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On the Left Wall of the Entry Way to the GREAT HALL:
Statement on the Legacy of Rachel Corrie On March 16, 2003, Rachel Corrie was killed by an Israeli bulldozer as she was attempting to stop the destruction of a Palestinian home in Rafah. A summary on the story from selected excerps is given further below. The play, "My Name is Rachel Corrie" plays at the Repertory Theater in Seattle (March 15th through April 22nd, 2007) and at Evergreen State College (April 26-29, 2007). It's based on the words -- from diaries and e-mails -- of the 23-year-old from Olympia was killed four years ago in Gaza. Parents Craig and Cindy Corrie hope their daughter will leave a legacy. They started the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice in Olympia to advance human rights. The Corries continue to ask for a U-S investigation into their daughter's death. An inquiry by the Israeli military cleared its forces of any wrongdoing. Brief Summary of events describing Rachel Corrie's Death (from selected excerpts): "She chose to stand in front of a Palestinian home at the moment an Israeli bulldozer was trying to tear it down. In the first image captured on camera, she is challenging the driver with a megaphone in her hand. Her hair is loose around her shoulders. She places her body between the weakened wall of the house and the brutal shovel of the bulldozer. The scene takes place in Rafah, in Gaza, and her protective gesture is poignant. Never has such an undefended, fragile person challenged a vehicle transformed into a machine of death and destruction. In the second photo, she is on the ground bleeding. According to witnesses the bulldozer, after stopping for awhile, decided to move forward. After knocking her down with the first blow, it backed up and attacked once again. With a turn of the steering wheel, the driver drove away from the scene..." [-Imad Jadaa, Palestinian Ambassador to Cuba] "Rachel was an incredibly good person ...a very reflective person who constantly thought about how to link together various groups working for justice, e.g., the labor movement and the peace movement. She volunteered at the Evergreen Labor Center and played a major role in organizing a conference dealing with networking and strategies for justice and peace last spring, 2002." [-Peter Bohmer, faculty member, professor of economics, Evergreen State College]
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upon entering the GREAT HALL of the PEACEMAKERS: The Illuminated Book of The COURAGEOUS ACTS of CONSCIENCE Medal (CAoCM) This is the highest medal bestowed by the GLOBAL PEACE TRUTH FORCE [1986] Rachel Corrie The first name on the roll is Rachel Corrie. On March 3, 2004, The VIRTUAL us Peace Academy at Seattle was directed to inscribe the name of Rachel Corrie in the MEDAL of CONSCIENCE book, making her the recipient of the first award of this highest medal. Rachel Corrie died trying to non-violently protect the human rights of a Palestinian family against the Israeli occupying forces. What she was doing was normal to her ways of protecting of the human rights of others which her life was so consumed with even at her relatively early age. She was killed by an Israeli military bulldozer trying to prevent the destruction of a Palestinian home in Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Rachel would be at the apex of examples set to answer the question, "What can one person do to make a difference." This is not to ask that Peace Academy students rush out in front of bulldozers, but to recognize, contemplate, and perhaps emulate the selflessness of the rare ones, that we might be more empowered and capable when put in positions of responsibility, helping others choose the more peaceful way. Not only is much inspiration available at Rachelcorrie.org site, but It is worthy of note that just googling Rachel Corrie's name during the 4th Anniversary of her passing, reveals a great many events nationwide to honor her courage and sacrifice. The column at left tells more about Rachel and her legacy. Final Note: Rachel Corrie died on the same day of the year (March 16th) as Hugh Thompson's courageous actions at Mi Lai (retold below). Hugh Thompson The second name on the roll is CWO Hugh Thompson for the actions he performed on March 16th, 1968 to stop the infamous at My Lai. The heroic conduct of Thompson and his crew in the most intense war conditions stands supreme - AND remind troops that the u.s. Military code of justice was revised after the Nuremberg trials when a common defense of the German soldier was "Yes, but! I was only following orders." This award was announced on Feb. 15, 2004 by Rachel CORRIE's Brigade, vfp92, with the infamous USS TURNER JOY as back ground to rededicate our selves to our cause of peace. After Hugh Thompson's name is a full description of the Courageous Acts of Conscience he performed on March 16th, 1968. His own account of the My Lai action is recorded at The University of Missouri's School of Law "The Heroes of My Lai" page. Another account is available at US News Hero's & Action Figures page. Joseph Darby May 15 , 2004: For his courageous acts of conscience at Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq, the Hugh Thompson Chapter of the Rachel Corrie Brigade, vfp92, is proud to bestow on Spec. Joseph Darby has awakened Americans to why the world sees us as