans; and as individual peace vets participate in numerous progressive neighborhood and focus groups. At this year's Memorial Day W.W.V.F.P. was invited to participate in the widely-observed 77th annual Veterans Memorial pro-gram at th Seattle's Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery. We were warmly greeted and placed a wreath signed by the Chapter's oldest mem-ber, Ralph Carlson, a 101 year-old World War II and Korean War combat vet, living in Port Angeles, Washington. As recently as 31 July we stood with A/I guys engaging and leafleting thousands of ferry passengers and baseball fans in downtown Seattle against the war and occupation in Iraq. In a more formal vein, the interim officers and volunteer members of a By Laws Committee have composed a document offi-cially integrating us into the national VFP structure. The National VFP Convention in San Francisco on 8 and 9 August should see more than a dozen Chapter #92 members in attendance, including Washington State's 7th District Congressman, Jim McDermott, a Full VFP member (USN-Vietnam). We of the W.W.V.F.P. look foreword to a continually expanding veterans' peace movement that will significantly help to reverse the disastrous and criminal war path now pursued by the U.S. government in Iraq and elsewhere around the globe, and to working with brothers and sisters of all nations to accomplish this.

Gary Davis, Mike Kearney, and Don Broadwell

O’Kelly McCluskey

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Resolutions for the 2003 VFP Convention( http://members.aol.com/PeaceAction98020/VFP/Chapter92Resolutions.html and http://www.veteransforpeace.org/resolutions_2003.htm)

Thirteen (13) resolutions have been endorsed by Western Wa VFP Ch92 and referred to the 2003 National Convention in San Francisco. The resolu-tions which made the cut through the National Board of Directors have been posted on the VFP web site at http://www.veteransforpeace.org/resolutions_2003.htm. (NOTE -- for those that passed, Titles are given -- These were the titles assigned by National) There were 13 resolutions submitted by Chapter 92 members. Ten of those were endorsed by the Chapter at-large and the other three were submitted separately. There were 47 total resolutions approved by the Board for consideration during the convention. Of those, our Chapter had seven (7) of our 13 approved, or 54%. We have 15% of the total number approved for consideration, which I suspect is the most by any single chapter.

RESOLUTION 01 “Department of Peace” Author: O'Kelly McCluskey WHEREAS we the people are entitled to know that before breaking the peace and entering into a state of war, the president has been fully advised by the advocates for peace vs. the advocates of war. To achieve the highest quality in this critical decision making process through a balance between the forces for war and the forces for peace, it is imperative to create a cabinet level Peace Dept. Failure to have an institu-tional balanced decision making process has led us into questionable wars which might have been avoided. Ex-ample: Imagine: On the day LBJ made the fateful Tonkin Gulf decision, that seated in the cabinet was the Sec. of Peace Ellsberg, He would have said: "Dammit, LBJ, everyone here knows there was no attack on the Turner Joy. If you're trying to trick this nation into an unjust war, I'm resigning and telling the nation of your deceit." Result: maybe no Vietnam War, and

WHEREAS there is currently no political or policy counterbalance to the Department of Defense in the Executive Branch, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that VFP Chapter 92 endorses HR 1673 - "To establish a Department of Peace" in principle; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that VFP Chapter 92 calls on the 2003 VFP National Convention to endorse HR 1673 - "To establish a De-partment of Peace" (108th Congress 1st Session) in principle and to forward this endorsement to Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH 10).

RESOLUTION 02 “Nuclear Disarmament” Author: Michael Dedrick WHEREAS the United States has been a ratified signatory to numerous nuclear non-proliferation treaties since the end of WWII, and WHEREAS the United States has called upon other nation states to reduce or eliminate their nuclear weapons stockpiles, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace call upon the UnitedStates government to lead a worldwide effort to destroy and declare illegal all nuclear weapons.

