GIs & vets step up organizing against war

In a remarkable reversal, the Nassau County, N.Y., district attorney dismissed all charges on Nov. 15 against the Hempstead 15. The case stemmed from a police attack a month earlier on members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, who were attempting to present questions to candidates Barack Obama and John McCain at their final debate.

Instead of ushering the IVAW group into the debate site as they requested, riot police on horseback assaulted the veterans. One veteran, Nick Morgan, was trampled when a cop’s horse knocked Morgan down, stomping down hard on his face. Morgan sustained a crushing blow to his head—a cheek bone was broken in three places, and his eye socket was shattered.

The veterans had wanted to ask two questions, according to IVAW spokesperson Matthis Chiroux. To candidate Obama: “As president, are you prepared to back up your own words [about the illegality of the Iraq War] and the U.S. Constitution by supporting service members refusing to participate in what you describe as an illegal occupation?” To McCain: “What promises are you willing to make ... to the veterans of the United States, to prove that you will ensure the V.A. is fully funded, staffed and capable of preventing troops from suffering as they are now?”

Instead of getting an answer, the veterans were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. They were arraigned in early November, but the district attorney’s office has decided to dismiss the charges instead. Morgan and the IVAW say they are preparing a civil suit for the assault.

“This is a decisive victory for activists and veterans everywhere, and for the Constitution,” said Chiroux. He added that the outcome “would not have been possible without you, our supporters and allies. It was the calls, the demonstrations, the petitions and the grass-roots exposure that made the difference.”

‘Bring the Guard Home’ campaign

A campaign to “Bring the Guard home! It’s the law!” is slated for a January 21 launch, immediately following Inauguration Day, in Washington, D.C. Organizers say momentum for the campaign has been building over the course of 2008, as state after state has joined the effort. Vermonters initiated the campaign in January with the introduction of legislation ending future deployments of the Vermont National Guard to Iraq. Legislators in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island followed with similar legislation in those states.

The launch will include a press conference at the National Press Club featuring state legislative sponsors, veterans, military families, legal counsel and key campaign coalition partners. For more information on this campaign go to www.BringtheGuardHome.org

GI coffeehouses opening

In another development, the GI Voice in Lakewood, Wash., near Fort Lewis, announced the opening of “Coffee Strong”—the second GI coffeehouse to open since the Vietnam War ended. A Different Drummer Cafe, a joint project of Citizen Soldier and Vietnam Veterans Against the War, located in Watertown, N.Y., near Fort Drum, opened in November 2006.

Two more coffeehouses are slated to open soon, GI Voice reports: Under the Hood in Killeen, Texas, near Fort Hood, and The Norfolk OffBase near the Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia. GI Voice added that plans are underway for a joint national speaking and media tour for these four projects, as well as to help build support for future coffeehouses.

This effort to support GI resistance coincides with a surge in efforts to build “sanctuary” for war resisters. Sanctuary is part of the tradition of the “underground railroad” in slavery times—local people, as individuals, churches, unions or whole communities built a network of support that runaway slaves could count on as they fled to freedom. Now as then, the support is often secret, but now more and more it is becoming public.

Whole communities, even city councils, are declaring themselves to be in support of war resisters, prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect and help the resisters. For example, the Common Council of Ithaca, N.Y., unanimously proclaimed itself on Oct. 1 to be a “Community of Sanctuary,” which “respects the right of its residents to support lawfully and proactively military personnel ... who are organizing to stop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Courage To Resist, based in Oakland, Calif., is preparing a “Sanctuary Organizers Kit” as a supplement to its popular brochure titled “Five Simple Things You Can Do to Organize War Resister Support.” The brochure says “Resisters might find themselves in need of a place to stay, legal funds, assistance with a family problem or moral support. A national support campaign might call for rallies throughout the country, letter writing, or speaking tours. Building a community of allies ensures that there is a base in your community that can be mobilized.”

This type of base building helps GIs have the confidence to resist, knowing they have support and protection from the broader community.