VFP eNews: Poor Peoples Campaign, New Chapter in Baja and Armistice Day!
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Reclaim Armistice Day
 Veterans For Peace calls on all members and all peace-loving people to take a stand for peace this Armistice (aka Veterans Day), Saturday November 11. We call for nationally coordinated local actions to demand diplomacy not war with North Korea, and the abolition of nuclear weapons and war. Veterans For Peace joins with the wider peace movement for actions before and after November 11th.
Veterans For Peace calls for the observance of Veterans Day to be in keeping with the holiday’s original intent as Armistice Day, to be “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace," as it was celebrated at the ending of World War I when the world came together to recognize the need for lasting peace. After World War II, the U.S. Congress decided to re-name November 11 as Veterans Day. Honoring the warriors quickly morphed into honoring the military and glorifying war. Armistice Day, as a result, has been flipped from a day for peace into a day for displays of militarism.
Check out our website for some ideas! Let us know what you have planned here!
The Gathering: The War Economy Is Killing Our Nation's Spirit
Veterans For Peace member Matthew Hoh will join Bishop William J. Barber II and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove on Sunday, Nov. 5 at The Gathering to discuss the War Economy.
When: Sunday, November 5th, 6 p.m. (EST)
Where: ONLINE or Raleigh, North Carolina
A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.
— Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The United States spends more money on war than on programs to house, feed, provide health care for the people. Although we call our veterans the nation’s heroes, we fail to provide them and their families with adequate pay, quality health care, and other needed supports to prepare and return from war.
As people of faith and moral conscience, we denounce war-mongering and efforts to create more conflict and division within and between nations, and demand that our legislators support programs that combat this resource inequality and instead promote the life and livelihood of all human beings.
Please tweet and share these amazing "Peace" memes the Poor People's Campaign created! (Here and Here) Don't forget to tag @VFPNational when you tweet!
Be sure to keep your eye out for other events surrounding the Poor People's Campaign!
Help Send U.S. Deported Veterans to SOAW Encuentro Can you help us get our Deported Veterans group to the border? It is critical that their voices be heard at the SOAW Border Encuentro. We are hoping to have enough travel funds to support as many as can attend. Can you help us raise $4,000?
SOAW strives to expose, denounce, and end US militarization, oppressive US policies and other forms of state violence in the Americas. Some of our VFP members have been deported under these ugly polices and continue to be directly affected by the U.S.' refusal to extend citizenship to those who have fought in our military.
Back to TopMeet the VFP members going on the Third Okinawa Solidarity Delegation This December, Veterans For Peace will deploy our third and largest Okinawa Solidarity Delegation (14 members) to join the Okinawan people’s resistance to U.S. military base expansion into what has been a pristine environment – Oura Bay at Henoko. Stopping the base construction at Henoko will demonstrate to the world that people working together in solidarity for common cause can stand victorious against even the most powerful military and governmental forces. Each week leading up to the delegation, each member will publish a written testimony.
Enya Anderson
"To live in peace begins with having peace within. We all must understand that we all share the same world. What affects our neighbors also directly affects us. What we say and do needs to educate and demonstrate our values as humans on this planet. This trip to Okinawa will hopefully be the first of many trips ahead to further educate myself and demonstrate my ethics and values. This trip will enable me to educate others with information of what is happening in the world today.
Each day we live is a day of opportunity to make changes in our own lives and in the lives of others, which creates positive change in the world we live in. Obtaining peace may seem to be a difficult task, but the simplicity of peace is just a matter of understanding that you are your neighbor and your neighbor is you. Most important, know that you are of the earth and will return to the earth--so treat it right. Through peace we can have a better world."
The delegation members are: Monisha Rios, Mike Hanes, Will Griffin, Ellen Davidson, Bruce Gagnon, Pete Doktor, Adrienne Kinney, Hanayo Ota (filmmaker), Miho Aida, Russell Wray, Miles Megaciph, Enya Anderson, Ken Mayers and Tarak Kauff
Join VFP At SOA Watch Border Encuentro VFP enthusiastically supports this year's theme "Tear Down The Walls, Build Up The People." Please join us, November 10-12, and many other peace and justice groups on the border.
SOAW strives to expose, denounce, and end US militarization, oppressive US policies and other forms of state violence in the Americas. Often these Latin American political and economic policies are directly linked to forced displacement, increased violence, and militarized borders. And as we call attention to the militarization of the border and Latin America, we also call for an end to state-sponsored terrorism and violence against our communities inside the United States.
We stand with organizations and movements working for justice and peace throughout the Americas. There is no wall or border that can deter the solidarity of the people!