the oppressors from an evil empire out to bully everyone who gets in our way. Like Hugh Thompson , at My Lai, March 1968, he did what he could to STOP what he knew was wrong. These men are a rare breed ! By honoring them, we can help to inspire other troops to do the right thing just like Thompson & Darby. - O'Kelly McCluskey, vfp92. Read more about this "Truth Teller" who stood up and stood strong at the web site of Veterans for Peace, Chapter 98 of Taos, New Mexico. Spec. Darby was also ABC NEWS Person of the Week. Lt. Ehren Watada Lt. Ehren Watada became the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to the unlawful war and occupation in Iraq (with the Fort Lewis-based 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division). While doing this on June 22, 2006, Watada said, "As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must refuse that order." Watada’s commander added a seventh count to the six he already faced for remarks Watada made in a speech Aug. 12 at the Veterans for Peace national convention in Seattle. On January 4th, 2007 the pre-trial of LT Ehren Watada began, sparking a fire of resistance that sustained Iraq Veterans against the War (IVAW) members and activists as they gathered in the cold rainy weather outside the gates of Fort Lewis. Most notably, IVAW Deployed established Camp Resistance, a semi-permanent encampment. Some great pictures of the Rally with many IVAW members from Camp Resistance are at Indymedia. On January 21 and 22, Watada's supporters participate in a "Citizen's Hearing on the Legality of U.S. Actions in Iraq"--designed to put the war on trial, rather than the brave men and women who resist it. Among the antiwar figures who will testify are former Pentagon analyst Daniel Ellsberg; Denis Halliday, who resigned in protest as United Nations coordinator of humanitarian aid in Iraq; and international law expert Richard Falk. Iraq Veterans Against the War is sending a bus of supporters to join with local activists in the organizing. The trial starts February 5. see Watada Speech at Veterans for Peace convention August 2006 and related articles ("Iraq combat vets explain support for Lt. Watada," "GI resistance is a growing trend," and "We were conditioned to hate them") at the 'Thank You Lt. Watada web site' Tomas Young Tomas Young, a 26-year-old veteran, was shot and paralyzed after serving 5 days in Iraq. His story is told in the critically acclaimed antiwar feature documentary Body of War, produced and directed by legendary talk show host Phil Donahue and award-winning filmmaker Ellen Spiro. The film features two original songs by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Body of War is an intimate human drama wrapped in a political documentary -- full of emotion, humor and hope. As the paralyzed veteran Tomas deals with his disability, he evolves into a new person, finding his own passionate voice against the war. Body of War also captures the historic debate in the Congress in the fall of 2002 authorizing the war and celebrates those that stood up against the rush to invade. Lt.Col. Ann Wright Former US diplomat and author of recently published book, Dissent: Voices of Conscience. The book highlights stories from Agustin Aguayo, Camilo meija, Katherine Jashinski, and Brandon Hughey. "I served 29 years in the US Army/Army Reserves. When my government attacked Iraq, I was one of three US diplomats to resign in protest. I resigned my career on principle. Today, I fully support US Military personnel who, in acts of conscience, refuse to fight in wars of aggression. Last year I testified in an Article 32 (pre-court martial) proceeding against Iraq War objector Army Lieutenant Ehren Watada. I explained to the military hearing officer that our soldiers do have a reasponsibility to refuse to participate in illegal actions, and a war of aggression is an illegal action-in fact, it is a war crime. Any soldier, sailor, airperson or marine who comes to this same conclusion most certainly should have the right to refuse. It is this duty that is at the heart of the actions taken by most reservists. Some General officers on active duty during the Iraq invasion and occupation have spoken out publicly- but after their retirements. So far it's been our younger service persons who have risked their reputations, careers and possibly their freedoms in challenging illegal orders and policy. Taking a stand of conscience while in the military requires courage and bravery. I believe we must uphold - and I dare say, encourage-these acts." O'Kelly McCluskey describes Ann Wright as "Close to the epitome of the ACTIVIST for perpetual Just Peace that the US Peace Academy is trying to encourage." Related Video Daniel Ellsberg This former Pentagon analyst "Pleaded with all GOVT insiders to tell the nation the truths they are privy to. 