Saturday, February 09, 2019

Dear VFP Members and Friends, The U.S.-orchestrated coup in Venezuela presents a great threat to the people of Venezuela and to all of Latin America, which apparently is still considered to be "our backyard" by the dinosaurs of U.S. imperialism. The possibility of direct military intervention leading to a long and bloody war is "on the table."

Veterans For Peace<vfp@veteransforpeace.org>
To  alfredjohnson34@comcast.net  

Dear VFP Members and Friends,

The U.S.-orchestrated coup in Venezuela presents a great threat to the people of Venezuela and to all of Latin America, which apparently is still considered to be "our backyard" by the dinosaurs of U.S. imperialism. The possibility of direct military intervention leading to a long and bloody war is "on the table."

Even as President Trump makes halting efforts to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Syria, his administration is doubling down on U.S. intervention in this hemisphere. National Security Adviser John Bolton is also promising to step up U.S. attacks against the progressive governments and people of Cuba and Nicaragua.

The Veterans For Peace statement calling for resistance to U.S. intervention in Venezuela, unanimously agreed upon by the VFP Board of Directors at our recent meeting in Tijuana, Mexico, continues to be welcomed and widely circulated (over 1.5 K "shares" on Facebook).

Veterans For Peace has also endorsed several upcoming mobilizations against the unfolding coup in Venezuela. Most important, because they are coming up soon, are internationally coordinated local actions on February 23.

Check out the website for the No War on Venezuela actions. Veterans For Peace is already an endorser, but VFP Chapters may also sign on, as can individuals.

In less than a week the call for No War on Venezuela actions on Februrary 23 has garnered remarkable support, coming from virtually the entire peace movement in the U.S. and internationally (the Call has been translated into eight languages!).
I encourage all VFP chapters and members to participate in local actions that are already being organized for Saturday, Febuary 23, or to initiate and anchor protests and/or educational events in your communities. Call on your friends and allied organizations to join you. Unity, creativity and flexibility should be our watch words. It could be any type of event, such as a visit to your Congressperson's office on Friday, February 22, a vigil downtown on Saturday, February 23, or an educational forum on Sunday, February 24.

You can find helpful resources on the website, including a ready made half-page flyer, where you can add your local information. Of course, feel free to produce your own flyer with your own message. The voice of veterans must be heard.

The U.S. regime change operation in Venezuela also presents an opportunity for the U.S. peace movement to step up our game. This includes Veterans For Peace, of course. The VFP Board of Directors is already discussing the possibility of having regular coordinated actions, monthly or quarterly, where all VFP chapters can act together. On February 23 we can begin to exercise our collective muscle while making a real contribution to the peace movement.

How many other organizations have chapters in so many cities? And internationally too. I believe the answer is none. When Veterans For Peace chapters step up together, we will make a real difference.

All out for February 23!

Hands Off Venezuela!

Gerry Condon
1404 N. Broadway Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63102
Veterans For Peace welcomes your tax deductible donations.
We also encourage you to join our ranks.



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Massive rallies for Maduro held in Venezuela, ignored by war-mongering corporate media - PSL - Party for Socialism and Liberation---------- Original Message ----------


PSL - Party for Socialism and Liberation---------- Original Message ----------
From: PSL < info@pslweb.org>
To: David Rolde < davidrolde@comcast.net>
Date: February 8, 2019 at 4:32 PM
Subject: Massive rallies for Maduro held in Venezuela, ignored by war-mongering corporate media

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Massive rallies for Maduro held in Venezuela, ignored by war-mongering corporate media

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A massive rally was held in Venezuela's capital city, Caracas, in support of the Venezuelan government and its democratically elected President Nicolás Maduro. The outpouring of support for Maduro is a decisive rebuke of the U.S.-backed plans for regime change and their support for Juan Guaidó. Until two weeks ago, Guaidó was unknown to virtually the whole Venezuelan population. The major media outlets in the United States completely ignored the pro-Maduro rally, while mentioning only the opposition rallies.

The Feb. 2 rally was held on the 20-year anniversary of Hugo Chávez’s first inauguration. Chávez was tremendously popular with the working class, poor and oppressed people of Venezuela and the start of his presidency marked the beginning of the Bolivarian Revolution -- the process of social transformation that has put Venezuela on the road to socialism. Starting with a new constitution the very same year, ratified by overwhelming popular vote, Bolivarian Venezuela has brought about major gains in eliminating illiteracy, providing more than 2.5 million homes to the poor at little or no cost, and social spending on a scale never seen before. It in turned inspired progressive and leftist governments throughout Central and South American countries.
But the U.S. would not accept this nor respect any other election held under the Bolivarian process. On April 11, 2002, Chávez was taken captive in a U.S.-backed coup. In an unprecedented show of people’s power, he was returned to power two days later by tens of thousands of Venezuelans demanding his return. Since then the U.S. has pursued an aggressive campaign with an economic war, sanctions and military threats against the government, whose goal is socialism.

Saturday’s Feb. 2nd massive rally brought together a militant and united throng of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, not just in Caracas but across Venezuela. Pictures on social media show tens of thousands stretched as far as the eye can see down three major avenues in Caracas. Major pro-government rallies were also held in Maturín, Monagas, Guanare, Valencia and Cúa on Feb. 1.

There have also been actions in solidarity with Venezuela around the world. The ANSWER Coalition along with a wide range of U.S. progressive, anti-war, anti-imperialist and groups in favor of Venezuelan sovereignty are calling for a national march in front of the White House on Saturday, March 16. They are demanding U.S. hands off of Venezuela, No Coup, No Sanctions and No U.S. Intervention and War.