Request a Bundle of Newsletters!
We have extra newsletters from Summer 2017. These are great tool for spreading the word and make a great addition to your VFP table when you're out at local farmers markets, community fairs, and other events.
This issue includes:
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In This Issue:
U.S. People's Peace Treaty with Korea Alarmed by the threat of a nuclear war between the U.S. and North Korea, Veterans For Peace and other concerned U.S. peace groups have come together to send an open message to Washington and Pyongyang that we are strongly opposed to any resumption of the horrific Korean War. What we want is a peace treaty to finally end the lingering Korean War!
Inspired by the Vietnam-era People’s Peace Treaty, we have initiated a People’s Peace Treaty with North Korea, to raise awareness about the past U.S. policy toward North Korea, and to send a clear message that we, the people of the U.S., do not want another war with North Korea.
And don't forget to take action on Armistice Day!
The People's Treaty was drafted in collaboration with representatives from Veterans For Peace,Women Cross DMZ, United for Peace & Justice, Code Pink, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Western States Legal Foundation, World Beyond War, and Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security
VFP Welcomes our Newest Chapter: Sgt Barrios Memorial Chapter #986 in Baja Mexico
Welcome to the newest chapter of Veterans For Peace! Make sure to give them a like and send them a note of welcome!
Tomorrow they are having their dedication as a new VFP Chapter!
"The Unified U.S. Deported Veterans - Playas Barracks invites you to join us for the dedication of our new Veterans For Peace Chapter #986 the “Sgt. Barrios Memorial Chapter” in honor of our fallen brother Sgt.Hector Barrios U.S. Army Vietnam veteran. We will be building an altar at the office for our deceased deported veteran brothers and we will also dedicate our new VFP Chapter as the Veterans For Peace Sgt. Barrios memorial Chapter #986 of Baja California, Mexico. Join us as we will be remembering and honoring the lives of our fellow deported veterans that have died before returning home to the U.S., the country they served and defended."
Don't forget to send a note of welcome!
Activist Inspires: Bruce Gagnon
VFP Board Member Will Griffin started a new series on The Peace Report where he highlights the work of inspiring activists.
Bruce Gagnon has been a VFP member since the early 1990s. He dedicated the first "Activist Inspires" to him.
Legislative Action: Stop War on Yemen
“American-made bombs - – dropped by American-made planes, refueled by American military forces – - have created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. [It has] … plunged millions to the brink of starvation, and sparked a cholera outbreak that kills another Yemeni nearly every hour.”
Yemen poses NO threat to our national security. Yet OUR government has helped fund the Saudi-led war that has killed 10,000 innocent Yemenis. There is a resolution in congress right now to stop this insanity. The Huffington Post, Democracy Now and the New York Times have published articles this week.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO STOP IT? CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IMMEDIATELY.
7th Annual VFP Trip to Vietnam
Join us for a 50-year look back at 1968 – the Tet Offensive, Khe Sanh, My Lai – as we travel through Viet Nam, north to south. For the seventh year, Viet Nam's Hoa Binh (Peace) Chapter 160 of Veterans For Peace (VFP) will host a two-week insider tour of a former war-torn country that is now a nation of peace and beauty – Viet Nam. The land is beautiful, the beaches, white sand, and palm trees are inviting, the mountains rugged and resilient – as are the people. The Vietnamese will welcome us with warm embraces and generous spirits. Join VFP for a truly memorable tour, the second experience of a lifetime for Vietnam veterans – and a much better one this time!
Shop VFP! Holiday Cards Spread the message of peace this holiday season with VFP's Peace On Earth card!
Each purchase includes 10 5x7" cards and 10 envelopes. Only $15!
Front: Peace On Earth Inside: Happy Holidays, Wishing you a year of peace and joy Back: Peace Is Possible
Nov 6-11 - National Mobilization to Stop War on Korea
Nov 11- Armistice Day
Nov 10-13 - SOAW Convergence in Tucson, AZ
Dec 10 - Human Rights Day
Dec 24 - Anniversary of the Christmas Truce (1914)
2018
Jan 12-14 - Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases Conference in Baltimore, MD
March 4-21 - Veterans For Peace Vietnam Tour
July 9-10 - NO to NATO Counter Summit, Brussels, Belgium
Aug 23-26 - 2018 VFP National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota
Sept 19-21 - 2nd Annual Conference in Havana, Cuba on "Realities and Challenges of Being a Zone of Peace in Latin America and the Caribbean"
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Veterans For Peace, 1404 N. Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102
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