VFP eNews: Military Build Up, Standing Rock, Member Highlights!
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Veterans For Peace Rejects President Trump's Military Build Up
The President plans to increase Pentagon spending by $54 billion, claiming that the U.S. military is broken and depleted. Mr. Trump recently spoke to service members aboard the new $13 billion USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier reiterating his call for more spending. Ironically the carrier is a real-life example of why more spending is not needed. U.S. military capabilities far outstrip all other nations. The carrier is an addition to a navy that was already unmatched by all others. With ten carriers, the U.S. has more than all other nations combined and the carriers are larger, providing more deck space per carrier than other nations. The U.S. Navy has thousands of aircraft, making it the second largest air force in the world behind the U.S. Air Force. The U.S. already spends almost three times what any other country spends on defense and more than the next nine countries combined.
U.S. global policy of endless war and filling the coffers of an already bloated military budget has merged into a global response of violence. We need a global response that meets human needs and aspirations. Militarization is not the foundation on which to build peace. U.S. efforts have proven that war is the breeding ground for more violence and hatred. We need increased spending in social programs here at home, including significant resources dedicated to our veterans who are suffering devastating effects as a result of their service. We need an increase in diplomacy to end the wars. We need to dedicate resources to helping bring relief to the refugee crisis resulting from endless war.
We, as veterans, know that peace is possible, but only if resources are directed towards caring for one another, not perpetuating militarization across the globe.
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VFP Marches For Standing Rock in D.C.
 Leaders at Standing Rock called for solidarity actions around the country and around the globe to protest the recent order and for a large demonstration on Washington on March 10. Veterans For Peace joined the march in Washington with a contingent of veterans.
VFP Member, Nate Goldshlag said about 10,000 people demonstrated in DC today supporting the Standing Rock Sioux in their fight against DAPL.
Also be sure to check out our Standing Rock page for ongoing ways to take action!
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Boston Veterans Denied Entry In St. Patrick's Day Parade
From VFP Member Pat Scanlon:
There are two veterans organizations prohibited from marching in the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade this year. One group because they dare to exhibit a tiny rainbow flag to identify who they are as individuals. The second group is being denied because they work for Peace and Peaceful resolution of conflict. Veterans For Peace have also been denied to walk in the parade on March 19.
“It is shameful”, stated Scanlon. “The City of Boston should take back this parade and truly make it inclusive for all, regardless if you are gay or work for peace”.
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VFP Endorses International Days of Action Against War and Islamophobia
Over the last 16 years since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, rising Islamophobia has come hand-in-hand with escalating U.S.-led wars and occupations in the Middle East and North Africa. The Trump administration is now attempting to impose an inhumane travel and refugee ban on seven Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — all targets of U.S. military attack or sanctions by the current and previous administrations.
All these point to the fact that we are moving toward another, more disastrous, catastrophe in the Middle East. We call on all peace loving people throughout the world to unite and take action during the International Days of Action (March 11-19) against U.S. intervention in Syria and throughout the Middle East, against Islamophobia, and against the refugee Travel Ban.
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Shut Down Creech in April 2017!
Join actvists April 23 - April 29, 2017 at Creech Air Force Base, Indian Springs, Nevada for a 2nd national mobilization of nonviolent resistance to shut down killer drone operations in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan,Yemen, Somalia and everywhere.
In the last two years we had nearly 150 activists each year join us from 20 different states across the country, including over 50 veterans. In a very successful resistance action, we were able to interrupt business as usual for nearly an hour, with 34 activists ultimately arrested. Let's make SHUT DOWN CREECH 2017 an even more powerful stance against illegal drone killing. Please join us, and help spread the word. Together we are PEACE!
VFP Winter Newsletter Now Available Online!
Our Winter Newsletter is now online! Stories Include:
The VFP Newsletter is published 3 times each year for members and donors. It contains extensive chapter reports from around the country, poetry and book reviews as well as articles on current affairs.
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Do You Have a Great Resource?
We want to hear from you!