RESOLUTION 03 Author: Todd Boyle, Kirkland WA WHEREAS the VFP has as its fundamental purpose, the advancement of peace, and WHEREAS decisions of war and peace are made by the President and elected representatives in Congress, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace (VFP) declare as a top priority to actively influence legislation and participate in political campaigns, and to encourage each member to do the same on a local level.

RESOLUTION 04 Author: Todd Boyle, Kirkland WAWHEREAS the VFP has as its fundamental purpose the advancement of peace, and WHEREAS decisions of war and peace are made by the President and elected representatives in Con-gress, and WHEREAS the primary elections are very soon, and effective use of our collective voice requires action prior to the primaries, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that VFP should make a short list of the policies we require from any political candidate who wishes a VFP endorsement in the upcoming primaries and 2004 election; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that VFP should then, immediately act to endorse the candidate(s) who best reflect our mission and our values incorporated in the policies short list.

RESOLUTION 05 “End the Occupation of Iraq” Author: Todd Boyle, Kirkland WA WHEREAS the United States and "coalition" invasion and occupation of Iraq was illegal under international and Constitutional law, unjust according to many major religious and secular groups, and was strategically unwise and remains so today; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace call on the United States Congress and the President for an immediate end to the illegal military occupation of Iraq.

RESOLUTION 06 Author: Todd Boyle, Kirkland WARESOLUTION 06 Author: Todd Boyle WHEREAS the world's nations and leaders have established over the past several hundred years, basic rules governing the behavior of na-tions respecting international relations and human rights, and WHEREAS those rules include a fundamental prohibition against the unprovoked invasion of one sovereign state by another, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace should call for legislation reaffirming the United States commitment to a rule of law in international affairs, and in accordance with the United States Constitution, specifically banning United States Presidents from attacks on nonbellig-erent states, i.e. who have not attacked the United States; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in particular, the President should be legislatively barred from unilaterally attacking North Korea, Iran or Syria whom he has explicitly threatened in recent months.

RESOLUTION 07 “Military Spending and Legitimate Defense” Author: Todd Boyle, Kirkland WA WHEREAS the only legitimate objective of military expenditures is defending the United States and deterring attack, and WHEREAS the level of resources expended on weapons systems and military personnel by the United States currently exceeds its legiti-mate defense needs by a large margin, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace should call for reductions in the excessive budget of the Department of Defense, and for Congress to establish, as the criteria for military expenditures, the defense of the United States from existing threats to the territory and prop-erty which is our jurisdiction.

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4Western Washington Veterans For Peace VFP92 SpeakOut

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Issue Vol. 2 No. 1, August 2003

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RESOLUTION 08 “Veterans Readjustment” Author: Todd Boyle, Kirkland WA WHEREAS the men and women of the armed forces have made extreme sac-rifices in the defense of the United States, and WHEREAS their experiences in training and military action often leave them at a disadvantage in civilian life and in the competitive business environment, and WHEREAS the educational, medical, rehabilitation and financial needs of mili-tary veterans have been so well studied and documented over the past century, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace should call for in-creases in resources for the support of Veterans programs, especially educational, medi-cal, rehabilitation and financial assistance to combat and non-combat veterans re-entering society.

RESOLUTION 09 Author: Todd Boyle, Kirkland WA WHEREAS the United States has supported the establishment and mainte-nance of a sovereign state of Israel since 1948 through the transfer of military and finan-cial assistance, and WHEREAS that establishment affected other residents in the region in impor-tant ways which have not been resolved to their satisfaction, resulting in a long-term pat-tern of war and violence, and WHEREAS the military and financial support of one party over another, in hos-tilities of this long duration does not reflect the values of Veterans for Peace, and does not serve the interests of peace, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace call upon the President and Congress to pursue a neutral policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to actively work towards an equitable and non-violent solution..