'Do it NOW & help stop the killing.' His conscience keeps him awake because he waited so long to give us the Pentagon Papers. He risked 35 yrs in jail. Charges were dropped when [the insiders'] crimes came out. His leadership in calling for people today to cast their *Whole Vote* [H D Thoreau], ie: to Speak Truth to Power, warrants the Medal of Conscience." -- O'Kelly McCluskey Cindy Sheehan Co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace, is widely acknowledged as a ready and gifted spokesperson and rally master for the peace & justice movement of today. "What started people to question the war? Of course, there are a number of factors, including over 4,000 U.S. deaths, but there is one person who almost singularly by herself energized the anti-war movement in this country and got people to start thinking about what a disaster this war and occupation is. That person is Cindy Sheehan. Her brave stand at Crawford, TX, demanding that Bush answer why her son died in Iraq, started the downward trend for support of the war in this country. If you ask me, Cindy deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for her dogged determination in resisting the war." - Tom Krebsbach. Cindy said, "We need an 'open-armed policy' with our neighbors in this hemisphere not an 'armed and dangerous' persona. America is certainly perceived as a bully all over the world but in the case of Cuba, it could not be more exemplified. ...I wish my son, Casey, had refused to go... If Casey died for any 'noble cause,' it will be to prevent others of our young people from making the same tragic mistake that our family did when Casey was lied to and his goodness was exploited to help fulfill his recruiter's quota for that month. I have absolutely no respect for military recruiters that go after our young people and some as young as 5th grade have had AK-47's shoved in their little hands that have barely lost the dimples in their knuckles and some of the biggest selling video games are ones based on war and destruction. A 'volunteer' military that counts on poverty, ignorance, a tanking economy, and false patriotism is one of the tools that the Military Industrial Congressional Complex uses to keep our nation in constant war while using the deceptive phraseology of 'Support the Troops;' the same troops that they are mis-using as bullet sponges and paid assassins. |
On the Right Wall of the Entry Way to the GREAT HALL:
Rachel Corrie's Brigade Two chapters of the Veterans for Peace have been inspired by Rachel Corrie's life. Chapter 109, the Rachel Corrie Brigade is proud to call itself after such an inspiring young woman who died so bravely, having worked so joyfully, so unselfishly, for the cause of peace. They are based in Olympia where Rachel's father and Mother, Craig and Cindy, is a member. Rachel is the first person to be honored by a vfp chapter in Washington. Prior to Chapter 109's inception, before the number and location of so many members required the creation of additional and more locally centered individual chapters, Western Washington Chapter 92 (now primarily of the Seattle/Bellevue area) had first taken on Rachel's name. Perhaps there is a relationship between the legacy of Rachel Corrie and the rapid rise in the membership of the VFP - not to mention the same for so many other peace and justice communities (?) |
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At Center Left upon entering the Great Hall: The Book of the Courageous ACTS of CONSCIENCE AWARDS (CAoCA) Jackie Hudson will be the first listed for her actions, related to actions at Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, for which she is now serving time in a Federal prison will be here. Vfp92 also honored Jackie Hudson On Feb. 15, 2004, with their First COURAGEOUS ACT of CONSCIENCE AWARD. [see Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action for more on Jackie's great work.] The Courageous ACTS of CONSCIENCE AWARDS are to be an annual event for Feb 15 by the Rachel CORRIE's Brigade at the USS Turner Joy. Bert Sacks is honored with the CAoC Award this October 2004 for his tremendous work in bringing shipments of medical supplies to Iraqi children through the 1990's against the Iraq sanctions - and was fined thousands of dollars by the federal government! See the Seattle Times article on Bert's plight and End Iraq Sanctions .Org for details on the related lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury Dept. and the background and current status of the sanctions, which UNICEF says has contributed to the deaths of half a million children under the age of five. "Bert Sacks lives, thru his actions, the peace mission of the VETERANS for PEACE. He is the epitome of what the rest of us vfp'ers strive to be." - O'Kelly McCluskey, WWII, DAV, vfp92 Abe Osheroff is also honored with the CAoC Award this October 2004. Abe is a veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade who fought the Fascist Franco forces , 1936-1939 & later served the US during WW II. He recently became a vfp92 member. "Abe is an outstanding inspiration to me personally; he will teach you how to keep a smile in your eye as you travel this rocky road to a just peace." -O'Kelly McCluskey Iraq War Resistors In the Spirit of the Paradigm Exibited by Lt. Ehren Watada, the following persons are Honored for their Courage to Resist the Illegal Iraq War. (In fact it's hard to keep up with the fast accelerating increase of numbers of war refusers in the military. And so it would be impossible to list them all here, but some of the links included below will help us acknowledge them.) A few of the first of these leaders and role models include: Washington state resister, Sgt. Ricky Clousing, returned home December ('06) from confinement in the brig on the East Coast. Clousing turned himself in at the August 2006 Veterans for Peace convention in Seattle, after going AWOL from his Army unit for over a year. Sgt. Ricky Clousing, who served as a U.S. Army