We are hoping to include a helpful resource in our weekly VFP E-News Do you have a resource that you have found useful in your work for peace? A great movie? Good guides to build organizing skills? Let us know!
Please send Resources that can be accessed online or are available to folks across the country.
Email Colleen: colleen@veteransforpeace.org
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In This Issue:
Veterans For Peace Rejects President Trump's Military Build UpPetition: Fund People's Needs, Not Trump's Military GreedVFP Marches for Standing Rock in Washington D.C.
Save the Date! VFP Annual Convention!
Boston Veterans Denied Entry in St. Patrick's Day Parade
Des Moines VFP Holds Vigil at New Recruitment Center
50th Anniversary of "Beyond Vietnam" Speech
VFP Endorces National Day of Action Against War and Islamophobia
Shut Down Creech in April 2017!
VFP Chapter 67-Long Beach Zinn Fund Final Report
Get Your VFP Hoodie!
Save the Dates: Upcoming Events
Petition: Fund People's Needs, Not Trump's Military Greed
Trump’s misdirected White House is putting military profiteering before public needs and putting future generations at risk. Trump’s proposed budget would slash social services that we depend on to raise the military budget by 10%. The United States already spends more on its military than the next 7 countries combined." Sign the United for Peace and Justice petition to call for funds to be spent on human needs here at home, not military and war-making abroad.
Sign the petition! Tell Democrats and Republicans in Congress that we value and support a system that prioritizes public needs over wars and corporate profiteers.
Save the Date! VFP Annual Convention
The VFP Annual Convention is titled "Education Not Militarization" and will be held in Chicago, Aug 9-13 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago.
Tabling/ Registration begin on Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Workshops will be held on Thu/Fri (Aug 10-11th) Saturday - business meeting/banquet Sunday: Late concert
More details to follow!
National office contact is Shelly Rockett
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Des Moines VFP Hold Vigil at New Recruiting Center
Veteran for Peace Chapter 163 in Des Moines, Iowa joined the local Catholic Worker to hold a silent vigil outside the entrance of a new National Guard Recruiting Center at the Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines.
VFP members Ed Bloomer, Gill Landolt and Al Burny held the VFP banner and Gil held a hand made poster "IA National Guard Leave Our Kids Alone" (See photo above).
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50th Anniversary of Beyond Vietnam Speech
April 4, 2017 will be the 50th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence. In confronting the deeply rooted racism, militarism and materialism of the United States, Dr. King described the United States as the greatest purveyor of violence in the world.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the reading of Martin Luther King’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech, we are asking local VFP chapters to organize speech-reading events.
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VFP Chapter 67-Long Beach Final Zinn Fund Report
VFP Chapter 67 was a past recipient of the Howard Zinn Fund for Peace and Justice. They recently submitted their final report. Here is an excerpt:
The overall goal of the project was to develop the skills and abilities of high school students in the Long Beach area to promote peace and justice. This project was built upon an existing Teen Memorial program.
The specific objectives included expanding Peace Club groups in local high schools and building an alliance of Peace Clubs, developing student-led activities for peace and justice, and developing strong community networks to support youth empowerment.
It has been a very positive and rewarding experience for many people working together to achieve the goals of this project. We have found it has been both profound and exhilarating as we educate, make new student friends, and continue to grow as community activists and peacemakers in the process.
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Get Your VFP Hoodie!
Show your VFP pride at winter actions, events, and meetings!
Front: VFP Logo
Back: Eisenhower Quote -"I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity."
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Save the Dates: Upcoming Events
March 5-21 - Veterans For Peace Annual Trip to Vietnam
March 11-19 - International Day of Action Against War and Islamophobia
April 23-29 - 3rd Annual Shut Down Creech in Las Vegas, NV
Aug 9-13 - VFP Annual Convention-"Education Not Militarization", Chicago, IL. There will be a concert the evening of the 13th, so plan to stay the evening of the 13th! More details to follow soon!
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Veterans For Peace, 1404 N. Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102
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