Monday, August 28, 2017

Boston Preview of Ken Burns / Lynn Novick film series on Vietnam - Sept. 6

VFP Smedley
To  smedleyvfp@googlegroups.com  
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On Sept. 17 WGBH will start to air the Burns/ Novick 10 part documentary on the Vietnam War.  Locally, however, WGBH has scheduled a  one-hour preview of the series on Sept. 6 here in Boston that features Burns and Novick in person for a Q&A following the preview.  It's the first of many upcoming opportunities to make sure we do our best to set the record straight on why we went to war there in the first place and what really happened.  The Sept. 6 preview is at John Hancock Hall, 180 Berkeley St, Boston. 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.  The Q&A will be moderated by Jim Braude and Margery Eagan, hosts of  Boston Public Radio.  Admission is $15.00 and tickets can be purchased on line atwgbh.org/events.  We want to encourage all Smedleys who can to attend this preview.  We will be handing out copies of the Full Disclosure newspaper to attendees as they enter. We could use your help and would appreciate your letting us know if you're available to pitch in.  Please let us know by writing vfpsmedley@gmail.com.

 Veterans For Peace has developed a platform of resources that provide insights to the strengths and weaknesses of this documentary along with suggestions as to how we can get involved in various forums that will or should take place. Please see below, especially the Full Disclosure newspaper and the attached review by Thomas Bass - America's Amnesia.  These resources will sharpen and provoke memories of what we all experienced.     

The Vietnam War & Full Disclosure

In September 2017, PBS will air a documentary about the Vietnam War, directed by respected documentarians Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. The goal of this 10-episode, 18-hour project is, according to the directors, to “create a film everyone could embrace” and to provide the viewer with information and insights that are “new and revelatory.” Just as importantly, they intend the film to provide the impetus and parameters for a much needed national conversation about this controversial and divisive period in American history.
The film will be accompanied by an unprecedented outreach and public engagement program, providing opportunities for communities to participate in a national conversation about what happened during the Vietnam War, what went wrong and what lessons are to be learned. In addition, there will be a robust interactive website and an educational initiative designed to engage teachers and students in multiple platforms.
The release of this documentary is an opportunity to seize the moment about telling the full story of the U.S war on Viet Nam.

What Can You Do?




Want to Continue to Be Part of the Conversation?

 
Sign up to be on the "Full Disclosure" email list if you want to communicate with VFP activists around the country who are working on this.
 
To join the Vietnam Full Disclosure "google group" you must have a Google login. Once logged onto Google, go to: http://groups.google.com/group/vnfd and submit a request to join the group.
Alternatively, send a request to group manager Becky Luening at becky.pdx@gmail.com and she will directly add you to the group. After being subscribed, anyone can post to the group via the email address vnfd@googlegroups.com 
 
Get involved in this rare opportunity to get America talking about what really went down in Viet Nam!

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Keep Space for Peace Week - October 13-21

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The Vietnam War, a film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick Comes To Boston Opening

VFP Smedley
To  smedleyvfp@googlegroups.com,    smedleyvfpforum@googlegroups.com   and 3 others

Hi Smedleys and Samanthas.

Here is the ticketing information for the Ken Burns/Lynn Novick Vietnam event.  Please forward it to friends, relatives and other groups.  We think it is important to be there to find out what is actually going to be said or not said.  Through the Question and Answer portion, we would be able to bring these things up in a respectful manner.  We can also be outside before the event handing out VFP Full Disclosure.   You can view it at:      https://www.veteransforpeace.org/files/6415/0211/3946/FullDisclosure-Reprint2017.pdf.

Thank you,

Ex Comm





   You can order tickets at:  http://www.wgbh.org/events/event.cfm?eid=The%20Vietnam%20War%2C%20a%20film%20by%20Ken%20Burns%20and%20Lynn%20Novick-203

EVENTS

The Vietnam War, a film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick

Sep. 6, 2017, 7-9pm
John Hancock Hall, Back Bay Events Center, 180 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116
$15
GET TICKETS
Join us for a special screening of The Vietnam War, a 10-part, 18-hour documentary film series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. There will be an audience Q &A following the screening with Burns, Novick and Roger F. Harris, Vietnam veteran and president of the Boston Renaissance Foundation Inc. The Q&A will be moderated byJim Braude and Margery Eagan, co-hosts on 89.7 WGBH's Boston Public Radio.
Ken Burns, director and producer of The Vietnam War
Lynn Novick, director and producer of The Vietnam War
Dr. Roger F. Harris, president of the Boston Renaissance Foundation Inc., former chief executive officer and superintendent of Boston Renaissance Charter Public School, clinical assistant professor at Boston University, and a Vietnam veteran
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Statement From Veterans For Peace-Afghanistan: More of the Same But Wrapped in Secrecy

Statement From Veterans For Peace-Afghanistan: More of the Same But Wrapped in Secrecy

