From The Living Archives Of Boston Veterans For Peace-They Ain't
Your Grandfather's Veterans-Civil Disobedience And The Boston Common VFP
Encampment On Memorial Day, 2018 As Part Of The Poor People’s Campaign-War
Economy Week
[Ralph Morris who has lived in Troy, New York most of his life,
been raised there and raised his own family there, went to war, the bloody,
horrendous Vietnam War which he has made plain many times he will never live
down, never get over what he did, what he saw others do, and most importantly
for the long haul, what his evil government did with no remorse to people in
that benighted country with whom he had no quarrel never was much for
organizations, joining organizations when he was young until he came up a group
formed in the fire of the Vietnam War protests -Vietnam Veteran Against the War
(VVAW) which he joined after watching a contingent of them pass by in silent
march protesting the war in downtown Albany one fall afternoon. Somebody in
that contingent with a microphone called out to any veterans observing the
march who had had enough of war, had felt like that did to “fall in” (an old
army term well if bitterly remembered). He did and has never looked back
although for the past many years his affiliation has been with a subsequent
anti-war veterans’ group Veterans for Peace.
Sam Eaton, who has lived in Carver, Massachusetts, most of his
life, been raised there and raised his own family there, and did not go to war.
Did not go for the simple reason that due to a severe childhood accident which
left him limping severely thereafter he was declared no fit for military duty,
4-F the term the local draft board used. He too had not been much for
organizations, joining organizations when he was young. That is until his best
friend from high school, Jeff Mullins, died in hell-hole Vietnam and before he
had died asked Sam that if anything happened to him to let the world that he
had done things, had seen others do things, and most importantly for the long
haul, what his evil government did with no remorse to people in that benighted
country with whom he had no quarrel. As part of honoring Jeff’s request after
Sam found out about his death he was like a whirling dervish joining one
anti-war action after another, joining one ad hoc group, each more radical than
the previous one as the war ground away, ground all rational approach vapid,
let nothing left but to go left, until the fateful day when he met Ralph down
in Washington, D.C.
That was when both in their respective collectives, Ralph in
VVAW and Sam in Cambridge Red Front, were collectively attempting one last
desperate effort to end the war by closing down the government if it would not
shut down the war. All they got for their efforts were tear gas, police batons,
and arrest bracelets and a trip to the bastinado which was the floor of Robert
F. Kennedy stadium which is where they would meet after Sam noticed Ralph’s
VVAW pin and told him about Jeff and his request. That experience would form a
lasting friendship including several years ago Sam joining Ralph’s Veterans for
Peace as a supporter, an active supporter still trying to honor his long- gone
friend’s request and memory.
No one least of all either of them would claim they were
organizing geniuses, far from it but over the years they participated, maybe
even helped organize many anti-war events. One day their friend, Josh Breslin,
who writes a by-line at this publication, and who is also a veteran asked them
to send some of events they had participated in here to form a sort of living
archives of the few remaining activist groupings in this country, in America
who are still waging the struggle for peace.
Periodically, since we are something of a clearing house and
historic memory for leftist activities, we will put their archival experiences
into our archives. As mentioned above Sam and Ralph “met” each other down in
Washington, D.C. during the May Day anti-war demonstrations of 1971 when out of
desperation clots of anti-war radicals, veterans and civilians alike, tried
unsuccessfully to shut down the government if it would not shut down the war.
They “met,” their in forever quotation marks not mine, on the floor of Robert
F. Kennedy football stadium after they had been arrested along with members of
their respective collectives, Ralph’s VVAW and Sam’s Red Front Brigade after
getting nothing but tear gas, police batons and a ride in the paddy wagon for
their efforts. What they were doing, what for each of the them, according to
Josh Breslin who met them shortly after they got “sprung,” also then a member
of VVAW and also arrested by had been held in a D.C. city jail, were their
first acts of civil disobedience. The first of a long time of such actions
which is the lead in to the archival material presented in this piece.
Josh, who introduced the pair to me several years ago when I
first came on board to manage the day to day operations of this publication
after Allan Jackson, aging and ready to retire, brought me on board for that
purpose so he could work on where the publication was heading. He mentioned the
Washington action as their calling card although then, in 1971, I was about a
decade too young to have realized what they were doing and how important it was
for their future political trajectories, their political commitments to “fight
the monster,” their term, on the questions of war and peace and other social
issues. Not have realized, not having done any such actions how important civil
disobedience, or the threat of such actions was, is to their political perspectives.
