Tacoma SDS

In 1971 Vets from the Vietnam War, organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the War, came together to provide testimony about the horrific events that occurred during the War. Many spoke about the killing innocent civilians, rape, and torture that they had witnessed and taken part in.

Last month Iraq Veterans Against the War (www.ivaw.org) held a similar event in Washington D.C.

IVAW Seattle Chapter 8 will be holding a regional Winter Soldier at Seattle's Town Hall on May 31st. The event will be followed by a march to the Federal Building. Our intent is to fill Town Hall to capacity then to own the streets of Seattle.

While Winter Soldier in Washington D.C. was powerful and moving to all that witnessed it and it was well covered by media from around the world, it was not covered by major media in the United States. We want this to be different. We need to make enough noise on the streets of Seattle that the media can't ignore this event.

To do this IVAW needs the help of the people and organizations of the region. Please distribute this email as far and wide as possible.

Panels will address:
-Eyewitness accounts and ersonal stories from veterans and military families
-Veterans' Healthcare and the failure of the VA system
-The poverty draft and military recruitment today
-Supporting war resisters and the future of GI resistance
-Racism and the War on Terror
-Veterans, GIs, students and labor working together end the war

With guest speaker Antonia Juhasz, respected policy-analyst, author and activist. Her recent book, The Bu$h Agenda: Invading the World, One Economy at a Time, exposes the Bush administration's use of corporate globalization policy as a weapon of war.

Also, guest appearance and book signing by Dahr Jamail, author of the award-winning book Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches from an Unembedded Journalist in Occupied Iraq.

Endorsed by: Veterans for Peace (Chapters: 92 Seattle, 72 Portland, 132 Corvallis, 109 Olympia, 139 North Olympic Peninsula, Grants Pass, 913 Wenatchee, 141 SW Oregon, 143 Everett, 134 Tacoma) Dorris Kent - Gold Star Families for Peace, Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist, Military Families Speak Out Washington and Oregon, Recruiter Watch PDX, Green Party of Washington, Evergreen Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, Collateral Repair Project.org, Code Pink Oregon and Washington, Eastside Fellowship of Reconciliation,Tacoma Students for a Democratic Society, Students Educating Students About the Middle East, Teen Peace Project, American Friends Service Committee Washington and Oregon, Vancouver for Peace, PDX Peace Coalition, Oregon Peace Institute, White Feather Peace Community, Washington Truth in Recruiting, International Socialist Organization, Youth Against War and Racism, Freedom Socialist Party, Seattle Central Community College Anti-War Collective, Socialist Alternative,Courage to Resist, Backbone Campaign, Progressive Democrats of America, Women in Black Seattle, Port Townsend Peace Movement, Seattle Anti-Imperialist Commitee,Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Peace Action Coalition Tacoma, Oregonians Against the War, Whatcom Peace and Justice Center, Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War, Lake Forest Park for Peace, World Can't Wait, Western Washington Fellowship of Reconcilliation, El Centro de la Raza.

more details coming soon.
check out www.givoice.org for updates.

Northwest Winter Soldier Rideshare wiki: http://newsds.org/wiki/index.php?title=Northwest_Winter_Solider_Rideshar...