Corporate media at the service of U.S. empire

The intent of the media censorship against pro-Maduro sentiment is to create the idea that the U.S. government, Canada and European powers are speaking for the Venezuelan people in seeking the overthrow of President Maduro. But this is a total lie and manipulation of the facts that accompanies the political manipulation by the U.S. and its allies.

The major newspapers including the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald and others give scant, if any, mention to the pro-government rallies. It is the same for CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and other television broadcast news stations. National Public Radio is equally complicit in distorting the reality. The lead article on Venezuela in the New York Times on February 3 titled "Venezuelans Opposed to Maduro Pour Into Streets for Day of Protests" all but ignored the massive pro-Maduro rallies.

The media’s self-censorship extends to social media. Last week it was revealed Twitter had deleted thousands of accounts it identified as “engaging in a state-backed influence campaign” in support of Venezuela. Facebook was criticized for its attempt to label an article from a major news outlet in Cuba, “Venezuela is not alone” as spam and block it from being shared on its platform.

While addressing the rally on Feb. 2 Maduro called for a new round of National Assembly elections. He stated that the National Constituent Assembly -- a different legislative body that was elected in 2017 and has the power to rewrite the constitution -- is considering the potential for new parliamentary elections and stated, referring to the opposition, “Do they want elections? We will hold a parliamentary election.” Maduro also questioned the opposition’s intentions after his repeated attempts at talks were turned down saying, “We’re for dialogue and they’re rejecting dialogue. If you’re rejecting dialogue what are you for? War?” Maduro said that the government wants peace and is preparing all its forces to defend the peace.

There is a reason for his comment. The U.S. government has not ruled out a military option. In an interview on Face the Nation when asked what it would take for him to use military force, Trump responded, "Well, I don't want to say that, but certainly it's something that on the -- it's an option."

Guaidó himself has refused to rule out support for a U.S. invasion of his own country. When talking with CNN's Christiane Amanpour he said he was “appreciative” of Donald Trump’s support and that he would accept “whatever pressure is necessary,” referring to U.S. military support. Many of those in the opposition protests have also carried U.S. flags and thanked Trump for his support.

Support the National March on Washington: Hands off Venezuela! No coup, no sanctions, no new U.S. war!

venezuela_rally.jpg

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Resist the US-backed coup in Venezuela Courage to Resist Jeff Paterson

Courage to Resist Jeff Paterson<jeff.paterson@couragetoresist.org>
To  alfredjohnson34@comcast.net  
Courage to Resist
hands of Venezuela
Resist the US-backed coup in Venezuela
US HANDS OFF VENEZUELA! Resources for supporters of peace and justice interested in understanding what’s happening in Venezuela, and how to take action. Statements from Veterans for Peace and About Face: Veterans Against the War, the Peace Report, and the March 30 march and rally in Washington DC.  Read more
D O N A T E
to support resistance
weekly meetup
Objector Church online weekly
This is a great way to find out more about our new fiscal sponsor, the Objector Church, and why they might be the religious humanist interfaith peace and justice community you have been looking for! Live online meetups are lead by Minister James Branum from Oklahoma City. This Sunday at 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern, pop online and check it out at objector.church/meetup
The first ever Objector Registry (objector.church/register) offers a declaration of conscience for anyone to assert their moral opposition to war, regardless of age, gender, or religious affiliation. This serves to create a protective record of beliefs and actions with which to oppose a later forced draft. Given last week's release of the report by the Congressionally mandated commission on military service, this free registry is coming online just in time. Please sign up yourself and share with friends!
COURAGE TO RESIST ~ SUPPORT THE TROOPS WHO REFUSE TO FIGHT!
484 Lake Park Ave #41, Oakland, California 94610 ~ 510-488-3559
www.couragetoresist.org ~ facebook.com/couragetoresist
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Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis<info@poorpeoplescampaign.org>
To  alfredjohnson34@comcast.net  
Alfred,
Right now, two of the world’s biggest mining companies want to mine Apache sacred lands just an hour east of Phoenix in Oak Flat, Arizona.
If Congress lets them get away with it, they will be violating indigenous people’s rights and creating a toxic trash dump that will release airborne chemicals for miles around the site.
SIGN THE PETITION
Activists and indigenous people had successfully stopped companies from mining Oak Flat for a decade before Congress snuck the sale of the lands into a bill funding the military.
After so many votes rebuffing pro-mining interests when the deal was debated openly, Congress sneakily put Oak Flat up for sale.
But the sale can still be stopped.
On Saturday, the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival joins the Apache Stronghold in Arizona on their Fifth Annual March to Oak Flat. Because:
  • The Apache Stronghold’s struggle is the struggle of families in Detroit whose water was shut off.
  • The struggle of disenfranchised people in Kentucky, where 9% of the state can’t vote.
  • The struggle at the border, where federal workers are pawns in a battle for a wall while land is secretly sold off to multinational corporations on the other side of the fence.
Corporate America has shown it is willing to ignore the needs of the poor in almost every way, including by dumping toxic chemicals on the poor and indigenous people again and again.
Meanwhile, the U.S. federal government acts unaccountable to its own treaties with native and indigenous people. From the Doctrine of Discovery that was used to justify the takeover of indigenous lands to the ongoing attempt to undermine tribal sovereignty and steal native people’s resources, the U.S. has been assaulting the very right of indigenous people to exist.
We are all people of conscience -- Apache, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, people of other faiths and not of faith -- who refuse to be silent while Congress and corporate interests attempt to destroy indigenous people’s right to political independence and their very right to exist.
We stand in solidarity with the Apache Stronghold. Our fight is one.
Forward together, not one step back!
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis
Co-Chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from The Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, please click here.

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