Guest guest Posted February 12, 2005 Report Share Posted February 12, 2005 - tom swann tom swann Tuesday, February 08, 2005 11:37 AM A Veteran asks: " What is Peace " ? Please post widely A VETERAN ASKS WHAT IS PEACE? By Tom Swann, President Riverside San Bernardino Veterans for Peace Chapter Check out www.TomSwann.com The views below are SOLELY those of Tom Swann and NOT on behalf of any organization. Title is for identification purposes only. I have the pleasure of riding in a van along the freeway with Dr. Eric Goren and Vickie Wilson. As we drive Vickie will point out smoggy air, roadside litter, road rage and bumper stickers on Mack trucks that say, “Nuke Em All, God Bless America”. I always joke by saying since I am blind I do not see these things so it is easier for me to VISUALIZE PEACE. One year ago I received the World Peace Day award in Palm Springs on behalf of my late teacher Venerable Morris Kight. Kight led the effort to stop Dow Chemical Company from manufacturing Agent Orange. At this event the term peace was expanded to mean more than ending wars. It meant peace in your body and soul from domestic violence, racism and child abuse. I am relatively new in Veterans for Peace. On the web page I see this description of our work: ARTICLE II. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE We, having dutifully served our nation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace. To this end we will work, with others (a) Toward increasing public awareness of the costs of war (b) To restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations © To end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons (d) To seek justice for veterans and victims of war (e) To abolish war as an instrument of national policy. I underlined the part about our government intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations. Please let me suggest since 9-11 and passage of the Patriot Act that we need to expand our vision of peace. Our government seems to be at war with Americans who speak out against their war policies. I feel Veterans for Peace should work to stop Government-sponsored domestic terrorism. The war is not just overseas but also here at home. I have personal experience on this matter. In 2003 I led the effort to place a brick paver honoring gays killed in wars at the California Veterans Memorial. 32 GOP state legislators signed a letter asking for it to be removed. The letter contained unkind words and was described in a Sacramento Bee newspaper article. As a result I started receiving hateful Emails implying the only good gay is a dead queer. I feel that when elected officials say mean things about members of our society they incite violence. On March 5 we are holding a ceremony to support our troops by bringing them home at the Riverside VA cemetery. This will take place at 1:00 PM. You can bet your sweet bippy our government will have observers in the audience. I think the Bush cronies follow Louis Vandenberg 24/7. Marjorie Mikels is probably on their “observe” list. I have a friend in AMVETS who is gay and flies a helicopter in Iraq. He opposes the war. If he tells Laurie Stalnacher he is gay and opposes the war and is “observed” doing so he could be arrested and discharged. Should Veterans for Peace care about military witch-hunts? If you are a woman in the military and you are NOT promiscuous they brand you as a lesbian and discharge you. I see an irony here. President Bush said in his Inaugural address he wanted “liberty and freedom for the citizens of Iraq”. Mr. President, can we please get some of that liberty and freedom in Riverside and San Bernardino counties? The March 5 ceremony is at the National Medal of Honor Memorial. One of the names on the granite walls is Col. Lewis Millet of Idyllwild. He is the guy that drives by giving the bird sign to peace vigils. Vickie always responds by asking, “How can a combat veteran oppose peace”? At a recent County Veterans Advisory Committee luncheon I happened to walk past Col. Millet. When Millet saw my Veterans for Peace cap he shouted that I was a draft dodger. I feel our government incites this hateful rhetoric by condemning anyone in Iraq, France, Germany, Canada or Riverside that opposes their war for oil policies. So I propose Veterans for Peace expand their statement of purpose to include peace and justice for Americans who are victims of government-sanctioned domestic terrorism, which takes away our liberty and freedom. What do you think? Please, please publish this letter widely. I want to get on that government “observation” list. Please get me on the list of TRUE patriots and I do not mean the Patriot Act or a football team. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers”. tom swann tomswann http://www.blueaction.org " Better to have one freedom too many than to have one freedom too few. " http://www.sharedvoice.org/unamerican/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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