[By the way, as Josh was at pains under pressure from Ralph and
Sam, to report to me that May Day action was not the first attempt by either
man to “get arrested,” to “put their bodies on the line” as Sam articulated it
to me one night when we were putting this piece together. May Day was just the
first time when the cops, National Guard, Regular Army was willing, with a
vengeance, to take them up on the offer. Both men had tried repeatedly to get
arrested “sitting down” at their respective local draft boards in Carver and
Troy in order to warn off young men on signing up for the draft. Maybe it was
the nature of the times but the local police would not arrest them.]
As the following action announcement centered on Memorial Day,
2018 indicates they have never stopped “putting their bodies on the line.” Josh
told me that the only difference between 2018 and 1971 is that they, and he
include himself in this point, was that rather than do an action to court
arrest they had changed their attitude to one of doing whatever action they
were committed to doing and accepting the consequences. That would be Sam and
Ralph’s position on Memorial Day when the local VFP leadership decided to
encamp on Boston Common overnight as part of War Economy Week” (week three) of
an on-going Poor Peoples Campaign on-going project.
Mention of the Poor People’s Campaign should both ring a bell
and be explained since the 2018 task were, are directly linked those in 1968. None
of the men had had any connection to the original campaign in 1968 which had
been organized and promoted by the late Doctor Martin Luther King before he was
assassinated in April of that year and which was continued by other civil
rights and social justice leaders after that into the summer of 1968. Josh was
on in California as part of his extended Summer of Love experience before he
got nailed by his draft board in Olde Saco, Maine. Ralph was in Vietnam and Sam
was still busy supporting his mother and four sisters after his father had died
suddenly. This point is important since none of them were active back then they
grabbed onto the upcoming events with every hand.
At every level it was a “no brainer,” Josh’s term for VFP to get
involved with the 50th anniversary edition of the PPC since some
many of the projected actions, including week three’s War Economy Week which would
highlight the Military Industrial Complex (MIC) role in perpetuating war and
draining resources from the continuing vexing social problems, social needs,
around housing, homelessness, education, jobs and the whole smorgasbord of
needs, especially as related to veterans who have increasingly been among those
who are in need of a whole range of social services.
The idea of the forty-day Spring 2018 campaign was to have each
week centered on a particular social issue, organize around that weekly issue
and be committed to some very public social actions-including publicity
catching civil disobedience. That is where the idea of the veterans’ encampment
came to the fore which had some precedents with the Veterans march on
Washington in the 1930s (suppressed by General “Dug Out” Doug MacArthur) and
later in early 1971 on the National Mall. This is where the new-found notion of
our guys of doing and action and accepting the consequences got a good
work-out. They would keep the encampment overnight without permit (or rather
overstaying the permit) and let the devil take the hinter-post) and see what
happened. The big effort thus was to get enough veterans and supporters to made
a splash and to defend the encampment-hence the plethora of announcements (In
the event they said they could have gone either way-have the encampment stay
overnight or have the police arrest veterans on sacred Memorial Day, the former
happened). Site Manager Greg Green]
In the interest of completeness, in the interest of archival norms
we are including all of the announcements concerning the Memorial Day, 2018
activities mentioned above:
People Get Ready The Peace “Train” Is Coming- If You Want To Join The Fight Against The
Military-Industrial Complex Up Close And Personal-Looking For Night Owls- We
Need Peace Team Members To Protect Our Poor People’s Campaign-VFP Encampment
Monday Evening May 28th
Forward to anybody you think could help us Monday night into
Tuesday
morning.
As all should be aware of by now we are planning an overnight
encampment on Boston Common starting at noon on Monday Memorial Day May 28th
and extending to about 11 AM on Tuesday May 29th - we need people who plan on
staying overnight to be part of a peace team during the latter part of Monday
from 6 PM through Tuesday morning around 9 AM -we expect to need 12-15 people
in two or three person teams in shifts of two to three hours to protect the
encampment and raise the alarm if necessary if something untoward happens
during the night.
Can you help by circulating this message to your network of
contacts of people who might show after a personal appeal-thanks Al
If You Want To Join The Fight Against The Military-Industrial
Complex Up Close And Personal - Veterans For Peace and Supporters All Out-
Memorial Day Monday May 28th and
Tuesday May 29th War Economy Week On
Boston Common Are Your Days To Shine In Support Of The Poor People’s Campaign
Veterans for Peace and The Poor People’s Campaign Wants You -
All Out!