RESOLUTION 10 Author: Todd Boyle, Kirkland WA WHEREAS President George W. Bush has characterized the terrorist attack of September 11th, 2001 as a state-sponsored crime, in order to pursue reckless and illegal military invasions of foreign countries and unconstitutional tactics against United States citizens and residents, and WHEREAS no nation or religious or ethnic group as a whole was responsible for the 9/11 attack, and WHEREAS almost every nation, and religious and ethnic group has condemned the 9/11 attack and terrorism in general, and WHEREAS an overwhelming unity of nations following the 9/11 attack characterized it as a criminal conspiracy and are pursuing the associ-ated individuals and financial backers of that crime, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace reiterates its position of Sept. 14, 2001 (http://www.veteransforpeace.org/press/response911.htm) and condemns the Bush Administration policies which characterized these individual crimes and conspiracies as acts of war; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that VFP should condemn any policy or leadership that amplifies fears and hatreds; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that VFP call on the President and Congress to establish a foreign policy for an earnest and sincere reconcilia-tion and de-escalation of conflict with Arab and Muslim peoples.

RESOLUTION 11 “Working To Bring About United Nations Control Over Security And Reconstruction In Iraq” Author: Tom Krebsbach Whereas over two hundred U.S. soldiers have already died in the most recent campaign in Iraq, and U.S. soldiers continue to be targeted and killed at an alarming rate there, And whereas if more nations were to participate in the enforcement of security and reconstruction in Iraq, the peril to U.S. forces would be significantly reduced and many U.S. soldiers would be able to return home, And whereas many nations refuse to participate in such tasks because they are not under the auspices and control of the United Nations, Be it resolved that Veterans for Peace calls upon the Congress of the United States to pass legislation requiring the Bush Administration to turn over to the United Nations the enforcement of security and the admin-istration of reconstruction in Iraq, as a means of sharing this onerous burden with other nations of the world. Be it further resolved that Veterans for Peace pledges to bring together family members of soldiers in Iraq, with the help of Military Families Speak Out and various other military support organizations and veterans groups, to testify to Congress and to lobby Congress on the need for this legislation.

RESOLUTION “The Earth Charter” Authors: Mark Wilson / Dana Briggs WHEREAS Veterans for Peace is dedicated to increasing public awareness about the costs of war, to abolishing war as an instrument of international policy, and using non-violent means towards these ends. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace endorses The Earth Charter (www.earthcharter.org) in principle; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Veterans for Peace specifically endorses The Earth Charter prin-ciples regarding peace and the military, i.e. Section I, Principle 3 -- build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful Section II, Principle 6e -- prevent military damage to the environment Section IV, Principle 16 (all) -- promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence, and peace

RESOLUTIONs regarding DU (Depleted Uranium) An item of discussion at the last monthly Chapter meeting on Sunday Aug. 3 was resolutions re: depleted uranium and the endorsement of H.R. 1483 submitted to the 108th Congress by Congressman McDermott calling for a government study. There are two (2) approved resolutions re: depleted uranium, one calling for a global ban and the other calling for "limited" testing of veterans exposed to depleted uranium.

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Issue Vol. 2 No. 1, August 2003

6Western Washington Veterans For Peace VFP92 SpeakOut

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G o t o P r e v i o u s P a g e - - - G o t o N e x t P a g e

The Issue: On March 16, 2003, American Rachel Corrie was was a 23 year-old American peace activist that was killed by an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) bull-dozer. This happened as she was at-tempting to non-violently stop the destruction of the home of a Palestinian doctor and his family in Rafah (in the Gaza Strip). For more details, please see: http://www.endtheoccupation.org.)

We, along with a coalition of groups from around the country, ask you to call, email and fax your members of Congress to try and increase visibility and support for H. Con. Res. 111 which calls for an independent U.S. investiga-tion into Rachel Corrie's death. Help make this campaign a success!

On June 26, the Israeli government closed the investiga-tion and absolved the bulldozer driver of wrongdoing. Although the Israeli government autopsy report gives the cause of death as "pressure on the chest (from a mechanical apparatus)," the Israeli government continues to claim that Rachel was killed by dirt or concrete pushed by the bulldozer while the driver claims not even to have seen her. This makes an independent U.S. investigation all the more important.