Afghanistan: More of the Same But Wrapped in Secrecy

This past Monday, Trump addressed the nation about Afghanistan. The president’s speech at its core is more of the same disastrous policies that we have seen for sixteen years, except this administration wants to completely abandon pursuit of a political solution and shroud the war in a cloak of secrecy.  Veterans For Peace, once again, calls for a different direction other than war.  We call for U.S. troops to leave Afghanistan and a robust pursuit of a political solution to end the war.
It is not surprising that Trump began this speech by attempting to rectify his inability to speak out directly against White supremacy.  Instead of speaking unequivocally as president against ideologies of hate and White supremacy, he attempted to wrap himself in patriotism and the blood and sacrifice of fallen soldiers. In doing so, Trump attempted to sidestep his own culpability in the rise of hate and intolerance in the United States. In fact, we see that Trump only knows how to divide and fear-monger. His urging everyone in this country to come together against a common foe is no different than his campaign rhetoric using fear to call for unity against Muslims, immigrants and people of color.  Now he is using fear of people in another country to wage endless war.  We, at Veterans For Peace, have seen this tactic repeatedly.  There is nothing positive to gain by building unity through hatred and fear of another.  Displacing this nation’s collective anger at White supremacy in our midst towards people of other nations fuels dangerous nationalism that has enabled endless war. Further, we see by Trump’s speech the next day in Phoenix that his words of unity here at home are hollow.
Endless war is the plan that Trump laid out Monday.  In this regard, there are few differences in the approach of the prior two administrations. The policy differences that do exist will not change the reality of what is happening in Afghanistan and will continue to ensure more death for U.S. troops and the people of Afghanistan.
Veterans For Peace is alarmed by the policy changes outlined.  Trump indicated that a political settlement with the Taliban will not be sought and that the focus will be on military options.  He also blatantly stated that the U.S. public will not be given a basic outline of plans in Afghanistan.  Both policies are dangerous.  Cloaking the war in Afghanistan in more secrecy, in a time when increased privatization of our armed forces is being considered, diminishes accountability and gives the U.S. public no idea of what we are being asked to commit to war.  Moving away from a pursuit of a political solution and giving commanders on the ground more leeway to use force will more than likely lead to more civilian deaths with little chance of significantly increasing the possibility of the U.S. militarily defeating the Taliban. The two previous administrations put little real effort in a political solution, but complete abandonment can only mean prolonging war and more bloodshed.
Veterans For Peace also condemns the aggressive and needlessly antagonizing language towards Pakistan, especially given our long history of drone warfare in the country that has killed innocent civilians and violated their borders.  Previous administrations have sought a balanced approach to Pakistan and India, two nuclear powers with a fragile relationship. Trump’s highlighting of India’s benefit to the U.S. economically and invitation to be more involved in Afghanistan appears to be favoring India and to punish Pakistan. It is hard to see a positive outcome of framing the U.S. relationship with Pakistan or India in the context of moving closer to one and distancing the U.S. from the other.  
Trump’s speech admitted no culpability in the role of the U.S. in destabilizing the entire region, alternating between blaming Afghanistan and Pakistan. The U.S. military has destroyed countless villages and continues to create an atmosphere of fear and hatred with covert drone operations that kill thousands of innocent people.  It should be clear after sixteen years and the death of tens of thousands of people that no one is a winner in Afghanistan. There is no clear concept of what it means to win there. In fact, it is no longer clear why the U.S. continues to keep troops in Afghanistan after sixteen years of failure.
Veterans For Peace calls for a different direction than more war. We call on Congress to stop funding war and demand a plan for a peaceful solution. We call on the president to immediately begin withdrawal of U.S. troops and take a new direction towards diplomacy and peace. And we call on the people of the U.S. to resist war and demand policies that foster peace and prosperity at home and in Afghanistan.
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The Last Refuge of Robert E. Lee?

RootsAction Team
 




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In the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., 100 statues represent 50 states. Two statues have been provided by each state. One of Virginia's is Robert E. Lee.

Please sign this petition to the Virginia legislature and governor:
We implore you to immediately remove the statue of Robert E. Lee from the U.S. Capitol, and to permit local governments in Virginia to take down statues as they see fit.

The Lee statue still stands in Charlottesville because of a court case over a state law that bans taking down war monuments. The same Virginia legislature that needs to change that law is also responsible for keeping a Robert E. Lee statue in the U.S. Capitol or taking it down and replacing it with a statue of another Virginian.

The installation of the Lee statue in the U.S. Capitol in 1909 started a trend of Southern states sending Confederate statues to Washington, D.C. Removing it should launch a new trend of removing the 12 Confederate statues in the Statuary Hall collection -- a collection that includes not a single African American.

Click here to sign a petition that we can deliver to Richmond, Va.

After signing the petition, please use the tools on the next webpage to share it with your friends.

This work is only possible with your financial support. Please chip in $3 now.

-- The RootsAction.org Team

P.S. RootsAction is an independent online force endorsed by Jim Hightower, Barbara Ehrenreich, Cornel West, Daniel Ellsberg, Glenn Greenwald, Naomi Klein, Bill Fletcher Jr., Laura Flanders, former U.S. Senator James Abourezk, Frances Fox Piven, Lila Garrett, Phil Donahue, Sonali Kolhatkar, and many others.

Background:
> Washington Post: How statues of Robert E. Lee and other Confederates got into the U.S. Capitol
> Washington Post: The U.S. Capitol has at least three times as many statues of Confederate figures as it does of black people

 
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