This is a special appeal for all Veterans for Peace and their
supporters in the Boston and New England area to show up and support the
activities on May 28th and May
29th on historic Boston Common for at least part of
either day. Al Johnson for the Smedley Executive Committee
********
The Smedley Butler Brigade, Chapter 9, Veterans For Peace has
been a proud co-sponsor of the Poor People’s Campaign now in the midst of a
forty day campaign to highlight the plight of the poor and oppressed peoples
and communities in the United States (and internationally). We have already had
two weeks of Monday actions in Boston.
Week three, War Economy Week, is obviously our week to shine
since it will highlight the connections between the bloated war economy, the
endless wars and the attempts to privatize the Veteran Administration services
all of which directly affect the lives of the poor and oppressed. This week,
these associations, and the huge possible impact are what we have been looking
for now for many years. Here is your chance to be to on the front line of the
fight against the Military-Industrial Complex.
On Monday May 28th Memorial
Day starting at noon on Boston Common members of Veterans for Peace,
the Poor Peoples Campaign and their allies will conduct a day-long program
centered on these issues. We intend to camp overnight in order to bring our
concerns to various governmental agencies on Tuesday when those
offices are open for business.
We will be pitching tents during this encampment, have
literature tables, and have a speakers’ platform to let various organizations
and individuals give their perspectives on the war economy and what to do about
it. Since the State House will be closed that day for the holiday this week’s
actions will be extended to a morning speak-out on the Common and a rally in
front of the State House on Tuesday May 29th at 2 PM.
Our Annual Memorial Day
for Peace program will start at 3 PM at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial up
the hill from the encampment.
We need you since we have many tasks that need to be taken care
of now and on those two important days. So, attention please - use
this e-mail to volunteer for any of the following: helping set up tents,
canopies, flags, banners, tables, chairs, and supplies; act as peacekeepers and
marshals; help patrol the site during the night; help set up sound system and
stage; contact other veterans and veterans organizations; make up banners, and
help keep the site clean and clean up after our actions are completed.
Please, if you are planning on attending the activities either
day or wish to help out with tasks now or then e-mail Dave Lucas at davidlucas34@comcast.net
Check our Facebook page and the Smedley Butler Brigade website
for updates and other information during this coming week.
We Are Getting Close- A Special Appeal - Veterans For Peace and Supporters
All Out- Memorial Day Monday May 28th and
Tuesday May 29th War Economy Week On
Boston Common Are Your Days To Shine In Support Of The Poor People’s Campaign
Veterans for Peace and The Poor People’s Campaign Wants You -
All Out!
This e-mail sent is a special appeal for all Veterans For Peace
and their supporters in the Boston and New England area to show up and support
the activities on May 28th and May
29th on historic Boston Common for at least part of
either day. Al Johnson for the Smedley Executive Committee
********
The Smedley Butler Brigade, Chapter 9, Veterans For Peace has
been a proud co-sponsor of the Poor People’s Campaign now in the midst of a
forty day campaign to highlight the plight of the poor and oppressed peoples
and communities in the United States (and internationally). We have already had
two weeks of Monday actions in Boston.
Week three, War Economy Week, is obviously our week to shine
since it will highlight the connections between the bloated war economy, the endless
wars and the attempts to privatize the Veteran Administration services all of
which directly affect the lives of the poor and oppressed. This week, these
associations, and the huge possible impact are what we have been looking for
now for many years. Here is your chance to be to on the front line of the fight
against the Military-Industrial Complex.
On Monday May 28th Memorial
Day starting at noon on Boston Common members of Veterans for Peace,
the Poor Peoples Campaign and their allies will conduct a day-long program
centered on these issues.
We will have literature tables, and have a speakers’ platform to
let various organizations and individuals give their perspectives on the war
economy and what to do about it. During the afternoon we will also have our
annual Memorial Day for Peace program. Since the State House will be closed
that day for the holiday this week’s actions will be extended to a morning speak-out
on the Common and a rally in front of the State House on Tuesday May 29th at 2 PM.
We need you since we have many tasks that need to be taken care
of now and on those two important days. So, attention please - use
this e-mail to volunteer for any of the following: helping set up tents,
canopies, flags, banners, tables, chairs, and supplies; act as peacekeepers and
marshals; help set up sound system and stage; contact other veterans and
veterans organizations; make up banners, and help keep the site clean and clean
up after our actions are completed.