What You Can Do: 1) Please call, e-mail and fax your members of Congress and urge their support for H. Con. Res. 111. Together, with our coalition, this bill will gain the visibility it deserves so that it will pass and ac-knowledge the non-violent efforts of an extraordinary woman who was simply trying to make this world a better place. To contact your members of Congress, go to http://capwiz.com/arab/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=2737291

2) Please contact Secretary of State, Colin Powell, and urge him to pursue an independent U.S. investigation into Rachel Corrie's death. 3) Please contact US Ambassador to Israel, Daniel Kurtzer, and urge the US embassy to support an independent US investigation into Rachel's death. To contact Secretary Powell and Ambassador Kurtzer, go to http://capwiz.com/arab/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=2737276

4) Call On Your Representatives To Go To Rafah To Investigate Rachel Corrie’s Death & Support The Rachel Corrie ResolutionSen Patty Murray: 206-553-5545, Maria Cantwell: 206-220-6400Rep. Jim McDermott: 206-553-7170, Rep. Baird: 360-695-6292

DONATIONS IN MEMORY OF RACHEL CORRIE:

Rachel Corrie Memorial FundThe Community Foundation of South Puget Sound111 Market Street NE, Suite 375, Olympia, WA 98501Please see http://www.thecommunityfoundation.com for moreinformation on the Foundation.

International Solidarity Movement -- Palestine c/o Linda Bevis & Ed Mast, 4330 2nd Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98105(to send donations to Rafah to this ad-dress; make checks out to “MECA”)

Rachel Corrie Memorial Fund c/o The Evergreen State College FoundationLibrary Building, Room 3122The Evergreen State College2700 Evergreen Parkway NWOlympia, WA 98505

Corrie Scholarship Fundc/o Elizabeth Abuhayder351 Lee StreetSeattle, WA 98109

Plant An Olive Tree in East Jerusalem in Rachel’s Memory -- $20 buys a treeContact: Joan Abu JebaraPR & Advocacy Desk CoordinatorYWCA Palestine email: pr.advocacy@ywca-palestine.org or olivetree@ywca-palestine.org

Cards and remembrances for the Corrie family should be sent to:P.O. Box 12149Olympia, WA 98508Emails to the family can be sent to:rachelsmessage@the-corries.com

More Info: International Solidarity Move-ment www.palsolidarity.org

Editor’s Corner

I appreciate the opportunity to do this newsletter. “Spark Plug O’Kelly” made the suggestion, and I’ve learned, as most of us in the chapter apparently has, that O’Kelly generally has the dead-eye on things that need to be done - not just by the chapter, but by citizens who want a fair and responsible government. Like him and a few other members I’ve talked with, I believe we vfp have been gifted with a relatively unusual combination of experience, knowledge, and attitudes that lend to us a capacity to understand the costs of war in ways different than other groups of veterans. And I feel we consider that understanding to be both unique and valuable in the peace activist community - due paradoxically

to our military experience. If this is indeed true, perhaps members can share their own experiences and insights relative to this gift of understanding in future issues of the newsletter. I believe we are all gifted in unique ways, and the trick is to discover the gift or talent born of this, and fill in that “empty space” that waits on each individual in the universe. As individuals go (continuing on the above theme in a hopefully pragmatic direction), we vfp have our challenges in communicating effectively. Since Ego can be a natural outgrowth of a “radical world view” as we sometimes feel the need to defend such views, it often helps for us to keep the communications as simple as we can. Yet I believe that even egos work best when they work together - as difficult as that can sometimes be - surely this is the main test of any organization’s efficiency. So... Here’s to our continuing to maintain a healthy flow of information so that we can all know in a timely manner the choices available, as we work together (even when apart) to help bring about a more peaceful planet. Questions: What is the most essential role of our chapter newsletter, considering we already have a web site, and are currently developing one or more mailing lists? The National VFP has been taking more time with this than many of us here want to wait for. Should we chart out our most essential

functions of communication and work out a kind of division of labor between these (above noted) tools? Or should we ...?