Interrogator in Iraq in 2004 and 2005 was charged with desertion by the Army. Proceedings began 10/12/06! Clousing left Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he was stationed in 2005 after returning from Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division. He had been AWOL until August 11th, 2006, when he called a press conference in Seattle, WA coinciding with the annual Veterans for Peace national convention. He also joined other IVAW members (09/14/06) making statements to VA Disability Commission in support of other Iraq veterans. At the press conference, Clousing went public with his stand stating, "In Iraq I operated as an interrogator and was attached to tactical infantry units during daily patrol operations. As an interrogator I spoke to Iraqis each day. This gave me an idea of what local civilians thought of coalition forces. Throughout my training very appropriate guidelines for the treatment of prisoners were set. However, I witnessed our baseless incarceration of civilians. I saw civilians physically harassed. I saw an innocent Iraqi killed before me by US troops. I saw the abuse of power that goes without accountability. Being attached to a tactical infantry unit and being exposed to the brutalities of war, I began to doubt and reconsider my beliefs.” For more information visit: http://www.sdmcc.org/rickyclousing/. You can Read the entire statement at Courage to Resist .Org Darrell Anderson, , Iraq veteran and war resister, released from Army Darrell will receive an "other than honorable" discharge without facing court martial. Darrell Anderson was deployed to Iraq with the Army's 1st Armoured Division in the spring of 2004. Darrell served most of his time in Baghdad where he was wounded by a roadside bomb after serving for 7 months. Facing the possibility of a second deployment to Iraq, Darrell's conscience kept him from returning to the military. After witnessing the abuse and killing of Iraqi civilians and being ordered to fire on an automobile containing Iraqi civilians, Anderson concluded that the war is wrong. He fled to Canada rather than face the possibility of returning to Iraq. Before turning himself in Darrell held a press conference at the Colvin Community Center in Radcliffe, KY "I feel that by resisting I made up for the things I did in Iraq," he said. "I feel I made up for the sins I committed in this war." Anderson will now be seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress at a facility in Tennessee. Since being in combat, Anderson said that he has suffered panic attacks, nightmares, and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Send words of support to: resistwithdarrell@insighybb.com Suzanne Swift, who is to face Special Court Martial charges of "absent without leave" and "missing movement, could receive up to a year confinement if found guilty. Army Spc. Suzanne Swift to face special court martial for charges "absent without leave" and "missing movement". Last week Army officials reported that Lt. Gen. James Dubik, commander of Ft. Lewis, has referred Swift's case to a special court martial. A special court martial means that an Article 32, the military's form of a pre-trial, is not required. Suzanne's case has garnered national attention since she was arrested at her mother's home in June 2006. She had gone AWOL just before her military police unit was to redeploy to Iraq in January 2006. In her time stationed at Fort Lewis,Washington and while in Iraq in 2004 and 2005, Swift was sexually harassed and assaulted by superiors. The Army has reported investigating the allegations about the sexual abuse and stated last Wednesday in a news release, "The command substantiated one allegation she made against a soldier at Fort Lewis and did not substantiate two allegations she made against soldiers in Iraq." Army resister, Suzanne Swift, was released January 3 from confinement at Fort Lewis (Jan '07). One year ago ('06), Swift refused orders to return to Iraq with her unit after enduring sexual assaults at the hands of commanders and fellow soldiers during her previous tour in Iraq. Swift said she both opposed the Iraq war as illegal and immoral, and feared further abuse if she redeployed. Her mother, Sara Rich, led a campaign to win Swift an honorable discharge and to raise awareness of the epidemic of sexual harassment in the military. In support of the Suzanne Swift, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace staged a sit-in at Congressman Peter DeFazio's D.C. office. As a result, a Congressional investigation began. But the Army kept up relentless pressure on Swift, and in December, she pled guilty to being absent without leave, under an agreement that includes a demotion and extension of her service to cover the time she was AWOL. The plea deal saves Swift from undergoing the trauma of a trial. But depending on where the Army assigns her now, she could be sent back to Iraq. Swift, who suffers from PTSD, and her mother, Sara Rich have become vocal spokespeople against sexual harassment, assault and coerced sex which is also referred to as "command rape." They and their supporters are committed to bring the issue to light and to empower more women and men to speak out against crimes that so often go unreported. For More Info Visit: www.SuzanneSwift.org to find out how. Conscientious Objector, Agustin Aguayo, , imprisoned in Germany Agustin Aguayo is