Tacoma SDS

Rally to support war resistors at Ft. Lewis
October 18
3-6pm
Coffee Strong hosting on Freedom Bridge, Exit 122 in Lakewood.

here is a short article about what has happened so far:

This Thursday - and every first and third Thursday - there will be an IVAW meeting at 6pm at COFFEE STRONG.

Iraq Veterans Against the War
From its inception, IVAW has called for:

* Immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces in Iraq;
* Reparations for the human and structural damages Iraq has suffered, and stopping the corporate pillaging of Iraq so that their people can control their own lives and future; and
* Full benefits, adequate healthcare (including mental health), and other supports for returning servicemen and women.

To Victor Agosto, Ft. Hood, Texas:

'You will deploy in support of OEF on or about [XXXXX] with 57th ESB. This is a direct order from your Company Commander CPT Michael J. Pederson.'

In a photo taken at Under the Hood Café in Killeen, Texas, Victor Agosto stands soldier tall, flanked by two older women peace activists from Fort Worth. Victor doesn’t talk a lot, but when he does he reveals a resolve and intelligence that seems far older than his 23 years.

AWOL GI held in county jail, to be transferred to Fort Stewart

U.S. war resister Cliff Cornell surrendered himself to U.S. border police on Wednesday after being ordered to leave Canada. He was promptly arrested for being AWOL from the U.S. Army, and is now being held at the Whatcom County Jail in Bellingham, Washington, twenty miles south of the U.S.-Canada border.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The U.S. Army will report Thursday the highest level of suicides among its soldiers since it began tracking the rate 28 years ago, CNN has learned. Statistics obtained by CNN show that the Army will report 128 confirmed suicides last year and another 15 suspected suicides in cases under investigation among active-duty soldiers and activated National Guard and reserves. The confirmed rate of suicides was 20.2 per 100,000. In 2007, the Army reported 115 confirmed suicides, the highest level since 1980, when it began tracking suicides.

Seattle folk singer Jim Page will be playing a benefit show for the 2nd GI Coffeehouse in the nation, Coffee Strong.

Jan 10, 2009
8pm

Coffee Strong
15109 Union Ave SW
Lakewood WA 98498

(253) 581-1565

www.ivaw.org
www.givoice.org

March 19, 2009 will mark the sixth year of war in Iraq. The US government has ignored public opinion and its democratic obligation to listen to the voice of its people. The US government has refused to pull its military troops and contractors out of Iraq after it was revealed that Iraq as a sovereign nation was not a threat to the US - it had no weapons of mass destruction and was not significantly connected to members of Al Qaeda or 9/11. Constant petitioning to end the war has been denied and the media refuses to to give the war adequate coverage.

"We danced our asses off."

It's been about a week since the insanity that was the 12 hour party "Give Peace a Dance." Last Saturday all sorts of people came out for the hugely successful event. The evening started slowly, with myself and the primary organizing sitting around, fretting about turn out. But as some more supports began to show, and the clock ticked ever closer to party-o'clock on the college campus, things came alive.

All sorts of music was played, including such diverse artists as Stevie Wonder, The Three Amigos (6Q), and more. At 1 am DJ Honey and DJ More showed up and dropped some beats on us. Awesome. We were also fortunate that an freelance photog, Alfred Romgi, came out and snapped photos and danced with us for most of the evening after seeing the event on Seattle Indymedia. There was even a brief surprise visit from Seth Manzel, the new director(?) of the G.I. Coffee House (Coffee Strong).

The GI Voice Project, IVAW Chapter 8, and IVAW Ft. Lewis are happy to announce the opening of Coffee Strong, a GI Coffee House near Fort Lewis Washington.

Coffee Strong
15109 Union Ave SW
Lakewood, WA 98498

We will be opening our doors on November 5, 2008. On November 15 at 9 PM we will be celebrating our grand opening with a concert by Son of Nun.

For more information or to support this project check out http://www.givoice.com