In closing, I just wanted to say that we are all “new,” that some of us have been more active than others so far -- but I know that often this just signals the first phase of a tag team match -- and anytime is a great time to jump in and grab that baton.

Thank you for listening,Christopher Pringer, VFP92member ”Seattle 12”chaliser@aol.comChristopher’s Political Page

Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies

with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. -His Holiness the Dalai Lama From "The Pocket Dalai Lama," edited by Mary Craig, 2002. Reprinted w/o

arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston, www.shambhala.com.

"It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injus-tice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of

hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and

daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

---Robert F. Kennedy

Call for Independent U.S. Investigation into Rachel Corrie's DeathRenew Support for H. Congressional Resolution 111 (Israel Closed its Investigation)

Resources

* Teen Peace Conscientious Objector Study Group, Port Townsend, WA. Contact Liz Rivera Goldstein via www.teenpeace.org. Ask for the "Teen Peace" article that includes Goals & Objectives Partial Resource List (Videos, Readings, Fiction, Biographies, Internet Resources)

* Axis of Peace Campaign, assisting in various meaningfully creative projects such as the "redirection" of tax dollars, including low-risk amounts (ie: $9.11), to non-war causes; born out of Portland Chapter of War Resisters League and Seattle's Nonviolent Action Community of Cascadia in 2002; Find out more via http://axisofpeace.info

* Conscientious Objector Training, Counselor Training and Recruitment, & Counter-Recruiting for Re-Educating High School students including Nonmilitary Alternative Service or Military Noncombatant service; Hotline: 253-531-7742; Contact Howard Welsh, (consobjcouns@msn.com) or Cindy Young (cindywahoo@aol.com).

* VFP92 Website: great source of vet/war related news, pics, cartoons, (links to) event calendar, & resources of all kinds. Lot's of dedicated work by Cliff Wells. http://members.aol.com/PeaceAction98020/VFP/Index.html

* The SNOW-NewsList (of Sound Non-Violent Opponents to War). includes. some of the best collections of translated foreign newspaper articles (as well as U.S.), current most every day: http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/snow-news or http://www.snowcoalition.org/?show=resources

* Safe' alternative to depleted uranium revealed 19:00 30 July 03 http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994004

Peace & Justice Studies Association at www.peacejusticestudies.org Fostering Alternatives to War Many great teachers and organizations represented. Solutions, alternatives, publications, for re-education of citizens, etc.

* IMAGINE: What America Could be in the 21st Century -- A most insightful book featuring some of the greatest innovators & problem-solvers in & for society today: Ed Ayres * John Bradshaw * Denise Breton, Christopher Largent & Stephen Lehman * Deepak Chopra * Peter Coyote * Stanley Crouch * Sam Daley-Harris * John Gray * Thom Hartmann * Paul Hawken * Hazel Henderson * Barbara Marx Hubbard * Daphne Rose Kingma * David C. Korten *

Dennis Kucinich * Michael Lerner * Paul Rogat Loeb * Gay Gaer Luce * Thomas Moore * Caroline Myss * Dean Ornish * James Redfield * John Robbins * Robert Roth * Peter Senge * Judith A. Sturnick * Eric Utne * Neale Donald Walsch * Margaret J. Wheatley

via Global Renaissance Alliance

P.O. Box 3259 , Ceneter Line MI 48015 USAoffice: (586)754-8105 Fax: (586)754-8106

info@renaissancealliance.orgwww.renaissancealliance.org/

* "Recovering Democracy at the Crossroads" - a therapists view of how we might go about recovering citizen's capacity for active participation vrs disenfranchizement, and related healing approaches for our communities. http://members.aol.com/Chaliser/ActivismHealgCharts.html; Chris Pringer, chaliser@aol.com

Apollo Alliance Project: The Apollo Alliance is a growing coalition dedicated to a just and sustainable economy. We are bringing together a broad partnership to rebuild America & face the challenges of conservation, freeing ourselves from dependence on foreign oil, & creating millions of good jobs in the industries of the future. Apollo Alliance launches at Campaign for America's Future "Take Back America" conference in Washington, DC. June 5, 2003. Their set of web pages include "Our Ten Point Plan for Energy Freedom." (http://www.apolloalliance.org/)

Free Stephen Funk Now!