currently being held in Mannheim prison in Germany for following his conscience. He said,"I have come to believe that it is wrong to destroy life, that it is wrong to use war, that it is immoral, and I can no longer go down this path. Because I have taken this stand, I am free even though my body will probably be locked up for a period of time and it's something I can live with. Something I can't live with is being a participant of war anymore." Agustin Aguayo applied for conscientious objector status in February 2004 after serving in the military for just over a year."At the moment I signed up, I was ready and willing to do anything that was asked of me," Aguayo said. "However, over time, we as humans change. While Aguayo's conscientious objector claim was being processed he was sent to Iraq as a medic, but refused to load his weapon. He has continued to fight for his discharge ever since, even taking his fight to the federal court system after his claim was mishandled and rejected by the military. Agustin Aguayo is imprisoned for following his conscience and he and his family desperately need your financial support as they continue to fight for his discharge. Please donate today! For additional information about Agustin's case visit: www.AguayoDefense.org , We will update periodically and provide resource links in the meantime: Sgt. Camilo Mejia; Sgt. Kelly Dougherty, Sgt. Kevin Benderman; Pablo Paredes (courtmarshalled); Army Specialist Mark Wilkerson Refused War on Moral Grounds; Maricela Guzman Also see www.couragetoresist.org, http://www.ivaw.net, and http://www.westpointgradsagainstthewar.org |
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At Center Right upon entering the Great Hall: NOTABLE PEACE MAKERS A number of Books containing their Names This year, at the Turner Joy event, CORRIE's Brigade read a list of names to be included in these great books. |
Notes on Nominations:
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Resources at this site The 'Neo-conomy' in War, deep effects and future implications Considerations, Innovations, Accountability, Solutions, Resources Considerations in the cause of Seeking Accountability and Solutions - both nationally and internationally - that will also serve well for Documentation of Intentions in Conscientious Objection. - Legal Resource on Civil Rights and Civil Disobedience Introducing a Chart-illustrated Study in "Poly-Psy" - including re: what brought us to this critical crossroads, socially and psychologically, and a look at current citizen roles, beliefs, coping styles, and choices - for society’s waking up, healing itself, and recovering Democracy. Mental & emotional re-education for long-term solutions to national & international troubles, as well as implications for short-term problem-solving applications. For now, at the JPG Library page is a listing, PTSD: Integrating Approaches & Paradigms, Mediating Politics -- Suggested Class and/or Topic for Discussion.
A Collection of Speeches & Selected Legislation sponsored by Dennis Kucinich |
Until this site is past the construction phase,
we recommend to everyone interested in peace trainings to
subscribe to the newsletter of the Institute of Peace via
http://www.usip.org/
You may also find of interest the
National Peace Essay Contest via
http://www.usip.org/ed/npec/index.html
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Artistic rendering of concepts & ideals as related to Purpose and eventual goals of vUSPA, including:
* Eagle: integrative overview and foresight, as well as clothed by the more peaceful of the traditional symbols in the original seal of the United States (olive branch, banner "E Pluribus Unum" - meaning "Of Many, One"). * Dove: peace, non-violence, gentleness. * Olive Branch: ages old symbol for Peace. In "the Great Seal," where the eagle is also holding arrows in one talon and an olive branch in the other, the eagle has its head turned towards the olive branch, said to symbolize a preference for peace. * Globe: global citizen oriented. * Open Book: Right Use of Knowledge, Right Parenting, Right Use of Science * Circle of Symbols of World Religions: Ecuminicism of Beliefs. * 4 Directions Hoop: a symbol common to almost all Indigenous people of the Americas, but of other world cultures as well, The four cardinal points of the medicine wheel can be used to explain the complex reality of personal and community development. artwork/rendering by Chris Pringer |
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vUSPA Administrative Staff |
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O'Kelly McCluskey
greenkrow2026@verizon.net || 425-672-7412 Director & Registrar of vUSPA W.W.ll, DAV GLOBAL PEACE TRUTH FORCE (1986) Western WA Veterans for Peace Ch.92 Pastor Rich Lang Chaplain, vUSPA, Seattle, WA Pastor, Trinity United Methodist Church |
Chris Pringer
vuspa@iinet.com (incl. "permit2chris" in body of email) Administrator & WebSiteMgr of vUSPA Veterans for Peace Ch.92; "Seattle 12" Instructor in "PolyPsyArts" Advisors to Rachel Corrie's Students are listed Here |
Tristan McCluskey
Librarian, vUSPA, Seattle, WA vfp92 Rachel CORRIE's Brigade Cameron McCluskey Librarian, vUSPA, Seattle, WA vfp92 Rachel CORRIE's Brigade James Peterson McCluskey, M.L.S. Library Consultant |
GLOBAL PEACE TRUTH FORCE (1986)
20804 Crawford Rd,
Lynnwood, WA 98036-8645
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