Please, if you are planning on attending the activities either
day or wish to help out with tasks now or then e-mail davidlucas34@comcast.net
Check our Facebook page and the Smedley Butler Brigade website
for updates and other information during this coming week.
Looking For Night Owls- We Need Peace Team
Members To Protect Our Poor People’s Campaign-VFP Encampment Monday May 28th
Forward to anybody you think could help us
Monday night into Tuesday
morning.
As all should be aware
of by now we are planning an overnight encampment on Boston Common starting at
noon on Monday Memorial Day May 28th and extending to about 11 AM on Tuesday May
29th - we need people who plan on staying overnight to be part of a peace team
during the latter part of Monday from 6 PM through Tuesday morning around 9 AM -we
expect to need 12-15 people in two or three person teams in shifts of two to
three hours to protect the encampment and raise the alarm if necessary if
something untoward happens during the
night
If you can help us out
(Jeff and David are in charge) please use this thread to respond –thanks- the
Smedley Ex Comm
A Personal Special Appeal - Veterans For Peace and Supporters
All Out- Memorial Day Monday May 28th and Tuesday May 29th War
Economy Week On Boston Common Are Your Days To Shine In Support Of The Poor
People’s Campaign
Veterans For Peace and The Poor People’s Campaign Wants You - All
Out!
This private e-mail
sent to you personally is a special appeal for all Veterans For Peace and their
supporters in the Boston and New England area to show up and support the
activities on May 28th and May 29th on historic
Boston Common for at least part of either day. Al Johnson for the Smedley
Executive Committee
********
The Smedley Butler
Brigade, Chapter 9, Veterans For Peace has been a proud co-sponsor of the Poor
People’s Campaign now in the midst of a forty day campaign to highlight the
plight of the poor and oppressed peoples and communities in the United States
(and internationally). We have already had two weeks
of Monday actions in Boston.
Week three, War
Economy Week, is obviously our week to shine since it will highlight the
connections between the bloated war economy, the endless wars and the attempts
to privatize the Veteran Administration services all of which directly affect
the lives of the poor and oppressed. This week, these associations, and the
huge possible impact are what we have been looking for now for many years. Here
is your chance to be to on the front line of the fight against the
Military-Industrial Complex.
On Monday May 28th Memorial
Day starting at noon on Boston Common members of Veterans F
or Peace, the Poor Peoples Campaign and their allies will conduct a
day-long program centered on these issues. We intend to camp overnight in order
to bring our concerns to various governmental agencies on
Tuesday when those offices are open for business.
We will be pitching tents
during this encampment, have literature tables, and have a speakers platform to
let various organizations and individuals give their perspectives on the war
economy and what to do about it. During the afternoon we will also have our
annual Memorial Day for Peace program. Since the State House will be closed
that day for the holiday this week’s actions will be extended to a morning
speak-out on the Common and a rally in front of the State House on Tuesday May
29th at 2 PM.
We need you since we
have many tasks that need to be taken care of now and on those two important
days. So, attention please - use this e-mail to volunteer for any
of the following: helping set up tents, canopies, flags, banners, tables,
chairs, and supplies; act as peacekeepers and marshals; help patrol the site
during the night; help set up sound system and stage; contact other veterans
and veterans organizations; make up banners, and help keep the site clean and
clean up after our actions are completed.
Please, if you are
planning on attending the activities either day or wish to help out with tasks
now or then e-mail Al Johnson at alfredjohnson34@comcast.net
Check our Facebook
page and the Smedley Butler Brigade website for updates and other information
during this coming week.
A Personal Special Appeal -Veterans For Peace And Supporters All
Out- Memorial Day Monday May 28th and
Tuesday May 29th Od War Economy Week On
Boston Common Are Your Days To Shine In Support Of The Poor People’s Campaign
Veterans for Peace And The Poor People’s Campaign Wants You-All
Out
This private e-mail sent to you personally is a special appeal
to all Veterans for Peace and their supporters in the Boston and New England
area to show up and support the activities on May 28th and May
29th on historic Boston Common for at least part of
either day. Al Johnson for the Smedley Executive Committee
********
The Smedley Butler Brigade, Chapter 9, Veterans for Peace has
been a proud co-sponsor of the Poor People’s Campaign now in the midst of a
forty day campaign to highlight the plight of the poor and oppressed peoples
and communities in the United States (and internationally). We have already had
two weeks of Monday actions in Boston.