"I refuse to surrender my dignity, I refuse to kill... the military demands obedience, but I will not obey” — LCpl Stephen Funk

Courageous military objector during the US attack on Iraq now faces two-years in the brig for opposing war and speaking out. Stephen Funk is scheduled to face a military tribunal in New Orleans on September 4 for desertion—even though he returned to his unit after completing his conscientious objector paperwork on April 1.

--Anton Black proposes "... that we do something ...such as a vigil or protest and/or press

conference here in Seattle (his home town) supporting Stephen Funk when his trial starts in New Orleans (now moved to September 4)."

Updates

* Faces two years imprisonment and dishonorable discharge* Military tribual for "desertion" scheduled for September 4--postponed from August 11. Protest vigils nationwide are being organized.* Recently transferred from San Jose, California to New Orleans- away from friends and family

New Statement by Stephen Funk"I had figured out that war itself was immoral and could not be justified. Yet everyone told me it was futile to try to get out. We were trained to be subordinate in our thoughts, words, and actions. It's hard to go up against all that, even when you know you are right..." USMC 4th FSSG, New Orleans June 26, 2003

For complete statement of this Seattle born vet: http://www.notinourname-seattle.net/funk.html

What You Can Do

1. Contributions for his legal defense are urgently needed. Please send checks or donate online via a major credit card (PayPal processing).

Stephen Funk Legal Defense Fund1230 Market Street #111San Francisco, CA 94102

2. Support Stephen Funk's request for immediate discharge as a conscientious objector, and tell the Marines to not convict him for his convictions. Send letters to:

Commandant of the Marine CorpsHeadquarters, U.S. Marine Corps

Washington, DC 20380-1775

Commanding OfficerHeadquarters, 4th FSSG4400 Dauphine Street

New Orleans, LA 70146-5400

Send copies of correspondence to the legal defense address above. Or email them to Stephen at stephenfunk@objector.org.

3. Organize! Forward Stephen's most recent statement to friends and your group'e e-mail list. Take up a collection for his legal defense at your next church or peace group meeting. Have your anti-war organization make their own "Free Funk!" leaflets, and/or order color postcards from Not in Our Name. These are being distributed at costhttp://www.notinourname.net/funk/

Issue Vol. 2 No. 1, August 2003

7Western Washington Veterans For Peace VFP92 SpeakOut

G o t o P r e v i o u s P a g e - - - G o t o N e x t P a g e

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Some Sign Slogans WE WERE YOU;

YOU ARE US WHO'S NEXT?

STOP US WARS

Veterans for Peace Ask: “Why Doesn't

Bush Go AWOL Now?”

Veterans for PeaceDemand Lies Stop &Withdrawal Begin!

Veterans for PeaceSay: “War for Lies isReason to Impeach!”

Veterans for PeaceKnow Bush Lied toMake War for Oil!

Veterans for PeaceSay “Bring Troops Home -

No More Blood for Oil!”

Veterans for Peace SayBush Lies - Innocents Die!

Veterans for PeaceSay “Bush's Lying

Causes A Lot of Dying”

Veterans for Peace Say"AWOL ChickenHawk

= Commander In Thief"

Veterans for PeaceKnow the Cost of War

Veterans for Peace Against Bush-Wars

Veterans for Peace "Against MidEast Policy"

Bush: “I take full Denialfor that Responsibilty”

If Dubya would learn to laugh at himself we wouldn’t have to!

Check w/ chaliser@aol.com

Kucinich(Cont from Front Page)

Because people are learning that I can win. That I have a history of defeating well-funded Republican incumbents by running Wellstone-like grassroots campaigns.

