Call To Action: June 1st Day of Action in Support of Bradley Manning, Ft Meade, Md.

Join IVAW for the June 1st Day of Action in support of Bradley Manning

June 1 marks the beginning of Bradley Manning’s fourth year in military prison awaiting trial with many violations of due process.  Bradley’s conditions in prison have been described by Amnesty International and the United Nations as torturous.

Join IVAW and others in a show of support before Bradley's court martial.

Whistleblowing should not be a crime.

The U.S. government is attempting to make an example out of Manning, to intimidate anyone who might blow the whistle on government wrong-doing in the future.

But like many of our members who have had the courage to speak out against what our military has done in Iraq and Afghanistan, Bradley Manning was moved to take action due to a crisis of conscience.

The information he made public via WikiLeaks has been an important affirmation of IVAW's work by exposing the atrocities and misconduct of the Iraq war, and supports the eye-witness experiences of many of our members:

●     Bradley released the Collateral Murder video that depicts a U.S. Army helicopter intentionally and illegally targeting Iraqi civilians. IVAW member Ethan McCord was there that day, witnessed the killing, and helped save the lives of Iraqi children who were severely injured.

●     The Iraq War logs Bradley released provided civilian death counts that the U.S. government was withholding.

●     Bradley's leak exposed the corporate interests behind a variety of U.S. armed conflicts worldwide. 

We strongly believe that Bradley Manning’s whistleblowing contributed to the declining public support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Like Daniel Ellsberg, famed Pentagon Papers whistleblower, Manning should be honored as a person of conscience.

Join us at Fort Meade, Maryland to stand up for Bradley and all whistleblowers.

On June 1, rally and march with the Bradley Manning Support Network, IVAW, Veterans For Peace, and others in defense of Manning and all past, present, and future whistleblowers.

Join Daniel Ellsberg, LGBT activist U.S. Army Lt. Dan Choi, former U.S. diplomat Army Col. Ann Wright (ret.), and former soldier Ethan McCord at Fort Meade.

Buses will be leaving from New York City; Washington, DC; Philadelphia; New Brunswick, NJ; and Baltimore on June 1.  You can find more information about those buses and buy tickets here.  Additional information about travel and lodging can be found here. You can also organize a bus from your own local area.

At Fort Meade, the June 1 day of action will begin with a 1:00 PM gathering on Reese Road and US 175, followed by a march and rally.

The trial, U.S.  v. BRADLEY MANNING, begins on June 3 at 9:00 AM and is expected to last 6-12 weeks.  Supporters are encouraged to attend as many days of this trial as possible.

Can’t make it to Fort Meade on Saturday, June 1st?  Help sponsor travel for others. Each $20 will cover a bus ticket for someone who otherwise wouldn’t be able to come. Please note "Bus Sponsor" in the comments field when making your tax-deductible donation.

Thank you for your continued support                                                                                                                                                          

In Solidarity,

Maggie, Matt, Amadee, and Elly                                                                                                             

Iraq Veterans Against The War Staff

www.VetSpeak.org

Action Alert: One of our true champions of peace, freedom, and social justice is in need of our help...

Dear Friends…

Many of you already know her, for those who may not:  Our friend Sue Thompson is a freelance photo-journalist who has been to the Mideast on more than one occasion, documenting the true cost of the “war on terror” on the children and families of the region. She is currently involved in a project that is making a documentary on the survivors of USS Liberty incident.  She is also a close personal friend and has shared several actions with the membership of VVAW/OSS here in the US, ever since we were first all together in D.C. for the initial Occupy Freedom Plaza in Oct., 2011. We consider her one of us.

Sue is also a mother, and right now it is her and her own child’s plight that needs our focus, our caring, and our help.  Her daughter, Tia, was recently hospitalized for diabetic complications that were exacerbated by less than professional care by hospital staff on more than one admission over the last year.  She was recently released to Home Hospice Care, in order to be home and care for her own child. Sue is there with her to look after Tia, at present. 

Problem is, while Tia’s was in the hospital, her ex-husband, who shared custody with Tia for their child, came and took all of the furniture, kept the child, and is in arrears on his child  support for the sum of $20,000, leaving Tia with no rent money, and facing a certain eviction notice on the first of June. To say the least, our friend Sue is a little overwhelmed, distraught, and really short on options.  While there are long term ramifications and means of redress to this overall set of unfortunate set of circumstances, our concern is with the immediate relief from this fall-out.

Sue and Tia need our immediate moral and financial support, to include $300.00 up-front for an attorney to help recover back payments from Tia’s Ex, and also to protect Tia’s current interests, as well. However, they most immediately need “moving” money by the first of June, in order to secure another place for Tia to live. 

Not much time left. If you can see your way clear to contribute to ease Tia’s Hospice journey and help our friend Sue, who is in turn a true friend of children everywhere, see she and Tia through this nightmare; we would deeply appreciate it. We  are providing two e-mail addresses, both related to Sue and Tia’s Pay-Pal accounts, and a snail mail address that you may use to send any donations via check or money order, and with which you can send personal greetings to Tia:

   

E-mail via Pay-Pal - Go to PayPal.com  and enter either tiasmilinatya@hotmail.com or suethompson_artist@yahoo.com in appropriate dialog box. There are instructions for mobile or e-mail Money Transfer, including a How-To video link, on the PayPal page.

Snail Mail - Tia Thompson, 7326 Carillon Avenue, Cocoa, Fl  32927

Thank you,

Willie Hager                                                                                                                                 www.VetSpeak.org                                                                                                                           

VVAW/OSS