Week three, War Economy Week, is obviously our week to shine since
it will highlight the connections between the bloated war economy, the endless
wars and the attempts to privatize the Veteran Administration services all of
which directly affect the lives of the poor and oppressed. This week,
these associations, and the huge possible impact are what we have been looking
for now for many years. Here is your chance to fight the Military-Industrial
Complex in person.
On Monday May 28th Memorial
Day starting at noon on Boston Common members of Veterans for Peace, the Poor
Peoples Campaign and their allies will conduct a day-long program centered on
these issues. We intend to camp overnight in order to bring our concerns to
various governmental agencies on Tuesday when those offices are open for
business.
We will be pitching tents during this encampment, have
literature tables, and have a speaker’s platform to let various organizations
and individuals give their perspectives on the war economy and what to do about
it. During the afternoon we will also have our annual Memorial Day for Peace
program. Since the State House will be closed that day for the holiday this
week’s actions will be extended to a morning speak-out on the Common and a
rally in front of the State House on Tuesday May 29th at 2 PM.
We need you since we have many tasks needed to be taken care of
now and on those two important days so use this e-mail to volunteer for any of
the following: helping set up tents, canopies, flags, banners, tables, chairs,
and supplies; act as peacekeepers and marshals; help patrol the site during the
night; help set up sound system and stage; contact other veterans and veterans
organizations; make up banners, and help keep the site clean and clean up after
our actions are completed.
Please if you ae planning on attending the activities either day
or wish to help out with tasks now or then e-mail Al Johnson at alfredjohnson34@comcast.net
Check our Facebook page and the Smedley Butler Brigade website
for updates and other information during this coming week.
A Personal Special
Appeal -Veterans For Peace And Supporters All Out- Memorial Day Monday May 28th
and Tuesday May 29th Od War Economy Week On Boston Common Are Your
Days To Shine In Support Of The Poor People’s Campaign
Veterans for Peace And
The Poor People’s Campaign Wants You-All Out
This private e-mail sent
to you personally is a special appeal to all Veterans for Peace and their
supporters in the Boston and New England area to show up and support the
activities on May 28th and May 29th on historic Boston
Common for at least part of either day. Al Johnson for the Smedley Executive
Committee
********
The Smedley Butler
Brigade, Chapter 9, Veterans for Peace has been a proud co-sponsor of the Poor
People’s Campaign now in the midst of a forty day campaign to highlight the
plight of the poor and oppressed peoples and communities in the United States
(and internationally). We have already had two weeks of Monday actions in
Boston.
Week three, War
Economy Week, is obviously our week to shine since it will highlight the
connections between the bloated war economy, the endless wars and the attempts
to privatize the Veteran Administration services all of which directly affect
the lives of the poor and oppressed. This week, these associations, and the huge
possible impact are what we have been looking for now for many years. Here is
your chance to fight the Military-Industrial Complex in person.
On Monday May 28th
Memorial Day starting at noon on Boston Common members of Veterans for Peace,
the Poor Peoples Campaign and their allies will conduct a day-long program
centered on these issues. We intend to camp overnight in order to bring our
concerns to various governmental agencies on Tuesday when those offices are
open for business.
We will be pitching tents
during this encampment, have literature tables, and have a speaker’s platform to
let various organizations and individuals give their perspectives on the war
economy and what to do about it. During the afternoon we will also have our
annual Memorial Day for Peace program. Since the State House will be closed
that day for the holiday this week’s actions will be extended to a morning
speak-out on the Common and a rally in front of the State House on Tuesday May
29th at 2 PM.
We need you since we
have many tasks needed to be taken care of now and on those two important days
so use this e-mail to volunteer for any of the following: helping set up tents,
canopies, flags, banners, tables, chairs, and supplies; act as peacekeepers and
marshals; help patrol the site during the night; help set up sound system and
stage; contact other veterans and veterans organizations; make up banners, and
help keep the site clean and clean up after our actions are completed.
Please if you ae
planning on attending the activities either day or wish to help out with tasks
now or then e-mail Al Johnson at alfredjohnson34@comcast.net
Check our Facebook
page and the Smedley Butler Brigade website for updates and other information
during this coming week.
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