Labor Rights from Iraq to Washington, D.C.
Common issues, common fight –

Five Iraqi labor federation leaders will share their views and stories on their way to the AFL-CIO convention in Pittsburgh. D.C. workers and veterans will also have an opportunity to share their struggles in dialogue with the Iraqi brothers. Don’t miss this opportunity for inspiration, education and solidarity building!

SPECIAL GUESTS: Welcome back Hasan Jumaa, President, Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions, and Falah Alwan, President, Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq from USLAW’s 2005 tour!!

SPECIAL PARTICIPANTS: Ron Pinchback, former station manager of WPFW; Labor Chorus of Washington, D.C.

5th year anniversary mass to be held at Sacred Heart Parish, 169 Cummings Highway, Sunday, 08/30/2009 in Roslindale, MA 02131 @ 9:15 a.m.

Memorial Note at Daily Kos:

Hi Alex,

I'm here again to remember you. It's hard to believe it's been 5 years since your short life ended in Iraq. You would be 25 years old now if you were still here with us. A lot has happened in 5 years. One thing that hasn't changed is your friends are still in Iraq. We're trying hard to bring everyone home but in 5 years nothing really has changed.

On August 18, 2009, Senator "Never Found a War He Did Not Like" McCain, jumped on board the President’s strategy of seemingly endless escalation in Afghanistan, calling for even more troops to be sent to the nation while part of a Congressional delegation to Helmand Province. We will be outside his Town Hall telling him to represent the majority of Americans who, according to the August 19, 2009 Washington Post- ABC Poll say that the Afghanistan war/occupation is not worth fighting. While McCain and General Stanley McChrystal call for more troops in Afghanistan, according to that same poll this escalation position gets the backing of 24 percent of those polled, while nearly twice as many, 45 percent, want to decrease the number of military forces there.

ACTIVISTS AND VETERANS,

You might want to see the play based on Helen Benedict's book "The Lonely Soldier", all in the words of women soldiers, which deals with the traumas of military sexual assault and of the war
in Iraq. See below.

THE LONELY SOLDIER MONOLOGUES: WOMAN AT WAR IN IRAQ
... HAS RETURNED!

Helen Benedict’s acclaimed play about women soldiers serving in Iraq,
written all the words of the actual soldiers, is coming back to New
York for two Sundays in September!

Dates: September 20th and 27th
Time: 5: 30 p.m.
Place: La Mama E.T.C. . 74A East 4th Street, between 2nd Avenue & The Bowery.
Box Office: (212) 475-7710
Business Hours: Monday - Sunday Noon - 5:00pm
Tickets: $12 adults, $10 students.
TICKETS ON SALE SEPTEMBER 1.
Time: at 5:30 P.m.
Details: http://www.lamama.org

ACTIVISTS AND VETERANS,

You might want to see the play based on Helen Benedict's book "The Lonely Soldier", all in the words of women soldiers, which deals with the traumas of military sexual assault and of the war
in Iraq. See below.

THE LONELY SOLDIER MONOLOGUES: WOMAN AT WAR IN IRAQ
... HAS RETURNED!

Helen Benedict’s acclaimed play about women soldiers serving in Iraq,
written all the words of the actual soldiers, is coming back to New
York for two Sundays in September!

Dates: September 20th and 27th
Time: 5: 30 p.m.
Place: La Mama E.T.C. . 74A East 4th Street, between 2nd Avenue & The Bowery.
Box Office: (212) 475-7710
Business Hours: Monday - Sunday Noon - 5:00pm
Tickets: $12 adults, $10 students.
TICKETS ON SALE SEPTEMBER 1.
Time: at 5:30 P.m.
Details: http://www.lamama.org

August 16, 2009

For immediate release:

Next week, Cindy Sheehan will join other like-minded peace activists to have a presence near the expensive resort on Martha's Vineyard where President Obama will be vacationing the week of August 23-30.

From her home in California, Ms. Sheehan released this statement:

"There are several things that we wish to accomplish with this protest on Martha's Vineyard.

"First of all, no good social or economic change will come about with the continuation or escalation of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. We simply can't afford to continue this tragically expensive foreign policy.

"Secondly, we as a movement need to continue calling for an immediate end to the occupations even when there is a Democrat in the Oval Office. There is still no Noble Cause no matter how we examine the policies.

As part of the Humanities and Sciences’ Conference, “Visions of War; the arts represent conflict”, on Saturday, October 24, 2009, The Film and Animation Department will screen a series of films addressing the spiritual, emotional, and psychological wounds of war from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the SVA Theater. Following the screenings a panel will discuss "The Scars of War: Healing Through the Arts" and will take questions from the audience. The panel will be moderated by screenwriter/playwright/Vietnam combat veteran David Berry who is a member of the SVA Film Department faculty. Panelists include film artists/combat veterans (screenwriters and directors), a psychologist with over three decades of experience treating Vietnam veterans, and a retired Army Colonel who has become a major spokesperson for those demanding official recognition and treatment of female victims of violence in the military.

Panelists include:

On Friday July 17th the local Santa Cruz chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War and Free Radio Santa Cruz will be teaming up in order to spread awareness of the current occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The night will start at 7 PM with the showing of the film "Sir No Sir", a documentary about the GI movement to end the Vietnam war. This documentary discusses the troop's motivation, organization, and tactics that led to the end of the Vietnam war, and can be applied to the anti-war movement of today.

The Santa Cruz chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War would then like to introduce their two newest members.

Music starts at 9pm and will kick off with Pariah Faction whose lead vocalist was crowned the best vocalist in the city of Santa Cruz, and will be followed by the local retrodellic politically charged rock trio "The Reliques".

The Walter Reed Vigil continues every Friday evening from 7-9 PM.

Our Vigil calls for Peace, Care for the wounded, and Full Benefits for all veterans.

Sisters and brothers,

The Walter Reed Vigil is now in its fifth year of continuous Friday evenings. We have withstood weather, fascists, warmongers, and motorcycle clubs—we are still here. Now we face another attempt to silence our messages of Peace, Care, and Full Benefits for veterans.

FRIDAY JULY 10, 2009

Come out for FREE SPEECH, for an END TO WAR and OCCUPATION, for an END TO SPREADING WAR—to call for ALL OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS HOME RIGHT NOW!

Anti-War Groups Challenge NAACP on Why They Have Military Recruiters at Their National Convention, New York City July 14-16

Rally & Press Conference: Tuesday July 14 11:30 am
Sidewalk Protest: Thursday July 16 9:30 am-12:00 noon while President Obama Speaks

Outside The New York Hilton 1335 6th Avenue NYC

As part of its 100th anniversary convention opening Saturday in New York City, the NAACP jobs fair will include Army recruiters. The Army Strong tour lists the NAACP convention on its itinerary. The NAACP jobs fair opens at noon on Tuesday, July 14.