And because I offer a fundamentally different vision for the Democratic Party and the nation -- a populist vision that can galvanize heartland voters, inspire new voters and bring back 3rd-party and independent voters into a winning coalition for next November.

Other Democrats promise guns and butter. They say we can't cut a Pentagon budget that rivals the military spending of all other countries combined. I offer common-sense cuts in a bloated military to pay for enhanced domestic programs of environmental cleanup, sustainable jobs programs, fortified Social Security -- at no added expense to middle class taxpayers.

Others propose slow, incremental changes to our bureaucratic, corporate-controlled healthcare system; I offer streamlined national health insurance for all.

Others defend a globalization regime that has driven down labor and environmental standards worldwide. I will replace NAFTA and the WTO with bilateral, fair trade pacts that lift up standards, and protect the planet. I was there in Seattle, marching alongside environmental and union activists.

I led opposition in the House to the illegal, fraudulent Iraq war, and I am still demanding answers every day on Capitol Hill. I'm the only candidate who voted against the so-called "Patriot Act."

Our campaign is trying something totally new. We're running a movement campaign -- guided by movements for peace, economic justice, the environment, labor, women's rights, civil liberties, civil rights for all. And fueled by the Internet. Just like the February 15 anti-war protests that shook the planet...and just like the Seattle movement.

... we've picked up the endorsements of many progressive leaders, including environmentalist Randy Hayes, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, and

ice cream entrepreneurs and activists Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. More endorsements will come next week.

We began in February. No campaign has grown so much in only four months. The media pundits who once called us "fringe" and "marginal" are now clearly perplexed. Our showing in the MoveOn Primary is a wakeup call to those who tried to write us off.

The one thing we need more of is funding. Our campaign doesn't get the support of the moneyed interests who offer bundled donations and pay for high-priced tables for 10. And, frankly, we don't want their support.

We do have the power of the grassroots and the small donor and the Internet. So make a donation via www.kucinich.us/contribute.php. And join our grassroots campaign for an America of peace and justice.

Sincerely,Dennis Kucinich

Issue Vol. 2 No. 1, August 2003

8Western Washington Veterans For Peace VFP92 SpeakOut

Editor/Publisher: Chris Pringer chaliser@aol.com 206-286-0899Chapter 92 Contact: same email: same

phone: same fax: 425-313-1502

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Our VFP92 Version is on it’s way

“LIARS” overlay for “No Iraq War” buttons via chaliser@aol.com

Signs via www.mvp-seattle.org

G o t o P r e v i o u s P a g e

SpeakOut Vol. 2 No.1 Chris Pringer, Publisher

August 6, 2003

VFP92

W W * VFP 9 2 HomePage: h t t p : / / w w w . w w v f p 9 2 . c j b . n e t /

ContentsDepartment of Peace page 1 Kucinich at Nat ional VFP Meet page 1

Peace Values Essay Contest page 2

"No Chi ld Left Un-recrui ted" page 2

WW*VFP*92 History page 3

Resolut ions Passed page 4 page 5

Rachel Corr ie & Editors Column page 6

Free Stephen Funk page 7

Resources page 7 page 8

Issue Vol. 2 No. 1, August 2003

Index PageWestern Washington Veterans For Peace VFP92 SpeakOut

Index PageURL’s For Newsletter Pages

in Adobe Reader Version

Pg 1 http://members.aol.com/vfp92/vfp92so2-p1.pdf

Pg 2 http://members.aol.com/vfp92/vfp92so2-p2.pdf

Pg 3 http://members.aol.com/vfp92/vfp92so2-p3.pdf

Pg 4 http://members.aol.com/vfp92/vfp92so2-p4.pdfPg 5 http://members.aol.com/vfp92a/vfp92so2-p5.pdfPg 6 http://members.aol.com/vfp92a/vfp92so2-p6.pdf

Pg 7 http://members.aol.com/vfp92a/vfp92so2-p7.pdfPg 8 http://members.aol.com/vfp92a/vfp92so2-p8.pdf